MATERIAL PURSUITS

This weekend’s curated luxury trends

MODEL A

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." That famous line from Doc to Marty McFly in the Back to the Future film franchise predicted a tomorrow we have yet to see, until now. Last fall, California-based Alef Aeronautics announced that it is designing and developing the first flying car. The Alef “Model A” will be the only flying car with street driving and vertical take-off, allowing it to fit within existing urban infrastructure. With a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles, the vehicle has been in development since 2015—ironically, the very year Marty McFly travels to in the film. “The Alef Model is a modern solution for both urban and rural transportation needs in the 21st century because it is the fastest and most convenient transport ever created from the point of origin to the final destination,” says Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny. “By enabling consumers to choose driving or flying mode, the Alef flying car allows the optimal path depending on road conditions, weather, and infrastructure.” Alef has been test-driving and test flying the full-size prototype since 2019 with plans to begin production and initiate first deliveries in late 2025.

When released, the price of this flying vehicle is expected to be around $299,999 but you can get a spot in the pre-order queue for just $150 (or $1,500 for priority status) at alef.aero/preorder.html.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Android lovers are raving about the Nothing Phone OS 2.0, a revised and slightly elevated version of its predecessor. It’s simple, it’s sleek, and it’s got a vibe that’s all tech with minimal bling. The new Glyph Interface assigns different light and sound sequences for each of your contacts and notification type, allowing you to be one step ahead of who’s getting in touch. Designed for those users who crave “more metime and less screen-time,” the Nothing Phone (2) has all the essentials (6.7" OLED display, powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and paired with 12GB of RAM); none of the distractions. Taking inspiration from the phone’s iconic hardware design, the software has a new visual identity that feels “unmistakably Nothing.” With an emphasis on functional customization, it allows interactions with your smartphone to be more intentional and mindful. Available for $699 at us.nothing.tech.

VINTAGE POUR

With aromas of orange essence, butterscotch, virgin American oak, pipe tobacco, ripe banana, and honeydew on the nose, BHAKTA 1990 Rum is quite literally time in a bottle. This decadent spirit from Raj Peter Bhakta’s bespoke brand blends two rare vintages of rum with two distinct distillation methods, only to be aged for three years in bourbon and rye barrels. The result is a layered palate of fig, red fruit, allspice, and clove, finishing dry with strong notes of whipped frosting, apricot, nutmeg, and licorice. Uniting brash New World flavors with the ancient craftsmanship of the Old World, BHAKTA 1990 Rum is meant to be savored. You can sip as you would your finest bourbon or most prized Armagnac, neat over a large ice cube in an heirloom crystal or be as bold as its creators—stashing a bottle on the yacht to be shared with your closest confidants. Either way, it’s possible that you may never taste a rum like this again. Available for $500 at my.shopbhakta.com or your favorite spirits shop.