Flying business class is a bit like investing in cryptocurrency – no one wants to hear about it.

If it goes well, people will be jealous. If it goes badly, people will have little sympathy.

Suffice to say, unless you’re very savvy with your frequent flyer points, or swimming in disposable income, flying at the pointy end is a rare occurrence for most people.

Relatively few Australians will opt to fly business class or first class – in normal times.

The pandemic has shaken things up, however. Now you have normally frugal expats wiping out their savings on $7,000 business class tickets home (for fear of being bumped, which happened various times to Economy passengers last year when there were passenger cap squeezes).

There is now also a small number of Australians flying abroad for essential/compassionate reasons, taking advantage of the lack of outbound passenger volume to score pointy end upgrades for as little as $630 (AUD).

DMARGE spoke to one Australian resident who recently travelled from Australia to Europe for essential reasons. They told us they were offered business class upgrades for $630 (for the Doha to Madrid leg) and $1,500 (for the Sydney to Doha leg).

The return economy ticket itself cost $3,200 (AUD).

Our source paid $630 on top of that, to upgrade to business class for the Doha to Madrid leg of the flight, and was then allowed to use “three first-class” beds, free of charge, “because no one was in them.”

They also pointed out it was a good call not to take the upgrade for the Sydney to Doha leg, as “that flight was pretty much empty so I could lie down in Economy anyway.”

The Doha to Madrid flight was a little more crowded (in Economy), however, so it was worth getting the upgrade, “which I would have never considered [doing] in normal times.”

“I felt very spoilt.”

The attraction? The price, and the privacy.

In these virus-ridden times, more and more people who have never flown business or first class before are now considering it (and flying it), thanks to hygiene being front and centre of our minds.

RELATED: Australian Man’s Mortifying Business Class Moment Symbolises Larger Industry Problem

It wasn’t all wine and cupcakes though. Our source’s debut pointy end experience took place during the worst moment in the history of commercial aviation. Though the industry is now dusting itself off, the last year and a half has been the toughest economic challenge the sector has ever faced, having lost anywhere between $84 and $118 billion US dollars (depending on whose reports you read) in 2020.

On a personal level, flying first class also has the potential to ruin you for life, as our source attests.

“It’s going to be so annoying on the way back hahaha.”

Other insights included: the dearth of passengers in Sydney’s international terminal (we suppose there’s a bit more volume when there are flights to New Zealand)…

…as well as the quality of the beverages on offer during the flight (“the wine omg”).

Recent Instagram posts under the Doha International Airport hashtag (like the one below, by Instagram user @dr.jun.tanaka), suggest our source is not the only one enjoying drinking vino at 40,000ft.

 

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We’re just happy they enjoyed themselves. As we’ve previously reported, the same isn’t true of everyone who flies at the front of the plane (see: Why Flying First Class Is Actually More Stressful Than Flying Business Class).

On a more serious note, our source points out how grateful they were to be able to travel. Even though they too are facing some tough circumstances at this time in their life, they point out many in the world currently have it a lot worse.

Business-class and first-class upgrades are currently this accessible (and outbound flights are currently this sparse) due to Australia’s international travel ban.

Pressure is mounting on Australian authorities to find a more efficient solution than our current hotel quarantine facilities, in order to potentially ease this ban, and enable more Australians to see loved ones (and loved countries) overseas as soon as is safely possible to do so (without losing our ‘safe haven’ status).

New Zealand, for instance, has been a similar success story, yet is not currently imposing an international travel ban on its citizens.

Meanwhile, new virus outbreaks like the latest one in Melbourne prove how important it is to get this right, and how crucial it is to get the country vaccinated, in order to enable this to happen.

Read Next

• Man Reveals The Hilarious Way He Got A First Class Upgrade For Free 
• How My First Ever Business Class Flight Ruined Me For Life 

The post 'I Flew Business Class For The First Time At The Worst Moment In Aviation History' appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Wanting to drop body fat or increase our muscle mass can often be an insurmountable task likened to scaling Everest. We dedicate hours to the gym, believe we’re putting ourselves onto a healthy and balanced diet and yet still the scales don’t show us the figures we wish to see.But one nutritionist and fitness expert has come out with a simple solution: put down your phone. According to Sal Di Stefano – who recently sat down to chat with US nutritionist Max Lugavere for his The Genius Life podcast – our phone can cause provide so much distraction to us, that we’re actually not realising how many calories we’re putting into our body.

“Non-distracted eating actually results in us eating fewer calories than we tend to consume. When you’re distracted, you eat way more. 15% more calories”, he relates

Sal goes on to say that when we count the calories we consume “it mentally starts to get very challenging” – indeed, this is something this writer can vouch for having been on a calorie counting diet for several months now. However, Sal argues that if you were to tell someone to sit down and eat whatever they wanted, but the only condition is they can’t go on their phone or watch TV, “they won’t feel deprived.”

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He further claims that clients of his that have stuck to this slightly more unusual method of dieting, have come to him after a few months and will notice fat loss.“They’ll come to me and they’ll be like ‘I didn’t know my phone was making me fatter.'”

“It’s not necessarily your phone, it’s just the behaviours it encourages.”

“You think you’re eating like you normally do, but what you don’t realise, you’re eating fewer calories because you’re not distracted.”RELATED: Forget The Ketogenic Diet; 2021 Is All About Being A ‘Nutrivore’Sal’s comments are backed up by research from Harvard, which cited a report published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that ultimately found “Evidence indicates that attentive eating is likely to influence food intake, and incorporation of attentive-eating principles into interventions provides a novel approach to aid weight loss and maintenance without the need for conscious calorie counting.”So, it’s not necessarily a case of put down the fork, but put down the phone, instead.

Read Next

• Big ‘Diet Fad’ Mistake You Need To Stop Making, According To A Nutrition Coach
• ‘I Ate Like Chris Hemsworth For 4 Months. It Nearly Broke Me’

The post Nutrition Expert Claims Reason You’re Not Losing Fat Is Right Under Your Nose appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

This feature has been produced in partnership with MG.

Few car brands have had the same sort of stratospheric success Down Under as MG Motor.

Since re-entering the Australian car market back in 2016, MG has quickly established itself as a major player, with its MG3 Auto now officially Australia’s best-selling Light Hatchback. Its range has grown to include exciting vehicles such as the MG ZS EV – Australia’s most accessible electric vehicle – as well as the MG HS, which might just be the best family vehicle on the market.

Sporty, safe, comfortable and practical, the MG HS is MG’s biggest car yet and a highly capable crossover SUV that ticks all the boxes for an active Australian family.

First, let’s talk safety – perhaps the first priority for a family. Not only does the MG HS boast a 5-star ANCAP Safety Rating and 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty, it also comes with a full suite of advanced Driver Safety Technology systems as standard.

Known as MG Pilot, these ten safety system features include everything from Active Emergency Braking to Blind Spot Detection and even a 360 Degree Camera (available in the MG Essence variants). It gives you total peace of mind and then some.

It’s also an exceptionally well-packaged and surprisingly lavish piece of kit. With acres of interior space including heaps of front and rear legroom plus a large boot, there’s plenty of room for the whole family.

Practical details like an electric tailgate, ISOFIX baby seat mount points, 60/40 split second row, six-way adjustable heated front seats and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality make it very easy to live with.

It’s also refined and quiet inside the MG HS, making it a comfortable retreat for the family – whether you’re heading out with the kids on the open road for a weekend adventure or looking for some tranquillity on your daily school run.

Luxurious details that’ll impress the neighbours and the in-laws include a huge Panoramic ‘Stargazer’ Sunroof available on the Essence variants  – one of the largest in the SUV segment – as well as its rear climate vents, impressive infotainment system and rear USB charging points.

From a performance perspective, the base 1.5L turbocharged inline four has plenty of grunt whilst not being too thirsty. All-wheel drive variants have recently been introduced and boast an even beefier 2.0L turbo four for extra pep. The MG HS AWD is perfect for active families, by the way – with the classic Aussie road trip currently experiencing a huge comeback, having an AWD option really adds the MG HS’ value.

The other big selling point? Style. The MG marque has always been known for its sporting character, and this is reflected in the MG HS’ thoroughly modern, sophisticated design: that iconic octagonal badge framed by a large, confident grille; diamond alloy wheels that compliment its confident, muscular stance; sporty interior seats and even that bright red ‘Super Sports’ button module on a flat-bottomed steering wheel…

The MG HS stands out as a particularly handsome SUV in a segment often characterized by boring, uninspired design. Family cars should be fun as well as practical.

In short, the MG HS is a SUV that really just ticks all the boxes. Regardless of how big (or small) your family is, the HS has something for everyone – especially the driver. A refreshingly honest and surprisingly sumptuous vehicle, the MG HS is easily one of the smarter family SUV buys of the year.

Discover the outstanding MG HS online or at your nearest MG dealership.

The post Australia’s Best New Family SUV Comes From The Most Unlikely Brand appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

America is known as the land of the free – a place where you can arm yourself to the teeth, eat as eye-popping portions as your stomach permits, and say whatever fantastic phrases your heart desires.

However, when it comes to the latest financial trend – herd mentality investing – America has seen quite the sneering, and institutional lever pulling.

Whether it’s investing app Robinhood shutting down transactions during the Game Stop Saga or Warren Buffet Types dismissing (perhaps accurately) cryptocurrency investors as fools, there has been quite a judgemental attitude to this new form of gambling.

A departure from the live and let live, let individuals make their own choices, treat citizens like adults, philosophy every ‘Murican loves to bang on about.

Then, over in Australia, a place many Americans deride as a nanny state, you hear news like the following. Speaking to 2GB’s Deborah Knight, Australia’s Financial Services Minister Jane Hume, recently said she “won’t stand in crypto’s way” and highlighted how little the government cares about retail investors flinging their shekels at magic beans… provided they comply with Australian tax laws.

After a study came out by Finder claiming one in four Aussies would be willing to be paid in crypto currency, Hume told Knight: “We certainly haven’t got an issue with consumers investing in crypto currencies.”

She also said: “Australian law applies to Australian crypto asset-related activities in the same way it applies to any other asset class.”

The most important thing, she added, is that “if you want to invest in Dogecoin or any other cryptocurrency the government isn’t standing in your way. We want to make sure that… personal opportunity and personal responsibility are very much two sides of the same coin… but they shouldn’t go into it with their eyes closed.”

She also said, “Cryptocurrency is not a fad” but rather “an asset class that will grow in importance,” whilst at the Stockbrokers and Financial Advisers Association annual conference last week, Decrypt reports.

Amid calls for tighter regulation on the crypto industry, Hume has also reportedly taken the time to both dismiss the dubious financial advice found on social media platforms like TikTok as well as to say there comes a certain point where the government just has to let people do what they want.

“The TikTok influencer spruiking Nokia is not that different to the bloke down the pub who wants to tell you all about the really great company he just invested in,” she has said, Decrypt reports.

“This isn’t financial advice, but as has been the case since taxi drivers started giving stock tips, it is an inevitable part of a financial system.”

Hume reportedly added that while professional investors might get frustrated with such advice, “at some point we have to let people make their own decisions, it’s about personal responsibility and common sense.”

 

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This comes in stark contrast to the tougher stances adopted by other governments on crypto trading, Decrypt claims.

Decypt points out that in January 2021, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) banned crypto derivatives for retail investors.

“The FCA claimed that crypto-based products were ‘ill-suited’ to retail customers because of the prevalence of financial crime, price volatility, customers’ lack of understanding, and because they lack reliable valuations,” Decrypt reports.

“This ban reflects how seriously we view the potential harm to retail consumers in these products,” said interim executive director of strategy and competition Sheldon Mills in an October statement.

The UK is not alone. There have been proposals to ban (and crackdowns on) cryptocurrency mining and trading in India and China various times over the years.

On the 26th of May, Al Jazeera reported: “China’s escalating push to rein in cryptocurrency mining was triggered in part by concern that the practice has stoked a surge in illicit coal extraction, endangering lives and undermining Xi Jinping’s ambitious environmental goals.”

On March 15th Reuters reported, “India will propose a law banning cryptocurrencies, fining anyone trading in the country or even holding such digital assets, a senior government official told Reuters in a potential blow to millions of investors piling into the red-hot asset class.”

According to Decrypt, India’s finance minister, Anurag Thakur, told Times Now last month that the government intends to protect investors against price volatility.

Some in the US, too, have recently started making similar paternal noises regarding investor protection.

Decrypt reports that SEC chairman Gary Gensler told the 2021 FINRA Conference that “We need rules of the road and a cop on the beat to protect everyday investors.”

“Right now, there’s not a market regulator around these crypto exchanges and thus there’s really no protection around fraud or manipulation.”

Decrypt also claims: “All of these positions are in stark disparity with Australia’s appeal to personal responsibility.”

 

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That being said: to be fair to Australia’s Financial Services Minster Hume, she did emphasise the world of cryptocurrency is not a “free pass” and is subject to Australian law – like any other asset class.

So: is Australia’s seemingly liberal approach to cryptocurrency something the rest of the world can learn from, or a free pass for scam artists?

Only time (and the size of crypto wallets) down under will tell…

Read Next

• Best Cryptocurrencies To Buy Right Now [May 2021 Edition]
• The Internet’s Most Loved Memes Risk Being Removed Forever 

The post Australia’s Liberal Stance On Cryptocurrency Puts America To Shame appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It can happen to the best of us. We match with someone online, conversation flows well, but all of a sudden they just stop replying. If we’re on the receiving end of it, it can make us feel like we’ve done something wrong, or said the wrong thing. And, as we’ve recently seen, if we’re the ones doing the ghosting – or at least, from the point of view of men who have ghosted women – our reasoning usually comes back to frustration with the fact men seems to be the ones expected to initiate all the conversation.But what do the professionals think of this ‘cruel but kind’ dating trend? DMARGE spoke to Damien Diecke, Head Coach at Sydney’s School of Attraction – targeted specifically at men – to understand whether he thinks ghosting needs to stop, or people’s attitudes towards dating in the modern world need to change.To the point that men are expected to initiate conversation, Damien agrees that this is an expectation that continues to be placed upon them. “It’s a throwback to approaching in bars/clubs/parties, men are expected to make the first move.”“It’s a form of signalling the man’s emotional state. There’s a sub-text to a man approaching a woman in a bar which is; he’s not debilitated by his fears; he can take action in the face of adversity if he wants something; he’s more likely capable of taking care of me if something goes wrong. The same applies to conversations, if he can’t make the conversation interesting from the start, how confident/intelligent can he really be?”“However, in the real world in 2020/21, what is mostly being signalled is: he regularly approaches so many women that this is no longer scary for him; he can overcome the fear of approaching; he’s playing the numbers game, you’re the 5th woman he’s talked to tonight already.”

“90% of men who approach women in bars aren’t the men that most women want to be meeting, they are just good at presenting themselves well (from practice mostly).”

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“I don’t think that men should still be expected to maintain a conversation and keep it going, I think women would be well served to start taking more responsibility for that (at least equal to the man), and honestly, my experience is that more and more women are indeed taking that responsibility. Many women I see my clients talking to actively try to create conversation and give him a chance to shine.”

“Of course when I say ‘many’ I don’t mean ‘most’, but I’m seeing the numbers increase, and I think this is a good trend.”

So, if conversation is slowly but surely being initiated by either party, especially with the organic method of approaching someone in a bar still pretty much on the back burner thanks to The Spicy Cough, why does ghosting happen in the first place?Damien has given it much thought, and has come up with a couple of theories.“I’d first like to throw up that both genders ghost. I suspect men do it more than women, as men are more in the habit of blocking emotions than women, so it’s easier to avoid the guilt for men.”“But, while there are many reasons for ghosting, the main trend I see is this: A man starts dating a women, part of his strategy is to be as interested and engaging as possible, even if he’s starting to question whether he likes her or not, he doesn’t want to pull back for fear of losing her until his mind is made up.”“So he’s constantly acting super interested to keep his options open. Once he’s certain of his loss of interest, however, he suddenly becomes aware that he’ll sound like a bit of a hypocrite if he suddenly says to her, ‘ok so I’ve started to lose interest the last week, even though I was acting like I was super keen and even planning a camping trip with you for next week.”“So rather than sound like a hypocrite who was pretending to still be interested the last week, he elects to say nothing.”

“We underestimate just how avoidant humans become to avoid looking like hypocrites or liars.”

“But to add more to this, dating attitudes have become much more casual. Responsibility in dating is lowering considerably for both genders over the last few decades. So you get these men who have experienced women having a poor attitude to dating and figure they shouldn’t do the same in return to future women.”

“Our social attitudes to politeness have dropped for better or worse in general too. For example, if you invite 20 friends to a party, and 5 can’t make it, probably 3 won’t even think to tell you until the last minute if at all, and the other 2 will just flick a quick SMS.”

“That’s considered normal now. 20 years ago, it would be a heartfelt apology about why each person can’t make it, and if someone forgot to cancel, you’d seriously question if they were friends, or were maybe angry at you.”“I’m not making a judgement call on that, but politeness in dating is following a similar trend.”“Lastly, the reason often feels mean or petty to vocalise, ‘you’re a bit too overweight for me’ or ‘you are constantly whining about things’ or ‘your accent annoys me.'”

“Guys would rather not have to vocalise these truths to avoid sounding cruel or petty.”

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To that last point, we’re always told that honesty really is the best policy, but guys would much rather take what they consider to be the easy route that fulfils some timeless cliché. Damien chimes in once again,“Yes! People really do appreciate honesty, nobody likes hurting other people. But you really do make the world a worse place by ghosting.”“I don’t think it has to be complicated. I usually say to guys that the very least you need to do is inform her that you’ve lost interest rather than leave her hanging. A simple ‘hey, I’ve been having a think, and I realise that I’ve lost some interest here, I’m really sorry but I don’t think we should catch up anymore.”“But if you’ve been sleeping with the same woman a few times, you should really be telling her in ;person or giving her the option to have a chat about it in person if she’d like to talk.”

“Remember if you’re letting a woman down, odds are that you aren’t the first, if men keep refusing to give any kind of feedback or reason, she has no way of improving herself.”

“Just think of all the times women have frustrated you by rejecting you for reasons you don’t understand. How much of a better man could you be if women would give you useful feedback?”“Studies have shown that one of the most painful states for a human being is helplessness. If you leave a woman feeling like you lost interest randomly when things seemed to be going so well, you leave her feeling largely helpless.”“Men and women shouldn’t be doing that to each other, if more men and women gave closure to each other, there’d be a lot more quality people in the dating pool, and a lot less pain being pushed onto each other.”

Read Next

• Redditors Reveal What It’s Like To Settle For A Partner Who Isn’t ‘The One’
• Dating Apps Want You To Stay Single… Preferably Forever

The post Relationship Expert Exposes Unspoken Truth Of Why People Ghost appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The debate over whether or not cruise ships should be allowed in Venice is long-running. Though the internet was awash with news just months ago about cruise ships being banned, reports have now emerged suggesting the rent-a-crowd giants are still operating in Venice.As the BBC reported in April, “The country’s culture minister said the decision [to ban cruise ships] came in response to a request from UN cultural body Unesco.”“Large ships will now have to dock at the city’s industrial port until a permanent solution is found,” he added.However, ships are yet to stop going up and down the famed Giudecca Canal.

 

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CNN Travel likewise reported that, after months of deliberation, on March the 31st, 2021, the Italian government, “Issued a decree that would see cruise ships and large commercial vessels banned from the Venetian lagoon, and calling for tenders to be sought to construct a new port outside the lagoon.”

 

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Yet, bizarrely, just two weeks later, “MSC Cruises announced that the MSC Orchestra would be heading up the Giudecca Canal, gliding past St Mark’s Square and docking in the city-center port on June 5,” CNN Travel also reports.“MSC’s two ships for this season will be joined by one from Costa Cruises. The Costa Deliziosa will use Venice as its homeport from June 26,” (CNN Travel).CNN Travel were not alone in noticing this. The Art Newspaper wrote the following on April the 29th: “Early this month, the world’s media, including The Art Newspaper, reported a decree by the Italian government banning cruise ships of more than 40,000 tonnes from sailing through the city. They are to enter the lagoon by another opening and moor at the commercial port of Marghera—a temporary measure, we are told, while feasibility studies are conducted on building a port for them outside the lagoon.”“But just as I am sharpening my pen to write what an unsatisfactory solution even this is, I discover the president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, is rejoicing that the first two cruise ships since lockdown are coming to Venice and—lo and behold—nothing changes. They will still enter at the Lido, steer towards the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s basilica, and then turn left down the Giudecca Canal.”

“The excuse: the port at Marghera is not ready for them.”

Not everyone is against cruise ships though. The industry creates jobs (an estimated 4,200 or so), according to figures provided to CNN from the port, and it currently has the backing of the likes of Andrea Tomaello, deputy mayor of Venice.“Cruises are extremely important for us,” Tomaello told CNN Travel. “The port generates income for our city, and it’s a quality income – cruise passengers spend, and stay longer in town.”He told CNN Travel that in 2018 – the last year of normal cruising, since in 2019 Venice was hit by devastating floods – 1.8 million odd passengers moved through Venice, spending about €55 million (AUD $86 million).

 

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Crucially, and most interestingly, given cruise ship passengers have a reputation as leeches who suck in the sights but spend little money, preferring to eat and be entertained for free on the boats they have already payed for, Tomaello claims that because Venice is Italy’s biggest homeport, passengers are more likely to stay in the city before or after their cruise, and fly into the local airport.Those on the other side of the fence remain far from convinced. As one anti-cruise ship campaigner and environmental scientist – Jane da Mosto – told CNN Travel, “The problem is that the politicians in Rome who have the power to make these decisions are out of touch with the reality and complexity of Venice’s relationship to the lagoon.”

“In the meantime, Venice is crumbling.”

The difference cruise ships make to the city was highlighted last year as tourism came to an abrupt halt due to the pandemic.As The Australian reported at the time: “The usual summer hell has not descended, because the cruise ships — which have poured a large part of the estimated 30 million people each year into what is, in effect, a living museum with a permanent population of just 260,000 — no longer tower over the palazzi and churn up the lagoon, in the process causing damage to the delicate fabric of the city.”Those in support of cruise ships argue they bring in enough money to justify this damage (and believe there are good solutions to it). Those against them argue they don’t (and there aren’t).As for where they dock: the Italian government and UNESCO want a port built outside the city, which local authorities fear would make the cruise experience less sought after by tourists (and would be expensive to build). Meanwhile, local authorities want to make the current temporary Marghera solution (which is where the commercial port is already located) permanent, which would at least stop ships having to cruise past the Giudecca Canal.This idea, which has been kicking around for a while, has been embraced as a step forward by some, but environmentalists say it still doesn’t solve the problem with Marghera still being within the lagoon, albeit on the mainland.

 

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The cruise ship industry, meanwhile, is growing frustrated, and maintains it will do as its bid.Francesco Galietti, who represents the industry as director of trade body Cruise Lines International Association Italy (CLIA), has said that cruise lines “have supported the relocation of cruise ships from the Giudecca Canal since 2012.”“CLIA has been working with authorities in Rome and Venice to alleviate traffic in Venice and take big ships off the Giudecca. We are aware that the transit of cruise ships is controversial and have always tried to be part of the solution.”The only thing everyone seems to be in agreement on is that cruise ships shouldn’t swan down the Giudecca Canal in front of St Mark’s anymore.This won’t change though, likely, until August, when local authorities are set to have the first temporary mooring at industrial area Marghera ready for cruise ships to use.So much for 2020 being the travel industry’s phoenix moment…

Read Next

• Rogue Tourists Rejoice As Coronavirus Empties The Streets Of Venice
• Important Dating Rules You Need To Know Before Hooking Up In Italy

The post Venice Cruise Ship Controversy Continues As Italian Authorities Appear Unable To Enforce Ban appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When you’re a man who can quite literally afford anything, there will naturally come a time (or several) when you have to have something that nobody else has. Something exclusive and personal to you that nobody else can imitate. It doesn’t necessarily have to be anything too outlandish, either, as LeBron James just proved with a one of a kind Patek Philippe.Taking to Instagram with the past few hours at the time of writing, King James posted an image of himself, presumably whilst in Phoenix, Arizona, for the second game in the first round of playoffs in the Western Conference. Whilst his outfit, as ever, was on point, it was his watch that drew our eyes. At first, we were a little unsure as to what it was, but then we realised LeBron has played the oldest trick in the book when it comes to scoring yourself a new watch: change the strap.RELATED: The Cheapest Way To Get The ‘New Watch Feel’ With Your Old WatchYep, he’s taken his current Patek Philippe 6102R Celstial, removed the black alligator leather strap and switched it out for an LA Lakers-approved yellow number instead. Not only does it complement the yellow colouring on his printed t-shirt, but it makes for a far more eye-catching accessory than a ‘vanilla’ black strap. It wouldn’t have necessarily been a costly change either, but one that gifts LeBron a timepiece that nobody else will have.The standout feature of the Patek Philippe 6102R Celestial is the ‘Sky Chart’, which comprises three sapphire disks: two black sapphire crystal disks for the sky background and moon phase, and a transparent disk for the sky chart and Milky Way. The dial can be used to follow the phase of the Moon in orbit at any given time, as well as showing you the view of the sky visible from Geneva and all other cities located on the same latitude.It’s a highly complicated watch, which goes some way to explaining its US $250,000 price tag. Pocket money for LeBron of course, but the switch up the yellow strap makes it almost priceless.Coupled with his Cartier Love bracelet, LeBron is in ownership of a seriously enviable wrist.

Read Next

• LeBron James Spotted Wearing Most Controversial Watch Of 2021
• LeBron James Rocks A Very Affordable Rolex Almost Anyone Can Score

The post LeBron James Spotted Wearing One Of A Kind 'Los Angeles Lakers Edition' Patek Philippe appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Parisians are often accused of being lazy. Flâneuring around like they are in on a secret the rest of us are not privy to (hint: it’s croissants). Eating what they want and being skinny. Drinking until 4am yet still managing to hold down the job of your dreams in marketing.

But hot off the (Instagram) press is proof that (when it comes to coffee) Parisians are committed souls. More committed, in fact, than many Australians who like to think themselves Java Warriors.

Posted to the FOMO wheel on Monday by Paris based photographer Patrick Colpron, the image shows the lengths some Parisians will go to order to get their daily caffeine hit.

 

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“This is Paris,” Colpron captioned the post.

“Yesterday on a rainy day the terrasses were still occupied. [Shot] with a Leica M10-D and a Summilux 50… always something new to discover, taste and experience.”

RELATED: Defiant Photo Suggests France’s ‘Flirty’ Culture Hasn’t Changed Since Lockdown

The incredible image had followers remarking on the quality of the lens, with one Instagram user writing: “Wow! That’s a fast lens I thought it was snow!!”

It also sums up the glorious French attitude to taking a coffee – and how it can improve everything from your day to your mental health.

 

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How? Sitting down and being in the moment enables you not only to better savour the bitter tweak of your tongue, but return to work more refreshed than if you had bought your coffee “to go” (or sat in and spent the whole time at your table obsessively refreshing Twitter and Instagram), as many Australians and Americans tend to do.

RELATED: The Truth About Why Parisians Are Rude To Tourists 

We’ve also written at length about the surprising benefits that can be found behind the fat and alcohol-drenched facade of the French diet.

 

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Slurp up the articles below to learn more.

Read Next

• Why Parisians Will Never Understand Obsession With Low Carb Dieting
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The post Incredible Photo Shows Parisians' Epic Commitment To Coffee appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Tudor, Rolex’s more youthful and experimental Swiss watchmaking sibling, is on something of a roll of late. Not wanting to simply be known as “Rolex’s sister brand”, Tudor has released some fantastic watches in the past couple of years that have become seriously investment-worthy opportunities in their own right.The brand’s Black Bay Fifty-Eight (ref. 79030) for example was one of the most sought after watches in 2020 and has even found itself creeping into the top three list of most wanted Tudors on Chrono24. Key to its success is that aforementioned experimental mentality, and its latest release brings with it a first for the Geneva-based manufacturer.It’s called the Black Bay Ceramic (ref. 79210CU). From the name alone you may initially think this is the first Tudor to be given a ceramic case, but we’re afraid to say you’d be wrong, this is actually the fifth time ceramic has featured on a Tudor watch. Where this Tudor differs from all that have gone before it is with its METAS certification.So, what does METAS certification mean? Quite a lot, actually. For a watch to be given the highly respected five letters, a watch needs to be Swiss-made and COSC-certified, before passing a number of other tests, which include testing it for precision in six positions and at two levels of power; 100% and 33%. The watches’ waterproofness, length of power reserve and resistance to magnetic fields is also further put to the test.METAS certification was conjured up by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology, in partnership with Omega, in 2015 and gaining certified status is no walk in the park. Before the release of the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic, only Omega watches possessed the accolade.Such an achievement for Tudor, then, naturally needs someone of an equal status to help debut it, and no other man would be fit for the task than David Beckham. Taking to his Instagram within the previous 24 hours at the time of writing, Becks shared the news of the Black Bay Ceramic’s release, complete with suitably seductive smoulder.You’ll probably want to know a little more about the watch now, wouldn’t you? Well, the METAS certification means this Black Bay can withstand magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss, it has a brand new movement in the MT5602-1U, which itself has been given an all-black finish like the rest of the watch.

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A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)

That matte black ceramic case is 41mm in diameter, 14.4mm thick and is water-resistant to 200m/660ft, while the all-new in-house made automatic movement has a power reserve of 70 hours. Oh, and for the real Tudor nerds out there, this is the first Black Bay to actually say Black Bay on the dial. Consider us smitten.Tudor’s Black Bay Ceramic is available now for US$6,440

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