LM Fall/Winter 2020 by Luxury Card

LUXURY MAGAZINE

FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

D O YOU FEEL IT? The world. It’s still out there. That city you’ve longed to explore. The beach you can feel as you close your eyes and breathe in. The natural wonder dancing in your soul, pulling you toward the door. The world. It’s waiting for you. And we feel it, too.

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E VE RY

LU X URY I N CLUD E D

Issue 25

14 THE FRONT PAGES WHAT’S WHAT From museums at home to winter ski reports to travel safety protocols.

20 WATCHES PERFECT TIMING Ultra-complicated tourbillons are mechanical masterpieces.

28 JEWELRY DIAMONDS IN THE RAW These uniquely striated stones emit a brilliant sparkle.

32 THE LUXURY LOOK SET YOUR SIGHTS Lightweight binoculars and a smart telescope let you see the sky in a new way.

36 TECH SOUND DESIGN Visually appealing electronics offer form as well as function.

38 TECH WRAPPED AND READY A gift guide for everyone on your list—from the gamer to the at-home chef.

44 GETAWAYS DOG TRIPPIN’ The most desirable holiday destinations laying out the welcome mat for Fido.

50 ONE PLACE, TWO WAYS NANTUCKET Fall is just as great a time to visit this charming, environmentally conscious island.

54 ADVENTURE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRAIL SPIN Bikepacking the adrenalineinducing Tahoe Twirl.

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Lightning, powered by electricity. In a flash, the all-electric Porsche Taycan Turbo S has arrived. With 750 hp. A 0 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;60 time of just 2.6 seconds. And the ability to consistently deliver Porsche-level performance on a single charge. The Taycan Turbo S moves like lightning, and feels just as electrifying. Learn more at porscheusa.com/Taycan.

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62 AUTOS SUPER SPORT UTES Five new SUVs with increased performance and power to go anywhere.

70 FASHION WEEKEND ESCAPE Embrace the changing seasons with a mix of elegance and comfort.

88 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN BRIGHT WHITES The aesthetically pleasing moods of all-white interiors.

106 ART & CULTURE MUSEUM MONEYMAKERS The curation of an institution’s gift shop is an art all its own.

112 TRAVEL VIVA LAS VEGAS Sin City’s major resorts reopen with enticing amenities and services for a new era.

120 SPORTS TRAVEL AMERICAN HOT SHOTS Across the country, sporting clays courses are one-upping each other with new tech and interesting surrounds.

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98 FURNISHINGS MOLTO ITALIANO Pieces that would have shown at Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2020, and more.

130 PRIVATE TRAVEL AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL Chartered journeys showcase the pristine wilderness of our national parks.

A shock to the system. Elegant, refined and powerful, the Taycan is a massive leap forward in performance engineering â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and you can experience one. Get personalized instruction on our purpose-built world-class tracks located in Atlanta, GA and Los Angeles, CA. Book your experience today at www.porschedriving.com.

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140 SKI TRIPS TIME FOR TELLURIDE The Colorado mountain haven remains America’s best for all types of terrain.

148 SKI TRIPS A SWISS WINTER’S TALE Skiing the Alpine towns of Arosa and St. Moritz.

164 WINE & SPIRITS VINEYARD VACATIONS Among California’s bestkept secrets are exclusive guesthouses at wineries.

166 WINE & SPIRITS WHISKEY TRAILBLAZERS Distilleries along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail are creatively reinventing this classic.

176 WINE & SPIRITS A JAPANESE EXPRESSION Whisky connoisseurs globally are clamoring for Japan’s rare liquor and its other fine drink.

180 FOOD & DINING FEASTS, NOT FAMINE Top chefs are bringing more than their culinary expertise to the table.

182 REAL ESTATE HOMES ON THE RANGE Buyers want to be out of the big cities, but still within reach of urban amenities.

187 REAL ESTATE BUNKERS ARE BOOMING Today’s underground shelters are a lot more than Cold War fallout retreats.

190 ARTIST PROFILE FINDING THE LIGHT Claude Monet’s luminous paintings offer a welcome armchair escape.

204 THE LAST PAGES WHAT’S NEXT From socially distanced dining to toy-car replicas to scents of the season.

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156 WINE & SPIRITS RIPENING AGENTS Introducing the next generation of Napa and Sonoma Valley vintners.

160 WINE & SPIRITS DOWN TO EARTH Biodynamic wines are trying to satisfy the demand for organic products.

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On the Cover

laude Monet’s iconic paintings of a Japanese footbridge spanning a pond covered in water lilies depict a scene entirely of the artist’s creation. Monet (1840–1926) moved to the French village of Giverny in 1883, and within a decade he cultivated an elaborate flower garden and diverted a stream to form his famous pond. The opening of French trade with Japan in 1858 sparked a national interest in Japanese art and design. Monet designed a Japanese-style bridge, probably basing the arching wooden structure on examples in the more than 200 Japanese woodblock prints that he collected and hung throughout his house. His love of Japanese aesthetics extended to the plantings surrounding the pond—weeping willows, bamboos, gingkoes, maples, Japanese peonies, and grasses. He carpeted the surface of the pond with water lilies that range in color from yellow to blue-and-white to pink. The serene and abundant garden was his greatest work of art, he thought, and he made it the subject of hundreds of paintings, including a series of 18 variations of the green bridge over the pond. The version on the cover, a 35-by-39-inch oil on canvas in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, is titled The Water Lily Pond, Harmony in Pink (1900). The painting is a welter of brushstrokes in greens, reds, blues, and yellows that convey the richness of the horticulture and the atmosphere of the place in late afternoon. Sunlight strikes the willows whose hanging branches are mirrored in the water below. Clusters of lilies float on the surface between patches of reddish shadow, and just above, transecting the composition, is the curving bridge. During the last quarter century of his life, Monet retreated to the private world of his garden, where despite failing vision (cataracts left him nearly blind), he pushed beyond classic Impressionism to works that verge on abstraction.

LUXURY MAGAZINE’s profile of Claude Monet begins on page 190.

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LUXURY MAGAZINE

PUBLISHED BY LUXURY CARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Deborah Frank CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Fahey SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Shawn Sullivan GRAPHIC DESIGN Charles Mateker PHOTO EDITOR Kristen Hill COPY CHIEF Jennifer Ashton Ryan COPY EDITORS Kersten Deck Jenna Sims

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jorge S. Arango Bailey Stone Barnard Chris Brinlee Jr. Alexandra Cheney Mark Ellwood Mark Hacking Mary Holland Jason Edward Kaufman David Keith Larry Olmsted Irene Rawlings Codie Steensma Shaun Tolson Frank Vizard Shivani Vora CONTRIBUTING STYLISTS Paul Frederick Heidi Meek CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Frankie Batista Jack Guy Justin Reed Olsen Jonathan Pozniak

VICE PRESIDENT OF NEW BUSINESS Caren Kabot caren@luxurymagazine.com ADVERTISING SALES DETROIT Dan Flavin dflavin@flavinandassoc.net DUBAI/UAE Alexandra Young alex@konexinternational.com ENGLAND/UK Rick Plata gravitas Sales & Marketing rick@gravitassales.com SOUTHEAST Jana Robinson jana@robinsonmedia.net Katie Darling katherine@robinsonmedia.net WEST COAST Rima Dorsey rima.dorsey@gmail.com

Produced exclusively for Luxury Card members. All contents of LUXURY MAGAZINE are the intellectual property of Black Card Mag LLC and/or Black Card LLC d/b/a Luxury Card (“Publisher”) and/or the respective photographers, writers, artists, advertisers, and advertising agencies; areprotected by intellectual property laws; and may not be reproduced, republished, distributed, transmitted, displayed, broadcast or otherwise exploited in whole or in part in any manner without the express written permission of the intellectual property owners. © 2020 Black Card Mag LLC and Black Card LLC d/b/a Luxury Card. All rights reserved. Views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher, which makes reasonable efforts to verify its content. Publisher expressly disclaims and does not assume responsibility for the validity of any claims or statements made, including content errors, omissions, or infringing content. Any reliance placed on such content is strictly at reader’s own risk. Advertisements and offers are the responsibility of the individual advertising entities, and do not constitute a legal offer by Publisher. Publisher is not responsible for price fluctuations. Prices are based on those accurate at press time. Please consult with a Luxury Card Concierge for current prices. Luxury Card marks are property of Black Card LLC. BLACKCARD is a registered trademark used under license. Luxury Card products are issued by Barclays Bank Delaware pursuant to a license by Mastercard International Incorporated, owner of registered trademarks MASTERCARD, WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD and the circles design. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2020 Black Card LLC.

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What’s What

Alaïa-Adrian: Masters of Cut celebrates made-for-themovies designs (right) by Azzedine Alaïa, who draped supermodels Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, and Linda Evangelista, and Gilbert Adrian, the head of costume design at MGM during Hollywood’s Golden Age. At the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion and Film, Atlanta, through November 15. scadfash.org Designed by superstar architect Kengo Kuma and built with 20,000 individually textured gray granite blocks, Kadokawa Culture Museum (near Tokyo) is an architectural tour de force. Inside: a massive manga library and anime museum. kadcul.com Original photographs of boxing great Muhammad Ali (below) by longtime Life Magazine photographer Gordon Parks give an intimate look at a young hero-in-therough. See Gordon Parks x Muhammad Ali. Images of a Champion 1966–1970 at Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City, Missouri, through April 4, 2021. nelson-atkins.org

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At the Art Institute of Chicago through January 18, 2021, Monet and Chicago would be called a blockbuster in ordinary times. Among the 66 paintings, including the famous water lilies, are rarely seen pieces from collectors whose ancestors bought the works right off Monet’s easel. With COVID-19 guidelines in place, museum attendance is limited to 25 percent, so reserve your timed ticket well ahead. artic.edu Two notable shows at New York’s Whitney Museum: Making Knowing: Craft in Art, 1950–2019 explores the close connection between fine art and craft—including hands-on experiments with textiles, clay, and glass. Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925–1945 highlights Mexican artists—José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros—who spent extended periods of time in the United States painting high-ticket commissions and interacting with local artists. Nearly 200 works by over 60 Mexican and American artists. Making Knowing on view through February 22, 2021; Vida Americana through January 31, 2021. whitney.org

Through July 18, 2021, the exhibition Apsáalooke Women and Warriors (above) includes work from scholars and artists who contributed family stories, music, paintings, photographs, beadwork, and clothing. This is The Field Museum in Chicago’s first large-scale show curated by a Native American. fieldmuseum.org

Positioned to transform the contemporary art scene—not only in Oklahoma City but the entire region—the new Contemporary Arts Center was designed by awardwinning local architect Rand Elliott. Early reviews call it a juxtaposition of practicality and poetry. oklahomacontemporary.org The new podcast S.A.L.T. Lab Radio (inspired by Silversea Cruises’ new ship Silver Moon)—hosted by Adam Sachs, former editor-in-chief of Saveur—takes listeners around the world to meet people preserving culinary traditions and creating new ones. discover.silversea.com

MUSEUMS AT HOME The Broad from Home (thebroad.org) brings the ubercontemporary Los Angeles museum to your house with stepby-step art activities. The Frick in New York invites you to a miniseries, Cocktails with the Curator (above, frick.org). The Dalí in St. Petersburg, Florida, hosts Coffee with a Curator (thedali.org), a relaxing way to learn about your favorite works. New York City’s MoMA offers online classes ranging from Fashion as Design to What Is Contemporary Art? (moma.org).

ART, CULTURE & DESIGN

Courtesy Images, From Top: Vail Resorts/Craig Orsini; Outside GO/Jeff Schultz; The Resort at Paws Up/ Stuart Thurlkill

ADVENTURE & TRAVEL

Indulge in thermal hot springs, deep-tissue massages, and a digital detox at Castle Hot Springs, a serene getaway accessible by car or helicopter. The more adventuresome will want to try the new Via Ferrata climbing route; the more sedate can visit the agave farm (plants will be used for spirits, syrups, soaps, and even bug spray). From $900/two people, including meals and activities. castlehotsprings.com

The Alisal sits on 10,500 acres of lush, wide-open spaces—smack in the middle of California’s Santa Barbara wine country. The Private Ranch Retreat package includes the use of 10–20 rooms with outdoor activities like horseback riding, fly fishing, and mountain biking that are designed for your group to enjoy privately. Meals are brought to your cabins. Available Sunday–Thursday for $750/room/night, allinclusive; alisal.com

Remote Lands takes to the skies with Aman Jet Expeditions. Eight or nine couples travel aboard a stylishly reconfigured Airbus ACJ318, touring via private car and staying exclusively at Aman resorts worldwide. Journey from Shanghai to Tangalle, Sri Lanka, or Tokyo to Venice, Italy—with frequent culture stops. Closer to home, you can go on private doorto-door trips with only your family (with a COVID-19– tested pilot and guide) to Aman resorts in the American West, Turks & Caicos, and the Dominican Republic. remotelands.com

The perfect combination of glamour and masculinity, WinterFest at The Resort at Paws Up (below right) in the Blackfoot River Valley of western Montana includes three days of California-coastmeets-Montana-ranch feasts, wine tastings, ice skating, skijoring, highvelocity snowmobiling, and just relaxing in front of a warm fire sipping a top-shelf whiskey. From $5,970/ room/three nights, allinclusive; pawsup.com

High-end adventure travel company Outside GO arranges trips to luxury camps and outposts around the world. In Alaska, explore the remote interior by float plane (above) and chopper, seeing bears, seals, whales, and, maybe, the enormous black-footed albatross. From $13,776/person/seven days; outsidego.com

MOUNTAIN SKI REPORT Ski resorts are opening with a comprehensive focus on safety and an acknowledgment that this season will be different: more face coverings, less bar hopping. All 34 Vail Resorts (left, vailresorts.com) properties in North America launch with a mountain-access reservation system that limits lift tickets (prioritizing Epic Pass holders) and plans to enforce face coverings for all parts of resort operations—except when you’re actually downhill skiing. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (jacksonhole.com) also limits the number of on-mountain skiers. Top hotels, like Hotel Jackson, offer guests coveted lift tickets and a sanitizedbetween-each-trip shuttle to the slopes. Sugarbush (sugarbush .com) in Vermont requires a pass or advance-purchase, date-specific tickets. Dining is al fresco or grab-and-go. All Swiss (myswitzerland.com) ski resorts, including big-money Davos Klosters, glam St. Moritz, and classic Zermatt, are opening maskless for outdoor activities and masked for mountain railways, cable cars, and any communal activities. France’s Auvergne Rhone-Alpes Region (auvergnerhonealpes-tourisme .com)—Courchevel, Megève, and Val d’Isère—expects a full and snowy opening. Masks are compulsory in all communal and enclosed spaces. 

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SAFETY PROTOCOLS BEYOND COVID-19 CLEANING For frequent travelers to Lotte New York Palace (above, lottenypalace.com), the Room of Your Own program guarantees that no other guest will be permitted to stay in that room in between your visits. SHA Wellness Clinic (below, shawellnessclinic .com) in Alicante, Spain, offers insurance as a benefit (at no

additional cost) for health care (including COVID-19 if guests test positive upon arrival) and prolonged stay expenses (due to medical quarantine). California’s Malibu Beach Inn (malibubeachinn.com) reopened to Global Biorisk Advisory Council standards and guests have complimentary 24/7 access to medical professionals via telehealth. Before checking in to The Winston (thewinstonsolvang.com) in Solvang, California, guests

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specify linen requests, minibar items, and order their knock-and-drop breakfasts in bed. Everything is set up for a contactless arrival. Shinola Hotel in Detroit (below, shinolahotel.com) greets guests with complimentary wellness kits. CDC Level 2 encasements used for bedding offer full protection of pillows, mattresses, and duvets. Four Seasons (fourseasons.com) collaborates with Johns Hopkins Medicine International on enhanced health and safety programs. Each property has a Hygiene Officer and hourly cleaning of public areas with EPAapproved products. Find Lead with Care health and safety kits in each guest room.

SPOTLIGHT: ROSEWOOD MIRAMAR BEACH Pacific Ocean waves provide the soundtrack for 26 Beach House guest rooms at this sprawling 16-acre estate in Santa Barbara’s picturesque and tony Montecito, about 90 miles from Los Angeles. Manicured lawns spotlighting trees of magnolia, lemon citrus, and olive surround 161 elegant balconied and terraced guest rooms and suites that now provide a unique working environment. Rosewood Remote Office is one of the new packages being offered in light of today’s changing travel landscape. It transforms suite living spaces into a fully equipped and customized home office outfitted with a monitor, printer, wireless keyboard and mouse, and other essential office supplies to ensure maximum productivity. For those checking in with school-age children, Rosewood Remote Classroom has been created to allow younger guests to plug in and stay connected to their lessons from the privacy of a poolside cabana. Each cabana comes equipped with a flatscreen TV, Apple TV, iPad with case and stand, EarPods, and classic school essentials. Lunch is delivered from the hotel’s poolside eatery, Scoop Shop, with a $50 credit toward anything on the classic American menu. If work is something better left at home, the Jet-A-Way package offers an exclusive experience complete with round-trip private jet transfers between San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Dallas and Montecito. Included with the three-night stay, two guests

receive a styling session with experts from The Webster, the Miami-born luxury retailer that recently opened an outpost on the property; a 90-minute signature massage on the deck at Sense, A Rosewood Spa; access to the membersonly Miramar Club; dinner at Caruso’s, the property’s signature oceanfront restaurant serving coastal California cuisine with a southern Italian twist; proled golf and tennis lessons; passes to nearby Lotusland Botanic Gardens; and a beach picnic or in-suite dinner. For simple relaxation, a new VIP poolside spa cabana has been created to meet current county regulations of outdoor massages. And if retail therapy is in order, accompanying The Webster and the recently launched Shop at Miramar are California-inspired concept store The Gatehouse by James Perse and goop Sundries Shop. “Our team has been hard at work identifying opportunities to come back even better than before,” says Resort Manager Rick Fidel, “and to introduce innovative experiences blended with enhanced health and wellness protocols that safely allow us to do so.” From $1,295; rosewoodhotels.com

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top Left: Lotte New York Palace/Bruce Buck; Rosewood Miramar Beach/AVABLU; Shinola Hotel; SHA Wellness Clinic

What’s What HOTELS

Courtesy Images, From Top: Eden Roc Cap Cana; The Maker Hotel/Christian Goulette; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel/Magda Biernat

EUROPEAN SUBSTITUTIONS Eden Roc Cap Cana, Dominican Republic (above) Most Like: Italy, especially Capri’s Blue Grotto and cliffside beaches. European Inspiration: A Mediterranean experience with private white-sand beaches. From $575; edenroccapcana.com Hotel Les Mars, Healdsburg, California Most Like: Provence—imagine an apartment in Paris furnished in 18th-century antiques. European Inspiration: The grounds reflect the landscape of a historic French maison. From $409; hotellesmars.com The Palms and The Shore Club, Turks & Caicos Most Like: Italy and Greece; that is, Sardinia and Crete. European Inspiration: The turquoise waters and sandy beaches of Grace Bay and Long Bay look like the ravishingly blue Mediterranean. From $490; thepalmstc.com; theshoreclubtc.com Zero George Street, Charleston, South Carolina Most Like: A 19th-century English country manor. European Inspiration: High ceilings, plush fireside chairs, and marble bathrooms. From $500; zerogeorge.com

Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Mexico Most Like: A country inn in coastal Sweden. European Influences: Minimalist Swedish style with rustic Japanese ryokan elements. From $495; loscabos.nobuhotels.com Condado Vanderbilt, San Juan, Puerto Rico (below) Most Like: Spain’s Valencia or the Canary Islands. European Influences: Oceanfront beach club with cabanas and chaise lounges. From $360; condadovanderbilt.com

FLY STRAIGHT TO THE HOTEL The Private Passport to Pedregal program with Schubach Aviation will fly a party of between four and eight people from anywhere in the United States to Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal (waldorfastorialoscabospedregal.com) for a seven-night stay in a two-bedroom, ocean-view suite with a plunge pool, personal concierge, and butler service; from $25,895. Jet To Villa offers a seamless transfer to the secluded splendor of The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort (fourseasons.com) on Paradise Island in the Bahamas via NetJets. Bypass the Oahu airport wait with Lanai Air, offering six-person luxury air service from Honolulu Airport to the two Four Seasons Resorts (fourseasons.com) on the tiny, private island of Lanai. Retro-cool Caldera House (calderahouse.com) at the base of Wyoming’s Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers personally tailored stays, including round-trip private jet service. The Lake House on Canandaigua (lakehousecanandaigua.com) in New York’s Finger Lakes region will book a private seaplane from New York’s East River, landing on the lake in front of the hotel.

OPENINGS SHORT LIST The Maker Hotel (above), a new getaway in Hudson, New York, is an 11-room, glambohemian property launched by Fresh Beauty founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg. Spread out over three downtown historical buildings, the individually designed guest rooms include themed suites named after creatives (Architect, Artist, Writer, Gardener) and feature amenities such as full-size Fresh (naturally) bath and body products for guests to take home. From $350; themaker.com The Bunkhouse Group opens Hotel Magdalena in Austin, Texas, in the trending South Congress Avenue Music Lane district. It has a ’70s look and a lake house vibe with Spanish

tiled bathrooms and views of downtown. Rooms range from a cozy studio to an expansive terrace suite. From $275; hotelmagdalena.com Kimpton debuts in Bozeman, Montana, with an Art-Decomeets-mountain-modern hotel repurposed from a 1941 National Guard Armory. The 122-room Armory Hotel landmark has mountain views on all sides and is the ideal gateway to skiing and off-road adventuring in Big Sky Country. From $330; kimptonhotels.com Opened in its namesake month, Hotel June in LA’s Westside has 250 rooms (spread out across 12 floors) with a relaxed, beachliving vibe and city and coastal views. Millennial-chic furniture. Comfortable beds. From $250; thehoteljune.com —Irene Rawlings u LM FALL/WINTER 2020

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Perfect Timing

The ultra-complicated tourbillon watch is a mechanical masterpiece that defies gravity to tell time to the exact secondâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and tell it beautifully. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN POZNIAK MARKET EDITOR PAUL FREDERICK

ULYSSE NARDIN FREAK X; ULYSSE-NARDIN.COM GIRARD-PERREGAUX LAUREATO ABSOLUTE LIGHT; WATCHESOFSWITZERLAND.COM THROUGHOUT, ALL PRICES UPON REQUEST

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AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK CONCEPT FROSTED GOLD FLYING TOURBILLON; AUDEMARSPIGUET.COM Opposite: L.U. CHOPARD ALL-IN-ONE NEW YORK CITY; CHOPARD.COM H. MOSER PIONEER TOURBILLON FUNKY BLUE; H-MOSER.COM

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OMEGA DE VILLE TOURBILLON CO-AXIAL NUMBERED EDITION; OMEGAWATCHES.COM

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VACHERON CONSTANTIN MALTE TOURBILLON; VACHERON-CONSTANTIN.COM PIAGET POLO EMPERADOR TOURBILLON; PIAGET.COM

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BREGUET CLASSIQUE EXTRA-THIN TOURBILLON; BREGUET.COM PARMIGIANI FLEURIER TONDA 1950 TOURBILLON; PARMIGIANI.COM

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Diamonds in the Raw

Sliced to perfection, these uniquely striated stones emit a brilliant sparkle. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN POZNIAK MARKET EDITOR PAUL FREDERICK

RUCHI NEW YORK NEBULA DROP EARRINGS, $10,000; RUCHINEWYORK.COM Opposite: NINA RUNSDORF EARRINGS, $20,000; NINARUNSDORF.COM SUSAN FOSTER JEWELRY NECKLACE, $4,800; SUSANFOSTERJEWELRY.COM

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MARCO BICEGO UNICO EARRINGS, $9,860; US.MARCOBICEGO.COM SYLVA & CIE GOOD GIRL GONE BAD RING, $13,500; MITCHELLS-JEWELRY.COM

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From left: KIMBERLY MCDONALD EARRINGS, PRICE UPON REQUEST; KIMBERLYMCDONALD.COM CATHY WATERMAN THORN FRAME EARRINGS, $39,950; CATHYWATERMAN.COM

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THE LUXURY LOOK

Set Your Sights

If you’re itching to get out and see the world—not to mention star clusters and other phenomena of the galaxy—throw a lightweight pair of binoculars in your daypack and hit the trails. Then bring the latest smart telescope outside after the sun goes down. PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANKIE BATISTA STYLING BY HEIDI MEEK

he long sunlit days of summer may be gone, but there’s reason to be excited about extra hours of darkness in the fall and winter months. In fact, there are about 400 billion reasons. Most astronomers estimate that the Milky Way galaxy is made up of about that many stars, and while summer nights are pleasantly warm, winter nights are distinctly star-studded. “During the winter,” says Jim Sowell, director of Georgia Tech’s observatory, “the humidity is significantly lower, so the atmosphere—the sky—is very clear and transparent, allowing us to see fainter stars.” When it comes to viewing those stars, smart, robotized telescopes are en vogue. One of the newest releases is Stellina, an appenabled telescope that effectively replaces a traditional eyepiece with the screen of a smartphone or tablet. Conceptualized by Vaonis (a young French company) and sharing its name with the Italian word that

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means “little star,” Stellina is described as an “observation station,” or a unique hybrid between a robotized telescope and a camera. The telescope is programmed with automated star field recognition, which means it scans the portion of the sky that it can see and then delivers a catalog of objects that users can further explore. Observations are enhanced using live stacking technology, through which Stellina combines several exposures of a star cluster, nebula, or galaxy to create a sharp and clear image. Weighing only 24 pounds, Stellina is small enough to be easily transported, and its external battery can power the device for up to five hours. Equipped with its own internal Wi-Fi network, the telescope transmits live observation to as many as 10 devices simultaneously. And because Stellina is controlled through an app, those who seek out magnified views of the stars aren’t required to brave the elements themselves. To make magnified observations of the

outside world during daylight hours, you cannot go wrong with Leica’s Ultravid HD-Plus lineup of binoculars. Equipped with fluoride lenses, they produce brightly lit images with sharp contrast and impressive color rendition. The different magnification strengths offer distinct capabilities: 8x has a larger field of view, whereas 10x delivers sharply focused details even when objects are viewed from great distances. Model size also influences the Ultravid HD-Plus’s capabilities. The 8x42, for example, delivers increased light transmission, which improves a user’s vision during twilight hours; while the 8x50 features a front lens with a large diameter, making it well-suited for dusk or even nighttime use. For all-around versatility, however, nothing beats the 8x32, which delivers high optical performance with easy focusing in a compact, lightweight form that makes it the most convenient choice for day trips through the city or out hiking the trails. —Shaun Tolson

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LEICA ULTRAVID HD-PLUS 8x32 binoculars, $2,000; leicacamerausa.com BRUNELLO CUCINELLI sweater, $995; brunellocucinelli.com BUCK MASON shirt, $64; buckmason.com MONFRÃ&#x2C6;RE jeans, $210; monfrerefashion.com

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STELLINA BY VAONIS telescope, $4,000; vaonis.com LULULEMON vest, $168; lululemon.com VINCE shirt, $155; vince.com RAG & BONE jeans, $250; rag-bone.com TO BOOT NEW YORK boots, $550; toboot.com

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TECH

Sound Design

Visually appealing electronics offer form with function. BY FRANK VIZARD

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All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer

Outdoor Television Cue the classic Million Dollar Movie theme. At the touch of a remote control, a carbon-fiber column rises from the ground, extending to its full height of 19 feet. Then, over the next 40 seconds, seven LED panels silently unfold like an accordion to create a single, seamless screen measuring 301 inches wide. The C Seed 301 television offers highquality viewing spec’d for outdoor challenges like wind speeds of up to 15 mph. Six speakers and one subwoofer handle the sonic dimensions. $1.5 million; cseed.tv

All-in-One Vinyl Player The mid-century modern aesthetic of the Andover Model-One turntable music system evokes vinyl’s golden age, but 21st-century engineering allows the turntable, speakers, and 150-watt amplifier to be combined in a distortionfree, space-saving configuration. The ModelOne doesn’t skip a beat as it delivers a remarkable, room-filling performance. Modern conveniences include wireless Bluetooth connectivity. $2,000; andoveraudio.com

Mini Sound System High-resolution audio unlocks the sounds musicians intended for you to hear, but it can require a major investment of money and square footage. Smaller than a cell phone, the Astell & Kern SR25 Audio Player produces remarkable sound quality for its size. The device has 64 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot for extra capacity. The moving angle design evokes the vibe of pulsating music—for more than 20 hours before recharging— and the feel of a luxury watch, using the same Swiss precision tooling. $700; astellkern.com

Tabletop Speakers Clad in bamboo and elevated by an aluminum frame, the iFi Aurora speaker is designed to be seen and heard. While the Japanese-inspired exterior is noteworthy, so is the hybrid analog/digital sound processing scheme whose most visible element is a Russian-made vacuum tube seen through a window next to the touch-sensitive control panel. The Aurora features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for flexibility and several can be linked to create a multi-room system. $1,400; ifi-audio.com u

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Wrapped and Ready

Here’s something for everyone on your list: the audiophile, the gamer, the explorer, the athlete, and the at-home chef. BY SHAUN TOLSON

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAMER

Unlike hi-fi systems that require the precise positioning of loudspeakers to deliver exceptional sound to pre-determined listening locations, the Lexicon SL-1 system is easy to adjust. Featuring two floor-standing loudspeakers—each equipped with 33 drivers arranged in 360-degree configurations—the SL-1 system uses a technology called beamsteering that directs sound waves in any direction via a mobile app. Each loudspeaker is also equipped with 46 amplifiers that can deliver up to 1,300 watts of continuous power. $40,000; lexicon.com

Serious video game players can appreciate the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor. The screen’s 1000R curvature matches the curve of the human eye, which minimizes strain and allows for maximum story immersion. The Odyssey G9 also features Quantum Dot technology, which produces more vivid color. And through the company’s high-dynamic-range resolution technology and a refresh rate as fast as 240 Hz, the player experience becomes as realistic as the software company’s developers intended. $1,700; samsung.com

Don’t be fooled by the size of the Sonos Arc cinematic soundbar. The remarkably slim device features almost a dozen drivers to produce crisp, high-pitched notes, impressive bass, and dynamic midrange sound. When paired with a wirelessly connected subwoofer and a pair of rear surround speakers, the listening experience becomes quite immersive. A speech enhancement feature created in collaboration with Oscar-winning sound engineers clarifies dialogue spoken either too softly or muffled by on-screen action. From $800; sonos.com

Sony will unveil the PlayStation 5 this holiday season, 25 years after the personal electronics company released the original console in the United States. Needless to say, a lot has changed in the last quarter of a century. The new console is lightning-quick thanks to an ultra-high-speed solid-state drive, and game play is remarkably fluid thanks to a frame rate that peaks at 120 frames per second. Graphics are also as lifelike as they’ve ever been— rays of light are individually simulated, for example, which creates lifelike shadows and reflections. $500; playstation.com 

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Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top Left: HARMAN Luxury Audio; Samsung; Sony; Sonos. Opposite: Courtesy Samsung

SOUND RECOMMENDATIONS

Photo Credits

Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor

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PLAYERS DELIGHT

Exploring ocean depths has never been easier thanks to the Chasing M2 ROV Professional Underwater Drone. Not only can the drone be deployed by a single person in three minutes, its lithium battery can support up to four hours of dive time. The M2 is powered by eight vectored thrusters, which means it can move in every direction, and its depth-lock mode allows the drone to hover accurately in any attitude. It dives as deep as 100 meters (328 feet) and operates in water as cold as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also equipped with a 4K EIS image stabilization camera and two 2000-lumen LED lights. $2,700; chasing.com

Not all golf simulators are created equal and Virtual Golf 2 by TrackMan is proof. Utilizing a combination of radar and camera technology, the simulator marries the precision of TrackMan’s launch monitor with the lifelike aesthetic of high-end virtual golf. Play nearly 80 exceptional courses, including Irish gems such as Lahinch Golf Club, that have been mapped using LIDAR drone technology. Improved spin measurements—along with new algorithms for bounce, spin, and roll—make play even more realistic; and training modes allow players to work on their swings and track their improvement through data-driven feedback. From $50,000; trackmangolf.com

The Panasonic LUMIX G100, a 4K mirrorless vlogging camera, allows users to shoot, transfer, edit, and upload in 4K and FHD video. The camera features a free-angle monitor that rotates 180 degrees and five-axis hybrid image stabilization for filming a walk-and-talk scene without any turbulence. The camera’s internal microphone is enhanced by face-recognition technology to produce clear audio, while a video selfie mode keeps both the user’s face and the background in focus. $750; shop.panasonic.com

Simply put, this off-road e-skateboard is a trailblazer—literally. Weighing just under 50 pounds, the all-terrain Cycleagle XCountryboard-4S can cruise over rocks, roots, potholes, and even up hills with a 30-percent incline. Made of hollow, aviationgrade aluminum with a carbon-fiber deck, the board can drive over almost any surface thanks to a multilink, independent suspension system and four brushless motors that create powerful torque on demand. Ten-inch, lightweight pneumatic tires enhance the smoothness of the ride. $3,700; cycleagle.com

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All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer

CAPTURE THESE

Hestan Cue Smart Cooking System

GEAR FOR THE GOURMAND

With the Hestan Cue Smart Cooking System, home chefs can better manage—and successfully execute—kitchen preparations. The system features a proprietary induction cooktop and cookware that is equipped with internal heat sensors, regulating the precise cooking temperature needed at every stage of the process. Via Bluetooth technology, the system relays this information to a smartphone app so you can follow along. More than 300 video-guided recipes are available, all of which tell cooks the exact moment when a specific task should be executed. From $400; hestancue.com The act of sous-vide cooking produces delicious results. But using an immersion circulator and a water bath to create low, steady temperatures can sound intimidating. With the Mellow Smart Sous-Vide Machine, a built-in weight sensor ensures that the device knows exactly what to do once food is placed inside the water bath; and through a smartphone app and Wi-Fi connectivity, users can control the cooking process from anywhere. The app also solicits and stores user feedback after every meal, which allows the device to customize cooking times and temperatures to meet individual preferences. $150; cookmellow.com u Log on to luxurymagazine.com for more cutting-edge products featured in “The 100 Best Gifts to Give & Get.”

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www.radpowerbikes.com | info@radpowerbikes.com | (800) 939-0310 | @radpowerbikes

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re venturing off into nature or just cruising around your hometown, our award-winning electric bikes give you the opportunity to explore further than you ever thought possible. With varying levels of pedal assist, you can set your own pace by putting in as much or as little work as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like. Each model is equipped with a powerful motor that lets you gracefully conquer hills and easily get up to 20 mph with a simple flick of your wrist. And with a detachable battery, you can travel up to 45+ miles off a single charge. Cut down on stress while enjoying fun, sweat-free rides. No spandex required.

Dog Trippin’

With this year’s increase in road trips and surge in private jet travel, bringing Fido along on the family vacation has become de rigueur, and a trend that high-end hotels are taking seriously.

uxury resorts rightfully claiming the status of hospitable to “man’s best friend” often have house dogs of their own. They offer dogwalking and -sitting; amenities such as loaner beds, bowls, and toys; and they even bake custom biscuits and have pet room-service menus. The very best go the extra mile with canine-friendly dining venues, and dog parks and beaches on property. Here, the most desirable destinations laying out the pup welcome mat.

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Courtesy The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. Opposite: Images Courtesy Listed Hotel

BY LARRY OLMSTED

THE ROUNDTREE Amagansett, New York Set on two acres hidden behind its central colonial-style home on Main Street in this quaint Hamptons village, The Roundtree is the newest luxury boutique hotel in the area, having just opened this past June. Its 15 rooms and suites, spread out among private cottages and a barn, feature crisp Frette linens, thick Matouk towels, and every possible amenity for your pup, from a plush bed and bowls to a bandana and an assortment of food-grade chew toys from Benebone. The great lawn offers a safe environment for dogs to roam free. At specific times of the day, dogs are allowed on the beach a mile down the road, and the concierge is there to drop you off with chairs, umbrellas, towels, and toys; then pick you up when you’re ready to return for s’mores around the firepit. From $395; theroundtreehotels.com

INN BY THE SEA Cape Elizabeth, Maine Welcoming pets for more than 30 years, this inn just a few minutes outside downtown Portland recently upped its ante with new lavish Cove Suites. In separate beachfront buildings, these two-bedroom residences have ample indoor and outdoor living space, plus a fireplace, kitchen, and furnished deck. While most properties charge pet fees, here canine accommodations are complimentary, including water bowls, beach towels, cozy blankets, and signature treats at turndown. Dog-walking and -sitting is available, and an outdoor bar deck features a gourmet pet menu. The house dog is a rescue in partnership with a local shelter—a program that has led to over 150 dogs being placed with visiting guests. Nearby are trails, pet-friendly beaches, and free-range parks. From $300; innbythesea.com

CHATHAM BARS INN Cape Cod, Massachusetts The dog-friendly rooms here are spacious, directaccess cottages overlooking the Atlantic, most with gas fireplaces and decks or patios. They are so popular that the concierge has even helped guests throw doggy birthday parties. Take your dog kayaking right from the resort’s dock and to the beach at nearby Jackknife Harbor. The resort has its own on-property 8-acre culinary farm, a private beach, tennis courts, powered and self-powered watercraft, guided fishing charters, and most uniquely, a partnership with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy offering shark buffs a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go onboard with a Conservancy expert to learn about and observe great whites in the open ocean. From $400; chathambarsinn.com

MAYFLOWER INN & SPA Washington, Connecticut Long the top luxury escape in the Nutmeg State, the Mayflower is now even better, having just unveiled a total redesign by renowned interior designer Celerie Kemble, who took inspiration from English and Scandinavian country houses. One thing, though, has not changed: the inn’s dog-friendly approach with size-appropriate beds, two farmhouse pottery bowls, and a mat, all from New England’s Orvis outfitters. Dogs also enjoy a full treat jar from Doggylicious in nearby New Milford. Just 90 minutes north of New York City, the resort occupies 58 rolling acres in rural Litchfield County and features a lavish spa, standup paddleboarding, canoeing, hiking, forest bathing, Nordic skiing, and more. From $750; aubergeresorts.com 

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All Images Courtesy Listed Hotel

MONTAGE PALMETTO BLUFF South Carolina Don’t be surprised when you make a reservation and they ask for your dog’s name and breed—that’s the kind of special recognition this resort just outside of Hilton Head offers pets. With its canine ambassador, Cauley, a Labrador-mix from the local Humane Association roaming the premises, the hotel provides deluxe pet beds, toys, and treats of house-made sweet potato chews and mint cookies. Extras include a pet room-service menu, dog-walking and -sitting, even grooming services. There are many miles of walking trails around the property, and nearby historic Old Town Bluffton has lots of stores and outdoor eateries that welcome dogs. From $345; montagehotels.com

A Trifecta in Colorado

RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH Beaver Creek The world’s first Ritz-Carlton with a canine “Ambassadog,” this ski and summer resort is a pet-friendly pioneer since opening in 2002. Currently in residence are two canine ambassadors: Scout, a 4-year-old Bernese mountain dog, and Bachelor, the new 100-pound Saint Bernard puppy in training. They meet and greet guests, accompany them on hikes, and generally cheer up families who did not bring their own pet. Dog beds, bowls, and treats are provided, and dog-friendly rooms and suites are even available on the prestigious Club Level. For those who want to take a day on their own, the hotel partners with nearby Wanderlust Dog Ranch for deluxe daycare. From $369; ritzcarlton.com

HOTEL JEROME, Aspen For the best of both worlds, this Auberge Resorts Collection property sits in the heart of dog-loving downtown Aspen with excellent access to all of the outdoor activities in the surrounding area. The hotel provides treats, pet beds, and food and water bowls tailored to your pet’s size ($100 per stay for up to two dogs), and also offers a lengthy menu of chef-made canine cuisine. Right behind the property is a dog-friendly park, which complements the more than 120 miles of spectacular hiking and snowshoeing trails available. The Jerome is especially well-known for its dog-sitting, where you can leave your pup(s) with the concierge for a few hours. From $675; aubergeresorts.com

THE BROADMOOR, Colorado Springs At the nation’s longest-running five-star resort, visiting pets become honorary members of the Pitty Pat Club, named for the founders’ beloved poodle. Amenities include custom bedding for those in residence, bowls, treats, a map of the resort’s dog trails, nearby dog parks, and a full retail pet boutique, in addition to a dog dining menu, and walking and sitting services. Dog-friendly rooms and suites are all on the ground level for ease of entry and exit. A top choice is the Estate House, a luxurious fivebedroom, 12,000-square-foot mansion with landscaped private gardens starting at $5,500/night. Rooms from $425; broadmoor.com 

Canine ambassadors meet and greet guests and generally cheer up families who did not bring their own dog.

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Pooch-Focused Travel Essentials

stitched on. $89; orvis.com

You wear a seatbelt; shouldn’t your best friend? Industry leader Kurgo spent eight years researching, engineering, and crash-testing to develop the Kurgo Impact Car Harness, produced to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for child restraints. It uses a single piece of 4,000-pound tubular webbing with reinforced bar tacking, attaches to a seat belt, and has been tested with simulated dogs up to 108 pounds. As a bonus, it keeps your pal from roaming the car and distracting the driver. $85; kurgo.com

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The same indestructible, heavy-duty construction that makes YETI the world’s best cooler brand has been built into the YETI Boomer Custom Dog Bowl. Featuring a non-skid base and enough heft to keep it from slipping on a suite’s marble bathroom floor, it is made of double-walled stainless steel and is dishwasher safe. Available in two sizes that can be customized with names, breed pictures, custom images, and finishes. $40–$50; yeti.com

Doubling as an in-car mat, crate liner, or just an extra place to rest, the Ruffwear Mt. Bachelor Portable Bed is equally suited for luxury hotels, glamping, or the wilderness. The cushioned mat with a soft, durable, easy-to-clean micro-suede sleeping surface gives dogs a sense of home in any environment. Available in two sizes, it rolls up and secures with integrated hook and loop straps for easy transporting. $70; ruffwear.com

Most folding travel crates are made of flimsy fabric and zippers, or bulky, noisy, heavy metal wire bars. The Revol Collapsible Travel Dog Crate reinvents the category with its sturdy design using plastics inspired by popular baby products. It sets up and flattens with a simple motion, and is comfortable enough to be used full time at home. The diamond mesh construction is paw- and jaw-friendly, and safe for puppies. Added bonus: it’s quiet! From $245; diggs.pet

In these days of perpetual social media posts, your pup needs to look as chic as you do. Enter the Boo Oh Stylish Lumi Leash & Collar Set and Walking Ray Harness, plus waste bag holder, by Korean artist and industrial designer Jay Sae Jung Oh. Inspired by her French bulldog Boo, the collection features vegetable-dyed Italian Buttero leather and lightweight anodized aluminum hardware in a sophisticated, minimalist aesthetic. $250 for the leash set, $129 for the harness (shown); boo-oh.com u

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer

The Orvis Dog Weekender Travel Kit features two folding bowls and an easy-cleaning, polypropylenelined, BPA-free zippered storage bag that holds 5 pounds of dry food. It all fits neatly into a carrying case with internal and external pockets for treats, water bottles, and more. Customize it with your pet’s name

A N E W U R B A N I ST TOW N O N T H E P R I ST I N E B E AC H E S O F F LO R I DAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S G U L F C OA ST

Where every detail makes luxury seem simple, and a life of beauty, balance, and grace still thrives. This is life defined.

8 5 0 . 2 13 . 5 5 0 0 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A L Y S B E A C H . C O M

One Place, Two Ways Nantucket

BY CODIE STEENSMA

COSMOPOLITAN CHARM

Gypsy Opened in 2003 by jet-setter and personal stylist Paola Gonfrade, the boutique outfits urban women in chic beach dresses by Gabriela Hearst and the ever-glamorous resortwear of Johanna Ortiz; or choose a breezy night trench coat from The Row. Gonfrade, who frequents seasonal runway shows, curates the shop herself. gypsyusa.com Samuel Owen Gallery With other locations in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Palm Beach, Florida, this contemporary gallery shows emerging artists alongside highprofile names like Damien Hirst and Tom Fruin. Owner Lee Milazzo has an unerring eye for modern art. samuelowen.com

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Afterhouse Seafood & Wine Bar Co-founded by chef Scott Osif of the local, renowned Galley Beach restaurant, this romantic hideaway does an elevated raw bar with a large selection of caviar, served by candlelight and modern jazz tracks. Note the refreshingly unique and expertly curated wine list. afterhouse.net Cru Visit this hip seafood stop for cocktails, raw bar favorites, and snacks (lobster cocktail with tarragon and pickled shallots). Make reservations for dinner to enjoy the restaurant’s coveted setting on one of Nantucket’s premier wharfs with excellent views of the waterfront. crunantucket.com

The Proprietors Discover the diverse, global food menu at this cozy dive in a nook off a side street. Try something new: chicken-fried trout or the burger with marrow glaze. One of the island’s best craft cocktail lists. proprietorsnantucket.com STAY: White Elephant Overlooking the harbor at the edge of downtown, the shingled, 66-room hotel favors green lawns, hydrangeas, cozy fireplaces, and befitting coastal décor. The sprawling property includes cottages, downtown lofts, and residences—all with up to three bedrooms and within a half mile of the main hotel. Two blocks away is White Elephant’s charming inn with an outdoor pool. Brant Point Grill at the hotel focuses on seafood and steak. From $195; whiteelephantnantucket.com

Clockwise From Top Left: Kit Noble/NantucketStock; iStock; Courtesy Nantucket Chamber/Emily Elisabeth; Courtesy White Elephant; Courtesy Nantucket Chamber/Emily Elisabeth; Courtesy Matt Devine

Don’t let the old-world cobblestones fool you; downtown is overflowing with designer boutiques, innovative chefs, and fine galleries.

Clockwise From Top Left: Cary Hazlegrove/NantucketStock; iStock; Cary Hazlegrove/NantucketStock; Courtesy Wauwinet; iStock; Courtesy R. Cheek

REMOTE ENVIRONMENTALISM Few know that 60 percent of the island is designated for conservation and wildlife refuge (beaches included).

’Sconset Bluff Walk On the eastern end of Nantucket is Siasconset, a small former fishing village surrounded by private homes, stellar south shore surfing breaks, and scenic public walking routes. At the bluff it feels like you’ve reached the end of the world. Amid the stark surrounds, natural wildflowers bloom. Great Point Lighthouse Getting here requires knowing a thing or two about letting the air out of tires to drive on the sand. Hire a private guide or four-wheel like a local to view “the Gray Lady” (as Nantucket is nicknamed) from the top of the lighthouse. Dunes layer the sandy coast, rich in sea grass and wild osprey birds. Great Point itself is a little more than 1,100 acres.

Something Natural Hidden among north shore bluff houses, this tiny sandwich shop and bakery makes all the goods for beach-bound takeout or lunch on-site at picnic tables set up on the back lawn. Vegetarian sandwhiches are loaded with sprouts and hummus; the curry chicken salad is a local favorite. Don’t forget a cookie. somethingnatural.com Sustainable Nantucket Farmers and Artisans Market Saturdays from mid-June to mid-October, get your fresh kale, farm-raised duck eggs, and handcrafted succulent planters at this morning, outdoor market. The collective is committed to responsible farming, and sells exclusively to island businesses. sustainable-nantucket.org

Bartlett’s Farm The oldest and largest family-owned farm on the island is an institution. Walk among the fields and then stock up on produce, fresh seafood, cut flowers, and craft beer. Just down the street is Cisco Brewers, where you can stop for a tasting flight and live music. bartlettsfarm.com STAY: The Wauwinet White Elephant’s sister hotel 9 miles down the road is another shingled, picturesque coastal inn. Like relaxing in a leather-bound classic novel, rooms and cottages blend eccentricity with antique wicker furniture, Chintz textiles, and American folk art. Ocean-facing lawn chairs pair well with Champagne and the Retsyo oysters, cultivated just 300 yards away. The tasting menu on Topper’s deck is a must. From $195; wauwinet.com u

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Northern California Trail Spin

Why hike it when you can bike it? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the premise behind the Tahoe Twirl, an adrenaline-infused bikepacking route that does not disappoint. BY CHRIS BRINLEE JR. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN REED OLSEN

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If you are unfamiliar with bikepacking, it’s what you would expect from a sport with such a name: a rugged combination of mountain biking and backpacking. The former allows for covering great distances with more ease and at higher speeds than is possible on foot. Like backpacking, bikepacking allows for multiday trips, as long as you can camp. And while riders on bicycle touring trips favor paved routes and permanent accommodations, bikepackers ride terrain that demands a lighter loadout, so streamlined packs are mounted directly to the bike, instead of comparatively heavy, bulky racks and panniers. A lightweight road bike touring setup may have four panniers with up to 3.5 cubic feet of capacity, stuffed with potentially 50

pounds of gear or more; a typical bikepacking rig comprises a mountain bike, frame bag, seat bag, handlebar roll, and maybe a couple of small accessory bags—providing around half the total volume of the touring rig. This significant reduction allows for much greater riding agility, especially on more technical trails. Therein lies the beauty of it: the ability to tackle routes with increased capability and be rewarded for it with access to wildness and solitude not to mention greater thrills. One significant caveat of the sport, especially on the Twirl, is that it requires a strong degree of aerobic fitness, and some previous time in the saddle. Expect to climb and descend nearly 20,000 feet over the course, with much of the elevation change occurring more than a mile above sea level; 

Opposite: Chris Brinlee Jr.

or most backpackers, hiking the entire 170-mile Tahoe Rim Trail takes about 10 days. The loop circumnavigates the famously blue Lake Tahoe in Northern California, attracting adventurists for its pristine nature, water access, wildflowers, forests, panoramic summit views, and otherworldly lava formations. And then there’s the Tahoe Twirl. For mountain bikers seeking the same wilderness terrain and changing views as the TRT, this path reroutes as a 187-mile bikepacking circle that can be completed in half the time. The main difference is going around and not through the federally protected Desolation and Mount Rose Wilderness areas (no mountain bikes allowed).

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topping out just shy of 10,000 feet elevation. All of that, on a loaded-down mountain bike. Fortunately, Lake Tahoe’s popularity translates to ample opportunities for resupplies at various tourist outposts. Instead of riding off with five days’ worth of food at the start, carry only one day’s rations. Supermarkets, grocery stores, and restaurants allow for a loadout that’s relatively light compared to what truly remote rides require. To sweeten the deal, there is abundant access to clear rivers, lakes, and streams throughout the loop. The use of a portable water filter makes those same sources, which provide some of the country’s best-tasting tap, totally safe to drink; it’s not necessary to carry more than a few water bottles at a time. That clean, cool resource is the direct result of snowmelt—another factor to consider. The Twirl is best traveled clockwise between late June and early October, when snow has melted off alpine passages, but before winter arrives. The route technically begins and ends in Reno, Nevada, but starting from the quaint mountain mining town of Truckee, California, is logistically easier for those driving in from coastal California. From there the route trends north through picturesque neighborhoods and bike paths before jumping onto a stretch of rolling, flowy singletrack. Once the path crosses the highway, it transitions to a mellow, graded forest service road that leads to back-to-back stream fords. Riders must strip off shoes and carry their bikes across barefoot. If the California trail seems to transport you back in time, recall some of these same valleys were crossed on covered wagons during the 19th century.

Replenish water rations in the small, clean creeks before making the climb up to the trip’s first summit. From Henness Pass (6,916 feet), it’s all downhill, on a bone-rattling, slate-covered doubletrack to Verdi, Nevada. A bit of highway-access-road riding leads to a bike path that follows the Truckee River all the way through Reno.

The California trail transports you back in time, when these same valleys were crossed on covered wagons during the 19th century. Down in the valley, it’s hot, so access points along the river offer welcome respite. But there’s no need to catch dinner, as you can buy supplies in town before beginning an afternoon climb out of the desert on a doubletrack that runs through Bureau of Land Management property. Back in the forest, there are again creeks to take water from before the finishing climb up Mount Rose (the route’s highest point) to make camp near the summit. Day two begins with a blast down the highway for a mile or two back toward Tahoe before a quick pivot onto the legendary

Flume Trail. This bucket-list ride is defined by its tight singletrack—cut straight out of a granite cliff band and precariously perched hundreds of feet above the lake. Consequence is high, but the risk is low, and nothing beats the thrill or the view. Now officially on the Tahoe Rim Trail, you’ll smash singletrack and blast down the double, passing Marlette and Spooner lakes— two great options for taking a swim. Skirt the summit of Genoa Peak, taking in expansive views of Tahoe to the west, all the way to Kingsbury Grade. Resupply at the market or grab barbecue from Fox & Hound before another 8 miles and nearly 3,000 feet of gain to reach what is perhaps the trip’s most exquisite campsite at Star Lake. If you packed a portable fly rod, now’s the time to use it. The fish here bite; a supplement to dinner is all but guaranteed. Day three makes for the most blissful part of the trip. At the intersection with the forest service road at the meadows, make sure to go right; then cross the creek to take full advantage of it. Back in the basin, a combination of singletrack, forest service roads, and bike paths lead to Highway 89— the longest, most scenic, most memorable road-riding section of the trip. Climb up past Cascade Lake, traverse around Emerald Bay, and then skirt the western shores of Tahoe on mellow bike paths. Take a swim in the lake just before Tahoe City, or in the Truckee River, which originates here. Grab some groceries and water before the climb out of town. A slight detour to Watson Lake will make a nice place to camp; from there, it’s a short ride back down to Truckee. Mission complete. 

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G E A R

APPAREL London-based Rapha (rapha.cc) designed its Brevet collection for explorers who venture off the beaten path, but still care to exude a particular degree of style and class. The Brevet Cargo Bib Shorts ($270), Base Layer (from $40), and Jersey (from $72) work with the Explore Hooded GoreTex Pullover (from $295) and Explore Gloves ($70) to keep you cool, dry, and dialed in no matter the riding conditions. HELMET AND SHOES Giro (giro.com) has you covered head and toe. The Manifest Spherical ($260) is the safest, best ventilated, most premium trail helmet available; while the VR70 Knit ($250) applies a radical new approach to off-road footwear with its Xnetic knit upper, resulting in a profoundly comfortable and breathable MTB shoe. BICYCLE Riding the Twirl, the contrast of technical singletrack and forest road grinds necessitate a versatile bike; the crazy light Canyon Lux CF SLX 9.0 Team ($6,000; canyon.com) features Fox 32 Stepcast Factory and FLOAT DPS Factory full suspension. The dropper post provides huge confidence when riding becomes technical; press a switch on the bars to quickly lock it out for ultimate stiffness and power transfer during steep climbs.

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer.

PACKS After the bike, packs are at the core of bikepacking gear; Revelate Designs (revelatedesigns.com) has been at it longer than any other brand and sells incredibly versatile, dialed-in pack systems. Together the Full Suspension Frame Bag ($90), Vole Seat Bag ($160), Pronghorn handlebar system (from $145), Mag-Tank ($59), and Jerrycan ($46) provide weatherproof, innovative, easy-to-mount packing solutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;carrying and protecting your gear and providing convenient access when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed the most. COMPUTER The Twirl is a big route, with lots of intersections and minute directional changes. The easiest way to stay on course is to sync up the GPS tracks from Ride with GPS into a Wahoo ELEMNT Roam ($380; wahoofitness.com). The ELEMNT will provide turn-by-turn directions throughout every type of path, while providing real-time metrics on everything from speed and distance traveled to slope grade and heart rate when paired with a TICKR X HR Monitor ($80). u

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Courtesy Ford

The reimagined Ford Bronco

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Super Sport Utes

By the look of things, there’s no end to our collective obsession with sport utility vehicles. We like them when they’re as fast as supercars. We like them when they’re as surefooted as the average mountain goat. So, with the passing of each year, we see more and more interesting SUVs released—models with greater versatility and go-anywhere capability, with increased power and performance. Here, five new SUVs to whet the enthusiast’s appetite. BY MARK HACKING

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For a mainstream automotive brand, Ford has introduced a generous handful of ultra-desirable models in the recent past— including the F-150 Raptor, GT, and Mustang Shelby GT500. Now, they’ve come out swinging again with another iconic ride, the reimagined Ford Bronco. Not to be confused with the brand-new Bronco Sport, which looks similar but is mechanically different, the Bronco is a serious and stylish off-roader that’s capable of tackling the gnarliest of trails. Built on a pickup truck platform, the Bronco features two different 4-wheel drive systems, one with hi-lo transfer case and the other with a 2-speed electromechanical transfer case, available locking front and rear differentials, generous suspension travel, and underbody cladding to protect from rocks and other obstacles. Power for the Bronco comes from either a turbocharged 2.3-liter 64

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4-cylinder (270 hp; 310 ft lbs) or a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 (310 hp; 400 ft lbs). This badass ride also boasts no fewer than eight different drive modes and either a 7-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission. Aside from the top-grade mechanical underpinnings, the coolest feature of the new-generation Bronco is the collection of various body configurations. This all-road SUV can be ordered in one of three hard-top or soft-top versions, is available with either two or four doors, and all of the doors are removable. To promote even better off-road readiness, the marine-grade upholstery and drain plugs set in the footwells make it easy to wash away dirt and grime. At launch, there were seven different trim levels offered, but one of them, the Ford Bronco First Edition, is already sold out. $28,500; ford.com

Courtesy Ford. Opposite, Courtesy Aston Martin/Max Earey

Ford Bronco

Aston Martin DBX

While it may be late arriving on the scene, the Aston Martin DBX has all the qualities needed to make up for lost time. First off, there’s the exterior design: Despite its size and proportions, the first SUV from the storied British manufacturer is a stunning work of mechanical art. Producing a sport utility that mirrors an existing design language is no simple matter, but the DBX incorporates taillights inspired by the latest Vantage, the iconic front grille, and other Aston design touches with expert style. Inside, there’s no debating that the DBX is a premium ride: panoramic sunroof, perforated leather seats, metallic switchgear, and the familiar winged start button rule the roost. Also, there’s the infotainment system controller, adopted from Mercedes-

Benz, which is the second-most important item on loan from the German carmaker. The first: the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 nestled under the hood. This same engine powers a number of Benzes, as well as versions of the latest Aston Martin DB11 and Vantage. In this application, the V8 churns out 542 hp and 516 ft lbs of torque, enough to send the DBX hustling from a standing start to 60 mph in a shade over 4 seconds. Other highlights include an air suspension system, electronic anti-roll system for sharper cornering, and six driving modes covering every possible scenario from off-road trail to tarmac racetrack. $176,900; astonmartin.com 

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Another icon reborn, the Land Rover Defender is the direct descendant of offroad vehicles that have powered a series of ambitious adventures over the past 70-plus years. The first Land Rover to be called a Defender was built from 1990 to 2016, and was offered in a variety of sizes and body styles, including a pickup truck version. While there’s no word yet on a pickup this time around, there will be plenty of choices to make when configuring your new Defender. First off, there’s the choice between the smaller 90 and larger 110, both models harkening back to identically numbered Defenders of the past; the 90 can accommodate up to six passengers, while the 110 can handle up to seven. There are two engines available for North American models: a turbocharged 4-cylinder (296 hp; 295 ft lbs) and a turbocharged and supercharged 6-cylinder mild hybrid (395 hp; 406 ft lbs) with a 48-volt electrical system to help boost performance and efficiency. There are four models available: the base Defender, X-Dynamic, X, and, if you act very quickly, the First Edition. All versions of the Defender come equipped with a fulltime 4-wheel drive system, 2-speed transfer case, and the Terrain Response system, which allows drivers to select among various modes according to the road conditions. Bonus points: Choosing the “wade” program automatically prepares the Defender to tackle water crossings up to 35.4 inches deep. $46,100; landroverusa.com 

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Courtesy Land Rover/Nick Dimbleby

Land Rover Defender

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If you’re not familiar with the Genesis GV80, get ready for the status quo to change. Reason being, the first sport utility from this relatively new brand has exactly what it takes to compete with the very best vehicles in its segment. Categorized as a mid-size SUV, the Genesis is built on a version of the brand’s rear-wheel drive architecture, which has enabled their G70 to become arguably one of the most engaging sports sedans on the market. In this application, the platform can accommodate an available all-wheel drive system. The GV80 also comes with the choice of a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (with 300 hp under foot) or a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 (with 375 hp and 390 ft lbs of torque); both engines are linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission that is operated via an elegant rotating dial in

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the center console. If this information seems a bit “standardpractice,” it’s important to highlight the relatively low starting price of the GV80 when compared to virtually any other mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle on the market. The sleek exterior design of the GV80—overseen by Luc Donckerwolke, who once headed the design studios at Bentley and Lamborghini—represents a rolling work of art. The passenger cabin showcases a uniquely South Korean take on luxury that’s been influenced by European style: available genuine wood trim, quilted leather seats, and a host of high technology, including an electronically controlled suspension system that utilizes forward-facing cameras to anticipate road conditions. $48,900; genesis.com

Courtesy Genesis/James Lipman. Opposite, Courtesy Mercedes-Benz

Genesis GV80

Mercedes-AMG GLS 63

When you’ve got an in-house tuning division that cranks out some of the tastiest performance cars in the world, it’s a relatively simple task to turn any vehicle into a monster. Thus, we have the somewhat improbable Mercedes-AMG GLS 63, a sevenpassenger SUV that accelerates like a supercar and has the luxury amenities of a limousine. At the heart of the matter is the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, a fire-breathing engine that develops 603 hp and 627 ft lbs of torque. This tech-savvy work of engineering incorporates a 48-volt electric system and an integrated starter motor that helps offset turbo lag and promote increased efficiency. The result: a three-row SUV that can hit 60 mph in around 4 seconds flat and then top out at 174 mph. Improbable, right?

What’s perhaps less astonishing but equally pleasing is how comfortable the GLS 63 is to drive on all types of roads, from the cut-and-thrust of city traffic to the wide open expanse of the nearest two-lane blacktop. This particular AMG features six driving modes (ranging from the sedate to the sand-covered), fantastic sightlines in all directions, plenty of interior space, and a few well-sorted semi-autonomous driver aids. While the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 may not be the quickest of the German brand’s sport utility vehicles, nor the nimblest, it’s more than quick and capable enough. In fact, it’s the perfect ride for chauffeuring a starting five to the nearest basketball court—particularly if that court is just off the Autobahn. $132,100; mbusa.com u

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WEEKEND ESCAPE

Embrace the changing seasons with a mix of stylish elegance and comfortable classics. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK GUY STYLING BY HEIDI MEEK

From left: BROOKS BROTHERS jacket, $298, and shirt, $118; brooksbrothers.com J BRAND jeans, $218; jbrand.com TED BAKER boots, $250; tedbaker.com LONGCHAMP coat, $1,440; longchamp.com CAROLINA HERRERA dress, $1,890; carolinaherrera.com RITCH ERANI boots, $695; ritcherani.com EMPORIO ARMANI coat, $1,495; armani.com CANALI shirt, $275; canali.com A.P.C. jeans, $250; apc-us.com SANTONI shoes, $550; santonishoes.com Shot on location at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California.

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From left: MONCLER jacket, $1,160; moncler.com JAMES PERSE T-shirt, $80; jamesperse.com ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA jeans, $415; zegna.com LONGCHAMP travel bag, $1,035; longchamp.com SANTONI shoes, $550; santonishoes.com VINCE sweater, $495; vince.com ALEXANDER MCQUEEN dress, $2,250; alexandermcqueen.com RITCH ERANI boots, $695; ritcherani.com SAINT LAURENT handbag, $1,090; ysl.com THE SIS KISS earrings, $60; thesiskiss.com FABERGÃ&#x2030; ring, $3,000; faberge.com

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From left: BARACUTA coat, $760; baracuta.com BROOKS BROTHERS shirt, $60; brooksbrothers.com HUDSON jeans, $198; hudsonjeans.com TED BAKER boots, $250; tedbaker.com ZADIG & VOLTAIRE dress, $498; us.zadig-et-voltaire.com CHLOÃ&#x2030; bag, $1,290; chloe.com JOHNNY WAS earrings, $88; johnnywas.com VAGABOND SHOEMAKERS boots, $265; vagabond.com

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STELLA MCCARTNEY coat, $1,825; stellamccartney.com DOLCE & GABBANA dress, $3,195; us.dolcegabbana.com

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BOGLIOLI suit, $1,595; bogliolimilano.com SALVATORE FERRAGAMO belt, $795; ferragamo.com ETON shirt, $285; etonshirts.com

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From left: VALENTINO dress, $2,980; valentino.com MESSIKA PARIS earrings, $21,650; messika.com JOHN VARVATOS jacket, $498, and pants, $198; johnvarvatos.com BRIONI shirt, $625; brioni.com BALLY belt, $295; bally.com

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ULLA JOHNSON dress, $695; ullajohnson.com SANDRO coat, $795; us.sandro-paris.com

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VUORI jacket, $188; vuoriclothing.com BOTTEGA VENETA T-shirt, $370; bottegaveneta.com BALENCIAGA jeans, $595; balenciaga.com COMMON PROJECTS shoes, $425; commonprojects.com

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NAKEDCASHMERE sweater, $325; nakedcashmere.com Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AGENCE jeans, $255; lagence.com VANS shoes, $60; vans.com

NAKEDCASHMERE sweater, $425, and bralette, $130; nakedcashmere.com THEORY leggings, $295; theory.com FRYE boots, $200; thefryecompany.com

VINCE jacket, $895; vince.com LORO PIANA shirt, $535, and jeans, $550; us.loropiana.com GOOD MAN BRAND shoes, $198; thegoodmanbrand.com

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From left: VINCE jacket, $495; vince.com DRESS THE POPULATION dress, $198; dressthepopulation.com RUTHIE DAVIS shoes, $445; ruthiedavis.com LONGCHAMP coat, $6,420; longchamp.com WOLFORD bodysuit, $240; wolfordshop.com THE FOLD pants, $245; thefoldlondon.com VAGABOND SHOEMAKERS boots, $165; vagabond.com

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From left: HOLDEN jacket, $750; holdenouterwear.com VUORI shirt, $98; vuoriclothing.com GOLDEN GOOSE jeans, $400; goldengoose.com LORO PIANA boots, $1,695; loropiana.com CANADA GOOSE hoodie, $595; canadagoose.com BUCK MASON T-shirt, $45; buckmason.com SAINT LAURENT jeans, $650; ysl.com SEASON THREE boots, $345; seasonthree.com

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NAKEDCASHMERE sweater, $250; nakedcashmere.com OUTERKNOWN T-shirt, $78; outerknown.com BRUNELLO CUCINELLI pants, $695; brunellocucinelli.com LORO PIANA shoes, $1,175; loropiana.com Scarves spread on hammock, from left: CANADA GOOSE ivory scarf, $275, gray scarf, $150, two-color woven scarf, $150; canadagoose.com NAKEDCASHMERE wrap, $295; nakedcashmere.com

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Opposite: OLIVIA VON HALLE tracksuit, $1,460; oliviavonhalle.com THE ELDER STATESMAN socks, $200; elder-statesman.com

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ALL SAINTS jacket, $529; allsaints.com J.CREW shirt, $168; jcrew.com GIVENCHY jeans, $680; givenchy.com

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LONGCHAMP dress, $2,490; longchamp.com RUTHIE DAVIS boots, price upon request; ruthiedavis.com FABERGÃ&#x2030; ring, $18,000; faberge.com

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From left: HOLDEN wrap, $500; holdenouterwear.com ACNE STUDIOS sweater, $340; acnestudios.com R13 jeans, $395; r13denim.com RITCH ERANI boots, $695; ritcherani.com RAG & BONE fedora, $195; rag-bone.com JOHN ELLIOTT jacket, $698; johnelliott.com BROOKS BROTHERS sweater, $138; brooksbrothers.com A.P.C. jeans, $250; apc-us.com RODD & GUNN vest, $148; roddandgunn.com VINCE sweater, $525; vince.com ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA jeans, $395; zegna.com BELL & ROSS watch, $3,500; bellross.com CHRISTIAN WIJNANTS sweater, $505; christianwijnants.com LONGCHAMP pants, $1,440; longchamp.com LAFAYETTE 148 boots, $578; lafayette148.com MESSIKA PARIS bracelet, $11,480; messika.com

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BY JORGE S. ARANGO

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Michael Moran/OTTO Archive

Bright Whites

The many aesthetically pleasing moods in these rooms disprove the notion that white is nothing more than the absence of color.

A SheltonMindel interior in Miami, Florida

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MIAMI, FLORIDA

Architecture: Foster + Partners, fosterandpartners.com Interior Design: SheltonMindel, sheltonmindel.com Square Feet: 5,500 Bedrooms: 5 Baths: 5.5

Michael Moran/OTTO Archive. Opposite Page: Courtesy Thomas Pheasant/Max Kim-Bee

Predominant White Shade: Benjamin Moore Ultra Spec (flat) and Decorators White (ceilings); Sherwin Williams Cashmere Decorators White (walls)

“Color is about adjacency, context, and relationships,” says designer Lee Mindel. Any white shade out of the thousands that exist must be examined for the way it relates to the setting in which it will live, as well as to colors in other rooms that are visible from that location. “This white is in harmony with sand, water, and the colors of Miami,” he says. “It interacts with all of these, creating a seamless integration of art, architecture, and context.” Part of that context is light. And white, he maintains, “is light” in the way it reflects and absorbs ambient illumination, natural or manmade. Aside from the white architectural trappings, most furniture—a 1968 Face a Face banquette by Pierre Paulin (through Ralph Pucci) and Cappellini’s biomorphic Orgone coffee tables and custom sofas—are white too. A pop of pink comes from a 1980s glass Vistosi drinks table purchased at Phillips London.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.

Concept Architecture & Interior Design: Thomas Pheasant, thomaspheasant.com Architect of Record: Overmyer Architects, overmyerarchitects.com Square Feet: About 10,000 Bedrooms: 5 Baths: 7 Predominant White Shade: Benjamin Moore OC-117

“This room is not about the white,” insists designer Thomas Pheasant of this striking living room. “The white is the vehicle to showcase forms and textures I like. This space could have been all black, all red, all blue. But white has a clean spirit.” That spirit was important for the owners, a young couple with three children. They liked the classical architecture of this house in the 1920s Foxhall neighborhood west of Georgetown, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “But I wanted the house to have a bright, fresh spirit,” says Pheasant. The palette helps highlight the furniture, which is “all simple, angular, and graphic,” he says. Save for urchin-like Pia Maria Raeder tables unearthed at Galerie BSL in Paris, all pieces come from Pheasant’s own designs for Baker and his private studio collection. The relative sparseness will “allow the family to grow into the house.” 

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Architecture: Landry Design Group, Inc., landrydesigngroup.com Interior Design: Magni Kalman Design, magnikalman.com Square Feet: 12,500 Bedrooms: 6 Baths: 9 Predominant White Shade: Benjamin Moore Aura White Dove matte finish 522

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The entry hall that architect Richard Landry designed for a young family with an affinity for art and architecture features a sweeping stairway that lands in a 30-foot-tall rotunda with a base that, he says, “flares out to relate to the shape of the rotunda and the curved front and rear of the house.” James Magni, principal at Magni Kalman Design, says he and his team traveled with the clients to a quarry in Verona, Italy, to select stone for the project. There, Magni recalls, “We fell in love with a small, single panel of carved stone by Zaha Hadid. We developed the concept of featuring it as the entry wall, scaling it to fit the much larger space.” Landry observes, “It’s incredible the movement Hadid was able to create, to make something fluid out of a material that’s hard and solid.” Monochromatic artwork by Anish Kapoor, Enrico Castellani, and Roland Reiss add presence without distracting from the Hadid installation.

Courtesy Magni Kalman Design. Opposite Page, Courtesy Katherine Pooley/Ray Main

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

WIMBLEDON, LONDON

Architecture: F. Wheeler (Frederick, 1853–1931), Son and Searle Interior Design: Katharine Pooley, katharinepooley.com Square Feet: 10,000 Bedrooms: 5 Baths: 5 Predominant White Shade: Farrow & Ball Blackened No. 2011

“I believe the best design should transport the viewer from the everyday and the humdrum,” says designer Katharine Pooley, “and make them feel they have entered an alternative realm of beauty, comfort, luxury, and serenity.” Existing in the dining room of this historic, early1900s brick-and-stonework home was a section of ornate original plasterwork that Pooley restored. “Its graceful, florid lines and intricate detailing needed to be balanced with clean shapes and a light color palette,” she explains. A bespoke dark-stained wood table anchors the space, which is otherwise a symphony of delicate whites, starting with walls of Farrow & Ball’s coolest white shade in its Estate Emulsion finish, which, Pooley says, “has a beautiful soft patina.” A shimmery silk rug, crystal sconces, and couture details (chain mail clasps on chair backs) heighten the magic. “The dining room should be the most elegant of rooms, and white has a timeless elegance,” she says. 

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Courtesy Alexander & Co. Opposite Page, Courtesy Fiona Barratt Interiors/Ray Main

DARLING POINT, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Architecture & Interior Design: Alexander & Co., alexanderand.co Square Feet: 2,500 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 2.5 Predominant White Shade: Porter’s Original Paints Snow White

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“A house is lived in through many seasons, and many moods and minds,” says Alexander & Co. principal Jeremy Bull. “An idea of color may respond well in one instance and poorly in another … White becomes a changeable context for the pieces in a home that can more readily be altered.” For this kitchen in a Victorian cottage renovation, Bull selected “chalky whites, which were a homage to our vision for a traditional plastered house.” Within the white palette, he built in a variety of textures: beadboard on the ceiling, smooth matte white cabinetry, a grayish-white marble, an artwork featuring a surface of thick impasto, and nubby upholstery on the chairs at the kitchen table. “White is a color that needs to complement your tonal story,” he says. “It is often not a simplification from an otherwise colored palette. It is an actual color. It needs to be treated with dignity.”

CALA D’OR, MALLORCA, SPAIN

Architecture: Local architect Interior Design: Fiona Barratt Interiors, fionabarrattinteriors.com Square Feet: 7,000 Bedrooms: 6 Baths: 7 Predominant White Shade: Custom-mixed Dulux color

“We wanted to keep the palette neutral throughout to maintain an airy, light feel,” says designer Fiona Barratt of this dreamy bedroom. “By keeping it neutral, the white frames the beautiful, vivid aqua blue of the ocean.” The secret to using white, believes Barratt, “is about using textures and a mixture of materials to add character, depth, and interest.” Here, that extends from the textured plaster on the wall (executed by Italian artisans) to the glossy lacquer surfaces of the custom nightstands, which contrast with the “very heavy, solid headboard, where we added a strip of white along the top as a highlight.” Texture also distinguishes the framed porcelain sculpture mounted on linen by Fenella Elms on one wall, and the Lindsey Adelman pendants flanking the bed, which combine handblown glass globes with knotted rope. The latter two elements also evoke the Mediterranean setting with references to shells and glass fishing floats. 

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Architecture: The late Barry Fox Interior Design: Tara Shaw, tarashaw.com Square Feet: 4,800 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 4.5

In the early 2000s, the Francophile nephew of prominent Louisiana politicians Hale and Lindy Boggs asked beloved New Orleans architect Barry Fox to replicate a Haussmanian home he’d encountered on one of his trips to France. Today it is inhabited, appropriately, by another Francophile: designer Tara Shaw, whose book, Soul of the Home, was recently published by Abrams. The starting point for the master bath were three Louis XV–style boiserie panels she interspersed with pine panels, unifying them all with a whitewashed finish. A Louis XVI console with “a layered 200-year-old patina you just can’t replicate” functions as a vanity for the Italian marble mortar bowl sink. The Venetian mirror and Italian chandelier are “a perfect marriage with the boiserie decoration,” she says. Modern fixtures complete the space. “People think the room is ‘just’ white, but it has more depth because it layers in the dimensionality of a gradient white palette,” says Shaw.

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Courtesy Tara Shaw. Opposite Page, Courtesy Simon Upton

Predominant White Shade: Benjamin Moore Aura 925

NAPLES, FLORIDA

Architecture: Herscoe Hajjar Architecture, Inc., hharch.com Interior Design: Suzanne Kasler, suzannekasler.com Square Feet: 5,500 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4.5 Predominant White Shade: 50-percent dilution of Benjamin Moore White Dove

“In our design process, we talk about how the house is going to live outside as well as inside,” says designer Suzanne Kasler. “We don’t consider the outdoors after the project is underway; it’s part of the process from the beginning.” For this Indiana couple who loves to entertain, it was especially important. The vacation bungalow Kasler revamped for them faces a waterway with generous outdoor lounging and dining areas sprawled along it. The client loves color but wanted the home to feel modern. So, Kasler deployed pink cushions and a colorful painting in the dining loggia, but kept mostly all else brilliantly white, both inside and out. “White is a signature of my work,” she says. “It brings everything into a cleaner, modern sensibility.” That extended to the outdoor furniture: Janus et Cie Amari chairs around a firepit, the company’s chaises by the pool terrace, and McKinnon and Harris dining furniture in the loggia. u

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FURNISHINGS

Molto Italiano

With the largest furniture show in the world moved to 2021, introductions planned for Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2020 keep rolling out.

Zanotta’s 2020 Back to Emotions collection invokes a smile with the Rider lounge by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba. A simple leather-covered rocking seat with channeled upholstery resembles a roly-poly bug starting to curl up at the slightest touch. From $10,000; zanotta.it

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Piero Angelo Orecchioni’s array of Pins lighting and tables for Marioni, to which he just introduced a new lamp and a coat stand, recalls Italian humor of the 1980s Memphis movement. Made of glazed ceramic and satinfinish glass. $700–$2,700; marioni.it

Massimo Castagna’s Giotto outdoor dining table for Exteta celebrates marble in a boldly sculptural way. It’s all carved stone (three types of marble available), imparting weight and volume within a lean profile. $44,750; ddcnyc.com

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer

BY JORGE S. ARANGO

Achille Salvagni Atelier’s Alligator is an extralong, sleekly curvaceous sofa in mohair with gold-leafed feet. Its lines resemble both the “high walk” motion of the great reptile on land as well as the fluidity of its body in water. From $106,500; achillesalvagni.com

For centuries Italian artisans have deftly mixed materials to exquisitely refined effect. In that vein, Aston Martin’s TV cabinet from Formitalia brings mahogany, satin-finished champagne metal, Breccia Medicea marble, and saddle leather together in a sublime synthesis. From $22,000; formitalia.it

The Moore sofa from Fendi Casa has many customizable options. Its most versatile elements are armrests, propped on steel supports, which can be upholstered or not (choose among various woods or marbles) to double as a writing or cocktail surface. Price upon request; luxurylivinggroup.com

Bath fixtures company Salvatori collaborated with famed hospitality designers Yabu Pushelberg on a collection of rotund bath accessories (towel rack, mirror) and furniture (bathtub, wash basins) that maintain clean lines without sharp corners, available in various stones. Prices from $180 (accessories) and $2,660 (furniture); salvatori.it 

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Haute Again

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Minotti pulled a 1970s rabbit out of its hat with the Mattia collection, Rodolfo Dordoni’s reimagining of an archival design from the so-called “Me Decade.” The new armchair joins a sofa and coffee tables. $3,880–$10,120; minotti.com

Working from Futurist painter Giacomo Balla’s original sketches, Cassina translated one of them into a brand-new item: the Balla room screen. One scheme (orange and green) is faithful to its forebear; the other (green and blue) is an adaptation. $9,800; cassina.com

New manufacturing capabilities and unprecedented access to Carlo Mollino’s archives at Turin’s Polytechnic University led Zanotta to revisit eight Mollino designs. Now offered in new materials and finishes, one remake is of the original 1948 Reale table that doubled auction records for 20th-century furniture at Christie’s in 2005, selling for $3.8 million. $7,740; zanotta.it

For Poltrona Frau’s 2020 collection, Roberto Lazzeroni tweaked his Martha armchair, adding relaxed ease to the elegant piece with a solid ash rocking base. The interior can be upholstered in any leather in the new ColorSphere collection. From $5,450; poltronafrau.com 

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer

Several Italian companies dug into archives and reissued or reinterpreted works by iconic designers.

BOCA'S MOST DESIRABLE LIFESTYLE IS UNFOLDING NOW This private oasis is nearing completion and ready to reveal a vast array of indoor and outdoor amenities to enjoy from dusk until dawn. Each impeccably designed residence, villa, and penthouse at ALINA also features its own outdoor space to take alfresco living to an exciting new level. Be the first to experience this retreat just beside the greens of the iconic Boca Raton Resort & Club.

1 to 4 Bedroom Residences Priced from under $1M to over $6M

ESCAPE TO THE ALINA LIFESTYLE MOVE-IN READY RESIDENCES AVAILABLE EARLY 2021 Sales and Model Gallery | 300 SE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33432 561.404.1498 | alinabocaraton.com ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. THIS OFFERING IS MADE ONLY BY THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS FOR THE CONDOMINIUM AND NO STATEMENT SHOULD BE RELIED UPON IF NOT MADE IN THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS. THIS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL, OR SOLICITATION OF OFFERS TO BUY, THE CONDOMINIUM UNITS IN STATES WHERE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION CANNOT BE MADE. THIS CONDOMINIUM IS BEING DEVELOPED BY ALINA BOCA RATON LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (“DEVELOPER”). ANY AND ALL STATEMENTS, DISCLOSURES AND/OR REPRESENTATIONS SHALL BE DEEMED MADE BY DEVELOPER AND NOT BY EL AD AND YOU AGREE TO LOOK SOLELY TO DEVELOPER (AND NOT TO EL AD AND/OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES) WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL MATTERS RELATING TO THE MARKETING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONDOMINIUM AND WITH RESPECT TO THE SALES OF UNITS IN THE CONDOMINIUM. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, INCLUDING PRICING, IS SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. IMAGE IS ARTIST’S CONCEPTUAL RENDERING. FOR NEW YORK PURCHASERS ONLY, THE CPS-12 APPLICATION FOR THE CONDOMINIUM HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE STATE OF NEW YORK, DEPARTMENT OF LAW (FILE NO. CP18-0136). WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THIS OFFERING. THIS ADVERTISEMENT IS A SOLICITATION FOR THE SALE OF UNITS IN ALINA BOCA RATON: N.J. REG. NO. 19-04-0004. THIS CONDOMINIUM HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF REGISTRATION OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS AND SALESMEN F-1266-01-01.

Inspired by organic forms and mosaics of Brazilian multidisciplinary designer Roberto Burle Marx, Kelly Behun’s Piatro After Burle Marx dining table is part of her customizable debut outdoor furniture for The Invisible Collection. From $100,000; theinvisiblecollection.com

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Vincent Pocsik’s love for tubes and pillars stems from his industrial Cleveland childhood. Represented by Boston gallery Salon, his Torso Tube on Pillar works have charred black walnut “torsos” topped by carved and bleached forms. From $9,600; salondesign.us

The 16 Tramato carpets from Antonio Lupi combine basic geometric shapes and lines (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) to graphic effect. Made of tufted velvet in various configurations. From $800; antoniolupi.it

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer. Opposite Page: Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top Left: Jojo/John Trigiani; Roche Bobois; Liaigre; Wexler Gallery/KeneK Photography

Ebony and Ivory

The contrast of black with white enhances these bold, beautiful designs.

Italian glass-tile house Sicis has mastered the art of mosaic. Witness this jazzy indoor pool for a residence in Ohsweken, Ontario, designed by Joanna Pietras of Homes by Jojo. Price depends on scope of commission; sicis.com

Roche Bobois corners the market on “groovy” designs. For the company’s 60th anniversary, the Bombom Collection includes a striped sofa by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos. The backrests on the kidney-shaped form are portable for flexible seating. $7,010; roche-bobois.com

Pennsylvania-based designer Samuel Pawlak’s penchant for the surreal informs his Pangaea table for Wexler Gallery—a coffee table and three smaller tables that fit together or pull apart when needed elsewhere. Made of fiberglass with a Corian top. $24,000; wexlergallery.com

The Sumi dining table from Liaigre gets its name from Japanese ink sticks used in calligraphy, an art that is naturally evoked by the graphic black-and-white figuration of its marble surface. Choose a color for the wooden base: either black or wire-brushed oak. $37,650; liaigre.com 

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Brett Beldock, the designer behind Brett Design Inc., loves Pritzker Prize—winning architect Shigeru Ban, which explains the name Shigeru for her new wallpaper, created in the style of suminagashi—the Japanese art of paper marbling. $259/yard; brettdesigninc.com

Cynara, the new artichoke pattern from The Vale London, starts, as all Melinda Marquardt’s fabric and wallpaper designs do: from drawings. This symbol of welcome is rendered on sisal and kraft paper metal foil for the wall. $132/yard (11-yard minimum); thevalelondon.co.uk

Vèra Mauricová’s 2011 Graphic Collection for Artěl, which makes Bohemian glass handcrafted in the Czech Republic, was based on 1960s optical art and mod fashions of the era. It still looks fresh a decade later. From $495 (cordials) to $870 (old-fashions, shown above) to $1,590 (champagne) for a set of six; artelglass.com u

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer

Molly Hatch’s Progress installation at Todd Merrill incorporates 18th-century American Indian weaving patterns on 57 hand-thrown dimensional discs. Read from right to left, they start with details and eventually reveal the larger pattern. $37,500; toddmerrillstudio.com

WHERE LUXURY LIVES BOSS | BURBERRY | LOUIS VUITTON SALVATORE FERRAGAMO | TIFFANY & CO.

Museum Moneymakers

The curation of a cultural institution’s gift shop is an art all its own. BY MARK ELLWOOD

ate last year, New York’s Museum of Modern Art (moma.org) completed its latest renovation; this time it was a $450 million project master planned by starchitect Liz Diller. “To renovate a museum, it’s very hard work, like surgery,” she says. “We asked: What areas could possibly be transformed?” The answer? Clearly, everywhere. Diller undertook a radical reconception that expanded overall capacity by a third, adding 47,000 square feet of gallery space; she also created a welcoming, canopy-like entrance to replace the small, dark entryway and moved the museum’s design store. She didn’t relegate it to the back area, but rather sunk it to the

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lower level right by that entrance, making it even larger and more dramatic—and as a result, the focus of every arrival. Diller’s choice was a vouchsafe for how vital this inhouse retail operation is to MoMA’s identity today (prankster Banksy even called his 2010 film Exit Through the Gift Shop). Emmanuel Plat, a former Conran staffer, runs merchandising here and explains its close relationship with the art collection. Every item for sale, whether a design object or a book, has been vetted by MoMA’s curatorial experts, who examine and approve his entire stock. “My team travels the world looking for new products—at trade shows, in artists’ studios—and then they come back

with samples to review with the curators,” he says. “It’s a real dialogue.” Perhaps the bestknown MoMA line is the artist-designed holiday cards, which the organization has produced for more than 60 years—this year, they plan to reproduce some of the classics by Alexander Calder. More recently, the store’s taste-making track record has included Japanese minimalist store Muji and Danish home brand HAY, both of which made their stateside debuts via Plat’s retail operation. Pause for a moment and compare that airy new MoMA store, packed with stylish, crave-worthy goodies, with the old idea of a museum gift shop (fusty, closet-style rooms selling magnets, postcards, and erasers).

Courtesy MoMA/Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Opposite Page: Courtesy Tate Modern

MoMA’s new entrance

Tate Modern’s Tate Edit shop

MoMA has long bucked that format, of course, but it’s no longer an outlier: Most impressive contemporary institutions have engaging stores. Look at The Broad (thebroad.org) in Los Angeles, for example, or Tasmania’s MONA (mona.net.au), whose eccentric founder David Walsh has encouraged outré items like a cane toad clutch or a scarf emblazoned with an X-ray of a skeleton. London’s Tate Modern (tate.org.uk) has a series of retail stores in situ, including the 4-year-old Tate Edit, dedicated solely to limited editions and artists’ multiples. Even smaller galleries don’t skimp when it comes to stores: Yayoi Kusama’s studio-turned-museum (yayoikusamamuseum

.jp) on the outskirts of Tokyo has a small table by the entrance where it sells items daubed with her signature dots—cookies and notebooks, for example (no more than five per person, a sign politely requests to stymie resellers). So how and why did museum stores morph into such standalone destinations? Money, of course, is one massive factor. Per a 2018 study conducted by the Museum Store Association (MSA), such retail operations can contribute a certain percentage to an institution’s overall annual revenue. Rosey Blackmore, the Tate’s merchandise director, explains that the freeto-visit museum only receives a fraction of its operating costs from the British government.

“All our trading profits go back to keeping Tate open, and free—it’s delivering on the vision for the museum that access to art is a human right.” What’s more—and more crucial: Money raised this way is not tethered by conditions and caveats, and can be used however the director deems fit. Compare that with large grants from governments and even foundations, which often constrain how a museum can deploy its support. Store-generated cash isn’t handcuffed. It can also be leveraged with those donors: At the Tate, museum members are offered first dibs of its limited-edition productions via a sneak preview, making retail a relationship-building tool too.  LM FALL/WINTER 2020 107

From top left: Third Drawer Down’s ceramic plates, Love Was Infinitely Shining and Women Wait for Love; the gift shop at Los Angeles’ MOCA.

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Courtesy Images From Top: Third Drawer Down (2); Courtesy MOCA/Andrew Lee

But the changing concept of a museum store—and the resulting rising profile—isn’t just profit-minded. Rather, it mirrors the widening interest in the art world. Consider the earliest blockbuster shows, which began to be a feature of museum programming in the late 1970s: Treasures of Tutankhamun, for instance, which traveled around six American cities over a three-year period. Shows such as that were intentionally headline-making crowd pleasers, aimed at drawing new audiences to museums, and those visitors wanted to take home a souvenir of the experience, pushing stores into broadening their stocks. Today, planning a pop-up store is part of a museum’s curation process for landmark shows: see the lavish retail at the end of the Metropolitan’s 2019 exhibition Camp: Notes on Fashion; the 250-item collection included everything from iconic totes emblazoned with illustrations by Karl Lagerfeld to a $900 bolero jacket by Molly Goddard. These products act as de facto ambassadors for the museum, gratis marketing. This shift has also coincided with the rise of artists as brands, with the likes of Takashi Murakami embracing commercial collaboration with gusto when Los Angeles’

MOCA (moca.org) and the Brooklyn Museum (brooklynmuseum.org) hosted a retrospective of his work. The installation included a fully operating Louis Vuitton store, a waggish nod to his partnership with the saddle maker. It was culture as commerce, or cultural commerce.

Today, planning a pop-up store is part of a museum’s curation process for shows whose products act as de facto ambassadors. A new range of companies has emerged to help expressly facilitate such collaborations, and keep museum store shelves stocked with items that are hard to find elsewhere. Design firm Swid Powell, founded in 1982 in New York by two collectors, was one of the first; now there are several top-tier producers,

including NYC-based WeR2 (see “What to Buy Now” on page 110), London’s Kit Grover (kitgrover.com)—known for working with Grayson Perry and Yinka Shonibare, among others—and Third Drawer Down (thirddrawerdown.us) in Australia, founded by former museum staffer Abi Crompton. Third Drawer Down has a longtime partnership with David Shrigley, and its products are stocked across the world. “For some artists, these collaborations can help support them, or they may ultimately pay for their assistant through merchandise sales,” Crompton says. “It’s wonderful the way in which it can work.” Perhaps, though, the rise in such stores is a reflection of a wider change in culture. As even luxury retail grows more homogeneous across the world—the names on Rodeo Drive and Bond Street are increasingly the same— these shops offer a delightful trove of original objects. Per the MSA, indeed, 92 percent of art museum stores sell products custommade for their locations. They’re original and meaningful, as Blackmore underscores. “As there’s a growing wish among people to be more conscious in the way they consume, buying things that support organizations you care about, and that you can’t find elsewhere, that’s the future.” 

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Courtesy Salon 94 Design/Tom Sachs. Opposite Page, Courtesy Images Clockwise From Bottom Left: ARTWARE (2); Storefront for Art and Architecture

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What to Buy Now

Sara Meltzer is a former New York gallerist who runs WeR2 (wer2-studio.com), one of the top companies behind the artistdesigned products that fill museum store shelves worldwide. Here, she offers her picks of the best multiples and limited editions among these seemingly mass-market objects— plus one example with a long-term potential investment value.

1. TOM SACHS CHAIR Salon 94 is a gallery that has enthusiastically expanded into design in recent years, including working with pop art–inspired Tom Sachs on his chair project. Meltzer calls the pieces “playful, fun, and unusual.” Chairs, she says, are an ideal collectible too: limited, not rarefied, production numbers and the perfect marriage of function and form. salon94design.com

2. YVES KLEIN COFFEE TABLE “This is my favorite editioned piece of furniture—I have one in my living room,” says Meltzer. The transparent table, featuring the artist’s signature, namesake blue, was prototyped by Yves Klein before he died at just 34. His widow began producing the tables commercially, although retained tight control, with each piece built-to-order. artwareeditions.com

3. CINDY SHERMAN DINNER SET Superstar feminist artist Cindy Sherman—a pioneer in this collaboration, as in so much of her work—produced this sought-after dinner service in 1990. The 30-piece set in Limoges porcelain features the chameleonlike Sherman dressed up as Madame de Pompadour. The soup tureen alone sells for $30,000 or more. artwareeditions.com

4. APOCALYPSE NOW SNOW GLOBE Polish conceptual artist Agnieszka Kurant’s climate change–inspired snow globe is a future collectible, says Meltzer. “It’s amazing when artists manage to express in an edition what’s happening on a larger scale,” she says. “We’re living in a questioning, upsidedown, apocalyptic moment. This reminds us what we’re doing to our world.” storefrontnews.org/editions u

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Viva Las Vegas

After suddenly shuttering in the spring, Sin Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major resorts return with enticing amenities for a new era: poolside super cabanas, a beach town boardwalkâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;themed promenade, golf courses, tennis courts, private gaming and dining rooms, and high-roller suites with VIP, no-contact services.

Courtesy MGM Resorts International/Barry Toranto

BY LARRY OLMSTED

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“W

hat Happens Here, Stays Here” was one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history. The Las Vegas tourism slogan introduced in 2002 became so well-known that it drove the city’s earlier forgettable efforts from public memory. But if you were to rewind previous Vegas commercials, you’d hear its predecessor, “The American Way to Play,” spoken over shots of Wayne Newton, showgirls, and lots of gambling, from sports books to poker hands—even the people lounging by the pool were playing backgammon. Today, they’d be more likely to

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sip flutes of Cristal in a private cabana while listening to world-famous DJs. Fortunately for the city, many of the big changes of the past 20 years have also left Las Vegas better positioned as it moves forward into the new era of travel ushered in by the global coronavirus pandemic. While the outbreak initially shuttered the city’s tourism almost completely, and left reverberating ramifications that will change longtime local fixtures such as mega-buffets and live entertainment, many of the recent trends proved timely in addressing visitor concerns, especially the moves toward more private experiences, boutique lodging, and outdoor dining, entertainment, and recreation. Many of Vegas’ top hospitality

providers have refocused on intimacy, privacy, exclusivity, and fresh air. Consider that the first real outdoor poolside day club, Tao Beach at The Venetian, only debuted in 2007, and now the concept is an integral Las Vegas ingredient that has been replicated all over town. The city’s newest rooftop pool complex, atop the brand-new downtown Circa Resort & Casino, comes with six pools, “super cabanas” for up to 80 guests, and an outdoor drive-in theater-style 135-by-41-foot video screen. “No one used to fly to Vegas to do yoga or take cooking classes,” says journalist Mike Hiller, who covers the city’s dining and hotel scene for the Los Angeles Times. “Las Vegas has its roots in gaming, but today

Courtesy Circa Resort & Casino/Steelman Partners. Opposite Page: Courtesy MGM Resorts International/Henebry Photography

Circa Resort & Casino

Hole 1 at Shadow Creek

placing bets only represents a small sliver of what drew more than 42 million visitors in 2019—another in a recent string of recordbreaking tourism years. Prior to COVID-19, Vegas was also gaining traction as a top-tier destination for dining, live entertainment, spas, golf, pools, even driving exotic cars. With the recent addition of hometown NHL and NFL teams, Vegas remains positioned to deliver a far more powerful travel punch than two decades ago.” “Gaming is still an important amenity, but all the other amenities have grown and gotten more important,” says Anton Nikodemus, president of MGM Resorts’ 13-hotel Las Vegas portfolio. “Thirty years ago, it was all about the gaming

experience. Consumers now want more experiences of all kinds, and today Vegas is a multidimensional experience. The age demographics of visitors have changed, there are more millennials, so we’ve created smaller, more intimate restaurants and dining experiences, instead of a large buffet.” One notable feather in MGM’s cap is Shadow Creek, its highly ranked golf course—the best in Nevada and a well-known favorite of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Golf has surged in popularity nationwide in the past year, and with high greens fees exclusively for MGM Resorts guests that include roundtrip private limo transfers and are limited to an unusually low number of players daily, Shadow Creek is a bigger draw than ever.

Nikodemus was on the opening team for City Center, MGM’s radical project that includes residences, two entirely non-gaming luxury hotels (Vdara and Waldorf Astoria), a shopping center, and tons of public art and sculpture, inside and out, creating a campus environment previously unknown in the often hermetically sealed city. As avoiding crowds becomes increasingly popular with visitors, several restaurants in Aria, the main City Center luxury hotel, feature private dining rooms that have seen extremely high reservations since the resort reopened from the pandemic closure, including Carbone, CATCH, and Jean Georges Steakhouse. Aria also has two boutique hotel options within it, the Tower Suites and the Sky 

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Courtesy Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas/Thomas Hart Shelby

Suites—both featuring private VIP check-in lounges, exclusive elevators, and private SUV airport transfers included in their room rates. Several other top Vegas hotels have similar offerings, all appealing to the newfound demand for privacy and exclusivity. There is no more compelling evidence of this trend than the unexpected success of The Cosmopolitan, a smaller luxury resort that in Vegas passes for boutique with “only” 3,033 rooms and suites. But despite its still considerable size, The Cosmopolitan feels smaller and more intimate, and by breaking several rules that once governed the Vegas resort scene, it has attracted many fans and often has the highest room rates and occupancy of any major Strip hotel. Now, at its 10-year anniversary, The Cosmopolitan is better than ever, having just finished a top-to-bottom renovation that redid every single room and added many new features, including four floors of new luxury penthouses. “Since the resort’s opening, we have undergone a complete redevelopment of every space unique to The Cosmopolitan, and we’ve seen the debut of 21 luxury Boulevard Penthouses and advanced technology featuring our resident chatbot, Rose,” says Patrick Nichols, general manager and chief strategic officer. Because The Cosmopolitan was developed as a condo project, not a casino, then converted to a resort hotel, even its regular rooms are larger and more residential, outshining other standard hotel offerings. As guests increasingly embrace fresh air, The Cosmopolitan is notably the only Strip property with open terraces in its regular rooms and suites (more than 70 percent). Its two-story Lanai Suites have an island beach house theme, private outdoor spaces with heated plunge pools, and direct access to The Chelsea Pool. The three-story Bungalow Suites have outdoor living spaces including terraces with Jacuzzi plunge pools and outdoor kitchens and bars. High rollers love the Boulevard Penthouses, 21 ultra-luxury residential units with access to a private, high-limit gaming area called The Reserve. They were added to the formerly empty top four floors at a cost

A Bungalow Suite at The Cosmopolitan

of $75 million. Several include extras like private treatment rooms and saunas, but for those in other Cosmopolitan lodgings, the hotel’s Sahra Spa, Salon, & Hammam offers its own Spa Suites that allow guests to skip shared amenities commonly found in locker rooms—each suite includes a steam room and shower, dual deep-soaking Jacuzzi tubs, and relaxation space. In this vein, 10 Cosmopolitan restaurants have private dining options, and the resort will soon announce a new venture that will continue to expand on its approach of dynamic, first-to-market restaurant concepts. Al fresco meals have long been hard to come by in Las Vegas, but there are now more than ever. The combined Wynn and Encore resorts lead the pack with six fine-dining and two casual options that offer full-service outdoor seating, while Bellagio has two spots with lakeside terraces, including the new Las Vegas location of longtime Wolfgang Puck favorite Spago. Several new casual bars and restaurants with outdoor seating have opened in the city’s two recent pedestrian promenade additions, instantly popular nods to classic beach town boardwalks and revolutionary for Las Vegas: the LINQ Promenade and The Park. Privacy and the outdoors are the two hottest commodities in town these days, and The Cosmopolitan offers both in spades. It has one of the only outdoor tennis courts on the Strip, and three distinct pool experiences, the Boulevard Pool, Chelsea Pool, and Pool Marquee, each with luxury cabanas, reserved daybeds, and poolside food and beverage service. Most top hotels, including Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Wynn, Encore, and Caesars Palace also have private poolside cabanas available, as do the smaller and more intimate pools at the Four Seasons and Waldorf Astoria. Aria’s luxury Sky Suites boutique hotel has its own guest-only pool, also with reserved cabanas and daybeds. All have extensive food and beverage service, and the Bellagio is offering massages and spa treatments in its poolside cabanas. While few visitors know about them, indoor/outdoor accommodations like those 

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Courtesy AREA15 Las Vegas/Peter Ruprecht. Opposite: Courtesy FLY LINQ Zipline at The LINQ Promenade

AREA15 is a new experiential art, retail, and entertainment complex.

at The Cosmopolitan can now be found at several top properties. These are large enough for families or groups of friends traveling together, a big current trend, perfect for hunkering down, eating in, and most have special access to exclusive intimate gaming areas. The Villas at The Mirage are comprised of just 14 units from 1,800 to 8,500 square feet, all at ground level, with substantial grassy backyards and outdoor living spaces, including open-air dining, weatherproof televisions, and plunge or full-size pools. Some add hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, gas firepits, and even putting greens. Nobu Hotel within Caesars Palace offers its flagship David Rockwell–designed rooftop Nobu Villa, which starts at $35,000 nightly and offers 360-degree views. The three-bedroom, 10,300-square-foot villa has its own elevator from the lobby and extensive outdoor areas including a Zen garden with an outdoor whirlpool tub and full outdoor kitchen with a Robatayaki grill and pizza oven. Skylofts is a 51-suite boutique hotel on the top two floors of the MGM Grand. All units are two-story residential apartments designed by Tony Chi, but the largest have patios with outdoor hot tubs. Wynn has a dozen one- and twobedroom Fairway Villas, with large patios along its golf course—the only one on the Strip and a gem just rebuilt by legendary designer Tom Fazio. It joins Shadow Creek (also by Fazio) as the city’s top luxury golf options, while for less serious players, the MGM Grand added the world’s largest Top Golf facility, multilevel and outdoors with open-air dining and its own pool cabanas. Las Vegas has always been about reinventing itself in ever more popular ways, and a major 21st-century change has been encouraging guests to go outside. For decades, the strategy of resort operators was to keep guests captive in order to capture their wagering dollars. But as wagering became a less important component of the city’s tourism economy, millions of dollars have been spent to make the city more accessible by foot and appealing to those actually leaving the mega-resorts, with new sky bridges, escalators, parks, and

promenades. Following the popularity of the new street-front Eataly at the Park MGM resort, the city last year opened its 17th pedestrian bridge across Las Vegas Boulevard—all built since 1995. For the new Allegiant Stadium, home of Las Vegas’ NFL team, the Raiders, there are plans to close Hacienda Avenue to traffic to facilitate walking over the interstate to attend games. As more visitors want to get outside, more attractions are being added. The newest walker-friendly addition is AREA15, the Vegas home of Santa Fe–based art and performance collective Meow Wolf. With a retail bazaar, revolving art and sculpture displays, and indoor and outdoor food and bars, AREA15 describes itself as “the world’s first purpose-built, experiential art, retail, and entertainment complex.” Container Park, an open-air area filled with retail, food, and drink vendors in repurposed metal shipping containers, opened in Downtown Las Vegas in 2013 and has proven quite popular. Downtown’s premier outdoor attraction, the pedestrianized Fremont Street Experience, just got a $32 million upgrade to its video screen (the world’s largest), and the impressive Neon Museum, established in 1996, is almost entirely outside. Two of the city’s biggest hospitality players, MGM and Caesars, built lively outdoor retail, dining, and entertainment districts, The Park and the LINQ Promenade, with al fresco dining and outward-facing bars, restaurants, shops, and entertainment, including the immediately iconic High Roller Observation Wheel and the new FLY LINQ Zipline. “As customer interests have evolved over the years, Caesars Entertainment has been an industry leader in reinventing Las Vegas,” says Gary Selesner, regional president. “There is no other location on the Strip where families and adults can enjoy all these diverse experiences in one place, with the added ambiance of an open-air promenade. Our outdoor concept has proven to be successful, with others following our lead in recent years.” As Vegas enters the 2020s, there will be even more outdoors, more privacy, more creativity. After all, excess has always been what Sin City is all about. u

Outdoor fun on the FLY LINQ Zipline

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American Hot Shots

Sporting clays courses across the country are one-upping each other with more stations, new technology, and more interesting surrounds to enhance the game and better trick your instincts into thinking youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re taking aim at the real thing. BY SHAUN TOLSON

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Courtesy Reynolds Lake Oconee/Terry Allen (3)

Reynolds Lake Oconee

SOUTHERN SALUTE

o construct its Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds, Georgia’s Reynolds Lake Oconee sought the council of Justin Jones, an industry veteran who cut his teeth at age 19 managing the shooting school at Gleneagles Resort in Scotland. He’s since managed and/ or designed shooting facilities at Georgia’s Sea Island Resort and The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Now with 800 acres at his disposal, Jones created a facility for shooters of every ability level. A covered five stand— luxuriously appointed with a fireplace, ceiling fans, and a viewing gallery—serves as a comforting venue of introduction; while a sprawling, 20-station sporting clays course features uniquely staged shooting areas. Station number nine, for example, is made of stone and grass and is affectionately called “the bunker.” The course’s signature station, number 15, includes a water feature and a waterskipping target (nicknamed “the flying fish”). When shooters fire at that target they’ll see the stream of pellets from their shotgun cartridge ripple the water’s surface. “They see that spread as it hits the water,” Jones says of novice shooters, “and it helps them to understand what’s coming out of the gun.” The mile-long, circular course and its affiliated customized shooting carts serve as the facility’s attempt to mimic the experience of playing a round of golf. Each station, equipped with three throwing machines, offers different challenges, and much like individual holes on a golf course, some stations are harder than others. “Not many courses can claim to have 60 machines on a 20-station course,” says Jones. “It allows us to throw a novice, intermediate, and advanced target on all 20 stations.” reynoldslakeoconee.com  LM FALL/WINTER 2020 121

LOW COUNTRY HIGHS

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Courtesy Montage Palmetto Bluff. Opposite: Courtesy The Resort at Paws Up/Stuart Thurlkill

he shooting club at Montage Palmetto Bluff meanders through some 40 acres of Low Country terrain punctuated by majestic Southern live oaks. The maritime forest of Palmetto Bluff makes a memorable backdrop for resort guests learning the basics of shooting clays. Bart Chandler, the club’s manager, equates playing the course (13 stations; US-style layout) to playing golf with a shotgun. “A round is 100 targets,” he explains, “and you go from hole to hole, or stand to stand, and shoot a series of targets [accumulating points with each successful hit].” Soon, the club will unveil a second course, built to international sporting clays standards, which includes FITASC shooting grounds. When complete, the club will be able to offer both a suitably challenging circuit to its more than 150 members and a less-intimidating environment for the many Montage guests who visit the club having never held a shotgun. “A lot of people walk in here with big eyes and hands shaking, but they walk out with the biggest smiles,” says Chandler. “A lot of barriers get broken, and most of them were just in their minds. They leave here with a totally different attitude about shotgun sports.” montagehotels.com

THE GREAT WIDE WEST

he 37,000 acres of ranchland and wilderness at Paws Up, a sprawling mountain resort in western Montana, delivers the feeling of having your own national park. Grassy plains and rolling hills are dotted with ponderosa pines and cottonwoods; the shooting club is set on the periphery of that valley, and spreads out over land that transitions up into the low mountains, “which are snow-capped, even in July,” says Caleb

Melzer-Roush, the resort’s lead sporting clays instructor. The facility features an all-season five stand, as well as a 10-station walking course that is open from late spring to early fall. On the walking course loop, which is about .75 miles long, throwers launch different-sized clays to represent different bird species. Choose a guided tour to try the course with a shooting club instructor, who can provide constructive criticism after every shot. “Even experienced

shooters appreciate that second set of eyes,” Melzer-Roush acknowledges. For the majority of participants—resort guests with minimal (if any) shotgun experience—expert guidance is necessary. “When people come to Montana,” he says, “everyone wants to shoot a gun, ride a horse, and catch a fish. I’ve been here almost six years and I’ve seen every guest who tries this hit at least one clay by the end of the day.” pawsup.com  LM FALL/WINTER 2020 123

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MAJESTY

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Courtesy Vermejo (4)

ew Mexico’s Vermejo covers 558,000 acres in the southern Rocky Mountains. One of three Ted Turner Reserves, the resort centers on connecting visitors with nature; its 10-station, mile-long sporting clays course traverses a dramatic canyon, home to elk, bison, and wild turkeys. “It’s a spectacular, private, exclusive environment,” says Managing Director Jade McBride, “and you feel like you have the whole place to yourself.” The shooting facility’s staging area is home to a five stand, as well as a wobble deck that releases clays at random so the shooter, positioned above, doesn’t know in which direction or how clays will fly. According to McBride, the technology really simulates the challenge of flushing a bird from its roost on a driven hunt. tedturnerreserves.com 

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Courtesy Big Cedar Lodge/Edward C. Robison III (2)

OUT OF THE OZARKS

pened to the public in 2018, the Bass Pro Shops Shooting Academy at Missouri’s massive Big Cedar Lodge covers 920 acres and features two five-stand areas, a wobble deck, traditional skeet and trap courses, and a 13-station sporting clays course, the latter of which challenges shooters with 26 different target presentations in three distinct hunting environments. “Some targets are thrown in and among the trees,” says Assistant Manager Landry Weston. “Some are thrown almost as if you’re on a prairie. And others are thrown from the side of a hill that brings the mountain background into play.” Set atop an expansive ridgeline, the academy looks onto far-reaching panoramic vistas. “When you’re at your station and looking out in 180 degrees, you can see mountains in northwest Arkansas and Table Rock Lake,” Weston says. He’s quick to acknowledge that those views elevate the academy’s trap and skeet course too. bigcedar.com  LM FALL/WINTER 2020 127

PRIM TERRITORY rimland Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southern Virginia is best known for its championship-caliber golf course and stellar hunting opportunities during the fall, winter, and spring. But long before the golf course was built—even before the resort existed—the site housed an Orvis-endorsed wingshooting lodge and one of the country’s first sporting clays courses, which visitors who rented local mountain homes used to hone their skills before a hunt. Today, the 14-station course, which covers about a mile of ground, offers a series of divergent shots and distinctive environments for shooters to test their marksmanship. One station might imitate a driven pheasant shot, while another features “rabbits,” which are larger clays thrown at ground level so they roll quickly just above the terrain. “We went in to make our course feel more like a hunt in the woods,” explains Steve Helms, the resort’s vice president. “[At one station] there’s firewood stacked around you, so you’re shooting from behind a wood pile. [At another] you’re shooting from a hole, and there is a couple in the field where you come upon an old wooden rail fence. We’ve tried to make it feel as natural as possible.” primland.com

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Courtesy Primland Resort (3). Opposite: Courtesy Preserve Sporting Club & Residences (3)

NEW ENGLAND JOURNEY

nce a members-only shooting club, Rhode Island’s Preserve Sporting Club & Residences has opened its gates to the public, expanding its footprint to 3,500 acres; lengthening its list of outdoor activities; building out its portfolio of suites, cottages, and standalone homes; and benefiting from governance by Ocean House Management. Conceptualized by Paul Mihailides, a real estate developer who grew up hunting and also shooting clays, the Preserve is home to a sporting clays course defined by more than 150 elevation changes and 19 shooting stations, each one equipped with six throwers. That isn’t overkill; instead, the multitude of throwers allows the course to easily adapt to any shooter’s skill level. The property also features a 12-station compact clays course, where manicured shooting stations are strategically placed among tall-grass fields. Yet, the crown jewel is the 10-station five stand, a regal covered and heated shooting stand that resembles a rustic hunting lodge and operates year-round, challenging shooters with more than 300 target presentations. The club’s affiliation with Ocean House Management has created a reciprocity program with the nearby Ocean House resort, allowing beachgoers a day trip to shoot clays (and vice versa). The club’s two private helipads enhance its accessibility for outdoors enthusiasts commuting from New York City and Boston. preservesportingclub.com u LM FALL/WINTER 2020 129

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Courtesy TCS World Travel

Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, is part of a remarkable eight-national-parks tour by TCS World Travel.

America the Beautiful

As travelers continue to seek private journeys close to home, the pristine wilderness landscapes of our national parks have never been more desirable. BY MARY HOLLAND

hrongs of eager hikers and sightseers flock to our nation’s parks throughout the summer. Yet wintertime is the uncrowded off-season and a most glorious time to visit: Yosemite’s jagged mountains are dusted in snow, Grand Teton becomes a canvas for sleigh rides and snowmobiles, and Yellowstone’s iconic geysers bubble beyond layers of ice. ’Tis the season for visitors to have these landscapes all to themselves, and a top tour operator can detail a tailor-made excursion with the best in local transport, dining, lodging, and entertainment—from snowshoeing to heli-skiing to dog sledding. 

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The biggest name in luxury tours runs more than 55 local offices around the world to coordinate client trips on all seven continents. This nine-day charter flight journey begins in Fresno, California, for its proximity to Yosemite National Park. Private guides walk guests through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (the largest grove in the park) and to photo ops of the gushing waterfalls and iconic rock formations such as Half Dome and El Capitan. Overnight at Château du Sureau, the grand, castle-like boutique hotel on the outskirts of the park. Then, it’s a quick flight to the Grand Canyon, where guides lead guests along lesser-trodden trails. A stay at Utah’s ultramodern Amangiri desert retreat is followed by a morning boat ride around the inky Lake Powell. An off-road adventure leads to a secluded slot canyon. In Moab, Utah, there’s a private tour of the impossible stone formations at Arches National Park and a three-night stay at the hilltop Amangani in Jackson Hole,

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From Left: Courtesy Abercrombie & Kent; iStock. Opposite: Courtesy Aman

Abercrombie & Kent: California to Wyoming

View from Amangani in Jackson Hole. Opposite, from left: A&K’s charter flights take you where others can’t; a waterfall in Yosemite National Park.

Wyoming. In the morning, a naturalist guide shuttles guests to Grand Teton National Park for a sleigh ride, a private, curator-led tour of the Museum of Wildlife Art, or a sunrise photography tour to capture images of the many elk,

bison, and moose. Guests then make the pilgrimage to Yellowstone in search of more wildlife and bubbling geysers, and fly out of Jackson the following day. From $32,000/person for four people; abercrombiekent.com 

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Winter in Yellowstone National Park as seen from above

TCS World Travel: Eight National Parks The world leader in private-jet travel, Seattle-based TCS World Travel has spent the past 25 years routing clients between destinations at an unprecedented pace. This tour connects a remarkable eight national parks in 10 days. For the first three days, travelers check into Wyoming’s Amangani and have the options of going on private safaris in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, having lunch on a historic cattle ranch, or taking a sleigh ride to Granite Hot Springs. Then they fly on a chartered private plane to Moab’s Sorrel River Ranch to stay in a snug, custom-built cabin. Spend two days hiking and horseback riding through the magnificent red and ochre terrain of Moab, Arches National Park, and Canyonland National Park. A 45-minute jet ride fast-tracks guests to their next stop, a private ranch house on the outskirts of Zion, where guests explore both Bryce Canyon and Zion. Here, activities range from UTV tours to stargazing to rappelling down canyons. The final stop is Utah’s Amangiri, a base for exploring the Grand Canyon by helicopter and foot. If weather permits, an al fresco desert dinner, surrounded by the towering canyons, is one of the itinerary highlights. From $47,500/person for six people; tcsworldtravel.com Contact Luxury Card Concierge ® for exclusive details and more. 

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Steppes Travel: The American West Based in the Cotswolds in England, 30-year-old outfitter Steppes Travel has built a worldwide network of travel experts to organize its international tours. The company recommends a self-drive expedition highlighting the American West. This trip sends travelers out at their own pace with complete independenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as well as with 24/7 support from local Steppes Travel teams and private guides. The itinerary is entirely customizable with

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recommended highlights, including a night of stargazing in the Utah desert, a helicopter ride over Lake Powell and Horseshoe Bend, a heli-ski expedition in Utah, a private snowmobiling tour in Colorado, and a stay in a ghost town in the Colorado Rockies. Hotel recommendations depend on the travelerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s route, with options like Under Canvas, Dunton Hot Springs, The Lodge at Blue Sky, and Zion Mountain Ranch. steppestravel.com

Courtesy Dunton Destinations. Opposite: Courtesy EXP/Jackson Hole Vintage Adventures

Accommodations at Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado

EXP Journeys: Montana and Wyoming This boutique tour company does all trip planning and much of its guiding in-house. A custom, seven-day itinerary could begin in Big Sky, Montana, with a private dog sled tour around the Moonlight Basin resort and then a helicopter flight to the remote, wood-clad Grey Cliff Ranch for two nights. Explore Yellowstone by snowmobile, on a tour to the Old Faithful geyser, and helicopter—flying to the park’s wildlife-dense Lamar Valley in search of bison, birds, and bears. Fly back over the park to Jackson Hole and check into the swank Caldera House in Teton Village. Local activities include a snowshoeing tour at the base of Teton Range, a rodeo experience on a working cattle ranch, and a sunset sleigh ride to a campfire dinner of salmon and Wagyu beef along the winding Snake River. From $25,000/person for four people; expjourneys.com 

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Courtesy Arctic Kingdom/David Briggs

A private camp in Alaska

Arctic Kingdom: Lesser-Known Alaska This 20-year-old Canadian company plans trips exclusively to the Arctic region and works with indigenous guides to ensure the authenticity of its recommendations. An exploration of Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lesser-known parks and reserves is a photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nirvana. Accessing Cape Krusenstern, Kobuk Valley, and Bering Land Bridge, this trip can be tailored and offers intimate encounters with animals such

as caribou and grizzly bears. Aerial transfers and tours are done by charter jet or longrange helicopter and can include kayaking alongside whales, heli-skiing, riding in a hot air balloon, driving on ice roads, dog sledding, and snowmobiling. Due to the various remote locations, accommodation is either on private yachts, in luxury RVs, or at private camps. From $500,000; arctickingdom.com u

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Courtesy Ryan Bonneau

Time for Telluride

The Colorado ski haven remains America’s best for enjoying an authentic Old West experience and all types of mountain terrain—from easy green cruisers to powdery bowls accessed via helicopter. BY LARRY OLMSTED

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day at the base and enjoy town’s ample après offerings, then make their way home by gondola hours later—still in ski boots. In terms of skiing, the resort has plenty of greens, blues, blacks, and double black diamonds, but there is also an unrivaled wealth of double blue terrain, perfect for the huge but traditionally underserved advanced intermediate audience. This includes glades, which in most places are only for experts. At the high end, there is also a vast amount of even more challenging double black options and cliff-face chutes. Those who choose destinations like Jackson Hole, Crested Butte, and Big Sky for ultra-steeps, chutes, and “mandatory air,” will be overjoyed. In addition to every ability level, Telluride also caters to tastes for trees, bowls, in-bound hike-to, lift-served out-of-bounds side country, long groomers, and most famously, moguls, for which Telluride may well be America’s very best spot. All this terrain is easy to access, even over the busy holidays, because with no real day-skiing drive market and little nearby regional lodging, the ski resort is rarely crowded. For such a large mountain, it is very easy to navigate and requires surprisingly few lift rides to get around, and because every lift serves at least one groomed beginner or intermediate trail, it’s virtually impossible to get stuck over your head. Unlike most resorts, where novices are relegated to the base area, here they can enjoy the same stunning vistas from the top as experts, thanks to a 4.5-mile beginner run from just below the summit. After all, what’s the point of a big mountain skiing vacation if you never get to experience the big mountain? If all that is not enough, Telluride is also one of just a handful of North American resorts offering on-site daily heli-skiing, right from the middle of Mountain Village. With nearly four decades’ experience, a state-ofthe-art, high-altitude Eurocopter AS350 B3e aircraft, and more than 200 square miles of untracked terrain in the San Juan Mountains, Telluride Helitrax is a proven, exceptional, and extremely convenient operator. 

Courtesy Ryan Bonneau. Courtesy Images From Top: Brett Schreckengost; Visit Telluride

ki resorts commonly claim to have ample terrain for all abilities, but this is rarely true. Aspen has zero green runs for beginners, and America’s most popular mountain, Vail, lacks advanced expert options. Likewise, Deer Valley is known not for challenge but for its immaculate groomers, and Jackson Hole and Squaw Valley for their extreme steeps. If there is one resort in the country with exceptional terrain for every taste—and lots of it—it’s Telluride. As icing on this rich cake, last year the mountain added another 44 acres of north-facing expert gladed skiing. That alone is reason enough to visit, but the mountain also excels across the board, from cuisine to charm to convenience. Now, with revamped lodging, new restaurants, and the launch of commercial jet service, the destination is even better. Telluride’s two biggest strengths are its terrific ski terrain and towns—unlike other resorts, there are two very different ones, linked together by the ski trails themselves. Telluride, locally known simply as “town,” is a charming, authentic, well-preserved 19thcentury mining enclave on the floor of the canyon below the skiing. Here, you can free your inner cowboy or cowgirl while drinking in one of its saloons, shopping for a duster, or walking past the site of the very first bank infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy ever robbed. Right from town, catch the gondola up to the top of the ski area, called Mountain Village. Established in 1987, the modern, pedestrianized ski resort village has firepits, a skating rink, lots of lavish rental homes, and plenty of touristic amenities. With lots of lodging and dining options up or down, you can stay, eat, drink, and shop in either, and just about every visitor enjoys the best of both no matter where they lay their head. Telluride and Mountain Village are both fully connected to the slopes, ski-in/ski-out, and also directly connected by the free gondola running well into the post-dinner hours, a form of public transportation as unique and charming as Telluride itself. It is common for Mountain Village guests to end their

GETTING THERE If you fly private, getting to Telluride could not be easier—the airport is just 10 minutes away, closer than even famously convenient options like Jackson Hole and Aspen. But until last winter, the gateway for commercial flights was Montrose, 90 minutes out. Montrose still has the most options, adding several seasonal routes for more flights than ever on United, American, and Delta, with nonstops from 11 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver, and Chicago. But the biggest change was the launch of Denver Air Connection, a United regional partner offering the quick leg from United’s international Denver hub right into the Telluride airport with regional jets, instantly making town a one-stop flight from as far away as Tokyo.

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LODGING The most obvious thing Telluride lacks is a big-name five-star resort like the RitzCarlton, St. Regis, or Four Seasons, but it is home to two boutique Auberge Resorts. The luxury brand took over Madeline Hotel & Residences (aubergeresorts .com), already Telluride’s top full-service luxury property (above), less than three years ago. Since then, they have revamped the dining, added a fantastic indoor/outdoor après club lounge for guests, and recently wrapped a major

renovation including public and social spaces as well as all guest rooms. There are also luxury residences for rent, and the ski-in/ski-out Madeline is the heart and soul of Mountain Village, complete with an ice rink, a large spa, multiple restaurants, and convenient ski valet service. Also in Mountain Village, with a prime ski-in/ski-out location at the base of Lift 4, Lumiere with Inspirato (inspirato.com) is a warm, welcoming European-style residential hotel (inset). It has just 18 swank one- to fivebedroom apartments, each completely renovated in the past two years. All feature gourmet commercial-style kitchens, gas fireplaces, and oversize bathrooms with soaking tubs and walk-in

showers, most with steam showers and laundry rooms. They recently added an inroom private chef program and have a bar lounge serving delicious meals including breakfast, then shifting to wine and small plates for aprèsski. It is very pet friendly and makes guests feel as if they are returning home. The best lodging down in town is a boutique residential option, Element 52 (aubergeresorts.com). Auberge’s ski-in/ski-out property has no restaurants, though many are within walking distance, and houses just a small—but excellent—spa. What sets it apart are its over-the-top residences (many multistory, some with private elevators, game rooms, home theaters, outdoor hot tubs) and its direct connection to the slopes by private funicular. Element 52 is very intimate, hightouch, and service-oriented, complementing its superb physical accommodations with white-glove staff, house car transport, and on-demand adult beverage service. There is no better accommodation in Telluride proper. 

Courtesy Images From Top: Auberge Resorts; Ryan Bonneau; Visit Telluride. Opposite: Ryan Bonneau

Insider’s Guide

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Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top: Ryan Bonneau (2); Tony Denim. Opposite: Courtesy Ben Eng

DINING The already impressive finedining scene has recently been expanding. The longtime hottest reservation in town remains 221 South Oak (221southoak.com), owned by cookbook author and former Top Chef star Eliza Gavin, with a constantly changing but reliably delicious menu and the best wine list in Telluride. Two years ago, The National (thenationaltelluride .com) debuted and immediately became a favorite, combining lots of delicious, gourmet small plate options with an impressive wine list and extensive craft cocktails. Telluride already had an intimate and very popular cocktail and small plate specialist, Side Work Speakeasy (sideworkspeakeasy.com), a poorly “hidden” gem. While it could rest on its laurels for the drop-dead views, Allred’s Restaurant (left; tellurideskiresort.com), in the top gondola terminal, serves worthy upscale dinners. There’s also the tourist favorite with kitschy Old West flair, the New Sheridan Chop House (newsheridan.com). This excellent steakhouse sources locally ranched beef, lamb, and bison and keeps a very well-curated wine list. Up on the mountain, Alpino Vino (tellurideskiresort.com) is a tiny fine-dining eatery modeled on the culinary mountain refugios of Italy. With two nightly seatings, it requires advance reservations and a

snowcat ride, both well worth it for a multicourse menu with wine pairings that is the best replication of European ski dining in the United States. But while all major ski resorts have fine-dining standouts, where Telluride excels over all its peers is on the comfort food front: that hard-to-find, post-skiing combination of informality, value, and excellence that seems overlooked in many mountain towns. To that end, Oak (oakstelluride.com) is simply the best authentic smoked barbecue joint (Alabama-style) in skiing, plus Cajun and Creole specialties and a deep bourbon library including Pappy Van Winkle. Likewise, the best pizzeria in all of ski country is Brown Dog Pizza (browndogpizza .com), a mind-blowing, Detroitstyle spot that is arguably the favorite eatery in town. Telluride is also home to skiing’s best taqueria, the wildly creative, chef-driven, and always delicious Taco del Gnar (gnarlytacos.com). All of this adds up to massive family appeal you don’t need advance reservations for, and adding to this embarrassment of down-home culinary riches, local favorite Steamies Burger Bar (steamiesburgers.com) won a prestigious statewide competition and was named the Best Burger in Colorado. The “regular” version is locally ranched, drug-free, all-natural Angus, but upgrades include Colorado bison and domestic Wagyu.

SHOPPING The only visitors who might possibly be disappointed are those in need of luxury fashion boutiques—there’s no sign of Prada or Gucci. What Telluride excels at is outdoor gear, from national retailers like Patagonia (patagonia .com) to one-off (but famous in the climbing world) Jagged Edge Mountain Gear (jaggededge-telluride.com). This main street institution has long been

one of the nation’s top options for every conceivable twist on climbing, hiking, skiing, ski mountaineering, camping, and all related gear and apparel. With shops in both town and Mountain Village, Bootdoctors (bootdoctors .com) is considered by many experts to be the nation’s best independent ski boot customizer and fitter, with pro skiers making special trips and others planning their ski vacations around buying new boots. It’s also a full-service ski and bike shop carrying all the best brands with a high level of expertise. Finally, Mountain Village is home to the gallery and factory of Wagner Custom Skis (wagnerskis.com), far and away America’s preeminent manufacturer of high-tech, totally personalized skis. u

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A Swiss Winter’s Tale

The Alpine towns of Arosa and St. Moritz deliver world-class skiing and dining, with a mountain of difference between them. Which resort is right for you? BY DAVID KEITH

ong famous for mountains, chocolate, mountains of chocolate, and excellent skiing, Switzerland’s world-renowned ski resorts offer a variety of terrain, off-mountain activities, cuisine, and fine dining, all geared toward making your ski vacation a memorable experience. Between the glitz and glamour of St. Moritz and the laid-back atmosphere at Arosa, the hard-core skiers and snowboarders will find a place to ski and board some of the best terrain, and eat and drink some of the best food, wine, and beer in the world. 

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Courtesy Switzerland Tourism. Opposite, iStock

Laid-back and local Arosa

Glamorous and glitzy St. Moritz

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ST. MORITZ

The Carlton Hotel is perched high above the town, and offers all-suite accommodations (opposite).

ou know you’ve arrived in St. Moritz when the hotel car meeting you at the train station is a jet-black Bentley Mulsanne. Long the winter playland of the jet set, celebrities, and even James Bond, St. Moritz consists of five ski areas: Lagalb, Diavolezza, Corvatsch, Furtschellas, and Corviglia, which offer a total of 56 lifts serving 220 miles of skiable terrain (plus another 140 miles of cross-country trails). For the hard-core downhillers, take the train or a ski bus to Diavolezza and Lagalb. Ascending to just under 10,000 feet, Diavolezza has two challenging intermediate trails and a long, ungroomed, mostly intermediate run along the glacier that takes 45 minutes to complete. It is advisable to hire a guide for the off-piste areas. At Lagalb, be

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prepared to ski the steepest slope in the Alps. Beginners, intermediate skiers, and families can ski Corviglia’s groomed beginner trails, while enjoying easy access from the large base area. On-mountain dining experiences include Pizzeria Chadafö (the signature wood-fired calzone is made with tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, parmigiana, and fresh oregano; be sure to make a reservation before you hit the slopes). Or, schuss over to Bergrestaurant Chamanna off the Munt da San Murezzan lift for local specialties, including rösti (a cross between a potato pancake and hash browns), wursts, fresh pretzels, and an extensive beer list. Corvatsch, the area’s highest mountain, has a 2.6-mile night run, a snow park, and plenty of off-piste skiing. For an unusual

on-mountain dining experience, try Kuhstall; it converts from a cow barn in the summer to a homestyle restaurant during ski season. Ustaria Rabgiusa, between Corvatsch and Furtschellas, serves a specialty called piadina (Italian flatbread filled with meats, cheeses, and other delicacies). Off-mountain in late January, St. Moritz hosts the Snow Polo World Cup (snowpolostmoritz.com). In addition to being the only high-goal snow polo tournament, the event was the first-ever snow polo tournament and remains as much about the food and social scene as the competition. In town, Casino St. Moritz (casinostmoritz.ch) offers blackjack, poker, roulette, and slot machines. Take your winnings to the high-end shops, including Bucherer, Louis Vuitton, Moncler, Prada,

Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top: Tschuggen Hotel Group (2); Switzerland Tourism. Opposite: Courtesy Tschuggen Hotel Group

Hermès, and Jimmy Choo. Läderach has been named one of Switzerland’s top chocolate shops. At the end of the day, that black Bentley will take you back to the Carlton Hotel (carlton-stmoritz.ch). Originally built in 1913, and completely modernized in 2007 by designer Carlo Rampazzi, the Carlton has 60 lakefacing, butler-serviced suites, including a penthouse apartment. Enjoy a cocktail at the Carlton Bar while sitting by the fireplace and sampling small bites from the kitchen. The three-story spa includes a sauna, indoor/outdoor heated pool, cold plunge, individual treatment rooms, and products by The Organic Pharmacy. Restaurant Romanoff serves a lavish breakfast buffet, along with local specialties for dinner. At Da Vittorio, recently awarded a second Michelin star, brothers Enrico and Roberto Cerea use local products to create Italian specialties, with excellent service and wine pairings for each course. The paccheri alla Vittorio is prepared tableside with fresh pasta.  LM FALL/WINTER 2020 151

AROSA

The Tschuggen Grand Hotel’s spa and private funicular (opposite) for guests only

3.5-hour train ride away in Arosa, skiers and snowboarders come upon a down-to-earth locals’ scene. Within the Canton of the Grisons (Switzerland’s largest state), St. Moritz and Davos shine like diamonds, garnering significant international attention. In Arosa, more of a hidden gem to foreigners, the terrain rides a bit easier and the beauty of the small Schanfigg valley in the shadow of the 8,704-foot Aroser Weisshorn abounds. The skiable terrain measures nearly 3,000 vertical feet and 62 miles, comprising 70 trails, all supported by 13 lifts, including T-Bars. In addition to the terrain park and half-pipe, the Urdenbahn tram at the top of the Hornli lifts connects Arosa with Lenzerheide, adding another 70 miles of ski trails—all skiable with one lift pass. Both Arosa and Lenzerheide have mostly intermediate trails, a few truly steep expert pitches, and a good selection of beginner runs. For better snow and more of a challenge, hire a guide for a morning or a day to explore the extensive off-piste terrain. Take a break at Carmenna Hut, accessible along the intermediate run down from the Plattenhorn chair, for typical Swiss cuisine, such as bratwurst with rösti, along with a varied wine list. Grab one of the sun loungers for a post-lunch nap, or just sit and marvel at the majestic view. For après-ski, head to the bottom of the Tschuggen West T-Bar, where you’ll find KuhBar, Saustall, Raclette Stube, and Tschuggen Stubli. Grab a local brew from KuhBar and listen

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Courtesy Tschuggen Hotel Group (2)

to music ranging from ’70s rock to the latest EDM, or sit at one of Saustall’s picnic benches for pretzels, wursts, fries, and local charcuterie. Be sure to catch the view as the sun goes down. For ski-in/ski-out convenience via a 12-passenger funicular, check into the Tschuggen Grand Hotel Arosa (tschuggen.ch). With panoramic views of the mountains, most of the rooms include a sun terrace. At the Tschuggen Bergoase, the hotel’s four-story spa and wellness center, find an indoor/outdoor pool with whirlpool seats, a children’s splash pool, sun terraces, indoor lounges, a mountain sauna with a snow terrace, individual treatment rooms, and a dedicated space for meditation. At night, the spa’s sail-like skylights are lit from within in a variety of colors for an everchanging piece of mountain artwork. The Tschuggen’s restaurant The Basement is a cross between a local pub and a hopping après-ski bar, complete with a bowling alley, great burgers, and local specialties like curry wurst, fondue, and cheesecake. At the Grand Restaurant, on the main floor of the hotel, dinner includes classic Swiss specialties, such as chateaubriand, salmon medallions, and guinea fowl terrine. Pre-dinner, order a cocktail at the Tschuggen Bar, with live music or DJs at night. There’s also La Brezza, chef Marco Campanella’s Arosa outpost of his Michelin-starred restaurant, that focuses on more classic dishes, such as tuna tartar with sardines and tender filet mignon. 

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G E A R U P

SKIS, BOOTS, AND BINDINGS Renamed for the 2021 season, the Head Supershape e-Titan ($1,200; head.com) presents the widest footprint in Head’s Supershape ski line. The high-speed carving weapon slices up snow with a rearward side cut that allows you to engage on edge at a lower angle, making the ski quicker and more maneuverable. With 133 mm up front, 84 mm underfoot, and 115 mm in the rear, the e-Titan is wide enough to ease through powder and tight enough to hold a turn on hardpack. The Energy Management Circuit uses two sheets of metal and graphene to absorb vibrations. The updated rocker and camber help boost your finish. Mount a set of Tyrolia PRD 12 GW bindings ($300; tyrolia.com) with a DIN rating of 3.5–12 for maximum safety and easy entry/exit, and step into Head’s Nexo LYT 130 boots ($825; head.com): stiff yet light fourbuckle boots with injectable paraffin material that fills in any gaps around the lower legs.

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SNOWBOARD, BOOTS, AND BINDINGS The Burton Free Thinker ($600; burton.com) is a traditional camber twin loaded with pop, power, and speed. For hard, fast, and aggressive riding, the board remains stable on every snowpack from morning groomers to afternoon crud. Any bump can feel like an aircraft carrier’s catapult, launching you airborne with ease. In the park, the ride is solid and builds confidence on rails and ramps. The symmetric front and rear allow you to carve and spin whether you’re riding regular or switch. A full-length carbon layer lightens the board and provides better torsional feel, and the Channel board mounting system lets you create your perfect stance and accommodates most major bindings. A set of Burton’s Cartel X EST bindings ($300) come in colors to complement the Free Thinker’s Scott Lenhardt spectrum artwork. Add in a pair of Burton Kendo Snowboard boots ($320) with a moldable liner and mid-range flex for control.

TECH JACKETS The latest from Helly Hansen (hellyhansen .com) are the men’s Steilhang and women’s Pinnacle, both priced at $700 and featuring a waterproof and breathable Helly Tech layer to keep you dry, four-way stretch fabric for mobility, and the new H2Flow Air Force Vent System to regulate your temperature. H2Flow stores warm air as your body temperature increases; to cool down, open the optimally placed zippers. The insulated Life Pocket even keeps your mobile phone warm.

SNOW PANTS The classically styled Helly Hansen Legendary Insulated Pants (from $80) are waterproof, breathable, and have two-way stretch fabric that allows you to move freely on the slopes. The full-length PrimaLoft keeps you warm, while zipper vents let you cool off as things heat up. —D.K. u

All Images Courtesy Listed Manufacturer. Opposite, Courtesy Switzerland Tourism

St. Moritz and Arosa slopes see every snowy condition from powder, groomers, and hardpack to fresh tracks off-piste, crust, even chunder. The best gear for these trails is an all-mountain ski or board that can transition from soft snow to frozen corduroy on the same run.

Skiing the 8,704-foot Aroser Weisshorn

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VINE UPDATE Wineries

Ripening Agents

For more than a century, the Northern California duo of renowned winemaking valleysâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Napa and Sonomaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;have attracted vintners and oenophiles alike, seduced by the temperate seasons and sundry soil. But recently, a new crop of farmers, growers, and estate holders have gained a foothold. Looking to challenge the longstanding status quo and driven by changing consumer preferences, these viticulture enthusiasts have spent years, if not decades, perfecting their craft and adjoining brands. The next generation of Napa and Sonoma Valley vintners is less focused on age and more on being steadfast in approach.

Courtesy Silver Oak

BY ALEXANDRA CHENEY

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SILVER OAK AND TWOMEY CELLARS David Duncan Succeeding his father Ray in 1999, David Duncan, the proprietor, chairman, and CEO of Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars, considers himself “the new guard” of the family winemaking business. “We’re figuring out how to reach a younger audience, creating digital drops, and bringing sustainability to the forefront,” says the 55-year-old winemaker. The Alexander Valley property holds a pair of sustainability titles: the world’s first LEED Platinum Certified estate and the first winery certified a Living Building by the International Living Future Institute. “You have to walk through the vineyard to get to the winery, which is special,” says Duncan. From grape delivery to barreling to bottling, the estate is designed to make one wine: Alexander Valley Cabernet. “That’s fairly rare,” Duncan explains. Silver Oak is also the only North American winery to own and operate its own cooperage. (Duncan purchased an American Oak barrel cooperage in Missouri back in 2015.) The culmination of these seemingly incongruous details continue to transform the brand. 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $80/bottle; silveroak.com 

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APERTURE CELLARS AND DEVIL PROOF VINEYARDS, Jesse Katz

Upon first blush, the cornucopia of items strewn across Lawrence Fairchild’s dining room table appear to be arbitrary: French handblown glass bottles, sketches of Latin and Greek mythology, zinc pewter labels, and Gucci’s latest lookbook. “My goal is to produce the most collectible wine in the world,” says Fairchild. Born and raised on a farm in Nebraska, the 60-yearold proprietor of Stones Wine, Perrarus, and Fairchild Napa Valley places equal importance on the wine, its packaging, and presentation. Wine is consumed alongside other luxury goods, which is why it should come as no surprise that all three Stones Wines have received, since their debut, a rating of 96 points or higher. Each Stones label involves 18 months of design, and the presentation can include a reception with Fairchild himself. To pique the interest of his clientele, Fairchild’s latest venture, Perrarus, is a large-format cabernet sauvignon blend that began with a linen slipcase and an enclosed 30-page lookbook, and ended with a series of destination, Michelin-starred meals around the country. It is available solely via lottery.

Winemakers anticipate the annual publication of Silicon Valley Bank’s “State of the US Wine Industry.” When the 2020 edition declared “the trend and mantra of premiumization that pushed volume and price higher for the past 25 years is nearing an end,” Jesse Katz, 36, felt relieved. Katz, the first winemaker included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, is the owner of Aperture Cellars in Healdsburg. “There’s a brand cost associated with Napa Valley,” he says. “But there’s better value in Sonoma. I’m able to make wines at a super high level, but I must sell them at a lower price point.” Aperture Cellars’ 2017 Oliver Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon tied for the highest-rated cabernet of the vintage worldwide in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. The blend of new-world fruit with oldworld elegance comes from Katz’s custom-designed winery, where each of the 27 tanks has its own designated pump and computer. During a wildfire evacuation, Katz pumped over remotely, repeating the process 72 times in the first three days (versus a more common pump over of two to three times per day). He also installed five separate temperature-controlled rooms instead of one big barrel room. “It’s about guiding the wine the way I want it,” he says.

Perrarus 2: The Art Series, from $3,500/bottle; houseofperrarus.com 2017 Stones No. 3, from $375/bottle in three-bottle allotments; stoneswine.com

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2017 Aperture Oliver Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $150/bottle; aperture-cellars.com

Courtesy Images From Left: Fairchild; Aperture Cellars/Andy Katz; Arista Winery/King Lawrence; Dalla Valle Vineyards/Jimmy Hayes

STONES WINE, PERRARUS, AND FAIRCHILD NAPA VALLEY, Lawrence Fairchild

ARISTA WINERY Mark McWilliams

DALLA VALLE VINEYARDS Maya Dalla Valle

Born and raised in Texas, Mark McWilliams doesn’t come from a multigenerational winemaking family. In fact, his parents purchased their 36-acre Healdsburg estate in 2002 as a piece of land to “retire to,” says the 43-year-old owner of Arista Winery. “We took the Jackson Pollock approach to making wine; we made a lot of mistakes.” McWilliams started Arista Winery in 2002, but it took a decade for the brand to find its voice. “It drives me crazy when people go down these rabbit holes of esoteric regions and varieties but don’t know classic wine regions or fundamental grapes,” he says. Employing a slow, cold, and native fermentation, with no fining or filtering and two clarifications before blending, McWilliams has created a duo of varietals, pinot noir and chardonnay, imbued with delicate textures. Slow, cold fermentations mean his wines sit around 56 degrees for 12–18 months (versus the more common one- to threemonth fermentation process). “Hot, fast fermentations can be very violent and you lose aroma. It’s a very different flavor profile,” says McWilliams. “We kind of throw the schedule out the window, give it some oxygen, and just let it sit there. It’s gentle, quiet winemaking.”

For over three decades, Maya Dalla Valle’s first name has echoed throughout Napa Valley. Maya, a blend of Maya’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with a select block of cabernet franc, remains one of the original icons of modern winemaking in California. For Dalla Valle, the release is both a challenge (roughly 500 cases are produced each year) and an opportunity. Established in 1982, the winery released its first vintage in 1986, the year before Maya was born. Now Maya operates the estate alongside her mother, Naoko, and says that Dalla Valle isn’t afraid of change. “We farm our own vineyards, which has always allowed us to be very precise,” says the 33-year-old director. True to vigneron (the practice of farming and winemaking in one), Dalla Valle wines are produced start to finish on property. In 2007 the mother/daughter team shifted to organic farming and the winery is now in its second year of biodynamically farming with the intention to convert fully within the next decade. “Winemaking and producing, especially in Napa, is very traditional. But sometimes what worked for a brand in the past doesn’t work now,” says Maya. “People are starting to catch on and wanting to stop wine from being such a stuffy product.”

2018 Arista UV-Lucky Well Vineyard Pinot Noir and Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay, $80/bottle; aristawinery.com

2017 Maya, from $425/bottle; dallavallevineyards.com 

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SuperUco in Argentina

Down to Earth

o understand the practice of biodynamics, one must first accept the vineyard not simply as a place where grapes are grown to be made into wine, but as an entire ecosystem. Everything from the microscopic organisms in the soil, through the native flora, fauna, and the indigenous animals, to the far reaches of the cosmos, influences the balance and harmony of a place. Ancient methods inform the practice, which uses lunar cycles and astrological influences to mark growing phases and weather changes and inform any alterations to the grapes. Along with eliminating synthetic pesticides, biodynamic farming opts out of common wine industry manipulations such as yeast additions and acidity adjustments during blending. The modern application of the practice began in the early 1920s with Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher who theorized about the connection between science and spirituality. While there are certainly some outré aspects, the method ensures a more natural, transparent process than that of conventionally produced wines—something consumers continue to demand. “People have always wanted to know where their wines come from,” says Katsuyuki Tanaka, a preeminent wine critic in Japan who researches the connection between taste, intention, and execution in food and wine. “Now they also want to know the people who are making it and how it’s crafted.” As biodynamic farming and winemaking rise in popularity, here are a few standout wineries worth a visit.

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From Top: Courtesy SuperUco/Leonardo Bonetto Michelini; iStock. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Left: Gerard Bertrand/Soufiane Zaidi; SuperUco/Leonardo Bonetto Michelini; Raymond Vineyards

As demand increases for organic, sustainably sourced products and agricultural transparency, vintners have embraced a return to natural practices and biodynamic winemaking.

Gérard Bertrand Château l’Hospitalet, Narbonne, France

SuperUco Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

Raymond Vineyards Napa Valley, St. Helena, California

Provincially, Gérard Bertrand is known as the king of the Languedoc-Roussillon. With 16 estates totaling 2,100 acres, all of them biodynamic, Bertrand is the largest biodynamic wine producer in the largest wine-producing region in the world (France’s southeast). “When I make wine, the process is a soulful connection,” says Bertrand, a third-generation vintner. “When I shifted to making biodynamic wines [in 2002], I moved from a cultural method to a cosmic philosophy. The moon and the planets, and their interplay with the rocks and limestone in the soil, influence the taste of my wine.” His 203 acres of syrah, grenache, and mourvèdre grapes intertwine with rows of mulberry, olives, and garrigue, “whose fragrances run through the vineyards and permeate the berries,” according to Bertrand. Creating a duo of Gran Vin’s, a white and red, the process for the latter demonstrates a modern-day adherence to ancient practices. To make the blend, each varietal is vinified individually. Then they’re blended and barrel-aged for 12 months. Bottling takes place exclusively on lunar fruit days to respect Earth’s rhythms. From $15/bottle; en.gerard-bertrand.com

“The idea is that everything that comes from the land should return to it,” Gabriel Michelini explains in his native Spanish. He’s one of five brothers who own and run SuperUco, the sole biodynamic winery within the Winemakers Village at the Vines of Mendoza, a resort, spa, and private vineyard. Settled at the base of the Andes in the Uco Valley, the SuperUco estate, tasting room, and kitchen intentionally parrot their surroundings. “There are no straight lines in nature,” says Michelini, “so we conceived a circular design.” The octagonal cellar sits in the center of the five-acre plot, surrounded by concentric circles of malbec, cabernet franc, and petit verdot varietals, naturally irrigated by snowmelt. SuperUco’s resident horse, cow, chickens, and organic farm are incorporated into the vineyard’s rings, which take advantage of the sun and symbolize the solar system. The rocky, chalky terroir requires that roots hug the colluvial and alluvial soils. Beginning at 3,600 feet above sea level, SuperUco produces six high-elevation, cold-climate biodynamic wines; alternating vintages include Fratello, Sorella, and Gualta. From $60/bottle; superucowines.com

Perhaps the finest explanation of biodynamic farming and winemaking comes with a visit to Jean-Charles Boisset’s Raymond Vineyards. Coined “the Theater of Nature,” a self-guided tour takes guests on a “five-act” journey through the property and its processes. Each act performs a distinct function, while also leading into the subsequent one. The end result is the convergence of plant, animal, soil, vineyardist, and “wholeness” that, according to Landscape Manager and Garden Director Joe Papendick, “enhances grape quality.” Identifying the nine biodynamic preparations, including Boisset’s use of chamomile, horsetail, valerian, nettles, and dandelion (to allow for the elimination of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers from the process), the Theater of Nature links the farm’s machinations with wine-producing operations. “It’s rooted in the concept of balance; we see the vineyard as a single, self-regulating, self-sustained entity in harmony with nature’s rhythms,” says Papendick. The cover crop (which shades the roots of the vines and keeps the soil moist), compost, and estate biodiversity sustains Raymond’s 90-acre St. Helena and Rutherford vineyards, both of which run entirely on renewable solar energy. From $112/bottle; raymondvineyards.com  —A.C.

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The Best of Old and New Napa and Sonoma

s new Napa Valley restaurants, shops, activities, and hotels move in among the old guard, both the long-standing and neoteric establishments are upping the ante to attract visitors. Sonoma’s expansive and bucolic backdrop offsets Napa’s more well-trodden, gilded towns (Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, and St. Helena). Which is better? Like tasting notes and varietals, it’s a matter of preference.

STAY Renovations of Carneros Resort and Spa’s 103 standalone cottages and suites, as well as its spa, have refreshed the 28-acre Napa resort, built in 2003. The Wine & Away package, a partnership between Carneros and evoJets, includes round-trip private jet transport on a Pilatus PC-12 or Gulfstream G650 (anywhere evoJets has a partner), as well as a series of spa treatments, culinary experiences, cabana rentals, and a two-night stay. From $500; carnerosresort.com Siblings Catherine and Joe Bartolomei’s award-winning Sonoma boutique hotel Farmhouse Inn is well known for its Michelin-starred restaurant. But check in for a stay and enjoy the intimate spa with its fresh farm-toskin products and signature treatments. No less than five concierges coordinate local tasting itineraries for guests staying among just 25 suites and cottages. $625; farmhouseinn.com A duo of airy and austere globally recognized hotel brands, one in each valley, arrive late this year. Montage Healdsburg, which has 130 bungalow-style guest rooms with an environmentally conscious design, is taking its first reservations in December and, like the new Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley in Calistoga, offers uninterrupted views of on-site vineyards. From $695, montagehotels.com; $1,400, fourseasons.com

PLAY Though it may sound a bit cliché, there’s nothing like silently ascending into the crisp morning air of first light as the valley floor sprawls below. The uninterrupted plein air views are thanks to Napa Valley Aloft Balloon Rides. nvaloft.com

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Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top: Carneros Resort and Spa; Napa Valley Aloft; RH Yountville

Clockwise: The renovated Carneros Resort and Spa; Napa Valley Aloft Balloon Rides; the restaurant at RH Yountville. Wander through the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, home to 1,000-year-old ancient coast redwoods, including the 310-foot Parson Jones Tree and the 1,400-year-old Colonel Armstrong Tree. parks.ca.gov Stop by Sonoma’s MacArthur Place for an al fresco massage or a citrus and kale masque facial at the hotel’s newly renovated spa. The garden-to-spa treatments change based on the availability of fruits, flowers, and herbs growing on property. macarthurplace.com

DINE Within Restoration Hardware’s RH Yountville, a five-building compound opened in 2018, is a two-story wine vault housed in the historic Masonry Building, a series of spaces that showcase RH furnishings, and an indoor/outdoor, greenhouse-inspired restaurant. Statement chandeliers encircle the dining room, which features a fountain and nearly a dozen floor-lit olive trees. rh.com Healdsburg’s Barndiva is a farm-to-table restaurant, cocktail lounge, and wine bar serving up modern country cuisine. Save room for a scoop around the corner in the charming, grassy Healdsburg town square at Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar. barndiva.com; thenoblefolk.com Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville continues to define farm-to-table dining, prizing extreme local provenance. Keller’s restaurant recently opened The Board Room, a private 12-person dining space that centers around a custom table made from a 140-year-old tree. thomaskeller.com/tfl Newcomer restaurants SingleThread in Healdsburg and Napa’s Kenzo (both have Michelin stars) celebrate pared-down, intentional experiences with “micro-seasonal dining” and kaiseki menus, respectively. singlethreadfarms.com; kenzonapa.com

SHOP On St. Helena’s main street, peek into Jan de Luz Linens, a French linen and home décor shop that specializes in custom embroidery. Go in and employ the assistance and keen eye of shop manager Maria Rodriguez, who navigates the hundreds of color and font combinations on a daily basis to find the perfect arrangement. jandeluzlinens.com First opened in this location in 1956, the original, flagship Williams Sonoma store features one-of-a-kind heritage cookware and merchandise only available in store. williams-sonoma.com Within a block of the quaint Healdsburg Plaza square, a trio of shops offer a mélange of delights. Go to Gallery Lulo for fine art, Tamarind for home décor and jewelry by emerging female designers, and Ereloom, a one-stop, California-cool menswear boutique. gallerylulo.com; shoptamarind.com; ereloom.com  —A.C. .

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Vineyard Vacations

Among California’s best-kept secrets are a handful of exclusive guesthouses at its top wineries.

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LYNMAR ESTATE Sebastopol

BELTANE RANCH Glen Ellen

DELORIMIER WINERY Geyserville

JUSTIN WINERY Paso Robles

The 100-acre Lynmar Estate includes some of the oldest pinot noir and chardonnay grapes in the Russian River Valley, an area famed for those varietals. The property borders wildlife preserve Laguna de Santa Rosa, a 22-mile stretch of creeks, marshes, and oak woodlands that are home to otters, turtles, trout, salmon, and more than 200 species of birds. Guests of the Bliss House, the Lynmar’s threebedroom private estate that is now available to rent, are surrounded by vineyards, vegetable gardens, and wildflowers. The house showcases views of the adjacent wetlands through floor-to-ceiling windows and from its second-story balcony. From $1,500/night ($1,200 for Lynmar club members), with a five-night minimum; lynmarestate.com

The town of Glen Ellen is a hidden gem in Sonoma County, tucked in between the Napa and Sonoma valleys. The 105acre Beltane Ranch is home to, among others, cabernet and chardonnay vines planted as early as 1879 from cuttings of Bordeaux vineyards, including Château Margaux. Today, the winery is best known for its sauvignon blanc and zinfandel. The property also features the Farm Stay Inn, an updated ranch house originally built in 1892 that now serves as guest accommodations with four separate suites available to rent. A more private stay is available at the Cottage Suite, which is isolated at the back of the inn with a private garden set among olive and lemon trees. This makes a great spot for the farm-to-table breakfast included with each stay. From $375; beltaneranch.com

Often called “California’s Bordeaux,” the Alexander Valley region in north Sonoma County grows some of the area’s best Bordeaux-style varietals, especially cabernet sauvignon. DeLorimier Winery, just outside the valley’s town of Geyserville, focuses on single-vineyarddesignate cabernets that burst with depth and richness thanks in part to the winery’s Bordeaux-friendly terroir and low-yield output. The property’s Vineyard House is surrounded by 17 acres of these small-lot vineyards and offers a private experience in the relatively isolated Alexander Valley with three bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a back porch and a barbecue abutting rows of vines. DeLorimier also offers a pair of private suites for rent, both with patios situated just steps from the vines. delorimierwinery.com

California’s Central Coast does not get as much attention for its winemaking as the Napa and Sonoma valleys farther north, but the area nonetheless produces some beautiful wines. The sprawling Justin Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles spans more than 160 acres of rolling hills. In addition to a large tasting room and on-site restaurant, Justin also offers several options for onsite accommodations: Just Inn, which comprises three private suites, and the one-bedroom Vintner’s Villas. For larger parties, the Chateaux at Justin is a hilltop residence with four bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a billiards room, and much more. It’s currently closed for renovations, but the winery expects it to reopen next year. Suites from $300; $12,500/ night for the Chateaux; justinwine.com

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Courtesy Poetry Inn/Scott Chebegia. Opposite, From Left: Courtesy Lynmar Estate/Karen Schmautz; Courtesy Beltane Ranch/Steven Krause; iStock; Courtesy Justin Winery/Allyson Magda

s travelers and the travel industry adapt to the pandemic, private rental homes have become more desirable than potentially crowded hotels and resorts. California wineries are taking advantage of this trend and building private, on-property accommodations for overnight guests. Usually reserved for family and friends of the winery, the spaces are now being made more widely available to those interested in relative privacy with access to great wine. Options range from small on-site inns with only a few rooms to stand-alone homes immersed in scenic wine country.

POETRY INN Napa The 60-acre Cliff Lede winery vineyards in the Stags Leap District along Napa Valley’s famed Silverado Trail stretch from the valley floor up a steep hillside, allowing the winery to grow a variety of grapes. Perched on the hill among cabernet sauvignon vineyards, the property’s boutique luxury hotel, Poetry Inn, offers the district’s only public accommodations. Architect Howard Backen designed the inn (as well as the winery) and highlighted the views in each of the five rooms, which measure from 950 to 1,450 square feet. For a more private experience, book the entire inn or one of the winery’s three vineyard homes for a month: one is just off the Silverado Trail; one is on the hill near the inn; one is among Cliff Lede’s vineyards in nearby Calistoga. All are impeccably designed with private access, three bedrooms, and their own swimming pools. Poetry Inn from $820/night; homes from $19,000 to $35,000/month; poetryinn.com u —Bailey Stone Barnard LM FALL/WINTER 2020 165

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Whiskey Trailblazers

A new generation of distilleries along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail is creatively expanding the craft of the All-American spirit. BY SHAUN TOLSON

Courtesy Rabbit Hole Distillery (2)

aveh Zamanian walks into the main distillation and fermentation area of Louisville’s Rabbit Hole distillery (rabbitholedistillery.com)—a steel-and-glass edifice with vaulted ceilings. With a sweep of his hand, the distillery’s 55-year-old founder gestures to the 48-foottall copper column still at the room’s center. “We wanted it to have the feeling of a place of reverence,” he explains, “where you come in and the still is the centerpiece and your eyes immediately go up to the sky and you’re taken by just the beauty of the space.” When Zamanian established Rabbit Hole in 2012 and opened the brand’s Louisville distillery six years later, his muse—other than exceptional American whiskey— was transparency. Even from the exterior in the center of the city’s vibrant NuLu

neighborhood, you can glimpse the gleaming still inside. During public tours, visitors are led through the 55,000-square-foot premises to see and be immersed in the distillery’s elements of production. A spiral staircase climbs to the top of the atrium, where nine fermentation tanks sit uncovered, each one fit with a system to manage its carbon dioxide level. “These are open tanks by design,” Zamanian says, pausing to look into one of them, cupping his hand just above the surface of the foaming liquid, and coaxing its aroma up to the edge of the tank. “The bourbon that’s being produced here, it’s breathing in all the molecules and everything that surrounds us. “It’s a modern space,” Zamanian continues, “but we’re a modern distillery. I’m a city guy. I grew up in LA, and lived in New York, Chicago, and now Louisville, so it’s

more a representation of who I am and what the brand is about. I’m not going to try to pretend to be related to some grandfather or great-grandfather who made whiskey next to a creek here. That’s just not genuine.” Zamanian’s origin story injects an important truth among volumes of branding strategies that have characterized the bourbon industry. Only a few years ago, investigations revealed that some craft brands were sourcing liquid from massive contract distilleries like MGP of Indiana (look for “Distilled in Lawrenceburg, IN” on the label). That practice itself wasn’t scandalous, since a brand that starts out with MGP-sourced liquid can cultivate unique flavors and aromas through strategic barrel selections, dilution, filtration, and artful blending. But the news drew plenty of justifiable criticism since the origin of those whiskeys contradicted the 

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authenticity of messages on bottle labels that suggested long histories of small-batch production in Kentucky. Craft distilleries starting from scratch curate their own mash from a blend of grains such as corn, rye, and wheat, so long as the recipe (for bourbon) contains at least 51 percent corn. Zamanian leaves his fermentation tanks open to showcase the brand’s commitment to transparency. “There’s no sanitary need to put a cover over the tanks, so visitors can experience the mash as they come in—they can see it, smell it, and get a taste of it,” he says. “It soaks up the environment all around, which makes it a truly unique expression.” In 2014, the first Rabbit Hole bourbon distilled was aged in new toasted and charred American oak barrels and was a unique marriage of four grains. It was, in no uncertain terms, a monumental risk. While Zamanian was building the Rabbit Hole distillery he contracted another Kentucky distillery to produce the expression’s raw distillate made of his own recipe; and even though the liquid that flowed off the still showed initial promise, Zamanian acknowledges that there was no way to really know how it would taste after it began to mature inside the barrel. That bourbon was destined to become the whiskey that introduced Rabbit Hole to the world, and it required a complete act of faith. “That’s one of the most challenging things about this

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business,” says Zamanian. “There’s so much upfront cost that you can’t recoup for three or four years. That’s the rabbit hole!” The resulting expression, Cavehill ($60), is currently bottled after just under four years in the barrel, though Zamanian notes that future releases will include older liquids.

Bourbon distilling in Kentucky today is not unlike winemaking in Napa Valley during the ’70s, where success was a community victory. The current release is light in body—a characteristic that is likely attributed to the whiskey’s relative youthfulness. It’s delicately balanced, delivering discernible baking spices on the nose, and it has an appropriately managed amount of initial sweetness on the palate. As for the bourbon’s name, Zamanian explains that it’s a reference to Louisville’s most famous cemetery, where more distillers are buried than anywhere else in the country. “It’s an homage,” he says, “to those folks who literally got this industry off the ground.”

Zamanian’s gratitude extends to a slew of contemporary distillers too. As he reveals, the Kentucky bourbon industry, especially in and around Louisville, is a supportive community of master distillers willing to offer guidance where and when it’s needed. In that respect, bourbon distilling in Kentucky today is not unlike winemaking in Napa Valley during the 1970s, where any one brand’s success was considered a broader victory for the entire community. “That’s one of the things that’s really special about Kentucky and Louisville in particular,” says Zamanian. “You’ve got a lot of experts here that are able to help you learn and make decisions. All these guys make sure that you’re not just stuck in the romance of making whiskey, but that you’re also aware of the fundamentals.” Thirty-five miles southeast of Rabbit Hole, Bardstown Bourbon Company (bardstownbourbon.com) is creating additional links to Napa Valley, and providing a local and transparent approach to contract distilling—one that has grown larger than MGP in less than a decade. At one of the distillery’s entrances, almost two dozen dining tables are flanked by a partially open kitchen on the left and a broad marble-andoak bar on the right. Together, those two amenities comprise Bottle & Bond Kitchen & Bar, the distillery’s standalone restaurant, which took inspiration from many of the wineries throughout Napa and Sonoma. 

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Courtesy Bardstown Bourbon Company

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two young whiskeys distilled by Bardstown Bourbon Company (one wheated and one with a high-rye mash bill) and an 11-yearold bourbon sourced from another Kentucky distillery. It’s an intriguing marriage, as rich caramel flavors and leather aromas from the mature bourbon are juxtaposed by bright fruit notes and a kick of spice that the Bardstown Bourbon Company’s younger, house-distilled whiskeys bring to the table. The Discovery Series #1 ($130) is structured around the same almost-12year-old sourced bourbon in the first Fusion Series release, but it’s blended with a small measure (5 percent) of 13-year-old sourced bourbon and two equal (10 percent) portions of 10-year and 5-year sourced bourbons. The full maturity of all expressions involved in this blend creates a luscious and indulgent whiskey, one with a thick viscosity and zealous toffee, caramel, and butterscotch flavors. At 121 proof (60.6 percent ABV), it is to be sipped and savored. Less than a mile away from Bardstown Bourbon Company and across the Bluegrass Parkway, Lux Row Distillers (luxrowdistillers .com) produces Blood Oath ($100), an annual, limited-edition blend of extra-aged bourbons sourced from various distilleries. It is head distiller John Rempe’s pièce de résistance. Lux Row, which produces three other bourbon brands (Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks, and David Nicholson), previously relied on sourced liquid to produce all of those whiskeys, but after recently building its own distillery, the company will soon begin bottling expressions for each of those brands that will be composed entirely of its own house-distilled bourbon. All except for Blood Oath, that is. “It’ll be a while before I use my own bourbon,” Rempe says. “I’ll probably still go out to find those old barrels at different distilleries. You never know what you’re going to find, and that’s part of the fun of it.” During the summer of 2019, Rempe sat in Lux Row’s tasting room. On the table in front of him sat a pour of Pact No. 5, then the most recent Blood Oath release. (Pact No. 6 was unveiled earlier this spring.) He nosed the bourbon in his glass and a smile crept 

Courtesy Lux Row Distillers

“We came up with this idea for a Napa Valley destination experience centered around bringing the entire bourbon community together,” says David Mandell, Bardstown Bourbon Company’s co-founder and its former president and CEO. Although the distillery’s fully developed food and beverage program (and, someday, a boutique hotel) distinguishes it from any other bourbon distillery in Kentucky, if not the United States, Bardstown Bourbon Company first began in 2013 as a facility dedicated to collaborative distilling. “We were the first distillery to embrace contract production and put some real parameters around it,” Mandell explains, “so we don’t look at these as just contract customers; these are our partners.” Unlike some of the larger contract distillation companies with industrial factories and few points of access for clients, Bardstown Bourbon Company is selective about which brands it partners with. Currently, the distillery produces 110,000 barrels per year for 25 partners, and it creates that whiskey based on 45 different mash bills. As partners, those brands have complete access to the facility; its Visitors Center essentially becomes their Visitors Center if and when it’s needed. “They can come here and use the facility,” Mandell says, explaining that some partners will bring their own team to the distillery to produce their liquid, while others will simply send specifications to Bardstown Bourbon Company’s resident team of distillers. “They can show their distributors and their customers how their whiskey is made and they can celebrate where it comes from.” Once the company’s collaborative distilling and food and beverage programs were in place, the concept of creating unique bourbons under its own label began to take root. According to Mandell, the composition of those whiskeys and their uniqueness in the market were dictated by the understanding that consumers enjoy bourbon in a variety of ways, so the distillery’s beverage and culinary teams collaborated with its distillers to create innovative new bourbons. Bardstown’s Fusion Series #1 ($60) is a blend of three bourbons—

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Courtesy Angels Envy

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across his face. “This is my favorite one,” he says, “but every year has been my favorite. I don’t stop until it is better than the last year. It’s kind of maddening.” Pact No. 5 is a blend of three whiskeys: a 13-year bourbon with strong spice and dark chocolate notes; a silky, 11-year-old wheated bourbon; and an 8-year bourbon finished for six months in Caribbean rum. “I get that molasses, a little sugar cane, and a lot of vanilla,” he says with his eyes closed and hands extended in front of him after he takes a sip. “And I get, on the back, a little bit of plum or prune.” Every Blood Oath pact so far is composed of a blend of bourbons, one of which is finished in a unique cask, but only for six or seven months. “I finish it and then blend it into the other two at the right amount, so I’m not killing the profile of the bourbon,” he explains. “I’m just giving it a hint of that other flavor.” Lux Row may have four years of uniquely finished bourbon releases under its belt, but it was Angel’s Envy (angelsenvy.com) in downtown Louisville that pioneered the craft in 2011. Founded by the late Lincoln Henderson and his son Wes, Angel’s Envy began as a small-batch bourbon project that leveraged Lincoln’s decades of experience in the whiskey distilling industry. As Wes explains, during his father’s 40-year career at Brown-Forman—where his greatest achievement in bourbon was creating Woodford Reserve—Lincoln was always most excited about his secondary barrel-aging experiments that ultimately never made it to production. When he and Wes decided to forge ahead with a family-run bourbon brand, they agreed to carve out a niche centered on

distinctive barrel finishes. “There was some noise about it when we started doing it,” Wes recalls. “Now, it’s becoming a mainstay in the industry.” The Hendersons’ first bourbon—and Angel’s Envy’s flagship whiskey ($50)—is typically bottled at 6 years of age and is finished for three to six months in 60-gallon port wine barrels. That finish softens the whiskey’s traditional bourbon aromas and mingles them with traces of stewed fruits. The spirit’s light body benefits from rounded edges, and the port cask influence draws out prominent vanilla notes paired with traces of dark chocolate on the palate. Last winter, the distillery released a limited-edition Oloroso sherry-finished bourbon ($200) that claimed numerous industry honors and sold out at the distillery almost immediately. Those who missed it can take solace in the fact that Wes and his team are constantly experimenting with new mash bills and a variety of wine barrel finishes. “That’s what makes this fun. We can wake up any morning and try whatever crazy idea we want to do,” Wes says. “There are so many different ways we can go. We want to be part of the conversation of bourbon, but we want to be in it in a way that we have something to contribute. We want to be innovative, but I don’t believe in innovation just for innovation’s sake.” As someone who most enjoys visiting his distillery’s tasting room and welcome center to “evangelize about the brand,” Wes believes those interactions with visitors provide the best guidance. “If you be true to yourself, if you be true to the people who are fans of the brand,” he says, “everything else kind of falls into place.” 

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Shaken Up and Stirred

In addition to being the official start of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Louisville is home to a number of cocktail bars that are putting an imaginative spin on the region’s well-known spirit.

“Oh!” Brent Elliott exclaims, his eyes lighting up after he takes a sip of the Double Sided Tape, a bourbon and scotch cocktail served at Proof on Main (proofonmain.com) in Louisville. “I should have ordered that.” When it comes to cocktails that feature Kentucky’s flagship spirit, Elliott—like many master distillers along the bourbon trail—is a traditionalist. The master distiller and director of quality at Four Roses Bourbon typically orders an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, even when more inventive and decidedly modernist bourbon libations grace the menu. Elliott isn’t opposed to creative cocktails, but on the topic of wildly inventive concoctions where bourbon is just one of many ingredients, the longtime whiskeymaker is a skeptic. He simply believes a bourbon cocktail should taste like bourbon. In Elliott’s estimation, the Double Sided Tape succeeds, even though it also features a sherryfinished blended scotch and an aromatic liqueur made from sweet and bitter orange peels. As he acknowledges, bourbon isn’t the most dominant flavor in the cocktail, but it’s an integral part of the drink’s structure. That bourbon can serve as the nucleus of a creative cocktail is no surprise to Chris Morris, master distiller at Woodford Reserve Distillery, who talks of bartenders as artists and positions bourbon

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as the spirit that provides them with the broadest palate of colors with which to paint. “A good bourbon,” he says, “will have spice notes—if it includes rye in its recipe—fruit character from the fermentation, sweet aromatics from the wood barrel, oaky notes from a barrel’s char, and grain character. It is the most versatile of all spirits.”

For creative takes on bourbon—shaken or stirred— Morris recommends a visit to Hell or High Water (hellorhighwaterbar .com), a speakeasy on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville. “In this area there are a lot of [bars that serve] straightforward cocktails that highlight bourbon,” says Sean Gardner, Hell or High Water’s general manager. “We strive to see how bourbon fits in with other traditions.” Case in point: the Fast Track, a Hell or High Water best-seller that marries bourbon with Islay Scotch, amaretto, pear liqueur, a peppercorn reduction, and Corazón bitters. It’s served on

the rocks with a lemon twist, but the cocktail begins with a glass that’s smoked at the bar using oak chips. “It gives it a great, smoky aroma that highlights what’s going on with the scotch and also brings out the toasted notes from the bourbon barrel,” Gardner explains. “It’s also a distinct experience. When you see something being lit on fire at the bar, it definitely grabs your attention.” For creative bourbon cocktails not served at his own establishment, Gardner walks 20 minutes east to Rye on Market (ryeonmarket.com), where Beverage Director Kelsey Hofmann doesn’t shy away from unexpected flavor combinations. As proof, Hofmann shakes up a wheated-bourbon-and-bananaliqueur concoction appropriately named B-a-n-a-n-a-s. It’s a cocktail that also incorporates a rich jasmine green tea syrup, overproof Jamaican rum, and lime juice. “I wanted to make a whiskey cocktail that was fun and friendly for whiskey drinkers and non-whiskey drinkers,” Hofmann says. “The bourbon is the base spirit, but this is just a different perspective on a bourbon cocktail. Instead of focusing on [traditional] caramel and orange notes, this focuses on the lighter tropical notes, like banana and coconut, which you’ll find when you taste something that has aged in a barrel.” —S.T. 

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top: 21c Museum Hotels; Rye on Market/Nathan Pedigo; Hell or High Water. Opposite Page, Courtesy Hell or High Water/Andrew Hyslop

Cocktails served up at (clockwise from top): Proof on Main, Rye on Market, and Hell or High Water (and opposite).

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A Japanese Expression

When it comes to fine whisky, the Land of the Rising Sun has risen to the occasion. Who says that Scotland has the world’s most prestigious whisky? No doubt that may have once been the case, but nowadays, the honor goes to Japan. Whisky connoisseurs globally are clamoring to get their hands on Japanese expressions, many of which are in short supply and increasingly rare and expensive finds. Compared with Scotland, where whisky production goes back centuries, Japan is new to the game. According to Makiyo Masa, the founder and director of Dekanta (dekanta.com), the world’s largest e-commerce site dedicated to Japanese whisky (it has more than 2,000 expressions), the first license to produce whisky

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in Japan was granted in 1919 (to Eigashima distillery), while the first distillery (Yamazaki) in the country opened in 1923. As the industry developed, producers such as Suntory and Nikka grew in size and honed their blending craft. “As these brands perfected the art, they created more compelling expressions,” says Masa. “In Japan, our obsession with perfection helps to create whiskies that take you on a journey through their appearance, smell, and taste.” The Japanese have enjoyed imbibing the spirit for decades, but it didn’t really burst onto the international scene until 2003, when the Yamazaki 12 picked up

a Gold Award at the International Spirits Competition. “It was a first for Japanese whisky, and the world really sat up and took notice,” says Masa. More awards, including ones for Hibiki 30, came in the following years, and Japanese whisky continued to gain acclaim. As demand increased, predictably, so did the price for a bottle. On the Dekanta site, for example, a bottle of Karuizawa “Aqua of Life” 50 Year Old, from the legendary Karuizawa distillery, commands $70,000 a bottle. Antoine Hodge, bar and spirits director at the Baccarat Hotel New York, says Japanese whiskies are what his customers covet the

most (the hotel has around 10 Japanese expressions). “People are most impressed when they see aged varieties because those are considered to be the most exclusive,” he says. With stocks of age-statement expressions dwindling, however, producers are releasing more non-age-statement iterations. Serious collectors, who define a whisky by how old it is, may turn up their noses at these creations, but Masa and Hodge say they shouldn’t. “A lot of them are incredible and absolutely worth buying and drinking,” says Masa. Here, three new whiskies destined to become collector’s items and future auction lots.

Courtesy Images From Left: Hibiki/House of Suntory; Yamazaki/House of Suntory; Nikka. Opposite Page, Courtesy Yamazaki/House of Suntory

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Anniversary Pack

Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 2017 Edition

Nikka Single Malt Miyagikyo Limited Edition 2019

In celebration of Hibiki’s 30th anniversary, Suntory released a limited-edition bottle adorned with a kimono-inspired pattern. Inside is a blend of whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries. The spirit smells of rose and wood and tastes of honey and candied oranges. $100; whisky.suntory.com

From Yamazaki, this expression has been aged for 18 years in Mizunara oak, a rare tree that grows in Japan. The wood makes for a whisky that tastes of cinnamon and has hints of dried fruit and coconut. Its spicy characteristic stays on the palate long after the drink is done. $1,000; whisky.suntory.com

This rare single malt, which includes some of the very first whisky produced at Nikka’s 50-year-old Miyagikyo distillery, is an artful blend with a sweet, almost herbaceous nose, a peaty taste, and a finish that’s both honey-like and bitter. Only 70 bottles were released in the United States. $3,500; nikka.com —Shivani Vora 

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Shochu

The other Japanese spirit. Whisky may get all the international fame when it comes to liquor from Japan, but shochu—the country’s most consumed spirit— is finally catching up. Often confused with soju, a liquor from Korea, shochu is a Japanese hard liquor that dates back at least 500 years. Distilled in the same way as vodka, it’s made from sweet potato, barley, or rice and has an alcohol content of 25 to 30 percent. Like Champagne or cognac, the drink can only be

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produced in certain appellations in Japan to be called shochu and cannot have added sweeteners or MSG. The taste varies depending on its base and is meant to reflect the terroir of the raw ingredients, which range from earthy to clean. A handful of shochus are flavored with green tea or lemongrass. The spirit is so popular in Japan that it consistently outsells both sake and whisky. Some industry experts even say that shochu’s annual production is

more than triple Mexico’s tequila production. It’s reasonably priced too. Jules Gomez, the beverage director for the high-end Japanese restaurant Zuma Miami, which offers several shochus, says that a bottle, even a top-quality one, retails for less than $100. Shochu is getting attention in the United States and popping up more on drink menus at Japanese restaurants here, according to Gomez, because imports to the country have increased in recent

years. Social media has also given it a boost. “It’s on Instagram and Facebook, which helps make it more known and gets people interested in what it is,” she says. Gomez recommends enjoying shochu neat, on the rocks, or as a spirit substitute in cocktails such as a martini or Negroni. “It’s super versatile and works beautifully as an aperitif, after-dinner drink, or throughout a meal,” she says. Here, three noteworthy shochu brands to try.

Courtesy Images From Left: Mizu Shochu/Sabine Scheckel; Ikkomon; Iichiko USA. Opposite Page, Courtesy Mizu Shochu/Jill Rittymanee

Mizu

Ikkomon

IIchiko Saiten

Produced in the village of Arita on the island of Kyushu, Mizu is single-distilled with barley and rice. Its smooth taste and buttery finish give it legs as the ideal sipping drink. The standard barley variety has floral, sake-like notes and drinks like a young whisky while the lemongrass version is refreshingly citrusy, and the green tea one is unexpectedly chocolatey. mizushochu.com

Made with Southern Kyushu sweet potatoes, this dry and aromatic shochu hails from Kagoshima Prefecture, on the southern tip of Kyushu island. You can’t go wrong enjoying Ikkomon on the rocks, using it in cocktails, or drinking it the most popular way: oyu-wari, warm or hot with water. It pairs well with fried chicken and hearty meat or creamy dishes. takarasake.com

From Japan’s leading barley shochu brand, Saiten (produced in the Oita Prefecture on Kyushu’s eastern coast) is a bartender favorite and has a silky, elegant mouthfeel. It’s commonly served with warm or cold water, used as a base in cocktails such as the gimlet, or mixed with oolong or matcha tea for a pick-me-up drink. iichiko.com u —S.V.

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Feasts, Not Famine

Top chefs bring more than culinary expertise to the table. Equipped with oversize personalities and passions, they lead loyal teams to earn Michelin stars and cult followings. And when they take on a cause, watch out: Very good things start to happen. These activist chefs are paying it forward, earning as many accolades for their charitable endeavors as they’ve already banked for their cooking. BY MARK ELLWOOD

Dan Giusti New Jersey–born Giusti reached culinary superstar status when he was named head chef at Copenhagen’s Noma, which received two Michelin stars under his leadership.

Daniel Boulud Born in Lyon, France, the restaurateur known for his flawless French techniques and precision palate operates a globe-spanning empire from Singapore to Palm Beach.

The Cause: Food Waste Bottura’s Food for Soul organization has created a network of community kitchens across the world to provide the most vulnerable with delicious, healthy meals. Each refetterio repurposes food that would otherwise be thrown away. Bottura stresses that these are not soup kitchens for the indigent, but rather outreaches to draw communities together through food—a “cultural project, not a charity project,” he says. The pilot launched at Milan’s World Expo in 2015. Since then, outposts have opened in Rio, London, Paris, Modena, Bologna, Naples, and, soon, Lima, Peru, and Mérida, Mexico.

The Cause: School Meals Rather than segueing from Noma to helming his own restaurant, Giusti returned stateside to start the for-profit social enterprise Brigaid. Part of its mission is to improve the diet—and subsequently the prospects—of school kids across America by employing formally trained, mid-level chefs to finesse menus with made-from-scratch food. There’s still pizza, but now it’s of homemade dough and fresh marinara sauce. The 4-year-old organization works with school districts in multiple states to feed thousands of kids at just $1.50 or less per meal.

The Cause: Homebound Seniors Boulud serves as co-president of the board for New York’s Citymeals on Wheels organization and has corralled fellow blue-chip chefs including Michael White and Charlie Palmer to participate in the work of providing meals to elderly homebound residents across the five boroughs. For the 39-year-old nonprofit’s monthly Chefs Deliver program, Boulud and friends personally cook and deliver meals. They also step in to help during emergencies such as Hurricane Sandy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to Help Other than donating, keep Bottura in business by booking a table at Gucci Osteria in Florence or at his new Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Beverly Hills, California, where one dish, dubbed Noah’s Ark pâté, is made using what is on hand in the kitchen to avoid waste. foodforsoul.it

How to Help Invest in this startup, as Noma co-owner René Redzepi did, or lobby your local school district to hire Brigaid, which now offers chefs on full-time assignment and a 55-day training program to allow schools and other food services to set up their own programs. chefsbrigaid.com

How to Help Attend Citymeals on Wheels’ main fundraiser, the annual springtime Sunday Supper. Boulud opens his namesake Manhattan restaurant, Daniel, to cook a multicourse gala dinner with live and silent auctions in support of the organization. citymeals.org

Massimo Bottura His three-Michelinstarred Osteria Francescana in Milan has been named the best restaurant in the world.

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From left: Bottura’s Food for Soul; Boulud’s meal delivery and Sunday Supper, opposite.

Courtesy Images From Left: Food for Soul; Food 1st. Opposite: Courtesy Citymeals on Wheels

José Andrés After training under El Bulli founder Ferran Adrià, Andrés moved from Asturias, Spain, to America in 1991 and quickly became a noteworthy presence via his restaurants in Washington, D.C., and as a constant presence on TV. The Cause: Disaster Relief Ten years ago, Andrés founded the not-for-profit World Central Kitchen. The mobile cooking operation ensures that those in crisis zones do not go hungry. The work began in Haiti, after the massive 2010 earthquake. Since then, Andrés has deployed his charity across the world like a food-powered first responder: He’s cooked for Puerto Rican hurricane victims and passengers quarantined during the COVID-19 crisis on a cruise ship in California; he even repurposed his restaurant group’s test kitchen, ThinkFoodLab, to feed furloughed workers during the 2019 US government shutdown. How to Help Lobby for another Nobel Peace Prize nomination (he lost last year to Ethiopian leader Abiy Ahmed Ali) or sign up to be on call for the World Central Kitchen Volunteer Corps. wck.org

Patrick Mulvaney Owner of Mulvaney’s B+L in Sacramento, California, the chef has been a longstanding champion of the farm-to-fork movement, and has helped turn his adoptive hometown into a de facto food capital since he moved there in the early 1990s. The Cause: Mental Health Mulvaney’s I Got Your Back program was inspired by high substance abuse and a spate of suicides within the hospitality community (including, of course, Anthony Bourdain); a 2016 Chefs with Issues survey of more than 2,000 restaurant workers found that 73 percent reported suffering from multiple mental health conditions. The grassroots operation trains at least one employee at each restaurant to be a peer counselor. Mulvaney has piloted the program in almost 24 restaurants across Sacramento and has plans to roll it out across the country. How to Help Donate to the nonprofit— as the Sacramento Kings, Bank of America, and Kaiser Permanente, already have by pledging more than $300,000. igotyourback.info

Walter el Nagar Once the Milanborn art curator turned to cooking, he became a high-end culinary nomad, staging pop-up bistros from Moscow to Tulum, Mexico, before settling in Geneva, Switzerland. The Cause: Food Waste Like Bottura, el Nagar is obsessed with food waste, but his solutions are unique. Until earlier this year, he ran Le Cinquième Jour, a 12-seat restaurant open to paying guests four days a week; each Saturday, the homeless and hungry could eat there for free. He’s now pivoted to running the new Mater Foundation, which should open in Geneva’s Old Town later this year. For five days each week, it will operate as a soup kitchen, while he’ll offer a gourmet tasting menu for the other two days; the foundation will also offer vocational training to those in need. How to Help Plan a trip to Geneva and do a twofer: Book a table at Mater for its multicourse meal and offer to volunteer for a stint or two sometime during the rest of the week. materfondazione.com u

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REAL ESTATE

Homes on the Range

Buyers want to be out of the big cities, but still within reach of urban conveniences. BY IRENE RAWLINGS

OVID-19 has changed how and why people are buying real estate,” says Craig Hogan, vice president of luxury, Coldwell Banker Real Estate. As many companies embrace working from home, people are able to untether from high-density cities. Cooped-up urbanites are looking for fresh air, open spaces, and homes where they could comfortably “camp out” for months— and possibly forever. Small towns and resort areas a short drive (two hours or less) from big cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are becoming real estate hot spots. Close enough to be accessible, but far enough away to give peace of mind. “The Hamptons are booming … so is Long Island’s Gold Coast, the Southern Adirondacks, the upper Hudson Valley, Vermont, and Connecticut,” he says. On the West Coast, Hogan is seeing a migration to Tahoe, coastal hamlets like Friday Harbor and Westport (Washington), and the smaller villages in California and Oregon wine country. Small cities that were not previously on people’s radar (including Boise, Idaho; Glen Arbor, Michigan; Bozeman, Montana; and Plano, Texas) are getting a second look—at all price points. “They have the yards … with room for a pool or tennis court … and neighborhoods that

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everyone is craving,” says Hogan. In addition, they offer less density and “a great lifestyle” with locally owned restaurants, microbreweries, and easy access to windowclear lakes, green space, or mountain parks. As our homes have become everything to us—school, workplace,

gym, summer camp—the demand for larger houses with abundant outdoor space (even compounds of several homes) has skyrocketed. With the possibility that “shelter in place” could happen again, working couples want his-and-hers offices and children need room to roam. Families want to shelter

with parents, grandparents, and like-minded friends. “We have a 54-acre family compound—Stowe Away Estate—listed in Vermont for $6.75 million,” says Hogan. “It is two minutes from Stowe, but completely private … completely hidden … completely self-sufficient.” coldwellbanker.com

Courtesy Images From Top: Timbers Kauai; Provenance Properties. Opposite: Courtesy Coldwell Banker/Jesse Schloff

Located in the 450-acre Hokuala resort community on the Pacific coast, Timbers Kauai combines the slowed-down, low-stress Hawaiian lifestyle with Timbers’ signature amenities and experiences: deep-sea fishing and sunset sails along the Napali Coast. Responding to the current climate, the family-friendly resort recently released more whole ownership residences. “There is more demand by families looking for residential resort destinations,” says Debbie Edgerton,

High-net-worth buyers are eyeing homes in the Caribbean to ride out the possibility of a winter quarantine. Warm weather, privacy, low rates of COVID-19, and a safe investment asset are all driving the demand. “We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of people looking to relocate here permanently,” says Sue Nickason, vice president of real estate marketing and sales at Provenance Properties, the Cayman Islands affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate. According to Nickason, buyers are looking for properties in safe, low-density areas. They want

senior sales executive. The common thread? People in big cities—Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York—are working remotely and their children are distance learning. “Our buyers are seeking out private homes in leisure destinations that not only offer ideal weather conditions year-round but also expansive spaces that allow them to interact with and enjoy their environment,” she adds. Highspeed internet access allows parents to work from their private home offices—opening

onto their lanais and overlooking the ocean— while students can augment their remote learning by taking field trips to Timbers’ organic farm, going on guided rainforest hikes, and snorkeling to study hundreds of species of tropical fish and the healthy coral reefs that surround the island. Other whole-ownership opportunities through Timbers include Casali di Casole (Tuscany, Italy) and One Steamboat Place (Steamboat, Colorado). From $2.89 million to $7.9 million; timberskauai.com

places that have a modern infrastructure and are easy to access (by private jet from anywhere in the world to Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman Island). Another attraction is the Cayman Islands’ residency through investment in real estate program. “Interest among globally mobile individuals has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” she says, “because they appreciate the importance of having residency to cross borders that are otherwise closed.” Luxury beachfront condos typically start at $1 million; provenanceproperties.com 

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“I have sold more real estate in the past few months than I did all of last year,” says Breck Overall of Overall & Hamilton Group, Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty, which covers both the California and Nevada sides of Lake Tahoe, as well as Truckee and Reno. “The younger demographic that’s in tech in the Silicon Valley see that they can buy two to three times more house in Tahoe,” he says, “and be closer to hiking and mountain

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biking trails and to skiing in winter.” Some recent buyers are not fully relocating; they are keeping their city apartments. “They have been vacationing in Tahoe for years and are finally pulling the trigger on a ‘temporary primary residence,’” says Overall. Some people are asking about rentability so “they can justify the purchase knowing they have a bit of an exit strategy.” Tahoe’s spillover market is equally strong with buyers looking for ranch-type properties

in the Carson Valley—including working cattle ranches—and substantial acreages near the small towns of Gardnerville and Sparks. Demand continues to outpace supply in every neighborhood and at every price point. “We are seeing multiple offers and a very competitive market,” says Overall. “Some buyers don’t want to go through that; they ask us for the ‘get it done’ price.” From $1 million to $20 million; overallhamiltongroup.com or sothebysrealty.com

Get It Done Remotely

Courtesy Compass Miami/The Schwartz team. Opposite: Courtesy Overall & Hamilton Group

Where to work when the office can be anywhere.

In the new normal of telecommuting, with some companies offering employees the freedom to work remotely for good, people are moving houses to get more space, more privacy, and more security. The new at-home must-have: a dedicated office. “In today’s market, one of the first questions I’m likely to be asked is, ‘Where can I put a home office?’” says Ida Schwartz, senior director of luxury sales (The Schwartz Team) at Compass Miami. When clients work from home, they want a quiet space with a door (“to shut themselves off from the happy chaos of family”) and windows (“to relax and enjoy the view between Zoom meetings”). She goes on to say that luxury home sales in southern Florida

are “through the roof,” with waterfront single-family homes in the $6-million to $12-million range moving very quickly. Many of her clients are choosing to relocate from cold-winter northern cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, where they could be confined to an apartment during the snowy months. Because parents are working remotely and children are attending online classes, potential buyers are seeing that a home—a second primary residence—in south Florida is an attractive way to optimize their work/life balance. “Promotion or not, you can get your own corner office with amazing ocean views,” says Schwartz. theschwartzteamre.com 

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Pacific Palisades and private, leafy enclaves in Malibu are top choices for Angelenos escaping the congestion of downtown and

One of LA’s newest options is The Case, an oceanfront, gated enclave of five design-forward, mid-century modern homes designed by Scott Gillen of UnvarnishedCo. Perched on a bluff that was the most expensive land sale in Los Angeles at its time (the land sold for $50 million in 2017), The Case was designed to provide privacy, space, and panoramic views stretching from the Palos Verdes Peninsula up to and beyond Malibu Colony Beach. This home office and library at Case Study No. 3 (above; $75 million) has floor-to-ceiling windows with unobstructed views of the Malibu canyon and mountains. The residences

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range from 9,500 to 12,000 square feet on estatesized lots. Construction is underway on all five residences, which are slated for completion in 2021. unvarnishedco.com Aspen, Colorado–based Charles Cunniffe Architects (CCA) is currently designing homes in upstate New York; Palm Springs, California; The Yellowstone Club and Whitefish, both in Montana; South Carolina; and elsewhere. All of his projects have home offices with cutting-edge technology, acoustical treatments to address noise, and outdoor spaces for relaxation and inspiration. “We are also designing unique spaces for learning at home,” Cunniffe says. “Parents are realizing that their children need creatively

designed spaces to learn—a place separate from the living room or the kitchen table.” The designs include ample storage for learning and art supplies, abundant natural light, and transitional spaces that offer a variety of functions—like large tables for learning and crafting. Another trend CCA is seeing: his-and-hers offices, designed for how each person is inspired. Whether it’s a light-filled, airy studio space or a warm, wood-paneled library feel, CCA designs specifically for how each person wants to feel in their office space. “In every office we pay particular attention to lighting, views, natural light, technological needs, acoustics, furnishings, and art,” Cunniffe says. “It’s a very personal space.” cunniffe.com

Courtesy The Case. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Vivos; Sergey Makhno Architects

mid-city.

Of Note: Bunkers Are Booming No longer the Cold War fallout shelters of the 1950s, today’s bunkers aren’t merely for survival. From renovated missile silos to high-end construction, these safe havens can include amenities like bowling alleys, saunas, wine cellars, and swimming pools to make living underground feel more palatable.

“Business is at an all-time high,” says Gary Lynch, general manager at Rising S Company, a Murchison, Texas–based firm that specializes in underground bunkers and services. “Interest has been up just over 2,000 percent consistently since the third week of March. Before that, it was a normal year.” Lynch designs and builds custom bunkers for individuals and families—much like how a high-end design-build company works above ground. “We can and will fabricate whatever a client wants,” he says. Clients typically ask for security measures like hidden entrances and high-tech surveillance systems—and sometimes rooms to house a security detail. Libraries, gyms, and family rooms are commonly requested. Less common features, but they’ve been done, include greenhouses, hot tubs, vehicular storage, and shooting ranges. “We are currently building our first underground tennis court,” he says. Most builds range from 3,500 to 6,000 square feet and cost between $1.2 and $4 million. The company’s most expensive bunker project to date cost $13 million. risingsbunkers.com 

From top: California-based survival company Vivos can offer underground fortresses with space-age designs like these entrance corridors. Ukrainian firm Sergey Makhno Architects creates the illusion of being above ground.

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A proposed living-room design in an underground house by Sergey Makhno Architects. Opposite: a full kitchen in a Vivos bunker.

Sergey Makhno Architects in Kyiv, Ukraine, has envisioned a subterranean concrete home—Underground House Plan B—designed for enduring the “unpleasant surprises” that may await in a post-pandemic world. However, instead of creating an austere bunker, the studio envisioned a cozy hideout where someone would like to live “even when there is no apocalypse.” From the outside, Plan B would look like it could be the entrance to a museum of

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modern art. The flat top is a helipad. Inside, the space is shaped like a cylinder with a spiral staircase (and an elevator) leading down to the underground part of the house. Each circular story of the house is illuminated with a cylindrical light well and backlit to appear like the sun is shining down from the outside. “We were interested in experimenting with the underground space in such a way as to create the illusion of being above the surface …as if you could look out the window and see

the blue sky,” explains the studio. A book-lined library, a home theater, a chef’s kitchen, and a garden room for growing fresh vegetables are modeled on the experience of living above ground. There would even be a park-like section for dog walking. The project proposal was conceived for two or three families with children and staff. When the concept is commissioned, it can be redesigned for a larger or smaller number of people. makhno.com.ua

Courtesy Images From Left: Sergey Makhno Architects; Vivos

California-based survival company Vivos outfits and manages a global network of underground shelters—like bespoke fractional-ownership condos or membership clubs, except below ground. “Think of them as luxurious and secure submarines, complete with redundant equipment, systems, and supplies to assure a comfortable lockdown for as long as it takes,” says founder and CEO Robert Vicino. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the ripple of subsequent events, sales are up 400 percent, mostly to high-net-worth individuals. Vivos xPoint (a community about the size of Manhattan) is the largest of its kind in the United States. It consists of 575 hardened concrete bunkers built in 1942 in the Black Hills of South Dakota as an army munitions depot (decommissioned in 1967).

Each bunker is about 2,200 square feet with 13-foot arched ceilings. LED lighting simulates the daylight and the changing seasons of the outside world. All have nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) air scrubbers; water is pumped from two underground wells. According to Vivos, once the blast doors are closed, each shelter is outfitted for a minimum of a year of autonomous operation. The price of this peace of mind is $35,000 per person, plus annual membership dues. Vivos Europa One is a fortress bored into a mountain in central Germany. Clients buy a two-level apartment, measuring from 2,500 to 5,000 square feet with fit and finishes comparable to a megayacht and priced from $2.4 million. Other worldwide locations are not made public for security reasons. terravivos.com u

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Haystack at Giverny, 1855

CLAUDE MONETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s luminous pictures of the French countryside offer a welcome armchair escape. BY JASON EDWARD KAUFMAN

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Scala / Art Resource, NY

Finding the Light

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Félix Nadar (1820–1910) (Gaspard Félix, Tournachon) Portrait of Claude Monet, photograph, 1901 Opposite, from top: Le Boulevard de Pontoise à Argenteuil, 1875 Le Pont de l’Europe. Gare Saint-Lazare, 1877

hat is it about Monet? Over his 60-year career, the artist produced more than 2,000 oil paintings, most of which are prized works of French Impressionism in major museums. The mass appeal of his art makes his exhibitions box-office gold, guaranteeing booming attendance and gift shop sales—from posters to umbrellas to flasks with water lily–shaped caps. Plutocrats pledge vast sums to take home an original. Last year, Meules (1890), meaning “Grainstacks,” sold at auction for $110.7 million. Another painting from the same series changed hands in 2016 for $81.4 million and in 2018 a water lily painting fetched $84.7 million—prices in the upper strata of the investment-grade art market. Monet (1840–1926) and his contemporaries invented French Impressionism, with its characteristic evanescent effects that capture light and atmosphere. These optical “impressions” gave the movement its name. Up close the canvases are fields of flickering brushstrokes

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and dazzling color juxtapositions. Step back and the individual dabs coalesce to reveal a coherent, seemingly glowing scene. Is this his brilliance? The brushstroke technique? The use of color? The magical effect? Another consideration should be the accessibility and congeniality of his subject matter. Outdoor excursions to the French countryside are well-liked by the masses, and a Monet painting offers a vicarious sense of that refreshment. At a time of industrial and urban development, Monet painted in and around rural enclaves along the Seine— Argenteuil, Vétheuil, Giverny, and the ports of Le Havre and Honfleur, where the river empties into the channel. He worked in Paris, London, and Venice, but his painted world is largely a record of day trips to the French countryside, from the suburbs of the capital to the coasts of Normandy and the Riviera. The quintessential Monet locale is the garden that he created in Giverny, a village 45 miles northwest of Paris where he spent the second half of his 86 years. An avid horticulturist, he and his assistants planted

acres of flowers and routed a stream to create the water lily pond that became the focus of his late work. “I have always loved sky and water, leaves and flowers. I found them in abundance in my little pond,” he said. The house, studio, and replanted gardens remain a pilgrimage site for art lovers. Monet may hold the reputation of an old master, but he worked well into the modern era, long after the advent of Cubism, abstraction, and Surrealism. There is even a record of him on film in 1922, talking with a visitor to Giverny, strolling through his garden and working on a large canvas set under an umbrella beside his water lily pond. Heavyset, wearing a white linen suit and straw hat, a cigarette poking from his long white beard, he gazes across the pond. With a brush he takes pigment from his palette, glances back at the pond, and adds touches to his work in progress, repeating the process before looking into the camera. By then Monet was revered as the greatest painter in France, but success came after years of poverty and personal trials. 

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Top and opposite, Bridgeman-Giraudon / Art Resource, NY; bottom, Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY

ROCKY BEGINNINGS

Born in Paris in 1840, Monet grew up in Le Havre where his father sold ship supplies and groceries. In his teens he was drawing caricatures of locals and selling them in a framer’s shop. An older painter, Eugène Boudin, took Monet under his wing and introduced him to oil painting outdoors. After his mother died in 1857, he was sent to live with a widowed aunt who supported his artistic ambition and helped send him to Paris. At 21 he was drafted and sent to Algiers where his seven-year tour was cut short by a bout of typhoid. Back in Paris he studied with Swiss artist Charles Gleyre and roomed with his classmate Pierre-Auguste Renoir, one of the young artists (along with his friend Frédéric Bazille) who would join him in founding the Impressionists. He submitted figure paintings to the official Salon, the annual state-run exhibition organized by the French Academy of Fine Arts, but most were rejected and he was

unable to earn a living. A stipend from his family ended when a relationship with his model Camille Doncieux led to the birth of their son Jean in 1867. After moving to a village where they were evicted from an inn for nonpayment, Monet wrote to Bazille, “I was so upset yesterday that I did a very stupid thing and threw myself into the water; fortunately, no harm came of it.” He later reported that Renoir “brought us bread from his home so that we would not starve.” Despite these travails, he was painting scenes of leisure and well-being. The sunraked Garden at Sainte-Adresse (1867) shows his father with fashionably dressed figures—likely members of his extended family who had a nearby villa—relaxing on a seaside terrace overlooking the channel. At a weekend resort outside Paris, he and Renoir worked side by side painting a view onto the Seine that features row boats, swimmers, and a little island where vacationers gather.

Monet’s canvas La Grenouillère (1869) depicts figures with a few short strokes and lavishes attention on the broken reflections playing across the rippled water, evoked by dashes of color corresponding to sky, clouds, and trees on the opposite shore. Monet married Camille in 1870 and left for London to avoid serving in the FrancoPrussian War. When he returned to France the following year, after a stay in Holland, an economic boom enabled his dealer Paul Durand-Ruel to sell paintings for substantial sums. Monet and Camille rented a house in Argenteuil, 15 minutes by train from Paris. He bought a flat-bottomed fishing boat and outfitted it for painting on the Seine, and made idyllic canvases of the area, including Poppy Field (1873) in which Camille and Jean stroll among the scarlet blooms on a verdant hillside. The effect is ravishing, but loose brushwork and casual subject matter were everything the Academy reviled.

of Independent Artists to mount exhibitions apart from the Salon. At the first of these shows, the title of one of Monet’s Le Havre seascapes, Impression, Sunrise (1872), gave rise to the group’s name when a reviewer, critical of the unfinished look of the pictures, dubbed the artists mere “impressionists.” The independents embraced the label and from 1874 to 1886 held eight “Impressionist” exhibitions. Few works sold, but the group gained notoriety as leaders of a new and vital tendency in art. Monet’s financial security had evaporated and in 1878 he and his family moved to Vétheuil, where they shared a house with

Ernest and Alice Hoschedé and their six children. Hoschedé, a wealthy collector who owned some of Monet’s works, had fallen on hard times. Camille contracted tuberculosis and weakened while pregnant with their second son, Michel. Soon after the birth, she died at age 32. Monet fell into a depression and Alice brought his children to Paris and raised them alongside her own. Her husband had moved to Belgium to escape creditors and she returned to live with Monet. In 1883, they rented an abandoned cider farm in Giverny and in 1890 purchased the property. Two years later, after the death of her husband, she and Monet married. 

BREAK WITH TRADITION

Since its founding in the 17th century, the Academy trained artists to paint in sharp focus and to conceal their brushstrokes. They were expected to compose idealized scenes of historical, mythological, and religious subjects imbued with political and moralizing themes. Portraits, still lifes, and landscapes were deemed minor genres. Monet and his generation were committed instead to inventing new techniques to express their experience of everyday life. A coterie that included Monet, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, Gustave Caillebotte, Renoir, Bazille, and others formed a Society

Boulevard des Capucines, 1873–1874

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Album / Art Resource, NY

SERIES PAINTINGS

In the 1880s Monet’s dealer began showing his paintings in New York. American financiers and industrialists scooped up his works and the painter began to establish his fortune. He made painting trips to Normandy, the Mediterranean coast, London, and Venice, increasingly interested in capturing the effects of different light and weather conditions. He was after what he called “instantaneity, above all the envelope, the same light suffused

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everywhere.” This led him by the end of the decade to make multiple variations on the same motifs. He would surround himself with many canvases, changing from one to the next as the light changed, then spend months refining them in the studio. These “series paintings” include the grainstacks in a field near his home, which he captured aglow in orange, late-afternoon sun and bathed in blue shadow in winter. He

found another subject in the poplars that lined the banks of the nearby Epte River. When the town sold the trees to a wood merchant, Monet worked out a deal with him to leave them standing until he finished his project. In the winter of 1892–1893 he rented a secondfloor room facing the Rouen Cathedral and painted its façade at different times of day. Less interested in the architecture than in the light that dissolved its massive form,

Mills at Westzijderveld near Zaandam, 1871

he described the façade’s relief with tonal modulations of pale blue and pink, applying matte pigment in small splotches that build up a scumbled incrustation as dense as the masonry of the cathedral. A writer accompanied Monet one day in 1897 as he set out to work on his serene series, Mornings on the Seine. He would put on a white sweater, hunting boots, and a beat-up brown felt hat and walk through his garden, across the street past the water lily pond and out to the Seine, where he rowed out to his moored studio boat. A gardener would help him arrange more than a dozen canvases that he would work on as the day began. His prospect was across a lazy part of the river toward a distant shore whose trees and shrubs are mirrored in the water. A mist hangs on the river and Monet dissolves the forms in delicate puffs of lavender, mauve, pale blue, and green. The horizontally symmetrical compositions could almost be flipped without loss of readability. Around 1898–1899, Monet stayed in the Savoy Hotel in London and from his balcony painted fog-shrouded views of Charing Cross Bridge and Waterloo Bridge. In the afternoon he crossed the Thames and painted the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge at sunset. The structures hover in bluish fog or ochre coal smoke, the diffused images an homage to the atmospherics of British master Joseph Mallord William Turner and the American ex-patriate James Whistler. Monet intended his series to be exhibited and purchased as ensembles, and throughout the 1890s he exhibited them as groups. “The desired effect can only be produced by displaying them all together,” he told his dealer, yet they were sold to disparate collectors. They still proved among his most commercially successful works and remain among his most celebrated.  The Seine at Vétheuil, 1879

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By the end of the century, Monet had turned largely to the private world of his garden. He nurtured a fantasy of botanical splendor and color, laying out rectangular beds of roses, geraniums, peonies, irises, dahlias, and dozens of other species planned to change with the seasons. He built trellises and rose-covered arches, ringed the lily pond with willows, bamboo, and grasses, and built the arched bridge inspired by models in the Japanese woodblock prints that he collected. The sanctuary required a team of workmen to maintain. “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece,” he later said. The painter’s growing commercial success enabled him to support a household with servants and gardeners. He maintained a strict schedule, waking before dawn and heading out to paint, or working indoors if the weather was unsuitable. Meals took place at precisely the same time daily. He delighted in gastronomy and had his cooks prepare elaborate multicourse dinners, often with guests in attendance. Everything revolved around his work, which now focused on the water lilies. A 1909 exhibit of 48 of his ethereal “landscapes of water” enchanted

critics and he became regarded as France’s greatest contemporary artist. Even still, the remainder of his life would be a mix of triumph and tragedy. A flood destroyed much of his garden in 1910, and when Alice, his partner for more than three decades, died the following year, he nearly stopped painting. His elder son suffered a stroke, one of his stepdaughters died, and Monet discovered that he was losing vision in both eyes. Cataracts caused blurriness and color distortion that forced him to select paints by reading the labels. (He would not undergo an operation until 1923, when he was nearly blind.) In 1914 his son Jean died prematurely and the nation plunged into a war that would bring armies within 40 miles of his retreat. That year he started the mural-sized water lily paintings that would become his final project. He built a large studio capable of housing the giant canvases, with a pulley system that enabled him to move them around. Between 1914 and his death from lung disease in 1926, working mostly in secret, he painted more than 100 canvases. A group of them formed the enthralling

installation tucked away in the Paris museum known as the Orangerie. The former royal greenhouse in the Tuileries Gardens showcases works by Cézanne, Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, and Soutine, among others, but its incomparable highlight is the cycle of Water Lilies paintings that Monet gifted to the nation to commemorate the First World War. In two skylit, oval-shaped galleries—designed by the artist himself— canvases measuring 6 feet tall and together more than 100 yards in length scroll along the curving walls, creating a wraparound installation that immerses the viewer in the shady atmosphere of Monet’s water garden. Loosely modeled on 19th-century painted panoramas that transported Europeans to foreign cities and historic battlefields, Monet designed his all-encompassing environment for purely aesthetic purposes. He made more than 250 paintings of water lilies in the last two decades of his life, but no individual canvas has such a powerful sensory effect. This tranquil, secular sanctuary— once referred to as “the Sistine Chapel of Impressionism”—is one of the greatest treasures of French art.

Water Lilies, 1916

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HIP / Art Resource, NY

WHERE THE GARDEN GROWS

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The Great Willow at Giverny, 1918

LEGACY

Impressionism was a late-19th-century phenomenon, but Monet’s career overlapped with the advent of Cubism, abstraction, Surrealism, and even the conceptual antics of Marcel Duchamp (the Dadaist who in 1917 exhibited a urinal as a work of art). In his late works Monet veered toward abstraction in which naturalistic elements are almost incidental to the overall fields of color. These works, some massive in scale, were deemed

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the sad result of his failing eyesight and after his death they were ignored for decades. Only in the 1950s, when their influence on the Abstract Expressionists led the Museum of Modern Art to purchase large water lily paintings, was their significance as progenitors of 20th-century abstraction finally recognized. The second generation of Abstract Expressionists—Philip Guston, Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, Sam

Francis—became known as Abstract Impressionists. Charles Stuckey, who curated an important retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995, wrote, “Monet’s water lilies deserve to be recognized not merely as the culmination of 19th-century Impressionism, but also as revolutionary 20th-century works, unsurpassed in their persistent and wide-ranging influence on the visual language of our century.”

MONET ON VIEW Monet and Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago (through January 18, 2021) More than 70 works, including drawings as well as canvases, reveal the city’s passion for Monet, from an 1888 gallery show to patrons Bertha and Potter Palmer buying 20 paintings in 1891, to the Art Institute hosting the artist’s first US museum solo show in 1895. artic.edu Monet and the Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris Palazzo Albergati, Bologna, Italy (through February 2021) Showing 57 works on loan from the Museum Marmottan Monet in Paris. The partnership is unprecedented, as this body of paintings has not been displayed elsewhere since the museum’s founding in 1934. palazzoalbergati.com Monet at Étretat, Seattle Art Museum (May 6, 2021–August 29, 2021) Monet painted more than 80 works depicting the cliffs off the coast of Étretat in Normandy. Eleven of them are gathered here along with photographs, postcards, and related pictures by other artists. seattleartmuseum.org

Top and bottom, Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY; opposite, Bridgeman-Giraudon / Art Resource, NY

Impressionist Decorations: The Birth of Modern Décor, National Gallery, London (September 11, 2021–January 9, 2022) Aside from canvases, the Impressionists made or designed decorative panels—including Monet’s large water lilies— tapestries, ceramics, fans, and other objects, which are the focus of this exhibition that premiered at the Musée d’Orsay this summer. nationalgallery.org.uk Impressionism: The Hasso Plattner Collection, Museum Barberini, Potsdam, Germany (from September 5) Among 100 Impressionist and modern works there are 34 Monets (Europe’s largest holdings outside of Paris), including a spectacular sunset Grainstacks (1890) and The Palazzo Contarini (1908)—from the collection of the museum’s founder, software entrepreneur Hasso Plattner. museum-barberini.com Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet, One Art Museum, Shanghai (through January 3, 2021) The pivotal work is one of nine Monets on view with a group of other Impressionist works and Japanese prints that influenced them.

Top: Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (Luncheon on the Grass), 1865–1866 Above: Bridge at Argenteuil, 1874

WHERE ELSE TO FIND MONET The largest Monet collection belongs to the Marmottan Museum in Paris, which in 1966 received from the artist’s son more than 100 canvases along with Monet’s collection of works by other artists. The Musée d’Orsay has nearly as many, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Art Institute of Chicago have world-class holdings contributed by Americans who were among Monet’s early and passionate patrons. u

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What’s Next FOOD & DRINK

SOCIALLY DISTANCED RESORT DINING Old Edwards Inn and Spa (Highlands, North Carolina) Cottages and cabins on this country estate include a contact-free personal concierge to arrange meals (right) in the garden or cocktails on your veranda with a distanced bartender and musician. oldedwardsinn.com Hotel Jerome (Aspen, Colorado) Balcony breakfasts overlook downtown Aspen, or book a snow picnic high on Aspen Mountain or a comfortfood feast in one of the area’s wilderness huts. aubergeresorts.com Viceroy Los Cabos (San José del Cabo, Mexico) Enjoy meals served on the private pool terraces of waterfront villas and modern casitas. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com Twin Farms (Barnard, Vermont) On 300 sprawling acres that include a mini ski run and watercolor views of the White Mountains, meals (below) are elegantly delivered to your cottage, or anywhere on the property, without contact. twinfarms.com

Maple Grove Villas (Yountville, California) Three new villas at the LEED Platinum Bardessono Hotel have wine-stocked fridges. Dine around your villa’s outdoor “cocktail pool.” bardessono.com Inn at Perry Cabin (St. Michaels, Maryland) Secluded water-view dining in idyllic settings—gazebos and converted greenhouses— features Chesapeake Bay seafood and vegetables from the inn’s gardens. innatperrycabin.com

COOKING CLASSES DU JOUR Delicious Experiences is a new platform that hosts oneon-one classes with awardwinning chefs, sommeliers, spirits experts, authors, and other culinary experts. deliciousexperiences.com Enjoy traditional Creole dishes in the kitchen of Mama Madeline, mother of one of the chefs at elegant Spanish-Caribbean Cap Maison in Saint Lucia. capmaison.com

Sign up for a Shou Sugi Ban House culinary retreat in April with Mads Refslund, cofounder of must-visit Noma in Copenhagen. Cooking demos and workshops are interspersed with the Hamptons resort’s signature wellness programming. Expect a hyper-seasonal, plant-rich menu. From $4,575; shousugibanhouse.com Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Cooking School offers in-person classes in Boston and livestream everywhere else. Everything from basic knife skills to high-level baking. $25; 177milkstreet.com The Farmhouse at Ojai hosts a full schedule of cooking classes (left) and events— from a Pizzeria Mozza dinner with Nancy Silverton to a beef butchery demonstration, macaron-making, and plenty of fun classes for kids. ojaivalleyinn.com

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VERY VIP

Courtesy Images From Top: Masa; Island Creek Oysters. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Old Edwards Inn; Delicious Experiences/Joann Pai; Twin Farms

French Laundry’s famed chef Thomas Keller and his team will cook dinner for you and a few friends (up to seven). In the courtyard, a chef’s tasting menu (changes daily) of small, beautiful plates is inspired by the culinary garden. In the dining room, an extended chef’s tasting menu could include oysters topped with caviar, lobster galette, mac-and-cheese with black truffles, and Japanese Wagyu beef— paired with 2006 Dom Pérignon. $850/person; thomaskeller.com

GOURMET AT HOME Masa, NYC’s most exclusive sushi restaurant, offers a Friday-night-only, $800 takeout/ delivery temaki box (above, feeds four people) or opt for the $450 nigiri box. masanyc.com The buzzy Lubbock, Texas, original since 2011, Pie Bar opens in Austin. Come early for the dark chocolate and crème brûlée mousse pies that fly off the shelf. The 4-inch mini pies are another local favorite, available for takeout and delivery. piebaraustin.com Organic coffee from robust, locally grown beans is roasted on the resort property of Nayara Springs in Costa Rica. $28/ pound; nayarasprings.com To eat a legit Cubano at home order from Versailles Restaurant, the Miami legend since 1971. The sandwich comes in a kit with ingredients and instructions. $80/four servings; goldbelly.com

Big-name, Los Angeles–based chef Curtis Stone’s Private Chef LA specializes in gourmet food sourcing for pro chefs and ambitious home cooks, offering ready-to-serve meals, stocks, and sauces. pcla.club Katz’s Deli in New York City launches delivery/shipping for the first time in its 132-year history. Whitefish salad, brisket, kugel—all just like Bubbe used to make. katzsdelicatessen.com Regulars swear by the nearimmediate shipping of Maryland blue crabs from Harbour House Crabs. Half a bushel (about 2.5 dozen) for $200. A full bushel (5 dozen) is $400. They can either arrive live (they come with instructions) or steamed and ready to eat. ilovecrabs.com Shop like a chef with Local Porter, an online grocer that stocks meats, cheeses, and sauces from independent restaurant suppliers. localporter.co

Order rustic huckleberry cheesecake and Oprah’s favorite daisy cookies or custom cakes for any occasion—from Elle’s Belles in Bozeman, Montana. Ships via Goldbelly. ellesbelles.com Ribs, brisket, and burnt ends— cooked and ready to eat—from nationally acclaimed BBQ-jointin-a-gas-station Joe’s Kansas City now ship to the entire United States. joeskc.com New York’s world-renowned food emporium Zabar’s has put together a Babka & Rugelach Crate ($98)—which includes traditional noshes like babka cakes; fruit-filled, bite-sized rugelach cookies; and vacuumpacked coffee. Or indulge in a box of the store’s legendary brownie bites ($25). Kosher options available. zabars.com

Sign up for a Carne Collective subscription. The curated selection of sustainably raised, grass-fed Angus beef comes straight from Argentinian ranches. Subscriptions every two, four, or eight weeks, from $130/7-pound box. Or you can purchase your rib-eyes and filets à la carte. carnecollective.com From Island Creek Oysters, order delivery for 50 tide-to-table oysters ($105) or opt for the Party Pack—100 oysters (below) and 250 grams of caviar for $350. Wash it all down with crisp white wine à la Ernest Hemingway. islandcreekoysters.com 

Create your own secret-recipe hot sauce at Custom Heats or buy a tongue-tingler off the virtual shelf. From $11–$100/5 oz.; customheats.com

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What’s Next SHOP

SCENTS OF THE SEASON

SMALL CARS, BIG FUN The Bugatti Baby II is a child-sized version (above; a .75-scale model) of the Type 35 racer with a top speed of about 12 mph. Limited edition of 500. From $35,000; bugattibaby.com The Rolls-Royce 1:8 scale of its Cullinan car (below) is made of 1,200 individually crafted components, from the engine to the tires. $17,690; rolls-roycemotorcars.com McLaren Senna ‘Ride-On’ is powered by an electric motor and features an infotainment system and working dihedral doors. Available in a special

edition color inspired by the race helmet worn by Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna. $582; hypertoys.com It’s never too early for your first “Beemer.” This one is built for kids as an electric, miniaturized version of a BMW M8 GTE, complete with realistic engine sounds. $250; rollplay.com For indulgent execs, the Porsche 917K (the iconic 1970 Daytona winner) comes in a desk-sized 1:18 scale model (race weathered, $1,220) and a 1:8 scale limited-edition version ($11,995) of which there are just 199 made. amalgamcollection.com

Inspired by Le Mans and Formula 1 from the ’60s and ’70s, Vandel makes driving shoes to order in leather and suede. Custom colors range from tobacco to electric blue. From $290; vandel.co If your neighbors don’t love your drumming, put on a pair of headphones and drum silently with the fits-in-abackpack Aerodrums kit from the Liverpool-based company. From $200; aerodrums.com

From Bvlgari: Man Glacial Essence captures the feeling of icy freshness ($113/100 ml); Splendida Patchouli Tentation is a modern take on the flowerpower 1970s (above, $146/100 ml). bulgari.com A new and exotic venture by fragrance entrepreneur Imogen Russon-Taylor, who worked for the famed Scottish whisky brand Glenmorangie, is Kingdom Botanica. Profits to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. $152/50 ml; kingdomscotland.com

Futuristic, but very much of-the-moment: the Hermès horsecut mahogany chess set. $7,850; hermes.com

Le Labo has an extensive list of fragrances called City Exclusives—each scent evokes a favorite metropolis: Paris, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Chicago, London, Dubai. Sold only in their namesake city, eau de parfums in the Classic Collection will hold you till you get there. From $192/50 ml; lelabofragrances.com

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Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top: Henry Jacques/Hunter Kerhart; Rizzoli; The Images Publishing Group; Rizzoli. Opposite Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top Left: Bugatti; Bvlgari; LeLabo/Ian Tong; Rolls Royce

BOOKS Living on Vacation showcases architect-designed homes—from sunny villas on private islands to tranquil lakefront cottages—in the world’s most beautiful settings. $50; phaidon.com Cooking in Marfa introduces the remote West Texas town of Marfa (both a ranching community and an artist colony) and its unique fine-dining restaurant, The Capri. More than 80 recipes interspersed with essays and art photography. $50; phaidon.com Bespoke French perfumer Henry Jacques (above) opens his first boutique in America—on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Designed in the spirit of a 19th-century Paris apartment, it has a VIP room for personal fragrance discoveries. parfumshenryjacques.com Silverlake, the newest release from Bentley For Men, is woody, wintery, and exhilarating. It comes in a sleek, silver, Bentleybranded bottle. $88/100 ml; shop.bentleymotors.com The Harmonist Sun Force combines notes of citrus, woods, and rose in a limited-edition gold etched bottle by famed tattoo artist Dr. Woo. $336/50 ml; theharmonist.com

Hope Fragrances has created a limited-edition box, The Hope Holiday Gift Collection, that includes a full-size eau de parfum and two purse sprays. One hundred percent of the net profits of sales support groundbreaking depression research. $275; hopefragrances.com Established in 1752, heritage pharmacy Caswell-Massey introduces five “fragrance tonics” created from the unique flora of Yellowstone National Park. Proceeds benefit Yellowstone Forever, which supports a variety of projects in the park. $48/100 ml; caswellmassey.com

The Lives of Others: Sublime Interiors of Extraordinary People is a privileged peek into a world of beautiful design (below)—from a Guinness heir’s hillside retreat in Ireland to shoe designer Christian Louboutin’s fanciful Paris apartment. $65; rizzoliusa.com

California Homes II (above, right) showcases the architecture and interior design of Los Angeles–based Studio William Hefner. Stunning homes—contemporary and classic—from the Santa Monica Mountains to Old Hollywood neighborhoods. $85; imagespublishing.com For Art’s Sake: Inside the Homes of Art Dealers (above, left) offers a unique look inside the interiors of the world’s most prestigious art dealers to see what they collect and how it is displayed. $85; rizzoliusa.com Windows at Tiffany and Co. is a glossy, hand-bound coffee-table book showcasing a century of Tiffany’s spellbinding window displays, along with neverbefore-seen concept sketches. $895; assouline.com Dior by Christian Dior celebrates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the house of Dior with the ultimate compendium of Dior’s most iconic designs— many now in museums and private collections. $195; assouline.com 

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Courtesy Images From Left: Old Forester; Jordan Winery

What’s Next WINE & SPIRITS

BOLD AND BOOZY The much-anticipated Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (above) was barreled in 2010 and remains hard to find. A bottle sells for $130 at the distillery and for as much as $1,200 online. oldforester.com Ketel One debuts ready-to-drink (canned) cocktails made with Ketel One Botanical Vodka, which is bubbly, bright, and herbforward. $15/four-pack; ketelone.com Inspired by old-world apothecaries and historic alchemists, FloraLuna Apothecary and Trading Co. in Petaluma, California, handcrafts small-batch elixir, bitters, and syrups in unexpected combinations like cayenne-ginger and coffee-cocoa-peppercorn. floralunaapothecary.com Chris Blackwell—the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and owner of Ian Fleming’s former residence, GoldenEye—celebrates the release of the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, with a limited-edition 007 Blackwell Fine Jamaican Rum. $35; blackwellrum.com

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THE WINE LIST Alexander Valley–based Jordan Winery celebrates the 40th anniversary of its classic cabernet sauvignon. Decant and enjoy the smooth 2016 vintage (above, $58) now or cellar the bottle through 2035. Sign up for the winery’s tasting packages for seasonal wine selections and food pairings ($75/person). jordanwinery.com Musician Sting and his actor/ producer wife, Trudie Styler, produce beautiful organic wines at their 16th-century Tuscan estate, Il Palagio, just outside Florence. Their vineyard’s award-winning vintages feature Message in a Bottle bianco, When We Dance chianti, and the Sister Moon Tuscan Blend. Sting fans may have heard these names before, in a song title, perhaps? From $92/12-bottle case; palagioproducts.com

Joseph Phelps releases its 2017 Insignia Bordeaux-influenced red blend—plush and velvety with layers of black cherry, blackberry preserve, spice box, and vanilla. $300; josephphelps.com Stag’s Leap celebrates its big 5-0 by offering an exclusive, one-on-one virtual tasting with celebrated winemaker Marcus Notaro. Purchase $10,000 (current releases or library wines) from the winery and the Private Sales Concierge will schedule your journey through five decades of award-winning wines. stagsleap50th.com Helmed by South Africa’s first black female winemaker, Ntsiki Biyela, Aslina Wines is named in honor of Biyela’s grandmother and has been winning awards. Especially praised: the fullbodied, Bordeaux-style Aslina Umsasane ($27). aslinawines.co.za

Monterosola, a contemporary winery near the medieval Tuscan town of Volterra, produces glorious merlots, single-variety syrahs, and a youthful white using the uniquely Italian Vermentino grapes. Estate-grown, organic olive oil is also receiving accolades. From $35; monterosola.com The 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red is full of dark fruits and toasted oak. The bottle features a photograph of rapper Snoop Dogg himself. $145/12-bottle case; 19crimes.com Under-the-radar operation Antica Terra manages 11 acres of vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Its wholecluster fermented, amphoraaged pinot noir has adoring fans among wine cognoscenti. $95–$150/bottle; anticaterra.com u —Irene Rawlings

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