The photographs that defined luxury for us this year

Happy holidays, Evan Ortiz here. Because the end of the year is often a time to reflect, we here at Pursuits are taking the opportunity to t [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Happy holidays, [Evan Ortiz]( here. Because the end of the year is often a time to reflect, we here at Pursuits are taking the opportunity to think back to some of the most exciting stories we’ve told over the last 12 months. Photography is a key ingredient that makes Pursuits articles stand out. We want our readers to feel they can and should go to the destinations we write about, and a gorgeous shot can make the luxury of high-end jewelry, clothing and cookware feel like it’s within reach. And we aim to visually represent a diverse set of people who are making life better and enjoyable for all. We have a small, but mighty team. Bloomberg Businessweek's deputy photo director, Leonor Mamanna, and I have to translate a broad range of topics into compelling imagery, often on short deadlines. It takes effort, planning and—given that production logistics are complicated—sometimes reshooting to make sure it all comes out looking good. In the spirit of review, Leonor and I have picked a few of our favorite images from Pursuits photographers this year and explain why they are special. [How a Nike Exec Turned a Rusted-Out 1990 BMW M3 Into His Daily Driver]( Adrian Miles with his two BMW’s — the Diamond Sports E30 M3 1989-90 and the White E82 1M — in Glendale. Photographer: Clara Mokri One of my favorite series at Pursuits is Hannah Elliott’s “[How’d You Get That Car](,” where we profile vintage car collectors and photograph them alongside their ride. It was a blast to assign [Clara Mokri]( to shoot Jordan Brand executive Adrian Miles. Clara has a great ability to bring out what’s unique in her subjects. She both captured Miles’ fresh energy and brought out the LA vibes of the Glendale, California, shoot location, which is where the vehicles were garaged. — Evan Ortiz [The 7 Top Caribbean Restaurants and Bars to Check Out in London]( A range of dishes, including curry goat sausage rolls, prawns and sweet potato gnocchi at Wood & Water. Photographer: Emli Bendixen for Bloomberg Pursuits When tasked with sending a photographer to shoot delicious Caribbean food around London, I knew [Emli Bendixen](, based in the southwest of England, would deliver. Emli has a way of showcasing dining that makes the food look rich, lush, and oh-so-mouth-watering. Sometimes there’s limited time to shoot at a restaurant, because the staff has to prepare for diners, but Emli can bang out gorgeous shots quickly. She’s an incredible portraitist, too. — EO [Step Inside the Met’s Rebuilding of Beloved La Bohème]( Scenic artist Dana Wilson works on Act 3’s timber at the Bronx workshop of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg In October we had the exciting opportunity to document the Metropolitan Opera’s rebuilding of its iconic La Bohème show. [Gabby Jones]( was the perfect choice. What I enjoy about her work is that she knows how to capture precise, informative moments of action and infuse them with a crisp, unique texture that enhances what the viewer sees. Sometimes journalistic imagery can look bland or dull, but that’s never the case with Gabby. — EO [The Skin-Care Guru Creating Hit Beauty Products for Black Celebrities]( Naana Boakye at her Bergen Dermatology practice in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Photographer: Elianel Clinton for Bloomberg Pursuits I produce a series at Bloomberg called [Industry Shakers](, where we profile entrepreneurs and business owners who are BIPOC. Having [Elianel Clinton]( make portraits of the dermatologist Naana Boakye was a match made in heaven. He shoots film, and it’s his style to take his time with subjects, creating an intimate feel. Photography in medical offices can look stale and monotone, yet he was able to deliver painterly, intimate pictures of her—not easy to do given the context. — EO [GE Puts Smart Tech in a Stand Mixer to Seriously Boost Your Baking]( GE Profile Smart Mixer with auto sense. Photographer: Rene Cervantes for Bloomberg Businessweek I am not a baker, by any stretch, but this gorgeous, over-the-top shot by photographer [Rene Cervantes]( nearly convinced me to go buy this smart stand mixer. Then I realized that the mountain of pastries that Rene and his prop stylist painstakingly placed and organized to become a delicious backdrop wouldn’t be included with my purchase, so I instead just added the photo to my vision board. — Leonor Mamanna  [How Van Cleef & Arpels Hides Serious Watchmaking Behind Beautiful Whimsy]( With the Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier, one tells the time by counting the number of flowers that open, revealing the gemstones inside. Photographer: Hannah Whitaker for Bloomberg Businessweek My excitement over getting these stunning Van Cleef watches was only matched by being able to book [Hannah Whitaker]( to photograph them. Being able to lay it on a bed of stunning flowers was a dream, and the fact that Hannah was able to make it feel seamless while also standing out is a testament to her talents. — LM [Airplane Camping: How This Thrilling Outdoor Travel Adventure Works]( Backcountry camping under the wing of the Kodiak 900 in Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest. Photographer: Stephanie Noritz for Bloomberg Businessweek We had plenty of false starts getting this story off the ground (sorry not sorry), but [Stephanie Noritz]( rolled with every punch and still managed to make incredible photos of this special trip. I love the juxtaposition of a small plane and the vast wilderness. — LM A Quick Scroll Through the Very Best of This Year [The Best Watches to Buy as Gifts, From $200 to $50,000]( Source: Oris, Tudor Our resident watch aficionado Chris Rovzar organized this list. With a watch, more than just about any other gift, you want to err on the safe side, because it’s a piece of jewelry (or “flair,” if you will) that a person will wear every day. It has to fit into a lot of situations, go with a lot of outfits and—most important—[it has to be one that the person who is receiving itÂ]([likes](. [The Year’s 50 Best Wines Under $50, From an Expert Who Tasted 3,243]( Source: Vendors; Background: Getty Images Our wine critic, Elin McCoy, loves drinking rare, expensive wine as much as anyone, but she’s a bargain hunter at heart. As she reviewed this year’s tasting notes, she discovered 2023 was a banner year for good values, despite inflation. She culled [her list of 50 good buys from 3,243 wines]( from 21 countries that she sipped this year.  [The Eight Best Puffer Jackets for Staying Warm in Cold Winter Weather]( From left: Jackets by Moncler, Herno, Outdoor Research, Vollebak, Nobis, Canada Goose, North Face, Patagonia. Source: Vendors When an AI-generated image of Pope Francis wearing a full-length white puffer coat ricocheted around the internet in March, the primary reaction was to fret over how susceptible society is to photo fakery. But perhaps another lesson from the incident: The right puffer can make even the pontiff look cool. [Here are eight that could do the same for you](, ranging from sustainable to clearly bankable.  [The 58 New Books Top Business Leaders Say Are Must-Reads]( Photographer: Takamasa Ota for Bloomberg Businessweek Every fall, when we canvass executives around the world for their favorite recently published books (see our lists from [2022](, [2021]( and [2020](), we discover that reading preferences, like political alliances, can make for strange bedfellows and overlaps occur in unlikely places. Here are [nearly 60 recently published titles]( that were recommended.  [Porsche, Mercedes, Rolls-Royce Headline Best Cars I Drove in 2023]( The Porsche 911 S/T is expensive at $292,000, but it’s one of the best cars we drove in 2023. Source: Porsche Three years since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the car world continues to undergo the most significant changes of its 120-plus-year history. The cars themselves are better than ever, but [some]( brand-new ones were better [than others](. In 2023 Hannnah Elliott drove about 30 of them. [Here are the best.](  [The Year’s 18 Best Spirits, Whether to Taste Now or Chase for Later]( At left are the best spirits you can actually afford; good luck getting the ones on the right. Source: Vendors; Background: Getty Images With the new yearnearly here, we, as is custom, ring out the old by listing the very best bottles to hit shelves during the past 12 months. But the difference between bottles intended for thirsty masses and those headed toward the cellars of the investor class is widening. So this year, our resident spirits expert, Brad Japhe, split them up: If you’re looking to hold on to something as an heirloom or art piece, we have the best examples for you across all major categories of spirit. Alternatively, if you’re someone who merely wants a terrific bottle to open and enjoy now, [corresponding analogs are right beside them](.  [Salty Ice Cream, Aged Fish, Hanwoo Beef: A Food Editor’s 16 Best Dishes of the Year]( Short-rib and mushroom pie at the Palmerston in Edinburgh. Source: Lloyd Morse Our food editor, Kate Krader, has eaten in literally hundreds of restaurants and tasted a thousand dishes this year; now is her moment to look back. Last year [the theme was butter](; this year she gravitated toward birds, in particular a glorious, bacon-garnished roasted chicken at Dovetale in 1 Hotel Mayfair in Central London. [Here are her favorite dishes of 2023](. [My Favorite Hotels in 2023—and Why They Were Worth the Price]( The Four Seasons Resort Orlando. Photographer: Don Riddle Images Of the five luxe spots that truly wowed our travel editor, Nikki Ekstein, this year, [the best was also the least expensive](. [The Top 10 Museum Exhibitions of 2023 Were Led By Rothko, Vermeer]( Installation of Henry Taylor: B Side at the Whitney in New York. Photographer: Ron Amstutz Museums large and small (mostly large) managed to put on some of [the best shows in recent memory](. Need Some Last-Minute Entertaining Tips? [The Six Easiest Ways to Get a Holiday Party Going in an Instant]( [Where Freedom Soup and Jamaican Sorrel Are on the Holiday Menu]( [The 18 Best Food and Drink Gifts for the Holidays]( [The Six Best Christmas Pub Walks to Take Without Leaving London]( [Here Are 13 Excellent Food and Drink Gifts for Christmas in the UK]( [Doritos Nacho Cheese-Flavored Booze Has Just Become a Reality]( Some of Our Most-Read Stories of the Year, In Case You Missed Them - [Vegas’ Newest Resort Is a $3.7 Billion Palace, 23 Years in the Making]( Florida mogul Jeffrey Soffer brings his Fontainebleau brand to Sin City - [Poor, Busy Millennials Are Doing the Midlife Crisis Differently]( They don’t really have a choice. But the internet generation might just be making some improvements to that cliched mashup of paunch and panic. - [The Pizza That’s Taking Over the US]( Crispy, crusty tavern pies, with edge-to-edge toppings, are showing up on menus from coast to coast. - [The Record Rush to Buy a Rolex or a Patek Philippe Is Over]( Cash flush customers are splashing out less amid higher interest rates and shaky economic growth. - [NYC’s Most Exciting New Fine Dining Restaurant Is in a Subway Station]( At the Korean-influenced Nōksu, which offers a 15-course tasting menu, the entrance is on the way to the F train. - [Test-Driving the $245,000 Aston Martin DB12 in the Hills of Monte Carlo]( The new sports car from the august British brand offers a host of upgrades over its predecessor, the DB11, but it’s overpriced for what you get. - [Everybody Wants to Go to Maine]( A wave of chefs and hoteliers have moved to the state’s coastal region in recent years, chasing a way of life that’s always been there. And they’re just a small part of a significant migration and tourism boom. One former Mainer heads Down East to see what all the fuss is about. - [Backpacks Replace Handbags in New Work Era. Here Are Eight to Buy]( A transition to more transient work styles has led to a boom in backpack sales—and fashion brands. - [The Best Watches of 2023: A Wrist-Spotting Guide]( From a $4,600 time-only watch with a Muppet twist to a $193,000 necklace of twisted gold, there’s a watch for every kind of collector. More For You To Love That’s it from this year! If you made it this far, here are a few other newsletters you might enjoy. - [Watch Club]( for exclusive horology news, access to launch parties, collector meet-ups and brand showcases  - [Top Shelf Society]( for exclusive spirits news and access to special cocktail events and releases  - [Game On]( for a playthrough of the video game business  - [Soundbite]( for exclusive reporting on podcasting, the music industry and audio trends. 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