Lifestyle

There’s much more to Hollywood, the world’s ultimate dream destination, than just glamour and illusion; Tinseltown is a city of vast extremes and big emotions, too. On the silver screen, the battle between good and evil has come to assume almost biblical proportions over the past decades, encouraged by a not inconsiderable amount of binding and tormenting. Some of the movies’ biggest stars have had to endure such treatment, all for the enjoyment of their audiences.

Even though it's located in the ‘Region of the Thousand Kasbahs’, there's little chance that you’ll stumble upon another kasbah quite like Dar Ahlam. This secluded, red-brick fortress on the edge of the Sahara Desert offers not only exclusive accommodation, but also a healthy dose of North African flair, with a hint of French refinement.

Meeting fellow band member Brian Jones, along with Jones’ then girlfriend Anita Pallenberg and American model Deborah Dixon at the George V in Paris, Richards arranged for his own S3 Bentley Continental Flying Spur to be driven out from the UK for the journey by ‘fixer-in-chief’, ex-paratrooper Tom Keylock.

(The dark blue car was affectionately referred to by Richards as ‘Blue Lena’. ‘Blue’, well, any cat would know why that was, and ‘Lena’, after the jazz singer Lena Horne.)

Writing for Classic Driver, Simon de Burton set the scene: "A few hours' sleep were sufficient, and then we were ready to begin partying all over again - and at the moorings, always a Riva ready to welcome us." Those were the words of legendary '60s playboy and actor Gigi Rizzi, for whom a Riva was as much a gentleman's essential as a beautiful blonde, a convertible Ferrari, wristwatches by Piaget and Patek Philippe, a clifftop home with a garden down to the sea and a richly stocked walk-in wardrobe.

If you passed up the opportunity to buy Daniel Craig’s Aston Martin DBS from ‘Quantum of Solace’ at the ‘50 years of James Bond’ sale earlier this month, well, not to worry - we’ve found the next best thing. ‘The James Bond Archives’ will take you on an action-filled trip down memory lane, into the cinematic world of Her Majesty’s most sophisticated Secret Service agent.

Few would disagree with the assertion that Mercedes-Benz has great expertise in building reliable and elegant vehicles for the roads. But as if that weren’t enough, the brand is now hoping to cash in on its reputation in fields other than the motor industry. Remember when we told you that the designers at Mercedes-Benz were busy styling a helicopter and luxury motor yacht?

If you’re not afraid to be different and stand out from the crowd, why not give the bow tie, that old-school fashion accessory a try? It’s eccentric, chic, classy and oozes confidence.