Napoleon Bonaparte may have been many things—a military genius, a statesman, a man of wealth and taste. But perhaps his most notable feature? That bicorne, worn at a rakish, sideways angle, as synonymous with him as his battlefield victories. Today, only around 20 of Napoleon’s original hats (by Parisian hatter Poupart & Cie) remain in existence, scattered across museums, including the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin and in private collections (in 2023, one went for €1.9 million at auction). But two of them, remarkably, reside on the third floor of the Villa Sola Cabiati, a jewel of neoclassical architecture on…

In December 2019, a cluster of patients in Wuhan, China began to experience pneumonia-like symptoms that didn’t respond well to available treatments. Less than a month later, the Centers for Disease Control activated a response to investigate this novel coronavirus. It was spreading fast across Asia, Europe and into the United States. On March, 15, 2020, according to the CDC’s timeline, “States begin to implement shutdowns in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” That was five years ago this week. How we think about our living spaces – and appreciating their links to our health, safety and well-being –…

As the U.S. stock market falls on trade war fears, infrastructure is emerging as a dynamic and fast growing alternative asset class for institutional investors–and possibly, individuals too. “As we think about where the world is going, we think alternatives—and infrastructure more specifically—have a home in individual investor portfolios,” Sean Klimczak, global head of Blackstone’s $55 billion infrastructure business, said in an interview after speaking on stage at the third annual Forbes/SHOOK Top Teams Summit in Miami last week. Over the past 15 years, infrastructure investing has seen an eightfold increase in the institutional world, with capital invested surging from…

Looked at in one way, the corporate office is not exactly a paradigm of usefulness. It sees action from early morning to late afternoon Monday through Friday. The other 128 hours of a 168-hour week? It is about as useful as Lou Gehrig’s backup. But now that America’s wage earners are slowly but surely being transformed from remote to on-premise workers, building owners are studying how best to wring more value from a typical office’s “off hours.” Those ways include hosting community and nonprofit organization meetings, staging events or even serving as dining places. Defining the office Among the entities…

Star Entertainment said Monday it is considering a A$250 million ($157 million) cash injection proposal from U.S. casino operator Bally’s Corp., which is seeking to take a controlling interest in the embattled Australian company. Under the proposal sent by Bally’s late last week to Star’s board, Bally’s would give Star fresh capital in exchange for notes convertible into at least 50.1% stake of the Brisbane-based casino operator’s fully diluted ordinary shares. “The board of Star will review Bally’s proposal,” Anne Ward, chairwoman of Star’s board, said in a statement. “However, there is no certainty that it will be progressed.” Bally’s…

While the kitchen may be the home’s hub, most people spend more time in the bedroom than in any other room in the house. According to one study, we spend roughly one-third of our life either sleeping – or trying to sleep. In a study by IKEA, 70% of respondents agree that sleep is one of life’s greatest joys – and over half of the people surveyed said they would prefer sleeping over going out to engage in a social activity. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends at least 7 hours of sleep each night, and reports…

Spaghetti, meatballs, salad and garlic bread for $1.25? In Aspen? Sure, as long as it’s 1959. And you’re sliding into a booth at the Mother Lode. Once a modest spot for ski bums and famous faces, its red-and-white checkered tablecloths and hearty meals offered a taste of casual mountain living at rock-bottom prices. Now? That unassuming hideaway has transformed into a sprawling $60 million private residence. Has Aspen itself made a similar leap? The short answer is yes. Over the years, what started as a humble mining settlement turned humble ski hangout has blossomed into a premier international resort town.…

Real estate rarely rewards the patient. For many, a home is the most significant purchase of a lifetime, and that often demands urgency. Yet for the world’s wealthiest, there’s a different script. When you command hundreds of millions—or billions—urgency becomes optional. Why settle when you don’t have to? In Palm Beach County’s most moneyed echelons, this patient mindset is reshaping the market. Inventory for luxury listings, while improved from pandemic lows, remains modest—about three to four months of supply versus the six months that would mark true balance. Sellers still hold an advantage. But affluent buyers don’t feel pressured to…

Hong Kong billionaire Henry Cheng’s Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and tycoon David Chiu’s Far East Consortium had rescued cash-strapped Star Entertainment Group from the brink of collapse after agreeing to buy the Australian casino operator’s stake in a Brisbane property. The Hong Kong partners will pay A$53 million ($33.4 million) for Star’s 50% stake in the Brisbane integrated casino complex, Hong Kong-listed Far East said in a statement late Friday. Star will immediately receive A$35 million, injecting much needed cash to the embattled company, which counts Australian billionaire Bruce Mathieson among its shareholders. As part of the transaction, Star will…

Los Angeles is not a city of seasons. At least not in the traditional sense. Here, the passage of time is measured in shifting light, the slow bend of jacaranda branches heavy with violet blooms, the way dry hills blush green after an elusive rain. In Montecito Heights, where the land rises in soft folds above the city’s eastern edge, a home designed by artist Pae White and architect Tom Marble brings these quiet transformations into sharp relief. Nesting into a hill and backing onto the 250-acre Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, the single-story residence is immersed in one of…