Relax at Buddhist-inspired hotel
Visitors to the Chinese city Leshan can now book into the new Ayard of Ch'an boutique hotel. The property offers 47 rooms and is 120 kilometres outside the ancient city of Chengdu in Sichuan province. Rooms are set in private courtyards named after the Zen Buddhist principles of Xing Shen, meaning practice, and Jing Lv, meaning peace of mind. Visitors will find a private meditation area set among gardens, a teahouse that hosts traditional Chinese tea ceremonies, and a vegetarian restaurant inspired by Buddhist principles. The world's largest carved stone Buddha, the Leshan Giant, is a short walk from the hotel. Rooms cost from 455 Chinese yuan (Dh256) per night, including taxes. For more information, visit www.slh.com/ayard.
Halal restaurants on the rise in Kyoto
Muslim travellers exploring Kyoto now have more halal food options to choose from, according to the Kyoto Convention and Visitors Bureau. At present, there are about 15 restaurants that offer either halal options or full halal menus, with cuisines ranging from Japanese to continental and Indian. The Kyoto Muslim Association and Kyoto Council for Sharia and Halal Affairs have supervised the establishments to ensure Sharia standards are maintained. For the full list, visit www.kyoto.travel/muslim/en/food.html.
Literary package in St Petersburg
In celebration of the recent TV adaptation of Tolstoy's War and Peace, Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg is offering a package that includes visits to sites linked to 19-century Tsarist Russia. The itinerary features a full-day tour of Catherine Palace and a half-day tour of the Hermitage Museum. Also included is accommodation (for a minimum of three nights), buffet breakfast, early check-in and late checkout. The package costs from 65,000 roubles (Dh3,099) for three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit www.corinthia.com.
Hotel makes Mark with penthouse
The Mark Hotel in New York has opened what it claims is the largest penthouse in the United States. The 12,000-square-foot room features a 2,500-square-foot rooftop terrace. The penthouse also boasts five bedrooms, four fireplaces, six bathrooms and two powder rooms, all decorated by the French interior designer Jacques Grange. Visitors will have access to The Mark's 24-hour room service from The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges, personal training at the hotel's fitness centre, round-the-clock access to shop at Bergdorf Goodman, and a car of choice with driver. The hotel, on Madison Avenue, is within walking distance of New York landmarks such as Central Park, the Frick Collection and the Guggenheim. The penthouse costs from US$75,000 (Dh275,500) per night, including taxes. For more information, visit www.themarkhotel.com.
alane@thethenational.ae
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
PRISCILLA
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A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
Summer special
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Start times
5.55am: Wheelchair Marathon Elites
6am: Marathon Elites
7am: Marathon Masses
9am: 10Km Road Race
11am: 4Km Fun Run
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