World Magazine - issue 29

EXPECT THE EXCEPTIONAL

ENFANT TERRIBLE JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

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YOUTH ACTIVATING CONCENTRATE

Engineered for men who know that the best things in life are complicated.

Portuguese Perpetual Calendar, Reference IW503202, in 18 ct red gold with dark brown alligator strap

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 world’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

F

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

millimetres, or about 700 million times less than in reality, it deviates from the moon’s actual progress by just twelve seconds in a given lunar period. With the

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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

P

eople often ask me what inspired me to dream up a publication such as World back in 2005. Well, the line that runs across the cover of today’s magazine answers that question: “Expect the Exceptional” – the exceptional being something I like to think readers will always find when they open World.

It’s not just about affluence and luxury, it’s about recognising excellence wherever it’s found and not settling for anything less. Iain Blakeley, director at EY Law, explains it beautifully in his Last Word column on page 194 of this issue when he says more Kiwis are rejecting mediocrity and demanding quality.

I believe this issue – our 29th – really confirms our promise to provide a window into a world of excellence across our whole range of features and themes.

The iconic portraits by photographer Annie Leibovitz make this case (you’ll find stunning examples from her weighty new book on page 25). Perfection is likewise on show in Bani McSpedden’s feature on dazzling women’s watches; through our fashion and décor sections; in Patrick Smith’s Tale of Two Lodges and Thomas Hyde’s impressions of Dubai; in our tribute to a glorious Ferrari; in the story of Richard Branson’s Kenyan safari camp and in John Hawkesby’s reviews of great wine and fine food.

Which brings me to my personal favourite in the issue and a great example of excellence in all things. It’s John’s take on lunch at Auckland’s FISH restaurant (page 77). Everything about this restaurant speaks to our theme: executive chef Shane Yardley’s uncompromising approach to food, superb and knowledgeable service, the location and décor…

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But what delights me most is reading how, before leaving FISH, the accompanying production guys from World were served plates of perfect fish and chips. Which goes to show the exceptional doesn’t have to come with a huge price tag.

Enjoy our Winter Issue.

Don Hope

TOY4402/CT/WOR

ISSUE

29

CONTENTS 25

ANNIE’S PEOPLE A big new book captures 40 years of iconic portraits by photographer Annie Leibovitz.

35

FASHION’S ENFANT TERRIBLE French couturier Jean Paul Gaultier is the subject of a major exhibition in Melbourne.

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FAIR DAZZLERS Top watch brands are seeing the female wrist as a canvas for stunning creativity.

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OBJETS D’ART Ligne Roset and Lalique both symbolize French style at its best.

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MY WORLD Azra Kujovic is general manager of DFS Galleria in Auckland’s historic Custom House.

25 35

56

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ISSUE

29

CONTENTS 70 82

84 88

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70

TASTING GREATNESS Wine editor John Hawkesby joins other bon vivants for an evening of gastronomic delights.

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HOOK, LINE & SINKER We declare FISH at the Auckland Hilton among the city’s best restaurants.

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WORLD FAIRWAYS The NZ Masters Golf Tournament plays over three Taupo courses in October.

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BOATS IN THE BLOOD Warwick Yacht Design is inseparable from founder Alan Warwick.

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STAR OF THE GOLDEN AGE Open sports cars don’t come any more glamorous than the Ferrari 250GT California Spider.

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CUT AND POLISHED Motoring editor David Linklater travelled to Spain for the media launch of two sleek new BMW coupés.

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ISSUE

29

CONTENTS 112 122

130 138

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108

FOUR SEASONS CLASS The luxury hotels group introduces the Private Jet Experience aboard its own Boeing 757.

110

SKY-HIGH LUXURY Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways lures premium travellers with a new level of air travel.

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THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE Tricia Welsh watches wildlife roam from the comfort of Sir Richard Branson’s Kenyan safari camp.

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DUBAI Thomas Hyde checks in to the world’s tallest hotel in this futuristic city of extremes.

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CROSSING THE LINE We sail into 2014 and celebrate the festive season on a luxury cruise from Singapore to Sydney.

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COASTING Vietnam’s Central Coast has become the new tourism star of this reborn Southeast Asian nation.

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A MONTH IN PROVENCE Deborah Telford hits les routes on a journey through one of France’s most enchanting regions.

ISSUE

29

CONTENTS 160 166

180

160

A PASSION FOR THE LANDSCAPE Patrick Smith visits Annandale, a new farm and luxury villa experience on Banks Peninsula.

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A TALE OF TWO LODGES A pair of lakeside retreats at Queenstown and Wanaka share that elusive X-factor.

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WORLD CONCIERGE Design Hotels, a collection of 258 distinctive independent hotels around the globe.

194

THE LAST WORD Fewer Kiwis today are prepared to accept mediocrity, says Iain Blakeley, director at EY Law.

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 9Vk^Y EZccn FAIRFAX MAGAZINES COMMERCIAL MANAGER Ä 9jcXVc 7gdj\] 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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WORLD|PHOTO ESSAY

ANNIE’S

PEOPLE

FROM MICK JAGGER TO RICHARD NIXON, QUEEN ELIZABETH TO WHOOPI GOLDBERG, PHOTOGRAPHER ANNIE LEIBOVITZ HAS SPENT 40 YEARS CAPTURING THE CULTURAL ICONS OF OUR TIME. NOW HER INTIMATE PORTRAITS ARE COLLECTED IN A GIANT LIMITED-EDITION BOOK. World Magazine

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A

nnie Leibovitz grabbed the attention of a generation in the early 1970s with her revealing portraits of rock stars and other celebrities for Rolling Stone magazine. Her style evolved though her work with Vanity Fair and Vogue and today she’s considered by many to be our greatest living portrait photographer.

Now, 250 of her intimate and sometimes controversial images have been collected in a 476-page book, Annie Leibovitz, published in TASCHEN’s SUMO series. To help nonsumo readers, the 25-kilogram book comes with its own stand designed by Marc Newson.

Within the pages of this of this 69cm by 59cm coffee-table edition are 40 years’ worth of Leibovitz’s photos, along with essays by comedian Steve Martin, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and gallery directors Hans Ulrich Obrist and Paul Roth.

PREVIOUS PAGE: The 25kg book, with Keith Haring dust jacket, on its stand designed by Marc Newson.

RIGHT: Nicole Kidman and director Baz Luhrmann, New York City, 2008.

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Some of the images have become legendary – John and Yoko entwined in their final embrace; Richard Nixon’s helicopter lifting off from the White House lawn for the last time in 1974 – others rarely or never seen before. Actors, dancers, comedians, musicians, artists, writers, performance artists, journalists, athletes, businesspeople... Performance and power are recurring themes.

Leibovitz has produced other books, but she’d never considered anything on this scale until she was approached by publisher Benedikt Taschen. She was intrigued and challenged, as she said in a recent interview with The Huffington Post.

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BELOW: Carl Lewis, Houston, Texas, 1994.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The book, featuring Talking Heads’ David Byrne (Los Angeles, 1996) on its dust jacket – one of four cover options.

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OPPOSITE PAGE: Patti Smith, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1978.

ABOVE: Whoopi Goldberg, Berkeley, California, 1984. Both images are available as dust jackets.

“The book took about four years. There was a moment when it stalled a little bit. And I changed my thinking on it. It’s just so big… You start to go through it and you can’t remember what you had in the beginning. This is the first time I’ve done a book that isn’t chronological. There are riffs. It’s kind of like a roller-coaster ride – it goes up and down.”

The Collector’s Edition (of 10,000 signed and numbered copies) comes with a choice of four dust jackets: Whoopi Goldberg (1984), Australian artist Keith Haring (1986), and musicians David Byrne (1986) and Patti Smith (1978).

All images © 2014 Annie Leibovitz, and extracted with permission from the book Annie Leibovitz, published by TASCHEN and distributed in New Zealand exclusively through New Holland. Price on request.

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FASHION’S

ENFANT TERRIBLE

THE WORK OF GROUND-BREAKING FRENCH COUTURIER JEAN PAUL GAULTIER IS CELEBRATED IN A MAJOR EXHIBITION OPENING AT MELBOURNE’S NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA IN OCTOBER. Kylie Minogue, Virgins (or Madonnas) collection, Immaculata gown, Jean Paul Gaultier Haute couture, spring-summer 2007.

Photo William Baker©

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ean Paul Gaultier has been making waves with his often eccentric and playfully irreverent creations for more than 40 years. Now, in an exhibition dedicated to one of the world’s most influential designers, 140 of his garments are on display in The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.

Organised by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with Maison Jean Paul Gaultier in Paris, the show runs at the National Gallery of Victoria from 17 October to February 8.

More than one million people have already visited the touring exhibition, but the Melbourne show will add a section on Gaultier’s Australian muses with pieces created for Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Andrej Peji and Gemma Ward.

The exhibition is organised around seven themes tracing the influences, passions and obsessions of Jean Paul Gaultier from the streets of Paris and London to his impact on world cinema.

The exhibition, says Nathalie Bondil, director and chief curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, is “an enchanted narrative of our society, by way of the obsessions of an activist for pluralist beauty... the manifesto of a human being who is comfortable being himself.” www.ngv.vic.gov.au

J

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Andrej Pejic 2013.

Confession of a Child of the Century collection, Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute couture, autumn-winter 2012-13. Photo Alix MalkaŠ.

Les Actrices (Movie Stars) collection, Barbarella body-corset.

Haute couture, autumn-winter 2009-2010.

PHOTO: Patrice Stable/Jean Paul GaultierŠ.

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AN ENCHANTED NARRATIVE...

THE OBSESSIONS OF AN ACTIVIST FOR BEAUTY...

THE MANIFESTO OF A HUMAN BEING WHO IS COMFORTABLE BEING HIMSELF.

Dita Von Teese: Flaunt 2003, Dada collection, Jean Paul Gaultier Ready-to-wear, spring-summer 1983.

PHOTO: Perou©.

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Les Indes galantes (Romantic India) collection, Lascar dress.

Haute couture, spring-summer 2000. PHOTO: Patrice Stable/ Jean Paul Gaultier Š.

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Les Vierges (Virgins) collection, Apparitions dress. Haute couture, spring-summer 2007.

PHOTO: Patrice Stable/ Jean Paul Gaultier Š.

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WORLD VIEW VACHERON CONSTANTIN MÉTIERS D’A ’ RT FABULEUX ORNEMENTS Vacheron Constantin has turned to Ottoman architecture, Indian manuscripts, Chinese embroidery and French lace in this limited edition set of wrist ornaments. Each has its own distinctive flavour, thanks to hand enamelling and engraving of the skeletonised mechanical movement, not to mention the deft use of diamonds, sapphires, rubies and pink opal.

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FAIR DAZZLERS

THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED WISDOM THAT WATCHES ARE A MAN’S THING IS BEING CHALLENGED BY RECENT RELEASES SUGGESTING BRANDS ARE SEEING THE FEMALE WRIST AS A CANVAS FOR STUNNING CREATIVITY. BANI MCSPEDDEN REPORTS.

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M

en might have their Patek Philippes, Panerais and Rolex Submariners, and there’s always a new Hublot beckoning, but what about the fairer wrist? While watch publications and websites constantly bring news of incredible new machinery to stimulate masculine whims, watch designers have been looking to more obviously exotic fields with some spectacular results. Traditionally, the emphasis has been on the mechanics of time, the cogs and the jewels that make the movement a paragon of accuracy.

But now the artisans are increasingly turning to the jewels you can see, creating dazzling looks that make the watch a statement as much as a timepiece. The allure of these fantastical creations is their lushness and aura of sheer indulgence. It’s a fairytale playground populated not only by the likes of Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Dior, and Chanel – names well known in the world of jewellery and fashion – but also by traditional brands. Venerables houses, from Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre to recent newcomers like Hublot, have all harnessed the skills of artisans in numerous disciplines to create what you might call objects of desire that happen to tell the time. Some of those disciplines we would never have imagined could relate to a watch. Cartier recently created intricate dials using wood marquetry – hundreds of tiny wood chips forming a motif on a dial – and this year turned to floral marquetry, a first in the world of watches. It involves glueing tiny coloured slivers of flowers into place to form a recognisable feature. Dior’s designers, who’ve been doing similarly detailed work with feathers; yes, feathers – even incorporating them into moving parts such as a winding rotor – have turned to origami and embroidery to add lustre to a range of delicate desirables. Why not, when your background is dressmaking?

Likewise, if you’re a Bulgari, with that rich history of beguiling baubles, you’ll turn to what you know best, namely precious stones and precocious designs. And if you’re a Harry Winston you’ll find wondrous ways with diamonds. As different as these approaches might be, there’s one thing the watches in these pages have in common: they show that turning a time teller into wrist art is more than just a matter of sprinkling sparklers around the bezel of an existing watch. As attractive as that may be, true horological creativity has reached a more dazzling level.

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ART DECO CARTIER HIGH JEWELLERY SECRET WATCH Art deco bracelet or discreet watch? Cartier invites you to “close your eyes and experience the mystery” with this evergreen jewel in rhodium-plated 18-carat white gold with rows of brilliant-cut diamonds framing a 33.51-carat emerald. A tiny pavéd flap keeps the time hidden until you need to know. Lifting it reveals “a tiny dial among the diamond pleats”. Poetic perfection, and limited to just one piece.

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RED CARPET BULGARI DIVA PAVÉ EMERALD WATCH In tribute to “the steady flow of film stars visiting the house’s flagship Via dei Condotti boutique in Rome over the decades”, Bulgari has looked to a “fan” motif – surrounding the dial and on the bracelet – to fashion this shimmering piece. A healthy 394 diamonds totalling 10.29 carats, and 258 emeralds totalling 10.52 carats, make for a piece befitting the haughtiest diva.

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PAPER PERFECT DIOR GRAND SOIR N°28 ORIGAMI This one-of-a-kind white gold piece brings something new to horology: the traditional Japanese art of origami.

The dial is textured like folded paper, then embellished with white mother-of-pearl, framed by a bezel set with geometrically shaped precious stones. Inside is a selfwinding movement with a lacquered oscillating weight that reveals mother-of-pearl patterns as it swirls.

EYE CANDY GIRARD-PERREGAUX CAT’S EYE ANNIVERSARY Those are rays of light depicted on the dial, their tips illuminated with 73 sapphires in varying shades of pink. Set against a grey-hued mother-of-pearl background, the tear drop-shaped sapphires are hand chosen to “create a subtle and harmonious gradient effect”. Sixty-two brilliant-cut diamonds circle the bezel and the white gold case houses a self-winding movement with pink gold oscillating weight.

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MAGIC MACHINE HUBLOT HIGH JEWELLERY MASTERPIECE 6 Hublot’s tonneau-shaped high jewellery piece is not for the shrinking violet. The massive white gold machine provides a home for 523 baguette diamonds totalling 36.7 carats, with even the cog work not merely revealed – thanks to artful design and skeletonisation – but embellished in dramatic fashion. And, yes, that’s a tourbillon you can see at six o’clock.

DAY & NIGHT BREGUET REINE DE NAPLES JOUR-NUIT The lower dial displays the time, the upper displays night and day, its moon disc rendered in lapis lazuli with mother-of-pearl clouds. The white gold bezel and oval case are set with 131 baguette diamonds, while the dial and ancillaries are decorated in a “frosting of diamonds” and the crown topped by a briolette diamond, some seven carats all up. Heavenly.

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CELEBRITY WEB RICHARD MILLE NATALIE PORTMAN This is the first collaboration between Richard Mille and Natalie Portman, brand ambassador and Oscar and Golden Globe winner. Mille tells us Portman “set her mind on an image combining strong associations and complex undertones, expressed by diamond-studded and -encrusted tracery based on the image of a spider”.

The watch, complete with tourbillon, is no less fabulously complicated.

Only 20 will be produced.

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FLOWER POWER CARTIER BALON BLEU FLORAL MARQUETRY WATCH Cartier’s colourful 2014 statement introduces a new art to watchmaking: floral marquetry. It depicts a parrot, one fashioned from slivers of flower petals grouped by colour and affixed to wood, which is shaped by a marquetry saw. Diamonds for the background and bezel, onyx for the beak, and an emerald eye complete the picture. Just 20 examples will be made.

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REINVENT YOURSELF

GRANDE REVERSO LADY ULTRA THIN Discover the Jaeger-LeCoultre feminine watch collection at ladies.jaeger-lecoultre.com

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OBJETS D’

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LIGNE ROSET AND LALIQUE BOTH HAVE A LONG HISTORY IN DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN AND TODAY SYMBOLISE FRENCH STYLE AT ITS BEST. BY THOMAS HYDE.

W

hat is it about French style? We don’t always understand it but we are seduced by it. It’s not always clear what a designer intends, symbolically or otherwise, but we are compelled to pay attention nonetheless.

Understanding French style is often seen as a hallmark of personal sophistication. Avant-garde, Belle Epoque, Beaux-Arts?

Je ne sais quoi! But “style”, as it’s understood in France, is more than a label for an era or school of art, it’s an on-going practice where the making of objects and the making of art are inseparable from one another.

PLOUM

What makes a settee comfortable? The Bouroullec brothers have answered that question with the Ploum sofa. The Ploum free-form “nest” offers a high level of comfort while allowing the body to adopt a number of possible postures. The small settee accommodates two people and has a closed angle – to encourage folk to sit closer together!

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LIGNE ROSET

FACETT

The Facett range is actually two settees and an armchair, complemented by two footrests that can be used as extensions to the seating. Facett’s minimalist simplicity is deceptive: its monolithic form is actually based on a sophisticated production process involving a unique style of stitching – toning (or contrasting), a complex process that recalls the cutting and shaping of a precious stone.

The brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec (pictured at left) were born in the town of Quimper, in Brittany. They studied design and decorative arts separately but for nearly 20 years now they have been a partnership, proving once again that a whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.

The brothers no sooner began working together than they were attracting clients such as Giulio Cappellini, of the Milan-based design firm that bears his name, and the legendary Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake. Today, their work can be found among permanent collections at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Chicago Art Institute.

They have achieved such acclaim over the years that the Pompidou Centre in Metz staged the firstever retrospective of their work. Given their fame, it was probably inevitable they would produce pieces for French furniture makers Ligne Roset, a brand well known in recent years for commissioning the best designers in the world.

After all, that is how the brand has sustained its reputation for superior quality and comfort since Antoine Roset and his son, Emile, began producing wood products more than a century ago.

Creativity and game-changing innovation has always been a hallmark of Ligne Roset. As if to underscore that, the company has in the last 40 years entered into key collaborations with some of the world’s leading designers to produce furniture collections, decorative accessories and more.

Ligne Roset furnishings and accessories are produced under strict quality control, so when you put the world’s leading stylists together with an impeccable manufacturing process you end up with a world-leading brand.

Company headquarters remain in Briord, France, and the brand is distributed to 850 stores worldwide. So we thought you’d like to see some of the work produced by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, noting that in New Zealand Ligne Roset is represented by DOMO in Auckland. www.domo.co.nz

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CLOUDS

Fabric art of the finest kind, Clouds is a double-sided decorative motif of two colours, with six available combinations.

The pieces are linked by elastic ribbon. The entire piece can be fixed to a wall, suspended from a ceiling or simply laid out across a floor. Wherever the piece is used, the colour effect is uniquely three-dimensional.

VASES, BOWLS AND SCULPTURE The Fantasia vase, Nemours bowl, Twig vase and Fish sculpture are fine examples of Lalique’s use of midnight-blue crystal.

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LALIQUE Lalique, makers of the world’s finest crystal home accessories, is a perfect example of French style. Its crystal vases, bowls and general objets d’art have represented the pinnacle of art nouveau decorative arts from the early 20th century since its founder, René Lalique, first began working with glass.

Lalique has been around a long time, but only now has the brand opened its first dedicated boutique, at 20 rue de la Paix, in Paris. The ground floor includes 200 pieces from its high jewellery collection and a selection of iconic works such as the Gourmande ring designed by René Lalique in 1931. A second floor, underground, is a more private salon designed to reflect French style as it was in 1900, at the time of the Paris World Exhibition.

René Lalique (1860-1945) described his work as Art de Vivre or “the art of living”. Ever since then Lalique crystal has been distinguished by its clear, satin-crystal glass that’s commonly juxtaposed with vibrant colours fluid and illuminating in a way that intentionally blurs the boundary between lifestyle and inventive exhibition.

The new Paris boutique pays tribute to René Lalique’s original approach as inspired by the art nouveau and art deco periods in French design.

For example, the Oran and Flamme vases are based on the original vases he created but re-imagined in stunning midnight blue and amber.

As if he were in some way unhappy with the work, the Flamme – clear crystal and hand-applied black enamel – has seldom been seen in public and is available now only in a numbered limited edition.

If the opening of its first boutique was not enough for one year, Lalique has also staged a four-city launch of Crystal Architecture, a new collection created by the award-winning Iraqi-British architect, Dame Zaha Hadid.

Zaha Hadid is the first woman to win the coveted Pritzker Architecture Prize. For more than 30 years she has been a leading figure in design research, creating new and innovative work that’s produced critically acclaimed exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Design Museum in London and the Palazzo della Ragione in Padua, Italy.

When asked what Lalique meant to her, she replied: “Lalique is synonymous with elegant, fluid designs that are innovative and timeless yet do not compromise the integrity of the medium or the craftsmanship of its production. Each piece is a true celebration of the unique properties of crystal.”

Launched in Paris, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, Hadid’s collection features vases and bowls in midnight blue. They are so beautiful they ought to be equally understood as crystal sculpture – the finest French crystal addressing the interplay of object and art. The apex of French style.

The new Paris boutique and a new collection created by one of Europe’s leading designers was more than enough to attract our attention. So we thought you might want to see some of the work yourself.

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VASE MOSSI

A stunning interior design piece of forthright modernity, the Mossi plays on the contrast between the brilliance of its cabochons and its frosted base. The kaleidoscopic effect of the vase is at once a stroke of creative genius and technical mastery. René Lalique created the piece in 1933.

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VASE VISIO BY ZAHA HADID

Using a formal language derived from running water and currents of air, Zaha Hadid designed this “essay in style” – a satin-finished polished crystal vase illuminated by the brilliance of clear crystal or the mystery of black crystal.

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VASE MANIFESTO

BY ZAHA HADID

The Manifesto reflects an architectural language through crystal by displaying innate, fluid lines that appear to have a life of their own. As with René Lalique, for architect Hadid, “the elegance, cohesion and beauty of the natural world are a genuine source of inspiration”.

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VASE MEDUSA

René Lalique often drew on his observations of the natural world. Inspired by the alluring beauty of the jellyfish, the Medusa has long, fluid lines of satin-polished crystal set off by “droplets of water” that create an undersea wave effect.

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Lalique is sold in New Zealand at Cavit & Co in Auckland and Queenstown. www.cavitco.com

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Baxter has a hallmark of excellence based on only using the finest leather and workmanship in the manufacture of its products. It is a unique, fresh brand devoted to a sophisticated clientele which appreciates both classic designs and contemporary luxury.

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

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AZRA KUJOVIC

GENERAL MANAGER, DFS GALLERIA, AUCKLAND

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was born in southeastern Europe, in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our family was very close and I had a very happy childhood growing up in this beautiful city. My father, a businessman and my mother, an economist, both valued having a universal outlook. They held our education in high regard and as such my older sister Sanela and I did well at school.

Sarajevo is a city known for its mesmerising cultural diversity, its museums and its heritage buildings. It has a rich history after being ruled for 600 years under the Turkish Empire, then being part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until World War I. Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics and was a wonderful place to live in until the war broke out in 1992.

It was a sad and destructive time, with many innocent lives lost. My father packed up my mother, my sister and I, and we fled – first to the Middle East and then to Australia – while he stayed behind. We were in Sydney only a few weeks before we learned my father had been killed in the war.

To this day, I live with my mother’s encouragement and her advice that we will not become victims, ever, in any situation; that life is beautiful and we would not let tragedy prevent us from being our very best. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without that attitude towards life. When I reflect back on the past, I realise we lost everything in the war – but somehow, in the midst of all the turmoil, we still did not lose our hope for a better tomorrow and we did not lose our values.

Being in Australia enabled our family to move forward in life. We were accepted with open arms and shown the kindness of Australia and its people. We soon then relocated from Sydney to the Gold Coast, where I

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RLD

continued my education, earning my degree at Griffith University and becoming president of the local youth association. At the time there was a DFS Galleria on the Gold Coast, in Surfers Paradise, and this store captured my curiosity as a young adult. I would walk by it often to look in the windows and see the world-famous brands and admire their bespoke craftsmanship. So when I got a job at DFS it was like a dream come true – and thankfully this is still the reality for me.

DFS has been the most wonderful company to work for since day one. Its people are its biggest asset and the whole team is like one big family. I am very grateful for the opportunities I was – and still am – presented with. I was 24 years old when I started at DFS as a sales manager. By then I had discovered that I was passionate about leadership and that I loved helping people and providing the best possible service above and beyond the sale transaction. In that way I’ve never really seen myself as a “manager” but as a leader with a vision and purpose.

I endeavour to be a role model and lead by the perfect example, but most of all to be a host of meaningful service to others, regardless of job title. This is the true essence of my calling and commitment.

For me, retail is not just about selling a product, it’s about creating a dream and looking after people in the best possible way. Whether someone is a customer or not, I believe working with others collaboratively is most important for both personal and professional growth.

Exceptional service is about serving the unanticipated needs of a client and how you can be the solution to a problem. Trust and relationship-building creates lifetime fans rather than one-time customers. Sometimes that means trying to understand something about them they have not actually told you and in the end creating a trusting partnership and personalised, memorable service. I believe that we need to treat customers as they would like to be treated – actively listening and identifying their desires.

I believe in the value of mentors and for me, Craig McKenna, our New Zealand-born managing director of Oceania, has been that person. He has greatly shaped my managerial outlook and because of him I have a lot to be grateful for.

Photo courtesy of Katie Wilson

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ABOVE: Auckland’s historic Custom House, one of the city’s preserved icons and home to DFS Galleria, with four levels of retail space.

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I have been with DFS for 10 years now. I became general manager of our DFS Galleria Custom House in 2011, which is why I now live in Auckland. I arrived during the Rugby World Cup and so it didn’t take long for me to appreciate that New Zealanders are very proud of their country – and rightfully so!

Apart from managing the most beautiful retail store in Auckland, one of my aims at DFS Galleria is to share the unique story of the Custom House and why people should love and appreciate the building. I also like to talk about our vision, because I’ve been in Auckland for two and a half years and have reached the conclusion that the opportunity for shopping for the world’s leading brands here in DFS is as much for Auckland locals and Kiwis from other parts of the country as it is for international discerning travellers passing through. Duty-free is only part of what we do.

For me and all of our remarkable staff, the Custom House is not only about retail and shopping, it’s about an unprecedented experience, and the heritage and other historical aspects of a building that is without a question one of a kind and exclusive. We’ve made a lot of effort to tell that story and though some people have told us we are Auckland’s best-kept secret, we aspire to be discovered and enjoyed by many. We hope to spread the word so that locals visit us to appreciate the cultural and

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historical aspects of the building as well as the ultimate shopping experience over four levels of retail space, regardless of whether or not they are travelling.

Being an Aucklander now, I enjoy life here at my home in Remuera. The best part of being all grown up and married is the part of my life I cherish the most – being a loving mother to my amazing eight-year-old son, Armani. Personally, I am invariably inspired by Kiwi people who I meet every day, be it through my son’s school community or elsewhere, at my work and in the local community in general.

As for Sarajevo, I have of course missed my home since saying goodbye in 1992. But I’ve been back in recent years to visit, and I will continue to do so, each time a bit stronger and having the appreciation that history and its lessons continue to shape many aspects of who we are today. But also with a deep knowing that, ultimately, we have the choice of how we respond to those lessons.

The people there are cheerful and resilient and the city is as beautiful as ever; it was named European Capital of Culture in 2014. Sarajevo will always be in my heart, but Australia, where my family still live, and now New Zealand, where I’ve settled, are my homes and where my future lies.

Almost every day I learn something new and that makes me happy, as life and the wonder of it all inspires me. I hope that the best is still to come as the journey continues. www.dfs.com

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Château Margaux is not just one of the famous highly prized French Bordeaux Premier Cru (First Growth) wines, it is regarded by many as possibly the most silky, seductive red Bordeaux you could ever have on the table.

Speaking of the table, under the astute guidance of French Café/Kitchen owner and master chef Simon Wright (pictured below), you are always assured of food that is fresh, seasonal and delivered with all the flavour and panache you could wish for.

His newish French Kitchen, a perfect private dining pavilion, is nestled behind the French Café and is attached to a newly created alfresco courtyard. Wright prepares, cooks

TASTING

GREATNESS WINE EDITOR JOHN HAWKESBY JOINS OTHER BON VIVANTS IN AUCKLAND FOR AN EVENING OF GASTRONOMIC DELIGHTS.

hat do you get when you bring together the world’s most esteemed chateau wines and New Zealand’s most awarded chef?

An evening of sublime indulgence – but you probably guessed that already.

And so it came to pass on a recent evening at Auckland’s French Kitchen that a group of 24 bon vivants sat down to a five-course degustation dinner matched with some of Château Margaux’s revered wines.

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and plates in full view of the diners, who are invited to engage with him at any stage. It’s all very interactive, casual and yet retains those finely honed professional skills and attention to detail that make 110 Symonds Street the go-to place for guaranteed consistent excellence and the showcase for the best in New Zealand dining.

Tonight, Wright has prepared a dining experience in consultation with sponsors Jean-Christophe Poizat and Scott Gray, of French Wine merchants Maison Vauron, and Thibault Pontallier, from Château Margaux. Thibault, an engaging selfdeprecating, humorous and not-too-technical host, is the son of Château Margaux managing director and senior winemaker Paul Pontallier.

Château Margaux

So the stage is set for a night to remember.

Thibault Pontallier is currently the chateau’s ambassador in Asia and, given the reputation and quality of the wines, I doubt he has much trouble promoting and selling the wine. He speaks with enthusiasm and intimate knowledge of the world of French wine. “Great wines,” he says, “should not be taken too seriously; it is simply to refresh your palate while drinking – at least, that’s what the monks used to say.”

Beneath the humour, however, is a young man who understands the importance of protecting one of France’s greatest brands.

“The difference between a great wine and a good wine,” he observes, “is simply that a good wine gives you pleasure while a great wine gives you emotion.”

He acknowledges that these wines are expensive.

“Margaux is not cheap. A huge amount of quality work goes into the vineyard: when you are expensive you need to deliver.”

(For the record, dear reader, the current vintage, 2010, is available at Auckland’s Maison Vauron for $3,000 a bottle.)

He goes on to explain that each of the French Bordeaux First Growths has a distinctly different personality.

“Margaux is the most feminine and delicate. It is firstly about perfume, then softness. There is no fantasy on the nose; we are not really aware of the tannins, they’re masked.”

The chateau at Margaux is one of the most photographed in the world – elegant, precise and perfectly formed, a bit like the wines themselves. Its history bears the heritage left by a succession of families, as well as the power of nature.

At the end of the 17th century it became part of the elite “First Growths” long before being established officially by the official classification of 1855. On his visit to Bordeaux in 1787, United States President Thomas Jefferson picked it out as one of the “four vineyards of first quality”.

Among the factors that make up the reputation of a great wine are natural conditions – primarily soil and climate. The climate allows vine growing to take place and the grapes to reach perfect, harmonious maturity.

Another factor is the work done by man over the centuries

to understand and manage the process. It doesn’t all just happen by chance; it takes dedication and painstaking care. This has been going on at Margaux for 400 years and those meticulous traditions are constantly being re-examined and enriched by new knowledge and ongoing passionate commitment.

Those responsible for the chateau’s reputation feel no obligation to produce wines that automatically age well, merely to become better. Bottle ageing refines but doesn’t diminish their flavours; softens but doesn’t eliminate their slightly raw, tannic power. What they lose in freshness and power they gain in subtlety, complexity and a touch of mystery.

The Château Margaux estate is around 262 hectares, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc grapes, with 12ha in – surprisingly – Sauvignon Blanc.

So, armed with this background information, we are ready to imbibe.

Margaux doesn’t produce champagne, so with canapés we enjoy a glass of the exquisite NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier Reims: a classic, with a texture that is full and generous, a pleasant fruitiness, complexity and finesse, bursting with freshness. A perfect start.

The Snapper ceviche with pickled crab, apple jelly, verjus, crème frâiche and caviar is accompanied by our only Margaux white wine, Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux 2007.

Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of Sauvignon Blanc – for me it’s too simplistic and one-dimensional – but this is completely different and I would never have guessed it as a Sauvignon in a blind tasting. Totally dry with kind of lanolin, wet fleece and nutmeg flavours, it’s elegant yet with a rich creaminess.

Beautiful and definitely a food wine, it’s the cheapest wine of the night at $250 a bottle (where most of us might baulk at paying more than $20 for a New Zealand Sauvignon). For the record, Maison Vauron can’t get enough of this wine; it flies out the door.

Says Master Pontallier: “2007 is the most powerful white we’ve ever produced, it’s audacious and bold… If you have it blind, even the best sommeliers will say it’s a Chardonnay from Burgundy.”

I’m grateful for this explanation and don’t feel quite so inadequate or stupid.

On to the Butter poached lobster with cauliflower cream, green beans, almonds and Iberico ham, which is matched with Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 2000.

Be still my beating heart!

Pavillon Rouge is the highly rated second wine of the chateau and 130,000 bottles are produced annually with vintage 2000 being regarded as a dream year in Bordeaux. Highly concentrated grapes delivered the density and complexity of a first wine.

Consequently it has significant ageing potential but tastes divine as far as I’m concerned, although Thibault thinks it still “too young”. He comments, “A perfume that is almost impossible to describe, the oak is there but you’re not aware of it.”

My own notes mark it as “Smooth, charming, no overt

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forward fruit but mulberry and Christmas cake flavours with a whisper of liquorice – like drinking velvet.”

This wine sells for around $500 a bottle and, frankly, it’s a bargain.

How to follow lobster? Easy: Smoked beef fillet with baked potato puree, mushrooms, caramelised onions and truffle butter. Thibault is playing with us now. With the beef we get to taste three of the Château Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classe from 1999, 1996 and 1989. These are top of the totem pole from great vintages. Don’t ask the bottle price, just know we got generous pours of each and they were, as you would expect, majestic.

“Behind all our top wine there is the power,” says Thibault.

“It’s about freshness, elegance, softness and we put the power behind the elegance. They are wines to seduce you and to go with food.”

I especially like the 1996 from an outstanding vintage: dense, rich, opulent and wonderfully balanced.

The 1989 is gorgeous, all class with a delicate smokiness and still youthful. Thibault remarks that this vintage was already lovely to drink from the day it was made.

The 1999 is still a mere youth but another great vintage to drink now – so we do. It has 92 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 per cent Merlot and 2 per cent a mix of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s seamless, with your classic cigar-box aromas, while on the palate is a combination of flowers, red fruits, mushroom and spice: supple, intense, complex… and divine.

I ask a question of Thibault. “Do you ever make a bad wine?”

He grins and replies instantly, “No… it’s not part of our business.”

Stupid question. Correct answer.

He also points out that the chateau doesn’t rank each vintage, because ultimately it’s whatever you prefer.

And so to what we call at home the cheeseboard, but what

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at The French Kitchen is known as “Brie de Meaux-Maison Dauge, Lait Cru, Affine”.

This turns out to be delicious cheese served with preserved plum, walnut and fennel-seed crackers and with the vintage from 1985.

It’s another outstanding vintage, as much in terms of quality as quantity. The nose is still astonishingly fruity and the wine still has plenty of deep, rich-red colouring with no sense of the browning you can often get with age. The tannins are still silky with the length and finish displaying great concentration.

And, in our host’s words, “It’s gone from fruit and flesh to complexity and is losing some of that forward stone fruit.”

At Château Margaux the oldest vintage still available from the cellars is 1848. When asked if he had tried it, Thibault replied, “It’s a wine you don’t decant, just open it quickly and drink straight away. It doesn’t have too much flavour, just lots of complexity.”

There is no Château Margaux wine that is appropriate to put with our dessert of Peaches and cream (to be specific, crushed pavlova, apricot, buttermilk and white chocolate). So this is matched with the greatest, most expensive Sauterne on the planet: Château D’Yquem Premier Grand Cru Classe Sauternes 1996.

Anything else would have been churlish, disappointing and not in the same ballpark as the other wines we have had the privilege of enjoying. The ’96, though young, is brimming with brilliance.

Alas, we are done: food and wine you are rarely likely to encounter; perhaps once in a lifetime.

As we wrestle ourselves away from the table and into the night I thank Thibault for a remarkable evening. He smiles and says, with polite understatement and far too much kindness, “A pleasure to share greatness with people who understand.” He then winks.

“Remember, in Bordeaux water is just to rinse your glasses.”

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JOHN HAWKESBY FALLS FOR THE FOOD, WINE AND SERVICE AT FISH AND DECLARES IT AMONG AUCKLAND’S BEST RESTAURANTS. PHOTOS BY MARK LLEWELLYN

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o immediately to FISH at the Hilton Auckland on Princes Wharf and you’ll be richly rewarded with executive chef Shane Yardley’s exquisite new winter menu, which fortunately retains some of the classics that have reestablished FISH as one of the city’s finest food experiences – with drop-dead views as a bonus.

Did I mention the service? Impeccable – along with an eclectic wine list, which FISH manager Oskar Zlatarevic will help you navigate. The dapper, friendly Croatian and his most able team will ensure that, whether you’re having lunch or dinner, this will be an occasion to cherish.

New Zealand-born Shane Yardley brings an impressive résumé to the table with over 20 years’ experience in some of the country’s elite kitchens. He has been described as one of Simon Gault’s smartest protégés, and has been a key member of the celebrity chef and restaurateur’s hospitality empire for many years.

A food obsessive, his passion for what’s on the plate is matched only by his determination to search out the finest, freshest, most fabulous ingredients he can lay his hands on. It’s about innovation, variation and delectable flavours – beautifully presented. And although FISH, as you’d expect, has a seafood focus, there are still plenty of other options to choose from. Yardley is into his third year at FISH and his cooking philosophy has remained consistent.

“I’m not trying to be too clever or showy,” he says. “It’s about the

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usual things, but they matter: simplicity, fresh produce knowledgeably prepared and cooked.”

Being invited to trial some of the new winter dishes is no hardship, and I put myself completely in the hands of the chef. And in a collaborative effort we select wine by the glass for each course.

“We’re starting with something that’s not at all heavy and designed to get the taste buds going,” says an enthusiastic Yardley.

A small plate of sage anchovy chips appears and is consumed with unseemly haste. They are sublime and I’m grateful there are not too many of them because they’d have been wolfed down and there is so much more to come. “Less is more,” I remind myself and try to show some restraint. The chips are crunchy and not too overtly anchovy-tasting, probably due to the sage, which delivers a hint of gentle bitterness. Salty, savoury and lipsmackingly addictive is how to describe them. According to Yardley, this classic European dish is hand-packed in Spanish olive oil, wrapped in a sage-infused tempura and lightly fried.

This starter with a real difference is available from either the lunch or dinner menu and is an absolute winner.

The wine match is easy: a Spanish sherry. Tio Pepe

Palomino Fino is perfect, tending dry with a lovely textural wash and lively finish. Again, less is more, so a thimbleful does the trick.

It’s a harmonious start that leaves you readily anticipating whatever comes next.

Usually only available on the dinner menu (but I suggest you ask nicely at lunchtime), the seared Atlantic scallops are the best I’ve ever eaten.

“I like these Canadian scallops not just because of their size but also their subtle flavours,” says Yardley, “must be something about the quality of the water in the Atlantic Ocean.”

Frankly, I think it’s more to do with how they’ve been prepared. They come with cauliflower, chorizo and a smoked paprika crackling. Apart from being perfectly formed they’re extraordinarily juicy and not over-cooked.

I ask the chef for the secret to scallop perfection.

“You need a really hot pan and just sear them with some sugar, because you don’t want them to caramelise,” he offers. “And don’t use olive oil, it gets burnt by the hot pan; use canola oil instead.”

“Is that it?” I ask.

“No,” he replies, “Atlantic scallops are the best because they’re just the right size and lend themselves to not being

PREVIOUS PAGE: Sage anchovy chips OPPOSITE PAGE: Chef Shane Yardley and his seared Atlantic scallops.

BELOW: Beef cheek pie

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over-cooked. Mix in some chorizo oil with maltodextrin (a tapioca blend) and you’ll create those warming flavours for winter. And to finish off, you could drizzle some olive oil over the top.”

That’s the thing about gifted chefs, they always make everything seem so simple, but when you try it yourself, somehow it doesn’t taste the same. Which is why we’re here.

To go with the sumptuous scallops we opt for the Te Whare Ra ‘M’ Marlborough Riesling 2013. A veteran producer whose aromatic whites have always been a personal favourite, this wine is a medium style that adds just the right balance, along with a gentle streak of acidity you often want with scallops to add a level of sharpness. As you would expect from a fine Riesling, there are flavours of citrus – especially mandarin – that enhance the palate without overpowering it and allow the scallops to shine.

It’s going well as we come to dish number three.

This dish is normally on the dinner menu but is making a welcome luncheon appearance and is a mix of flavours that has my jaw hitting the floor: artichoke, ricotta and mint ravioli with sage butter. And for an ostensibly specialist fish restaurant to create such exceptional ravioli should have the finest Italian eateries quaking in their fettuccine.

Yes, that good. A pasta with all the lightness of an angel dancing on the head of a pin. The artichoke comes as lightly fried chips and with the Parmesan and sage butter, coupled with melt-in-the-mouth ravioli, this course could topple an Italian government within hours.

Chardonnay is the perfect match, especially one with hints of butter but not too much oak. And that is Brent Marris’ Kings Series “Bastard” 2012, slightly nutty on the nose with hints of glycerine and stone fruit, wisps of lemon peel and a seamless purity – more about elegance than power, because the ravioli flavours are compelling and strong and incredibly moreish. In an Oliver Twist moment I consider asking for more, but there are still two more courses to come.

For carnivores and from the lunch menu comes Braised beef cheek with cipollini onions, carrots and smoked potato. By now I’m running out of adjectives, so let me put it this way: if the beef cheek is this marvellous, how good do you think their stockstandard fish and chips will be?

The meat is braised in red wine, peppercorns and vegetables for four hours and served on a bed of wild mushrooms with a mashed potato topping lightly grilled with egg yolk for a dash of colour, and plated with sides of peas, baby carrots, spinach and the cipollini onions marinated in balsamic oil.

It’s served with a spoon. As Yardley explains: “This dish is soft and melt-in-the-mouth and proof that the slow-cooking movement has a lot going for it.”

Time for a red wine, a glass of Merlot from Sacred Hill’s “Halo” 2012.

Winemaker Tony Bish knows his way around Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels and this Merlot-dominant red has all the velvet pluminess and truffle-cum-chocolate flavours you could wish for.

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With a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it’s a soft, mellow, earthy, warm wine that leaves you reaching for a second glass.

“Room for a dessert?” asks the chef.

I didn’t come this far on my culinary journey with any intention of turning a course down; and who could say no to a crumble of caramelised feijoa and pear? OK, this is normally a dinner special, but there’s a versatility and desire to please at FISH that is to be applauded.

When it arrives, it’s almost too pretty to touch. Feijoa and pear flavours marry well and, combined with mascarpone custard and manuka honey ice cream, it is absolutely gorgeous. Apparently, there are diners around who no longer do desserts. I defy them to try turning this creation down. Yes, it’s probably not caloriefree, but every now and then you have to let your guard down or life could get exceedingly tedious.

The Nevis Bluff Late Harvest Pinot Gris 2011 from Central Otago is a wonderful fit, with flavours of nashi pear and a seamless wet stone minerality with generous weight. It is sweet without being cloying and shows the crumble the respect it deserves.

For the record, the feijoas and pears aren’t stewed but are cooked slowly in a vacuum bag with a little sugar and vanilla.

Yardley explains that vacuum packing allows the flavours to stay in the fruit. They are served with a feijoa and pear puree with the honey ice cream and freeze-dried feijoa.

“To finish off,” says Yardley, “you get a glass of vanilla mascarpone custard to pour over the dish so the crumble stays crisp.”

Nothing is left to chance and the attentive staff will even do the pouring for you.

I am replete, but the accompanying World magazine production team is looking a bit on the grumpy side. I feel their pain. I have eaten and drunk like a true gourmand while they have been fussing about setting up shots and taking photographs. To be fair, I did occasionally offer the odd spoonful here and there, but they have the look of lost souls thrown scraps from the table.

As a surprise, Shane Yardley has put together a generous portion of his classic lightly crumbed fish and chips with a delicate aioli-mustard sauce.

This is set upon by the World team like starving wretches who have been lost at sea and can’t remember their last meal.

With gratitude bordering on hysteria they lament the fact that they have no idea which wine to match with their dish. A quick word with Oskar and perfectly chilled beers arrive. A sublime and perfect match.

At FISH they get everything right.

Everything!

Last word: As well as the à la carte dinner menu, FISH has a two-course lunch for $39 and a three-course affair for $49.

Dishes from the dinner menu can be selected for lunch. Many wines are available by the glass and all wines chosen for the my five-course lunch came by the glass, at prices from $9 to $16. www.fishrestaurant.co.nz

Almost too pretty to touch: crumble of caramelised feijoa and pear with mascarpone custard.

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TAUPO THREESOME THE SECOND ANNUAL HILTON LAKE TAUPO AND TOTAL SPORT LIMITED MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO TAUPO IN OCTOBER.

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he Masters Golf Tournament is open to amateurs and is played over three courses – Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary, the Centennial at Taupo Golf Club and Kinloch – over three days.

The event tees off on 28 October with a cocktail reception in the Victorian-style Cellar Ballroom of the Hilton Lake Taupo hotel. Catering will be provided by Bistro Lago, the hotel’s restaurant, whose executive chef is Simon Gault.

Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary (previously Wairakei International) is a favourite of Kiwi golfers who’ve enjoyed New Zealand’s original resort-style course since it opened in the 1970s.

A number of subtle, successful changes have been made to the course along the way, which is why it remains, even after all these years, one of the most popular courses in the country for a golfing holiday.

The Centennial course at Taupo Golf Club fits perfectly into the mix because it is among the best of New Zealand’s

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traditional club courses. That’s why it’s a popular host for national tournaments like the New Zealand Amateur Championship and the National Inter-Provincial Championship.

It’s an “inland links” style of course with its own version of Augusta National’s Amen Corner.

Kinloch is the only Jack Nicklaus-designed course in the country and, like the two others in this tournament, it too has a special feel, thanks to its proximity to the lake. Sir Bob Charles was right when he described Kinloch as the “best old-world course” in New Zealand.

The final results of this tournament will be decided by a combined score over all three courses but our guess is Kinloch, with the highest degree of difficulty, will be the course that determines the ultimate winners. The tournament includes a special stay-and-play package at the Hilton Lake Taupo that includes four nights’ accommodation with breakfast and a social function after each day’s play. www.laketaupomastersgolf.co.nz

For more information on the new Boxster or Cayman GTS models contact your Official Porsche Centre or visit www.porsche.co.nz

Getting out – easier said than done.

The new Boxster and Cayman GTS models.

Stepped-up performance. Still sportier design. Three letters: GTS. In a sports car that takes the mid-engine concept to the extreme.

With the uprated 3.4 liter boxer engine plus Sport Chrono Package and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard.

But there’s only one thing that wants to get out voluntarily: the inimitable Porsche Sound.

MAG158199/W

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

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BOATS INTHE

BLOOD

WARWICK YACHT DESIGN IS INSEPARABLE FROM FOUNDER ALAN WARWICK. DESPITE HANDING THE HELM TO SON BRUCE, ALAN, IN HIS “LATE 70S”, REMAINS EVERY BIT AS INVOLVED AS HE WAS WHEN HE FIRST HUNG UP HIS SHINGLE AS AN ARCHITECT. HE TALKS TO JENI BONE.

‘‘I

’ve been trying to retire for 10 years,” chortles the affable icon of the New Zealand yachting industry, who retains an active role in design and strategy. “Bruce is now the mastermind – and he’s twice as good as I ever was.”

Asked if he still dreams about boats, Warwick is quick to reply: “I seldom don’t! It is in my blood. Unlike buildings, boats live and breathe and bring their owners so much pleasure. Whenever there’s a new concept to consider, my mind races. Each brief is unique in its challenges. We still learn so much from each boat.”

WYD specialises in one-off designs for clients, ranging from 50 to 200 feet across power and sail. While the hallmarks of their fleet over the years have never changed – “attention to detail, designed, built and detailed to

perfection”, states Warwick – the range of boats is immense and impressive in its diversity.

In 35 years, more than 500 designs have emerged from this group of artisans, stylists and naval architects: dinghies, runabouts, DIY racers/cruisers, performance sloops, monohulls, multihulls, sport fishers, superyachts, high-speed launches, displacement cruisers and commercial boats.

“People always ask me, out of all the boats, which one is my favourite and I tell them ‘the one we’re working on now’.

That’s because they’re never the same… each client wants to bring his own stamp to it and the project will present its own particular set of challenges.”

To grasp Warwick’s background in architecture and his philosophy as it pertains to designing homes or commercial structures is to understand the meticulous approach he takes in designing yachts.

From “dabbling in boats on the side”, he made the leap to full-time yacht design and he has never looked back. “Boats are moving, there’s an emotion there you just don’t find in buildings. I was naïve enough to think there would be natural synergies and I could convert my skills to boats and make a living from it. I didn’t distinguish between the processes. To me, they’re the same.

Like most family enterprises, WYD has its origins in the family’s hobby. Originally from Wellington, Warwick got

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PREVIOUS PAGE: Warwick Yacht Design’s multiaward-winning catamaran Quintessential, which has dominated the pages of the world’s yachting magazines, sites and forums.

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into sailing once the family moved to Auckland, racing Zephyrs and enjoying the maritime way of life on various incarnations of the family cruiser.

He developed a love of race crewing in M Class yachts and enjoyed enviable success at an international level, racing and designing some legendary vessels whose names adorn silverware in clubhouse cabinets from Denmark to Dunedin.

When the four Warwick children were old enough, their dad applied his considerable flair and nous to designing dinghies for the junior set, the Micron 3, 5 and 8, and the 3.5-metre Comet, among other models, many of them still in commission today at yacht clubs in New Zealand and Australia.

“It gives me great satisfaction to look out my window now and see about 20 kids darting about on the water on Mairangi Bay. That’s my passion – people enjoying boats.”

While designing yachts as a sideline, the first major offshore success, the Cardinal range of yachts, built in Taiwan, was the catalyst for Warwick to formally establish WYD yacht design. From his purpose-built design studio in his home at Te Kowhai Point, in the Bay of Islands, his yacht design career began in earnest.

From the early days, Warwick and wife Gael were prodigious travellers, proactive in promoting WYD at international yacht shows and through networking with boatyards, builders and brokers.

“We have always attended Monaco Yacht Show, Cannes, Düsseldorf. For all its global reach, it’s a relatively small, tight industry. We are well known to major builders. They have always appreciated my background in commercial architecture and our hands-on approach.”

That is the WYD difference, he explains. “Some naval architects don’t want to be involved with the interiors, but to us, it’s all part of the design, and a vitally important part of the design from the first, embryonic concept stage. The exterior is informed by the interior and vice versa. We are just as focused on the lines and details of interior planning.”

WYD has generated much of its reputation from projects with yacht builders worldwide and, most recently, Alia, in Antalia, Turkey.

“And we hope to enjoy many more years working with international yards, as well as boat owners who come to us direct.”

This success and the myriad awards – including several prestigious international design awards in 2013 for the 100foot sailing catamaran, Quintessential – propelled by an appetite for and appreciation of the New Zealand brand of expertise, have kept the order books constant, with four or five on the go each year.

Today, WYD employs a team of six designers in corporate premises in North Harbour, but remains very

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much the family business. Gael is company director and manages much of the interior design work, while fully qualified boat-builder Bruce is adept at CAD design.

In an industry of one-man-band home-based operations, Warwick says WYD intentionally chose to stand apart. “We have a sophisticated studio set-up.

Clients can come to see the boat concept developing. It’s a good image for us, particularly with international clients.”

Staying true to the virtues of nimble and niche, WYD largely escaped the impact of the global financial crisis, which claimed many marine companies in New Zealand and internationally.

“Fortunately, we have some runs on the board,” he says with characteristic understatement.

Among their accolades is an impressive collection of awards in 2013 for one of WYD’s most recent designs, the remarkable superyacht, Quintessential.

This majestic example of the full arsenal of WYD’s skills collected top gongs in the International Superyacht Society Awards and World Superyacht Awards, as well as taking out first prize in the prestigious Showboats Design Award for its exquisite interior layout.

At 100 feet (30.5 metres), Quintessential is one of the largest composite sailing catamarans in charter, with a capacious interior courtesy of her staggering 48-foot beam. Ambitiously envisioned to have massive open areas and shallow draft capabilities, this superlative superyacht boasts volumes in its accommodation and social areas normally only seen in much larger motor yachts.

Designed by WYD and built by New Zealand builder Yachting Developments, Quintessential dominated the pages of the world’s yachting magazines, sites and forums, no doubt stimulating a new wave of clients to the proudly Kiwi company.

Building a yacht in New Zealand was once commonplace and, for Warwick, preferred, but is becoming less viable. “The high New Zealand dollar makes building a boat here an expensive exercise. The costs are 30 per cent more than Turkey.”

Turkey is becoming a hub of yacht building, where once it was Taiwan for its cost-effective labour and craftsmanship.

“Turkey has a long tradition of wooden boat builders.

They are half the price of Holland and have excellent access to labour from all over Europe and the Middle East.

They are clever and do it well. Our objective now is to work with them to build on that tradition and help them adopt new systems and materials.”

WYD faces many new and varied challenges in 2014 and beyond, but their patriarch assures me: “Never more of the same. That’s the beauty of boats. Nothing’s ever the same. We’re always moving forwards.” www.warwickyachts.com

Quintessential is a superb example of a New Zealand-designed superyacht and WYD’s combined skills.

A hundred feet long, with a huge 48-foot beam, Quintessential has room to spare above and below decks.

WYD designs a yacht’s interior spaces as well as exterior lines. Each informs the other, says Warwick.

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★

ST R OF THE

GOLDEN AGE OPEN SPORTS CARS DON’T COME ANY MORE GLAMOROUS THAN THE SUBLIME FERRARI 250GT CALIFORNIA SPIDER. MICK WALSH TAKES A BLONDE BEAUTY FOR A DREAM DRIVE INTO LONDON’S WEST END. PHOTOS BY MALCOLM GRIFFITHS

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eautiful machines are even more alluring at night: none more so than Ferrari’s most exotic road car, the fabulously glamorous 250GT California.

Highlighted by street lamps and sparkling under the Albert Bridge illumination, this lithe 1958 V12-powered Spider has even more magnetism as its rests in a moody, cobbled Thames-side street in Chelsea.

Borrani wheels shimmer from passing headlights while its lustrous wine paint finish gets ever deeper and richer. With its long, lean bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and muscular rear wing line, the California is both refined and purposeful.

Its mesmeric stance exudes glamour like no other roadster.

No surprise that they were driven by the most stylish of men, including pin-up director Roger Vadim and French movie idol Alain Delon.

Enough drooling over its fabulous form. Time to see if this 56-year-old legend lives up to its looks from the driving seat.

Press the door button to pop up the flush slender handle, pull open the long, light door, slip on to the luxurious tan leather seat and the first surprise dawns. With the seat pushed back to its rearmost slot, this is a tight cockpit even for my short frame.

The deep seat is superbly comfortable and supportive but the close, upright pedal position is initially awkward.

The dash layout – with Veglia speedo and rev counter set in a crackle-black metal binnacle – has a stripped-down

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competition aura. Both instruments are clearly visible through the three-spoke Nardi wheel, while the rest of the dials line up to the right, just like in the 250GT Tour de France. At least the tunnel is trimmed.

Prime the throttle, turn the key and push it in to start. The pumps tick, the starter churns and the triple-carb Colombo V12 rouses with a symphonic roar. Immediately, the mechanical descant up front is drowned by a glorious growl from the exhausts behind.

A great car should have exceptional steering, and from the off the Spider’s ZF worm and sector set-up is as good as it gets. The action from the slim wood rim is beautifully fluid and precise. Even at slow speeds the weighting is smooth and light, but it just gets sweeter with speed.

Initially, the driving impressions of the car are hard to grasp. With a beautiful blonde as a passenger and the immediate concerns of driving a multi-million-dollar dream machine in the thick of impatient traffic, my brain struggles to take it all in. Thankfully, the drum brakes feel up to the task while others are distracted by the Ferrari and with passenger Skye’s obvious charms.

Finally, at gone midnight and heading home from the West End on near-deserted roundabouts, I get the chance to stretch the engine and push the chassis harder. With a trailing throttle into the apex there’s a touch of understeer as that shapely

snout pushes out, but, with power on, the car builds to progressive oversteer. Here again that wonderfully informative steering, matched with the V12’s eager response, is hugely rewarding as you roar out of a corner. Only then does the chassis reveal its 1950s design as you feel the body flex and the live rear axle hop over bumps. Owners have spun early Californias after pushing them harder than I dare, but I have no intention of discovering those sudden limits.

Like the car’s beguiling looks, its exhaust note is enhanced in the darkness. Under one walled underpass, I slot down to third and gun the motor to 6,000rpm. With Weber throats wide open, the rear squats and the California fires into the neon-striped tunnel accompanied by that addictive yowl.

Immediately those Riviera playboy fantasies are blown away and you’re Richie Ginther chasing Porsche RSKs down the Sebring runway at night. With 0-100km/h taking around seven seconds and a top speed of 217km/h, the California can hold its own with most moderns.

The gearbox also makes the challenge easier away from the lights. Despite its long action, the tall lever snicks through the gate with a superb precision-engineered movement. The strong central springing gives you instant confirmation of which gear you’re slotting into.

Out on the Westway – blasting along in top but watching keenly for speed cameras – the California’s cockpit is surprisingly snug. With windows raised, feeble heater on full and collar turned up on a warm leather coat, there’s no need to stop and struggle with the tricky hood. The steep windscreen offers great vision and sweeps the cold air over the cabin. I could have driven on for hours, heading for that

dream daybreak. There I’d stop to watch the rising sun kiss and highlight that seductive Scaglietti form. Frustratingly, the journey’s end is nothing so romantic – a deserted industrial warehouse where we push it away into secure storage. As the door bolts snap firmly into place, I wonder if the guard can resist sitting in the Ferrari during the long night.

This California – chassis 0923 GT – is the third built and was completed in July 1958 before delivery to the sunshine state. In recent years “0923” has starred at the Louis Vuitton Concours and the Cartier Style et Luxe at Goodwood.

The California concept was the brainchild of John von Neumann, the Viennese-born founder of Ferrari Representatives. The West Coast dealer and racer transformed European car imports with his successful Porsche and VW franchises. Frustrated by his service from Ferrari, he set up an impressive facility at 1767 North Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood. The spacious works were always packed with Italian exotics, with rows of 250GTs and Lancia Aurelia Spiders.

Few were better placed to access the exotic car market than von Neumann. Movie stars and millionaire playboys were regular visitors to his garage and pit area at the races. When not competing, von Neumann enlisted America’s fastest aces – including his own service manager Richie Ginther and Phil Hill – who vividly recalled the pit-lane distractions. “The place was

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full of statuesque blonde Gabors,” said ’61 World Champ Hill.

Famous customers included James Dean and William Holden.

As a racer himself, von Neumann was convinced Ferrari needed a high-performance soft-top and his idea of slicing the top off the 250GT Tour de France was fully supported

by Luigi Chinetti, the East Coast-based importer who was highly influential at Maranello. The importance of the American market was a key factor, and Enzo Ferrari was quickly convinced that the exclusive Cabriolet needed a faster and sexier stablemate. With its plush cabin, no enthusiast would think of racing the Pininfarina-built roadster, so von Neumann and Chinetti demanded a road-racer – closer to the spirit of early-50s Spiders – that could be driven to Sports Car Club of America meetings, raced, and driven home.

Taking the highly successful 250GT Tour de France as its base, the first series of Spiders was built around the Tipo

To style the new Spider, Enzo turned to his favourite car designer/coachbuilder Pininfarina, but because the Turin operation was already overstretched, the project was given over to Scaglietti at Modena. Unlike the ever-expanding production facility at Pininfarina, Scaglietti still operated as a traditional coachbuilder, mostly specialising in gorgeous racecar bodywork. “I style by eyes alone, not making even the most rudimentary of sketches,” claimed the brilliant artisan.

One glance at the Spider’s flowing form and you can see the clear origins of the Tour de France coupé, yet Scaglietti added his own inspired details to give the new model its dramatic character. From the man who created the legendary Testa Rossa and GTO, you expect nothing less than brilliance, but the masterly way in which he combined aggressive presence and exquisite form was perfect. From the faired-in lights down the sleek bonnet to the haunched rear wings, the California

508C chassis. This simple, rigid and rugged tubular design initially came in 2,591mm long-wheelbase (LWB) configuration Fitted with the Tipo 128C single-overhead-camshaft-per-bank 240bhp V12, the new lighter model was guaranteed spectacular performance. As with all bespoke Ferraris, the specification was down to the customer and few of the limited production were identical. Whether you planned to cruise to the studio or compete at Sebring, a multitude of options was available.

immediately made the more expensive 250GT Cabrio look conservative and over-dressed. The perfect touch was the sloping screen, a pure wraparound frame devoid of quarterlights and visors to enhance the Spider’s high-performance aura.

Even with the taut hood erected, the lines still looked racy and romantic. Surprisingly, the bodywork was steel, save for the doors, bonnet and bootlid, which were fabricated in aluminium.

In later years, restorers would report how crudely the bodies

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TIGHT FIT: Cockpit entry is tricky because the steering wheel is so close to the plush seat. But the T508C V12 (below) is good for 240bhp.

LONDON LIGHTS: Long, lean bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and muscular rear wing line give the California a reďŹ ned and purposeful look.

FROM FAR LEFT: Elegant recessed doorhandle lever; prancing horse badge on the Nardi steering-wheel; dashboard has a stripped-down competition aura.

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were constructed, particularly the door frames.

In keeping with the Spider’s competition character, fittings were light and restrained. No Ferrari cockpit would be complete without the signature Nardi wheel or leather seats, but the hood had no lining. Early versions even had black rubber mats, but, as mentioned, orders were very much tailored to the customer.

To respect the new model’s West Coast origins and its target market, the Spider was christened the California. The prototype was completed by Scaglietti in late 1957, but it took a further six months to develop the car before Enzo was satisfied that it was ready for production. In full road trim, the Spider weighed 100kg more than its Berlinetta brother. The prototype was sold to George Arents, a business partner of Luigi Chinetti, who tested and raced at events on the East Coast. Back in Italy, the first seven production Spiders trickled out of Scaglietti, but it wasn’t until December that the new model was given its formal debut.

At Ferrari’s annual press conference in December 1958, the 250 California made its official entrance in the form of a silver Spider with revised open headlights in place of the now ultradesirable cowls. Ordered by von Neumann, chassis 1085 GT was the eighth built, and special features – including external fuel filler – signalled his racing aspirations. Labelled the LWB Competizione, it was the first of nine racing models made with all-aluminium bodies. Under the bonnet was a highcompression motor with hot Weber 40s, “130” racing cams and

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competition air filter, all of which boosted power to 260bhp.

The car was immediately shipped to America, where the Hollywood-based team prepared it for the Sebring 12 Hours to take on the Aston Martin DB4GTs in the Grand Touring class.

Further options were announced the following year. First Scaglietti produced a stylish glassfibre hard-top that few owners ordered. More crucial was the fitting of Dunlop disc brakes. Bizarrely, to get Ferrari Classiche authentification, the drums are now being refitted on early cars.

Throughout production of the 50 LWB Californias (counting the prototype), there were also subtle changes to the body.

Scaglietti’s craftsmen remodelled the rear wings during 1959 with a less pronounced haunch, while the tail lights were repositioned at an angle. Late in the series, three road cars were ordered with the Tipo 128F “outside plug” motors. Production continued until spring 1960, when a new California Spider – based on the shorter and stiffer Type 539 chassis as used in the 250GT SWB Berlinetta – was announced at the Geneva Show.

The new model handled more predictably, but its stockier, more aggressive style lacked the lithe, sleek beauty of the first.

Opinions are split about the ultimate Spider, but personally I adore the original form.

Just imagine arriving at a glamorous Riviera party in the late 1950s and lining up with contemporary playboy-style roadsters such as the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, Lancia Aurelia or BMW 507.

No modern open Ferrari matches it for cool. Small wonder values are now stratospheric.

FERRARI TO A errari does not generally look backwards: it’s a company that is always pushing the boundaries of technology and performance. It has heritage, yes. But it does not do retro.

So the decision to revive the California name for a new convertible model in 2010 was uncharacteristic – especially when the name was one of the most iconic in its history, attached to only 109 cars.

In some respects the new California is a very different car to the old: it’s not based on an existing Ferrari model, for example. Nor does it represent the top tier of the range, as its predecessor did.

But in others it carries the spirit of the original forward: it’s a front-engined convertible that provides laid-back wind-inthe-hair motoring when required, but without sacrificing traditional Ferrari performance and handling virtues.

The new California was an innovative car for Ferrari when launched: the first

delivers 15 per cent better fuel economy than the outgoing model.

One of the most intriguing features of the new engine is variable boost management, which works with the electronic control unit to adjust torque delivery depending on engine speed and gear selection. As the car goes up through the ratios of the dual-clutch transmission, the amount of torque delivered by the engine also increases. This has allowed longer gearing, which in turn delivers improved fuel efficiency – not to mention relentless performance when required.

The engine is mounted 40mm lower in the California T and the car also features the very latest version of Ferrari’s magnetorheological damping suspension,

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front-engined V8 for the marque, the first to have a dual-clutch automated transmission and the first to have a folding metal roof. During the evolution of the model, it gained enhancements such as a Handling Speciale pack, with more aggressive suspension and steering, and High Efficiency Low Emissions (HELE) technology, including a stop-start system.

The latest California T – unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show – brings further innovation. It boasts a new 3.9-litre V8 powerplant with twin turbochargers that propels the car to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds yet

3.9-litre

V8

3.6 seconds 0-100km/h

which has a faster control unit to modify the magnetic field that is applied to dampers.

The steering wheel also has a button that can isolate the damper settings from the other modes on the “manettino” switch. This means the driver can choose the level of comfort afforded by the chassis, regardless of the other systems in the car.

The folding hard-top can be raised or lowered in just 14 seconds.

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The roadmap for all future volvos

CUT &

POLISHED MOTORING EDITOR DAVID LINKLATER TRAVELLED TO SPAIN FOR THE MEDIA LAUNCH OF TWO SLEEK NEW BMW COUPÉS.

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he idea of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) crossed over with a coupé is no longer shocking, thanks to BMW. Back in 2008 it took the X5 wagon and applied a fastback body style, plus dynamic improvements, to create the X6. Controversial it may have been, but the company has sold more than a quarter of a million X6 models in the seven years since.

It was always intended to be a niche model, but with numbers like that it’s become a niche that cannot be ignored. BMW even has a name for it: the Sports Activity Coupé (SAC).

BMW is now repeating its X-coupé innovation with a smaller model, the X4. It’s based on the X3 mid-sized

The highest point of the roof is just above the driver: from there, it sweeps back to the tail in a dramatic curve.

The X4 is clearly differentiated at the front in the M Sport guise pictured here, with large air intakes in the bumper and high-set foglights just underneath the main lamps. At the rear, it’s unmistakably a BMW SAC, with a high X6-style beltline and diffuser-style rear insert in the bumper.

Although ground clearance is the same as an X3, the driver and front passenger sit 20mm lower. In the back, the seats are set 28mm lower, which allows for that coupé-style roofline without compromising headroom.

Visually, the rear of the cabin suggests two individual seats – again, a reference to coupé styling – but in fact

crossover, but, as with the groundbreaking X6, this new car is longer, lower and (most importantly) much more dramatic-looking than the model on which it is based.

The X4 is just 14mm longer than the X3, but 36mm lower. Forget about the vehicle’s off-road functionality for a moment and the styling proportions are very much those of a classic BMW coupé. There’s a long bonnet, sloping windscreen and minimal overhang front and rear.

there is a centre seatbelt and therefore provision for five passengers.

There has been minimal impact on the X4 as a practical family vehicle. The cabin design, rear legroom and cargo load length are all exactly the same as an X3.

The compromise comes in the sloping tailgate of the X4, which means it carries 50 litres less than the X3. However, the rear seats retain their 40/20/40 split and the ability to

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The X4 is clearly differentiated in its M Sport guise with large air intakes and other discrete clues.

The X4’s styling cues are those of a classic BMW coupÊ, but with off-road capability.

Telltale signs: the X4 is based on the X3, but is longer, lower and more dramatic-looking than its predecessor.

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fold forward, while the tailgate is powered for ease of use on all X4 models.

The X4 is not purely about styling. The 20d is also the first model in the BMW portfolio to be powered by a completely new engine family. The all-new 2.0-litre turbo diesel is more powerful than the same-capacity unit from the previous engine line-up, yet is even more thrifty, with combined fuel consumption of just 5.1 litres per 100km.

There’s also a hero model in the form of the X4 35d, which boasts 630Nm from its 3.0-litre turbo-diesel powerplant and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.

All X4 models have variable-ratio steering, the sports version of BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission and what is perhaps the most crucial dynamic difference between this model and the X3 on which it is based: Performance Control as standard. This is a more evolved version of the xDrive four-wheel drive system, which can shift power not only front to rear, but also from side to side on the rear axle.

Performance Control gives the car even more cornering capability and agility, because the power can be shifted to the outside of the car, helping it to track through corners with a high degree of accuracy. A special graphic in the iDrive control display even allows the driver to monitor the car’s roll and pitch during fast driving.

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Easy to use, hard to forget.

The new Leica T-System.

Discover pure emotion at www.t.leica-camera.com Lacklands LP / 09 6300753 / sales@lacklands.co.nz

NEW

GR AN COUPÉ

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MW’s latest Gran Coupé is the third iteration of the 4-series range and arguably the most innovative member of a wider model family that also includes the 3-series sedan and wagon.

As with the larger 6-series, the Gran Coupé name denotes a four-door reinterpretation of an existing two-door Coupé model. The aim is to prioritise the style (indeed, perhaps offer even more) of a sporty two-door model, but with extra space and practicality.

As such, the Gran Coupé shares its styling detail, proportions and packaging with the 4-series Coupé, rather than the 3-series sedan.

This new model has exactly the same length, width, wheelbase and track as the 4-series twodoor. From the windscreen forward, the two are identical. However, from the A-pillar back the Gran Coupé has unique body panels and packaging.

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The Gran Coupé name denotes a four-door model with the style of a sporty two-door, but with extra space and practicality.

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The doors are frameless, just as they are in a classic twodoor Coupé. The roof is 112mm longer and 20mm higher than the 4-series two-door, in order to liberate more headroom for rear-rear passengers.

However, the profile is still classic Coupé and much sleeker than a 3-series sedan, with a roofline that slopes gently rearwards to a short tail. The Gran Coupé has a boot capacity of 480 litres: exactly the same as a 3-series sedan and 35 litres more than the 4-series two-door. In terms of practicality, Gran Coupé also has an ace up its sleeve in the form of a large tailgate and 40/20/40-split rear seats – exactly as you find in the 3-series Touring wagon. With the seats folded down, the Gran Coupé boasts a total load capacity of 1,300 litres.

A power tailgate is standard on all models. A further option is the Smart Opener, a feature which allows you to open the fifth door simply by waving your foot under the bumper (assuming the keys are on your person).

As with the 4-series two-door, the Gran Coupé is instantly identifiable – and distinct from the 3-series range – even from the front. The steeper rake to the windscreen gives it a more aggressive appearance, while a combination of an Air Curtain ahead of the front

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wheels and Air Breather behind create an aerodynamic “veil of air” to assist both performance and efficiency.

The windowline of the Gran Coupé further emphasises its Coupé credentials. In addition to the frameless doors, the centre B-pillar is blacked out to create the impression of one long, continuous glass area.

The third window is unique to the Gran Coupé: its shape is a reinterpretation of the so-called Hofmeister kink that is characteristic of all BMW vehicles. As with the 6-series, there is a discreet “Gran Coupé” graphic visible at the bottom of the window.

At the rear, the window is significantly wider than the two-door version. The tail lights are set right out at the corners of the vehicle, further emphasising the more aggressive stance of the Gran Coupé.

Inside, the Gran Coupé also takes inspiration from its 6-series sibling with a four-plus-one cabin. The rear seats are heavily sculpted in the style of two individual chairs. However, the small console in the centre can also serve as a fifth seat when required, with a full three-point seatbelt provided.

Powertrain choices mirror the 4-series Coupé, including the 2.0-litre turbo of the 428i and the more powerful 3.0-litre turbo-six of the 435i. The M Sport package gives an even sportier look and experience, with an aerodynamic body kit, sports suspension and special interior trim elements.

SUITE LIFE: Four Seasons’ Boeing 757 will carry just 52 passengers in considerable style and comfort.

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THE LUXURY HOTELS GROUP IS TAKING ITS FAMOUS SERVICE TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRIVATE JET EXPERIENCE ABOARD ITS OWN BOEING 757.

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he Private Jet Experience is the first of its kind in the hotel industry. From February next year the custom-designed plane will take 52 passengers on bespoke journeys, offering Four Seasons hotel guests a unique travel experience from the moment they book their trip.

Flight crew will include a concierge who will coordinate guests’ travel arrangements with hotel concierges on the ground.

“The Four Seasons Jet showcases the unforgettable people and experiences that make Four Seasons unique,” said Susan Helstab, Four Seasons executive vice-president for marketing. “It speaks to our pioneering spirit and the aspirations of today’s modern luxury traveller in an imaginative way.”

The plane – which would normally carry up to 233 passengers – features handcrafted leather flatbed seats, in-flight WiFi and the kind of cuisine for which Four Seasons chefs are known around the world. Coordination between the plane and Four Seasons hotels means guests can enjoy the luxury of a private jet while organising everything from spa treatments to tee times and private excursions on the way to their hotel.

“The decision to offer one-of-a-kind trips aboard a custom-designed plane reflects our understanding of our guests’ evolving needs and preferences,” said Helstab. “It recognises their desire to pair adventure and discovery with the luxury of a fully immersive Four Seasons experience.”

The service will launch with an epic 24-day, round-the-world extravaganza including nine destinations, beginning in Los Angeles and ending in London with a celebratory dinner. Along the way guests will experience dynamic cities, exotic islands and architectural wonders such as the Taj Mahal. All accommodation on the ground will be at Four Seasons hotels.

The Four Seasons Jet can also be privately chartered.

To learn more visit www.fourseasons.com/jet

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luxury Sky-high

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MIDDLE EASTERN CARRIER ETIHAD AIRWAYS IS SPARING NO EXPENSE IN ITS BID TO LURE DISCERNING PREMIUM TRAVELLERS WITH A NEW CLASS OF AIR TRAVEL. TRICIA WELSH REPORTS.

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t’s called The Residence by Etihad. In what will be the most luxurious accommodation in the sky – more akin to a luxury hotel suite – the new private cabin comprises a double bedroom with en suite bathroom and shower connected by a short corridor to a separate comfortable lounge room.

This spacious living room has a two-seat leather couch with cushions, a dining table, wall lamps and private mini-bar.

Each new super-jumbo will have just one residence to accommodate two guests and will be located at the very front of the aircraft’s upper deck. On board will be a dedicated butler trained by the Savoy Butler Academy in London – part of the prestigious Savoy Hotel – to service The Residence passengers.

The new class will be an exclusive feature of the airline’s fleet of 10 new A380 super-jumbos that are scheduled to commence flights between its home base in Abu Dhabi and London in December this year. Flights from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne and Sydney are planned for 2015.

At the recent unveiling of the world-first deluxe suites in Abu Dhabi, Etihad president and CEO, Australian-born James Hogan, said The Residence concept was to provide an experience more like flying in a private jet than in First Class.

A flight in the new Residence class from Abu Dhabi to London is expected to cost around NZ$21,400; fares from Abu Dhabi to Sydney or Melbourne around NZ$42,000.

The airline’s new double-decker A380 will be able to accommodate 498 passengers: two residence guests, nine in First Class, 70 in Business Class and 417 in Economy.

Etihad has renamed all its travel classes across its fleet to coincide with the delivery later this year of its first A380 and Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The new premium First Class will be called the First Apartments, of which the A380 will have nine, also on the upper deck. Each private suite can be closed off from the aisle with sliding doors and features separate reclining lounge seat and an ottoman – both upholstered by Poltrona Frau – that folds out to become a full-length bed. With personal vanity unit with lighted mirrors, wardrobe and chilled mini-bar, the suite offers 74 per cent more space than Etihad’s current First Class suites. Apartment guests will also have access to an onboard shower room, a feature that has been available to First Class passengers on rival airline Emirates’ A380 fit-out for some years.

Appropriately, Etihad Airways’ Business and Economy classes have been renamed Business Studio and Economy Smart Seat,

giving 20 per cent more personal space to Business passengers than on the airline’s current seating arrangement. Noise-cancelling headphones will be offered to Economy passengers and WiFi will be installed in this class on both the A380 and the B787.

Business and First Class passengers on the A380 will also be able to meet and relax in the “Lobby”, a lounge and bar area featuring a semi-circular leather couch, marquetry table and large TV screen.

Eighty per cent of the innovative offerings are a direct result from comprehensive consumer research and workshops held in Abu Dhabi, New York, London and Sydney over a five-year period.

In 2008, Etihad Airways established the Etihad Design Consortium, bringing together three leading British design firms and, with the goal of understanding what makes a “perfect

flight”, consumers were asked to help design the perfect airline.

For guests boarding either aircraft and in all classes, the experience will be more like entering the lobby of a boutique hotel. Galley equipment will be hidden behind beautiful Arabic fretwork screens, while in premium classes, artwork and artefacts from cultural institutions in the United Arab Emirates will be on display. There will also be private curtained-off prayer areas for Muslim guests.

The new cabins and service confirm the airline’s pledge “to transform travel and make every guest journey a remarkable one”.

“These new living spaces will raise in-flight product and service standards to their highest level yet in commercial aviation and alter air travellers’ expectations of in-flight comfort and luxury forever,” says Etihad CEO James Hogan.

“Etihad Airways’ A380 and B787 will deliver the most advanced airline cabins in the industry, while meeting all weight, range and cost targets at our desired seat count. This will allow us to offer products unparalleled in quality and style, yet at competitive prices across all three cabins.”

Etihad Airways code-shares with Air New Zealand, making frequent flyer points interchangeable.

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THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE

TRICIA WELSH SITS BACK AND WATCHES THE WILDLIFE ROAM FROM THE COMFORT OF MAHALI MZURI, SIR RICHARD BRANSON’S KENYAN SAFARI CAMP.

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uffalo wallow in a water hole in front of us, baboons skip and impala graze under acacia trees nearby and we know lion are staked out on the hill opposite, because our Maasai guides have been keeping an eye on them all morning as they sauntered across the ridge.

We are tucking into a crisp pizza with beetroot and feta salad for lunch on the dining deck of Mahali Mzuri – Sir Richard Branson’s Kenyan Safari Camp – when suddenly the word goes out: “The lions are on the move.” Binoculars in hand, we watch eagerly as nine graceful felines stroll east along the rocky ridge.

Who needs to go on game drives when you have a ringside seat to watch the prolific local wildlife from the comfort of the camp? But we have already organised an afternoon drive with our Maasai guide, John Kaelo, who now knows exactly where to find those lions.

As we set off, the heavens open – it is the rainy season after all – so John secures the plastic roll-down blinds on our safari cruiser. “Lions love the rain,” he says. “They love to gambol and play.” We stop till it eases and hear the

Mahali Mzuri (previous page) overlooks a lush valley that is the watershed for the annual mass migration of wildebeest, plus hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles.

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plaintive cry of a baby mongoose apparently abandoned by its family. Its calls are soon answered and it’s reunited once more.

In the meantime, John positions the vehicle by a quiet stream in the hope that the lions are headed this way. Almost on cue, they appear and take up lookout positions like furry sphinxes high on the bank opposite. Two young ones break rank and bound down the hill towards us, cavorting and wrestling each other in the wet grass – all this and we’re the only vehicle privy to this rare and magical scene.

We had flown in by light aircraft the day before from Nairobi to remote Mara North airstrip, where our welcoming committee comprised warthogs, baboons, zebra and ubiquitous impala. John, dressed in the traditional Maasai red shuka, poured us a welcome champagne before we headed for the camp on what was really an hour-long game drive over the vast flat plains where the only people we meet are a handful of semi-nomadic Maasai tending their goats, their signature red garb contrasting with a leaden, rain-filled sky.

Mahali Mzuri, which means “beautiful place” in Swahili, is spread along a ridge above a lush green valley that forms a natural grandstand for wildlife viewing. The grassy valley, which has been mistaken for a golf course, is the watershed for the annual mass migration of up to a million wildebeest, plus hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles that

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travel the 1,600 kilometres from Tanzania to Kenya, funneling through the Enchirtit gorge immediately in front of the camp and up onto the surrounding Loita plains.

“There’s not a fence between here and Mozambique, some 2,000 kilometres away,” says Australian-born operations manager Liam Breedveld. “Animals come and go as they please.”

Breedveld and his brother, Tarn, as general manager, camped on site in the Motorogi Conservancy for several years negotiating land rights with 277 local Maasai families and setting up a community trust. Tarn Breedveld explains: “People started fencing off the land, using it for ranching and charcoal production, potentially disrupting the entire ecosystem. The wildlife couldn’t roam, the cattle couldn’t graze and the entire Maasai culture came under threat.”

Today, a consortium of five safari camps lease the Motorogi Conservancy and the neighbouring Olare Orok Conservancy, which together cover some 13,500 unfenced hectares, paying rent to the Maasai, as well as a tax of $5 per person per night, which goes to the trust. There’s a strict quota system, and the project is proving a win-win situation for all concerned: the land is protected, the Maasai are paid and visitors get to see the Mara’s abundant game in peace. “The landowners having legitimate representation at the management-company board level is what makes this model work,” adds Liam Breedveld.

RIGHT: The author with Maasai guide John Kaelo.

Mahali Mzuri mean “beautiful place” in Swahili.

LEFT: Local Maasai families lease their land to five safari camps, in return receiving rent, employment and a tax per guest.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Safely aboard the safari cruiser, guests get up close and personal with a family of lions.

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Mahali Mzuri accommodates up to 24 guests in 12 spacious tents, each with large bedroom and en suite, outdoor lounge and a terrace that’s perfect for wildlife spotting.

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“Africa as a whole has had the worst poaching figures in 30 years, yet in the last three years in our direct conservancy the figure has been zero,” he adds. “Not one animal has been poached.”

With a conservancy goal of “low density, high-value tourism”, Mahali Mzuri is well away from the throngs of safari vehicles that can often mar wildlife viewing in this celebrated region and delivers on all counts – accommodating up to just 24 guests in 12 spacious tents, including two set up for families.

Designed by Nairobi tent maker Jan Allen, the Mahali Mzuri tents are ultra-modern – almost alien-looking: stylised pith helmets, perhaps, whose rust and grey palette is based on the colours of the local antelope, the topi.

Dining room and lounge/bar tents or olpul (Maasai for “feasting place”) reflect the beige and grey colours of the Thomson’s gazelle.

Restful yet atmospheric interiors using individual feature fabrics are courtesy of UK-based interior designer Yvonne Golds, of Real Studios, who also designed the new luxury Berber tents at Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot. Each has a

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spacious bedroom, en suite with shower and luxurious bathtub, outdoor lounge and expansive covered terrace with lie-on-me lounges – perfect for game spotting. Each tent is set apart, ensuring privacy and seclusion and adding to the isolation of the magical setting.

The new camp joins Branson’s illustrious Virgin Limited Edition stable that includes Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa, The Lodge in Verbier, Switzerland, Kasbah Tamadot near Marrakech in Morocco, and Necker Island, his private Caribbean retreat.

It’s no accident that Branson’s latest venture is in the Maasai Mara, as the businessman-adventurer-philanthropist was made a Maasai elder in 2007 when he inaugurated Virgin Atlantic flights from London to Nairobi. He donned his traditional Maasai red shuka when he officially launched the camp last October.

The Breedveld brothers make a formidable team: Tarn, who has a double degree in Science and Arts with majors in anthropology, archeology, botany and zoology, has run anti-poaching teams in Tanzania for four years; Liam is a qualified chef with 15 years’ experience in establishments such as the Michelin-starred The Square in Mayfair, Nobu and Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, and has worked for various Branson properties for eight years.

Australian chef Johnny Visser has spent time in the London kitchen of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea and is developing an on-site kitchen garden. He fuses Maa (Maasai) and Kenyan flavours with modern techniques to

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produce restaurant-style dishes with a sense of place, such as soy-glazed roast breast of ostrich with coconut polenta chips, locally smoked kingfish carpaccio with a delicate Zanzibar kachumbari (onion and tomato salad) or Maastyle lamb ragout with Kenyagi, a local version of bubble and squeak.

At this all-inclusive camp, we meet for pre-dinner drinks in the well-stocked open bar that boasts an impressive range of single-malt whiskies, cognacs and ports, and enjoy premium wines with meals.

One day we opt for a morning game walk with an armed guard and Maasai askari for protection, visit a local Maasai village where we are invited into their cosy circular huts by a warming fire, indulge in a Maasai-inspired orinka stick massage in the Nasaro spa and cool off in the swimming pool that is cantilevered over the valley.

And while breakfasting on our last day, John points out a leopard settling itself in a tree as a herd of wildebeest descends into the valley. “It’s waiting to ambush any babies at the rear of the herd,” he suggests. But the wildebeest get wind of the canny feline and head back in the direction from which they came – and the leopard finally lopes off in the opposite direction, still hungry.

Next time, I’ve decided, I’m going to skip the game drives – and watch all the incredible wildlife action from the comfort of my own tent, the pool or even my bathtub. www.mahalimzuri.virgin.com

Create your

African Adventure Experience some of nature’s greatest wildlife spectacles and the most stunning wilderness areas with our African Safari’s.

Specialising in tailor-made itineraries, The Luxury Holiday Company can help you plan your next dream vacation using both our personal experience and travel expertise.

We create packages suitable for couples or families with exceptional tour guides so you can relax and enjoy an adventure you will never forget.

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

THOMAS HYDE CHECKS IN TO THE WORLD’S TALLEST HOTEL IN THIS FUTURISTIC CITY OF EXTREMES.

DUBAI In a city of superlatives, the towering new JW Marriott Marquis Dubai ticks all the right boxes.

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ubai has the most efficient airport service in the world. It must have, because it has now surpassed Heathrow for processing the most international passengers in the world. We moved seamlessly through Immigration (no form required) and, as a response to the long haul, we booked three nights at the new JW Marriott Marquis Dubai.

Our taxi hurtled up Dubai’s main arterial highway, Sheikh Zayed Road, a perpetual racetrack where it’s every driver for himself. We sped past the World Trade Centre and the financial district. Soon the Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made structure in the world and Dubai’s signature tower, came into view. Our driver swung off the main artery at Business Bay and pulled up to the lobby of the striking twin towers of the JW Marriott Marquis.

Marriott hotels have had a presence in Dubai for some time, so the JW Marriott Marquis, in Business Bay, ought not to be confused with the JW Marriott Hotel Dubai (circa 1993) near the airport, the Dubai Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf and Marriott Executive Apartments near Dubai Creek, or the Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel at Dubai Marina.

To be clear: the key designation here is “Marquis”.

According to the hotel’s general manager, Bill Keffer, “The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is only the second JW Marriott in the world with the ‘Marquis’ designation – the other one is in Miami. The Marquis designation is reserved for properties which have three outstanding ‘star quality’ features: a prime downtown location, impressive scale and grandeur and

innovative, cutting-edge technology throughout.”

Each of the hotel’s stunning twin towers stand 355 metres high. That’s higher than the antennae on the Auckland Sky Tower. The towers’ “date palm” design is unique among the wall of skyscrapers that shape the Dubai skyline and for that reason the hotel is easy to spot from Sheikh Zayed Road or Business Bay, the closest Metro stop.

Business in Dubai slowed some during the global recession but it was clear from news reports and statistics that, as a hub of world business, the emirate was entering a new phase of growth. The opening of the JW Marriott Marquis was a reflection of that.

On my visit the 804 rooms in one tower were open but finishing touches were still being added to the 804 in the other tower. Still, we were greeted by a corps of uniformed staff who opened doors, handled luggage and altogether made us feel welcome. The lobby was bustling with people from all over the world, some tourists like

INTERIORS AT THE JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI WERE DESIGNED

BY UAE NATIVE AMANI AL LAUZ, THE EMIRATES’ CHIEF DESIGNER FOR FACILITIES, WHO LIKES THE IDEA OF ‘SOPHISTICATED TRANQUILLITY’.

ourselves but many looking like business people there to attend any one of the endless stream of conferences and conventions held at the hotel and elsewhere.

Unlike Auckland or Sydney, Dubai is not built out so much as up. In some cases, way up. The singular testament to that, of course, is the Burj Khalifa, that elegant, needleshaped tower that rises 830m, as if it is injecting the clouds. Stack two Auckland Sky Towers on top of the one already there and you’ll get the picture.

The Burj Khalifa was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the Chicago architects who know skyscraper construction better than anyone else. Its shape symbolises a mosque with spiral minarets. The sheer height of the Burj Kalifa means it can boast “the highest in the world” for just about anything – from restaurants to swimming pools to firework displays and corporate offices. If your company is looking to lease a suite on the 125th floor, it will be paying about US$4,000 a square foot.

In keeping with the design culture of Dubai, the first notable feature of the JW Marriott Marquis is its architecture – a design that resembles the date palms planted about the city. And, like real date palms, the look of these two towers conjures up the notion of a cool oasis.

And once inside the lobby, that is exactly how it feels.

Like the rest of the world, Dubai’s property bubble burst in 2007/8. Many of the apartments in the Burj Khalifa, for example, went unsold. Questions hung over the future of other projects intended to be part of the Master Plan. Maybe it was Tom Cruise hanging out (literally) at the top of the Burj Khalifa as he chased bad guys in his last Mission Impossible movie. More likely it was Dubai’s undisputed location at a commercial crossroads and its undeniable importance in the global economy.

But just when many people thought they had seen the last building crane, the cranes are back today like a flock of Arabian geese once thought to be on the verge

Sky-high, high-style and very hi-tech, the hotel’s private and public spaces are nevertheless warm and intimate.

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of extinction, some perched 60 to 70 storeys above the ground. With Expo 2020 on the horizon, Dubai is once again in high gear.

This is the broad context in which the JW Marriott Marquis opened earlier this year to much fanfare. JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts is Marriott’s luxury brand of 64 properties around the world and before long this latest addition will share in the impressive list of international awards the brand has garnered since the first one opened in Washington, DC, in 1984.

The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is the world’s tallest hotel. After a friendly and efficient check-in we were escorted to a lift that carried us to the 63rd floor. The highest rooms and suites are on the 70th floor. Yet even though were perched high in the sky, the earth tones and natural colours of our room conveyed a sense of security, warmth and comfort. The hotel’s interiors were designed by UAE native Amani Al Lauz, the Emirates’ chief designer for facilities, who likes the idea of “sophisticated tranquility” and creates that through an imaginative use of natural fabrics, hardwoods and soft lighting.

Personally, I’m over minimalism. Give me creature comforts; and if that means a bit of clutter, so be it.

We were in Dubai on business, so apart from comfort we wanted practical features like Wi-Fi and a desk large enough for our laptop. As the general manager noted above, here the technology reflects the times we live in, with touch-screen controls for lighting and air conditioning, an LCD flat-screen television and an iPod station. Getting online was easy and quick.

We had made a list of “things to see and do” – like visit the nearby Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world – but for now, still feeling a bit rough around the edges, we were content to remain within the confines of the hotel, for it contained more than enough to see and do without going outside.

And so we found ourselves in Kitchen 6 enjoying a late buffet breakfast with flavours from all over the world.

Kitchen 6 is one of nine restaurants in the hotel, but where others tend to specialise in specific regional cuisine, Kitchen 6 is an international buffet with stations serving Middle Eastern, Asian and European food. Chefs, visible in an open kitchen, were working with fresh ingredients.

Very little fresh food is produced in Dubai, so the logistics of importing it from all parts of the world (including New Zealand) are part of the reason for building the largest airport in the world. Delivery services do well here.

Dubai is a city of extremes and in keeping with that theme, we felt compelled to visit either the Mall of the Emirates or the Dubai Mall – perhaps both. One could conceivably spend till the end of time shopping here because each of these vast temples to consumerism is

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As head chef at Tamarind, where you were awarded your first Michelin star, what new discoveries did you make about food that might help to explain your success?

I learnt how to cook for an international audience and specifically a London one. It’s a subtle difference at times and at times stark, but you must learn how to cook for the patrons you have. That was an important lesson and I’m sure it’s why I won the star – people here hadn’t eaten Indian food adapted for their palates before.

EXECUTIVE CHEF ATUL KOCHHAR IS THE FIRST INDIANBORN CHEF TO WIN TWO MICHELIN STARS. We’ve read that your original interest in food was inspired by working for your father, who ran a catering business. Can you tell us more about that time?

I grew up in a family where everyone cooked and food was at the core of all family get-togethers.

We lived in Jamshedpur and it’s an area where food is important culturally and so from an early age you know its importance.

I idolised my father and knew that a culinary journey was the best route for me. My family had other plans, but when I turned down medical school to study hospitality and then got a job with the Oberoi hotel group they realised this was to be my career.

How did you come to join the Oberoi group?

I worked incredibly hard at hospitality school and always knew that the founding years learning from my father stood me in good stead. He taught me all the basics and the best pillars you could ask for in the kitchen: determination, hard work, bravery and camaraderie.

Getting into Oberoi School is pretty much like winning a lottery. They only take 12 students each year from across India.

Your latest book, Curries of the World, leaves us wondering: how many curries are there in the world and which ones do you employ most?

What amazed me when I was researching that dish is that there is a never-ending supply of variations and these come from personal tastes, cultural variations, religion, supply and locality of produce and seasonality. I absolutely couldn’t count how many I must have tried on that trip!

How did you come to open Rang Mahal?

The Marriott group first approached me a few years ago and when I saw the site and their plans I knew it was a space I wanted to work in. The staff, ingredients and commitment to quality are inspirational – I love working there.

There was a time when hotels were known for everything but their restaurants. Today, many of the best restaurants in the world are found in hotels. What’s brought about that change?

I think luxury has developed to a new level and people can experience the absolute best when they travel.

So restaurants were slow on the uptake, but, as you say, they have raised their game and, especially in London, some of the most exciting restaurants opening are in hotels.

How did you react when you were awarded a second a Michelin star?

It was intense pride the first time at Tamarind and it was a great feeling, but to have a star awarded to the restaurant that is wholly yours, with your name above it – well, that takes some beating. It’s one of my proudest achievements.

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spread out over multiple floors, showcasing every leading brand in fashion and style in the world. Or you might like to go skiing or ice-skating.

We had lunch at a Cheesecake Factory. Burger Fuel was an option, but who travels the world to experience the familiar? Besides, the Cheesecake Factory sells the best cheesecake in the world and in the Dubai Mall it’s positioned directly across from the ski slope that’s clearly visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. Enjoy a cup of Arabian coffee and blueberry cheesecake in air-conditioned comfort while watching people ski?

In our case, the skiers were schoolchildren – perhaps the Dubai equivalent of Outward Bound.

TOP: The Montgomerie, one of Dubai’s top golf courses, designed

by Colin Montgomerie.

ABOVE: Cloud City – below the author’s 63rdfloor room.

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We caught the complimentary shuttle back to the hotel, put our feet up and enjoyed a cold beer from the mini bar. Alcohol in the UAE is strictly controlled.

Residents must have a licence to buy it from a state-run outlet. But hotel bars are exempt and with that in mind the in-room beer was followed by a pre-dinner martini at The Vault, the hotel’s bar on the 71st floor. After dark, the lights of Dubai stretch far into the desert in all directions, turning the bar into an observation deck as well as a compelling spot for a pre-dinner tune-up.

That night, dinner was booked at Rang Mahal, the best Indian restaurant in Dubai. Executive chef Atul Kochhar

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is India’s first Michelin-starred chef. His first Michelin star came while at London’s Tamarind restaurant; his second at Benares, his critically acclaimed solo venture, also in London. He’s well known in the UK for cookbooks and television appearances. Chef Kochhar was not in the Rang Mahal kitchen that night but we were later able to track him down by email to learn more (story on previous page).

Rang Mahal is an open-plan restaurant accented by massive carved wood columns and authentic, floor-toceiling Indian murals. Few of the items on the menu were familiar to us so we accepted the recommendations of the maitre d’, who suggested the Grazing Menu, which turned out to be a delightful (and filling) degustation selection.

Roasted aubergine, Scottish Lasooni scallops, spicy chicken breast, shredded lamb patties, line-caught sea bass and betel nut ice cream (among other dishes) were accompanied by wines from Argentina, Australia, India (Dindori Reserve Shiraz) and Chile.

After a solid night’s sleep we woke the next morning in the clouds. We were above a blanket of fog covering the city below. But the fog had lifted by the time I met Kiwi Kent Gray at The Montgomerie, one of Dubai’s top golf courses, designed by Colin Montgomerie. Kent had moved to Dubai with his family less than a year before to take up the job of editing Middle East Golfer magazine.

Even golf courses here carry one superlative or another and even though the club’s palatial clubhouse may not be the largest in the world, the par-3 13th must rank as the most unique hole: created in the shape of the UAE and boasting a 360-degree teeing area, this island fairway and green allows for a completely different golf hole to be played every time. We had to drive around the length of two football fields to find the blue tees.

Golf in the morning, the Mall of the Emirates in the afternoon and, for dinner that night, Prime 68, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai steakhouse on the 68th floor.

All in all it was a memorable introduction to a city that is once again on the move in a big (and tall) way. Fully rested and completely satisfied with the entire experience, we checked out the next morning and moved on.

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CROSSING THE LINE WORLD’S DON AND DEBRA HOPE SAIL INTO 2014 ON A LUXURY CRUISE FROM SINGAPORE TO SYDNEY AND FIND IT’S THE PERFECT WAY TO CELEBRATE THE FESTIVE SEASON.

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y the time our flight landed at Changi International Airport we felt well primed for our upcoming adventure: flying with the national carrier provides a nice glimpse of the smiling hospitality, fine service and diverse cuisine waiting at the other end of the 10-hour journey.

The food in Singapore Airlines’ Business Class was classy indeed, devised by a culinary panel of nine international chefs that includes French maestro Georges Blanc. Wine selections are likewise chosen by a trio of experts such as Yalumba’s Michael Hill Smith.

Our gastronomic workout continued during a pleasant two-day stopover at the Fairmont Singapore. Singapore is a fabulous city for food, but the highlight for us was dinner at Jaan, a French restaurant on the 70th floor of the Stamford Swissotel with stunning views of Marina Bay and the city.

The food is wonderful, created by chef Julien Royer, a cooking prodigy who’s become a Singapore celebrity and whose signature dish is the 55 smoked organic egg. It’s served in a supermarket egg carton and you have to pour it into a bowl of surprise ingredients – in our case creamy artichoke and porcini crumbs: surprising and quite superb.

The many pleasures of life aboard, from majestic interiors to delectable comestibles.

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We boarded our ship, Seven Seas Voyager, at the Singapore Cruise Centre next day for our 16-night “Coral Reefs and Koalas” cruise to Sydney. Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships are renowned for their food, so we looked on our pre-cruise indulgences as training for the upcoming marathon. Such is the quality and quantity of food aboard that it pays to pace yourself – something of a challenge, as it turned out, aboard Voyager when faced with the fabulous choices in its four restaurants and Poolside Grill (hamburger heaven!). But we soon learnt, for example, to avoid the Horizon Lounge during afternoon tea, when tempting displays of cakes and tiny, elegant sandwiches promised to plug the gap between lunch and dinner.

Precautions such as this were doubly important on this voyage, as it included festivities over Christmas and New Year, when it’s easy to toss caution to the four winds in an atmosphere of celebration and fun. The more athletic passengers took advantage of the ship’s jogging track, fitness centre and paddle tennis courts to offset the extra calorie intake. I can’t pretend we were among them.

Seven Seas Voyager is a lovely ship. At 49,000 tonnes and 204 metres in length, she carries just 700 passengers in

all-suite, all-balcony accommodation that includes special touches such as marble bathrooms with separate showers and full-size bathtubs. Some 450 crew look after the needs of passengers, ensuring attentive service at all times.

One of the things we love about cruising is that you unpack only once, after which the holiday stretches ahead with easy, stress-free days, doing as much or as little as you please – while ports of call arrive at your door in orderly fashion. Once aboard Voyager, almost everything was included in the fare: all meals, entertainment, parties, enrichment lectures, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, most shore excursions, taxes, fees and port charges.

Extras included treatments in the delightful CanyonRanch SpaClub, boutique shopping, special wine requests (like the bottle of Bollinger we ordered on New Year’s Eve) and whatever you might leave on the tables in the Century Casino.

A complimentary bottle of Veuve Clicquot and a vase of welcome flowers awaited us in our 10th-floor suite and we met our excellent stewards, Agus and Tryono, who among other things would replenish our mini-bar with soft drinks, beer and bottled water daily throughout the trip.

Seven Seas Voyager carries just 700 passengers in spacious suites, each with its own lounge, balcony and marble bathroom.

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We left Singapore at 6pm sharp as the sun set over the city.

The “Sunset Sail-Away” was a chance to mingle with fellow passengers over cocktails and canapés on the Pool Deck as Voyager slipped quietly out of port serenaded by the Regent Signature Orchestra. We were on our way.

That evening we dined alfresco at the ship’s Italian restaurant, Sette Mari (“Seven Seas”) at La Veranda, a no-reservations trattoria with an extensive menu of authentic antipasti and Italian specialties cooked al momento (to order) and paired with distinctive Italian wines. We loved it and went back several times during the trip.

In fact all the restaurants were excellent. Compass Rose, another no-reservations restaurant, served fine modern cuisine in an elegant setting, together with local specialties of the various cruise destinations. Signatures was one of two specialty restaurants and the most formal, with a superb French menu created by executive chef Aurelien Dumaylet.

The other specialty restaurant was Prime 7, a modern take on a classic American grill. Stars of the menu were the prime dryaged steaks, along with a selection of lamb, pork, poultry and seafood dishes. We loved that one, too! The casual Pool Grill dished up great burgers, hot dogs, salads and hearty snacks throughout the day.

Yes, food is a major focus on cruise ships and Regent does it very well (maybe a little too well). For a lunchtime beer, pre-dinner cocktail or nightcap, there were various bars and lounges. The Connoisseur Club specialised in rare vintage

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cognacs and ports, perhaps accompanied by a Cuban cigar.

But our favourite haunt was the Observation Lounge on Deck 11, a quiet place, with terrific views, to relax and sip.

Organising and delivering this ongoing culinary fest is a major operation, as I discovered on a galley tour with Chef Dumaylet, who oversees 87 staff in six galleys throughout the ship – 64 sous and outlet chefs, cooks and their assistants, plus 23 others whose job is to continuously wash down working areas and clean pots and pans. Preparations for lunch and dinner start at 7am and the quantities of ingredients used each day is mind-boggling – 1,800 eggs, for example, 70kg of onions, 180kg of spuds… A butcher works throughout the day preparing meat in his own separate butchery.

But food and wine are not the only onboard distractions, of course. The daily Passages newsletter offered a bewildering menu of activities running from early morning (walking, yoga) to night (theatre shows, dancing, disco). Regular “enrichment” lectures were entertaining and illuminating. Having lived in Singapore for five years I especially enjoyed guest speaker Bruce Chadwick’s talk on the history of forensic science and famous crimes in the region.

We crossed the equator during our first full day at sea and there was the traditional King Neptune ceremony around and in the pool.

The following day was Christmas Eve. That evening, at the sound of the ship’s “cocktail bell”, the “Holiday Block Party” began: a time to grab glasses from your suite and join other

ABOVE: Chilled ingredients await a martini tasting experience.

RIGHT: The ship has four superb restaurants including Signatures, one of two specialty restaurants.

ABOVE: Executive chef Aurelien Dumaylet, who oversees 87 staff in six galleys throughout the ship.

LEFT: Leaving Bali on the homeward leg.

RIGHT: A favourite from the Pool Grill: burger-style seafood mini sliders.

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ABOVE: Cirque du Soleil was the headline act in a spectacular New Year’s Eve show. BELOW: Seven Seas Voyager in Sydney Harbour.

guests in the corridor for drinks and canapés and a meet-andgreet with Captain Mario Sanguineti, general manager Massimo Arzani and cruise director Paul Reynolds.

We arrived in Bali on Christmas Day. Shore excursions ranged from “Balinese Arts and Crafts” and “Ancient Bali” to a “Beach Resort Escapade”. But it was mighty hot and we decided to take an air-conditioned cab to Seminyak, with its quiet beaches, spas and high-end boutiques. We also learnt to say “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” in Indonesian!

Our next port of call was Komodo, the Indonesian island famous as the habitat of the Komodo dragon, the Earth’s largest lizard and a creature of myth and legend until Dutch sailors confirmed its existence in 1910.

The heat was intense, and even more so when we reached Darwin, our first Australian port, two days later. The best we could manage here was a morning harbour cruise before scuttling back into the air-conditioned comfort of the ship.

We spent New Year’s Eve at sea. This is always a fun time onboard ship and the Voyager crew pulled out all the stops.

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It was an occasion to dress up and see 2013 out in style, beginning with a New Year’s Eve Caviar Bar in the Observation Lounge and then dinner at Compass Rose. At 9pm local time we toasted midnight in New Zealand for the eight Kiwis on board. After a breathtaking, eye-popping show by Cirque du Soleil in the theatre, we toasted New Year in Australia and then the countdown celebrations began and the party continued into the wee hours (or so we were told).

And so the days rolled serenely by, at sea and on shore: historic Cooktown, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, smart and glitzy Brisbane and finally Sydney – sailing through the heads at first light into one of the most spectacular harbours in the world and docking, with dress-circle views, in Circular Quay.

We’d travelled 4,466 nautical miles since stepping aboard Seven Seas Voyager in Singapore. We’d also gained a couple of kilos. But they would slowly disappear over the following weeks, unlike the faces, places and unique experiences we’d carry with us into the coming year. www.regentvoyages.com

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COASTING THOMAS HYDE TRAVELS TO VIETNAM TO FIND OUT WHY THE CENTRAL COAST HAS BECOME THIS SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRY’S NEW TOURISM STAR.

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W

ith more direct flights to Da Nang from Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok opening this year, Vietnam’s Central Coast and its attractive beaches on the South China Sea have become much easier to reach. The added flights will save travellers having to connect through Ho Chi Minh City, and while the former Saigon may be of interest to some, the new action is found in and around Da Nang.

I arrived there after three days in Ho Chi Minh City, an urban maze of 10 million people and nearly as many motorbikes. But the big city proved too frenetic for me so I welcomed the escape to the quieter, breezier Da Nang, under an hour away by air. A driver was waiting, as arranged

by Golf Coast Vietnam in partnership with Central Coast Vietnam, two tourist associations whose very existence speaks to the new efforts to promote travel to this region.

Vietnam attracted about seven million international visitors last year. That was an increase of about 15 per cent over the previous year and the Central Coast has a lot to

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do with that. Someone suggested to me that Vietnam’s Central Coast today is like Australia’s Gold Coast 50 years ago. Maybe; I’m not old enough to know.

But the Central Coast is home to the famed China Beach and a series of other user-friendly beaches. And though legacies of the country’s war-torn past can still be seen in places, today they’ve been pushed aside to make way for a string of new resorts and organised activities that give the region its modern identity.

Minutes after leaving the (new) international airport at Da Nang, we were driving through the 6.3-kilometre Hai Van Tunnel, the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia, which opened in 2005. Soon after that, the South China Sea came into view on one side of the highway, rice paddies and residential districts on the other.

LAGUNA LANG CO Before long, my driver turned off the main road and steered us out to the coast, to Laguna Lang Co – thus far the only fully integrated resort in the region and only a few months old. By “fully integrated” I mean Laguna Lang Co is a beach resort with two hotels, a collection of restaurants, swimming pools, water sports, a spa, a Nick Faldo-designed golf course, retail shops, art galleries, meeting rooms, a library, bars, complimentary iPads and Wi-Fi and other trimmings, all on the same 280-hectare site.

Developed by a partnership of Angsana and Banyan Tree hotels, the suites and villas here overlook the beach and the sea. Their beautiful interiors express local architectural themes and most have private pools just outside the sliding doors. “Banyan Tree hotels were the first to create the ‘pool villa’,” I was told. The main pool was

“SOMEONE SUGGESTED TO ME THAT VIETNAM’S CENTRAL COAST TODAY IS LIKE AUSTRALIA’S GOLD COAST WAS 50 YEARS AGO.” a family-friendly waterway winding along the beachfront.

Angsana Lang Co is a 229-suite beach hotel that stylistically merges traditional Vietnamese aesthetics and materials such as silk, lacquer, bamboo and rattan with contemporary interior designs and colour schemes reflecting the seaside locale. In contrast, Banyan Tree villas, farther along the beach, are best reached by a complimentary shuttle boat that chugs along a man-made canal, lit up at night with colourful lanterns.

Here, the 32 adults-only Lagoon Villas have pitched tiled

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COAST WATCH: The coastal region of Vietnam in and around Da Nang boasts fine beaches, ancient monuments, a string of new upmarket hotels and resorts and some excellent golf courses.

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roofs, interior ceiling fans hanging from wooden rafters, Vietnamese calligraphy, traditional sculpture and ceramics and, perhaps most important of all, a walled garden for ultimate privacy. The beach and another 18 Beach Villas are reached via a private path about 100 metres away.

Guests of either of the two hotels can enjoy local cuisine in their rooms or even on the beach, but from what I observed most dined at one of the eight restaurants, which range from the fine-dining Thai menu at Saffron to Western style lunches and snacks all day long at Thu Quan, on the beach. I met Reinhold Johann, the resort’s German-born general manager, for lunch at The Watercourt restaurant, where the ambience is casual and the menu is “modern French Vietnamese”.

Reinhold is a trained chef who has worked in more

socially, with direct access to the pool and the beach.”

Laguna Lang Co is about a 50-minute drive north of Da Nang and somewhat off the beaten track, so I was curious: how do they manage supplies? “We look at what is easy to get and what is fresh, so seafood is good,” Reinhold said. “We are very careful about chicken and pork; beef is imported from New Zealand and Australia. Good fruit and vegetables are here, but we rely on proven suppliers. We have a hygiene lab and a hygiene manager on the property, so with all local suppliers we check out their shops to see that they are clean and meet our standards.”

Australian Tim Haddon, the general manager of the golf course at Laguna Lang Co, was director of golf at the Blue Canyon Country Club in Thailand when he was recruited by Banyan Tree in 2000 as its director of instruction. He was

than a dozen countries. Over time, he moved into management and in 2007 was recruited by Banyan Tree to open a hotel in China. He opened another in Bali before coming here. “The two hotels here,” he confirmed, “attract a totally different market. “Angsana has many different categories of rooms and is more family oriented.

Banyan Tree villas are all one bedroom and set up for couples looking for privacy. Angsana is more vibrant

on the job here with Nick Faldo and his team from day one.

“Time was important,” he explained, “so from the day we broke ground the course took only 18 months to complete.

“We settled on Faldo,” he explained, “because he had a very good team and he brings the Faldo Series, a series of national golf tournaments for young players, which are popular in Asia. The Vietnam tournament will be held here for at least the next three years.”

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ABOVE: The famous China Beach is the exotic setting for the wellness resort hotel Fusion Maia.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bamboo walkway, Fusion Maia; the resort reflected in the Olympic-size pool; villa interior; 16th hole, Da Nang Golf Course.

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FUSION MAIA Back in Da Nang, I checked into Fusion Maia, a new wellness resort hotel on China Beach with an allinclusive spa. Fusion Maia, a member of Healing Hotels of the World, includes two complimentary spa treatments per guest per day – all treatments included in the room rate.

Fusion Maia has 80 pool villas, four two-bedroom spa villas and two three-bedroom beach villas. Its two restaurants and bars are open all day and guests receive a complimentary iPad, if required, for the free Wi-Fi throughout the property. If not on a day trip to Hoi An or Hue, guests commonly relax on the beach or around an Olympic-size pool. Once a week the hotel features a sumptuous beach barbecue and, it may be my imagination, but I swear I overheard one Aussie voice shout with glee: “Hey, shrimp on the barbie!”

One morning, over a pot of herbal tea, I met Louk Lennaerts, the resort’s founder and, according to his business card, its “Chief Visionary Officer”. Born in

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Holland and a former development officer for the United Nations, Louk built Fusion Maia.

“About six years ago,” he recalled, “I met a Vietnamese fellow who had this particular land through his family. He wanted a five-star hotel. The land is about 100 metres wide and 400 metres long and we couldn’t change that, so I came up with the idea of small bungalows laid out in a pattern similar to the Forbidden City in Hue. “We couldn’t give everyone a sea view but we could give them a private pool; and in Vietnam privacy is a luxury. We are generally fully booked, but the result of that means that when you walk around the grounds you wonder, where are the people? It never feels crowded.

“But, most important, we didn’t want a spa just to have a spa. We wanted our spa to be the reason people came.

So we built treatments into the room rate and we now have 80 therapists working here treating each guest at least two times a day if that’s what they want.”

The next morning I hopped on one of the hotel’s complimentary shuttles to the ancient trading port of

Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s best known today as a place to have clothes tailored cheaply. In fact, some of the streets in Hoi An are little more than one fabric shop after another.

After a brief walkabout, I chose a shop at random, was efficiently measured up and after lunch at a nearby café returned to collect my things. By then, time was short, so I hailed a taxi and headed back up the highway for stops at the Da Nang Golf Club and, next to it, Montgomerie Links – two other new golf courses that, together with Laguna Lang Co, form the region’s must-play trio.

These two golf courses, one designed by Greg Norman and the other by Colin Montgomerie, are ranked first and second in Vietnam. There are only 36 golf courses altogether in Vietnam, with another 18 under construction. But for now, three of the best are found on the Central Coast. One tip for readers planning a golf holiday here: the best time to play is from December to April, when the temperature is cooler. Summer remperatures commonly top 40C.

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ABOVE AND OPPOSITE PAGE: Built by the French in 1930, La Residence, sitting beside the Perfume River in the ancient capital of Hue, is today an elegant 122-room hotel.

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LA RESIDENCE I couldn’t fly to Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam and one of the country’s most attractive cities, because the airport there was closed for renovations. Instead, I hired a driver in Danang for the two-hour road trip. Paying a driver NZ$140 for the return trip was a better option than catching a crowded public bus or deciphering the train schedule. And my driver turned up at Fusion Maia in an air-conditioned Toyota with fruit and sandwiches in a picnic basket and a bottle of cold water!

We sped north through villages and retail districts selling everything under the sun: hardware, tyres, paint supplies, machinery, marble sculptures, logs, carpets, auto parts, flowers, American baseball caps, plastic tubing, cigarettes, motorbikes, corrugated iron, Buddhist prayer boxes, children’s toys, rattan furniture and LPG canisters. On every corner, it seemed, men sat in grimy cafés playing board games.

Meanwhile, my driver displayed the home-grown skill of tooting the horn as he weaved through traffic like a

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slalom skier. Only in this case there were no road markings or even lanes – just heat and dust and every vehicle for itself. Later, I read that the annual reported road toll in Vietnam was more than 5,000.

Hue, the ancient capital with a human history as old as the land itself, is today a vibrant cultural centre of 350,000 souls known for its music, art and literature.

Unquestionably, the best hotel in town is La Residence, a French Colonial heritage building found in a quiet, leafy part of town someone described to me as “Old Hue”.

La Residence was originally a government mansion built by the French in 1930 in the art deco style. After the wars it was occupied by the Vietnamese government as a mere administrative block until the 1990s, when the country began to open up to tourism.

Ironically, it was a French company, in partnership with the government, that refurbished the building and added two new wings, transforming it into the charming, elegant 122-room hotel it is today. Its guests have included the

Prime Minister of France, the Queen of Denmark and the actor Danny DeVito, who, the manager told me, was “a very nice guy”.

La Residence is a member of MGallery Hotels, a collection of unique hotels managed by Accor. The group includes the St Moritz in Queenstown and Harbour Rocks in Sydney. When I arrived at La Residence the thermometer was hitting 42C, so after checking in I went straight to the hotel’s air-conditioned restaurant, La Parfume, for a cold Saigon Red and a lunch of cool garden spring rolls and, yes, another beer.

At sunset, I stood outside on a small balcony looking across a park to the Perfume River, where a red-orange sky provided a backdrop for more than 40 kites flying in a cool evening breeze. An oversized Vietnamese flag, red with a yellow star in the centre, fluttered from atop the flag tower of the Imperial City. Before turning out the light, I read some Vietnamese history in preparation for a guided tour the next morning...

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HUE From the early 1800s until 1945, Vietnam was ruled by 14 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. By 1945, the communist guerrilla force formed to fight Japanese occupation during World War II had also forced the abdication of Bao Dai, the last of the Nguyen rulers. The communists took their fight for control of the country to the French, the original colonial rulers and, with the defeat of the French in 1954, the Americans, who in the span of a few short years left most of South Vietnam, including Hue, in ruins.

At the time, La Residence was the home of the provincial governor, a brother of Vietnam’s corrupt president, Ngo Dinh Diem, who, in the mindlessness of the time, was eventually assassinated by the American CIA. His brother, meanwhile, fled La Residence and was eventually tracked down and shot by the communists, who in turn took over control of the mansion.

My guide, Duong Chi Cam Van (or “Van”) worked for the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, an organisation dedicated to rebuilding the city’s precious monuments and temples. We walked from the hotel to the bank of Perfume River, where we boarded a dragon boat – that is, a long boat with a dragon head for a prow. We took seats on plastic chairs set out on a linoleum-lined deck. The boatman lived at the back with his wife and three young children. We chugged up-river and soon pulled into the opposite bank, where steps led up to the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Hue.

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Built in 1601, monks still live on each of the pagoda’s seven storeys (seven being a lucky number in Vietnam).

The pagoda stands on a 2ha property with two more temples, a graveyard, a residence for monks and a kitchen where young interns were preparing lunch.

Outside again, a driver was waiting to take us back along the river to the Citadel and what remains of the original Imperial City. The layout of the Imperial City was copied from the Forbidden City in Beijing. Scaffolding covers the Citadel’s main gates – gates that arch high to allow the progress of elephants that once passed through them.

Inside the Imperial City there was little activity apart from small tour groups moving in and out of the tombs and temples that survived the wars. “Plans are to rebuild the entire city as it was before,” Van said. “But it takes money we don’t have right now.”

We stopped at the tomb of Minh Mang, the second Nguyen Emperor, who, Van said, had 500 wives, 78 sons and 64 daughters. Make of that what you will, but feel sorry for the fourth Nguyen Emperor, who had 100 wives but had mumps as a child and produced no children at all.

After a final restful night at La Residence, a driver took me back to Da Nang for my return flight to Ho Chi Minh City and the connecting flight on to Singapore and finally Auckland. I was left with one final thought: hoping that it would not be too long before I had the opportunity to return. It’s only a hunch, but I suspect emergent Vietnam still has hidden layers I had not even begun to appreciate.

PHOTO: 窶連tout France/Emmanuel Valentin

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Provence A MONTH IN

DEBORAH TELFORD HITS LES ROUTES FOR A SUMMER JOURNEY THROUGH ONE OF FRANCE’S MOST ENCHANTING REGIONS.

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T

hree things are essential for a month’s holiday in Provence: a translator, a chauffeur and a good appetite for great wine and food.

The appetite is a given; you can substitute the translator for a French immersion course; and why not invite the partner along to test-drive a brand-new Peugeot lease car?

But packing our own GPS to keep the holiday on track should possibly have been essential number four, as it turned out the one in the Peugeot 308 was often lost in translation.

We picked up our car from Nice after travelling in considerable comfort aboard an Emirates flight from Auckland. Nice was a pleasant place to start our holiday, but far too hectic in high summer, so we headed inland to avoid the crowded Côte d’Azur.

First stop was the small, lively town of St Saturnin lès Apt above the Luberon Valley, where I brushed up on my perfunctory French with a five-day course at RIGHT: Domaine De La Coquillade.

BELOW: Statue of Joseph Talon, father of truffle culture, in St Saturnin lès Apt, BOTTOM RIGHT: Les Baux and war machine.

Language in Provence. We then headed east for a week in Lorgues before going back west to St Rémy de Provence.

From our bases in three of Provence’s six departments – the Vaucluse, the Var and Bouches du Rhône – we could take relaxed half-day trips to surrounding sites, towns and villages and be back at the pool when the heat hit 32C and the shops shut for the afternoon.

St Saturnin lès Apt sits on the Mont de Vaucluse and looks down over the Luberon Valley. Its architecture dates back 2,000 years and includes a defensive castle built above the town in 1009AD that is now in ruins but worth the steep walk for its spectacular views.

Known as the garden of France, the Vaucluse is famed for its plump cherries, figs, melons, raspberries, olives and melt-in-the-mouth nougat, as well as truffles that hide in the region’s oak-covered hills.

A whimsical statue of Joseph Talon, the father of trufficulture, who first tried to grow these pungent delicacies, sits in St Saturnin’s town square. On the wall across the way is a sombre memorial honouring several Resistance fighters shot against it during World War II. Here, as in other villages, a Chemin de la de Memoire sign has been erected to commemorate the activities of

the Resistance against France’s puppet Vichy Government and the Nazis.

About 40 minutes’ drive from St Saturnin lès Apt and 15 minutes from the larger town of Apt, is an old military bunker converted into one of the area’s best bistros. Up a winding, narrow road, 1,100 metres above sea level at Lagarde d’Apt, you can sample a delicious seasonal menu that changes every three weeks.

Another excellent bistro is in the small village of Gargas at Domaine De La Coquillade, a splendid Relais & Château hotel that overlooks a winery estate and has exceptional views of the Luberon and the Tour de France mecca, Mont Ventoux.

For more leisurely cycling around the local countryside, you can hire a top-of-the-range bike from La Coquillade.

Not far from here are routes to travel by bike or car through some of Provence’s most breathtaking lavender fields – usually at their best from mid-June to mid-July.

At Manosque, you can take a tour of the L’Occitane en Provence factory to hear the story of the world-famous brand founded by local Olivier Baussaun, who had a kind of olfactory epiphany at the age of 23. Baussan was so moved by the beautiful scents of Provence’s aromatic

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ABOVE: Cycling into St Remy de Provence.

TOP RIGHT: Lavender fields are at their best from mid-June to mid-July.

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plants, including lavender, rosemary, almond and pine, that he quit his modern literature studies and began making soap at a disused local factory.

Nearly 40 years later, L’Occitane uses more than 300 plant-based, mainly organic, ingredients to produce its skin and bodycare products that are sold in more than 2,200 shops in 90 countries around the world.

The Manosque factory has expanded eightfold over the past three decades. Its 2013 addition is a research and development Innovation Centre employing 100 scientists – a far cry from when Baussan (now L’Occitane’s artistic director) generated electricity with an old bike to make his first product labels.

Today’s scientific challenge for L’Occitane – which buys half of Provence’s lavender each year – is to combat the phytoplasma bacterium that is halving lavender production there.

An hour and a half’s drive from Manosque is the town of St Didier and the Silvain factory that makes artisan nougat – one of 13 desserts traditionally served at Christmas Eve dinner in Provence.

Here, brothers Pierre and Philippe Silvain make some

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of the Vaucluse’s best organic nougat, with sage, lavender and rosemary-imbued honey and hand-harvested almonds that are grown in the same fertile alluvial soils the Romans cultivated centuries ago.

Our next base for a week was an apartment at Château de Mappe, near the ancient fortified town of Lorgues, in the Var, a region full of hilltop medieval villages, which borders the famous Gorges du Verdon to the north and stretches down to the Côte d’Azur.

Beaches along this coastline include one of the Sarkozy family’s favourite haunts, the Plage L’Estagnol, 90 minutes’ drive from Lorgues and a few kilometres south of Bormes les Mimosas.

It was only thanks to the idiosyncrasies of the GPS that we stumbled upon this gorgeous village, which brims with summer flowers, has narrow streets spilling down a steep hillside to the sea and is, not surprisingly, the official retreat for France’s presidents.

You can idle away hours in the Var strolling around the streets of countless beautiful villages like this one.

Visit on their market days and you can buy an astounding selection of delicious food to enjoy with a glass or two of Provence’s ubiquitous Rosé.

A firm favourite was Tourtour, 40 minutes north of Lorgues. Perched 600m above sea level and surrounded by a tangle of streams and pine forest, Tourtour has great restaurants, including La Table, which serves dangerously good fois gras, and an equally dangerous clothes boutique called Florence.

Shopping bags and stomachs full, we headed further south in search of something more spartan – the Abbaye de Thoronet, between the towns of Draguignan and Brignoles.

The former Cistercian abbey, built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, is one of the “Three Sisters of Provence”, along with the Sénanque and Silvacane Abbeys.

Designed to embody the spirituality and philosophy of the Cistercian monks, the abbey’s awe-inspiring architecture reinforced their order’s strict discipline. It also

“IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO EASY TO WHILE AWAY WHOLE DAYS IN THIS ROMANTIC SETTING.”

influenced the work of French architect and designer Le Corbusier – though perhaps not his iconic lounge chair.

From this man-made wonder we drove to the border of the Alpes de Haute Provence to see one of the most beautiful canyons in Europe, the 25km-long Grand Canyon du Verdon, which is a magnet for summer campers, kayakers, rock climbers and cyclists.

Drive down the narrow Routes des Crêtes, with its treacherous one-way section, and you can see the most spectacular parts of the 700m-deep limestone canyon. We settled for a park-up at Point Sublime, where the river’s distinctive turquoise-green waters plunge between precipitous rock walls before flowing into the Sainte Croix lake.

From here it is a quick drive to Moustiers Sainte-Marie for an ice-cold beer and a look at shops selling the area’s unique faience pottery – a favourite of Marie Antoinette – which is still handmade by local artisans to satisfy orders from all over the world.

From the grape vines, black-trunked pines and hilly terrain of the Var, we drove west to the Rhône Valley, then on to St Rémy de Provence, down boulevards lined

with mesmerising plane trees that were planted to shade Napoleon’s marching troops.

This bustling, well-heeled town sits on the plain of the Rhône surrounded by hectare upon hectare of orchards planted with apples, pears and olives and with the jagged limestone peaks of the Alpilles as its backdrop.

Nostradamus was born here, Vincent Van Gogh was locked up in an asylum and painted his best works here, and Gertrude Stein hung out here for years.

Within our first few days here we had already begun plotting ways to return, definitely to stay again at La Maison de Line – a gorgeous guesthouse with bed-andbreakfast and serviced cottage (gite) accommodation.

Our conscientious hosts, Louis and Myriam Fourton, gave up careers in joinery and real estate in the Champagne region to buy and run La Maison de Line, which is brilliantly located just five minutes’ walk from the centre of town.

Our spacious gite, with a large lounge and kitchen, private garden and courtyard, is seconds from the swimming pool and a gorgeous walled rose garden in the elegantly planted guesthouse grounds.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Lavender and olives at markets, St Rémy de Provence; LA Maison de Line pool, St Rémy de Provence; outdoor dining at La Maison de Line; courtyard view, La Maison de Line.

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Sleeping in, strolling up the road for fresh baguettes, fruit and cheese, eating a leisurely breakfast and having a morning dip... it would have been too easy to while away whole days in this romantic setting blessed by the extraordinary light the Impressionists loved.

But, as well as great restaurants, bars and chic shops in the town’s narrow lanes, there are too many must-see sights to ignore.

Fifteen minutes’ drive from St Rémy is Les Baux de Provence. The village is officially classified as one of the most beautiful in France, but it is the ancient stone fortress above it that is its most captivating feature.

The castle of Les Baux (which gives its name to the mineral bauxite, discovered in the area) was the seat of a powerful feudal lordship that controlled surrounding towns and villages in the Middle Ages.

The castle’s lords were overthrown in the 12th century, but Les Baux remained renowned for its court, culture and chivalry and its rich history includes being granted, along with the town, to the ruling Grimaldi family of Monaco in 1642.

Les Baux has all the murderous spectacle of a Game of Thrones set. Actors dressed as medieval knights enact bygone battles, wielding fearsome weapons with seemingly scant regard for the safety of the throngs of wide-eyed children who come to watch.

Huge engines of war, including Europe’s biggest trébouchet, another catapult known as a “biffa” and a battering ram installed in the castle grounds, bear further testimony to the brutal military tactics of the Middle Ages.

Les Baux de Provence, one of France’s prettiest villages. ‘Atout France/Franck Charel

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From Les Baux, on a clear day you can see Avignon to the north and Marseille to the south.

Below is Mas La Monaque, France’s largest olivegrowing region and the Val d’Enfer, an ancient limestone quarry whose stones were used to build the castle and the nearby former Roman village of Glanum.

Named Val d’Enfer, or Hell’s Valley (after Dante got his inspiration there for his Divine Comedy), the empty quarry was also the set for Jean Cocteau’s enigmatic final movie, The Testament of Orpheus, in 1959.

Today, the towering white walls of these literally cool caves have been transformed into the Carrières de Lumières, a huge multimedia theatre, where 70 projectors and computers screen audio-visual shows of artists’ work.

We retreated from the scorching summer heat to be transfixed by a 50-minute show chronicling Mediterranean artists from Impressionism to Fauvism.

Fifteen minutes’ drive from Mas La Monaque is the old Roman town of Arles, whose magnificently preserved 1stcentury arena was the site of Roman gladiatorial battles.

Bullfights, like those that inspired so many of Picasso’s works, are still held at Les Arènes.

To see these black beasts in their natural environment you can head down to the marshlands of the Rhône delta, which is also home to the Camargue’s famous white horses, flamingoes and Europe’s largest salt pans... but that would have to wait for our return.

The author travelled to and from Europe courtesy of Emirates www.emirates.com

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PATRICK SMITH SPENDS A WEEKEND AT ANNANDALE, A NEW FARM AND LUXURY VILLA EXPERIENCE ON BANKS PENINSULA.

ABOVE: Mark Palmer and Annandale Homestead, an historic house he has turned into an exclusive-use getaway complete with every luxury.

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I

t seemed like a good idea to take a smart new Citroën DS5 for a spin on our trip to Banks Peninsula: French car for a Frenchified destination, right? Well, sort of. But while the peninsula’s main town of Akaroa has a distinctly French vibe, we were in fact bound for a place with nary a bonbon or boulangerie in sight.

Getting to Pigeon Bay entails leaving the Christchurch to Akaroa road just before the Hilltop Tavern and meandering up over narrow Summit Hill Road before plunging down to Pigeon Bay, a fiord-like finger of water piercing the peninsula from its ragged north coast. The drive, though not difficult, gave our high-tech French automobile a chance to show off and I was glad of the heads-up display that allowed me to watch the bends ahead while watching keep an eye on my speed.

PASSION FOR THELANDSCAPE A

I have to say, too, that the stylish, deep-bronze Citroën looked the part as we passed through the imposing white gates of Annandale, the just-opened “coastal farm escape and luxury villa collection” that would be our home for the weekend.

Annandale has a history stretching back to 1843, 10 years before the first immigrants began to settle Christchurch and Canterbury. Today, however, it’s the realised dream of Mark Palmer, the son of a Kiwi farmer who made his fortune in the United States and returned to buy the magnificent 1,600-hectare working farm and its heritage Homestead in 2005.

“I wanted a farm that I could get healthy returns on but that also had some sort of X-factor to it,” he said, “some really special additional attributes. And that’s what

Annandale offered: 10km of coastline and the setting and a very good farm.”

Since then this 57-year-old entrepreneur, whose home base is Austin, Texas, has made Annandale his passion, pouring millions of dollars into restoring the Homestead, developing the grounds, installing world-class amenities, building roads and running underground power lines across the farm to the three other exclusive-use properties that complete the “luxury villa collection”.

Mark and general manager Liz Buttimore came out to greet us as we pulled up to the Homestead and we were soon following Mark through the grounds: across the sweeping lawn and along paths beside the bay; under great old trees and past rustic arbours with sea views; by ponds and water features, a rose garden and a fernery.

ABOVE: Annandale is a 1,600ha working farm on the north side of Banks Peninsula.

Guests are free to enjoy the farm, its walking tracks and its stunning views.

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Neat kitchen gardens sit below a pristine all-weather tennis court, above which is an infinity pool and spa with outdoor fireplace and sofas – and beside it a sparkling new gym and changing rooms.

The Homestead grounds, Mark told us, were originally laid out by a student of Alfred Buxton, New Zealand’s most significant landscape gardener in the first half of the last century. Buxton’s influence is still evident at Annandale but Christchurch landscape architect Rob Watson has enhanced the formal layouts and natural woodlands and added thousands of new plants to the existing heritage varieties.

Mark’s obvious pleasure in our every muttered “wow!” revealed his pride in this king-sized project and his stated vision of “sharing the rugged beauty of Annandale, on an authentic and historic working farm, where guests can escape and make the experience their own”.

We were to spend our first night at Seascape, a futuristic concrete and glass cottage at Whitehead Bay, 12km by 4WD from the Homestead. Mark took us on a winding route across the farm, stopping for special views and at Shepherd’s Cottage, a lovingly restored little dwelling used by Annandale’s shepherds for over 100 years.

Shepherd’s Cottage sits on a high point of the farm with the front porch facing the water across rolling farmland, as does the upstairs bedroom, where a king-size bed nestles under the eaves. Inside, the rustic atmosphere has been carefully preserved, with open-beamed ceilings, much scrubbed wood and a big open fireplace in the lounge. And those hardy shepherds wouldn’t recognise today’s modern comforts and amenities – such as the fully equipped electric kitchen and wonderfully romantic touches like an outside bath.

We arrived at Whitehead Bay late afternoon with the sun lowering over the headland to the west and illuminating the surprising glass-walled hideaway tucked into the opposite hillside. It was this pretty bay, with its Honeycomb Rock sitting at the end of the headland, that finally persuaded Mark to buy Annandale.

He had arrived at the farm earlier that day by helicopter with his daughter Jasmine and had left feeling daunted by “the tremendous amount of work that would be needed” on the Homestead and grounds. But on the way out they flew over Whitehead Bay. “I saw this lovely little bay and I asked the pilot to drop down and I walked out there with Jasmine. And, my oh my, it was breathtaking: sun glistening on the water, completely private little secluded bay; such a feeling of intimacy. And then you’ve got this magnificent honeycomb rock formation out there that just sort of… well, it was magical!”

It still is. As Mark’s white Prado disappeared over the hill towards home, silence settled over the bay, broken

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only by the soft rustle of the waves on the shingle beach, the occasional bird call and the bleat of a distant sheep.

We could see the whole bay through the floor-toceiling windows of the open-plan cottage and, way out in Pegasus Bay, the lights of big cargo vessels waiting to enter Lyttleton Harbour. We were among the first guests to stay in Seascape and everything was new and – surprisingly, given its remoteness – state-of-the-art. Lights, blinds, air con, an outdoor gas fire and the spa were operated via a small touch screen in the very modern Miele kitchen. Wi-Fi comes courtesy of new fibre-optic cables laid across the farm.

We found a bottle of Amisfield Rosé in the wellstocked wine fridge and took it out onto the deck

together with a jar of Annandale spice-roasted almonds.

There, we sprawled in big white armchairs and watched the sun go down in a dramatic blaze of colour behind Honeycomb Rock.

Liz Buttimore had given me a few hints about what to expect for dinner but we were unprepared for what we found when we opened the fridge: each shelf contained one course of a three-course dinner, plus a ready-tocook breakfast, a “Lazy Lunch” and a “Picnic Collection” containing such gems as smoked groper brandade, fennel salami and cured Akaroa salmon.

Along with resident chef Bradley Hornby’s preprepared fare were simple instructions on heating and serving each course, from entrée (Pork and puha with green scallops and garden vegetables), through main (Banks Peninsula hapuka with potato pavé, caponata, lemon and fennel salad) to dessert (Yogurt and vanilla

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Rolling farmland with Pigeon Bay backdrop; Shepherd’s Cottage living room; the cottage in its rustic setting; king-sized bed under the eaves; Citroën DS5 at Annandale; one of the farm’s working dogs.

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crème with summer berries and rhubarb sorbet). The final instruction on the dessert card – aimed at one half of the couple – read: “Destroy all evidence of instructions in order to claim this meal as your own.”

By the time we’d finished dinner, the outdoor spa pool off the bathroom was steaming gently in the chilly air. We lit the fire between the pool and the main deck and sank into the hot water under a sky teeming with stars.

Next morning, after our ready-to-cook one-pan breakfast of bacon and eggs, with fresh coffee from the Nespresso machine, we walked up the track above the cottage and onto the farm. It’s a beautiful landscape of headlands, bluff, hills, crags and valleys, with a wild, frayed coastline as its seaward boundary. We walked over the headland and looked down on Scrubby Bay, where another of Mark’s cottages sits.

The long wooden building – designed, like all the Annandale’s villas, by Auckland architect Andrew Patterson – has sliding shutters and glass doors front and back that open it up completely to the outside world.

“THIS LOVELY LITTLE BAY...

SUN GLISTENING ON THE WATER, COMPLETELY PRIVATE, SUCH A FEELING OF INTIMACY.”

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A large wooden deck extends out towards the sea with a hidden spa pool at the end. Inside, designer rugs made from Annandale wool sit on floors of glowing wood and the cottage lacks for nothing in the luxury mod-cons area.

Scrubby Bay Cottage will house up to three families in considerable comfort when it opens in the spring.

Mark collected us from Seascape that afternoon and drove us on a meandering course over the farm towards the Homestead, where we would spend our second night and have dinner with Mark and his wife Jacqui.

The gracious two-storey Homestead was built by Annandale’s original owners, the Hay family, in 1884, as a 24room hotel to accommodate ships’ crews and those taking the overland track from Akaroa to Lyttleton. But when the Hays’ own home and farm buildings were swept into the sea by a huge landslide, the hotel became their home and it has remained the Annandale Homestead ever since.

It’s a meticulously restored house with classical interiors designed by John Staub. Its four master bedrooms and a separate bunkroom all have ensuite bathrooms and views of the garden, bay or farm. Downstairs is an imposing entry hall (featuring portraits of the farm’s working dogs), two living rooms and an open-plan dining room/kitchen. More Annandale wool rugs are scattered throughout the house.

Our bedroom had a large four-poser bed and French doors letting onto a veranda. In the bathroom we found a free-standing double-ended bath with views of the grounds below and filled it up for a soak before dinner.

The Homestead is a very elegant retreat for a group of friends or extended family and like all the properties at Annandale, it’s available only on an exclusive-use basis (high season, $4,800 a night; low season, $3,800). “We never wanted it to be a lodge,” Mark said.

Dinner that night was a memorable affair. Mark and Jacqui proved to be warm, easy-going hosts. And Brad’s menu surpassed all our expectations: Pork buns and prawn skewers followed by Mushroom broth (made with mushrooms we’d picked on the farm that afternoon) and then Salmon two ways – smoked and sashimi – egg yolk and horseradish. The main course was magnificent: 70-hour slow-cooked Annandale shoulder lamb and traditionally cooked loin with kumara and goat curd dumpling, pickled greens and veges from the garden. Dessert was a Valrhona chocolate mousse with spiced sponge and fruit.

The exclusive-use concept, Mark said over dinner, allows people to be as private as they wish while enjoying worldclass facilities, the freedom of a working Kiwi farm and all the available activities, such as walking, sailing, kayaking, mountain biking and dolphin encounters.

“It’s about people who are looking for something that’s the less-pampered-type experience but want to have the experience of being in a true New Zealand farm setting; and they can be as relaxed and remote as they want.

“I’m just happy to be able to share this wonderful setting with other people, wherever they come from.” www.annandale.com

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LODGES A TALE OF TWO

A PAIR OF LAKESIDE RETREATS AT QUEENSTOWN AND WANAKA SHARE THAT ELUSIVE X-FACTOR, BUT EACH IN ITS OWN UNIQUE WAY. BY PATRICK SMITH.

Whare Kea Lodge, Wanaka.

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I

t’s late summer and we’ve arrived in Queenstown after a picturesque drive through Alexandra, Cromwell and the deliciously vinous Gibbston Valley. The sun is shining and we have a couple of days in this glorious region before we have to head back to Christchurch and home.

After Queenstown we’ll drive over the Crown Range to Wanaka, another lake-and-mountains playground with plenty of year-round appeal.

In the meantime we have the best of Central Otago to enjoy.

And some of the very finest accommodation in two splendid lakeside lodges.

Lakeside accommodation is no rare thing in either Queenstown or Wanaka, but each of these luxurious hideaways will prove unique, with its own special ambience and refinements.

Both, however, will reward us with supreme comfort and facilities, the finest food and service – and, of course, views to die for.

MATAKAURI LODGE,

QUEENSTOWN

Beauty is its own reward, I’m told, but surely it’s not a sin to enjoy it from the comfort of an elevated king-sized bed? Or perhaps from the daybed beside floor-to-ceiling windows? The lakeside deck? The bath? Wherever we move around our stunning suite at Matakauri Lodge, the peaceful grandeur of Walter Peak and the jagged splendour of the Remarkables fill our vision across the still waters of Lake Wakatipu.

Did I mention the bath? This freestanding testament to opulent living is lit by the sun and framed by the view through a large picture window. It proves so tempting we immediately fill it up and hop in. There’s plenty of room for two – and space on the window ledge for a couple of glasses of Gibbston Valley Pinot Gris.

After our decadent mid-afternoon soak we get to know our Deluxe Suite: the large bathroom with its twin

vanities, piles of thick white towels and aforementioned bath-with-a-view; the walk-in wardrobe; the raised bedroom looking out past opened shutters and across the lounge to the view; the big, light-filled lounge a couple of steps below, with its cosy couches, open fireplace, full-Monty entertainment system (and stash of fresh, homemade cookies); and, outside the French doors, the deck – perfect for a spot of alfresco contemplation or intimate drinks.

Matakauri has eight outlying suites, two lodge suites, one lodge room and a brand-new Owner’s Cottage. All suites have similar facilities to ours, while in the main lodge we find a bright, airy lounge, library, dining and living areas – all, of course, with gobsmacking views. Outside facing the lake is a courtyard complete with white couches, fireplace and barbecue. Behind the lodge are a full-service spa, heated infinity swimming pool and a well-equipped fitness centre.

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE PAGE: Views to die for, whether from the warm interior of suite or cottage, or the well-appointed deck overlooking Lake Wakatipu.

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Matakauri Lodge has occupied this spectacular site, seven minutes’ drive from the centre of Queenstown, since it was built 13 years ago. It was always a top spot, but it was not until it joined Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers as the third property in the Robertson family’s elite portfolio that it became very, very special.

The lodge and its adjoining villas re-opened in August 2010 after a major refurbishment and a new interior design by the Robertsons’ favoured interior designer, Virginia Fisher. Since then Matakauri has won numerous awards, including featuring among Tatler magazine’s 101 Best Hotels of the World.

In December last year Matakauri announced the opening of a sumptuous four-bedroom, 463-squaremetre Owner’s Cottage. Designed by Sumich Chaplin Architects with interiors by Virginia Fisher, the $5 million “cottage” accommodates up to eight guests and is let either as a four-bedroom house ($12,000 a night)

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: An outdoor fireplace is the focus of the courtyard; Matakauri Lodge and Walter Peak; bath with a view.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Guest lounge at Matakauri – splendid home from home.

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or as two two-bedroom suites ($8,250 per suite).

Guests paying this sort of money expect the very best – and they get it in a package that includes extremely stylish indoor and outdoor living and every mod con.

Fisher’s interior design is light and contemporary, with rustic, wide-plank wooden floors, custom-made kitchen appliances, locally sourced furniture and décor and wool carpets created by Lord of the Rings costume designers.

There are six separate outdoor spaces, including a fabulous courtyard and private outdoor Jacuzzi. As with other suites and rooms, Owner’s Cottage rates include breakfast, pre-dinner drinks and canapés, dinner,

E XPECT THE E XCEPTIONAL

complimentary in-suite refreshments and bar, Wi-Fi and use of the Lodge facilities.

Matakauri is a Relais & Chateau property, so food is a big part of the experience. It certainly proves a highlight of our stay. Head chef Jonathan Rogers uses local seasonal produce to create modern New Zealand cuisine with clean, fresh flavours in à la carte and tasting menus that change every day.

Following drinks and tasty canapés with other guests in the lodge lounge we move into the dining room (that view again!) and enjoy dishes from a menu that includes Chilled sweetcorn soup with poached scampi and marinated zucchini; roasted groper; locally farmed quail; Cardrona merino lamb loin; and some very decadent desserts.

Next morning, after a dip in the pool and a delightfully robust breakfast, we wander down to the lake and follow a path to a jetty, where we laze for a while in the sun. Had we been staying longer, we might have taken advantage of the spa, but we have to move on. We say our goodbyes and head back to Queenstown for a spot of lake fishing (trout for lunch!) and our drive over the mountains to Wanaka. www.matakauri.co.nz

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WHARE KEA LODGE & CHALET,

WANAKA

Whare Kea sits at the end of a tree-lined drive amid sweeping lawns that ďŹ nally merge into wilder, tussocky terrain sweeping down towards the shores of Lake Wanaka. There are stands of silver birch, clumps of toi toi and cabbage trees. On the grassy hillside behind the lodge is a spa pool with glorious views up the lake. Like Matakauri, the outlook is superb whichever way you turn and Whare Kea’s lovely grounds are a gentle introduction to a dramatic panorama of lake and mountains.

On our visit, the lake is glassily calm and impossibly blue beneath a cloudless sky. Wanaka itself lies to the south across Roys Bay, while to the north are the towering peaks of Mt Aspiring National Park.

Everything about Whare Kea speaks of understated elegance and easy comfort. The walls of the lodge are made almost entirely of glass, so the view is ever-present. Yet inside, the big, open-plan

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PRIME SPOT: Morning sun lights up Whare Kea Lodge, which overlooks Lake Wanaka (below).

To the north is Mt Aspiring National Park. A helicopter provides transport for guests to the Chalet, a mountain retreat on the edge of the park (following pages).

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“WHARE KEA OWNERS MARTYN AND LOUISE MYER CAME HERE 20 YEARS AGO TO SKI AND FELL IN LOVE WITH WANAKA.”

living, dining and bar area, with its double-sided fireplace and rich wooden floors, is warm and inviting. Every piece of furniture and every work of art has a provenance. Some pieces are custom-made, some come from Australian and New Zealand artists and designers and some have been salvaged and restored.

The lovingly assembled mix of modern furnishings and classic antiques and artefacts, together with the artworks scattered throughout the lodge’s public areas and suites, urge us to “make yourselves at home”. And we do.

Our Lake Wanaka Suite is one of two master suites and there are four deluxe rooms, together accommodating just 12 guests. The suite is roomy, with a walk-in wardrobe, an en suite with bath and walk-in shower and French doors leading to a deck facing the lake through the trees.

We take a hike along the lakeside walkway below the lodge and find sheep grazing on open, stony pasture. It’s hot and on the way back we’re thinking only of a long,

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cool drink. As if anticipating our thirst, a jug of iced water and two glasses are waiting for us on the lawn. It’s that kind of place.

Like Matakauri, room rates include a gourmet breakfast, pre-dinner drinks and dinner, which turns out to be a five-course degustation affair prepared and immaculately presented by chef James Stapley: a starter of homegrown vegetables with goat cheese custard sitting under a tiny bell jar; manuka and tea-smoked duck salad; Aoraki salmon with tempura Bluff oyster; sous vide fillet of beef; and to end, a simple dish of strawberries and cream.

Whare Kea’s owners are Martyn and Louise Myer, of Melbourne’s Myer retail dynasty, who came to the region to ski 20 years ago and fell in love with Wanaka. They opened the lodge in 1996 and in 2004, after two years in construction, they opened Whare Kea Chalet. This amazing alpine retreat – 1,750 metres up on Dragonfly

Peak, on the edge of Mount Aspiring National Park – has sensational views of Mt Cook and Mt Aspiring. In winter, when it’s covered in deep snow, or summer, with its tussock and wildflowers, it’s the ideal base from which to enjoy the mountains; maybe hiking, heli-skiing or simply chilling out. Various packages include helicopter transport from the lodge grounds.

Last year Louise Myer won the Relais & Chateau Woman of the Year Trophy. The trophy recognizes “the contribution made by exceptional women to the graceful art of hospitality” among the group’s 518 hotels and restaurants. I’d say the trophy was well earned. www.wharekealodge.com

“1,750M UP ON DRAGONFLY PEAK, WHARE KEA CHALET IS THE IDEAL BASE FROM WHICH TO ENJOY THE MOUNTAINS.” 178

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The new Jacques Garcia Collection from Baker.

Modern American design from the world’s leading designers including Barbara Barry, Thomas Pheasant, Jacques Garcia and Bill Sofield. Baker epitomises excellence in quality and timeless elegance.

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

CONCIERGE

SPOTLIGHT ON

DESIGN HOTELS

™

A COLLECTION OF 258 DISTINCTIVE

INDEPENDENT

HOTELS AROUND THE GLOBE.

T

he Design Hotels logo carries the legend “Made by Originals” and every property in its portfolio reflects the ideas of a “visionary hotelier”. In other words, an “original” – someone, as the group puts it, “with a passion for genuine hospitality, cultural authenticity, thought-provoking design and architecture”.

People like 50-year-old Norwegian environmentalist and hotelier Petter A. Stordalen, whose hotel The Thief (pictured at right and above) opened in Oslo last year. The hotel is part of the Tjuvholmen project, an ambitious plan to turn tiny “Thief Island” (now a peninsula) into a major centre of urban renewal.

“It was the perfect place for a hotel like the one I wanted to create,” says Stordalen. “I’m a proud hotel nerd, and this time I knew I had to do something new, something I’d never done before.

I wanted The Thief to lead the way in the redemption of the area.”

Once the scene of shady dealings, Tjuvholmen has become one of the hottest districts in Scandinavia, car-free and buzzing with business, art, nightlife, culture and splendid examples of modern European architecture. These include Renzo Piano’s Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art that sits on the waterfront next door to The Thief.

The $127 million hotel, designed by prizewinning Mellbye Architects, is a fine example of Design Hotels’ often surprising, unconventional or downright quirky properties – created by passionate “originals” like Petter Stordalen.

You’ll find some of our favourites on the following pages.

The rest of the collection can be found at www.designhotels.com.

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HOTEL UNIQUE

BRAZIL

Y

ou’ll know you’re in for a different hospitality experience before you even set foot inside Hotel Unique, which rises like a futuristic liner above Sao Paulo’s upmarket residential area of Jardim Paulista. A kind of urban artwork, the sculptural architecture and overall oddity of the design by Ruy Ohtake and Joao Armentano certainly make Hotel Unique one of a kind.

Green weathered copper adorns a façade that stretches across the unusual shape of the building – a large inverted arch with circular windows. Inside, the

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reception area and The Wall bar next door are both lit by a huge wall of transparent glass during the day and otherwise indirectly illuminated by walls of beige marble.

And don’t expect to find any familiar right angles here. Dramatic 24m-high interior spaces and corridors define the curved design, which is continued inside the rooms.

A carefully designed spectrum of circles and squares, ellipses and curves flow in and out of each other, creating the design language of Hotel Unique – softened by wooden flooring, sleek white furnishings and transparent glass tables and fittings. Unusual accessories picked up from around the globe add further intrigue. The guest rooms, a blend of hi-tech details and natural elements, are a study in cool modernism.

Upstairs, what is perhaps Sao Paulo’s finest rooftop terrace offers great views of the city: if, that is, guests can take their eyes off the crimson-lit swimming pool that runs along its edge.

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MIRA MOON

HONG KONG

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he pulsating Wan Chai district is the setting for this latest hideaway by iconoclastic Hong Kong businessman Martin Lee. Like The Mira Hong Kong, its sister hotel in Kowloon, Mira Moon melds traditional Asian hospitality with interactive high-tech wizardry.

With a design theme of ancient Chinese myths and a helping of 21st-century chic, this 91-bedroom hotel provides guests with a glimpse of the changing face of the city and a place to escape Wan Chai’s bustle.

Accommodation ranges from cosy Half Moon rooms to the fabulous Moonshine Suite on the 36th floor with its view of Victoria Harbour through floor-to-ceiling windows.

All rooms have the latest high-tech entertainment systems, complimentary mini bar and free Wi-Fi. Mira Moon was conceived under the creative direction of Wanders & yoo (a partnership between interior designer Marcel Wanders and yoo, a “pioneering vision for living” by property entrepreneur John Hitchcox and designer Philippe Starck). Together they drew inspiration from the Moon Festival fairytale, a legend in Chinese mythology about the Moon Goddess of Immortality.

Updating this tale to suit a modern setting, the characters from the story are represented throughout the hotel and references to traditional Chinese culture are expressed through modern furnishings, with antique Chinese fabrics and prints, peony flower wall details, tailored carpets, digitally composed Bisazza tile graphics and a “lucky charm” feature wall in the lobby.

Wan Chai’s cafés, bars and galleries are on the doorstep, the Star Ferry is a five-minute walk away and there are two major shopping malls nearby.

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nce famous as a place for illicit trysts, this early 20th-century hotel has been turned into a splendid modernist emporium, an eclectic mix of local culture, art and design.

Sitting in the heart of Chinatown, the New Majestic has 30 rooms and suites, some featuring floor-to-ceiling mirrors, others with aquarium-like bathtubs in the middle of the room, whimsical four-poster beds suspended by poles from the ceiling or a garden terrace with an outdoor tub. Nine of Singapore’s emerging artists were commissioned to create site-specific artworks for the rooms; these, alongside vintage and designer furniture, make for some highly unusual spaces.

The hotel’s owner and creator, Loh Lik Peng, also engaged five of Singapore’s most prominent creative talents in the fields of interior and graphic design, fashion and film production, to personalise the five signature suites. The results range from cement-clad serenity to an outrageous party den in fuchsia and turquoise.

Guests entering the hotel’s all-white period lobby might be unprepared for the New Majestic’s quirky nature. This innocence is soon dispelled, however, should they move into the Majestic Restaurant, a modern reinterpretation of one of old Singapore’s favourite Chinese dining rooms – which has a lap pool with glass inserts floating above it.

NEW MAJESTIC

SINGAPORE

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ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

OMAN

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ark Edelson is the “original” behind the Alila Hotel group, a company that brings together his stated commitment to cross-cultural exchange, sustainability and business and offers visitors “the same luxurious, earthy aesthetic” he enjoys in his own life.

Alila Jabal Akhdar, which opened in May, is Alila’s first Middle Eastern property. Designed by UK-based architecture firm Atkins, with interiors by Thailand’s P49 Deesign, the green-certified resort was built using local materials and traditional techniques, resulting in a mix that gives a contemporary twist to traditional Omani culture.

Sitting at 2,000 metres above sea level, the resort blends easily into the landscape. With its 78 suites set over two floors, the property has striking views across the outdoor pool to a dramatic gorge and the Al Hajar mountain range. Its two Jabal Villas feature their own private pools.

Interiors employ traditional touches such as local artworks and artefacts that add warmth to an otherwise cool wood and stone interior, while natural fibres and splashes of red provide texture and colour.

The Juniper Restaurant has an international menu inspired by “the golden age of Arabic cuisine”, while the Rose Lounge serves drinks and light bites. Other guest facilities include an infinity and indoor pool, gym, meeting venues and Spa Alila, where treatments are inspired by age-old regional and Asian traditions.

The region’s landscape is one of rugged beauty and Alila Jabal Akhdar is the perfect base for exploring it: a haven for “adventure travellers, nature lovers and those seeking a retreat from the desert heat”.

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RAAS JODHPUR

INDIA

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hree parts Rajasthani, one part LA,” is the way a Tatler writer described this elegant restoration project – named World Holiday Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival Awards in Barcelona – in India’s Blue City of Jodhpur.

Sitting against the imposing backdrop of mighty Mehranghar Fort, RAAS was the inspiration of Jodhpur brothers Nikhilendra and Dhananajaya Singh.

Dhananajaya’s role as a local conservationist strongly influenced the meticulous and sympathetic restoration of the 300-year-old mansion, while Nikhilendra oversaw the design process. The result: a seamless fusion of antiquity, innovative technology and sustainability: each bathroom, for instance, contains solar-heated cast-iron bathtubs

and floors hand-laid by Jodhpur craftsmen. The boutique hotel has 32 rooms and seven suites, each with striking views of the colourful desert city from its balcony. But while the city is on its doorstep, RAAS offers guests a retreat from Jodhpur’s bustle within the Mogul-style terraced gardens and the secluded infinity pool – not to mention the Ayurveda-inspired spa.

The juxtaposition of ancient and modern serves to enhance the whole experience and takes nothing away from the hotel’s ancient connection to the city.

“Approaching the 500-year-old fort in an airconditioned taxi destroys your appreciation of its context,” says Nikhilendra, “while an approach on foot from the RAAS embeds you directly in the fabric of history.”

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CASA DE LA FLORA

KHAO LAK, THAILAND

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he name of this 36-villa property might suggest a hotel in Florence or Venice rather than one on the Andaman Sea at Khao Lak in Thailand. Nor does it prepare you for the brutalist architecture that somehow remains faithful to its tropical setting.

Despite the omnipresent use of concrete, each monolithic villa serves the Bangkok-based VaSLab Architecture’s objective of eliminating any barriers between guests and their surroundings. Natural materials such as teak are used to temper the minimalist interiors, complemented by monochrome colour schemes and atmospheric lighting.

Each low-rise villa offers guests sea views, private pools and niceties such as Apple in-room entertainment technology and a complimentary mini-bar that’s replenished daily. All villas have a private pool and secluded patios or balconies. Beyond the seclusion of each glass-fronted villa, Casa de La Flora’s public spaces include an infinity-edge pool, a well-stocked library, a spa and La Aranya restaurant, serving Thai and international cuisine and with sweeping views from its rooftop terrace.

The Khao Lak coastline was struck by the devastating 2004 tsunami and the hotel’s eco credentials lean heavily towards the preservation of the recovering region. Solar cell pads are fully integrated into the resort’s design, while rainwater is collected and stored – although guests will probably be more aware of Casa de la Flora’s visible attributes and the sense of sophisticated seclusion it offers.

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THE NAME OF THIS 36-VILLA PROPERTY MIGHT SUGGEST A HOTEL IN FLORENCE OR VENICE RATHER THAN ONE ON THE ANDAMAN SEA AT KHAO LAK IN THAILAND

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DOWNTOWN MEXICO

MEXICO CITY

H

oused in a magnificent 17th-century palace, DOWNTOWN Mexico is the result of a meticulous renovation that made sure nothing was lost from the original building’s beauty while injecting a raw industrial edge. The result is a charming and intriguing architecture that sits easily beside other colonial landmarks in the Centro Historico borough of Mexico City.

DOWNTOWN Mexico is among 12 diverse properties in the Grupo Habita collection owned by spirited Mexican entrepreneurs Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha, who brought in Cherem Serrano Architects to create the architecture and interior design.

For this, as with all its properties, Grupo Habita used a local team and integrated the local culture into the concept. Characteristics such as ornate detailing around the windows of the façade and a spectacular stone-forged staircase with intricate handrails sit alongside red volcanic rock walls and handmade cement tiles.

The 17 rooms and suites possess a stripped-back, bohemian-chic elegance. Streetside rooms have balconies to take in the views, while the others look over the perfectly manicured patio.

This regal grandeur is contrasted by the edgy character of the huge terrace that covers the entire rooftop. Here, guest can glimpse the surrounding historic buildings while cooling off in the pool or sipping a drink from the bar. Carlos Couturier says he’s not interested in building look-alike hotels. “Even if we’re successful at something, we don’t repeat it. We like this sense of passion and audacity.”

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L IFE CAN BE P E RF E C T

O

W LAST RD THE

FEWER KIWIS TODAY ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY, SAYS IAIN BLAKELEY, DIRECTOR AT EY LAW.

S

o much of our lives seem to require compromise, trade-offs and settling for less than the best. Our choices are often driven by price, availability or simply a need to make a decision and move on.

To my mind, this leads to mediocrity.

Yet, it seems to me, more and more people are less inclined to accept mediocrity. Perhaps it has something to do with the fundamental changes in the New Zealand economy over the last 30 years, I’m not sure. But more and more people I meet through business, travel and my chosen free-time activities want products – clothes, cars, travel accessories, home décor – that look the best, last the longest and are the most environmentally sustainable, all delivered with outstanding service.

As the maxim of this magazine goes, more consumers than ever “expect the exceptional”, even in New Zealand, where once upon a time our lives and lifestyles were well known for a “she’ll be right” attitude. Any national inferiority complex, once called “culture cringe”, or need to seek approval from “experts” overseas, are things of the past. We are happier in our own skin now and I think this underlies an increasing demand for the best.

Recently, I had the privilege of experiencing firsthand an exceptional brand in sport: The US Masters golf tournament at Augusta National. Augusta National represents the very point I’m making. No blade of grass is left uncut, no tree untrimmed, no flower bed unattended in the club’s pursuit of perfection. The course is forever immaculate and for guests the service at every point is faultless.

Even for non-golfers the experience of attending that incredible event is certain to rank at the top of their most memorable experiences. Where else can you leave your

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chair with your jacket draped over it knowing that when you return several hours later no one will have touched it?

Achieving those standards over several days for tens of thousands of people requires masterful planning, organisation and attention to detail. Yes, The Masters has been an annual event for 80 years, so the club has had all that time to finetune things. Yet, as I found out, it never stops looking for ways to improve its performance. That to me is what makes any organisation exceptional. The message is clear: even with years of success behind you, we live in a world today where nothing can be taken for granted.

Demands from consumers for the highest quality are driving business improvements and innovation like never before. The exceptional brands showcased in this magazine, for example, have survived and grown in tough competitive conditions by an unwavering pursuit of quality.

Half way around the world from Augusta National, 60 of the world’s most exceptional entrepreneurs were due to gather in Monaco for the announcement of the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year – an annual competition run by the professional services firm in 50 countries. Each entrepreneur has already won their country’s competition and now they will be vying for the overall world title.

Rod Drury, founder of the accounting software company Xero, is representing New Zealand.

Xero’s story is typical of successful, growing companies: create a quality product that stands out from the crowd, continuously innovate and build an exceptional team to provide great service. And take nothing for granted.

The EY World Entrepreneur of the Year was due to be announced as this magazine was going to press, but I have no doubt that, whether he takes out the overall title or not, Rod will do New Zealand proud. Rod and Xero represent the exceptional in a world where fewer businesses and their customers are prepared to settle for less.

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.

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