Latest news with #Angora
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Take a look inside this South African game reserve with 28 bedroom suites which could be yours for £9.7m
A private game reserve in Karoo, South Africa is up for sale for £9,774,882, or around $13,000,000, via Sotheby's International Realty. Magic Hills is a privately owned game reserve stretching around 40,000 acres, with the furthest ends of the property reaching into both the western and northern Cape. The expansive reserve has a number of on-site accommodation options for guests, including 28 bedroom suites across five luxurious lodges. Across the different accommodation hubs, the site has 28 bathrooms, 17 reception rooms and two kitchens. The buyer of the reserve will be living in close quarters to the Big Five - lions, leopards, black rhino, elephants and buffalo. Merino sheep, Angora goats and dairy cattle are also raised on site and the property offers visitors panoramic vistas and plains. As well as offering guests envy-inducing luxury, conservation remains a priority on the reserve. Some of the animals in the reserve have been repatriated from zoos. One of the most breath-taking options for accommodation on the reserve is Sky Lodge, which sits 980 metres above sea-level. Sky Lodge has seven bedroom suites, a large living room with hardwood floors, a bar and a pool and terrace to soak up the views and wildlife from. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors provide panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Internally, Sky Lodge had been decorated in tones of brown and beige, in keeping with the outdoor setting. Kim Cooper, a real estate professional at Sotheby's International Realty, said: 'Sky lodge is surely one of the most stunning lodges on the continent.' Magic Hills is also home to ILanga Manor House, a traditional lodge with Cape Dutch architecture, 10 bedroom suites, a pool, library and lush green lawns. Elsa's Farmhouse, a restored off-grid four-bedroom solar-panelled lodge, also comes with the site. Laid-back Elsa's Farmhouse has its own private pool and boma area. Wow factor: Sky Lodge has a luxurious but laid-back vibe with neutral interiors Views: The buyer of Magic Hills will enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area Before coming under new ownership, the site was previously used for hunting and farmland. The reserve is now owned by Erik and Alexandra Kovacs, who have spent more than a decade bringing the overgrazed and degraded former farmland back to life, at a cost of over £8million. The Karoo, which is around a 90-minute helicopter ride from Cape Town, is a rural, semi-arid mountainous area reportedly boasting some of the most unique flora and fauna on the continent. Marketing firm JamesEdition said it had seen the highest interest for Magic Hills from prospective buyers in the US and South Africa, but added that interest from potential buyers in Britain had also been strong. How to find a new mortgage Borrowers who need a mortgage because their current fixed rate deal is ending, or they are buying a home, should explore their options as soon as possible. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you What if I need to remortgage? Borrowers should compare rates, speak to a mortgage broker and be prepared to act. Homeowners can lock in to a new deal six to nine months in advance, often with no obligation to take it. Most mortgage deals allow fees to be added to the loan and only be charged when it is taken out. This means borrowers can secure a rate without paying expensive arrangement fees. Keep in mind that by doing this and not clearing the fee on completion, interest will be paid on the fee amount over the entire term of the loan, so this may not be the best option for everyone. What if I am buying a home? Those with home purchases agreed should also aim to secure rates as soon as possible, so they know exactly what their monthly payments will be. Buyers should avoid overstretching and be aware that house prices may fall, as higher mortgage rates limit people's borrowing ability and buying power. How to compare mortgage costs The best way to compare mortgage costs and find the right deal for you is to speak to a broker. This is Money has a long-standing partnership with fee-free broker L&C, to provide you with fee-free expert mortgage advice. Interested in seeing today's best mortgage rates? Use This is Money and L&Cs best mortgage rates calculator to show deals matching your home value, mortgage size, term and fixed rate needs. If you're ready to find your next mortgage, why not use L&C's online Mortgage Finder. It will search 1,000's of deals from more than 90 different lenders to discover the best deal for you. Be aware that rates can change quickly, however, and so if you need a mortgage or want to compare rates, speak to L&C as soon as possible, so they can help you find the right mortgage for you.
South China Morning Post
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
These babies aren't real? Studio's ultra-realistic film and TV props
Published: 4:13pm, 13 Feb 2025 In a workshop outside Paris in France, Celine Lallement stitched hairs into a silicone baby's skull – the latest creation from a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic infants for the film and television industries. Founded in 2008 and based in a north Paris suburb, Cinebébé, or Cinebaby, produces props that can take more than six weeks of crafting before they are sent to production sets. 'It's mohair, it comes from the Angora goat. It's finer than adult hair, so it imitates baby hair very well,' Lallement explained as she carefully inserted each strand. At one point, she spotted a problem. 'There are two hairs in the same follicle, that won't work,' she said before using tweezers to correct the mistake. A mould for baby prop arms created by Cinebaby. Photo: AFP The mould of a baby's head, the second step in the creation of baby props for cinema and television productions. Photo: AFP The head and legs of a baby prop. Founded in 2008, Cinebaby is a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic props of infants for film and television productions. Photo: AFP
Express Tribune
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Paris workshop delivers prop babies for films
PARIS: In a workshop outside Paris, Celine Lallement stitched hairs into a silicone baby's skull – the latest creation from a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic infants for the film and TV industries. Founded in 2008 and based in a north Paris suburb, Cinebebe produces props that can take more than six weeks of crafting before they are sent to production sets. "It's mohair, it comes from the Angora goat. It's finer than adult hair, so it imitates baby hair very well," Lallement explained as she carefully inserted each strand. At one point, she spotted a problem. "There are two hairs in the same follicle, that won't work," she said before using tweezers to correct the mistake. Her latest work is set to be used in a film shoot in England, according to Justine Ray Le Solliec, who co-manages the special effects workshop. With slightly red cheeks, tiny veins under the eyelids, skin folds and pores, it's hard to tell the difference from a real child. "You can expect to pay around 700 euros ($726) to rent a baby for a day's shoot and between 9,000 euros and 15,000 euros to buy one, depending on the time required to make it," said Ray Le Solliec. From 26-week premature infants to 18-month-old toddlers, Cinebebe's miniature mannequins are used in around 100 productions every year, mostly in France and Europe. Their work has been glimpsed in hit Netflix series Emily in Paris, as well as the blockbuster 2024 French film The Count of Monte Cristo. The company uses silicone castings for babies, but also creates pregnant bellies, breasts, placentas, foetuses, umbilical cords, and even life-sized pelvis models that are used for birth scenes. "In France, regulations prohibit newborns under three months old from participating in film shoots," Ray Le Solliec explained. "For infants aged three months to three years, filming time is limited to one hour per day, which can be challenging when multiple scenes involve children." Beyond regulations, their business has accelerated since the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. "It helped us because babies were not allowed on set during that period," she added. Post-pandemic, their revenue has doubled every year, though there was a "slight slowdown" in 2024 compared to 2023, with a growth rate of 35 per cent. The next step is expanding internationally, with a London office planned in 2025. Their production goal is to develop babies with open eyes as well as larger babies for stunt scenes. afp
