FALL 2018
VIETNAM
Discover the Undiscovered
LAURA DEPASQUALE A Master Sommelier
PARATY
Halfway Point Between Rio and Sao Paulo
LONDON
City Of Icons
AMAZING VILLAS More Than a Retreat
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
WHAT’S INSIDE
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CONTRIB
David Lazar
is a travel photographer
from Brisbane, Australia, who captures moments of life, culture and beauty through photography. He is drawn to locations that have a rich cultural background steeped in tradition, and is especially interested in portrait photography. David is a contributor to photography, travel and in-flight magazines, as well as newspapers, books and journals such as National Geographic, Asian Geographic and The Lonely Planet. In 2014 he was awarded Best Culture Photographer by Garuda Airways. He was the 2012 Smithsonian Photography Contest Winner in the travel category. In 2015, the inspirational book “Who Will I Become” was released by the Growing Leaders Foundation, showcasing David’s photography from Trinidad and Tobago. He has recently published a coffee table book of his work from Myanmar entitled “Myanmar: A Luminous Journey” which is now available for purchase worldwide. Vietnam - Discover the Undiscovered page 24
Arthur Seixas
is a Brazilian travel
photographer and journalist based Rio de Janeiro. Living in one of the world’s richest natural countries gives him the opportunity to capture images of the rainforest, beaches, small villages and hidden waterfalls. In addition to capturing the scenically beautiful landscapes, Arthur has a true passion for historical cities and ancient architecture. He captures images that he hopes transports his viewers back in time. His images also capture another of his passions - foreign cultures. He is drawn to the richness of different cultures expressed in dance, traditions and handcrafts. He is always searching for hidden corners that may be missed by the untrained eye and his lenses and creativity always find beauty in the unexpected. You can learn more about Arthur’s images in his instagram and blog which have been published in travel magazines @arthurseixas / www.arthurseixas.com Paraty Halfway Point between Rio and Sao Paulo page 14
FALL 2018
VIETNAM
Discover the Undiscovered
LAURA DEPASQUALE
A Master Sommelier
PARATY
Halfway Point Between Rio and Sao Paulo
LONDON City Of Icons
Andi Phillips
AMAZING VILLAS
Andi is a Miami native, a communications professional with more than twenty years in broadcast journalism and an experienced media relations practitioner. Her passion is storytelling. She is currently balancing her time with public relations, freelance news, and real estate projects.
More Than Just a Retreat
Our Cover: David Lazar, Vietnam
Career Spotlight: Master Sommelier Laura DePasquale page 36
DESIGN DESTINATIONS MAGAZINE
Editor-in-Chief
Franz E Buchhalter
Managing Editor
Cynthia P. Howland
Design Destinations Magazine is owned
by Buchhalter International Group. Inc.
9121 SW 140th Street
Miami, Florida 33176
info@buchhalterig.com
For previous issues, please visit www.buchhalterinternationalgroup.com
Staff Writers
Francisco Ruano
Cynthia P. Howland
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
UTORS
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR I
recently returned from a trip to Guatemala for the first time in more than 10 years. As I was landing, many memories flooded back to me from the years that I lived there. During my short visit, I reconnected with family and visited two of my favorite places in the world, Antigua Guatemala and Lake Atitlan. Although many positive changes have occurred, both places look the same to me. Stunningly beautiful and serene. I walked the cobbled streets of Antigua, browsed the many unique shops, and ate at amazing restaurants where the food was just as excellent and unique as was the decor. Then on my trip to Atitlan, I visited Santa Catarina Palopo and had an opportunity to meet with the team at “Pintando Santa Catarina Palopo,” (Painting Santa Catarina Palopo), a project that is dedicated to assisting families in painting their homes. I also visited Santiago and San Pedro, both small villages located across the lake. It was fascinating and beautiful. In this issue, we are featuring two new contributors. Andi Phillips writes a beautiful article about Laura DePasquale, one of the few women sommeliers in the world. Arthur Seixas, a photojournalist from Brazil introduces us to Paraty, a city between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. We welcome back David Lazar who’s images of Vietnam are featured in our Discover the Undiscovered Vietnam article. In our American Legends section. we pay tribute to the Queen of Soul - Aretha Franklin, whose music has given so many of us such wonderful memories. And finally, we feature Amazing Villas that are part of our luxury destination experiences in Curacao, Guatemala, Vietnam and Thailand. We always appreciate your support and thank you for your readership. Go and see the world! Franz Buchhalter
www.nationalbreastcancer.org DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
LONDON CITY OF ICONS
The famous red telephone booths were first introduced in 1926 and were designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. In 2006, the Red Kiosks were voted one of Britain’s top 10 design icons. In today’s world where mobile telephones have replaced land lines, the red telephone booth remains in key places throughout Britain.
The first commercial horse-drawn double-decker omnibuses were introduced in England in 1847 by Adams & Co. of Fairfield, Bow, then improved upon by John Greenwood, who introduced a new double-decker in 1852. The double decker buses have become a symbol of England and are recognizable throughout the world.
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Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is usually extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower. The oďŹƒcial name of the tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower, but it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Designed by Augustus Pugin in a neo-gothic style, when completed in 1859, its clock was the largest and most 2 accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world.
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Tower Bridge, one of the London’s most famous landmarks was designed by Sir Horace Jones, the City Architect, in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry. Construction began in 1886 and lasted until 1894. Located near the Tower of London.
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PARATY Halfway Point Between Rio and Sao Paulo Photos by Arthur Seixas
Text by Francisco Ruano
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
“With beaches, islands, waterfalls, natural pools and various cultural festivals throughout the year, Paraty is a complete destination, but it is its historic center, dating back to the time of the Gold Era of Brazil, which captivates the visitor.�
Arthur Seixas
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
Paraty is a small town surrounded by mountains on the Brazilian Costa Verde, between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The colonial town is testimony of the golden era of the Portuguese colonization and is jealously preserved by its residents. The town features 17th- and 18thcentury buildings dating to its time as a port during the Brazilian Gold Rush. Among its architectural landmarks is the waterfront Capela de Santa Rita, a whitewashed church built in 1722. The center of the town is remarkable not only for its exquisitely preserved, centuriesold architecture, but also for its lack of automobile traffic making it a delightful place to stroll and visit the many shops and unique dining venues.
During the summer, Paraty is crowded and lively brimming with Brazilian and foreign visitors. The town’s cosmopolitan flavor is further enhanced by the large number of artists, writers and chefs, both local and foreign, who have settled here and opened shops, galleries, and restaurants found in the many elegant white buildings adorned with fanciful multicolor borders and latticed windows which blend harmoniously with the natural beauty that envelops the town.
Dozens of pristine beaches are within a couple of hours of Paraty by boat or bus. Set amidst jutting peninsulas and secluded beaches, with a backdrop of steep, jungled mountains plunging into an island-studded bay, Paraty is one
of Brazil’s most appealing travel destinations, while inland, the Parque Nacional da Serra da Bocaina provides protection for a lush remnant of Mata Atlântica (Atlantic rainforest).
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
Discover the Undiscovered
VIETNAM Photos by David Lazar
Photos: Henry Wu
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“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace
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Chaotic, exciting, memorable, friendly and amazing are just a few ways to describe Vietnam. A country full of history and natural beauty. From the northern region where Hanoi and Ha Long Bay are, to the central area where Danang, Hoi An and Hue are located, to the south where Can Ranh and Hoi Chi Ming City stand, Vietnam is a place to discover and to immerse oneself into their culture. Stroll through the streets of Hanoi and bargain with the street vendors, or experience the chaotic Hoi Chi Ming City, once known as Saigon. Vietnam has something for everyone.
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“There is so much beauty in the landscape and in the people of Vietnam, which is a country I find to be unique in culture with a strong mixture of traditional and modern life.�
David Lazar
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CAREER SPOTLIGHT: MASTER SOMMELIER
LAURA DEPASQUALE
By Andi Phillips
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he first thing you notice in this executive’s corner office at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits in
South Florida are the several cases of wine on the floor, and a state of the art wine refrigerator that holds 144 bottles. There’s also an object that looks like a microscope.
Laura De Pasquale demonstrates the device she calls a “game changer” that allows wine lovers to get a taste of wine from a bottle and preserve the rest undisturbed.
“See, it inserts a needle through the cork, dispenses the wine, then replaces the space with argon – so you can pour a glass and then keep the rest indefinitely.”
As one of only 28 female Master Sommeliers in the world, “game changer” can also describe De Pasquale’s career. As Vice President and General Manager of the Artisanal Fine Wine division, a department she created, DePasquale credits her extremely competitive nature for her success in this male-dominated industry. Hers has been a career path spent breaking glass ceilings.
The native New Yorker with a journalism degree didn’t imagine this career path right off the bat. Having worked in fast food chains, then transitioning into fine dining, the next move came about rather organically.
“Due to personal changes in my life, wanting to get away from the floor, the hours, the holidays, I realized there was a career in wine. I loved wine, and had decided to pursue the master sommelier degree. All the things that I love: art, literature, history, science, culture and food, all collided for me in the wine world.”
The path to Master Sommelier is an extremely difficult one. It is by invitation only and the pass rate for the theory portion is only 10%.
“It’s rigorous, I’m told it is like a medical board. The last level is entirely verbal, three pieces over three days: theory, tasting, and practical. It took me 4 times to pass it.”
De Pasquale was the thirteenth woman in the world to achieve Master Sommelier. As exhilarating as passing the test in London was, her experience offers a glimpse of the challenge ahead.
“I was the only woman there and no one would talk to me. The candidates were waiting for results, because they tell you right there at the end. One person had passed, everyone else is going up the stairs, failing, and coming down rejected. I and another American were the last. It must have shown on my face. I must have been floating coming down the stairs, I don’t think my feet touched the ground. The other guy who passed, saw me, grabbed me and spun me around, like ‘Oh my God!’ And then all of a sudden they talked to me.”
There would be other moments in her career, meetings in the U.S. and abroad where she would be the only female in the room and was often mistaken as the administrative assistant, when she was actually the Vice President. The place she’s had to prove herself more than anywhere else has been in the States.
“I almost pushed the MS piece to the side, like ‘I am the VP of fine wine here’ or ‘No I’m the General Manager.’ Today, still. It’s better though, I see more opportunity for women now. I was an anomaly, I have been called a unicorn and I don’t like it. It makes it seem like I’m a one-off. And no. There’s a lot of talented diversity within our industry that isn’t necessarily looked at.”
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DePasquale shares some insight for women whose goals are to reach the executive level. That they should recognize and utilize the right vocabulary, and learn that it’s less about “you” and more about “we”. That they have to understand that to be at that top, top level is to commit to traveling more, and working more, no matter what career it is.
“I think women get stuck in this work-life balance conversation. I do wish I had more time to spend at home, to coach my team, to travel to wineries, more time to work out, do yoga, read. I read a lot of books, I go spinning. You always want more time.”
Right now her time is laser-focused on expanding the Artisanal Fine Wine Division she developed and launched in 2016. She recognized that small, family run wineries are an under-explored market with serious growth potential.
“There’s never been a time in my estimation when the consumer is more curious about wine than today, from baby boomers to millennials, everybody is drinking wine.”
It seems clear with the amount of yet to be discovered wine on the planet and DePasquale’s ambition, the possibilities are endless.
Favorite thing about your job: I am always learning, no matter how much I know I will never know everything. I always hashtag everything with “always learning”. Most expensive wine ever tasted: 1925 Magnum of Lafitte, priceless. I didn’t appreciate it at the time. Most influential person: Dr. Ian D’agata is brilliant. I did a seminar with him and I had to raise my game to sit next to him. He’s just awkward and generous of his spirit and his time. Favorite place to vacation: Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy. It’s in the Alps and it’s weird that I love it because I’m not an outdoorsy. I don’t ski! Like shopping is a sport to me. It’s just so beautiful and bucolic.
Next new travel destination:
I really want to go to Stockholm for the cuisine, and to The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
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NOT AN OSTRICH If you missed the opportunity to see the photographic exhibit entitled “Not an Ostrich: And other images from America’s Library” at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles you missed seeing a collection of nearly 500 images selected by award winning curator Anne Wilkes Tucker. These images were discovered in the archives of the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. The exhibition run from April through September, 2018, and among the images exhibited were some rare photos which we are featuring in this article.
NOT AN OSTRICH: “FLODORA GOOSE, 1930
Photo by: Unkown
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BELLA LEWITZKY DANCE COMPANY, C, 1976
Photo by: Dan Esgro
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MIGRANT MOTHER, 1936
Photo by: Dorothea Lange
BRUNNHILDE, 1936
Photo by: Unkown
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NEW DESIGNS, 1970
Photo by: Ingo Maurer
FRED STEWART II AND TYLER COLLIINS, 2012
Photo by: Dawoud Bey
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ARCHITECTURAL HATS, 1960
Photo by: Tony Vaccaro
AMAZING VILLAS
The Master Villa at Baoase Luxury Resort in Curacao. With amazing panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, the villa features a fully equipped kitchen, open plan concept, and spacious pool deck with private infinity pool and Jacuzzi. The Master Villa provides guests with the feeling of pure bliss while being surrounded by the ultimate luxury.
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
The Villa Palopo at Casa Palopo in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, is a three-bedroom villa with its own private infinity pool. With views of the amazing lake, it is decorated with traditional colonial furnishings reflecting the history and tradition of the destination.
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The Bai Bay Villa at the InterContinental Danang in Vietnam is nestled on a secluded mountain slope for ultimate privacy. The lavish beachfront villa oers unobstructed views of the private bay. The villa boasts three pools, and three bedrooms plus living spaces, all elegantly designed.
DESIGN DESTINATIONS FALL 2018
The Club Napa Reserve 3-Bedroom Villa, InterContinental Samui in Koh Samui, Thailand. This state-of-the-art villa is decorated in the resort’s signature blend of clean and cool tropical plantation style with Thai dÊcor and splashes of color. A spacious sundeck leads to your 15-meter private pool, while a dedicated butler and personal chef see to your every whim.
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The Hillside Villa 3-Bedroom Villa, Pimalai Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta, Thailand is nestled some 60 meters above sea level. The Villa features a terrace with an infinityedge swimming pool. The bi-level villa is elegantly decorated with neutral colors reflecting the surrounding environment. 57
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The Ocean Front Villa at The Anam Resort in Cam Ranh, Vietnam. The Villa oers amazing views of the ocean and is decorated in a French Colonial decor featuring elegant finishes. The Villa features a private pool and amazing dedicated service.
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Villa Las Pilas is a three-bedroom villa located in the colonial city of Antigua in Guatemala. The villa features a formal dining and living room, a library, beautiful gardens and it is walking distance from shops and restaurants.
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ARETHA FRANKLIN AN AMERICAN LEGED American singer, songwriter, civil rights activist, actress, and pianist. Franklin began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Hit songs such as "Respect", "Chain of Fools", "Think", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", and "I Say a Little Prayer" propelled Franklin past her musical peers. By the end of the 1960s, Aretha Franklin had come to be known as "The Queen of Soul”. Aretha won 18 Grammy Awards, including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance from 1968 through to 1975, and she is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Franklin received numerous honors throughout her career, including a 1987 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the first female performer to be inducted, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was inducted to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012.Franklin is listed in two alltime lists by Rolling Stone magazine, including the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2008, she was ranked by Rolling Stone as the No. 1 Greatest Singer of All Time.
In August of 2018 the world lost the Queen of Soul. She left her legacy in her music and forever will be remembered as one of the world’s greatest singers.
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IN OUR NEXT ISSUE
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