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Tag: Lexus

  • Street Lines: 2025 Lexus LC 500 

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    It’s official, the 2025 Lexus LC 500 convertible is my sports car of the year. Considering how this gorgeous coupe exudes quality, style, and, of course, power, I’d love to own one to especially flaunt during the warm months. 

    Presented in a stunning Flare Yellow, the color grew on me after its impactful first sighting. The body is curvaceous and muscular, sitting on 21-inch forged alloy wheels, performance brakes with custom performance brakes with aluminum calipers, sleek triple beam LED headlamps, and a power soft top that folds under a tonneau cover in approximately 15 seconds. 

    Photos courtesy of Lexus 

    Under the hood, the exhilarating monstrous growl—that is natural and not enhanced—is sourced from the 5.0-liter V8 engine, which delivers 471 horsepower navigated by a 10-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive. This will get you from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The driving experience is top notch, thanks to the adaptive variable suspension, performance brakes with aluminum calipers, and limited-slip differential for optimal maneuverability. While there are some competitors who have a more responsive output, but what Lexus offers here is more than enough, especially when it’s balanced with the elegance the LC 500 provides. It reflects what a grand touring coupe should—captivation, comfort, luxury, and prestige.

    Photos courtesy of Lexus 

    Inside, Lexus’ craftsmanship won me over. The cabin features semi-aniline leather-trimmed heated and ventilated seats with embossed headrests all set by the driver’s seat memory. It’s the little things like upper body heating, a heated steering wheel that’s leather wrapped, head-up display, illuminated door sills, and a windshield de-icer for year-round pampering. The banging Mark Levinson premium audio system is one of my favorite sound brands which is included in the Touring Package, and the cockpit gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto covering all the bases regarding connectivity. When the top is dropped, a wind deflector and removable wind screen combats cabin turbulence, so music and conversation are not compromised. 

    Photos courtesy of Lexus 

    Safety is also a priority, thanks to the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5, a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, panoramic view monitor, and intuitive parking assist to provide even more driver confidence behind the wheel.

    Overall, the LC 500 Convertible isn’t just a car—it’s a bold statement. Ultimately, it was hard to hand over the Lexus key fob, but will be a lasting memory as the sports car of the year. 

    Price: $115,654 MSRP 

    Fuel Economy: 15 city/25 highway/18 combined

    For more information, visit Lexus.com.

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    Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton

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  • George Moss, co-founder of Rallye Motor Company, dies at 95 | Long Island Business News

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    George Kendall Moss, a co-founder of the , died on August 6 at his home. He was 95. 

    Moss, along with partners Peter Terian, John Colgate and Serge Toumaniantz, transformed a Glen Cove foreign vehicle mechanic shop in the 1950s into Rallye Motor Company, a group of luxury car dealerships.

    After starting out selling Maseratis and its parts, Rallye expanded from its storefront on Sea Cliff Road and built a flagship dealership in Roslyn. Led by Moss and Terian, Rallye added luxury automotive brands , , and . 

    “I valued George’s friendship and guidance over the years, Juliana Terian, CEO and president of Rallye Motor Company, said in a company statement. “I’m very proud that the principles George and our founders established over 65 years ago, continue to guide our company today.” 

    Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, said the auto industry is mourning the loss of a true pioneer. 

    “Through hard work, commitment and a visionary spirit, George helped build one of the most successful luxury dealer groups in the country,” he said. “His legacy lives on through the organization he co-founded.” 

    Moss always displayed great curiosity. At age 13 he got his pilot’s license and later flew various fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. During summers he worked at Grumman Long Island where aircraft were tested. Moss also served in the U. S. Army, three years at the Pentagon in the aviation research unit, which developed the Huey Helicopter (Bell UH-1 Iroquois) and eight years in the reserves.  

    After leaving Rallye, Moss remained lifelong friends with Peter Terian as they supported one another in their individual pursuits. For the past 35 years, Moss was a life trustee of the , an independent global dedicated to oceanographic preservation. 

    Moss is survived by his two sons George Farrell Moss and Richard Buck Moss, his two grandsons George Buck Moss and Oliver Farrell Moss, his wife of 53 years Joyce Leonard Moss and he was predeceased by his brother Peter Bayard Moss. 

    A service celebrating Moss’s life is planned for October of this year. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Imaging Lab.  


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    David Winzelberg

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  • Chris Shepherd’s culinary journey: Preparing for Southern Smoke’s Respect the Rosé

    Chris Shepherd’s culinary journey: Preparing for Southern Smoke’s Respect the Rosé

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    As one of Houston’s most well-renowned and loved chefs, Chris Shepherd takes great care when planning for some of his most popular events – all of which benefit restaurant workers in need.

    Ahead of his annual event, Respect the Rosé: Run for the Rosés – Southern Smoke, Shepherd hit one of his favorite places to prepare: Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market.

    The event, which started in 2015, began as a party to get together, cook for people and drink rose, but it quickly turned into yet another way to raise money for food and beverage workers who have fallen on hardships.

    “It transformed into an actual party that could raise money for Southern Smoke, which takes care of folks in the food and beverage industry in their times of crisis,” Shepherd said. “So, we get to throw a party that does good.”

    For context, Southern Smoke, founded by Shepherd and sponsored by Lexus, holds a festival each year that hosts some of the industry’s most talented chefs and personalities, with the help from plenty of local chefs and establishments. They all come together and throw one big party to help support any hospitality workers in crisis.

    Last year, the nonprofit raised a record-breaking $1.8 million in one weekend.

    [Related: How Southern Smoke is changing the lives of hospitality workers nationwide]

    Shepherd said preparing for an event like Respect the Rosé begins with the layout of the menu.

    “Understanding the menu is a road map and sometimes you may have to take a turn and that’s OK, he said. “You think you need green beans, well, no green beans, but yellow wax beans are there. You want one type of lettuce, but you have to get another — that’s OK. Once the product is secured, then it’s just all about execution of the dishes.”

    Shepherd said he’s always shopped at Urban Harvest for a couple of important reasons.

    “There is a strong connection to our area when supporting the local vendors,” he said. “When you purchase items that are grown or harvested from less than 175 miles, it truly does support the local economy.”

    Tyler Horne, Urban Market director of farmers markets, said it is the longest running nonprofit farmers market in the city, in business for 20 years.

    “We have set ourselves apart by being strictly a producer’s-only market — no crafts and trinkets, just food that has a focus on locally sourced ingredients,” he said.

    It’s likely the reason why it’s common to see the who’s who of Houston’s culinary scene.

    During Shepherd’s most recent shopping trip, he encountered chefs who are either James Beard award winners or nominated chefs: Anita Jaisinghani, chef and co-owner of Pondicheri; Monica Pope, a former competitor of “Top Chef” and former owner of several notable restaurants; and Stephen Stryjewski of Cochan in New Orleans.

    Stryjewski was in town and shopping for Shepherd’s event.

    [Related: “Local legend’ talks food, flavor and eco-friendly business practices]

    Horne said the top seasonal items that drive chef traffic to Urban Harvest are its fruits, veggies and farm eggs.

    “We have the freshest Texas peaches, strawberries, blueberries, figs, blackberries, persimmons, pears, plums, melons and citrus,” he said. “We also have chefs who do big pre-orders with our growers and pick up at the market to make it a fun morning. They do a little personal shopping and enjoy breakfast while loading up the best ingredients for their restaurants.”

    For this year’s Respect the Rosé event, Shepherd loaded up on produce, eggs, bread and seafood. He said his shopping cart is typically full of seasonal items: “Citrus and root vegetables in the fall, and tomatoes, corn and peppers in the summer. Houston has such long growing seasons that it always has something delicious growing.”

    This year’s Respect the Rosé event raised $85,000.

    To learn more about Southern Smoke, its mission and all the fundraising events, click or tap here.

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  • Nonprofit’s auction rakes in $700K for food and beverage workers in need, other causes

    Nonprofit’s auction rakes in $700K for food and beverage workers in need, other causes

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    In the world of the food and beverage industry, success and struggle can often intertwine.

    Chris Shepherd, a local renowned and award-winning chef, has dedicated his efforts to providing a means of support to food and beverage workers across the nation. In April, the Southern Smoke Foundation — a nonprofit created by Shepherd — held an inaugural wine auction that raised $700,000 to do just that.

    Shepherd first started the Southern Smoke Foundation nonprofit to help a friend who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The first fundraising event — the Southern Smoke Festival — started as a party in a parking lot in 2015.

    [Related: How a renowned local chef is (successfully) aiming to change the lives of hospitality workers nationwide]

    The goal of the nonprofit quickly turned into putting money directly into the pockets of food and beverage workers when it’s needed most, and it can be for anything from mental health needs to unforeseen hardships.

    Fortunately, Shepherd has plenty of friends with a similar goal.

    The inaugural Southern Smoke Decanted Wine Auction — presented by Lexus — brought together a combined 220 guests that included winemakers, wine professionals, Houston chefs and tastemakers, all with a united purpose.

    “Decanted brought Texas’s wine lovers together to support a great cause: aiding F+B workers in crisis across the country,” said Southern Smoke Executive Director Lindsey Brown. “We are grateful for their support and to all our partners who helped make 2024 the inaugural year.”

    The weekend long event began with a reception at Shepherd and his wife’s home, where 50 winemakers and professionals shared wine they brought themselves, and the main event was a live auction, where guests bid on wine, dinners and trips.

    Southern Smoke Co-Founders Lindsey Brown and Chris Shepherd. (Southern Smoke Foundation.)

    Just a few of the items that went for the highest bids included a dinner at Shepherd’s home, a trip to Napa with a dinner for six at French Laundry, and a trip to the French wine country in Beaune.

    In all, the live auction raised almost $400,000 for food and beverage workers, while additional funds were raised for:

    • The Roots Fund, which supports wine education and resources to communities of color.

    “The MS Society was the beneficiary of the Southern Smoke Festival back in 2015 and 2016, before we shifted our focus to crisis relief for the food and beverage industry,” said Brown. “We donate back to the MS Society every year; we have to remember where we came from.”

    In addition to Decanted — the newest fundraising event for the Southern Smoke Foundation — there are other events held, including the Southern Smoke Festival and the upcoming Respect the Rosé: Run for the Rosé party on June 29 at Brennen’s of Houston.

    Respect the Rosé will feature a multi-course meal from chefs Ryan Prewitt, Chris Shepherd, Steven Stryjewski, Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, along with first-class rosés and other wines from top producers.

    Click or tap here to purchase tickets.

    To learn more about the Southern Smoke Foundation, its initiatives and upcoming events, click or tap here.

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  • Kim gifting Mercedes cars to pals – and no one knows how he's getting them

    Kim gifting Mercedes cars to pals – and no one knows how he's getting them

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    KIM Jong-un is said to be giving top end Mercedes cars to members of his inner circle – but no one knows how he is getting them.

    The North Korean dictator clearly isn’t short of cash despite ruling over an impoverished nation as he has been splashing out on a slew of fancy cars.

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    Cabinet Premier Kim Tok Hun seen arriving for a meeting in a stretch Mercedes limo on December 27, 2023Credit: KCTV
    South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ride in a car parade in September 2018 in Pyongyang

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    South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ride in a car parade in September 2018 in PyongyangCredit: Getty
    Kim drives off after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2023

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    Kim drives off after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2023Credit: AP

    The purchases would make him in breach of UN sanctions.

    Kim, 39, has recently been seen riding around in four new foreign vehicles, including an armoured Mercedes Maybach S560 sedan, which would cost at least £179,000, other luxury Mercedes-Benz, Lexus SUVs and Ford vans, according to the Seoul-based NK News.

    He has also been seen in a Rolls-Royce Phantom, in the past.

    Mystery though surrounds just how Kim managed to get his hands on the vehicles and into North Korea.

    The country has been restricted by severe United Nations sanctions in an attempt to curb the escalation of the communist regime’s nuclear weapons and missile programme.

    Despite those sanctions, the regime has been able to smuggle in luxury items, including flash watches, designer bags and clothes as well as expensive alcohol, all enjoyed by Kim and his Pyongyang cronies.

    Japanese cops last week foiled an attempt to smuggle a $70,000 Lexus into North Korea via Bangladesh, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

    Police reportedly raided a car dealer who had allegedly claimed that Singapore was the vehicle’s final destination, breaking the Japanese Customs Act.

    Despite huge swathes of the country in poverty and going hungry, Kim likes to show off his wealth and his liking for expensive, flashy items, including yachts, jet skis as well as fancy, high-end cars.

    In 2018, he put on a grand show of riding to a historic meeting with the South Korean president in a black Mercedes limousine, flanked by a dozen bodyguards jogging along side.

    Last weekend, state TV channel KCTV showed footage of Kim arriving in a new S650 sedan at the National Meeting of Mothers, where he gave a speech stating the importance of having children and bringing them up to love the regime, according to NK News.

    Accompanying him was a convoy of Lexus and Toyota SUVs, some of which had been fitted out with new police lights and other emblems.

    Despite the US and its allies carrying out surveillance operations to try to prevent sanction breaches, luxury cars and other top-end goods appear regularly in the country.

    It’s thought a new route used by Russian cargo ships heading to North Korea’s Rason, on the country’s northeast coast, is thought to be facilitating the latest shipments.

    What you get for your money

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    What you get for your money

    According to a 2019 report by the Washington-based Centre for Advanced Defence Studies, Pyongyang’s ability to smuggle vehicles through China, South Korea and Japan showed how it was also able to supply its nuclear weapons programme.

    The centre said last week it had identified 17 vessels registered to Pacific nations that it believed were linked to “illicit” North Korean oil supply chains.

    Kim is surrounded by a dozen security guards during talks in 2018 with South Korea

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    Kim is surrounded by a dozen security guards during talks in 2018 with South KoreaCredit: AFP or licensors
    Even North Korean cops drive around in Mercedes

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    Even North Korean cops drive around in MercedesCredit: Getty

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    Jon Rogers

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