Paris names best baguette maker

After smelling, crackling, tasting, and scrupulously examining an interminably long row of baguettes, a panel of judges whittled down a list of 174 contenders, all vying for the Grand Prize for best baguette in Paris, to just one.
Tuesday’s competition crowned Pascal Barillon the best baguette maker in Paris this year, a competition that turns humble bakers into instant celebrities and attracts snaking lines of customers outside their bakery every day.

The edible icon of Paris is an institution not just for tourists, but for the French who also rhapsodize about the best baguettes in the city.
Barillon, who owns Au levain d’antan in the Montmartre area of Paris, won the grand prize at the 17th annual competition, trumping 173 other bread batons in categories of appearance, doneness, innards, smell and taste.
In addition to winning €4,000, it will be Barillon’s baguettes which will be served all year to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The panel of judges included artisanal bakers, food journalists and previous award winners.
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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it is to launch a roadster version of its SLS AMG performance car, releasing initial — disguised — images of the vehicle.

The SLS AMG Roadster, a non-identical twin of the ‘Gullwing’ SLS AMG Coupé which made its debut in late 2009, will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, and testing is already underway ahead of the market launch.

Mercedes-Benz says that the new model was designed in parallel with the SLS AMG Coupé and therefore shares many of its features, including the performance engine.

Like its gullwing-coupe counterpart, the open version of the top-of -the-line Mercedes is powered by a 571-horsepower V8 engine built by AMG.

The car can hit an electronically limited top speed of 317 km/h (197mph) and weighs only 2 kilograms more than the SLS AMG Coupé.

Its soft-top roof can be opened and closed at speeds of up to 50 km/h and has been designed for comfort inside, with a new production process aiming to cut wind noise by improving the join between the soft top and the glass.

As well as removing the gullwing doors, Mercedes-AMG has thickened the side sills of the vehicle in comparison to the Coupé, a decision which it said improves the rigidity of the car and reduces vibration.
Inside, the automaker has rearranged the speakers of the Bang&Olufsen BeoSound AMG sound system, mounting them on a cross-member running behind the seats, as the parcel shelf of the coupé model is replaced by storage for the soft top.
Although Mercedes-Benz says its current models are prototypes (hence no badge), it looks as if the final version of the SLS AMG Roadster is pretty much complete.
It will be officially unveiled on September 13 at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt (September 15-25) and will go on sale in the fall.
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Tag Heuer Formula 1 Gulf Edition Watch

A new special model for 2011 celebrates an historic partnership that Tag Heuer enjoyed, as well as the furtherance of the F1 collection. This is the Formula 1 Gulf Edition watch, which presents itself in a similar manner as the range of Tag Heuer Monaco Gulf watches does in partnership with Gulf Oil and auto racing.

The base watch is the steel 44mm wide Tag Heuer Formula 1 Big Date watch. It contains a Swiss quartz movement with the time, subsidiary seconds dial, and big date indicator. The dial is black with a light gray cross-hatching pattern. You then see the Gulf racing stripes (with a thinner orange bar) and the Gulf logo. The watch will be available on a steel bracelet or rubber strap. Prices should be in the $1,000 range when it is available in a few months.

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Hermès for babies

Hermès collection for babies 2011/2012. Some designer lambskin booties for your newborn baby boy or girl from Hermès that costs about $240.

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