The Beverly Hills Hotel - A Battle of Power and Wealth That Concluded in Surrendor

  Beverly Hills Hotel is a five-star establishment that is popular among both celebrities and non-celebrities alike, like Elton John celebrating his fiftieth birthday there and NBA star Shaq tying the knot there. As soon as you step through its stately pale pink doors, this luxurious hotel feels like a movie set. Heavy security is standard at this opulent property. The Pink Palace Pink Palace Museum has been providing families with an immersive museum experience for 45 years, where they can see dinosaurs, explore human history and gaze upon stars - but in 2018, there will even more for children and adults to discover and uncover! The museum occupies an expansive tract of land on Central Avenue in Memphis and features the Pink Palace mansion that was constructed during the 1920s by Piggly Wiggly grocery magnate Clarence Saunders as his dream home - but after experiencing financial issues that eventually caused him to declare bankruptcy and donate the mansion as part of its donation to Memphis as a museum in 1930. Today, the Pink Palace stands as one of Southeast America's premier science and history museums. Housed within an enthralling Georgia marble building, its elaborate features include laser shows, an IMAX theater, planetarium exhibits that focus on both natural and cultural history of Southeast America as well as historic properties like Mallory-Neely Houses from 1820 that are furnished accordingly for visitors' exploration of past eras. Francois' company specializes in historically inspired surfaces and antique and architectural stonework, so he often drove past the Pink Palace and its long drive bordered with dogwood trees. When the mansion went on the market several years ago, Francois knew he had to explore further and make an offer on it. Once at Memphis, he found much more to see than expected. Beyond the Cossitt Room Galllery and Shrunken Head and Clyde Parke miniature circus, as well as replicas of Saunders' first self-serve grocery store (Piggly Wiggly), there are exhibits that explore Memphis' history from Spanish explorers through Civil War and yellow fever epidemics as well as natural history and entertainment history, both modern and ancient. The Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei, is among the richest individuals on Earth. He owns luxury hotels and resorts - such as London's Dorchester Hotel and Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills - as well as various oil & gas, finance & aviation companies. Additionally, he chairs Brunei Investment Agency that oversees his country's sovereign wealth fund. He is an active philanthropist, funding various projects both locally and abroad. Furthermore, the Sultan has served as military commander of Brunei Armed Forces as well as having amassed an extensive art collection that he donated to National Gallery of Brunei Darussalam. Bolkiah Bolkiah is known for his passion for cars and has amassed an extensive collection. As a racer in his younger brother Prince Jefri's club car racing days, he would often race the latter around Brunei's capital city Bandar Seri Begawan at night. Bolkiah created international outrage in April when he issued laws that punished homosexuality through stoning as part of an effort to align Brunei with Sharia, an interpretation of Islam that dictates strict punishment of deviation. Following backlash from both celebrities and Western governments, however, Bolkiah quickly reversed course and announced that this law will no longer be enforced. As well as possessing luxury real estate and automobiles, the Sultan of Brunei also owns numerous high-end businesses. He holds stakes in numerous industries - oil & gas, finance, aviation & hospitality among them - with Brunei Shell Petroleum being one of his primary investments; also Four Seasons hotel chain and several real estate holdings are under his ownership as well. The Bungalows At the turn of the 20th century, bungalows swept America. Both practical and affordable, they gave working class people their first opportunity to own home ownership. Their success stemmed from believing that simplicity and artistry could coexist in one dwelling, representing hope for better days ahead. Bungalows are small houses designed to appear far removed from the street, creating an airy vacation-like ambiance. Their one-story floor plans tend to vary depending on their design; their exteriors usually feature hipped or gabled roofs with overhangs to shade against sunlight; colors or materials chosen may either complement their environment or contrast for visual interest. The bungalow's roots can be traced to India, where a type of one-story dwelling called a bangla was utilized by colonial administrators and other wealthy guests. Inspired by this type of housing, Charles and Henry Greene -- two innovative architects from California -- developed their own version of a bungalow inspired by military tents, English cottages and Swiss chalets. They also incorporated elements of the Arts and Crafts movement, which promoted simple designs with fine craftsmanship. As part of this, they placed great value on local materials while emphasizing woodwork details within their homes. Bungalows remain an appealing and affordable housing option, making them suitable for city living or those wanting a close connection with nature. The Art Collection Our Art Collection comprises paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photographs and digital/video art that complement our offices worldwide. As one of the oldest and most established corporate art collections globally, its foundation supports emerging contemporary art - reflecting and aligning with our 21st-century business principles and priorities of diversity, innovation technology sustainability creativity. The High's Folk and Self-Taught Art collection showcases the work of individuals who developed their artistic expression from lessons learned within their families, communities, work places and spiritual practices. These artists often used materials such as stones from nearby quarries, scrapyard metal from local yards, old furniture pieces from dumpsters or chewing gum in their artistic expression. At once enigmatic and mysterious, collectors who collect simply for the pleasure of collecting can be described as aesthetes; those who value an object's pure gaze rather than considering its aesthetic value or purpose when purchasing art objects. Aesthetes seek to define art history while also building their own canon through acquisitions made. They may come from diverse fields such as finance or real estate as first-generation entrepreneurs looking for personal fulfillment through collecting. The History When most people think of the Beverly Hills Hotel, they probably picture an extravagant world-class resort catering to celebrities and royalty. Since opening its doors in 1912, this iconic establishment has played an integral part in Hollywood history - and continues to draw stars today. While its iconic status has caused several disputes and debates, in the end it remains the place where stars go to be seen. Margaret Anderson opened the hotel two years prior to Beverly Hills becoming an incorporated city, in 1912 under her motto of providing guests with "the best regardless of cost". Following Margaret's death, ownership passed to Muriel Slatkin - both her daughter and wife of Wall Street broker Ivan Boesky owned it posthumously. In 1987, The Dorchester Collection hotels was acquired by the Sultan of Brunei as part of their controversial sale to him as it represented his country's human rights record: Sharia Law is in effect and homosexuals can be stoned for breach of Islam law in Brunei. As soon as news of Brunei's actions became public, an international LGBT advocacy organization decided not to meet at the hotel in protest over Brunei's anti-gay laws and actions. A boycott continued until June 2016 when Brunei agreed to divest of all assets from their holdings. Hotel Bel Air plays host to hundreds of weddings each year and is one of the premier locations for celebrities to exchange vows. Most notably, Elton John recently tied the knot here while other notable couples include Josh Flagg and Bryan Boyd from Bravo TV as well as NBA star Shaq. Furthermore, Humphrey Bogart and members of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack from 1920s were known to stay there occasionally!