I Can’t Believe You Gave Me That

By mid-2011,Virgin Galactic will begin commercial flights to space,so you can buckle up,get a space-side view of planet Earth cloaked in its blue atmosphere,and even get photographed floating in zero-gravity. Founder Richard Branson and his family will be the first passengers,but there’ll also be 100 free spots in the first year,for those who can pay the $200,000 (approx. Rs 90 lakh) booking charges. Pilots who’ve been there on test flights are still dizzy from the stunning view. “They say it is a life- changing experience though they’ve spent only about two minutes in space,” says space agent for Asia,Sunit Jairath. “We’re also arranging for special champagne on board.” There is a three-day acclimatisation process. The main trip involves a two-hour ascent and five to seven minutes in space. “It is not the minutes; it is the moment that matters. We hope some Indians will spend next Diwali in space,” says Jairath. But no,there are no Diwali discounts.

Write to space@deluxetravel.eu to get in intergalactic gear.

Vertu Signature Diamond Collection

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend,then the Vertu’s new Signature Diamond phone,handcrafted by eight designers,using the finest diamonds set in gold,is one big,warm,glittering group hug. The phone’s keys alone are decked out with 48 baguette cut diamonds. What jetsetters will especially love is the dedicated button on each handset that will activate the Vertu Concierge service that promises to get its customers almost anything in the world —from waitlisted concert tickets to dinner at the most exclusive restaurants.

Have Rs 1 lakh to spare? Then,you can place an order at an Ethos luxury watch outlet in Mumbai,New Delhi or Bangalore,or go to Vertu’s online boutique at http://www.vertu.com

DNA Art

How many times have you heard someone receiving a gift complain,“But it’s just not me!” That’s one thing you will not hear,should you gift them a bright,bold painting of their own individual genome sequence this Diwali. Mumbai-based brand DNA 11 offers such a service. All you have to do is get the recipient to make a swab of his or her cheek cells (the procedure,they hasten to add,is painless),and in six weeks,Qadir Rangwala will post back a chromosome-inspired composition. “It’s the most personalised form of art,” says Rangwala,who brought the internationally established brand to India in 2008. You can choose from 25 different colour and size options. A framed 8×10 inch DNA mini-portrait costs Rs 12,000,and an 18 x 24 inch canvas costs Rs 33,000. You can even get unique imprints of fingerprints or a kiss for Rs 14,000 to Rs 35,000. Available at http://www.dna11.com

Handpainted Film Posters

Love Hindi film classics? Indian Hippy offers you vintage posters to match,by the last remaining billboard painters of India. Prices start at Rs 5,000. You can get a personalised version in which you and your pals play Amar,Akbar and Antony. Or genuine vintage originals of classics like Mother India and Devdas,which run into lakhs. At http://www.hippy.in

Chanel Skis

Like to spend your leisure time whizzing down the snowy slopes at Chamonix or Aspen? Then Chanel’s new blue wood skis are for you. This is sports couture —we can’t promise how they’ll work when you’re racing other skiers,but then,it’s not every day that one comes across a pair of skis for Rs 1,86,500 from a French fashion house.

Place your orders at the Imperial Hotel’s Chanel Boutique,in Janpath,New Delhi.

Monte Cristo Cigars

Cigars are for Big Daddies,and the Big Daddy of all cigars is the Monte Cristo. This 9.6 inch-long head-turner costs Rs 3,000 per cigar,and Rs 75,000 for a box of 25. Only 35-40 are available for sale now. Available at Kastros,Santushti Complex,Chanakyapuri,New Delhi.

Glenfiddich 50 Year Old

This single malt is among the rarest of all whiskies. Released in July 2009 at Dufftown,Scotland,only 50 will be made available worldwide each year over the next decade,from a limited stock of 500 bottles. Of the 50 bottles released in 2009,one was purchased by The Leela Kempinski,Gurgaon,for its Rubicon Bar last July. Priced at the hotel at Rs 75,000 (including tax) for a chhota peg,about 120ml has already been sold,and only 580 ml remains. If you fancy your own Glenfiddich 50 Year Old,you can order a bottle from the nearest liquor retailer that sells any other Glenfiddich variant. Price on request (it varies from state to state).