If you’ve been pining over a new Lamborghini, you’re going to have to look for something other than this new roadster. Lamborghini introduced the limited edition Centenario Roadster at Pebble Beach this weekend and announced they will only be making 20 of these beautiful beasts. All of them have already been sold at a starting price of 2 million euros!

This follows the introduction of the Centenario Coupé, with Lamborghini unveiling its latest one-off creation for fervent collectors and enthusiasts at Monterey Car Week in California.

“Lamborghini prides itself on the relentless pursuit of experimentation. We are proud to unleash Centenario’s further potential in the form of a classic roadster; the perfect harmony between innovation and timeless design. This unique engineering achievement is a befitting tribute to Lamborghini’s extraordinary past and a preview of its brilliant future. Centenario Roadster embraces the cutting edge characteristics of its coupé sibling and embraces the freedom of a true open-top super sports car for a pure drive experience,” said Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chief Executive Officer.

It’s not just a beautiful vehicle. The new Centenario Roadster also boasts a V12 naturally aspirated engine with 770 horsepower, the most powerful built by Lamborghini, with a weight to power ratio 2.04 kg/hp. The 20 buyers should have some fun with this one!

The Escala Concept introduces the next evolution of Cadillac design.

Cadillac previewed the future design direction for the brand as it unveiled the Escala Concept this weekend at the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Cadillac describes this new concept flagship sedan as a more expressive, expansive companion to the recently launched CT6.

The design is impressive, and it certainly looks like a Cadillac, but it’s still a rather pronounced departure from recent Cadillac design with the shape of the front facia and the front headlights. Take a look back at the Elmiraj Concept from three years ago and you’ll see the difference. The Elmiraj design was reflected in Cadillacs we’ve seen over the past several year, so we can expect to see the Escala front end reflected in upcoming Caddies as well.

Cadillac points out that the new design offers “a new expression of Cadillac’s vertical lighting, a brand signature since 1948.” But there’s no mistaking the horizontal lighting that now dominates the front end.

“Escala is a concept with two clear objectives,” said Johan de Nysschen, president of Global Cadillac. “First, Escala is a statement of intent for the next iteration of the Cadillac design language, and also technical concepts in development for future Cadillac models. Secondly, Escala builds Cadillac’s aspirational character, signaling the brand’s return to the pinnacle of premium.”

I like the new look, and Cadillac probably needed to push their designs in a newer direction to refresh the brand. Let’s see how this new design expression gets treated in upcoming production models.

An outsider who cynically views the material attachments of modern society and the misplaced ethos of cultures at large. A plan to destroy an economic institution as a way of setting free the masses from the yolk of corporations. The divergent personalities of a potential savior that is slowly bringing him closer to self destruction, all while commenting on the ludicrous notion of corporate “personhood.” Is this a description of David Fincher‘s 1999 film “Fight Club” or the USA Network original series “Mr. Robot?” There are certain similarities between the two that are hard to ignore, whether it’s those narrative parallels, the camera framing which evokes Fincher’s work, or even the use of the same song; “Mr. Robot” is aware of its influences and pays homage to Fincher’s film in multiple ways. But that’s not to suggest that the TV show is a pale imitation or carbon copy of the raucous movie. Instead, the two are echoes across a divide of time where certain global events change perspectives and objectives of each story.

“Fight Club” (based on the book by Chuck Palahniuk) was made and takes place at the tail end of the ’90s. It sounds like a joke, but it’s important to remember that the film has a pre-9/11 mentality about it. The greatest crises facing people at that time (in the western world) were existential ones. The gravest concern was what was to be done about this spiritual ennui that was affecting a materialistic generation of lost boys stuck in the position of office drones and corporate errand runners. The chief element of Fincher’s film (and Palahniuk’s book) is an examination of masculinity in that time period, how misplaced aggression can lead to the charms of anarchic fascism in the face of a world taken over by Starbucks and IKEA.

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I found the Jasmine Cocktail, or simply Jasmine, in Robert Hess’s oh so reliable “The Essential Bartender’s Guide.” Today’s recipe, however, is actually the second version of the recipe that Hess presents and I decided to do this version for a reason. You see, while the ingredients in both Hess’s version and the original, reportedly created by bartender and writer Paul Harrington in the 1990s, are the same, the proportions of everything but the base spirit are wildly different.

Harringtons’s gin-based cocktail is relatively heavy on lemon juice, light on flavoring elements and, as I’ve often mentioned, very tart drinks aren’t really my super favorites, though I’m usually fine with more bitter flavors. Since the Hess version takes down the lemon juice slightly while significantly increasing the proportion of two bittersweet cocktail standbys, Campari and Cointreau, I was naturally more attracted to his version.

Still, I’m liking the Jasmine Cocktail a la Hess so much that I’ve grown curious about the original. So, stay tuned for that next week. In the meantime, here’s my slightly altered take on the Hess iteration.

The Jasmine Cocktail

1 1/2 ounces gin
1 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
3/4 ounce Campari
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 lemon twist (optional garnish)

Combine all the liquids in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and, if you like, add a lemon twist garnish. (I thought the twist helped slightly when I used Cointreau and hurt slightly when I used triple sec.)

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In our working lives, if we are lucky, most of us have an opportunity to progress our career, to learn new skills and to earn money. In domestic settings, whether you live alone, with a group of friends or are in a relationship with someone, you probably have to do or share household chores. Outside of these two arenas, there’s a third area where you can choose to do activities you positively enjoy in your leisure time. Hobbies or pastimes are known to be beneficial, as they allow you to relax and unwind, making them good for your health. Check out the many opportunities your preferred hobby can bring to your life.

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