Sep
25
Naples Daily News
More from Bonita Springs
See-worthy: The art of yachting
North Naples couple creates international buzz with mega yacht housing what they say is the world’s first traveling fine art fair. The Grand Luxe debuts Tuesday in Greenwich, Conn.
By Laura Layden 
Monday, September 24, 2007
In early August as crews swarmed around him to put the finishing touches on a mega yacht that has created an international buzz, David Lester showed it off like a rare jewel.
At every turn, the ship dripped opulence, from the gourmet restaurants to the marble bathrooms that looked like they belonged in a five-star luxury hotel like the Ritz-Carlton. Even in the dust, it sparkled.
“So what do you think?” Lester asked repeatedly while giving a tour of the five-level, 228-foot long luxury ship as it sat at the Merrill-Stevens boatyard in Miami.
He sought praise, though he’s had a heap of it since announcing plans to launch his vessel, the Grand Luxe. It will host what he describes as the world’s first traveling fine art fair. He and his wife, Lee Ann, North Naples residents, dreamed up the idea. They call it SeaFair.
“This is really the biggest art project done in the last 20 years,” Lester said.
The Lesters, who have a long history as art dealers, plan to create other themed ships through their company Expoships LLLP, based in Bonita Springs. Among the themes they’re looking at are fashion, real estate, pharmaceuticals and Italian design.
“We just started the preliminary plans on those,” Lester said.
Their first ship debuts in Greenwich, Conn., on Sept. 25. It will dock behind the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel for six days before voyaging to Oyster Bay and the Hamptons in New York.
Annually, the lavish ship will travel to more than 30 affluent coastal communities along the Eastern Seaboard, including Palm Beach, Savannah and Martha’s Vineyard.
Sep
20
SEAFAIR’s 228’ Grand Luxe Fine Art Yacht debuts in Greenwich, CT
Bonita Springs, FL – September 14, 2007…
Expoships LLLP announces the launch of the first exposition 228-foot, three-deck mega yacht, christened Grand Luxe, which will make its world debut at the Delamar Hotel in Greenwich Harbor September 25, 2007. Grand Luxe is the fourth-largest private yacht in America, and will have on board SeaFair, the first-of-its-kind venue for an international fine art exposition. The first two days of the visit will be filled with gala benefits for The Bruce Museum. On the 27th, the yacht will be open to collectors, designers and decorators who are invited by SeaFair to view the exhibitions of twenty-eight renown international art, antique, and jewelry dealers. The yacht will be in Greenwich until Sept. 30, then head to Long Island, NY’s North Shore and New York City, then back to Long Island Sound and Norwalk, where it will be docked at Veteran’s Park October 17-21, according to Lester, who says a similar benefit will be held for a local charity there.
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Sep
20
Greenwich Time
More from Greenwich
Antiques show sets sail for Greenwich
By Donna Porstner
Staff Writer
Published September 19 2007
STAMFORD — A floating art and antiques emporium is docked in the city’s South End while a crew prepares for its first show in Greenwich next week.
Dealers from New York, London, Paris, Munich and elsewhere around the world are setting up shop on the SeaFair Grand Luxe in coming days to prepare for its maiden voyage.
The custom-built 228-foot mega-yacht is at Brewer’s Yacht Haven Marina through Sunday, when it will move to Greenwich for the first port of a four-stop fall tour. The boat will dock behind the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel.
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