JetsetterAutumn

AUTUMN 2015

EXOTIC PLACES

INTERESTING PEOPLE

INTELLIGENT TRAVEL

COGNAC

JOURNEY TO THE WEST

A TRAVELLER’S JOURNEY

CANADA’S

HIDDEN SECRETS

SRI LANKA

THE LAND OF NEW BEGINNINGS

THE MALDIVES THE GREAT INDIAN OCEAN ESCAPE

DESIGNER HOTEL SUITES

24 HOURS IN LAUSANNE

HANOI: THE CULINARY CAPITAL

M AU R I T I U S

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S EYC H E L L E S

Experience true luxury at our Ultimate collection of hotels.

Escape and live the total Resort experience at our Unique collection of resorts.

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I N S P I R E D B Y PA S S I O N

M A L D I V E S

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M A DAG A S C A R

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EDITOR'S NOTE

elcome to another issue of JETSETTER, Asia’s leading experiential luxury travel magazine. We jet around the world and back again in this issue, bringing you the most inspiring, life-changing and sometimes challenging ways to see the world beyond the beaten path. But don’t worry, there is always plenty of time for a spot of pampering and for enjoying the finer things in life. After all, as writer Thomas Merton penned, “happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” In this issue we think we have just what you need to reach your equilibrium; we allow design to define our route with the world’s most design-savvy suites, before finding ourselves lakeside in Lausanne, Switzerland’s own little playground, with 24 hours to spare. Then we head south, to Sri Lanka’s lush jungles and vast open plains.

One of Asia-Pacific’s most popular emerging destinations, Sri Lanka, comes under the spot light for its stunning diversity, mesmerizing landscapes and welcoming people, who are leaving behind a dark past for a far brighter future. We also follow our passions to the French region of Cognac to celebrate a unique milestone with the House of Martell and to learn more about what this acclaimed destination has to offer cognac fans. In our regular Lifestyle section we heat things up with our pick of the world’s top chilli adventures, talk with French Michelin-starred chef Eric Chavot, and taste our way through the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam’s enchanting culinary capital.

Wherever you’re travelling this season, don’t forget to take time out to delve beyond the beaten path: you never know the adventures that might await.

Safe Travels.

Nick Walton Managing Editor

CONTRIBUTORS As CEO of Platinum Wines and a leading expert in the fine wine and spirits industry in Asia, Rickesh Kishnani serves over 3,000 private clients in Hong Kong, Singapore, Mainland China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Australia.

In this issue he talks about boutique Japanese whiskies.

Andrea Oschetti is a travel

journalist and award winning photographer based in Hong Kong.

In addition to contributing to leading regional titles like Jetsetter, The South China Morning Post, and Action Asia, he is often asked to comment on travel trends in key forums like TEDx. In this issue he explores Canada by foot, mountain bike, train and floatplane.

Master of Wine Debra Meiburg is a celebrated wine

journalist, TV personality, wine educator and in-demand speaker.

With a serious tongue for wine, but a little tongue-in-cheek, Debra is pleasing palates across Asia with her fresh take on the world of wine, In this issue she looks at Halloween's top tipples.

Adventurous, well-travelled and fluent in four languages, Malaysia-born Maggie Chooi has worked in the travel industry for the past six years.

During that time she has been regularly exposed to the finer things in life, and in this issue she recounts her favourite experiences in Emirates’ awardwinning business class on a flight between Hong Kong and Dubai.

PUBLISHER Denis Fahy denis@channel1hk.com MANAGING EDITOR Nick Walton nickwalton@artemiscomms.com DEPUTY EDITOR Gayatri Bhaumik gayatri@artemiscomms.com CHIEF SUB EDITOR Philippa Walton pipwalton@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Don Pierre Riosa don@channel1hk.com TRAVEL INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIP DIRECTOR Tammy Fong tammy@channel1hk.com BEIJING SALES MANAGER Louis Chu louis@channel1hk.com SALES MANAGER Fatima Cameira fatima@channel1hk.com CHIEF REPRESENTATIVE EUROPE Laurence James laurence.james@jetsetter.hk

JETSETTER is registered as a newspaper & periodical.

JETSETTER is published by Channel One Communications JETSETTER is printed by Channel One Communications Suite 402-3, Hong Kong Trade Centre 161-167 Des Voeux Rd Central Hong Kong 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-5706 Valley Cottage, NY 10989 USA www.jetsetter.hk All rights Reserved: Copyright and distribution rights are reserved exclusively for Channel One Communications, their partners, associates and affiliates. All materials published remain the property of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission. All information contained in this publication is from a reliable source.

Channel One does not make any guarantees to the accuracy of the information contained.

CONTENTS AUTUMN 2015

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Room with a View

Emerald Isle Escape

34

Spa Profile

Sense of Style

36

24 Hours

Lake Life

40

HOTELS

Design Savvy Digs

46

Cognac

A Traveller’s Journey

54

Sri Lanka

The Land of New Beginnings

64

Maldives

The Great Indian Ocean Escape

74

Hotel Insider

The Belle of Saint-Honoré

CONTENTS AUTUMN 2015 78

Hotelier

The Best of Both Worlds

82

Road Warrior

Malcolm Borwick: King of the Game

96

Turning Left

The Little Airline that Could

98

Food Adventures

Some Like it Hot

110

Wine

Double, Double, Toil & Trouble

120

Auto

Flower Power

123

The Bite

Culinary Capital

127

Culture

The Broad Museum

14

DIARY

Emirates Melbourne Cup Day Melbourne, Australia November 3, 2015

Known as “The Race That Stops a Nation,” the Emirates Melbourne Cup day is the highlight of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and Australia’s most anticipated equine event. The celebration spans four thrilling races and encompasses world-class talent sure to have all racegoers on the edge of their seats. Away from the tracks, the Carnival thrills with glamorous fashion, celebrity-spotting and a party-like atmosphere. Showcasing the best the sport has to offer, this is one race not to be missed. www.flemington.com.au

Where to Stay: The Hotel Windsor retains 19th century Victorian

charm in its grandeur and regal décor. Brimming with luxury, the hotel is famed for its lavish afternoon tea – a perfect accompaniment to the sport of kings. www.thehotelwindsor.com.au

Leipzig Christmas Market Leipzig, Germany

November 24 – December 23, 2015 Among the numerous Christmas markets in Germany, Leipzig’s is one of the largest. Established in 1714, the medieval-style market is held in front of the old town hall, where composer Johann Sebastian Bach started his career as the city’s musical director. Daily musical performances, including trumpet recitals, Christmas concerts and oratorios, add seasonal spirit and once you’ve had your fill of gingerbread and mulled wine, you can spend the rest of your time appreciating the beauty of Leipzig, an ancient town of music and art. www.leipzig.travel

Where to Stay: Situated near the old town hall, Hotel

Fuerstenhof Leipzig features a full-service spa and elegant interior designs. It is also close to the Leipzig Zoo and the Museum of Fine Arts. www.hotelfuerstenhofleipzig.com

Dubai Rugby Sevens Dubai, UAE

December 3 – 5, 2015 Adrenaline levels will be sky-high for the 44th Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens. Not only does the event feature world-class sportsmanship and athletic camaraderie over three days, but the city becomes a display of bluff bonhomie as 50,000 spectators watch the action in a party-like atmosphere. The Rugby Village satisfies all through food and drink, activities for children, and the Rugby Rock concert, guaranteeing a funfilled weekend. www.dubairugby7s.com

Where to Stay: Opulent and convenient, the Media One Hotel

lives up to the city’s exacting standards. Providing exceptional Middle Eastern hospitality and panoramic views, this boutique hotel does justice to the Dubai experience. www.mediaonehotel.com

www.jetsetter.hk

VIENNA’S

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

NEW HISTORIC CENTRE

As Vienna celebrates milestone anniversaries this year, the city’s historic centre gets a new icon. Goldenes Quartier is the city’s new hotspot for luxury shopping and visitors can explore this landmark from the new Park Hyatt Vienna.

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The latest addition to Vienna’s luxury offerings, Goldenes Quartier is a recent project by Signa Holding. Occupying prime position in the heart of the city’s historic, Unesco-listed Old Town, Goldenes Quartier is bordered by Am Hof square, Bognergasse and Tuchlauben, with Seitzergasse running through the centre. The stylish new precinct features ultra-modern offices, gourmet restaurants, 15 exclusive residences and a host of international boutiques, all ensconced in magnificent, heritage-listed buildings.

The Goldenes Quartier is home to some of Vienna’s best retail experiences with world-renowned brands housed in beautifully preserved buildings. An extension of the elegant Kohlmarkt, Graben and Kärntner Strasse boulevards, Goldenes Quartier is home to stores by Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Saint Lauren, Valentino, Etro, Miu Miu, Brioni, Emporio Armani, Pomellato, 7 for all mankind, Mulberry, Kiton, Sergio Rossi, Church’s, Bambini, Roberto Cavalli and Brunello Cucinelli. Avant-garde British brand Alexander McQueen is the latest to open a flagship store in the area.

Also part of the regal Goldenes Quartier is the Park Hyatt Vienna, the latest addition to the city’s luxury offerings.

Overlooking resplendent Am Hof Square, the magnificent property is housed in a 100-year old heritage-listed building that was once the headquarters of the Austrian Hungarian Monarchy Bank.

The hotel’s 143 spacious rooms, which include 35 sumptuous suites, combine contemporary flair with Viennese elegance with classic shades of creams, browns and greys accented by gold detailing and touches of wood, marble and mother-of-pearl. All rooms include complimentary WiFi, spacious work desks and highend technology, while the expansive marble bathrooms are fitted with walk-in rain showers, deep-soak tubs and exclusive Blaise Mautin bath amenities.

Guests will delight in The Bank, a stunning all-day restaurant housed in the former bank’s cashier’s hall that

showcases crisp European service and regional cuisine; its traditional Wiener Gabelfrühstück Sunday buffet is one of the hottest tables in town. The ultra-luxe Pearl bar serves specialty cocktails, Austrian wines and light lunches, and hosts a monthly cocktail-making class with bar manager Michaela Beier, while the gentleman’s club-style Living Room is an invitingly refined space of wood panelling and plush armchairs that’s perfect for enjoying cigars and premium whiskies.

The hotel also boasts a comprehensive Technogym-equipped fitness centre, a 15-metre indoor swimming pool, and an Arany Spa offering European-inspired wellness rituals. www.goldenesquartier.com; www.vienna.park.hyatt.com

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DIARY

Splendour and Misery Pictures of Prostitution in France (1859-1910) Musée d’Orsay, Paris

September 22, 2015 – January 17, 2016 This intriguing exhibition traces the way in which French and foreign artists have captured the realities and fantasies of prostitution in France. On display are works by Manet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Munch, Vlamnick and Picasso, depicting their forays into brothels and the Paris underworld. The exhibition exposes social and cultural idiosyncrasies through objets d'art, salon paintings, sculptures and photography. www.musee-orsay.fr

Where to Stay: Begin your arty experience at the Christian Lacroix-designed

Le Bellechasse Saint-Germaine, a luxe boutique hotel located on a quiet residential street just behind the Musée d’Orsay and the Seine.

Gourmet Food and Wine Expo Toronto, Canada

November 19 – 22, 2015 Toronto's foodies are set to be thrilled as the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo cooks up a fiesta of flavours to tempt taste buds. With celebrity chefs and master sommeliers, the Expo features culinary highlights from around the world, and over a thousand wines and beers ready for sampling. Sign up for a Tutored Tasting session and learn the art of food – there’s no better place to be spoiled with deliciousness. www.foodandwineexpo.ca

Where to Stay: The Windsor Arms Hotel redefines luxury with Molton Brown products, deep soak tubs, and musical instruments in each of its

28 suites. Don’t miss the chance to indulge in The Spa, which uses pure organic Argan oil in all its relaxing treatments. www.windsorarmshotel.com

Fine Art Asia 2015

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong October 4-7, 2015

Back for its 11th edition, Fine Art Asia 2015 will transform the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong into a mecca for all things art. Attracting thousands of collectors, dealers and enthusiasts, the fair will host a huge array of distinct showcases that put Chinese antiques alongside Himalayan bronzes, classical French furniture and contemporary art. Demonstrations and lectures will analyse artefacts and break down the cultures and philosophies behind the art. One of Asia’s largest art platforms, Fine Art Asia is the perfect place to sate one’s artistic appetite. www.fineartasia.com

Where to Stay: There’s no better place to soak up the essence of Hong Kong

than at Hotel LKF. Overlooking Hong Kong’s legendary party district and set in the heart of the city, the hotel is vibrant, chic, and boasts a host of luxurious amenities. www.hotel-lkf.com.hk

www.jetsetter.hk

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ROOM WITH A VIEW

EMERALD ISLE ESCAPE

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id farewell to another day far from the maddening crowds at Wineport Lodge, a luxury boutique retreat on the shores of Lough Ree, an hour’s drive outside Dublin. One of the most romantic hideaways in a country famed for its captivating landscapes, poetry and folklore, Wineport faces west across the lake’s tranquil waters, allowing guests the chance to transition from a day exploring Ireland’s oldest pubs, the nearby Kilbeggan – the oldest licensed distillery in the world – and the manicured gardens of Belvedere House with remarkable sunsets that set the skies aflame. Greet the dusk with a bottle of champagne, best served in your suite’s private hot tub, or with a meal at the Lodge’s acclaimed restaurant, which showcases the region’s stunning local produce. www.wineport.ie www.jetsetter.hk

ROOM WITH A VIEW 19

www.jetsetter.hk

20

INSPIRE

Galápagos

Good Will If you’re looking for an awesome bucket listworthy adventure that also leaves its mark on the local ecosystem (in a good way) then how about Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic's new Conservation in Action Galápagos itinerary? This series of departures will offer intrepid travellers a host of unique enriching experiences, from snorkeling with sea turtles, penguins and sea lions, and hiking among sea bird colonies to transforming trash into treasure with local artisans, with the goal of raising money for the line’s Lindblad-National Geographic Fund. The fund has already raised US$6 million and Lindblad will donate a further US$1 per person towards conservation for any new reservation made for travel to Galápagos from August 15 to September 26, 2015. The nine night voyages will be operated aboard the 96 guest National Geographic Endeavour and the 48-guest National Geographic Islander and start at AU$7,510 per person based on double occupancy in a category 1 cabin. www.expeditions.com

www.jetsetter.hk

INSPIRE

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INTO THE DARKNESS Explorer and author Dr. John Hemming - arguably the world’s leading expert on the Inca Empire and the history of the Amazon and its people - will lead a special one-off lecture cruise deep into the Peruvian Amazon in February 2016. The expedition, a partnership between travel specialists Aracari and Delfin Amazon Cruises, delves into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve aboard the luxurious Delfin II on a four night itinerary that combines storytelling and lectures on the Amazon – including one covering the death of Hemming’s friend Richard Mason at the hands of a then-unknown tribe – with a variety of unique river activities, including dolphin watching, kayaking, skiff explorations and community visits. www.aracari.com

Peace MAN Anantara will soon open its newest hideaway on Sri Lanka’s Southern Coast. Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort will blend the private exclusivity of a secret beach retreat with easy access to an abundance of natural wonders and cultural gems when it opens in late 2015.

Accessible from the international airport at Colombo via 30 minute domestic flight, helicopter transfer or three and a half hour drive in a hotel SUV, the new resort will offer 152 spacious guest rooms and villas, featuring custom made Sri Lankan furnishings, deep set terraces or balconies, and luxurious bathrooms, all set against a 21-acre coconut plantation. Six restaurants will serve up everything from vibrant island cuisine and Middle Eastern and Asian specialties, to beachfront Teppanyaki, but leave time for a spot of pampering in the Anantara Spa, home to eight treatment suites and a dedicated reflexology centre. www.anantara.com

ROAD TO Reunification North and South Vietnam were for many years divided but the end of the Vietnam War brought the two halves of the ancient nation back together. Now, affluent travellers looking to enjoy both the south and the north of this vibrant destination can do so on the newly restored Reunification Express. The two trains of the Reunification Express, which runs the 1,700km line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, were refurbished earlier in the year to become Vietnam’s first ‘five star’ trains, and now offer air conditioned sleepers and free wifi. There are plenty of options to jump on and off along the three-day journey, but if you’d like the train journey to play a role in a greater adventure, Regent Holidays has introduced the 11-day Essential Vietnam itinerary, which combines the train with visits to Halong Bay and Hoi An as well as Hanoi and the former capital of the south Saigon. www.regent-holidays.co.uk www.jetsetter.hk

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INSPIRE

Take a culinary escapade through the villages and vineyards of the Loire Valley with a new journey from Insight Vacations. The 12-day Loire Valley itinerary begins and ends in Paris and is led by foodie expert Barbara Barde and sommelier Tom Leroy. Make for the fishing village of Le Croisic to savour local specialties before a guided tour of the Musée des Marais Salants to learn about the craft of harvesting fleur de sel sea salt. In Nantes, visit the Château Des Ducs de Bretagne, which once served as the residence of the kings of France, before sampling your way through the muscadets of two exquisite wineries, Château La Cassemichère and Chéreau Carré. Learn the art of sustainable viticulture at Angers’ famed Louis de Mozambique, Africa’slearning east coast, oneneed of thetofastest Grenelle wineryonbefore all is you know emerging about destinations on the continent and the new Kayak and Dhow Safari from mushrooms at the Musée du Champignon in the village Aardvark Safaris captures this remarkable destination to perfection. of St. Hilaure, then explore the local markets of CourIsland hop through Northern Mozambique’s Quirimbas Cheverny before taking to the streets of Paris witharchipelago a local by traditional Dhow on a week-long itinerary that includes bush camping, expert on French food culture with visits to patisseries, kayak tours and sailing along a pristine coastline once popular gourmet delicatessens and food stalls. From SG$4,090with pirates and explorers.

There will be time for snorkeling on coastal reefs, (US$3,037) per person, twin share with departure and a chance to stay at magical Ibo Island Lodge. Eight day itineraries September 27, 2015. www.insightvacations.com for four start from GBP1,862 (US$2,882) per person, inclusive of all accommodation, activities and meals. www.aardvarksafaris.co.uk

The

PIRATE COAST

www.jetsetter.hk

Experience Hangzhou’s golden season at Hyatt Welcome the best of seasons to Hangzhou! A wonderful and charming autumn is a perfect time to explore the West Lake. Choose Hyatt Regency Hangzhou beside the lake as your home and enjoy your own “Paradise on Earth ”.

From now till December 31, 2015, book your room via Hyatt.com and stay over

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit hangzhou.regency.hyatt.com

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INSPIRE

Flower City REVIVAL

With its 238 chic guest rooms and suites, eye-popping design persona and iconic canal district location, the W Amsterdam has opened this month on Dam Square behind the Royal Palace. Housed between the former Telephone Exchange and former KAS Bank, the W Amsterdam was designed by Office WINHOV and BK Architects, who have brought the historical structures back to their original state while incorporating contemporary and luxurious features.

Guests will be able to check in at the 6th floor W Lounge, home to 360-degree city views, then use their smartphones or Apple watches to access rooms dressed by local designers with hand-woven bedspreads, curtains imprinted with classic Amsterdam canal houses and shower cabins inspired by traditional Dutch phone booths. Soak in the city ambiance from the East View terrace, and sample cocktails by the dynamic Fabulous Shaker Boys, before choosing from one of two Entourage Group restaurants; The Duchess or Mr Porter, the former combining London heritage with Viennese grandeur, the later a rooftop steakhouse with open kitchens. www.wamsterdam.com

ON THE Edge

BEACH DIVA

For adventure travellers looking for the ultimate rush, Oceanwide Expeditions will now offer the addition of ski mountaineering on their end of season Antarctic summer cruises. Cruises on the company’s m/v Ortelius will offer intrepid ski bunnies a chance to explore the glaciers of the White Continent, climb high snow-covered and glaciated peaks and then soar downhill through a captivating alpine environment. It’s a thrilling experience for those skiers experienced enough to ski downhill individually and master sometimes steep, and potentially dangerous alpine enviroments, although certified mountain guides are responsible for the safety of the group, and supervise the activity from beginning to end. Oceanwide Expeditions provides all glacier climbing gear; all you have to do is bring your skis and your sense of adventure. Departures February 18 and 28, 2016. www.oceanwide-expeditions.com www.jetsetter.hk

Bali bound travellers will enjoy a chic new accommodation experience with the opening in December of The Katamama, a 58-room design-savvy boutique hotel located on one of the last remaining parcels of land in popular Seminyak. Created by the PTT Family, known for their award-winning Potato Head Beach Club in Bali and Potato Head Folk in Singapore, and designed by Indonesian architect Andra Martin, the new retreat promises understated luxury with touches of authentic Indonesian culture, including pieces from the owner’s personal collection. Spacious guest rooms will boast chic interiors and private outdoor spaces, while a series of one-bedroom penthouses will boast spa baths, rain showers, their own bars, and access to a rooftop garden offering stunning ocean views. www.the-katamama.com

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INSPIRE

STEPPING Back in Time

Bringing a new take on glamping, Selective Asia will offer intrepid travellers the chance to camp beneath the stars at Cambodia’s hidden Temple of Banteay Ampeul with a unique pop up retreat this December and January. Open for just weeks and catering to only a handful of lucky souls, the pop up camp, available on two-day one-night packages, will offer a rare insight into rural Khmer life; dating from the 10th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the Banteay Ampeul temple is close to the iconic Angkor complex but is reached travelling through lush countryside and isolated villages flanked by strikingly beautiful views of rice paddies. Journey from Siem Reap by jeep with stops at the local market of Phsar Rolous, home to authentic traditional Cambodian cuisine, and the ninth century Prei Monti temple, before dining amidst the ancient Hindu carvings of hidden Poeung Komnou, and the archaeological site of Beng Meala. Accommodation at the camp consists of luxury tents with modern amenities and verandas, from which guests can soak-up a magical jungle canopy atmosphere illuminated by a thousand oil lamps and candle lights before sitting down to a gourmet dinner. The following morning sees travel by ox cart and an opportunity to explore the “hidden temple” of Banteay Ampeul – a place still relatively untouched by tourism due to its remoteness and the condition of local roads. From GBP630 (US$958) per person, twin share, available December 15, 2015 – January 31, 2016. www.selectiveasia.com

www.jetsetter.hk

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INSPIRE

Jungle BABIES

If you’ve always been dying to visit Madagascar, Natural World Safaris' new itinerary in October captures the island’s beauty and is timed to see baby ringtail lemurs in their natural environment. Ringtail lemurs are born around August and September, during the wet season when food is readily available. For two weeks they are carried by their mother, before clinging onto her back as she explores and forages. October is the perfect time to see them, as the babies are gradually starting to let go of their mothers and develop their own sense of independence. The nine-day Lemurs, Wildlife & Beach Safari explores the island’s forested trails, jungles, windswept rock formations, deserted beaches and coral reefs, while also offering guests the chance to get involved in the Lemur Conservation and Research Project. From GBP1,900 (US$1,698) per person, twin share; www.naturalworldsafaris.com

FOUR NEW REASONS

International Expeditions has created four exciting new small-ship cruise itineraries to the world’s furthest flung corners. The ten day Ecuador: Andes & Amazon tour combines boutique accommodation, including a 17th century hacienda in the Andean countryside, with a four-night cruise deep into the Amazon aboard the all-suite M/V Anakonda. The 12-day Northern Archipelago and Chiloe Island Tour explores the seldom-visited region connecting the Andes and Pacific with daily excursions surveying volcanoes, forests and glacial lakes interspersed along the Andean foothills.

The 48 guest Panorama or 46 guest Panorama II will cruise from Frenchinfluenced Cienfuegos to Havana on the new ten-day Cuba Voyage; anchor in Old Havana, do a walking tour of 500-year-old Trinidad, and visit the remote western Guanahacibes Peninsula and Cuba's Cayo Largo - an important nesting ground for logger-head, hawksbill and green sea turtles. Closer to home, the 17-day Raja Ampat Adventure explores the ‘four kings’, the islands of Misoool, Salawati, Batanta, and Wiageo in the far east of Indonesia, with time for kayaking, diving and spectacular snorkeling. www.IEtravel.com

Paradise FOUND

Shrouded in mist and myth, explorers have long sought to find the paradise rumoured to be hidden deep within the Snow Mountains of northwestern Yunnan in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Now, modern-day seekers can journey there to discover their own interpretation of paradise, with the opening of the new Hylandia by Shangri-La resort. A gateway to one of China’s most captivating regions, and one that’s home to 13 distinct ethnic groups, the 166-room hotel has opened in Shangri-La City at an altitude of 3,260m as the first full-service retreat in this hidden enclave. Taking its design cues from the ancient Silk Road, the hotel boasts an eclectic blend of Yunnan and Tibetan styles, with touches of local pine and limestone throughout its guest rooms, Wisdom Room, a signature library that serves a local tea service, and Aroma Room, home to an assortment of local teas, including the famed Yunnan black tea once traded on the Ancient Tea Horse Trail. Leave time to cycle to the nearby 1,000-year-old Dukezong Old Town, learn the art of black pottery in the Nixi pottery village, or take a horseback journey in serene Pudacuo National

www.jetsetter.hk

Park. www.shangri-la.com

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INTRODUCING

ELEGANCE REBORN

After an extensive renovation project that has brought the hotel back to the forefront of London’s luxury scene the Lanesborough, part of the Oetker Collection, has reopened on Hyde Park Corner. Featuring 50 guest rooms and 43 suites, including a Royal Suite boasting seven bedrooms, the hotel has been given a new lease of life by renowned interior design firm Alberto Pinto, with its rich history and signature finesse preserved and reinterpreted for the modern era. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Céleste, has been returned to its Regency-style and is now the setting for three Michelin-starred Parisian chef Eric Frechon of Le Bistol Paris to showcase his refined culinary talents. The restaurant is joined by The Garden Room, the city’s most glamorous cigar lounge, and The Library Bar, home to cutting edge mixology and Old World charm. www.lanesborough.com

www.jetsetter.hk

INTRODUCING 31

TEMPLE TOWN Nestled on the jungle-fringed riverbanks of Mas, a picturesque village outside Ubud, Mayura, the first boutique property for Karma Royal Group’s new Karma Retreats brand, has opened in Bali’s spiritual and cultural hub. Taking its name from the Sanskrit for peacock, a bird that's sacred on the Hindu Island, the new resort is surrounded by scenic rice terraces, lush coconut groves and mossy stone temples. With just 32 beautifully-appointed deluxe guest rooms, all with outdoor balconies and views across the lush countryside, a restaurant that showcases both western and Indonesian dishes, and an intimate spa, Mayura is an ideal escape from the maddening crowds of central Ubud, Seminyak or Kuta. When you’re done sunning yourself by the pool, try one of the resort’s unique and immersive activities, which range from bicycle tours of the temples and rice terraces of Ubud, to a lesson in local Balinese woodcutting. www.karmaroyalgroup.com

www.jetsetter.hk

32

INTRODUCING

O L D B OY S C L U B

Housed in a beautifully restored 1890 vintage building and named for its former occupants, Commune Hotels & Resorts has opened the 241room Chicago Athletic Association, a groundbreaking new hotel project located at the heart of the windy city. With lines by Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture and award-winning design firm Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors, the beautifully restored building now plays host to 1,600sqm of event space, elegantly-appointed guest rooms and suites that reference the traditional club rooms found in athletic associations of the past, and a multitude of innovative and interactive culinary experiences, including Cindy's – a rooftop lounge with breathtaking views of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan – and restaurant concepts by Land & Sea Dept. and Shake Shack. Expect guest spaces featuring custom lacquered wooden armoires and bars, Faribault Woolen Mill Co. custom blankets and a modern take on 19th century brass beds, as well as custom Sferra linens, 42-inch flat screen HD TVs, Carrara marble bathrooms, C.O. Bigelowcustom bath products, and vintage boxing-inspired robes. The hotel's mini bars are stocked with some of Chicago's most well-known confections, including Cracker Jack and Wrigley gum – invented by Chicago Athletic Association founding member William Wrigley. www.communehotels.com www.jetsetter.hk

INTRODUCING 33

N E W BOY IN TO W N

With idyllic views across its own private cove and the Straits of Malacca, just 85 beautifully-appointed suites and a clutch of water villas, and the brand’s iconic butler service to wait on your every want, The St Regis Langkawi is set to open in November as the new star of Malaysia’s favourite tropical playground. Located close enough to the international airport and Kuah, the island’s commercial centre, to be handy, yet far enough from the maddening crowds to remain serene, the new St Regis is set to lift the luxury benchmark, with bold, contemporary décor, spacious guest rooms featuring seamless technology, and five innovative restaurants and bars which promise to capitalise on Malaysia’s world-renowned culinary culture. Keep an eye out for the Langkawi resort’s take on the Bloody Mary, St Regis’ signature cure all. www.starwoodhotels.com www.jetsetter.hk

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SPA PROFILE

SENSE OF ST YLE

Debuting an inspirational concept centered on the principles of simplicity, purity and well-being, Sense Spa has opened at the Rosewood Beijing. The Sense experience is both holistic and authentic, from the use of exquisite natural bamboo linens to premium quality organic essential oils. At the integrated sanctuary the finest indigenous raw ingredients are paired with timeless health and beauty rituals to ease away the trials of modern life. Products used at the new spa include Germaine De Capuccini, a premium European brand, and Ba Yan Ka La, a homegrown Chinese range using certified organic ingredients harvested according to the ancient wisdom of the Chinese Lunar calendar. Some treatments use ingredients synonymous with Asian culture such as pearl, gold, saffron, and jade. Enjoy the opulence of the spa’s 11 spa suites – including five ultra-spacious options for overnight stays – each of which feature Gharieni treatment beds that convert into extravagant water spa tables complete with LED bars for color therapy, and leave room for a dip in the pool, crowned with a soaring domed glass roof unlike anything in the Chinese capital. www.rosewoodhotels.com

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PAMPER 35 The Spa by La Prairie at Los Angeles’ Hotel Bel-Air, part of the Dorchester Collection, has partnered with British celebrity favourite intuitive counsellor Susan King to offer a series of special packages which see counselling services and therapeutic treatments working in tandem to sooth the mind, body and spirit. Guests can enjoy a 60-minute Intuitive Counselling Session; the Mind, Body and Spirit package, which features a 75-minute scalp and head massage and a 60-minute counselling session; or for the ultimate healing experience, the Renewal package, where they’ll enjoy two hours of rejuvenating spa treatments, followed by a 60-minute counselling session. Guests can supplement this with a picnic by Wolfgang Puck in the hotel’s lush grounds, which includes dishes like baby beets, humboldget fog goat cheese, toasted ciabatta, and charcuterie.

www.dorchestercollection.com

Visitors to Beantown can now indulge in transformative skincare rituals developed by “Queen of Facials” Linda Meredith at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental Boston, which has debuted two of the celebrity-favourite facialist’s restorative treatments. Designed to address specific skin requirements, the one-hour Couture Facial begins with a deep clense using antibacterial microglyclic serums, which firm skin and soften lines; a steam and extraction process removes impurities, while a micropeel serum gives a deep clean. The treatment finishes with a relaxing face, neck and shoulder massage that soothes the body and hydrates the skin. The Couture Facial with O2 includes all the rituals of the Couture Facial, but also a 20-minute treatment that harnesses the natural healing power of oxygen through a serum that replenishes, smoothes and plumps skin cells for a glowing complexion. www.mandarinoriental.com

Guests of Alila Villas Uluwatu can now indulge in adrenaline-fuelling private aerial yoga classes at the resort’s Sunset Cabana, which offers stunning panoramas of the Indian Ocean from its perch atop a cliff.

Developed in New York, aerial yoga involves performing exercises drawn from yoga, pilates, calisthenics and aerial acrobatics while on a fabric hammock suspended a metre above the ground. The sessions will be run by in-house yogi Nyoman Warta, who brings over 15 years of experience to customising classes to suit each individual. The aerial yoga classes allow guests to relieve tension and improve posture and alignment by moving, stretching, toning, strengthening and rehabilitating the body through relaxation rather than effort. Each 60-minute private class is priced at HK$540 (US$70) per person. www.alilahotels.com

Bringing luxury pampering to a whole new level, Sydney’s The Darling hotel has reinvigorated its spa, offering truly indulgent experiences for guests. Now named The Darling Spa, the chic wellness retreat has been designed by acclaimed Sydney architects Cox Richardson in conjunction with interior designers DBI Design and Stack Studio, and occupies the whole second floor of the hotel. New additions include a revised treatment menu laced with treatments from ESPA, a new mosaic aromatherapy heated steam room with salt water Jacuzzi, the state-of-the-art Darling Gym, and access to the stunning rooftop pool. www.thedarling.com.au

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24 HOURS

lake life

Nestled on the banks of Lake Geneva in the French-speaking region of Vaud, the medieval city of Lausanne is famed for its 12th century Gothic cathedral, its 19th century Palais de Rumine, and its cutting-edge gastronomy. An all-year playground, this ancient city has a little something for everyone, discovers Nick Walton.

5am Arrive in Zurich on your direct Swiss International flight from Hong Kong. The airline operates an A340-300 aircraft in a three-class configuration. Business class features fully lie-flat seats with ample storage space while service and cuisine onboard feature distinctive touches of Switzerland, with special menus created for the airline by some of the country’s leading culinary talents. From US$5,290 per person. www.swiss.com

6am You can fly on to Lausanne with Swiss but to make the most of the region’s stunning landscapes, make your way to the Zürich www.jetsetter.hk

Hauptbahnhof train station, from where Swiss Travel Systems offer comfortable trains to Lausanne that take just three hours.

Book a Swiss Travel Pass to be able to explore the whole country in style on one of Europe’s best rail networks. From CHF179 (US$190) www.swissrailways.com

10am Arrive at the Mövenpick Hotel Lausanne, located right on the Lake Geneva waterfront.

A four-star hotel with captivating rooms, crisp, Old World service and great restaurants, the Mövenpick Hotel Lausanne is the perfect base from which to explore the lakefront villages and the innovative culinary scene of this popular holiday retreat. The hotel

offers a variety of categories across its 337 non-smoking rooms and suites, but our favourites are the contemporary Premium Rooms, which are housed in a second, newer wing and offer modern amenities and great water views from their deepset balconies. Leave time for lingering breakfasts at Le Jardin, with its alfresco seating and stunning lake vistas. From US$167 per night, twin share. Avenue de Rhodanie 4, Tel: +41 21 612 7 612; www. movenpick-hotels.com

11am Time to explore the city’s ancient heart; take the Lausanne Metro from near the hotel – it’s dead easy, it only goes one way,

24 HOURS 37

pg 36: The view of Lake Geneva from the vineyards of Lavaux pg 37: (clockwise from top left) The Lausanne Cathedral; a Premium Room at Mövenpick Hotel Lausanne; early morning on the lake

up! Disembark at Lausanne Gare at the heart of the city’s medieval old town. Work off your breakfast with a walk up the cobbled streets to the Lausanne Cathedral. Considered the most beautiful cathedral in Switzerland, this iconic Gothic church was built in 1174, though like many famous buildings in Europe, remains technically unfinished. Dedicated to the statue of the Golden Virgin, which drew pilgrims from across Europe during the Middle Ages, the church is probably best known for its continuation of the Nightwatch tradition, during which guards posted to prevent fires would call to each other from the top of the cathedral’s

ferry company CGN operates five Belle Époque paddle steamboats, many of which are over 100 years old. These beautifully-preserved vessels, with their elegant white trim work and large open decks, are the best way to explore the many lakeside villages, including Saint-Saphorin, Montreau, famed for its annual jazz festival, and Vevey, where travellers can access the captivating Lavaux vineyards, a Unesco-listed site that consists of steeply terraced vineyards reaching between Lausanne and Montreux.

During the summer months you can tour the vineyards first planted

by Cistercian monks in the 12th

towers. www.cathedrale-lausanne.ch

century. www.cgn.ch

12.30pm Return to the lake front and Le Lacustre, a restaurant located at the ferry pier. During the summer months The Terrace is a very popular spot for sunkissed lunches and twilight drinks and during the winter, feast at the newer Grill Room, home to the signature potence flambee beef, which is flambéed directly at your table. www.lelacustre.ch

2pm From the restaurant it’s only steps to the pier, where you can take one of Lake Geneva’s famous and historic paddle steamers. Swiss

3.30pm Explore the lake most famous castle, Chateau de Chillon. An easy day trip from Geneva and Lausanne, as well as the ski fields of the Valais Alps in the Rhone Valley and the Chablais Alps in France, the lakeside castle is stunning in both summer and winter, when it’s dusted with fresh snow.

Once a vital fortification for controlling the trade on the lake, the caste was built in the 12th century by the rulers of Savoy and is said to have inspired Lord Byron’s poem The Prisoner of Chillon. Audio tours are a great way to explore the cells, storage halls and battlements. www.chillon.ch

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24 HOURS

6pm Return to Lausanne by paddle steamer, perhaps with a glass of local Chasselas from the vineyards nearby. You can sample your way through the local drops at Midi 20, one of the city’s best houses of oenophilia.

Named for its position on a side street between the town and its train station, this chic little space boasts an extensive wine list that’s heavy on local favourites, from Fendant and Sylvane to Ermitage and Malvoisie - you can even taste before you choose. Match your tipples with elegant French-inspired snacks. www.midi20.ch

2014, the restaurant is brilliant in summer, when the garden bandstand terrace is the place to see and be seen (the views of the lake are to die for), as well as in winter, when the cosy main dining room, housed in a former cinémathèque dating from 1908 complete with domed ceiling, stained glass windows and a semi-open kitchen, is warm and inviting. The restaurant serves contemporary Swiss-French fare drawing on the sensational local produce. Highlights of the distinctly modern menu include delicate crayfish terrine, hearty filet de boeuf, and creamy fish pie laced with salmon and truffle. www.brasseriedemontbenon.ch

8pm Make your way up through the city to one of Lausanne’s most popular new dining spots, Brasserie de Montbenon, located on Montbenon Park. Opened at the end of

11pm Lausanne is no party town but if you’re looking for a nightcap, try Les Boucaniers (www.lesboucaniers.ch), a smaller venue

centred on Place Benjamin Constant that features a small terrace, chic interiors and a range of artisan beers. Alternatively, the Tchin-Tchin bar at the Mövenpick Hotel Lausanne, with its outdoor seating, is a lakeside favourite.

10am For the ultimate brunch, make your way back up to the historic city centre and visit Blackbird, a local coffee haven that sources its own beans from around the world. Share in the journey of the beans, which are brought from small producers and roasted in-house, as you chat with the talented baristas and wait for bites from the ‘breakfast club’ menu, which includes croissants and tartines, fritattatas, and even Mediterranean chorizo stew. www.blackbirdcafe.ch

(Clockwise from left) Cruising the lake by Belle Époque paddle steamboat; Brasserie de Montbenon; Blackbird Cafe

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DESIGNER SUITES

DESIGN-SAVVY DIGS Collaborations between designers and hotels are nothing new, but these stylish suites offer a one-of-a-kind fashionista experience. By Gayatri Bhaumik

Eloise Suite

Betsey Johnson Plaza Hotel, New York City In the children’s books by Kay Thompson, Eloise is a young girl living at the top of New York’s landmark Plaza Hotel. In the hotel’s Eloise Suite, quirky designer Betsey Johnson has used her loud, eclectic style to bring Eloise’s world to life in a whimsical, girlish tribute to the character. The bright suite features plenty of pink and black, an assortment of patterns, candy-stripe wallpaper, and an intricate, pink-tipped chandelier for good measure. Original prints by Eloise illustrator Hilary Knight adorn the walls, while on the bed, custom bedding depict the adventures of Eloise, set off by a sparkly pink headboard and Eloise’s name scrawled in neon lights above the bed. Guests also enjoy a flatscreen TV and DVD player to watch the accompanying Eloise DVDS, as well as Eloise books, Eloise and Weening dolls, and Eloise robes and towels. www.theplazany.com www.jetsetter.hk

DESIGNER SUITES 41

Dior Suite Dior

St Regis New York Inspired by the iconic couturier’s ateliers in Paris, the sumptuous Dior suite at the St. Regis New York features the fashion house’s recognisable palette of muted tones with design elements dominated by subtle greys, purples and whites accented by glamorous Louis XXI-style furniture pieces and elegant French windows which give unparalleled views of Central Park across Fifth Avenue.

Crown moulding and Bill Donovan illustrations of vintage Dior designs complete this sophisticated space. As well as enjoying the suite – which comes with a king-sized bed dressed in Praseti linen, Remède bath amenities, a tenperson dining area and a separate living room – Dior Suite guests also enjoy breakfast for two at the Astor Court, airport

transfers,

a

complimentary

minibar and a bottle of champagne. www.stregisnewyork.com

Designer Suite

by Vivienne Tam Vivienne Tam Hotel Icon Kowloon, Hong Kong This Hong Kong Polytechnic University alumna came back to the city of her alma mater to create a serene, design-savvy space made to resemble her Manhattan loft. With sweeping views of the iconic Hong Kong skyline, the suite evokes Tam’s blend of chinoiserie and modernity. The 80sqm space boasts modern design and Chinese accents, along with rich woods and textured marble. The suite is filled with personal memorabilia, including artwork and books from her personal library and custom-made art by the designer herself. In the bedroom, a sultry purple bed, decorated bedside lamp, red velvet carpet and Chinese courtesan plaques bring to mind Shanghai’s 1930s Art Deco heyday, while the living room features a deep red sofa by the Bouroullec brothers and a centre table of solid Japanese cherry wood. www.hotel-icon.com www.jetsetter.hk

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DESIGNER SUITES

Cinema Suite Sabyasachi Mukherjee Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, London Created by Kolkata-based Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, this captivating 170sqm two-bedroom suite – which also boasts a dining room, study and kitchen – pays tribute to the golden age of cinema.

Guests will find references to masters like Francis Ford Coppola and Ingrid Bergman in the study; touches of international directors like Majid Majidi in the living room; the sensuality of Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe in one bedroom; and colonialinspired heavyweights like Merchant Ivory and Bimal Roy in the other. Throughout the suite are rare Bollywood film prints,

Grunewald Suite Karl Lagerfeld Karl Lagerfeld

history books, vintage mirrors, portraits

Schlosshotel Im Grunewald, Berlin

and drawings, leather Chesterfields, art

King Karl is responsible for creating the aesthetics which run throughout the hotel, but the

curios from over 32 cultures, Nina Campbell

Grunewald Suite Karl Lagerfeld is this quirky fashion maestro’s masterpiece. The 106sqm

wallpapers in burnt orange, black and red,

space features an entrance hall, a separate living room, a large designer bed and a

and sumptuous silk drapery meeting oak

private balcony with views over the hotel’s gardens, and is the epitome of the opulence the

floors. Of course, there’s also an 85-inch

designer is known for. A rose and gold colour scheme is complemented by Belle Epoque-

plasma along with a world-class Steinway

feel furnishings which include extravagant antique furniture, lush fabrics and chandeliers,

Lyngdorf cinema system and 300 movies,

and an Art Deco-style bathroom complete with handmade French tiles. Guests of the suite

books and music chosen by Mukherjee.

complete the luxurious experience with complimentary limo transfers, WiFi, and minibar, as

www.taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk

well as spa access and welcome drinks. www.schlosshotelberlin.com

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DESIGNER SUITES 43

Halekulani Suite Vera Wang

Halekulani, Hawaii Perhaps the most popular name in wedding dresses, Vera Wang brought the same regal elegance she applies to her dresses when she created the sprawling one-bedroom Halekulani Suite. The room features island-inspired elements, neutral colours accented by jewel tones, and Asian influence with rare furnishings from Hawaii, the Pacific and Asia. The spa-like master bath features exotic woods and a sleek stone finish; the dining room is completed with classic china and glassware; while a lanai offers 60sqm of alfresco space for dining and entertaining. Its second-floor perch offers total privacy along with spectacular views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. Guests also enjoy round-trip transfers, a full wet bar, and the For You, Everything fine arts package which includes VIP passes to the Bishop Museum, the Iolani Palace and the Honolulu Symphony. www.halekulani.com

Grand Piano Suite Diane von Fustenberg

Claridge’s London Four rooms at London’s iconic Claridge’s hotel have touches by the designer known for her fashionista-favourite wrap dresses, but her signature Grand Piano Suite perfectly captures her bold style. Inspired by von Furstenberg’s travels, the suite features signature touches from all four corners of the globe, whether it’s in the Murano glassware; handcrafted boxes and trays commissioned in Bali; handmade rugs from The Rug Company in modern animal prints; the designer’s own photographs; or furniture like the custom bleached solid oak four-poster bed, and the dressing table, travelling trunk, desk and cocktail bar. The elegant suite’s colour scheme of pale thistle and off-white are the perfect backdrop for the striking patterns and eclectic furniture, while the sense of elegance is underpinned by marble fireplaces and yes, the beautiful grand piano in the corner. www.claridges.co.uk

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44

INSIDER

BUILDING

PEACE

THROUGH SPIRITUALITY

The Nepalese government recently appointed His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche to develop the Mahasiddha Sanctuary for Universal Peace in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. He tells Gayatri Bhaumik about the significance of Lumbini and what he hopes to achieve with the sanctuary.

Lumbini was a major spiritual destination until the 15th century. What made it so special?

sites, some high-society Nepalese friends

that they will realise how precious their lives are.

suggested I do something in Nepal. They were

As humans, everyone is born somewhere, but

able to involve the Nepalese government,

from there they might not be able to recognise

Lumbini is the birthplace of Buddha. Queen

who suggested Lumbini and asked me to do

how important their lives are, so I hope they can

something that was universal, something not

learn that through their visit.

Mayadevi stopped here on the way back to her parents’ home, and ended up giving birth here.

Centuries later, the powerful King Ashoka

just for Buddhists.

How can travellers help with your efforts?

place. Similar to how Jerusalem is precious to

Can you describe the sanctuary and your plans for it?

Christians and Jews, and Mecca is a precious

I intend for this to be an education centre for

be able to help is by embracing our vision of

place in Islamic tradition, Lumbini is sacred

monks and nuns, and a place where laypeople

inclusivity, and of helping others. I would like

ground for Buddhists.

can come on pilgrimage, or seek to do good.

people to come and stay as long as they can

But the most important thing is that this is

and to truly experience Lumbini. Through this,

After the 15th century Lumbini was neglected. Why did it fall out of favour?

going to be a centre for everybody who loves

they will help the local people and industries.

peace, because we won’t discriminate against

Hotels will be able to show them hospitality, but

anyone. I want the world to achieve peace, and

more importantly, there are many children here

There are ups and downs in history. At the time,

I would like to have the sanctuary identified as

who need help, and there are many hospitals

a global peace centre.

and schools that need assistance.

of it. Also, not that I have proof, but knowing

How do you hope to present Lumbini as a destination to the rest of the world?

Nepal was hit by a devastating earthquake in April. How has this affected your efforts?

human nature and the history of the area, we

I would like to present Lumbini as it is. I

My priority is to ensure that humanitarian aid

can surmise that conflicts in the region were a

don’t want to add anything because it’s not

is delivered to the people of Nepal. I pray that

factor.

necessary. It is already what it is, the place

the teachings of Buddha will give strength to all

where Buddha was born. That itself is more

those affected. But in the long term, we must

You’ve been appointed by the Government of Nepal to create the Mahasiddha Sanctuary for Universal Peace at Lumbini. How did this come about?

meaningful than anything you could add.

rebuild and rejuvenate. Now more than ever do

What do you hope that travellers will gain or take away from their visit to Lumbini?

Lumbini are protected for future generations. The

I’d been trying to build a monastery to honour

I would really hope that travellers will be able to

point for all humanity as we work together to heal

Buddha for several years. While looking for

look within themselves while in Lumbini. I hope

and regenerate.

erected a stone pillar here to mark this special

Buddhist followers were not a formidable force, able to preserve their own sacred place, and access to the area wasn’t readily available, so it became like a jungle because nobody took care

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I think the most important way travellers will

we need to ensure that important sites such as Mahasiddha Sanctuary will not just give rebirth to Lumbini, but it will also provide a positive focal

46

COGNAC

a

T R A V E L L E R ’S Journey

The vines of Cognac have been used to make eau de vie for centuries.

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COGNAC 47

Nick Walton

visits idyllic Cognac in the footsteps of famed blender Jean Martell, and finds he’s not the only one willing to travel for his passions.

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48

COGNAC

W

ith a whoosh of hydraulics and a whine of turbines, our high-speed train from Paris' Charles de Gaulle International Airport slips into Cognac’s humble little train station, a bustling place of tourists and locals eyeing departure boards and collecting luggage. There is that lovely laid back ambiance of rural France, where nothing happens fast and no one seems to mind.

We mount up into a convoy of sleek Mercedes vans and delve into the idyllic countryside of rural France. On either side of the road are farms with rustic cottages, corpses of tall trees, and vineyards that run towards the horizon. We pass tractors hauling silage and clutches of school children in immaculate white uniforms. Soon we’re surrounded by vineyards punctuated only by red-roofed farm houses and small batch distilleries.

It doesn’t take long to figure out what binds many of Cognac’s 35,000 inhabitants. On the main roads out of Cognac there are billboards for cognac tasting halls at every junction. All the major brands have dedicated visitor centres where cognac lovers from across the world – including an increasing number from Asia – can indulge in their passion and even purchase a rare drop for their loved ones back home (or their own private stash). Thanks to great train access from Paris and its international airport, tens of thousands of Asian travellers visit Cognac each year on whirlwind tours that often include several European capitals and other iconic locales like nearby Boudreaux, Burgundy and Champagne.

For many travellers it’s a grass roots education and a chance for major cognac brands like Martell, whose distillery and vineyards we first visit, to extoll their rich heritages and artisanal production. Cognac is essentially brandy – distilled wine spirit called eau de vie that’s then aged in wood barrels. The major difference is that only brandy made in this picturesque corner of the world, nestled on the banks of the Charente River 400km southwest of Paris, can be called Cognac thanks to strict quality controls and the French appellation d'origine contrôlée certification that protects products from a specific geographic region.

After lunch and a tasting tutorial in the shadow of towering copper stills at one of Martell’s main plants, we return to town, the sun above periodically breaking through low hung clouds to douse the rural setting in vibrant colours. Many fellow visitors to Cognac can be seen walking its streets under the mid-morning sunshine, gazing up at the ramshackle collection of 15th to 17th century village homes that clutch around a main cobblestone square, posing for photos before the Romanesque church of St. Leger and the sprawling Château de Cognac, the birthplace of the 16th-century King François I, and delving into the Musée des Arts du Cognac, a museum dedicated to the region’s single largest export.

Instead I head down the road towards a bold blue sign that stands above weathered stone walls. At the Martell visitors centre, housed in the brand’s former distillery, 1.5 hour tours are conducted in several languages and explain the pain-staking production process to travellers from across the globe, some of whom are true connoisseurs, and some who perhaps already know the luxury attributed to cognac without knowing how it’s made, or understanding its subtleties.

Cognac sales may have slumped in Mainland China after anti-corruption campaigns curbed conspicuous consumption, but the spirit is enjoyed right across Asia and during my visit to Cognac I hear as many visitors speaking Singapore-accented English, Malay and Cantonese as I do Mandarin and French. Despite turbulent times the cognac industry still expects to sell in excess of 30 million litres in Asia in 2019 – a 13 percent increase on 2015 figures – thanks to a new generation in China embracing cognac cocktails, and the spirit’s new-found popularity in countries like Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, where economic predictions are bullish and the wealthy are keen to travel to the sources of their new lifestyles, whether it's Milan for fashion, Germany for cars or France for cognac and champagne.

It seems fitting that the oldest of Cognac’s great houses was also founded by a visitor looking to indulge his passion and create a legacy in the process. In 1715 Jean Martell, a young merchant from Jersey, journeyed to Cognac to try his hand at producing the spirit that was so beloved by the British at the time. Cognac, which stretches over two regions in western France, Charente-Maritime (bordering the Atlantic Ocean) and Charente www.jetsetter.hk

(clockwise from top left) touring Martell's cellars; lunch among the stills; a tasting of Martell's legacy; the archives of Jean Martell

COGNAC 49

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50

COGNAC NEW ZEALAND (from the top): Exploring the archives of Martell; a poster advertising the first shipments of cognac to China; Cordon Bleu on display at the Palace of Versailles

(a little further inland), had been producing wine since the first century but didn’t make eau de vie until Dutch settlers began distilling their vino in the 16th century so that it would last the long journeys across Europe.

Jean Martell worked closely with small eau de vie producers in the region’s six crus, or growth areas, to select, age and blend these colourless spirits to create the first exceptional cognacs, and after his death in 1753 his widow and sons continued the tradition, eventually capturing the British market by 1814 and exporting their first bottles to China, Hong Kong and Japan in 1861.

Jean Martell’s journey from Jersey to Cognac was the inspiration for five stunning new cognacs - including the limited edition and much-coveted Martell Premier Voyage - created by cellar master Benoît Fil to mark the house’s 300th anniversary. Using 18 eau de vies from the same producers Jean Martell had worked with so closely, Fil was able to make a unique cognac that truly captured the Martell essence three centuries later. Three hundred years is no small feat and the pinnacle of this monumental milestone was a star-studded party held earlier this year at the Palace of Versailles, a landmark Martell has close ties with; its former resident, Louise XIV, the Sun King, was a benefactor of Jean Martell’s cognac and a symbol of France’s golden age, and the

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NEW ZEALAND COGNAC 51 cognac house continues to support on-going preservation projects at the Palace.

When he wasn’t making cognac Jean Martell was clearly into record keeping, as I discover with a behind the scenes peak of the House’s extensive archives – all five kilometers of them! The Martell visitor centre is actually wreathed around Jean Martell's original stone house, which has been preserved as a museum that can be toured through prior booking. Here, the hidden archives are the realm of Resident Archivist Geraldine Galland, who is slowly working her way through the extensive collection of log books, bills of sale and loading, invoices and letters dating back as far as Jean Martell’s first days in Cognac. Touring the archives I come across thick journals with Jean Martell’s signature at the base, and a beautifully preserved but timeweathered poster advertising cognac in China to coincide with the first shipments to Shanghai in 1861. After 300 years of production Martell is now available in 130 countries, and all that history is here in extensive, protected collections.

(clockwise from top) Over 5km of archives are preserved by Martell's in-house historian; the House has been passed down through the generations; stills at Martell in Cognac; Château de Chanteloup.

That evening we’re lucky enough to experience another aspect of Martell’s lingering legacy, with dinner at Château de Chanteloup, the brand's stunning manor in the Cognac countryside. The countryside of Cognac is dotted with grand old homes like this, many of which are now boutique hotels and B&B's that welcome tourists looking to learn more about Cognac and its rich history.

Acquired by Theodore Artell in 1838, and re-built in the Norman style in 1930 by then owner Maurice Firino-Martell, Château de Chanteloup acts as an exclusive guest house for Martell’s top customers, and epitomises the tradition, elegance and sophistication of Martell’s blends to a tee. Wreathed by 147 hectares of manicured lawns, gardens, vineyards and forests, home to a resident deer population, the manor house is open to the public during the summer months (though only on specific dates). But on this beautiful summer evening it’s all ours, as our group, representing all the great cognac markets of the world, some of which didn’t even exist in Jean Martell’s day, dine in a light-filled marquee, on a menu of modern French dishes. As the light fades and the deer peak from their glades, we toast our Cordon Bleu to Cognac’s rich history, its bright future, and the characters like Jean Martell that made it all possible.

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SRI LANKA

THE LAND OF NEW BEGINNINGS Nick Walton encounters smiles, hope and stunning diversity as he

explores the once war-torn island of Sri Lanka, now one of Asia’s fastest emerging destinations.

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SRI LANKA 55

Ancient trees soar above the waters of the Minneriya wetlands

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SRI LANKA

An elephant gathering at Minneriya National Park

T

he elephant silently emerges from the thick tree line with surprising grace given her size. She gives a shy glance in our direction, and a waggle of her thick trunk, before crossing the dirt path before us and disappearing into the jungle again. It’s a tantalizing first taste of Sri Lanka’s stunning biodiversity and our first fleeting glimpse of the elephants that populate the nation’s many national parks, including Minneriya, located at the centre of the teardrop-shaped island.

Sri Lanka has emerged from the decimation of its long and brutal civil war, which ended in 2010, as the new by-word for eco luxury in the Indian Ocean and with good reason. Its Buddhist faith, its improving infrastructure and its biodiversity sets it apart from so many other would-be contenders, and we were determined to see just how much this tiny island nation had to offer.

We’d spent the first two days in the country enjoying the tranquility of Negombo Lagoon at Jetwing Lagoon, a regal little retreat nestled between the mirror-like waters and the pounding surf of the Indian Ocean. Here we’d visited spice stores run by beaming local families, and delved into the local fish markets, awash in colour as the night’s catch was hauled in and sorted under a robin’s egg shell sky. Then it was to the north on a three hour drive into the interior of the country, leaving the lush green belt of the coast behind and climbing onto the vast plateau of the ‘dry zone’. www.jetsetter.hk

Located in the North Central Province, Minneriya is one of Sri Lanka’s youngest national parks, having only come into existence in 1997, although it’s been recognised as an important wildlife sanctuary since 1938 thanks to the Minneriya Tank, an artificial lake built by King Mahasen in the 3rd century that remains a vital source of water for migrating birds, water buffalo and the park’s substantial Asian elephant population.

The Minneriya Tank – not the most beautiful name for such a life-giving enterprise – was one of several lakes and canals built by Sri Lanka’s ancient kings to irrigate the country’s dry zone. It led to great prosperity for farmers in the region and was the foundation for trade with many other Southeast Asian nations. Farmers cultivated the land by day and protected their precious crops from roaming, ceaselessly hungry elephants by night, often from their perches in ramshackle treehouses.

National parks were created to help balance out these two forces and reach the harmony that permeates post-war Sri Lanka.

We’re exploring the park – at least part of its sprawling 9,000 hectares - with our charming and knowledgable Jetwings Holidays guide Gayashan Madushanka by grumbling. rumbling 4x4. Visitors assemble at the park’s main entrance, exchanging the cool of cars or minivans for open top jeeps elaborately decorated and dearly beloved by their enterprising owners.

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SRI LANKA From there we enter the park, passing under a timeweathered archway that’s more than a little Jurassic Park.

Bamboo forests tower and curl above the dirt road, their tips dancing in the late afternoon breeze. Then the park’s vegetation opens up into expansive savannahs dotted with shimmering waterholes. Densely forested hills wreath the horizon as the sun sets the grass a golden hue. I spot a peacock walking a beeline towards the path through the undergrowth; he spots us and pauses long enough for the sunlight to capture his brilliant blue mantle before he too disappears into the encroaching darkness of the bush.

The park is filled with curious characters. As we round one corner we capture an adolescent water buffalo in a moment of indecision. He’s huge and sleek and a little peeved at the interruption, blowing short, snappy breaths through flared nostrils, horns towering above. We give him the space he deserves and drive on, descending to the flood plane as a duo of adult elephants pause to drink from the lake.

Minneriya is part of the elephant corridor that connects with Kaudulla and Wasgomuwa parks and between May and October great Asian elephant gatherings of over 400 animals draw tourists from across the globe to the park’s wetlands. On our half day visit we only see around 20 gentle giants, as well as spotted dear, curious purple-faced leaf monkeys, bustling mongoose and timid wild pigs, but do so in relative solitude, never having to share our wildlife experiences with more than a few other vehicles. At one stage we venture off the beaten path and come across what can only be described as a pelican airport – a massive dead tree towers resolutely from the wetlands, providing a perch for more than 50 fat white birds, others circling above waiting for clearance.

It’s an extraordinary site. Beyond, estuarine crocodiles doze on the sandy banks of a tributary, while hundreds of migrating woodsand and common sand pipers gossip in the shallows nearby. In the distance we can spy a great herd of water buffalo lounging in the late afternoon sun.

Sri Lanka is a little island with a lot to offer. Its diversity is stunning; in the space of a few short hours spent on newly reconstructed roads you can hit the surf on an idyllic Indian Ocean beachfront and then track inland and rest your head in a hidden wilderness lodge where wild elephants are as common as housecats.

One such spot is the award-winning Jetwing Vil Uyana, a luxury eco resort popular with affluent travellers looking to explore the national parks of Sri Lanka’s centre. Situated on the first man-made lake constructed since the reign of Parakramabahu 1 in the 10th century, and a short drive from the iconic rock fortress of Sigiriya, Vil Uyana is a poster boy for conservation amidst luxury. Barren, dry land was replaced with extensive wetlands that

SRI LANKA 59 (clockwise from top left): A fisherman sorts the night’s catch; a purple-faced leaf monkey; Southern Sri Lanka is famed for its pristine beaches; on safari, Sri Lanka style; fishermen set out on traditional Oruwa fishing boats

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SRI LANKA

(from top) A hidden villa at Jetwing Vil Uyana; 4x4s are used to navigate the tracks within the national parks

have drawn migratory birds, amphibians and even elephants to its waters. Each of the resort’s thatch-topped villas are nested in reed beds or among the paddy fields and boast cavernous bedrooms, internal courtyards, deep-set soak tubs and plunge pools.

The elephants weren’t the only animals drawn to the new ecosystem. When surveying was taking place to build additional villas in one jungle-clad corner of the property, a population of tiny grey slender lorises was discovered. These tiny, shy, nocturnal primates are only found in India and Sri Lanka, where they are considered endangered, but loris numbers in Sri Lanka are on the rise, in part thanks to the efforts of local hotel group Jetwing and its conservation program at Vil Uyana.

Guests can get involved on special loris sighting tours guided by resident naturalist Chaminda Jayasekara who has a very obvious soft spot for the tiny animals, with their delicate limbs and massive Disney-esque eyes. We start off with a video in the resort's pint sized conservation info centre, learning how the wetland was constructed and its tiny residents discovered, then don red-shaded head lamps and delve into the pitch dark bush.

It doesn’t take long for Chaminda to discover his little wards; the eyes of the sensitive tree-dwelling lorises, as well as those of the Sri Lankan bear sloth and various insects and reptiles, glow vibrantly under the red light and following the naturalist’s beam we spot a shy little loris high on a tree. Chaminda tells us that while they walk almost ballerina-like along the slender branches in search of insects or berries for dinner, they can also move extremely quickly when required, and can stretch better than any Pilates instructor when it comes to reaching for a meal. To think local villagers used to hunt the loris, fearing they were a bad omen. www.jetsetter.hk

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SRI LANKA

Over the next hour we spot four lorises as well as one sloth, and a fleeting fishing cat, just a few of the 17 species of mammal found in the wetland. There’s also 100 species of bird, 36 butterfly species and 21 species of amphibian and reptile, with numbers growing year on year.

From the dry zone and the lush beauty of Jetwing Vil Uyana, with its open air restaurants, infinity pool and vibrant wildlife, we head south again, back into the ‘wet zone’ and one of Sri Lanka’s most popular beach locales, the former Dutch colonial town of Galle.

We head to Galle’s iconic hilltop hotel Jetwing Lighthouse, which perches atop the cliffs like its Dutch namesakes which once lined the southern coast. Luxurious without being pretentious – very Sri Lankan in that regard – Jetwing Lighthouse features beautifully appointed colonial-esque rooms and suites (there are even three unique themed suites taking cues from ancient China, Morocco and the Dutch) overlooking the infinity of the Indian Ocean. By evening guests dine at the Cardamom Café under a canopy of stars and are serenaded by the crash of waves on the rocks below.

The white sand beaches, dancing palm trees, and stilt fishermen of the southern coast have been the poster boys for Sri Lanka’s tourism renaissance but it’s the inhabitants found in the deep waters off the coast that remain a true drawcard. Nowhere else in the world do rare blue whales, the largest creatures on the planet, come so close to land, offering a truly unique encounter for visitors to this verdant island.

There are fewer than 15,000 blue whales left in the world and many operators, including Jetwing Holidays, offer day trips on brightly coloured vessels into the Laccadive Sea in search of the tell-tale spouting of water that marks a whale’s return to the surface. The whale watching industry in Sri Lanka – the only country in the world where you can see the largest land animal and sea animal in one day – is increasing 20 percent per annum, with new regulations in place to help conserve the whales’ feeding grounds.

Despite three hours plying choppy waters with a large group of excited travellers we’re only greeted by a pod of playful bottlenose dolphins, which frolic in our wake and take turns to skim beneath the hull as the sun grows heavy in the skies above. It’s still a magical experience and gives us the ideal excuse to return to the Teardrop Island.

www.jetsetter.hk

Image below: tourists greet the sunset on Galle’s weathered fortifications

Travel Essentials SriLankan Airlines flies between Hong Kong and Colombo via Bangkok, operating a modern A330-200 aircraft on the six hour flight (read more about this unique airline in our Turning Left review, pg 96). www.srilankan.com Jetwing Hotels is Sri Lanka’s homegrown, multi-award winning, eco-friendly resort group with properties across the island nation. www.jetwinghotels.com Jetwing Holidays offers tours, guides, drivers and ground services essential to navigating Sri Lanka’s many hidden gems. www.jetwingholidays.com

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MALDIVES

A stunning Maldivian sunset at Per Aquum Huvafen Fushi www.jetsetter.hk

MALDIVES 65

THE GREAT

INDIAN OCEAN ESCAPE

Nick Walton visits three of the most romantic resorts in the Maldives to discover the future of the world’s favourite Indian Ocean playground.

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MALDIVES (From top) The Two Bedroom Ocean Pavilion at Per Aquum Niyama; the acclaimed SubSix underwater restaurant and club

T

here’s only one real way to do breakfast when you’re in the Indian Ocean, and that’s seven meters below the surface of a stunning turquoise lagoon at

SubSix, the underwater restaurant and event space at Per Aquum Niyama, one of the Maldives’ most contemporary hideaways. As clown and parrot fish swim by, my wife Maggie and I are treated to a champagne-laced midmorning soiree, one of several enchanting encounters the resort plans for visiting lovers.

Once upon a time, a visit to the Maldives was all about enjoying the destination’s captivating beauty and doing as little as possible in the process. While there are still plenty of guests who arrive at Per Aquum Niyama, a 45-minute seaplane ride from the international airport at Malé, with that intention, an increasing number want to balance out all that relaxation with

Our Beach Pavilion with Pool is spacious and modern without being flashy; there’s a separate

activities that excite, inspire and even educate.

master bedroom, an elegant garden with outdoor shower, a bathroom with deep soak tub, and a cavernous lounge that looks out to the sea. On our first night the pink sky is captured in a

Per Aquum Niyama is an island that’s always

reflection that runs the length of our private plunge pool, the mirror-like waters of the lagoon only

reinventing itself; in fact it’s technically two

meters away across a pristine, deserted beach.

islands, Chill, home to the resort’s original villas and restaurant, the Lime Spa, and SubSix,

There’s time for a dip and a chilled glass of champagne before we make our way, guided by

located below its own pontoon 500ft off the

our Thakuru butler Milo, to the Tribal restaurant and a chance to learn African Latino cooking

white sandy beach, and recently opened Play,

techniques from award-winning chef Ken Gundu, who uses his time spent in Botswana and

an island that adds new restaurants, activities

Belize to blend the influences of Africa with South America. We learn the different spices and

and accommodation options ideally suited for

herbs used in Tribal’s dishes, many plucked straight from the resort’s organic gardens, and then

families and the active. For couples looking for

attempt to recreate the likes of shrimp salbute tortillas and fluffy escabeche fish, under Ken’s

romance but who don’t want to just while their

watchful eye. At dinner we’re served by a towering Maasai warrior, a final touch complemented

days away by the pool, it’s ideal.

by African music and phenomenal food that whisks guests far from the usual resort buffet.

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MALDIVES

Edge (top) and BLU (below) are two of the innovative dining experiences at Per Aquum Niyama

That evening we head to the trees and Per Aquum Niyama’s newest creation, Nest. This unique restaurant features a menu packed with Asian flavors; there’s a teppanyaki hot plate downstairs but for a true experience, ascend the stairs to the canopy walkways which link the separate dining areas of the multi-level treehouse. Each private pod is suspended six meters above the lush jungle and offers an enchanting and utterly romantic escape amongst the treetops.

It’s a quick seaplane flight and speed boat transfer to one of the Maldives’ most revered hideaways, the tiny, unassuming and utterly indulgent Naladhu, a tropical oasis by Anantara.

The beauty of Naladhu is that not only does its spacious and beautifully-appointed beach and ocean ‘houses’ offer unparalleled privacy (enough even for the late Saudi King as well as a raft of millionaires and celebrities who regularly visit), but you also have all the facilities and restaurants of Anantara Dhigu and Anantara Veli just across the lagoon.

We’re welcomed with the ringing of a traditional gong as Zahid, our shy but charming butler, leads us down manicured paths and through lush gardens to our beachfront abode.

This isn’t my first visit to Naladhu and it’s reassuring to see little as changed; our Beach House with Pool, one of just 20 retreats, is perfect for sun lovers and beach bunnies. With the décor of a sophisticated summer home, complete with elegant hardwood touches, exotic art, a full wet bar, and cutting-edge technology, the bungalow-style suite is ideal for couples looking to temporarily retire from the world.

French doors open onto a shaded sala with swing seat, a private plunge pool and a path that leads to a 30-meter stretch of idyllic sand. The bathroom is semi-open air, with a deep soak tub, and outdoor wall shower.That night we dine under the stars at The Living Room, Naladhu’s sole restaurant, which has the ambiance of a tropical private members retreat, complete with its own glass-lined wine

The next morning, after our romantic breakfast at SubSix, which not only features

cellar.

the underworld venue below but also a chic restaurant and cocktail lounge above called Edge, we cruise back to the main resort pier to don flippers and masks

But it’s not all somnolent living.The next morning, we meet

before heading out, this time to Niyama’s own private picnic island, for a spot of

with the team at Tropic Surf at their centre at Anantara Veli.

guided snorkeling and a picnic lunch on a deserted shaded beach. We race across

After a quick briefing we’re hitting the sunkissed beach,

the mirror-still lagoon as couples start their day under the sun, taking a dip in the

practising our ‘chicken wings’, our ‘lizard legs’ and finally

lagoon or breakfast at BLU, the resort’s new Mediterranean-themed all day dining

our ‘pop’; within ten minutes we’re riding surfboards on the

restaurant. Under the Indian Ocean sun the colours of the island – red and yellow

tranquil waters of the lagoon. Maggie proves a natural, and

umbrellas, brilliant white sand, lush green canopies, impossibly blue water, and

with a push from our South African instructor Brent, rides all

the yellow of an arriving seaplane – are intensified. It makes every return to the

the way to shore. Even if I’m no Kelly Slater the experience is

Maldives like a first encounter.

exhilarating and TropicSurf offers everything from beginner classes right through to seaplane surf safaris.

The perfect counter balance to a day spent on the beach is a treatment at the resort’s Lime Spa, which is hosting a photo shoot for famed South African model

After all that exertion we spend the afternoon in the cool

Jessica Buchanan when we visit. The key here is wellness heritage and innovation

of the Ocean Retreat, certainly the most exclusive spa in

in equal measure; you can try a host of signature treatments using island coconut

the Maldives. With just one treatment room – a sumptuous

oil or Maldivian sand, align your chakras in SubLime, a serene garden with sauna

Ocean House with Pool converted into a sole-use spa – the

and steam rooms and pools; or fight off the jetlag with one of the After Dark rituals

Ocean Retreat offers a range of soaks, scrubs, massages

that promise to send you directly to a tropically inspired Cloud Nine.

and wraps. Take a dip in the private pool, serenaded by the

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MALDIVES peach hue. Later, under a canopy of stars that reaches to the horizon, we sip cocktails at Raw, a super-sexy lounge with al fresco seating, before dining at Salt, an innovative seafood restaurant with open kitchens, tables perched above the lagoon, and an enviable caviar selection.

The next day it’s hard to draw ourselves from the luxury of our Ocean Bungalow with Pool,

(From top): Exploring the lagoon by traditional Dhoni; romantic moments at Per Aquum Huvafen Fushi

one of 12. Thoughtfully appointed, spacious and supremely private, the overwater villa faces the infinity of the Indian Ocean rather than the lagoon, ensuring no unwanted visitors. The main bedroom is cathedrallike, with soaring ceilings and polished wood floors, while the bathroom features a Jacuzzi bath that could fit a cricket team. Outside, on a three-tiered private deck,is an infinity plunge pool and a duo of sun loungers.

We emerge if only to replace solitude with solitude, first with a spot of luxurious pampering at the Lime Spa’s breathtaking underwater treatment room, which is wreathed by a vibrant house reef packed with inquisitive tropical fish, followed with a private champagne picnic on a secluded sandbank. Chinay and his team ferry us to our private white sand retreat by Dhoni and leave us in the shade of an umbrella with a sumptuous lunch in the most indulgent and romantic of Maldivian escapades.

That night, our last in the Maldives, we celebrate in subterranean style, first with

thundering surf that hammers against the sea walls (making the ocean facing villas the most private of all) and then surrender to the likes of the Ocean Signature Massage, which uses a blend of oils to stimulate circulation and promote deep relaxation.

That evening, positively floating through the coconut palms that wreath the tiny resort, we’re led to the end of a pontoon where Zahid has prepared a candlelit dinner. Surrounded by the tranquility of the lagoon, we watch stars emerge from the indigo skies and dine on locally caught lobster as if we were the last people left in the world. If you’re looking for a destination dining concept that’s bound to set hearts a flame, this is it.

Our final stop on our romantic Maldivian escape needs little introduction. Award-winning Per Aquum Huvafen Fushi, also in the North Malé atoll, is legendary among the luxury resorts of the

a private wine paired dinner at Vinum, the resort’s unique underground wine cellar, home to 6,000 bottles and a dedicated sommelier, and then with a return visit to the underwater spa suite for a private exploration of the reef system with the knowledgeable resident marine biologist. Capturing the fluorescent brilliance of the coral under UV lights is a mesmerising experience and just one of a beautifully curated collection that lovers can look forward to at three of the Maldives’ most iconic and innovative retreats.

Maldives. If Niyama is the modern face of the Indian Ocean and Naladhu is the best of tropical escapism, then Huvafen Fushi is the Grande Dame, a resort with just 43 private bungalows and pavilions and the world’s first underwater spa, that’s welcomed everyone from George Clooney and Kate Moss to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, who had their honeymoon here.

Chinay, our shy but ever-smiling Thakuru, explains the resort’s amenities as he serves champagne during a sunset cruise on one of Huvafen Fushi’s traditional Dhoni yachts. It’s a magically romantic experience as we circumnavigate the island, the sky above turning a fiery www.jetsetter.hk

Travel Essentials Per Aquum Niyama: From US$732 per night, twin share; www.niyama.peraquum.com Naladhu: From US$1,408 per night, twin share; www.naladhu.anantara.com Per Aquum Huvafen Fushi: From US$2,099 per night, twin share; www.huvafenfushi.peraquum.com

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VILLA LIVING

DA R E TO E XP E RI E N C E As Samujana unveils its all-new villas, Gayatri Bhaumik heads to Koh Samui to check out what the luxury villa property has to offer. www.jetsetter.hk

K

oh Samui’s five-star beach resorts are all well and good, but checking into Samujana, a luxury estate just ten minutes from the island’s international airport, is where you go for a real bespoke experience.

The sprawling property boasts 25 villas ranging between three and eight bedrooms, with more due to be ready in the months after our visit. While each villa is individually owned, all of them are designed

by Gary Fell of Gfab Architects, giving the whole property a contemporary feel that works with the natural surrounds. The cohesive design aesthetic, which draws heavily on natural materials and earthy tones, allows the villas to function as one big vacation rental estate under the Samujana banner.

Arriving at Villa 1, home for three nights, in one of the cars that stand by to whisk guests around the estate, I’m greeted by our villa host, Pan, and her team. She tells me that as the first to arrive, I have my pick of the bedrooms – there are five split over three levels – and it’s not hard to choose. The corner room on the top floor means waking up to stunning postcard views of azure ocean, private beach coves and lush greenery through the floorto-ceiling sliding doors that make up the front wall on the room. Inside, comfortable but minimalist (and very symmetrical) décor includes a massive bed, a comfortable chaise lounge, plenty of closet space, and just one intriguing piece of art on the walls; the massive bathroom features a double vanity, a deep soak tub and a separate rain shower and an expansive glass façade that blends the inside space with the natural surrounds outside.

A quick reconnaissance of the rest of the villa reveals a host of amenities that make this feel like a home, not a commercial property. The massive dining table

VILLA LIVING 73 for ten is the perfect setting for a lavish yet intimate sit-down meal one evening; the private cinema is ideal for holing up for late-night screenings; the small gym is a thoughtful, if ambitious, addition; while the big open kitchen is the site of a raucous Thai cooking class one afternoon. Of course this is Samui and an inordinate amount of time is spent at the villa’s L-shaped infinity pool, fringed by vegetation and sunloungers, as we bask in the tropical heat.

Guests at Samujana have access to a wide array of activities and experiences, and the property works with local experts to make sure they enjoy the best the island has to offer. While there’s no dedicated restaurant – this is not a resort, after all – the invilla culinary experiences are a highlight here, with Samujana able to cater for everything from opulent breakfast spreads and casual barbecues to sushi buffets and private chefs, among others.

For the active, there are a host of amenities on offer which truly spoil guests for choice. Hydrophilic guests can indulge in an array of water sports like snorkelling, or cruise the smaller islands off Samui on Samujana’s own yacht, the Kindered Spirit ; while landlubbers can do their best Rafael Nadal impression on the onsite tennis courts, spar with AJ, the tough-as-nails Muay Thai trainer, or bask in the serenity of private beachside yoga and pilates classes. If relaxation is the order of the day, therapists can be called in for indulgent massages in the privacy of your own room.

Properties like Samujana are becoming an increasingly popular choice for vacationers looking for a different type of beach holiday, and there’s a good reason. That elusive, compelling combination of luxury, privacy and fully bespoke experiences is something that can’t be found anywhere else. www.samujana.com

www.jetsetter.hk

74

HOTEL INSIDER

THE BELLE OF

SAINT-HONORÉ One of the city’s most anticipated openings in a decade, the Mandarin Oriental Paris is an easy walk from the Place Vendôme and Tuileries Gardens, and offers stylish, luxurious accommodation and crisp Old World service.

By N i ck Wa l to n

Despite a Bang & Olufsen television with audiovisual connectivity for iPods and MP3 players, there were no international power points in the room, which made charging laptops, camera, phones, and tablets a juggling act. All in all, the room is comfortable and inviting and on par with its competitors, though keep away from the minibar where a Red Bull goes for a gasping €14 (US$15.60).

Like many guests on business trips I didn’t have the time to linger through the hotel’s impressive restaurants and bars, which include the fine-dining Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx and the elegant Bar “8”, located in a courtyard garden that was packed on both evenings we visited. Breakfasts at Camélia, the hotel’s all-day dining venue, were a highlight; incredible pastries, fresh fruit, perfect eggs and genuinely charming service made it hard to leave each morning.

D

espite arriving in a rush, the very professional check-in staff ensured the process was well underway while we sipped glasses of chilled Champagne in the hotel’s intimate lobby. After enquiring at reception, housekeeping was waiting at my room door when I arrived and had the suit I needed for dinner pressed and returned within 30 minutes, which was very impressive.

My Mandarin Room, one of 138 rooms and suites, was stylish and spacious, with plenty of natural light from large windows that overlook an internal courtyard, and a design persona that blends touches of the East and West. The king-size bed was dressed in goose-down bedding and linens by Josephine Home and flanked by a large work desk.

The bathroom, with its Frette robes and Diptyque amenities, is a curious little nook that was practical if not snug. The bath and shower are combined in a separate space (look out for those sharp metal handles) but lacked the bathtub television described on the website.

www.jetsetter.hk

I did manage to slip in a dip at the hotel’s supersexy indoor swimming pool, which I had all to myself. If you’re a cardio buff there is a state-ofthe-art gym with personal trainers on hand, as well as a signature spa with four single and three couples’ treatment rooms and an indulgent menu of wraps, massages and scrubs. 251 rue SaintHonoré, Paris, France; Tel: +33 1 70 98 78 88; www.mandarinoriental.com Note: The author stayed as a fully-paid guest without the hotel’s knowledge.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

French Serenity in THE INDIAN OCEAN Constance Hotels and Resorts add new levels of bliss to its U Spa experiences through a new partnership with French skincare brand Ymalia.

O

ffering indulgent new

concept of Spa-sophrology. The exclusive

account a guest’s health, diet, fitness levels

spa experiences built

Parisian skincare range was chosen for

and skincare regime when we offer advice,”

around the tenets of

its strong alignment with the philosophy

says Constance’s corporate spa manager

personal

equilibrium

behind Constance Hotels and Resorts’ U

and naturopathic doctor, Dr Chase Webber.

wellbeing,

Spa concept. Ymalia’s 100 percent organic

“Ymalia adds leverage to our philosophy

Constance Hotels and

products and holistic spa rituals help create

with a package of certified organic skincare

Resorts has teamed up with luxury French

physical and mental balance, which is what

products and methods inspired by a tried and

skincare brand Ymalia, giving guests a new

the U Spa experience is all about. All Ymalia

tested relaxation technique.”

way to enjoy wellness in the Indian Ocean.

treatments start with sophrology dynamic

and

relief based on tried and tested breathing

Ymalia treatments are now available at the

The new partnership will offer exclusive

methods that melt stress, fatigue and anxiety.

U Spa at Constance Moofushi, Constance

treatments

“Our approach is holistic, so we take into

Ephélia and Constance Belle Mare Plage.

developed

around

Ymalia’s

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Havens of Holistic Wellness

that soothe and pamper the skin and body

aromatherapy massage oils, body scrubs, and

Designed to enhance the rest and relaxation

are available through the brand’s new

creams. Inspired by the lush fruits and plants

of their guests, Constance Hotels and

spa program, including the U Spa Classic

of the Indian Ocean, including ylang-ylang,

Resorts’ U Spa by Constance are holistic

massages, facials, and body treatments.

vanilla, coconut, sweet orange, frangipane,

havens of wellness.

For a real treat, indulge in the Signature

and aloe vera, each product combines 100

U

percent natural botanical ingredients with

The Philosophy

Experience

Massage,

Facial,

and

Body Treatment, which leaves spa-goers

scientific technology to create visible results.

Developed to help guests achieve a blissful

thoroughly relaxed and rejuvenated. Guests

state of balance in body and mind, U Spa

looking to address specific issues can also

U Spa Wellness Experience

by Constance is a bespoke experience

choose specialised massages that aid in

The holistic wellness experiences continue

that concentrates on maximising wellness,

relaxing, rejuvenating, detoxing, or recovering

outside the spas, with a range of fitness

enjoyment, and vitality. Guests can enjoy

after sports. Each of the specially developed

activities and specially-concocted cuisine. The

a new range of indulgent treatments, each

massages uses a targeted body oil from the

U Spa program offers Bodyweight Training,

inspired by the latest developments in the spa

U Spa product range. Fragrant scrubs and

Yoga, and Personal Training activities, held

world, as well as an enticing range of natural

wraps give a taste of your tropical Indian

either outside in the fresh sea air, or inside

U Spa products that pay tribute to the Indian

Ocean setting as they work to tone and

one of the properties’ fully-equipped gyms.

Ocean. Overseen by corporate spa manager

repair the skin, but other internationally-

Constance’s

Dr. Chase Webber, the program ensures

inspired rituals, like the Balinese, Ayurvedic,

provides healthy, innovative meals that are

that each U Spa ritual looks at the person

or Swedish massages, drawn from the best of

irresistibly delicious. These dishes incorporate

as a whole, creating a truly holistic wellness

the world’s wellness traditions.

natural foods high in essential nutrients,

experience.

U Spa Classic Treatments A full complement of hedonistic treatments

U Spa Products Adding to the indulgent spa experiences is a series of innovative spa products that includes

‘wellness

cuisine’

concept

beneficial omega fats, soluble fibers, and healthy proteins, and leave out added sugars and processed fats.

78

HOTELIER

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Photographer Kerstin Zu Pan Writer Kimberly Bradley

www.jetsetter.hk

HOTELIER 79

The driving force behind many of Stockholm’s top hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs isn’t Swedish at all. It’s Italian-born Sandro Catenacci.

W

hen 29-year old Italian Alessandro Catenacci brought the Stockholm restaurant empire owned by culinary great Tore Wretman in 1989, he quickly realised it boasted assets beyond the asking price. After liquidating aspects of it, including a painting from the Operakällaren restaurant by Swedish artstar Bror Hjorth, which went for 11 million Swedish kronor (US$1.3 million), he set about creating his own legacy. But he is the first to admit that despite his successes, he has also made mistakes. “Oh, lots of them,” he laughs heartily.

“I have a longstanding joke that I was lucky I owned my own business, because if I’d been an employee, I would definitely have been fired!”

Statements like this one are proof that Catenacci, who always goes by Sandro, doesn’t take himself too seriously despite being a serious businessman. The company he bought from Wretman, Nobis Group, now includes top-tier hotels in addition to some of Stockholm’s best restaurants and nightspots, including the new Nobis Hotel, Stockholm’s grandest property on the beautiful, bustling Norrmalmstorg Square. The numbers are impressive: Nobis Group’s revenues have doubled over the past six years, with the company now employing 1,700 people and serving some four million guests every year. “I sometimes look at myself in the mirror and think, ‘Am I really good at anything, or was it just luck?’”

The eldest of five siblings, Catenacci was brought to Sweden from Rome by his parents, who had come seeking to build a restaurant mini-empire. Though he was just a few months old when he left his native country, his southern roots still run deep. He claims a love for Italian food and soccer. He has, as he says, “an Italian temperament,” which manifests itself perhaps most tellingly in his company’s strong sense of family, as well as his penchant for Italian clothing (the latter should come as little surprise, as his company owns half of Italian clothier Alberto Biani). But his work ethic and sense of what modern luxury means

lean toward the Scandinavian. “Here in Sweden,” he says, “people appreciate a small house where they can be alone, rather than a big one in marble”—an idea he embraces at the Nobis Hotel, where clean spaces, natural materials, and comfortable, muted colors put guests at ease with their simplicity. “I, too, really love things that are simple.”

Like tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. “If you were to put me on a deserted island, you could give me just tomatoes and I’d be fine,” he quips. Radical perhaps for someone who was the driving force behind several of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed restaurants in the past few decades. He is, after all, the son of a lifelong chef. He is also the older brother of Stefano Catenacci, Nobis Hotel’s Michelin-starred chef de cuisine. Not only have the two Catenaccis had an exceptional career working together on the company’s restaurants, but they also cater all major events for the Swedish royal family, including the 2010 wedding of Prince Daniel and Princess Victoria, while the Nobis Group now also includes Hotel Skeppsholmen.

The firm’s vision—purist and somewhat minimalist, but often incorporating warm elements—is obvious in Hotel J and Hotel Skeppsholmen. In the flagship Nobis Hotel, however, it reaches new heights, so to speak: a cathedrallike lounge with 25-meter ceilings is situated in a vast 800sqm public space. Just off the lounge is the Golden Bar, which exemplifies its name with walls and the ceiling covered with golden mirrors. There are several restaurants, including the new version of the Caina, serving simple and delectable Italian food by—who else—Sandro Catenacci’s younger brother, chef Stefano.

Although all of the rooms at the Nobis are impressive, even those on the smaller side feel expansive thanks to high ceilings and large bathrooms. The hotel’s materials, such as zinc, rusted metal, stone, and native woods, are meant to gain a patina that improves them with age. In the rooms, which are awash in brown tones starting with the dark stained oak floor, everything is thought out in great www.jetsetter.hk

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HOTELIER

detail, with a mind to how travellers really use their spaces—from the placement of lights to the ease of technology.

Personality often goes by the wayside in large hotel chains, which can lack warmth behind the slick exterior. “In big hotels you standardise things because they have to work. But you have to take care of guests in a personal way,” says Catenacci, who often keeps an eye out for the right kind of people to work in his company. Many of them aren’t from the hotel industry at all, but embody what the hotelier is looking to give his guests. “Not long ago I was with my family at the airport and it was early in the morning. The waiter was fantastic. I took his number and I sent it to the manager of the Nobis.” www.jetsetter.hk

It’s this personal, down-to-earth approach that Catenacci also uses in his other businesses, and, well, it works. All of the properties in the group are environmentally aware, bearing the Nordic Ecolabel. “We feel strongly in Sweden that luxury is not always big spaces and the most expensive things,” says Catenacci. “It’s something completely different. Luxury could be taking care of the environment, driving a hybrid car rather than a Bentley. It’s a quality that feels different.”

And one that translates into all languages—be it Swedish, Italian, or beyond.

This story originally ran in Design Hotels’ Made by Originals book. www.designhotels.com

82

ROAD WARRIOR

KING OF THE GAME

Malcolm Borwick has

been at the top of the regal sport of polo for a decade. He talks with Nick Walton about the game’s luxurious persona, the hectic travel schedule and how to stay at the front of the pack.

What's your next destination?

brainstorming everything from marketing ideas to

was OK this year; England were too strong for

Malaysia, then Jeju Island off Korea.

polo tactics. I find long haul flights cathartic as it is

South America and won at a canter. The event is

selfish time and often you get thinking about things

important as it has real heritage in the sport and

from a different perspective, and I have to write the

has been played by the best players in the world

ideas down as by the morning I can’t remember

for over 80 years. Socially it is a feature of the

them.

London season and draws interest from around

You're living in Spain at the moment - what's something many people miss when they visit?

In this area in particular people tend to flock to

the world. Test matches are few and far between in the world of polo, where the professional circuit

especially in the month of August. A hidden gem

As a professional polo player where is hallowed ground for you?

is Hotel Finca Cortesin, laid-back luxury further up

Palermo number 1 Field in Buenos Aires. It is to

Coronation Cup over 15 times, I personally still

in the hills and completely breathtaking, and with

polo what Lords is to cricket.

believe that pulling on your national shirt is the

the beaches which can be very over-crowded,

one of the best golf courses I have ever played.

The polo circuit keeps players and teams travelling - what are the major destinations you visit to play?

You've just won a major match in your favourite city - where are you and where do you go to celebrate?

grabs most of the attention. Having played the

summit of a sports career.

Where do you suggest people interested in picking up the game of polo play in Asia?

If I had to choose a city it would be Cape Town,

Wherever they are! There are polo clubs in Manila,

We do four main destinations over the year:

and the bar would be The Grand Cafe. However,

Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Shanghai,

Argentina, Palm Beach Florida, England and then

being from the country not the city I would have

Beijing, Ulan Batur, India, Pakistan…… So they

Sotogrande. In between those trips, depending

to choose our favourite local pub in West Sussex,

should not have to look too hard.

how willing you are, there are plenty of other

The Duke of Cumberland. Full of friends and

destinations to visit. I have played professionally

locals who know what it takes to win The Gold

in 33 countries so far, and still have another 10

Cup in the UK.

or 15 to go!

You have a tour of Asia with Royal Salute coming up. Where will you be travelling and what are the highlights of the tour?

You were in London for the Royal Salute Coronation Cup recently - how was that event, the polo and the crowd? Why is this event so important to the sport?

I am going to Malaysia, Singapore and Korea on

The event was a great success; we had perfect

this trip; they are important markets for the brand

weather for entertaining in the Royal Salute

and great places to visit for polo.

Secret Garden, which created an atmosphere

Where's the most exotic place the sport has taken you?

The Apes Hill polo club on the West Coast of Barbados takes some beating; playing polo as the sun sets into the Caribbean sea is as exotic as it sounds!

What's been your most memorable polo travel experience?

Staying at the Maharajah's palace in Jodhpur for

very conducive to drinking 21 Year Old blended

What are five essentials we will always find in your carry on?

the Royal Salute Jubilee Cup in India was a truly

Scotch! The crowd as ever, at the highest rated

memorable week. It was like stepping into a time

polo match in the Northern Hemisphere, was

machine and going back 100 years. The luxury

My Piaget Polo 45 watch, my iPad Air, a good

very diverse. From Royalty to your local polo

was unprecedented and the Indian hospitality

book, a pashmina from Jaipur for the long haul

enthusiast, some came for the game, others

was exceptional.

flights, and my Royal Salute notebook that I use for

came for the off field entertainment. The game

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Many of Flight Centre’s travel advisors are experienced divers and are always happy to send their customers to their favourite locales beneath the waves.

SWING TO PERFECTION If a round of golf on one of the world’s top courses is more your style, Flight Centre has you covered. Golf is a sport to be savoured, to be enjoyed at your leisure and if your idea of a perfect holiday includes playing 18-holes on your own time, Flight Centre can set you up with a dedicated golfcation, or organize tee-off times at some of the world’s top courses as part of a larger itinerary. For weekend escapes their collection of golf itineraries include Asia’s top fairways, from Phuket’s Red Mountain Club and Blue Canyon Club, through to Ernie Elsdesigned courses on Vietnam’s Lang Co coastline. For something even more memorable, combine a round at one of the best courses in the world, from St Andrews to Pebble Beach, complemented by whisky tours, deep sea fishing, and local hospitality.

TIME TO DETOX It’s important to escape the rat race and pamper mind and body. In Asia we’re spoilt for choice, with some of the world’s best destination spas in our own backyard. Flight Centre’s dedicated wellness consultants have the inside line on the very best pampering the region has to offer, from spa cuisine at Hua Hin’s acclaimed Chiva Som, and modern holistic living at Six Senses resorts, to immersive wellness journeys overlooking the volcanic peaks of Central Java. Flight Centre offer a comprehensive customization service that ensures you’re getting exactly what you need from your wellness holiday, from in-depth consultations through to rest, relaxation and plenty of creature comforts.

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THE LIST

VIEW

FROM THE TOP Take a walk on the wild side and a fresh perspective on some of the world's most exotic landscapes with our favourite hot-air ballooning experiences. By Gayatri Bhaumik

Explore Africa’s awe-inspiring landscapes and wildlife from the air with Serengeti Balloon Safaris’ dawn flights over Tanzania. Catch sight of lions, hippos, leopards, giraffe and zebra from the air, and if you’re lucky, a glimpse of the two million wildebeest that migrate from Kenya to Lake Victoria each year. On landing, you’ll enjoy a champagne toast and an Out of Africa breakfast served with linen, bone china, and Sheffield cutlery under the shade of an acacia tree. www.balloonsafaris.com Enjoy unprecedented views of Australia’s vast Red Centre with Outback Ballooning, who offer 30 or 60-minute flights that launch 15 kilometres from Alice Springs, just next to the MacDonnell Ranges, and soar over the historic Owen Springs Cattle Station. Post-flight, enjoy sparkling Australian wine – or tropical juice – along with muffins, biscuits, cheese and fresh fruit. www.outbackballooning.com.au Enjoy a bird’s eye view of Bagan’s more than 2,200 pagodas and temples with a sunrise journey over the capital of the first Myanmar Empire with Balloons Over Bagan. You’ll begin with a mysterious, mist-shrouded view, and end with

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spectacular panoramas over the more than 15 square miles that make up the historic former capital as the rays of the morning sun break through the fog. Later, celebrate the experience with fruit, fresh pastries and chilled champagne. www.easternsafaris.com Explore the legendary fairy chimneys of Turkey’s Cappadocia region with Royal Balloon and their 60-minute Royal Queen Flights or 90-minute Royal King Flights. Each includes luxury minivan transfers, a pre-flight “Rich” buffet breakfast, a postflight celebration with Kavaklidere “InciDamlasi” sparkling wine, and a commemorative gold medal. www.royalballoon.com Look over the picturesque landscapes of the Swiss Alps with Ballon Château-d’Oex, whose year-round flights offer breathtaking 360-degree panoramas over the area’s storybook villages and the snow-capped tips of Mont Blanc, the Eiger and the Matterhorn. Flights set off from the village of Châteaux-d’Oex, and include a post-flight tipple and a flight cer tificate. www.ballonchateaudoex.ch

www.chantaramas.com resv-th@epikureanlifestyle.com Address: 123 Moo 4 Baan Tai Koh Phangan, Suratthani – Thailand Tel.: +66 2 664 0975-6 Fax.: +66 2 664 0977

86

CANADA

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CANADA 87

JOURNEY TO TH E W E ST

The authenticity that we seek in our travel is what we want from the world. Western Canada delivers on two of our most intimate longings: the sense of adventure and the experience of nature, discovers Andrea Oschetti.

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88

CANADA (from left) Box of Treasures; mountainbiking the South Chilcotin Mountains

I

am travelling the North West of Canada deliberately using four different modes; walking and cycling embody the slow, old ways of moving through the landscape: the train and the light plane are the fast and marvellous machines by which the modern world was able to open the Wild West.

Vancouver isn't just the geographical gateway of my journey, but offers unique opportunities to experience the culture of the Aboriginal Canadians thanks to a diverse travel menu that is both accessible and authentic. By experiencing the traditional ways of the indigenous people, who for centuries lived in the places that I am about to visit, I am seeking to broaden the perspective of my travel experience.

One hour after I land at Vancouver International Airport, I arrive at the Sweat Lodge, a dome-shaped hut used by the indigenous people of North America for ceremonial steam baths and prayer. Its importance lies in the need to re-purify one's self and reconnect with traditional ways of living. In the darkness of the lodge, Shoshoni elder Old Hand pours water on the hot stones and tells me: “the Sweat Lodge makes you think freely, it’s the place to become what you are, not what society wants you to be.�

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The sweat ceremony is one of many authentic cultural amenities offered

by Skwachays Lodge. Owned and operated by the Vancouver Native Housing Society, Skwachays is a new boutique hotel come art gallery, with themed rooms created by aboriginal artists. Located in central Gastown, one of the city's most vibrant and historic neighbourhoods it offers an experience unlike any you'll find in the business district and marina-side hotels.

On my second day in Vancouver I take a guided walk through Stanley Park with Candace Campo, a First Nations Shishalh of the wolf clan, to understand the aboriginal relationship with nature, which is grounded in respect. Candace is an artist, a social advocate and an entrepreneur who started Talasay Tours, a business dedicated to teaching tourists about her heritage through cultural and eco-experiences on kayak and on foot.

A visit to the permanent collection of the acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920-1998) is the best opportunity to appreciate aboriginal northwest coast art in Vancouver. The temporary exhibition Box of Treasures particularly captures my imagination. It features masks used in the Kwakwaka'wakw potlatch ceremony, a celebration where dancers follow the rhythms of log drums and powerful singers, animating the masks and unfolding ancient stories surrounding the Man-Eater

CANADA 89

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90

CANADA

(left to right) The Rocky Mountaineer; horseback adventures in British Columbia

Birds, the Spirits of the Forest, the Chief of the Undersea, and other beings of the supernatural realm.

The parallel is singular, but in my meanderings around Vancouver I found the strongest similarity to the Aboriginal’s affection for nature in the city’s dining scene. Searching for the best places to eat, I met up with two young chefs, Alex Chen of Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar and Ron Shaw of Grapes & Soda. They cherish nature and value the benefit to health and taste of local organic farming and fresh products, like Candace Campo and Old Hand would. Alex and Ron lead the Vancouver trend: quality food from farm to table.

I leave Vancouver by taking a train to Banff and Jasper National Parks, the most breathtaking of Canada's great outdoor attractions. The journey itself is a treat: this was the railway that opened up the West. The luxurious Rocky Mountaineer train service follows the old route to Banff, rushing past fast rivers, deep gorges and mountain passes. As I’m pampered with gourmet meals in the glass domed coach, I feel the same excitement as the prospectors, surveyors, missionaries, trappers, mountain men and other explorers of the wild frontier who travelled this route more than 100 years ago.

Off the train, I continue my journey on foot, slower, alone and self-reliant, embracing the philosophy that without challenge I cannot test my limitations.

I set off from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, 100km south of Banff to venture northbound for 150km along the Rocky Mountain’s Great Divide Trail. It is a spectacular journey but unrecognised yet by the Canadian authorities. This is the natural continuation of the Pacific Crest Trail, which has experienced a recent spike in popularity after the movie adaption of Cheryl Strayed's book, Wild. www.jetsetter.hk

For many hikers this walk constitutes a dream: to hike a trail not simply off the beaten track, but before it becomes popular.

Over five days I cross several protected parks with well maintained trails and wilderness areas with unmarked tracks. I traverse great forests, climb over mountain passes, ford rivers, at all times immersed in wildlife. In the evening I set up camp, build a fire, and sit in silence in the majestic valleys of the Rockies, content with a deep sense of satisfaction.

CANADA 91

My hike in the wild ends in style as I arrive at one of the original great retreats of the Rockies: the Shadow Lake Lodge. Built in 1928 as one of the network of huts designed to provide shelter for back-country hiking and riding parties, the lodge is accessible only on foot or by cross country ski via a 22km route. Unlike other back-country lodges, no helicopters fly in here. It is also located at the heart of one of the most stunning landscapes that I have encountered on this trip.

I continue the “slow� part of my journey on two wheels, along the Icefield Parkway, one of the most spectacular roads in the world, stretching 232km from Jasper to Banff. I'm in good hands - Rocky

Mountain Cycle Tours, operating since 1977, is possibly the most experienced local bicycle tour company in the area.

Together with five fellow riders, I travel in the shadow of majestic mountain ranges and gargantuan glaciers, stopping by turquoise lakes for impromptu barbecues prepared by our support team. We pose proudly for photographs next to road signs warning tourists to stay inside their vehicle if approached by a bear.

My final means of transportation is de Havilland Canada DHC-2 propeller-driven floatplane, known as "the Beaver," that in the mid 20th www.jetsetter.hk

92

CANADA

(clockwise from top left) service on the Rocky Mountaineer; the majestic beauty of the Canadian interior; the Banff line crosses an alpine river

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CANADA 93 century made it possible to connect the region’s most isolated corners to the world and today to visit the most pristine natural wonders.

TYAX Adventures uses a remote luxury lodge in the South Chilcotin Mountains - accessible from Vancouver or Whistler - as a base for guided adventures on foot, mountain bike and horseback.

The floatplane takes me and my mountain bike to a remote alpine lake deep in the backcountry.

Assisted by a guide, I ride over three days along tight single track trails through spectacular mineral-rich mountains with fast and sandy descents. We spend the nights sleeping at Tayax’s fully stocked backcountry camps.

The outdoor opportunities on offer by TYAX will appeal to everyone with a sense of adventure.

The atmosphere is different from the mountain bike tour, but the level of excitement is the same as I join a “flightsee” tour and land on a remote glacier in British Columbia. There, I accompany two glaciologists from the University of Victoria who are studying ancient weather patterns by analysing tree logs unearthed by retreating glaciers.

Standing on this remote glacier where only a handful of people have set foot is a true luxury, one of many such feelings I've had on this trip.

Travel Essentials Skwachays Lodge www.skwachays.com

Talaysay Tours www.talaysay.com

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art www.billreidgallery.ca

Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar www.boulevardvancouver.ca

Grapes & Soda

www.grapesandsoda.ca

Rocky Mountaineer

www.rockymountaineer.com

Great Divide Trail Association www.greatdividetrail.com

Shadow Lake Lodge

www.shadowlakelodge.com

Rocky Mountain Cycle Tours www.rockymountaincycle.com

Tyax Adventures

www.tyaxadventures.com www.jetsetter.hk

94

TURNING LEFT

Vive la Mediocrity

experiences shoddy hardware, average service and a baggage meltdown on a recent Air France flight to Hong Kong.

Check In Air France allows passengers to check in up to 30 hours before their flight, which I did. Upon arriving at Paris’ Charles de Gualle airport I was told by check in staff that my booking was for the previous day and I had been a “no-show”, despite having already checked in. After a long wait at the ticketing centre Air France admitted a glitch and rectified the issue.

The Lounge As I was departing from gate K41, decended to the Air France Lounge K, conveniently located just past security. The spacious lounge features great shower facilities, café and lounge seating areas and a rather curious hot and cold buffet which included vegetable salad, apple pie and beef and onion stew, as well as a selection of French wines and spirits.The lounge caters for approximately 120 guests and was quite busy.

lifejacket panels falling open – a crew member used baggage advisory stickers in an attempt to hold the flap closed. Seats offer very little in the way of storage and the headphone jack is a nightmare to reach.

Due to the late hour of the flight and the subsequent delay, I joined many other passengers in skipping the meal and this seems to suit crew well – they promptly dimmed the lights and continued their hibernation in the galley despite call buttons going off across the cabin.

Even when it came to ordering duty free, instead of being brought my purchase, I was asked to follow crew through first class to the front of the plane where another crew member languished with the credit card machine.

The Aftermath

A last minute gate change had passengers a little confused but boarding onto the 777-300ER aircraft was quick once the process started. Soon after boarding began, the captain announced a delay due to “missing luggage”. During this two hour delay on-board crew preferred to chat in the galley rather than make any real effort at service, a point we had noticed on previous flights.

After a forgettable breakfast service we arrived in Hong Kong 75 minutes late despite a strong tail wind. At the baggage carousel the first signs of trouble were when the boards stated all luggage had arrived despite a crowd of expectant passengers. A single staff member quietly worked the ranks filling in baggage forms – a total of 200 pieces had been left off the flight despite the two hour delay during which we were supposedly waiting for them. Repeated calls to Air France’s local baggage agents, which had promised delivery by the next night, were met with abuse and were promptly disconnected. My single case was finally delivered two nights after arriving in Hong Kong.

The Flight

Summary

Boarding

Air France has been slow to roll out its newest business class product across the fleet, leading to two of three different products flown out of Hong Kong – the nicer, newer but already lacking in competitiveness A380 product, and the considerably older style available on some 777-300ERs. Our 777 offered lie-flat but heavily angled business class seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. The business class cabin really showed its age, with a nicotine yellow hue complemented by chipped and scratched surfaces; both my seat and that of my neighbor had www.jetsetter.hk

It’s one thing to have an antiquated product but it’s another when poor hardware is complemented by lackluster service and a total logistical meltdown. Reputations are sometimes well deserved. Hong Kong Paris return from HK$40,000 (US$5,160). www.airfrance.com Note: The author travelled as a fully-paid guest without the airline’s knowledge

TURNING LEFT 95

THE FUTURE

OF FLYING

Maggie Chooi finds innovation and comfort in equal measure on a recent flight from Hong Kong to Dubai on Emirates’ flagship Airbus A380.

The Lounge Emirates has its own signature lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, located near gate 40. I was warmly welcomed by staff in Emirates’ striking uniform and guided into the lounge, which features sofas, a dedicated business centre, and café-style seating around an extensive hot and cold buffet. A full bar service offered chilled Veuve Clicquot champagne, and a good selection of spirits and mixers and as I enjoyed my Bloody Mary, staff regularly reminded guests of the updated boarding time of the Emirates flights to Bangkok and Dubai.

My only niggle with the space is that it isn't enclosed like many other lounges at HKIA, meaning it can be a little hot and bright, with ambient noise from the concourse and food court below.

Boarding The boarding process for the three-class Airbus A380-800 was very efficient for such an extraordinarily large aircraft. After finding my seat I was greeted by a friendly cabin crew (Emirates is always very proud of its international cabin crew and on our flight the

team represented 16 nationalities and spoke 17 languages) with a glass of Moët & Chandon champagne, a wine list, and a stylish amenity kit that featured miniature Bulgari products.

The Flight The business class cabin on the Emirates flagship A380 is located on the upper deck and features a 1-2-1 configuration that offers each passenger direct aisle access. My fully lie-flat seat was superbly comfortable and offered plenty of storage space as well as easily accessed USB and AC ports. There is also a personal minibar, stocked with mineral water and soft drinks, but as it’s not chilled most passengers preferred to order a drink or visit the bar (more on that in a moment).

The seat also features Emirates’ awardwinning ICE entertainment system, with 2,000 channels accessed through two controllers – a conventional remote and a tablet that also controls seat position. I found the window seats to offer more privacy than the central seats.

Emirates also offers 10MB of free wifi per passenger, and 600MB for just US$1, across

all classes (the service isn’t available over China or India). I connected my Android mobile phone with the wifi and the speed was decent, with enough bandwidth to send out emails, Whatsapp messages and also check Facebook.

I also made time to visit the signature Onboard Lounge; located at the rear of the upper deck, it features a fully stocked and serviced bar with a great selection of premium spirits. A resident bartender will even shake you up a bespoke cocktail.

Dining Approximately 45 minutes after takeoff the crew started the dinner service. On the appetizer menu, we had a choice of sliced roast lamb loin with mango chutney; smoked salmon and caviar; and creamy tomato soup, followed by a choice of rack of lamb with tomato and olive sauce; steamed ling fillet with steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables; and roast chicken with fried egg noodles for the main course. I matched my roast chicken with a dirty martini, my first on a plane, and decided to skip dessert even though there were some brilliant selections on offer.

During the meal, crew patrolled the cabin with a wine and champagne sling to ensure speedy service at all times.

Summary Emirates obviously put a lot of thought into the comfort of their premium passengers, and the high consistency of the service, paired with an extensive network, gourmet dining, free wifi service and innovations like the Onboard Lounge ensures the airline will remain a stiff competitor to any other carrier globally. www.emirates.com Note: The author was travelling on an upgraded ticket as a guest of the airline www.jetsetter.hk

96

TURNING LEFT

The Little Airline that Could Sri Lankan Airlines UL423 Hong Kong-Bangkok

Check-In We had been assigned our seats during the reservation process so checked in at Hong Kong International Airport, where the airline’s team processed our boarding passes quickly and efficiently, pointing us in the direction of one of two pay-in lounges at HKIA operated by the Plaza Premium lounge group, both of which are also used by smaller airlines. The lounge is always packed but access with a Sri Lankan Airlines business class boarding pass gets you complimentary drinks at the bar and the lounge is a good staging space before your flight.

The Welcome After finding our seats on the Airbus 330200 aircraft we were greeted by smiling, welcoming cabin crew (after all, Sri Lanka is renowned for its warm hospitality), including Dilini, one of the best crew we have ever encountered, who ensured we were settled in before offering glasses of Jacquart champagne and cold Sri Lankan Lion lagers, hot towels and menus (she later gave us her recommendations for restaurants in Negombo and was spot on).

The Plane Sri Lanka, a member of oneworld, operates www.jetsetter.hk

both A330-200 and 330-300 aircraft (with new A350 aircraft coming in 2017) and is slowly rolling out a new generation business class across its fleet. The aircraft operated on the Hong Kong-Colombo (via Bangkok) route featured the older business class (as opposed to the new product on the A330300s), which is still surprisingly comfortable.

The cabin's 18 fully-lie flat seats, set in a 2-2 configuration, feature a pitch of 20cm, and plenty of storage based around a large monitor that presents a recently upgraded IFE system with over 100 movies, accessed using a unique little finger-tracker remote (though as always, you might want to bring your own noise-reduction headphones).

Dining Orders for our meal were taken quickly by Dilini before we left the gate and dinner was served in record time after reaching cruise altitude, despite the business class cabin being 80 percent full. A papaya salad with glass noodles and tofu was followed by a choice of stir-fried chicken with sweet chilli paste, fried noodles and vegetables; grilled red snapper in masala sauce; ragout of lamb with buttered penne and grilled peppers; and mushroom and green pea masala with steamed rice as a vegetarian option. A

notation in the menu pointed out that guests could mix and match the ingredients of the stated dishes to suit their preference. The salad was fresh, light and zesty, with just the right amount of heat, while the chicken was the perfect comfort food and was followed by a choice of fresh fruit and opera cake with mixed berries.

Summary We landed in Bangkok, the first half of our journey to Colombo, uneventfully but very impressed with Sri Lankan Airlines’ levels of service. Staff held themselves very well – nothing was too much trouble – and we left with an entirely different perception of the airline and its home destination, one which was further cemented on the subsequent five flights we would make with the airline in the following fortnight. From a value proposition, Sri Lankan is very competitively priced given the competition on the routes and the quality of the service and business class product – even if it is the more dated version. www.srilankan.com

Note: The author travelled on a fully-paid ticket with the airline's knowledge

LIFESTYLE

FOOD

ADVENTURES SOME LIKE IT HOT

FLOWER POWER

2016 LOTUS EVORA 400

THE BITE

HANOI

THE CULINARY CAPITAL WORLD’S BEST FOOD MARKETS TECH TOYS FOR 2015

JAPANESE WHISKIES

98

FOOD ADVENTURES

SOME LIKE IT

HOT The humble chilli has a long history in the cuisines of the world, but it also adds a touch of spice to a host of travel experiences, finds

Gayatri Bhaumik.

www.jetsetter.hk

FOOD ADVENTURES 99

Restaurant . The restaurant is helmed by

H

chef Hooi Kok Wai, who created the dish in the

The spicy 80-minute ritual begins with a chilli-clay

1950s. Hooi’s creation is a rich, spicy blend of

body wrap which begins infusing the body with

chilli, ginger, fresh lemon juice, sambal, meat

antioxidants. Next, healing experience is furthered

stock, western-style ketchup and egg white.

with a detoxifying massage using exfoliating

Once ready, whole, meaty Sri Lankan crabs are

gloves, and a massage using chilli oil. Finally, the

dunked into the sauce and plated with eggs.

treatment finishes with a relaxing cup of sweet chilli

Dig in for a satisfyingly fiery experience, and

tea which allows the pepper’s healing properties

make sure to use the fried mantou bread that’s

to work from the inside. www.well-comespa.dk

Y

ou can’t talk chilli dishes without mentioning

Singapore’s

iconic

chilli crabs, so start in the Lion City to sample the original chilli crabs at the Dragon Phoenix

ead north to Hellerup, a tiny waterfront town just north of Copenhagen, which claims to be the Danish answer to Beverley Hills. Here you’ll find the Well-

Come Spa and its fiery Chill It! Chilli Treatment.

provided to mop up the incredibly moreish gravy. www.dragonphoenix.com.sg

G

o

east

Philip of

Miami,

where

Khandehrish’s

to

menu

creative

Asian-inspired

Bar & Courtyard at The Setai Miami

cocktails

at

The

Beach features two sweat-inducing cocktails that are quirky twists on old standards. Ease into the heat with the Saigon Gimlet, a concoction of chilliinfused Russian Standard vodka, ginger liquor, citrus and basil; once warmed up, order the Chili Passion Martini, made with chilli-infused vodka, passionfruit rum, passionfruit purée and ginger syrup, topped off with lashings of chilli flakes – the passionfruit has just enough sweetness to take the edge off the spice in this innovative tipple. www.thesetaihotel.com

F

or the ultimate chilli experience, nip over to England, where Virgin Experience Days offers a Deluxe Chilli Tour and Tasting for Two in Bedfordshire. Explore the awardwinning Edible Ornamentals chilli nursery with an experienced guide who will take you through the history of the chillies produced here, from Jalapeño peppers to Scotch Bonnets. Pick up tips and recipe ideas with a visit to the commercial kitchen, where you’ll taste the gourmet sauces and fresh chillies showcased in the menu, before getting your chance to fill a bag with fresh chillies you pick yourself. Finally, you’ll go home with a souvenir hamper filled with two gourmet sauces, Italian spaghetti, chilli seeds a selection of gourmet Italian deli products – olives, artichokes and sundried tomatoes – so you can whip up a heat-packed meal at home. www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk

www.jetsetter.hk

100

CHEF PROFILE

Innovative French Michelin-starred chef Éric Chavot has been groomed for greatness in some of the world’s leading kitchens. Today he expresses his culinary style at his own Brasserie Chavot in London.

He talks ingredients, mentors, adopted homes and visions of the future with Nick Walton.

www.jetsetter.hk

CHEF PROFILE 101

Did you always want to be a chef?

Not initially, no. As I was growing up I was convinced I wanted to be a fireman: it’s every little boy’s dream.

Where did your biggest culinary influences come from growing up?

My mother and grandmother were my first inspirations. I have fantastic memories of growing up with their incredible French home-cooking. One of the early chefs I worked with, Monsieur Lahy, I consider my first mentor, and he has been a considerable influence on my work.

What’s one golden rule you’ve maintained throughout your career?

I believe it is crucial to remember that being a chef is not a job, it is a passion: you have to do it for the love of it. If you keep this in mind, you stop viewing it as ‘work’, and I find everything else comes together.

You’ve worked with many acclaimed chefs, including Pierre Koffman, Marco Pierre-White and Raymond Blanc. Who was the most influential on your current culinary style?

What kind of gastronomic experience does the Brasserie Chavot offer and what can’t we miss from the menu?

admit Brasserie Chavot is the first of my restaurants I eat in myself! My perfect menu would start with our steak tartare, followed by the cassoulet de canard et cochon, and topped off with a Baba au Rhum with crème Chantilly Parfait.

a badge of honour and quality, as it is a huge sign of our achievement as chefs it could be compared to being the OBE of the culinary world. I’ve been lucky to work with some of the most amazing Michelin-starred chefs, and this Michelin recognition is truly a reward. It is important to remember as chefs we don’t just work

It is important to remember as chefs we don’t just work towards achieving a star: when you put in the work with your brigade and with your customers, you will be rewarded.

towards achieving a star: when you put in the work with your brigade and with your customers, you will be rewarded.

As a Frenchman in the British capital do you have a love affair with London? Would you ever set up shop in another corner of the world, including the Far East?

Quite simply, Arcachon in France might be my birthplace, but London is my home. I

What ingredients and techniques are you experimenting with at the moment?

consider myself a true Anglophile: I love

As we enter autumn, we are playing

to be involved in a project out there.

with the use of sweetcorn, creating a smoked sweetcorn veloute. We will also couple of weeks, and introducing our root vegetables with honey glazed spices to

like the story of Cinderella: when you find

the menu.

the shoe that fits, you just know. When I

become a better version of yourself.

be discovered.

The Michelin star will always be seen as

and food that makes you smile. I have to

work to this day, some 20 years later. It’s

passion. As mentors, they inspire you to

are some incredible food experiences to

atmosphere, combined with great service

both had an equally lasting impact on my

very different styles, they share the same

French cooking has long held, and there

into creating a relaxed and welcoming

be bringing back chestnuts in the next

made sense to me. While they have two

globe has caught up with the prestige that

How important are Michelin stars to chefs today?

We have applied 30 years of knowledge

Pierre Koffman and Raymond Blanc have

walked into their kitchens, everything just

down, the world’s best. The rest of the

How has French cuisine evolved and what are common misconceptions?

To be honest, I think French cuisine continues to surprise and delight, but a misconception is that it is still, hands

the buzz, the culture and the sense of discovery. Setting up a Brasserie Chavot in another part of the world is certainly something I aspire to, and I have a love for Asia and the Orient: it would be fantastic

You’ve created restaurants, won accolades and built a strong culinary reputation – what’s next for Eric Chavot?

My ultimate goal would be opening one or two further Brasserie Chavot restaurants.

Another in London would allow me to spend the morning in one place, and the evening in another. I am 48 going on 18 – as long as my body can cope, you can be sure I will carry on! www.jetsetter.hk

102

TOP TABLES Visitors to Hong Kong looking for high flying entertainment need look no further than newly opened

CÉ LA VI,

a new club and restaurant concept

located atop California Tower. The three level space features a modern Asian restaurant with al fresco dining and a seasonally rotating menu; a doubleheight club floor with state-of-the-art D&B audio visual technology, resident DJs and a mixology program by Knut Randhem and Fabien Marcault; and an open air SkyBar complete with its own Jacuzzi. With designs

by Hong Kong’s AB Concepts that include dramatic custom-made chandeliers, living walls, open kitchens and staggering views, the decadent new club space is sure to capitalise on the success of its Singapore sibling (formerly Ku De Ta). http://hk.celavi.com

STEAK CUTS & CLUB FLOOR S

These are the hottest tables from across the region this season. By

Nick Walton

Fans of the humble lobster will rejoice with the opening of Bisque,

a tiny hidden dining room in Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong precinct that specialises in jet fresh Canadian lobster. The restaurant’s menu, served amidst dark, sexy interiors, is packed with lobsterlaced dishes, from the signature bisque which takes two days to make, through to decadent lobster rolls and whole fresh New Brunswick lobster, served in a variety of styles. For those without crustacean cravings, Bisque also serves up steamed Canadian blue mussels, seared Atlantic salmon fillets and marinated Spanish white anchovies (the foie gras is also, strangely, to die for). This luxurious menu is married with an extensive selection of boutique champagnes and a series of innovative cocktails, including the white peach martini and the Habiki sour, using special Japanese whisky and fresh yuzu. www.bisque.hk

Named for Tokyo and Osaka’s hidden street kitchens,

URA

has opened on the cusp of Central in Hong Kong and delivers

innovative Japanese fare from the restauranteur brothers behind nearby Indonesian restaurant IR1968. Dedicated to Japanese soul food, a culinary style rarely experienced outside of the Land of the Rising Sun, URA’s imaginative dishes are prepared by renowned chefs Takaoka Kouji and Kimura Junichiro, who use western techniques and ingredients flown in daily from Osaka to create insightful, entertaining sharing plates, including spicy cod roe cheese toast; tuna akami cutlet sandwiches and; a range of perfectly-grilled yakiniku bites. During the summer months guests can sample from the boutique whisky collection on the extensive outdoor terrace, while Omasake menus can be tailored for guests in the 14-seat private dining room. www.urajapan.com www.jetsetter.hk

TOP TABLES The Rosewood Beijing has unveiled

103

MEI,

a

sophisticated new lounge concept that offers an eclectic nightlife mix for the city’s discerning, fashionconscious crowd. Accessed via a private outdoor elevator the new lounge features vibrant city views set against the backdrop of the CCTV Tower. A specialist whisky divan serving up hard to source Scotch whiskies, an innovative cocktail bar created by international mixologist Giancarlo Mancion, and a small wine library with a select list of vintages, ensure MEI offers a little something for every visitor.

MEI also charms guests with its menu of Asian and Mediterranean tapas, best enjoyed on the grand terrace, where guests are serenaded by the sevenpiece Zing band as well as resident twin DJs Tang Twinz. www.rosewoodhotels.com

Editor’s Choice:

If you’re looking for an excuse to escape to the beaches of Hong Kong Island’s south side, Shoku has opened at The Pulse, Repulse Bay, offering a contemporary take on Japanese cuisine in one of the city’s most idyllic settings.

Shoku, which means ‘continuation’, specialises in authentic Binchotan charcoal grilled dishes and the eye-catching fire at the centre of the open kitchen adds a new element to lingering brunches, complimented by live jazz, or intimate dinners. All ingredients are flown in fresh from Japan and cooked to perfection, from mouthwatering whole silver cod saikyo yaki and prime Wagyu flat iron steaks, to Sagabuta pork collars. There are also innovative sushi dishes, addictive gyoza, and home-made kimchi noodles, all best enjoyed with a cold Okinawa Orion Draught. www.shoku.hk

Offering the best of both worlds, Hong Kong’s first steakhouse and sports lounge has opened in Causeway Bay. Primal

Cut

has the sophisticated interiors of a chic New York steakhouse,

complimented by a menu of imported seafood and meat cuts, but as the evening continues the space transforms into an elegant sports lounge, where the world’s best televised sports can be enjoyed in unashamedly contemporary surrounds. Created by the owners of Shoku Japanese Binchotan Grill in Repulse Bay, as well as Kishoku Japanese Fine Dining and Zerve Bar and Billiards, both of which are in the same building as Primal Cut, the lounge features a dedicated dining area at one end, with deep set booths wreathing a long bar backed by four large flat screen televisions. With a menu by executive chef Tony Wong, laced with ingredients from the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand and complimented by an extensive yet well-priced wine list, highlights include signature beef carpaccio with arugula, Japanese onsen egg and truffle; lobster bisque; Sagabuta pork collar with homemade apple sauce; and the chargrilled prime Wagyu ribeye. www.primalcut.com.hk www.jetsetter.hk

104

RESTAURANT REVIEW

THE LARIS TOUCH ACCLAIMED ACROSS ASIA, GREEK-AUSTRALIAN CHEF DAVID LARIS OPENS HIS NEWEST EATERY IN HONG KONG WITH PORTERHOUSE BY LARIS.

BY NICK WALTON

T

he first time I tried David Laris’

amiss in London or Manhattan. There’s a

Bombay Sapphire and is genuinely surprised

food was in Shanghai, with dinner

semi-open kitchen and semi-private dining

when his steak arrives cooked to perfection,

at Le Shang, the chef’s first

room for 26, as well as an impressive Meat

its ruby red centre encased in a seared

Chinese concept. I was hooked;

Locker, used for aging, a small balcony for

veneer. My porterhouse could feed a small

his flavor combinations were both

post-porterhouse cigars, and an elegant long

army and slices with a sigh (that might have

bar that serves up a mean martini.

been me actually), revealing a perfectly

daring and respectful for one of the world’s

medium rear centre with the exact amount

oldest culinary cultures. Since then he’s had his fingers in many pies so to speak, including

We order from the a la carte selection

of char thanks to the charcoal grills used at

Contemporary Fine Dining, an eatery created

although there are a handful of innovative

Porterhouse. Carnivores looking for unique

with local partners Dining Concept that quickly

tasting menus on offer. Torched Scottish

touches might like the Tomahawk rib eye or

and quietly morphed into The Bellbrook.

salmon with Keta caviar is rich and elegant

the Kansas City strip loin, with many cuts

and cooked to perfection, while the charcoal-

proudly displayed in the Meat Locker at one

"Porterhouse is different," grinned Laris at

flamed steak tartar is a gooey, silky savoury

end of the main dining room.

the obligatory opening party of his newest

mound that’s perfectly seasoned. Both are

venture, this time hand-in-hand with Eclipse

served with decadently slow cooked eggs.

Of course there are a multitude of great

Hospitality. So I recruited a fellow carnivore

The sommelier matches our entries with a

seafood dishes on offer too, from chilled

and went to investigate. Porterhouse has all

rose that’s packed with summer fruits but

lobster and crab to Icelandic scampi and

the style credentials of a modern steakhouse

insists we try a rich cabernet sauvignon with

Japanese Hamachi but if you’re looking for

thanks to the musings of Shanghai’s Kokai

our mains, the Cape Grim Tasmanian grass

steak to die for in sophisticated confines high

Studios;

opened

fed sirloin for my dining companion and the

above the city, you can’t go past the Laris’

California Tower at the heart of Hong Kong’s

waitress’ choice, the signature Heritage Linz

indelible mark on the Hong Kong’s culinary

LanKwai Fong entertainment precinct, the

USDA prime beef on the bone porterhouse,

scene.

cavernous 76-seat space is dressed in dark

for me.

located

in

the

newly

7/F California Tower, 30-36 D'Aguilar Street,

angular panels, mineral tones and soft copper, with double-height ceilings that help conjure

My table companion is a stickler for good

LanKwai Fong, Hong Kong; Tel: +852 2522

a sophisticated ambiance that wouldn’t be

steak and orders his as blue as a bottle of

6366; http://porterhousebylaris.com.hk

www.jetsetter.hk

RESTAURANT REVIEW 105

LONDON'S ROUX AT THE LANDAU CONTINUES TO SET THE BENCHMARK FOR ELEGANT FINE DINING IN ONE of Europe’s most dynamic foodie capitals, discovers Nick Walton.

F

ew families have the culinary clout of the Roux dynasty. The forces behind Le Gavroche in London and the Waterside Inn in Berkshire, and founders of the Roux Scholarship, which has single-handedly created a generation of culinary excellence, with the likes of Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and Pierre Koffman counted among its protégés, are a gastronomic phenomenon that is driven by passion and adherence to tradition.

Both attributes are evident at Roux at the Landau, which opened at the sumptuous Langham London in 2012, to coincide with a multi-million dollar restoration of one of Europe’s Grand Dame hotels. The restaurant, which has its own entrance from the street and faces the Nash-designed All Souls Church, was created to be an institution; the first time Albert and Michel Roux Jr had worked together in 19 years (with chef de cuisine Jamie Draper working hard in the kitchen), Roux at the Landau is a restaurant that showcases innovation within the framework of tradition, and one that, blissfully, doesn’t subscribe to fanfare and hype. With its wood-panelled interiors, Chinoiserie accents, leather seats and crisp white table cloths, Roux at the Landau epitomizes the ceremony of dining – it’s elegant, it’s refined and it’s inspiring.

So it’s no surprise that on the night we visit it’s packed, although you wouldn’t know it from the way manager Franco Becci strolls casually around the highceilinged yet intimate dining room by the late David Collins, like an Italian general inspecting his brigades. This is a man in his element, and he controls the service throughout the restaurant with smiles, gestures and eagle eye precision.

We start off with soul-warming entrees: crisp Blue prawns, with Hass avocado, coconut, basil, and lime; and smoked ham hock raviolo, with chard, crisp pig’s ears, and parmesan mousseline. The prawns are cooked to perfection and the coconut, basil and lime brings a touch of Southeast Asia to West London, while the ravioli is silky and rich and beautifully offset by the saltiness of the pig’s ear, which is presented in thin strips. For mains we opt for the Iberico pork chop, with chorizo, creamed corn, and hispi cabbage; and the saffron risotto, with balsamic vinegar, and bronze fennel. The pork is succulent, and the salty savory notes of the chorizo are balanced by the inherent sweetness of the corn, while the saffron adds a lingering elegance to the well-portioned risotto, a richness that’s cut by the vinegar.

Both dishes are great reflections on Roux at the Landau’s signature style – comfort food that’s guaranteed to satisfy yet is perfectly balanced, beautifully executed and creatively presented. The meal is especially captivating when matched with a sommelier’s recommendation of a French pinot gris that’s floral and complex. Langham London, 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London, www.rouxatthelandau.com www.jetsetter.hk

106

MINIBAR Royal Salute has released the much-anticipated Eternal

Reserve, a new

whisky created with innovative blending techniques that will, quite literally, live forever. Made with a selection of incredibly rare and precious whiskies that were married in 88 casks using a unique Circular Blending process, the Eternal Reserve is a whisky unlike any other; each time a new batch is released, half of the blend is re-casked in the Royal Salute Vault in Strathisla Distillery so that even in two hundred years every new bottle will boast a touch of the precious whisky from the very first batch. This perpetual recirculation creates a smooth, voluptuous whisky that justifies the spirit’s original name: uiscebeatha (the water of life). The Eternal Reserve is presented in a new porcelain flagon design that combines age-old techniques with a contemporary signature icon, reflecting the Circular Blending process. The first batch of 88 casks will be released this month and sold exclusively in travel retail. US$180. www.royalsalute.com

AGING WITH GRACE Named as a play on the whisky parlance "angel's share", which explains away the portion of spirit that is lost to evaporation (the whisky is so good the angels will want more than ever) and crafted by the late Lincoln Henderson, small batch bourbon Angel’s

Envy is corn and rye spirit that’s

aged in American white oak barrels for four to six years, and then finished in ruby port casks for an additional three to six months to give it a gold-copper mellow hue. The ideal bourbon for sipping on cooler evenings, expect caramel, fruit, chocolate and hints of vanilla on the first sip, followed by a long, seductive finish with touches of orange zest and spice in a silky, angelic expression of the craft spirit art. www.angelsenvy.com

Diageo has launched its new single grain Scotch whisky,

Haig Club, in Hong Kong and Macau. The whisky, created in partnership with former footballer David Beckham and British entrepreneur Simon Fuller, is set to paint single grain whisky in a new light. Crafted at Scotland’s oldest grain whisky distillery, Cameronbridge in Fife, the whisky is presented in an eyecatching blue glass bottle inspired by the tradition of blenders using blue tasting glasses so the spirit can be reviewed on aroma and taste alone. Unique flavours have been created by master blender Chris Clark, who carefully selects mature whisky from Refill, American Oak and Rejuvenated casks to produce a stunning single grain Scotch with a fresh, clean style showcasing butterscotch-smooth tropical fruit and unexpected, spicy backing harmonies. www.haigclub.com www.jetsetter.hk

MINIBAR 107 True cognac connoisseurs can celebrate with Martell, the oldest of the great cognac houses, which turns 300 this year, with one of its most exclusive creations to date. The Martell

Premier Voyage is limited

to just 300 signed and numbered bottles and traces founder Jean Martell’s initial creations by blending eaux-de-vie from the very same producers, capturing three centuries of the distilling art. Master distiller Benoît Fil used Martell’s extensive archives to trace key suppliers between 1735 and 1742, blending 18 unique eaux-de-vies in barrels made from wood from 300-year old oak trees. This sumptuous spirit is presented in a sculptured Sèvres crystal decanter

by French artist Bernar Venet. Lucky souls that get to sample this very special spirit will discover generous notes of apricots, dried fruits, honey and gingerbread on the nose, followed by candied peel and blackcurrant on the palate, underpinning a long finish of spice and beeswax. www.martell.com/en-ww/

As the northern hemisphere slips into autumn, reach for these delectable aged spirits to fend off the cooler seasonal nights. By

Nick Walton

Beloved bourbon brand Woodford Reserve has released its latest innovation, the Woodford

Reserve Kentucky Straight

Rye Whiskey. Rye whisky is enjoying a global renaissance and to complement and emphasize the spice characteristics

found in the original Woodford Reserve, the new whisky uses a base that's 53 percent rye, resulting in a liquid that's both more balanced, and refreshingly subtle. Because of the consistency of the mash, rye is notoriously more difficult to craft than a traditional bourbon, requiring more attention to detail throughout production, leaving the bulk of production to only the most experienced Master Distillers. With a rich honey hue, the new rye whisky boasts a spicy aroma with notes of cedar and black pepper, followed by hints of apple and pear, a flavor profile that includes clove, mint and apple malt, and a long sweetly spiced finish. www.woodfordreserve.com

Rarely is a spirit named for a writer, but if it was, Hemmingway would be a suitable candidate, especially for a stylish new rum. Hemmingway is credited for creating the Papa Doble daiquiri during his time in Cuba and Papa’s

Pilar Dark Rum is a touch of nostalgia in a bottle,

with a beautiful mahogany brown hue and hints of smoke, candied mango and orange rind on the nose. Bottled at 43% ABV, just the way Papa would have liked it, this is a rum that’s as comfortable in a tumbler with a couple of ice cubes as it is as the base of a classic rum cocktail. With both charred oak and ex-sherry barrels used to age both pot and column distilled rums from Barbados, Panama, The Dominican Republic and Florida, expect hints of wood, cinnamon and vanilla, with touches of coffee and even leather. www. papaspilar.com www.jetsetter.hk

108

SPIRITS

SEEKING

HARMONY There has never been a better time to invest in rare and often hard to source Japanese whiskies says wine and spirit specialist

Richkesh Kisknani.

T

here is no doubt that demand for Japanese whisky has been growing steadily across Asia over the past few years. Most whisky enthusiasts remember last year when Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was named "Best whisky in the World" in Jim Murray's whisky bible. Only last month, a bottle of 1960 Karuizawa (a closed distillery and one of only 41 bottles ever produced) sold for US$118,500 at Bonhams in Hong Kong, setting a record for the most expensive bottle of Japanese whisky ever sold at an auction.

Prices for aged Japanese whiskies such as the Yamazaki 18 year old or the Hibiki 21 year old continue to rise as supply is scarce. Bottles of aged Japanese whiskies are sold out often the same day they hit the shelves at Duty Free airport stores across Asia and many retail shops in Japan are out of stock.

Due to the lack of supply of whiskies aged 18 years and above, the distillers in Japan have been forced to respond to demand by releasing non-age statement whiskies (a trend we have seen in Scotland for a few years). The latest to hit the market is the Hibiki Japanese Harmony.

Hibiki itself means ‘resonance’ and is owned by Suntory. The unique bottle shape has twenty-four facets which symbolize the twenty-four seasons of the old Japanese lunar calendar.

Hibiki is a blended whisky but unlike Scotland, Japanese distillers do not exchange spirits for blending. The constituent malts for the Hibiki Harmony therefore come from Suntory’s two malt whisky distilleries, Yamazaki and Hakushu, and the grain component from the company’s Chita distillery.

As collectors continue to fight for the remaining stock of old and rare Japanese whiskies at auctions, it is clear that demand for Japanese whisky is here to stay and it will be up to the distillers to help consumers find harmony with their new releases.

www.jetsetter.hk

110

WINE

DOUBLE, DOUBLE, T O I L & T ROU B L E Master of Wine Debra Meiburg celebrates the spirit season with these Halloween-inspired recommendations.

W

ine can be spooky. Bubbling vats of fermenting grape juice emit heat, froth and mysterious gases and seemingly innocent cellars are mysteriously called caves in France. With the spooky holiday of Halloween just around the corner, why not tuck a bottle of wine in your trick-or-treat bag to celebrate?

name is also found on the label of Chile’s Casillero Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon. The devil also seems to be an organised fellow as “Casillero Diablo” can be interpreted to mean the devil’s cellar or the devil’s filing cabinet. Family legend purports that the winery’s founder hid his special wines in the devil’s cellar to discourage unauthorised sampling.

It is not clear how orange became a Halloween colour—most likely due to jack o’ lanterns. For an orange celebration, open a bottle from the Orange region of France, home of the famous Rhône Valley wines, such as Domaine Roger Sabon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

If your trick-or-treat haul lacks sweet candy-corn, open a bottle of Quady’s Orange Muscat from California. This dessert wine is a zingy blend of lime, orange peel, orange marmalade, quince, and apricot jam.

Or, pop open a bottle of the orange-label Veuve Clicquot Brut. For an additional cost, the bottle comes in an orange insulated costume. This top Champagne house was one of the first companies in the world to register its trademark color, which is described as egg yolk. Egg yolks have long had a Halloween role to play in America, eggs being a popular Halloween prank to toss at houses and moving vehicles.

Follow your bottle of bubbly with the bright tangerine-coloured label of Sacred Hill Chardonnay from Marlborough, New Zealand. Perched just above the words “barrel fermented” is a logo that looks suspiciously like a little witch in a black cloak. Or, strikingly labeled Toar offers a knee quaking option, with its roaring orange label bringing to mind the heat of the underworld.

And in that regard, Dievole Renascimento (Devil’s Rebirth) from Tuscany is a devilishly fitting bottle to open at midnight. The devil is an ubiquitous character as his

Phantoms, goblins and skeletons might leave you with Halloween nightmares, so close the evening with the reassuring Zorro-like silhouette on the label of Sandeman Oloroso Rich Cream Sherry. This after dinner drink is laden with nutty walnut flavors and its high alcohol gives it a warm spicy palate, perfect to ward off the cold spirits.

While 31st October is primarily associated with the dark underworld and wandering spirits, it is also a celebration of the fall season. Scarecrows, dried cornstalks and plump orange pumpkins are invitingly arranged on American porches and front yards alongside witches and giant spiders. Scarecrows are scarce in Hong Kong, let alone front yards, but don’t let that dull your celebration. Instead, decorate your balcony with dried bamboo branches and open a bottle of Antcliff’s Chase. The label of this Aussie Pinot Noir sports a bright orange scarecrow cheerfully deterring birds from pilfering the end of season bounty. Or, open a bottle of Carpineto’s Dogajolo, a rich Tuscan blend with so many festive fall leaves on its label that you’ll find yourself looking for a rake.

112

WISHLIST A new piece by British designer oxblood-hued

Hide Lanyard

Tom Dixon,

this sleek

is made from exclusive Italian

vegetable tanned leather that will soften beautifully through use, and features copper-plated hardware that lends just the right amount of toughness. Measuring 110cm in length and 1.2cm in width, this chic unisex accessory can be used as a lanyard for your keys or security tag and can be attached to the matching card holder or phone case from the Hide range. Also available in grey. www.tomdixon.com

Longchamp’s iconic Le Pliage line, Le Pliage Heritage Mini Crossbody Bag boasts a

One of the latest from the

different shape from the original, but maintains the style’s classic, casual sophistication. Measuring 21 x 14 x 10cm, the diminutive

The latest addition to

Gucci’s

Fine

Jewellery collection, the Flora line draws on the delicate designs of

bag is the perfect accompaniment to a lazy autumn weekend

nature in its dainty flower and butterfly

of urban adventures. The fashion-forward bag features the

motifs, and combines femininity and

brand’s exquisite leather craftsmanship, a structured silhouette,

modernity. The centerpiece of the

contrasting trims, and gold embellishments, all of which comes

collection is the eye catching

together for a timeless, elegant look. The bag is available in six

necklace, which is handmade in

colours, including Burgundy, Black, Carmine, Ecru, Natural and

Italy. Crafted with 18-karat pink gold,

Terra. US$650 www.longchamp.com

the necklace features hammered

Flora

heart pendants along its length, and enameled, hand-painted butterflies and flowers studded with rich rubies.

The hand-painted enamel detailing ensures that each necklace is unique.

The necklace is 50cm in length, but can be adjusted to 45cm.

SHADES OF

AUTUMN

As temperatures dip, these must-have oxblood-hued items will fit right in with the rich colours of autumn foliage. By Gayatri Bhaumik

www.jetsetter.hk

WISHLIST 113

As part of its Fall/Winter 2015 collection, New York-based

Altuzarra

debuted its first handbag collection, called Notch. The standout piece, the ultra-chic Hobo Bag in

Burgundy Crocodile – Large,

is a

strong nod to the whimsical vibe of the 70s. The heavy duty bag is made of rich crocodile skin and finished with a braided mid-length shoulder strap bookended by long tassels, and gold-toned hardware.

Big enough for a busy woman on the go, and capable of fitting a small laptop or tablet and other essentials, the bag transitions easily from day to night. www.altuzarra.com

A new piece from the

Belt Company, Chedworth belt

the

British elegant

is a stylish

addition to any autumn wardrobe.

Made from 100 percent rich Italian embossed crocodile leather, the belt retains a discrete pattern, and features almost invisible fine needle stitching. Handmade in Britain, the functional yet classy accessory is 35mm wide – enough to be seen, without being overpowering – and is finished with an understated chocolate

Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2015/2016 collection, the La Châine Butterfly Sunglasses pay tribute to the flat-link metal chain from the

Part of

French house’s iconic 2.55 handbag with a strip of the recognisable silver chain adorning the temples of the glasses’ frame. The chic

plated

buckle.

The

Chedworth belt is available in Oxblood, as well as black and tan, and retails for GBP60 (US$91) www.thebritishbeltcompany.com

oversized frame is made from acetate and mimics the graceful lines of a butterfly’s wings, lending the wearer a bit of Audrey Hepburn-esque sophistication. The raspberry shade is a great choice for autumn’s rich natural colours, but the shades are also available in black, taupe, khaki and olive. www.chanel.com www.jetsetter.hk

114

WATCHES

H e r i tag e

MEETS Ho r o lo g y

The iconic green hue adopted by British racing heritage has its origins in the Gordon Bennett Cup, when Count Eliot Zborowski, father of racing legend Louis Zborowski, suggested each national team adopt its own unique colour. As a mark of respect to the Irish hosts of the 1903 race, the English team adopted a shamrock green now synonymous with British racing pedigree. In a homage to that tradition, Swiss watchmaker DuBois et fils has created the limited-edition DBF003-07. With only 99 editions available, this eyecatching and utterly masculine self-winding timepiece boasts a multi-part 40mm case with a two-disc large date and a small seconds counter made from brushed and polished stainless steel. The double-sided, anti-reflective sapphire glass lends the high-gloss green painted dial with hand appliquĂŠd numerals and indices a remarkable optical depth. Waterproof up to five atmospheres, this is a timepiece as at home on the track as it is on the cocktail circuit. CHF 5,950 (US$6,287) www.duboisfils.ch www.jetsetter.hk

WATCHES

115

Since its beginnings in 1775, the Manufacture Breguet has earned the distinction of applying flawless style and technique to the creation of exceptional timepieces. This year Breguet’s watchmakers and engineers have made a clean sweep of the usual methods with the Tradition 7087, choosing instead to design their timepiece around the sound it produces. Using hundreds of thousands of synthesized sounds, engineers discovered two desired notes with the aim of revolutionising sound perception through modern harmonies and tuning. The construction of the new timepiece was then undertaken to reproduce the selected sound mechanically.

The gong springs, invented in 1783 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, have been entirely reworked and attached to the bezel to favour the transmission of vibrations. The radiating glass that is found on the Reine de Naples Sonnerie au Passage 8978 is replaced by a radiating bezel screwed to the case band with three pillars allowing the bezel and glass to vibrate freely, resulting in improved sound emission, particularly at low frequencies. Unlike many minute-repeaters this Breguet Tradition 7087 has hammers that strike vertically from the movement towards the bezel, allowing vibrations to be efficiently transformed into sound waves.

The construction materials were also chosen according to the results of Breguet’s scientific research into vibroacoustics.

The model thus comes in an 18-karat white gold or rose gold case with a gong made from the same material. The baseplate and bridges of the movement are in titanium. Along with an appropriate sizing of the parts, this material serves to avoid propagating the noises from the mechanism by filtering their transmission to the exterior. Designed to spread and amplify the sound, the latter is distinguished by its ability to reproduce the sound of the gongs in all its majestic purity. The Manufacture Breguet is the first to use titanium in a movement for acoustical reasons, mainly because this material is so difficult to work with. www.breguet.com

THE S O U N D OF S U C C E S S www.jetsetter.hk

116

WATCHES

HIGH FLIER

Paying tribute to the high-flying excellence of the Patrouille Suisse, the pilots of the Swiss Air Force display team, IWC Schaffhausen has created the

Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Patrouille Suisse”, a special version of the iconic watch first produced in 1940, limited to watches. The pilots of the Swiss Air Force display team have been wowing international air show crowds for decades with the precision and perfection of their formation flying. The Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Patrouille Suisse” (Ref. IW500910) is presented in grey with a case of blasted stainless steel featuring the characteristic design elements that make this professional timepiece for pilots instantly identifiable. The piece’s 51011 calibre is the largest automatic movement manufactured in-house by IWC Schaffhausen and its spring-mounted rotor and Pellaton pawl-winding system build up a power reserve of over seven days. The power reserve display at “3 o’clock” provides a reliable indication of the time remaining until the movement comes to a stop, with the small seconds located at “9 o’clock”, and the date display at “6 o’clock”. The 46-millimetre case encloses a soft-iron cage that protects the movements against extreme magnetic fields, while the case back features an engraving of three jet planes resembling the Northrop F-5E Tiger II – the planes the Patrouille Suisse pilots use to perform their aerial displays with the same high levels of precision we associate with Swiss watches. www.iwc.com

www.jetsetter.hk

BEAUTY TRAVEL

117

A homeopathic remedy for jetlag, Sprayology Travel Ease boasts a unique blend of natural ingredients designed to fight the rigours of travel. The oral spray is powered by eight active ingredients, including Indian berry, St. Mary’s thistle, poison-nut and passionflower, all of which come together to alleviate symptoms like tiredness, dehydration, feelings of disorientation and sleeplessness. Packaged in a sleek, airport security-friendly 40ml bottle, simply apply two spritzes under the tongue at take off, and every two hours while in the air. Continue three times a day as necessary, and you’ll quickly be back in top form. www.sprayology.com

FRESH

A S A DA I SY

BUSY ROAD WARRIORS DON’T HAVE TIME FOR JET-LAG. THIS SEASON, THESE CURE-ALLS WILL MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. BY GAYATRI BHAUMIK A travel must-have for New Zealand’s international rugby team and Virgin CEO Richard Branson, No-Jet-Lag is a homeopathic remedy that’s designed to alleviate the physical stress and fatigue that occurs with disruptions to the body’s circadian rhythm. The tablets’ main active ingredient is arnica, but they also contain other natural ingredients like daisy, wild chamomile, ipecac and clubmoss. Each pack of No-Jet-Lag contains 32 tablets – enough for 50 hours of flying – and can easily be thrown into your carry on. Simply take one at take-off and landing – and one every two to four hours while flying – and you’ll land at your destination ready to go. Best of all, there are no known side effects. www.nojetlag.com

The latest jetlag remedy to hit the market, 1Above was developed in New Zealand and combines six essential electrolytes and six crucial B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12) to help keep you hydrated, support circulation and the immune system, and beat the effects of jetlag. The key active ingredient is Pycnogenol, a natural bark extract that reduces the length of jetlag by up to 53 percent; 1Above also contains other supportive ingredients like potassium, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Available as effervescent tablets in packs of ten or a 100ml concentrate, the best part of 1Above is that you can throw it into your carry on and breeze through airport security. www.fly1above.com

www.jetsetter.hk

118

LUGGAGE

WARDROBE

ON WHEELS

Living out of a suitcase has become a breeze with the newly released ShelfPack, an innovative suitcase designed to make life on the road that much easier.

C

reated by California-based software engineer Ken McKaba, ShelfPack was born from the frustration of digging through luggage on a long business trip. The patent-pending suitcase features builtin shelves and oversized front pockets that keep contents organised, visible and easily accessible.

Designed to be check-in luggage, at first glance ShelfPack appears to be a sleek, black oversized case made from ballistic nylon measuring 66cm x 46cm x 35cm, weighing 7.71kg, and boasting a roomy 104,304 cubic centimeters of space. But inside, the completely flat interior features four builtin shelves that nestle into the base when packed and can be expanded with sturdy retractable supports to create a 107cm-tall portable wardrobe with full access to each shelf. Thanks to the highly functional shelves, items are always easy to find and clothes remain wrinkle-free for the entire trip.

Three spacious outer pockets on the front of the suitcase are ideal for stashing toiletries for easy access, or for throwing in items at the last minute.

Completing the case are two easy-glide ball-bearing wheels and an externally mounted, retractable trolley handle which makes the case a breeze to tote through airports.

A lifetime warranty guarantees the ShelfPack’s workmanship and materials against defect for the entire life of the product.

US$350, www. shelfpack.com

www.jetsetter.hk

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

A

CLASS ACT

An elegant hotel set in the heart of Le’an, a unique landscape in Guangdong province, the Classical Plaza Hotel is the ideal setting for any event in southern China.

T

he centrepiece of any event at the Classical Plaza Hotel is the opulent Royal Classical Ballroom on the property’s third floor, a sweeping space of 1,500 sqm. The grand ballroom boasts imposing double-height ceilings of eight metres, along with a timeless design aesthetic of rich carpeting and simple, graceful chandeliers. The massive space can accommodate up to 100 tables and 1,000 guests, yet with no pillars, it can be easily transformed into three smaller sections, making the Royal Classical Ballroom the perfect venue for any occasion, from weddings and media events to annual general meetings and conferences.

Bolstering the Classical Plaza Hotel’s ability to hold unforgettable events are a series of food and beverage outlets that offer sumptuous dining opportunities. Located on the first floor, the Central Restaurant tempts diners with a vast international buffet set up through breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Seafood is the house specialty here, with gourmands offered a delectable spread of fresh ocean catch in casual yet elegant surrounds.

The Classical Plaza Hotel’s culinary jewel, however, is the graceful Pavilion Restaurant tucked into the hotel’s second floor. Offering wholesome, fresh organic produce in a mouthwatering array of Dim Sum and Cantonese dishes, as well as specialties like abalone and sea cucumber, the restaurant offers two daily services between 730am and 200pm, and 500pm and 930pm. Guests can feast in the restaurant’s massive main dining room, or for a more intimate affair, choose one of the 28 grand private dining rooms which feature ornate classical décor that includes Old Mastersstyle artwork, classical columns, and ornate chandeliers.

A unique proposition in southern China and boasting an enchanting ballroom and delectable culinary temptations, the Classical Plaza Hotel is an ideal choice for your next event.

Classical Plaza Hotel Le’An, Guidan Road, Nanhai District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, P. R. China 528226 +86 (0) 757 6668 8666; www.classicalplaza.com

120

AUTO

F LO W E R The new Lotus Evora 400 combines high levels of performance with the marque’s legendary handling. By

Nick Walton

R

emember that feeling when Lotus first released the Evora in 2008? It was agile, it was powerful, it was the kind of pocket rocket city dwellers loved, yet it pined for the open road.

Prepare to feel that way again with the new 2016 Evora 400, a state-of-the-art, 3.5-litre V6 stallion with a high speed of

186mph (300km/h) that ripped its way around Lotus’ own test track in Norfolk a scintillating six seconds faster than the previous model.

While the spirit of the original model is alive and well, the Evora 400 is its own species. Over two thirds of the Lotus Evora 400 is new, including its supercharged and charge-cooled midmounted engine producing 400 horsepower and 410 Nm of torque. A new aluminium chassis incorporates a new interior, and the lightweight composite body (leading to a weight shaving of 22kg) has changed significantly, both front and rear. aluminum wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, which enhance “A requirement for all Lotus cars is to be a benchmark for handling, to be the

the overall quality of the class-leading dynamics package.

quickest car from A to B and to provide the driver with a pure and involving driving experience,” says Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales. “The Evora 400 is the

The overall effect is of a car with a more aggressive stance thanks to eye-

fastest road-going Lotus that we have ever produced, possessing performance

catching new lines, softened with a new, revised interior that includes new,

that can only be matched by cars costing significantly more. It delivers supercar

lighter front seats that offer greater support, and the option of wider rear seats.

looks allied to supercar performance.”

As a handcrafted sports car, the bespoke feel is carried across three new trim levels, including trim upgrades in full Alcantara or Scottish leather, a lightweight

Its top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h) propels the Evora 400 to the upper

forged magnesium steering wheel with a red race-inspired position stripe, and

segment of supercar performance expectations thanks to higher engine power,

a revised instrument cluster that possesses simple, clear dials (white on black

revised spring and damper settings, a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) and a

graphics).

downforce figure of 32 kg (70lbs) at 242 km/h (150 mph). Control that power through three traction slip thresholds (‘Drive‘, ‘Sport’ and ‘Race’ settings),

Switchgear haptics and ergonomics have also been improved significantly; the

which can be altered via a driver-selectable switch, allowing enhanced vehicle

latter through location to the upper-central dashboard and, for the first time, a

control. Braking comes from new, more powerful, two-piece, cross-drilled and

new engine start-stop button has been fitted to the Lotus Evora 400. Prices to

ventilated brake discs, while stability is maintained through lightweight forged www.jetsetter.hk

be announced. www.lotuscars.com

THE LIST 121

Photo Credit:

Maggie Chooi

FOOD ON THE MI ND

At no time in history have travellers been more willing to set out in search of something good to eat. Here’s our take on the world’s top five food markets. By Nick Walton

La Boqueria Food Market, Barcelona

from New South Wales producers at 70 stalls.

Packed with tiny restaurants that specialise in

A constant crowd pleaser, The Mercat de Sant

Look out for everything from artisanal honey

local delicacies and Chilean favourites – from

Josep de la Boqueria, often simply referred

and bread through to organic beef, boutique

fresh beef empanadas and porotos con rien, a

to as La Boqueria, is located at the heart of

wines, and homemade chutneys and dips. www.carriageworks.com.au

pasta and bean soup, through to corn humitas

Ciutat Vella district, with a main entrance on La Rambla. First mentions of the market date back to 1217, but it wasn’t until 1826 that the market

and Charcarero Chileno, satisfying steak and avocado sandwiches – this is the perfect spot

Borough Market, London

was officially recognised. A feast for the senses,

One of the British capital’s most renowned

the market, open Monday to Saturday, has

food markets, Borough has been inspiring

everything from fresh meat and fish, through to

chefs since the year 1014! Now a haven for

to sate appetites and delve into the local food culture. www.mercadocentral.cl

St. Lawrence Market, Toronto

produce from Spain’s fields and orchards, and

British produce, the markets are especially

One of two major markets in the city, the St

a handful of great tapas bars like El Pinotxo,

popular with restaurateurs and chefs, who

Lawrence Market, founded in 1803, is regularly

where customers sit at bar stools and sip

visit Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10am till

listed as one of the world’s best and for good

Spanish Garnacha over their grilled anchovies

6pm, to sample locally-made cider and English

reason - St. Lawrence Market North hosts

and fresh octopus. Be sure to arrive before

wine, fluffy artisanal pastries, sustainable fish

a weekly (Saturdays) farmer's market and

lunchtime to see the markets in full swing.

and organic meat, and fruit from across the

antique market that are pouplar with locals

www.boqueria.info

British Isles. There are also great restaurants

and visitors alike, while St. Lawrence Market

and cafes housed within the market buildings.

South, open Tuesday to Saturday, is packed

www.boroughmarket.org.uk

with restaurants, delis, bakeries, butchers,

CarriageWorks Market, Sydney This award-winning farmer's market is held on Saturdays between 8am and 1pm in

and even a few galleries. Look out for great

Mercado Central de Santiago, Chile

Redfern’s Australian Technological Park, one

The main markets of Santiago de Chile were

stop from Central Station. Every weekend

opened in 1872, replacing another central

the markets showcase stunning local cuisine

market that had been destroyed by fire in 1864.

organic bites, homemade pies, and a range of sauces and chutneys you can take home. www.stlawrencemarket.com

www.jetsetter.hk

122

FRAGRANCE

BOLD &

THE BEAUTIFUL Tommy Hilfiger has launched a bold new fragrance for men that epitomizes the strength and intensity of the modern athlete.

Strong and sporty, TH Bold has been created for the modern man who’s intensely passionate and has a desire to live boldly.

The fragrance, the face of which is international tennis super star Rafael Nadal, Tommy Hilfiger’s newest global ambassador, opens with a mix of crisp citrus notes including pomelo, tangerine and bergamot, followed by herbal and spicy notes like lavender and cardamom. As it develops further, extracts of jasmine and mandarin blossom balance with a woody Boronia accord. The drydown pairs orange flower absolute with powerfully masculine notes of cedar, sandalwood and vetiver, for a combination that excites the senses. The fragrance’s bottle is deep navy blue with a striking red and white striped TH Bold logo, embodying the passion and energy that inspired the aroma. The packaging has a sleek finish that reflects the TH Bold man’s courageous spirit. global.tommy.com

www.jetsetter.hk

THE BITE 123

CULINARY CAPITAL One of Asia’s most fascinating culinary destinations, Hanoi is home to an abundance of fresh, fragrant and unforgettable dishes. Here are some of the city’s most famous and our take on where you’ll find the best. By Nick Walton

www.jetsetter.hk

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

RACING AHEAD Rev your Engines for the Suncity Group 62nd Macau Grand Prix this Fall.

By Jessica Ng

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Boasting a street circuit that rivals that of Monaco’s, the Macau Grand Prix will once again welcome international driving and riding legends this fall. Starting from November 19 and running to the final race on November 22, the highly anticipated FIA GT World Cup will share centerstage with the Suncity Group Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix – FIA F3 Intercontinental Cup, Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix and Suncity Group Macau Guia Race 2.0T, along with three supporting races.

R

acing champion Maro Engel tightens his grip on the steering wheel as he speeds up to 275kph along the fast straight and eases to take the twisting corners and climbs of the Circuito da Guia, one of the most challenging circuits in the world. He races ahead of his opponents to be crowned the GT Cup winner at the Macau Grand Prix 2014.

Not to be outdone by last year’s white-knuckle races, the 62nd Macau Grand Prix will host the inaugural FIA GT World Cup. After seven years of hosting the GT Cup, Macau was awarded this end-of-season event that will assemble some of the biggest names in automobiles, teams and drivers of the gran turismo world.

The FIA GT World Cup will make its global debut on Sunday November 22, when 28 cars power through 18 laps of the gruelling 6.2-kilometre Guia Circuit to take home the cup in front of 80,000 live spectators. Homegrown heroes will vie for a spot of the seven locally-selected entries, while international GT superstars will round out the 28 places.

Now in its 49th year, the Suncity Group Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix will once again bring riding champions to the city to take on the harrowing track at breakneck speeds of up to 280kph. The acclaimed Suncity Group Macau Guia Race 2.0T also returns for its 43rd year, as the ever diverse range of cars and drivers take on the Guia Circuit with two races of 10 laps each.

The griping races of yesteryear play out again, and this year, it’s anyone’s bet on who will cross the finish line first.

Suncity Group 62nd Macau Grand Prix When: November 19–22 Where: Guia Circuit Ticketing hotline: +852 2380 5083 or www.macauticket.com Information: www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

BUILDING BRICKS OF MACAU Macau transforms into a LEGO® universe with large miniature exhibition. By Jessica Everything is awesome in Macau, so don’t miss the Macau X LEGO® Exhibition this fall.

Learn to LEGO®

The Ritz Building, located at tourist hotspot Senado Square, and the Macao Science Center will be home to miniature models of various local landmarks, including World Heritage Sites, famous events and iconic streets. The exhibition will feature the brick and brick work of LEGO® Certified Professional builder Andy Hung and his team of LEGO® builders, who have reconstructed the Senado Square, Ruins of Saint Paul’s and Rua da Felicidade for Ritz Building, as well as the starting point of the Guia Circuit of the Macau Grand Prix, Macau Tower and a map of the Macau Peninsula at the Macao Science Center.

LEGO® Photography Seminar

Running from September 25 to December 28, the Macau X LEGO® exhibition invites adults and children to be part of the LEGO® team with photo booths and a photography display of LEGO® models courtesy of renowned local photographer, António Leong, at both venues.

The Macau X LEGO® Exhibition also encourages LEGO® fans to grab their LEGO® brand building bricks and live out their dreams as António Leong and Andy Hung host complimentary LEGO® photography seminars and LEGO® workshops, respectively.

Once a month, Leong will teach two eager classes of 30 on how to best capture the glint of a grinning LEGO® minifigure. Meanwhile, Hung will lead his two sets of 20 LEGO® builders in constructing miniature models of the Ruins of Saint Paul’s and Guia Fortress.

Register on-site at the Macao Science Center on the day of each event. Act fast, as it’s first come, first served!

Ng

Who: António Leong When: October 18, November 15, December 13 (noon–1:00 p.m. and 2:30–3:30 p.m.)

Where: Macao Science Center Language: Cantonese

LEGO® Workshop Who: Andy Hung When: October 3, November 1 and 29 (noon– 1:00 p.m. and 2:30–3:30 p.m.)

(Numbered tickets will be distributed 30 mins before the workshop commence.)

Where: Macao Science Center Language: Cantonese LEGO, the LEGO logo and the Brick, the Knob configurations, the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2015 LEGO Group.

Exhibits are built by Mr. Andy Hung, the LEGO® Certified Professional, and his team.

Photos are provided by Macanese photographer Mr. António Leong.

CULTURE 127

T h e Broad

Museum 221 S GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

T

his autumn Los Angeles gets a brand new homage to art in the form of The Broad, a contemporary art museum created by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. Located on Grand Avenue, The Broad joins a well-established arts hub that includes the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Music Centre.

Created by New York-based design firm Diller Scofidio + Renfo, The Board building spans over 11,000sqm and features a unique “veil-and-vault” concept that merges the two main functions of the building, exhibition and archiving. Inside, visitors will find a host of intimate galleries spread across two floors.

The Broad will host nearly 2,000 works of art drawn from The Broad Art Foundation and the Broads’ personal holdings, creating a unique collection that explores postwar and contemporary art beginning from the 1950s. The dynamic collection features more than 200 influential artists, including Jeff Koons, Jasper Johns, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barbara Kruger, Roy Lichtenstein, Eric Fischl, Mark Bradford and Andreas Gursky.

The Broad also hosts The Un-Private Collection series, which features cultural leaders and artists whose work explores contemporary and controversial themes. The programme began in September 2013 and gained traction through 2014, and will be solidified with the opening of the museum. Past subjects have included Art as Activist and Sky-lit: Volume, Light, and Sound at The Broad, while speakers have included Takashi Murakami, Pico Iyer, Steve Martin and Ava DuVernay. www.thebroad.com www.jetsetter.hk

128

TECHNOLOGY Sony has added a touch of glitz to its Xperia line with the launch of the new Xperia Z3+, a slim, sleek and stylish smartphone that’s packed with features. With superior camera technology packed into both the front (20.7MP) and back (5MP) cameras, the series’ signature waterproof design, and impressive battery life, the new Snapdragon 810 octacore addition comes with a stylish metallic frame, rounded edges and tempered glass, with an option of four colours. www.sony.com Sensitive, fast and intuitive, the new Leica Q is the perfect accessory for travelling photo bugs.

With a full-frame sensor and a high-speed, classic focal length prime lens, the Leica Q is the perfect camera for street, architectural and landscape photography. In combination with a 24MP, full-frame CMOS sensor precisely matched to its lens, the camera delivers richly detailed exposures with extremely low noise in optimum quality at ISO sensitivities up to

LET THERE

Be Light

From ultra-powerful digital cameras to ultra-light tablets and smartphones, here’s the technology we’re packing this season. By Nick Walton Just when you thought BlackBerry might be lagging in the style race, a new collaboration with Porsche Design has created the P’9983 Graphite, the latest addition to a portfolio of graphite-metallic products. Engineered using the highest quality materials, the P’9983 features a unique keypad with specially crafted glass-like keys, a blackened glass and a graphite stainless steel colour frame, and all the benefits of BlackBerry 10 technology, from BBM secure instant messaging to the innovative BlackBerry Assistant, which allows users to manage their work and personal emails, contacts, calendar and other BlackBerry 10 features through both voice and text commands. www.blackberry.com

www.jetsetter.hk

50,000, the fastest autofocus in its class, and a newly-developed image processor that delivers up to ten frames per second at full resolution. www.leica.com

TECHNOLOGY 129

Nikon has added a portable yet powerful addition Dell has introduced the Venue 8 7000 series tablets, the first to integrate the Intel RealSense Snapshot Depth Camera, which

to the Nikon 1 family of compact interchangeable lens cameras. The Nikon 1 J5, designed for photographers ready to creatively capture and

captures a depth map for every picture taken. The world’s thinnest

share their passions, features a blazing fast

tablet, at just 6mm, this award-winning piece of gadgetry features a

continuous full-resolution shooting frame rate at

gorgeous 8.4-inch 2560 x 1600 OLED infinity display, a Quad-Core

20 frames-per-second (fps) with full autofocus, a

Intel Atom processor, an Android operating system, and up to 9.8

new 20.8-megapixel backside-illuminated one-

hours of battery life. Together with the Dell Gallery application, world

inch CX-format CMOS sensor, EXPEED 5A image

wanderers will have much more flexibility when editing their travel

processing and a slew of creative modes. Users can

snaps with selective filtering and refocus functions to change the

also utilise the experience of Nikon Snapbridge,

brightness separately on a foreground object or background object,

seamlessly shooting and sharing their travel pics

or refocus on any part of the picture. The Dell Gallery also organises

from the camera to a compatible smartphone or

photos into smart albums and gathers photos from Dropbox, Picasa

tablet via built-in Wi-Fi. www.nikon.com

and Facebook into one place, making keeping and sharing your travel photos a breeze. www.dell.com

Fujifilm has created an even lighter addition to its family of premium interchangeable lens cameras with the release of the X-T10. With a new innovative autofocus system, large electronic Real Time Viewfinder, and incredible continuous shooting speeds of up to 8.0fps, the new digital camera features the vintage lines loved by many travellers. Using the latest generation 16.3 Megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor with built-in phase detection autofocus along with a high-performace EXR Processor II, the X-T10 is compatible with all Fuhinon lenses to deliver excellent resolution and outstanding image quality in a package that’s even lighter than its big brother, the X-T1.www.fujifilm.com

www.jetsetter.hk

130

LIMELIGHT

MONTBLANC BOHÈME

MOON GARDEN

At the heart of the Parisian summer, Montblanc transformed the Orangerie in the heart of the famous Jardin des Tuileries into a magical and captivating garden, which welcomed the likes of Montblanc brand ambassadors Charlotte Casiraghi and Taiwanese actress Gwei Lun Mei, as well Princess of Venice and Piedmont Clotilde Courau; fashion designer Chiara Ferragni and actresses Alice Taglioni, Jeanette Aw, Anna Yao, Macarena Gomez, and Melanie Thierry.

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8 Bernar Venet, creator of the Martell Premier Voyage decanter

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9 Guilhem, Jean-Charles, and Louis-Marie de Castelbajac

1. A candle-lit dinner at the heart of the City of Light 2. Alice Taglioni 3. Clotilde Courau 4. Montblanc CEO Jerome Lambert with French actress Virginie Ledoyen 5. Jeanette Aw 6. Anna Yao 7. Gwei Lun Mei 8. Charlotte Casiraghi with Montblanc CEO Jérôme Lambert 9. Chiara Ferragni 10. Jerome Lambert with Chinese actress Ke Zhao 11. French actress Melanie Thierry 12. Montblanc timepieces on display in the garden

LIMELIGHT 131

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15 1. His Highness the Prince of Wales 2. Malcolm Borwick 3. A royal reception at Guards Polo Club 4. Guests enjoying lunch in the Secret Garden 5. Guests arriving in style 6. Natalie Coyle 7. Barnabé Fillion 8. Henry Conway 9. Picnic hampers included gold leaf porcelain cups by Royal Salute 10. The Secret Garden designed by Stephen Woodhams 11. Prince Charles and Brigadier John Wright 12. Lunch is served 13. Prince Charles awards England captain James Beim 14. Royal Salute cocktails at the Neolithic Bar 15. Jetsetter managing editor Nick Walton 16. Malcolm Borwick with Royal Salute’s Jacques-Henri Brive 17. Guests enjoying a British summer 18. Action on the pitch 19. A victory tipple of Royal Salute 20. Alistair Guy

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ROYAL SALUTE CORONATION CUP, LONDON

The pinnacle of the British polo scene, and one of the most enviable events on the city’s social calendar, the Royal Salute Coronation Cup was recently held at the Guards Polo Club at Windsor Great Park on the city’s outskirts. Attended by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the match saw the English team beat the South American visitors 10-6 at a lavish soiree that included innovative cocktails made with 21-year old Scotch whisky at the Royal Salute Neolithic Bar, named for the 8,000 year old Croatian wood used by London architect Sally Mackereth, and a silver-service picnic served from baskets created by British design firm Lutyens and presented in a sensational Secret Garden designed by award-winning landscaper Stephen Woodhams. Also in attendance was Brigadier John Wright, Chairman of the Hurlington Polo Association; acclaimed soprano Natalie Coyle and her fiancé Zafar Rushdie; author and socialite Henry Conway, British photographers Alison Jackson and Alistair Guy; top British polo player Malcom Borwick; and French model-turned-perfume designer Barnabé Fillion.

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1. Adele Wong & Vanessa Vanderstraaten 2. Diana Ser 3. Melody Chen 4. Ong Ai Leng 5. Annabel Tan 6. Lawrence Wong, Lance Lim, Sara Ann K & Vernon Tan 7. Richard Herrera & Paul Foster 8. Tracy Phillips & Melody Chen 9. Tabitha Nauser, Paul Foster & Yvette King 10. Ong Ai Leng, Melody Chen & Trey Wong 11. Royston Tan & Lucia Ku 12. Iman Fandi Ahmad and Wendy Jacoba with Furla models 13. Yumika Hoskin & Paul Foster 14. Kelly Poon

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O P E N S A T MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE

Furla has opened its new flagship store with an elegant soiree attended by Singapore’s fashion elite. In attendance were actresses Adele Wong and Vanessa Vanderstraaten; television host Diana Ser; singer Kelly Poon; actress Ong Ai Leng; director Royston Tan; and model Yumika Hoskin.

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Tai Pan Tailor, one of Hong Kong's best-known tailoring specialists, traces its history as far back as 1978.

Tai Pan moved out of Queensway Plaza at the end of 2005 after calling it home for 25 years.

From its new home at Admiralty Centre, Tai Pan continues to guarantee the high level of workmanship that customers have come to expect of it, making customized suits and shirts with quality fabrics imported from the most reputable mills in the UK and Italy. At Tai Pan, each outfit is precisely cut and tailored to fit and provide style and comfort.

Tai Pan runs its own factory to meet time-sensitive orders from transit travelers within 48 hours. Express overseas delivery service is also available, and email orders are welcome.

Address: SHOP 71, 1/F Tower I, Admiralty Centre, Admiralty, Hong Kong Phone: +852 2529 8861 Fax: +852 28661081 E-mail: service@taipantailor.com

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UNDISCOVERED

They say familiarity breeds contempt, but sometimes we just need a different perspective.

These three new books offer a fresh look at destinations you think you already know. By

Gayatri Bhaumik

New York Air: The View From Above George Steinmetz Abrams

Steinmetz started his book by accident when he photographed the 2014 Superbowl at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium; soon after the game, the area was hit by a blizzard and a week later, and as Steinmetz captured the stadium and its surrounds from above, he knew he’d found something special. From there, Steinmetz went on to shoot New York in all seasons, and from dawn 'til dusk. With New York in its most prolific building and redevelopment phase in decades, Steinmetz aimed to capture a significant moment in time, and the 120 colour photographs in this book, taken from helicopters flying over the five boroughs, does just that. The book offers a surprisingly intimate look at the city’s daily life, its skyline and waterfront, and its contemporary architecture and historic buildings. Iconic places such as Times Square and Columbus Circle have their place, as do some of the city’s best loved traditions, including baseball at Yankee Stadium and the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and even industrial districts like the Brooklyn Navy Yard. But the real gems are the poignant images of daily life, which include suburban living in Queens and sunbathers on Central Park’s Great Lawn. If a picture is truly worth a thousand words, then this book says as much as a State of a Union address.

Exploring English Castles: EVOCATIVE, ROMANTIC AND MYSTERIOUS True Tales of the Kings and Queens of the British Isles Edd Morris Skyhorse Publishing If royal residences are on the agenda for visitors to England, the usual destinations are Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and a handful of other well-known properties. But in this new book, Edd Morris shows there is so much more royal romance and history to be discovered through the lesser known castles. Highlights of the book include the love story between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley set at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire; the secret of Merlin’s Cave, hidden beneath Cornwall’s Tintagel Castle, which is linked to the legend of King Arthur; the dethroning plots from which Mary Tudor took refuge in Suffolk’s Framlingham Castle; and the story of how King John captured Rochester Castle using pigs. The more than 200 photographs that showcase these castles are beautiful, but what really makes this book special is how Morris juxtaposes them with incredibly detailed, captivating prose that brings to life compelling stories of royalty, chivalry, deception and intrigue, skillfully deploying the massive amount of research that went into this book. The end result is a well-presented title that will appeal to travellers, history buffs and royal fans alike.

Unforgotten New York: Legendary Spaces of the Twentieth-Century Avant-Garde

David Brun-Lambert, John Short, David Tanguy Prestel

www.jetsetter.hk

This captivating coffee table book gives readers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of some of New York City’s most memorable spaces, telling the story of the people, music, art, social movements and lives behind them.

A mix of archival photography and new images by John Short offers an unprecedented look at 30 historical venues most of us will never see, including Jean-Michel Basquiat’s studio, the interiors of Studio 54, Marcel Duchamp’s Greenwich Village chess club, The Roxy, CBGBs and the Gaslight Café. The book is divided into themed chapters – Nightlife and Clubbing, Music, Art Venues, Studios and Private Spaces, On the Town – that collect the different venues in ordered groups, and each venue is given a four-page spread that includes images, a history of the space and its most significant moments, and quotes from famous musicians and artists that highlight the venue’s importance. The book itself is a very simple idea and its presentation allows the content to speak for itself; what’s surprising is how much this book conveys with simple photographs and succinct text. Despite its simplicity – or perhaps because of it – Unforgettable New York is a compelling reminder of why New York has always been the city that never sleeps and a hotbed for pop culture.