IT is when the sun slices out from behind the angry black clouds that I finally get Mauritius.

The sea, for days a frothing grey, is suddenly a flat, sparkling turquoise.

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Beige sands dry out, at last brilliant white, soft and welcoming. And tropical vegetation, until then just a dripping mass, is once more providing dappled shade.

This is more like it.

After three days of highly unusual torrential rain, the sun is out and I can see what all the fuss is about.

And although we have just a few hours before catching the plane home, there is no better place to enjoy the Mauritius experience than on Ilot Mangenie, the private island paradise for guests of the Touessrok Resort & Spa.

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Its just a five-minute bob across from the hotels jetty.

Once there, its a case of settling on a sunbed or in a thatched cabana and sizzling in the gorgeous sunshine, pausing only to take a dip in the warm waters.

The islands little beach club serves a mean cocktail, as well as a great line in tropical salads and oven-fired pizzas.

Its all just too perfect. Guests at Touessrok are a loyal lot one Brummie couple on our boat journey to the island tell me they have been coming annually for more than 20 years.

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And its not difficult to see why. As well as the private beach club, the hotel owns a neighbouring island complete with 18-hole golf course.

And then there are the beaches fringed by palm trees, infinity pools and tropical gardens.

Rooms have terraces or balconies right on to the white sands with floor- to-ceiling windows to soak up every last Instagrammable view of the Indian Ocean.

But paradise, it turns out, doesnt have to come at a price.

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While the resorts three exclusive beach villas, complete with their own champagne butlers, promise royalty and celebs total privacy at 6,000 per night, long-haul specialist Southall Travel has week-long stays in ocean-view rooms from 1,250 including your flights and transfers.

It was my first time in Mauritius which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from the UK and despite the soggy start, the island was a revelation.

Setting off from Le Touessrok to discover the south of the island reveals endlessly changing landscapes, from busy colonial-era towns and centuries-old sugar- cane plantations to volcanic mountain ranges and unique geological wonders.

In the Black River Gorges National Park we are almost grateful for the deluge as we hike our way up muddy trails through the indigenous rainforest to a lookout point with far-reaching views.

Go: Mauritius

GETTING / STAYING THERE:Long-haul travel specialist Southall Travel has seven nights B&B at the 5* Shangri-La Le Touessrok Resort and Spa.

From 1,249pp including return flights with Turkish Airlines from Gatwick.

The same trip staying at the 5*H Lux Belle Mare is from 1,199pp.

Book online at southalltravel.co.uk or call 0208 705 0086.

There are 40-odd miles of hiking trails to explore and a guided tour is the best way to understand the natural wonders around every twisting turn.

Its no stroll in the park though pack decent boots, wear long trousers to keep bugs at bay and douse yourself in mosquito repellent but the views from the summit are worth every muscle-burning step.

With the rain still tipping down, we dont get to see the Seven Coloured Earths at their best but this geological phenomenon is still astonishing waving sand dunes in a riot of colours that seem to defy the downpours amid the dense tropical forest background.

And if nothing else, our next stop at the Chamarel Waterfalls proves all that rain CAN be a positive.

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We are treated to an astounding deluge of water as it crashes over the edge of a gorge, sending plumes of steam rising into the air and creating an almost prehistoric atmosphere as bats circle overhead.

We dry off and refuel at the Varangue Sur Morne restaurant in Chamarel. Originally a rustic game-keepers lodge, its lovely verandah has panoramic views and decent Mauritian food try the deer or venison curry or fish of the day. Served with simple rice and salad, it hits the spot perfectly.

Heading back to Le Touessrok on the north east of the island, we have just enough time to take in Trou aux Cerfs.

Its a dormant volcanic crater that seems to sit implausibly on the edge of a little town as well as the Grand Bassin, a crater lake some 550 metres above sea level with its calm waters and shoreline dotted with Hindu temples.

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The skies brighten as we explore the capital Port Louis the next day and with the sun comes searing heat.

After admiring the views of the city from the Victorian-era Citadel Fort Adelaide that stands guard over the city we plunge into the cool but chaotic Central Market.

Locals take their pick from stalls piled with glistening fresh fruit and veg, then queue for a dhal puri at the Ramsahye Maraz stand on the markets edge.

Wafer-thin puri pastry is stuffed with a spicy lentil mix and your pick of chutneys and extras.

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Its not delicate or easy to eat but delicious and filling.

As the clouds roll in again we stroll the manicured lawns of the Pample-mousses Botanical Garden, just a short drive from the capital.

From humble beginnings as a vegetable garden started by the islands French governor in the 1720s, it has grown to include a huge collection of tropical palms and a beautiful pond of giant water lilies.

The gardens are well worth an hour or two but do try to plan around lunch at the restaurant Tante Athalie.

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STILL SAFEGreece records daily high of 202 covid cases as Brits flock there for hols

SMALL MURCIASWHO expert says Spain won't go back into lockdown despite rising Covid cases

CIAO!Italy threatens to ban Ryanair flights for being 'lax' with coronavirus safety

TAKING THE MYKONOSMykonos feared to be 'epicentre' of Greek Covid cases after banned raves

OUI PROBLEMFrance 'days away from quarantine list' as Boris 'won't hesitate' if necessary

SUNDOWNSunny Beach warns hotels to close as Brits fail to return and may not until 2022

This family-owned, relaxed affair sees guests eating almost in the front yard of a modest colonial house on a former sugar-cane estate, surrounded by an eclectic collection of vintage cars, bikes and even planes.

The view may be bonkers but the food is spot on a heady mix of French and Creole delights with delicious fish and meat curries, fiery chutneys and plenty of fresh local vegetables.

Our final night sees us dashing with brollies from our rooms to the Safran restaurant back at Le Touessrok for high-end Mauritian Indian cuisine spiced grilled fish, meaty curries and delicate dahls are demolished.

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But it is next morning when I throw open the curtains and finally glimpse the sunshine bouncing off a turquoise blue sea that Mauritius finally makes sense.

My tip? Do it all embrace the rain, admire the natural delights.

Then collapse, cocktail in hand, on a white sandy beach and let the sunshine do what it does best.

Bliss.

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Paradise beaches, cocktails and hiking trails in Mauritius and you can stay at 6k-a-night hotel for 1,250 - The Irish Sun

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis today announced lockdown and curfew measures will be lifted for eight islands tomorrow.

Normal commercial activity, including church services, beaches and parks will resume on those islands at 5am on Monday.

These include: Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay, and Ragged Island.

The lockdown and curfew has been lifted for these islands because health officials have not recorded any specific COVID-19 activity on these locations for at least two weeks, he said.

The prime minister advised travelers between islands where restrictions have been lifted will be not be required to get tested or quarantine upon arrival.

Minnis noted while there has not been a confirmed case in San Salvador; however, he said officials are waiting on the results of a travel-related swab.

During his national address, the prime minister also announced measures to expand bed capacity in New Providence as health officials confirmed 20 new cases of COVID-19.

Of the new cases, there were 15 in Grand Bahama, and five in New Providence.

Minnis noted the COVID-19 outbreak in GB is still not under control, urging residents there to give the restrictive measures more time and stick to safety protocols.

The prime minister advised grocery stores will be allowed to open on all weekdays in Grand Bahama, similar to the easing of restrictions for Abaco.

Noting the need for greater accessibility to food stores, Minnis noted shopping hours have been extended to 7pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the extension to 6pm on Saturdays for essential service workers.

Food stores will also be permitted to restock on Sundays, in addition to Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Minnis revealed the government is spending $1 million per week with the national food distribution task force, adding just under 28,000 families have registered for food assistance.

He noted that the pharmaceutical association has raised concerns about access to services, and the public has raised concerns regarding access to laundromats.

We will continue discussions with health officials on those two areas, he said.

As the Princess Margaret Hospital approaches bed capacity, Minnis revealed plans to utilize privately-owned facilities to establish a public health facility off-site.

He announced plans to utilize the east building of Superclub Breezes as a national response facility to meet the needs of non-COVID-19 low medical care patients during the pandemic.

The government will only be tasked with covering utility expenses for the facility, he said.

He said moving forward clinical management of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients will be treated at following locations: South Beach Center mild to moderate presentation; PMH moderate to severe; Doctors Hospital West moderate to severe presentations.

PMH will continue the management of medical and surgical patients at the main institution, he said.

Minnis said Doctors Hospital West is also increasing its bed capacity to help address shortfalls.

In Grand Bahama, he said the Cancer Society Building will be retrofitted to house patients with infectious diseases.

The combined strategy in public and private facilities will result in increasing capacity by 80 patient beds.

This includes transferring 33 PMH boarders to another facility.

Minnis said those boarders cost the government $491 per day, or $6 million per year.

Minnis added: Do not be misled with fakes news or fake therapieswe have to learn to live with this virus until there is a vaccine.

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PM lifts restrictions on southern islands, 20 new cases reported - EyeWitness News

By the time you read this, there is an excellent chance I am sitting on my luxury yacht, sipping on an adult beverage and listening to Alicia Keys sing If I Aint Got You from a makeshift stage on deck while Bobby Flay grills me a steak a few feet away. Oh, yeah... the wife and kid will probably be on the boat somewhere, too.

At least that was the plan while I was waiting on the Powerball numbers to be called Wednesday night. Buy a yacht, enlist celebrities to be at my beck and call and leave the 2020 Presidential election and all its accompanying headaches in the rearview as I sail forth to establish my new nation on a private island forever-to-be-known as Darinia.

Youll notice that nowhere in this plan do I mention calling an old friend and telling him or her that we split the jackpot.

Well, thats what happened with Tom Cook recently, according to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. As the story goes, Cook was out at breakfast with his wife in June and was idly comparing the Powerball numbers for the $22 million jackpot to his own.

Not sure if he was seeing things right, he asked his wife to take a look. She gasped, handed it to somebody else and asked that person to validate the numbers.

It looks like you guys won the Powerball, this individual told them.

Its at this point of the story where I would have pulled out my phone, called in sick to work for the next 37 years and updated my Zillow app to look for uninhabited islands for sale that have sewer, clean water, electricity, Internet and a facility large enough where I could fly in sports teams and entertainers to perform for me at my whim. Oh, and good schools. That feels like something that should be a priority, right?

But not Cook. No, he remembered a promise that he made with his longtime fishing buddy, Joseph Feeney, in 1992 if either of them ever hit the Powerball, they would split the winnings 50/50. So, he called Cook.

Are you jerkin my bobber, Feeney asked. No, really. Thats what the article said.

After assuring him that it was indeed very real, Cook came through as promised and the two split the cash prize in half, just as they had discussed doing if either of their numbers hit. After taxes, the two friends each pocketed nearly $5.7 million.

We both grew up with not a lot of money, so this is really something special, said Feeney, who grew up in a two-bedroom house with his parents and 12 siblings, according to the article. Feeney was already retired as a firefighter and EMT, while Cook decided to join him in the golden era of retirement from his job as a maintenance worker.

I cant think of a better way to retire, said Cook, via an article on people.com. I got grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and Im looking forward to spending time with them, not worrying about if I got time to go and [if we can] afford it.

That does kind of sound like the dream, right?

We joke about buying gold-plated toilets or private planes or seven-day benders in Las Vegas that end in sirens and abject poverty, but when it comes down to it, if were really honest with ourselves, what wed really appreciate from that kind of financial windfall is the flexibility to do whatever we want and an end to the sleepless nights over how to pay our bills or tuition for our children.

Well, and maybe one gold-plated toilet. Even if its just a rental. I mean, its called the throne for a reason, right? If a pile of money fell right into my lap and I could enjoy every Taco Tuesday for the rest of my life, a golden toil...

But I digress.

Judging by some terminally-grouchy people of wealth Ive known over the years, the old saying, Money cant buy happiness, is one based largely on facts. It doesnt. We still have stressors in life, be they based on jobs, relationships, spiritual questions or the Orioles continuous inability to field a competent starting rotation, even though their penny-pinching owner basically prints money from his cable television...

Second digression. Sorry, that one got away from me.

Regardless, everybody has problems, be they big or be they small. Winning the lottery, inheriting billions or building a fortune from scratch does not grant you immunity from lifes woes and struggles. It gives you a big bank account. Thats it.

But it does provide a little security in the world, which is a pretty big deal unto itself. For these two gentlemen, it means a retirement of fishing, travel and knowing they can keep the lights on for years to come.

But it also means that a handshake still matters in this world. That giving somebody your word and keeping it still has value. That friendship and a sense of brotherhood are important.

Im not jerkin your bobber. It really means all of that.

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A promise is a promise at least to these two - Coastal Point

In Season 2, Michael (Ted Danson) and Janet (D'Arcy Carden) escapedthe Bad Placeandgave Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil), and Jason (Manny Jacinto) a chance to return to their lives on Earthto earn enough good points to get them into the actual Good Place.This playsout in Season 3 where it'sdetermined that living on Earth is truly hell.

RELATED:The Good Place: The Most Confusing Questions, Finally Answered

The group reunites anddiscovers that the points system is fundamentally flawed and sets up a simulated Good Place toprove humans can develop morally with proper support.

Eleanor: "At first, I was kinda nervous, but so far I think I'm doing okay. It's like I became such a good person, I almost forgot I'm a world-class liar, baby."

Just as the faux Good Place is getting up and running, Michael suffers debilitating anxiety and agrees to turn his architect duties over to Eleanor who has to convince new recruits that's she's in charge. As usual, she finds her confidence, as misguided as it is.

Eleanor: "Okay. Okay. Focus, team! Michael and I will prep for Simone. Tahani, keep an eye on John. Jason, talk to no one, go nowhere, do nothing."

Jason: "I won't let you down."

When Eleanor and Michael realize that the new Good Placehas been sabotaged by Shawn (Marc Evan Jackson), who has brought to thecommunity people who have a history with the humans,Eleanor and Michael demand a meeting withthe Immortal Being and Judge Gen (SNL's Maya Rudolph). Sherules against them though. While everyone is dejected and feeling lost, Eleanor stepsup to rally the troops.

Tahani: "Oh, my. You were quite mean to me."

John: "Oh, no, I wouldn't call it mean. Okay? My targets were rich and high status, and I was just doing the important work of telling truth to power. So wait, what about you? Huh?You died in Canada. Ah. That's so weird and embarrassing. That's the nip slip of dying."

RELATED:The Ending Of 'The Good Place' Explained

Tahani runs into a new member of The Good Place community, John(Brandon Scott Jones) a former gossip columnist who spots her right away:"I used to write about you all the time on my blog, The Gossip Toilet!"

Eleanor: "When is the right time to tell someone you were passionate lovers in an alternate timeline in the afterlife, but he doesn't remember, because technically none of that happened in this strand of the multiverse?"

Tahani: [sigh]

Eleanor: "You know what? I'll just check with Yahoo Answers. I'm sure someone's weighed in."

Eleanor considers whether to share with Chidi what happened between them previously and seeks advice from Tahani who remindsher that through all the reboots they'veremained best friends, to which Kristen Bell's character responds: "Uh-huh. Yeah. Mmm-hmm."

Eleanor: "Hey, guys, having fun? Cool, cool, cool. We need to get out of here immediately because this bar is full of demons."

Tahani: "Just because these people are wearing cheap leather and stonewashed denim. They're still part of the queen's realm. Calling them demons is a bit much."

Eleanor: "No, no, no, actual demons."

The gang goes to a bar to play pool and relax, but Eleanor notices the other patrons are from The Bad Place and warns the other. With the help of Michael and especially Janet and her powers, a bar fight ensues.

Eleanor: "Holy Crap Tahani, You Found This Place On Airbnb?"

Tahani: "Oh No, I See Why You're Confused. I Used Heirbnb. H-E-I-R. It's an app for heirs and heiresses where we swap mansions, private islands, blimp hangars, that sort of thing."

Six months after she runs into an ex-boyfriend, Tahani gets engaged to Larry Hemsworth (Ben Lawson), the brother of Liam andChris Hemsworth, and decides to marry him and move to London. She throws a "little" engagement party at her rental house, "very last minute. Come as you are."

Eleanor: "Hate to say it, but the group probably needs a new member. I don't know how we'll ever replace Tahani. Do you think Margot Robbie's into philosophy?"

RELATED:15 Things Most People Don't Know About The Making Of The Good Place

At Tahani's quite fancy aforementioned engagement party, it occurs to Eleanor that since the Brainy Bunch is down one member a replacement will be in order. However, when she broaches the subject with Chidi and Simone (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), their answer throws her for a loop. They think Tahani's departure is time to "take stock," disband the group to analyze data, apply for grants, and bring in some other subjects to compare results.

Eleanor: "You're a brain scientist, can you tell me why I did that in there?"

Simone: "I mostly do clinical research in neuroscience. I don't usually specialize in temper tantrums. Maybe you need a child psychologist or a binky."

Feeling abandoned and vulnerable by the breakup of the Brainy Bunch, Eleanor acts out and says terrible things to hurt the others but ends up embarrassing herself. She asks advice of brilliant and level-headed Simone who always delivers words of wisdom in a straightforward fashion as well as with the most endearing Australian accent.

Judge Gen: "I've Never Been So Angry In My life, Which Is The Age Of The Universe."

As the group continues to study ethical thought, Michael and Janet, now in Australia, intervene in their lives in numerous ways which goes against the ruling of Judge Gen, who gave their plan the go-ahead with the proviso that the humans be left to their devices and make their own choices. When Gen finds out thatTed Danson's character and Janet have broken her rules she is none too pleased.

Val: "Why did you do that?"

Shawn: "I'm A Demon. It's Fun."

Back on Earth with their memories wiped, Eleanor, Jason, Tahani, and Chidi connect after having near-death experiences. Michael bends the rules of the new experiment. And of course, Shawn, an Immortal Being and Michael's superior in The Bad Place and spends his time trying to sabotage Michael and the humans. He's also not very nice to his people. One slip of the tongue or just because Shawn feels like it, a subordinate can end up imprisoned in a pod.

NEXT:Kristen Bell Welcomes New 'Central Park' Cast Member Emmy Raver-Lampman

Next 10 Singers Who Wrote Songs For Other Stars Before They Were Famous

Lorraine Duffy Merkl is a published author of two novels via The Vineyard Press: Fat Chick (2009) and Back To Work She Goes (2013), with the upcoming The Last Single Women In New York City to be published in 2021 by Heliotrope Books.In her advertising career, she specializes in entertainment marketing.Her essays have appeared in print and online.

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The Good Place Season 3: The Best One-Liners of The Season - TheThings

For the good life

Thisbountiful Greek island in the Mediterranean Seaproduces olives, pistachios, pomegranates, apricots and peaches. Theisland includes a four-bedroom main house, one-bedroomguest cottage and separate staff quarters. The 9m property is 15 minutes from Athens International Airport by helicopter, which can land on its jetty.

For sunset views

Located in Ontarios Muskoka Lakes, thisprivate island has awest-facing swimming jetty, ideal for admiring the dropping sun. As well as a four-bedroom house, the property includes two acresof woodedterrain, abeachand two boat houses. It is priced at C$4m ($2.95m).

For easy access

A causeway connects the1,280-acre Pepin Island to Cable Bay, a beauty spot on New Zealands South Island. From there it is a 20-minute drive to Nelson and 10 minutes more to the citysdomesticairport. Guests are easily accommodated: as well as the main seven-bedroom housethere is a three-bedroom house,a pair of two-bedroom cottages and three one-bedroom chalets. The island is on the market for NZ$16m ($10.5m).

For isolation

Located 25 miles east of Exmouth in Western Australia, in an area renowned for fishing and marine wildlife,Wilderness Island could be used as a private home or run as an eco-tourism business. Theestate comprises a communal lodge, six one-bedroom cabins, moorings for three boats and a 700m airstrip. It is on the market forA$1.25-1.5m ($0.88m-1.05m).

For nature lovers

This30-acre island on Puyehue Lake in Chile is home to native birds, such as chucaos and thorn-tailed rayaditos, and trees including the Chilean hazel.The $3.2m estate offers 13 bedrooms split across three cabins, which have views of the Andes and Puyehue volcano.

Photographs: Greece Sothebys International Realty; Christies International Real Estate; New Zealand Sothebys International Realty; Western Australia Sothebys International Realty; Chile Sothebys International Realty

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Five of the worlds best private islands for sale - Financial Times

Expect to see National Enquirer readers driving around in Rolls Royces and hopping private jets to their private islands.

Theyll all be rolling in money thanks to an ad in this weeks edition that tells them: How to save $19,899,901.

Just imagine what they can do with all that money!

And saving $19,899,901 - such a precise sum, this offer must be legitimate - is easy.

Simply buy a fake 10.64 carat pink diamond ring for $99, and youll have saved that eight-figure fortune if you were thinking of buying the genuine article for $19.9 million, which is a apparently how much a similar real pink diamond recently fetched at auction.

And just think how much more money youll save not having to buy costly insurance for your $99 new family heirloom.

Ignore the small print that says the regular price of the ring is $399 and that youll only Save $300. Just think of the $19,899,901 youre really saving, and splash out!

Or theres an even easier way to save $19,899,901: build a time machine, go back to December 12, 1980, when Apple first offered shares at $22 a piece, and buy a slew of stock.

It makes the $4.99 US cover price of the Enquirer all the more attractive, especially when they bring us an Explosive Special Investigation! as the cover story: Chinas Secret War on America!

Xenophobia is the new black at the Enquirer, which has joined President Trump in learning to love Russia and instead view China as an evil empire hell-bent on world domination! Like Starbucks, but without the matcha lattes.

8,000 agents infiltrate US in 20-year attack, the report claims. These were allegedly Communist Party soldiers - most posing as students.

Where did they come up with the figure of 8,000?

Could it be from the recent report by an educational company that estimated around 8,000 Chinese students a year are expelled from American universities and colleges because of cheating and poor academic performance?

A new US ban on Chinese graduate students who earned their undergraduate degrees at Chinese universities linked to the Chinese military went into effect in June, keeping up to 3,000 Chinese students out of the country. But just because those universities often have ties to the Peoples Liberation Army it doesnt make the students soldiers. The move has been condemned by many as racist and fostering anti-Asian bigotry, which isnt helped by the Enquirer repeating its fondly-held allegation: Experts charged the coronavirus is a bioweapon created in a Wuhan lab to weaken and distract America."

The Enquirer attacks Chinas Secret War on America and the countrys expansionist military leaders who have "seized islands. They should have done it the American way: When Trump wanted to buy Greenland, he was willing to make them a fair offer. Thats not expansionism. Thats just good old American free trade.

The Globe continues to follow Trumps lead in turning its laser-like focus on the evils of former BFF Fox News, with this weeks cover story: Fox News Sex Scandal Explodes!

Fox hosts Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Howard Kurtz have been accused of sexual misconduct, the Globe claims, which to some might seem like business as usual at the network.

But while former anchor Ed Henry has been accused in a lawsuit of sexual assault, Hannity and Carlson are named in the suit for lesser questionable sexual behavior, which they vehemently deny.

"Can the network survive? asks the Globe. As if iFox viewers, who have turned a blind eye to every one of President Trumps alleged sexual assaults, are going to be so disgusted by a Fox sex scandal that theyll turn to CNN.

Speaking of sex scandals, the late billionaire convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epsteins former girlfriend and lieutenant Ghislaine Maxwell, currently in a Brooklyn jail awaiting trial, is the subject of a Globe story: Ghislaine Set to be Stripped Bare!

No, shes not been deprived of all clothing because shes a suicide risk (though she is reportedly clad in paper prison garb for that reason.) Shes not even being strip-searched naked in jail, though that may conceivably have already happened. Rather, the Globe' suggests that Maxwell could be stripped of her fortune and lose her $20 million secret stash in banks across the world if Epsteins victims sue her for damages, or if her wealth came directly from supporting Epsteins illegal sexual activities.

Britains Royals come in for their usual share of tabloid fairytales.

An "Enquirer Exclusive reports: "Queen Kicks Meghan Out of Royal Family! No, she didnt. It didnt happen. Meghan is still there, still a Duchess.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Enquirer' claims that the Queen in a fit of regal rage over the new Harry-and-Meghan-friendly biography Finding Freedom, has ordered Meghan banished from Britains royal family - forever. At least theres some good news: Harry and Archie and welcome back - alone.

This attempt at fair and balanced report displays the great efforts the Globe made for impartiality, only calling Meghan a diva and a demanding Duchess instead of the usual catalogue of insults they shower on her.

The Enquirer helpfully adds at the end of its story: Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan did not respond to requests for comment. Well, theres a surprise.

The Globe approaches Harry and Meghan's drama from an alternate perspective, reporting: Fed-Up William & Kate: Our Side of the Story!

Shockingly, Duchess Kate and Prince William have not given an exclusive interview to the Globe.' Its just Kensington Palace PR spin regurgitated and barely warmed up. The rag, clearly refusing to take sides, reports: Kind-hearted Kate has repeatedly tried to mend fences and heal the family, while a former Palace staffer describes Harry and Meghan as spoiled cry babies.

In case readers are unclear where Globe sensibilities lie, an opinion piece opines: Meghans A Dirty Dog. The Duchess belongs in a doghouse after allegedly dumping her rescue pup, Bogart, with Canadian friends. Meghan reportedly left her beloved adopted dog Bogart with friends when she moved to Britain in 2017. But now she is back in the US, the Globe brands her the Wicked Witch for failing to retake possession of her mutt.

Lets ignore the fact that after almost three years in a new home the dog may well be attached to its new family, and taking it back might be cruel to both.

Meghan just cant catch a break. Neither can Angelina Jolie, another perennial tabloid target.

Aging Angie Swears Off Sex! reports the Enquirer, leaving readers to wonder how many listening devices and hidden cameras the rag actually has secreted around Jolies bedroom. She has allegedly been celibate since her split from Brad Pitt four years ago, but just because she hasnt been photographed with another man or woman doesnt necessarily mean she has given up on sex.

Us magazine reports on Angies Plea to her kids: Make Amends.

Jolie allegedly wants her eldest children Maddox, 19, and Pax, 16, to reconcile with their father Brad Pitt, according to an unidentified source. A second anonymous source helpfully adds: Theres no sign this is true. Great, lets run the story anyway.

With Ellen DeGeneres under investigation by her TV chat shows parent company Warner Media, Us mags cover story asks: Who Will Steal Her Show - though they ruin the effect by omitting the obligatory question mark, turning the headline into a declaratory statement that makes one wonder if Abbott & Costellos baseball player has left first base and plans to take over Ellens show.

Insiders say Ellens finished, reports the mag, which suggests that Kristen Bell, James Corden and Drew Barrymore are allegedly in line for $500m job - but she wont quit! That could make it harder for anyone to take over her show, I suspect.

The Kardashian-West marriage meltdown is scrutinized by Us mag under the headline: "Why Kim Cant Let Go? Could it be arthritis? No, apparently she still loves Kanye, or as an unnamed source says: theres a desire to make it work.

Katy Perry dominates - and I use that word advisedly - the cover of People magazine, taking up so much space that she could be about to deliver octuplets, despite the headline claiming: Im So Excited for Our Baby Girl! She appears on the cover dutifully Photoshopped, air-brushed, smoothed and plasticized like every other People mag cover celebrity, turned into a living waxwork.

Days away from delivering her baby with fianc Orlando Bloom, she is yet again photographed with Bloom consistently absent. Im sure theres an innocent explanation.

Fortunately we have the crack investigative team at Us mag to tell us that Maya Jama wore it best, that Olivia Culpo was very chubby growing up, and that the stars are just like us: they go hiking, dine out, shop for food, exercise, paddle-board and grab drinks to go. Im lucky if I leave the house once a day to walk the dog during the pandemic, but thats probably why Im not a celebrity.

And late-breaking news from the Globe reports that the city of Riverside, Iowa, has declared itself the Future Birthplace of Star Treks Capt. James T. Kirk!

A publicity stunt that took place in 1985.

Maybe the news was caught in a space-time wormhole.

Onwards and downwards . . .

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Chinas secret war on America, a Fox News sex scandal, and a space-time wormhole in this weeks dubious tabloids - Boing Boing

Environment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis and a local businesswoman on Santorini hold up a T-shirt promoting the campaign for restricting the use of plastic mineral water bottles during a visit to the island last Sunday. [ANA-MPA]

The southern Aegean island of Santorini is seeking to set higher standards in waste management and recycling practices to become a paradigm for other parts of the country facing landfill problems.

Thanks to a program run by the Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation (HRRCO) and the municipal authority of Thira, the number of blue recycling bins across the popular holiday island has reached 455, while there are plans for an additional 200.

The number of bell-shaped collection receptacles for glass, moreover, has doubled to 50 with the addition of 25 new single-stream bins.

During a recent visit to the island, Environment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis said that there are also plans to install separate bins across the island for collecting aluminum. Also, as part of this program, talks have taken place with the operators of Santorinis airport so that four collection streams can be set up there by autumn, he added.

The minister went on to herald the closure of the landfill that currently serves the island poorly due to its small capacity and outdated technology saying that an interim solution is being sought for how the islands trash will be managed until a new, modern waste management facility is constructed via a private-public partnership.

HRRCO is already working closely with 80 businesses on Santorini that have volunteered to collect plastic mineral water bottles which are a huge problem on many islands whose water is brackish and not safe for consumption as well as to help in a campaign for limiting their use.

We are also seeking to restrict single-use plastics, which will be abolished in 2021 as part of the governments policy, Hatzidakis said last Sunday.

We want Santorini to set an example not just for the other islands of the Cyclades and the southern Aegean, but also for Greece as a whole. Because when it comes to recycling, we are not even in the 20th century, but somewhere in the 19th, the minister quipped.

Today marks a new start in the effort with the support of the local authority to win the battle of modern waste management practices, he added.

The proposal for replacing the current landfill with a modern waste management facility built jointly by the Greek state and a private firm, as is already the case in Epirus and Serres, in northwestern and northern Greece respectively, has already been submitted to the Development Ministry.

It is shameful that, in the year 2020, we have 14 uncontrolled landfills operating in the countrys most popular tourism destinations. Our aim is to shut them all down by 2022 so that there are no more uncontrolled landfills in the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands, Hatzidakis said.

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Recycling being boosted on holiday island of Santorini | Kathimerini - http://www.ekathimerini.com

Its easy to feel skeptical about this star-studded Caribbean getaway; until you find yourself being pummeled back into shape at a spa overhanging the cerulean waters, strolling the island's untouched beaches or snoozing to the sound of the ocean's swell by an infinity edge pool, that is. And you reluctantly realize that, you too, have fallen head over heels for the paradise island.

After being on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic for months, just three years after the island was wiped out by Hurricane IrmaSt. Barts has finally reopened. Travelers from all over the world are currently welcome to enter St. Barts in accordance with the testing requirements and regulations outlined here. Follow our guide of seven highlights not to miss when visiting this far-flung corner dubbed "little France."

The turquoise waters of Gouverneur Beach in St. Barts.

Surrounded by warm translucent waters and adorned with sloping hills draped in jungly vegetation, the tiny 10 square-mile St. Barts is a volcanic island of incredible natural beauty. Now a French overseas collectivity, it was first discovered and named in 1493 by Christopher Columbus after his brother Bartolomo.

Geared toward a high-flying clientele of celebrities (Johnny Hallyday, Frances answer to Elvis, is buried here for instance, and his grave has become a pilgrimage site for his many fans), billionaires come to lounge poolside at their private villas and show off their designer beachwear at the islands clutch of upscale hotels. Add the French gastronomical offerings to the mix, and youve got the whole picture.

1. The Event to Book: St. Barts Gourmet Festival

Celebrating a longstanding tradition of culinary excellence and the islands French ties, the Gourmet Festival tops St. Barts' social calendar. And the good news is that the seventh edition has just been announced.

The 2020 festival will take place November 11-15, it will be overseen by three-star chef Pierre Gagnaire and will feature chefs Dimitri Droisneau, Marcel Ravin, Jean-Rmi Caillon, Sbastien Vauxion, Cdric Groletand Juan Arbelaez.

The sixth edition of the St. Barts Gourmet Festival welcomed a host of French chefs, including ... [+] Michelin starred Guillaume Goupil from Le Burgundy Hotels Le Baudelaire restaurant in Paris.

And as American and French visitors tend to flock to the island at this time just to get a taste for the Caribbean-meets-French experience, do book your table early.

For the occasion, the organizers round up a handful of Michelin starred chefs from France and jet them off to the Caribbean island ("its a hard gig," the chefs will tell you wryly), so they can cook alongside locally established chefs in their kitchens, and give regular guests a new spin on the St. Barts dining experience.

Last years instalment included a star-studded cast: from patron of the festival Arnaud Faye (two stars at the bewitching La Chvre dOr in Eze in the South of France), to Eric Bouchenoire (two stars at Atelier Joel Robuchon), Taku Sekine (one star Dersou and Cheval dOr both in Paris), Guillaume Goupil (one star at the top-end Burgundy Hotel in Paris), Stphane Buron (two stars at the iconic Courchevel hotel Chabichou), Jean-Denis Rieubland (one star at the sumptuous Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa an hour outside Paris), Patric Vander (one star at Les Fresques at the Hotel Royal Evian Resort), and Philippe Jourdin (one star at Le Faventia, Terre Blanche Hotel on the Cte dAzur).

For one week, the chefs rustled up special dinner menus at local restaurants and hotels: Le Barthlemy Hotel & Spa, Hotel Christopher, Hotel Le Toiny, Le Sereno, Hotel Manapany, Le Tamarin, LEsprit Jean Claude Dufour and Nikki Beach.

The highlights were plenty. But one chefs dinner that particularly stood out was Guillaume Goupils Italian-infused French feast at Le Sereno Hotel. His simply grilled local lobster with fresh corn pasta and ginger stock will remain forever engraved in my memory. Tangy, fleshy, light and moreish, it was perfection.

2. The Eco-Hotel to Stay at: Manapany

Unless youve been sleeping under a rock for the last three years, youll have read about the grand undertaking to rebuild the island following the widespread destruction of Hurricane Irma. Along with the reconstruction (coming in at no less than $1.4 billion) the islands swanky hotels have reemerged looking slicker than ever. However, far from the kerfuffle of swanky cars disemboweling vacationers ready to bask in the sun in their designer clobber, is eco-hotel Manapany. Run by hotel collection B Signature CEO Anne Jousse, its desert-island atmosphere is its main asset - and a unique one at that.

The hotel bar looking out over the pool and ocean and the turquoise waters at the end of the beach ... [+] path of Manapany Hotels beach.

Tucked at one end of the islands wild Anse des Cayes beach, devoid of buildings, the setting is one of dreams. The hotel's two pools, both with ocean views, and the all-wooden circular restaurant that overhangs the water, are backed by beautiful hills of thick tangly nature that soar up to cobalt blue skies.

An all-wooden villa at Manapany Hotel and the view from a villa of the hotels preserved, wild bay.

Mealtimes here will have you stay for an hour - or two, or more - as you take in the changing colors of the skies above the inky horizon. And before you know it, your day chimes to a slower local pace of life made up of breakfast on the water, sunbathing to the sounds of the waves, and drinks on the castaway-style terrace of your room.

3. The Dreamiest Beach to Drive to: Plage du Gouverneur

Open to all and away from man-made constructions, the retina-pulling waters of this beach are lined by a ribbon of the finest of white sands that screams: Ive arrived in the Caribbean!

The white sands and cerulean waters of Gouverneur Beach, St. Barts.

Located on the south side of the island, the unspoiled stretch of beach is ideal for reconnecting with nature outside of a hotel setting and meeting locals who come here for some downtime and a swim in the cool salty waters. When the waters are calm, its also a great snorkeling hotspot. Other beaches to check out on the island include Saline, Shell Beach, and Colombier.

4. The Place to Go For Lobster: La Langouste

Something else that should be on your to-do list, is eat lobster, bien sr. And lots of it. St. Barts doesnt have many local specialties culinary-wise, cherry-picking its produce in neighboring St. Martin and Guadeloupe islands - except for lobster. Have it in a sandwich, tossed in a salad, or, as its served at La Langouste, mixed with fresh creamy tagliatelle.

Lobster is a St. Barts staple, and La Lagouste is the place to go to sample it.

Tucked away in the quieter north-western part of the island in the Bay of Angels, is an empty stretch of sand you get to have all to yourself. And it's here, at a low-key three-star hotel, that you'll find La Langouste. Its laid-back no-frills vibe is a welcome breath of fresh air though, especially if all the glitz and glamour of the fat-cat hotels have left you wondering where the local life is at.

La Langouste also serves lip-smacking good creole dishes like curries with rice and spicy fritters, which are perfect for mixing up your culinary experience while on the island.

5. The Hotspot to Go Shopping: Gustavia Harbour

The main town and capital of the island, Gustavia is a picture-perfect port surrounded by green hills, red-roofed houses and a handful of restaurants along the water like the Victoria. A smart colonial-style white clapboard set-up, it serves cocktails and stone-baked pizza but also large healthy salads and fresh-pressed fruit and vegetable juices. Looking out on the port and calm waters, from here, its easy to imagine the islands early days.

Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts.

After it was discovered by Christopher Columbus, the island became a French colony in the 1600s, before being handed over to the Swedes at the end of the 1700s for almost a century - in fact, Gustavia gets its name from the Swedish king of the time. A century later, the island returned to French rule until it became an autonomous territory in 2007 and left the EU in 2012.

As well as the islands main town, Gustavia is also its main shopping hub with plenty of French brands like Cartier and Herms to keep the crowds busy. Get lost in the cobblestone streets garlanded with fairy lights that click on at nightfall as music drifts through the streets. Pick up silk sarongs from Poupette,and pop into Clic to browse photography books by lesser-known designers. For something a little more cocktail-appropropriate, St. Barts has its very own offshoot of Pariss Montaigne Market. And for something a little more local, head to Ligne St. Barth beauty brand where products are made locally.

6. The Spa to Book: Hotel Christophers Sisley Spa

The smart Hotel Christopher, with a swanky infinity-edge pool, is where youll want to lay sunbathing all day. But its discreet iconic French branded Sisley spa with killer ocean views is a must for some post-flight TLC.

The Sisley Spa at Hotel Christopher, which looks out onto the ocean.

Small and intimate, its tucked away right at the very extremity of the hotel, along a stone path lined by villas on one side and the turquoise water on the other. Understated, the spa's seating area hangs over the water and looks out on one of the islands many curved bays.

Theres no changing in a communal area here. Each guest is led to their private cabin with glass doors thrown open onto the water and an outdoor shower youll never want to leave. Except the treatment is well worth going back inside for. Laying on the massage table, the sound of the waves just down below and the therapists slow and steady expert movements will transport you somewhere close to nirvana.

7. The Place to Party: Nikki Beach

Regulars seem to all descend on the island to compare notes and suntans, catch up on gossip - and party. And one essential go-to for a champagne-fuelled brunch that, before you know it, turns into an everyone-on-tables daytime dance marathon, is Nikki Beach.

The smart set-up at Nikki Beach, right on the beach.

Its gentle clubby vibe is what keeps people coming back, but also its setting. Laid out on a gleaming white open-plan wooden deck just steps from the lapping turquoise waters, its the perfect spot for groups of friends and families to eat and drink with their toes in the sand. A must, no St. Barts experience is quite complete until youve danced the afternoon away here.

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St. Barts Travel: 7 Things Not To Miss When Visiting the Island - Forbes

Exclusive island buyout packages also available from 1 AugustLuxury bohemian hideaway, The Nautilus Maldives, is delighted to welcome back guests from 1 September with thoughtfully refurbished facilities and elevated island paradise experiences. Taking the opportunity of the enforced closure to accentuate its uniquely ethereal aura even further, the resort has unveiled a series of product enhancements including inspiring new menus; a new expansion to the islands alfresco grill, Ocaso; an air-conditioned space for yoga and fitness; and a new MUGA multi-sport court for guests to join in games. Guests travelling with extended family, friends or in a group can also book this liberating haven of barefoot indulgence exclusively, with private island buyouts available from 1 August 2020.

The only Relais & Chteaux member in the Maldives, The Nautilus is the realisation of a vision of life unbound; a place of possibility and unscripted luxury, where guests are free to do and be as they please. Casting off the anchor of inflexibility, rejecting the tyranny of timetables; The Nautilus liberates guests to enjoy a private island experience beyond the humdrum clockwatching constraints of opening hours and menus. Enjoying a remote setting in the stunning UNESCO Biosphere of Baa Atoll, The Nautilus is one of the smallest islands in the Maldives; a tropical haven of just 26 exceptionally spacious Houses and Residences, each with its own temperature-controlled freshwater infinity pool and extensive private decks, and attended by a dedicated House Master offering full butler services. The Nautilus epitomises spacious seclusion and sublime service, with consciously minimal interaction from the moment guests step off the plane at Velana International Airport and into the care of islands exclusive, ultra-smooth and queue-free CIP transfer service.

During the extended hiatus, The Nautilus completed a beach and lagoon nourishment project to replenish and protect the shoreline and house reefs, ensuring generations of future guests can continue to explore and enjoy the island at its very best. Outdoor ladders in all Ocean Houses and Residences have also been replaced with artisanal driftwood staircases, making it even more inviting for guests to descend into the pristine waters that surround the island.

The resorts beachside Ocaso Grill will reopen with a fresh new look following an extension of the dining area, with a whimsical new beach hut providing increased space, comfort, and privacy for a memorable culinary experience. A new curated menu has also been introduced in all three of the resorts restaurants, providing further epicurean inspiration for guests from intriguing infusions of Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine at Zeytoun; Japanese and Latin American creations at Ocaso; or global delicacies at Thyme.

The resorts overwater Solasta Spa has been augmented with the addition of an air-conditioned space for yoga and fitness sessions, while guests and team members can now enjoy games such as futsal and badminton on the islands brand new MUGA multi-sport court.

The Nautilus has curated exclusive reopening packages for couples and for families, including 35 per cent discount on accommodation and a selection of The Nautilus bespoke experiences. Moments of Togetherness starts from USD19,100 (approx. GBP14,653*) including seven nights B&B accommodation for two adults sharing a Beach House with private pool; return transfers via The Nautilus liveried private seaplane; private Cinema Under The Stars experience; personalised Spa Journey for two; guided house reef snorkelling; private yoga session with resident Yogi; and a private cocktail experience. A Dream Haven for the Entire Family starts from USD21,000 (approx. GBP16,110*) including seven nights B&B accommodation for two adults and two children (under 12yrs) sharing a Beach House with private pool; return transfers via The Nautilus liveried private seaplane; complimentary Kids Menu dining for up to two children (under 12yrs); one family sandbank experience; one family cooking class; unlimited laundry; one Childs Head and Shoulder Massage, Manicure and Pedicure (60mins); coral frame adoption in the family name; and up to two hours complimentary babysitting service (for children aged 3-12yrs) during dinner. Both packages are valid for travel from 1 September - 22 December 2020, subject to availability.

The Nautilus also opened for private island buy-outs and group bookings from 1 August, with two exclusive island buyout options available. Larger groups can book all 26 Houses & Residences, each a personal sanctum with its own pool, for up to 62 adults; whilst smaller groups of up to 30 can enjoy the resorts 14 Houses. Both fully personalised buyout experiences include exclusive use of the entire resort and all facilities; private butler service; The Nautilus airside VIP arrival service; return transfers via the resorts liveried seaplane; and daily breakfast. Prices available on request.

The already thorough cleaning and hygiene protocols at The Nautilus have been further reinforced in line with public health guidelines issued by the WHO and local government authorities, and the team have been fully trained and informed of the new procedures.

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The Nautilus Maldives refreshed and ready to reopen on 1 September - ITCM

What your Zoom background says about you

In another fascinating account of the rapid shift in consumer buying patterns, Livingetc, one of Britains most influential dcor magazines, highlights eight ways in which Covid-19 is shaping design and decorating trends. The humble abode is no longer only a place to lay ones weary head: houses will have to become far more adaptable to create flexible, multi-functional spaces.

Well start to see the incorporation of desks and work spaces into bedrooms and living rooms as part of the norm, because even those who continue to work in an office will likely have more flexibility to engage in remote work, says Ryan Prince, founder of UK property rental management company UNCLE. Creating multiple work spaces throughout the home means that two people can work from home at the same time without bothering each other.

In a similar vein, Livingetc predicts that stylish and ergonomic desk chairs will become a must-have item on dcor buying lists as demand rises for chairs that fit in with the rest of a homes aesthetics. Bold colours will come to the fore, with safe neutral palettes likely to be rejected as people crave something bright and sunny to counter pandemic-induced dreariness.

Also, there will be an increased gravitation towards unique home spaces, as more people start to consider what their backgrounds are saying about them in Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings.

Kitchens, too, will be reimagined. Already UK kitchen manufacturers are reporting increased demand for larger islands with integrated seating that can be adapted for various uses, including cooking, eating, games evenings, family gatherings, homework or Zoom calls.

Creative storage will become another key consideration for home design. Livingetc argues its become all about low-level storage units in multiple rooms ottoman-style furniture, sideboards and cabinets that allow tired parents to quickly pack away games, toys and books.

But upgrading ones primary residence may not be for everyone. If you have a few bob stashed away, and want to flee the pandemic altogether, why not consider buying your own island? Thats what the worlds uber wealthy are doing, according to this report in the Financial Times.

Trayor Lesnock, founder of Platinum Luxury Auctions, which is marketing Fijis Mai Island with a price tag of just over $4m, says theres been a sharp increase in demand for safe haven private islands in recent months.

Owning an island has long been considered cool and desirable, but its often been a whimsical dream, he says. But with Covid-19 its starting to look a lot more practical as people rush to find private spaces for themselves.

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JOAN MULLER: Home is where the renovation is - Financial Mail

The ask-nice approach had not worked. Lewis Smithingham, an advertising executive in Brooklyn, was trying to land a virtual meeting with an analyst at an investment management firm, who he hoped would be both a source of potential clients and information. Dates were agreed to and then postponed, rescheduled and rescheduled again. So Mr. Smithingham had an idea. He would end the brush-offs by emailing a cheeky invitation:

Lets go rob a bank in Grand Theft Auto.

Soon, Mr. Smithingham and the analyst were tearing around a fictional version of Los Angeles, submachine guns in hand, in one of the worlds most popular and raucous multiplayer video games. The analyst lacked the skills for a bank heist, but the two did some carjacking, ran over some unlucky pedestrians, eluded some cops, drove off a cliff and died a few times.

He isnt a great gamer, so I had to sort of be the point person for all of the shooting, said Mr. Smithingham, a director at MediaMonks, which is based in the Netherlands. But now we text each other regularly, and when I get on a call with this guy, Ill be like, You remember that time we ran from the cops and crashed into a highway divider?

With Zoom call fatigue setting in and boozy lunches out of the question during the coronavirus pandemic, housebound executives are finding new ways to meet and bond in video games. The goal is to break up a day that is crammed with get-togethers that generally look, sound and feel identical. And for people like Mr. Smithingham, an outing in virtual space is a chance to form memories with people he has never met, which is a crucial part of developing relationships, business and otherwise.

Its my golf, he said. Unlike golf, video games come with social distancing built in. It is back slapping without the slapping or the back, ideal during a pandemic.

Nobody knows how many executives are meeting in video games, including game publishers, but examples are popping up on Twitter and other social media platforms. In May, an author and artist in Britain named Viviane Schwarz wrote a series of tweets about meetings she was holding with an editorial team on Red Dead Redemption 2, a Western-themed game set in the American frontier of 1899. The setting has upsides, she explained, including the mountain wilderness landscapes and a campfire the team can sit around while wolves howl in the night.

But there are complications. A posse might interrupt, looking for a gunfight, and a character named JB Cripps often hovers around playing the mouth harp. For some reason, he cannot be shot dead. Then there are the technical glitches.

Sometimes the meeting table doesnt exist for everyone, and sitting on the ground is the same button as attempting to strangle the nearest person, Ms. Schwarz tweeted in May. Still beats zoom.

The idea of holding business meetings in a virtual world enjoyed a certain vogue about a decade ago. More than 1,400 organizations had a presence on Second Life, an online realm with everything an avatar would need, including auditoriums and beer. There are still plenty of businesses, nonprofit organizations and universities operating in Second Life, says Ebbe Altberg, the chief executive of Linden Lab, the San Francisco-based creator of the world. But hundreds of companies have left, including IBM, Coca-Cola and Reuters, which had a Second Life bureau.

Todays in-game pioneers have scaled-back ambitions. Erik Heisholt, the founder of Heisholt Inc., a marketing firm in Oslo, was simply looking for a novel setting when, in 2016, he built an office in Minecraft.

That office was deleted last year, because of inactivity, but as the pandemic set in, he built a new one. In mid-July, he offered a tour of the premises to this reporter, who had never before set virtual foot in Minecraft, a game with more than 125 million monthly users. It was a memorably bizarre way to spend 90 minutes.

Hello and welcome to the office! Mr. Heisholt said. Actually, it was the online avatar of his tech guru, Martin Bruras, and Mr. Heisholt was not speaking aloud. Communication in Minecraft happens via text, which adds to the sense that life here unfolds at half speed, at least for a neophyte trying to figure out simple tasks, like how to walk through a door. When Mr. Heisholt spoke it was via Mr. Bruras, who was essentially taking dictation.

Come inside before the monsters come, Mr. Heisholt wrote.

Hold on. Monsters?

It turns out that when night falls in Minecraft, which happens three times every hour, an assortment of deadly skeletons, witches and zombies roam the world. Happily, like polite dinner guests, they do not barge into buildings, so we were undisturbed once inside the office, other than the sound of snarls coming from just beyond walls.

How do you get any work done? I typed.

We cant work if we get eaten and killed, Mr. Heisholt wrote. We sit at our computers and discuss, just like in the real world.

The first Heisholt Inc. office in Minecraft was built four years ago, soon after the company conceived the first concert in the game, for an annual tech festival in Norway called the Gathering. The show was a virtual and simultaneous version of a live performance by the electronic duo AlunaGeorge. The motion of the musicians was mirrored, as closely as possible, by the blocky, Lego-like characters that populate the game. About 3,000 viewers were expected.

More than 100,000 showed up, and it would have been six times more if the servers had not crashed, said Mr. Heisholt in an offline phone interview. A lot of the meetings about the concert and about the promotional campaign for the concert took place in the game. We would meet with gamers there, and they ended up putting up posters for the show inside their buildings and houses in the game.

Inspired by that experience, Heisholt Inc. built an office in Minecraft, which Mr. Heisholt described as far posher than any the company could afford in the real world. A video of it shows what looks like a sleek, seaside hotel in the Brutalist style, with several floors and swimming pools, along with cows, sheep and a company dog named Palecod.

The staff members began to have regular meetings at the office, then invited clients for business pitches and brainstorming. It was in the game that the company conferred with representatives of the World Wildlife Fund to discuss a campaign to save Norways wolves, which a group of farmers wanted to start hunting. Heisholt Inc. created a video inside Minecraft that showed a few dozen wolves in a concrete pen getting mowed down by an unseen character with a crossbow.

Wolves in Norway are listed as critically endangered read a chyron toward the end of the 50-second spot. Then Crossbow Guy shot the last wolf. (The wolf fight in Norway is continuing.)

As the company grew, and brought in bigger clients, it stopped visiting the Minecraft office, which is why it, and Palecod, vanished. The new space looks like a starchitects take on an oversized sauna. There are a lot of tiered, dark-wood benches, a bunch of torches on the wall and pixelated artwork of Bruce Lee about to punch a giant hand. As daylight broke during the tour, we walked to the second-floor balcony and gaped at what looked like a verdant prairie with a lot of lakes. A gold merchant idled outside with two llamas. The llamas bleated and stared up at us.

Minecraft is, in part, a sandbox game, which means you can choose to do nothing at all, other than avoid death by monster. Before we visited the offices main conference room, Mr. Heisholt offered some lunch.

Ill just have to kill a chicken, be back in a second, he wrote. The meal looked like a plucked chicken carcass. Then he answered questions about how this office held advantages over his physical one in Oslo.

Having a brainstorm session here forces you to think, he wrote, holding what he later explained was a piece of rotten meat left by a monster. To think different. Were in a totally different mind-set in here. Especially if we talk to random players. They sometimes give you absurd answers that can lead your thinking in totally unexpected directions.

He cited ideas gleaned from passers-by in Minecraft who had suggestions about the design of the Viking ship where AlunaGeorge performed the virtual concert. Mostly, though, it seems as though Mr. Heisholt enjoys a dose of anarchy in his daily routine.

Working in Minecraft can be dangerous and nerve-racking, he later wrote in an email. He urges employees to stay undevoured, he said, but also sees the mortal threats as a way to introduce an invigorating element of risk that heightens the senses.

As the tour wound down, he walked outside to take a closer look at the llamas, one of which spat at him. Then night set in. The sound of sinister hissing and grunts rose, sending us scrambling toward the office door, though not quickly enough. Zombies killed us both.

You died! the game exulted. There was an option to respawn and re-enter the game, but Mr. Heisholt was late for a rehearsal with his band in real-world Oslo.

The experience underscored that it would be hard to zone out in Minecraft. It might be just as hard to focus on work, at least for anyone who lacks proficiency. Ben Decker, the head of game services marketing at Microsoft, says he often checks in with fellow employees while pairing up with them in a game called Destiny. Each player is an armed protector of Earths last safe city, which sounds like a job that would require total attention.

But when you play a game a lot, its sort of like gardening, he said. It becomes part of your daily routine, and theres a certain rhythm to it.

Mr. Decker spends most days in the basement of his home in Seattle, which has led him to rediscover Sea of Thieves, a pirate-themed game which, naturally, takes place on the ocean. He holds a regular business meeting in the game with an executive from Discord, a digital distribution platform, and the two catch up aboard a galleon in what looks like the Caribbean.

You can kind of hear the breeze and the birds, and the animation of the water is just beautiful, he said. The sailing mechanism is close enough to reality that you kind of feel like youre rolling across the waves.

For Mr. Smithingham, of MediaMonks, different games offer advantages for different clients. Gunplay and mayhem is not always the right fit. He is a fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a new version of a long-popular Nintendo game, which was released in March. It deposits players on cartoonishly colorful private islands where they can decorate their homes, trim trees, catch fish, chase critters or visit others and chill out.

It also facilitates a singular kind of gift giving, the online version of picking up a lunch check. Goods such as flowers, furniture and bait for fishing can be acquired, typically through time-consuming tasks. If you do not have time, however, there are alternatives.

I basically went on eBay and spent $10 buying 400 fish bait from somebody in Japan, he said, referring to one of Animal Crossings most popular staples. Three minutes later, I watched the seller come to my island with, like, a mask on and dropped off the fish bait. I think he was trying to be creepy. But the first time I met this one client, I gave her 100 fish bait, which is a crazy extravagant gift.

A screenshot of a recent meeting with this client shows Mr. Smithingham fishing with the client. He appears to be a perfectly coifed young man in a matching black shirt and pants, sporting a spiffy pair of red-and-white sneakers which gets to another reason that now, more than ever, he prefers video games to video chats.

My production value is now considerably better in Animal Crossing than it is on Zoom, he said. My wife is cutting my hair. And shes a nurse, not a barber.

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Hey, You Free on Friday for a Meeting and a Bank Heist? - The New York Times

Egmont Adventure Centre takes wildlife seekers to see a colony of Stellar sea lions.Lisa Kadane

You could jump in and swim with them, suggests Lucas Hansen, our guide from the Egmont Adventure Centre, as he guides the boat closer to the colony of Stellar sea lions. Two of them,El Jefe and Jabba the Hutt as theyve been nicknamed,bluff charge each other on their rocky islet in the Malaspina Straight.

I pass, but not because Im intimidated by their size the water in the channel that separates B.C.s Sunshine Coast from Texada Island is downright chilly.

Stellar sea lions, the worlds largest, live in abundance off the Sunshine Coast.Lisa Kadane

Nestled in the southwest corner of mainland B.C. and accessible only by ferry or air, the coastal wilderness stretches 180 km from Hopkins Landing up to Lund. Its split in two by the Jervis Inlet, requiring travellers heading to Powell River or beyond to take another ferry between Earls Cove on the south coast and Saltery Bay on the north coast. Its main artery, the Sunshine Coast Highway, winds through small communities separated by secluded coves and hemmed in by steep mountains robed green in cedar, fir and hemlock.

Hopkins Landing, the jumping off point for the region, is only a 40-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. It feels an ocean away from the bustle of Vancouver. For families, the Sunshine Coast lures with deserted beaches, tide pools and laid-back, welcoming towns. For the adventurous, numerous pursuits await, from hiking into the solitude of temperate rainforest, to kayaking around tiny private islands just offshore. Here, fresh air, clean water and unspoiled nature are the perfect antidote after months of staying put indoors.

Postcard perfect view from the dining room at the West Coast Wilderness Lodge.Lisa Kadane

What better place to go than nature? asks Paul Hanson, who owns the West Coast Wilderness Lodge in Egmont. People are going to be needing that wilderness healing power.

Start your Sunshine Coast stay by strolling around Gibsons Landing, a seven-minute drive from the ferry terminal. Most of the stores, eateries and attractions have reopened, including the aquarium at The Nicolas Sonntag Marine Education Centre, located inside the Gibsons Public Market.

Theres a lot more relaxation now around the idea of travellers coming over, especially among small business owners says Stephanie Heins, who owns the Drift Caf and Bistro in Gibsons Landing.

Be sure and stop in to Mollys Reach, a 1926 historic building on the waterfront that gained fame as the set of the Canadian TV classic The Beachcombersits a good place to get beer-battered fish & chips made with Pacific cod. For a glass of B.C. wine with a view of neighbouring Keats Island across the water, you cant beat the patio at the Drift.

Gibsons Landing.Chris Thorn Photography / Sunshine Coast Tourism

A scenic 25-minute drive that rolls through forest and alongside the placid water of the Georgia Straight brings you to Sechelt. Spend time at the tems swiya Museum to learn about the local shshlh Nation, or stop for beachcombing at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park, just north of town. There, a playground and picnic tables complement an inviting, sandy beach with a marked swimming area for kids.

Continue north for another hour to Egmont, a tiny hamlet with just 70 permanent residents and a downtown population of two. There are no trendy boutiques or bistros here, but the West Coast Wilderness Lodge (with an on-site restaurant), makes a good base for exploring the coast and forest for a few days.

The hike to Chatterbox Falls through old-growth forest.Lisa Kadane

After checking in, its just a kilometre walk or drive to the trailhead for The Skook. Its a four-km one-way hike to Skookumchuk Narrows, where 757 billion litres of water surges between the Sechelt and Jervis inlets during the tidal change. The twice-daily spectacle creates standing waves that attract experienced kayakers, and the easy walk to the rapids passes mossy tree trunks, towering cedars and lush ferns.

You need a full day to boat up to Princess Louisa Inlet, a remote fjord where waterfalls tumble down forested mountainsides and steep granite walls to dissolve in a spray of mist where fresh water meets the sea. Ask the captain to point out First Nations petroglyphs on the cliff walls en route, and keep an eye out for bald eagles overhead and harbor seals bobbing in the calm water.

A boat ride up the Princess Louisa Inlet.Greg Eymundson / Insight-Photography.com

Youll have the forest to yourself, at the inlets terminus, as you follow a winding path through towering fir trees to spectacular Chatterbox Falls. It feels like an alpine sanctuary, but at sea level.

After returning to Egmont, bliss out on the lodges spacious patio and toast natures ability to provide respite.

Getting there: BC Ferries sails regularly from Horseshoe Bay to Hopkins Landing. Face coverings are mandatory on all sailings. (bcferries.com)

Stay: Hike or mountain bike by day, kayak by twilight, and sleep peacefully in a comfortable, ocean-view room at the West Coast Wilderness Lodge. To make trip planning easy, the resort can package meals from its on-site restaurant, and activities through the Egmont Adventure Centre, including a visit to a sea lion colony and a day trip to stunning Princess Louisa Inlet.

Do: Be aware some businesses are operating with reduced hours. Be sure and call ahead or verify hours online.

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Solitude and adventure on the Sunshine Coast - The Province

The grandmother of American conservation, Mardy Murie, once called the national parks our best idea. And this year, with foreign travel all but canceled, some of these celebrated domestic destinations have reached new heights of jam-packed popularity and that, of course, presents challenges during a pandemic.

Despite the breathing room offered by the Great Outdoors, many of the 419 National Park Service areas have sites that are not conducive to social distancing. Many parks concentrate the public along narrow trails leading to crowded geysers, waterfalls, wildlife-viewing stands or other scenic vistas.

Yet there are notable exceptions. In particular, 13 national seashores and lakeshores offer a completely different experience. While these federally protected coastlines collectively attract millions of visitors each year, the primary attraction is water and uncrowded stretches of sand that invite picnics, water activities and social distancing.

During the pandemic, many of the visitor centers, museums, historic buildings and signature lighthouses have remained closed to the public.

The plan, according to the National Park Services administrative history about the seashore surveys of the 1930s, was to protect natural locations for beachcombing, surf bathing, swimming at protected beaches, surf and sport fishing, bird-watching, nature study, and visits to historic structures.

First on the roster, in 1937, was Cape Hatteras National Seashore: 70 miles along North Carolinas Outer Banks, including three lighthouses (the site wasnt formally dedicated until 1958). Prompted by burgeoning development along the coastlines after World War II, Congress added nine more national seashores to the Park Service in 10 different states, along with four national lakeshores in three states surrounding the Great Lakes (Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was recently changed to a national park). Today these 13 expanses of lake and sea shorelines protect 809,000 acres, abutting thousands of miles of oceans and lakes.

The principal focus of the seashores and lakeshores is recreation. Many of the sites also allow off-road vehicles and sport hunting activities that are forbidden in national parks. And while the heat of summer makes these wild shores ideal destinations, most can also be explored throughout the fall and winter.

From California to Cape Cod, here are eight of the most scenic seashores and lakeshores in the National Park Service.

On a map, Cape Cod National Seashore, established in 1961, resembles the flexed forearm of Cape Cod, Mass., stretching 40 miles from its elbow to its fist, a peninsula punching into the Atlantic Ocean. Half of its 43,000 acres are water. Henry David Thoreau often walked and swam here in the mid-19th century, calling the autumn landscape so beautifully painted It was like the richest rug imaginable.

As one of the most popular seashores, with over four million visitors last year, this seashore has still plenty of room along 15 different beaches to spread out and fish, body surf, swim, go for interpretive walks, take four-wheel drives along the beach and hike a dozen different trails that lead to forested wetlands and picnic areas. Beaches are essential ecosystems that support a wide variety of often overlooked plants and animals, from small nematodes (simple worms) to tiny crustaceans and other clam-like invertebrates living between the lower surf and the higher grasses. You can also observe ospreys, foxes, coyotes and wildflowers amid the rolling dunes. For the summer of 2020, the two visitor centers, half a dozen lighthouses and historic buildings are closed.

Immediately south of Ocean City, Md., this windswept and pristine island stretches 37 miles into Virginia, where it adjoins one of the richest birding sanctuaries in the country, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The island is also famed for a herd of some 150 wild ponies, ancestors of the animals shipped over by planters in the 1600s. Sometimes they can be seen trotting along (and into) Chincoteague Bay.

Most of the beaches are open to four-wheel driving (with permits), along with biking, hiking, surfing, swimming, kayaking, clamming and fishing. Presently, the visitor center and backcountry campsites are closed. Since this is the only nature-oriented national park site on the Mid-Atlantic seaboard, more than two million people come each year, but in the cool spring and fall, the tourist crowds thin.

Directly south of the often-congested Cape Hatteras, N.C., the scantly visited, 56-mile-long Cape Lookout National Seashore bridges three unspoiled barrier islands: North and South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks. Less than half a million people made brief visits last year. Home to wild horses, nesting loggerhead turtles and countless shorebirds, this undeveloped seashore is accessible only by boat, with no roads or stores. Primitive cabins can be rented on the South Core Banks, while camping is allowed throughout the seashore. The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is closed until further notice.

Otherwise, surf-casting is popular, along with hunting, shell collecting, windsurfing, kayaking, motor boating (like most national seashores, areas for personal watercraft and Jet Skis are limited), long beach strolls and four-wheel driving on the two Core islands (scheduled ferries transport motor vehicles).

As the least visited and most isolated national seashore (53,904 people came in 2019), the 18-mile-long Cumberland Island, off the Georgia coast, showcases an unusual landowner history. Historic structures, such as the Thomas Carnegie mansion ruins, surround what were once thriving cotton plantations. The north end of the island, home to an African-American community in the 1890s, holds the intact First African Baptist Church, which is still a popular destination.

Today, although there are private property owners living on the island, many of the dunes and surrounding beaches have been reclaimed by nature; nearly one-third of the total 36,000 acres are protected wilderness (Cumberland Island National Seashore was established in 1972). Along with feral horses, there are rattlesnakes, alligators, more than 300 species of birds and white tail deer. Fishing, boating and camping opportunities abound; after storms, try your luck hunting for sharks teeth and shells on the beaches.

Largest of all the national seashores at 135,600 acres, with over five million visitors a year, Gulf Islands National Seashore offers plenty of room to go beachcombing and boat across 12 different units that are spread from the Gulf shores on the Florida Panhandle to Southern Mississippi. Eighty percent of the park is water. And the beaches, with their pure white sand, are heralded as among the most beautiful in the world. These crushed quartz shores are likened to spun glass, the grains of which have washed down over thousands of years, from the Appalachian Mountains and into the Gulf.

In addition to sunbathing, swimming or picnicking, youll find year-round snorkeling and scuba diving throughout the warm and pellucid waters, along with ample opportunities to camp, hike, bike, ride horses and hunt. The diversity of wildlife habitats from dunes to marshes to forests attracts more than 300 species of birds, along with armadillos, black bears, dolphins and river otters. Many come to visit the islands four intact forts (the Fort Barrancas area is currently closed) that were built to protect the mainland during the War of 1812.

Renowned as the largest undeveloped barrier island in the world, the drivable hard sand of Texass Padre Island sweeps 80 miles from Corpus Christi to Brownsville, free of the resorts and homes strung along the mainland several miles west across the Intracoastal Waterway. One sheltered stretch, Laguna Madre, contains some of the most saline waters in the world. Padre Island is also known as a windsurfing destination, but when the breeze dies, or out among the sheltered dunes, mosquitoes can be fierce.

Although busy on weekends and during college breaks, most visitors drive in four-wheel vehicles at least five miles south from park headquarters until theyve found the desired isolation. Last year, more than half a million people visited the park. Along with innumerable activities on beaches colorful with evening primrose, there are several shipwrecks buried offshore. For birding opportunities, bring your binoculars, and if patience prevails, wildlife watchers might also get a glimpse of the endangered Kemps ridley turtle.

Five miles wide and 42 miles long, Pictured Rocks hugs the brisk waters of Lake Superior on Michigans scantily populated Upper Peninsula. Taking advantage of the parks lack of entrance fees, more than 800,000 visitors came last year to walk or snowshoe 100 miles of trails, ice climb, camp, ice fish, picnic, hunt, boat and swim. The park is named after its spectacular and multihued limestone cliffs, towering directly above the lake for 15 miles and frothing with waterfalls.

There are also half a dozen beaches easily reached from the road, stretching as long as 12 miles, along with several more isolated beaches to hike into. The shoreline bristles with hardwood forests that blush in brilliant reds and golds during autumn foliage.

As the only national seashore on the West Coast, the spectacular Point Reyes on the San Andreas Fault is a short drive north of San Francisco. In 2019, more than two million people visited this 71,000-acre headland. Home to more than a thousand species of plants and animals, Point Reyes is the most biologically rich and diverse seashore of them all. With forests sheltering tule elk, pastoral grasslands and tall cliffs overlooking the breakers, visitors can watch migrating gray whales, seals and fluttering colonies of seabirds. An astonishing 480 different species of birds have been identified here. In 1988, UNESCO included Point Reyes in the Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve.

Historically, the park preserves the regions 150-year-old cattle-ranching legacy, with dairy operations still active today on the treeless plain above the sea. And down below, in 1579, Sir Francis Drake became the first European to land in California, in what is now called Drakes Cove. The 80 miles of shoreline hold a dozen different beaches the most popular destinations for backpacking, surfing, kayaking or simply strolling along the littoral where the vast Pacific beats the shore.

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Water, Sand and Plenty of Elbow Room on 8 Wild, Protected Coastlines - The New York Times

You may not be able to work from the office at the moment, but US residents can now take their work-from-home set-up on the roador more precisely, to a sandy Bermuda beach. Following the passage of new legislation, Bermuda has just announced the August 1st launch of the One Year Residential Certification program, which grants non-Bermudians permission to work or study from the island for twelve months, with unlimited entries/exits allowed. With the island located less than three hours from major East Coast cities via non-stop flights, several five-star resorts and villa companies offering monthly residential rentals and even private islands available for exclusive use, theres never been a better time to call Bermuda homeand the office.

Bermuda has always warmly welcomed visitors to her pink sand shoreline, and we are excited to continue that tradition of hospitality with this revised long-stay residency program, Glenn Jones, Interim CEO of Bermuda Tourism Authority, tells Robb Report. This initiative paves the way for an infusion of economic activity for local businesses (and gives us) an opportunity to share our uncrowded open spaces and coveted island lifestyle with travelers from across the globe looking to work or study remotely. Jones adds that thanks to proactive leadership, Bermuda has also managed the pandemic well, with the island re-opening safely and responsibly to regular commercial flights from around the world, including the US, on July 1; find more about its Covid-19 travel policies and requirements here.

The six-bedroom Residence at The Loren is a top long-term rental optionCourtesy The Loren

Once the program goes live on August 1, those interested in being a digital nomad (and who meet the program requirements) can apply for the residency certificate via the governments website, for a one-time application fee of $263. Once approved, newly minted residents are welcome to enter and exit as needed for one year, and can settle down anywhere on the 21-square-mile island. Notable high-end residential rental options include the one- and three-bedroom seaside Villas and the six-bedroom Residence (complete with private beach, tennis court, gym, staff cottages and chefs kitchen) at The Loren at Pink Beach; the two-and three-bedroom Residences at the Rosewood Bermuda resort on Tuckers Point, close to the famed golf course; and the homes and villas available through membership-based companies like Thirdhome. You can also hide away on a private island: Hawkins Private Island, for example, features a Main Villa and a Guard House (both of which sleep eight guests), with rates that include all meals and beverage, boat transfers to the Waterfront Marina, docking fees for boats and yachts, a full staff, watersports equipment and more (contact reservations directly for details on rates.)

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Bermuda Introduces a One-Year Visa That Allows Digital Nomads to Work From an Island - Robb Report

The islands of Tahiti are now open to tourists across the world. And unlike most popular destinations that have re-opened to tourists, a quarantine period is not mandatory.

Tahit had a small number of COVID cases during the spring months. However, the measures to curb the spread were quite effective, and it has been declared as COVID-free.

Earlier, the islands had banned all international and domestic passenger flights, except the special territorial continuity flights linking Tahiti and Paris. That's because they comprise French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France made up of five archipelagoes in the south-central Pacific Ocean. The capital, Papeete, is on Tahiti, French Polynesias largest island..

There are however, a set of health and safety procedures travellers must follow. They will have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test, taken within 72 hours of their international departure, and only PCR tests are accepted. Visitors must also carry proof of travel insurance and of a pre-booked accommodation. They must complete an entry form before boarding and must be ready to accept any random on-the-spot test on arrival at Tahitis Faaa International Airport.

Travellers will be given a self-test kit to be used on the fourth day of arrival. Wearing a mask during the in-bound flight and at public places during their stay is mandatory.

Should any traveller test positive during their stay, they will be taken to Tahiti for treatment and observation by local health authorities

French Polynesia has several top-notch resorts at secluded islands perfect for social distancing. After the pandemic, hospitality centres have completely redesigned their functioning to ensure guest safety, and have declared their readiness to host tourists from around the globe.

One of the most popular island stays, the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora (located on a private reef islet) is already getting booking enquiries. Accessible only by a boat or helicopter, this private island's newly-enhanced overwater bungalows and beachfront estates have natural barriers to crowds. Similarly, the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort is also practising physical distancing by setting up digital contactless communication throughout their overwater villas and spas.

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Tahiti and Bora Bora are Open to Travellers Again - Outlook India

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Not Jeffrey Epstein, but conspiracy theorists will tell you he does! With all the horrible true facts about the Jeffrey Epstein case coming to light, there are some flat-out false ones in the mix, too.

From Jeffrey Epsteins island sharing Spongebob Squarepants address to winning the Congressional Medal of Freedom, here are the wildest conspiracy theories we discovered about Jeffrey Epstein.

Google Maps works like Wikipedia. Anyone can edit it. While errors and prank edits are swiftly taken down, it takes one person to edit Jeffrey Epsteins island address to create a conspiracy theory. Someone, or maybe many someones, edited the info for Little St. James on Google Maps to the dwelling of a fictional sponge.

Specifically, they listed the address for a theme park on Jeffrey Epsteins island as 124 Conch St. Bikini Bottom US Virgin Islands. The made-up address appears in several episodes of Spongebob Squarepants as the pineapple house of Spongebob. The internet jumped, and some people accused Nickelodeon of being involved.

No such case. When Jeffrey Epsteins island was raided in 2020, Little St. James real addresses were revealed, none of which involved Conch St. or Bikini Bottom.

Not according to Chrissy Teigan, who took to social media to slam the rumors of her involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. The rumors spread to the point where Teigan had to delete thousands of tweets and is worried for her family as a result.

The rumor started when someone on the internet falsely claimed she was in Jeffrey Epsteins flight logs, traveling to his island, Little St. James. While the leaked flight logs didnt show Chrissy Teigans name, the 35-year-old model and mother of two still received death threats for her alleged connection to Epstein.

Finally, after scrubbing 60,000 hate tweets, Chrissy Teigan broke down in a Twitter rant, dismissing the rumors. When someone called her defensive in response, she snapped back. This I dont get, everyone thinking Im guilty because Im defensive. You understand you are calling me a pedophile, correct?

The people who started this rumor need to go back to history class. Barack Obama wasnt elected president until 2008 and wasnt inaugurated until 2009. Were not sure how this rumor got started, but we know Jeffrey Epstein didnt earn the Presidential Medal of Freedom from any president, not even the president of his own island.

Theres a list of every Medal of Freedom recipient ever, and Jeffrey Epsteins name isnt on it. The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor a US citizen can receive. Its usually bestowed for outstanding achievements in arts, media, education, or science. Not even the president in 2007, George W Bush, awarded Epstein this honor.

A rumor that Jeffrey Epstein sacrificed children on his island emerged when photos of a temple-like structure on Little St. James surfaced. The raid on Epsteins island showed multiple buildings, including an odd building that looked like a doomsday temple. It didnt help that the building featured a bird on top that looked like a harpy.

Other people pointed out that the bird statue on top of the building looked like Moloch. Moloch was an ancient god mentioned in The Bible that demanded child sacrifices. The connection was enough for people to believe Jeffrey Epstein sacrificed kids on his island.

No evidence came out that blood sacrifices took place on Jeffrey Epsteins island. However, some people believe the temple was an homage to Ancient Greece, where wealthy, powerful men having sex with teenagers was a common cultural practice.

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Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy theories? All the private island theories - Film Daily

Safety concerns raised by the pandemic have sent private islands to the top of UHNWsshopping lists, writes Catherine Moye

Before the pandemic struck, as Knight Franks March 2020 Wealth Report showed, the real estate trend among UHNWs was for investing in wellness. Now Covid-19 has made the highest-rollers thoughts travel far beyond spa treatments, towards the isolated allure of desert island life.

Take Little Pipe Cay in the Bahamas. Along with incredible seascapes and pristine sandy beaches, it boasts a nine-bedroom mansion, several hundred feet of dock frontage and a large staff and operations village spread over its lush 68 acres.

This is one of the most special properties that Ive been involved with, says Edward de Mallet Morgan, a London-based partner at Knight Frank. He is marketing the island for $85 million, and since the crisis more of the ultra-rich have wanted to view it.

This is a very low-volume market, he adds. When youre talking about property in the $50-70 million-plus range, its about approaching clients to see if they might be interested.

Yet the pandemic has enhanced awareness of those places where people can spend time with their families that are safe.

We have a number of clients from Asia who are looking at private islands, says de Mallet Morgan. They mostly lead stressful lives in polluted cities with a lot of heavy industry, and where theyre not sure where their food comes from. Increasingly, they seek the opposite of that.

Acquiring a private island is not all barefoot chic, however. Unless you are buying one thats plug-in-and-play ready, the considerations are manifold. A decent dock or a landing pontoon for a seaplane is crucial. It needs electricity and network connectivity. Maintenance and supplies are other factors. Most owners house engineers and managers on their island.

A well-run private island is like a military operation, notes de Mallet Morgan. It also demands a certain amount of environmental responsibility because youre nurturing a landscape for future generations. Its not something you take on lightly.

But it is increasingly something that UHNWs are looking to take on. Especially post-Covid-19, as Jacques Menahem, the Papeete-based owner of French Polynesia Sothebys International Realty, has found. His agency has several private islands on the market, some with permission to develop boutique hotels.

I used to get around two enquiries a day, but now Im getting around ten from the USA, UK, France, Dubai and Italy, he says.

Farhad Vladi of Vladi Private Islands (vladi-private-islands.de) has a range of European islands for sale, especially in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, where a scenic island of around 1,100 acres has an asking price of 45 million.

Or theres Santa Maria Island in Sicily, which comes with a mansion and olive groves, for 17 million. Escaping to an unsullied corner of planet earth has always been romantic. Whoever would have thought a virus would make it wise as well.

This piece first appeared in issue 74 of Spears magazine.Click hereto buy and subscribe

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How the pandemic is piquing UHNW interest in private islands - - Spear's WMS

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Montage Hotels & Resorts yesterday announced Montage Cay, a 48-acre private-island resort and residential community in The Abacos Islands in the Bahamas.

Owned in partnership with Sterling Global Financial, the project will see the rebranding and complete redevelopment of the private island of Matt Lowes Cay in The Abacos.

We are honored to partner with the team at Sterling Global to bring Montage Cay to life and introduce our first Caribbean resort, said Alan J. Fuerstman, Founder, Chairman and CEO of MontageInternational.

Surrounded by calm waters, warm breezes and panoramic beauty,MontageCaywill perfectly combine its breathtaking setting with signatureMontageamenities and service.

We have designed the resort to take full advantage of the islands natural beauty, setting the stage for one of the finest ultra-luxury resorts in the Caribbean. We are grateful to the Bahamian community for their warm welcome and look forward to bringing Montage to this special part of the world.

Montage Cay is located less than one mile off the coast of Marsh Harbour.

The private island features seven pristine beaches, varied topography with elevated sight lines for expansive sunrise and sunset views, mature and diverse landscaping, and stunning scenery of the surrounding cays, all in the tranquil turquoise waters of the Sea of Abaco.

Poised to become one of the most exclusive ultra-luxury resort destinations in the Caribbean, Montage Cay will blend Montages unparalleled service with the serene, natural beauty of the region and offer a contemporary execution of traditional Bahamian architecture.

The private-island resort will feature 50 all-suite accommodations and a limited collection of Montage Residences built in harmony with the islands seven white-sand beaches against a tranquil backdrop of the Sea of Abaco and the stunning surrounding cays.

A 46-slip marina accommodating vessels up to 110 feet anchors the resort, allowing guests and residents of MontageCay exceptional access to an array of world-class boating, fishing and water sports activities.

The 50-room, all-suite resort will feature light and airy ocean-view rooms with luxury outdoor amenities including plunge pools, outdoor showers, private gardens and lounge areas, creating an unmatched resort experience in the Bahamas.

Montage Cay will also boast an array of unique restaurant and bar experiences including all-day dining, a signature dinner-only restaurant, two beach bar and grilles, lobby and pool bars, as well as a spa caf and juice bar.

Additional resort amenities include a full-service Spa Montage, an extensive health and wellness program, fitness center, swimming pools, and Montages signature Paintbox Childrens Club.

The resort will offer indoor meeting space, as well as wedding and social-event lawn space with unobstructed views of the clear blue sea.

We are honored to be partners with Montage International in the development of this spectacular project, saidDavid Kosoy, Executive Chairman & Founder of Sterling Global Financial.

I am confident that the combination of Sterlings development expertise and Montages operational expertise will result in an unparalleled private island escape and community that will set a new standard for luxury living.

According to a statement, Montage Cay guests and residents can easily access the resort through the extensive direct flights offered from major American and European markets to the Bahamas, as well as a modern FBO that welcomes private jets and charters.

After arriving on Marsh Harbour,MontageCayguests and residents will take a brief 10-minute boat ride to the resorts exclusive oasis or dock a private boat at theMontageCaymarina.

Sea plane access directly to theMontageCaydock will be available.

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Private island retreat project launched in the Abacos - EyeWitness News

Montage Hotels & Resorts has announced Montage Cay, a 48-acre private-island resort and residential community in The Abacos Islands in the Bahamas. Owned in partnership with Sterling Global Financial, the project will see the rebranding and complete redevelopment of the private island of Matt Lowes Cay in The Abacos, re-emerging as Montage Cay, alongside the launch of The Residences at Montage Cay. The private island features seven pristine beaches, varied topography with elevated sight lines for expansive sunrise and sunset views, mature and diverse landscaping,and stunning scenery of the surrounding cays, all in the tranquil turquoise waters of the Sea of Abaco. Poised to become one of the most exclusive ultra-luxury resort destinations in the Caribbean,Montage Cay will blend Montages unparalleled service with the serene, natural beauty of the region and offer a contemporary execution of traditional Bahamian architecture.

Remote yet easily accessible, Montage Cay is located less than one mile off the coast of Marsh Harbour. The private-island resort will feature 50all-suiteaccommodationsand a limited collection of Montage Residences built in harmony with the islands seven white-sand beaches against a tranquil backdrop of the Sea of Abaco and the stunning surrounding cays.A 46-slip marina accommodating vessels up to 110 feet anchors the resort, allowing guests and residents of Montage Cay exceptional access to an array of world-class boating, fishing and water sports activities.

Thoughtfully integrating the guest experience with the islands natural environment, the 50-room,all-suite resort will feature light and airy ocean-view rooms with luxury outdoor amenities including plunge pools, outdoor showers, private gardens and lounge areas, creating an unmatched resort experience in the Bahamas.

Montage Cay will boast an array of unique restaurant and bar experiences including all-day dining, a signature dinner-only restaurant, two beach bar and grilles, lobby and pool bars, as well as a spa caf and juice bar. Additional resort amenities include a full-service Spa Montage, an extensive health and wellness program, fitness center, swimming pools, and Montages signature Paintbox Childrens Club. A robust water sports and recreation center will provide guests and residents endless opportunities to explore some of the most important natural reserves in the Bahamas with pristine coral reefs that showcase an incredible diversity of tropical marine life. The resort will offer indoor meeting space,as well as wedding and social-event lawn space with unobstructed views of the clear blue sea.

The Residences at Montage Cay will unveil an idyllic oceanfront location, coupled with the exclusivity of the Montage brand, to set a new benchmark for luxury living in the Bahamas with a bespoke collection of fully-furnished Villa Residences and Estate Lots with custom homes.Situated within private enclaves adjacent to the resort, the Villa Residences at Montage Cay will include stunning ocean-views and will range from two to four-bedrooms. The Estate Lots with custom homes will showcase unique elevations and sight lines offering buyers the opportunity to create their own personalized Bahamian retreat with breathtaking ocean vistas.Montage Cay guests and residents can easily access the resort through the extensive direct flights offered from major American and European markets to the Bahamas,as well as a modern FBO that welcomes private jets and charters.After arriving on Marsh Harbour, Montage Cay guests and residents will take a brief10-minute boat ride to the resorts exclusive oasis or dock a private boat at the Montage Cay marina. Seaplane access directly to the Montage Cay dock will be available.

For more information on Montage Cay, please visit http://www.montagehotels.com or follow @montagehotels@montagecay.

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Montage Announces Development of a New Private Island Resort in The Bahamas - Luxury Travel Magazine

A private island just one hour from New York City is up for sale at $2.5million, featuring a sprawling six acres which is said to bring real enjoyment to social distancing.

Copps Island, in Norwalk, Connecticut, is a 73-minute car ride north of Midtown Manhattan, and with its position where the Long Island Sound meets the Norwalk River, provides unobstructed views for the ultimate escape from the city.

Surrounded by plenty of green and tucked away behind trees, the three-bedroom two-bathroom cottage on the island also provides ample privacy.

After traveling to the Cove Marina in East Norwalk, owners can take a short boat ride to the island, which is on the southernmost point of the Norwalk Islands.

As the location that gave Copps Island Oysters its name, not only is it a seafood lovers paradise, but listings agent, Sothebys describes it as the ideal getaway amid the coronavirus pandemic this summer.

Once visitors begin the boat ride the island, it immediately feels like they are a million miles away from the hustle, tension and restrictions of everyday life.

Its all thanks to the smells and sounds associated with the island surrounded by oyster beds.

Sothebys calls the cottages large screened porch the centerpiece of the home. Its positioned as a great space to socialize and make the most of island life.

It features an area for casual hangouts as well as a formal table for al fresco dining. The outdoor space is the perfect area for a TV to enhance entertainment options.

Even from inside the 2,624 sq ft home, the next owner wont feel cooped up.

Looking out from the impressive great room surrounded by floor to ceiling windows, one has views of the expansive lawn that stretches down to the waters edge.

As its positioned on the highest point on the island, it has lighthouse-like benefits.

The largest bedroom on the second story of the home features a beautiful cathedral ceiling with wrap around windows letting in plenty of light to the hexagonal room.

Magnificent views of the Sound are also suite available from the suite.

The cottage also contains two smaller bedrooms currently painted green and blue one backs on to the nautical themed great room, which connects to a terrace.

Ceiling fans are fitted throughout the charming property, which has wood exterior siding, an oven range and a refrigerator/freezer.

In stark contrast to the concrete jungle, the next buyer could get lost in the lush gardens and instead of competing for space at one of NYCs beaches, simply take a sun lounger down to the waters edge too escape and soak up some vitamin D.

But come winter, the residents might want to to head back to Big Apple because the home has no heating.

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Private six-acre Connecticut island hits the market for $2.5million and it's just an hour from NYC - Brinkwire