EDITOR’S LETTER

We always planned to focus this issue of Robb Report on advances in the fields

of health and wellness, but clearly over the last several months the urgency to explore all aspects of what it means to be strong, fit and resilient has grown. What directed our thinking, then, was not the search for the very latest, untested theory of what treatment might do what—although who doesn’t love a crackpot story every now and again?—but rather the protocols and ideas that could be adopted with a degree of confidence that they will have a powerful and lasting impact on the remainder of your life.

An example: You’ve heard, I’m sure, that many Silicon Valley high rollers have been plowing millions of dollars into anti-aging research over the last few years. This quest of our new masters of the universe for a long—potentially really long— life has led a brave (possibly bonkers) few to experiment on themselves. What’s fascinating is that, as writer Megan Miller says, “for people in middle age right now, a handful of therapies in clinical trials have the potential, for the first time in human history, to radically transform what ‘old age’ looks like.” Are you a believer? Read “Silicon Valley Takes on Death” on page 60 and decide for yourself.

Another trend that has been rumbling around a lot recently is fasting. Of course, that rumbling might just be the bellies of famished fasting fanatics crying out in protest, but whatever, there’s been noise enough to pique the interest of our editor at large, Mark Ellwood. It isn’t just the promise of weight loss that appeals, but also studies that suggest fasting causes the body to recycle its cells, potentially at the expense of damaged ones such as cancer. This process could reduce inflammation and, in turn, contribute toward anti-aging. A growing subset of devotees are fit and healthy men who exercise regularly but are now understanding they need to fine-tune their physiology along with their physiques. Fasting seems to appeal to us men, as it’s something very controlled and deliberate that may affect our bodies differently from the way it does women, causing our metabolism to work harder. So Ellwood headed off to a luxury European fasting clinic to discover more. The downside? The 200 calories a day for a week. “Running on Empty” begins on page 70.

Elsewhere in this issue, we look at the tech that can turn your house into a sanctuary (page 30). We meet the woman who responded to her unexplained illness by studying Building Biology, an emerging German philosophy of toxin-free construction, and take in the result: her beautifully renovated home full of global design influences, on page 76. If full-on cosmetic surgery is a bit too daunting, we examine the noninvasive “tweakments” that can provide a lift in as little as 30 minutes (page 22). And on page 84 we explore the correlation between happiness and money. Is there one? Yes, but maybe not the one you think.

Finally, I want to introduce you to a different sort of wellness opportunity. I’m thrilled to announce that Robb Report has recently launched Rare & Fine: occasional bespoke and limitededition luxuries curated by our staff and aimed squarely at collectors and connoisseurs. To kick things off while promoting

Paul Croughton Editor in Chief @paulcroughton

the sort of good life I know many of you happily ascribe to, the first Rare & Fine offering is a case of six remarkable wines, including some often unavailable to the public. Included is our Wine of the Year from our recent Best of the Best awards, Penfold’s exquisite 2015 Grange, alongside the bottle we named Best Domestic White, the Marciano Estate 2017 Blanc, a sophisticated Sauvignon from Napa Valley. There are two Burgundies—a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay—as well as a Cab Sauv from Napa and an Italian wine by a producer that is increasingly well known among oenophiles, the Ornellaia 2016. We’ve put this collection together in partnership with Wally’s Wine & Spirits, and you can reserve yours at robbreport.com/ rare-and-fine. There are only 100 cases, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

We hope you enjoy them, and enjoy the issue.