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      in Luxury

      Dave Brubeck’s Former Oakland Treehouse Hits the Market for the First Time in Nearly 50 Years

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      Back in the late 1940s, Dave Brubeck used a matured $1,000 war bond his father had given him and $100 from his own savings to purchase a 50-by-100-foot lot in Oakland’s Montclair neighborhood that “amounted to one huge rock.” A few years later, the then-burgeoning jazz musician enlisted Case Study architect Beverley D. Thorne to design him and his wife Iola a treehouse-like structure teetering on five steel beams, resting amid a heavily wood parcel overlooking sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay.

      Completed in the early ’50s after the “Ambassador of Cool” had achieved success—and last sold by the Brubecks to its current owners in ’74 for less than $100,000, per tax records— the notable property has now returned to the market 50 years later, asking exactly $3 million. The listing, at 6630 Heartwood Drive, is being offered by Emma Morris of Red Oak Realty.

      A boulder rising from the floor of the dining/music room holds a glass-paneled desk where Brubeck worked on many of his popular tunes.

      Christian Klugmann

      Nestled on a steep hillside piece of land spanning almost a third of an acre, the four-bedroom, four-bath structure is fronted by a curving driveway that empties out at a carport topped with a view deck. A trio of steps leads up to the yellow-hued front door, which opens into a little more than 2,600 square feet of living space on two levels rife with multi-colored brick floors and post-and-beam ceilings, plus vast expanses of glass incorporating head-on views of the towering pines gracing the grounds.

      Among the main-level highlights is a dining/music room marked by a large boulder sporting a glass panel that served as the actual desk where Brubeck worked on songs like Take Five and Blue Rondo à la Turk. An adjacent living room has a wood-burning fireplace stretching to the ceiling and large picture windows, and around the corner is a wood-clad kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island, stainless appliances, a freestanding wood stove and breakfast nook spilling out to a balcony.

      A segment of “The Ed Sullivan Show” was once filmed in the living room, which hosts a brick-clad fireplace and large picture windows.

      Christian Klugmann

      A lengthy hallway off the kitchen heads to a cantilevered wing sporting three bedrooms, including a primary suite on the end that reportedly has an escape hatch in the floor, as well as a dressing area and bath. A small gym, laundry room and bath also can be found on this floor, while the lower holds an en-suite bedroom and an office space with its own bath.

      Upon building the house, Brubeck remarked, “As a musician, I feel that if inspiration can come from good surroundings, I’ll find it here.” He wasn’t wrong. The Dave Brubeck Quartet went on to release the acclaimed album Time Out, which became the first jazz LP to sell more than a million copies, and also led to him gracing the cover of Time magazine and filming an episode of The Ed Sullivan Show in his Oakland living room. The composer and pianist died of heart failure in 2012 right before his 92nd birthday.

      Click here for more photos of Dave Brubeck’s former Oakland house.

      Christian Klugmann More

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      in Luxury

      After Buying Elton John’s Condo, an Art Collector Lists His Spectacular Atlanta Mansion

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      Seven years ago, this particularly lavish Atlanta residence fetched the highest sales price ever in the desirable in-town Ansley Park neighborhood when it traded hands in a $5.4 million deal. Now it’s up for sale again, and this time the asking price is a speck under $8 million, which would mark another milestone in the area if it were to go for anywhere near that amount.

      Though the listing brokerage declined to disclose the seller’s identity, property records show the current owner of the home is Scott Westervelt. Records also indicate that the local art collector and Presbyterian minister, whose longtime wife Josephine Robinson Westervelt passed away in June 2020, was also the mystery buyer who recently paid $7.2 million for Elton John’s condo in Buckhead’s 40-story Park Place high-rise residential tower.

      Records indicate that art collector Scott Westervelt paid just over $7 million for Elton John’s Buckhead condo in November.

      Bartolotti Media/Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      Hidden away behind walls and a canopy of trees, on a double lot overlooking the 10-acre Winn Park, the Ansley Park estate up for sale is secluded amid nearly an acre of land dotted with sculpture. Built way back in 1910, transformed under the direction of local architect James Choate in 2004 and extensively renovated by Westervelt during his tenure, the multi-level structure has five bedrooms and six baths in a little more than 9,300 square feet of living space laced with hand-picked oak floors from France, cathedral ceilings, arched doorways, and naturally, more than enough wall space to accommodate a vast assemblage of art.

      Standing out on the main level are formal living and dining rooms, and a fireside family room sporting a circular vaulted ceiling with dormer windows and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. An adjacent kitchen is outfitted with granite countertops, a farmhouse sink, an eat-in island, top-tier stainless appliances and a breakfast nook embellished with an elegant matchstick chandelier.

      A spacious fireside family room flaunts a circular vaulted ceiling with dormer windows and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass.

      Chris Nelms/Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      Elsewhere is a sunroom warmed by a fireplace and bookshelf-lined library, as well as a sumptuous upstairs master retreat decked out with a fireplace, sitting area, access to a roof terrace overlooking the city, and a luxe bath equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area and large glass-encased shower; and a stone-clad lower level is spotlighted by a wine cellar, wet bar-equipped lounge area, gym, and per the listing, a giant aquarium that has a viewing window into the property’s pool.

      Outdoors, the manicured grounds are truly a sight to behold with the aforementioned heated saltwater pool boasting underwater speakers and an accompanying spa, along with an extravagant sculpture garden holding the Jim Dine heart, among several other pieces, and numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining while overlooking the city skyline. There’s also a separate carriage house and detached two-car garage.

      The listing is held by Betsy Akers of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International.

      Click here for more photos of Scott Westervelt’s Ansley Park house.

      Chris Nelms/Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      in Luxury

      MLB Legend Johnny Damon Lists His Massive Florida Mansion for $30 Million

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      Move over, Walt Disney World. Retired MLB star Johnny Damon built his own adult playground in Florida, and the over-the-top Florida mansion is now on the market for an eye-watering $30 million.

      Located in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, the sprawling property sits on a nearly five-acre lot with 540 feet of frontage along Lake Butler. According to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the listing, the retired MLB star and his wife, Michelle, acquired the land in 2007 for $4 million. The 30,000-square-foot estate was later completed in 2010, and from the looks of it, no expense was spared in the construction.

      “The owners really took the time to envision, design, and build a dream home, one that meets every standard of luxury, ideal for both family living and also perfect for entertaining,” said Alice Anne Jackson with Corcoran Premier Realty in a press statement.

      Johnny Damon’s mansion in near Orlando includes a two-lane bowling alley with graffitied walls.

      Uneek Image

      Altogether, the palatial residence comprises nine bedrooms and a whopping 15 bathrooms. In terms of amenities, well, it’s got just about every perk you could think of. Hair salon? Check. Two-lane bowling alley. Of course. A gym? As a matter of fact, there are two! The abode also features a cigar lounge, an arcade, a sports bar, a movie theater, a music room, plus a sauna, steam room, and meditation area. “You never run out of things to do,” Damon told the WSJ.

      The 30,000-square-foot home includes a custom sports bar.

      Uneek Image

      The primary suite is ensconced in a dedicated wing on the first level and is decked out with a coffee bar, a two-story closet, and both indoor and outdoor showers. Elsewhere, the kitchen is any aspiring chef’s dream, equipped with large islands, a walk-in pantry, and a breakfast bar. There’s also a separate catering kitchen, because why not? 

      Outside, the grounds could definitely be mistaken for a theme park. There’s a massive, resort-style saltwater pool with a grotto, spa, slide, and even a swim-up hibachi grill and bar. For the adventurous types, you can soar through the skies on the property’s zipline or channel your inner athlete on the sports court.

      The backyard has a saltwater swimming pool with a waterfalls and a grotto.

      Uneek Image

      The former outfielder for the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox told the newspaper he’s selling the home so he and his wife Michelle can travel more now that their six kids are grown. (Damon has two other kids from a previous marriage.) Since Damon’s retirement in 2012, the two-time World Series champ and his wife have made their rounds the reality TV circuit. Most recently, they appeared (twice!) as charter guests on Bravo’s Below Deck. Damon also had a brief stint on Dancing With the Stars in 2018 and Celebrity Apprentice, hosted by Donald Trump. In 2020, he was even appointed to Donald Trump’s Council on Sport, Fitness, and Nutrition. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Johnny Damon’s Florida mansion.  

      Uneek Image More

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      in Luxury

      Late Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Gary Rossington’s Longtime Georgia Home Lists for $12 Million

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      Nine months after his death earlier this year at age 71, the Georgia estate of legendary guitarist Gary Rossington is available for the first time in its three-decade history. Resting in the well-to-do community of Milton, about 30 miles north of Atlanta, the bucolic residence is up for sale at exactly $12 million, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

      A founder of the legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd—and the last surviving original member—Rossington had cheated death more than once, according to Rolling Stone. Not only did he survive a car accident in 1976 in which he drove his Ford Torino into a tree, inspiring the band’s cautionary song That Smell, but he also emerged with two broken arms, a broken leg, and punctured stomach and liver after a 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines.

      Rossington went on to have quintuple bypass surgery in 2003, suffered a heart attack in 2015 and then underwent numerous heart surgeries, having left Lynyrd Skynyrd in summer 2021 to recover from one of those procedures.

      A glass-lined great room is spotlighted by a fireplace stretching to the ceiling.

      Mike Smith/Drone Media Solutions for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      Meanwhile, the musician and his longtime wife Dale pieced together their 80-acre property over several years, purchasing the first 7-acre parcel for just over $1 million in 1997, per WSJ. Built in the early 1990s, and affectionately known as “Free Bird’s Nest,” the since-renovated premises are showcased by a main home and separate guesthouse—for a total of nine bedrooms and an equal number of baths in 7,500 square feet of living space.

      Other highlights include a double-height entry foyer that flows to a formal dining room and study, as well as a fireside great room that connects to an eat-in kitchen outfitted with top-tier appliances, a workstation and windowed breakfast nook. Another living area has a fireplace and French doors opening to an expansive wood deck, while a main-level master retreat comes complete with a sitting area, mini-bar, and spa-like bath equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area, garden tub and tiled shower.

      A finished terrace level features a seated bar, billiards area, cozy fireplace and full bath.

      Mike Smith/Drone Media Solutions for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      Three more bedrooms can be found upstairs, including an en-suite one, and two that share a bath; and the terrace level offers plenty of room for relaxing and entertaining guests with a fireplace, built-in bar, billiards area and Rossington’s simple music studio, which consisted of a desk, armchair, CD player and small amplifiers.

      The amenities continue outdoors, where the sprawling grounds host a custom waterfall-fed pool and spa, fire-pit, pair of barns “ready for storage or conversion into animal spaces,” per the listing, and large spring-fed fishing lake sporting two docks, one floating and another with dual boat slips. There’s also a spacious motorcourt flanked by an attached two-car garage out front.

      An inviting backyard pool area is surrounded by grassy lawns and a fishing lake.

      Mike Smith/Drone Media Solutions for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      In addition to their primary Georgia residence, the couple also maintained a home in the Wyoming city of Jackson Hole. Per WSJ, Rossington’s widow is selling because she is planning to move to Florida where she can be closer to family. “Without Gary, it’s time for us to move on,” she said. “We’ve had our time here.” 

      The listing is held by Cynthia Chandlee of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Click here for more photos of Gary Rossington’s Georgia house.

      Mike Smith/Drone Media Solutions for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      in Luxury

      Mark Zuckerberg’s Money Manager Snags a Pristine Malibu Estate for $6 Million

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      Over the past two decades, the vast wealth created by the emergence of Silicon Valley has also created enormous opportunity for a handful of particularly savvy and well-networked wealth managers. The most successful of those managers have carved out a niche catering to the valley’s famously clannish billionaire elites.

      But very few wealth managers anywhere have been as successful as Michael Anders and his San Francisco-based, famously secretive outfit Iconiq Capital. Described by Forbes in 2014 as “an obscure Silicon Valley firm” that’s technically an ordinary registered investment advisory, the 12-year-old company has been molded by its founders—Divesh Makan, Will Griffith, Chad Boeding and Anders—into a highly exclusive billionaires club that “operates as a cross between a family office and a venture capital fund.”

      Today, Iconiq’s client list reads like a who’s-who of Silicon Valley greats. But their most famous client, and the inarguable key to their success, is Mark Zuckerberg, who met Makan in 2004—back when Facebook was still in diapers. Zuckerberg gave fledgling Iconiq a big name in Silicon Valley, and the company’s client roster now includes many of the area’s most high-profile billionaires, including Sheryl Sandberg and Dustin Moskovitz, LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey. Also now clients of Iconiq are folks outside tech’s inner circle—billionaire hedge funders David Bonderman, Henry Kravis, and Tiger Global Management’s Chase Coleman, all of whom have nabbed seats on the company’s board of directors.

      At the beginning of 2022, Iconiq had more than $80 billion in assets under management, ranking the secretive firm as one of the country’s fastest venture capital/private equity success stories. And while it’s not exactly clear how much money has trickled down to Iconiq’s executive ranks, it’s certainly been kind to the net worth of Anders. Back in May, the Columbia University grad paid cash for a $6 million shack, of sorts, on Malibu‘s Point Dume.

      Built in 1953, the two-bedroom cottage features big grassy lawns in its front and backyards.

      Kensington & Beverly

      Measuring in with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in just 1,300 square feet, the 1950s ranch-style house is resolutely unremarkable but somehow charming with its glitz-free nature. Last sold in 2021 for $5 million, the structure was offloaded to Anders by Dictionary.com cofounder Brian Kariger.

      Because this deal was inked off-market, current photos are scant. But we do know that the house was recently remodeled, with new hardwood floors, a new and refreshingly simple kitchen, two new storage sheds and a newly spiffy two-car garage. The landlocked structure sits out of sight behind gates, a long driveway and a tall hedge for privacy.

      Still, it’s clear that despite the bungalow’s attributes, the real value here is the land. The home sits on a 1.3-acre flat parcel, making it one of the bigger properties on Point Dume, and it also transferred with a coveted beach key to Malibu’s celebrity-loved and semi-private Little Dume Beach. And while it’s not yet clear what Anders’ longterm plans are for the property, it’s entirely possible he could already be designing a new home worthy of a multimillionaire wealth manager to take this one’s place. More

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      in Luxury

      ‘Million Dollar Listing’ Star Fredrik Eklund Is Asking $11 Million for His Colorful Beverly Hills Mansion

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      Though he called it his “forever home” in a 2021 Architectural Digest article, Fredrick Eklund is already seeking to offload the Beverly Hills estate he and his artist husband Derek Kaplan picked up barely two years ago. Asking $11 million, the current listing represents a $4 million bump in price since then.

      Built in 2017—and fully transformed throughout during the couple’s short-term ownership in collaboration with noted New York interior designer Paris Forino, complete with every shade of pink and blush imaginable —the East Coast traditional property rests on just over a third-acre of land in the Coldwater Canyon neighborhood. Affectionately known as the “Color House,” the wood-sided structure includes seven bedrooms and eight baths in a little more than 5,600 square feet of living space spanning two levels.

      Vividly hued rooms crafted by New York designer Paris Forino are complemented by striking fireplaces.

      Nils Timm

      A gated driveway empties out at a spacious motorcourt flanked by a single-car garage and welcoming front porch shrouded in ivy. Once inside, a double-height foyer topped by an Apparatus cloud chandelier leads to a sitting room enhanced with a copper and black marble fireplace, as well as a formal yet fun dining room boasting a whimsical necklace chandelier.

      Further back, an open-concept great room that opens via walls of glass to the backyard is decked out with a copper, blue and pink kitchen sporting a bespoke L’Atelier Paris range, large eat-in island wrapped in leather-finished marble, and cozy breakfast nook holding a built-in banquette clad in Kvadrat and Svenstk Tenn fabrics. An adjacent family room displays a marble fireplace and an integrated LED-lighted bookcase that stretches to the ceiling.

      A custom L’Atelier Paris range is front and center in the copper, blue and pink kitchen.

      Nils Timm

      Elsewhere in the house is a screening room, gym, cold plunge, an infrared sauna and office that can be closed off with ribbed glass doors, along with a cove-ceilinged master retreat outfitted with Phillip Jeffries wallpaper, a fireside sitting area, private balcony and “boutique-worthy” walk-in closet, plus a luxe bath equipped with a marble floor, dual vanities with LED mirrors and a freestanding Waterworks tub. 

      Outdoors, the resort-like grounds are laced with mature olive trees, and host a lap pool and spa, barbecue and bar setup, and charming spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

      Woven lanterns hanging from olive trees enhance an outdoor lounge area nestled alongside a fireplace.

      Nils Timm

      In addition to the for-sale Beverly Hills residence, which was recently offered for lease at $50,000 per month, the longtime Million Dollar Listing New York and Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles cast member still maintains a stylish Connecticut home he purchased in 2016 for nearly $3 million. He also has reportedly relocated to Miami, where he’s busy expanding his real estate business.

      The listing is held by Marcy Roth and Alexander Vichinsky of Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Fredrik Eklund’s Beverly Hills house.

      Nils Timm More

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      in Luxury

      Football Club Boss David Sullivan Puts His Storied London Mansion Up for Sale at $94 Million

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      After eight years of ownership, plus a seven-year, nearly $63 million renovation spearheaded by London‘s MSMR Architects and 1508 design studio, West Ham United Football Club chairman David Sullivan has decided to kick his U.K. mansion back on the market.

      The wealthy Welsh media mogul—who amassed his fortune as a publisher of pornographic magazines and proprietor of erotica shops, and chief of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport tabloid newspapers—is looking to sell the historic residence for $94.6 million, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Records show he purchased the Georgian-style dwelling for around $34 million in 2015 from convicted fraudster Edward “Fast Eddie” Davenport, a British entrepreneur and socialite known for hosting raucous, celeb-studded parties at the premises during his tenure there.

      The Portland Place mansion has been called “one of the largest and most remarkable houses in central London.”

      Julian Abrams/United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty

      Originally designed and built by the noted architect brothers Robert and James Adam way back in the mid-1770s, the Grade II*-listed property has been occupied by numerous aristocrats through the years, including antiquarian and traveler Joseph Wyndham, 4th Earl of Abergavenny William Nevill and James Blyth, a millionaire who founded the famed gin distillery W&A Gilbey.

      More recently, the building served as the Sierra Leone embassy, as well as a main location for the Oscar-winning film The Kings Men, an Agent Provocateur fashion shoot featuring Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse’s Rehab music video.

      A large formal dining room opens to a reception room via a hydraulic wall.

      Julian Abrams/United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty

      Billed in marketing materials as “one of the largest and most remarkable houses in central London”—and sited on the unusually wide Portland Place street, within walking distance of Regent’s Park, West End and Marylebone High Street—the property features a six-story main home and separate mews house, for a total of 11 bedrooms and 10 baths in nearly 21,000 square feet of meticulously preserved living space replete with bespoke joinery, marble finishes, hand-painted wallpaper and artisan chandeliers.

      Highlights include an opulent entrance hall adorned with a curving staircase, along with a formal dining room spotlighted by a hydraulic wall that disappears at the push of a button to reveal an adjoining reception room. There’s also a gourmet kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island and accompanying breakfast nook.

      An indoor lap pool and hot tub offers the perfect spot for relaxation.

      Julian Abrams/United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty

      A plush master retreat occupies the entire second floor, and comes complete with dual dressing rooms and baths; and elsewhere is a screening room, wine cellar, gym, massage room, an indoor pool and spa, and a top-level atrium “sky lounge” boasting a seated bar and access to a terrace overlooking views of the BT Tower.

      The listing is held by James Gubbins of United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Click here for more photos of David Sullivan’s London mansion.

      Julian Abrams More

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      in Vacation Homes

      First Look Inside Vie L’Ven, St. Maarten’s New Luxury Resort and Residences

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      Vie L’Ven, a forthcoming resort and residential property from Altree Developments, is bringing a new level of luxury to the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.

      The project is slated to make its debut in 2028, and Robb Report got an exclusive first look at the renderings. The development—the name translates to “life to live”—will feature a hotel component alongside a collection of fully furnished homes ranging from $800,000 to over $2 million. Altogether, the Cay Bay project will comprise a total of 280 units with 190 hotel rooms, 60 of which will be suites, and 90 private residences.

      The open-air lobby entrance at Vie L’Ven, a forthcoming luxury residence in St. Maarten.

      Binyan

      “Vie L’Ven stands as a unique and unparalleled project in St. Maarten, distinguished by its singular luxury experience,” Zev Mandelbaum, CEO of Altree Developments, tells Robb Report. “With only one other five-star hotel catering to a similar clientele, Vie L’Ven’s presence fills a crucial gap, providing an exclusive destination that will undoubtedly be in high demand. The extensive amenities that will be offered at Vie L’Ven set it apart, establishing a standard of luxury unmatched anywhere else on the island.” 

      The property will feature a five-star hotel and a selection of private homes for purchase.

      Binyan

      Drawing upon both French and Dutch cultures for inspiration, the oceanfront building will be designed by award-winning architectural firm HKS with interiors by Toronto’s Studio Munge. In addition, the developer tapped Sotheby’s International Realty to handle all the sales and marketing. The homes on offer will be available in several different layouts, ranging from one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences that measure from 600 to 6,000 square feet. Owners will also have the option of entering their home into the resort’s rental program for short- or long-term stays.

      Naturally, residents will have access to all the hotel’s facilities, including its three swimming pools, signature restaurants, and 24/7 concierge services. The grounds will also sport a world-class fitness center and spa and can be reached via boat.

      An aerial view of the resort’s massive beachside swimming pool.

      BInyan

      “St. Maarten is a captivating island that seamlessly melds the cultural influences of both the French and Dutch, cultivating a distinctive European ambiance in the heart of the Caribbean,” adds Mandelbaum. “Embraced by natural beauty and tranquility, the island beckons with a plethora of attractions, from exhilarating nightlife to the allure of mega yachts. For those seeking a perfect blend of excitement and relaxation, St. Maarten promises a tapestry of unique experiences.”   More