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Image © Timothy Richardson
Contents 100TCUS2:25 may
CONTENTS On the cover: André Balazs (photograph Timothy Richardson)
34 The Palms Playboy It’s difficult to sum up GEORGE JOHN MALOOF, Jr. in three words, but playboy should be in there
36 The Coffee Colossus HOWARD SCHULTZ (or how to succeed in business by really trying)
40 Diamonds are a Man’s Fast Fortune MARK VADON left Harvard with “no interest” in business. 100Thousand Club asks: what went right?
164 Peerless Talking with the Michelin-star laden THOMAS KELLER
176 The Secret of my Success
68 Mr Property
What inspires RICHARD BRANSON
Every one a winner. Just how does ANDRÉ BALAZS do it?
Image © Steve Pyke
32 The Rise and Rise of Mrs. Clean Image © Martynka Wawrzyniak
How former equity analyst SALLIE KRAWCHECK became the toast of Wall St.
92 Design Is What Design Does Julia Puppe talks with furniture store scion ERIC VILLENCY
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Contents 100TCUS2:25 may
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CONTENTS 60 Live Well Unfettered privacy and relaxed elegance: why we all want to live in a luxury community
66 Living the [Dream] Life The Cliffs Communities – a palette of choices for any passion
60
78 O, Canada Canada recorded a 9.4 percent increase in average house prices last year. Sarah Chambers explains why
118 Paradise Cost
VICE
David Stewart looks at the realities of vacation home ownership
134 Yours, Whenever Your spare time is a precious. Spend it wisely with fractional ownership
78 142 Shopping Strike Georgetown, Washington DC
PROPERTY
172 The Passion How to turn your passion for collecting into a valuable collection
86 Cool-Mart How Art Basel became buying as Bacchanalia
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CONTENTS
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104 Virgin Island Eva Hagberg on her favorite Caribbean destination: the glorious
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and gloriously unspoilt St. Lucia
110 36 Hours in Montréal French has long been the langue d’amour, but you don’t need to go to France (again) for a romantic getaway…
114 Come Fly With Me… A private jet service that’s as flexible as your lifestyle
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116 Travel light Let somebody else carry your bags and they will arrive on time all the time, says Adam Clausen
119 The Ultimate Luxury Island Destination Turquoise waters and a refined lifestyle? Check out The Somerset, and check-in
TRAVEL
120 Mexican Jewel Rebecca Goozee on Los Cabos, “a beautiful desert landscape with a startlingly rich marine environment”
132 A Top Choice for Savvy Travelers The Los Cabos Tourism Board reports on a successful year
100 Feel Good Travel Forget textbook “voluntourism” and check out Exquisite Safaris
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Contents 100TCUS2:25 may
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CONTENTS OBJECTS OF DESIRE A 100Thousand Club look at life’s little pleasures 48 After Work Relax and replenish with the finest spirits and cigars
52 Road Hog The return of Triumph, and the kit to be seen in
54 Truly Scrumptious Six stunning pieces for the party girl in you
56 Carry On It is a fact of life that things need carrying. So carry them beautifully
84 Sexy Beast The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster
50 Classic with a Twist Why this season’s best watches look a little familiar
160 The Shark The Porsche Design and Fearless Yacht mash up we’ve dreamed about
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Editors Note 100TCUS new:21MAY
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Welcome to the Club
1
00Thousand Club is all about inspiration. Where you live, where you holiday, what you wear, eat and drive: these are the modern preoccupa-
tions. We wanted to go a little deeper. Spreadsheets and management dashboards are best left in the office or to Dilbert (who’s a lot funnier about them than I can be). 100Thousand Club is a celebration of everything else that happens, inside and outside of work. This issue we talk with three thoroughly modern business people: hotelier and property developer Andre Balazs (anybody with a portfolio that includes Chateau Marmont and who uses a beaver as a salesman is good by me); internet jeweller and Tiffany-in-waiting Mark Vadon, who tells us how he’s looking to grow his business into the billions before he buys a diamond bath; and Manhattan artisan Eric Villency, on the practical genius of a design classic. We’ve also got our usual portfolio of prime property, stunning travel destinations and the beautiful things that have inspired us this issue. There’s more, of course. But I’ll let you discover it for yourself. Enjoy the magazine,
Adam Burns, Editor-in-Chief
THE EDITOR’S NOTE Adam Burns at Goldbrick House, Bristol, UK www.goldbrickhouse.co.uk. Clothes courtesy John Anthony www.john-anthony.com
CONTRIBUTORS:US
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CONTRIBUTORS
ANDREA SIMONS
ROBERT ADDAMS
AMANDA VLASTAS
ERIC LIM
100Thousand Club US Director
Writer
Assistant Editor
Writer
Born: 2/13/79 Based: New York City Contact: asimons@gdsnewyork.com Worked for: Conde Nast Traveller, CITY magazine, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue Studied: University of British Colombia, MBA Northwestern University Chicago Next trip: India Best trip: Holidays in Brazil, 2004
Born: 3/27/69 Based: New York City Contact: rob.addams@written.com Worked for: Empire, Men’s Health, FHM, Maxim Studied: Purdue University Next trip: London Best trip: Around Tuscany in a Ferrari. As good as it sounds
Born: 12/15/70 Based: New York City Contact: avlastas@gdsnewyork.com Worked for: San Francisco Examiner, SF Social Magazine Studied: San Francisco State University, semester exchange in Ljubljana, Slovenia Next trip: Wine tour of the Chilean vineyards Best trip: Six week Maharaja tour of India
Born: 11/12/71 Based: Grand Bahama Contact: eric.lim@gmail.com Worked for: CITY magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, Destinations Studied: Tokyo Metropolitan University Next trip: Istanbul for you Best trip: St. Lucia aged 8. It was everything that Tokyo is not: relaxed, lush, I loved it
ROBERTO D'ADDONA
TIM MOSSFORD
MICHAEL MORAN
MICHELLE HOLDEN
Photographer
Photographer
Photographer
Photographer
Born: 1/31/71 Based: New York City Contact: robertodad@earthlink.net Worked for: L’officiel, Vogue, Movado, Audemars Piguet / Bulgari, MTV Studied: Engineering school, Lausanne, Switzerland Next trip: Sonoma, CA Best trip: Brazil
Born: 7/5/68 Based: Bristol, UK Contact: tmphoto@dsl.pipex.com Worked for: Audi, Land Rover, Hyundai Studied: King’s College, London Next trip: New Zealand Best trip: Morocco with my family
Born: 7/18/51 Based: New York, NY Contact: michael@moranstudio.com Worked for: Hyatt Hotels, Gensler Architects, Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Domus, Interior Design, Tod Williams Billie Tsien and Associates, Abitare, Diller + Scofidio, etc. Studied: UCLA School of Architecture and Urban Planning Next trip: Moscow, Russia Best trip: Venice, Italy; December, 2004
Born: 6/17/73 Based: New York and Sydney Australia Contact: info @michelleholden.com.au Worked for: Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, InStyle, Madison, Cosmopolitan, Speedo, etc. Studied: Photography/ Photomedia at UWS, Sydney, Australia Next trip: Paris, France Best trip: Patagonia, South America, Machu Picchu, Barcelona, Spain, South Island in New Zealand, my first time to New York, etc.
SPRING 07
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T H O U S A N D
C L U B
INFORMATION
T H O U S A N D
C L U B
Chairman SPENCER GREEN
Property Director, Canada SHAUNA LAZZARO
Chief Executive Officer JAMES CRAVEN
Lifestyle Communications Director MADELEINE MURPHY
Editor-in-Chief ADAM BURNS
Circulation Manager BEN KELLY
Finance Director LIN ROWE
Business Development Manager DARREN HENWOOD
Assistant Editor AMANDA VLASTAS
Data Services Manager NITIN SHIVARAJ
Senior Designer ANDREW HOBSON
Web Services Coordinators ALLIMALAR RAMACHANDRAN, ARUN M, KUMAR SWAMY
Senior Designer (Web) JAMES WEST Designers ZOË BRAZIL, MICHAEL HALL, HOLLY WHITE, SARAH WILMOTT Design Assistants PRADEEP KUMAR PADMANABHA, NAGARAJ PS, GS RANGANATH Contributing Writers ROBERT ADDAMS, REBECCA GOOZEE, ERIC LIM, JULIA PUPPE Contributing Photographers/Illustrators ROBERTO D’ADONNA, MICHELLE HOLDEN, MICHAEL MORAN, TIM MOSSFORD Production Manager WEI KEE Production Coordinator SOPHIA PINTO Client Services Manager MICHELLE BAKER Worldwide Sales Director GLENN WILLIS Project Director ANDREA SIMONS Business Development Director CAMESIA FEARON Property Director, Caribbean & Mexico SARAH-EVA CARLSON Director, Communications HARLAN DAVIS Director, Fractional Ownership division MELISSA DIAS Lifestyle Portfolio Director MICHELLE QUINN-LACISTE
General Manager (North America) KATHRYN REEVES Subscription Enquiries +1 212 904 0888 www.100thousandclub.com General Enquiries info@100thousandclub.com Letters to the Editor letters@100thousandclub.com Printer Calev Print Media 155 S. Miami Ave., PH2C Miami, FL 33130 Tel: 305.672.2900 Fax: 305.672.4044 100 Thousand Club (Vol. 1, Issue 2, Q2 2007) is published four times a year by GDS Publishing. All rights reserved. GDS Publishing, Inc. 33 Whitehall Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA. Legal Information The advertising and articles appearing within this publication reflect the opions and attitudes of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the publisher or editors. We are not to be held accountable for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or photographs. All material within this magazine is © 2007 100thousand club. Head Office GDS International, Queen Square House, 18-21 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4NH, UK Tel: +44 117 921 4000. Fax: +44 117 926 7444. E-mail: info@gdsinternational.com
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PEOPLE Who we’re Watching
The Rise and Rise of Mrs. Clean In March of this year, Sallie Krawcheck became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Citi Global Wealth Management.
S
he is now responsible for Citi Private Bank, Citi Investment Research, and Citi Smith Barney – all of which comprise one of the largest research and wealth management businesses in the world, with nearly $1.4 trillion in client assets. Not bad for a former equity analyst, dubbed ‘Mrs. Clean’ thanks to her
frank demeanor and focus on ethics. Krawcheck’s ascent is already the stuff of Wall Street legend, though she’s
just 42. She started out as a research analyst evaluating the shares of finan-
cial institutions. Consistently top ranked, she rose to become CEO of the Sanford C. Bernstein
research boutique. Because Bernstein is purely a research firm – no underwriting or investment banking – it came through the scandals of the bull market with its reputation pristine, and Krawcheck landed on the cover of Fortune under the headline “In Search of the Last Honest Analyst”. That’s not a bad bit of publicity to have behind you, and when former Citigroup (Research) chief Sandy Weill wanted to clean up his tarnished Salomon Smith Barney, he hired Krawcheck to be its CEO. She ran that business for two years before becoming Citigroup’s CFO in November 2004. From one side of the desk to the other in no time at all – from where did Krawcheck get her mojo? “I grew up in Charleston, a very genteel, very Southern city. But I will say there’s something about going to an all-girls school in Charleston that’s tougher than Wall Street. You don’t know what it’s like. I had the glasses, the braces, the corrective shoes. I was half-Jewish, half-WASPy. I couldn’t have been further outcast. There was nothing they could do to me at Salomon Brothers in the 80s that was worse than the seventh grade.” In 2002, Krawcheck was recognized as one of Time magazine’s “Global Business Influentials” and, in 2003, Fortune magazine named her the “Most Influential Person Under the Age of 40.” For five straight years, from 2002 to 2006, Fortune also recognized Sallie as one of the “Most Powerful Women” in business. Forbes magazine, in 2006, listed her as #6 in the rank of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.” Perhaps we all need a tough seventh grade. n
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Sallie Krawcheck: Queen of all she surveys Image © Steve Pyke
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George Maloof: Another tough day in the office Image © Michael Lewis/Corbis
The Palms Playboy It’s difficult to sum up George John Maloof, Jr. in three words, but playboy should be in there. Not for its seedy, over-the-hill ‘grown up that never grew up’ connotations, but for its original meaning, when the word was shiny and new in the late 50s/early 60s. (Coincidentally, the last time casinos were as glamorous and sexy as Maloof’s Las Vegas fantasyland, the Palms Hotel and Casino).
I
t’s important to get that distinction
Why? As Maloof said: “If you have the
right, because Maloof is much more than
girls, you are going to get the guys.” Or in his
a barroom lothario. He is Executive Vice
case, the girls: is he still single? “If I was mar-
President of the Maloof Companies and
ried and had children and I had to go home
head of the hotels division, co-owner of
everyday at six, I couldn’t hang with Paris
the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento
Hilton or Leonardo DiCaprio or whoever is
Monarchs, and the Palms Hotel and
in town. To create this brand, to understand
Casino in Las Vegas with his brothers Gavin Maloof, Joe Maloof, Phil Maloof and sister of Adrienne Maloof-Nassif.
this lifestyle, you have to live it.” Maloof recently oversaw the opening of the Palms’ latest addition, Fantasy Towers,
But most importantly, he’s credited with
and the groundbreaking of the Palms Place
creating the Palms brand and putting a little
construction, a separate building connected
sin back into sin city. Giving Vegas the sass and
to the Palms by a moving sky bridge.
the sex that it’s been missing for far too long.
What next? Maloof says Las Vegas remains
Maloof opened his first casino in Central
the most intriguing market, despite the high
City, Colorado before returning to Vegas to
cost of Strip-area real estate. “If there’s a top
open the Fiesta Casino in 1994. He built the
of the list [of opportunities], it’s Las Vegas.
430-room Palms resort in 2001 with $265
What’s great about Las Vegas is it’s a fluid
million in family money. The boutique hotel
place. There are always opportunities, new
returns more than $50 million in annual prof-
things all the time. The strategy is to keep in
its and boasts stripper poles in private rooms.
the game.”
It also has an unashamed hiring policy: if you’re a good-looking girl, it helps.
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Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz: “I have a history of people closing doors and me saying, ‘No, it’s still open’” Image © Robyn Twomey/ Corbis Outline
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The Coffee Colossus Starbucks was a three-shop outfit in Seattle when it caught Howard Schultz’s eye in 1979. He was selling housewares and they were ordering more of his coffee makers than any department store. The short story is: he decided to pay a visit and the rest is history. But the longer version tells us more about what it takes to really succeed in business, on your own terms, and with your own dream.
S
chultz left that first meeting
case for them to reconsider. He used every-
on a high. He loved the com-
thing he had learned in the past year to un-
pany and he loved Seattle.
derstand their reluctance and address them
He called back and asked
with their perspective in mind.
about job opportunities.
“I tried to appeal to their sensibility about
There were none. But Schul-
the company... hire people who have skills and
tz wouldn’t quit. He spent a
experiences and perhaps competencies that are
year meeting and talking with the owners.
different than your own, and don’t be afraid to
“I think that sometimes the difference
change that mix, as long as there’s a common
between success and failure, winning and
goal and everyone leaves their ego at the door.”
losing, is a very fi ne line between those people
He also had learned that, while the op-
who will continue to move forward,” Schultz
portunities were very tangible to him, he
says. “I have a history of people closing doors
needed to reduce the hopped-up talk about
and me saying, ‘No, it’s still open’.”
globalization.
By 1982, Schultz had convinced the
“They had three stores in Seattle. I was
Starbucks brass to let him present his ideas
talking about changing the world. I mean, I
on expanding the company. If they bought
could see that that would scare them a little
his plan, they bought him as their head of
bit. And over time, I said, ‘OK, let’s take one
marketing. His pitch went well but his plan
step at a time, and let’s build something that
was deemed too risky and not in line with the
really can be great. And, let’s take it at your
owners’ vision.
own pace.”
Schultz’s next move represents one of
Within a day the job was his. (Three years
the prevailing traits of great entrepreneurs.
later, Schultz, again faced with management
Where others would have quit, he gave the
indifference over expansion, left to start his
closed door another kick. He called up one
own company. In 1987 he bought Starbucks.
of the co-founders and made an impassioned
The rest is history). n
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PEOPLE Diamonds are a Man’s Fast Fortune
Diamonds are a Man’s
Fast
Fortune Mark Vadon left Harvard with a BA in social theory and “no interest” in going into business. “I was studying social theory and Native American race relations – some pretty out-there academic areas.”
Author: KATHARINA OPAHLE Photography: ERIC MILLETTE
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PEOPLE
Mark Vadon, CEO, Blue Nile and a very expensive Martini
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Diamonds are a Man’s Fast Fortune PEOPLE
H
e wanted to go into Native American land law and was all set for law school when he got sidetracked by Bain & Company, where he worked in the consulting practice for consumer products. “I worked with a lot of consumer packaged goods firms and in the food industry, and later
in the leveraged buyout field.” No interest in business turned into enjoyment turned into a driving force. Mark decided not to go to law school “and three or four years later, I was on track to go to business school and went and did that instead.” Suddenly he had an MBA from Stanford, a love of business, and plenty of experience from a job that involved “thinking a lot about brands and how to develop
them”. Mark wanted to leave Bain, he wanted to start his own business – and he wanted to get engaged. No matter how much money you have, choosing the perfect engagement ring to sweep your fiancée off her feet may be the most emotionally taxing, confusing and frustrating quest you have ever embarked upon. Certainly the weeks spent shopping at numerous jewelry stores never helped Mark. So he tried his luck online – which proved lucky indeed. “I was looking for an engagement ring in 1998, and I ran into a guy who was selling engagement rings over the Internet. He had a small jewelry store and a pretty successful website, and I Blue Nile sells more engagement and wedding rings than Tiffany, at prices up to 40 percent lower
wound up buying an engagement ring from him. The combination of quality – which was as good or better than the upscale jewelers – and value, provided a shopping experience superior to anything else I’d found.” Internet Diamonds offered the ring and, more importantly, the service and information Mark was looking for. On the retailer’s website, each diamond was pictured with an independent grading certificate ranking cut, clarity, color, and carat. Mark was sold. “I lived in San Francisco at the time and he [the owner of Internet Diamonds] was in Seattle. The next time I was in Seattle on business I met with him, and wound up making an offer to buy his business. In the beginning, it wasn’t that I was interested in jewelry at all. I was a consumer who was having a hard time shopping for diamonds and found a better way.” His offer to buy Internet Diamonds in early 1999 was accepted. Blue Nile was born. Just eight years later, Mark’s company sells more engagement and wedding rings than Tiffany – the difference being that Blue Nile’s prices are up to 40 percent lower. Born of frustration, Blue Nile has made the leap from living room idea to $300 million revenue business. Vitally, Mark is still obsessed with driving it forwards. Eight years ago, all Blue Nile sold was engagement rings. They still make up about 70 percent of business, but today the company’s stock also includes loose and rare colored diamonds, high-end pearls, and sterling silver, gold, and platinum jewelry. “We’ll stay laser focused on fine diamonds. We want customers to know that we’re experts in this area. But for the guy who bought his engagement ring from us and had a wonderful experience, we want to be able to help him on other fine jewelry purchases as well.” Last year Blue Nile missed Q4, but it came storming back in Q1 of this year with profits that topped Wooster estimates. Mark plays it cool on the ups and downs: “I spend a lot more time thinking about what this business will look like 20 years from now than which quarters were good and which ones weren’t. 100 Thousand Club
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“I respect and like Tiffany... but we’re trying to build a Tiffany for the next generation” “Wall Street looks at businesses and thinks of them as spreadsheets. The reality is, they’re not. You’re going to have periods where things work well and the numbers line up, and you’re going to have periods where they don’t. We’re trying to focus much more on the long-term vision. “We try to learn from everything we do. As a company, we are still very entrepreneurial, we’re constantly testing new things and trying to figure out what works.” Perhaps surprisingly for a modern business, Blue Nile doesn’t spend much on marketing. Its customers are the retailer’s sales force. With every friend a customer tells about buying diamonds online, they drive Mark’s business forward. But how does he overcome the ‘feel factor’? Though online buyers get a lot more diamond for their dollar than they would in brick-and-mortar stores, they are denied the pleasure of holding the jewelry in their hands and seeing it sparkle in the sun, let alone trying a piece on. Instead, they pay first and see their jewelry only when it tumbles out of the overnight FedEx package (or Vadon: focused on informed, confusion-free jewelry sales
when it’s escorted from an armored truck by armed guard, if your diamonds are worth
Photo: Eric Millette/BigShotStock
$50,000 or more). Mark Vadon doesn’t believe a happy buy is all about romancing the stone. He’s focused on informed, confusion-free jewelry sales: “We try to give consumers all the education and visualization through pictures of what that product’s going to look like. When they get it and it’s not exactly what they want, we’re there to exchange the product or return their money.” That only around six percent of purchases are actually returned speaks for itself. Who buys from Blue Nile? Well, with a lifestyle that’s far less exotic than his business suggests, Mark resembles his own typical customer. “Our customers tend not to be the glamorous types. What we usually have are serious business people. Last month, we sold to a Fortune 10 president, to a very well-known leveraged buyout person, and to a NASA scientist; those are the types of people who have bought from us.” It turns out that this king of bling isn’t bathing in a diamond bath, nor brushing his teeth with diamond toothpaste (for ice-white smiles). Recently married to Mattie Iverson Vadon, an up-and-coming artist, he lives a pretty quiet life and loves to spend his Sunday mornings cooking breakfast and hanging out in his wife’s studio, where she paints and he reads. From time to time, he adds to his art collection, which includes paintings by Jamie Bollenbach. More enthusiastically, he is planning to build Blue Nile into a multi-billion-dollarrevenue business. Once he achieves this, he may well reconsider the diamond bath. n
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PEOPLE Diamonds are a Man’s Fast Fortune
Mark Vadon: the man with the Midas touch? Blue Nile has been named “Forbes Favorite” online jeweler for seven consecutive years and “Best Indulgence” by TIME magazine. He’s doing something right.
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PEOPLE
IN HIS OWN WORDS A conversation with Mark Vadon
Where did the name Blue Nile come from? The existing business we bought was called Internet Diamonds, which is pretty straightforward. You knew what we did. But we were looking for something that was perhaps a little more flexible as a brand so we could launch product lines outside of diamonds, and hopefully have an aspirational quality to it. Blue Nile was the name we developed and have been using now for almost eight years. What sets you apart from other jewelers? We offer much more information than you’re going to get anywhere else. We want our customers to be experts when shopping for jewelry. We provide selection you can’t find in a store. On our Website today there are more than 50,000 certified diamonds available. Our jewelry is priced much more reasonably, and we give an experience that, most of our customers believe is far superior to what they would get in a traditional store. There’s no pressure. We want to empower customers to be in control of the purchase. What do you think of Tiffany & Co.? I actually really respect and like Tiffany, both as a brand and as a company. The CEO is an extraordinary person. We view Tiffany in a lot of ways as our role model. Of course we compete with them, but at the same time, we’re trying to build a Tiffany for that next generation of consumers who love the Internet experience; who want the quality of product and of brand that a Tiffany would offer, but at a more accessible price so the experience can apply to a broader audience. This year you were listed among Forbes’ America’s best 200 small companies list. What next? We are trying to build Blue Nile into a multi-billion-dollar-revenue business. Over the next six years, it’s realistic for us to expect to have a billion dollars in revenue. So our goal is to take what we’re doing now and just keep making it bigger – just keep serving more customers every year. So maybe this year, we were one of Forbes’ best small companies. Over time, we aspire to be an iconic consumer brand that’s doing a great job for customers. If we do that well, hopefully we can be one of Forbes’ best big companies as well.
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE After Work
AF TER WORK It’s been tough sorting through the nominees, but this issue’s 100Thousand Club spirit and cigar winners are: BULLDOG London dry gin (a world best mojito del pierro); PALMES D’OR Champagne (the prestige cuvee celebrates its 20th anniversary with an exceptional vintage); BLANTON’s single barrel bourbon (after food, after work, after whatever, Blanton’s flavor profile puts it in a league of its own); And ROCKY PATEL’s cigars are smooth, smooth, smooth (smoking well right now: the Vintage 1990). You’ve got to love the guy – he sure knows how to blend.
www.bulldoggin.com
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www.rockypatel.com
www.feuillatte.com
www.rockypatel.com
www.blantonsbourbon.com
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Castello AD P49:21MAY
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Classic with a Twist
CL ASSIC WITH A T WIST A good watch is one of life’s many pleasures – especially if you have one for all outfits. PATEK PHILIPPE has relaunched a simple classic (in platinum and rose or white gold): perfect with a Tom Ford tailored tux. For weekend adventurers, MONTBLANC’s Timewalker Chronograph Automatic channels Indiana Jones. And IWC has housed its superb perpetual mechanism – the most widely sold in history – in this season’s hot shape. For those who like their wrists with a little more look-at-me, JACOB the jeweller has done it again – see above for what the best-dressed Hip Hop www.jacobandco.com
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CEOs are wearing.
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Road Hog
ROAD HOG The world’s largest capacity production motorcycle, the TRIUMPH ROCKET III gets a facelift this summer. The Rocket III is a 100Thousand Club favorite (“Ah, the cruiser,” said our features ed with a wistful smile) because of the way it delivers power through the range and unashamed big bike styling. Stay sharp with DAINESE’S SUPERFLY jacket (composite shoulder, elbow and spine armor, double-necked thermal lining and vintage Italian cowhide); a pair of legendary BMW ATLANTIS 2 touring gloves; and an ARAI RX7 CORSAIR helmet with state-of-the-art shell construction. Take care out there.
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ON THE MAP AND OFF THE CHARTS
From large crowds to small groups.
From mass-market to personal
discovery. From one-size-fits-all
to one-of-a-kind. There’s a difference
between an ordinary cruise and
the luxury cruise experience of
Regent Seven Seas.
And it makes all the difference.
Luxury Goes Exploring®
SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
HOTELS
&
RESORTS CRUISES
RESIDENCES
For information and reservations, please call 1.877.505.5497 | www.TheRegentExperience.com or see your travel professional
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Truly Scrumptious
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T R U LY S C R U M P T I O U S If jewelry were women this spread would be X-rated – these are the sexiest seven we’ve seen for some time. From LEVIEV’s outrageously simple sapphire and yellow diamond necklaces (look again at those lines) to ASPREY’s deceptively modern take on tradition, a new cut that incorporates the ‘A’ of Asprey. The almost malleable Saddle ring from SASHA PRIMAK – you want to touch it, you know you do – or the more orthodox, structural beauty of a HARRY WINSTON sapphire? Tough choice, take both. Or love and be loved in Winstons’s new floral, feminine cascades (Vine earrings and Wreath necklace pictured).
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Carry On
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C A R RY O N It is a fact of life that things need carrying. Carry them beautifully in this year’s most versatile bags. ETRO’s crocodile and calf leather messenger bag is everything a man needs plus style. While DIOR’s calf leather and cotton canvas messenger is so understated it hurts (in a good way). For you, the queen
www.etro.it
of all things exotic has turned her attentions to the perfect summer bag – this NANCY GONZALEZ ruched croc satchel is practical, tactile and tricked out with luxe details. Or choose designer to the stars LANA MARKS and her delicious, sassy Concord clutch in (very) hot yellow.
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PROPERTY Live Well
Live Well Author AMANDA VLASTAS
Luxury communities offer unfettered privacy and relaxed elegance, which may be the reason why they have become so popular over recent years. They are a safe and secure place to settle down and raise a family, and enjoy a charming yet exclusive lifestyle.
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T
he idea of a luxury community may seem relatively modern, but this is not a new phenomenon. Romans built walls around their towns and even today walled towns and cities remain across much of Europe and
North Africa, San Gimignano in the gorgeous rolling hills of Tuscany, for example, Dubrovnik in Croatia or Marrakech in Morocco. Why are walls and gates used? In Roman times the answer was to distinguish between civilization and chaos, and many would argue that things haven’t changed. But while most luxury communities are gated or walled, not all are; some may simply be in a remote location such as in a forest or on an island, with security provided. That feeling of security is among the many reasons why more and more people are choosing to invest in this type of community. Nothing is completely secure, of course, but gates and walls are an effective deterrent to criminal activity – certainly the crime rates in such communities are much lower than in similar value urban neighborhoods. Another reason that luxury communities are becoming more popular is that they are just that – communities. Rather than living an anonymous life side by side with other people who happen to live on your street, your life can be fully integrated with neighbors, friends
Above: Luxury communities often come with very special amenities Left: Security and privacy are assured without sacrificing neighborly values
and family all on your doorstep. And as the innate social atmosphere in every town or village thrives, so it adds to the feeling of a secure environment.
Privacy Luxury communities today are as much about privacy and exclusivity as safety. If you are looking for a sanctuary from the stresses of everyday life and a haven 100 Thousand Club
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Communal pools provide a safe and relaxing family environment
of peace and tranquility, then a property within a luxury community could be for you. Privacy is a much sought after luxury in today’s society, but it is virtually guaranteed here due to likeminded neighbors.
Luxury In 2005, it was estimated that 18 percent of housing units were in private communities, with 60 percent of new homes falling into that category. Numbers are growing as homeowners exercise their right to raise families in safer, cleaner and better-kept environments. Luxury communities typically combine multimillion-dollar homes – graceful townhouses, spacious condominiums or sprawling estate houses – with around-the-clock security, concierges and world-class golf courses and spas. Most are located in a desirable city area, beside a beach or within a lush forest. River Rock in North Carolina for example, is an exclusive Blue Ridge Mountain community encompassing 4,000 acres of forest, creeks and waterfalls. River Rock is in the process of being opened up to the public and consists of five villages, spread out around the forest, connected via country roads and rural parkways. 62
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Each village has its own specific amenities (al-
uated within California’s Montage Laguna
though all amenities are open to all villagers).
Beach Resort and Spa. Offering a unique ocean
Mauna Kea Resort in Hawaii, meanwhile,
living opportunity, the community was inspired
topped the 2006 Forbes ‘Most Expensive
by artists who settled in this beautiful, pristine
Gated Communities’ list for available proper-
location over 100 years ago.
ties, at $35million. The resort has two breath-
For the fortunate few living in one of the
taking white-sand beaches, 36 holes of
28 estate lots or villas, luxury living within a
championship golf and the many amenities of
world-class resort can become a reality. Ameni-
two luxurious hotels –including nine restau-
ties at the resort include the glorious gardens,
rants, spa facilities and an ocean-side tennis
spectacular swimming pools and fabulous din-
garden. The service is truly exceptional and
ing as well as the oceanfront spa that includes
homeowners will find themselves basking in a
whirlpools, a full-service salon and a plethora
world of grandeur and exclusivity.
of health and beauty treatments. You are also
The two top-priced homes last year were Wai’ula’ula – which sits on nine acres and offers
guaranteed the impeccable service that resort guests receive.
7,105 square feet of living space, a caretaker’s
Luxury communities are an alternative
cottage and access to private white sand beaches
way of living, encompassing tranquility and
– and Hale Pilialoha (wine cellar, spacious chef’s
peacefulness with a sense of security and so-
kitchen, three guesthouses containing six
cial wellbeing. They offer a safe place to raise a
suites, and four-car garage).
young family, with many exceptional ameni-
If you would rather not relocate to Hawaii,
ties – such as championship level golf and
there are many communities in locations all
world-class spa facilities – for the adults and
over mainland US, from California to Florida.
elaborate playgrounds, water sports and
One such place is the Montage Residences, sit-
horse-riding for the children.
Ocean living: inspired by artists, enjoyed by you
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TRAVEL Living the [Dream] Life
I
t’s been called the most comprehensive, impressive private club membership in the world. Legendary golfer and world traveler Gary Player – who recently an-
nounced he was moving his family and company here on account of the incomparable quality of life – has dubbed it “the Switzerland of America”. Drawing its members from 46 of the 50 states and more than 10 countries across the globe, professional sports figures, Fortune 500 CEOs and over 3,000 other affluent families are living their dreams here. No, this isn’t heaven, but it may well be utopia on earth. It’s called The Cliffs Communities, and if you haven’t heard of it, you will and you should. Spanning 20,000 acres in the Western Carolinas – at the leading edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, tucked in a woodland paradise of 14 state parks, three national forests, and one national park – The Cliffs is a collection of seven private, gated luxury residential communities begun in 1991 by Jim Anthony. Each community has a distinct setting: two are atop mountains; one is in a lush valley with towering peaks; one is minutes from the heart of the city of Asheville, North Carolina; and the remaining three are situated on an 18,500-acre freshwater mountain lake recognized as one of the most pristine in the Southeast. All seven communities are located within a short drive of one another, and membership in one community opens the door to privileges within all seven. At last count, the membership included more than $150 million of completed amenities, with much more planned. Membership perks include access to The Cliffs’ international lodges in British
Living the [Dream] Life The Cliffs Communities offer a palette of choices for any passion. 66
Columbia and Chile, as well as a complimentary year in PinnacleCare, the nation’s leading healthcare group that provides trustee-level access to the world’s fi nest physicians. For as serene of a setting as it offers, The Cliffs’ members are positively abuzz with activity. The Cliffs’ clubs offer more than 1,500 unique events annually for its members to enjoy and engage, running the gamut from traditional golf tournaments to healthy gourmet
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TRAVEL
cooking classes taught by the Senior Executive
ingly well cared for, and enrolled within The
owners and resort guests. The Cliffs offers
Chef Victor Carducci; from group Pilates to
Cliffs Residential Rental Program.
a world-class Medical Advisory Board that
whitewater rafting; from wine tastings to the
Showcasing sweeping views of the Blue
includes leaders in preventive medicine, pedi-
weekly ‘mountain mixer’ that draws residents
Ridge Mountains and Lake Keowee, Keowee
atrics, geriatrics, women’s health and sports
to watch the sunset over homemade dishes and
Springs’ Lodge and 20,000 square-feet Spa will
medicine from pre-eminent medical centers
great bottles brought from their own cellars.
bring the outdoors in with indoor/outdoor
of excellence.
Golfing here is a four-season sport, thanks to the unique isothermal breezes
treatment rooms and a woodland-themed décor inspired by the natural landscape.
So, what is it really like to live here? There’s no better way to describe it than The Cliffs’ res-
that have created a mild microclimate – most
Some resort guests may find respite at the
idents already have – not as merely living, but
days it averages in the 80s in the summer
two world-class restaurants in the Lodge, one
panoramic living. Living with purpose, fulfill-
and 50s in the two-and-a-half month winter.
of which is being developed in partnership
ment, and abundance, as everyone deserves.
The Cliffs’ members enjoy belonging to the
with James Beard Hall of Famer Gray Kunz
That’s The Cliffs’ definition of Wellness, on
only club in America with two Jack Nicklaus
of Manhattan’s Café Gray and, formerly, Le-
which its communities have taken shape and
Signature Golf Courses and two Tom Fazio
spinasse. Or by dropping off the children at
excelled with the most discerning buyers. To
designs, plus three others, one of which
KidFit, the 8,000 square-feet activity center
see it is to believe it – the spirit and camarade-
was rated fourth most scenic in the nation
that will boast a water park, climbing center,
rie here are undeniable and intoxicating.
behind Augusta National, Pebble Beach,
and computer zone for the hard-to-please
It’s no surprise that The Cliffs’ collection
and Cypress Point. The Cliffs has been des-
“tweens”. Or by spending quality time on
of communities has earned the attention
ignated among ‘America’s Top 10 Private
the Fazio course, whose design provides
of national golf and lifestyle publications
Golf Communities’ for two years running by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine. But it’s not just a community for golfers. A team of wellness experts at The Cliffs includes the former Director of Fitness for Pebble Beach, nutritionists, and exercise and conditioning specialists. In fact, the number one amenity here is parks, trails, and green space. Inside its gates, The Cliffs has currently reserved close to 2,500 acres of private parks and groomed trails for walking, hiking, and biking. Pair with that a state-of-the-art Wellness Center in each community, Equestrian Center, Nature Centers, and Marinas con-
Gary Player has dubbed The Cliffs Communities “the Switzerland of America”. It’s easy to see why
necting residents via The Cliffs’ own intercommunity water taxi, and you can see why
three sets of six holes appropriate for those
across America and, increasingly, interna-
members never have a dull moment.
priceless afternoon barefoot games with the
tionally. Though the honors and accolades
Wellness at The Cliffs is not only growing
family or a robust round of 18 for the tra-
run pages long, The Cliffs’ Developer Jim
but is making history in the process. In 2008,
ditional foursome. Or by bagging all of this
Anthony remains humble: “We can never
it will open the Keowee Springs Lodge and
and retreating to the Beach Club, set at the
improve what our Creator has given us, and
Spa, America’s first luxury family wellness
lake’s shore with water so clear and clean it’s
we can never replace it. If we preserve the
resort. Among the resort’s finer features is an
considered drinkable.
land and treat it with integrity, success will
elite, limited collection of private resort resi-
A world-class resort and destination spa,
follow.” Actions always speak louder than
dences, including spacious Lakefront Estates,
The Cliffs at Keowee Springs will draw resi-
words, and at The Cliffs, they have mastered
Lakeview Villas, and Lodge Cottages ranging
dents from around the country and provide a
the art of over-delivering on a life most only
in price from $1 million to over $4 million.
pristine environment to optimize the health
dream they could have. n
Residences come fully furnished and expertly
and wellbeing of every member of your family.
decorated, with GEM cars to traverse the
At the heart of the Keowee Springs Lodge and
For more information about The Cliffs, schedule
pedestrian pathways connecting the resort’s
Spa will be a Medical/Wellness Center, of-
a private tour by calling 866.205.9215 or by
amenities. All are maintenance-free, exceed-
fering a comprehensive menu of services to
visiting cliffscommunities.com/100kclub. 100 Thousand Club
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PROPERTY Mr Property
Chateau Marmont: the guardian of rich Hollywood lore is still keeping secrets, thanks to Balazs
Mr Property Interview by DAVID USBORNE
A
When André Balazs sold the apartments in his 40 Mercer development, they went within days without costing a single advertising dollar. He’s also rich and handsome. How the heck does he do it? André Balazs is up on the roof when I arrive at the country pile he bought last year with his then girlfriend, the actress Uma Thurman, on the Hudson River
about two hours north of New York City. He yells down a greeting and a few moments later he is at the front door. I glimpse a luminous hallway and beyond it, through French windows, a swimming pool and wide lawns. But first we have the grounds to inspect. This is a slightly different Balazs to the one I met a couple of weeks ago over Camparis in the lobby of his flagship hotel, The Mercer, in the SoHo district of Manhattan. His hair is mildly dishevelled – he was on the roof with his resident handyman to discuss repairs – and a section of frayed lining is peeking from the back of his country squire jacket. Somewhere in the course of exploring the estate, The Locusts, we even manage to mislay his pet Chihuahua, Gilles. (The handyman retrieves the lost pooch a little later.) He and Uma bought this sprawling place on a whim. They were at a weekend auction of its contents 18 months ago, when someone whispered that the whole estate, previously owned by the Astor family and most recently by Bob Guccione, the founder of Penthouse, might be for sale. Balazs called his banker on Sunday and by Monday he had an offer on the table. Within weeks, The Locusts, including the house, scores of farm buildings, cottages, ruined greenhouses and 55 acres of land, was his. Impulse plays some role in the trajectory of every successful tycoon. Meet Balazs, 50, in any other setting, however – our third encounter will be in his book-lined office in the Puck Building in SoHo – and you will
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site to develop or a towel-rail design – comes only after exhaustive calculation and calibration. “You can’t just knock these things off,” he says flatly, at last settled into an armchair in the main house at The Locusts after our hour-long walk exploring the abandoned barns, walled gardens and milking parlors of what was once a huge working farm. “You have to settle on the right product.” The right products have so far included not just the hotels, all of which have become muststays for discerning scenesters and sophisticates, but also two residential buildings in New York (a third apartment building in the Wall Street neighborhood is on its way, and he has put in a bid for a building on Savile Row in London that he hopes will be his first hotel outside the States). Inside The Locusts house, a more familiar Balazs reemerges – the impeccable man-abouttown with Prada fashion taste, disarming good looks and, of course, a public image boosted by his on/off association with The 75-room Mercer, purchased as a vacant warehouse, which established Balazs’ reputation
70
see something very different. The
a film actress whose beauty in
owner not just of the Mercer but
person surpasses even what you
of a string of some of the most
see on the screen.
aesthetically thrilling hotels in
Even though his own im-
America, including three Stan-
provements to the place – such
dard hotels in Los Angeles and
as the dazzling kitchen floor in
Miami as well as the venerable
tiny trapezoid, white and cara-
Raleigh on South Beach and the
mel ceramic tiles are only half
Chateau Marmont, the favorite
done – it is already the sexiest
of generations of misbehaving
private home you are ever likely
celebrities, on Sunset Boulevard,
to visit, with languorous curved
he is a man whose every business
walls and views to the Hudson,
move – whether choosing a new
which here turns a wide bend
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and resembles a lake more than a
eventually discovered the greater
river. Before we talk, he suggests
challenge of hotels with his ac-
a drink. I have done my research
quisition in 1990 of the Chateau
and agree to a glass of rosé. I
Marmont. While the guardian of
know in advance he will bring out
rich Hollywood lore – Jean Harlow
a bottle of spectacular Domaine
slept with Clark Gable in one of its
Ott from Provence, famously his
suites and Greta Garbo was once
favorite label.
a long-term resident as was John
In spite of his French-sound-
Belushi before he killed himself in
ing name, Balazs is the son of
one of its private bungalows – the
Hungarian immigrants who fled
massive faux-European castle had
first to Sweden during the Second
fallen into sad disrepair.
World War before eventually set-
People go to clubs and restau-
tling in Cambridge, Massachus-
rants for a couple of hours or so,
setts, where his father taught at
but the experiences of guests in a
Harvard Medical School. After
hotel can last 24 hours or more
reading humanities at Cornell
and, Balazs explains, can range
University, he went on to take a
“from the deeply personal mo-
joint business and journalism
ments, to the public moments,
post-graduate course at Co-
the business moments and the
lumbia University in New York.
friendship moments. It means
Instead of pursuing journalism,
trying to provide every kind of
however, the young Balazs joined
nuanced space and thinking
his father in founding a suc-
about how to provide the best
cessful biotech company called
environments for each of those
Biomatrix, based in New Jersey.
activities to unfold. That’s what
Drawn to the faster pace of Man-
fascinates me. It is not just allow-
hattan, he moved to SoHo in
ing them to unfold but stimulat-
1984, at that time still a mostly
ing their unfolding.”
raw neighborhood of cast-iron
The Marmont has been over-
manufacturing buildings that
hauled from top to bottom and
had nothing to do with the fren-
new improvements are made
zied hub of fashion outlets and
every year. But Balazs believes
high-end restaurants that it has
that the soul of what it once was
become today.
is intact. “Now people go in and
Balazs, who was previously
say, ‘Oh, isn’t this amazing, isn’t
married to Katie Ford, founder
it a genius thing that they’ve kept
of the Ford Modeling Agency,
it all?’ But frankly there isn’t a
with whom he has two daughters,
surface there that is original. A
stumbled into his hospitality-im-
lot of it is creating a fantasy that
presario life when a friend invited
everything feels just authentic
him to become an investor in a
and just right.”
now defunct Manhattan night-
But it was arguably the 75-
club named MK. From there he
room Mercer, purchased as a
progressed to restaurants and
vacant warehouse, which estab-
The striking baroque/deco Raleigh pool from above Image © Nikolas Koenig
The Terrace at Balazs’ Raleigh Hotel, South Beach: “I don’t think it ever does any harm in any business to feel that there is someone there who cares about it” Image © Nikolas Koenig
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William Beaver House is the first new from-the-ground-up luxury residential tower in the financial district near Wall Street. It may also be the first to be sold by an anthropomorphic beaver. The open lobby at William Beaver House creates a hotel-like environment
lished Balazs’ reputation as one
What is common to every
under way today on a New York
of the industry’s most admired
Balazs property, at least, is a
Standard in the Meatpacking
tastemakers. Rupert Murdoch
sense of whimsy and overt sexi-
District, a neighborhood distin-
and Calvin Klein both lived in
ness. In one hotel you will find
guished in part by an abandoned
the hotel for extended periods.
showers with glass on all sides
and elevated freight railway
Settle in its lobby still today,
visible to the bedroom. Another
called the Hi-Line that the city
with its understated living room-
has bathrooms complete with a
has promised to grass over and
library atmosphere, and you will
large sculpture of a foot in black
turn into a kind of park in the
surely spy if not film stars (this
foam rubber. Yet Balazs rarely
sky. The Hi-Line will run directly
is where Russell Crowe got into
repeats himself. He strives, he
through the hotel lobby.
trouble hurling a telephone at
says, to imbue each project with
“One of the few luxuries left
a front-desk employee) then at
something that speaks either to
is travel,” he explains. “And the
least leaders of the fashion and
the locale or to the history of
aspect of travel that is luxurious is
entertainment worlds.
the building itself, if it isn’t new.
not the movement, but the being
Like Ian Schrager, who we
What seems like a gimmick in
there. So I think that one of the
can blame for spawning the
the Standard Hotel on Sunset
things that most matters and will
awful “Boutique Hotel” moniker
in West Hollywood – a scant-
matter increasingly is that when
after his serial collaborations
ily clad model prone in a vitrine
you are in some place you actu-
with the minimalist-chic French
behind the front desk – is actu-
ally feel like you are there, that
designer Philippe Starck, Balazs
ally meant to pay homage to a
the ‘there’ is very different from
creates hotels that are everything
time when the neighborhood
whence you came. When you’re
the chain hotels – the Hyatts and
was the territory of street-walk-
in London, you should feel like
Marriotts – are not.
ers and voyeurs. Construction is
you’re in London. That unleashes
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74
a whole creative process. There
of the designer, is part of what
should be no confusion whatever
creates it. It’s true in luxury
between London and New York
goods stores and in good food
or even between SoHo and Wall
stores. It leaves a palpable sense
Street. What has been fun for me
that someone cares.”
about this is that we have always
He says he achieves that sense
looked at this as not just what city
of care in a number of ways. First,
or what neighborhood you’re in,
Balazs has control of each proj-
but even what building.”
ect from inception all the way
It is not unimpressive that
to completion – and beyond in
when the apartments were put
the case of hotels which must
on sale for 40 Mercer, designed
then be managed. Much more
by French architect Jean Nouvel,
usually, a developer will erect a
almost every one sold within days
hotel structure and then deliver
without Balazs spending a dollar
it to a different firm to manage
on advertising. Some of the units
it. There is no continuity in the
ran to $15 million. He has never
creative process. In a way, he says,
pretended to have mass-market
he is like an old-time Hollywood
appeal, but apparently there is
boss looking for the next big hit.
a large enough following out
“The dream emanates from me
there that trusts him to deliver
but how to articulate the dream
products of quality and supe-
is big collaboration. I liken the
rior design. They like the fact,
production of a great residence
in other words, that his name is
or a great hotel to how a fi lm
attached to them.
used to be made. In the old days
“I don’t think it ever does
the studio head would think up
any harm in any business to feel
a story, hire a writer to write it
that there is someone there who
up, hire a director to direct the
cares about it. If you look at any
thing, hire the lighting and set
business, fashion being the most
designers and then the actors.
obvious, the aura, or the reality
The look and feel depends on
André Balazs – owner of a string of some of the most aesthetically thrilling hotels in America
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The lounge at Chateau Marmont: “There isn’t a surface there that is original...it is creating a fantasy that everything feels just authentic and just right” Image © Nikolas Koenig
how you assemble the team.”
Balazs is also hoping to
And he is obsessive about every
make a virtue out of the slightly
detail. A bathroom wall must
abandoned feel that falls over
be the right size to take the tiles
Lower Manhattan at nights and
he has chosen, so none of them
at weekends when the financial
has to be cut. That would spoil
workers have all gone. He has
everything.
built into William Beaver an
Both the Nouvel building
array of public spaces, from a 24-
and another recently completed
hour restaurant, to be overseen
residential building in SoHo, One
by Giorgio Deluca of Dean &
Kenmare Square, were originally
Deluca fame, to a screening room
conceived as hotels but Balazs
and nightclub, spa areas, squash
reconfigured them into apart-
court, small dog park and even a
ments after banks suddenly went
Jacuzzi with a glass bottom di-
cold on tourism after the 9/11
rectly above the main entrance.
terror attacks. The third will be
He agrees that once the place is
William Beaver House, the first
ready in 2008 it will offer almost
new from-the-ground-up luxury
as many leisure opportunities as
residential tower in the financial
a cruise ship.
district near Wall Street. At a
When I suggest that all that
third meeting, this time in his
is missing is an ice rink, he cries,
Puck Building office, Balazs does
“Damn it. You don’t mind if I
his pitch about the project, which
take that idea do you?” (I don’t
will offer more than 300 apart-
actually flatter myself that he
ments to buyers with $2 million
hadn’t thought of this before.
or so to spare. Partly, he says, it
But if he thus wants to flatter me,
has to go with the neighborhood,
I won’t object.) n
which, he says, reminds him of
76
SoHo 20 years ago. “It looks like
100Thousand Club would like
a film set down there. But it’s real
to thank David Usborne and The
and it has a grit. For those of us
Independent. Interview © 2007
who like urbanness there is noth-
Independent News and Media
ing like it.”
Limited.
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O, Canada According to property investment group Assetz, Canada recorded a 9.4 percent increase in average house prices last year – and it has been voted ‘best place to live’ several years running by the United Nations. Sarah Chambers knows why.
A
ccording to Martin Sadler of international property group Assetz International, Canada is on the way to becoming “one of the great year-round destinations”. There’s the skiing, of course, with a season that lasts from November until June (considerably longer than in Europe). But increasingly there’s the golf, the mountain trails, the fishing, the golf… you get the picture.
If you want a property here, however, better move quickly. Canada’s
two largest real estate companies issued reports about recreational properties only last month, and while bargains can still be found for those willing to travel and buy seasonal properties, prices are climbing in most parts of the country.
Author SARAH CHAMBERS
The 2007 Re/Max Recreational Property Report says starting prices for waterfront properties are more than $500,000 in 31 percent of the recreational
Ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon, relax at night
property markets, and that only seven markets offer waterfront properties starting at less than $250,000. Re/Max says aging baby boomers, which represent about one-third of Canada’s population and control 45 percent of its wealth, are driving the recreational property market. Some are preparing for their re-
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tirement years, while others are looking for a
fractional ownership projects are also gaining in
second home in which to spend time with
popularity, and even land-lease properties are gar-
family and friends.
nering attention, says Re/Max.
“Baby boomers are investing in the future –
Another reason why Canada’s cottage mar-
both from a lifestyle perspective and an eco-
kets are booming is because of an influx of pur-
nomic standpoint,” says Eldon Ash, regional di-
chasers from the United States, Europe, and
rector at Re/Max of Western Canada.
Australia. 46 percent of the markets surveyed
“Tremendous equity gains have been realized in
have foreign investors buying there.
recent years as demand for recreational proper-
“Compared to similar properties in the
ties across the country swells. Given the aging
US and overseas, we are extremely competi-
of the population, this trend is expected to con-
tive,” says Polzler. “In coveted recreational
tinue for at least the next five to 10 years as baby
property areas throughout the US, waterfront
boomers move through the cycle.”
prices in the double-digit million-dollar
A Royal LePage report lists some of the hottest cottage areas in Canada, including the Moore Point area in Ontario, where cottages cost up to $3 million; Chester, N.S., which has top-end properties for $1.5 million; and Okanagan Lake in Kelowna, B.C, where small waterfront condos start at $500,000 and year-round waterfront properties range from $1 million to $5 million. Royal LePage says the big attraction in Kelowna is the recreational lifestyle and the climate. “For example, in April you can ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon and be cruising in your boat at the early evening – all in the same day,” says the report. “It’s been said that money made in stocks and bonds typically works its way into real estate,” says Michael Polzler, executive vice-president for Re/Max Ontario, Atlantic Canada. “This year is a prime example, as economic performance and stock market profits have propped up activity in most Canadian markets. The boomer attitude is go big or stay home.” Re/Max says that some of the other most expensive markets include Invermere, B.C., starting at $2.5 million; Whistler, B.C. at $1.1 million; the Bala and Port Carling areas in Ontario’s cottage country, starting at $500,000; and the Port Elgin/Kincardine/Goderich area of Ontario, starting at $400,000. The report says that purchasers who can’t afford the most popular areas are opting for smaller lakes and riverfront properties. Timeshare and 80
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range are quite commonplace.”
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Business not pleasure? Looking at Canadian recreational property for investment purposes? Chad Horowitz checks out the hotspots. oyal LePage lists George’s Lake, Newfoundland, on the western part of
And those are just works on paper. The real action, and where the Core
the province and a 20-minute drive from Cornerbrook, as “the ideal
sensibility resonates the most is at the weekly cultural programs such as Core
spot for cottage goers seeking affordable waterfront property. Prices
Films that gathers members in a cushy three-bandshell theater with banks of
R
range from $75,000 to $90,000 for a seasonal 50-year-old waterfront cottage.”
large seats (or small sofas).
Molega Lake in Nova Scotia offers cottages in the $120,000 to $140,000
The 60-person screening room is but one of a collection of jaw dropping
range. For that you can get a standard two-bedroom waterfront cottage on an
spaces in the five-story venue. A restaurant by Craft boasts dramatic private
acre of land. The lake is 90 minutes from Halifax.
and public spaces, the lounge and bar host a stunning oversized blown glass
In Quebec, your best bet is Lake Selby, an hour’s drive from Montreal, which
chandelier, a fitness center and spa are clean, warm and modern. Honey-col-
offers a 1,000 sq. ft. waterfront cottage for $250,000. Large motorized water
ored die-cut wood paneling weave through the rooms. It’s all the world of
vehicles are not allowed on the lake.
Stonely Pelsinki Architects Neukomm (SPaN), a New York firm that counts
In the Rideau Lakes area of Ontario, $150,000 to $250,000 will get a
Calvin Klein among its clients. Their architectural coups – corrugated walls,
1,000 sq. ft. waterfront cottage, one hour from Ottawa. Royal LePage says some
a staircase that slices through floors and folds to become a bench – appear
islands in the Honey Harbour area are also available at $250,000. “Typically,
throughout. For the club’s interior elements, SPaN worked with Studio Sofield
the most affordable cottages feature 100 feet of waterfront, are usually quite
on custom furniture designs in sumptuous textiles. The total effect is a time-
rustic and are non-winterized,” says the company.
less, inviting, and a freshly modern take on a hideaway studded with world-
Starting prices across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are around $250,000. In B.C., Royal LePage says the best bargain is at Stack Lakes, in the
class art (think Hirst, Warhol, De Kooning). It’s no wonder it graced the cover of Interior Design.
Bridge Lake area, where properties start in the $200,000 to $250,000 range.
On Core Forums, members sound off on topical events, and Core Recom-
A sexy destination filled with A-listers is the backbone to a scheme by
mends is a veritable Zagat to lifestyle. Need a driver in Milan? Tap into the travel
Saunders to create a globe-encompassing socially motivated think tank, of
forum. Or unload a few bottles of Mouton Rothschild on the Exchange page.
sorts. Conversations, connections, and chance meetings could take place not
(Recently the “other” category offered ownership of the original Batmobile.)
only in the 55th Street space, but also anywhere in the world, at Core-spon-
There is, of course, no substitute for human contact, for buying someone
sored cultural events, and most often, over the internet, where neither traffic,
a drink, for a precious earful of overheard conversation (especially among this
nor time zones can stop the flow of ideas from member to member. Zoom out
crowd). And with all that in mind, and more still, Saunders is scouting locales
and members see The Core Experience, but in the day-to-day, they’re simply
with Core potential. LA is a strong contender; then again, recommendations for
living life, edited.
the best burger on the PCH are only a click away anyway.
100 Thousand Club
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE Sexy Murcielago
SEXY Following its triumphant debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2006, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 has been taking the world’s
MURCIELAGO
roads by storm. The new version of this highly successful super-sports car features considerable innovations in terms of body design and mechanics. LP640 refers to its engine position – Longitudinale Posteriore – and to its power: 640 hp. That gives this devilishly handsome roadster a 0-100 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 330 km/h. Designers and engineers have not only focused on reworking the engine, suspensions, gearbox, exhaust system, brakes and electronics, but also the interior and exterior design; improvements that make the Murciélago LP 640 the most extreme and fastest sports car in its class. For those wishing to flaunt the heart of their Murciélago LP640, an engine hood made of transparent glass can be supplied. The only problem you’ll have is trying to drive and look at the engine at the same time.n www.lamborghini.com
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> The 12-cylinder 640 hp
producing engine at the heart of the stunning LP640 Roadster – more refined and more powerful than ever before
OBJECTS OF DESIRE
> The body of the Murciélago
LP640 with its characteristic scissor doors is created from the prized union of sheet steel and honeycombed carbon fibre, glued and riveted together. Lamborghini promise “frame and chassis in perfect harmony”
< The fully customizable
cockpit is more spacious and the seats now ensure better comfort. The leather upholstery features some very stylish lozenge-shaped stitching
100 Thousand Club
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Miami’s Art Deco district plays host to this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach
Author JOAQUIM MARTINS
Art Basel is more than a sales opportunity, it’s buying as Bacchanalia.
A
s Guy Trebay opined in his article ‘An
and social highlight (especially this year,
Art Costco for Billionaires’: “It is
Keller’s last. He’s accepted a role as head of the
challenging trying to get a rise out of
Beyeler Foundation in spring 2008).
a crowd so aesthetically jaded that its
idea of a shocking performance is an artist ar-
What makes Art Basel in Basel and Miami
else shooting a dog (Tom Otterness), crawling
so special? “All the expert curators and collec-
into a cage with a live coyote (Joseph Beuys) or
tors agree that this fair is extraordinary when it
building a realistic sculpture of a man having
comes to quality,” says Keller, a sunny man who
carnal relations with a barnyard animal (Paul
teams beautifully cut suits with uptown sneak-
McCarthy).” Art Basel makes it look effortless.
ers. “Every year everyone thinks that the level
As you read this, Art 38 Basel is taking place (June 13-17 in Messe Basel, the Swiss Exhibi-
Amy O’Neill, Old Woman’s Shoe, Gallitzin/ PA, Photographed by Jason Fulford, 2007 (Courtesy Blancpain Art Contemporain, Genève)
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100 Thousand Club
An extraordinary event
ranging to have himself shot (Chris Burden) or
cannot get any higher…and every year everyone is surprised – us included.”
tion Center). The New York Times has called
This is not, however, an art fair with any
it the “Olympics of the Art World”, and with
connotations of bargain basement. “The prices
300 leading art galleries from 30 countries on
are high but so is the quality, so they [the art-
all continents, it’s easy to see why.
works] are still being sold – even the works that
The art world is fraught with conflict and
cost several million dollars,” Keller explains.
intrigue, but on one thing we’re all agreed: Art
“Even complicated things that we’re showing at
Basel is the world’s premier modern and con-
Art Unlimited – large installations – are sold.”
temporary art fair. It’s such an established brand that Samuel Keller, the event’s director,
Miami heat
was able to open a second Art Basel in Miami a
On the opening day of last year’s Art Basel
few years ago because, as my favorite rumor has
Miami Beach, Norman Braman, the prominent
it, the international art world had nothing to
Florida philanthropist and businessman, who
do in winter. It is now the most important art
chairs the host committee, said that it was the
show on the American continent and a cultural
city’s privilege to be hosting the Super Bowl in
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Julian Opie, Ruth Smoking 3, 2006, Edition of 50, 121 x 80 cm (Courtesy Alan Cristea Gallery, London)
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Clockwise from top left: Tim Rollins and K.O.S., Mass in a time of war – Gloria (after Haydn), 2005/ 06, 116.8 x 157.5 cm (Courtesy Galleria Raucci/ Santamaria, Napoli) Paul McCarthy, Santa with Butt Plug (Large), 2002, 609 x 280 x 240 cm, edition of 3 (Courtesy Hauser & Wirth Zürich, Zürich) Erwin Wurm, UFO, 2006 (Courtesy Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Galerie Aurel Scheibler, Cologne) Andy Warhol, Repent and Sin No More!, 1985/1986, 203.2 x 182.9 cm (Courtesy Thomas Ammann Fine Art AG, Zürich)
88
a few weeks, but this was almost as big a deal:
Miami keep discreet about the total volume of
one that is not debated at senior management
“In fact, you could say it is the Super Bowl of
trading. Keller says it is impossible to keep ac-
level”. It took some 3,500 clients to the fair.
art fairs”.
curate track of dealers’ activities. But do the
Were they all there for the art? Karl
In truth, even this could be read as under-
math: the price tags on the market stalls run
Schweizer, the company’s head of art banking,
statement. According to the private aircraft com-
into the millions of dollars. There are museum-
concedes that art collecting has become a con-
pany NetJets, more than 200 flights were
quality Picassos, which don’t come cheap. And
stituent part of a certain lifestyle: “Here in
chartered to bring customers to Art Basel Miami
Keller points out that 99 percent of the galleries
Miami, it is not just the fair, it is the whole
Beach, which is actually more than for the Super
reapply to take part in Miami Basel every year,
package, the atmosphere, the climate, eating
Bowl and second only, in this shameless hierar-
which he says is the ultimate performance in-
under the palm trees, the swimming pools.”
chy of jet-set event management, to Oscar night.
dicator of a successful market.
It has been part of Sam Keller’s shrewdness
All week, millionaires lined the pools,
Miami Basel’s principal sponsor is the fi-
to recognize that link between art and lifestyle
beaches and fashionably austere hotel lobbies
nancial services group UBS, whose sponsorship
and play on it. Quite apart from a dozen alter-
of Miami Beach to do business. How much is it
of art is, according to its head of wealth man-
native fairs that have sprung up all round the
all worth? Unlike other art fairs, both Basel and
agement in the US, Marten Hoekstra, “the only
city, the main fair at Miami Basel was also com-
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plemented by a series of outside events that Keller characterizes as an “ecosystem”: a free concert on the beach (“Art Loves Music”); a screening of Easy Rider, introduced by its director and famed art collector Dennis Hopper (“Art Loves Film”); a street party in the city’s Design District (“Art Loves Design”). Art loves everybody in Miami, and the affection is reciprocated by partying punters who are happy to think their pleasure-seeking is allied to a higher purpose. There are, says Schweizer, various sectors of the market represented at Art Basel: traditional old money, interested in Old Masters and antiques; the wealthy, established entrepreneurial class, attracted by the modern classics that still fetch the highest prices; and now the new wealthy classes, typified by hedge fund managers, drawn to the freshness, glamour and irreverence of the very new. Tomas Saraceno, (detail) endless big (from the Uyuni series), 2006, 180 x 120 cm (Courtesy Andersen_S, Copenhagen)
The new millionaires, produced by strong wealth growth in the US, Asia and Europe, “want to be involved in contemporary issues, especially art”, says Schweizer. And art has correspondingly learnt to ease itself from its elitist, high culture position to sit alongside the popular culture art forms of music and cinema. There are the odd voices of dissent, people who want their fairs to be stealthy and their art quiet. They think that Art Basel perpetuates a lifestyle and not a deep love of art. They should shut up. Keller’s done a great job in popularizing a tricky process. Art and patronage are longterm bedfellows but their relationship changes. This is the latest – and by some way the most fun – incarnation. Long may it last.
T H E D E TA I L S What: Art Basel Miami Beach Where: Sites are located in the Art Deco District When: December 6-9, 2007 This year: An exclusive selection of 200 leading art galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia will exhibit 20th and 21st century art works by over 1500 artists. Special exhiSamuel Keller, director of Art Basel: “Every year everyone thinks that the level cannot get any higher…and every year everyone is surprised – us included.”
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bitions will feature young galleries and video art.
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DESIGN IS WHAT DESIGN DOES
Your couch may be the latest in furniture couture, but if sitting on it makes you miserable, it’s time to change your designer. Julia Puppe talks with furniture store scion Eric Villency about the good, the bad and the fugly.
B
Eric Villency: furniture store scion, ex-Gucci model and urban artisan Image © Martynka Wawrzyniak
orn into a family of
instead – pieces he loved that
artists, Eric Villency’s
weren’t selling.
life
brimmed
Villency’s house has an ever-
with creativity. His
has
changing interior of natural ma-
grandfather, Maurice Villency,
terials
and father Robert began design-
peppered with his collection of
ing furniture in New York in
mid-century furniture. His fa-
1932. Some 50 years later, six-
vorite, an Arne Jacobsen Egg
year-old Eric chased people
Chair, is an original prototype re-
around the warehouse with a nail
upholstered in a mink. “It’s an
gun, playing with furniture like
over-the-top, unbelievable piece
other children play with toys.
that I can’t really sit on because
and
warm
woods,
He may have got older – and
the material isn’t practical. But
the toys more expensive – but he
it’s just a decadent, gorgeous,
hasn’t changed: “When you live
beautiful, classic design, which is
in New York, you don’t get a
kind of me.”
chance to drive much because
At home, Villency’s favorite
traffic is dreadful. So to have a
pieces may be forgiven their cre-
bunch of cars in the garage is not
ative uselessness. At work the
exciting.” Peek in his and you’ll
furniture store junior embraces
find some of his design failures
practicality. No matter how ele100 Thousand Club
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Design is What Design Does PROPERTY
Sophisticated design and contemporary architecture combine to winning effect in Villency’s unique flagship store on 57th street in Manhattan
gant his high-end furniture
clear and frosted glass frame the
going into finance – and went to
looks, if it’s not comfortable and
furniture on display.
study business at the University
durable, it won’t sell in any of his
Maurice Villency has come a
stores. “It’s the perfect balance
long way. Eric Villency has com-
Villency also came across
of form and function. That’s
pletely changed the company’s
modeling; or rather, modeling
what represents the best of de-
look and feel, giving it a fashion-
came across him. While going for
sign.”
forward aesthetic – but his in-
a run, Eric was spotted by a pho-
Sophisticated
design
of Wisconsin.
and
volvement very nearly didn’t
tographer who asked whether he
contemporary architecture com-
happen. When he left school,
wanted to be in an ad. “I said
bines to winning effect in Vil-
Villency wasn’t keen on going
‘sure’,” laughs Villency, and a year
lency’s unique flagship store on
into the family business. In
living in Italy was his reward (it’s
57th street in Manhattan, a full
search of his own identity, he
tough being handsome). He also
city block with a (primarily)
“succumbed” to peer-pressure –
got his first taste of how to com-
translucent façade. Windows of
most of his classmates were
bine creativity and commerce. 100 Thousand Club
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“When there’s a photo shoot,
didn’t like it. “I thought it would
“That was a pretty progressive
there’s an art director, there are
be good to explore it and at least
way to introduce me into the
photographers, and make-up
learn about it. But what I really
company. I learned how to de-
artists. They are creating a prod-
learned was what I didn’t want to
sign furniture just like a con-
uct, and they’re all being paid.
do. I need to be creative. And then
tractor, carpenter or plumber
There’s budgets and time tables –
I started spending a lot of time
learn their jobs. They don’t go to
and that was a valuable experi-
with my father…”
school, they learn by doing it. I
ence for me because I got to see what goes into production.” Maurice Villency has come a long way. Eric Villency has completely changed the company’s look and feel: “The most inspiring thing is to take designs from different disciplines and reinterpret them”
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Dad taught him furniture the hard way, beginning at the
had a real practical immersion in design.”
Six months after graduation,
beginning with: it’s heavy. For
As a result, Villency loves de-
Villency waved goodbye to Calvin
five months, Villency was un-
sign, and as the host of iDesign
Klein and the glamorous world of
loading trucks at 5:00 a.m. Then
he gets to speak about it to a na-
fashion and beauty to get on with
Dad made him do everyone’s job
tion he believes is not showing
his career. He tried finance, but
in the company for up to a week.
the same love and appreciation.
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PROPERTY Design is What Design Does
When you worked as a model, what fascinated you about the fashion industry? Seeing the business aspect. I had always been around people who were creative, but not necessarily saw that there’s a real economic component to it. It’s a business, and I think that’s the challenge. When you’re doing anything creatively it can never be pure art. At the end of the day, there needs to be that practicality. If you are going to convince someone to pay money for it, it needs some meat there, and it’s not just your own.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Would you describe yourself as a hands-on designer or are you more involved in the management side of the company?
I’m involved in both. That’s the challenge. When I wasn’t responsible for the overall company, I got to spend a lot more time designing and being involved with the creative direction of the company. That’s something that I love. As the president, I have to be much more involved in the actual running of the company. That’s not something my personality tends to gravitate towards. That’s not the sexy, fun part of the business. Part of me wishes I could spend my
A CONVERSATION
whole day in the design shop.
How has the design world changed since the days of your grandfather?
The big thing is technology. It’s computers and the materials available. There are designs that I found from my grandfather’s scrapbook that he just couldn’t build structurally and because he didn’t have materials like carbon fiber or some of the materials where you can have cantilevered designs. That’s the nature of design, it keeps evolving.
Contemporary design needs to move the ball forward and needs to change – it needs to not just dwell on the past. It needs to explore new things.
Who do you consider to be the tastemakers in the design industry?
WITH ERIC VILLENCY
There are so many brilliant people working today, but I love Tadao Ando. He’s a brilliant architect, and he’s not classically trained, which shows that you can be creatively successful without having that classical background. Zaha Hadid is great. She has done fantastic theoretical work that’s taking design in a new direction. The Bouroullec brothers are really inspired. And Yves Behar, he does many different projects in many different areas, showing how many different disciplines you can enter as a designer. Fuse Project is his company, and he does furniture, industrial design, backpacks, shoes – it shows how many different worlds you can touch.
What next?
I’ve launched a new production facility called the Villency Atelier program. The way this company started was that you walked into my grandfather’s workshop, his “atelier.” You’d sit down, he’d pour you a glass of Scotch, start sketching things and custom make a piece for you. I was really drawn to this idea. So now you can come in to our Atelier with a sketch or a photo of any piece you like, and we’ll build it exactly the way you want. You can sit on the prototypes and be involved in the process. It’s really like having your own private design workshop.
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PROPERTY
In an effort to raise design-con-
take it and throw it on paper, can
towers designed by Richard
sciousness amongst his fellow
now be a wallpaper design. You
Meier). Or the Patek Philippe he
Americans, he has lectured at FIT
can cross all the different disci-
bought himself for his 30th
and MIT Sloan School of Man-
plines, and it’s never been easier.
birthday. “It’s handmade. The
agement.
The most inspiring thing is to
whole craft of it and the quality,
Villency keeps his own cul-
take designs from different disci-
for me that’s something I re-
tural awareness high with regular
plines and reinterpret them,” he
spond to, that I love. Even if I’m
trips to London, Milan, and
says with passion.
buying a baby toy for my son
Tokyo. He is inspired by the
This same passion for design
Ronan, I just can’t ever let it go. I
things he sees: a particular kind
– for quality and thought – comes
care that it has good design in it.”
of fabric, a detail from fashion,
out when he talks about his fa-
And so even the crib little Ronan
from interior design or architec-
vorite eatery in town (Perry St., in
sleeps in is a Maurice Villency,
ture. “An industrial design, if you
one of the sparely elegant glass
custom-made by the president himself. In an era of mass production, Villency is reawaking the spirit that started his company 75 years ago. His latest project, Villency Atelier, is all about being in the workshop and interacting with engineers, designers and craftspeople – people who will build whatever you conceive. “This is dedicated to high-quality craftsmanship, and being able to execute any design problem.” It’s a fitting point on which to end our discussion. Villency has to rush off to the airport with his family – wife Kimberly Guilfoyle, former prosecutor and anchor of The Lineup, and son Ronan. It is Memorial Day weekend, the couple’s anniversary, which they are due to spend at Cap Juluca in Anguilla. “We’ve been going a lot to island destinations. Places like St. Barts sometimes feel like you’re in a suburb of New York because you run into so many people you know and there’s so much nightlife. We live such hectic lives that we really like to relax and slow down. Anguilla is great because it has nice restaurants, it’s quiet, but it’s still a nice luxury experience.” And for once, Eric doesn’t even mention the word design. 100 Thousand Club
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T
raditional “voluntourism” is hard work. Nobody doubts the rewards, but as a vacation? Thankfully, David Chamberlain has given the matter some thought – some, deep, soul-searching thought. And he’s come up with Exquisite Safaris. A private luxury tour company that creates the extravagant itinerary of your choice (expect to pay about $1,500 to $2,000
per person, per day) in such locales as Kenya, Vietnam, and Peru, Exquisite Safaris aims to “facilitate your international philanthropic family legacy”. The company promises to “personally transform” traveler and host while creating sustainability. It does this by tailoring a humanitarian element to your trip. For example, in between watching cheetahs on the plains of the Serengeti and getting pamperedwithspatreatments,youmayspendamorningteachingkidshowtoread. “Voluntourism is for people with more time than money,” says Exquisite founder David Chamberlain. “Our trips are for those who have it the other way around.
Feel Good Travel Forget textbook “voluntourism”, where your conscience is exorcised through hard exercise, and book yourself an exquisite experience. Author ROBERT ADDAMS
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TRAVEL
“All we ask is that you be willing to commit at least morning or af-
and they received the blessings of the village elders. And her children
ternoon during your next luxury travel experience with the intent to
met the village’s children who, for the first time, could attend school.”
meet some of the most inspirational and culturally diverse people in
In addition, Chamberlain is fully committed to providing these hol-
the world.”
idays with the minimum environmental impact. “Local people in many
Though time spent in the trenches can be minimal, participants
of the most exotic destinations we visit are occupied fully with their
are frequently transformed. “We spent a week in the slums of
family’s daily survival and don’t have the bandwidth to consider the
Nairobi where we bought bags of rice and delivered them to or-
merits of eco-travel. We believe that seeding sustainable humanitarian
phanages, then we visited Tanzania where we saw 300,000 wilde-
projects that enable people to get beyond the daily march for survival
beests,” says Tom Dowd, CEO of industrial chemical company
is a prerequisite to conserving the environment.
Dowd and Guild Inc. Since his trip, Dowd has made significant contributions to relief organizations. Another client asked what could be done with a $10,000 donation in Zambia, a destination she wanted to visit with her family. “We suggested building a primary school,” says Chamberlain. “Nine months later, she brought her family to celebrate the opening of the school
“We are open to suggestions toward making the Exquisite Safaris experience more environmentally sound and we will utilize new methods, technology and eco-friendly accommodations as they become available.” Philanthropy and enjoyment in a low-impact package? All holidays should be like this.
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Cartella Bella DPSAD newpic:21MAY
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Beach
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Golf in just about any location Be on your own
Relax at
Private Island
Country Vineyards or in Big Cities
PO Box 7374, Ventura, CA93006
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ST LUCIA new txt:25APR07
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TRAVEL Virgin Island
Virgin Island 100Thousand Club’s Eric Lim on his favorite Caribbean destination: the glorious and gloriously unspoilt St. Lucia.
S
t. Lucia is a miracle. How has this small island – boasting some of the world’s finest resorts and best beaches – become one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean and yet, somehow, remained as I found it some 20 years ago: glorious,
low-key, unspoilt by mass tourism and with a thriving local community? St. Lucia’s glowering, towering mountain range that reaches half a mile into the sky, should have been its downfall. As anybody with half a brain in marketing will tell you (and forgive me if I sound like Bob Hope, but anybody in marketing has half a brain), people need pictures. The Pitons are St. Lucia incarnate: proud, vibrant, sun-kissed, lush. St. Lucia more than lives up to the paradisal Caribbean stereotype: a glorious mix of honey-sand beaches, translucent waters sheltering reefs swarming with tropical fish, verdant interior rainforests and a thriving culture that encompasses literature and theatre as well as music and dance.
St. Lucia still has a thriving local community and a strong sense of its own culture
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A View With A Room
Taking full advantage of its spectacular natural surroundings, Ladera offers a unique design in guest accommodations. Modeled on luxury tree-house living and a relaxed, barefoot lifestyle, the 6 villa suites and 21 suites were intentionally built without a fourth wall, yet were designed to be both sheltered and completely private. The design affords spectacular views of the Caribbean and unobstructed star gazing at night. Every accommodation features its own private plunge pool or villa swimming pool. Dasheene, Ladera’s restaurant, is noted throughout the Caribbean for its innovative kitchen and creative renderings of island cuisine. Dasheene’s menu is based on native ingredients and relies on the local bounty for its fresh, innovative take on West Indian dishes. Ladera has been at the forefront of St. Lucia’s “sustainable cooking” movement to encourage other local restaurants to use their native produce and products and to claim Caribbean cooking’s rightful place in World Cuisine.
www.ladera.com
Undeniably, one of Ladera’s most beautiful assets is it’s people. The dedicated 110 person staff are pleased to go above and beyond to make sure that your stay at Ladera is the experience you'd expect from the St. Lucia’s premiere resort hotel. For Ladera reservations, please call Ladera directly at toll free 866-290-0978 or visit our website www.ladera.com.
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Virgin Island TRAVEL
However, in contrast to other islands in the
If you’d rather take advantage of the
region, where the tourism infrastructure has
more established tourist facilities, those that
been steadily expanding since the 1960s, St.
do exist are splendidly high-end, with luxury
Lucia has only recently begun to attract visi-
hotels, world-class restaurants and large
tors in any number. As a result, tourism has
duty-free malls to indulge in the odd shop-
a much lower profile here, and this low-key
ping spree.
feel is one of the island’s biggest assets. With
Still, the best vacations shoot for a range of
little of the jaded hustle that can mar more
experiences, and there’s really no reason not to:
established Caribbean destinations, you’ll
St. Lucia’s 616 square kilometers are ripe for
find St. Lucia a relaxed, informal and incred-
exploration, and though a car is the optimum
ibly friendly place to visit, especially if you
way to get around, bus links to most areas are
venture out of the heavily touristed enclaves
good and taxis are always available.
in and around Rodney Bay and take the time
Watching giant leatherback turtles lay-
to explore Marigot Bay, Soufrière and – even
ing eggs by moonlight on Grande Anse
more authentic – the small villages of the At-
beach – the season starts in March – is a re-
lantic coast and the south.
markable spectacle.
Here, you’ll find plenty of inexpensive, no-
If it is beaches you’re after, you’ll proba-
frills guesthouses, roadside dining establish-
bly head first to the tourism strongholds of
ments and open-air village markets. This side
the northwest coast, where scores of hotels
of the island is also especially good for hiking.
and restaurants are clustered in Rodney Bay and on the stretch between that village and Gros Islet. Reef-fringed swaths of white sand along this stretch of coastline justify its ‘Golden Mile’ nickname. South of Rodney Bay, the bustling capital of Castries is also worth visiting, with its grassy town square named after St. Lucia’s Nobel Prize-winning author Derek Walcott, and a clamorous, colorful market that provides vivid insight into everyday island life. These days, visitors are gravitating more and more to the south of the island, where the pace is slower and the bays are lined with brightly painted fishing boats rather than the garish concrete of resort hotels. With a deepwater harbor framed by St. Lucia’s best-known landmark – the aforementioned Pitons – the attractive, laid-back town of Soufrière boasts gorgeous colonial architecture as well as unusual stretches of dark grey-brown volcanic sand. A fusion of French, British and African traditions, St. Lucia’s Creole culture is an intriguing mix: while the official language is English, the lingua franca is a mellifluous,
The more established tourist facilities are splendid – with luxury hotels, world-class restaurants and large duty-free malls. Or you can relax on your balcony overlooking the cool turquoise sea
French-based Patois that employs African vocabulary and structures. Similarly, the local cuisine blends French traditions with island ingredients, focusing on local seafood and root crops originally imported from Africa on slave ships. 100 Thousand Club
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TRAVEL Virgin Island
St. Lucia’s 616 square kilometers are ripe for exploration or relaxation
However, the most conspicuous – and exciting – expressions of St Lucia’s culture are its festivals, Christian in origin but African in character. Carnival is by far the biggest event, a colorful, animated round of frenetic parties, calypso contests and parades of revelers decked out in wild costumes portraying spirits and devils – probably most exuberantly celebrated in the Castries area. If you’re not lucky enough to be in St Lucia for Carnival, or for the more intimate summer saints’ festivals, you haven’t entirely missed out. The St Lucian propensity for partying is indulged each Friday when the tiny village of Gros Islet is overtaken by a classic West Indian ‘jump-up’, a street party where tourists and locals alike descend for a night of eating, drinking and dancing under the stars. 108
100 Thousand Club
WHEN TO GO For many visitors, St. Lucia’s biggest attraction is its tropical climate. During the mid-December to mid-April high season, the island is pleasantly hot, with little rain and constant northeasterly trade winds keeping the nights cool. Temperatures rise during the summer months, which can also be wet: the rainy season lasts from June to October, and during this time, short, heavy bursts of rain are matched by an increase in humidity; rainfall is nearly three times heavier in the central rainforests than along the coast. The rainy months also coincide with the hurricane season, which runs roughly from late August to October.
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TRAVEL 36 Hours in Montréal
36 Hours in Montréal
ARRIVAL
CHECK-IN
LUNCH
Don’t concern yourself with lug-
Take the Terrace Apartment
A true favorite of Montréalers,
Montréal offers serious shop-
gage. Universal Express (www.virtu-
Suite with private access via guest el-
Ferreira Café (1446 Rue Peel, 514-
ping, from chic to antique. Rue
albellhop.com) will come to your
evator at Hotel Le-St James (355 Rue
848-0988) was awarded the 1997
Sherbrooke is home to Holt Ren-
door and whisk your Vuitton
St. Jacques, 514-841-3111). Its wrap-
Grand prix by Commerce Design
frew (1300 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest,
straight to the hotel – so you can
around terrace offers up the Mon-
Montréal. This ambassador for Por-
514-842-5111), where Giorgio Ar-
step onboard your chartered JetDi-
tréal
stunning
tuguese cuisine boasts a fabulous
mani, Prada, Gucci, and Chanel are
rect (www.jetdirect.net) flight and
panorama. Luxury Bruno Richard
decor and many delicacies, includ-
displayed with solemn tastefulness.
step off at Pierre Elliott Trudeau In-
linens will draw you to the bedroom.
ing customers’ choice, the mixed
Rare gemstones and beautifully
ternational Airport, where Hotel Le
No bad thing.
cityscape
in
meat grill of quail, chouriço and
worked gold and platinum are on
St-James’s private chauffeur is await-
Also in the heart of old Mon-
lamb chops with Pont Neuf pota-
display at Kaufmann de Suisse
ing your arrival. Travel in the hotel’s
tréal, with its winding roads and
toes. But you’ve a busy afternoon
(2195 Crescent Street, 514-848-
limited edition Rolls-Royce Phan-
classic charm, is Le Place D’Armes
ahead, so resist the temptation and
0595). Also in the neighborhood is
tom, Maybach 57S or Bentley Con-
(55 Rue St. Jacques West, 514-842-
go for a lighter option: Chef
one of the most prominent Cana-
tinental GT, and arrive in style.
1887), a stunning boutique hotel
Marino Tavares’s own selection, the
dian designers of his generation,
created from three 19th century her-
Cataplana de poisons et fruit de
Vietnam born Andy Thê-Anh (120
itage buildings. The Balcony Suite
mer à la Portugaise.
De la Montagne, 514-842-4208),
with towering brick walls, chocolate
known for his impeccable suits,
brown wood and tan leather furni-
ultra-feminine blouses and drop-
ture offers a charming view of an-
dead gorgeous dresses.
cient Saint-Jacques Street.
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SHOPPING
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TRAVEL
French has long been the langue d’amour, but you don’t need to go to France (again) for a romantic getaway. Montréal is the world’s second largest French-speaking city, after Paris, and it glows with as much vitality and excitement as any European capital. 36 hours of joie de vivre guaranteed.
S PA
DRINKS
D IN N ER
GAMBLING
Tired from shopping or just in
Devote yourself to the sinful
Montréal is a city of festivals,
Lit up like a jewel at night,
need of a little spoiling: Rainspa
pleasures of fine wine and cham-
a tradition that peaks with the In-
Casino de Montréal (1 Avenue
(55 Rue St. Jacques West, 514-282-
pagne. Choose your aperitif from
ternational Fireworks Festival in
du Casino Montréal, 514-392-
2727) inside Le Place D’Armes
over 500 entries on the wine list of
July, when every Saturday at
2746) on the Ile Notre-Dame is
sooths and calms your aching
BU Wine Bar (5245 Boulevard St-
10:00 p.m. you can watch one of
the largest in Quebec and among
muscles with the warm, fragrant
Laurent, 514-276-0249) and admire
the world’s best fireworks dis-
the ten largest in the world in
vapors of Montréal’s first ham-
the award-winning minimal interior,
plays. Dine on the stunning
terms of gaming equipment. Ex-
mam, a Turkish-inspired steam
designed by Machin-Machine. Or if
rooftop terrace of Les Remparts
cellent live entertainment, un-
bath. Or take the elevator down to
you prefer warm earth tones, rich
(93 Rue de la Commune Est, 514-
countable slot machines and
Spa St. James (2190 Crescent
woods and comfortable furniture,
392-1649) and indulge in a seven-
gaming tables, a Keno lounge, a
Street, 514-844-4590), the old
Narcisse wine bar (97 Rue de la
course gastronomic dinner while
Royal Ascot electronic horse rac-
Merchants Bank vault, trans-
Commune Est, 514-876-0081) will
you watch the sky explode with
ing track, and a high-limits gam-
formed into a peaceful candlelit
dazzle you with a feel that is both
color over the old port and the St-
ing area. There’s even a lounge
setting for the ultimate relaxation
trendy and classic. Equally popular
Lawrence River. Or try Restau-
for the risk-averse.
experience. Pampering with a per-
are the mouth-watering martinis
rant Nuances (1 Avenue du
sonal touch is also available in
and amazing ambiance of Le Place
Casino Montréal, 514-392-2708)
your hotel room. Book an insinu-
D’Armes’ Suite 701 (55 Rue St.
with its interior of vivid colors,
ating oil massage and your treat-
Jacques West, 514-842-1887).
soft textures, inspired folly and
ment will continue even after your
tangible modern elegance.
massotherapist has left.
100 Thousand Club
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TRAVEL 36 Hours in Montréal
CLUBBING
B O AT I N G
D E PA R T U R E
Music, fashion shows, and art –
The simple, unfettered joy of a
Wake up after your lazy Sun-
Leave your luggage at the hotel
the Time Supper Club (997 Rue St.
lazy morning: drench away the
day Brunch with the Old Port’s
(Universal Express will take care of
Jaques, 514-392-9292) has it all.
morning-after fatigue in your
fastest attraction: speed boating
it) and enjoy the short, 20-minute
Montréal’s fashion royalty regularly
green Chinese marble bathroom at
(Lachine Rapids Jet Boat Tours,
chauffeured ride to the airport,
gathers at the club to party the
Le-St James then head for Le Mon-
514 284 9607). Go on an exhila-
where your JetDirect travel coordi-
night away in style, getting intimate
tréalais (900 Rene Levesque Blvd.,
rating ride through the wildest
nator has ensured that your plane
in the mezzanine level VIP salon.
514 954 2261), where a vast buffet
stretches of the Lachine Rapids
is prepared with all the fine food,
Another favorite with the interna-
is available alongside delicious
that will leave you wet and want-
beverages, entertainment options
tional elite is Club Opera (32 Rue
Italian pastries, a selection of
ing more. Less dramatic but more
and other amenities you prefer. Set-
St-Catherine West, 514-842-2836).
cheeses, and a harpist (if you’re re-
glamorous, why not explore the
tle back and relive those memories
Hosts such as Denis Rodman and
ally hungry). Or try Verses Restau-
St-Laurent seaway on a private
of la vie en rose.
some of the world’s best DJs rock
rant (100 Rue St. Paul West,
cruise onboard the Le St-James
the house until the early hours –
514-788-4000) with its large win-
yacht? Disappear in one of the
and late arrival back in your Suite.
dows opening onto Rue St. Paul,
Mangusta 80’s three bedrooms,
Pour some of the hotel’s courtesy
the jewel in old Montréal’s crown.
each with an Italian marble bath-
champagne on your terrace while
room, or sip a glass of champagne
you watch the sun rise over the
bathed in sunlight on the deck.
Jacques-Cartier bridge. The rest is between you and those Bruno Richard linens.
112
BRUNCH
100 Thousand Club
100KUS2_333 Sherbrooke
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TRAVEL Come Fly with Me The high-specification interior of a Dassault Falcon 50
COME FLY WITH ME… A private jet service that’s as flexible as your lifestyle. Sentient TravelCard Membership Becoming a Sentient TravelCard Member is remarkably simple:
S
entient Jet merged with JetDirect Aviation in April of this year, creating a full-service private aviation services company with
• Deposit funds and fly – choose between the Silver and Gold Membership levels • Call to book a flight – specify departure time and select size and category of jet • Membership account is debited – based on actual flight time
national infrastructure and the largest non-fractional fleet* of aircraft in the country, with more than 110 aircraft under man-
agement between the combined companies and their subsidiaries. What does this mean for you? It means extraordinary product flexibility and the combined companies’ continued commitment to service and safety.
Initial Deposit This is not a fee – all deposits are used entirely for flight hours and are fully refundable at any time:
The way to fly Sentient understands that no two trips are alike, which is why the company has pioneered a unique Membership Program that’s as flexible
• Silver Membership = $100,000 • Gold Membership = $250,000
as your lifestyle. “Members can choose from a light, mid or heavy jet for each individual trip,” says Steve Hankin, President and COO. “And they can book
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A Bombardier Challenger 601-3R – one of the many world-class private aircraft Members can access through the Sentient Program
flights with as little as 10 hours notice.” Sentient has guaranteed availability 365 days a year. “With no large up front capital investments, depreciating assets or acquisition costs, the Sentient Jet Program offers the ultimate in flexibility to those who fly privately,” says Hankin. “We are committed to providing our Members with a level of personalized service designed to make every flight an extraordinary experience.”
Preferred Plus Card Membership The Preferred Plus Card was designed for individuals and corporations who are able to make a commitment to a certain level of flying for a twelve-month period:
• Purchase price = $150,000. The card is valid for one year from the date of purchase and is non-refundable. Once depleted, Members can simply purchase a new one. • Preferred Plus Members fly exclusively on aircraft in Sentient’s Preferred category. Aircraft that are certified in Sentient’s Preferred category are comparable to the U.S. fractional fleet with an average age of approximately four years, and are never older than ten years. • Preferred Plus Members enjoy discounted hourly rates – approximately six percent less than TravelCard rates.
A high level of personalized service is designed to make every flight an extraordinary experience
*All flights are operated by FAR Part 135 air carriers (“Operators”), who shall maintain full Operational Control at all times. Operators providing service for the Sentient Jet Membership Program must meet both FAA safety requirements and additional safety standards established by Sentient Jet, Inc. Some flights will be operated by one of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of JetDirect Aviation Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Sentient Jet, Inc., each as an individual FAR Part 135 air carrier with full Operational Control and each operating in full compliance with all FAA requirements and Sentient safety standards.
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TRAVEL Travel Light
Travel Light Let somebody else carry your bags and they will arrive on time all the time, says Adam Clausen.
W
ith the recent heightened security at airports, long lines, delays, and lost luggage are now commonplace. Lost luggage has become so expected by customers that most find themselves mumbling “I knew it; I just knew I shouldn’t have checked my luggage”.
Unfortunately, many airlines haven’t found a solution to the problem, and
haven’t made any real plans to. While travelers are forced to wait long hours to board planes that have been delayed, airlines are struggling to make sure each customer’s luggage reaches the same destination as they do.
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Worldwide, lost luggage is a massive problem: approximately one bag is lost or misplaced every two minutes. Solutions to the problem haven’t been provided by the airlines, so Universal Express founder Richard Altomare came up with an idea so unique that it might just solve most or all of the problems faced in airports today. After hurting his back carrying luggage through an airport, Altomare decided that the traveler would benefit from a service that separated passengers from their luggage, making any trip easier from start to finish. In 1998, Altomare’s company Universal Express, introduced a luggage transportation business under the name Luggage Express. Most customers find it a delight – a service that will alleviate some of the stress that comes with traveling. With one simple call, Luggage Express will pick up a client’s luggage, golf clubs, skis, bicycles, strollers, and meeting materials and have them shipped to the final destination of choice. Luggage Express’ sister company, Virtual Bellhop, is strictly dedicated to cruise ship passen-
Negotiations are currently
Times, Readers’ Digest and thou-
gers, serving both Crystal Cruises
underway with airlines to offer
sands of others across the country,
and Windstar Cruises, to name a
the luggage service for free to
as well as aired commentaries and
few. Virtual Bellhop picks up a
first-class and business class pas-
interviews with CNBC, ABC, and
customer’s baggage prior to
sengers. After airline acceptance,
Business Now. Luggage Express
boarding a cruise ship and deliv-
lost luggage rates will decline as
will probably be recognized by
ers it directly to the cabin.
will delays associated with lug-
other media as it takes travel to
Luggage transportation serv-
gage at airports. Security lines
the next level – certainly that next
ices will redefine how people
will get shorter and the need for
level will be defined by Luggage
travel worldwide. Significant
the TSA to interfere with travel-
Express and its luggage trans-
benefits to the airlines exist,
ers in airports will decline. Fi-
portation services.
which include: customer satis-
nally, airports will run smoothly
faction, easier check-in, a secure
and the airline industry will be-
Adam Clausen is Senior Sales
alternative to curb-side check-in,
come profitable again.
Executive for Universal Express.
less congestion in the departure
Recently, Luggage Express
hall with less luggage to screen,
has gained public recognition
For more information visit
and it should minimize depar-
through print media such as, The
866SHIPBAGS.com or simply call
ture delays.
Wall Street Journal, New York
866-SHIP-BAGS.
“Luggage Express will probably be recognized by other media as it takes travel to the next level”
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The Ultimate Luxury Island Destination
Paradise Cost
David Stewart looks at the realities of vacation home ownership.
F
or many, the thought of owning a vacation home evokes an
to which you are accustomed – yet the price tag may meet or exceed the
image of carefree walks along windswept beaches, or perhaps
value of your primary residence. For a savvy investor, this might not be
cozy campfires along the shore. Whatever the reason, vaca-
such a hurdle; however, the dollar signs do not stop at the home’s price
tion home ownership has long been a popular venture among
tag, you will need to furnish the home too.
folks who appreciate a leisurely escape from increasingly hectic lives. To get away from it all, and disconnect from the pressures of everyday
Details
life can certainly be alluring. However, if you are thinking of joining
Then of course there are the recurring expenses such as utilities,
the ranks of vacation homeowners, there are a few things to consider
insurance, and taxes. While these costs are anticipated with vacation
before signing that deed.
home ownership, keep in mind that they entail additional responsibilities to stay on top of while you are not using your vacation property.
The price of escape Despite talks of real estate market volatility, quality vacation property remains at a premium. With the first segment of the baby boomer
This brings us to the logistics of vacation home ownership. A multitude of factors are involved in maintaining your vacation home, and a local property manager is a must have.
generation slated to retire within the next decade, we might see even greater competition for prime locations in the following years.
118
Unexpected events
While a bit of rustic flare can certainly add charm to your getaway,
Vacation properties are generally no more susceptible to catas-
you might find that your vacation home prospects lack the amenities
trophe than any other property. However, if a water main breaks and
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TRAVEL
Nestled along the turquoise waters of Turks and Caicos, The Somerset offers a refined lifestyle where timeless memories await. Every nuance of this multimillion-dollar resort has been gracefully executed and beautifully brought to life. As a recent inductee into the Condé Nast
infinity-edge pool, which seems to cascade
McGarrie brings a world of culinary exper-
Johansens’ luxury hotel guide for 2007 and
into the Atlantic itself. With lap currents, this
tise and Caribbean style. With clean white
one of the few select members of the Small
striking body of water invites you to refresh,
lines and mahogany finishes complementing
Luxury Hotels of the World, The Somerset
reinvigorate or relax as the waiter brings you
fresh island-inspired dishes, O’Soleil evokes
will fill your days and nights with the in-
a cool drink from the poolside bar.
the relaxed European elegance and charm
dulgence of five-star luxury. Recapture your
Enjoy some friendly competition on the
sense of paradise and play with an elegant
manicured croquet lawn or work off your
array of family-oriented amenities and per-
indulgences in the modern fitness center.
The perfect balance to O’Soleil’s mag-
sonal white glove services.
Sample the bounty of pursuits island holi-
nificent setting is the Pearl Lounge, named
that encompasses The Somerset’s enchanting surroundings.
At The Somerset, the opportunities are
days offer, including horseback riding on
for its exquisite mother-of-pearl inlaid bar
limitless — as are the family-friendly recre-
the beach, sailing, kayaking, snorkeling
top – ideal for lounging alfresco and enjoy-
ational luxuries. The silky white sands of
and diving.
ing specialty cocktails under the stars. At
the Grace Bay Beach provide stunning views
To the new, sophisticated atmosphere of
from every vantage point, especially the vast
O’Soleil Restaurant, Executive Chef Stephen
The Somerset, your every epicurean wish can be indulged. n
f loods your primary residence the problem is usually discovered
ingly popular among people who desire their own getaway, without the
right away.
hassles and headaches of solo ownership. If you’d rather be a vacationer than a property manager, options like fractional and destination club
The alternatives
vacation home ownership might be for you. n
If these pitfalls make you question your desire to be a vacation homeowner, be aware that there are other options. In recent years fractional
David Stewart is President of Choice Escapes and Cartella Bella
vacation home ownership and destination clubs have become increas-
Destination Clubs. 100 Thousand Club
Cartella Bella Ed P118,119 119
119
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Located on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and bordered by the Sea of Cortes to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West, Los Cabos combines a beautiful desert landscape with a startlingly rich marine environment. Author REBECCA GOOZEE
I
n the un-spoilt desert, sand dunes of epic proportions and stunning rock formations are littered with cactus and indigenous plants offering distinct colors and textures. Framed by miles of pristine, sandy beaches, the sparkling, crystal-clear waters are
full of teaming wildlife and are ripe for exploring the unique shipwrecks found here. The Sierra de la Laguna mountain range provides a spectacular backdrop to this unforgettable destination. Los Cabos consists of two small, but entirely different towns and the bit in between. San Jose del Cabo to the Northeast and Cabo San Lucas at the Southern tip bracket a twenty mile seacoast corridor offering exclusivity and perfectly placed luxury. Picturesque San Jose del Cabo represents the quieter, more historical and traditional side of Los Cabos with century-old adobe buildings, shady plazas and squares focused around the church built on the site of the original 18th century Jesuit mission. Cabo San Lucas, best known for its world famous rock formation ‘El Arco’, is a world away from San Jose. Fast paced and polished to perfection, San Lucas is a
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TRAVEL Mexican Jewel
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The stunning open air spa at Marquis Los Cabos
round-the-clock town with bustling shops, restaurants and nightclubs.
JEWEL
Beautiful luxury Francisco de Ulloa, Hernan Cortes’s navigator, came upon Cabo San Lucas in 1537. Following him, pirates discovered this trade route and Cabo was frequently under siege. San Jose del Cabo was founded in 1730 as a Jesuit mission (with all of the pirates, there must have been plenty of souls in need). But it wasn’t until the 1940s, when screen legends such as John Wayne and Bing Crosby flew here in private planes to fish and hunt, that Los Cabos appeared on the public radar. Now visitors come to relax, unwind and immerse themselves in unparalled luxury. There are numerous hotels in San Jose del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas and the ‘corridor’, each seemingly more beautiful than the next. Casa Natalia is situated in the historical heart of San Jose del Cabo, just minutes from outstanding beaches and a private beach club and is like staying in a (lovely) Mexican home. This full service luxury boutique hotel is impeccable. The European couple that own and run it welcome visitors and treat them like house guests from the moment they arrive. Choose one of the two Spa Suites and enjoy a king size bed, private terrace with a view of the garden or pool, hammock and an outdoor Jacuzzi. The hotel is also home to the fabulous Mi Cocina restaurant, one of the top dining 100 Thousand Club
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Left: A bedroom at Las Ventanas al Paraíso
venues in Los Cabos, serving highly creative Euro-Mexican cuisine, seasonal specialties and fresh local seafood in a sophisticated setting. Alternatively you could try Las Ventanas al Paraiso (literally, “window to paradise”). This five-diamond resort lives up to its name; spectacular views from every suite focus on the natural element of water to enhance the stunning environment. World-class service is coupled with the ultimate personal attention – pampering. Poolside, butlers are ready to cool guests with mists of frosted Evian spray and refresh their palettes with complimentary refreshments. Fully charged and pre-loaded iPods are available as are location free TVs, allowing guests to watch their favorite programs or 100 Thousand Club
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Los Cabos famous rock arch formation “El Arco”: where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortes
surf the web and send e-mails wherever they are. Guests are offered a bed sheet menu, allowing them to choose the sheets of their choice. Also on site is the hotel’s ‘department of romance’, helping guests conceive, plan and create the ultimate unforgettable romantic experience. The two-bedroom ocean view spa suite is choice, offering a dedicated spa butler to coordinate your personalized spa program with an in-suite magnetic mattress, infrared sauna and treatment room. The suite also features two large king size bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room and full kitchen. The two-bedroom ocean view suite offers unlimited ocean views, dedicated butler service, two master bedrooms, spacious living area, full kitchen with wine cellar and two outdoor private jacuzzis. Las Ventanas al Paraiso offers a host of options for exquisite dining in the on site restaurants – but forget them. Ask for a private table for two on the beach where you can sit in glorious isolation listening to the lapping waves and basked in the glow of a warming bonfire. One five star restaurant definitely worth a visit, however, is La Panga Antigua in San Jose del Cabo. Award winning chef and co-owner Jacobo Turquie presents contemporary Mexican cuisine with a seafood twist. The focus is on quality and the oysters are divine. Taste one and believe. If you choose to dine in Cabo San Lucas then French Riviera should be your first stop. Presenting fine gourmet dining, it is rated as one of the best restaurants in Los Cabos. The architecture is complimented by the stunning 124
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TRAVEL Mexican Jewel
From top: Three views of Villa la Diosa de la Luna, a nominee for “Mexico’s Leading Villa” in the 2007 World Travel Awards. A room with a view; out on the deck; the villa at night
views of the famous ‘El Arco’ and the worldclass wines and magnificent cuisine all contribute to a magical evening. If you are only able to stay for a drink before you move on, indulge in an ice cream cocktail. The Tahitian (coconut, coffee, meringue, caramel and whiskey) is truly scrumptious. If it is a night out that you want then Cabo San Lucas is the place to be. Nikki Beach, the internationally recognized bar and club, has an electric atmosphere. It’s draped in beautiful people from noon onwards, sipping champagne and cocktails while soaking up the sun on plush lounge beds and under beach teepees. A fantastic place to socialize any time of day the delicious sushi and house mojitos are a must. As the sun sets, global dance and house music is played by resident DJs who know how to work a crowd. Feeling strong? Then continue on to Passion Lounge and Nightclub. Part of Nikki Beach, it features a separate lounge, club, VIP room and premium bar. But Los Cabos is more than sun and sand – there’s whale watching from late November to March, fantastic shopping and some of the finest fishing in the world. It also boasts some spectacular world-class golf courses. The Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol, one of three courses in the area designed by Jack Nicklaus, is in Golf Magazine’s top 100 courses in the world. Desert, mountains, ocean, mojitos and frosted Evian only a few hours from most US locations. Leave home now and meet me by the pool. Your day will be better for it. 126
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HOTELS
HOTEL TWIN DOLPHIN This seaside retreat offers sweeping ocean views, and a serious escape from daily life, complete with ex-
ESPERANZA
ceptionally spacious, quiet and comfortable suites.
Rated in the top three places to stay in Los Cabos, Esperanza is unbelievably luxurious with truly at-
Transpeninsular Highway One Kilometer 12
tentive staff, set in a stunning location.
Cabo San Lucas
Carretera Transpeninsular km 7
www.twindolphin.com
Manzana 10, Punta Ballena
MARQUIS LOS CABOS
Cabo San Lucas www.esperanzaresort.com
FRENCH RIVIERA
The Marquis Los Cabos is a breathtaking property
Some consider this to be the finest place to
in an immaculate condition. Privacy and attentive
dine in Los Cabos. Gourmet French-Mediter-
service is guaranteed.
ranean cuisine, world-class wines and impeccable service await all.
KM 21.5 Carretera Transpeninsular Fraccionamiento Cabo Real, Los Cabos
Carretera Transpeninsular KM 6.3
www.marquisloscabos.com
Cabo San Lucas www.frenchrivieraloscabos.com
VILLA LA DIOSA DE LA LUNA A private villa combining extravagant luxury with stunning views of the Pacific. It sleeps 10 in five
PITHAYAS
opulent bedrooms with ocean views and includes a
Romantic candlelit tables overlook the ocean and
six person Jacuzzi and infinity swimming pool. Is a
the excellent international pacific-rim cuisine and
nominee for “Mexico's Leading Villa” for the 2007
extensive wine list offer a true delight in dining.
World Travel Awards,
CASA NATALIA
www.cabovillas.com
Corredor Turistico KM 10, Los Cabos
A tranquil oasis in the heart of historic San Jose del Cabo. With just 18 rooms, staying at
Sheraton Hacienda del Mar
FOOD
http://sheratonloscabos.com
Casa Natalia is like being a guest in a genuine Mexican home.
EDITH’S Boulevard Mijares N. 4, San Jose del Cabo www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com/casanatalia
Edith’s offers delightful dining under the stars with a sumptuous menu of grilled seafood and steak. Wally’s Special is a must – a delectable fish platter including lobster, garlic shrimp and the catch of
LAS VENTANAS AL PARAÍSO
the day.
As the name suggests Las Ventanas al Paraiso is a window to paradise. The resort includes a world-
Camino a Playa El Medano
class spa and top cuisine.
Cabo San Lucas www.edithscabo.com
KM 19.5 Carretera Transpeninsular, San Jose del Cabo www.lasventanas.com
ONE AND ONLY PALMILLA This serene, elegant resort offers relaxed, discreet
CANTO DEL MAR
LA PANGA ANTIGUA
Situated in the Marquis Los Cabos resort this is so-
Situated in the heart of downtown San Jose
phisticated, high-end elegance in its element.
del Cabo in a charming courtyard La Panga
Canto del Mar requires reservations months in ad-
Antigua offers delightful Mexican seafood with
vance due to limited seating.
superb hospitality.
KM 21.5 Carretera Transpeninsular
Zaragoza #20, Colonia Centro
Fraccionamiento Cabo Real
San José del Cabo
Los Cabos
www.lapanga.com
luxury. KM 7.5 Carretera Transpeninsular San Jose del Cabo www.oneandonlyresorts.com
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SUNSET DA MONA LISA Sunset cocktails or a romantic table for two with stunning views of the ocean and the arch are a
GETTING THERE
must. The Sunset da Mona Lisa combines fine Italian wines and cuisine with fresh seafood and the finest local ingredients.
Los Cabos is approximately a two and a half hour flight from Los Angeles, Dallas
Transpeninsular 6 KM Missiones del Cabo
and Mexico City and around three hours from East coast points.
MUST DO
Cabo San Lucas www.sunsetmonalisa.com
American Airlines 800-433-7300 www.aa.com
DRINK NIKKI BEACH AND PASSION LOUNGE & NIGHTCLUB
During late November to March, eight of the 11 Delta 800-221-1212
species of whale found worldwide can be found
www.delta.com
in Los Cabos, due to the ideal climate, shallow
Continental Airlines 800-523-3273 www.continental.com
ocean and abundant food sources which are the perfect breeding and nursery grounds, particularly for grey whales. Do a whale watching tour
Hot oceanfront bar with cocktails and tapas, cham-
including a one hour flight to Puerto Lopez Ma-
pagne cocktails and a spacious dance floor. Think chic and sexy.
WHALE WATCHING
WHEN TO GO
teos at Bahia Magdelena, three hours of whale watching and lunch at $420 per adult.
www.nikkibeach.com/cabo With an average of 350 days of sun every
DIVING
CABO WABO
year, anytime is a good time to visit Los
Diving in Los Cabos is a spec-
Fun, relaxed bar with plenty of rock and roll. A
Cabos. November to May is the best time to
tacular experience with ship
must try is the signature Cabo Wabo tequila.
pay a visit, but also the busiest, with aver-
wrecks, caves and reefs to ex-
age temperatures of 78F/25C – in the sum-
plore the abundant marine life
mer months the heat can be stifling.
including parrotfish, angelfish
www.cabowabo.com
and rays. Cabo Pulmo is a pristine marine reserve which is a must see, and for advanced
TOP 3 BEACHES
divers the Sand Falls is a daring dive in a submarine canyon. Diving is great all year round, although the best months are June to December due to the best
SANTA MARIA BAY, THE CORRIDOR
visibility and warmest water.
This is a peaceful, relatively secluded horseshoe shaped beach surrounded by craggy cliffs, and also
LUXURY YACHT RENTALS
LOVER’S BEACH, CABO SAN LUCAS
a protected marine sanctuary. It is an excellent
The most exclusive way to enjoy the waters of
place for diving and snorkeling or just relaxing on
Los Cabos is to rent a private yacht. There are
Remote and hidden behind the world-
the beach.
a number of luxury yachts available for private charter in the area, boasting luxurious interi-
renowned arch at Land’s End and sur-
must see. To get here you will need to
COSTA AZUL BEACH, SAN JOSE DEL CABO
kayak or hire a water taxi from the marine.
Unfortunately unsuitable for swimming, the Costa
The captain will take you on a tour before
Azul Beach is home to the world famous surf break
DESERT SAFARI
you enjoy the photogenic wonder that is
Costa Azul and is a great beach for watching
If you want to stretch those sea legs step on dry
Lover’s Beach. Swimming and snorkeling
surfers in action. It is also perfect for walking,
land – you won’t get dryer than the desert!
are heavenly.
horseback riding and shore fishing.
Desert safaris are a great way to explore the
rounded by towering rock walls this is a
ors and all the equipment and facilities you would expect.
beautiful desert landscape and a definite must.
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TRAVEL Los Cabos: A top choice for savvy travelers
Los Cabos welcomed 1,355,837 airline passengers at San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) in 2006 as compared to 1,229,303 in 2005, combined with an increase in the number in flights from 18,963 in 2005 to 20,898 in
Los Cabos: A Top Choice for Savvy Travelers
2006. Additionally, 554,184 sea-faring visitors
The Los Cabos Tourism Board reports on a successful year, new hotel developments, and additional flights.
231 deluxe oceanfront suites. Still under devel-
on 298 cruise ships enjoyed its bounties. New and exciting hotel offerings in Los Cabos include Villa del Arco (www.villagroupresorts.com), opened in March 2006 and featuring opment at Villa del Arco and slated for completion in summer 2007, is the ‘Desert Spa’, which will be the largest luxury spa in Los Cabos. Also on the horizon in new and fashionable hotel openings in Los Cabos, is Cabo Azul (www.cabozulresorts.com), which is scheduled to open its doors in September 2007. This elegantly designed vacation ownership development and resort will feature 332 villas, an impressive oceanfront tri-level infinity-edge swimming pool and a five-story open air church perfect for destination weddings. Well-established and venerable hotel brands in Los Cabos also report enhancements to their properties. The Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort (www.hiltonloscabos.com) has been completely remodeled in lavish style and features authentic Mexican artistry in its deeply carved headboards and hand-hewn furniture. New brand ME by Melia launches ME Cabo (www.mebymelia.com), which includes a signature YHI spa, Nikki Beach, VIP rooms on The
L
os Cabos has spent much of the year
Level, and Passion Club Restaurant and Lounge.
so far fortifying its position as Mex-
Casa del Mar (www.casadelmarmexico.com),
ico’s premier choice for upscale travel,
a superior boutique hotel, is also newly redesigned
with significant growth and achieve-
for 2007 and premiers at its property the first
ments. The Los Cabos Tourism Board reports that travel statistics for 2006 ended strong, proving the destination’s continued success.
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100 Thousand Club
Guerlain Spa throughout all of Mexico. Los Cabos hotels additionally continue to garner international accolades. Most recently,
Tallies show tourism is up with 77,625 vis-
Andres Araya, the Managing Director of Las
itors to Los Cabos in December 2006 as com-
Ventanas al Paraíso (www.lasventanas.com) was
pared to 74,769 in December 2005. Annual
named “One of the Finest Hoteliers Worldwide
hotel occupancy averaged 70 percent in 2006,
of 2006” by The American Academy of Hospi-
representing a gain of four percent despite an
tality Sciences. Tributes like these are a clear in-
increase in the number of hotel rooms present
dication of the high-quality experience that Los
throughout the destination from 9,998 in 2005
Cabos delivers.
to 10,982 in 2006. Annual average room rate
Leisure travelers as well as incentive and
also showed strong momentum as it grew 21
meeting planners have their highest expecta-
percent, from $166 in 2005 to $201 in 2006.
tions met when they visit Los Cabos. Few desti-
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TRAVEL
nations rival Los Cabos in natural beauty, so-
Families, honeymooners, mature travelers,
phisticated resort and convention facilities, su-
golfers, eco-tourists, artists, photographers,
perior service, and thrilling recreational
sightseers and others find what they are look-
activities, Los Cabos is a simple, one-stop an-
ing for when they visit Los Cabos. Located at
swer to meeting planners’ needs for combining
the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula,
high-level business and high-end fun.
Los Cabos offers travelers an exotic escape
Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort &
within easy reach of most US cities.
Spa (www.dreamsloscabos.com) also undergoes
With non-stop flights or convenient con-
a complete remodeling this year and debuts its
nections available from Los Angeles, Oak-
new state-of-the-art convention facility featur-
land, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose
ing 8 ballrooms and boasting cutting edge
(effective March 2007) and Sacramento (ef-
technology in December 2007. Additionally
fective March 2007), California; Houston and
premiering in December will be resort’s dy-
Dallas, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Kansas City,
namic nightclub, “Desires Sports Bar” high-
Missouri; Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Den-
lighted by a large dance floor, big screen TVs,
ver, Detroit, Las Vegas, New York, Phoenix,
Live DJs and more.
Salt Lake City, Seattle and more, Los Cabos is
Golf enthusiasts will be excited to note
both accessible and exciting.
the opening of the course at Club Campestre San Jose (www.clubcampestresanjose.com).
For more about Los Cabos – and a copy of its
This stunning 18-hole gem architected by
informative travel planner – call 1-866-LOS-
Nicklaus Design firm is open to the public
CABOS or visit www.visitloscabos.org.
and offers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortes from every hole. In addition to the destination’s awardwinning golf courses and legendary sport fishing, Los Cabos has just introduced several new tourism attractions. Cabo Adven-
“With resorts and suburb travel amenities, it’s little wonder that celebrities flock to Los Cabos when they are looking for the perfect vacation retreat”
tures introduces its 4x4 Desert Safari (www.cabo-adventures.com), which takes visitors off-road on an exhilarating adventure to explore the desert landscape and visit typical Mexican towns along the way. The full-day excursion culminates with a delicious barbeque on the beach. Water lovers may wish to opt for one of the many boat charters located at the stunning Los Cabos marina. Here, tour operators offer a variety of cruises options including remarkable whale watching cruises January through March. One new and noteworthy choice is a wine and jazz cruise offered at sunset by Tropicat (www.tropicatcabo.com). With resorts and suburb travel amenities like these, it’s little wonder that celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Eva Longoria and Tony Parker, George Clooney, Bono and the members of U2, Oprah Winfrey, Sheryl Crow and more flock to Los Cabos when they are looking for the perfect vacation retreat. 100 Thousand Club
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Fractional ownership: all the benefits of ownership with none of the trouble (or at least, that’s the plan)
F
there is a certain amount of pres-
of the trouble (or
can make the most of the time
at least, that’s the plan). By em-
you have, without forking out for
ploying an asset management
the time you don’t.
ractional ownership allows you to
tige. However, busy social com-
enjoy all the ben-
mitments and hectic business
efits of owner-
lives leave little time for yachting.
ship, with none
Fractional ownership means you
company to look after mainte-
As a fractional owner you will
nance and security, shareholders
have access to a yacht for around
have less responsibility with the
30 days of the year, fully man-
same benefits. An equity stake
aged and with none of the usual
also means you stand to make a
maintenance costs associated
profit from your investment.
with full ownership. Although
There are many ways you can
services vary from company to
invest your fractional dollars, in-
company, generally the annual
cluding helicopters and private
fee pays for crew and manage-
jets, super cars and racehorses.
ment, who will sort out the finer
But two opportunities that stand
details such as insurance. All you
out are yachts and destination
need do is turn up.
clubs.
In the world of yacht chartering, the emphasis is on privacy
Yachts
and complete freedom to travel
There are many good reasons
the world. Elite Yacht Charters,
to own a yacht – it’s fun, sporting
based in Beverly Hills, specializes
and adventurous and of course
in luxury yacht charter and deals
Yours, Whenever Spare time is a precious commodity that should be spent wisely. Fractional ownership may help. Author REBECCA GOOZEE
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Membership of a destination club affords you one of life’s increasingly scant luxuries – privacy
100 Thousand Club
135
ASPENFIRESIDE AD APPROVED:21MAY
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INTRODUCING ASPEN’S MOST EXCLUSIVE LUXURY RENTAL... a stunning mountain retreat located in the heart of town.
E
Fireside
xperience the charm and sophistication of this
magnificent five bedroom, five and one half bath
residence – the perfect blend of comfort and elegance in an idyllic, quiet setting. This location is just blocks from the Wheeler Opera House and the finest restaurants in Aspen,
offering the ultimate in convenience. The complete array of luxurious amenities include: the rooftop hot tub, fully equipped office, media room, membership to exclusive health club and the use of luxury SUV.
For more information: Danielle Scholz Owner’s Agent 970 379 3894 danielle@uchmk.com www.aspenfireside.com
FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP:21MAY
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Yours, Whenever VICE
award winning Privilege 585. A
Destination clubs are an al-
truly beautiful yacht, the Privi-
ternative to returning to your
lege 585’s powerful rig and su-
second or third home, giving you
perb keels ensure an exhilarating
the option to enjoy home com-
time, while the luxurious cherry
forts in many more locations.
wood interior, real beds and seven
Residences are normally impec-
head showers mean there’s a lot
cably appointed and maintained,
more on offer.
with first class furnishings reflecting each individual prop-
Destination clubs Destination
only with the finest yachts
Meanwhile,
Syn-
residence
location. Homes are typically
clubs have sprung up in exclusive
comprised of spacious living
world-class resorts all over the
areas with stunning views, invit-
world, with popular locations in-
ing outside spaces (most with a
cluding Aspen, the Caribbean,
hot tub, pool, or both), luxuri-
Florence, Hawaii, Los Cabos and
ous king size bedrooms, whole
Paris. The concept behind them
house audio, stereo and wi-fi,
is that members have
personal computers and large
access to a flexible
LCD or plasma televisions.
With fractional ownership somebody else handles the hassle of home maintenance
or
erty’s character and unique
portfolio
of
hand-
The best thing, however, is
picked, multi-million
that with fractional ownership
dollar residences com-
somebody else gets the hassle of
plete with top of the
home maintenance when you are
range amenities and
elsewhere. You can entrust a com-
throughout the world. Elite will
ergy Yachting offers
take care of every detail of your
shares in luxury cata-
five star vacation or corporate
marans. Six parties are invited to
exceptional service, at a time that
pany to do it on your behalf –
trip, so that when you step on
share an exclusive yacht, giving
suits them and for a price that’s
which means that you have more
board you can relax.
each investor the opportunity to
right.
time to enjoy and relax rather
Every detail of your trip is
enjoy a fully crewed vacation the
In addition, membership af-
customized to your exact specifi-
world over. The highly experi-
fords you one of life’s increas-
cations. Once on board, you will
enced crew will take care of every-
ingly scant luxuries – privacy.
sail away, to discover a deserted
thing, ensuring you spend your
beach with a shimmering la-
time on board enjoying your sail-
goon, explore ancient ruins, play
ing experience. You are also in-
a round of golf and in the
vited to take the yacht out,
evening a six-course gourmet
providing you are fully qualified,
meal, prepared to cordon bleu
and enjoy the freedom of yacht
specifications.
ownership. Through Synergy, in-
To ensure the ultimate in
vestors become shareholders and
service, the crew to guest ratio is
will have an arrangement of 30
almost 1 to 1 (on several yachts
days per year, for five years, after
the ratio is 2:1). All accommo-
which the boat is sold and the
dations, service and cuisine are
proceeds split between the in-
five star. All yachts are fully
vestors.
crewed and the crew is ready to pamper you.
than worry. While living in a destination club is – or should be – easy, pick-
Synergy are currently offering shares in Sabore, a 60ft by 31ft, 100 Thousand Club
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VICE Yours, Whenever
ing and choosing one is not. The
tennis courts and seven restau-
choice is large and well heeled.
rants and bars.
Should you choose on service? If
Another elite destination club
so, consider Ultimate Resort,
mentioned by both Forbes and
which offers a five-star concierge
Robb Report is Solstice. Provid-
service to help you look after all
ing unlimited access to beach,
the minor details. They can, for
mountain
example, plan trips or excursions,
properties, their exclusive and ex-
pre-stock your kitchen and wine
tensive property list is comprised
cellar and organize spa or golf ac-
of homes typically worth around
tivities. In addition, a member of
six million dollars. You could
staff will collect you from the air-
only buy a bionic man with that
port in a limousine and ensure
30 years ago. Telluride, their
you have access to your own car
Basque Retreat, is an absolutely
for the duration of your stay.
stunning mountain hideaway.
Or should you choose on rec-
of estate with breath-
tess, for example, is
While living in a destination club is – or should be – easy, picking and choosing one is not
marketed as “an ultidestination
club” and was voted “Best of the Best, Among the Best Lux-
138
metropolitan
The property is 5,300 square feet
ommendation? Quin-
mate
and
taking views of the San Juan Mountain Range. Stylish yet comfortable, it offers the perfect opportunity to coexist with nature.
ury Residence Clubs in 2006”, by
Two master suites and two guest
Robb Report and included in
rooms comfortably sleep eight,
Forbes’ “Most Expensive Mem-
while an oversized gourmet
bership Club” list.
kitchen with fireplace and 60”
Typical of the luxurious des-
Wolf range, private study, home
tinations on offer are The Villas
theater, a large great room for
on Canouan Island in the south-
dining and lounging, an outdoor
ern Caribbean. The island meas-
BBQ and an outdoor Jacuzzi will
ures just five square miles and
take care of your waking hours.
has beautiful white sand beaches
Did I mention that the two mas-
surrounded by a large coral reef
ter suites offer 17ft ceilings, pri-
and crystal clear waters, meaning
vate balconies, fireplaces and
it is perfect for snorkeling and
en-suite bathrooms with one in-
diving. The property boasts spec-
cluding a cast-iron Jacuzzi tub
tacular ocean views, a large ve-
and stonewalled dry sauna?
randa
Thought not.
and
patios
to
take
advantage of the outdoor space
There’s no point being rich if
and a private pool. If that wasn’t
you can’t enjoy it. And if variety is
enough, it is situated within a
the spice of life, then fractional
Raffles resort, giving you access
ownership may well be the
to a Trump International golf
shaker. Try it… see if it improves
course, a Raffles Amrita Spa, four
your flavor.
100 Thousand Club
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GEORGETOWN ED NEW3 orange:21MAY
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VICE Shopping Strike: Georgetown, Washington DC
Are You Experienced? eorgetown, Washington DC is a truly unique shopping experi-
G
satisfy even the most ardent of
ence boasting upscale boutiques, fantastic shopping malls and
shoppers. M Street and Wisconsin
all the usual high street stores. It has been overlooked for too
Avenue are the primary commercial
long, but Georgetown has a wide range of high-end shops for
corridors and their wide streets are
men and women to explore and it’s a growing mecca for serious (and seri-
lined with almost everything you
ously grown-up) shoppers. Excuse me while I kiss the sky.
could wish to find.
Georgetown, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Washington DC, is
When the sun sets and the legs
found in the northwest quadrant along the Potomac River waterfront. It
get weary, there are a number of
has served as a major port and commercial center since colonial times
venues in which to reflect on
although now it is more famous for it’s vibrant atmosphere and numer-
your purchases. The Degrees Bar
ous attractions.
at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown
Georgetown University and George Washington University, The
is a fantastic place to enjoy a
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the National Cathedral – as well as
cocktail or sample from their de-
the White House – combine with a unique shopping experience, in-
licious tasting menu. There is
dulgent restaurants and luxurious hotels, to make for an exciting and
also a selection of fabulous,
interesting destination.
highly acclaimed restaurants to
In shopping terms, an eclectic collection awaits, serving almost every conceivable customer. From bountiful boutiques and charming souvenir stores to funky fashion jewelry and gorgeous art galleries, Georgetown will 142
100 Thousand Club
enjoy later in the evening. Go Georgetown. You won’t regret it.
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GALLERIES
MAURINE LITTLETON GALLERY This special little gallery is home to works from leading contemporary glass artists. While the gallery is primarily focused on glass it also features ceramics, metal and vitreographic prints made from glass plates. 1667 Wisconsin Avenue N.W. (202) 333 9307 www.littletongallery.com
KATHLEEN EWING GALLERY Established in 1976 this gallery represents significant contemporary photographers and also houses an extensive collection of 19th and 20th century vintage photographs. 1767 P Street N.W. www.kathleenewinggallery.com
ADDISON/RIPLEY Opened in 1981, partners Christopher Addison and Sylvia Ripley have created this unique gallery, representing fine art prints, painting, sculpture and photography. There is also a chance to view changing exhibitions of internationally recognized artists. Definitely worth a visit. 1670 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 338 5180 www.addisonripleyfineart.com
PRADA GALLERY Jilma Prada is the owner and director of this truly interesting gallery devoted to Latin America and local artists. 1030 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 342 0067 www.pradagallery.com
KNEW GALLERY 1639 Wisconsin Avenue N.W. (202) 338 4588 www.knewgallery.com
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FA S H I O N
URBAN CHIC A fabulous shop jam-packed with both established and up and coming designers. 1626 Wisconsin Avenue N.W. (202) 338 5398 www.urbanchiconline.com
SUGAR 1683 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 333 5331 www.shopsugardc.com
PINK NOVEMBER BOUTIQUE 1529 Wisconsin Avenue N.W. (202) 333 1121
CLUB MONACO 3235 M Street N.W. (202) 965 2118 www.clubmonaco.com
BETSEY JOHNSON 1319 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 338 4090 www.betseyjohnson.com
RALPH LAUREN RUGBY 1065 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 298 5928 www.polo.com
RELISH A refined store for both men and women featuring European designers such as Marni, Comme de Garcons and Narcisco Rodriguez. Cadyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alley N.W. (202) 333 5343 www.relishdc.com
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Shopping Strike: Georgetown, Washington DC VICE
JEWELRY
SHOES
SASSANOVA Beautiful shoes, beautiful shop.
ANN HAND Distinctive and instantly recognizable, Ann Hand’s jewelry reflects a personal sense of pride in our US heritage. Her signature pin the Liberty Eagle has been worn by important American women including several First Ladies, Congresswomen and Senators.
1641 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 471 4400 www.sassanova.com
HU’S SHOES Fabulous footwear. 3005 M Street N.W. (202) 342 0202 www.hushoes.com
4885 MacArthur Boulevard (202) 333 2979 www.annhand.com
MUST DO
BLUE MERCURY
KATE SPADE
BRIDGE STREET BOOKS
A spa and luxury apothecary offering treatments and indulgent beauty products, this is a wonderful place to relax and take advantage of the supreme customer service. You will receive wonderfully honest advice on every single product available.
Kate was then awarded America’s New Fashion Talent in Accessories by the Council of Fashion Designers. The chain now offers beautiful paper, luggage, sunglasses and baby items to name but a few. A must visit.
This tiny, intimate little bookstore is definitely worth a visit. Situated in a narrow two-storey building it draws a crowd of professionals, professors and students and focuses on subject areas such as politics, literature, philosophy and poetry.
3059 M Street N.W. (202) 965 1300 www.bluemercury.com
3061 M Street N.W. (202) 333 8302 www.katespade.com
2814 Pennsylvania Avenue (202) 965 5200
LATHAM HOTEL
HOTELS
A beautiful boutique hotel situated in the heart of the Georgetown. A sophisticated and stylish retreat, perfect for resting wearied feet. It also has the benefit of a roof top pool. 3000 M Street, NW (888) 587 2377 www.georgetowncollection.com
GEORGETOWN HILL INN THE HAY ADAMS With views overlooking the White House, Lafayette Square and St. John’s Church, this is a lavish yet elegant hotel. First class accommodation. Sixteenth & H Streets 202-638-6600 www.hayadams.com
A sophisticated boutique hotel. Suites are equipped with full kitchens, cozy living rooms and jacuzzi tubs and offer an elegant alternative to a standard hotel room. 1832 Wisconsin Avenue (202) 298 6021 www.georgetownhillinn.com
THE RIVER INN 924 Twenty-fifth Street N. W. (888) 874 0100 www.theriverinn.com 100 Thousand Club
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HOTELS
HOTEL ROUGE A bold and vibrant hotel with fluffy rugs and leather headboards. Funky and friendly this hotel also offers in-room spa services. 1315 16th Street, NW 202.232.8000 www.rougehotel.com
RITZ-CARLTON GEORGETOWN 3100 South Street, N.W. (202) 912 4110 www.ritzcarlton.com
WILLARD INTERCONTINENTAL 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue (202) 628 9100 www.ichotelsgroup.com
RESTAURANTS
FAHRENHEIT
SEQUOIA
The hottest restaurant in town. Experience Executive Chef Terence Feury’s fire inspired American cuisine in the stylish, inviting and comfortable restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton. The perfect location for casual dining, special intimate occasions, business lunches or wine tasting. Sophisticated, casual attire recommended.
With spectacular views over Potomac this is a beautiful place to be. Inside you are offered high ceilings and warm lighting and outside there are three staggered dining levels leading to a waterfront bar. Beautiful.
3100 South Street, N.W. (202) 912 4110 www.ritzcarlton.com
SEASONS
50 Massachusetts Avenue (202) 682 9555 www.arkrestaurants.com
2800 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. (202) 342 0444 www.fourseasons.com/washington
NEILA 3206 N Street N.W. (202) 333 6353 www.neyla.com
CAFÉ MILANO For the young, rich and beautiful seeking a latenight hangout. 325 Prospect Street (202) 333 6183 http://63.134.225.180/
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FASHION SPECIAL:21MAY
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Philip Treacy black topper with spotted bow. Armani Collezzioni ink blue wrapped dress
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Sandrine Bourg hat. Jaeger black linen jacket. Laurence Coste mother of pearl multi-strand necklace.
The right hat provides a finishing touch to any outfit. Get a headstart on the fashionistas with this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s haute headwear Photography SHELIA ROCK
TOP TRENDS 100 Thousand Club
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Le Corre hat. Anna Valentine ivory chiffon dress with sequin bib front. Robinson Pelham yellow gold ring with a Cabochon Rubellite
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Misa Harada trilby with patent orchid. Burberry metallic coat and metallic skirt. Jimmy Choo metallic boots.
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FASHION SPECIAL:21MAY
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Gabriela Ligenza portofoglio hat. English Eccentrics long black snowflake evening dress. Sifani citrine and yellow gold bangle.
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Eisenbl채tter & Triska hat.
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FASHION SPECIAL:21MAY
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Borsalino couture hat. Akris white linen dress. Laurence Coste black jet multistrand necklace.
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Stephen Jones ‘Fouette’ hat. Christian Lacroix black tulip satin dress with sequin detail. Sifani diamond ring.
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VICE The Shark
THE SHARK
ff
Author ADAM FRUCCI Additional Reporting MADI PUNGODI
Porsche Design and Miami-based boat maker Fearless have teamed up to build a yacht that makes a 911 look like, well, a pick-up truck. Frankly weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been unable to take our eyes off these pictures.
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f
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VICE The Shark
U
nfortunately for you,
10 Dodge Viper engine that can hit top speeds
said, ‘You have a blank canvas’,” says Binder,
your Porsche isn’t as
of 88MPH.
and the German creatives set about designing a
much of a status sym-
The base model is 28 feet long (8.4 meters,
luxury racer that could dominate what they
bol as it used to be.
with room for five), but if that seems to com-
dubbed the “aquabahn”. The boat boasts a
Sure, it's still a pretty
mon a size for you they’re working on models
fiberglass hull with the sleek curves and lean sil-
hot car, but what with
up to 150 feet in length. Beware, however, the
houette of a European coupe, and its “uni-
the number of super-
28 footer starts at $300,000 – so those longer
tized”, or seamless, construction does away
rich getting higher every day, the size of the
ones sure as hell aren’t going to be cheap. But
with unsightly rivets that might slow it down.
population to whom such a car is chump
that’s the point, isn’t it?
The top speed may not break any world
change is ever increasing. You need to step up
According to Fearless Yachts’ CEO Jeffrey
records, but it will make you grateful for the
your game if you want to stay at the top of the
Binder, the two companies combined to “blend
food chain.
the best of performance, style, and design in
“The luxury of owning a Fearless Yacht
Latham precision steering controls.
Lucky for you, Porsche has just designed
order to establish a luxury brand for the boat-
could only be compared to the lifestyle of in-
its first-ever seacraft (the waterlogged 928 in
ing industry”. They may have done just that:
ternational jet setter, James Bond,” explains
Risky Business doesn’t count). Their new
check out the razor-clean, aggressive lines of the
Binder. For once, we’re happy to believe that
Fearless Yacht – launched in February at the
half-boat, half marine predator shown here.
line. Firing this thing up in the harbor is going
Miami Boat Show – has a 525-horsepower V-
How did it happen? “We reached out and
to be awesome.
The Fearless 28 (left) and 68 (above): half-boat, half marine predator
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G R E AT F I G U R E S Customized elegance, state-of-the-art materials and construction methods, and a new level of performance for the boating industry: how does the Porsche-designed Fearless 28 measure up?
Length Overall 27 ft 7 in (8.4 m) Beam 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) Draught Down 38 in (0.97 m) Draught Up 24 in (0.61 m) Weight (approx) 6,000 lbs (2,722 Kg) Hull Type Twin Step, Deep V Standard Power 525 hp (381 kw) Max Power 550 hp (410 kw) Speed 80+ mph Range at 40 mph (est.) 164 miles Fuel 90 gal (340 L)
Optional equipment Engine: ILMOR V-10 Viper 550hp (410kw) Docking Assist: Integrated Bow Thruster Upgraded Premium Audio System Custom Design Myco/Fearless Trailer
Source: Fearless Yachts
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VICE Peerless
Peerless The sign on the wall of the Per Se kitchen reads ‘keep it clean and organized’. Thomas Keller is the master of this spotless domain, and he has a reputation as a precise, uncompromising chef that’s reflected in the gleaming work surfaces and aura of hushed concentration. Author MARIANA SPINOCCHIA
T
homas Keller, 51, is the chef and owner of two of the most
highly
regarded
restaurants in the United States: the French Laundry in Yountville, California, and Per Se in New York.
Each currently holds three Michelin stars, making him the only American chef to have two three-star restaurants to his name. He is also chef and owner of Ad Hoc, Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery, also in Yountville; Bouchon in Las Vegas; and Bouchon Bakery in New York. Keller first learned to cook alongside his mother, in the Palm Beach restaurant that she managed, and later was a stagiere in France, at Taillevent, Guy Savoy and Le Pré Catelan. He cooked in New York in the 1980s, eventually opening his own restaurant, Rakel, before departing for the West Coast to become the executive chef at Checkers Hotel in Los Angeles. Keller purchased the French Laundry in 1994, to realize his vision of a French country restaurant in the Napa Valley. He is the author of two books, The French Laundry Cookbook and The Bouchon Cookbook, both published by Artisan, and has created his own line of tableware, in collaboration with Raynaud of Limoges, France. 100Thousand Club had some questions.
Thomas Keller, the only American chef to have two three-star restaurants to his name
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Keller’s Las Vegas restaurant, Bouchon: “The kind of restaurant that I’ve enjoyed eating at throughout my years of cooking”
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VICE Peerless
Q. What inspired you to open a bistro?
tory. To be sitting in that restaurant going back
A. I wanted to have the kind of restaurant that
generations and generations, imagining all the
I’ve enjoyed eating at throughout my years of
other people who have sat there, it’s almost like
cooking. We didn’t have that type of restaurant
being in the company of the ages. Not to men-
in the Napa Valley, so we opened Bouchon. It
tion that their chicken is just incredible, and
was an obvious kind of extension for a fine-din-
the foie gras. It’s that perfect kind of bistro, es-
ing chef, something that happens many times in
pecially on a Sunday afternoon in Paris.
Europe and throughout France; a fine-dining chef opens a casual restaurant because that's
Q. When did you first fall in love with bistro
what really he enjoys eating. You spend all day,
cooking?
12, 14 hours a day, cooking refined food, you
A. It was here in New York City. I grew up in
want to go eat something that’s simple. My fa-
South Florida, so I didn’t have my first bistro
vorite meal is just the perfect Bibb lettuce salad,
experience until I walked into La Goulue in
a great roasted chicken, and a lemon tart.
Manhattan. If you're a cook, it’s like you’ve come home – that sense of hospitality, that
166
Q. What are your favorite bistros around the
sense of comfort, that sense of mystery, that
world?
sense of history and tradition, all those things
A. Oh, that’s easy. For me, L’Ami Louis in Paris
wrapped up into one package, one ambience,
is certainly one of my favorite places to go. Not
one feeling. And then the food. It’s the food
only is the food great, but so is the sense of his-
that we all love.
100 Thousand Club
“It’s the food that we all love”
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VICE Peerless
Q. How do you translate your passion for
lifestyle. You can’t have the mentality of a cook
food to the food?
only at work. It’s really important to be setting
A. You have to be emotionally attached. I cook
examples all the way back. If you’re a cook in
because it fulfills something inside of me, sat-
this kitchen, your drawer at home, your sock
isfaction, gratitude, making somebody happy.
drawer, should be perfectly organized, because
It’s all wrapped up in those emotions, and eat-
when you come to work everything else is per-
ing should be the same. I understand in mod-
fectly organized.
ern society we can’t always be emotionally
168
connected to what we’re eating and what we’re
Q. What comes first: passion or precision?
doing, but there are those moments when we
A. You have to love what you’re doing. You have
have to sit back and appreciate it and say,
to be really excited about what you’re doing in
“Okay, this is that moment where I'm just
order to perfect it to the quality that you’re try-
going to relax and have this event”.
ing to represent.
Q. But at the same time you bring a lot of pre-
Q. What do you think about the phenomenon
cision to your cooking.
of the celebrity chef?
A. The kitchen, the restaurant’s a lifestyle. I
A. I don’t think about it too much. It is out of
think you really have to buy into that whole
our control, or out of my control. So, to expend
100 Thousand Club
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energy on it is really kind of a waste of energy. I’d rather stay focused in the kitchen, setting examples and working with my staff on different things, working with my suppliers, being involved with people or with things that I can have an impact on. Q. Per Se has been an unqualified success, with four stars from the Times and so on. What kind of pressure did you feel coming into this project and the New York arena? A. Well, if I was going to do another fine-dining restaurant, New York was the place I was going to do it. It’s the place I grew up in my career. During my ten years in New York, I owned a restaurant and was the chef of two others. I really spent a lot of time in the city developing my technique, so the resources were here. I was recognized in the city. This project represented a real challenge, because it was a new project. We had the opportunity to build a restaurant from scratch, not take over an existing restaurant or an existing space, but actually create the space, and that was something that was certainly a lot of fun. The pressures are always there. They’re there every day regardless of where we are, whether we’re in French Laundry or whether we’re in Bouchon or whether we’re at Per Se. It’s a responsibility for what we’re trying to achieve and making sure that our guests are satisfied with that. I think one of the true meanings of success is creating a memory for somebody. Somebody leaves here and says, “Wow, that was a wonderful experience”. Q. What’s the next trend in dining? A. Good, good food is a good trend. Trends are problematic because they only last for a certain period of time. We don’t want to be involved in any trends, we want to be involved in a solid repertoire of great food, great service, great ambience. That’s the trend. 170
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The Passion
M Author ANUJ GANGAHAR
ichael Mendelsohn, author of
While some of Mendelsohn’s no doubt
Life is Short, Art is Long, says in
earnest passion can seem a trifle flaky, he re-
the early pages of his book that he
tains an endearing sincerity and quickly backs
never expected to find out that he
up his more passionate musings with practical
had anything in common with William Randolph
suggestions as to how collectors can buy clev-
Hearst, Imelda Marcos or Queen Elizabeth II. He
erly while indulging their desires. He even sug-
does not have a big estate overlooking the ocean,
gests that passion felt for a piece can be a good
a thousand pairs of shoes lined up as far as the eye
indicator of its worth.
can see or an engagement any time soon to open the British parliament.
trapped in the Nasdaq stock market in the late
is that they are all “part of the same species”,
1990s – the artist de jour whom everyone swears
one he refers to as “accumulators of stuff”.
is the best investment ever is no less a potential market bubble than a dotcom,” he says.
as to his passion for collecting this “stuff ”.
He relates the cautionary tale of a Lon-
After all, art is not merely an investment, he
don-based pension fund that tried to become
points out; it is a love affair.
the first art-based mutual fund. The fund’s
The book is full of insights into what drives
return on investment was eight percent, but
him and others like him to accumulate. “A true
that came from only a few items. Everything
collector,” he says, “knows that collecting is a
else was a failure.
quasi-religion; a way of life that infuses the essence of one’s being. It is part concept, part process, and part belief, alternately emotional, intellectual and sometimes both at once.” 100 Thousand Club
ment to those speculators who found themselves
But what he shares with this illustrious trio
Mendelsohn leaves the reader in no doubt
172
“I compare people who buy art as an invest-
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Mendelsohn writes clearly and gives sensible advice about some of the rules and complications of art appraisal, trusts, foundations and insurance, and how to navigate the potential minefield of dealers and auctioneers. A well-known figure in art investment circles, Mendelsohn is the founder and president of Briddge Art Strategies, a prominent US art succession planning firm. He is also an art collector, philanthropist, lecturer and frequent writer on inheritance planning and preservation of assets. With his wife Gael, who collaborated on the book, he is one of the top 100 collectors in the US. Mendelsohn breaks down his thoughts on investment by tapping the brains of several other leading art collectors. One of the most interesting passages describes how art can be used as an asset diversification strategy and why such strategies are becoming more popular. Peter Hastings Falk, author of this section, says that what has recently caught the attention of financial managers is the ability of econometricians to be able to make sense of large amounts of transaction data regarding the art market. He points out the recent availability of art price information in both
Norma Roth highlights the perils of off-site
electronic and printed forms has provided a
storage in a passage called “a rainy day story”.
new dimension of access to a larger audience,
She relates how her collection, compiled over
as the art market becomes transparent for the
25 years, was threatened by the appearance of a
first time. Hastings Falk has provided advi-
small leak, which led to a tale of unscrupulous
sory services for collectors, corporations and
builders, Florida storms, inadequate insurance
artist estates for more than 30 years.
and a two-year clean-up operation.
Record prices, he adds, are rarely accidental.
Insurance and inventory are given compre-
The art market has attained the underpinning of
hensive treatment through, among others
increasingly commodity-like behavior which, in
things, more cautionary tales. One relates a
turn, has become the source of its consistency and
series of incidents that occurred when, in
security. This is probably the reason wild price
early 2006, the Milwaukee Art Museum pro-
fluctuation in the art market is rare.
vided the venue for a $30, all-you-can-drink Elizabeth
“Martinifest”. Almost 1,900 people showed
Clement, director of her own consultancy, on the
up, mainly a young crowd intent on drinking
value of obtaining an expert appraisal before buy-
their money’s worth. Several guests threw up
ing or selling at auction. She points out that first-
on or next to priceless works of art and some
half 2006 art sales at the two largest US auction
young men were seen climbing on Gaston
houses alone totaled a staggering $4 billion.
Lachaise’s sculpture “Standing Woman” and
Other
contributors
include
Also included is a contribution by Alexandra Duch, who examines the relative merits of
174
making inappropriate gestures while photographing themselves with their cell phones.
public and private sales. And Suzy Peterfield-
The moral of this tale, says Mendelsohn, is
Ross looks at how market forces can depress
that collectors should check out a museum’s
auction results.
event policies before they loan a piece.
100 Thousand Club
Passion investment is prominent across wine and art. And with wine you can drink the profits
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END WORD The Secret of my Success
The Secret of my Success Who inspires 100Thousand Club? This issue we’ve been talking about Richard Branson, so we decided to talk with him… Interview CARLEEN HAWN & JANE MARTINSON What has been your biggest mistake?
quite a lot of money to invest in alternative fuels.
human beings, individuals wanting to go into
I find it very difficult to think of mistakes; not
Over the next four years, we'll invest something
space. We think there are millions of people
that I don’t make any but because I was brought
like $1 billion in alternative fuels.
who’d love to go into space, and why shouldn’t
up to look only at the good things in life ... As for
they have that experience?
what lost the most money, probably Virgin Cola.
How do you organise your day?
It is still No 1 in Bangladesh though.
A third of my time promoting, a third on new ven-
gin be the first company to send people into space
tures and a third on fighting fires.
commercially?” Then we went out talking to every
And your best decision? Starting Virgin Atlantic.
Ten years ago I thought, “Right, how can Vir-
single person in the field, so that we’d learn the How do you decide what to invest in?
ins and outs of space travel. By the time Burt
I honestly invest in things that interest me or in
Rutan had his breakthrough, we were there. We
What’s the next big thing?
things that I want. The reason I moved into the
were the first on the scene.
I used to be skeptical of global warming, but now
airline business was that I flew a lot of other air-
I’m absolutely convinced that the world is spiral-
lines and I hated the experience. I felt we could
What would you like your legacy to be?
ing out of control. CO2 is like a bushfire that gets
create an airline that people wanted to fly [and]
To have created one of the most respected com-
bigger and bigger every year.
we made it with a difference.
panies in the world. Not necessarily the biggest.
thing about it must do something about it. Be-
Why space travel?
Who has most inspired you?
cause Virgin is involved with planes and trains, we
NASA has always looked at it as a government-
Apart from my parents, the late Freddie Laker and
have even more responsibility. So we’ve put aside
run research program – never thinking of it as
Nelson Mandela.
All of us who are in a position to do some-
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