World Magazine - issue 28 by Fairfax Magazines

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or as long as anyone can remember, the full moon has been steeped in mystery and legend. It even served Portuguese seafarers as an aid to navigation on the open sea. Its influence on coastal shipping was even more important at new and full moon when high tides are exceptionally high and low tides exceptionally low. Tidal currents have left many a proud traveller/sailor stranded in the shallows. Having a precise idea of the moon phases is still vital for nautical purposes. The moon exercises magical powers of attraction not only on the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oceans but also on us human beings. Many believe it to have an influence over them and numerous cultures hold celebrations during the nights of the full moon. Its fascinating character was the inspiration for the master watchmakers at IWC who developed the Portuguese Perpetual

Calendar. For it shows the course of the moon in a separate display, with mirror reflections for the northern and southern hemispheres. Even if the moon on this miniature stage measures a mere five

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help of the countdown display, it is an easy matter to read the exact number of days remaining before the next full moon. The 18-carat red gold case houses other sophisticated complications, such as the mechanically programmed perpetual calendar, which, apart from the date, day and month, also shows the year in four digits. The movement, which has a Pellaton automatic winding system, also features a seven-day power reserve. For IWC, time is more than a series of figures: it is a rhythm. Like the ebb and flow of the tides. Like the waxing and waning of the moon. Like the beating of our hearts. IWC watches transform the abstract notion of time into a sensory experience. And as complicated as our watches may be, the secret of their success is quite simple: they are among the best mechanical timepieces in the world. IWC. Engineered for men.

Fromthe publisher

he other day I caught The Bucket List, that movie from a few years ago about two terminally ill men who set out to complete their wish list of stuff they want to do before they “kick the bucket”. It’s a film that started a lot of people thinking about their own “bucket lists” – me included. It also got me thinking about this magazine, with its promise to readers to “Expect the Exceptional”, and what it might offer someone compiling an ultimate wish list. In the movie, Jack Nicholson’s character was a billionaire, so cost wasn’t a factor in his bucket list. Most of us, however, have financial considerations that might preclude us from – for instance – owning that gorgeous Porsche 918 supercar that appears on page 108 or buying a luxury yacht (although chartering one might fit the bill: see page 194). But isn’t it nice to dream? WORLD is not a magazine of compromise – we always aim to present the very best wherever and whatever that may be – but I do believe this issue offers plenty of inspiration for a realistic bucket list. Perhaps you’d like to taste a really great wine? John Hawkesby has some suggestions after

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meeting a famous Burgundy vintner (page 75). Take a riverboat up the Amazon? Drink old rum on a Caribbean beach? Walk Italy’s beautiful Cinque Terre? Cruise to Antarctica? Turn your life around at a luxury wellness retreat? Hoe into the ultimate New York burger? Visit Cape Town and taste the sublime food of Franschhoek’s “Naked Chefs”? Celebrate “The Art of Living” at Huka Lodge? You’ll find all these stories in the following pages, along with others on Cartier jewels, interior design, Clark Gable’s famous Gullwing Mercedes, a pictorial tribute to 125 years of National Geographic – and more. Personally, I’m off to work out how I can possibly add that limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé (page 50) to my bucket list… Enjoy the issue...

Don Hope

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ISSUE

CONTENTS 27

THE AGE OF Cartier A dazzling Paris exhibition chronicles the jeweller’s consummate take on style over 160 years.

LIVING FOR BEAUTY Thomas Hyde talks to acclaimed American furniture designer Barbara Barry.

27 36

SPORT OF KINGS We check out the BMW Polo Open, a week-long festival of horsemanship, fun and fashion.

WINNING WOMEN A new leadership programme helping women entrepreneurs lift their businesses to new levels.

BESPOKE’D Rolls-Royce unveils first impressions of a car celebrating Sir Malcolm Campbell’s 1937 waterspeed triumph.

HAPPENINGS AT HUKA Taupo’s Huka Lodge celebrates 90 stellar years with a great line-up of intimate occasions.

OUTSIDE IN A versatile new furniture range blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living.

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ISSUE

CONTENTS 68 82

ADVENTURES IN WELLNESS Tricia Welsh seeks health and wellbeing at a luxurious new South Island retreat.

PRINCE OF PINOT The head of a revered Burgundy wine estate talks Pinot Noir in Central Otago.

GABLE’S GULLWING Arthur St Antoine takes the wheel of a rare sports car once owned by a Hollywood legend.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 125 YEARS A stunning new book celebrates 125 years of National Geographic magazine.

100

MY WORLD Nina Englert: the new driving force at BMW. FABULOUS FOURSOME Showcasing four of the most exciting new supercars for 2014.

104

90 104

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CROUCHING TIGER Porsche’s new Macan is set to make a big impact in the world of sports utility vehicles.

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T HERE ARE STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE CAPTURED FOREVER.

Created in 1931 for polo players, the Reverso is one of the rare cult watches in horological history. Its second face that may be personalised will enable you to choose exactly the moment you wish to remember forever. What will yours be? Let our engraving, enamelling and gemsetting artists immortalise your legend. A Reverso just for you. GRANDE REVERSO ULTRA THIN TRIBUTE TO 1931. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822.

YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.

ISSUE

CONTENTS 118 130

118

TIME TRAVELLERS Every year thousands of devotees gather to talk watches at a series of extraordinary events.

130

WALKING THE CINQUE TERRE Lace up the hiking boots and discover these jewels of the Italian Riviera.

136

WHISTLER: UNFILTERED A photographic campaign shows this Canadian winter resort in brilliant relief.

148

IN BURGER HEAVEN Andrew Marshall tracks down six of the best classic burger joints of New York City.

154

SPIRIT OF THE CARIBBEAN Rum is intrinsically linked to the Caribbean. A trio of countries makes some of the world’s best.

162 148 170

ANOTHER WORLD Cruising to Antarctica takes you into an ethereal wonderland of ice and snow.

170

CAPE OF GOOD THINGS One of the world’s most beautiful and exciting regions offers splendid opportunities to indulge.

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live a

CRYSTAL life

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ISSUE

CONTENTS 194 200

186

UP A LAZY RIVER Five fabulous river cruises to whet (or should that be wet?) your appetite for adventure.

194

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM No man is an island, but on a luxury charter yacht you can be an A-list castaway.

200 205

WORLD FAIRWAYS Chambers Bay, a links-style golf course near Seattle, will host the 2015 US Open.

205

CONCIERGE Looking for the best food in the city? Chances are you’ll find it in a top hotel restaurant.

224

THE LAST WORD Dubai continues to reach for the stars – in more ways than one.

Publisher Don Hope Ph +64 9 358 4080 donhope@paradise.net.nz

Features Editor Thomas Hyde

PRODUCTION MANAGER Sara Hirst

Distribution Netlink Distribution Company

Travel Editor Patrick Smith

Prepress Debbie Curle

Printing PMP Limited

Advertising Debra Hope Ph +64 21 930 717 debrahope@paradise.net.nz

Wine and Food Editor John Hawkesby

Advertising Co-ordinator Nicky Joyce Ph +64 9 634 9867

Website www.worldmagazine.co.nz

Art Director Desmond Frith

Timepiece Editor Bani McSpedden Motoring Editor David Linklater

Proofreader Frances Chan

World is published quarterly by Fairfax Magazines, a division of Fairfax Media, 317 New North Rd, Kingsland, Auckland, New Zealand (PO Box 6341, Wellesley Street). Advertising within this publication is subject to Fairfax Magazines’ standard advertising terms and conditions, a copy of which is available online at www.fairfaxmedia.co.nz or by calling 09 909 6800. Fairfax Northern Region Manager David Penny • Fairfax MagazineS Commercial Manager – Duncan Brough • Fairfax MagazineS Editorial Director – Kate Coughlan Subscriptions: Ph +64 9 926 9127 worldsubs@fairfaxmags.co.nz ISSN - 1176 9076 ©2014 Fairfax New Zealand Limited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Cartier

THE AGE OF

Cartier was the focus of a dazzling exhibition at Paris’ Grand Palais chronicling the jeweller’s CONSUMMATE take on style over the past 160 years.

World Magazine

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wears Cartierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Halo tiara, loaned to her by HM Queen Elizabeth for her wedding to Prince William. PHOTO: Gettyimages

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he Halo tiara, loaned by Queen Elizabeth II to the Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding to Prince William in 2011 was there. Jewels once owned by Hollywood divas Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich and others were also on show, along with the famed panther brooch once owned by American socialite Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, and bejewelled crocodiles worn by the eccentric Mexican actress, Maria Felix. Cartier, established by Louis-François Cartier in 1847, has been called the “Jeweller of Kings” and the Grand Palais exhibition revealed why. Royalty included, this was a stunning insight into the history of the relationship between the jeweller and some of the most influential people in the world. Cartier was the official jeweller to King Edward VII, the first of many kings and queens who would sport its dazzling creations. Until World War I effectively brought the era of monarchs to a close, King Alfonso XIII of Spain, King Carlos I of Portugal and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia were clients of Cartier. King Chulalongkorn of Siam made the long trek to Paris in part to shop at the jeweller’s boutique. This exhibition, entitled Style and History, was the largest ever devoted to Cartier. More than 600 pieces of jewellery, objets, watches and clocks were on display, together with with dresses, coats, furniture, paintings, advertising photographs and fashion magazines that provided a context for art and fashion from the late 19th century to today.

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RIGHT: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1953. The Duchess is wearing the amethyst, turquoise and diamond necklace created by Cartier in 1947. BELOW: Bejewelled crocodile necklace, 1975, worn by Mexican actress Maria Felix. 2 Palm Tree clip brooch, a special order from 1957. 3 Cartier Tank watch, 1920. 1

Louis-François Cartier handed over the business to his three sons in 1899. It was they who established the brand internationally, in large part by making Cartier a favourite among the crowned heads of Europe. And many of the pieces they created have become modern-day icons, including watches like the Santos (1904) and the Tank (1919). Created by Louis Cartier, the Tank was inspired by French tanks used on the Western Front in World War I. Its flat, vertical proportions reflect the shape of the tanks under the command of General Pershing, who was presented with the first prototype in 1917, two years before the watch was introduced to the market. From that first rendition, six more styles have been created. The understated diamond Halo tiara was created for Princess Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, in 1936. It was bought by the Duke of York, later King George V, prior to their wedding and then presented to their daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, on her 18th birthday. The exhibit included a ruby necklace given to Elizabeth Taylor by her third husband, Mike Todd. For a peek into the lifestyle of the rich and famous of the time, a short

film showed the actress wearing the piece while sitting by a swimming pool on the French Riviera. Prior to World War II, King Edward VIII gave up his throne to marry Wallis Simpson, who by then was well known for her jewellery collection. Talking about jewellery in general, she once declared: “If you can afford it, then there’s no pleasure buying it.” Wallis Simpson was a passionate collector of Cartier. She died in 1986, leaving her collection for auction to raise money for medical research at the Pasteur Institute. The

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ABOVE: Bib necklace commissioned in 1947 by the Duke of Windsor, who supplied all the stones except the turquoises.

World Magazine

RIGHT: Panther bangle, 1958; Panther cliquet pin, 1957; Panther clip brooch, 1958. BELOW: Sculptural Panther clip brooch, 1949. The diamond-encrusted panther sits atop a large, perfectly round sapphire.

collection sold for more than $45 million. On show at the Cartier exhibition in Paris was her three-dimensional diamond-encrusted panther atop a large, perfectly round sapphire, a glittering flamingo brooch and a diamond-andturquoise necklace with 27 amethysts. But perhaps the star of the show was the restored diamond commissioned in 1928 by the Maharajah of Patiala. The original Patiala Necklace featured nearly 3,000 diamonds and Burmese rubies, the centrepiece of which was the 234-carat De Beers diamond, at the time the seventh-largest diamond in the world. The necklace mysteriously disappeared in 1948 but later resurfaced in equally intriguing circumstances. Diamonds, including the De Beers, were missing and in time the necklace was re-possessed by Cartier, which restored it to resemble the original. The Cartier family retained ownership of the company until 1964, when it was sold to the Swiss-based Richemont Group, which specialises in jewellery, watches and accessories. The ownership may have changed but the art of fine jewellery as distinctively expressed by Cartier carries on. www.cartier.com

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T h e M i r a S e t t i n g , d e s i g n e d a n d c r a f t e d i n N e w Z e a l a n d . Wo r k w i t h N ave y a & S l o a n e t h i s m o n t h a n d b e i n t o w i n a c h a n c e t o l o s e yo u r s e l f i n t h e M a l d i ve s * . C o n t a c t u s fo r m o r e d e t a i l s .

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LIVING BEAUTY Thomas Hyde catches up with acclaimed American furniture designer Barbara Barry during her recent trip to Auckland.

arbara Barry writes about the design process as “a dance” – one performed not while toiling over a drawing board in an office but in the relaxed setting of her home, where she might begin her dance by playing with watercolours, her favourite medium. It’s a process interrupted by restful moments in her garden or in her kitchen reflecting over a cup of tea. In the end, her work is about how furnishings and fabrics, patterns and colours all relate to each other to create a harmony that to her eye results in a beautiful interior. As Dominique Browning writes in her introduction to Barry’s book Around Beauty, “Barry is a rare designer who puts as much heart as mind into her work, which has a timeless rather than trendy quality.” Barry was born and raised in California. She lives today in Los Angeles, where, if she’s not working from home, you’ll find her at her studio, along with her 12 members of staff. She travels frequently, talking about her work and gathering inspiration. In New Zealand her designs are available through Cavit & Co (Auckland and Queenstown).

On your website you state: “I live unabashedly for beauty, both inner and outer, and I always have.” What is beauty for you? Beauty is my survival technique, meaning, it’s a harsh world out there no matter if you have money or not. The world today is one of information overload, so for me beauty is an antidote to that and an absolute necessity for my well-being.

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World Magazine

ABOVE: The garden is a place of inspiration for Barbara Barry, who says nature and the quality of light influence her work. ABOVE Right: Room setting in Piedmont, California. Complementary furnishings and fabrics, patterns and colours create harmony and beauty. Opposite Page: Barbara Barry’s home showcases the Joan Armchair by Henredon in the library and the Baker Deco Classic Lounge Chair in the foreground, with a Henredon Coco Accent Table.

I also look at beauty as a connecting force in our lives. I used to believe my work wasn’t as important as, say, doctors or teachers, but I’ve come to believe it is. When we create a space of beauty, that is when design is doing its most powerful work. Where else but in your home can you find silence? So I see my work as providing a sense of calm and creating a place to be renewed. My passion for design derives from my mother. She was an artist who worked on her own. She was an optimist. She would say things like, “Look at the colour of the sky today” or “Look at this orange” and right there as a child I was starting to see things differently. So for me

were named as one of the World’s Best 100 Designers. What is your relationship with architecture and how does it influence what you do? Architecture is the beginning point. As a designer I never know what space I’m going to work with, so space calls me to respond to it. When the architecture is right, meaning space is proportional to the human body, my work is simpler. When it’s not, my job is to make spaces look better than they were before. It’s almost as if you’re erasing the idea of design to get the space right. Space is everything. It’s a luxury with an intangible quality. Too often, decorators invade space. So, for me, architecture

it was and still is about observing; at a young age I had a confident opinion about things that has served me well.

is the space I try to understand and integrate with more than a mere lamination of decoration.

Simplicity is fundamental to your style. In what simple ways can someone create beauty in the home? Simplicity is a state of mind; the irony is it can be quite complex to achieve because it takes discipline. So in your own home it’s not about how much you have, it’s about how what we have serves us. The most simple meal – salad, roast chicken, apple tart, for example – and you’re done. We all try to overdo things. In your home, if you had just a polished wood floor and a mattress on it but that floor was polished to perfection and next to the mattress was a single rose in a vase, you can feel a sense of well-being and real wealth. So I like to advise people to keep it simple in a way that you allow space for life to take place.

On the other hand, the writer Clare Booth Luce has been quoted as saying, “Home is where you hang your architect.” Can interior design be an antidote for bad architecture? I think it can. What comes to mind immediately is a room with a lot of mouldings or maybe windows that are not in line – the cacophony of separate shapes. As a decorator, I would think of painting it all one colour to unify the spaces and using drapery to layer it, and even making upholstery in the same colour. When more things are the same, the space speaks. So you can enhance spaces by unifying them.

You’ve said you believe less is more, which is the famous dictum of the architect Mies van der Rohe. Your work has often been featured in Architectural Digest where you

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Are labels like “traditional”, “modern” and “contemporary” meaningful to you? No. I feel I am an authentic designer, an original who started young looking for furniture that didn’t exist so I began drawing it. Today I use watercolours. I don’t look

World Magazine

You have galleries in Bangkok, Singapore, Moscow and Kuala Lumpur. Why those particular cities and not Los Angeles, where you live and work – not to mention New York and Paris? Those galleries are through partnerships. They have my name and my designs but I remain a designer, not a retailer or a merchant. So they are totally separate endeavours. I’m quite reclusive where to do my work; I need to spend a lot of time alone. So they are partners that take care of that end of things for me. At oprah.com you once listed “10 Things I Know For Sure”. One was “go easy with patterns”, where you suggested patterns can create a “visual noise”. What is visual noise for you and are you against patterns outright or is it a matter of how they’re used? Pattern for me goes back to how we fill up our homes. That’s what creates the pattern. We’re often drawn to a patterned fabric or wallpaper or a combination of a red sofa and a blue chair and an oriental rug, for example, and that can create what for me is visual noise that does not create the effect I want, which is calm. I’m much more interested in mood than anything and its provenance. Where something comes from doesn’t impress me. It’s important that design patterns do not compete with the patterns of our lives.

ABOVE: Script Armchair by Barbara Barry for McGuire, Swell Accent Table by Barbara Barry for Baker

to history and as a Californian I don’t have that yoke of history around my neck, because California has always been a place where one can have a personal voice. So I don’t like labels, I love colours you can’t describe in one word and the only box I use sometimes is to say something is transitional. So how do you describe your style? Or does it depend on which of your many partners you’re working with? First of all, the partner always helps to define the style, but I don’t think of myself as having a style so much as having a philosophy. It’s a philosophy of simplicity, of trying to make a unified whole, of using the right colours regardless of the style of a house. Do home furnishings necessarily have to be a statement about who we are or who we think we are? I think they were in the past, when we defined ourselves by the things around us. But today I find people are more self-expressive in many ways. It shows in everything from fashion to the way we eat and the type of restaurants we go to. We are more eclectic. That’s the great thing about design today: it’s never been more available and it doesn’t matter which strata of income you’re at, design is more than ever a part of the vernacular.

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Your first and only book so far, Around Beauty, was published to critical acclaim by Rizzoli in 2012. Is there another book in the works? I would absolutely love to do another book, even one that’s less about design. When I wrote Around Beauty I did not want it to be a book about “I did this and this”, because there are enough magazines and websites for that. I tried to tell stories, and in doing that I learned how much I love to write. Writing is a lot like design, because it’s not what you include that matters so much as what you leave out. It’s the same idea of simplicity, allowing the words to take their own form. So I’m hooked on that and I hope to do more writing. Nature, the quality of light and, in your own words, a “myriad of greens” has strongly influenced your work. New Zealand has all this. So having been here, might this country inspire your work? Absolutely! Everywhere I look I see something that inspires me, from an island out there [in the Hauraki Gulf] to the blues and greens and the composition of the landscape. As an artist I’m always looking, searching for moments of beauty and then trying to hang them together like strands of pearls. New Zealand is full of beauty and now, at the end of a tour where I’ve been mostly in Asia, I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. www.cavitco.com

“I DO NOT ECONOMISE WITH DECOR.

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The new Jacques Garcia Collection for Baker. Cavit&Co provide premium furniture and accessory collections from around the world and offer a full interior design service. Auckland 547a Parnell Road, Parnell 1052 | Tel +64 9 358 3771 Arrowtown 18 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown 9302 | Tel +64 3 442 0128 Email info@cavitco.com | www.cavitco.com

Like their father, Prince Charles, Princes Harry and William – seen here competing in Britain’s Cartier International tournament – are accomplished polo players. PHOTO: Gettyimages

WORLD magazine checked out the BMW Polo Open to learn more about a sport that’s been played for more than 1,000 years and which in New Zealand has SPAWNED an annual week-long festival. World Magazine

er Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has never played polo (when it comes to horses she’s a racing and equestrian fan after all) but her eldest son and his sons, namely Princes Charles, William and Harry, all play. It’s been reported that Harry, the best of the bunch, once considered becoming a professional polo player. But it’s because of British royalty (and paparazzi) that the rest of us are every so often reminded of polo, a team sport played on horseback employing long-handled mallets and a small white ball over a playing field 274 metres long and 146 metres wide. Charles and sons grew up playing polo, primarily for the Guards Polo Club, the elite British club whose patron is the Queen and whose president is the Duke of Edinburgh. The club’s home ground is Windsor Great Park, on the Windsor Castle estate, where, in July each year, paparazzi turn up to shoot those pictures of William and Harry on horseback playing in the annual Cartier International, the major tournament on the British polo calendar, which can attract as many as 30,000 spectators.

major social event. The BMW Polo Open featured six teams, the country’s best players and among the best polo ponies in the world. The players are highly skilled riders and as you can guess, riding flat-out and striking a small white ball (made from high-impact plastic) requires great timing. But the physical nature of polo and perhaps the most attractive feature of a game to the naïve eye, belongs to the horses, whose thoroughbred breeding and superior agility make for non-stop action – which is why a player will ride more than one horse (or “pony”) over the course of a match. This 2014 BMW Polo Open was a week-long event that attracted more than 6,000 spectators, many drawn to the festival-like atmosphere as to the matches themselves. Fashion shows from international brand Ted Baker and local designer Natalie Chan, along with live entertainment and an elegant after-party that wound up at midnight, made this year’s Open an occasion full of high performance and style like no other sporting event on the calendar. On the pitch, the BMW Polo Open came to a spectacular conclusion when team Rodd & Gunn, captained by

Polo is not known as “the sport of kings” for nothing. It’s been that way more or less since Persian royalty, men and women alike, invented the game in the 6th century. Created as a way to improve the horsemanship of royal guards, it wasn’t long before royalty themselves were playing. Polo drifted to the West thanks to Persian influences in India, where the British Raj then ruled – a historical link that led to the modernisation of the sport with the founding of the Calcutta Club in 1862, the oldest dedicated polo club in the world. Today, India, Britain, Argentina and the US are considered the major polo-playing nations although, according to the Federation of International Polo, more than 70 countries play polo today, including Australia and New Zealand. According to the NZ Polo Association website, polo has been played in this country since 1890, when a team from Christchurch defeated one from Auckland to win the inaugural Saville Cup. So what took place in Clevedon in February was hardly a one-off; rather, it was a continuation of a tradition that began more than a century ago, with the added trimmings of a

international polo star Sam Hopkinson, narrowly beat Tiger Building Contractors, led by New Zealand’s highest-ranking international player, J.P. Clarkin, by 11 goals to 10. It was a thrilling match between world-class players and ponies and had the crowd gasping. Patron of the Rodd & Gunn team, Ross George, who had been injured earlier in the week, watched from the sidelines as Will Brasher took his place, but his team prevailed. A critical moment was when Clarkin missed a 30m penalty that would have sent the game into overtime. To the victors, the spoils, and it was an impressive fountain of Veuve Clicquot that showered the Rodd & Gunn team as they accepted the trophy. Off the pitch, meanwhile, around 20 fashionistas took turns on the runway in an attempt to win the ‘Fashion in the Field’ title for 2014. Womenswear winner Frances Paki stole the show in a nautical-inspired, midriff-revealing outfit, while men’s winner, Carl-Thomas Drake-Graving, stuck to polo’s roots in a white,navy-trimmed blazer. A fitting end to a fabulous day.

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www.aucklandpolo.co.nz

2 1

3 4

6 1 Fashion in the Field winners Frances Paki and Carl-Thomas Drake-Graving. 2 The winning Rodd & Gunn team celebrate with BMW managing director Nina Englert. 3 BMW VIPs enjoy the best seats in the house. 4 A Ted Baker creation on the outdoor runway. 5 Josh and Helen Emett. 6 Rolls-Royce Motor Carsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Neil Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcy-Brain and Leith Wills.

Photos: Norrie Montgomery

World Magazine

WORLD|BUSINESS

WOMEN innovative leadership programme women entrepreneurs lift businesses to new levels.

An aims to help their

re you a business owner with revenues of more than $500,000 a year? Is your company stuck and struggling to reach the next level? Does it have high growth potential? EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young) is looking for 12 women entrepreneurs to kick-start its inaugural Entrepreneurial Winning Women (EWW) programme in New Zealand. EY says those selected will have solid, established businesses with the potential to upscale. They will join the EWW leadership programme, including a one-on-one guidance and support session and a two-day business boot camp in Auckland. EY partner Jo Doolan says those selected will have the confidence, conviction and tenacity to take a high-potential company and scale it into a market leader. Beth Brooke (pictured at right), EY’s global vice-chair of public policy, visited Auckland recently to launch the programme in New Zealand, now one of 10 countries in which it is operating. Brooke says women entrepreneurs and women in the corporate world face similar roadblocks: a lack of visibility and no access to the networks and inner sanctums of the business world. Women, she says, tend to start businesses at a higher rate than men and, initially, grow faster. But at a relatively early stage, the momentum grinds to a halt. In the United States, women own about 40 per cent of businesses but only 5 per cent of all equity capital investments go to companies headed by women. Most use their own money to start their companies rather than seeking outside financing. Brooke says the EWW programme isn’t aimed at start-ups. “We’re not looking for micro-entrepreneurs,” she says. “We want women who have a real business that has plateaued and that we can scale up. Entrepreneurship is the clearest path to progression for women in business.” For more information contact Joanna.doolan@nz.ey.com

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spoke’d

ROLLS-ROYCE REVEALS FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF A VERY SPECIAL BESPOKE COLLECTION CELEBRATING SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL’S 1937 BRITISH WATERSPEED TRIUMPH.

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n the morning of 1 September 1937, Sir Malcolm Campbell headed out onto the calm blue waters of Lake Maggiore at the wheel of his Bluebird K3 hydroplane boat. His mission: to break the five-year stranglehold by the United States on the world water speed record. That day he established his legend, setting a record of 126.32 mph (203.29 km/h) and making Great Britain once again the fastest nation on water. The following day he went one better, piloting his sleek craft, powered by a Rolls-Royce R-Type engine, to 129.5 mph (208.4 km/h).

The feat ensured Campbell’s place in the history books. It also reaffirmed the Rolls-Royce R-Type engine’s superiority after record-breaking triumphs on land and in the air. To celebrate this “seminal act of British daring and endeavour”, Roll-Royce is producing a series of 35 Phantom Drophead Coupés in what is being called the Bespoke Waterspeed Collection. Rolls-Royce says only the finest materials will be used in the exclusive collection. Brushed steel complements an exclusive Maggiore Blue colour scheme, whilst handcrafted wood inlays “evoke the sense of a boat effortlessly gliding through water at pace”. “Sir Malcolm Campbell’s successful pursuit of world-speed records on land and water were the result of his commitment to the most exacting standards of British design and engineering excellence,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “This special Collection … serves to display the breadth of bespoke personalisation available to every Rolls-Royce customer.” Donald Wales, the grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, added: “I am certain Sir Malcolm would be extremely flattered to see his name still closely associated with such a prestigious brand 75 years after his last world water speed record.” It’s unlikely we here in New Zealand will ever see one of these 35 ultra-special cars on our roads. You might catch a glimpse of an early example, however, at an international motor event such as the Concorso d’Eleganza, to be held in the grounds of the Villa d’Este at Lake Como on 24 May. The likely price tag? “It’s really price-on-application,” we were told, “as we know orders will be bespoke.” As a rough guide, however, an uncustomised Phantom Drophead Coupé sells in this part of the world for something over $1,000,000. Add in bespoke touches and the fact that you’d be buying one of only 35 Waterspeed Collection cars in the world and, well, the sky’s the limit – a motto that might just as well have belonged to Sir Malcolm Campbell. www.rolls-roycemotorcars-auckland.com

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HUKA Taupo’s Huka Lodge celebrates 90 stellar years with a fascinating line-up of intimate occasions.

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uka Lodge sits within a peaceful seven hectare garden estate – a Garden of National Significance – close to Huka Falls and Lake Taupo but secluded enough to ensure that, if you are still for a moment, the only sounds you are likely to hear are birds singing and the restful flow of the Waikato River. Huka Lodge was founded in 1924 by a charming Irishman called Alan Pye. His simple canvas fishing camp quickly established a reputation for its generous

hospitality and trophy-sized trout. Fine hospitality and superb fishing still draw discerning travellers to Huka Lodge, but since Dutch entrepreneur Alex van Heeren bought the property in 1984, other qualities, too, have come to define this legendary experience. Gourmet cuisine, seamless service, unrivalled ambience and interior design – as well as a meticulous attention to detail – are just a few of these. With just 25 spacious riverside suites, including the four-suite Owner’s Cottage and the two-suite Alan

Pye Cottage, Huka Lodge is truly worlds apart as an exclusive haven of sophistication and relaxed elegance. Its numerous top international awards and accolades are richly deserved and its guest list has included European royalty, heads of state, Hollywood stars, authors and sports legends. This year, to celebrate 90 years of extraordinary hospitality, Huka Lodge is presenting a series of inspirational and intimate gala events we feel compelled to share with you.

ABOVE: Huka Lodge - from fishing camp to worldfamous luxury retreat visited by royalty, heads of state, Hollywood stars and sports legends.

World Magazine

Italian Opera Weekend 25 & 26 APRIL The featured singer is the accomplished Deborah Wai Kapohe. The Southland-born soprano has performed in operas, musicals, arts festivals and recitals throughout New Zealand and Australia and in the UK, South Africa and China. She has performed for the Duke of Edinburgh World Fellows at St James Palace, Cathcart Spring Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney and Beijing Olympic Arts Festivals and for visiting royalty at Huka Lodge. Deborah will be accompanied by emerging artists from the New Zealand Opera School, whose director, Jonathan Alver, will be Master of Ceremonies for this weekend of operatic immersion. Alver has more than 25 years’ experience in broadcasting, film and theatre production in New Zealand, the UK and the USA. Guest chef for the weekend is the Italian-born Stefano Manfredi, the “Godfather” of modern Italian cuisine in Australia, where he has lived and created his stunning dishes since the early 1980s. Stefano is arguably the leading proponent of modern Italian cuisine in Australia. He is the author of four books on the subject and will have copies of his latest book with him when he visits Huka Lodge. His literary talents also extend to being a featured columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald.

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An Intimate Dinner with Alexander McCall Smith 24 MAY Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith is best known for his hugely successful The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books that have sold over 20 million copies in 40 different languages and become a popular TV series. He is also known for 44 Scotland Street, named one of the top 10 favourite Scottish novels of the last 50 years. He has written collections of short stories, academic works and more than 30 books for children. He’s received numerous awards for his writing, including the British Book Awards Author of the Year in 2004 and a CBE for services to literature in 2007. He was Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh University and is now Emeritus Professor at its School of Law. Guests will enjoy his celebrated gift for storytelling over a sumptuous five-course dinner. He appears with support from the Auckland Writers Festival.

Celebrate the Art of Living 25 & 26 JULY

Paspaley Pearl Discovery Weekend 6 & 7 JUNE No two pearls are the same, as guests to this informative weekend will learn. The rare pearls from this family owned company are incomparable in lustre and beauty. The tropical waters off Australia’s Kimberley Coast are home to the last of the world’s most prolific wild Pinctada maxima oyster beds. Each wild pearl oyster is gathered by hand from the ocean floor by Paspaley divers, just as it’s been done for generations. Known for its environmental activism, Paspaley is deeply committed to protecting the pristine oceans of northern Australia. Driven by the philosophy “leave no footprint”, the company has long appreciated that a pearl’s quality and beauty is intrinsically influenced by the waters where it grows. Paspaley pearls are known for their orient – the combination of transparent lustre and unique play of colours. Guests will be treated to tutorials by a member of the Paspaley family accompanied by a team of trained connoisseurs. A unique pearl meat menu will be created by Huka Lodge executive chef Paul Froggatt. These dishes will be complemented by Bunnamagoo Wines, also owned by the Paspaley family.

Learn more about how to live a healthier, richer and more inspired life. Enjoy a presentation of fine jewellery. Take part in a cooking demonstration followed by lunch with a Michelin-starred chef. Test-drive an Aston Martin. It’ll be a busy weekend. Expert presenters will share their knowledge and passion for their given areas of expertise. Dr Libby Weaver, one of Australasia’s leading nutritional biochemists, is the author of five best-selling books on health, nutrition and beauty. A popular public speaker, she comes armed with an abundance of knowledge, scientific research and a true desire to help others see their own light and beauty. Dr Libby empowers and inspires people to take charge of their health and happiness. Margaret and Rebecca Foley, of the exclusive Hartfield Jewellers in Auckland, will display and discuss a stunning selection of their finest European jewellery from Chaumet of France and Pasquale Bruni of Italy, while a Winemakers Dinner will showcase legendary winemaker Kevin Judd’s outstanding Greywacke wines from Marlborough. Meanwhile, executive chef Paul Froggatt will lead a cooking demonstration followed by a gourmet lunch. And when you’re not attending these sessions there’s the latest-model Aston Martin parked outside waiting for you to take the wheel.

World Magazine

The Big Red AUSSIE Dinner 27 SEPTEMBER Nick Farr-Jones is best known by New Zealanders as a respected rugby rival, having appeared in 63 test matches for the Australian Wallabies, 36 of those as captain – in fact he skippered the team that won the 1991 Rugby World Cup. Today he is a lawyer-turned-investment banker, with a special interest in mining and natural resources. Nick is also in demand as a popular guest speaker and it is in this capacity that he will be appearing at Huka Lodge to host their Big Red Aussie Dinner. Every year Huka Lodge aims to make The Big Red Aussie Dinner more exciting, especially for those guests who attend regularly. This year the event focuses on a carefully selected group of celebrated wines representing rare and fine examples of the two most famous Australian red varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. It’ll be a festive evening with wine tasting accompanied by a superbly matched five-course dinner created especially for the occasion by Paul Froggatt.

Champagne Bollinger Dinner 30 AUGUST The annual Bollinger Dinner at Huka Lodge has become an institution. This event will be hosted by the very charming and knowledgeable Clive Weston, managing director of Negociants New Zealand and a doyen of the New Zealand wine industry for more than 20 years. This year’s dinner will feature a rare treat for champagne aficionados: Bollinger RD (recently disgorged). This is a very special release with only a tiny global allocation. RD was introduced for the first time by Madame Bollinger in 1961 on the 1952 Bollinger Grande Année vintage. Disgorgement is deliberately delayed until just prior to release to the market, so the champagne benefits from a prolonged maturation on its lees (residual yeast), which reinforces the aromatic subtlety and complexity of the final wine. Late disgorgement allows the champagne to retain its freshness and vivacity and fruity expression despite the ageing. For this event, guests will taste Bollinger RD 2014 along with other more readily available Bollinger vintages. The five-course menu accompanying the champagne will be presented by guest chef Martin Benn, and two of his assistant chefs, from Sydney’s celebrated Sepia restaurant. Huka Lodge has been trying to lure Martin Benn to be part of this series for quite some time now,so they are very excited about this visit. No stranger to awards and recognition, Sepia was named Restaurant of the Year for 2014 by the esteemed Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. With luck, Martin will have copies of his new book, Sepia available, too.

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FOR THE

BIRDS

A New Zealand company is taking new super-premium brands of vodka and gin to the world while helping to preserve two endangered native birds.

he exquisite bottle labels were painted by New Zealand artist Andrew Barns-Graham. The Chatham Island black robin, or toutouwai, is a small songbird with a black plumage that was rescued from the brink of extinction in 1984 after it was discovered there were only two breeding pairs left in the world. It remains endangered, but the population has grown to more than 250 on two remote islands in the Chathams group. The native Fiordland blue duck, or whio, is also under threat. It is the only member of its genus in the world and it remains listed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;nationally vulnerableâ&#x20AC;? under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. In an everyday way, the bird features on the New Zealand $10 note. That these two native birds are now the face of new brands of vodka and gin launched recently

in Auckland may seem a little cheeky, but the company, Simply Pure, has entered into a special relationship with the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. A percentage of the profits from the sale of these new beverages is donated to the society to help fund the restoration of the birds’ native habitats. Simply Pure (Rarified Spirits) was founded by Kiwis Peter Darroch and Phil Clark. Darroch is a successful advertising and marketing executive who was twice a finalist in the Fairfax AdMedia CEO of the Year awards. His impressive resumé includes 1997 New Zealand Marketer of the Year and stints working for and with multinational companies in Europe, North America and Asia, in particular mainland China. Phil Clark has held various roles within the New Zealand hospitality sector for over 20 years. The launch of Black Robin Gin and Blue Duck Vodka coincides with a worldwide resurgence of sales in each of these two spirits – despite a relatively weak global economy. Luxury goods companies like LVMH, for example, are enjoying unprecedented growth (sales up 19 per cent in 2011), much of it attributed to an increasing demand for premium spirits. Each of these brands is distilled in Tauranga. Peter Darroch told World that, “Our vodka is distilled seven times, producing a far superior result. Other top brands, are distilled no more than five times. And our brands are handcrafted, meaning they are produced by the hand of our master distiller.” The master distiller is German Michael Deinlien, who studied his craft at the University of Stuttgart. Black Robin Gin is 43 per cent alcohol and is derived from natural New Zealand spring water. It has no additives, preservatives or sugars. Its unique fragrance comes from a botanical mix of chervil, watercress, parsley and mint, blended with the New Zealand native plant horopito – one of the world’s oldest flowering plants, with a peppery taste. After its seven distillations, Blue Duck Vodka, also 43 per cent alcohol, is subtle and polished, with a smooth, velvety texture and a lemony zest. www.simplypure.co.nz

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A versatile new range of furniture blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living.

World Magazine

Philippe Starck

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utdoor furniture maker DEDON has come indoors, so to speak, with a new modular furniture system designed by Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Philippe Starck. RAYN is a range that challenges the boundaries between outdoor and indoor living and that can be made to fit any space while adding a touch of sophistication and style to home interiors. The high-profile designer, one of the many designers who dream up innovative creations for DEDON, has said

“RAYN WAS DESIGNED TO BRING PLEASURE NOT JUST TO THOSE LOUNGING ON IT BUT TO THOSE AROUND IT.”

World Magazine

the range was inspired by Surrealist poetry. “One of its most universal forms is Surrealism, often expressed by impossibilities and paradoxes,” Starck has said. “I have used Surrealist poetry to express the disappearance of boundaries between inside and out, so we may imagine a garden, a terrace, as the living room of a house from which we would have removed the ceiling to replace it with the sky, the walls with trees and the carpet with grass. RAYN was designed to bring pleasure not just to those lounging on it but to those around it.” Interpret that how you will, the fact is, the supremely comfortable RAYN sofa, for example, reflects elegance and richness and features innovative weaving patterns of criss-crossing horizontal ribbons of pale ecru fabric with vertical tubes of warm grey fabric. The armrests are generously proportioned and can double as side tables, while a powdercoated frame gives shape to the weaving with its tonal variations in the fabric that covers it. The RAYN range has remarkable versatility, merging comfort with sophistication to create attractive pieces of indoor furniture using the know-how of the world leader in outdoor-indoor furniture. www.domo.co.nz

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Tricia Welsh joins the quest for better health and wellbeing at Aro-H , a luxurious new South Island retreat.

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‘‘Y

ou can’t possibly think this is enjoyable,” I mutter through clenched teeth as I struggle on a steep mountain hike above Glenorchy, at the top Lake Wakatipu, near Queenstown. I’m one of 12 participants on a signature five-day “Invigorate and Enrich” wellness adventure at the new purpose-built Aro-H luxury health retreat. “I’d rather be sorting the sock drawer,” I add, sotto voce, as I bring up the rear on this obligatory daily activity. But the scenery is jaw-dropping as I plough on regardless, stopping every now and then to take in the magnificent

ADVENTURES IN

WELLNESS

views. An overnight dusting of mid-summer snow has transformed jagged peaks into a magical postcard scene more in keeping with the region’s winter reputation as an international snow sports destination. Aro-H is the brainchild of American Chris Madison and business partner Damian Chaparro, who met at The Ashram in Calabasas in California: Madison as an exhausted, over-worked participant and Chaparro as a retreat leader. You’ve heard the story about the chap who was so impressed with a particular electric razor he bought the company? Well, this is a story about a highly successful hedge fund tycoon whose best friend insisted he go

to the long-established yoga retreat to rebalance his workaholic lifestyle. He went under sufferance – and then willingly enrolled another nine times (both in California and at its sister retreat in Majorca), deciding the experience was so life-changing he wanted to establish his own retreat. After much searching, Madison bought 8.4 hectares of pastoral land alongside Blanket Bay Lodge and overlooking Lake Wakatipu and has invested US$30 million (around $36m) in the secluded, purpose-built self-sustaining retreat. Based on a similar concept to The Ashram, Aro-H offers five- and seven-day all-inclusive retreat programmes with a philosophy of holistic, results-oriented fitness that

ABOVE: Low-slung Aro-H retreat blends into its Central Otago landscape. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Lake and mountains: a constant backdrop; Lake Wakatipu is on the doorstep; fresh, healthy food informs every meal; lounge area with its big schist fireplace; vege-filled rice paper rolls.

World Magazine

ABOVE: Lake Wakatipu in brooding mood. The Aro-H regimen includes scenic walks, lake kayaking and other outdoor pursuits.

includes early morning and evening yoga, daily long, sub-alpine hikes, meditation, therapeutic massage, nutritional education and more. It is with some trepidation that I meet other participants at Queenstown airport to be transported along the 40-odd lakeside kilometres to the retreat. After settling into our spacious accommodations, we reconvene in the spa facility for an optional measure and weigh-in prior to setting out on our first energetic hike. How will I cope with this rigorous routine with a torn cartilage in one knee and a general dislike for yoga? But my sedentary lifestyle needs a shake-up and I’m looking forward to the detoxifying vegetarian food and a promised “life-altering glow”. Besides, just being in this cool, clean air and scenic environment should make me feel good – shouldn’t it? Days start early with a 5.30am wake-up bell on a computerised in-room wall screen that also lists each day’s programme. Then it’s straight into a vinyasa flow yoga session in a dedicated yoga pavilion whose huge picture window provides a glorious natural landscape through to the tranquil lake and mesmerising mountains. Grazing fat lambs and black Angus cattle seem to query our poses; even a wild hare stops by one morning to gaze at us curiously.

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Our first breakfast is a cleansing green juice. Is that all? Already some are looking for seconds. And then we’re driven out to start on a three- to four-hour hike up the steep Bonnie Jean route, via a winding old road once used by scheelite miners. Another day we follow the glacial-blue Rees River, where foxgloves line the rollercoaster road through a centuries-old red beech forest and overnight rain creates gentle roadside waterfalls. On yet another day, we kayak 1.2km across the lake to Pigeon Island, where we embark on a short hike up to the crest and spy a rare Buff weka whose local numbers had been decimated by predators until they were re-introduced from the Chatham Islands to this natural bird sanctuary. Afternoons allow free time to relax in the spa facility (there are saunas, plus hot and cold plunge pools). Then follows a therapeutic massage, an activity – perhaps a nutrition demonstration, introduction to permaculture or learning about the high-tech sustainability practices of the retreat – followed by restorative yoga and dinner. A highlight each day is the hour-long full-body massage: the intense sports massage technique of Frenchman Michele is so outstanding we all want to take him home. The low-slung, freestanding cedar buildings were designed by Wellington-based architectural firm

Tennent & Brown and feature blond woods that nestle unobtrusively into the rugged landscape. Spaces are well designed to maximise lake and mountain views through floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the main buildings and micro-blinds in the accommodations. Chaparro says they accepted concepts from four New Zealand architectural firms, but Hugh Tennent was chosen as lead architect because of “his knowledge and familiarity with both creating sacred places and his experience with retreats” in general. “Hugh has designed both a Catholic and a Buddhist monastery and is himself a meditation teacher,” explains Chaparro. “I took a class with him.” Meals are highly anticipated and Brazilian-born wholefoods chef Ranieri Silva does not disappoint with a repertoire of beautifully presented dishes inspired by Moroccan, Asian and Mediterranean flavours. Three oneweek menus have been created by Los Angeles-based raw and wholefoods chef Suzie Bohannon, menu consultant to The Ashram and author of The Ripest Cherry. These vary in terms of detoxifying intensity and we enjoy the middle one. There might be sprouted avocado Benedict with a cucumber lime juice cleanser for breakfast, vegetable-filled rice-paper rolls topped with edible flowers and micro-greens for lunch and a fabulous raw pad Thai with a coconut and pine nut broth for dinner. Although more than half a hectare has been planted with a variety of fruit trees, vegetables and berries, only a handful of heirloom tomatoes, micro-greens and herbs are currently being harvested for use. Farm manager and botanist Christina Lister is hopeful that within two years they will be using up to 90 per cent of homegrown produce. She is particularly excited about growing quinoa and suggests it “grows like a weed”. “This year the whole garden is experimental, to see

what grows well in the sub-alpine climate and to learn what the kitchen needs are,” she adds. While a tad older than the profile of the average person they anticipate will be their future clients (70 per cent 40-something females), after five reasonably gruelling days I can feel my muscles have firmed up, I have lost a few kilos, have come to enjoy yoga and can even hold a natarajasana “lord of the dance” pose. Now I can’t wait to start growing my own sprouts, plan my own walks, create my own wholefood meals and, yes, even book into a yoga class or two.

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Comfortable corner for quiet contemplation or a spot of reading; suites are large, airy and light; yoga is a daily activity, enhanced by an inspiring view; kayaking expedition on the lake.

www.aro-ha.com

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WINE| JOHN HAWKESBY

THE PRINCE OF “WINE RELATED TO ITS PLACE OF ORIGIN IS VERY IMPORTANT. I DON’T THINK ABOUT CUSTOMERS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A WINE THAT IS TRUTHFUL TO ITS TERROIR.” – AUBERT DE VILLAINE

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he urbane, quietly spoken 75-year-old Frenchman from Burgundy has 300 Central Otago wine producers and international and local wine writers in the palm of his hand. And why not? Monsieur Aubert de Villaine is the co-proprietor of the world’s most famous and expensive Pinot Noir (Burgundy) estate – the revered Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. A single bottle of the house’s top-tier vintage will set you back $10,000. And don’t assume because you can afford it you’ll be able to buy a bottle to see what all the fuss is about. Such is the international demand for what is a small

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production, you’ll be placed on a waiting list. You could, perhaps, buy the wine on the secondary market, but the asking price will be close to double the release price. All this fuss and stellar pricing is somewhat lost on the bemused de Villaine, who shrugs with disbelief at the scramble and crazy amounts of money people are prepared to part with for what is, in his own words, “a work of man and nature combined”. Making great wine, he says, is about “remaining humble and respecting what the ground and vines offer”. In the case of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the grounds and vines offer quite a lot.

Burgundy is a unique patchwork of visually stunning vineyards with lots of low dry-stone walls and tiny, picturesque churches peeping over the vines. De Villaine asks his audience the question: “Was this ribbon of land pre-destined to make fine wine or was it the intervention of man?” He then goes on to explain the importance of place to great wine. “Burgundy is able to deal with climatic fluctuations by the shape of its landscape and protective mountains,” he tells us. “There is great diversity of soil – mainly clay and limestone and geologically very ancient.” A slight understatement. Vines were established in Burgundy as early as the first century AD. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, based in Vosne-

Romanée, is the most prestigious wine estate in Burgundy and the best-known Burgundy producer in the world. Its wines are notable for their richness and longevity. It makes only the finest Grand Cru wines (all Burgundy) and one white – Le Montrachet. The six reds are: RomanéeConti, La Tâche, Richebourg, Romanée-St-Vivant, Échezeaux and Grands Échezeaux. In Burgundy, grapes are grown in a wide variety of topsoils and microclimates. But, as de Villaine points out, man has dealt with these challenges not by seeking to bypass them but by capitalising on them through a distinctive style of viticulture. In the Middle Ages, monastic orders grasped the mantle and wine production became well established. Plantings took place in some of the more obscure areas of Burgundy, which turned out to be highly successful and by the 16th century, the practice of planting vines on slopes was well established.

Aubert de Villaine (right) is co-owner of the world’s most famous Burgundy estate, whose Grand Cru wines like Romanée-Conti (opposite page) fetch stellar prices.

As de Villaine observes, “Principles were established which have been maintained until the present day to protect the characters of the wines of Burgundy.” Which is part of the reason he is attending the (almost) bi-annual Central Otago Pinot Celebration. Aubert de Villaine is also “President de l’Association pour l’inscription des Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne au Patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO”. Which basically means he is leading the bid for UNESCO World Heritage status in an effort to safeguard the cultural heritage and vineyards of Burgundy and their reputation for producing some of the most lauded wines in the world. Support for this bid from the New Zealand Government was being sought, with the help of the vignerons of Central Otago, who some time ago developed strong fraternal ties with the French through the Central Otago Burgundy Exchange Programme. During the three-day conference, word was received

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World wine editor John Hawkesby was MC at the Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration attended by 300 wine producers and wine writers. Delegates had ‘Lunch in the Vines’ at five wineries, including Amisfield (opposite page).

that the New Zealand Government would support the bid, much to the delight of everyone attending there. For de Villaine in particular this was most heartening, as he explained: “I have spent a life pruning vines, racking barrels and looking after our vineyards and our team, and to see Burgundy gain UNESCO World Heritage status would be wonderful.” De Villaine was named Decanter magazine’s Man of the Year in 2010 and, while being involved in many diverse winegrower committees, has served as mayor of his town for the past decade. But he is first and foremost a vigneron. In Burgundy the names of individual producers only became important in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 19th century, ranking those producers and acknowledging the quality of their wines and their terroir gave us the terms Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Villages and so on.

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De Villaine reminds us that Burgundy is a mosaic of styles and relies heavily on the people to make great Pinot Noir, acknowledging the importance of those early monks and their commitment to making wines of excellence. In a generous and lovely tribute, he compares the skill and passion of the 12th-century monastic orders to those of the local Central Otago winemakers. This draws howls of laughter from the assembled audience. It’s not that their skill levels or commitment are in dispute – just that the larrikin winemakers of Central Otago would be closer to the Pirates of the Caribbean than the Pious Priests of the Cloisters. In a quiet moment, sharing a glass of Échezeaux Grand Cru 2008 poured for me by the winemaker himself, I ask if truly great wine is made in the vineyard and not the winery? He speaks softly but with the gentle authority of one who has been asked this question often: “Nature dictates and we must respect her – no great winemaker

can produce a Grand Cru wine from a Village estate. It will always be a collaboration between man and nature. “There is no such thing as a vineyard pre-destined to greatness; it needs the cooperation and encouragement of man… To make a great wine requires time, patience and long-term vision. It’s important to preserve this understanding and culture.” By now I have drunk the delicious wine and the perfect host tops up my glass. Realising this Échezeaux Grand Cru is about $3,000 a bottle, I’m incredibly grateful and make a mental note that this is not a quaffer and I need to show a little more restraint. I ask him how he has found the local Pinots of Central Otago. His reply is measured, thoughtful and warm. “I have enjoyed the wines of Central Otago and especially those [people] behind it. There is real passion behind Pinot Noir that no other grape has. We are all obliged to excellence.”

Felton Road Wines, Central Otago

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Arthur St Antoine invites you to join him in the ‘sports car of the 20th century’ to relive a glorious past alongside the Hollywood legend who drove it. Words Arthur St. Antoine – PHOTOS Evan Klein

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Eve Arnold/Magnum Photos

s a motoring writer you get to drive countless cars, most of them interesting, many of them thrilling and some of them unforgettable. But few of them are haunting in the fashion of the car you’re sitting in now. It’s a landmark machine, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Gullwing” Coupé, a car ahead of its time, one of the most acclaimed sporting two-seaters ever made. And this is a pristine example from just 1,400 produced between 1954 and 1957; it’s a

scrapbook trophy even for veterans of the car-testing trade. But this particular 300SL is more than that. Much more. This was Gable’s car. To say “Clark Gable” would be redundant; “Gable” is enough. The “King of Hollywood”. The weatherworn man’s man with the pencil moustache, who uttered the most immortal line in movie history – “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” – and then strode away into Hollywood’s Olympus. The matinee idol of idols who starred with Jean Harlow in 1932’s Red Dust and then, in 1953, joined Ava

ABOVE: Clark Gable relaxes in his Gullwing after a day on the set of The Misfits. Opposite Page: The pristine 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Gullwing” Coupé that once belonged to Gable. Just 1,400 of them were produced.

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them over to see his prize, the buddies sipping whiskey and trading barbs as they admired the 300SL’s avantgarde curves in the Southern California dusk. “She’s sure something, Clark,” they’d have said. And Gable would’ve flashed that klieg-light smile. You might study the silver-painted sheet metal, looking for reflections of the sights this car has seen: the rising

ABOVE: Plenty of chrome on Gable’s silver dream car, these days kept polished on the showroom floor. ABOVE RIght: The car’s current owner has kept it as Gable had it, including the special Rudge racing wheels. Opposite Page: The rare, restored Gullwing has had just three owners since Gable and is valued at around US$700,000 today.

Gardner in the remake of Mogambo – because, even after 21 years, audiences wanted no one else in the lead role. He sat in this very seat, adjusted these chromed controls, tipped his Kents and his Cuban cigars into this ashtray, grinned with the giddy gratification of owning something wonderful when he turned the key and this 3.0-litre inline-six thumped into life. This was Gable’s car. For today, it’s yours. Gable bought the Gullwing new, at Mercedes-Benz of Hollywood, in 1955. On the registration alongside his signature is that of his fifth and final wife, actress and model Kay Spreckels. Perhaps the couple drove the Mercedes back to their California estate at Encino, Gable awkward as he folded his 185cm frame over the wide door sill and into the tidy cockpit for the first time, husband and wife giggling as they pulled shut the novel top-hinged doors, dealership employees and Kodak-toting passers-by crowding close as Gable fired up the engine, cleared its throat with quick stabs of the throttle, eased his new toy into traffic. Once home, Gable would’ve called up a few close pals – like MGM publicity boss Howard Strickling – and invited

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sun as the Gullwing sat in Gable’s driveway, dewy and cold, waiting for the movie star to bound from his house, script under his arm, in a rush to make that morning’s call time for Run Silent, Run Deep; the iconic faces – Lancaster, Monroe, Stewart, Hayward – peering curiously at this futuristic machine parked on the studio lot in the King’s reserved space; the Santa Monica mountains blurring past as Gable spurred the car homeward, blissfully alone at last after another draining day at the epicentre of the soundstage beehive. You study, but the Gullwing’s silvery skin keeps its secrets, faithful to its original master. This was Gable’s car, from that happy delivery day in 1955 until the star’s sudden death of a heart attack on 16 November, 1960. He’d finished the gruelling shoot of Arthur Miller’s The Misfits, co-starring Marilyn Monroe

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and Montgomery Clift, just two weeks earlier. The Benz had been with him on the Nevada set. Cinematographer Doc Kaminsky, hired to make a behind-the-scenes documentary, remembers racing Gable and the Gullwing across the desert floor. “He had a Gullwing Mercedes and I had a brand-new Austin-Healey at the time,” Kaminsky told the Reno News & Review. “Clark was an excellent driver, and we’d go blasting off over the Geiger Grade. And this was in the 1960s, remember, so no speed limits.” Gable and the Gullwing helped Kaminsky bust limits with the ladies, too. “One day, I was going with a girl downtown and I pulled up to a traffic light,” Kaminsky told the paper. “Clark Gable pulls up next to me in his Gullwing and says, ‘Hi, Doc. How’s it going?’ And the girl I was with, her teeth fell out. She says, ‘Was that Clark Cable?’ I go, ‘Oh, yeah. I’m working with him on a project’.” Only weeks later Gable was gone – the victim, many said, of having overtaxed his hard-living, 59-year-old body by doing his own stunts in that final film. (“How do you find your way back in the dark?” asks Monroe’s Roslyn Taber at the movie’s close. “Just head for that big star straight on,” Gable’s Gay Langland replies. “It’ll take us right home.”) Gable’s body was laid to rest alongside that of his beloved third wife, actress Carole Lombard, killed in a 1942 plane crash while returning home from a war-bond campaign. Four months later, Gable’s widow, Kay, gave birth to his one and only child, son John Clark. Soon the Gullwing moved into the orbit of a lesser star, Harry Haenigsen, creator of the Penny comic strip that ran in the US from the early 1940s into the 1960s. In the early 1970s, Haenigsen sold the car to Charles R. Wood, an entrepreneur known as the “Father of Theme Parks” and co-founder (with Paul Newman) of a camp for terminally ill children. Wood kept the Gullwing for three decades until, in 2003, at age 89, he sold it to its fourth and current owner, Bob Howard, president of MercedesBenz of Oklahoma City and one of the directors of the huge Group 1 Automotive dealer association. Most days now, Gable’s Gullwing sits quietly on Howard’s showroom floor, a three-pointed star attraction even amid the gleaming S-Classes, CL coupés, and a nearby SLR McLaren. But today you’re going to take it out and prod the rarely touched accelerator and stir the gears and steer lateral g’s into the tyres – and you’ll do it carefully, indeed, because this Gullwing is worth maybe US$700,000 and, besides, if you so much as scratch it Gable himself might materialise and swing on you the way he punched Spencer Tracy in Boom Town. Climbing aboard, you fold yourself into the cabin, taking care not to scrape the wide leather doorsill, but once you’re seated the cabin is cosy. The dash is a riot of knobs and sliders – all unmarked, so you need to memorise what

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they do or you’ll switch on the lights when you’re trying to activate the ventilation fan. Strapped down behind your head is the set of optional fitted leather luggage

Gable ordered for his car (and which, long ago, must have held the size 44-long suits he bought, four or five at a time, at Brooks Brothers in New York). Above your left leg, near the parking brake, is a tube from engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s lightweight welded spaceframe (which blocks the usual passenger-door openings; hence the upwardraising gullwings). You’d normally find such tubes in a racecar, of course, but at its heart that’s what the Gullwing is, American Mercedes importer Maxi Hoffman having persuaded the German maker to build a road version of its Le Mans-winning 1952 300SL. The Gullwing weighs just 1,300kg – and has no air conditioning. Over the years, the Benz has been restored to perfection – current owner Howard has spiffed up the paint and the engine – but it’s just as it was during Gable’s lifetime. It was Gable who ditched the standard steel wheels in favour of the racing Rudge knockoffs the car wears now. The only item the star might not recognise is the steering wheel; in place of the standard white rim is an elegant, wood-and-chrome Nardi model. One picture of the car taken during Gable’s reign appears to show the Nardi, but it’s fuzzy. You trace your fingertips over the wood anyway, in case it was this wheel that decades ago twirled under the hands that once seized Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara by the shoulders while an angry Rhett Butler snarled: “That’s what’s wrong with you. You should be kissed and often – and by someone who knows how!” This Gullwing is rare and valuable enough that you ask for instructions before touching a thing. The car’s handler responds that the engine likes a few seconds of fuel pump before you engage the starter. You oblige with a tug on the appropriate knob, then twist the key. The Gullwing

PHOTO: Gettyimages

ABOVE Right: Gable and Munroe on the set of The Misfits

ABOVE: The owner’s manual Gable must have pored over in 1955.

RIGHT: Clark Gable, “King of Hollywood”.

BELOW: Gable’s autograph on a car service document.

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ABOVE AND BELOW: Years ahead of its time in style and power, the 300SL Gullwing still turns heads.

was the world’s first production car with a direct-injection four-stroke petrol engine, and the inline-six lights off easily and settles into a confident thrum. Gable’s car is alive again. The door above your head is beautifully balanced – it stays raised until you want it closed, then drops with a gentle pull. It’s hot in here; no wonder Gable liked to shower three times a day. The fully synchronised fourspeed slips easily into first, the clutch releases smoothly, and you’re off. You are driving Gable’s Gullwing.

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Naturally, you’re tentative at first (nervous, even) but the 300SL is so modern and forgiving in its control responses, you just have to let it run. It wants to run. Above 3,000rpm, the engine opens up like a floodgate: you’re quickly up into third and have to back off hard for a turn. Downshifts are sweet and easy, the giant finned drum brakes strong. You’re back on the power, the engine growing happier with every climb up the tachometer. You’re sure it could do 225km/h-plus. Easy. And now the Gullwing is finally beginning to speak to you. It says you understand why Gable loved it so. You hear the proud mechanical aria that Gable heard, your feet are squeezing the pedals his feet did, your eyes are watching the same instrument needles rise and fall, you’re savouring the very engineering excellence the car showered on the movie star. This, you realise, is how it felt to be the King of Hollywood as he drove to work or raced across the desert or challenged a mountain road just for the joy of it. In here, alone in the cockpit of this remarkable automobile, you are just as he was. Too soon, though, your day is over. Gable’s Gullwing is due back in its showroom. You switch off the engine, lift the door and, as slowly as you can, climb out. You watch as the car is hoisted onto a flatbed trailer and, as if carried off with a brisk gust of Oklahoma wind, it’s gone, a legend that, like its first owner, has endured as few others ever will.

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WORLD|book review

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125 AROUND THE WORLD IN

YEARS

A handsome three-volume publication celebrates 125 years of National Geographic magazine with a stunning collection of photographs by five generations of photographers. By Patrick Smith. World Magazine

ack when many of us were growing up, the world was a much larger place than it is today. Travel to faraway places – especially wild faraway places – was not taken lightly. Air travel was expensive and sea travel extremely time-consuming. Television offered small, colourless glimpses of life elsewhere. The internet was decades away. But there was always National Geographic. Within its yellow-bordered covers we discovered strange creatures, astonishing landscapes, new scientific breakthroughs (in lurid colour), miracles of the universe, exotic cultures and peoples whose lives were so different from ours they may as well have come from Mars. We became armchair explorers and the world became a little bit smaller. Families often had bookcases groaning under the weight of National Geographics, the oldest of which probably migrated to the bach or were donated to a doctor’s waiting room or school library. It was hard to throw a National Geographic magazine away. The stories, perhaps written by people who were explorers themselves, were dense and superbly researched. But it was the photographs that held us: National Geographic photographers were – and are still – some of the best in the world. In today’s digital age these lensmen and -women travel light compared to their predecessors of even

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ABOVE:Steve Winter, Mexico (date uncertain). Two captive jaguars in a dugout canoe greet the photographer with a growl. PREVIOUS PAGE: Paul Nicklen, Antarctica, 2012. An emperor penguin leaves a contrail of air bubbles as it prepares to launch itself clear of a hole in the Ross Sea pack ice.

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ABOVE: Steve McCurry, Sri Lanka, 1995. Perched on wooden stilts, men fish for herring in the monsoon-lashed surf pounding Sri Lanka’s south coast. OPPOSITE PAGE: James L. Stanfield, India, 1976. Devotees pray to rats at a temple dedicated to Hindu goddess Bhagwati Karniji in Rajasthan.

20 year ago, who in turn carried much less equipment than photographers like Volkmar K. Wentzel. In 1948 – the year of India’s independence from Britain – Wentzel travelled throughout the subcontinent taking pictures with bulky photographic gear he hauled in an ex-army ambulance converted into a mobile darkroom and emblazoned with the words “National Geographic Photo-Survey Vehicle” in English, Hindi and Urdu. There are countless stories about the exploits of the hundreds of men and women who have worked as National Geographic photographers and writers (sometimes both at once) since the National Geographic Society was founded on 13 January 1888. Now their work is being showcased in a new three-volume, limited-edition set called Around The World In 125 Years. Just 125,000 copies – 1,000 for every year of the Society’s existence – will go on sale around the world, each one numbered. The set is published by the German-based specialist publishers TASCHEN, whose editors were given unlimited access to National Geographic archives containing a mindboggling 11 million images. Distilled from this vast pictorial resource, the books and their dramatic images take us on

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a journey through time and around the planet – from the Americas and Antarctica in Volume 1, through Europe and Africa (Vol. 2) to Asia and Oceania in the final book. The three oversized volumes (each measuring 39cm by 28cm) together run to almost 1,500 pages. Happily, each volume has a cardboard slipcase that converts into a tabletop bookstand to support an open book for easy reading or display. “For the first time,” writes Douglas Brinkley in his opening essay, “these photographs are being produced large, at a scale never seen before in book form. The images have been meticulously curated and laid out to tell a vivid and transformative story about what the planet looked like and what it has become.” Longtime National Geographic readers will recognise photos that have appeared in the magazine over the past decades – mesmerising images like that of the young Afghan girl whose pale, haunted eyes stared out of the cover of the June 1985 issue. The girl’s family had been killed during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and the picture, taken by Steve McCurry in 1984, became a symbol of that country’s ongoing suffering. McCurry’s

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B. Anthony Stewart, New York, 1957. Hailed by a welcoming flotilla, the Mayflower II, a scale replica of the famous original, enters New York Harbour with all sails set to a spanking breeze.

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Steve McCurry, Iraq, 1984. Baghdad’s split-domed al-Shaheed Monument ostensibly commemorates the Arab victory over the Persians at al-Qadisiyyah in 637AD, a battle Saddam Hussein invoked in 1980 before invading Iran.

photo of Baghdad’s looming split-domed al-Shaheed Monument (shown above) taken the same year, had great significance during Sadam Hussein’s disastrous eight-year war with Iran. Other pictures remind us of the things that endure – and what has been lost to us, exemplified in Volume 3 by Maynard Owen Williams’ 1931 picture of the 2,000-year-old giant Buddhas carved into a cliff in Afghanistrtan’s Bamian Valley: 70 years after Williams took the photo, the Buddhas were destroyed by Taliban fanatics. Many of the photographs, though, are published here for the first time – in a format that shows them

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off in all their richness and brilliance and will endure for generations to come. National Geographic editor-in-chief Chris Johns had this to say about Around The World In 125 Years: “It is a dream come true, and a perfect marriage for TASCHEN and National Geographic to be working together. TASCHEN’s attention to detail and level of perfection pay homage to each photographer’s vision unlike any other book we have ever done.” Images extracted with permission from National Geographic: Around the World in 125 Years, edited by Reuel Golden. Published by TASCHEN and distributed in New Zealand by New Holland, $850.

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Nina Englert

y love affair with the automotive industry began quite by chance when I was a teenager. I had just finished my secondary schooling in my home town of Mamaroneck, in New York state, and was wondering what to do next. My grandfather had a BMW – a green one from the 1980s – and I remember being very impressed after driving it. My aunt, with whom I share a birthday, worked for BMW and had always raved about her cars, so I was naturally curious about the brand. I applied to the BMW apprenticeship programme as a 19-year-old in Munich and was exposed to all aspects of the business, from assembly line to sales. I term these my “learning the trade” years, as they provided me with a sound grounding and an understanding of day-to-day operations of a multinational manufacturing organisation – and a degree in business administration. After 10 years in Munich, I finally got the opportunity to go back to the USA with the quality management skills I had gained, to help implement that in our sales company in New Jersey. This allowed me to live in Manhattan: for me, a dream come true. Within two years of returning home I was promoted to run our customer relations department and went from managing one person to 100, responsible for 1,500 customer contacts a day.

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DRIVING FORCE AT

BMW This experience taught me a huge amount about managing people and expectations and reinforced to me the importance of maintaining first-class customer relationships, especially when fronting the world’s most popular premium auto brand. This is something I continue to keep front of mind, as a business is nothing without supportive – and returning – customers. From that experience I was posted back to Munich for another exciting adventure, representing the Chinese market at the home of BMW for all things relating to sales, product, dealer development and after-sales. It was the time when BMW was growing with opportunities China had to offer for the premium car segment. I had spent lots of time in China and I could literally see the growth before my eyes. It’s quite unbelievable what China has achieved in such a short time; in fact it has become the biggest BMW market in the world. So, in the 23 years I’ve been with BMW, I’ve worked in the USA and Germany, and with markets such as China, Canada and Mexico and now find myself as managing director of BMW Group New Zealand. My various roles have given me the opportunity to observe a diverse range of markets and how their respective inhabitants interact in a business environment. I sometimes like to think of markets in terms of trees. The Chinese are like bamboo, growing quickly and standing proud, though with enough suppleness to be gently swayed when strong winds blow – while maintaining poise and an inner strength.

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is recognising and celebrating success. People should be encouraged to be aspirational, to be the best they can, whether in business, the arts or on the sports field. One of the first things I did after arriving in New Zealand around a year ago was to drive to every one of the nine BMW Dealer sites around the country. This was a fantastic experience as it gave me greater understanding – quite literally – of the local landscape.

X4 BMW New Zealand is on a product offensive in 2014, launching as many as 15 new models including the M4 Coupé, X4 Sport Activity Coupé and the all-new BMW i8.

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Germans are like an oak, headstrong and generally do not deviate from a particular decision or course of action, whatever forces are being exerted upon them. And Kiwis are like the iconic silver fern – slowly unfurling, always growing, and becoming more sure of themselves with each waking day. There is huge potential in a fern and, in turn, this fine country. Although I’ve only been in New Zealand for a relatively short time, I’m incredibly proud of my team, including our dealer network – they achieved leadership of the premium segment in 2012 and retained the position for 2013. But one thing we need to do more of here in New Zealand (and something this magazine is very good at)

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The diverse landscape is one of the key attractions of living in New Zealand, as is the natural affinity Kiwis have with “getting away from it all”. Fortunately, BMW is in a favourable position when it comes to complementing such lifestyles, as we offer a wide array of performance and lifestyle vehicles which are perfect for helping people make the most of getting into the great outdoors. So, what does the future hold? BMW is a company which is dedicated to enhancing personal mobility. Even at the height of the GFC, BMW continued to invest in research, design and bringing new models to market. We’re seeing the fruits of this investment now, as in the two years between 2012 and 2014 there will be 25 new models launched. Each new model represents a new opportunity, as well as an unwavering dedication to enhancing personal mobility by way of more efficient, safer, more dynamically engaging, more interactive and infotainment-rich new product offerings. And as for my own future? Who knows where the world will take me, but I’d certainly like to think that wherever it is I’ll be driving a BMW. As managing director of BMW Group New Zealand, Nina Englert is the first female MD for a national sales company in the group’s global sales network, which spans more than 140 countries.

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Fabulous

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SUPERCARS REPRESENT THE PINNACLE OF AUTOMOTIVE DEVELOPMENT – THE VERY BEST TECHNOLOGY EMPLOYED FOR ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE. WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE MOST EXCITING NEW MODELS FOR 2014.

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FERRARI CALIFORNIA T

The California, with its automatic transmission and folding roof, is widely regarded as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;everyday Ferrariâ&#x20AC;?. But few would argue that it fails to deliver true Ferrari thrills. Thus, the new California T boasts the very latest technology and extreme levels of power and performance: it has a brand-new V8 engine with turbocharger, in part an homage to the turbo technology being used in Formula One. The direct-injection V8 turbo boasts a 49 per cent increase in torque over the standard California powerplant and can propel the car to 100km/h in just 3.6 seconds. Yet fuel consumption has been reduced by 15 per cent. Ferrari claims to have virtually eliminated turbo lag with this new engine while preserving the characteristically intense and rich engine sound associated with the brand â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

no mean feat when dealing with turbocharging technology. Other developments for the new California T include quicker steering action, a more agile suspension set-up and new-generation Magnaride dampers that respond to changes 50 per cent faster than those in the outgoing model. Practicality has not been forgotten, either. The California T retains its four-seat cabin and even has an opening between the rear seats and luggage compartment to enable load-through of long items.

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LAMBORGHINI HURACAN LP 610-4

Meet Lamborghiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successor to the groundbreaking Gallardo: the Huracan LP 610-4, which is designed to combine a true super-sports-car driving experience with ease of use and interior luxury. Underpinning Huracan is a completely new chassis constructed of a combination of carbon and aluminium components. The 5.2-litre V10 engine is also new and employs a combination of direct and indirect injection, a system called Iniezione Diretta Stratificata (IDS) that is claimed to produce more power and torque but with lower fuel consumption. Stop-start technology is standard. Also new for Huracan is a dual-clutch, seven-speed transmission dubbed Lamborghini Doppia Frizione (LDF) and driving an electronically controlled four-wheel drive system. The gearbox can be configured in three different

ways: Strada, Sport and Corsa. Dynamic steering and magnetically controlled suspension are both options on this new model; they are automatically calibrated in accordance with the three driver-mode settings. Huracan has a lot to live up to. The outgoing Gallardo was the best-selling Lamborghini ever, with 14,022 cars produced over an impressive 10-year life cycle. Huracan was unveiled at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Geneva Motor Show and will benefit from a truly global launch, with more than 130 private previews being held for potential customers in 60 different cities.

a true super-sports-car

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Despite its searing race-car performance, the 650S does not skimp on luxury equipment, with Alcantara upholstery, voice control for the audio system and satellite navigation. It will be available in both coupé and Spider variants.

steering precision and enhanced handling, thanks to improved levels of downforce. Performance statistics such as 0-100km/h in 3.0 seconds, 0-200km/h in 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 333km/h put the 650S ahead of the iconic McLaren F1 supercar from the 1990s – perhaps the most highly regarded model of its kind. McLaren claims the 650S is as capable as any track-focused rival, yet does not deny its owners luxury equipment. It comes as standard with Alcantara upholstery, voice control for the audio system and satellite navigation. It will be available in both coupé and Spider variants. “The 650S represents 50 years of road and racing-car know-how,” says McLaren chief executive Mike Flewitt. “Everything we’ve learnt from the 12C and P1 has gone into this car.”

McLAREN 650S

When McLaren launched its road car business in 2010, it promised a new model every year. First came the 12C, then the 12C Spider. Next was the flagship P1 hypercar. Now, in 2014, comes the 650S, a more focused development of the 12C that also picks up some of the dramatic styling elements from the P1. The 650S is faster and even more dynamically capable than the 12C – half a second quicker to 200km/h and boasting more

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PORSCHE 918 SPYDER

The Porsche 918 Spyder represents a new era of supercar design and engineering. Designed from the outset as a hybrid performance machine, it combines a plug-in electric power pack with a mid-mounted 4.6-litre V8 combustion engine. The electric motor drives the front wheels, while the petrol unit drives the rear. Together, they make the 918 a four-wheel-drive machine. At startup the default mode is zero-emissions electric running, providing the battery is sufficiently charged. The 918 can cover up to 30km in this configuration. However, the car will more commonly run in hybrid mode, with standard, sport and race settings provided. There is one further setting: Hot Lap, which pushes every

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element of the hybrid powertrain to its limits for shortduration driving. This uses all of the batteryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reserves. Final testing prior to delivery of the first customer vehicles in November last year confirmed that the 918 Spyder is officially the fastest-ever roadgoing Porsche. A model equipped with the weight-optimised Wessiach package hit 0-100km/h in 2.6 seconds and passed the 300km/h mark in just 19.9 seconds. A similar vehicle currently holds the lap record for production vehicles around the infamous Nurburgring circuit in Germany, with a time of 6 minutes 57 seconds. Yet the same model is rated at just 3 litres per 100km in mandated European fuel economy testing, or 3.1l/km in standard form without the Wessiach package.

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CROUCHING

TIGER PORSCHE’S NEW MACAN IS SET TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT IN THE FAST-GROWING WORLD OF SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES.

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P BELOW: Tennis star Maria Sharapova makes it love all at the international launch of the Macan.

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orsche makes some of the world’s best sports cars. Always has, probably always will. But in recent years it has become just as well known for its premium sports utility vehicle (SUV) models. The Cayenne was launched in 2002 and overcame controversy almost instantly to become a best-seller. Today, Cayenne production numbers are twice that of the Boxster, Cayman and 911 model lines put together. Now there’s a new Porsche SUV in town, the Macan. It’s smaller than Cayenne but ultimately it could have an even bigger impact, as it enters a market segment that is growing by an annual 3 per cent and looks set to stay that way for the foreseeable future: from 1.3 million units globally last year to 1.8 million by 2024. Like Cayenne, Macan has been designed and engineered around a shared platform with the Volkswagen Group. But you could never accuse the car of lacking Porsche flavour: while the underpinnings are shared with the Audi Q5, around 70 per cent of components in Macan are either unique to Porsche or redesigned specifically for this model. Indeed, the only Macan to share an engine with

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Q5 is the entry-level S diesel. The 3.0-litre V6 makes 190kW/580Nm – more torque than any other model in the range, so it’s no surprise that it’s shaping up as first choice of early customers. The other two Macans are powered by turbo-petrol V6 engines. The S has a 3.0-litre with 250kW/460Nm, while the range-topping Turbo (noun rather than adjective, as all Macan models are turbocharged) boasts a 3.6-litre with 294kW/550Nm. Porsche is all about performance and that applies equally to sports cars or SUVs. Even the entry level diesel is quick, with the standard racing-style dual-clutch PDK gearbox helping it to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds – or an even more rapid 6.1 with the optional Sport Chrono package fitted. The S petrol manages a remarkable 5.2 seconds, but it’s the Turbo that truly takes no prisoners in the SUV market: it approaches supercar speed with 0-100km/h in just 4.6 seconds. The PDK transmission and Sport Chrono option are both carried over from the world of Porsche’s sports cars. Other such design and engineering features include “mixed tyres”, where the rims at the front are narrower

An SUV, but a mighty quick one. Porsche is all about performance and even the entry level diesel will get you to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds.

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Like Cayenne, the Macan is designed to be as rewarding as possible for both on- and off-road driving. The flagship Turboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s air suspension system can be adjusted through a 40mm range.

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than those at the back – just like on a 911 – to aid steering response and improve ultimate traction. There is no shortage of sports-car suspension technology in the car. Both S versions are fitted with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which allows the dampers to be tuned to the conditions and/or driving style. The flagship Macan Turbo boasts an air suspension system that allows the ride height to be adjusted through a 40mm range. At its normal setting it’s still 15mm lower than the standard set-up used on the S models, but it can be raised to give 230mm of ground clearance for off-road work. Like Cayenne, the Macan is designed to be as rewarding as possible for road driving while retaining a high level of rock-hopping ability. The four-wheel drive system is another unique-toPorsche engineering element and similar to that used in the larger Cayenne. Power goes predominantly to the rear, although up to 100 per cent can also be directed to the front axle if necessary to maintain traction. Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) Plus technology can also be combined with the four-wheel drive system for fast on-road driving. PTV Plus selectively brakes individual rear wheels to help stabilise the car and increase cornering

speeds. Because braking one wheel sends more power to its opposite number, PTV Plus effectively helps “push” the car around the corner faster. It would not be out of the question to take Macan on a racetrack. Indeed, journalists did just that at the international launch for the car at Porsche’s Customer Centre in Leipzig, Germany. For those owners determined to extract maximum performance from their Macan, models with 20-inch wheels can also be equipped with the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system. The discs are made from carbon fibres that are heated at 1,700°C to create a ceramic molecular structure. With PCCB, braking performance is greatly enhanced and unsprung weight is also reduced because the discs are half the weight of conventional steel items. So Macan is a compact SUV. But it is also a serious performance Porsche – no question. And the name? When in development, the car was referred to as Cajun – meaning “Cayenne junior”. But Porsche felt the finished product was different enough to deserve its own identity and so the name Macan was chosen. It’s a derivation of the Indonesian word for tiger and symbolises the Macan’s combination of sporting power with suppleness.

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40 Great 40South Great South Road, 40Road, GreatNewmarket South Newmarket Road, Newmarket Phone Phone 09 526Phone 09 8991 52609 8991 526 8991 Email porschesales@continentalcars.co.nz Email porschesales@continentalcars.co.nz Email porschesales@continentalcars.co.nz www.continentalcars.co.nz www.continentalcars.co.nz www.continentalcars.co.nz

MAKINGASPLASH

IWC’s new Aquatimer Chronograph ‘Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau’ makes a splash at January’s Geneva watch fair, the Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie.

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TIMETRAVELLERS Bani McSpedden looks at the extraordinary annual events that see thousands of devotees gathering to talk watches.

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GOODSPORT

Cartier gets serious about sport with their first dedicated Calibre de Cartier Diver, a highlight at SIHH in Geneva.

SIHH 2014

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SIHH 2014

t’s the same every year. Right after Christmas anyone whose business or interest is watches converges on Switzerland for the first of the annual watch fairs – SIHH, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, in Geneva. But if you’re imagining something rather sober and dull, like your typical antiques fair, think again. SIHH attracts people from every continent – some 13,000 of them – who occupy every available hotel room in the vicinity. All are here at the invitation (yes, it’s invitation-only) of the Richemont group, whose riches derive from ownership of brands such as Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Panerai, Piaget, Mont Blanc and A. Lange & Söhne.

SIHH 2014

MAGICAL MECHANISM Visitors admire ‘exploded’ movement displayed alongside giant watch (just visible to the right) in A. Lange & Söhne’s SIHH entry vestibule.

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The plush four-day event takes place at the cavernous Palexpo venue, home to the Geneva Motor Show. Here, to a background of thick cream carpet, exotic “booths” and complimentary gourmet food and wine, the brands introduce their new models – quaintly called “novelties”. So who are these guests, and why haven’t you been invited? Each of the brands invites distributors, dealers, journalists and favoured clients – those who might have bought several timepieces in a year, say. So yes, this is unashamedly about business. Incredibly, many of these same folk will be back in Switzerland a few weeks later for the second of the year’s watch-fests in Basel. Unlike Geneva’s SIHH, the so-called Baselworld is open to the public. In other words, anyone interested in timepieces. This sees around 120,000 operatives and enthusiasts converge on the picturesque city, jamming lifts, lobbies, nightspots, hotels and even boats on the Rhône and over the borders in France and Germany. The Basel fair began four decades back as a down-to-earth trade fair showcasing Swiss products from chocolate to charcuterie, but with the more recent transition of the watch into a

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luxury item it shrugged off any down-market agricultural influences to concentrate on timepieces and jewellery. While SIHH might present Richemont’s luxe brands – plus Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille and Greubel Forsey – Basel boasts the likes of Rolex, Patek Philippe, Breguet, Breitling, Omega, Chanel, Tag Heuer, Bulgari and Hublot, with Girard-Perregaux last year switching from Geneva to Basel. This move might have been prompted by Baselworld undertaking a serious and rather needed upgrade last year, although “upgrade” might not do justice to this $450 million effort. Architects Herzog & de Meuron were called in to create a 12-hall complex that’s reminiscent of a Westfield of watches, housing 21 kilometres of individual brand edifices, 1,000 demountable – they’re pressed into service just 10 days each year – timepiece temples each spanning

Perfectpresentation

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin, a talking point at the Geneva fair. It presents a minute repeater and flying tourbillon in the most refined configuration yet.

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up to 1,800 square metres. Installation last year involved 7,000 lorry loads of equipment and 20,000 personnel, after which the elaborate structures had to be dismantled and stored ready for this year’s event. Just as with the timepieces themselves, brand competition for the most impressive showcase is fierce. Bulgari’s “booth” features an 82-metre bronze-panelled spiral stairway replicating the Serpenti bracelet found on one of its watches. Hermès greets guests in a “haven of serenity” designed by the Pritzker award-winning architect Toyo Ito and incorporating 19 offices, a business centre, lounges and, of course, a kitchen. Nearby, Dior bathes in the reflected glow of the 17th and 18th-century architecture of Versailles, its multi-level stand carpeted with pixilated patterns depicting the famed Versailles paths and shrubberies, all backed by a mezzanine wall covered in a vertical flourish of living greenery. Rolex’s suite, as you might expect, exudes the smell of swathes of green leather, while an outdoor-pool-sized fish tank complete with a thousand tropical fish tops Breitling’s quarters. Heaven forbid it should leak onto the nattily attired guests a-watching below. But is all this luxe just for show? Absolutely not. The Swiss watch industry is worth more than 20 billion Swiss Francs in exports each year, or around 2 billion a month, and it’s been estimated that more than 70 per cent of those orders come from the two watch fairs in Geneva and Basel each year. What might change that figure is the recent addition of a third watch fair to the calendar, an event called Watches and Wonders, held for the first time last September in Hong Kong. The Asian region now accounts for more than half of world watch sales, making Hong Kong the epicenter of the world watch trade. No wonder Watches & Wonders, a kind of mini-Geneva event, saw Richemont fly in its entire team of brand CEOs, along with watchmakers, designers and marketers, for the four-day show-and-share with media and clients from the region. Guests (again, invitation-only) numbered 16,000 all up and the event will now become annual, inevitably drawing some sales away from Geneva and Basel.

INTHEDRINK

IWC’s lavish “booth” at SIHH ready to receive industry guests and invitees from all corners of the globe.

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SIHH 2014

Above: The main hall at Baselworld, with Rolex on the left, Omega straight ahead, Patek Philippe on the right. Opposite page: Bulgari’s copper clad external stairway replicating the bracelet of the Serpenti watch.

Night force

Breitling’s Bentley 6.75 Midnight Carbon breaks cover at Baselworld; spanning 49mm it’s a powerhouse for the wrist.

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But no matter what city is hosting one of these fairs, with all those watch folk gathered in one place at one time – not to mention 3,600 journalists at Basel alone – the fun of business and the business of fun always extends well into the night. On offer: dinners – intimate to sumptuous – and smashing parties and get-togethers night after night. Geneva has a dedicated floating nightclub, The Boat, free to SIHH guests, while the undisputed sought-after invitation at Basel is to Breitling’s annual bash, a multimillion-dollar extravaganza that segues across several venues and might, for example, feature an entire circus complete with full troupe and circus tent, all inside a massive warehouse. In what makes for brilliant branding, the word “Breitling” appears nowhere, not even on the invitations. So, of course, everybody talks about it. Well, for a minute. As usual at any gathering of watchaholics, talk soon turns to what everybody’s really come to see, and that’s the new wristwear on offer. What have you loved? What brand was disappointing? Who had the most surprising complication? And, not unnaturally, who might offer me a better job? The world of tiny tickers has never offered up more excitement.

Pressingtherightbuttons Bulgariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s angular Octo revealed in a sleek new chronograph version at Baselworld.

Platinumplay

Omegaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s platinum Planet Ocean debuts at Basel with a bezel in orange ceramics, a first.

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WALKING THE

CINQUE TERRE Lace up the hiking boots and discover these jewels of the Italian Riviera. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll return home fitter than when you left.

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Sally Feinerman

our guide will be Sally Feinerman, a women’s fitness expert and personal trainer who has guided on both the Milford and Hollyford tracks and who set up a walking group on Auckland’s North Shore that raises money for the Heart Foundation. Sally knows about the importance of fitness in her own life: in 2011 she was diagnosed with a heart condition and had to have a pacemaker fitted. She’s an enthusiastic, inspirational guide who loves discovering new trails and new places. On 13 September she leaves Auckland with a group of likeminded travellers bound for the Cinque Terre (Five Lands), a rugged region on the Italian Riviera composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and together comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, which can’t be reached by car. Specialist Cinque Terre and other local guides will join the tour along the way.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Monterosso al Mare with its 14m-tall statue of Neptune clinging to the cliff face; magical Venice; Via dellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Amore walking track; statue of Saint Francis above Monterosso al Mare; the Cinque Terre villages of Vernazza and (below) Riomaggiore.

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The 17-day trip, organised by The Luxury Holiday Company, goes to Italy by way of Dubai, where guests overnight and then enjoy a city tour, evening dune ride and traditional Arabian barbecue dinner before flying on to Rome the next day. In Rome a four-star hotel awaits near the Spanish Steps. Over the next couple of days you’ll warm up the hiking boots with a guided tour of Rome’s iconic sites, such as the Colosseum, Imperial Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. From Rome the tour travels by train to Riomaggiore, the first Cinque Terre village on the itinerary. Now you can really stretch the legs with a walk along the famous Via dell’Amore (Path of Love) to Manarola, followed by the 340-metre staircase to Volastra, a tiny village surrounded by olive trees. The walk to Corniglia has spectacular views over terraced vineyards and the sea. The next day a motorboat takes you to Palmaria Island, considered a natural treasure of the Tyrrhenian Sea. There’s a walking circuit of the island and maybe a swim at beautiful Pozzale Beach. The Cinque Terre paths include a walk from Riomaggiore to the Sanctuary of Montenero, with an astonishing view along the entire coastline. From here you’ll take the steep path up Telegrafo Hill and continue to Campiglia and the difficult but spectacular descent to Portovenere.

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After a day at leisure there’s a steep staircase to San Rocco to negotiate, but it’s worth the climb for the beautiful view of the Gulf of Paradiso up to Genoa. You’ll walk through a Mediterranean forest to La Toca and on to Pietre Strette before descending to San Fruttuoso, a tiny fishing village dominated by the Fieschi Tower and the old San Fruttuoso Abbey. Finally, you’ll arrive at the celebrated village of Portofino, its houses crowding around the lovely harbour. Back on the Cinque Terre paths next day, there’s another climb to the top of the Mesco Promontory and the ruins of the Monastery of St Antony. An “irregular” descent brings you to Monterosso before arriving at Vernazza, the pearl of the Cinque Terre. The following day the tour says goodbye to the Cinque Terre and transfers to Venice, where you’ll catch a water taxi to your hotel on the Grand Canal. Your walking tour of Venice take in St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge and Rialto market. Your last full day in Italy is spent at leisure in Venice, with a farewell dinner that evening in a typical Venetian restaurant. On the way back to New Zealand you’ll overnight in Dubai again and arrive home fitter than when you left and with indelible memories of this gorgeous corner of Italy. For more information contact Carolyn Hedley, ph. (09) 416 1799; email carolyn@luxuryholidaycompany.co.nz; or visit www.luxuryholidaycompany.co.nz

WORLD|Photo Essay

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UNFILTERED The Canadian resort of Whistler is the subject of a photographic campaign that captures visitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stories in brilliant relief.

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ritish Columbia rates as one of our favourite destinations. The reason? Its spectacular scenery. And if there is a single destination we never fail to visit when we pass that way it’s Whistler, one of Canada’s foremost winter playgrounds and a place we’ve found to be equally breathtaking in summertime. That’s why we perked up when we learned of a unique campaign to compile amateur and professional photographs – a scrapbook if you will – that attracted more than 25,000 images and created a perspective on the town unlike any we have seen before. #WhistlerUnfiltered is where professional and amateur photographs are brought together to showcase the town. The concept is based on the fact that most visitors, professional photographers and everyday guests alike, leave with a collection of images they can’t wait to show others. The resort has cleverly taken this to a new level with the Tourism Whistler campaign that encourages the sharing of Whistler images utilising the popular social platform Instagram with the hashtag #WhistlerUnfiltered. The campaign, which was first launched last winter, has been hugely successful, the resort’s fans sharing their Whistler stories through their images. This northern winter, #WhistlerUnfiltered evolved to include the work of professional photographers, too. The work of nine invited professionals forms a permanent exhibition in town entitled Behind the Lens, curated by Blake Jorgenson, an award-winning action sports photographer with a popular gallery in Whistler. It is our pleasure to present a selection of images from that exhibit. You’ll find more pictures at www.whistler.com/behindthelens

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TOP: An image from ‘Deep Sky’, David McColm’s stop-motion celebration of Whistler’s Peaks. ABOVE: Freedom: Robin O’Neill captures two solitary deep-winter skiers in a pristine snowscape.

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TOP: Portrait of Whistler’s greatest living ski mountaineer, Eric Pehota, by Blake Jorgenson. ABOVE: Robin O’Neill’s ‘Tough Love’ documents the lives of two Whistler women’s passionate love for the mountains.

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ABOVE: “Skiing through The Burn has a fairytale feel of mystical magic,” says photographer Blake Jorgenson of one of Whistler’s iconic places.

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ABOVE: Mattias Fredriksson captures a lone mountain skier at sunset dwarfed by his dramatic surroundings. Fredriksson, a Swede, has an abiding love of the region.

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TOP: New York-based photojournalist and author Steve Simon fell in love with Whistler when he covered the 2010 Winter Olympics. ABOVE: Mike Helfrichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image of the famous Fire and Ice show that has lit up Whistler Village every winter Sunday night since 1998.

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ABOVE: Blake Jorgenson finds romance and drama even under the darkest skies and in weather that keeps skiers off the slopes.

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ABOVE: Deep powder, perfect light and a stunning backdrop: Paul Morrisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful ski shots have been celebrated for three decades.

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LEICA X VARIO

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Andrew Marshall tracks down six of the best classic burger joints of New York City. Photos: Paul Marshall

urger culture is taken surprisingly seriously in New York and countless best burger lists deliberate over who grills up the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest bartime delicacy. Some of the most celebrated and historic burger establishments like the Corner Bistro in West Greenwich Village have become staples in New York guidebooks, but a number of new hip places have recently emerged in one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most competitive burger scenes. Whether you want to keep things classic with beef, bacon or cheese or go for something more exotic like free-range ostrich or bison, New York does burgers for every taste. From the classic Americana memorabilia of the Trailer Park and the reclaimed and rustic handmade furniture of Bareburger to the long counter and chrome bar stools of Diner in Brooklyn, the design and ambience of the establishments themselves play an intergral part in the overall burger exerience. There are literally thousands of places to buy a burger in New York, but here are six of the best to satsify your deepest red-meat cravings...

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The Burger Joint receives a mixed bag of customers, including families, tourists, business people and celebrities, many whom have added their autographs to the walls. Andrew Wright from West Oxfordshire in England, a regular visitor to the Big Apple on business, is a confirmed Burger Joint aficionado. “I’ve been coming here since it first opened in 2002 and even though it’s more like a storeroom than a restaurant, I love the décor,” he says. “Butchers grind the meat fresh on site everyday and the ratio of fat to lean is what makes them taste unbelievably good.”

ABOVE: A friendly worker at Bareburger, Upper East Side. BELOW: Customers inside the Burger Joint. OPPOSITE PAGE: Trailer Park Lounge & Grill.

Bareburger

Upper East Side

At Bareburger, in the Upper East Side (the planet-friendly mini-chain also has several other city locations), the focus is on custom-building your own all-natural organic burger. Firstly, decide on the meat for your six-ounce patty, and then choose your bun, veggies, cheese, bacon and sauce. Lastly, pick a drink, perhaps a cola made with organic evaporated cane juice, an organic peanut-butter milk shake or a refreshing draft beer made by the Brooklyn Brewery. “What sets us apart is that all our meats are sourced as locally as possible, from humanely raised free-range animals that are allowed to eat the types of food they would naturally eat in the wild, like organic barley, snow peas and alfalfa,” says Bareburger executive Debra Jans. “Another thing that makes us different is our range of exotic meats such as ostrich, bison, wild boar and elk. Ostrich is a particularly good meat, being high in protein and low in cholesterol. At the end of the day we are still about burgers and fries, but a much healthier version than most.”

Trailer Park Lounge & Grill

Burger Joint

Manhattan

Located inside the elegant foyer of the swanky Le Parker Meridien Hotel, this is no ordinary burger joint. Before the place even opens at 11am, a line of customers starts to gather down a dimly lit corridor, where only a simple neon hamburger sign indicates what lies beyond. On the other side of some velvet curtains is a windowless room where posters of Sex in the City and The Sopranos adorn graffiti-strewn walls above leatherette booths and beaten-up wooden tables; where you can enjoy the uncomplicated menu of burgers (US$7.58), fries ($3.90) and milkshakes ($5.05).

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Chelsea

Voted one of the top five “Kitschiest Restaurants in America” by the Food Network, the Trailer Park, in the neighbourhood of Chelsea, is the creative genius of Andy Spiro, who, along with co-owner Tom McKay, spent years collecting vast amounts of vintage Americana memorabilia like bowling alley accoutrements, an old petrol pump, neon signs, a juke box, Elvis paraphernalia and even the side of full-sized trailer, all on display within the Trailer Park’s 170 square-metre space Drink in the one-of-a-kind atmosphere from the 22-seat bar that dispenses ice-cold beer and margarita pitchers while from the kitchen comes hearty, comforting fare like Mama used to make, including hamburgers,

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turkey burgers, veggie burgers and the gut-busting Mother-in-Law’s Revenge Burger ($13.95) topped with cheese, chilli, jalapeños and sour cream and served with lettuce, tomato, pickles, plus your choice of Tater Tots or sweet potato fries. A favourite hangout of Madonna, Debbie Harry and Ethan Hawke, the Trailer Park is open for business seven days a week, from 12 noon until 3am. Don’t miss it.

Diner

Brooklyn Situated a stone’s throw from the Williamsburg Bridge and the trendy dockside neighbourhood of the same name is a Brooklyn dining institution – the Broadway Diner – that all locals know as simply “Diner”. Lurking behind the weathered door of the restored 1927 railway carriage is a warm and inviting interior featuring colourful and intricate tile flooring and a long bar counter with a row of cool retro chrome swivel barstools running alongside. The liberal use of mirrors and cosy booth seating with classic diner condiments such as napkin holders, sauce bottles and salt and pepper shakers complete the picture. The diner is one of those quintessential icons of Americana, an oasis of comfort and an instantly recognisable look that has featured in many films, and Brooklyn’s Diner is a classic example. Diner serves just a few staple dishes, and daily specials the waiters and waitresses recite while writing down the details on napkins in front of you. The refreshingly simple burger consists of a good-quality bun, slice of cheddar, and freshly-ground, perfectly cooked grass-fed beef. And once you take a mouth-watering bite all will be right with the world.

Shake Shack

Manhattan

Shake Shack puts a modern-day spin on the culinary traditions of the classic American burger stand and brings all the best parts of fine dining to burgers: quality ingredients, designer locations and a seriously impressive menu. Shake Shack was born from a simple hot dog stand in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park, which was such a success it evolved into a permanent food kiosk in 2004. Shake Shack is part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, one of the most lauded restaurant groups in US history and has now been developed into a

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franchise, with several branches in New York City, across the east coast of the US, Istanbul, Dubai and London. Their motto is “Stand For Something Good” and they mean it – using all-natural ingredients, renewable energy and decking out each restaurant with recycled materials. At the flagship Shake Shack in Madison Square, the queue builds quickly, especially when the weather is nice, so be prepared to wait for up to an hour for the experience of eating one of their burgers in the park’s carefree ambience. Soft, squidgy buns, juicy patties of 100 per cent Aberdeen Angus beef, free-range bacon and tasty American cheese make for a mighty tasty burger. Don’t leave without trying the SmokeShack, a cheeseburger topped with Niman Ranch all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and awesome ShackSauce. There’s also a vegetarian option, the Shroom Burger, which stars a whole portobello mushroom roasted low and slow. Other yummy things include crinkle-cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, ShackMeister Ale and their own Napa Valley wine.

Corner Bistro

WEST Greenwich Village Ask any New Yorker about his or her favourite burger joint and the modest-looking Corner Bistro in West Greenwich Village is almost guaranteed to be among the replies. This granddaddy of Big Apple burger joints has occupied the same pub tavern site for the best part of a century and is pretty much unchanged since then. Seating is usually hard to come by and, no matter what time of day, the place always seems to be buzzing with hungry burger aficionados waiting for their meat fix. The choices available from the old-fashioned menu board include the famous Bistro Burger (an 8oz burger with American cheese and crispy bacon, $8.75), the Chili Burger (a cheeseburger topped off with homemade chilli, $8.75), the Cheeseburger (an 8oz burger with American cheese) and finally the Hamburger (an 8oz burger served on a sesame seed bun). The juicy burgers, which arrive on paper plates and come with crispy fries, are sizeable affairs, so think twice if you are not super-hungry, or split it with a partner or friend. There may be better burgers in the Big Apple, but none more famous. It’s well worth taking the Metro to 8th Avenue and then navigating your way through the angled streets to visit this West Greenwich Village classic for a taste of burger history.

Whether you want to keep things classic or go for something more exotic like free-range ostrich or bison, New York does burgers for every taste.â&#x20AC;?

Photo: Burger Joint/ Parker Meridien

Photo: William Brinson

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Spirit Caribbean

of the

To the English it’s rum, the French say rhum and the Spanish call it ron, but no matter how you say it, it’s intrinsically linked to the Caribbean. Andrew Marshall visits a trio of countries producing some of the world’s best rums. Photos by Paul Marshall.

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Mart inique It’s Saturday and market day in the historic town of SaintPierre on the west coast of Martinique, that seductive little slice of France on the Lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean. The sleeping volcano, Mt Pelé, looms over a scene where colourfully dressed women sell exotic fruits and vegetables from their stalls along the seafront. Down in the Snack Caribe bar, men in wide-brimmed straw hats play dominoes, the silence broken only by the clack-clack of tiles and bursts of laughter. “People on the island drink rum every day because it’s good for them,” says tuna fisherman Jean-Luc Eugene as he expertly mixes himself a local rum cocktail known as a ti-punch (white rum, lime and sugarcane syrup). “It’s what makes the men in Martinique vigorous,” he says, eyes twinkling. Martinique’s rum roots lie deep in the early 1500s, after Christopher Columbus’ second journey to the Caribbean. Columbus imported the plant that was to revolutionise the economy of this region and the drinking culture of the world – sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), the tall, thick grass of Southeast Asian origin. In the 1600s Martinque’s first French settlers wasted no time establishing sugar plantations and mills, despite resistance from the local Carib Indians. Sugarcane cultivation required hard manual labour, and millions of slaves were shipped from Africa to help supply Europe’s insatiable demand for sugar. Mill operators soon discovered they could distill from molasses – the thick

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Rum Cocktails

Ti-Punch

½ part sugar-cane syrup, 4 parts white rum, 1 slice lemon or lime, 1 ice cube.

Tigress Milk

1 tin sweetened condensed milk, ½ pint water, 2 cups liquid coffee, 4 liqueur glasses of dark/aged rum. Shake with ice.

Planter's Punch

½ part sugar-cane syrup, 2 parts white rum, 4 parts fruit juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and grated vanilla bean. Blend and serve.

black treacle left after sugarcane juice has crystallised – a delicious alcoholic beverage. Rum. In the lazy sea breeze, the sweet smell of burnt sugarcane fields is pervasive. Plumes of smoke rise from the nearby Depaz rum distillery as it converts the cane juice into the island’s prized product. Martinique’s cane season runs from February to mid-June and some hillside crops are still cut by hand. It’s back-breaking work and many cane cutters have a few rum ti-punches on the job to help break the monotony. After cutting, the cane is transported by truck to the nearest distillery. There are more than a dozen on the island, the largest number in the eastern Caribbean including Saint James, JM, La Mauny, Clement and Bally. Each has its own distinct character and rum selections, and most offer free guided tours that take in the arrival of the cane in carts, the crushing in the mills, fermenting vats, distilling columns, the bottling and – the best bit – a tasting and the opportunity to buy. Martinique produces two types of rum: Rhum agricole (made from freshly crushed sugarcane juice) and Rhum industriel (made from molasses). Traditional clear or white rums follow about three months’ fermentation in stainless-steel vats, while dark rums result from ageing in oak barrels. Although some consumers prefer the younger white rums, most experienced palates prefer the more elegant taste of an aged spirit.

Top Left: Molasses stain a cane cutter’s work-hardened hands. ABOVE: Cutting sugarcane, the raw ingredient of Dominican rums. Bottom Left: Aged SaintJames rum in its distinctive squareshaped bottle.

Mojito

Put ½ tbs sugar, the juice of ½ a lime and some lightly crushed mint leaves in a tall glass. Stir and mix well, then add some soda water, 1½ oz white rum and ice.

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Top: Braddy’s Bar by the beach. ABOVE Left: A Barbados rum shop is part pub, part convenience store and part social centre. ABOVE Right: A domino player thinks about his next move.

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Ageing can take from one to around 30 years, making rum one of the most varied of distilled spirits. The description “dark” or “aged” rum denotes three years of ageing; “very old” or “vintage”, “XO” or “dated” should denote a longer period. Connoisseurs of well-aged single malt scotches might be tempted to thumb their noses at the ages printed on bottles of rum. But there’s a reason for this. The Caribbean climate is warmer and more humid, so rum ages faster here than malt whisky does in Scotland. Generally, Martinique’s younger, white rums are best for making cocktails (daiquiris, pina coladas and so on), while aged rums, like high-quality French brandies, are best drunk straight or on the rocks.

Barbados The island of Barbados, 34 by 22 kilometres, sits on the far-eastern tip of the Windward chain, a coral charm dangling from a volcanic necklace. It may be relatively

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small in size, but in the world of rum, it’s massive. In fact, Bajans (Barbadians) were the first to concoct the hearty cane liquor in the mid-17th century. It was around that time the word “rum” – an abbreviation of “rumbullion” – was coined in the tippling houses of the capital, Bridgetown, where life was certainly rumbustious. It’s estimated that back then, the average man on Barbados drank well over 20 gallons (90 litres) of the stuff a year. Today, if a Bajan asks you to “fire one” or “have a snap”, it’s an invitation to one of the local rum shops – part pub, part convenience store and part social centre, they convey the local spirit as fluently as Dublin’s pubs speak of the Irish and Paris cafés les Françaises. There are perhaps a thousand rum shops on Barbados. They’re found in every village and town and at almost any crossroads or street corner where people pass by. Driving along narrow, winding country lanes often fringed with billowing stalks of sugarcane, you can’t help but notice these vibrant, brightly painted sugarcane shacks. The majority of rum shops are sponsored by big-name drinks companies like Guinness, Heineken, Banks (the island’s own hugely popular beer), Johnnie Walker, Absolut and, of course, Mount Gay. And every shop has its own character and its own set of patrons. Bajans are gracious and approachable people, and visitors can drop into any bar any time to lime with the locals. Rum shops to sample include De Banks Garden at Bayfield St Philip; Skeete’s Beach Bar at Martins Bay; Braddie’s Bar (close to Dover Sports Ground); Trottie’s Bar (out among the sugarcane – ask a local for directions on this one); and, perhaps the smallest and most intimate on the island, Iris’ Bar (opposite Browns Beach, just outside Bridgetown). Along Baxter’s Road, just north of the city, centre you’ll find a concentration of watering holes where the drinks flow freely, sidewalk vendors fry up fish, and rum shop-hoppers stay busy late into the night. No Barbados rum experience is complete without learning where and how the precious elixir is created. On the outskirts of Bridgetown, amid the palm-fringed turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, where the trade winds blow and the water is crystal clear, is the Mount Gay Rum Visitor’s Centre. Here, more than three centuries ago, the world’s oldest rum brand was born. A displayed legal document, dated 20 February, 1703, specifies “two stone windmills ... one boiling house with seven coppers, one curing house and one still house” on the Mount Gay Estate – all equipment essential for making one thing: rum. Take a tour to learn more about the rum-making process, where high-quality sugarcane and Barbados spring water are distilled and then aged in charred oak barrels. After the tour, there’s a taste test in the distillery

T rot t ie's Bar (out

among t he sugarcane â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ask a local for directions on t his one)

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ABOVE: Classic beach scene, Punta Cana Resort on the east coast. Top Right: Rum shop owner in her store at Boca Chicha beach, near Santo Domingo. ABOVE Right: Bottles of Brugal rum on display in a Santo Domingo store.

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bar and an opportunity to sample the portfolio of rums, including Eclipse Barbados Rum, Sugarcane Brandy and the premium offering known as Extra Old.

Dominican Republ ic The Dominican Republic is a country known for many things, including Christopher Columbus’ entrance to the Americas, baseball, merengue and countless miles of white beaches and craggy coral coastline that falls away into the brilliant blue of the ocean. It’s here, too, that some of the Caribbean’s best-value rums are distilled. The sugar industry catapulted the Caribbean into an economic powerhouse in the 1700s, when the many grand plantations were the centre of economic and social life. The rum industry also began to thrive locally in the islands, thanks in no small part to the thirsty British Navy, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s, when men like Don Andres Brugal Montaner, Don Erasmo Bermudez and

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Julian Barcelo began experimenting with better refining processes, that the Dominican Republic started to produce quality rums. Today, there are dozens of local brands available, but the big guns of the Dominican rum world, Brugal, Barcelo and Bermudez, are the ones cherished the most for their smoothness. Even within these three main brands, there are many rums from which to choose, depending on whether you want a blanco (clear) rum – which means it’s relatively young with no extra colouring or flavouring added – or a dorado (golden) rum that has had caramel added for colour and taste. Premium styles of rum with a dark colouring are known as anejo (aged). They contain caramel and are aged in special American white oak casks. This makes it a little heartier and somewhat less sweet than other rums made in places like Barbados. They have been aged to mellow the taste and, like Scotch, the longer the rum has aged, the smoother and more refined it becomes. Some highly recommended reserve spirits are the elegant and awardwinning Ron Barcelo Imperial and Gran Anejo varieties. Some people like to drink them “neat” (without ice) or on ice but without mixer. For some palates, however, a touch of soda with a slice of lemon will make it just right. Dominican rums are tough to match for price and quality and you’ll find them everywhere on the island. And because the islanders consume around 95 per cent of all the rum produced, it leaves very little for export – a very good reason to take your next holiday in the Dominican Republic. The same goes for Barbados and Martinique, for that matter.

BERONIA.

THE LAND BEFORE RIOJA.

Our wines are the legacy of the Berones, the first people to inhabit the region now known as Rioja. Quality wines that are made traditionally and reflect the personality of their land. Recognised for its outstanding quality year after year. BERONIA Tempranillo Elaboración Especial 2009 - 90 Points WS BERONIA Gran Reserva 2006 - 91 Points BERONIA Reserva 2009 - IWC gold medal BERONIA Gran Reserva 2006 - IWSC gold medal

El VINO sólo se DISFRUTA con MODERACIÓN

www.beronia.es

ANOTHER

WORLD Cruising to Antarctica puts you in an ethereal wonderland of ice and snow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you can handle the 10-metre swells along the way. By Todd Pitock.

Photo: Cesar Fernandez www.cesarfernandezphotography.com

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T BELOW: Penguin colony in the South Shetland Islands.

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hey say that braving the Drake Passage is the price you pay to see the Antarctic. They say it in the town of Ushuaia (ooswaya), the embarkation port in Tierra del Fuego, before you leave – and everyone compares notes when they return. “Some crossings are like being on a canoe in a lake,” says Bob Rowand, a geologist who has made more than 20 Antarctic journeys as a consultant for the US Geological Survey and a lecturer aboard expedition boats. “Then there are times when you just have to suck it up and get through it.” The 1,000-kilometre journey takes two-and-a half days from Argentina. You have barely hit open sea before all colours drain away, as if nature hadn’t wanted to waste any paint on the trip to the world’s basement. The sky is a weary grey, paunchy with clouds, the sea biblically dark. Fish come to investigate the turbulence stirred up by the ship’s engines and birds come to eat the fish. For the entire journey, we have an escort of albatrosses and skuas, and they, too, are monochromatic: black, white and grey. This ship, the Antarctic Dream, a 39-cabin refurbished vessel built in the late 1950s, is a relatively small craft, and the rises and falls on 10-metre swells are dramatic. Plates, glasses and utensils clash like cymbals. Dramamine is available free and people compare dosages and notes on when they took a pill and how long before they’ll take another. Some sport dime-sized patches behind their ears. I have a device that looks like a wristwatch and which probably works best for those who believe most. I wear it as a kind of talisman to ward off the demons of seasickness. The waves are not an inducement to appetite. On the first morning I am among just seven passengers who

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answer the bell at breakfast. A full buffet is laid out, but the only items that have any appeal are saltines and black tea. One of my shipmates scarfs down a plate of eggs, then gets a look like a little boy trying not to cry and flees the dining room. I go back to my cabin and sleep until lunch, then snooze till dinner. Then, after a day of hard rest, I turn in early, my belly mimicking the swells, until I am startled awake by the sensation of my body lifting off the mattress. I grip the pillow for ballast. It rises with me. The next morning a crew member tells me the secret of never being thrown out of bed: sleep on the floor. On the third day, our fall through the rabbit hole of the Drake is complete and we find ourselves in a wonderland. The water calms and our first iceberg encounter is a kilometre-long, high-walled rectangular platform whose symmetry looks too exact to be real. The sun comes out and sends a silver streak across one side of it. Colour returns to people’s faces, and to the world around us. Even at a distance, the brilliant blue of packed ice glimmers. “You were lucky,” the first mate tells me on the captain’s bridge. “Last time, the crossing was rough.”

SHARED DELIGHTS The Antarctic is not for everyone. Offered the chance to visit, one person’s eyes light up wondering how and when, while another’s squint under knitted brows that say what on earth for? “This has been a dream of mine for 40 years,” says my fellow traveller, Joachim Benemann, a nuclear scientistturned businessman from Germany. “I wanted the feeling of being alone in a great space, to look into the horizon and see no one, only space. I wanted to see the icebergs and feel

ABOVE: A Zodiac carries passengers past ice floes towards Iceberg Alley. BELOW: The Antarctic Dream sits out in clear water while the Zodiac expedition explores inshore.

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what it was like to be in this great landscape. It is fantastic.” His wife, like mine, couldn’t relate. We both came alone. The 49 other people on board come from 15 countries and four continents, and range in age from a 20-year-old who won the trip in a drawing competition to a septuagenarian Chilean watercolourist. They’re

“Twenty-four hours of light bleaches out the structure of a day, so ship life becomes organised by meals and opportunities to get off the boat, either onto land or into the inflatable dinghies.” mostly accomplished travellers. A Canadian couple rode a motorcycle from Alberta; a Dutch pair boarded a cargo ship from Antwerp to Rio de Janeiro, and there is an Australian fellow who for three-and-a-half years has vagabonded across 99 countries. “A hundred if my girlfriend lets me count Antarctica,” he says. Twenty-four hours of light bleaches out the structure of a day, so ship life becomes organised by meals and opportunities to get off the boat, either onto land or into the inflatable dinghies.

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Given the circumstances, I’m impressed by the variety and the quality of what is always a multi-course lunch and dinner, with beef, game, fish and seafood, including krill, the tiny shrimp-like creatures that are a staple of whales’ diets. How we manage to get fresh produce even in our second week becomes a matter of admiring speculation among the passengers, and every meal ends with a sumptuous table of sweets and desserts. We spend a lot of time together in the dining room, which has four big sofas and plugs for laptops. It’s a multinational passenger list, and the social scene divides between English speakers and Spanish speakers. The three Japanese and two Ukrainians make do with their own society. What all of us have in common, though, is the great fortune to be here, and almost everyone leaps at the chance to go ashore on King George Island, which is part of the South Shetlands, the archipelago leading to the peninsula, to climb a windswept 300m incline whose hard crust of snow cracks on contact, sinking you to your knees every other step. We know what we’re after: possessing a place by feeling it underfoot and taking in a good view. The summit greets us with a vista arranged from snow and ice, water and clouds. Wind-shaped figures called sastrugi arch out from curvilinear ridges. Ice crystals compress into sapphire. Beneath the surface of water, they are a creamy turquoise, and when the sky is clear, as it is now, the cerulean reflection on the sea is otherworldly. Photography is a big part of the collective mission, and we are a mobile superstore of equipment and amateur consultants. Even out here on the ice, the conversation never ends. “Jpegs are no good,” one fellow is telling another in a typical exchange. “In this environment you must shoot in RAW.” Perhaps it’s body heat produced by the hike, but at first it doesn’t feel all that cold. Then the wind sweeps the hilltop and blows in some weather. Robed in thermal underlayers and wool, plus masks, liners and hand warmers, I welcome the horizontally driven snow and the single-digit wind-chill factor. We glissade on our backsides down the hill in no time. In his exuberance, one fellow leaps forward, hands and feet pulled back like a skydiver, and plunges headfirst downhill. In mid-December – the Antarctic summer – a colony of chinstrap and Gentoo penguins are in their rookeries, cawing and carrying pebbles for their stone nests as males and females take turns warming their large, speckled eggs. They waddle down to the water to wash off the rust-coloured guano that stains their pelts and produces a pungent odour. An elephant seal rests nearby, occasionally bellying up towards the penguins, which seem undisturbed but make space, just in case.

ARTWORKS IN ICE Near Pleneau Island we come upon an area known as “Iceberg Alley” – like Utah’s Monument Valley in deep freeze. The aquamarine ice below the surface spreads into the azure in the cracks and fissures of floes and bergs. Spires soar toward the sky. A balustrade of icicles girds a platform of ice, entirely blue. One iceberg looks like an enormous block of quartz, another is set in angel’s wings. Some surfaces are etched as though someone began sculpting a frieze but left off before a clear image emerged. Others are planed and polished, wind and water having done their handiwork. Shapes elide, structures stack up and you can’t begin to guess at the process behind it. At one point, we turn into an alcove and find ourselves in the hollow of a berg, a cul-de-sac of shimmering blue with walls of ice of varying shapes and heights. “It changes every time you come,” says Juan Preller, a Zodiac driver. “Next week it will all be different.” We come upon a colony of penguins, and the water is so clear and still you can see them swimming as if through a pane of leaded glass. They’re as graceful and powerful below as they are goofy above. About 10 years ago an American couple became the first people to last a winter in Iceberg Alley. They lived in

24-hour darkness, broken only by the aurora australis – the southern lights – in a 12m boat. They weren’t the first who’d tried; the risk, apart from running out of supplies, is that freezing ice will crush your boat. There is a kind of mania people have to accomplish such things in Antarctica. “An Antarctic expedition is the worst way to have the time of your life,” wrote Cherry Apsley-Garrard in his classic memoir The Worst Journey in the World. Part of a small team of scientists who wintered in Antarctica to study penguin eggs, his descriptions of managing in bitter cold and darkness are enough to make a healthy reader hypothermia-phobic. Among other things, he details the extreme effort of moving around or eating, of letting a sleeping bag thaw until it was soft – which is to say liquefied – enough to climb in. It’s a genre of literature that leaves you feeling a lesser person for being soft and civilised.

Oposite Page: Naturalist and guide Rene Preller; Gentoo penguins confer. Above: The Zodiac party confronts pristine beauty in Iceberg Alley.

A MOVING WORLD A lot happens in fleeting moments in Antarctica: ice floes bob on the surface, and then, unexpectedly, an iceberg begins to heave. Readying itself to turn over, it pushes swells under the Zodiac. In one strait, a pod of whales appeared, blowing spouts under the water to create a net of bubbles in which to trap a meal of krill. The horseshoe inlet at Deception Island, a live volcano, is half-frozen, and

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“A lot happens in fleeting moments in Antarctica: ice floes bob on the surface, and then, unexpectedly, an iceberg begins to heave. Readying itself to turn over, it pushes swells under the Zodiac.”

the ship breaks through ice, splitting open a lane of water, an incredibly satisfying feeling. “Why is he breaking ice when there is open water right there?” someone asks. “Possibly,” I suggest, “because he can.” Something happens to your sense of time in this wonderland: it compresses like the crystals of blue ice, and then falls away like a calving glacier. Without the interstices of darkness, day falls into night, which you only notice when someone says, “Is it really midnight already?” You realise, almost surprised, that days have passed en masse. It seems awfully sudden, even a misfortune, to realise it’s time to leave. Our last night on calm seas had everyone in a festive spirit; a sort of eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow … well, we shall suffer in the Drake Passage again. After the revelry, the wine and whisky were put away and if you closed your eyes and listened carefully you could hear the crinkling of Dramamine tablets being ejected from their packets. This time, though, the Drake gave us a free pass. Storm

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systems were moving in from either side but there was a lull between them that let us barrel through at a considerable average speed of 11 knots, returning so far ahead of schedule that the captain detoured to give us a view of Cape Horn. By 6am we were within 8km of the Cape, at the southernmost tip of South America, and had a silhouetted view of its dark peaks. Clouds hung low, like curtains pulled not quite all the way down, as those passengers who roused themselves from bed came to the bridge for one last view and crowded into an open space outside, where the nip in the air is bracing but not at all Antarctic. Soon enough we entered the Beagle Channel, with forests on either side, and the world resumed its familiar dimensions. There was traffic from other boats, and eventually the houses and buildings of the port came into view. After all of our liberating isolation, it felt like waking up to reality after a happy white dream.

PHOTO: Wim van den Heever

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CAPE OF

Cape Town is surely one of the world’s most beautiful and exciting cities. Wedged between iconic Table Mountain and the southern Atlantic, the city – and Cape Province generally – also offers splendid opportunities to indulge. Todd Pitock suggests three nominees for Places To See Before You Die – The Platinum Edition.

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BANTRY BAY: Ellerman House Most people returning from abroad want to bring pieces of their experience back with them. For South African businessman Paul Harris, the five years he spent in Australia starting a new venture only stirred an intense desire to celebrate his own country, and in 1992 he opened Ellerman House. “When I saw it, I thought, ‘We could do something really special’,” Harris tells me. “Don’t ask me the business case. There isn’t one. This is a passion. I wanted to share all the things we have: the art, the wine, the scenery; the whole incredible scene here. People say we’re an emerging market. We’re not: we’re a re-emerging market.” Harris knows about markets. Having grown up on a farm where he learned to speak Zulu, he was one third of a trio that made its mark in banking, finance, healthcare and insurance, starting with the Rand Merchant Bank in 1977. “I grew up without money,” he says, “and I lucked it.” Entering the hotel, you feel as if you might also have “lucked it”. It’s set like the featured jewel in the sparkling necklace of Bantry Bay, a suburb built into a slope Ellerman House photos by Ross Hillier

“When I saw it, I thought,

‘We could do something

really special’ overlooking the southern Atlantic. High windows and verandas look out on the ocean, where whales breach the water’s surface and foaming 15-metre waves crash into the rocky shoreline. Apart from the Chilean sommelier, everything at Ellerman House draws on a South African resource. The designer is homegrown, as is the architect of two new villas and a spectacular new wine cellar. Even the gardens were replanted with indigenous plants and grasses. But what makes Ellerman a must-stay-once-beforeyou-die place is its collection of South African art. It has illustrations of the Cape from the mid-19th century; 20th-century masters Gerard Sekoto and Irma Stern; the contemporary William Kentridge; and relative newcomers such as Mbongeni Buthelezi, a Johannesburg street artist whose sculptures are fashioned from melted plastic bottles and thick plastic sheeting. Harris started his collection with an Irma Stern

piece, though the intense acquisitions started after the hotel opened. “We’ve had our dark times, which were colonisation and apartheid,” Harris tells me. That conflict was the country’s shame, but it also spawned creative energy. “Where do you get an environment and a historical background and societies with conflict and incredible diversity that’s a more fertile ground for art than South Africa?” During 2013, two new villas opened – more wall space for art. In the lower section of the property, which was originally built by the British shipping magnate Sir John Reeves Ellerman, is a contemporary gallery with a rotating exhibit. Now Ellerman is showcasing the country’s wine industry with its 7,500-bottle collection of vintage and rare wines: the new Ellerman House Wine Gallery was unveiled with great ceremony in early December 2013. As well as showing off an award-winning South African

BANTRY BAY JEWEL: The impressive facade of Ellerman House overlooks the waters of the southern Atlantic. A haven of comfort and refinement (opposite and overleaf), it is also a showcase for South African art, wine and produce.

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wine collection, the new wine gallery – a work of art in its own right – allows guests an interactive journey into the world of wine, with a multimedia wine library, maturation cellars for white and red wines and a brandy tasting lounge. The Champagne Cellar stocks only rare and special vintages of Dom Perignon. Harris says he wanted to create a space where guests and friends of Ellerman House could taste and appreciate South Africa’s fine wines while being inspired by world-class local architecture, sculptural art and design. “South Africa’s wine industry is not just older than Australia’s,” he says. “It’s older than [European] Australia. I told the architect that it has to break new ground, but at the same time to ground it in the history as well. You have to say the wine industry is cutting-edge, but it also dates back to the 1600s. We’re not the new kids on the block: we’re the reformed kids on the block. We got our act together and we’re back.”

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nudes, and one of South Africa’s best-known chefs, is Margot Janse, who presides over The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français boutique hotel, which led Franschhoek’s emergence when it opened in 1989. “We have something very unusual here,” said Janse, who came to South Africa from her native Holland in 1990 as an anti-apartheid activist. “We are friends and colleagues and we think we’re all part of creating something very special.” When another chef’s ice-cream maker broke recently, they wheeled Janse’s back and forth across the street. The Tasting Room is a demonstration of culinary refinement and finesse, utilising ingredients – roasted wildebeest loin, say – that leave no doubt about what part of the world you’re in.

Margot Janse

FRANSCHHOEK: All the Naked Chefs

OPPOSITE PAGE: Over the past 20 years, Franschhoek has blossomed with renowned restaurants and artisan growers and producers, all led by a community of chefs that includes Margot Janse (above), one of the country’s best-known culinary figures.

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The village of Franschhoek, an hour west of Cape Town, anchors one of South Africa’s major wine routes. The Huguenots, fleeing religious persecution in France, arrived here in the 1688 to behold a landscape garlanded by granite-crowned mountains and surrounded by fertile fields where goats could roam and wine could grow. It looked like France, it smelled like France and, best of all from a Huguenot perspective, it wasn’t France. Franschhoek (franz-hook) is Afrikaans for Le Quartier Français, or “where the French guys live”. The village, whose main thoroughfare runs through a grid of streets lined by Cape Dutch buildings with gardens and whitewashed courtyards, has more recently charmed other wanderers looking for a place to settle, many of them, happily, with culinary ambitions. Over the past two decades, Franschhoek has blossomed with renowned restaurants, artisanal boulangeries and boutique olive-oil producers, cheese makers, a chocolatier and a charcuterie. Wine farms and tasting rooms begin right at the edge of the town. It is all led by an unusual community of chefs, a dozen of who once posed, tastefully (depending on your tastes), as The Naked Chefs of Franschhoek, for a recipe booklet and calendar to support a local hospice. One of the

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Across the street, Reuben’s Restaurant & Bar has a diametrically opposite style, with strong flavours and lavish portions. The most desirable spot is its whitewashed, stone-floored courtyard, where Sunday afternoon visitors fill the linen-clothed tables and take their time with a menu that cleverly combines unlikely textures and ingredients. A crispy snapper topped with succulent calamari tubes comes on a bed of polenta kicked up with a fragrant, creamy curry, a gastronomic meeting point of Cape Malay and French Huguenot.

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“We have something special here,” he says. “People come to experience it. Jo’burgers look, and think it’s another gold mine.”

“I cook the way I eat,” says chef Reuben Riffel, who grew up in a segregated “location” nearby for people who were ethnically Cape Coloured. “I like bold flavours. That’s how I grew up. I don’t want to define it. When you do that, it’s limiting and it’s easier to have freedom and enjoy if we’re open to all kinds of influences.” Since opening the original restaurant in 2004, Riffel has become South Africa’s most ubiquitous culinary presence. How you experience Franschhoek depends on when you visit. On a weekend afternoon, it’s a crash of feeders and wine drinkers. When the festive interlopers clear out, the local aspect comes through more clearly. That’s what Neil Jewell, a British transplant, loved about the place, which he found after vagabonding around Africa and leaving behind the sun-deprived, dreary confines of London. Jewell, the chef at Bread & Wine, a vineyard restaurant at a wine farm called Moreson, is also the local charcutier. His maturing room has 2,000 kilos of meat hanging on hooks – cured, smoked and dried with different ingredients (the kudu biltong has a splash of port, pimiento and juniper). One Sunday afternoon he was sampling cuts with a

visitor when a woman came in and announced herself as Penny the Pig. She wanted Jewell to make sausage for her, and had her own raw materials. “I just carved half of him this morning,” she said. “You killed him yourself?” Jewell’s visitor asked. “My husband killed him. I carved him.” “Did you see the movie Babe?” I asked. “My pigs live happy lives,” she said. “Happy pigs give you happy meat.” Jewell also knows that happy meat makes happy charcuterie buyers – though it’s a fundamental ethic to Jewell, that while making money is a fact of life, it’s not what the place is about. “We have something special here,” he says. “People come to experience it. Jo’burgers look, and think it’s another gold mine. They’ll come in and open a restaurant that someone will declare is going to ‘set a new standard’ and put the rest of us out of business. They don’t understand that here it’s only about the food. So, let them come. They’ll be gone soon enough.” Actually, they likely will come back – as diners with reservations.

ABOVE & OPPOSITE PAGE: Le Quartier Français is an exclusive Relais & Chateau Auberge in the heart of Franschhoek Village offering fine accommodation and awardwinning cuisine.

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Bushmans Kloofâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conservation projects include preservation of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s estimated 2,500 rock art sites, many in danger of being lost.

Photos courtesy of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

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THE CEDERBERG: Bushmans Kloof Three hours north of Cape Town, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat is a private preserve in South Africa’s Cederberg, a wedge of land where the Western Cape’s red-hued sandstone, reminiscent of the American Southwest, shades into the Karoo, a semidesert landscape with rocky, flat-topped outcroppings called kopjes. In 1992, the resort’s original owners bought an 7,000-hectare portion of the area, which had been partially cleared for farming, and set about returning it to wilderness, fitting their lodge into the dazzling setting. Last July, the current owners, the Tollman family (of Red Carnation Hotels), transformed an existing farmhouse on the property into an intimate, child-friendly private villa and called it Koro Lodge: a handsomely appointed house with two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms (including one with the latest in primitive luxe: a tiled outdoor shower with excellent water pressure) and a living room. It sleeps up to four adults and four children, thanks to a loft. A veranda wraps around two sides for gazing off into the bush. The place also comes with a house manager and a personal ranger to guide and narrate game drives and expeditions on foot or mountain bike. Oh, and a private chef, with access to a very appealing list of South African wines.

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The area was once the preserve of the San, or Bushmen, who roamed, hunted and worshipped here, leaving behind galleries of rock paintings in niches and overhangs; finely drawn elephants, sheep and elands, which they saw as divine creatures. Other drawings depict what some archaeologists suspect were efforts at out-of-body experiences using plants with psychotropic effects. The Bushmen held out here until 1900, having themselves become the hunted: incredibly, whites mounted their heads as trophies. Most of today’s San, who merged with the Khoi nation and are now known as Khoisan, live off to the northwest, in the Kalahari. Bushmans Kloof’s award-winning conservation projects include preservation of the region’s estimated 2,500 rock art sites. Many are at risk of being lost to time, water and erosion, but new ones are also being found. You can cover much of the territory in an open-air truck designed for off-roading in the bush. The only predator is the Cape mountain leopard, which resembles a standard leopard but is half the size. The assortment of herbivores is delightful: herds of elands, springbok, gemsbok and bontebok, the latter characterised by white blazes on their faces and bottoms. The birdlife is splendid, including the malachite sunbird, a streaking bulb of sunlit emerald.

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And then there are the rare and endangered Cape mountain zebra. There are just 1,600 of them in the world; they look like standard-issue zebra, though they’re smaller and their stripes go down to their hooves. “One stallion got pushed off by a young buck and went to live by himself on the plains,” Aneri Vlok, our guide, explained. “His hooves kept growing, but he wasn’t living on the hard surfaces that would have kept them filed, and they grew in a round pattern, so eventually he had to walk on his front knees. I learned an important lesson: you should never name an animal.” “Why?” “It made it very hard to shoot him. That was the worst decision of my life.” Bushmans Kloof may be at its best in late winter, when flowers bloom and spread like wildfire, staining fields and foothills in saffron and orange, white and blood red. The blooming season comes in August and/or September and lasts between one and two months. For planning purposes, it’s something of a moving target, since no one can predict when the flowers will come out or how long they will last, though hitting the bull’s-eye, as we did last August, is a brilliant experience in every sense.

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LAZY

RIVER

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If you’re captivated by the idea of drifting serenely along one of the world’s great waterways, we offer five fabulous river cruises to whet (or should that be wet?) your appetite…

xploring riverside cities, discovering local culture through food, wine and history – and a new view every day: little wonder river cruising is such a fast-growing sector of the tourism industry. New state-of-the-art ships, custombuilt for the rivers they ply and the discerning guests they serve, new itineraries and new remote destinations are attracting more devotees every year. Whether you’re looking for adventure on the Amazon or a restful meander up the Rhine, there’s a river somewhere waiting for you. Here are some:

The Rhine So there you are, cruising down the Rhine – on one side of the river is Germany and on the other France. Medieval churches and castles appear around bends. Vineyards climb the hillsides. Cargo ships and barges ply a watery trade route through towns and villages. You certainly get a different perspective on life from the river.

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The cruise begins in the Swiss border city of Basel and over the following week travels through France, Germany and the Netherlands. Highlights include Alsace, with its French and German heritage, its food and a wine-making tradition that goes back to the Romans; cycling beside the river past Roman ruins and Romanesque churches; the fairytale cities of Riquewihr, Kayserberg, Colmar, Strasbourg and Rüdesheim, and tasting mouth-filling white wines in A Rhine cruise aboard the villages where the grapes are grown. S.S. Antoinette (pictured above and It’s an all-inclusive cruise: arrival and departure previous page) takes transfers; all onboard meals; gratuities; unlimited fine in four countries and includes Roman ruins, wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks; shore excursions fairytale towns and the wine region of Alsace. with local experts; free internet and Wi-Fi; enrichment lectures and more. Uniworld River Cruises claims the S.S. Antoinette is the most luxurious river cruise ship in the world (the “S.S.” stands for “Super Ship”). Long (135m) and sleek, Antoinette carries 156 guests in 78 elegant staterooms and suites (those on La Princesse Deck have full open-air balconies that convert to enclosed conservatories). Décor and fittings are lavish: a 3m Baccarat chandelier, Brazilian marble, Venetian glass, original paintings by top artists… You get the picture. There’s a heated indoor swimming pool and a 3D movie theatre, a fitness centre and spa – and complimentary bikes for exploring riverside towns and villages.

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The Douro The Douro River, which meanders through the heart of Portugal’s port wine-producing region, may be the next big thing in river cruising. Viking River Cruises seems to think so, anyway: the company has introduced two new ships for the 2014 season, built exclusively to sail the Douro. And bookings on both cruisers are already heavy. The Viking Hemming and Viking Torgil each carry 106 guests in 53 outside suites and staterooms (Veranda Suites, Veranda Staterooms, French Balcony Staterooms and Standard Staterooms). Onboard comforts and amenities match those of a luxury hotel. You actually have eight days on the river, with two days and nights in Lisbon (staying at the five-star Hotel Tivoli Lisboa and with a half-day guided tour) and then a scenic coach ride up the coast to Porto, where you board your ship at the Vila Nova de Gaia dock. The river follows a winding easterly course between steeply terraced vineyards, stopping at ports of call – like Régua and Pinhão, Lamego and Barca d’Alva – with charming town squares, colourful castles, baroque mansions, historic monasteries and port wineries. At the Spanish border you’ll venture into Spain and the medieval city of Salamanca before the voyage back to Porto. The passing sights provide a new window onto Portugal, complemented by local specialties like salt cod, hearty soups and stews and, naturally, the area’s wonderful port and tawny wines (dine one night at Quinta da Avessada, a beautiful century-old winery in the heart of the Douro Wine District). Fares include Lisbon accommodation, all port charges, eight guided tours, most meals, wine and beer with meals and free onboard Wi-Fi.

Traditional fishing boats on the Douro River at Porto, where the cruise begins and ends. In the background is the Dom Luis Bridge.

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The Irrawaddy

The Orcaella (opposite, top) and Avalon Angkor (opposite, below) cruise the Irawaddy and Mekong rivers respectively, offering sights and sensations often denied to land-based travellers.

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Orient-Express Hotels was one of the early tourism pioneers in Myanmar (Burma) and has been operating river cruises on its vessel Road To Mandalay for the past 18 years. Adding an elegant new cruiser, Orcaella, to its Myanmar river fleet, the company now has a variety of different itineraries on the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) and Chidwin rivers. This one is a real beauty: sailing through dramatic, forested gorges towards the Chinese border at Bhamo, cruising back through Mandalay and ending at Bagan, the “City of 2,000 Pagodas”. The journey begins at the former royal city of Mandalay, and stops along the way include riverside villages, the artisan centre of Nwe Nyein and the island pagoda of Thihadaw; the tribal meeting point of Bhamo; Shwe Paw Island and its ancient pagodas; the dense Kachin jungle and teak forest (via train); Mogok forestry reserve to see elephants at work; Mandalay, with a tour of the city; and finally the ancient sites of Bagan. From here, passengers catch a flight to the capital, Yangon.

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Orcaella, named for the dolphins that inhabit the Irrawaddy, made its maiden voyage in July this year. A traditional Irrawaddy flotilla ship built by local craftsmen, the stylish interiors are by French architect Francois Greck. There are 25 cabins and suites, all featuring floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with Juliet balconies opening onto the river. There’s a swimming pool on deck. As you’d expect from Orient-Express, food on board is top-notch: fresh, innovative Asian dishes plus European delicacies. The top-deck bar and lounge is the place to relax with a sunset cocktail.

The Mekong This is a trip for those who like to pepper their cruise with plenty of land-based guided sightseeing. It includes three nights in Ho Chi Minh City, a seven-night Mekong cruise to Siem Reap, two nights in Siem Reap and a night in Bangkok (you can also do it the other way around). In Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), you’ll sightsee with a local guide, taking in landmarks like the War Remnants

The Rhine

Museum, Ben Thanh Market and the Cu Chi Tunnels. There’s a cooking class and a visit to a rubber plantation before the Avalon Angkor gets underway on the Mekong. At Chau Doc you’ll visit a local fish farm and in Phnom Penh there’s the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Silver Pagoda. Villages like Prek Bang Kong are home to silk weavers and at Kampong Cham you’ll join in a traditional water blessing by local monks. You’ll ride through the countryside on a traditional ox cart at Kampong Tralach, and then it’s Siem Reap: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei, plus Les Artisans d’Angkor and an Apsara dance performance… Built by traditional craftsmen in 2012, Avalon Angkor has a colonial charm, with plenty of brass and teak. Staterooms have full-size ensuite bathrooms and floor-toceiling sliding doors that open onto a veranda. There are wonderful views from the Sun Deck, where you’ll find a 24-hour bar. The open-seating dining room features local cuisines and exotic foods. And if all gets too much, you can float away with a relaxing massage.

Cruise: Castles Along the Rhine Itinerary: Basel to Amsterdam Line: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Vessel: S.S. Antoinette Duration: 8 days Departure date: Multiple dates through 2014. Last departure: 9 November, 2014 website: www.uniworldcruises.co.nz

The Douro

Cruise: Portugal’s River of Gold Itinerary: Porto-Pinhão-Porto Line: Viking River Cruises Vessel: Viking Hemming or Viking Torgil Duration: 10 Days Departure date: Weekly, March through December website: www.vikingrivercruises.com.au

The Irrawaddy

Cruise: Gorges of the Far North Itinerary: Mandalay-Bhamo-Bagan Line: Orient-Express Hotels Ship: Orcaella Duration: 12 Days/11 Nights Departure date: 17 November, 2014 website: www.orient-express.com

The Amazon

Cruise: Amazon Expedition Itinerary: Iquitos-Amazon return Line: Aqua Expeditions Vessel: Aqua Amazon Duration: 7 Days Departure date: Every Saturday through 2014 website: www.aquaexpeditions.com

The Mekong

Cruise: Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & The Mekong River Itinerary: Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok Line: Avalon Waterways Vessel: Avalon Angkor Duration: 14 Days Departure date: Multiple departures through 2014 website: www.avalonwaterways.co.nz

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The Amazon There are decisions to make before booking a berth on this unique expedition: do you go during low-water season (June-November) or high-water season (December-May)? Both seasons have their appeal – it just depends what you’re looking for. If you want to see glorious high-watered forest and get close-up views of lots of birds and mammals, then the December to May season might suit you. If jungle hikes on unflooded tracks, seeing exotic migratory birds, monkeys, other mammals and reptiles, and maybe a fishing expedition are your thing, go during the low-water season. Whichever season you choose, this will be one memorable journey, cruising in considerable comfort on the Amazon and three of its tributaries – the Marañón, the Ucayali and the Puinahua – as well as several hidden black-water lakes. Combine all this with a pre- or post-cruise tour of Machu

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Picchu, Lima and Cusco and you have the makings of a wonderful Peruvian adventure. The 40m-long Aqua Amazon is billed as the first true luxury cruise ship on the northern Amazon River in Peru, custom-built in 2007 for Aqua Expeditions expressly for cruising the Amazon. The ship carries up to 24 passengers in 12 spacious, air-conditioned suites, all with panoramic views of the Amazon through big picture windows. Onboard dining features fresh Peruvian cuisine, with a menu designed by leading Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino and matched with premium South American wines. Fares include all meals onboard, soft drinks, house wines and beer, excursions and transfers to and from the vessel (when you fly to Iquitos from Lima by Lan Peru).

EUROPE RIVER CRUISING ON SALE NOW Plan your cruise for 2015 now, pay 2014 prices and fly FREE* Book by 15 April 2014. Conditions apply.

Take a moment to picture your next dream vacationâ&#x20AC;Ś is it an island getaway, a 5-star cruise, Europe exploration or perhaps a luxury African safari? The Luxury Holiday Company is a boutique travel agency specialising in private, tailor-made itineraries so you can travel in comfort, feeling relaxed, knowing all your plans have been taken care of by a luxury travel professional. For a truly memorable experience contact Carolyn today.

Carolyn Hedley, Travel Broker, t/a Luxury Holiday Company, Member of the Travel Brokers, a division of Stella Travel Services NZ Ltd.

Tel: +64 9 416 1799 Mobile: +64 27 294 7744 email: carolyn@luxuryholidaycompany.co.nz www.luxuryholidaycompany.co.nz

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ISLANDS STREAM IN THE

No man is an island, but on a luxury charter yacht you can be an A-list castaway. By Jeni Bone.

Bond style: A finalist in the 2012 World Superyacht Awards, Regina enjoyed a cameo in the James Bond movie Skyfall, starring Daniel Craig and Bérénice Marlohe.

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I ABOVE AND OPPOSITE PAGE: The beautiful 56m sailing schooner Regina explores Turkey, the Greek Islands and the cruising grounds of the East and West Mediterranean.

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f you are in need of an escape from the pressures of life and livelihood, nothing compares to the allure of chartering a big boat. Charter broker Jeni Tidmarsh, of Luxury Charter Group, says chartering a yacht is “a stress-free vacation”. “Being on the water on board a crewed charter really allows you to get away from it all – like being on your own island, but with the option to change the scenery several times daily.” Tidmarsh, whose 25 years’ experience and previous incarnation as a cruising sailor have equipped her to fulfil her clients’ every whim from an insider’s perspective, attributes the growth in demand globally for crewed charters to an appetite for new ways to experience old favourites. “Cruising the Med or Caribbean is a great way to explore the coastline and islands, with none of the downside of travel. You don’t have to unpack bags, hike between hotels, catch taxis, compete with tourists or traffic. You can be in a new destination every day. You can get to secret places otherwise inaccessible without a yacht.” Regular clients say they prize above all else the opportunity to spend quality time with family and close

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friends, removed from the distractions of modern life. “On a yacht there are no impediments, no constraints,” explains Tidmarsh. “You can be as social or as secluded as you like.” From their copious and effusive testimonials, highflying and high-profile clients from New York to New Delhi say they are struck by the “peace and tranquillity, fabulous crew, their every need catered to, no questions asked”. “They say it’s their best holiday ever, mostly because of the time they were able to spend with family, unfettered, and the memories they are making. That’s what they mention when they re-book – they want to create lasting memories.” Food, too, is high on the list of imperatives. Tidmarsh says that, almost without exception, her clients rhapsodise about the cuisine, expertly prepared by onboard chefs and, again, completely crafted to suit the palates and preferences of guests. And whether you charter a 15-metre sailing catamaran or a 36-metre motor yacht, your vessel is better than a luxury seaside resort, asserts Tidmarsh. “When travel brochures feature an island or luxury resort, they always take the photo from a yacht’s perspective. That’s because the whole magic of a place can be appreciated from a yacht.”

Best of all, you have all of the joys and wind-in-thehair euphoria of being the owner of a superyacht or megayacht, with none of the issues. “No maintenance and mooring bills, no crews to employ, no yacht sitting forlornly waiting for you to use it throughout the year. You turn up, sit back, savour the experience, which is tailored to your interests, then disembark and plan your next charter!” says Tidmarsh. Cruising grounds considered “perennial favourites” include the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and French and Italian Rivieras. Recently “discovered” are the charter destinations of Turkey, Croatia, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. “They are somewhat distant from the mainland, more laid back and they abound in beautiful scenery.”

With clients around the globe, Tidmarsh and her team pride themselves on matching the ideal yacht, destination and itinerary to each client. “They may want to island hop, shop, hit the markets, restaurants and boutiques of the Med or Caribbean, or they might want to bob about in the ocean with nothing but blue sea, horizon and the occasional island; maybe dabble in some fishing or scuba diving.” Tidmarsh says what really makes or breaks a charter is the broker and his or her knowledge of the yachts and their crews. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario. An experienced charter broker will match you with the right boat and crew, who will personalise your itinerary, which you can savour at your own pace.” Once you’ve chosen a broker and worked out the

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cruising grounds that whet your appetite, the choice of yacht, motor or sail, is the next step. In the South Pacific, among the myriad luxury yachts is Cosmos, with its “can-do” crew and motto “anything is possible”. “Every charter boat goes to Fiji, but Cosmos takes you further in adventure and experience, Cosmos takes you places where nobody goes,” explains Tidmarsh. “Don’t just watch the whales, go and swim with them!” In 2014, Cosmos has set an itinerary for Tahiti’s Leeward Islands of Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora, and the Tuamotu atolls. Although built in 1987 by Lloyd Ships, Cosmos underwent a major refit in 2012 to keep pace with the technology and demands of charter guests. Aboard Cosmos, accommodation for eight guests is in four staterooms: one master king, one double and two twin staterooms, each with a double and a single bed. And while she boasts state-of-the-art entertainment – with a home theatre system with indoor/outdoor projection screens in her saloon – guests commonly spend their time aloft on Cosmos’ generous fly bridge, basking on a sun lounger, island spotting, enjoying a sunset cocktail and dining under the stars. On her foredeck, a hot or cold spa offers the perfect location to savour the vista of the beautiful anchorage that in most cases will be yours alone. Also in the region, based in Sydney, is Silent World II, described as the ultimate yacht for those who wish to venture off the beaten track throughout the western Pacific: North Queensland, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons and Vanuatu. The ideal yacht for watersports aficionados, Silent World II comes complete with a new 9-metre tender with twin 300hps

motors and all the gear for rendezvous diving and fishing. With ample space for her eight guests, there are three decks: the sun deck is popular for alfresco dining and relaxing in the chaise longues, the Jacuzzi deck offers panoramic views, while the lower aft deck is ideal for enjoying a cocktail or undercover dining. Silent World II is specially equipped for rendezvous diving and fishing. It also has kayaks, jet skis, underwater scooters and all the gadgets her guests could desire. In Europe, the Italian coast, Sardinia, Sicily and the Aeolian islands are best experienced aboard the luxury Lagoon 500 catamaran Ombre Blu, where the focus onboard is a visual and literal feast. Hosts Italian captain-chef Francesco and his Australian wife Melissa are famed for their personalised charter experience. It’s a complete cultural adventure. Ombre Blu offers something for everyone’s palate, from diving and

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courses with your own private instructor, to Italian cooking demonstrations, personally guided walking tours, volcano climbs and a spa-experience massage to end the day. Food is a major theme, with the best local wines and cuisine, dropping anchor in hidden inlets for sumptuous meals prepared onboard, or heading to the ports of Amalfi, Ischia and Sorrento to dine in the Michelin-starred restaurants there. Finally, the most sublime means of exploring Turkey, the Greek Islands and the cruising grounds of the East and West Mediterranean would have to be the 56-metre sailing schooner Regina. A finalist in the 2012 World Superyacht Awards, Regina enjoyed a cameo in the most recent James Bond movie, Skyfall. It was also the bunking quarters of choice for both Daniel Craig and his co-star Bérénice Marlohe while shooting the film. Every detail on this classically styled, Turkish-built yacht has been created with the comforts, elegance and class of a five-star hotel, but with all the maritime allure of

yesteryear. Beautiful teak decks sweep from bow to stern, acting as a promenade for guests. On the foredeck is a comfortable settee and 12-person table where guests can relax and witness golden sunsets at the cocktail hour. There is also first-class dining for 12 in a magnificent setting which is just aft of the most outstanding feature, the wet bar, where guests can sip and sup while watching a movie on the 3D TV. Below decks, accommodation for 12 guests in six master suites is replete with lustrous sapele mahogany, an African timber used to make high-quality musical instruments. The main saloon features a formal dining area, two sumptuous sofas and, the piéce de resistance, a highly polished white grand piano. Guests aboard Regina have their every whim catered to by a discreet and dedicated crew of nine. At anchor, if simply reclining and emanating A-list glamour does not suffice, there’s an array of watersports equipment at hand, including jet skis, waterskis, canoes and gear for snorkelling.

Kayak, dive, explore or just laze in a hammock - the choice is yours. Cosmos (above and left) sails the South Pacific; while the Italian coast, Sardinia, Sicily and the Aeolian islands are best experienced aboard the luxury catamaran Ombre Bleu (far left).

www.luxurychartergroup.com

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WORLD|FAIRWAYS

Overlooking the seventh green at Chambers Bay. PHOTOS: Gettyimages

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A MAJOR BUZZ IN THE FIRST OF OUR SERIES ON GREAT GOLF COURSES OF THE WORLD, WE SPOTLIGHT A WINDY LINKS LAYOUT THAT WILL CHALLENGE PLAYERS AT THE 2015 US OPEN.

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T ABOVE: Rugged terrain and bunkers guard the third green at Chambers Bay.

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he 2014 US Open golf tournament, considered by many to be the toughest challenge in golf, will be played in June this year on the No. 2 course at Pinehurst, North Carolina, where New Zealander Michael Campbell won the title in 2005. Yet even before players tee off at this year’s Open, there’s much talk about the 2015 event to be played at Chambers Bay, an old-world links-style course on Puget Sound, about an hour’s drive south of Seattle, Washington. Chambers Bay will be the first course in the Pacific Northwest to host a US Open. Why the anticipatory buzz? Chambers Bay has never hosted a US Open before, so organisers and players won’t know what to expect as far as scoring goes. The course looks and plays like a British Open course – not the typical US Open layout, where parkland conditions prevail and where United States Golf Association officials have to manufacture tough conditions (such as deep rough) to lift the degree of difficulty. Here, the degree of difficulty comes naturally with the territory.

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Chambers Bay sits in a region famous for its high annual rainfall and as the course is located on the perpetually windy Puget Sound, the 2015 US Open will be more like having a second British Open. The course is also 6,550 metres long – not the longest in US Open history (that would be Winged Foot, at 6,642 metres). Yet Chambers Bay is plenty long and throws massive waste bunkers into the mix together with severe elevation changes (one par-3 has a 30-metre drop from tee to green); and who needs to manufacture deep rough when knee-high fescue borders exceptionally narrow fairways? Chambers Bay was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. It’s owned by Pierce County, making it only the third municipal golf course to host a US Open – the other two being Bethpage in New York and Torrey Pines in San Diego. The course is managed by the Chicago-based Kemper Sports Management, which also looks after Bandon Dunes, another popular west coast links course on the coast of Oregon. www.chambersbaygolf.com

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LOOKING FOR THE BEST FOOD IN THE CITY? CHANCES ARE YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL FIND IT IN A TOP HOTEL RESTAURANT.

Concierge

Clifford, the fine-dining restaurant at The Fullerton Bay Hotel in Singapore, renowned for its Sunday Champagne Brunch.

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SINGAPORE

FLING Sunday brunch is an institution in Singapore. Don Hope braves daunting displays of food and free-flowing champagne in a bid to find the city’s best.

e arrived shortly after midday in high anticipation, because we’d heard excellent things about the Sunday Champagne Brunch at Clifford, the fine-dining restaurant at The Fullerton Bay Hotel in Singapore. I had lived in Singapore and knew well that Sunday brunch here was an institution – it’s what you do in Singapore on a Sunday from noon to 3pm.

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Although a number of people had recommended The Fullerton Bay’s Champagne Sunday Brunch, I had never been because the hotel wasn’t built when I lived here. I’d had the famous Sunday brunch at Raffles Singapore, so the question in my mind when we stepped through the door at The Fullerton Bay was: could this Sunday brunch be as good as Raffles? We were warmly greeted and shown to our table, but even before we sat down we were distracted by the extraordinary displays of food set out in colourful array for guests to help themselves to: whole baked fish, roast beef and baked vegetables, pastries, sushi platters, an amazing seafood buffet featuring lobster tails, scallops

on the half shell, bright pink prawns, plump oysters and salmon slices, cheese boards, elegant pastries, chocolate desserts and, to one side, bottles of Perrier-Jouet on ice – after all, this was a champagne brunch. And that was just the buffet. There’s also a menu for mains cooked to order when you’ve finished with your appetisers. Clifford overlooks Marina Bay and, thanks to 10m-high floor-to-ceiling windows, the view is compelling. The menu is traditional French bistro with a contemporary flair. It’s

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supported by an attentive personalised service that starts as soon as you walk in the door. The Sunday Champagne Brunch is popular, so we’d booked. We were shown to our table, where a waiter promptly appeared, filling our flutes with Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut. From then until 3pm, when Clifford closed down until dinner time, the champagne was “free-flowing” – which translates as “all you can drink”. But let’s be clear: in my opinion a glass of champagne is best appreciated if it’s drunk slowly. Besides, the greatest pleasure of Sunday brunch at The Fullerton Bay is not really the bubbly – which is certainly a pleasure – but the food. From eight selections on the menu we considered the Honey balsamic glazed suckling pig and the Red wine braised lamb shank, but these sounded like dishes we might enjoy in New Zealand. Certainly the Traditional eggs Benedict and the Poached eggs with smoked salmon and asparagus hollandaise sounded familiar. But what is travel about if not to try something different? After considering all options, I settled on the hotel’s signature Lobster laksa while my wife Debra chose the Black truffle chicken. Our waiter returned promptly to refill our flutes. Both our meals were superb and as we laid down our knives and forks our waiter returned to fill our glasses one last time. We didn’t say no. All in all we had spent the best

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few hours of our entire visit enjoying a Sunday brunch we would be talking about for some time to come. Was it as good as the Sunday brunch at Raffles? It’s a tough call. To be honest, I just can’t decide. Both are excellent and I’d recommend that if your stay in Singapore includes two Sundays you should try both! Finally, I noted The Fullerton Bay Hotel offers tours of the city in a vintage Rolls-Royce. We were tempted but decided it would be better to walk off our exceptional brunch with a walk along the Esplanade to Merlion Park, where Singapore’s iconic monument, a statue with a lion’s head and fish’s body (mer-lion), tempts Sunday strollers with an arcing stream of cool, clear water. www.fullertonbayhotel.com

The Fullerton Bay hotel’s signature Lobster laksa dish.

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MASU

SKYCITY, Auckland

KYCITY’s hotel and entertainment complex dominates a city block that never sleeps (although the hotel beds are extremely comfortable). MASU is attached to the SKYCITY Grand Hotel and is one of several great new eateries in the so-called Federal Street Dining Precinct. MASU is a Japanese robata-style restaurant and bar founded by executive chef Nic Watt, who grew up in Auckland but followed the road less taken, to Japan, to learn the finer points of Japanese cuisine. In Tokyo he worked alongside Rainer Becker, co-founder of the acclaimed Japanese restaurants, Zuma and Roka, world leaders in robata with restaurants in London, New York and Dubai. Nic Watt left Tokyo for London, where he expanded his knowledge and skill working with Nobu Matsuhisa, famous for his inventive fusion of Japanese and South American styles. “For Masu,” Nic told World, “I’ve taken the best

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PHOTOS: Michael Bradley

components of Zuma and Roka, a successful global organisation, and amalgamated them with ideas Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned along the way.â&#x20AC;? Robata cooking is like live theatre, with chefs at centre-stage performing the Art of Grilling. The restaurant is designed around a robata grill where all chefs are on display. There are no walls or pillars, so the ambience from the chic bar drifts by default to the restaurant to create an upbeat mood underscored by exquisite food. The menu includes Lamb cutlets with Korean hot pepper; Pickled onions and carrot and green tea banana baked in cream with soy caramel; and Black sesame ice cream. All dishes are served on sashimi plates created especially for the restaurant by accomplished American ceramic artist Ryusei Arita. www.skycityauckland.co.nz

Aroma

Hotel Palazzo Manfredi, Rome

f ever a restaurant had a view to one of the world’s great historical treasures, this is it: have your morning coffee while looking directly at the Colosseum! Archaeologists have revealed Hotel Palazzo Manfredi is actually built on the former site of the Ludus Magnus – ancient Rome’s school for gladiators. This 17th-century villa was bought in 2002 by Count Goffredo Manfredi, a construction magnate, who

transformed it into the small luxury hotel of today. It has just 14 rooms (no two rooms are alike) and it sits next to Rome’s extraordinary historic district, where highlights include the Colosseum, the Imperial Forum and the Domus Aurea, built by Emperor Nero (he who supposedly fiddled while Rome burned). When you’re not inspecting Roman ruins you might want to hire the house Lamborghini for a drive in the country. Or you could simply retreat to Aroma, the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant-with-a-view. Mint-scented scallops with fennel fondue and sautéed leeks; traditional Sicilian busiate (spiral-shaped pasta); or how about a saddle of rabbit prepared in the traditional Italian way? It’s no wonder the menu received five stars from the American Academy of Hospitality. Executive chef Giuseppe Di Iorio grew up in a family of six siblings with a father who loved to cook. Inspired, Giuseppe studied the art of Italian cuisine and after working at London’s Hyde Park Hotel, he returned home to become the first Italian executive chef at Aroma. Before dinner, guests can enjoy a drink in the lounge bar terrace overlooking Emperor Nero’s gardens. www.palazzomanfredi.com

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WP24 by Wolfgang Puck

Ritz Carlton, Los Angeles

or visitors, downtown Los Angeles was once a place to get in and out of as quickly as possible – if you went there at all. No more, since the creation of LA Live, an entertainment complex on Olympic Boulevard that bills itself “The most entertaining place on the planet”. There’s the Staples Centre for NBA basketball, NHL hockey and concerts, the Nokia Theatre and the Grammy Museum, ESPN Zone broadcasting and two marvellous hotels: the Ritz Carlton and its sister, the JW Marriott Los Angeles. All this and more has made downtown LA into a mixture of Disneyland, Venice Beach and Hollywood, and not to be missed. The Ritz Carlton has 123 guest rooms, including 13 suites, a luscious spa and rooftop heated pool with a grand city view. The star of the show, however, might be Wolfgang Puck’s latest culinary incarnation, WP24, his restaurant on the 24th floor that offers the celebrity chef’s interpretation on modern Chinese cuisine. Food & Wine magazine rated WP24 one of the best new restaurants in America, while the LA Times gave it its highest rating. As with the rooftop pool, the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer memorable city views. Options ranges from a three-course fixed-price menu to a 10-course degustation. The more casual lounge serves up shared plates and designer sushi. “The food was fabulous,” one critic wrote. “The black cod and beef duo was luscious! Eggplant accompaniment was the best eggplant I’ve ever had, as was the chocolate gelato dessert.” www.ritzcarlton.com

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Emiliano

Emiliano Hotel, Sao Paulo

razil is a noteworthy destination for a number of reasons – think carnival, fashion, film and art festivals, beaches – but never more so that now, with the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. Sao Paulo, the country’s largest and richest city, will play a prominent role and no doubt the sleek Emiliano Hotel in Jardin, the so-called Knightsbridge of Sao Paulo, will be one of the places to stay. Emiliano has just 57 guest rooms, with décor influenced by the great American designer Charles Eames. There’s a heliport on the roof for traffic-free shuttles from the airport and guests can wind down on arrival with a complimentary massage. The hotel’s chic Champagne & Caviar Bar invites more downtime. Meanwhile, the hotel’s classic Italian restaurant, Emiliano, is considered among the best hotel restaurants in the world, period. New executive chef Stefano Impera has maintained the traditional concept of locally sourced, seasonal cuisine while adding his own modern Italian touches. The menu includes a five-course tasting experience with the likes of Codfish confit and tomato preserves with shallots, and Rack of goat with pistachio and eggplant Parmesan. Desserts include chocolate and salted caramel and (vanilla-like) tonka bean ice cream. One well-heeled business traveller described Emiliano as “the best dining experience in Sao Paulo”. www.emiliano.com.br

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Aubergine

L’Auberge Carmel, Northern California

magine taking your seat at a restaurant and instead of being handed a menu you are handed a list of 20 ingredients that might include seaweed, butternut squash, beetroot and paua (or “abalone” here). You select from the list and the chef retreats to create your meal from the selections you’ve made. That’s the essence of the Chef’s Tasting Menu, one of two menus at Aubergine, rated one of the top 10 hotel restaurants in the world and among the best in the San Francisco Bay Area. The alternative menu is a four-course affair with wine pairings. L’Auberge Carmel, as the name suggests, is in Carmel, on California’s Monterey Peninsula but could be mistaken for an old-world inn somewhere in France. It’s not surprising, then, that L’Auberge Carmel is a member of Relais & Chateaux, the worldwide collection of more than 500 of the most charming character hotels. Executive chef Justin Cogley, formerly of Chicago and with work experience around the world, including Australia, was named the 2013 Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine. He’s also the winner of the 2014 Relais & Chateaux Grand Chef Award. Chef Cogley’s tasting menu offers the likes of Porcini with sea lettuce and emulsion of oyster; King salmon, coastal herbs and pineapple weed; and Smoked milk chocolate with corn and raspberries – all created in a rather spontaneous way. “Dinner at Aubergine is the culinary equivalent of chilling at a small California jazz club listening to some of the idiom’s best players lay down one cool riff after another,” writes one critic. www.auberginecarmel.com

Gowings Bar & Grill

QT Hotel, Sydney

n open kitchen and wood-fired oven, a celebrity chef who cares little about his celebrity status (even if he is a favourite of Nicole Kidman’s) and a menu that’s as comprehensive as any you’ll find anywhere: all this at the stylish QT Hotel. Located on the corner of George and Market streets, QT has drawn heaps of attention, some declaring it the city’s best designer boutique hotel. But its 200 suites are available in six options and no matter which you choose, each slaps you across the face with its unabashed blend of Gothic, art deco and Italian panache. Robert Marchetti, executive chef of Gowings Bar & Grill, once told the Sydney Morning Herald: “People aren’t loyal to owners, they’re loyal to product and lifestyle and atmosphere. You don’t care who the boss is, you only care about your experience.” World found breakfast, lunch and dinner all superb. Grilled steaks are a specialty but the menu includes a range of seafood dishes such as the chef’s signature Seafood pie (snapper, prawns, scallops and ocean trout). The menu features more than 50 dishes, which led one critic to write: “There are entire nations that don’t have this much culinary vigour.” If you want to wrap yourself in food rather than eat it, head to the spa. According to the website, the Coffee and Sea Kelp Wrap is “a vitamin, mineral and antioxidant-rich infusion of coffee and sea kelp mist used to stimulate circulation and exfoliate the skin while the subtle scent of grapefruit and vanilla rises like little puffy scented clouds lifting your mood.” Bon appetit! www.qtsydney.com.au

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Jean-Georges

Trump Hotel Central Park, New York

ean-Georges at the Trump Hotel Central Park is the famous chef’s flagship restaurant. It’s where, in 1997, Jean-Georges Vongerichten got his start in the US. Today, Jean-Georges is an empire with restaurants around the world. Trump Hotel, at 1 Central Park, overlooks Central Park and Columbus Circle and is within easy walking distance of the theatre district, Lincoln Centre and the shops and attractions on Fifth Avenue. When World visited, however, walking anywhere was questionable because it was New Year’s Eve and well below freezing. Instead of joining the corralled shoulderto-shoulder mob in Times Square, we booked a table at Jean-Georges, the three Michelin-starred French restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel. The dinner was exceptional for an exceptional occasion and soon after 11pm guests were treated to complimentary champagne.

At the stroke of midnight, the music was turned up and the dancing began in Nougatine, the more casual bar linked to the restaurant. Between dancing and flutes of champagne, we watched New Year’s Eve unfold through floor-to-ceiling windows in the warmth of the restaurant. Jean-Georges has been named best French restaurant in New York many times. Our meal that night was an extraordinary six-course tasting menu with wine pairings that our smart waiter was happy to explain at each course. Like the time and the place, the Egg caviar, Yellow fin tuna ribbons, Butternut squash soup, Black Sea Bass, Lobster Tartine and Venison medallion with red cabbage were unforgettable. www.jean-georges.com

Dinner by

Heston Blumenthal Mandarin Oriental, London

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ne might argue that the real chef behind the success of The Fat Duck in Bray and now Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is not the mighty HB himself but his stalwart partner in molecular gastronomy, Ashley Palmer-Witt. HB is not a chef so much as a food artist with a passion for the history of British cuisine (an oxymoron?) and he’s driven to re-interpret old-world dishes enjoyed by the likes of Henry VIII. Yet Blumenthal was the prime mover behind The Fat Duck, which was declared Best Restaurant in the World by Restaurant magazine. Now he’s in London at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge and with Hyde Park at its back, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal has been ranked among the top 10 restaurants in the world, hotel or no hotel. As if to underscore the historical nature the dishes,

the menu has a date attached to each dish. For example: Spiced pigeon with ale and artichokes (circa 1780) and Cod in cider (c. 1940). The menu is the product of thorough research into the history of food in Britain and for all but one mean-spirited review (The Spectator) Dinner by Heston Blumenthal has been the hottest of the hot in London since it opened in January 2011. Last year it received its second Michelin star. Its signature dish may be a starter called Meat fruit (c. 1500), a dish that at first appears to be a fresh mandarin on a wooden board but, once cut open, reveals itself to be filled with chicken liver parfait. The Guardian critic, Jay Raynor writes: “None of these dishes is the exercise in minimalism Blumenthal practised at the Fat Duck. They are bigger, more boisterous; a hug rather than a tickle.” www.mandarinoriental.com

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Gaddi’s

The Peninsula Hong Kong

he Peninsula Hong Kong opened in 1928 and was quickly acknowledged by European travellers as the best hotel in the Far East. Despite the incredible growth of five-star hotels in Asia, for many “The Pen” retains that status today. Is there another hotel in Hong Kong that will offer you a tour of the city or pick you up at the airport in a Rolls-Royce?

We checked into a suite with a panoramic view of Hong Kong Harbour, where the iconic Star ferries were coming and going between Kowloon and Central. At night, from the vantage point of the Jacuzzi in our bathroom, the skyline was a blaze of lights. Our three-night stay was wrapped in superior quality and service, concluding with dinner at Gaddi’s, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant that’s reached by a dedicated lift from the shopping arcade. When it opened in 1953, Gaddi’s was the best European restaurant in Hong Kong. Whether it’s still the best European restaurant in Hong Kong is a matter of conjecture. What’s indisputable is that Gaddi’s is a Hong Kong landmark and quite possibly the best French restaurant in the city. Its neoclassical architecture evokes French royalty and though the silver service and decorative dinnerware reflect a time gone by, the haute cuisine is modern French and it is sensational. Beneath a gorgeous crystal-and-silver chandelier we indulged in Vendeen duck liver terrine with Muscat jelly, pan-fried Burgundy snails with parsley and garlic, lobster tail roasted in its shell and, for dessert, a chestnut soufflé with French vanilla ice cream. The wine list contained more than 400 labels from all over the world, including New Zealand and Australia. Prices per bottle ranged from very affordable to for-the-super-rich-only, but that’s the nature of The Peninsula Hong Kong – something for everybody. www.peninsula.com

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Epicure

Le Bristol, Paris

ocated on the posh Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the heart of the fashion district, Le Bristol opened in 1925. Today it has 188 stunning rooms and suites that since a recent refurbishment are more spacious and brighter than ever yet remain true to the hotel’s classic style. In the 1920s, Le Bristol was in full swing as a hub during an era that attracted the likes of Josephine Baker and Picasso. The first Pierre Cardin boutique opened in the 1950s just down the street and soon more fashion boutiques followed. The district became a popular hangout for Hollywood stars such as Rita Hayworth and Charlie Chaplin. Le Bristol was named among Condé Nast Traveller magazine’s Gold List for 2014, while its three-Michelinstarred restaurant, Epicure, has been identified by multiple sources as one of the best restaurants in Paris. Epicure overlooks a stately French garden and courtyard and

the recent refurbishment has transformed it into an exceptional dining room dedicated to the pleasures of head chef Eric Frechon’s cuisine. Chef Frechon was honoured by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (a regular dinner guest) with a Knight of the Order of the Légion d’Honneur. According to a number of critics, the chef is among the best in Paris. Epicure specialties include Wild trout with watercress polenta, field mushrooms and lemon verbena foam; Langoustines and caviar served cold with fresh celeriac and Japanese lemon; and Blue lobster roasted with rosemary, turnip cooked with orange juice. It’s open seven days for lunch and dinner. And for a pre- or post-dinner drink, try Le Bar du Bristol, named Best Luxury Hotel Bar Worldwide by American Travel Advisor. www.lebristolparis.com

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db Bistro Moderne

JW Marriott Marquis, Miami

iami, Florida, is the self-proclaimed “Cruise Capital of the World”. But whether you are about to embark on a cruise or not, Miami is a compelling city for its beaches, art deco architecture and Cuban culture. JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts is Marriott’s international luxury brand, which aims by the end of 2016 to have a collection of 90 stunning properties in 30 countries around the globe. The new JW Marriott Marquis Miami, with its distinctive architecture, spacious guest rooms and suites spread over 41 floors, a prize-winning spa, five-star service (“from curb to cabana”), full-service business centre and an ambience that is “warmly authentic”, is hard to beat. The hotel evokes a sense of sophistication and prestige, for doing business or just having fun. Unlike any other hotel in the city it includes two floors devoted to entertainment and lifestyle, highlighted by a Jim McLean Golf School and a one-of-a-kind NBA-approved basketball court. Tennis courts, a billiard room, a virtual bowling alley and a state-of-the-art fitness centre are included in the package. The hotel opened in 2010 with its in-house db Bistro Moderne, a traditional French/American bistro created by the celebrated chef, Daniel Boulud (thus the “db”). Chef Boulud, a triple James Beard Foundation winner and founder of the acclaimed New York restaurant DANIEL, has said his Miami establishment is “what you get from a Lyon-born chef like me who’s been cooking in the US for almost 30 years. Our partnership with the new JW Marriott Marquis is a good fit. This new db Bistro has the soul of the original but with some twists.” House specialties include Escargot persillade and Coq au vin; and what would a Daniel Boulud bistro be without his original db Burger with foie gras and black truffle? www.dbbistro.com/miami

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Mikuni

Fairmont Singapore

airmont hotels worldwide are well known for their architecture, décor, first-class service and amenities, including restaurants. Fairmont Singapore lives up to the group’s high standard in every way. Located in the heart of the CBD, its 769 sumptuous, sanctuary-like rooms are complemented by a host of refined amenities, including 15 distinctive restaurants and bars, among them Mikuni, arguably the best Japanese restaurant in Singapore.

Mikuni is modern, classy Japanese cuisine served in a cool blue and earth-tones setting. Eating here is to take a culinary journey through traditional Japanese kaiseki, or a set of courses, each artistically presented and loaded with flavours – some of which we’d never experienced before. If you wish to wind down more from sightseeing and shopping, each course can be accompanied by matching sake chosen by the restaurant’s in-house expert. For the uninitiated, this can be a highly entertaining and educational experience. Mikuni has stations for teppanyaki, sushi and robatayaki-style cooking that altogether produce an orchestrated, multi-sensory experience from appetiser to sashimi, from grilled and steamed dishes to soups and hot pots – a symphony that concludes with dessert. Among our favourites were the Hokkaido smoked camembert delivered to our table in a corked jar. Open the jar and smoke pours out. The salmon roe was a nice added taste. A delicious mushroom soup was served in a siphon and we couldn’t get enough of the Wagyu and foie gras dumplings. Only one regret: we returned to New Zealand before Mikuni’s Korean-born chef, Moon Kyung Soo, launched his inaugural Fugu Grand Tasting that featured the infamous fugu, or globefish, in a nine-course tasting menu. Globefish skin jelly with miso? As noted, Mikuni is an education. www.fairmont.com/singapore

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DUBAI CONTINUES TO REACH FOR THE STARS – IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. BY THOMAS HYDE.

had passed through Dubai in transit, but my recent two-week stay was my first chance to explore a city that for different reasons has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Prior to that I had read a lot about Dubai – but then, how could you not? The futuristic Burj Al Arab claims to be “the world’s only seven-star hotel” and it’s where I recall seeing a photo of Tiger Woods hitting golf balls off the heliport on its roof-top. The Palm, a man-made off-shore extravaganza shaped like a giant palm, has been pictured often enough, one image of it taken from the Space Shuttle. The Dubai Mall opened as the largest shopping mall in the world, as it remains today, resting comfortably next door to the Burj Kalifa, that striking, needle-point tower rising 829 metres into the sky – the tallest building in the world. I’ve travelled enough to think that no other city in the world matches Dubai for “wow” status. It’s the skyscraper architecture, of course, but in less than 20 years Dubai has become an eye-popping global hub for business, too. And though its original source of wealth, oil and gas, amount to less than 20 per cent of its GDP today, the city continues to thrive on the back of real estate, financial services and tourism. Yes, there was a downturn in 2008-09. But unlike the rest of the world, seemingly still searching for a way back from the GFC, Dubai is rebounding with a vengeance. In fact, it’s experiencing another boom. If the number of construction cranes are a measure of economic growth, as we like to think, Dubai is heading into orbit. One morning I stood at the window of my room on the 63rd floor of

the new JW Marriott Marquis (“the highest hotel in the world”) and began counting. Within what I estimated to be a couple of kilometres, I counted 17 cranes in just one direction. Later that morning as I rode out from downtown on the Metro to visit a Kiwi friend living in Dubai Internet City, I counted twice that many again. But cranes do not tell the whole story. Dubai is a transit city, no doubt about that. Disembarking from my Emirates Airline flight from Auckland, it seemed as if most of the passengers on that Airbus 380 headed for the transit lounge while fewer of us proceeded on through Immigration. Yet that rather bald observation does not reflect another reality. The latest Dubai Tourism release on hotel patronage says Dubai hotels last year welcomed more than 11 million guests (10.6 per cent up on the previous year; New Zealand visitor numbers up 21 per cent). In 2015 Dubai expects more than 12 million visitors, each staying for a week or more. With the coming of Expo 2020, visitor numbers, I’m guessing, will reach an annual 18 million to 20 million, which is why new hotels like the twintowered JW Marriott Marquis are opening faster than ever. “New hotels are opening all the time,” said my Kiwi friend, who’s lived here for five years. But more on that in an upcoming issue of this magazine. As one columnist wrote in Gulf News, “GDP growth for 2013 has hit 4.7 per cent and is on a rising trend. All other factors that represent economic activity are also on the upswing, with trade, hospitality and tourism turning in impressive numbers.” In short, Dubai is back! The sail-like Burj Al Arab hotel is just one of the architectural marvels contributing to the Dubai’s “wow” status.

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Rolls-Royce Bespoke The sky’s the limit Like a luxurious private jet or superyacht, you don’t just buy a Rolls-Royce, you commission one. From the smallest detail to the boldest statement, there really is no limit to what can be achieved. So whatever you dream of to create your perfect Rolls-Royce, we’ll find a way to make it a reality. Contact us to experience a car with endless possibilities; a car bespoke to you.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland, 11-15 Great South Road, PO Box 9718, Newmarket, Auckland Tel: +64 9 969 3350 Fax: +64 9 969 3354 www.rolls-roycemotorcars-auckland.com © Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2012. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

oyster perpetual COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA IN PLATINUM