BOLD Summer issue 2019

SUMMER | 2019

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SUMMER | 2019

Features In This Issue

48 Toward the North Pole

On the drive from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk, the northern landscape is mesmerizing. But Elizabeth Chorney-Booth discovers that it’s the people visitors fall in love with

54 Open Water, Open Mind Sailing along the coast of Newfoundland, the itinerary fails to prepare Vawn Himmelsbach for all the friendly surprises

60 Harbour City

Electric Hong Kong is perfectly designed for quick visits; Paul Gallant makes an excited lap around the bay

66 Calling on Cologne

Yes, the perfume category is named after this historic German city; Doug O’Neill reports on its many other indulgences

72 The World on a Plate

The welcome sign for Tuktoyaktuk, the most northern Canadian community connected by road.

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Photo by Lucas Scarfone Photography

Our editors share their favourite orders at their favourite restaurants— and the coordinates to find them when we’re on wellness escapes

SUMMER | 2019

Contents 26

69

Also in This Issue 12 EDITOR’S ITINERARY:Anything’s

36 DINE: Nikkei cuisine breaks big in

14 EDITOR’S NOTE

38 GLOBETROTTER: Toronto

16 CONTRIBUTORS 21 AGENDA: Costa Rican turtles, drag cruises and more

Toronto

Fashion Incubator’s Susan Langdon

40 BOLD STYLE: What to pack for São Paulo, Nicaragua and Singapore 80 TRAVEL INTEL: Fabulous road

24 PRIDE: New York raises the rainbow flag for Stonewall50

trips and more

26 STAY: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth,

Canada’s Badlands

82 WORTH TRAVELLING FOR:

Montreal

28 LOCAL EXPERT: Hotel manager Scott Travis’s guide to Halifax

30 TRAVEL TWO WAYS: Modern in Milan; members-only in Tuscany

34 FOOD DIARIES: The life of chef

Alexandra Feswick in words and pictures

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ON THE COVER The iconic Western Brook Pond Fjord.

Cover photo courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism

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EDITOR’S ITINERARY

SAND, SUN and SEA creatures You can play your family out on Florida’s Gulf Coast

– by Liz Fleming –

The Loews Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach.

Saving Florida’s Gulf Coast for your golden years? Think again. From silky sand to spectacular museums, gut-grabbing, roller coaster theme parks, world-class dining and more, the sunny stretch encompassing Tampa, Clearwater, Treasure Island, St. Pete Beach and St. Petersburg offers every holiday element, for every age.

TASTE TAMPA There’s nothing like a good rebirth story—and Tampa is just that. While many cities were staggered by the 2008 recession, Tampa rebounded, building a beautiful riverwalk through town, adding a free downtown ride-share service, and also a free trolley system, a water taxi and a bike-share program.

You could easily do a car-free vacation.

Today, Tampa sizzles, starting with its food scene. A hugely successful food truck movement led chefs to buy cheap post-recession real estate and build permanent locations like the creative new Sparkman Wharf. There, shipping containers have morphed into cool outdoor bars and cafés serving everything from barbecue to seafood. At Heights Public Market, a revamped trolley barn, foodies nosh at a mouthwatering lineup of food purveyors like Hemingway’s, which is the home of Tampa’s best Cuban sandwich, a worth-every-calorie concoction of roasted pork, ham, salami, pickles, cheese and mustard on a crusty bun. You can atone for your sins one morning with a healthy almond butter and banana breakfast sandwich at Bizou Brasserie at the chic Le Meridien. Later, find Haven—literally—a sleekly modern restaurant featuring a staggering selection of international cheeses and charcuterie, along with a sticky toffee pudding that will change your life. Next day, be in the lineup when Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café opens at 11am to dig into BBQ brisket and a pile of sweet-potato fries. You’ll descend into a blissful food coma. One final must-taste: Ybor City’s famous Columbia, Florida’s oldest restaurant. Seafood… Italian…

Cuban… there’s nothing at this 1,700-seat restaurant that you won’t like.

WHERE ARE THE BEST BEACHES? Love people watching? Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach will give you lots of selfie-worthy action. Want more dialed-down sunning?

Treasure Island’s wide stretch of sand offers space to build the world’s biggest sandcastle while a paved walkway means you can walk, bike or push a stroller for miles.

Channeling Robinson Crusoe? Fort De Soto National Park is your place.

No beach bars or loud-speaker reggae, just miles of white sand, seabirds and a bounty of seashells on the shore. All for a US$5 entry fee and a 75cent toll to cross the bridge from St. Petersburg.

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ENDLESSLY ENTERTAINING Big on thrills and chills? Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has roller coasters, flume rides, a drop-from-a-ridiculously-hightower experience, a zoo, food outlets galore, a waterpark and play area for the kids and more. Bring a hat, good walking shoes (there’s a parking shuttle, but you’ll still stroll for hours in the park) and refillable water bottles.

Get up close-and-personal with wildlife at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, where sea creatures and rescued shorebirds unable to survive in the wild are available to pose for photos in their safe indoor habitat.

Art lovers will adore one of the rare galleries that actively encourages photo-taking, the Chihuly Collection at St. Petersburg’s Morean Arts Centre.

A celebration of the stunning glass creations of Dale Chihuly, it’s a fiesta of colour and light that’s the perfect rainyday alternative. The surrounding Central Avenue neighbourhood is well worth the wander, with restaurants and cool shops selling everything from chic clothing and classic vinyl to mid-century modern furniture.

Another St. Petersburg must-see is the Salvador Dali Museum, which showcases the artist’s creative, provocative, outright shocking body of work. Even if surrealism isn’t your thing, try the virtual reality experience that puts you into the heart of a Dali landscape.

All that culture’s made you hungry?

St. Petersburg’s Noble Crust has garlic knots and a peanut butter pie that’s to die for.

HOT HOTELS In Tampa, book into the boutique Aloft Hotel overlooking the Riverwalk to find sleek modern rooms and great amenities.

Looking for a family-size option? Choose the retro, refurbished Bilmar Beach Resort, on Treasure Island Beach. Fullyequipped kitchenettes make in-room breakfasts and picnic packing for the beach easy. Beach towels are provided as is free parking. There’s a breezy beachside café, a heated courtyard pool and Sloppy Joe’s restaurant.

Romantic getaway? Whisk your sweetheart to the Don CeSar, the pink palace of beachy splendour and a fave of such legends as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Marilyn Monroe, Lou Gehrig and even Al Capone, in St. Pete Beach. Budget’s too tight? Drop by the ice cream shop for a cone and a bit of atmosphere.

SUMMER | 2019

Editor’s Note Have you ever found yourself on an “ad hoc adventure”? Was it fun or was it a nuisance?

Did it leave you confused or curious?

On a recent visit to Thailand—a country that excels at adventures that are spiritual, visceral, cultural and culinary—I attended a talk by Niramon Serisakul, an assistant professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. She was speaking about urban tourism and the regeneration of cities—how good design and smart planning can improve the quality of life for local people, as well as for travellers. If done right, urban amenities like picturesque bridges or sidewalks wide enough to handle both pedestrians and vendors can help break down the barriers and build connections between visitors and the visited; both sides win. If done poorly, you might have situations where, say, cranky travellers stand in a confused muddle waiting to get inside an attraction, inadvertently blocking the entrance to a place of worship, much to the annoyance of residents.

Finding the perfect balance is tough.

Nobody wants to wander lost for hours, looking in dirty unmarked alleyways for a historic site that may or may not be fascinating, well-maintained or even open. Urban design that nudges us in the right direction makes us feel safe and valued, reduces stress and saves time. Yet development, design and transportation channels that do too good a job at directing us directly from the airport to the hotel

to preordained photo ops to touristy eating spots and then back again without interruption or distraction can err in eliminating the “ad hoc” adventures I mentioned earlier. These are the adventures that make each journey memorable, even when we’ve visited a place a million times.

Being pushed a bit out of one’s comfort zone can sometimes be a blessing.

Perhaps today’s ad hoc adventure is wandering through an unfamiliar but pleasant neighbourhood to visit an art gallery you know nothing about except its name, or jumping out of the way of fishermen bringing the day’s catch to the restaurant where you’ll eventually decide to dine. A truly unique trip provides meaningful compromises between iconic, uncluttered experiences and intriguingly, sometimes comically unexpected ones.

Ad hoc adventures are especially important when travelling here in Canada, a country we’re proud to have given special attention in this issue of BOLD. You think you know everything worth knowing about your home country until you take a wrong turn, strike up a chat with your waiter or, on the advice of a travel agent, decide to visit a corner of it you’ve never considered visiting before.

With the right attitude and the right insight, ad hoc adventures can be more inspirational than the ones we plan.

Paul Gallant Executive Editor

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Photo by Tishan Baldeo

Planning for happy surprises

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SUMMER | 2019

Contributors 48 ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH Writer

TOWARD THE NORTH POLE Elizabeth Chorney-Booth is a Calgary-based freelance writer who specializes in topics of food and travel. She’s also the co-author of two Globe and Mail bestselling cookbooks and is a regular contributor on CBC Radio. When she’s not writing, she’s likely off on a road trip adventure with her husband and two kids. @elizabooth

54 VAWN HIMMELSBACH Writer

OPEN WATER, OPEN MIND Vawn Himmelsbach is a Toronto-based writer and editor who developed a love of travel after three years of solo backpacking in Asia—and she’s been on the road ever since. As a regular contributor to travel and lifestyle publications, her travels have taken her to some of the world’s most exotic locales, from the cobblestone streets of old Tbilisi in Georgia to the ancient Guge Kingdom in western Tibet. @vawnvoyage

12 & 81 LIZ FLEMING Associate Editor

EDITOR’S ITINERARY & TRAVEL INTEL Liz Fleming is a lifelong travel lover who has explored the globe from Botswana to Brazil, and from the Arctic Circle to Machu Picchu. The editor-in-chief of Cruise & Travel Lifestyles Magazine, she’s passionate about introducing her fellow explorers to the adventures that await. @lizflemingtravel

Marlon J. Moreno CEO + Editorial Director Luis Chavez Vice President, Operations

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Elizabeth Chorney-Booth Vawn Himmelsbach • Doug O’Neill Sarah Treleaven

Pina Russo Chief Digital Officer

ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Laura García

Paul Gallant Executive Editor

PHOTOGRAPHY Tishan Baldeo

Liz Fleming Associate Editor

WEB DEVELOPER Rahul Nair

Magda de la Torre Americas Editor

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Juan Felipe Galán

Ruth J. Katz Contributing Editor

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ADVERTISING & SALES United in Change Media Yvonne Xenidis Chief Revenue Officer 416.624.5496 yvonne@unitedinchange.com For Lifestyle and Co-Branded Partnerships, Promotions, Reprints and Sponsorships inquiries marlon@morenoco.com luis@morenoco.com Phone: 1.416.323.7828 ext. 25

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All prices quoted are in rounded Canadian dollars, accurate at press time, unless otherwise noted. www.boldmagazine.ca

IN THE SHADOW OF HISTORY

BASÍLICA DE LA ASUNCIÓN, LEÓN’S CATHEDRAL More than just the largest cathedral in Central America, Nicaragua’s Catedral De León is an awe-inspiring testament to the spirit of the Nicaraguan people and their vibrant cultural legacy. Blending Baroque and Neoclassical style with Gothic, Renaissance, and Mudejar influence, the Catedral De León has been built and rebuilt four times since 1610. This officially recognized world heritage site holds the tomb of beloved poet Rubén Darío and priceless works of religious art, including ornate church bells and imposing statues. A view from the top of this modern relic is a powerful reminder: both of the historic grandeur reflected in its 34 domes and of the compelling beauty in Nicaragua’s colonial cities.

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INSPIRATION FOR TRAVELLERS

AGENDA SEE. EXPERIENCE. HEAR. SHARE. GO.

WHERE WE’RE EXPLORING

NEXT

1.

TURTLES HERE, TURTLES THERE

Although you can see turtles in Costa Rica year-round, the prime season is between July and November. In Santa Rosa National Park, in Guanacaste province on the Pacific coast, the synchronized large-scale nesting of Kemp’s Ridley and Olive Ridley sea turtles is known as arribadas. In Tortuguero National Park, on the Caribbean coast, Loggerheads, known for their unusual carapace, covered by skin and oily flesh, and Green Sea Turtles, are at their peak between July and October. If that’s too much turtle for you, Tortuguero National Park is home to 70 species of reptiles and amphibians, 60 species of mammals and 300 species of birds.

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AGENDA | GO NOW

2.

CRUISING’S A DRAG

If you’ve been putting off cruising because you’re thinking the vibe might be a bit too conservative, think again.

U River Cruises, a new river cruise concept from Uniworld, has set its sights on capturing a younger, hipper demographic. In addition to a tattoo-themed cruise, they’re launching an itinerary that looks great in glitter and heels.

Called U in Drag, this eight-day cruise down the Danube will feature onboard celebrity guests including drag queens Jiggly Caliente, Darienne Lake and Phi Phi O’Hara (right), all fan favourites from the hit television show RuPaul’s Drag Race. The show, which also hosts DragCon events in several U.S. cities to spread the word on the thrill of dressing up pretty, has turned crossdressing into something much more mainstream—and much more polished—than it used to be.

Sailing from Frankfurt in early July, the U in Drag cruise to the Bavarian city of Regensburg will feature performances from Jiggly, Darienne and Phi Phi, as well as comedy shows, karaoke, makeup lessons and a ship’s bar crawl.

Definitely not the cruise for your grandmother—unless your grandmother appreciates leopard prints, skin-tight bodysuits and sickening death drops.

The Tattoo on U cruise, featuring body artists Bobby Moss, Reese Hilburn and Steve Tefft, leaves from Frankfurt on August 17. ubyuniworld.com —LIZ FLEMING

3.

BABY BEACH

Šibenik, a city on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, has a long pre-history and an impressive Medieval history—it was founded by King Petar Krešimir IV in the 11th century. But its Beach Banj was just created in 2012 and in the last half-dozen years the pebbly piece of paradise has attracted a devoted fan base. With a spectacular view of the sea, and the old town centre, it’s the epitome of cool, even when the summer water is warm.

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THE CROWN

Though the United Kingdom’s political future has been hazy these days, the future of its royal family remains solid. Two exhibits by the Royal Collection Trust are sure to calm the most anxious minds.

From June 14 to October 6, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the exhibit, A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will conjure a heartwarming recent memory: the May 2018 wedding of Harry and Meghan. The highlights are the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding dress, created by the British designer Clare Waight Keller, artistic director at the historic French fashion house Givenchy, and the Duke of Sussex’s specially commissioned frockcoat uniform, made by tailors at Dege & Skinner on Savile Row. At Buckingham Palace from July 20 to September 29, the exhibit Queen Victoria’s Palace will celebrate the 200 th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth. The costume she wore for the Stuart Ball in 1851 and a jaw-dropping piece of jewelry called The Queen’s Star of the Order of the Bath are bound to be highlights. rct.uk

Photo by Andrew S/Shutterstock

4.

Creating more awe-inspiring moments,

it’s in our

Nature.

Barefoot luxury pairs with Nature’s unequaled power to amaze in Dominica, the Caribbean’s best-kept secret. Treat your body and soak in the splendor of a rainforest spa, savor farm-to-table cuisine picked fresh from volcanic soil, or find out of this world adventures right at your doorstep. Check in to a one-of-a-kind holiday you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Plan your getaway at DiscoverDominica.com

PRIDE

AGENDA | PRIDE

AS NEW YORK HOSTS WORLDPRIDE, THE CITY’S AWASH IN RAINBOWS

OF PLACE

–

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I

t looks like any other gay bar in Greenwich Village.

But the legendary Stonewall Inn isn’t just another place to grab a drink. This bar is a designated national park— complete with its own park ranger—in the middle of New York City.

This park, however, isn’t dedicated to preserving the

by Vawn Himmelsbach – flora and fauna. It’s meant to preserve a piece of history.

“It’s something that ties into our history that’s also a great place to get a drink,” says Sara Lyons, my tour guide with New York Tour1, also an official sponsor of WorldPride.

(That’s the mega-Pride celebration that takes place in a different city every two or three years; New York hosts this year, Copenhagen in 2021.) Lyons leads a Greenwich Village walking tour on Saturday afternoons, and she likes to start her tours here, at Stonewall.

It’s a bar, but it’s also the site of a civil rights battle that changed the course of American history. In the 1960s, few establishments welcomed the LGBT community, and they had to pay off the police. But on June 28, 1969, Stonewall was raided. As police dragged patrons out of the bar, things quickly got out of hand—and the rest is history.

This wasn’t the first gay rights protest in NYC. “But it’s the first time people stopped caring about civility politics,” says Lyons. “They started saying enough was enough. Bricks were thrown. It was seismic. It was three days of cops being holed up in a bar.”

Stonewall celebrates 50 years since the riots.

“It’s a way to showcase that we are still here and we didn’t go away,” she says. NYC has become a safe place for the LGBT community, “but a lot of places haven’t come that far.

I think it’s going to be a big deal for the rest of the world to see where we’re at compared to where we were 50 years ago.”

Throughout the month of June, NYC has come alive with music, art and film to celebrate WorldPride and Stonewall50. And, of course, there are parties: Pride Island, a multiday musical event, will be headlined by none other than singer Grace Jones.

It’s not just for party boys. Families are also core to the idea of Pride. “The movement started in earnest in a bar in the middle of the night, so a lot of people get the sense it’s not a family-friendly thing,” says Lyons.

But WorldPride also offers family events such as movie nights where kids can see their families—or their friends’ families— represented on the big screen.

For those who miss WorldPride, the city will be hosting Pride-related activities all year long. nycgo.com/lgbtq

ON THESE PAGES: New York’s rich LGBT history has produced a rich archive of images, including Andy Warhol’s Ladies and Gentlemen Series (bottom left) from 1975.

These riots sparked the beginning of the gay and lesbian rights movement in America, bringing together the community to fight for their rights. As a result, some of the first Pride parades took place in NYC and the city has become an LGBT mecca.

“The march of time across Pride marches has taken us in a lot of different directions,” says Lyons. There were ups, like the election of openly gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, and downs, like the AIDS crisis. That one hit close to home for Lyons; she lost her uncle to HIV/AIDS, only six months before she came out herself.

Then, in 2016, then-president Barack Obama declared Stonewall a National Monument, making it the first national park associated with LGBT rights.

During the past five decades, NYC has witnessed many firsts for the LGBT community, from Stonewall to the Gay Liberation Monument. And each year, NYC Pride celebrates the city’s diverse LGBT communities throughout its five boroughs.

But this year marks the 50 th anniversary of Pride and the 20th anniversary of WorldPride.

It’s the first time a U.S. city has hosted (from June 25 to 30). For Lyons, it’s a fitting time for WorldPride to “come home” to NYC as

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A G E N D A | S TAY

Royal

TRANSFORMATION

T H E R E N O VAT I O N O F M O N T R E A L ’ S QUEEN ELIZABETH HAS BRIGHTENED THE P R E S E N T W I T H O U T D I S M I S S I N G T H E PA S T

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n July 2017, after a significant renovation, Fairmont reopened one of their grand dame properties: Montreal’s 950-room The Queen Elizabeth, part of Canada’s original network of grand railway hotels. The result is a mix of updated public and private spaces that still feel moored in a storied past.

We’ve become so accustomed to hotels with multi-story atrium lobbies that the Queen Elizabeth’s somewhat-modest lobby initially felt a bit too modest. It actually felt, to be honest, a bit like a train station. But over the course of my stay, I realized that was precisely the point—the hotel is above VIA’s rail passenger terminal. The QE’s lobby anchors the hotel to the city and reinforces its role as a core institution, whether locals are hopping on or off a train, cutting through on a particularly cold day, or power lunching at one of the hotel’s restaurants. Fairmont hotels are all about “location, location, location” and this one is no exception, particularly for those interested in exploring the central part of town.

And those dining venues are inspiring. A lowkey café just off the main doors is a cozy place to stop for a cappuccino. Restaurant Rosélys has a bustling brasserie vibe and a sophisticated look, with black and white marble chevron tiling, high ceilings and a massive spiral staircase that does double duty as sculpture art. The food is

broadly continental and a little conservative, but nonetheless delicious.

The hotel’s gym is large and bright, as are the change rooms. The indoor pool area is an absolute oasis, a cavern-like space with dim lighting and inviting loungers. There’s also a hot tub, where I came across a man, probably a conference goer in his mid-50s, looking totally relaxed while reading a tabloid story about Lady Gaga.

The hotel is full of other luxurious and distinctive details. There’s a massive outdoor terrace, perfect to rent out for a celebratory cocktail party (and a nice complement to the hotel’s 7,900 square metres of meeting space).

But perhaps the renovation’s real show-stopper is the revamped art collection that’s on display.

There are 100 new works of art, all Canadian and all contemporary. Small artistic elements are nicely integrated into the public spaces, such as an interactive river that reflects seasonal change and responds as you walk across it. The hotel’s artistic bent is also present in music history, too. The hotel has a special suite, 1742, dedicated to the 50 th anniversary of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Bed In,” which includes artifacts from their original stay and interesting elements like a mint green rotary phone that plays relevant recordings.

The Queen Elizabeth’s transformation managed to bring together old and new, locals and visitors, in a way that both honours history and sets the hotel on a great course into the future. Rooms from $330/ night. fairmont.com —SARAH TRELEAVEN BOLD

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AGENDA | LOCAL EXPERT

PORTLIFE

S

cott Travis, the general manager of Halifax’s Prince George Hotel, has lived all but one year of his life in his native city (he strayed all the way to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island). His current run at the upscale Prince George is his fourth job with the parent company Atlific, which manages hotels across the country.

Though Halifax has always been a lively student-filled city, Travis says it’s become much more international, diversifying its restaurant and cultural scene, and upping its style quotient. There’s been an increased appetite for cool places to hang out. Here are some of Travis’s favourite spots. princegeorgehotel.com

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Photo courtesy Discover Halifax

H A L I FA X H A S A L WAY S B E E N A LIVELY CITY, BUT HOTEL MANAGER S C O T T T R AV I S S AY S I T ’ S A L S O B E C O M I N G M O R E C O S M O P O L I TA N

HANGOUT Alexander Keith founded his brewery here in 1820, and lately there’s been an avalanche of craft brewers following in his footsteps. Good Robot is an amazing little spot with an outdoor feel with its picnic-table seating, crazy coloured lights and green Astroturf carpet. The crowd leans toward young professional slash hipster. Every day after work you’ll have someone who’s in a three-piece suit to someone else whose beard is down to the middle of their chest. goodrobotbrewing.ca CASUAL DINING Bar Kismet has a lot of excellent seafood food in a great setting with about 40 seats. It’s very warm, very not corporate. You get a feeling of an authentic East Coast eatery. They have some great appetizers, and the chef is definitely not afraid to switch things up because every time you go there it seems like there’s something new on the menu, based on what they can get straight off the pier. barkismet.com FINE DINING You’re going to hold this against me, but I have to say Gio, the restaurant at the Prince George Hotel. But I have a defence.

We’re the only four Diamond hotel with a four Diamond restaurant on site in Atlantic Canada. We have an amazing culinary team led by chef Greg Burns. There are always new things coming to the menu; we have a Sunday brunch where they can test things. You can expect to see a couple getting away for a great meal or a table of 15 celebrating a special occasion. giohalifax.com

AT T R A C T I O N The waterfront. It’s absolutely amazing with neat stores with everything from creative food and local crafts to clothing.

Start at the military base on Barrington and walk down the boardwalk to behind Pier 21. That’s the National Museum of Immigration, where one million people came through the door from the 1920s to the 1970s. pier21.ca ARTS EVENT Every fall [this year on October 17], Halifax hosts Nocturne.

It’s the art scene coming alive, from visual arts from drawing to plays. It covers the whole downtown. The main night is Saturday but things start on Thursday. nocturnehalifax.ca FA S H I O N A place on Argyle in the middle of the bar district is Biscuit General Store, which is about 60 per cent women’s fashion, 40 per cent men’s. It’s an amazing spot. And on Spring Garden Road, which is Halifax’s main shopping street, there’s Duggers menswear, if you want a suit that will impress, you go to Duggers. If you want more casual clothes, you go to D2, which is the same owners. The founder was Dugger McNeil, who played for the Montreal Canadiens. It’s now run by his son Ross. duggersfashion.com

S M A R T C O C K TA I L In one of the newest buildings downtown, there’s The Exchange on Hollis. The space is super creative with comfortable chairs, eclectic seating arrangements and a large bar staffed by creative people making cocktails. The décor at the back has a nautical feel and overlooks Halifax Harbour. xoh.ca MUSIC VENUE Argyle Street is the heart of our bar district and there’s an Irish pub there called Durty Nellies. The atmosphere is a great mix of locals who make it their spot a couple of nights a week complemented with visitors. They always have live music and there’s always a full house. Not solely Irish. Typically one-, two-, three-piece bands who cater to the crowd. durtynellys.ca

NEIGHBOURHOOD Hydrostone. During the Halifax explosion In 1917, when two ships collided in the harbour, the city suffered huge devastation. Many houses were wooden structures and collapsed so the whole city went up in flames. This area was rebuilt using mostly stone. It’s the coolest neighbourhood.

They have their own market, they have their own restaurants.

The greenery in that area is the most dense in the city.

D AY T R I P I just started golfing five years ago. There’s a place where the founder of Tim Horton’s Ron Joyce built in his native Tatamagouche on the Northumberland Strait, the gargantuan five-star Fox Harbour Resort. On the drive, about an hour and 45 minutes, you’ll see some of the best parts of Nova Scotia. If you walked around and had lunch at the resort, you’d be sure to be blown away. foxharbr.com

Halifax’s boardwalk is the perfect place to learn about the city’s history.

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AG E N DA | T R AV E L T WO WAY S

MODERN IN MILAN MILAN’S HOTEL VIU

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he new boutique Hotel VIU sits in a very interesting corner of Milan, sandwiched between the chic shops and restaurants of Corso Como and the wholesalers and noodle joints in Chinatown—a great combination that speaks to the city’s broader cultural and culinary mosaic.

VIU’s vibe is a sleek tranquility that has become common across most boutique properties. Muted beiges and creams with a few pops of colour, polished stone and occasional marble.

I was upgraded to a junior suite, with separate living room and bedroom, and a welcome bottle of Prosecco. The décor is extremely muted, but it does have floor-to-ceiling windows onto the city. There are Malin + Goetz toiletries, a Nespresso machine and the rainfall shower you’d expect.

The rooftop, where breakfast is served, is a true gem, with spectacular views over the city, a heated pool and small olive trees that were abundantly fruiting when I visited. The hotel boasts that it’s the only one in the city with a pool on the rooftop, and while it was raining when I visited, it’s easy to picture aperitivo hours full of mingling, the city at your feet.

The clientele is a mix of local business people having power lunches, European couples on vacation and sundry other glamorous-looking people. (A large group of 20-somethings in leather jackets and cashmere sweatpants wandered into breakfast one morning and I

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was quickly able to deduce that they worked for Gucci.)

And about that breakfast: The timing is extremely generous—from 6:30am to 12pm—and accommodates both business travellers hustling out the door to an early meeting and leisure travellers who came in late the night before. In addition to the buffet, there’s also an à la carte menu for eggs and other hot dishes. In addition to the rooftop terrace, there are three additional dining venues, all guided by Michelin star-chef Giancarlo Morelli.

The hotel is a superb base to explore the city. Walk to the nearest Pizzeria Spontini outpost and order a massive slice of deep-dish margarita with doppio mozzarella. Walk one block to Via Sarpi to browse the Asian grocery stores, sample Cantonese and Eritrean cuisine or try one of the city’s most popular street foods: the crêpe stuffed with pork, fried dough, scallions, cilantro and hoisin sauce at Ravioleria Sarpi. In under 10 minutes, you can walk to Corso Garibaldi, one of Milan’s premiere shopping streets, which is chockablock with boutiques selling soft leather goods, finely tailored suits, spectacularly sexy housewares and, of course, gelato.

The hotel is also about a five-minute walk from Eataly, which is a great place to spend several hours and to buy a lot of delectable edible souvenirs, some of which are definitely frowned upon by Canada customs. Who’s thinly sliced prosciutto really hurting, honestly? hotelviumilan.com —SARAH TRELEAVEN

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AG E N DA | T R AV E L T WO WAY S

MEMBERS-ONLY IN TUSCANY VILLA MONTEROTONDO

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t was dark and drizzly, but that didn’t dampen the mood. Maybe it was the Chianti we were drinking, or the tranquil Tuscan countryside—or maybe it was the pizza. We had just spent the past hour rolling dough, chopping veggies and shredding cheese, and now watched with anticipation as our creations sizzled in an outdoor forno, or wood-burning oven.

Despite a few mishaps—an uncooked pizza en route to the forno splattering onto the kitchen floor, perhaps because of the aforementioned Chianti—even a novice like myself managed to create a traditional Italian pizza, thanks to the help of our local in-residence chef.

A private chef is just one of the options at Villa MonteRotondo, part of Exclusive Resorts’ collection of five villas dotting the 4,200acre historic Casali di Casole estate in Tuscany, Italy, not far from Florence, Siena and San Gimignano.

As an elite private vacation club, Exclusive Resorts offers members access to a portfolio of more than 400 private multimillion-dollar residences in 75 destinations, from Tuscany to St. Barth’s, Kyoto and Manhattan. And membership comes with perks.

Long before arriving at Villa MonteRotondo, I was contacted by Mary-Therese, my dedicated “vacation ambassador,” to tailor my stay—from pantry must-haves (like pecorino, prosciutto and, of course, Chianti) to the option of a private chef, personal driver and

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customized day trips. (A driver is recommended, since the labyrinth of twisty-turny country roads in Tuscany can get confusing.)

Driving through an archway of trees, you’ll come upon Villa MonteRotondo—a restored Tuscan farmhouse from the 16th century with vaulted ceilings and exposed stonework reminiscent of a past era. Its design reflects the traditional style of the region, with Italian furnishings, hand-carved marble sinks, a traditional Tuscan fireplace and outdoor forno, plus a private infinity pool overlooking rolling hills.

The larger Casali di Casole estate is worth a wander, with 12 hectares of olive groves and 40 hectares of vineyards (producing private-label vintages of olive oil and wine), and access to a five-star boutique hotel and spa housed in a renovated castle near the entrance to the estate.

It would be easy to curl up with a book and a bowl of homemade conchiglioni with sausage ragout and dry mushrooms—and never leave. But this is Tuscany, after all, and there’s too much to see to sit still. Exclusive Resorts’ in-country reps can arrange private tours in nearby Florence, Siena and San Gimignano, but they’ll also organize personalized excursions, from truffle hunting to lunch at a local taverna.

I like history and wine, so our in-country rep organized a private tour of Badia a Passignano, a fortified monastery in the heart of the Chianti Classico territory, where the main grape varietal is Sangiovese. Dating back to 395, the monastery is still inhabited by Vallombrosian monks specializing in—you guessed it—grape growing.

Old World wines focus on the terroir, which means terra or soil. “When you say terroir, you are not referring only to the soil, you’re referring to climate conditions, weather conditions, grape variety, but also the winemaker, because all of this is influencing the style and quality of the wine,” says our guide Ljubica Kostic Colia.

Fortunately, you can sample this “terroir” at the on-site Michelin-starred Osteria di Passignano, which serves up Tuscan cuisine and Antinori wines. The Antinori family owns the vineyards around the abbey; their wine is aged in the historic cellars beneath the monastery, including the hyper-local Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione.

You won’t find this wine back home in the liquor store or at the airport duty free shop. Like Exclusive Resorts itself, it’s a rare, one-of-a-kind experience. Booking for members only. exclusiveresorts.com/vacation-collection —VAWN HIMMELSBACH BOLD

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AGENDA | FOOD DIARIES

Repast

Rural

Transplanted from Queen West to Prince Edward County, chef ALEXANDRA FESWICK has much more space to grow

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aving made her name at the most urban of haunts, Queen West’s Drake Hotel, chef Alexandra Feswick decided to accept the position of executive chef of the Drake Devonshire Inn, the mothership’s rustic Prince Edward County progeny, back in 2017. A country woman now—or should we say a county woman—Feswick has more of a backyard for her young son Reed, plus her husband Chad Sanders, a carpenter, has space for a shop where he is able to operate his company, Hawkwood Reclaim.

“We hadn’t spent much time in Prince Edward County at all until we moved here. We just took the plunge,” she says. “I definitely miss some things about living in Toronto, but I can’t really imagine moving back to the city now that I live here.” With the recent opening of the Drake Motor Inn nearby, which sends its guest to the Devonshire for meals, there’s a lot more city people for Feswick to feed. With a menu that leans into seafood and local produce, the county has also given her a lot to work with.

Check out more of Feswick’s and The Drake’s images: instagram.com/ chefalexandraf; twitter.com/thedrakehotel —PAUL GALLANT

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1. That’s a picture of us at Port Rowan on Lake Erie. My mother-in law-lives out there, so we’ll go out to spend time in the summer, on the beach, out on the boat. They do big fish fry-ups, which are pretty fun. My son has grown a lot since then. We just discovered the other day he can peer over the kitchen counter.

2. That was a fun seasonal dish we were doing. We got some great pumpkins from one of my favourite farms, called Honey Wagon. There’s something about talking to farmers who are excited about what they’re growing and there’s something inspiring about that much more about the ingredients you’re using.

Sometimes farmers sit down and ask me what I want them to grow, but I want them to grow what they’re excited about and I’ll work with that. I like to let the seasons and what’s coming from the farms inspire me, rather than coming up with the idea. I think eggs are the best ingredient, so I love cooking breakfast food.

3. I started keeping bees since I moved out here. We have lots of space, so I figured I might as well immerse myself in it.

I don’t get much honey yet. I feel like a bit of responsibility to the environment to help keep bees because they’re obviously such an important part of the

ecosystem. I want to keep them safe here. I wanted to learn how to make our own honey, to see if I can make enough to use at the restaurant. I’ve gotten a few of stings, but nothing too bad. Nothing I didn’t deserve.

4. We tried to play on a bit of coastal cuisine. In the summertime, the water looks like an ocean instead of a lake. It changes in the day, turns dark blue and turquoise. We were playing on that, with as many local products as we could. I like dishes like that because seasons change faster than we can change the menu in the summertime, so we have items that can reflect the produce we have. We called that one the Lobster Place and it was a little bit of a mystery when you ordered about what would be on there. Now we have local perch on the menu. Haddock, pickerel.

5. That’s when we took Reed to Jamaica with us. He was just under two. It was fun, but travelling with a toddler is not very relaxing as going without one, that’s for sure.

Kids wake up at the crack of dawn. They’re running around getting into things all day so you can’t just relax and close your eyes. We cooked in a place called Zimbali Culinary Retreats. We were plucking limes out of a tree to serve with a meal, coconuts.

6. That’s when I worked at the Drake in Toronto. We had a secret garden in the back behind one of the office buildings just down the street from the hotel, these palate gardens, a cinder-block garden, an old bathtub that we called the Wu Tub. It was a good way for me to connect the cooks with the food by having them plant and maintain a garden. We’re in the city, but take a minute and put your hands into the soil anyways.

7. That’s me and Matthew Ravenscroft, who’s a chef at [the Toronto restaurant] Rosalinda now. I think he’s taking a picture of a pheasant skull. We were in Winnipeg at an event with chef Mandel Hitzer called Raw Almond. He builds a tapas restaurant at the Forks, so you’re right on the ice. It’s one of the most uniquely Canadian experiences I’ve ever participated in. We did a five-course tasting menu and there was a little bit of drama because we had shipped all this food through Canada Post and it went missing. Marigold flowers I’d harvested from my garden. It was devastating. It showed up on the Monday, but it was too late. From now on, I’ll take the food on the plane with me and not ship it.

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AGENDA | DINE

RAW Revelations CHOTTO MATTE’S ARRIVAL IN TORONTO SIGNALS THE TAKEOVER OF NIKKEI CUISINE

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Chotto Matte founder Kurt Zdesar learned the biz with Nobu Matsuhisa.

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he Japanese diaspora, known as the Nikkei, number more than 3.8 million worldwide, living in countries such as Brazil, the United States and the Philippines. But if you have tasted and fallen in love with Nikkei cuisine, it’s the Japanese immigrants in Peru and their descendants you have to thank. In the late 19th century, newcomer Japanese cooks employed local South American ingredients to replicate and enhance some of the cooking techniques from their country of origin and, considering that both countries have a special relationship with raw fish, it turned out to be a match made in heaven.

Toronto diners have had several opportunities to taste ceviches and tiraditos (a Latin American sashimi) over the last decade, but with the arrival of Chotto Matte, which opened in June in the Financial District, they’ll have the opportunity to take a deeper dive into all that is Nikkei.

“When the Japanese chefs in Peru started to introduce coriander, chile and citrus, and all these flavoursome ingredients, they started to take what was originally quite plain food—sashimi is raw fish with a bit of soy and wasabi—and make the whole dish come alive,” says Kurt Zdesar, the Michelinstarred restaurateur behind Chotto Matte.

If the idea of Japanese-Peruvian fusion blows your mind, Zdesar’s arrival in Toronto will have you reaching for an atlas. Born in Sydney, Australia, he’s worked in the food industry for 30 years and earned his stripes in kitchens in the United Kingdom. He was, most famously, the European director for the renowned Nobu empire, and under his guidance, the London location received a Michelin star within 10 months of opening.

In 2004, Zdesar launched his own dim-sum restaurant, Ping Pong, of which there are now three London locations. From his experience at Nobu, though he realized famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s creations were the work of a singular artist, Zdesar

recognized some Nikkei influences in it.

Impressed, he spent three months in Peru researching the food scene there. The flagship Chotto Matte opened in 2013 in London’s Soho. A Miami location opened last spring—Zdesar is betting the concept has legs.

He’s a Nikkei classicist up to a point—no cheese, butter or other dairy products, for example—but is willing to let each location and its staff innovate and adapt.

“If it’s a change for the better, I’ll embrace it. My chef Jordan Sclare worked with Gordon Ramsay and so his foundations are the best French cooking techniques,” says Zdesar. “We have a beef dish we’ll braise for up to 48 hours, then we apply the Nikkei processes to the French technique, so when you get it on your chopsticks, it almost falls to pieces.

But when it comes to ingredients, the pantry is pretty strict.” chotto-matte.com —PAUL GALLANT

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AGENDA | GLOBETROTTER

AROUND THE WORLD WITH Toronto Fashion Incubator’s

Susan Langdon

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oronto launched the world’s first fashion incubator in 1987, and with it the career of hundreds of shining stars, from Project Runway Canada second season winner Sunny Fong to David Dixon. The concept has since been copied in New York, Chicago and Sydney, Australia. Susan Langdon took the helm of the Toronto Fashion Incubator in 1994, and has raised the profile and expanded the purview of the not-for-profit organization. An instructor at Toronto Film School and a guest lecturer at Ryerson University (where she got her own fashion education), Langdon spends a lot of time with young creative people who need help turning their ideas into a commercially viable enterprise. That makes her not only a master of style, but of business, too.

Where in the world have you felt happiest?

I know this sounds cliché, but there’s no place like home. I love Toronto and I love Canada; I will always be happiest here.

To get away from it all, I go to: If I feel the need to escape, my go-to is New York. It’s just an hour’s flight from Toronto and the energy there is exciting and different. There’s so much to see and do, and too many amazing restaurants and boutiques.

What’s the one thing you pack for every trip?

I always pack one facial sheet mask per day to keep my skin moisturized and looking fresh. My go-to is Youthfoil but I also like Hadaka.

What’s your essential item for making travel more comfortable?

I have a black and white cashmere Hermès shawl that I wear wrapped around my neck when in flight. It’s super chic and dresses up a look even if you’re wearing jeans and a sweater.

What’s your guilty pleasure while travelling?

When I’m travelling, I like to make the most of every minute, day and night, because I usually have the luxury of sleeping in (sleeping in for me means not waking up at 6am to get to work every day). That means a lot of late night indulgences, such as attending parties, dinners and events.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels?

I recently met an American actor and voiceover artist based in London who’s currently filming The Agent. His name is Kyle James and he’s also appeared in the latest instalment of the Jason Bourne franchise with Matt Damon. I’d never really spent time with an actor before; it’s very interesting and very different. I don’t think I could be “on” all the time, but I understand why it’s necessary.

What trip-of-a-lifetime lies ahead for you?

I would love to ride the Orient Express in first-class style or experience Monaco during Cannes. I love glamour, excitement and culture and either trip would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I lost my heart in….

London.

“I would love to ride the Orient Express in first-class style or experience Monaco during Cannes”

What’s your pet travel peeve?

I’m a very organized person but clearly not everyone is like me. My pet peeve are those travellers in the security queue who are not prepared. For example, people who leave it until the last moment to take off their coat, take change out of their pockets, or who have giant bottles of liquids with them, etc.

Which is your road most travelled?

I’ve been travelling a lot to London, England, recently because I’ve been taking a group of Canadian fashion designers to show at London Fashion Week for the past few seasons.

Who is your favourite travelling companion?

[Sigh.] I wish I could say it was Ryan Gosling, but usually I travel for business, which means going solo most of the time. The good news is that I have lots of friends in cities around the world and it’s wonderful to meet up with them when I’m there.

What’s the place you were most nervous about visiting?

I was a bit nervous visiting Buenos Aires by myself because I’ve never had a good experience in South America. Sure enough, I was mugged by a taxi driver and my luggage was ransacked on the way there and on the way home. Ugh. Which travel experience most changed your worldview and why?

I visited China for the first time back in 2005 and I could not get over the poverty and horrible living conditions that some families are enduring. This is the side of China that no one wants you to see. It made me realize why they’re relentlessly hustling foreigners; they’re just trying to survive.

Tell us about a time when you got lost and what you learned from it.

Oh, I am so famous for getting lost! The easiest place to get lost is Japan. There are no numbers on the buildings, I can’t read characters and the streets are laid out in a circular pattern like many old cities.

What I’ve learned is that I am better at navigating a street-gridpatterned city like New York, to always learn a few key phrases in the native language and that Citymapper is my best friend.

If you could live in any other city in the world (other than your own), which one would it be and why?

I could easily see myself living in London as there are so many ex-pat Canadians, it feels like home. I also have a lot of friends and colleagues based there, and I have to admit that I like all of the pomp and pageantry that’s so prevalent. The architecture and fashion in London are amazing, too.

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WHAT TO PACK FOR:

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL AN URBAN INNOVATION

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Frescobol Carioca Tidal Classic Swim Shorts, $260, frescobolcarioca.com

Bustle Clothing Light Green Floral Shirt, $200, and Shorts, $170, bustleclothing.com

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ão Paulo’s lush Burle Marx Park is home to a spectacular palatial hotel that channels the quintessential essence of the tourist experience in Brazil. Blending proximity to São Paulo’s lively urban jungle with total immersion in relaxing natural scenery, Palácio Tangará is the perfect place to absorb the destination’s chic, tropical vibes. It isn’t hard to see why the Palácio was recognized by Virtuoso as one of the top hotels in its category: its luxurious amenities and services are truly second to none. Purify the body and refresh the mind at the Flora Spa by Sisley with a phyto-aromatic body treatment. When the sun goes down, unwind in the cool night air with a glass of wine from the hotel’s cellar, paired with fresh seafood courtesy of Michelin-star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. There’s no better end—or beginning—to adventure into Brazil’s legendary nightlife than with a drink at the Parque Lounge and Terrace. Whatever pleasures you seek, the resorts, bars and restaurants of São Paulo will meet and exceed your expectations. oetkercollection.com —MARLON MORENO

Officine Générale Theo Sandal Italian Leather, $200, officinegenerale.com

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Sun Pour Homme, 125ml, $107, holtrenfrew.com

Bustle Clothing runway shot by George Pimentel

Aesop Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque, 60ml, $71, holtrenfrew.com

WANT Les Essentiels Douglas Leather Holdall, $995, ca.wantapothecary.com BOLD

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WHAT TO PACK FOR:

NICARAGUA THE LAND OF LAKES AND VOLCANOES

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hile much has been said of Iceland’s wildly varying landscape, not nearly enough has been said about Nicaragua’s. This Central American gem welcomes travellers to enjoy its eclectic natural beauty, where white sand beaches and rainforest canopies intermingle with volcanic peaks and placid lagoons. While activities like volcano surfing and ziplining undoubtedly make Nicaragua a destination for the adventurous, the country is also a beacon of luxury. Its charming colonial cities have developed a reputation for excellence in coffee, chocolate and the arts, while its beachfront resorts count themselves among the best in the world. Boutique vacation homes like those of Balcones de Majagual give visitors the freedom to explore the country at their own pace, far from the familiar hotel experience but close to the azure waves and lively markets of San Juan del Sur. These open-concept, locally furnished villas are emblematic of the quality of accommodations in Nicaragua, providing views of the nearby jungle and access to both an infinity pool and private beach for all of your snorkeling and sunbathing needs. For exotic luxury, unforgettable adventure and authentic culture, Nicaragua should not be missed. casasdebalcones.com —MARLON MORENO

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz, 75ml, $87, guerlain.com

Ducray Melascreen Serum, 50ml, $49, shoppers.ca

bareMinerals Hydrating Foundation Stick SPF 25, $40, sephora.ca

Hermès 3 Surfs Beach Bag, $2,025, hermes.com Hermès Tourbillon sandals, $1,100, hermes.com

Victorinox I.N.O.X. Carbon Watch, $895, swissarmy.com/ca

Eau Thermale Avène Hydrance Gel, 50ml, $42.50, shoppers.ca

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WHAT TO PACK FOR:

SINGAPORE THE LION CITY

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eautiful Singapore is the city of fusion: diverse culinary, architectural and cultural influences meet and mix in one immaculately inspiring metropolis.

The sheer diversity in attractions throughout Singapore’s urban sprawl speaks to the destination’s dynamic appeal: high-end boutiques like Prada and Hermès cast neon light on the bustling Orchard Road, while verdant waterfront gardens and stately museums offer a refreshing reprieve from a day (and night) on the town. Those looking for a taste of Singapore’s world-famous food should flock to the stalls and night markets of historic Lau Pa Sat, home of Singaporean mainstays like grilled stingray and Hainan chicken rice. The Malay enclave of Kampong Glam remains one of the trendiest areas in the city, offering a plethora of hip and quirky boutiques on colourful Haji Lane and rice-based delicacies like nasi padang. While you can’t go wrong with any of the hotels that stretch into Singapore’s skyline, the legendary Raffles Singapore (originally built in 1887) should be your first choice. Currently undergoing renovations, the hotel is scheduled to reopen its doors after a three-year extensive renovation heralding back Singapore’s glamorous Imperial age. Over the years, the hotel has played host to the rich and famous, including Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham, Elizabeth Taylor and Karl Lagerfield. With a whole new shopping and culinary experience, reimagined rooms that embrace the past and present and a commitment to preserving the Raffle’s elegant sense of arrival, there’s never been a better time to try a Singapore Sling where it was invented. raffles.com

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3 1. Chopard Miel D’Arabie, 100ml, $362, holtrenfrew.com 2. Roberto Coin Slim Retro Link Bracelet with Diamonds, $14,000, robertocoin.com 3. Chanel Laminated Lambskin Gold Boots, price upon request, chanel.com 4. Chanel Silk Organza Dress “Métiers d’Art” collection, price upon request, chanel.com 5. William & Son Bruton Day Bag, $3,800, williamandson.com 6. Guerlain Terracotta Contour & Glow Palette, $84, guerlain.com 44

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FASHION + BEAUTY + BESPOKE EXPERIENCES

The Essential Reference for the Fashionable Traveller

FALL/WINTER ISSUE 2019 BOLD

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B O L D PA R T N E R S H I P

ROAD ENDS 2019 FORD RANGER

for all-terrain performance and utility, the new 2019 Ford Ranger is the truck you can trust to see your adventure through to the end. Backed by the legacy of resilience that comes with being “Built Ford Tough”, the Ranger is both sturdily constructed and endlessly customizable, bristling with standard and optional features for any climate or environment. This is a midsize pickup with both brains and brawn, leveraging a host of structural innovations and cutting-edge technology to make the toughest journeys not only manageable but enjoyable.

In the last issue of BOLD, we explored the Tough and Adventure features of the Ranger that make it ideal for mastering unruly roads. Join us once again as we dive into the formidable

locales that allow the Ranger’s Design and Technology features to shine

SASKATCHEWAN HIGHWAY 955 Saskatchewan Highway 955 is not for the faint of heart. A highway in only the loosest sense of the word, the 955 is 245 km of unpredictable, unpaved hardship. The texture of the road varies significantly from section to section, with protruding rocks giving way to soft sand and mud holes. The Highway’s remote character is also its main selling point: northern Saskatchewan is starkly beautiful, its sea of spruce and pine concealing lakes, wandering moose, and even a meteor impact site. The particularly bold can test the adjoining Semchuk Trail—a winter road originally created to ferry supplies

Produced by Moreno & Co. 2019

Surviving the Ultimate Canadian Odysseys in the

As any seasoned adventurer knows, every legendary journey has three essential elements: the promise of excitement, the guarantee of a challenge, and the invigorating rush of triumph.

The brave and the bold know that this experiential cocktail can’t be found on a beach or a cruise ship: only the wild and untamed places of the world can offer such authentic adrenaline. Canada is rich in such daring destinations: remote outdoor playgrounds that call out to the fearless and convert the sheltered with the irresistible promise of a trip like no other.

Whether you’re a veteran of a thousand roads or a bright-eyed rookie ready for your first foray into the country, you’ll need a vehicle that craves adventure just as much as you do. Confident, capable, and engineered from the ground up

B O L D PA R T N E R S H I P

to Uranium City and the local mines.

Defeating the often-confusing forest corridors of Highway 955 requires unshakeable confidence and impeccable navigational acumen. Luckily, the 2019 Ranger is equipped to supplement your already-impressive capabilities in both areas. The core of the Ranger’s Technology portfolio is the Ford Co-Pilot360™ package: an all-new suite of advanced driver-assist technologies that come standard on the XLT and Lariat models. Specifically, you’ll find the BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) invaluable when driving 955: the system will make you aware if another vehicle enters your or your trailer’s blindspot. If you do decide to venture into the harsh Semchuk Trail, the standard rear-view camera will allow you to keep a watchful eye on what’s going on behind you when you inevitably need to reverse, while the Auto High-Beam headlamps light up the darkest of nights as you press forward. On those rare occasions you aren’t testing roads as tough as Semchuk, the Ranger’s Ford Pass ConnectTM brings the best in trip-planning convenience and diagnostic functionality right to your phone. So long as you have data (not included with the vehicle), you’ll be able to lock, unlock, and remotely start your Ranger, access fuel level and odometer readings, contact your dealer, and even compare fuel prices on gas stations along your route with just a tap on your touchscreen.

HECKMAN PASS Cradled in the heavily forested embrace of British Columbia’s Rainbow Range, Heckman Pass is a destination of choice for daredevil drivers in the province.

Boasting an average elevation of 5,000 feet above sea level, Heckman is—in one word— precarious. The dirt roads here are anything but spacious and hug the cliff face tightly, offering no guard rails as insurance from a precipitous fall. Some parts of the pass are high enough to upset even the most iron of stomachs, an uncomfortable reality further exacerbated by the frequent braking necessitated by hairpin turns. A severe case of vertigo awaits all those who brave the pass in search of majestic valley views and the primal satisfaction of conquering the mountain.

Rest assured, the 2019 Ranger is right at home in the foreboding heights of Heckman. The exterior Design of this athletic pickup is ideal for traversing mountain paths: a low-angled windshield, a wide grille opening, and rounded wheel arches work to channel air efficiently around the vehicle for a smooth, quiet drive. You won’t have to sweat the elevation: specially engineered breakover and departure angles give you the clearance and agility you need to clamber up hills and clear obstacles. The

Ranger even has an answer to Heckman’s infamously narrow paths and blind turns in the form of Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB).

Should the system detect a potential collision with an adventurer driving ahead of you or a pedestrian mountaineer, it will pre-charge the brakes and increase brake-assist sensitivity, even activating the brakes automatically if corrective action isn’t taken.

KLONDIKE HIGHWAY Drivers seeking a challenge with historic appeal should look no further than Klondike Highway. This (mostly) paved 705 km road connects Yukon’s Dawson City with the Alaskan coastal town of Skagway, following much of the same path carved out by prospectors during the Klondike gold rush. While the highway is not quite as perilous now as it was in 1898, you’ll still find plenty of adversity: expect abrupt and severe changes in elevation, especially as you get closer to the icy Chilkoot Pass. The alpine scenery on the other side of the pass is stunning, but try to keep your eyes on the road:

a momentary distraction could force you off the road and into a slushy rut...even in the heat of summer.

Klondike Highway may be the toughest drive on this list, but it’s nothing the combined Design and Technology features of the Ranger can’t handle. Drive the weathered asphalt of Klondike confidently with the Ranger’s available Lane-Keeping System: should you begin to drift out of your lane, this supplemental system will alert you by vibrating the steering wheel and applying steering torque.

As the weather on the Highway can be frightful all year round, you’ll be thankful for the warm comforts of the Ranger’s expertly designed interior. A spacious cab with supple seats for five and a Bang & Olufsen sound system combine with an optional touchscreen to create a thoroughly enjoyable drive—no matter what conditions outside the window look like. If you’re planning a few stops on your way to Skagway, you’ll be well served by the Ranger’s capacity for accessories. Kayak racks, pickup bed tents, and off-road lights are just a few of the options available, helping you get the most out of the northern excursions worth pulling over for.

FIND CHALLENGE. CONQUER. REPEAT. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2019 FORD RANGER AT www.ford.ca/trucks/ranger/

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THE NEW ROAD BETWEEN INUVIK TO TUKTOYAKTUK OPENS UP A WORLD OF LANDSCAPE AND LEGENDS; ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH HAD A DRIVE

– Photos by Lucas Scarfone –

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he road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk is long and dusty. As I ramble along the new unpaved highway past the tree line and across flat tundra dotted with icy lakes, it’s easy to visualize myself driving to the very top of the globe—well, to the Arctic Circle, pointing towards the clear waters of the Arctic Ocean. In the fall, the sun is bright but consistently low, reflecting light off of the frost-covered low-lying shrubs and illuminating on the crystalline ponds just metres from the highway. While the odd truck comes my way in the opposite direction, and a pair of what look to be either moose or reindeer cross the road at one point, this part of earth is eerily still, like I’m travelling along land that’s been completely unspoiled by human intervention.

And in a way, I am. While Canada’s Inuvialuit people have inhabited the Tuktoyaktuk area (or “Tuk” as it’s called by locals) for generations and the larger centre of Inuvik has been settled since the mid ’50s, until recently there has never been a permanent all-season road connecting the two communities. With the exception of the winter months, when cars travel on ice roads, Tuk was only accessible to the rest of Canada by boat or plane. After years of planning, the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway (ITH) opened in November of 2017, allowing for year-round traffic between the two communities and, incidentally, completing a network of highways that now touches all three of Canada’s oceans. As a result, Tuk saw a significant increase in tourism this past year, something that’s bound to grow further as the community develops more services catering to visiting tourists.

The journey to Tuk starts with a drive or flight to Inuvik, a town that has most of the creature comforts that southerners are used to—hotels, restaurants, a liquor store, a hospital—with an undeniably Northern look (the Catholic church is fashioned to look like an igloo). Almost all of the structures are raised off of the hostile permafrost and above-ground water pipes are visible between buildings. While the land is fairly barren, visitors can get a look at Inuvik’s extraordinary community greenhouse, home to individual garden plots bursting with bounty and the world’s very first Arctic apple tree.

As interesting as Inuvik is, Tuk itself is the main draw for tourists—the town has long been part of Canadian lore. I made the trek in a brand new Chevy Silverado and while there aren’t a lot of tricky turns or traffic on the ITH, I’m glad for the comfort and reliability of the pick-up truck.

The terrain is more rugged than it looks—the slushy texture of the gravel could send a small car flying off the highway’s silty shoulder at a number of points. After about two and a half hours on the road, Tuk itself emerges

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on the desolate landscape, with the Arctic Ocean glimmering around it. I’m at the end of the road; there is literally nothing but water between me and the North Pole.

Just being in Tuk, taking photos in front of the “Arctic Ocean” sign on the shore and bravely dipping a bare foot into the water, makes it worth the trip. I quickly learn, however, that experiencing the community and the openness of the people is what makes this an essential pilgrimage for anyone who wants to embrace the full scope of life in Canada.

Tuk is largely populated by Inuvialuit Canadians, whose ancestors chose the area because of its natural harbour on the Arctic Ocean. It was officially founded as Port Brabant in the 1920s and gained fame in 1950 when it became the first Indigenous community in Canada to revert to its traditional name. I ask local residents what they like to do, and the most common answers are hunting, fishing and enjoying the bounty of the land. John Steen, a local tour operator and lifelong resident, tells me that he is grateful for the beauty of the land, the nightly visits from the Aurora Borealis and the sheer magic of living on the edge of the continent.

“Even in winter, when the sun doesn’t come up, it never gets truly dark here,” he says. “Everything is covered in ice and snow and with the reflection of the moon you can always see your way. The moon glistens off the ocean.”

ON THESE PAGES: On the journey to Tuk, the people and the landscape give visitors a sense of awe; beyond the beach lies the Beafort Sea... and the North Pole.

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Joanne Edwards-Steen runs Grandma’s Kitchen.

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The town has yet to catch up to tourists in terms of hospitality services like hotels and full-service restaurants, but Steen’s wife Joanne Edwards-Steen, is the proprietor of a beachside take-out eatery called Grandma’s Kitchen. Edwards-Steen serves burgers and other familiar standards, but she says that most visitors want to try uniquely northern delicacies like muktuk: small chunks of beluga whale skin and blubber that represent Tuk’s status as a legitimate whaling town. Her husband is a muktuk fan and urges me to try it myself.

“Some people say it tastes like pork, some say it’s fishy—I like people to decide for themselves,” says Steen who personally prefers his muktuk served raw but chilled.

“Our community would typically harvest about 40 whales a year.”

I get my own chance to try Edwards-Steen’s wares at a community feast at the Kiti community hall. A couple hundred Tuk residents attend, sharing plates of turkey, ham, fresh-caught whitefish and cubes of authentic muktuk. The hall is abuzz with smiling children grabbing crunchy pieces of fry bread and custardy tarts, elders in traditional garb, neighbours chatting about community affairs and a table of local women selling hand-sewn fur slippers, mittens and hats. The feast ends with a performance from the local youth drum dance group, with the dancers pulling visitors out of the audience as the entire hall celebrates as a community.

A community feast doesn’t have to be on the books for one to get a feel for Tuk’s friendliness. Locals randomly wave as I drive along the main drag, past replicas of traditional sod houses, Tuk’s gas station, a few shops and a small community cemetery. Looking for some adventure, I take a boat tour to the nearby pingos— mounds of frozen earth that erupt from the shores of the ocean. Tuk is close to the Pingo National Landmark, which consists of eight protected pingos, including Canada’s tallest. Visitors can also hike out to the pingos, though climbing them during the summer months before the ground freezes is prohibited.

As I leave Tuk, the kids from the community feast gather around my Chevy Silverado, asking for their picture to be taken, hoping that I may have some trinkets from the south to add to their collections. The road back to Inuvik is even more beautiful at twilight, and as I cruise towards the tree line, I reflect on the beautiful community behind me and feel like I have, in every sense, visited the very top of the world.

Road Rules The new Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway makes travel to Tuktoyaktuk fairly simple, but a northern road trip is not the same as a drive in the southern parts of Canada.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

The gravel on the road tends to slide and is also prone to bumps and potholes. Trucks or off-road vehicles are recommended (and can be rented in Inuvik). Drivers should be well rested and alert before setting off.

Developers have planned for a number stops along the 138-kilometre highway, but those stops are not yet fitted with amenities. There is also very limited vegetation along the road, which means that travellers should take care of any washroom needs beforehand.

While the road is not typically overrun with vehicles, travellers who run into trouble will likely encounter into other drivers who can help. That said, there is no cellphone service for most of the ride.

Bring basic emergency supplies.

Travellers should leave plenty of time to get back to Inuvik before it gets dark.

Except for a couple of B&Bs, there are no hotel accommodations in the hamlet.

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OPEN WATER, OPEN MIND ON AN EXPEDITION CRUISE ALONG CANADA’S ATLANTIC COAST, VAWN HIMMELSBACH KNEW SHE HAD TO PACK FOR ADVENTURE; THE RICH HISTORY AND WELCOMING CULTURE CAME ALONG FOR THE RIDE

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The lighthouse at Cape Spear is not far from Newfoundland’s capital.

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“So

be easy and free, when you’re drinking with me, I’m a man you don’t meet every day….”

I’m listening to musician Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea—but not on Spotify. He’s sitting across from me in a Zodiac bobbing on the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by a massive fjord that juts into the wild, windswept coast of southern Newfoundland.

While he’s singing a folk tune called “Jock Stewart,” the lyrics seem oddly appropriate, since it’s not every day I’m sitting in a Zodiac drinking champagne with a Canadian legend.

It’s not an experience I could have planned or booked in advance; it was just one of those random things that happen when you’re on an expedition cruise.

Doyle is one of the artists-in-residence on Adventure Canada’s Newfoundland Circumnavigation, an up-close-and-personal experience of the land and its people. The family-owned Canadian expedition tour operator has been curating signature adventures since 1987, and now sails into the world’s most remote destinations—the Canadian Arctic, the fjords of Greenland and the isles of the North Atlantic—aboard the ice-strengthened, 198-passenger vessel Ocean Endeavour.

That “Zodiac moment” is one of the latest trends in luxury travel, where it’s less about thread counts and top-shelf booze and more about access to the inaccessible. And that’s what you’ll get on an expedition cruise—although the exact “what” is something you can’t predict. It requires an open mind and a sense of adventure.

Prior to boarding the Ocean Endeavour, I noticed the itinerary was somewhat vague, though it included visits to three UNESCO World Heritage sites: L’Anse aux Meadows, the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America, Gros Morne National Park and Red Bay’s Basque Whaling Station in Labrador. Plus, there was a stop at Saint-Pierre, a last bastion of

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France’s colonial territories in North America.

Other days, we’d be landing somewhere along the coast, anchoring in harbours of remote outport communities or in bays surrounded by untouched wilderness. With an expedition cruise, no two are alike. The itinerary is subject to change depending on the weather, wind and sea conditions. But this isn’t a setback; it’s an advantage, with unexpected highlights.

While I was excited to visit three UNESCO sites in as many days, I had never heard of Francois (pronounced Fran-sway). And I never would have found my way to this remote outport community, with its smattering of colourful wooden houses clinging precariously to the rocky cliffs at the end of a two-kilometre-long fjord.

In this village of 100 people, there are no roads, not even cars (the locals get around on ATVs). The only way in and out is by boat or helicopter—the nearest road is four hours away by ferry, followed by a 900-kilometre drive to St. John’s.

But after a day spent hiking to the top of the fjord for a 360-degree view of untouched wilderness, drinking champagne with Doyle and, later that evening, attending a kitchen party with the locals, complete with live music, dancing and plenty of beer, Francois turned out to be the unexpected highlight of my trip.

For Latonia Hartery, who grew up near Francois, this is one of her favourite spots on the island—in the world, for that matter. As our archeologist-in-residence, she’s spent 20 years conducting excavations on Newfoundland’s northern peninsula.

“Even though it’s in my home province, [Francois] is still one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen on Earth—this giant fjord and this little town clinging to the rocks, and then all these friendly and happy people,” says Hartery.

ON THIS PAGE: Aboard the Ocean Endeavour, fjords, rugged cliffs and whale sightings are on the menu.

Photos courtesy Adventure Canada

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“This giant fjord and this little town clinging to the rocks, and then all these friendly and happy people”

ON THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: St. John’s Battery neighbourhood; Zodiac-ing ashore; meeting with artists and experts along the way.

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“S

ome people take this trip just to go to L’Anse aux Meadows, and then they happen to find out all these amazing things about Newfoundland and Labrador along the way. That’s part of what makes a trip like this special,” she says. “I love where I’m from, I love the people who have grown up here with me, so it’s fun to sail around the island with 200 people who are just learning about it.”

Hartery is one of the many experts aboard the Ocean Endeavour, from naturalists and historians to musicians, artists and culturalists.

And, like the expedition leaders who expertly navigate our Zodiacs through the choppy waters of the Atlantic, many are from around these parts and can provide a unique view of local culture, history and the land.

Like Paul Dean, our geologist-in-residence, who has a passion for ancient rocks. Before visiting the Tablelands at Gros Morne National Park, he tells us why it’s so significant (and why it’s a UNESCO site): This 600-metre plateau is where the Earth’s mantle was pushed up out of the ocean onto the continent 80 million years ago.

“There are very few places [on Earth] where you can see this in an accessible area,” he explains. “It’s a very spectacular place—if you don’t learn anything about the geology, you will be amazed with where you are on this planet.”

He’s not wrong. You don’t need a passion for ancient rocks to appreciate the otherworldly beauty of the Tablelands.

Aside from onboard lectures, workshops and entertainment, daily excursions include everything from scenic hikes to painting lessons on the beach and photography lessons in coastal communities.

There are also a few surprises onboard, like the crew from Slow Food, who spend their days foraging in the bush and meeting with fisherpeople, farmers and distillers as part of their new Taste of Place program. The idea is to preserve biodiversity and local food traditions that have become marginalized by the industrialized food system. For passengers, that translates into pop-ups aboard the ship— sampling freshly caught cod or sipping craft cocktails with local gin.

On the last night, after a rousing game of Jeopardy where I learn the meaning of Newfoundland slang like “tiddly” and “bangbelly,” passengers slowly make their way back to their rooms, preparing to disembark in the morning after sailing the narrows into St. John’s harbour.

But there are still a few of us in the lounge.

Some of the expedition leaders return from their rooms with musical instruments; a group sits in a circle, playing music, singing folk songs. The mood is mellow. We’ll all be saying goodbye tomorrow.

I came for the wild outdoors and magical vistas. I was looking for adventure—and I got that in abundance. But I unexpectedly made a few friends along the way.

Properly equipped An expedition cruise requires a little more prep work than a regular cruise. Here’s how to prepare for adventure:

You’ll be provided with a comprehensive packing list. This isn’t just a guideline; gear may be required for certain excursions.

Bad weather can result in rougher waters, so be prepared with anti-nausea medication. If prone to seasickness, reserve a cabin toward the middle of the ship on a lower deck.

Most expedition ships use Zodiacs instead of tenders to get ashore, in which case you’ll need waterproof outerwear, since there’s a good chance you’ll get splashed.

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Poolside at Hong Kong’s famed Peninsula Hotel.

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Photos courtesy the Peninsula Hotel

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A COUPLE OF DAYS IS ALL IT TAKES TO DISCOVER HONG KONG AT ITS MOST THRILLING – By Paul Gallant –

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n an evening cruise of Victoria Harbour during Hong Kong’s famed light-and-sound show, one of my fellow passengers, a Swiss national, reveals the mission that’s brought him here. His favourite luxury watch brand had released a special limited-edition model, and the marketing strategy dictated that wannabe owners come to Hong Kong if they want to purchase one.

There are many reasons to find yourself in Hong Kong, and flying here from, of all places, Switzerland to buy a watch is probably not the most selfindulgent. I’ve known people who have flown here for 24 hours, just to rack up frequent flyer points. Certainly, Hong Kong is known for rolling up its sleeves to make a deal—the city’s restaurants are full of grey-suited business people who seem to be planning or recovering from all sorts of corporate machinations. A fortunate side effect of all that financial leverage is ready access to the finer things. It also makes for an intense experience—you can see so much here in just a day or two.

As the skyline pulsates, blinks and glows, my fellow passengers and I eat sushi and drink sparkling wine aboard the Sunseeker Manhattan 60, a 19-metre, 15-passenger yacht the Peninsula Hotel brought into service last year, rounding out its glamorous transportation options, which already include twin helipads on its roof, reachable through the oh-so-retro China Clipper lounge, and a fleet of Rolls-Royces. Though the Peninsula Hotels brand is now worldwide—with 10 five-star properties on the map and three more to come in the next couple of years—the Hong Kong original, which opened in 1928, on the Kowloon side of Victoria harbour, remains a singular experience, one of the most storied properties in one of the world’s most storied cities. Even for those who merely find themselves strolling through the chic lobby or sitting down for afternoon high tea (only hotel guests can make reservations, so be prepared to arrive early to get a spot), rather than checking into one of its perfectly appointed rooms, the Peninsula remains an ideal starting point for exploring the 1,100 square kilometres of the “special administrative region.” A 1994 renovation topped the original six-storey building with a 30-storey tower, which increased the number of rooms to 300, and upped the square footage of windows the Peninsula has looking out over Victoria Harbour, a view so fascinating it can be hard to leave the room.

Yet everything’s just steps away. Out front, a boardwalk leads to the ferry terminal and, just across the street, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, which is being expanded and renovated in anticipation of a grand reopening in November 2019. From here, at the bottom of the Kowloon peninsula, visitors can head north into bargain-filled streets that go on for days. The shopping here can’t be contained by all the malls. Boutiques both stylish and peculiar— as well as bars, restaurants and gyms—have infested what were meant to be apartment or office buildings; security guards control the number of hipsters crowding into elevators and lobbies that were never built for so much foot traffic. From the Tai Chi practitioners in Kowloon Park to the startlingly long queues outside Gucci, I become totally mesmerized by all the activity. But then I realize: there’s more city just a Star Ferry ride away.

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“Some of the biggest deals in the world might be happening down there right now, but fail or succeed, the city chugs along�

Making the trip from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon in style.

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ON THESE PAGES: The Peninsula Hotel has maintained all the elegance of the colonial era, but with all the modern conveniences.

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t first, I find Harcourt Road, the thoroughfare that ties together the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island’s Central district, off-putting. The shiny office buildings and all the new construction, as gloriously modern as everything is, don’t have so much charm close up. But then I wander inland and uphill, into Old Town Central, and I feel I’ve arrived at some sort of global playground. Bars and restaurants overflow with the fashionably thirsty and hungry. I take the public escalator up— and up—rubbing shoulders with both jaded locals and excited visitors, then wind my way down again through steep laneways which, at times, I have all to myself.

I catch a tram to the Peak Tower Station and once I find my way to Sky Terrace 428, so named for its altitude of 428 metres above sea level, I can see why this is Hong Kong’s number one tourist destination. The blue, green, black, white and silver of all the skyscrapers, the ships and boats on the water—it all seems so peaceful, encircled by low green mountains. Some of the biggest deals in the world might be happening down there right now, but fail or succeed, the city chugs along.

Back in Central again, I come upon the new Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts, which opened last year and is perhaps the perfect example of Hong Kong’s capacity to merge east and west, old and new. The main buildings of the former police station were built between 1862 and 1864, when the British were still enforcing segregation laws that prohibited Chinese residents from living in certain areas. Though the complex has expanded since then, an eight-year retrofit that opened last year has turned the whole

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thing on its head, repurposing the complex as a state-of-the-art cultural centre. One that doesn’t forget its own history—early exhibitions, including those in the old prison wing, make references to imprisonment, law and justice, which can equally be taken as both a criticism of British colonialism and the current Chinese government’s heavy-handedness since the 1997 handover.

Though Kowloon is but a fun ferry ride away, after becoming enraptured with Old Town, I stay on Hong Kong Island at an accommodation that matches the jet-setty vibe: the JW Marriott, in the Admiralty district, just east of Central, sitting right atop Pacific Place Mall. Opened in 1989, the JW is a decidedly modern property, with gleaming metal pillars defining its glassed-enclosed lobby.

The building’s architecture gives many of the rooms their own corner view and from the adorable teal chaise lounge in my suite, I can see Kowloon across Victoria Harbour. I take it all in, while drinking tea and reading the day’s South China Morning Post. I’m above all the frenzy but still connected to it.

Perfection. peninsula.com; marriott.com

Hong Kong Dining The Langham Hotel’s T’ang Court is one of five Cantonese restaurants in the world to receive three Michelin stars. With its rich red curtains and red carpet, the atmosphere at this Kowloon institution is nothing short of sumptuous, the service a template for every restaurant that wants to make its customers feel special. From the stir-fried lobster to the egg tartlet dessert, there’s not a single miscalculation or a single missed beat. langhamhotels.com

Executive chef Gordon Leung presides over the Peninsula Hotel’s Spring Moon restaurant, a favourite of Hong Kong ladies who lunch. His classic dim sum dishes are the daintiest you’ll ever taste, but there is experimentation, too, amidst all the elegance. peninsula.com

Want to make a fresh discovery in a wellexamined city? A compact neighbourhood just behind the Hong Kong Central Library, in Causeway Bay, Tai Hang has been rapidly transforming into an eclectic eating and drinking district. It’s the kind of place where fashionable bistros are located next to mechanic shops. In fact, Andy’s Garage, which serves authentic Mexican, Tex-Mex and kebabs, used to be a mechanic shop. andysgarage.com.hk BOLD

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Calling on

Image by Rudy Balasko

MEDIEVAL MEETS ULTRA MODERN HEAD-ON IN COLOGNE, THE FOURTHLARGEST CITY IN GERMANY, WHERE HAUGHTY GLASS-AND-STEEL SKYSCRAPERS VIE WITH THE HISTORIC TWIN-SPIRED GOTHIC CATHEDRAL. POST-WAR GLOOM? NEIN, REPORTS DOUG O’NEILL

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Cologne

Cologne’s beloved cathedral sparkles in the evening twilight.

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ON THIS PAGE: Chocolate lovers must make a stop at Schokoladenmuseum Köln.

SEE & DO

Home of the world’s oldest art ON THIS PAGE: Xxxxx fair, Cologne’s also ready for shopaholics and chocoholics SHOPPING IN THE BELGIAN QUARTER The best shopping in Cologne is found in the Belgian Quarter. Magasin Populaire carries trendy Scandinavian brands for women such as Sessùn and mbyM, while right around the corner Monsieur Courbet stocks fine casual wear and trendy Euro fashions for men. magasinpopulaire.com; monsieurcourbet.de ANOTHER WAVE OF WARHOL You won’t find 19th-century German romantic landscapes at MAKK Kunst & Design, the Museum of Applied Arts Cologne. Rembrandt makes an appearance in a show running November 1 to March 2020, plus there are rooms of ceramics, glass, furniture, jewellery and textiles. museenkoeln.de SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY Cologne doesn’t come by its name accidentally.

House of Fragrances 4711 (at Glockengasse No. 4711) has been making world-famous colognes since 1792. It’s now an all-in-one exhibition, museum and convention space where visitors can learn all about fragrances, and gets a hands-on lesson on how to make their own fragrance. 4711.com SPA IN THE PARK At the heart of the 18-hectare Rhinepark is a Roman-styled public bath, Claudius Therme, where guests can rejuvenate and loll about in their choice of indoor and outdoor thermal pools. Swimwear is optional in most parts of the spa. Why be shy? claudius-therme.de PICTURE THIS! Photography buffs, especially fans of Diane Arbus, August Sander, Boris Becker and the like, easily lose themselves at Museum Ludwig, where art-lovers will also find lots of modernist art from 1945 to 1970. museum-ludwig.de CHANNELLING WILLY WONKA Aspiring chocolatiers create their own signature chocolate at Chocolate Museum Cologne, or purchase treats ready-made by the pros. This sweet venue is reportedly the most popular cultural institution in Cologne, receiving as many as 600,000 visitors a year. schokoladenmuseum.de 68

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Balance heavier traditional foods with lighter, modern dishes FEEL LIKE SHARING A METRE-LONG BRATWURST? Many come for the famously huge bratwurst, but often end up chowing down on pork knuckles at Haxenhaus, a tried-and-true beer hall where fastfooted waiters practically dance between tables of locals and hungry students. haxenhaus.de FOR THE MODERN DINER Food-lovers who like contemporary cuisine (liberal use of foam) and artful touches (pretty buttons of avocado) on their plates will enjoy Ox und Klee, which draws a moneyed fashionforward crowd, especially Friday and Saturday nights. Closed Sunday and Monday. oxundklee.de THE FRENCH CONNECTION The double Michelin-starred Le Moissonnier, which just turned 40, has all the feels of a Paris bistro, including the small tables spaced so closely together diners can sample duck breast off their neighbour’s plate. lemoissonnier.de

Putting the final touch on the plate at Ox und Klee.

FUNKY & FUN Its proximity to the WDR broadcast centre guarantees a sprinkling of journalists crowding the tables during the day at Funkhaus, an upscale cafeteria-bar-restaurant that truly comes alive at night. Reservations aren’t accepted. funkhaus-koeln.de BOLD

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DRINK

Kölsch beer is best consumed in a traditional beer hall, but cocktails are taken seriously too ON THIS PAGE: Xxxxx

CHUG WITH THE LOCALS No other German city has as many pubs per capita as Cologne, the birthplace of Kölsch beer. Three on our list: Petere’s Brauhaus, known for its painted glass ceilings, mahogany furniture and the friendliest servers in the city; the 150-year-old Brauerei zur Malzmühle, run by the fifth generation of the uber-friendly Schwartz family; and Brauhaus Früham Dom, where tourists and locals get rowdy together on the popular terrace. peters-brauhaus.de; brauereizurmalzmuehle.de; frueh-am-dom.de SCHMITZ, SCHMITZ & SCHMITZ It gets confusing but here goes: The Schmitz “empire” is spread over three rowhouses on Aachener Strasse. For nighttime drinks, skip Bar Schmitz (which actually is more about the food) and take a pass on Metzgerei Schmitz (unless you want incredible pastries). For that boozy nighttime bevvy, pop into Salon Schmitz. salonschmitz.com SMART COCKTAILS The chic, 35-seat Ona Mor bar stays faithful to its slogan, “Die Kunst der feinen Getränke.”

Translation: “The art of fine drinks.” Very un-beer-hall-like ambience, more reminiscent of a speakeasy. onamor.de LAST CALL For a quiet nightcap without a lot of fuss, check out Legends Bar in the Hyatt Regency, where straight-up German drinks include Bavarian whisky, Rhineland gin and craft beer from Hesse.

In summer, grab a spot on the terrace. hyatt.com 70

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The Schälsick Bar at the Hyatt Regency.

ON THIS PAGE: The Excelsior Hotel Ernst has some showstopping décor.

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Elegant or avant-garde, Cologne caters to travellers of all tastes A READER-FRIENDLY BOUTIQUE HOTEL Michael Kaune, the proprietor of the arty QVEST magazine, parlayed his love of modern design and contemporary photography into the 34-room boutique hotel, The Qvest Hideaway, where TV sets have been eschewed in favour of bed-side mini libraries of art and design books. It’s a hit with designer-savvy clientele who firmly believe, “Print is not dead.” qvest-hotel.com OLD WORLD OPULENCE Indisputably the classiest hotel in Cologne, the five-star Excelsior Hotel Ernst, built in 1863, is right next to the cathedral. There’s a time-honoured elegance at every turn: Gold bannisters, wood-panelled rooms and marble columns. The refined décor extends to the hotel’s Hans Stuber restaurant, which is popular with the business lunch crowd. Come for dinner when it’s more subdued. excelsiorhotelernst.com DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE Spend the night on the right bank of the River Rhine with excellent views of the old city. The six-storey Hyatt Regency Cologne has a comfortable vibe. The sushi bar in the hotel’s Glashaus restaurant is one of the freshest in town. hyatt.com PERFECT FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS The Pullman Cologne is an upscale business hotel (275 superior and deluxe rooms and 11 suites). The VDR certification “Certified Conference Hotel” means business travellers are spoiled, and what’s wrong with that? accorhotels.com BOLD

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ON A PLATE A

nd we’re serving up exactly that. BOLD’s editors have checked their reservations, sat at the best tables, dined out and out and out, and have come back satiated. So, why not share our favourite places to eat from around the globe with you, dear reader? Of course, we know that we eat with our eyes so, please, feast yours on these. You’re welcome.

48° 12’04.3 N, 16° 22’25.1 E WHERE: Vienna, Austria BOOK A TABLE: Opus WHY: When a new-ish restaurant earns a Michelin star and three Gault Millau toques so quickly, you know they’re doing something very right. Opus Restaurant sous chef Werner Pichlmaier insists on local ingredients in all of his dishes.

WHAT WE’RE ORDERING: The Scampi, peppers fond, mango coriander salad, with glasswort gets rave reviews. restaurant-opus.at 72

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A taste of Vienna’s best at Opus Restaurant.

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Three ceviches, representing the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, at Lima’s Astrid y Gastón restaurant.

12° 05’46.6 S, 77° 02’05.7 W WHERE: Lima, Peru BOOK AT TABLE: Astrid y Gastón Restaurant WHY: The restaurant is set within a brilliant-white 17th century former plantation house, which also houses a bar, private rooms, development kitchen, patio and kitchen garden.

And since its opening 20 years ago, Astrid y Gastón has been at the forefront of Peru’s ever-vibrant gastronomic scene, integrating the region’s ingredients, traditions and culinary techniques. No stranger to awards, the restaurant was the first ever No.1 in the inaugural Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2013 and in 2018, when it add the Art of Hospitality Award to its trophy cabinet.

WHAT WE’RE ORDERING: If you’ve come this far, then ceviche should be in your itinerary and it’s best enjoyed on a summer day—a refreshing combination of citrus and spice bursting with the ocean’s bounty. Gastón’s creation consists of crab, scallops and shrimp in a sea urchin leche de tigre (tiger’s milk) with coral and rocoto. astridygaston.com 74

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The stellar dim sum at Ming Court.

22° 19’06.5 N, 114° 10’05.2 E WHERE: Hong Kong BOOK A TABLE: Ming Court, Cordis Hotels WHY: Recognized by the Hong Kong & Macau Michelin Guide since 2009, Ming Court is known for pairing authentic Cantonese dishes with great wines from around the world. To offer an elevated dining experience, Ming Court’s culinary team has crafted a sophisticated menu, sourcing the best quality ingredients. The restaurant also features its own Ming Cellar, with more than 400 wines from more than 100 regions, to create a stunning Cantonese food and wine pairing experience.

WHAT WE’RE ORDERING: Dim Sum! Enough said. cordishotels.com BOLD

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10° 25’37.7 N, 75°32’51.8 W WHERE: Cartagena, Colombia BOOK A TABLE: Carmen WHY: With a mix of beautiful colonial architecture, vibrant colours and rocking nightlife, Cartagena is becoming a go-to destination to eat, love and dance into the wee hours. Leading this gastronic boom is Carmen restaurant, which is situated in an elegant and intimate colonial house downtown, offering contemporary cuisine with an emphasis on Colombian flavours. Husband and wife team Rob Pevitts and Carmen Angel use traditional Colombian ingredients like yucca, plantain and seafood, but their cooking is influenced by Asian, French and Caribbean cuisines.

WHAT WE’RE ORDERING: Carmen’s delicate crab bisque, infused with coconut milk, passion-fruit scent, avocado, topped with delicate helpings of caviar; served on a crab shell. carmencartagena.com 76

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Photo by Tishan Baldeo

At Carmen, the presentation is always as innovative as the flavours.

Fresh is the name of the game at Warorot Market.

18° 47’26.1 N, 99° 00’02.1 E WHERE: Chiang Mai, Thailand BOOK A TABLE: Warorot Market (no reservation required) WHY: If you travel for food, then Thailand is the place for you. Thai food needs little introduction: its profusion of exotic flavours and fragrances make it among the most coveted of international cuisines. If you’re in Chiang Mai Province, then the Warorot Market (or Kad Luang) is a must-visit for food lovers, as it offers a wide range of ready-to-eat meals, local snacks and all kinds of fresh produce.

WHAT WE’RE ORDERING: The grilled northern-style sausage (sai oua), red and green chili dip (nam prik ong/nam prik noom) and crispy pork skin (cap moo) are a must. Grilled meats and ready-to-eat curries are also popular. And if you have room, order a Thai grilled fish infused with Thai herbs and spices and wrapped in banana leaf otherwise known as aeb.

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Photo by Tishan Baldeo

At La Alberca, sharing is the best way to taste a bit of everything.

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21° 54’23.3 N, 105°28’25.5 W WHERE: Mexcaltitán, Nayarit BOOK A TABLE: La Alberca Restaurant WHY: The Island of Mexcaltitán is without a doubt one of the Riviera Nayarit’s hidden gems. Decreed a Historic Monuments Zone in 1986 and with a population just over 800 people, this man-made island is known for its picturesque tile-roofed homes and small tranquil streets. According to legend, this place is the ancestral home of the Aztecs. Getting to Mexcaltitán Island is a highlight on its own. Your adventure begins with a 15-minute boat ride to the island. If it is shrimping season you’ll likely notice local fishermen out in the water catching shrimp for the local restaurants of Mexcaltitán.

WHAT WE’RE ORDERING: Here it’s all about the catch of the day and all about shrimp: try shrimp empanadas (turnovers), shrimp ceviche and shrimp albóndigas (meatballs) in a delicious chili-inflected shrimp broth. The fried shrimp (called cucarachas) as a free appetizer are a great way to get started.

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TRAVEL INTEL Our tips and tricks to navigating the world

DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION

Five of the world’s most fabulous road trips

BY LIZ FLEMING

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or those loving the idea of jumping in the car and driving away from all their stress, we’ve pulled together a list of five fabulous road trips.

Some through your own backyard, some further afield across the globe.

When you’re in the driver’s seat, the choice is yours.

• Great Ocean Road, Australia. Built in memory of those who lost their lives

• Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway. If stunning feats of engineering weren’t

enough to draw travellers to Norway’s Atlantic Open Road, the stunning coastline of thousands of islands and islets certainly is. For eight kilometres, the road dances over both sea and shore with a clever series of roller-coaster-style bridges and roads. You’ll recognize those bridges when you see them—they’re the stuff of dramatic car commercials featuring wild waves cascading over the asphalt. Dramatic and graceful, the Atlantic Ocean Road is called the “Norwegian Construction of the Century” and it’s a must-see.

• SC-438 (Serra do Rio do Rastro Road), Brazil. Love the thrill of a hairpin

turn? You’ll find your dream route in the southeastern corner of Brazil in the Serra do Rio do Rastro mountains. There, a highway running from the highlands of Santa Catarina to the coast gives new meaning to the word excitement. Built to hug the mountains’ curves, the highway zigzags past rugged canyons, wild waterfalls and green valleys, reaching an elevation of roughly 1,500 metres. Although you may find yourself occasionally dealing with cloud cover, driving enthusiasts can’t get enough of this collection of tight, hairpin turns.

• Icefields Parkway, Canada. There’s no better way to experience the

grandeur of the Canadian Rocky Mountains than by driving Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway, which is a 230-kilometre road west of Calgary, near the British Columbia border. Some of the best scenery in Canada lies along the road, from deep, sweeping valleys to glittering glaciers. If time allows, you can stop and hike a number of great hiking routes. If you’re lucky, spot a moose or bear while you’re at it.

• Pacific Coast Highway, USA. Connecting San Francisco with Los Angeles

and San Diego, the Pacific Coast Highway is arguably the western United States’ most iconic driving route. Point your car southward, so you’ll be beachside as you drive, and head past old mission towns and world famous sunshine towns like Malibu, as well as a cliff-studded coastline lapped by the Pacific Ocean. Take your time as you wind along 200 stunning kilometres.

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THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL PASSPORTS Sadly, not all passports are created equal. Some nationalities carry considerably more clout in terms of global mobility, that is, the number of countries that will grant you visa-free access.

So where do Canadians stand? While we’re not scraping the bottom of the barrel by any means, we do not top the list.

According to global ranking service Passport Index, the passport that opens the most doors is from the United Arab Emirates.

Four countries tied for second place: Luxembourg, Finland, Germany and Spain.

In third place, you’ll find Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Singapore, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, South Korea and Ireland. The fourth spot is occupied by France, Belgium, Greece, Malta, Norway, Japan and the United States.

Canada comes in at sixth place, along with Lithuania, Iceland and the United Kingdom. This cohort of countries can visit 164 countries without getting a visa in advance, while residents of top-placed United Arab Emirates can visit 171. By contrast, Afghanis can visit only 30 countries without a visa, Iraqis just 33.

Some countries, like Nepal and Laos, have a visa-on-arrival system, where you pay and do minimal visa paperwork after your flight has landed. But an increasing number of countries have been adopting e-visas, which simplifies the procedure and usually reduces the waiting time for a response. At the same time, some countries, like Canada and Australia, have introduced an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which is not as onerous as a visa, but requires almost all visitors, even if they don’t require a visa, to apply online before arriving in their host country.

Expect more eTAs in the future, even in the most welcoming of places. Starting in January 2021, for example, Canadians will need to register with the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) before visiting any of Europe’s 26 Schengen-area countries, which includes France, Greece, Italy and Germany. Canadians will be among the nationalities required to get an eTA from New Zealand starting this October.

Illustration by Laura García

in the First World War, and said to be the world’s largest war memorial, the Great Ocean Road is Australia’s most scenic driving route. Stretching 243 kilometres between Torquay and Allansfor, and just a few hours from Melbourne, this road trip will take you past rugged cliff faces and through stunning national parks. The views of the coast alone will shake your soul and revive your love of nature.

BOLD QUERY WHAT’S THE CHEAPEST DAY OF THE WEEK TO BUY FLIGHTS?

JET LAG RELIEF

Many airlines post fare sales on Monday nights and send out the good news to potential customers on Tuesday mornings. When you see one airline’s deals appearing on Tuesday, know that their competitors will be likely to follow suit. The hot prices will likely be in effect until Thursday night.

While no one can promise a cure, the experts have some suggestions for lessening the nasty effects of jetlag. From pre-trip prepping to dietary changes, these ideas can help to make you feel better as you settle into your new time zone.

GET YOUR BRAIN THERE EARLY

Start early by simulating the schedule you’re heading for. Go to bed a bit earlier or later the week before you leave, depending on your destination. While you’re on the plane, change your watch to match the time zone you’re headed for. That will begin your psychological adjustment. Yet you’ll need to kick start things physically, too. If you’re going to arrive at your destination at night, try to sleep on the plane, but try to stay awake if you’ll arrive in daylight hours. If at all possible, try to arrive an extra day early, especially if you’ll be attending important meetings or giving a keynote. A 24-hour adjustment buffer could make all the difference.

KEEP IT MOVING

While you’re in flight, get out of your seat, stretch your legs and do a few trots up and down the aisle to get the blood flowing to your extremities. Skip your usual pre-bedtime exercise routine when you get to the hotel, though, or you’ll wake yourself up.

HYDRATE INSIDE AND OUT

Drink lots of water before, during and after your flight, and skip the alcohol and caffeine to avoid becoming dehydrated. You might think alcohol would relax you and caffeine would offer a jolt to wake you up when you need it most. But the truth is, both will interrupt your sleep patterns and worsen your jet lag.

LIGHT IT UP

We all know that sunlight helps to regulate circadian rhythms, helping us to sense when it’s time to sleep and awaken.

Use what you know to plot your exposure to natural light and you’ll reduce your jet lag.

Heading west? Soak up the bright morning light when you arrive, but skip the afternoon and evening light exposure. Avoid morning light exposure on flights heading east, but get as much sunshine as you can in the afternoon and evening.

HEAD FOR THE TUB

Sink into a hot bath right before bedtime to loosen tight muscles and help you relax. You’ll find that as your body temperature drops following the bath, you’ll start to feel wonderfully sleepy.

THINGS YOU’LL ALWAYS WISH YOU’D PACKED Checking in and arriving are much more streamlined processes if you’re not checking a bag. And travelling light can also save you money. Here are our top tips for travelling with carry-on only.

IMODIUM. Also known as Loperamide.

Choose the quick-dissolve version. If something you’ve had to eat or drink (perhaps even the water itself) has made you ill, you don’t want to add to the problem by washing your anti-nausea meds down with more of what made you sick. Imodium comes in a variety that requires no water; you simply pop a tablet onto your tongue, it dissolves in a slightly fruit-tasting little burst and in very short order, life seems a lot more liveable.

ADHESIVE BANDAGES. If you develop a blister from those great new walking shoes you bought for the trip, you might be willing to sell your soul for a Band-Aid, and they might not have any at the front desk of your hotel. Save yourself a foray looking for a drugstore by popping a few into your bag.

RESEALABLE BAGS AND GROCERY BAGS. Use a Ziploc bag for wet, messy stuff like your bathing suit or those shoes that got muddy.

The grocery bags are for your dirty laundry: darks in one, lights in the other. By sorting your clothes as you pack to come home, you’ll have set yourself up for the easiest unpacking job ever.

SPACE BLANKET. Also known as a Mylar blanket, they take up almost no space and weigh next to nothing, these shiny plastic sheets that reflect your body heat. If you find yourself in a hotel room where they just can’t get the heating or cooling right, put your space blanket between your sheet and the coverlet and suddenly, you’ll be snug and happy.

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE. Every time you buy a disposable plastic water bottle, Mother Earth winces… and so does your wallet.

Airports typically charge $4 or more for bottled water and hotel room mini-bar prices can be even higher. Yet there are usually taps and fountains available. Carry your water bottle through airport security empty, then fill it on the other side. In flight, you won’t have to wait for the flight attendants to come by with their miniscule plastic cups—another bonus for Mother Earth.

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WORTH TRAVELLING FOR

ONCE THERE WAS A SEA

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Canada’s Badlands

round 75 million years ago, most of Alberta and the American Midwest were part of the Western Interior Seaway, which divided North America into two continents, a fact that’s believed to have created a surge in dinosaur diversity during the Cretaceous period. The seaway’s floodplains may have also, according to a recent article in Scientific American, “created a great deal of floodplain space for dinosaurs to be preserved and available sediment to bury dinosaurs over the long north-south range of the seaway.”

Yes, Alberta used to be a coastal property on a very shallow sea.

Which is what has made Drumheller, Alberta, a pilgrimage site for dinosaur and science geeks from around the world.

But even for those uninterested in old bones, the otherworldly geological features of Canada’s Badlands make it a spectacular 82

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place to drive through—strangely shaped rock formations, grassy fields and sky forever.

Start in Horsethief Canyon, north of Drumheller, and follow the Red Deer River south, stopping at the Royal Tyrrell Museum if you’re a bone person, or go hiking in Midland Provincial Park if you’re not. Once you proceed south past the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site—dug-up biomass in another form—you’ll eventually have to abandon the river drive to find your way to Dinosaur Provincial Park.

At the park, you’ll find a lot of kids looking down to see if they might be able to spot what a paleontologist missed. But direct your eyes to the horizon and you’ll feel transported back in time and perhaps to another world.—THE EDITORS

Our world deserves more you. Because it’s yours. The quirkies, the friendlies, the curious, and of course the kind. Small group tours bring you closer to our world, its people, their culture, and their way of life. If you want to be part of where our world is headed, go and see where the rest of it is going.

1 888 800 4100 gadventures.com BOLD

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UPGRADE YOUR SEATS. Introducing the All-New Chevrolet Blazer RS

If you think first class is great, wait until you try fourth gear.