Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia November 2008 by Pichayanee K.

TRAVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA

NOVEMBER 2008

Singapore • Hong Kong • Thailand • Indonesia • Malaysia • Vietnam • Macau • Philippines • Burma • Cambodia • Brunei • Laos

PRACTICAL 42 PACKING TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Emerging Destinations Where your money still goes far

Quick Getaways Charming Filipino inns SPECIAL

ARTS+CULTURE

Global exhibitions, shows and scenes happening now

Retro Chic Vintage glamour for jetsetters

Berlin City of cool

THE IT LIST OUR GUIDE TO

THE BEST AND NEWEST HOTELS WORLDWIDE

Bali

How harmony became hip

NOVE MBER 2 008

Tokyo’s Top Bites The latest food fads in Asia’s culinary capital

travelandleisuresea.com SINGAPORE SG$6.90 ● HONG KONG HK$39 THAILAND THB160 ● INDONESIA IDR45,000 MALAYSIA MYR15 ● VIETNAM VND80,000 MACAU MOP40 ● PHILIPPINES PHP220 BURMA MMK32 ● CAMBODIA KHR20,000 BRUNEI BND6.90 ● LAOS LAK48,000

S o ny ’s f a ce d e te c t i o n te c h n o l o g y, a n d t h e D - R a n g e O p t i m i ze r. I n s h o r t, i m a g e - p ro ce s s i n g k n ow - h ow i n f u s e d

Lovely smiles, even against the sun.

w i t h t h e s k i l l s a n d e x p e r i e n ce o f t h e p ro fe s s i o n a l s.

Sony cameras, crafting each image with a professional’s touch. Like a brush, delicately painting a picture. Like a pen, putting a great novel onto paper. We envision the camera as a sophisticated tool, performing with excellence in anyone’s hands. Face detection, the D-Range Optimizer and other Sony imaging processing breakthroughs are perfected with such unadulterated aspiration, voiced by our engineers, foremost in mind.

Shooting against the sun, or in darkened rooms. In such settings, professional camera crews put their technique and experience into action as expert hands-on operation. It would be nice, therefore, if you could also pick up a camera and focus on artistic expression without fear of failure. At Sony, we’ve made that wish come true. How? Image processing technology for shooting each scene, every time, in full natural splendor.

As a case in point, the face detection technology bundled into our Cyber-shot and Handycam®. Instant detection of human face subjects, followed by optimal focus, exposure, skin color and other settings. The D-Range Optimizer, also featured on Sony’s

digital SLR camera, scrutinizes

each image to automatically adjust exposure, gradation and more. Just imagine what you can do! Shooting the faces of subjects normally lost in backlight or depleted by other shaded realms. Sony cameras capture, then fine-tune, special once-in-a-lifetime moments as entries for your personal archives.

The essential joys of camera work, coupled with unprecedented potential and ease for greater numbers of users. Again today, Sony engineers toil to perfect innovative new technologies. Image processing technology, to be precise. Invisible, onboard know-how promising you, the shooter, the confidence of carrying a professional shooting crew behind your camera lens.

“Sony”, “like.no.other”, “Handycam”, “Cyber-shot”, and respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation. All other products, brand names and feature names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

www.sony-asia.com/di/creatordna

(Destinations)11.08 Berlin 156 London 118, 126

Shanghai 116

Ko Samui 68

Brazil 128, 155

Bali 134

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Issue Index Singapore 130 Sumbawa, Indonesia 149 Tagaytay, Philippines 73 Thailand 94, 108, 120, 148

THE PACIFIC Australia 126, 129 Marquesas 154 New Zealand 122

ASIA India 124, 149 Shanghai 116 Tokyo 97, 129

THE AMERICAS Brazil 128, 155 Chile 120, 128 Costa Rica 122

Mexico 127, 131, 146 U.S. 121, 122 EUROPE Berlin 156 France 103 London 118, 126 Paris 123, 130 Spain 103

Currency Converter Singapore Hong Kong Thailand Indonesia Malaysia Vietnam Macau Philippines Burma Cambodia Brunei Laos US ($1)

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Source: www.xe.com (exchange rates at press time).

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M A P BY E T H A N CO R N E L L

SOUTHEAST ASIA Bali 134 Boracay 149 Borneo 149 Ko Samui 68 Macau 170 Phnom Penh 76 Saigon 90 Siem Reap 76

A V

V O

(Contents)11.08

133-156 Features 134 Balance in Bali As development spreads, this idyllic island is changing fast. But is its culture, built around balance and harmony, also built to last? By ADAM SKOLNICK. Photographed by PABLO ANDREOLOTTI. GUIDE AND MAP 145 146 Emerging Destinations From Mexico to the Mediterranean, T+L 10

spotlights five of our favorite up-and-coming seaside retreats (plus 15 more), where your money still goes far—and authentic experiences are within reach. 156 Adventures in the New Berlin Everyone is here: artists and hipsters, writers, intellectuals and filmmakers, architects and actors. It’s an electrifying scene, where GARY SHTEYNGART finds the 21st century thriving under the weight of 20th-century history. Photographed by MISCHA RICHTER. GUIDE AND MAP 169

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Special ● Arts and Culture Guide > 43 T+L spans the globe to find winter’s best exhibitions, shows and scenes. ● The It List > 113 A good hotel is a place to rest your head; a great hotel has the power to transform the travel landscape. For Travel + Leisure’s latest It List, we traveled the globe to determine where you’ll be going next.

PA B LO A N D R EO LOT T I

>134 A scenic spot for football on Sanur Beach, in Bali.

(Contents)11.08

NOVEMBER 2008

PRACTICAL 42 PACKING TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Emerging Destinations Where your money still goes far

Quick Getaways Charming Filipino inns SPECIAL

ARTS+CULTURE

Global exhibitions, shows and scenes happening now

Departments 16 20 24 26 28 31 170

Retro Chic Vintage glamour for jetsetters

Berlin City of cool

THE IT LIST

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST AND NEWEST HOTELS WORLDWIDE

Bali

How harmony became hip

Tokyo’s Top Bites The latest food fads in Asia’s culinary capital

Editor’s Note Contributors Letters Best Deals Ask T+L Strategies My Favorite Place

Cover Shot on Avenida Constitución, Mazatlán, Mexico. Photographed by Cedric Angeles. Styled by Mimi Lombardo. Hair and makeup by Elsa Canedo/Utopia. Model: Yaya/One Management. Top by Theory. Skirt by Roberto Cavalli. Bag by Badgley Mischika. Necklace by Wendy Mink.

> 79

79-95 Stylish Traveler 43–76 Insider 68 Eat Ko Samui undergoes an epicurean makeover. BY ALEX FREW MCMILLAN 73 Check-in Relaxing on a volcano, far away from Manila. BY CHRIS KUCWAY 76 See It A new Angkor museum for Siem Reap. BY SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP

79 Fashion Sharp pieces that add a dash of retro-glamour to your travel wardrobe. 87 His and Hers Eight famed globe-trotters share their favorite timepieces. 90 Shopping Saigon is home to some of the country’s most intriguing designers. 95 Spotlight Designer Derek Lam explains his love of downtime when visiting Thailand.

> 68

> 90

> 103

97-108 T+L Journal 97 Eat Ever hungry for new trends, Tokyo may be the most food-crazed city on earth. ANYA VON BREMZEN gets a taste of the city’s latest obsessions. 103 Outdoors Every summer in parts of Europe, farmers and ranchers send their animals on an ancient parade called the transhumance. BRAD KESSLER follows a flock on their migration to greener pastures in the Pyrenees. 108 Hotels Can a hotel be more than just a hotel? The team tasked with revitalizing the venerated Le Méridien brand thinks so. JENNIFER CHEN reports.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : D AV I E S + S TA R R ; J E F F R I E D E L ; F R É D É R I C L A G R A N G E ; N A N A C H E N ; C O U R T E S Y O F Z A Z E N B O U T I Q U E R E S O R T & S PA

> 31

(Editor’s Note) 11.08

OMEONE RECENTLY ASKED ME what percentage value I would place

on a hotel as part of the total travel experience. My answer was at least 50 percent—considerably higher than a hotel-industry friend who was asked the same question. For me, there’s nothing quite as immediately satisfying as arriving at a hotel—haggard and jet-lagged—and sinking into the warm embrace of a recently turned-down bed, checking out the in-room amenities (a bath and a flat-screen TV are absolutely essential) and even memorizing the mini-bar contents and room service menu. I like to be pampered and to escape the stresses and worries of my normal life, and the more luxurious the experience the better. (Incidentally, my industry friend put the number at about 5 percent and said he preferred roughing it in beach huts and similarly spartan accommodations.) Of course, finding a hotel that lives up to your expectations is an inexact science, but to help you with your planning, I highly recommend using our “It List 2008” (page 113), in which T+L’s global network of editors and correspondents reveal their choices for the top 27 new hotels around the world, from beach resorts to city hideaways and more. Elsewhere, we also go global in our “Arts & Culture Guide” (page 43), which takes you on an inspiring tour of the latest and greatest in the worlds of exhibitions, shows and other “scenes.” But even if you don’t make it as far away as London or New York for these cultural experiences, I trust you’ll find our closer-to-home reports on artistic happenings in Shanghai, Taipei, Singapore and Tokyo essential reading for your upcoming travels. Lastly, having just returned from a big Travel + Leisure meeting in Singapore, I

can personally vouch for the need to better plan your packing, which is why we’re Like everything in life, it’s all about the preparation!—MATT LEPPARD TRAVEL + L EISURE EDITORS, WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE THE INDUSTRY’S MOST RELIABLE SOURCES. WHILE ON ASSIGNMENT, THEY TRAVEL INCOGNITO WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND DO NOT TAKE PRESS TRIPS OR ACCEPT FREE TRAVEL OF ANY KIND. 16

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C H E N P O VA N O N T

devoting six pages in this issue to the subject in our Strategies section (page 31).

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITOR-AT-LARGE ART DIRECTOR FEATURES EDITORS

Matt Leppard Paul Ehrlich Fah Sakharet Jennifer Chen Chris Kucway

SENIOR DESIGNER DESIGNER EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Ellie Brannan Wannapha Nawayon Wasinee Chantakorn

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Wong, Joe Yogerst, Adam Skolnick, Robyn Eckhardt, Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, Lara Day, Cedric Arnold, Steve McCurry, Peter Steinhauer, Nat Prakobsantisuk, Graham Uden, Josef Polleross

CHAIRMAN PRESIDENT PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

PUBLISHER VICE PRESIDENT / ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS CONSULTANT, HONG KONG/MACAU CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION GROUP CIRCULATION MANAGER

J.S. Uberoi Egasith Chotpakditrakul Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj

Robert Fernhout Lucas W. Krump Michael K. Hirsch Kin Kamarulzaman Shea Stanley Gaurav Kumar Kanda Thanakornwongskul Supalak Krewsasaen Porames Chinwongs

AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INSIGHTS, MARKETING & SALES EXECUTIVE EDITOR, INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE, INTERNATIONAL

Ed Kelly Mark V. Stanich Paul B. Francis Nancy Novogrod Jean-Paul Kyrillos Cara S. David Mark Orwoll Thomas D. Storms Lawrence Chesler

TRAVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA VOL. 2, ISSUE 11 Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, Room 1205-06, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2851-6963; Fax: +852 2851-1933; under license from American Express Publishing Corporation, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Produced and distributed by Media Transasia Thailand Ltd., 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, 75/8 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 204-2370. Printed by Comform Co., Ltd. (+66 2 368-2942–7). Color separation by Classic Scan Co., Ltd. (+66 2 291-7575).

This edition is published by permission of AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America. Reproduction in whole or in part without the consent of the copyright owner is prohibited. © Media Transasia Thailand Ltd. in respect of the published edition.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription enquiries: www.travelandleisuresea.com/subscribe

ADVERTISING Advertising enquiries: e-mail advertising@mediatransasia.com

(Contributors) 11.08

from her first visit, is unrecognizable. A photographer (“Saigon Style,” page 90) who now divides her time between the Vietnamese city and Bangkok, Chen says shopping in Saigon remains a passion, with current styles revolving around traditional Vietnamese patterns that are accompanied by a dash of something modern. Her work has also appeared in Elle Décor and Asia Spa.

Clockwise from top: Bali’s beauty; Pablo Andreolotti; Adam Skolnick.

“

How can Bali not stick in your mind?” That’s how photographer Pablo Andreolotti replies when asked about his assignment there (“Balance in Bali,” page 134). Beyond the beaches, friendly Balinese and great food, he says “the postcard beauty of the island is still real.” Andreolotti explains that there’s no need to go to tourist shows as religious ceremonies, dances and traditional rituals are constantly taking place. “Balinese are willing to open their culture and love to visitors, which is why the island is so special.” When not traveling to such idyllic islands, Andreolotti shoots for Time, Marie Claire and Rolling Stone. American writer Adam Skolnick, who wrote the Bali article and is one of T+L Southeast Asia’s regular contributors, says the island that’s become his second home has left an indelible impression on him.

Brad Kessler “Walking with the animals was incredibly moving,” Kessler says of his inspiring journey into the French Pyrenees (“Sheep Walking,” page 103). “There’s something ancient about the whole ritual.” His interest in transhumance, the seasonal migration of livestock, began five years ago when he started raising dairy goats. Kessler’s upcoming book, Diary of a Goatherd (Scribner, 2009), is a memoir about pastoral living.

Anya von Bremzen is a contributing editor at Travel + Leisure and the author of five cookbooks. Based in New York City, she visits Tokyo (“Tokyo’s Next Bite,” page 97) as often as possible. “If you’re into food, this is where all the action is these days,” she says. “The juxtaposition of kitsch and refinement, the collision of handmade and high-tech, the way the Japanese are able to appropriate and reconfigure the latest Western food trends is mind-boggling.”

Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop covers Southeast Asia extensively, including this month’s look at a privately run attempt to preserve Cambodia’s rich Khmer past (“Angkor National Museum, Siem Reap,” page 76). When not writing travel articles, the Singaporebased journalist is a regular contributor to Newsweek and the International Herald Tribune, writing on a variety of subjects ranging from macro-economics to her favourite subject, art.

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L E F T CO LU M N , C LO C KW I S E F RO M TO P : PA B LO A N D R EO LOT T I ; CO U RT E SY O F PA B LO A N D R EO LOT T I ; CO U RT E SY O F A DA M S KO L N I C K . R I G H T CO LU M N , F R O M T O P : C O U R T E SY O F N A N A C H E N ; C O U R T E SY O F B R A D K E S S L E R ; K A I T E D U N N ; C O U R T E SY O F S O N I A KO L E S N I KOV-J E S S O P

Nana Chen says Saigon is a city that, a decade on

(Letters)11.08 UNDER THE RADAR FOR YEARS, TAIWAN’S CAPITAL HAS FORGED ITS OWN UNIQUE, ENGAGING IDENTITY. BUT WILL IT CHANGE AS TIES WITH CHINA GROW CLOSER? BY JENNIFER CHEN. PHOTOGRAPHED BY JASON LANG

Nouveau Taipei Local hipsters. Opposite: Villa 32 resort in Beitou, a hot springs district in Taipei.

141

LETTER OF THE MONTH Timely Taipei

I always flinch when I pick up a magazine that announces an article on my adopted hometown. So when I saw Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia and its story on Taipei (“Taipei 2.0,” September 2008), my initial reaction was to replace it on the newstand and look at another magazine. But once I saw the lively pictures and began reading the story, I knew I was in for a surprise. Your story did some long-deserved justice to Taiwan’s capital, showing that it’s more than a dull, gray city. There’s a lot going on here in terms of culture, the arts and nightlife, while eating is a must in the city. Like any major center, Taipei is also best represented by its people and I’m sure anyone who visits will find Taiwanese among the most hospitable in the region. I can’t believe more people don’t visit the city, but maybe that’s about to change if they read your magazine. —KAREN

L E E , TA I P E I

Where the Buys Are I have just finished reading the July issue of T+L Southeast Asia, which I enjoyed immensely. One of the first things I always read is My Favorite Place. I’m sure that a lot of readers who watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, directed by Zhang Yimou, were impressed with the show and would like to know where his favorite place is. Another thing I would like to suggest is that, since the magazine has a Best Deals column, it would be useful to have a similar column outlining where the best dutyfree airport buys are. — JA RU WA N

TA N R AT TA NAWO N G ,

BA N G KO K

Blissed Out I recently stayed at the Six Senses Destination Spa in Phuket, arriving with high expectations. I thought I should write to you because all my senses were satisfied and my expectations were surpassed. I felt very connected to the place, and by the time I left, was grounded and calm. The massage sessions were my idea of bliss. Then there was my 450-square-meter villa, complete with a plunge pool, outdoor sala and a shower that converts to a steam room. It all made me want to wake up early each day so I wouldn’t miss a moment of my vacation. Upon returning home, I am eating well, have joined a yoga class and am trying to

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integrate what I experienced in Phuket into my life. I’ve discovered that I didn’t take a holiday but made an investment in my health and well-being. —ANGELA

T E D L I N G , P E RT H

Advance Planning Having read a few issues of your magazine, I have to say I like it a lot. There is one thing I think you need to work on and that is coming out with stories before the high season hits. I’m sure many readers are planning holidays or short breaks in the coming year and look towards T+L Southeast Asia as a point of reference. That said, I also enjoy reading stories about places I’ll likely never go, but which are their own form of escape. —GAIL

B E R NA R D O , C E BU C I T Y

Time to Meditate Having had a chance to read the July issue of T+L Southeast Asia, I would like to say that I think your coverage of destinations is very comprehensive. As you may know, Southeast Asia is rich when it comes to Buddhism, and a number of meditation retreats have opened, especially in Thailand. I think you should cover this topic and fully admit that I have an interest in it: I published a book earlier this year on retreats in Thailand. In the meantime, I look forward to greater coverage of Southeast Asia in the coming months. — RO N YO OT

C H I T R A D O N , BA N G KO K

E-MAIL T+L SEND YOUR LETTERS TO TLEDITOR @ MEDIATRANSASIA.COM AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON RECENT STORIES OR NEW PLACES TO VISIT. LETTERS CHOSEN MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY AND SPACE. THE LETTER OF THE MONTH RECEIVES A FREE ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO TRAVEL + LEISURE ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ONLY). READER OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN LETTERS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF TRAVEL + LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA, MEDIA TRANSASIA LTD., OR AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING.

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(Best Deals) 11.08

The Sheraton Grande Laguna.

Need a break? We found seven delightful packages for you ■ THAILAND The Epicurean Expedition at the Sheraton Grande Laguna (66-76/324-101; starwoodhotels. com) in Phuket. What’s Included Daily breakfast; welcome Thai tapas; welcome drinks and fruit platter; a collection of recipes; and one Thai set dinner. Cost From US$265, through June 30, 2009. Savings Up to 30 percent. Delight package at the Kirikayan (66-77/332299; kirikayan.com) on Ko Samui. What’s Included Two-night stay; daily breakfast; a dinner; round-trip airport transfers; and a snorkeling tour. Cost From Bt14,200, through December 19. Savings Up to 50 percent. Zpa package at Zeavola Resort (66-75/ 627-000; zeavola.com) on Phi Phi Island. What’s Included Daily breakfast; a massage for two per day; and free Wi-Fi. Cost From Bt11,000, per night, through December 31. Savings Up to 30 percent. ■ INDONESIA Ulitmate Escape package at The Legian, Bali (62-361/730-622; ghmhotels.com). What’s Included Accommodations in a one-bedroom villa; daily breakfast; daily laundry; butler 26

service; complimentary mini-bar; complimentary refreshments and afternoon snacks; return airport transfers; and a private car for use in the area. Cost US$655 per night, twonight minimum stay, through December 21. Savings Up to 40 percent. ■ MALDIVES Naladhu Spa Journey at the Naladhu (960/664-1888; naladhu.com). What’s Included Five-night stay in a Naladhu ocean house; yoga sessions; a consultation with an ayurvedic doctor; daily breakfast and some meals; roundtrip airport transfers; spa treatments; and spa drinks. Cost From US$12,600, through March 30, 2009 (not applicable during high season, December 20, 2008, to January 31, 2009). Savings Up to 20 percent. ■ CHINA Love Your Suite package at the Pudong Shangri-La (86-21/6882-8888; shangri-la.com). What’s Included Accommodation in a pre-

mier suite; a dinner for two; a spa treatment at CHI; and use of a hotel limousine for four hours in downtown Shanghai. Cost From RMB5,888 per night, through February 28, 2009. Savings Up to 25 percent.

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CHINA Imperial Dynasty package at The Grand Castle Hotel Xi’an (86-29/8760-8888; grandcastlehotel.com). What’s Included Two-night stay in a superior room; an 11-course banquet; daily breakfast; and roundtrip airport transfers. Cost RMB1,398 per person, through December 31. Savings Up to 45 percent. The Grand Castle Hotel Xi’an.

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F N A L A D H U ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E G R A N D C A S T L E H O T E L X I ’A N

DEAL OF THE MONTH

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY TODDLER TO AUSTRALIA TO EXPERIENCE A FARM STAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? —SALLY FANG, SINGAPORE

There’s no shortage of farmstay options around Australia. Two excellent listings are available at australianfarmstay.com.au/ content and at australianfarmtourism.com. au, both including packages in every corner of the country. Outside of Perth, for instance, guests can feed animals, collect eggs for breakfast, pick fresh fruit and vegetables or simply watch wild kangaroos in the evening. An hour outside of Sydney, a working apple farm offers pony rides, trout ﬁshing and a pool/spa set at 38 degrees. Aside from coming face-to-face with animals and the daily workings of a farm, children learn about life in the countryside.

which took place mainly around government buildings. Often, travel immunizations do I need to get? advisories also outline what, if any, precautions airlines are taking on flights —CLARE CATTERALL, U.K. The most important jabs to get before a to the destination in question, which is a good way of gauging what hurdles you trip to Southeast Asia are the Hepatitis might encounter at check-in. Finally, if A and B vaccinations. Both diseases— you know of friends or colleagues on the which are pretty vicious viral infections of the liver—are common in the region, ground at your destination, touch base with them to see what they have to say and you can contract Hepatitis A by eating and drinking in less than sanitary about current events where they live. By conditions. The U.S. Centers for Disease taking each of these steps, you’re bound to have a better vacation in any locale. Control also suggests that travelers visiting more remote areas in Thailand and Cambodia consider getting Where is a good place to celebrate vaccinated for typhoid, rabies and Christmas and New Year’s in Asia? Japanese encephalitis. But if you’re —GEOFF CHAN, SURABAYA mainly sticking to the tourist trail in both The most obvious option in this part of countries, we would save on expenses the world would be the Philippines, and give these shots a miss. which celebrates Christmas like no other country in Asia. Seemingly every town, city and province has some form of With recent problems like protests against the government in Bangkok, celebration going on, some lasting the who should I turn to for advice on whole month. Check with Philippines traveling to a destination that is in Tourism (wowphilippines.com.ph) for the headlines? specifics and remember to book well in advance. Stops like Hong Kong, —CHRIS HEE, KUALA LUMPUR The first option, and normally the best, Singapore and any city in Australia or New Zealand also pause on December is to contact your embassy or consulate 25, though each in their own way: you’ll in the country concerned. Just find Sydneysiders on the beaches, while remember that travel advisories most often err on the side of caution, whether Hong Kong residents are out at night to they are referring to inclement weather, take in the spectacular neon decorations political unrest or disease. It’s also worth around their famous harbor. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations checking out advisories from other are more prevalent around Asia, with countries online to see what they are most major cities in the region offering posting, and read as many trustworthy media sources as possible. Initial reports countdowns to 2009. For more specific details on New Year’s Eve parties, pick out of Bangkok at the beginning of up our first anniversary issue in September, for instance, sounded quite ominous, while in reality most of the city December and its listing of the best places to ring in the new year. was unaffected by the street protests, I’ll be traveling to Thailand and

My family and I are planning a trip

Cambodia in November. What

to Vietnam but we are confused:

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E-MAIL T+L SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO TLEDITOR @ MEDIATRANSASIA .COM. QUESTIONS CHOSEN FOR PUBLICATION MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY AND SPACE .

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weather-wise, when is the best time to visit the country? —ARNOLD HALL, BANGKOK

Like the long, narrow nation itself, the weather in Vietnam is diverse, to say the least. The country’s weather patterns are dictated by two monsoons, with the winter winds between October and March meaning damp and chilly weather north of Nha Trang, while the south enjoys dry and sunny days. At the north end of the country, the best times to visit Hanoi are between October and the beginning of January. It’s also worth remembering that the south is never cool, though the November to February window is when the coolest weather prevails, with temperatures in Saigon averaging 27 degrees. The April to October summer monsoon means hot and humid weather in most of Vietnam, and remember that weather in the south is usually more predictable than in the north. If I splurge on business-class seats, how can I make sure I get a flat bed? —ROGER TSUI, HONG KONG

I L L U S T R AT E D BY WA S I N E E C H A N TA KO R N

(Ask T+L)11.08

If you can’t get a direct answer from your airline—both the age of a cabin and the seat configurations often vary greatly even within a single airline’s fleet—then check out where to check in on the web (flatseats. com). The industry watchdog rates seats based on configuration, width, cushion comfort and the all-important recline. There are also rankings of airlines when it comes to seating comfort, though only of first and business class. That said, as already mentioned, not all cabins are created equal. So if an airline staff member cannot help you, then check out the carrier’s seats on their website to confirm your comfort on your next flight.

Strat egies FA S H I O N D I R E C T O R : M I M I L O M B A R D O . S T Y L E D BY: C AT H E R I N E C R AT E

Bag It! From top: Bronze bracelet by Stephen Dweck (stephendweck.com); enamel cuff with Czech glass cabochon stones , Alicia Shulman (aliciashulman.com); gold bracelet, Roberto Coin (robertocoin.com); bronze ring with rock crystal, Stephen Dweck; coateddenim–and–calfleather vanity, Fendi (fendi.com); Vulcan ﬁber trolley, GlobeTrotter (globetrotterltd.com); vacchetta- and patent-leather suitcase, Coach (coach.com); steel trunk, Trunk Outlet (trunkoutlet.com).

Packing Tips for the Smart Traveler With ever-changing airline rules and restrictions, packing can be a nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be. We’ve rounded up the latest techniques, our favorite new roll-aboards, and ways to pare down a carry-on. PLUS: Advice from expert travelers Edited by CLARK MITCHELL and ELIZABETH WOODSON Text by CHRISTINE AJUDUA, JESSICA SHAW and RIMA SUQI. Photographed by DAVIES + STARR

strategies | travel

solutions HOW TO FOLD A SHIRT A SWEATER

HOW TO ROLL A SHIRT

How to Pack in 5 Easy Steps Our easy-to-follow instructions for organizing your suitcase—and techniques for folding and rolling your clothes for a wrinkle-free arrival

3 1

2 4 Lingerie case, Leontine (leontinelinens.com). Cube, Eagle Creek (eaglecreek.com). Sacks, Flight 001 (ﬂight001.com).

Distribute weight intelligently. Put heavier items on the bottom of your suitcase. This includes shoes (in shoe bags), rolled jeans and blazers (folded into dry-cleaner bags). Lighter pieces go at the top.

Use bags to organize. Ziploc s are great for small accessories and toiletries. If you’re not checking, make sure cosmetics are on the top of your packed suitcase, for easy access as you go through security. To protect undergarments from damage (and prying security agents), place them in a lingerie bag.

Roll your casual clothes. This approach minimizes creasing and maximizes space. It’s best for lighter-weight pieces — cotton shirts, khakis — not bulkier items like sweaters. Put compactly rolled pieces in organization cubes to create extra room. Roll smaller items (yoga pants, socks) and use them to ﬁll in air holes.

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Fold sweaters and delicate items. Bulky articles should be folded and placed in compression sacks, like the Spacepak Bags from Flight 001. Delicate pieces can be protected from wrinkles by using tissue paper and drycleaner bags. Dress shirts and skirts should be folded and separated by tissue paper.

Don’t forget the laundry. Bring a laundry sack (or extralarge Ziploc) and stuff it with a few dryer sheets to keep everything smelling fresh. Put it at the back of the suitcase, so that clean clothes are easily accessible during the trip.

Illustrated by KATE FRANCIS

strategies | travel

solutions

9 Tips for the Perfect Carry-on For most women, traveling light is a challenge. Our rule: every piece must be able to multitask. Limit your color palette, opt for solids or simple prints, and choose items that can be layered. And always look for wrinkle-free fabrics. Stick to these strategies and you may never have to check a bag again HERS 4 Stock up on simple long- and short-sleeved T’s. They’re great basics that can be layered under almost anything or worn on their own.

1 A basic dress will work wonders. Choose a solid color that can transition easily from day to night and will coordinate with other items in your wardrobe. 2 Three pairs of pants is all you need. Denim can be dressed up or down — especially darker washes. Black pants are another travel staple. They go with almost everything, and they don’t get as dirty as other colors. And why not take your yoga pants beyond the studio: when paired with a cardigan, knit top and ballet ﬂats, they can be worn during the day. 3 Top it off. Bring a stylish top — it’s a quick way to create a chic outﬁt. You can also layer it under a cardigan for a more casual daytime look.

5 You can’t go wrong with a white shirt. A simple button-down works anywhere — on a gallery visit or for a night on the town. 6 Accessorize. Have fun with your jewelry, which doesn’t take up much space, yet makes every outfit seem new. Also, don’t underestimate the value of a belt. Just as jewelry will spice up an outfit, it can create a new look. 7 Limit yourself to three pairs of shoes. That’s it: a pair of flats, sensible heels to go out at night, and athletic shoes for exercise and pounding the pavement. 8 Embrace a cardigan. It can help transform an outfit. Lightweight knit cashmere travels best. A shawl will work, too. You can wear it on the plane, and it can be used as an evening wrap or accent piece. 9 And lastly, don’t let your suitcase weigh you down. Make sure your bag is light enough to lift into the overhead.

1 Dress, Catherine Malandrino. 2 Jeans, Paige Premium Denim. Pants, Three Dots. 3 Top, Banana Republic. 4 Long-sleeve T-shirts, Petit Bateau. 5 Button-down, Pendleton. 6 Enamel cuffs, black-and-white enamel-link necklace, green enamel oval-link bracelet, Lia Sophia. Purple jade necklace, Alicia Shulman. Ombre link necklace, Pono by Joan Goodman. 7 Shoes, Adidas by Stella McCartney. 8 Cardigan, Club Monaco. 9 Trolley, Anya Hindmarch.

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strategies | travel

solutions

8 Tips for the Perfect Carry-on When it comes to an urban travel wardrobe, men are lucky—they can get away with a basic uniform, built around a button-down shirt, jeans or khakis, and a sweater or blazer. It’s important to pack neutral colors that can mix and match. With the following pieces, you’ll be able to go the distance HIS 1 Wrinkle-free fabrics do matter. A number of companies are reinventing the classic button-down in high-tech fabrics that repel stains and creases.

a T-shirt works during the day. Vests are also great for layering. They’re an easy add-on and very much in style this season. Go for a lighter weight, as it will travel best.

2 Wear your blazer. A sport jacket in a dark color works in every situation, from the airplane to dinner at the restaurant.

4 Two pairs of pants will do the job. Pack khakis and black trousers, which can be laundered as you go.

3 Pile on the layers. A basic pullover is a travel staple. Pair it with a collared shirt and tie for a polished nighttime look;

5 Jeans will go the distance. Dark-washed denim travels well. 6 Put your best foot forward. Look for walking shoes or dark sneakers that are smart enough to wear out at night, but also comfortable for sightseeing. 7 Protect your clothing from spills. Ensure that your Dopp kit will actually keep liquids contained if something leaks. (If not, use Ziploc bags.) Another idea to keep your bag light: bring grooming products that multitask. Many shower gels on the market double as shampoo and face wash. And instead of shaving cream, try an oil — it eliminates the need for aftershave lotion. 8 Make sure your carry-on can be carried on. Check the airline’s website for size and weight requirements, which can vary.

1 Shirt, Thomas Pink Black Label. 2 Blazer, Rufus. 3 Sweater, Polo Ralph Lauren. 4 Khakis, Perry Ellis. 5 Jeans, Paige Premium Denim. 6 Sneakers, Tod’s. 7 Bag, Polo Ralph Lauren. 8 Roll-aboard, Bric’s.

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| travel solutions

Go lightly. “I always have the lightest suitcase.” Von Furstenberg has one trick for packing couture: “Roll up ball gowns and put them in stockings. You can actually squeeze them down to the shape of a salami. They are perfect and unwrinkled when you unpack them.”

Include a splash of color. To spruce up a pareddown wardrobe, bring bold colors and patterns, like this silk scarf. “Paying attention to small details, like a scarf or a bracelet, allows you to mix up your looks and stretch your outﬁts out over several days.”

Pack Like a Pro Expert advice from designer Diane von Furstenberg...

...and more advice from Tumi’s David Chu

“I’M THE BEST PACKER IN THE WORLD,” says Diane von Furstenberg. “When you approach it intelligently, you really can bring everything you need.” And now the woman who invented the ultra-portable wrap dress has created a whole line inspired by travel: La Petite Valise, which debuted in June at the Torrigiani Gardens in Florence. In creating the prints, von Furstenberg tapped into designs used in luxe hotels, such as London’s Claridge’s and Venice’s Gritti Palace, and images of passport pages. We asked for her top ﬁve tips and picked some of our favorite pieces from her collection.

“I HAVE PACKING DOWN TO A SCIENCE,” says Tumi executive creative director David Chu, who launched Nautica in 1983. He carries a well-organized suitcase when traveling the world, from business trips in Asia to family vacations in Europe to golf weekends in the United States. Chu claims he can pack a suitcase in 30 minutes or less, so it’s no wonder that Tumi picked him to inject the brand with his streamlined style and sophistication. Here, he shares his secrets and musthave travel essentials.

Carry a big handbag. After you’ve packed everything into your carry-on, don’t forget a handbag — a great place to stash the items you’ll need on the ﬂight. “I take vitamins and homeopathic remedies, so I have a lot of little bottles. I always put them in my large purse.”

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Mix it up. Take along primarycolor stripes and blackand-white geometric shapes that can easily be mixed and matched. “Before you even start packing, think of what you’ll be doing on the trip. Hang up your clothes and see how you can combine them. Then edit it down.”

Bring jersey. “This is the material that looks best after a long ﬂight. I travel with a lot of jersey dresses. They are perfect no matter where you’re going and never wrinkle. You can dress them up or down, and that’s what you want in a travel outﬁt.”

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : D A N L E C C A ; C O U R T E S Y O F D I A N E V O N F U R S T E N B E R G ( 3 ) ; D AV I E S + S TA R R ( 2 )

strategies

Use every part of the suitcase. “You don’t want to waste space,” Chu says. “Fill all the small niches and pockets. I put shoe trees in my shoes , place them in a ﬂannel bag, and put it in a side pocket.” Wheeled nylon case with leather trim, Tumi.

Remember accent pieces. Pack something small that will tweak every outﬁt. “I always take along a selection of pocket squares. I wear them with either my navy blazer or my suit — they add a ﬁ nishing touch.” Silk pocket squares, Ermenegildo Zegna.

Keep your wardrobe separated. Chu prefers to keep like pieces together. He gets organized with Tumi’s zippered, stackable Packing Cubes. “I put my shirts in one, sweaters in another and trousers in a larger one. That way, I don’t have to dig around for what I need,” he says. Packing Cubes, Tumi.

Charge up. “My electronics — especially my Bushnell laser rangeﬁnder, BlackBerry Curve 8310, MotoRAZR2 V8, and Leica C-Lux 2 camera — go everywhere with me, which is why I always pack extra batteries or a rechargeable pack.” Battery charger, RadioShack.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

Know your fabrics. Sure, most people put at least one suit into a garment bag. But what is the best kind of suit to travel with? “I have my suits made of high twist wool,” Chu says. “They don’t wrinkle. When I take them out after a ﬂight to Asia, they look perfect.” Wool suit, David Chu Bespoke.

C O M

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EC I

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Where to GoWhat to EatWhere to StayWhat to Buy

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ©2008 JEFF GOLDBERG/ESTO; DAMIEN FOWLER; WENDY BALL & DARA A L B A N E S E ; C O U R T E S Y O F L E M U S É E ; F R É D É R I C L A G R A N G E ; © 2 0 0 8 T H E R I C H A R D AV E D O N F O U N D AT I O N

P. 45 Architecture

P. 46 Opera

P. 56 Books

T+L’S GUIDE TO ARTS+CULTURE WE SPANNED THE GLOBE TO FIND WINTER’S BEST EXHIBITIONS, SHOWS AND SCENES

P. 44 Photography

P. 52 Dance

PAGE 24

P. 66 Restaurants

• An epicurean makeover in Samui is the talk of the town p. 68 • Quick and comfortable breaks outside Manila p. 73 • Shedding light on Cambodia’s ancient Khmer civilization p. 76

arts & culture guide

PHOTOGRAPHY:

T+L PICKS:

The McNay Museum’s new light-ﬁlled galleries.

AVEDON’S

OUR FAVORITE

DEFINING MOMENTS

MUSEUM

SHOPS

”THE MASK is the meaning,” Roland Barthes wrote of Richard Avedon’s great portrait William Casby, Born in Slavery, Algiers, Louisiana, 1963—a face that bears witness to its society and history. In fact, though Avedon made his name revolutionizing fashion photography in postwar Paris, he remained fascinated all his life (he died in 2004) with politics, documenting everyone from the Weathermen to the Daughters of the American Revolution to a young senator from Illinois, Barack Obama. Timed to coincide with election season, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is presenting “Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power” (through January 25; corcoran.org), an exhibition of some 200 photographs—including the portrait of Casby—that hold a mirror up to a halfcentury of American democracy. —L E S L I E C A M H I

ARCHITECTURE:

A MODERN

MARVEL L E F T : © 2 0 0 8 J E F F G O L D B E R G / E S T O . R I G H T : D AV I E S + S TA R R ( 4 )

IN TEXAS

Powerful Portraits From top: Richard Avedon’s photographs of Malcolm X in 1963, Bob Dylan in Central Park in 1965 and the Chicago Seven in 1969.

1. New Museum, New York City Just off the minimalist,

3. Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston The

cement-ﬂoored lobby of this avant-garde institution is an innovative store (235 Bowery; 1-212/219-1222; newmuseumstore.org). Artistcreated housewares and limited editions are the specialty. TOP BUY: A John Waters–created set of three signed-and-numbered porcelain plates (US$700).

ICA’s waterfront location only adds to the streamlined beauty of the city’s most talked-about contemporary arts destination (100 Northern Ave.; 1-617/ 478-3104; icastore.org). The building, designed by Diller Scoﬁdio + Renfro, cantilevers above a mammoth tiered wooden deck. Just inside, you’ll ﬁ nd the ICA’s celebrated shop. TOP BUY: A matte-white resin bookend cast in the shape of a 1970’s rollerskate, by Harry Allen for Areaware (US$100).— G I G I G U E R R A »

2. Newseum, Washington, D.C. The 23,200-square-

DESPITE ITS Spanish Colonial belfries and arches, the McNay Art Museum’s strong suit is Impressionist and modern art (Van Gogh, Picasso, O’Keeffe, Pollock). Fittingly, Parisian architect Jean-Paul Viguier’s spare expansion of the San Antonio museum puts a modern twist on the original 1920’s buildings with a sleek, 4,200square-meter glass box (6000 N. New Braunfels; 1-210/8245368; mcnayart.org). The newly christened Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions nearly doubles the institution’s overall space. Transparency deﬁnes the new structure:

adjustable louvers atop the skylit roof and retractable silkscreened glass beneath it modulate the daylight with such reﬁnement that the shadow of a passing cloud is perceptible. Gardens extend from the glass-walled galleries down to the McNay’s lush grounds and outdoor sculptures, including large works by Barbara Hepworth and Anthony Caro. On view now through January 4: “Judith Godwin: Early Abstractions,” an exhibit devoted to the American Expressionist painter; and through January 18, “Artmatters 13: Joseph Marioni: Liquid Light.” —R AU L B A R R E N E C H E

NW; 1-888/639-7386; newseum.org). Mirroring the mood of the museum, the sleek bi-level birch-paneled gift shop routinely surprises with inventive and largely affordable media-related collectibles. TOP BUY: Initial cuff links made from antique typewriter keys (US$130 per pair).

meter shrine to journalism houses a carefully cultivated collection of media-themed historic objects and ephemera (555 Pennsylvania Ave.

ks ft: Cuff lin ise from le okend from the w ck lo C s o uvenir kate b um. Artful So ewseum; a rollers om the New Muse N from the by John Waters fr s ICA; plate

GEHRY GOES HOME

Frank Gehry’s expansion of the Art Gallery of Ontario, in his hometown of Toronto, re-opens this month.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

C O M

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arts & culture guide

DIVINE

DIVAS

The new Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar.

ART: QATAR’S

ARABIAN

A NEW GENERATION of operatic artists is bringing a burst of energy—and unprecedented acting chops—to classic roles. An ideal: Natalie Dessay, a waif with a light coloratura voice and a commitment to the story that sends her whole body quivering as she brings roles to life. Perfectly suited to Mozart’s Queen of the Night, she retired that part long ago in favor of more varied heroines, including Debussy’s Melisande, a role she performs at the Theater an

CONQUEST

I. M. PEI’S latest creation, the Museum of Islamic Art (Corniche Rd., Doha; mia.org.qa), will open on November 22 with the aim of putting Qatar on the global cultural map. Pei’s angular, limestone-clad ziggurat-like structure rises dramatically from a manmade island in the Arabian Gulf. But the design takes a backseat to one of the world’s top collections of Islamic art: 700 masterpieces, whose origins range from Spain to India, including a ninthcentury Iraqi earthenware bowl, a 10th-century brass astrolabe and a 17th-century carved emerald amulet from India. The inaugural exhibition, “Beyond Boundaries— Islamic Art Across Cultures,” brings together artifacts from 20 leading institutions throughout the world.—R.B. 46

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French soprano Natalie Dessay.

QUICK TRIP:

3 REASONS

TO VISIT ROME NOW

1 The glorious 16thcentury residence Palazzo Ruspoli is hosting “Jean-Michel Basquiat: To Repel Ghosts,” a show of more than 40 of the New York artist’s grafﬁti-style paintings (through February 2; fondazionememmo.it). 2 One of the Eternal City’s most alluring thoroughfares, Via Giulia (above), is celebrating its 500th birthday with concerts and guided tours (viagiulia500.net). The street includes an arch designed by Michelangelo and is lined with palaces and churches. 3 Scuderie del Quirinale is mounting a retrospective of the 15th-century Venetian master Giovanni Bellini. Once the pope’s stables, the Scuderie del Quirinale is now a spectacular exhibition space with panoramic views of Rome (through January 11; scuderiequirinale. it).—E L E N A B O W E S »

C LO C KW I S E F RO M TO P L E F T: CO U RT ESY O F T H E M U S E U M O F I S L A M I C A RT; ©ADRIAN LAURENTIU 87 / DREAMSTIME.COM; DAMIEN FOWLER

OPERA:

der Wein in Vienna (January 13–24; theater-wein. at). And this winter, another former Queen of the Night, German soprano Diana Damrau, takes on Hänsel und Gretel at the Royal Opera House in London (December 9–18; roh.org.uk), while Joyce DiDonato, the sparkling American mezzo who seems to be moving up into soprano territory, will sing in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict at the Houston Grand Opera (until November 14; houstongrandopera.org). And one grand diva, the glamorous Angela Gheorghiu, also reigns over two major new productions in the United States: La Bohème in San Francisco (November 16–December 7; sfopera.com) and Puccini’s romantic and bittersweet La Rondine at the Met (December 31–February 26; metopera. org).—A N N E M I D G E T T E

arts & culture guide

THEATER:

DESIGN:

RENZO PIANO GOES GREEN

THE RECENTLY OPENED California Academy of Sciences (55 Music Concourse Dr.; 1-415/379-8000; calac ademy.org), in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, extends green, sustainable architecture in unprecedented ways. Pritzker laureate Renzo Piano’s airy, luminous building replaces the original 150-year-old San Francisco institution, but preserves an original Neoclassical limestone façade from the beloved African Hall (where South African penguins now cavort) within a sleek glass-and-concrete building. The innovative plan combines energy-efficient technology—a “living roof” of native California plants provides the building 48

HOT TICKETS with natural insulation and prevents 11 million liters of rainwater runoff annually—with state-of-the-art exhibitions. The largest of the seven undulating “hills” on the roof form the skylight-studded tops of two 27meter domes. One houses the biggest all-digital planetarium in the world, which employs real-time data from NASA to show spectators cosmic events as they take place in space. Under the other, visitors explore rainforest habitats, from the canopy (butterflies, macaws and fruit bats) down to ponds fi lled with fish (piranhas and electric eels) from the Amazon. The watery world is a centerpiece of the Academy’s Steinhart Aquarium, which now contains a wave-shaped tank wall fi lled with exotic sea creatures. Piano has also recast other elements of the original Academy, including coffered ceilings and the former aquarium’s Doric colonnade—seamlessly integrating the museum’s past and its earth-friendly future.—R.B.

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LONDON: The latest British production to look to Hollywood is Rain Man (Apollo Theatre; through December 20; rainmanonstage. com), Dan Gordon’s adaptation of the 1988 Barry Levinson hit. Josh Hartnett steps into the Tom Cruise role. Meanwhile, the revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s dazzling 1973 sex farce The Norman Conquests is long overdue (Old Vic Theatre; through December 20; oldvictheatre.com). NEW YORK: Peter Shaffer’s 1974 Equus (Broadhurst Theatre; through February 8; equusonbroadway.com) retains its power in the staging by Thea Sharrock, which features Daniel Radcliffe in a role that proves he’s more than Harry Potter. And playwright Richard Greenberg brings a fresh take to Pal Joey (Studio 54; opens December 11; roundabouttheatre

ART: Q+A WITH A

CURATOR MARTIN BETHENOD, curator of the FIAC fair in Paris (October 22–26, 2009; fiac.com), gives the lowdown on the Paris art scene.

What’s the most signiﬁcant development in Parisian art? The

intersection between national heritage sites and contemporary art. For example, Jeff Koons’s fi rst show in a museum in France is at the Château de Versailles (through December 14; chateauversailles.fr). Where are the upcoming scenes? The eastern and

northern arrondissements have high-energy galleries—104 Rue d’Aubervilliers, a gigantic creative space opening this fall in what was once the city’s morgue. What’s on your watch list?

Dubai: it’s the meeting point for the West, the Middle East and India. Berlin is where the West meets Eastern Europe. And Los Angeles is emerging as the rendezvous point for the Pacific.— T I N A I S A A C » Daniel Radcliffe in Equus, moving from London to New York.

TOP: TIM GRIFFITH. BOTTOM: CAROL ROSEGG

A view of the planetarium and coral reef at the California Academy of Sciences.

.org), the John O’Hara tale about a hustler. The musical, with a score by Rodgers and Hart (“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”), stars Tony winner Christian Hoff and Stockard Channing as the woman of a certain age. —B I L L RO S E N F I E L D

arts & culture guide

CLASSICAL MUSIC:

PASSING THE

BATON THEY CALL IT Dudamania: Gustavo Dudamel, the 27-year-old Venezuelan conductor, shaggy-headed and exuberant, is leading performances that lift not only the audience but his musicians from their seats (go to YouTube to see “Mambo” with his Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra). But Dudamel, who tours the United States with the Israel Philharmonic (ipo. co.il) this fall and becomes music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009, is merely the frontrunner of a pack of young conducting talents. Also making waves are two Russians: Vladimir Jurowski, 50

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PUBLIC ART:

CHANEL

GOES MOBILE CONCEIVED BY Karl Lagerfeld, designed by Zaha Hadid, and commissioned by the house that Coco built to mark the 50th anniversary of an iconic handbag, the Chanel Mobile Art pavilion is a provocative synthesis of style, culture and commerce. The roving gallery, a curving white fiberglass vessel whose fluid form was inspired by a black, quilted-leather Chanel handbag, opens in New York’s Central Park on October 20 (it debuted in Hong Kong in February and tours through 2010, with stops in London, Moscow and Paris). Inside,

visitors encounter a range of works—photography, sculptures, videos and installation pieces—by 20 contemporary provocateurs, including French conceptual artists Daniel Buren and Sophie Calle, Swiss fi lmmaker Sylvie Fleury, French photographers Pierre & Gilles, Japanese video animation artist Tabaimo and Yoko Ono. The structure can be visited though November 9 (it then moves to London); free timedentry tickets are required for admission (chanel-mobileart.com).—R.B. »

NEW KIND OF OPERA

Doctor Atomic, the latest work by John Adams (Nixon in China), premieres at the Metropolitan Opera this fall.

Wim Delvoye’s Jesus, Love and 2 Chanel Bags.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : M A T H I A S B O T H O R / D G ; C O U R T E S Y O F W I M D E LV O Y E

Conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

the brooding, brilliant music director of England’s Glyndebourne Festival Conductor and principal conductor of the London Philharmonic, which he leads in a two-week Tchaikovsky series that ends November 7 (lpo.co.uk), and Vasily Petrenko, head of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (liverpoolphil.com). Meanwhile, on the music director front: aficionados are watching two Europeans in new positions: Jaap van Zweden at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (dallassymphony. org) and Manfred Honeck in Pittsburgh (pittsburghsymphony.org). Alan Gilbert leads the New York Philharmonic, his future home, in an all-Bernstein program at Carnegie Hall on November 14, while Nicola Luisotti, the gifted music director designate of the San Francisco Opera, conducts La Bohème, November 16–December 7 (sfopera.com).—A.M.

arts & culture guide

DANCE: ABT CELEBRATES TWO LEGENDS

THE CHOREOGRAPHER Twyla Tharp, famous for her pop romps in the elysian fields of classicism, has enjoyed an enduring relationship with American Ballet Theatre—32 years— and her short but charming entry from 1990, Brief Fling, is returning to repertory 52

after a 17-year absence. The ballet, which weaves traditional folk tunes through a contemporary score, is an energetic little company cameo—given extra juice by the tartan costumes designed by Isaac Mizrahi. Brief Fling will be presented with a tribute to Antony Tudor; until November 2 (abt.org), the theater group is honoring the centennial of the English choreographer’s birth. Tudor, ballet’s poet of the subconscious,

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also had a long and productive association with ABT. He joined the company in its fi rst season, 1939, creating and staging ballets until his death in 1987. In masterpieces such as Pillar of Fire (1942), Tudor brought psychosexual heat, as well as a Modernist torque, to classical dance. The Leaves Are Fading (1975) is Proustian in its evocation of memory. ABT’s Tudor tribute will have a classic production on every program.—L A U R A J A C O B S »

ROMEO & JULIET REDUX

This fall, Mark Morris interprets Shakespeare’s classic drama at London’s Barbican.

FRÉDÉRIC LAGRANGE; HAIR & MAKEUP: RENEE MAJOUR/RJ BENNETT

Dancers Maria Riccetto and Blaine Hoven in Isaac Mizrahi’s costumes for Twyla Tharp’s Brief Fling.

arts & culture guide CLASSICAL MUSIC:

A REBIRTH IN

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : D AV I E S + S TA R R ; S C H R E I N E R K A S T L E R / C H R I S T O P H G E N G N A G E L , W I E N F Ü R AT E L I E R K R I S C H A N I T Z ; C O U R T E SY O F PA L A U D E L A M Ú S I C A C ATA L A N A

BARCELONA FEW BUILDINGS are as exuberant as Barcelona’s 100-year-old Palau de la Música Catalana (palaumusica.org). The concert hall, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner (a contemporary of Antoni Gaudí) and inaugurated in 1908, explodes with vibrant color and ornamentation. After a restoration and the addition of a chamber music hall, the Petit Palau, the building is newly resplendent. The intimate auditorium glows beneath a stained-glass skylight and inverted gold-andglass dome. And in spite of the profusion of glass and ceramics, the acoustics are still outstanding. The hall is celebrating in grand style. Highlights of the season: the Emerson String Quartet on November 13, in the Petit Palau; and the legendary pianist Alfred Brendel on November 27.—R.B.

Ishumar is Toumast’s debut album.

T+L PICKS:

HOT SOUNDS

DESERT ROCK, a new wave of African music made by members of the nomadic Saharan Tuareg tribe, is building a fervent international audience. Here, what to download right now. • Tinariwen, Water Is Life (World Village): The latest by these scene-leaders from Mali is hard-grooving rebel rock that bears deep traces

of Delta blues, psychedelic rock and soul—though its sound is indelibly African. • Terakaft, Akh Issudar (Tapsit Import): Two former members of Tinariwen formed Terakaft, whose new compilation is a bit more delicate, though it’s interrupted by moments of Hendrixian guitar virtuosity. • Toumast, Ishumar (Real World): Originally from Niger, this male–female duo mixes funk-style vamps with songs glorifying freedom fighters and martyrs. • Etran Finatawa, Desert Crossroads (Riverboat Records): This six-man band, with members from the Tuareg and Wodaabe peoples, combines spidery guitar lines with hypnotic hand drums. • Ishumar: Music of the Tuareg Resistance (Tapsit Import): A sampler of the various leading lights on the desertrock circuit. Want to hear the music in person? Visit January’s Festival of the Desert ( festival-au-desert.org) in Essakane, Mali, where the Tuareg celebrate their culture for three days. —M I C H A E L E N D E L M A N

CULTURE CAPITAL: 3 REASONS TO VISIT BERLIN NOW

1 The minimally named Temporary Art Hall (above), a cube parked on the Schlossplatz next to the rusty remains of the Palace of the Republic (kunsthalle-berlin. com), opened on October 30 for two years. The 580square-meter space will host shows that demonstrate Berlin’s inﬂuence on the global scene, starting with a solo exhibition of South African photographer and video artist Candice Breitz. 2 Art collectors and aﬁcionados gather in the huge spaceship-like Berlin exhibition grounds, on the western edge of the city, for the four-day Art Forum Berlin (through November 3; art-forum-berlin.com), where 120 galleries from throughout the world display their best. 3 For a new take on a historic destination, try the MauerGuide, a GPS-assisted, self-guiding tour of the Berlin Wall (available at kiosks along the former partition; mauerguide.com). A handheld device provides an itinerary, audio commentary and video of historical footage as you trace the city’s former dividing line.—R A L P H M A R T I N »

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

C O M

|NOVEMBE R 2008

arts & culture guide

PARKS: THE HIGH LINE

FASHION: LACOSTE’S

LIMITED EDITION

Thomas Ruff’s Grand Canyon shirt for Lacoste.

David Del Vecchio at Idlewild Books, in New York City.

BOOKS: AN OASIS FOR

TRAVELERS “YOU CAN OFTEN understand a destination better through its literature than through a guidebook,” says David Del Vecchio, a former press officer for the United Nations, who recently opened Idlewild Books, a stylish new spot in Manhattan’s Flatiron District (12 W. 19th St.; 1-212/414-8888). Idlewild shelves its books by destination instead of by category, so if you’re traveling to Turkey, you’ll fi nd Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk’s My Name Is Red next to a political biography of Atatu¨rk and a guide to the Blue Mosque.

Here are five of Del Vecchio’s favorite traveloriented titles. BRAZIL The Brazilians by Joseph A. Page. ARCTIC Circle An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie. MEXICO The People’s Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz and Lorena Havens. ASIA The Asiatics by Frederic Prokosch. ROME The Secrets of Rome: Love and Death in the Eternal City by Corrado Augias. —E D WA R D N AW O T K A

IN LESS than a decade, Manhattan’s High Line has gone from urban eyesore to cause célèbre. The 2-kilometer stretch of long-abandoned elevated rail line, winding 22 blocks amid (and sometimes through) gritty warehouses and by glittering new condos from western midtown to the Meatpacking District, was set for demolition in the late 1990’s— until famous neighbors (Diane von Furstenberg, Edward Norton) rallied around an initiative to transform the railway bed into a visionary “floating park” two stories above street level (thehighline.org). Designed by cutting-edge architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and landscape architects Field Operations, the US$170 million project’s fi rst phase (from the High Line’s southern terminus at Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street) opens by year’s end. Staircases, elevators and ramps will lead to an aerial parkland fi lled with walkways, benches and plantings.—R.B. »

The High Line, in New York City.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : W E N DY B A L L & D A R A A L B A N E S E ; D E S I G N BY F I E L D O P E R AT I O N S A N D D I L L E R S C O F I D I O + R E N F R O , C O U R T E S Y O F T H E C I T Y O F N E W Y O R K ; D AV I E S + S TA R R

FOR THE PAST 17 years, the aptly named publishing collective Visionaire— founded by a trio of New York City fashion-world insiders—has been turning out inventive, esoterically themed magazines-cumalbums that link fashion and art. The latest issue is perhaps the most ambitious yet: called Sport, the telephone book–size edition, a collaboration with Lacoste to celebrate the label’s 75th anniversary, sandwiches between its pages three of the brand’s polo shirts screened with limited-edition photoprints by contemporary artists (US$250; visionaireworld. com). Multiple variations are available, and the shirt designers include photographer Thomas Ruff, musician David Byrne and fi lmmaker Pedro Almodóvar. All told, 4,000 copies of Sport will be printed—and if history is any indication, it will be a sell out. —C A T H E R I N E P R I N C E

ARRIVES

arts & culture guide

T+L PICKS:

THE BEST

OF THE

Art Stars Clockwise from top left: Andrea Mantegna’s Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and St. John the Baptist as a Child, at the Louvre; Francis Bacon’s Triptych — In Memory to George Dyer (2), at London’s Tate Britain; Gauguin’s Tahitian Faces, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

NEW YORK The Metropolitan Museum of Art is honoring its outgoing director with “The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions” (through February 1; metmuseum.org), showcasing some 300 of the more than 84,000 works acquired under de Montebello’s 31year tenure, from a fifthcentury red sandstone Indian Buddha to Sienese master Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Madonna and Child to Jasper Johns’s White Flag. • “Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night” at the Museum of Modern Art (through January 5; moma.org) explores the visions of a painter who used gaslight and starlight as conduits to another world. LONDON At the Tate Britain, “Francis Bacon” (through January 4; tate.org.uk) celebrates Bacon’s centenary and offers a comprehensive exhibition since the painter’s death in 1992 of his visceral, anxious depictions of the human figure, mingling animal lust, violence and psychological complexity. PARIS At the Louvre, more serene pleasures await, with “Mantegna 1431-1506” (through January 5; louvre.fr), a retrospective devoted to the Northern Italian Renaissance master whose saints and martyrs bathe in the light of eternity.—L.C. »

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : © S TA AT L I C H E K U N S T S A M M L U N G E N D R E S D E N ; C O U R T E SY O F TAT E B R I TA I N ; C O U R T E SY O F T H E M E T R O P O L I TA N M U S E U M O F A R T

MAJORS

arts & culture guide

From left: I’ve Loved You So Long; Waltz with Bashir; Timecrimes; Let the Right One In.

WHO

NEXT UP

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH

Laurent Cantet, French director of the moody psychodrama Heading South (2005).

The Class

Set in a tough Parisian school, it took the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

Ari Folman, Israeli director of the offbeat teen romance Clara Hakedosha (1996).

Waltz with Bashir

The director explores his amnesia about ﬁghting in Lebanon for the Israeli Army in this intense, animated documentary.

Matteo Garrone, Italian director of the sexy dark comedy The Embalmer (2002).

Gomorra

The hard-hitting Cannes Grand Prix winner delves into Neapolitan maﬁosi — but without the usual gangster glamour.

Tomas Alfredson, Swedish director of Four Shades of Brown (2004), four takes on Swedish fatherhood.

Let the Right One In

This coming-of-age tale — complete with Swedish vampires — is bizarrely successful, in the vein of Pan’s Labyrinth.

Philippe Claudel, author of the novel Grey Souls (2003).

I’ve Loved You So Long

It was a huge hit in France; Kristin Scott Thomas plays an ex-convict in a drama exploring modern French relationships.

Nacho Vigalondo, Spanish director of the Oscar-nominated short 7:35 in the Morning.

Timecrimes

This thriller about a time machine in the Spanish countryside will bend your mind, in a good way.—DARRELL HARTMAN

The impact was revolutionary, offering the country a sobering portrait of itself at a cultural crossroads and photographers a new way to think about their medium. To mark the 50th anniversary of the collection (first released in 1958 in France), German publisher Steidl IN 1959, a seemingly unas- worked with the 84-year-old Frank to design (even resuming collection from cropping the images) a new the Swiss-born photographer Robert Frank appeared edition (US$39.95; steidlville. com), on sale now, in time for in U.S. bookstores. Shot on the National Gallery of Art’s a series of road trips and coupled with an introduction “Looking In: Robert Frank’s by Jack Kerouac, the 83 im- The Americans” (opening Januages in The Americans were cu- ary 18; nga.gov). The result rious and unsettling, marked is as hypnotic and revealby dim lighting, abrupt crop- ing as it was half a century ping and sly camera angles. ago.—A M Y F A R L E Y »

BOOKS:

FRANK REVISITED

Robert Frank’s seminal collection of photographs.

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C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : T H I E R R Y V A L L E T O U X / C O U R T E S Y O F S O N Y P I C T U R E S C L A S S I C S ; A R I F O L M A N A N D D A V I D P O L O N S K Y/ C O U R T E S Y O F S O N Y P I C T U R E S C L A S S I C S ; C O U R T E S Y O F M A G N O L I A P I C T U R E S ; H OY T E VA N H OY T E M A ; D AV I E S + S TA R R

FILM: SIX DIRECTORS TO WATCH

arts & culture guide The Garden Restaurant at the Dolder Grand hotel, in Zürich.

CHECK-IN: HIGH-DESIGN

3 REASONS

HOTELS

The Hotel: Dolder Grand

in Zürich, Switzerland, by Foster & Partners. The Look: Foster gave the 19th-century Dolder Grand a makeover that took four years and cost a cool US$427 million. A pair of curving glass-and-steel wings, with balcony railings filigreed with the silhouettes of trees, now wrap around the original hotel, which Foster also renovated. 65 Kurhausstrasse; 41-44/4566000; thedoldergrand.com; doubles from US$811. The Hotel: Park Hyatt

Shanghai, by Kohn Pedersen Fox. The Look: The hotel, which opens this month, occupies floors 79 to 93 of the 101-story Shanghai World Financial Center, and offers sweeping views of Shanghai’s Blade Runner–esque skyline. Spacious rooms have walk-in dressing areas, daybeds for in-room massage, and baths with traditional deep soaking tubs. 100 Century Ave., Pudong New Area; 1-800/233-1234 or 8621/6888-1234; parkhyatt.com; doubles from US$524. 62

TO VISIT MUMBAI NOW

The Hotel: St. Regis

Mexico City, by Cesar Pelli & Associates. The Look: Pelli designed the 31-story Torre Libertad on leafy Reforma boulevard, where St. Regis’s newest hotel-and-condo property opens in January. With bold colors and a nod to traditional Mexican craftsmanship, Toronto designers Yabu Pushelberg have created 189 rooms and apartments, which fill the tower’s top 14 floors. 439 Paseo de la Reforma; 1877/787-3447 or 52-55/ 5242-4052; stregis.com; doubles from US$450. —R.B.

Josef Albers–inspired scarves by Hermès.

STYLE: HERMÈS’S

SQUARE NECESSITIES

IN FRENCH, a silk scarf is called un carré—“a square”—so there’s a luscious visual pun at play in Hermès’s new line of six limited-edition scarves, each of which reproduces a work from abstract artist Josef Albers’s monumental series, Homage to the Square. Given his credo, “The aim of art is living creations,” the Bauhaus-trained Albers might well agree that draping one of the silk squares across your shoulder is the ultimate hommage au carré. From US$2,800; available at select Hermès boutiques. —P E T E R W E B S T E R

1 The epicenter of Indian contemporary art is in the new galleries of South Mumbai. Bodhi Art (bodhiart.in) represents luminary painter Atul Dodiya. Works ranging from drawings to video are found at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke (galeriems.com), while Chemould Prescott Road is the new outpost of contemporary-art giant Chemould Gallery (gallerychemould.com). 2 Mumbai’s shoppers welcomed the Bombay Electric (bombayelectric.in), above, which is as committed to sustainability as it is to high fashion. This month, alongside collections by Rajesh Pratap Singh and Manish Arora, the store showcases handwoven pieces honoring Mahatma Gandhi’s life. The project is a collaboration with Women Weave, an NGO that works with local artisans. 3 This month, the historic Prithvi Theatre (prithvi theatre.org), known for productions as diverse as Shakespeare’s tragedies and contemporary Hindi and Gujarati-language plays, presents its annual festival of new and repertory works.—TANVI CHHEDA »

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F D O L D E R G R A N D H O T E L ; C O U R T E S Y O F B O M B AY E L E C T R I C ; D AV I E S + S TA R R

ARCHITECTS from Frank Lloyd Wright to Ricardo Legorreta were once indelibly connected with the most important hotel projects of their day (the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, the Camino Real in Mexico City). Though the boutiquehotel era put the emphasis more on interiors, architects are again making their mark on hotel design.

QUICK TRIP:

arts & culture guide

NEW TWISTS

ON DUTCH TRADITION “IT’S A PART OF the philosophy of Dutch design to take an object and give it a new meaning, a new life,” says Erik Schilp, director since 2006 of the Zuiderzee Museum, a suddenly hip monument to a vanished Dutch past about 45 minutes north of Amsterdam (12-22 Wierdijk, Enkhuizen, Netherlands; 31-228/351-111; zuiderzeemuseum.nl). Created in 1948 on the edge of what was once the Zuider Zee, or South Sea, and spread across 15 hectares and some 200 buildings in Enkhuizen, this picture-perfect re-creation of a centuries-

T+L PICKS:

OUR FAVORITE

MUSEUMS

IN ASIA

Yin Xiuzhen’s Portable City at the Mori Art Museum. Above: The Asian Civilisations Museum.

• National Palace Museum, Taipei (221 Chishan Rd., Sec. 2, Shilin district; 886-2/2881-2021; npm.gov. tw; NT$160). Arguably the world’s premier collection of Chinese art and artifacts, the National Palace Museum—called gugong by locals—underwent a drastic makeover recently. Need a break from all the antiquities?

Viktor & Rolf’s “Anna Maria” design, at the Zuiderzee Museum.

Head up to the elegant San His T’ang teahouse that occupies the fourth floor. Look out for a new branch in the southern town of Chiayi. • Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore (1 Empress Place; 65/6332-2982 or 65-6332 7798; acm.org.sg; S$8). Though it’s housed in an imposing 19th-century building, there’s nothing antiquated about the displays here. Cleverly interactive exhibits shed light on the cultural heritage of India, China, Southeast Asia and Islamic Asia. Showing now: “Seeing Red: Propaganda and Material Culture in China (1966–1976)” (through November 23). • Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (6-10-1 Roppongi Hills, Mori Tower; 81-3/5777-8600; mori.art.museum). Located on

the 53rd floor of Mori Tower, this petite museum offers incredible views of Tokyo: on clear days you can see Mount Fuji. On display are contemporary art works by international marquee names and unknowns alike. • Ghibli Museum, Tokyo (1-1-83 Shimo-renjaku, Mitaka-shi; 81-5/7005-5777; ghibli-museum.jp). Hard to find and even harder to get tickets for, this gem is worth it. Devoted to the animation director Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli (the team behind Spirited Away), the zanily designed museum captures the whimsy, gentle humor and reverance for the natural world that infuses Miyazaki’s fi lms. T+L Tip Book your tickets months ahead.—J E N N I F E R C H E N »

C LO C KW I S E F RO M TO P : CO U RT ESY O F Z U I D E RZ E E M U S E U M ; CO U RT ESY O F M O R I A R T M U S E U M ; C O U R T E SY O F A S I A N C I V I L I S AT I O N S M U S E U M

DESIGN:

old fishing village, complete with ruddy-faced actresses strolling by in lace caps and clog-shod men smoking herring outdoors, is undergoing a radical transformation in Schilp’s hands. Stroll into a 19th-century farmhouse and you’ll now fi nd an art installation by Studio Job, whose principals, Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel, have recast everyday rural implements—a bucket, a pitchfork—in gleaming bronze. Or wander through the museum proper (in buildings once belonging to the Dutch East India Company) and you might see looks by Viktor & Rolf inspired by traditional Dutch costumes, or Alexander van Slobbe’s reinterpretations of seafaring men’s wear, or 17th-century porcelain tulip pyramids reimagined by the likes of Jurgen Bey and Hella Jongerius.—L.C.

arts & culture guide

T+L PICKS: FOUR MUSEUM

MEALS

• Museum Brasserie, Beaux Arts Museum, Brussels (3 Place Royale; 32-2/508-3580; lunch for two US$110). Portuguese designer du jour Antoine Pinto and Flemish chef Peter Goossens collaborated on this minimalist brasserie serving updated vernacular Belgian fare, such as pork stewed in kriek beer. • Mini Palais, Grand Palais, Paris (Perron Alexandre III, Ave. Winston Churchill; 331/42-56-42-42; lunch for two US$140). Expect your taste buds to be tickled by rebel chef Gilles Choukroun’s dishes, such as a citrus salad with grapefruit gelée and yuzu tuiles. Book the

terrace in warm weather. • Le Musée, the National Art Center, Tokyo (7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku; 813/5770-8161; lunch for two US$50). Lyonnais legend Paul Bocuse’s first restaurant outside France occupies the museum’s stunning glassand-steel lobby. It sits atop a three-story inverted concrete cone, but delivers down-toearth brasserie fare, such as whitefish-mousseline quenelles in a bisque sauce. • C5 Restaurant and Lounge, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (100 Queen’s Park; 1-416/5867928; lunch for two US$100). The panoramic fifth-floor space, part of Daniel Libeskind’s addition to the museum, sets the scene for Ted Corrado’s progressive cross-cultural cooking. Follow the porcini linguine with a vacuum-poached vindaloo-scented lamb loin. —A N Y A V O N B R E M Z E N

Le Musée looks over the National Art Center in Tokyo.

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Ed Ruscha’s rendition of a Smythson classic.

ACCESSORY: THE ARTFUL

AGENDA ENGLISH STATIONERY and leather-goods maker Smythson of Bond Street, known as the source for

posh paper goods, has commissioned four seminal artists—Gary Hume, John Baldessari, Rachel Whiteread and Ed Ruscha—to create covers for a limitededition, art-driven series of its iconic portable diary. It’s a fitting way to organize your complicated art itinerary (smythson.com; from US$630).— G.G.

Edited by MARIO R. MERCADO and SOREN LARSON, with NINA WILLDORF, CLARA SEDLAK and BREE SPOSATO. Designed by MARK MALTAIS.

Be who you are at Twinpalms Phuket, Phuket’s Most Exciting & Stylish Contemporary Resort. Use code words “Travel+Leisure” while making your booking and receive a complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability)

twinpalms-phuket.com

insider

| eat with a miso relish, and the “surf and turf” lines up traditional Béarnaise alongside a tangy ponzu sauce. T+L TIP Make sure to call ahead for a table: The Four Seasons has been uppity about letting non-guests eat there, though they’ve relaxed that policy lately. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, 219 Moo 5, Angthong; 66-77/243-000; dinner for two US$100.

barbecue and pad thai anymore. Some of the island’s best hotels are leading an epicurian makeover. By ALEX FREW MCMILLAN

Stylish Samui Top: Tables with a view at the Four Seasons’ Pla Pla. Above: Full Moon chef Don Lawson relaxes at Anantara.

NOV E M B E R

■ FULL MOON THE PLACE Australian chef Don Lawson helms the kitchen at the Anantara Koh Samui Resort’s Italian eatery. The resort garnered notice for its stylish décor when it first opened three years ago, and the alfresco dining room of Full Moon doesn’t disappoint in its surroundings. Enter along a 200-meter torch-lined walkway and take a seat by the pool. THE FOOD The Thai blue swimmer crab adds a local touch, but more often dishes are plays on Italian classics, such as rich, pan-seared foie gras balanced on a shallot risotto and topped with white truffle oil. T+L TIP Some signature mains are prepared tableside, with a theatrical flourish; the Australian wagyu beef tenderloin is flambéed in

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Martell cognac. Anantara Koh Samui Resort & Spa, 99/9 Moo 1, Bo Phut Bay; 66-77/428300; dinner for two US$65. ■ PLA PLA THE PLACE To reach Pla Pla, you have to take a precipitous journey on a golf cart from the main Four Seasons lobby high on the hill. The resort opened in 2007, the first in a wave of high-end hotels along the island’s north shore. THE FOOD Translated literally, the name means “many fish” in Thai. So hone in on the seafood offerings such as grilled king tiger prawns that are cooked to order. Lunch tends to focus on standard Thai and Western fare while the dinner menu features more interesting touches: coconut-crusted snow fish comes

F RO M TO P : CO U RT ESY O F FO U R S E AS O N S R ES O RT KO H SA M U I ; C O U R T E S Y O F Z A Z E N B O U T I Q U E R E S O R T & S P A ; C O U R T E S Y O F S I X S E N S E S H I D E A W AY S A M U I

Samui’s Culinary Stars. Eating here isn’t just about seafood

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E SY O F F O U R S E A S O N S R E S O R T KO H S A M U I ; C O U R T E SY O F A N A N TA R A KO H S A M U I R E S O R T & S PA

THAILAND

■ ZAZEN RESTAURANT THE PLACE Zazen is the “hotel all hoteliers wish they ran,” says a general manager at a five-star hotel on Samui. Run by Belgian– English expat Alex Andries and his Thai fiancée, Thitima Fathaveeporn (whose father once ran a guesthouse on the site), this 26-room resort also features one of the island’s best eateries. The path to the beachfront restaurant leads past Zen ponds, Buddhist statues and a bridge with a handmade yin-yang mosaic. THE FOOD Brussels-born chef Wally Andreini draws on his homeland, Italian mother and eight years in Asia to fuse together a globetrotting menu. Lemongrass king prawns sit on a bed of ratatouille; white snapper is paired with both a Chinese-style hoi sin glaze and a French white-wine sauce. The cheekily named “orgasmic salmon” is a knockout: a baked macadamia-and-herb encrusted fi llet stuffed with goat cheese and dill that’s served with Peruvian quinoa—a nutty, protein-packed cereal that’s not often seen on menus in Asia. T+L TIP Zazen is planning a major renovation: check ahead before planning your visit. Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa, 177 Moo 1, Bophut Beach; 6677/425-085; six-course Asian Discovery menu for two US$80. ■ DINING ON THE ROCKS THE PLACE Locals say the signature restaurant of the Six Senses Hideaway Samui kick-started the island’s gastronomic revolution when it opened in November 2004. Critics certainly agree: Dining on the Rocks often crops up on shortlists of the best restaurants in Thailand. The restaurant spans nine wooden terraces that seemingly hover over the boulders that provide its name, affording diners a 270-

Delicious Views From above: Pla Pla specializes in ﬁsh dishes; don’t skip dessert at Zazen; Dining on the Rocks hovers over the sea.

degree view of the Gulf of Thailand. THE FOOD Officially described as “modern Asian–influenced”—the food might sound suspiciously like fusion, but it’s thoroughly sophisticated and unexpected at the same time. Guam-born head chef Ryan Dadufalza turns Asian staples on their heads by mixing up textures and tastes. Grain-fed beef tenderloin swims in a sukiyaki broth with a whiff of sesameflavored air and a side of spiced popcorn. Tom yam emerges as a tangy foam, served with ginger-tinted scallops and a crumbly cracker of Parmesan cheese. T+L TIP With its own intimate deck, Table 99 is the place to pop the question. Six Senses Hideaway Samui, 9/10 Moo 5, Baan Plai Laem, Bophut Beach; 66-77/245-678; five-course set menu for two US$155. ✚ T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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check-in | insider

Three Inns in Tagaytay. Looking for a quick break from Manila? This trio of hotels offer tranquility and homey meals—just what you need for a weekend break. By CHRIS KUCWAY

C LO C KW I S E F RO M TO P L E F T: CO U RT ESY O F D I S COV E RY CO U N T RY S U I T ES ; C O U R T E S Y O F S O N Y A’ S G A R D E N ; C O U R T E S Y O F D I S C O V E R Y C O U N T R Y S U I T E S ; C O U R T E S Y O F S O N Y A’ S G A R D E N

PHILIPPINES

Manila Getaways Clockwise from above: The homey Discovery Country Suites; Sonya’s Garden; the Andalucia suite at Discovery Country Suites; Sonya’s has a comfortable feel.

HERE’S A HIGHWAY sign on the road to Tagaytay from Manila—a request really—to “poke your eyes.” As a warning to stay awake, it works as long as the driver doesn’t find it too comical, become distracted and plow into a roadside pineapple stand. As a prelude to Tagaytay, some 60 kilometers south of the Philippine capital, it’s also apt. This refreshing little town is a great break from the crush of modern life, one as invigorating as a stiff breeze off of nearby Lake Taal and the

smoldering volcano that juts out from the water. Here are three choice stays worth checking out: DISCOVERY COUNTRY SUITES Once the owner’s getaway home, this intimate property is perched on the ridge overlooking Lake Taal. Each of its seven guest rooms, ranging in size from 33 to 72 square meters, is fitted out with goose-down pillows and 300count bedding, and has a subtle theme—nautical (the “Nantucket” suite), Mediterranean (“Saint-Tropez”)

or Thai (“Siam”). But what really stands out here is Verbena, a small, top-flight restaurant offering a taste of the thriving local organic scene through its soups and salads, while mains cover everything from Australian lamb chops with a herb and Dijon crust to roasted prawns and scallops with carrot risotto, cumin cream drizzled with a sweet sherry vinegar. For those with a sweet tooth— even for those who don’t have one—the chocolate marquise with vanilla custard and toasted pistachios is a »

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

C O M | N OV E M B E R

2008

| check-in interiors. Pebble-floor bathrooms, whitewashed walls and ample use of colored glass give it an antique appeal. But it’s the organized chaos of the gardens that takes center stage, with the smell of wildflowers gracefully hanging in the air throughout the grounds. Botany also appears on the activities list, which includes a good deal of gardening, flower arranging and cooking classes featuring locally grown ingredients, as well as on the menu. A salad of greens—dill, nasturtium, oxalis and arugula—is topped with jackfruit, pineapple, white corn, broad beans and basically whatever is in season. Fresh-baked breads, pastas and desserts fi ll out the country-style bill of fare. Bonus Point A salon fi lls in any downtime, with two-hour packages that include a steam bath, foot spa and full body massage costing P1,680. Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso; 63-917/533-5140; sonyasgarden.com; from P3,000 per person, including breakfast and lunch or dinner.

Volcano Views From above: A touch of the past at Sonya’s Garden; the volcanic Lake Taal; part of the garden at Sonya’s.

decadent must. Inside, a fireplace adds to the coziness, and outside, the sweeping lake view from the Jacuzzi is enough to make anyone forget their cares. Bonus Point As you’re settling in for the night, warm milk and fresh cookies are delivered to your room. 300 Calamba Rd., San Jose, Tagaytay City; 63-46/413-4567; discoverycountrysuites. com; doubles from P10,000. SONYA’S GARDEN Located at the far end of town, this eclectic property is the place to get away from everything, including the famous volcano, which is a 10-minute drive away. Amid the lush and colorful gardens are a dozen cottages and 16 guest rooms, each with one-of-a-kind 74

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BOUTIQUE BED & BREAKFAST Adding a modern touch to the local scene, this petite hotel features ultramodern design—neutral colors, cubist architecture, rattan twisted into funky shapes—and spa-inspired amenities. Dare, dream, desire, lust, love, surrender and escape—these aren’t challenges but the names of the seven guest rooms. Aside from the iPod docks in each room, there are LCD televisions, a selection of DVD’s and Wi-Fi Internet access. This is the perfect place for travelers looking for a retreat—with all the amenities of modern life. Bonus Point Upon checkin, the first stop is the Pamper Me room, which is fi lled with fragrances, shampoos, body lotions and soaps so guests can tailor the fragrance of their room. 45 Aguinaldo Highway, Silang Crossing East, Tagaytay City; 63-46/4131885; doubles from P5,950. ✚

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F S O N Y A’ S G A R D E N ; C H R I S K U C W A Y ; C O U R T E S Y O F S O N Y A’ S G A R D E N

insider

POWER ADDRESSING

insider

| see it

Khmer Culture Angkor’s civilization explained. Top right: Images of Buddha. Bottom right: A history carved in stone.

Angkor National Museum, Siem Reap. An ambitious attempt seeks to shed some light on the mysteries of ancient Khmer civilization. By SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP

NGKOR WAT MIGHT inspire

awe among most travelers, but it offers few ready answers to questions shrouding the mighty empire that built it. For those curious to learn more, head over to the Angkor National Museum, a privately run US$15 million complex that opened in November last year. Located near the Grand Hotel d’Angkor, it’s hard to miss: a sprawling white edifice with decorative pools and stupas, and slightly gaudy pink sandstone walls. Covering 20,000 square meters, the museum’s eight galleries provide a chronological account of Khmer civilization from the pre-Angkor period (before the ninth century) to the golden age of Angkor with artifacts from the National Museum in Phnom Penh and the Conservation d’Angkor, a storage facility for a massive collection that is still off-limits to the public. The museum isn’t without some controversy: skeptics deride the 76

NOVE M B E R

attached Cultural Mall, and some have grumbled about its Thai origins (a Bangkok-based company is behind the museum). Despite the complaints, the museum is an excellent introduction to the mysterious temple complex that lies a few kilometers away. WHAT TO SEE ■ One Thousand Buddha Images Gallery Wood, stone, silver and bronze images of Buddha and other relics are displayed in hundreds of small niches in this large, dark room. Train your eyes on the lower niches: they contain real antiquities—the oldest dates back to the sixth century while some of the top slots house lessinteresting, 20th-century depictions. In the center of the room are the rarest Buddha images, including a ninthcentury sandstone statue of a prostrate Bodhisattva from Phnom Da. The gallery underscores how Hinduism and Buddhism have commingled.

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■ Gallery B, Religions and Beliefs

This space is devoted to the religions and beliefs that molded the great Khmer civilization. Among the highlights are carvings from Banteay Srey, a late 10th century temple located 38 kilometers from Siem Reap that is renowned for the delicate beauty of its pink sandstone carvings. ■ Gallery D, Angkor Wat It’s hard

not to marvel over how the magnificent temples of the UNESCO World Heritage Site were built. With a detailed model of Angkor Wat, one of the most famous structures, this gallery goes a long way towards explaining how the “templemountain” dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu, was erected. Don’t miss the equinox-sunrise simulation over the model, which underscores the role of astronomy in the complex’s layout. 968 Vithei Charles de Gaulle; 85563/966-601; angkornationalmuseum.com; admission is US$12. ✚

C O U R T E SY O F A N G KO R N AT I O N A L M U S E U M ( 3 )

CAMBODIA

M O D E L S , F R O M L E F T : H O L L I E W I T C H E Y/ M A R I LY N ; J E R E M I A H / W I L H E L M I N A ; K A T E R I N A / M U S E . H A I R : P A S Q U A L E F E R R A N T E / T H E K A T Y B A R K E R A G E N C Y. M A K E U P : D E V R A K I N E R Y/ A R T D E P A R T M E N T . A S S O C I A T E F A S H I O N E D I T O R : C A T H E R I N E C R A T E . P H O T O G R A P H E D A T T E T E R B O R O A I R P O R T

HIS

StylishTraveler AND

HERS

...87 |

SHOPPING

...90 |

SPOTLIGHT

...95

Prepare for a high-fashion takeoff. These sharp pieces will add a dash of retro glamour to your travel wardrobe. Photographed by JEFF RIEDEL. Styled by MIMI LOMBARDO

COME FLY WITH ME

stylish traveler | fashion Previous page, from left: Leather trench, by Banana Republic (bananarepublic.com); cashmere turtleneck, Ballantyne (ballantyne.it); silk-blend skirt, Rachel Roy (rachelroy.com); satin ﬂats, and patent belt, Roger Vivier (rogervivier.com); patent clutch, Lodis (lodis.com); croc case, Smythson of Bond Street (smythson.com); goldand-diamond earrings, Kara Ross (kararossny.com); goldand-diamond locket, Roberto Coin (robertocoin.com). His wool suit and silk tie, by

Z Zegna (zegna.com); buttondown, Brooks Brothers (brooksbrothers.com); shoes, Fratelli Rossetti (rossetti.it); leather trolley, Valextra (valextra.com). Her canvas coat, by Derek Lam (dereklam.com); silk dress, Peter Som (petersom.com); suede ﬂats, Belle by Sigerson Morrison (sigersonmorrison. com); python bag, Sigerson Morrison; earrings, pin and bracelet, R.J. Graziano (maxandchloe.com); stainlesssteel watch with diamonds, Dior Watches (dior.com).

FIRST-CLASS LOUNGING RUNWAY READY

Wool jacket, skirt and mink scarf, by Michael Kors (michaelkors.com); patent pumps, Christian Louboutin (christianlouboutin.com); calf-leather bag, Celine (celine.com); glass earrings, Miriam Haskell (miriamhaskell.com); gold cuff with tigereye, Kara by Kara Ross (kararossny. com); gold bracelet with diamonds, Roberto Coin (robertocoin.com).

From left: Cashmere-and-satin cardigan, cotton-blend shirt and silk skirt, by Charles Nolan (charlesnolan.com); leather belt, Marni (marni.com); satin clutch, Kotur (koturltd.com); sunglasses, Dior; pearl necklace, Badgley Mischka (badgleymischka.com). His cashmere-and-wool blazer, by Hickey Freeman (hickeyfreeman. com); cotton-poplin button-down, Tommy Hilﬁger (tommy.com); wool pants, J. Crew (jcrew.com). Her wool dress with patent trim, by Christian Dior; suede pumps with Swarovski crystals, Hollywould (hollywould.com); patent bag, Roger Vivier; fox stole, Adrienne Landau (adriennelandau.com); stainless-steel watch with rubber strap, Dior Watches.

stylish traveler | fashion

ARRIVING IN STYLE

Alpaca coat, by Diane von Furstenberg (dvf.com); cotton-sateen dress, Alberta Ferretti (albertaferretti.com); python bag, Devi Kroell (devikroell.com); gold earrings, Roberto Coin; steel quartz watch with calfleather strap, Montblanc (montblanc.com).

stylish traveler | fashion

TAKING FLIGHT

Twill coat and wool-twill dress, Vera Wang Lavender Label (verawang.com); suede pumps, Brian Atwood (brianatwood.com); lizardskin and crocodile clutch, Kara Ross; croc-leather case, Smythson of Bond Street; gold ring, Roberto Coin; South Sea culturedpearl necklace, Iridesse (iridesse.com). In this story: All tights, by Wolford (wolford.com); all leather gloves, LaCrasia Gloves (lacrasia.com).

Now breaking through onto the always-sophisticated Chaweng beach, travelers can enjoy a luxurious and trendy lifestyle experience at The Library, the only place where swimmers can take a plunge into the exotic red pool overlooking the sea and avid readers can bury themselves inside the white library set amid lush greenery. Created with a smart, semi-minimalist and exotic design edge, The Library is stylish,modern and, at the same time, moving fast into the future.

his and hers | stylish traveler

TIME TRAVELS Whether crossing time zones or making a fashion statement, a watch is a traveler’s best friend. T+L asked these globe-trotters about their favorite timepieces and why they love them. By CLARK MITCHELL and SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP

JEFF PROBST Host of CBS’s Survivor Favorite Watch: ■ Tissot T-touch

{ { { {

“The touch-sensitive screen lets you switch easily between the altimeter, compass, barometer and thermometer. I use it all the time when I’m on location—it’s more accurate than the National Weather Service!” U.S.A.

PHILLIP LIM

Fashion and Accessories Designer

Favorite Watch: ■ IWC Big Pilot’s Watch

S T I L L S : D AV I E S + S TA R R . P O R T R A I T S , F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F J E F F P R O B S T ; C O U R T E S Y O F P H I L L I P L I M ; C O U R T E S Y O F C O S T A N Z A A S S E R T O ; C O U R T E S Y O F G O T O G A B B Y. C O M

“The crocodile band and black face are versatile enough for casual or formal settings. I love its seven-day power reserve, and the dial helps me remember to wind my watch when I’m traveling.”

OBERTO GILI

T+L Contributing Photographer Favorite Watch: ■ Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean

“It’s so indestructible that when I’m gardening on my farm outside Turin, I can just spray dirt off it with a hose. It also has a dial that I use for timing when I’m milking my two cows.”

GABRIELLE REECE Athlete Favorite Watch: ■ TechnoMarine TMY Ceramique Matte

“I wear this men’s watch because I like its masculine style. Plus, I can beat it up when I’m working out and it still looks great.”

NOVEMBER 2008| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

stylish traveler

| his and hers

{ { { { {

JOSH BERNSTEIN TV Host and Explorer Favorite Watch: ■ Rolex Oyster

Bernstein prefers traveling with minimal and understated accessories that are sturdy enough for his off-the-grid travels, such as his Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller. “It’s tough as nails,” says the American explorer and adventure travel guru.

ASHLEY ISHAM Favorite Watch: ■ Chanel J12

“I have quite a number of watches, but this is my favorite one. I love its elegant, modern design and the use of ceramics is quite original. I like the design versatility—I can wear it during the day and easily carry it at night too.”

HO KWON PING Founder, The Banyan Tree Favorite Watch: ■ Rado Ceramica “I mainly stick to [my] Rado ceramic band watch. I like it because it’s not bulky and pretty inconspicuous ... And because I travel a lot, the two time-zone feature is very useful to always know the time back home.”

DENISE KELLER MTV VJ Favorite Watch: ■ Longines Conquest “I am not a fan of big-faced watches. My wrists are pretty tiny, but somehow this one spoke to me. It’s beautiful and elegant ... To me it is almost like an edgy white flower of a [piece of ] jewelry.”

COLIN SEAH Interior Designer and Architect Favorite Watch: ■ ODM Mr. Metallic “I picked this model for its simplicity and programmable message input, which I can keep as a screen saver. Mine currently says, ‘To live Christ, to die gain.’”

ST I L L S, F RO M TO P : CO U RT ESY O F RO L E X; S I T T I P U N C H A I T E R DS I R I ; CO U RT ESY O F RA D O ; CO U RT ESY O F LO N G I N ES ; CO U RT ESY O F O D M . P O RT RA I TS, F RO M TO P : CO U RT ESY O F JA M ES T O V E L L / D I S C O V E R Y C H A N N E L ; C O U R T E S Y O F A S H L E Y I S H A M ; C O U R T E S Y O F B A N YA N T R E E H O T E L S A N D R E S O R T S ; C O U R T E S Y O F D E N I S E K E L L E R ; C O U R T E S Y O F C O L I N S E A H

Fashion Designer

stylish traveler

| shopping and luxury hotels and resorts, Song also has outlets in Hanoi and Phnom Penh (there are two boutiques in Saigon). 76D Le Thanh Ton St., District 1; 84-8/824-6986 or ground ﬂoor; Eden Mall; 106 Nguyen Hue St., District 1; asiasongdesign.com. ■ MOSAÏQUE LIVING ROOM The Concept Designer Alan Duong focuses on more

VIETNAM

SAIGON STYLE

Vietnam’s vibrant capital of cool is home to some of the country’s most intriguing designers. T+L proﬁles six of the best. Story and photographs by NANA CHEN ■ MAI’S The Concept Self-taught Vietnamese–Australian Vietnamese Vibe Clockwise, from above: French designer Michèle de Albert of Gaya creates lacquerware with a modern twist; Mai Lam’s boutique is known for its edgy, fusion style; fashion label Song offers apparel and home products using natural ﬁbers; Gosto specializes in shoes; Dogma specializes in Vietnamese propaganda graphics.

designer Mai Lam’s bold looks revolve around her signature, intricate embroidery. As a result, no two items are identical. Mai is also one of the ﬁrst Saigon designers to expand overseas: an outlet opens in Barcelona next year. The Look Men’s and women’s casual wear made from distressed cotton and smooth silk in hues ranging from pistachio to lipstick red, all decorated with Mai’s distinctive embroidery. Hot-ticket items include her vintage U.S. Army jackets, each with a story from her past sewn on. Where to Buy Even if you’re not in the mood to buy, her shop in Saigon, located in the colonial Continental Hotel, is worth a visit for its offbeat décor, which includes a vintage scooter and motorcycle. 132–134 Dong Khoi St., District 1; 84/908-587-964; mailam.com.vn.

traditional crafts and materials, though she gives them a contemporary feel with unusual shapes. The Look Silver Vietnamese coffee ﬁlters that would make the perfect wedding gift to long traditional silk skirts and blouses. Where to Buy Take your time browsing through the collection: Mosaïque is one of the loveliest boutiques in town, with hardwood ﬂoors and colorful lamps. 98 Mac Thi Buoi St., District 1; 84-8/823-4634; mosaiquedecoration.com.

gallery, focusing on vintage propaganda posters. 29A Dong Khoi St., District 1; 84-8/825-8019; dogmavietnam.com. ■ GOSTO The Concept Adorning the most stylish feet in Saigon, this local label’s shoes are not only exquisite, they’re also comfortable. Master cobbler Mac Thiem has designed shoes for some of Europe’s top fashion houses, including Prada, bringing with him serious craftsmanship and a love of couture. Though the focus at Gosto is on shoes, there’s a small selection of sleek cocktail dresses. The Look From understated suede pumps to glamorous sandals trimmed with patent leather ribbons and horsehair. Where to Buy A two-story boutique just opened on Le Loi Street, a prime Saigon address: 58 Le Loi St., District 1; 84-8/222-1684. ■ MICHÈLE DE ALBERT The Concept A lawyer by

■ DOGMA The Concept Australian Dave MacMillan mixes

a punk aesthetic with Vietnamese propaganda poster art, creating edgy urban streets fashion for men and women. MacMillan is constantly coming up with new designs, and if nothing strikes your fancy, he’s happy to take custom orders. The Look Youthful graphic T-shirts, boat-neck dresses with three-quarter sleeves and jackets, as well as canvas duffel bags with propaganda images. Where to Buy Dogma’s boutique on Saigon’s fashionable Dong Khoi Street is perhaps the sleekest of all its outlets, with boldly colored décor and lively window displays. The shop doubles as a

training, de Albert updates traditional lacquerware with sophisticated designs and decidedly unconventional shades. The Look The brightly colored dining sets are among de Albert’s most popular items, though her teapots (encased in their own smooth lacquer box) are equally eye-catching. Where to Buy On the ground ﬂoor of Gaya, a cutting-edge design store that embodies the city’s style revolution. Wander the boutique’s three ﬂoors and its collection of house wares, furniture and fashions by such regional luminaries as Romyda Keth and Quasar Khan. 39 Ton That Thiep St., District 1; 84-8/914-3769; gayavietnam.com. ✚

MAI

SONG

GOSTO

5 4

1 6

■ SONG RESORT The Concept Frenchwoman

Valerie Gregori McKenzie’s creations are known worldwide for their easy elegance and, in keeping with the label’s environmental beliefs, their use of natural cotton, linen and silk. The clothes are perfect for chic travelers: the designs are softly structured and made for layering, and they’re easy to pack and care for. The Look Sexy feminine blouses go well with gauzy wraparound skirts. Men’s ﬁtted linen shirts with embroidery are coupled with roomy trousers. House wares include plush embroidered velvet and cotton cushions to crisp cotton bedsheets. Where to Buy Available around the world in high-end boutiques 90

MOSA ÏQUE Saigon’s Changing Face Clockwise from left: Dogma’s funky boutique on Dong Khoi Street; Gaya gives lacquerware a new look; Gosto is one of the new swank shops in Saigon’s fashionable District 1; elegantly cut apparel from Song; Vietnamese designer Mai Lam outside her shop; doublelayered silk sarongs from Mosaïque Decoration.

GAYA

DOGMA

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

C O M| N OV E M B E R 2 0 0 8

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spotlight | stylish traveler From left: Derek Lam in front of the Wat Pho temple, in Bangkok; Amanpuri, Lam’s preferred resort on Phuket; driving loafers by Tod’s.

THAILAND

Derek Lam

LAM’S FAVORITE THAI SPOTS

Profession: Fashion Designer Home base: New York

BANGKOK Sukhothai Bangkok “An oasis from the chaos. My refuge here is a garden suite.” 66-2/344-8888; sukhothai.com; doubles from US$362. Chinatown “It’s in one of the oldest parts of the city. I go in search of exotic foods.” Yaowarat Rd. at Odeon Circle. Greyhound Café “This mall restaurant has amazing modern street food.” Emporium Shopping Complex, 622 Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/6648663; dinner for two US$24. PHUKET Amanpuri “Everything you want is here: Thai massage, afternoon tea, evening tennis.” Pansea Beach; 667/632-4333; amanresorts.com; doubles from US$585.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : C O U R T E S Y O F D E R E K L A M ; C O U R T E S Y O F A M A N R E S O R T S ; D AV I E S + S TA R R ( 2 ) ; © F R A N K VA N D E N B E R G H / I S T O C K P H O T O . C O M ; D AV I E S + S TA R R ( 3 ) ;

I From above: Sunglasses, Derek Lam; shirt by Thom Browne; Delila ram clutch by Derek Lam; Bangkok temple offerings.

APPRECIATE BEAUTY MOST when I have to look for it,” Derek Lam says. “And that’s what I love about Bangkok. There’s a sensory overload—the buzz of traffic, the intense heat, the utter chaos. It forces you to take time to find what’s unique.” The San Francisco–born Lam regularly circles from Tokyo to Los Angeles to Rome, then home to New York for business (in addition to his namesake line, he’s also the creative director of Tod’s). But when it comes to downtime, it’s Thailand that puts the most stamps in his passport. The elements of day-to-day life intrigue him, from street food (stewed chicken with ginger is a favorite) to the fragrant strands of jasmine offerings found in local temples and all over town. This attention to detail speaks to Lam’s overall travel philosophy—and has influenced his romantic, tailored designs. “People think that when they’re on vacation, there are no rules about what to wear. But it’s easy to make just a little effort. Why not look your best?” he says. No matter where he’s headed, Lam lives by this tenet and sticks to an understated uniform of Levi’s jeans, a Thom Browne shirt and Tod’s driving loafers. His own streamlined packing routine inspired his latest collaboration: a sleek, limited-edition vinyl travel case for Kiehl’s, packed with carry-on–friendly sizes of the brand’s best sellers. “I’ve been using Kiehl’s products forever, but I always had to transfer them into smaller bottles,” Lam says of his idea. “Now, even airport security is intrigued by the set.”—G I G I G U E R R A ✚

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

Kiehl’s Travel Kit, designed by Derek Lam.

C O M | N OV E M B E R

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Special Promotion

An Executive Club room at the Nikko KL. Left: The Lounge reception area. Below: Evening cocktails at the Nikko Club Lounge.

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JAPAN

Tokyo’s

Next Bite

MAIN IMAGE: JASON

M I C H A E L L A N G . I N S E T : T E T U YA M I U R A

Ever hungry for new trends, Japan’s capital may be the most food-crazed city on earth. ANYA VON BREMZEN gets a taste of the city’s latest obsessions

Sushi chefs in food-obsessed Tokyo. Inset: Buri’s yakitori platter, including grilled chicken, grilled mushrooms, and bacon-wrapped tomatoes and asparagus, in Ebisu.

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writer I’ve suffered lost reservations and long waits for bad tables but never—never!—have I been subjected to the serial heartbreak I suffered at the door of a neighborhood pastry shop on my last visit to Tokyo. Every morning my partner, Barry, and I would wait in the rain outside the Ginza patisserie Hidemi Sugino—only to learn yet again that some greedy matron ahead of me had just snatched the last cherry financier and fromage-blanc mousse. Granted, Sugino’s creations are baked daily in minuscule quantities, which qualifies them as gentei (limited-edition) and thus extradesirable: Birkin bags for the taste buds. I’d come to Tokyo on a mission to sample just such gastrofads in a city positively bursting with them. Our first morning in Tokyo, we see hundreds of kids lined up to buy cod-roe costumes inspired by a pasta sauce commercial. We see trompe l’oeil fast food—burgers, fish burgers, fries—all fashioned entirely from chocolate and custard. This foodobsessed megalopolis moves on to the next cult comestible faster than a seasonal Kit Kat can fly off the shelves (yes, Kit Kat flavors are seasonal here; ditto Coke). Whether it’s kaiten sushi or kanten jelly, cone pizza or collagen-packed soft-shell-turtle meat, this city devours it all. In Tokyo, the sublime meets the ridiculous, and handmade collides with high-tech—sometimes all in one bite. Hungry? Here, some tasting notes from the edge.

seller—customers might chance upon a real pearl. And who knew that eel ice cream could taste so compelling, with its salty-sweet teriyaki kick and a dusting of sansho pepper? I can’t resist calling my friend Ferran Adrià in Barcelona. “Ferran está en Tokyo,” his assistant replies. Where else? There are 70 kinds of salt at the depachika (department store basement food hall) of Takashimaya Times Square, and right now the store’s vinegar sommelier is tempting me with Vermont Drink, a cassis sipping vinegar, and nifty “infuse-your-own-vinegar” kits. After 10 minutes here I’m about to pass out from sheer sensory overload. With 250 square meters of space occupied by some 120 outlets of Japanese and international gourmet purveyors, Takashimaya isn’t even the largest depachika in Tokyo (that would be Seibu, in Ikebukuro). Tokyo’s subterranean food halls function like runway shows for global gastronomic couture, and merchants here change with lightning speed. On my frenzied Takashimaya rounds, I note that, since my last visit here, the outpost of Peck, the fabled Milanese deli, has swallowed several concessions around it; that the best-selling items are wearing No. 1 flags; that a TV crew is filming the arrival of the season’s first peach éclairs at Fauchon. Trying to dodge the stampede for Canadian blueberry honey packaged in perfume vials, I knock over an exquisite display of US$150 muskmelons. I bow apologetically and scurry away.

ORKING AS A FOOD

Who knew that eel ice cream could TASTE so compelling, with its teriyaki kick and a dusting of pepper?

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © BLUESTOCKING / I S T O C K P H O T O . C O M ; C O U R T E SY O F N E W O TA N I T O KYO ; T E T S U YA M I U R A ( 3 )

VEN THOUGH THE CITY itself resembles a culinary safari ride, locals also love food theme parks and sometimes downright garish themed bars and restaurants. Cantonese-food fans prowl Daiba Little Hong Kong, an uncanny simulacrum of Kowloon; noodle maniacs head straight to Yokohama’s Ramen Museum. Us, we go to binge at Gyoza Stadium, inside the indoor multi-attraction extravaganza called Namjatown, near the frenetic Ikebukuro Station. The stadium’s riotous kitschy sprawl is part pinballlike pachinko parlor—Namjatown is owned by Namco, a gaming giant—part nostalgia ride through 1950’s Japan. Socialist-realist portraits of famed gyoza chefs from various prefectures decorate faux-rustic booths hawking their creations. We try delicate fried shrimp and shiso-leaf pouches; nouvelle multicolored gyoza with black-vinegar dipping sauce; and fat Okinawan pork dumplings in spicy oil. Next, we’re off to Ice Cream City, a sweets spectacular one ﬂoor up. After threading past gelato stands and Turkish guys in national garb selling orchid-root–thickened ice cream (I’ve never seen this outside Istanbul), we raid Cup Ice Museum, a theme park within a theme park, for small cartons of the frozen stuff. Among some 300 ﬂavors on offer are Christmas Island salt, soy chicken and preserved cherry blossom. In the dainty tubs of pearl ice cream—today’s top

Tasting Tokyo Clockwise from top left: A bowl of ramen; mille-feuille from Pierre Hermé at the New Otani; a colorful pastry display at Sadaharu Aoki, one of the Marunouchi district’s many patisseries; the bar at Buri; chilling out at Namjatown’s Ice Cream City, a scoop-centric theme park near Tokyo’s Ikebukuro station.

F THE DEPACHIKA ARE TEEMING cathedrals of food commerce, konbini (convenience stores) are Tokyo’s bright, domesticated shrines to consumerism. At their corner Lawson, AM/PM or 7-Eleven, Tokyoites can pay utility bills, buy baseball tickets and send parcels 24/7 while slurping down bowls of udon or Neapolitan zuppa di pesce. Konbini are sprouting up at hospitals and schools—even police stations. Yes, they push Mars bars and chips—but in a myriad of novelty flavors. Here are racks of those limitededition Kit Kats: cherry blossom, green tea, “chocolatier wine.” Grab them while they last (or try eBay). Soda is seasonal too: Pepsi’s Ice Cucumber flavor was discontinued after selling almost 5 million bottles in just a few weeks. Of the current flood tide of soft drinks (a US$32 billion-a-year national industry), bihade (beautiful skin) potions reign supreme. If Shiseido’s collagen brew doesn’t deliver the equivalent of plastic surgery in a bottle, try a jelly drink enriched with ( yikes! ) porcine placenta. My favorite konbini chain, Natural Lawson, indulges the current eco-friendly mood with treats like stupendous red-bean-paste–filled organic croissants and dainty whole-grain-bread sandwiches made into sushi rolls. And how nice to be told the exact origin (Miyazaki prefecture) of the hormone-free chicken in your dog-food purchase. After being turned away from Sugino, and then from Gucci Café—ah, those coveted chocolate Gucci logos—we » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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have roughly a trillion other spectacular patisseries to console ourselves with. At the Marunouchi salon of idol-pâtissier Sadaharu Aoki, I admire the slender green-tea éclairs. At the elegant Mikimoto Lounge, inside the company’s new tower in Ginza, we plump for a pearl-themed dessert—fromage blanc, passion fruit, tapioca—among bejeweled neighborhood belles and their steamer-trunk–size Dior shopping bags. Still, if one held a popularity contest for Japan’s favorite sweet, the mont blanc (a rococo arrangement of chestnut purée, sponge cake and meringue) would beat napoleons and macaroons by a landslide. “That’s because its chestnut flavor bridges the gap between traditional wagashi and French pastry,” explains my friend Maki, editor of Sweet Café, a glossy magazine entirely devoted to pastry trends. One day we convene at Patisserie Satsuki, at the New Otani Hotel, for a mont blanc degustation that includes a Milano (Italian chestnuts, ricotta, Gorgonzola crust); a Tokyo ( Japanese chestnuts and sticky rice sponge); and a Paris (marron glacé over a meringue base). The winner? Actually, it’s a fourth version, from the adjacent Pierre Hermé shop. France’s top pastry provocateur, Hermé is a household name in Tokyo, with several boutiques and a swank marbled Bar Chocolat created by Wonderwall, the cutting-edge design firm behind Uniqlo stores. Why do Gallic confectioners even bother with France?

is consumed in Japan with such gusto you wonder if there are any of the acornmunching black hogs left in Andalusia. The idea of Ibérico pork turned tonkatsu—as in proletarian panko-breaded fried pork cutlet—might offend Spanish snobs, but just let said snobs taste it at Butagumi. Literally translated as “pig gang,” this new-wave tonkatsu temple occupies a timberframed house in a quiet enclave near big, bright Roppongi. Besides tonkatsu Ibérico—limited to just a few servings a day—a roster of pork cutlets showcases hand-reared hog from Japanese boutique farms. Order a “Butagumi-zen” HE PRIZED IBÉRICO SWINE

menu and you get five mini-tonkatsu stuck with tiny flags identifying their provenance. This is pork with a Ph.D. Tachinomiya, standing-room-only bars, have evolved from dives filled with pickled salarymen (groping guaranteed) to sleek watering holes where the notoriously shy young Japanese can strike up conversations over glasses of Austrian Grüner Veltliner, Australian sparkling Shiraz or artisanal sake. At the dark, designy, one-person-deep Buchi, near Shinjuku Station, the ravishing female bartender introduces us to the “one-cup sake” trend—single servings sold in colorful little jars. “It keeps the sake fresh, and the cute labels attract female drinkers,” she explains. Buri, Buchi’s sister establishment in Ebisu, has a wall of color-coordinated miniature sake containers behind its handsome circular bar. Natty gaijin (foreigners) and Japanese hipsters alternate slugs of their junmai and daiginjo with bites of pork-cheek yakitori, sautéed sea urchin and watercress, and fugu (blowfish) roe preserved in sake lees. A fashion executive next to me tells us that the cup-sake craze even inspired a lingerie company to create cup-sake–themed bras. Barry drinks to that. A perfect slab of Okinawan Spam griddled in butter is tied with a nori ribbon to a mustard-slicked rice ball in possibly the most delicious sushi I’ve ever encountered. We and Robbie Swinnerton, food critic for the Japan Times, are enjoying it at Teppei, a narrow haunt semihidden in folksy Kagurazaka. Here, lost on the low-rise-lined backstreets, one can still imagine Old Edo. Teppei isn’t your average Spamcentric Okinawan greasy spoon, but a connoisseur’s izakaya specializing in esoteric shochu spirits and 10 kinds of ume-shu (plum) liqueur (“a trend in the making,” Robbie opines). Best of all, Teppei employs the services of a certified Vegetable and Fruit Meister, a.k.a. produce sommelier, Japan’s budding food profession. Spam sushi with a tempura of absurdly perfect asparagus? Only in Tokyo. ✚ Anya von Bremzen is a contributing editor for Travel + Leisure.

GUIDE TO TOKYO FOOD Bar Chocolat First and second ﬂoors, Laporte Aoyama, 5-51-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; 813/5485-7766.

Daiba Little Hong Kong Decks Tokyo Beach, 1-6-1 Daiba, Minatoku; 81-3/3599-6500; lunch for two US$30.

Buchi First ﬂoor, Nomoto Building, 9-7 Shinsen, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/5728-2085; light meal for two US$100.

Gucci Café 4-4-10 Ginza, Chuoku; 81-3/3562-8112.

Buri 1-14-1 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuyaku; 81-3/3496-7744; light meal for two US$80. Butagumi 2-24-9 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku; 81-3/5466-6775; dinner for two US$150.

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Gyoza Stadium and Ice Cream City Second and third ﬂoors, Namco Namja Town, Sunshine City, Higashi-Ikebukuro 3 chome, Toshima-ku; 81-3/5950-0765; US$3 admission fee; lunch for two US$15. Hidemi Sugino Kyobashi Daiei

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Building, 3-6-17 Kyobashi, Chuoku; 81-3/3538-6780. Mikimoto Lounge Third ﬂoor, Mikimoto Ginza 2 Building, 2-4-12 Ginza, Chuo-ku; 81-3/ 3562-3134. Patisserie Sadahharu Aoki First ﬂoor, Shinkokusai Building, 3-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku; 81-3/5293-2800. Patisserie Satsuki New Otani Hotel, 4-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku; 81-3/3221-7252; cakes from US$4, coffee at an adjoining shop.

Pierre Hermé New Otani Hotel, 4-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku; 813/3221-7252. Takashimaya Times Square 5-24-2 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/5361-1111. Teppei 4-2-30 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku; 81-3/3269-5456; dinner for two US$110. Yokohama Raman Museum 2-14-21 Shin-Yokohama, Kohokuku, Yokohama; 81-45/471-0503; US$3 admission fee; lunch for two US$20.

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outdoors | t+l journal

Sheep Walking

FRANCE

Every summer in parts of Europe, farmers and ranchers send their animals on an ancient parade called the transhumance. BRAD KESSLER follows a flock up to greener pastures in the Pyrenees. Photographed by FRÉDÉRIC LAGRANGE

T SEVEN O’CLOCK on a Saturday morning in early June, I’ve joined a gathering crowd in a field outside Sentein, in the French Pyrenees. The day is brilliant—sunny and sweater-cold. Wisps of mist skirt across the mountains. The sun lights up the fields of wheat. In this sleepy corner of the Couserans, I’m about to partake in one of the oldest pastoral traditions: the annual walking of the herds up to their summer pastures— the transhumance. I’ve come to the Pyrenees to walk with sheep. The crowd is a mixed lot, mostly locals and weekenders from Toulouse, two hours away. I’ve driven the 45 minutes from the village of St.-Girons, where I’m staying in the “Alexandre Dumas” room at the restored 19thcentury Château de Beauregard. There are shepherds scarfing down a quick breakfast of sausage, bread and wine; and a handful of Parisian tourists with dogs on leashes, which won’t be allowed to tag along. Everyone has brought hiking boots and day packs, ski poles and walking staffs and raincoats—just in case. This morning we’ll accompany the herdsmen and their sheep in multiple parades up into the mountains. It’s part of the Ariège region’s effort to make its local pastoral tradition a »

Local shepard Roger “Patatus” Mahenc with his sheep, near the village of Sentein, France. Above: A local dancer’s sabots, whose design dates back to the year 1000.

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The last SCARF of mist lifts from the mountains and the view turns sublime: the serrated peaks of Mount Crabère loom above the valley

tourist attraction. Imagine a kinder, gentler running of the bulls. Not in a city, but against the beautiful backdrop of the Midi-Pyrénées. The Biros Valley backs up against the frontier with Spain. Normally it sees little traffic, even in high summer. But this morning, at the point of departure, Renaults line the road and the air quakes with the bleating of sheep. Sheep are everywhere— in makeshift paddocks and enclosures—canvascolored Tarasconnais sheep, some 3,000 strong. Their nervous baa’s, surprisingly human, sound like a men’s baritone choir, painfully out of tune. By 8 A.M., the last scarf of mist lifts from the mountains and the view up the Biros turns sublime: the serrated snowy peaks of high, jagged Mount Crabère loom above the valley floor. A faint cheer issues from the crowd and the first flock starts marching up the road. Cameras swing. Sheep bells clang. Three shepherds lead the flock with herding sticks and black berets just behind a pair of Great Pyrenees herding dogs—le patou—scouting the ground ahead. The sheep are trotting at a fast clip, six abreast, restive, noisy, a long white river with no end in sight. They have all been recently shorn and so look naked and harried—somewhat like fugitives, well … on the lam. Fast on their heels, a few

hundred hikers keep swift pace with the flock. A border collie weaves in and out of legs, nipping at any sheep that have lagged behind. I’m tempted to join the flow; it’s almost impossible to resist. But I’m waiting for a larger flock yet to come, the fourth in line this morning. They’re going to a mountain pasture—an estive—called Bentaillou, “the place where the wind blows.” I like the sound of the estive. It’s a five-hour hike straight up.

RANSHUMANCE MIGHT very well be the earliest

form of summer travel. It has taken place as long as people have kept domesticated animals. In late May or early June you leave the hot dry plains behind you and take your cattle or sheep, goats or horses up to the highlands where there’s plenty of good grazing. You return home in fall when the grass grows in the lowlands again. These local migrations happen all over Europe: in the Alps, the Apennines, in Corsica, Switzerland and Spain. In the German-speaking Alps it’s called the Alpaufzug. In Italy, it’s la transumanza. In Spain la transhumancia lasts for weeks, with Merino sheep driven along ancient trails north to south and east to west. In some regions, there’s invariably a festival with food and wine, music and dancers, and photo ops, the fêtes de la transhumance held throughout Europe— even in large cities like Madrid, where the paso de las

ovejas (passing of the sheep) occurs in the capital, from north to south, each fall. Perhaps it was Heidi or The Sound of Music or herding my own goats in Vermont that made me want to participate in a real transhumance. The problem was ﬁnding a willing shepherd (or goatherd) who’d let me tag along. Here in Ariège, visitors can join 10 different day hikes that accompany the animals up into the mountains. You can walk with a hundred native black Merens horses, or hundreds of Gascon cows or a thousand Tarasconnais or Castillonnais sheep. You can pay for a picnic or a barbecue dinner afterward, or hire a donkey to carry your child. Roger Mahenc, a shepherd from Sentein who is bringing his ﬂock up to an estive this morning, tells me that, “in the past, the transhumance was a family outing with a group of friends. Now there are all these people who want to learn about it. And it’s important to educate the public, to show them that we aren’t just some spectacle, but are actually playing out an age-old cultural practice.” In many parts of Europe, the transhumance faded in the middle of the last century. Cows and sheep and goats were packed on lorries and shipped to better pastures or left in the lowlands on large commercial feedlots. But now, a resurgence is under way throughout Europe, led by Slow Food activists and ecologists and livestock breeders, who want to reclaim the “patrimony” of the millennia-old tradition. As Spanish naturalist and Slow Food advocate Jesús Garzón explains: “Slow Food’s idea is to restore a calm life—people interpret it as the opposite of fast food, but really it’s a life philosophy: to live calmly, talk with people in the country, eat well. That’s precisely what the transhumance is about: We go slowly—14.5 kilometers a day— getting to know the towns, the farmers. We produce high-quality food: lamb, beef, goat. Transhumance also helps the soil by infusing it with good manure. The practice is fundamental to the future of sustainable agriculture.”

I Going Pastoral From left: A smiling dancer; sheep trotting toward higher ground for the summer; members of the dance troupe Les Bethmalais.

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N A FEW MINUTES, the large Bentaillou ﬂock

ﬁnally comes loping up the road. I wait for the sheep to pass—all 1,500—a giant ribbon of white wool, then fall in line with the hikers behind. The day has turned spectacular. The Lez River on our right is glass-green, icy, swift. We pass tiny stone hamlets, houses with slate roofs and neat fenced potagers. An old woman waves from her doorstep, lace above the lintel. Then the road narrows and the

Mountain Break A welcome food break during the transhumance. Below: Cattle near Sentein.

valley walls press close. We’ve fallen into shadow. The sheep bunch together and slow to a half step, the road now speckled with fresh green dung. Suddenly I find myself in the middle of the flock, the only human body bobbing on the surface of sheep. I feel myself being swept in a current of creamy wool. The sheep don’t seem to mind, but the shepherd does, and he gently calls for me to get behind the flock. Apologetic— embarrassed—I stand and let the current pass and meekly take my place with the other bipeds. A shout comes from the fi le. “Arrête! Arrête!” Everyone grinds to a halt and looks around. The Border collie tunnels importantly through the crowd. People are shouting and pointing toward the river. A sheep has fallen in? A plunge into the icy rapids would mean instant death, and a dozen hikers dash to the embankment to look. “Là-bas!” someone shouts. I half expect to see a sheep bobbing downriver. But instead he’s stranded on a precipitous bank, bleating, the river 6 meters below. The shepherd calls off his collie; the dog’s excitement will only panic the sheep. The dog obeys, then stands waiting at a distance. Everyone else on the embankment is waiting too, holding their breath. Will the sheep make it? He is skinny, with first-year horns and long ovine eyelashes. His back leg slips. This could be a real cliffhanger. » NOVEMBER 2008| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

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| outdoors Summer Days Right: A local herder with his collie. Left: The troupe Les Biroussans dance the bourrée on a wooden bridge.

Slowly he struggles to safety and a cheer rises from the crowd and everyone starts walking again. The sheep rejoins the flock. He’ll make it to the estive after all, and survive another summer. But in the autumn he’ll probably be sold for meat. Now, through a narrow rock gap, we climb into the forêt domaniale. The river thunders on our right. Cold funnels down from the upper valleys. Water drips from rocks. Dwarfed ferns and wild butterfly bush line the track—the road is now all scree. Then the gorge opens into a valley painted with alpine flowers. The hikers shed sweaters and coats. We’ve been going at it for a good three hours. The sheep are thirsty and tired from the forced march, and so are we. Some sheep meander down to a stream and suck up water. Soon we reach our lunchtime destination, the Cirque de la Plagne, a natural alpine amphitheater. The view is staggering: four waterfalls plunge at the

head of the cirque, small mountain rills gurgle over rocks, boulders lie interspersed among wide bowls of blooming ﬂowers. Everyone spreads out to rest. Plastic cups of Kir Gascon are passed around. Rustic patois music pumps out of portable speakers. A barbecue pit smokes with our lunch. I sit in the cool sunshine with some hikers and riders on horseback. They’ve ridden up this morning on their Merens, who munch grass a few meters away. We eat too: blood sausage, pâté de foie gras, cured ham, cheese, bread. That’s only the beginning. The main course is—what else?— barbecued lamb chops, more tender and succulent than any I’ve tasted before. We rest. We eat. We drink red vin de pays while the music blares from among the rocks. Some dancers perform in traditional garb and sabots. From where we sit, we can see the sheep. They’ve moved up the cirque, a white mass, bunching and unbunching, with a mind of its own. Word has come down that there’s still snow on the Bentaillou—“the place where the wind blows.” Shepherd’s huts, called orries, dot the Pyrenees, some of them also used by hikers on the GR10. The crude stone structures are testaments to the hardscrabble life of the shepherds. Today the owners of the ﬂocks spend little time up on the estives. The few hired herders are given mobile phones and paid minimum wage. They are enjoying the party now. Soon, all the tourists will head back down the valley to warm houses or hotels, and the sun will drop. That’s when the hard work begins. The long, solitary summer days on the mountain watching sheep and sky. ✚

GUIDE TO THE TRANSHUMANCE GETTING THERE Thai Airways flies four times a week to Madrid from Bangkok; Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways all fly daily to Paris from their hub cities. Both Madrid and Paris offer convenient connections to the Pyrenees. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT Château de Beauregard A redesigned three-star château with a kitchen garden and a restaurant, the Auberge d’Antan, which serves exquisite Gascon cuisine — rich, earthy fare. Ave. de la Résistance, St.-Girons; 33-5/61666664; chateaubeauregard.net; doubles from US$90; dinner for two US$47. GREAT VALUE

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Farm Stays Some farmers in Ariège open their houses to visitors during the animal migrations. To learn more, contact the Ofﬁce de Tourisme de St.Girons et du Couserans. 33-5/61962660; transhcouserans.com.

and traditional Aubrac specialties. The cows — decorated with holly, bells and ﬂowers — and shepherds then continue on toward the mountains. L’Association Traditions en Aubrac; 33-5/65-44-2115; traditionsenaubrac.com.

HIKES AND FESTIVALS FRANCE Ariège The most visitor-friendly of the transhumances available to the public, it normally takes place from late May to mid-June. 33-5/61-96-26-60; transhcouserans.com.

SPAIN There’s not yet a tourism infrastructure for hiking with the transhumancia herds in Spain, although Jesús Garzón, of Transhumancia y Naturaleza, says plans are under way. Meanwhile, you can respectfully explore on your own the country’s 125,000 kilometers of transhumance trails through the oftenremote Iberian countryside. Iberia Nature; iberianature.com.

Aubrac Although the public cannot join the herdsmen on their walk into the mountains here, there is a send-off festival with folk dancing, a market,

NOV E M B E R 2 0 0 8| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

t+l journal | hotels his mouth surely hints at loftier ambitions than a comfortable stay. Welcome to the new Le Méridien. Once a respected but somewhat staid European luxury hotel chain, Le Méridien recently launched an ambitious five-year initiative to remake its image—an effort whose fruits are now being introduced in Bangkok at the brand’s Asia flagship. To do so, it’s not just resorting to cutting-edge architecture and design and topflight cuisine; nowadays, any luxury hotel worth its salt offers a Michelin-starred consulting chef and sleek interiors. Instead, Le Méridien is aspiring to be much more than just a hotel. It wants to transform itself into a gathering place for creative types—not just hipsters, but those who define the zeitgeist. When speaking of the brand’s plans, Eva Ziegler, a senior vice president of Le Méridien and the driving force behind the makeover plans, evokes the storied kaffeehäuser of her native Vienna. Not the usual point of reference for an executive in the hospitality industry, but it speaks volumes

Home Comforts Clockwise from below: Curator Jérôme Sans sees hotels more as houses; a revamped standard room in Chiang Mai; in Chiang Rai, a deluxe room that aims to please creative guests.

about the scope of Ziegler’s ambitions for Le Méridien. “If you look at history, creative people hung out in coffeehouses to debate, to discuss ideas. We wanted to create an atmosphere similar to the coffeehouse,” she says. To achieve this, Zeigler—who joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of Le Méridien, after it acquired the brand in 2005—approached Jérôme Sans, a maverick curator and one of the founders of Palais de Tokyo, an acclaimed contemporary art center in Paris, and asked him to become the hotels’ “cultural curator.” Initially surprised by her offer, Sans was quickly entranced by the idea. “A hotel is not far from what I do at institutions. A gallery or museum isn’t just a white box with shows, I see it as a house—and a hotel is the same way,” reasons Sans, who also serves as the director of the cutting-edge Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing. Curating for a hotel, however, isn’t quite the same as it is for a museum. Gallery-goers don’t demand a well-made »

Le Méridien wants to TRANSFORM itself into a gathering place for creative types

THAILAND

Can a hotel be more than just a hotel? The team tasked with revitalizing this venerated brand thinks so. JENNIFER CHEN reports

Le Méridien Redux

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Art Class Clockwise from above: The lobby in Bangkok; an installation in Barcelona; art as a coffee cup from Illy; the hotel as a canvas.

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A L L P I CT U R ES CO U RT ESY O F L E M É R I D I E N

next month, Le Méridien Bangkok could easily, at first glance, be mistaken for yet another modern five-star hotel. Stellar service? Check. World-class cuisine and spa services? Present. Impressive design? That’s immediately apparent from the soaring, glass-fronted atrium, prodigious use of Italian marble in the lobby and sweeping glass staircase leading to the mezzanine. But take a closer look, or rather, take a deep breath and tune your ears into what’s playing in the background. There’s the unexpected whiff of cedar and musty books in the air—more reminiscent of a library than a newly built luxury hotel. The soundtrack that’s playing isn’t one of those inoffensive but hopelessly clichéd lounge-music compilations that seemingly filter through all modern hotel lobbies these days, but the chirping of crickets or, depending on the time of your arrival, even running water or a bustling market. And if that isn’t enough of a hint that something different is afoot, then the 19-meter-long image at the entrance of a man with a small fluffy dog tucked under his arm and a cigarette rakishly dangling from HEN IT OPENS ITS DOORS

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cappuccino, any more than a traveler is looking to have his mind quickened by a provocative piece of art in his guest room. But for Sans and Zeigler, the unexpected combination of the two—and how it affects a guest’s stay— is where they envisioned Le Méridien seizing an advantage from other luxury hotel brands. “The problem with hotels now is that they are all the same. The differences are narrow,” gripes Sans. “A hotel might have a different designer or architect—but who cares? Life isn’t made by white boxes, by interiors, but by what we experience.” Instead of merely hanging a few pieces of contemporary art in the lobbies of Le Méridien’s 120 properties throughout the world, the duo conceived of the LM100, a rotating roster of artists, designers, architects, chefs and designers tasked with creating signature flourishes for the brand—be it the music played in the elevators or the spread at breakfast. For the first year of the plan, estimated to cost around US$10 million, the members of LM100—who, so far, number only a dozen, but will eventually reach 100—are focused on the first 10 minutes of a guest’s encounter with a hotel, or as Zeigler puts it, “the arrival experience.” That includes everything right down to limited edition espresso cups from Illy. The way Zeigler and Sans see it, those first few minutes set the tone for a traveler’s entire stay. To that end, they’ve created “transitional portals”—a Harry Potteresque conceit that revolves around visuals, sounds and smells that let guests know they’re entering a different world. Witness at the Bangkok property: the large blow-up of “Man with Poodle,” a photograph taken in the early 1960’s by Ralph Gibson, an American artist with a taste for the surreal; the soundtrack by French musician, composer and producer Henri Scars Struck; and the signature scent consisting of patchouli, vanilla, frankincense, iris and musk. That combination was specially formulated by Le Labo, a Parisian parfumerie that produces bespoke fragrances.

Mali Chaturachinda throughout the ground ﬂoor. Located at an enviably idyllic spot along the Mae Kok river, the Chiang Rai hotel features a stunning open-air lobby with a surprisingly sophisticated setting in black and grey. The changes, of course, aren’t limited to Thailand. Worldwide, Le Méridien properties also currently feature limited-edition card keys designed by Bharoocha and Taiwanese artist Michael Lin (other artists will design them in the future); later this year, they’ll introduce breakfast “eye-openers”— amuse bouches served in shot glasses concocted by superstar chef Jean-George Vongerichten, who, coincidentally, once worked at Le Méridien Singapore. These marvelous artistic touches—including some of the most eclectic playlists (heavy on African tunes) heard at any luxury hotel in Asia—thankfully don’t interfere with the actual running of the hotel. All three properties in Thailand possess beautifully decorated, well-appointed guest rooms, spoton service and exquisite spas. And with cuisine as a key element in the brand’s metamorphosis, Chiang Mai and Bangkok boast signature restaurants, headlined by talented chefs, aimed at luring locals as well as guests. All these efforts are aimed at what Zeigler describes as “the creative guest.” But will this work in Southeast Asia? Few countries in this region hold writers, artists, architects, fashion designers, composers, musicians or chefs in the same esteem as their counterparts in Europe, the United States, Japan or even China. While monied cognoscenti in New York, London and Tokyo might be able to converse about Richard Serra, Renzo Piano and David Chang all in one breath, can the same be said of Bangkok, a city where massive shopping malls—not galleries or museums—attract the big crowds on the weekends? Or Hong Kong and Singapore, where cash and status, not necessarily culture, still reign supreme? Ralf Stresing, the general manager at Le Méridien and a nine-year veteran at the brand, thinks so. “People here are interested in fashion—that’s a different passion point, but it’s a start,” says the dapper, quick-talking German. “Give me that at least, and the rest will come later.” ✚

With CUISINE as a key element in the brand’s metamorphosis, Chiang Mai and Bangkok boast signature restaurants

HE SAME FORMULA—slightly tweaked—also appears at the recently opened Le Méridiens in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which, together with Bangkok, represent the vanguard in Asia for the brand’s new look. Chiang Mai sports a hypnotically swirling wave pattern by Hisham Bharoocha, a young Pakistani-American musician and artist based in New York, at its entrance, and strikingly elegant, huge mixed-media pieces produced by local artist

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Le Méridien Bangkok 40/5 Surawong Rd.; 66-2/2328888; doubles from Bt8,600. Le Méridien Chiang Mai 108 Chang Klan Rd.; 66-53/253666; doubles from Bt7,800. Le Méridien Chiang Rai 221/2 Moo 20 Kwaewai Rd.; 6653/603-333; doubles from Bt8,500.

INDULGE YOURSELF

NOVEMBER 2008

PRACTICAL PACKING TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Emerging Destinations Where your money still goes far

Quick Getaways Charming Filipino inns SPECIAL

ARTS+CULTURE

Global exhibitions, shows and scenes happening now

Retro Chic Vintage glamour for jetsetters

Berlin City of cool

THE IT LIST OUR GUIDE TO

THE BEST AND NEWEST HOTELS WORLDWIDE

Bali

How harmony became hip

Tokyo’s Top Bites The latest food fads in Asia’s culinary capital

list it 2008

T H E T+ L E D I T O R S ’ C H O I C E A W A R D S

THOMAS LOOF

A view of the Caribbean Sea from the rooftop of a beach casita at Mexico’s new Mandarin Oriental.

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A guest tent at the new Banyan Tree, in the Maldives.

A good hotel is a place to rest your head; a great hotel has the power to transform the travel landscape. For Travel + Leisure’s latest annual It List, we trekked (literally) across the globe to determine the select properties you’ll be going to next. Here, from beach resorts to city hideaways, our editors’ picks of the best new hotels of 2008.

the top 27 new hotels in the world NORTH AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

EUROPE

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

A S I A , AU S T R A L I A , AND NEW ZEALAND

COSTA RICA BAJOS DEL TORO

BRAZIL RIO DE JANEIRO

ENGLAND LONDON

MOROCCO MARRAKESH

AUSTRALIA HAMILTON ISLAND

El Silencio Lodge & Spa

Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro

The Connaught Haymarket Hotel

Riad Meriem

Qualia

TANGIER

KANGAROO ISLAND

MEXICO RIVIERA MAYA

CHILE EASTER ISLAND

FRANCE PARIS

Hôtel Nord-Pinus Tanger

Southern Ocean Lodge

Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya

Posada de Mike Rapu, Explora en Rapa Nui

Hôtel Le Bellechasse Le Meurice

MOZAMBIQUE BENGUERRA ISLAND

CHINA SHANGHAI

PUEBLA

SAN PEDRO

JIA Shanghai

Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa

ITALY CAPRI

Azura Lodge

La Puriﬁcadora

NAMIBIA ETOSHA

INDIA JODHPUR

Onguma Plains, The Fort on Fisher’s Pan

Umaid Bhawan Palace

The Regent Bal Harbour JACKSON HOLE, WYO.

JAPAN TOKYO

Hotel Terra

The Peninsula Tokyo

NEW YORK, N.Y.

MALDIVES MADIVARU

The Plaza E DI T E D BY: Elizabeth Woodson, with Niloufar Motamed, Sarah Kantrowitz and Jennifer Welbel. R EPORT E D BY: Richard Alleman, Tom Austin, Laura Begley, Aric Chen, Jennifer Chen, Gillian Cullinan, Anthony Dennis, Amy Farley, Serra Gurcay, Alexandra Marshall, Steve Meacham, Shane Mitchell, John Newton, Nancy Novogrod, Kay O’Sullivan, Christopher Petkanas, Maria Shollenbarger AND Caroline Tiger.

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J.K. Place Capri

[ BEACH ] MADIVARU, MALDIVES

Banyan Tree Maldives Madivaru

B A N YA N T R E E M A LDI V E S M A DI VA RU

NEW ZEALAND TE AWANGA

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers SINGAPORE SINGAPORE

St. Regis Singapore THAILAND YAO NOI

Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi

C O U R T E S Y O F B A N YA N T R E E

UNITED STATES BAL HARBOUR, FLA.

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Banyan Tree drops the Maldives’ gauzy white-on-white aesthetic in favor of the Indian Ocean’s version of safari style: elaborate tents, a jungle setting and its own wildlife-filled reef just offshore. Yes, the price is steep, but this is a camping trip without comparison. On the edge of the North Ari Atoll, Madivaru is accessible by seaplane, and sits on a coral island so small we were able to navigate it on foot in 20 minutes. A maximum of 18 guests stay in canvas compounds serving as living, sleeping and spa/bath rooms. Quarters are furnished with leather folding chairs, teak campaign desks and steamer trunks that were a tad too Out of Africa for our taste. On the other hand, who cares when the gracious Maldivian staff is there to indulge your every whim — whether it’s a sunset cruise on a traditional sailboat, impromptu barbecues under the Southern Cross, or one-on-one underwater expeditions to view baby sharks, green turtles and graceful eagle rays. North Ari Atoll; 960/666-0760; banyantree.com; doubles from US$4,600, all-inclusive.

[ RUSTIC ] ETOSHA, NAMIBIA

ONG U M A PL A I N S , T H E FOR T ON F I S H E R ’ S PA N Northern Namibia is Africa’s Next Great Safari Frontier — in part owing to its incredible plethora of wildlife, but also because of its wealth of high-quality luxury lodges, like this camp on a private 20,200-hectare game reserve, five minutes from Etosha National Park. While the design of most southern African lodges skews toward either safari chic or super-Modernist (Singita), Onguma takes the bush lodge in a bold new direction. All carved antique doors, billowy curtains and reflecting pools, it’s as if a casbah had been relocated to the continent’s south. The main lodge features brushed-metal sconces, Middle Eastern lanterns and long mirrors in distressed wooden frames. Two of each guest room’s walls are made of canvas; they can be opened to reveal a mesh window that makes the plains look like an Impressionist painting. At night, the resort requires that you zip yourself snugly into your room (which can feel claustrophobic). But it’s a safety precaution, because lions roam nearby. 264-61/232-009; onguma.com; doubles from US$702, all-inclusive.

itlist [ CITY ] SHANGHAI, CHINA

The pool deck at Nambia’s Onguma Plains. Above left: A guest room at JIA Shanghai.

Ensconced in a 1920’s building on fashionable West Nanjing Road, the 55-room JIA brings a much-needed dose of boutique intimacy to the city’s booming hotel scene. Its eclectic Asian-contemporary interiors were parceled out among a trio of up-and-coming designers — Andre Fu, BURO Architects and Darryl Goveas. They crafted a wellchoreographed hideaway of dark wood floors, richly embroidered fabrics and elegant birdcages, which sit alongside Knoll and Moroso furniture. Jia means “home” in Mandarin, and given how frenetic Shanghai is, we loved the property’s host of cozy amenities: well-stocked marble kitchenettes, in-room board games and complimentary bottled water. There’s even free Wi-Fi — still a luxury among upscale properties. 931 W. Nanjing Rd.; 86-21/6217-9000; jiashanghai.com; doubles from US$371. 116

R I G H T : D AV I D R O G E R S . L E F T : C O U R T E S Y O F J I A S H A N G H A I

JIA SHANGHAI

[ CITY ] LONDON, ENGLAND

[ CITY ] BAL HARBOUR, FLORIDA

H AY M A R K E T H O T E L

THE REGENT BAL HARBOUR

“Why not have some fun!” may well have been what Kit Kemp said as she released her arsenal of bold colors and supergraphic effects on the public spaces of the former American Express London headquarters in the heart of the theater district. Masters of the clubby/cozy/contemporary (e.g., London’s Soho Hotel, and one of our all-time favorites, the Charlotte Street Hotel), the designer and her husband and business partner Tim Kemp know how to create properties that strike a perfect balance between a classic English manor house and a buzzy, film- and art-world haunt. 1 Suffolk Place; 4420/7470-4000; firmdale.com; doubles from US$495.

Make no mistake: Regent’s first property in the United States wants nothing to do with South Beach. While it’s got the beautiful beachfront and plenty of headline-grabbing features (the country’s first Guerlain Spa, a US$4 million art collection), there’s no Eurolounge sound track pumping into the lobby. This is a place for adults — which is appropriate, given that The Regent is also the first major hotel to open in the old-line Bal Harbour Village in 52 years. Here, it’s all about the signifiers of luxury: Anichini bedding, plasma television screens embedded in bathroom mirrors and a dazzling crystal chandelier. At times, it might seem over the top, especially when coupled with service that’s a tad overbearing (resolutely solicitous restaurant waiters actually thanked us for enjoying our dish), but the hotel is a welcome alternative for those in search of Miami’s more grown-up side. 10295 Collins Ave.; 1800/545-4000 or 1-305/455-5400; regenthotels.com; doubles from US$750.

A treatment room at the Guerlain Spa in Florida’s The Regent Bal Harbour. Opposite, from top: The pool deck at the Haymarket Hotel, in London; Marrakesh’s Riad Meriem.

[ DESIGN ] MARRAKESH, MOROCCO

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Riads are popping up in Marrakesh at a rapid clip (there are now more than 1,000), so it takes a really special property to make a splash in this North African style capital. Created by New York–based decorator, photographer and art collector Thomas Hays, the five-room Meriem manages to be delightfully original without going over the top. Everything here is understated — from the soothing Costes-like palette of muted mauves, pale grays and dark creams to the well-edited mix of art and objets like framed fabrics from Africa and Asia, original paintings by Moroccan and European artists, and photos from Hays’s own extensive world travels. We especially loved the lighting: sconces, lamps and lanterns, many pierced with tiny pinholes and all placed in just the right spots, creating speckled patterns that make the riad magical after dark. 97 Derb El Cadi, Azbetz; 212-24/387-731; riadmeriem.com; doubles from US$330.

TO P : C H R I STO P H E R ST U R M A N . BOT TO M : CO U RT ESY O F R I A D M E R I E M

RIAD MERIEM

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[ BEACH ] YAO NOI, THAILAND

S I X S E N S E S H I D E AWAY YAO NO I This is Asia at its best — all the beauty of a remote destination without the hassle of being entirely off the grid. On the island of Yao Noi, only 45 minutes by boat from Phuket, lucky guests are surrounded by lush jungle, tiny fishing villages and untouched beaches. Six Senses is known for its luxe-castaway formula, and this resort of 56 villas, with untreatedwood–paneled interiors and private plunge pools, perfectly melds location and design. And though the property mirrors sister outposts in the Maldives and Vietnam, we didn’t mind. In this pristine environment, Six Senses has been able to realize the brand’s signature style — and then some. Phang Nga; 66-76/418- 500; six-senses.com; doubles from US$1,000.

The pool at Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa, in Chile. Right: Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi, Thailand.

[ RUSTIC ] SAN PEDRO, CHILE

JASON LANG

This 32-room adventure hotel in the Atacama Desert is one of the most ambitious new design statements in South America. The owners, along with a team of architects, photographers and a landscape painter, were inspired by the surrounding landscape. But rather than building in the traditional manner, they used unorthodox materials (plates of oxidized iron, sandblasted glass) alongside adobe, rammed earth and shale for a fresh take on desert style. In some cases, important details seem to have been afterthoughts. While architecturally stunning, the pool lacks shade — it’s too hot to swim during the height of day. These foibles are forgiven when you consider the inspired interiors, Midcentury-style furniture covered in raw linen, cowhide throws, curtains made from desert seeds. In fact, it’s all so well done that you could almost overlook the main attraction, the Atacama Desert. The hotel employs a staff of expert guides to take you biking in the salt flats, climbing on volcanoes and hiking high in the Andes. 1-800/8295325 or 56-2/263-0606; tierraatacama.com; doubles from US$1,390 for two nights, all-inclusive.

D AV I D N I C O L A S

T I E R R A ATAC A M A HO T E L & S PA

itlist

[ SMALL ] TANGIER, MOROCCO

[ RENOVATION ] NEW YORK CITY

HÔ T E L NOR D - PI N U S TA NG E R

THE PLAZA

Tangier is fast recapturing the glamour of its glory days, and with the opening of this five-room riad, located along the seawall, the Old Town finally has the chic inn it deserves. French hotelier Anne Igou spent 16 months restoring an 18th-century palace, and while most area properties emphasize their Moroccan settings, Igou’s hotel reflects her own whimsical style. North African antiques (chandeliers from a Syrian mosque and Egyptian inlaid chests) share space with contemporary leather armchairs and gooseneck lamps. The hotel is a work in progress. The traditional dining room is not up to speed, and we missed the presence of an authentic hammam, but Igou’s penchant for updating the design reflects the vibrancy of the streets beyond the hotel’s hand-carved doors. 11 Rue du Riad Sultan; 212-61/228-140; nord-pinus-tanger. com; doubles from US$439, including breakfast and dinner.

Honestly, we don’t require 24-karat-gold–plated faucets in our hotel bathrooms, though there’s lots that’s pertinent in the US$400 million remake of this 1907 Beaux Arts icon. Savagely ripped out in the 1940’s by then owner Conrad Hilton, the layout of the Palm Court’s famed stained-glass ceiling was recreated pane-for-pane. Touch-screen AMX systems in the 282 guest rooms ease the tasks of controlling lighting, contacting the concierge and summoning your white-gloved butler. But the Plaza, still wet behind the ears since its March reopening, has a long way to go. Service is a little shaky. Try to score one of the Plaza or Deluxe rooms adjacent to an Edwardian Park Suite — they’re the cheapest ones partially overlooking the park. For a European-palace–style experience, this is the only game in town. Fifth Ave. at Central Park South; 1-800/441-1414 or 1-212/759-3000; fairmont.com; doubles from US$1,000. 121

[ COUNTRY ] TE AWANGA, NEW ZEALAND

[ RENOVATION ] PARIS, FRANCE

T H E FA R M AT CAPE KIDNAPPERS

LE MEURICE Just as we were getting ready to write Philippe Starck off as too 90’s for words, he bounces back with a tonic redo of this Paris institution’s principal public spaces. Starck is not in the habit of having his thunder stolen, but he makes a familial exception here. Covering the famous glass dome in the formerly very buttoned-up Jardin d’Hiver dining room (now the witheringly scene-y Le Dalí) is a heroic canvas painted by his daughter Ara in the manner of Chagall. If you’ve ever questioned the power of design to shake up a hotel’s constituency, stop by for a drink in the bar Le 228: overnight, the crowd has gone from fuddy to fabulous, even if everyone forgets to notice that some of Starck père’s visual jokes are a little stale (by our reckoning, it’s time to take the mirror off the ﬂoor and hang it on the wall again). Rather more urgently, someone has to resolve the disconnect between the ironic new common areas and old-school Frenchiness of some of the guest rooms (we’re told all are due for an overhaul). 228 Rue de Rivoli, First Arr.; 1800/650-1842 or 33-1/44-58-1010; lemeurice.com; doubles from US$1,139. US$1,139

Pastoral chic has never looked this good. Located on a working sheep and cattle farm in the North Island’s Hawke’s Bay, one of the country’s top wine regions, this 26–room lodge uses natural fabrics, woods and metals in sophisticated ways: halls are adorned with black tin animal sculptures, chairs are upholstered with shearling and burlap curtains hang from large metal grommets. There are plenty of leather armchairs and heavy wooden tables, but details like black-and-white sheep photographs and barn doors that close off indoor spaces add a nice tongue-in-cheek touch. With attentive (sometimes too attentive) service, excellent local wines and a full range of amenities (the cliffhugging championship golf course is spectacular), the Farm navigates the fine line between formality and accessibility. 448 Clifton Rd.; 646/875-1900; capekidnappers.com; doubles from US$880, including breakfast and dinner.

HOTEL TERRA

Costa Rica has long had the rugged eco-travel niche sewn up. But until now, well-heeled travelers who wanted total solitude without sacrificing luxury had few options. So we took note when the owners of the top-notch Hotel Punta Islita decided to open this upscale-granola retreat on 80 hectares 90 minutes north of San José. The 16 cottages are plush enough (gas fireplaces, L’Occitane amenities). It’s all about being out of touch here — there are no computers, in-room TV’s or even mobile phone reception, which might not work for some. But when you’re sitting on a lookout deck with a whirlpool, perched high above the forest, it’s a blissful reminder of how precious el silencio can be. 506/2291-3044; elsilenciolodge. com; doubles from US$480, including meals.

Enviably set on the slopes of this legendary ski resort, the 72room Hotel Terra is modern, high-tech and seriously committed to the environment. Where Terra shines is in delivering green in subtle ways. Those floor-to-ceiling windows? They regulate temperature and capture natural light. The linens are 100 percent organic, as are the spa products. Then there are several simple additions that we hope will become hospitality standards: aluminum dispensers in bathrooms (eliminating wasteful plastic containers), Siggstyle water bottles in rooms that guests can refill at stations throughout the hotel and recycling bins discreetly placed in closets. 3335 W. Village Rd.; 1-800/631-6281 or 1-307/7394000; hotelterrajacksonhole.com; doubles from US$399.

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Le Meurice, a Parisian institution. Opposite: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, in New Zealand.

D AV I D R O G E R S

[ GREEN ] JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING

E L S I L E NC IO L OD G E & S PA

MICHAEL JAMES O’BRIEN

[ RUSTIC ] BAJOS DEL TORO, COSTA RICA

KIERAN SCOTT

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[ RENOVATION ] JODHPUR, INDIA

U M A I D B H AWA N PA L AC E Welcome to the palace: “a living testimony to the royal ethos of India,” as heralded by the embossed and gilded brochure. And is it ever, with 10.5 hectares of landscaped gardens where peacocks display their plumage, and 76 guest rooms, including 40 raj-worthy suites in what is purportedly one of the world’s largest residences. That elegant figure in the linen tunic may well be Gaj Singh II, the maharajah of Jodhpur, who resides in one wing with his family. A 32-meter central cupola sheds a golden light that appears to waft through the long corridors. Built in the Art Deco style of the 1930’s for the grandfather of the current maharajah, Umaid Bhawan Palace sparkles after a US$15 million renovation by Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces. If the hotel sounds familiar, that’s because Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar held their wedding celebration here last year — one sure reflection that this sprawling golden-yellow structure is ready for prime time. 1-866/969-1825 or 91-291/251-0101; tajhotels. com; doubles from US$876.

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A private plunge pool at the Azura Lodge, Mozambique. Opposite: Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace.

[ RUSTIC ] BENGUERRA ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE

TO P : N I C K A L D R I D G E . L E F T: CO U RT E SY O F U M A I D B H AWA N PA L AC E

AZURA LODGE

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While the other island groups in the Indian Ocean — the Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius — are chockablock with luxury hotels, the isles of Mozambique have lagged behind. Now, with the opening of Azura, a 14-villa hideaway on Benguerra Island, the country finally has a property that can compete with the best the region has to offer. Azura is pulling out all the stops: private plunge pools, a chef imported from the U.K.’s Michelinstarred Fat Duck. But what makes it really special is the barefoot vibe: unlike many of its ilk, the resort is thoroughly authentic. The buildings were handmade from trees felled by past cyclones; rooms are outfitted with artisanal furnishings (the wooden beds were carved by local craftsmen); and gracious islanders make up the butler staff. 27-11/258-0180; azura-retreats.com; doubles from US$1,150, all-inclusive.

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[ DESIGN ] PUEBLA, MEXICO

LA PURIFICADORA Mexican hoteliers are beginning to explore the notion of adaptive reuse by turning old structures into design-forward, modern hotels. Grupo Habita was a trailblazer when it sheathed a 1950’s building in Mexico City in a frosted-glass envelope, and with the opening of La Purificadora, it has brought the same concept to the colonial town of Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The company enlisted legendary architect Ricardo Legorreta to repurpose a 19th-century former water purification plant into this 26-room property. By far our favorite spots are the lobby — with its high ceiling, gray slate floors, purple low-lying couches and an open wall — and the rooftop bar, which has a transparent swimming pool. The only gripe is the hotel’s location: though on the fringe of Puebla’s historic center, it’s separated from the cobblestoned streets by a multilane boulevard. 802 Callejón de la 10 Norte, Paseo de San Francisco; 1-800/337-4685 or 52-222/309-1920; lapurificadora.com; doubles from US$155.

[ BEACH ] HAMILTON ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

QUALIA Billing itself as Australia’s first seven-star hotel, Qualia has the requisite luxury trappings (personal infinity pools, a 1,000bottle wine cellar). But the real stars here are architect Chris Beckingham and chef Stephane Rio, who have modernized the notion of an Australian reef resort. The airy one-bedroom pavilions combine native styles (corrugated-iron roofs, wide eaves) and materials (plantation hoop pine, Bowen granite) with restraint; each pared-down space is both contemporary and authentic. At the restaurant, Rio uses indigenous ingredients in unexpected ways — even for breakfast, when waffles are served with sweet and nutty wattle-seed and Kaffir-lime syrups. 61-2/9433-3349; qualia.com.au; doubles from US$1,395.

[ RENOVATION ] LONDON, ENGLAND

CO U RT ESY O F D ES I G N H OT E L S

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In the newly hip Mayfair district, this landmark brick Victorian has reclaimed the glory of its golden era thanks to a US$140 million renovation, creating a sophisticated throwback that no Modernist hotel could ever hope to emulate. Classicist designer Guy Oliver supervised the preservation of burnished mahogany paneling, gilded scrollwork and formal Adams fireplaces; a welcome infusion of 21st-century fun saves the 123-room Connaught from being too somber. Witness the cartoonish Julian Opie cameos in the aubergine-and-slate Coburg Bar (created by India Mahdavi), film-noir nights with buttered popcorn and chinoiserie cocktail cabinets filled with DIY martini fixings. This summer, Parisian star chef Hélène Darroze arrives to reinvent the restaurant menu. Features like a room-service trolley that dispenses sweet treats to guests every afternoon are also clear indications that this clubby enclave remains England at its best. Carlos Place; 1-866/599-6991 or 44-20/7499-7070; the-connaught.co.uk; doubles from US$940.

TO P : CO U RT ESY O F Q UA L I A . BOT TO M : CO U RT ESY O F THE CONNAUGHT

THE CONNAUGHT

The indoor–outdoor lobby of La Puriﬁcadora in Puebla, Mexico. Opposite, from top: Beach views from the Qualia, on Australia’s Hamilton Island; the India Mahdavi–designed Coburg Bar, at London’s The Connaught hotel.

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A suite at Southern Ocean Lodge, in South Australia. Opposite: A guest room at Hotel Fasano, in Rio de Janeiro.

[ GREEN ] EASTER ISLAND, CHILE

P O S A DA D E M I K E R A P U, E X PL OR A E N R A PA N U I Finally, with the opening of Explora’s 30-room LEED-certified lodge on Easter Island, there’s a top-notch hotel fit for this legendary destination. Located about 10 minutes outside the main town of Hanga Roa and built to blend into the landscape, the hotel uses local wood and stone. Ornamentation is kept to a minimum: the intent is to showcase the natural scenery. It’s a success in the rooms — where wild horses wander right outside the window. But the result can also be cold, as in the dining area, where hard-edged metal furniture reminded us of a corporate cafeteria. Still, this has little bearing when you consider what works: the resort strives to maintain a light footprint with a host of initiatives (a water-treatment system, energy-efficient lightbulbs, biodegradable cleaning products). And Explora has made a point of hiring a staff of islanders — much to the benefit of guests. There’s nothing like watching the sunset from the rim of the Rano Kau volcano while a tattooed guide explains the legend behind his culture’s ancient Birdman ceremony. Or having the staff prepare a lunch of justcaught tuna tartare under a tent on Anakena Beach, while moai statues stand guard nearby. 1-866/750-6699; explora.com; doubles from US$2,348 for three nights, all-inclusive.

[ CITY ] RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

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CAROLINE WEST

Restaurateur Rogério Fasano established himself as a tastemaker par excellence with his flagship Fasano hotel in São Paulo. And now, the opening of the second Fasano, in Rio’s chic Ipanema, sees his talent for infusing environments with social cachet reach critical mass. To design the 91 rooms, Fasano made an unexpected choice: Philippe Starck, whose penchant for provocation (not to mention plastic) doesn’t intuitively jibe with laid-back Carioca chic. But it works. Fasano’s own preference for warm, natural palettes seems to have toned Starck down. Rooms and suites are spare and breezy, with white walls, leather-upholstered Mies daybeds, Amazonian wood side tables and at least two burnished Sergio Rodrigues chairs. 80 Avda. Viera Souto; 55-11/3896-4000; fasano.com.br; doubles from US$620.

C O U R T E SY O F T H E FA S A N O

HO T E L FA S A NO R IO DE JA N E I R O

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[ BUSINESS ] TOKYO, JAPAN

[ GREEN ] KANGAROO ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

THE PENINSULA TOKYO

SOUTHERN OCEAN LODGE

It’s no easy feat to raise the bar in a city like Tokyo, where upscale hotels are plentiful. Which is why The Peninsula pulled out all the stops in the city, virtually across the street from the Imperial Palace and blocks from Ginza. Unlike other hotels in its category, which are typically in preexisting office buildings, the 24-story tower is the first freestanding luxury hotel to be built in 10 years. The incredible palace views — the best of any Tokyo hotel — won us over. The rooms are among the city’s largest, starting at 50 square meters, and its most high-tech. Gizmos range from panels that display outside temperature to luxe espresso machines. 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku; 1-866/3828388 or 81-3/6270-2888; peninsula.com; doubles from US$586.

The Southern Ocean Lodge, on Kangaroo Island, a sparsely populated wilderness a 30-minute flight from Adelaide, has 21 spacious suites cascading down a ragged cliff face overlooking Hanson Bay. They’re outfitted with limestone floors and outdoor terraces complete with daybeds. The lodge operates sustainably: air-conditioning is not required, as the property was constructed to take advantage of natural weather patterns; it has an advanced water-management system; and energy usage is kept to a minimum. Each guest is informed of the resort’s sustainability policy upon check–in. Hanson Bay; 61-2/9918-4355; southernoceanlodge.com; doubles from US$1,670 for a two-night stay. 129

[ BEACH ] RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO

M A N DA R I N O R I E N TA L R I V I E R A M AYA If ever you had any doubt about the arrival of the Riviera Maya, a once-sleepy stretch of sand 64 kilometers south of Cancún, then try booking a room at the new Mandarin Oriental, one of the most anticipated hotel openings this year (we had to put our name on two waiting lists to get in). Hassle aside, it’s easy to see why the property is red-hot. The winning Mandarin formula — exemplary service, forward-reaching design, a first-rate spa — has taken root in a pristine Mexican coastal environment. Hectares of mangrove forest surround a lovely — albeit small — stretch of powdery sand. The 128 boxy white villas give beach chic new meaning, with polished stone floors, rough limestone walls, spare four-poster beds and sculptures by prominent Mexican artists. We’ll admit, we did experience a bit of sticker shock at checkout. But it’s worth it. This is the most sophisticated resort on Mexico’s eastern coast. Playa del Carmen; 1800/526-6566 or 52-984/877-3888; mandarinoriental.com; doubles from US$700.

[ BEACH ] CAPRI, ITALY

J.K . PLACE CAPRI

[ BUSINESS ] SINGAPORE

HÔTEL LE BELLECHASSE

ST. REGI S SI NGAPORE

Couturier Christian Lacroix is back with a discreet 34-room hideaway, seconds on foot from the Musée d’Orsay. He heaps the same famously baroque, magpie sensibility on Le Bellechasse as he does on his robes du soir, and like those hysterical patchwork bonbons, you either love the hotel or it gives you a headache. (We love it.) In colors picked from a psychedelic garden, the eye-bending photo-transfer collages are a trip and a half — in one guest room, top-hatted, frockcoated dandies with butterfly wings wrap around both walls and ceiling. We’re less crazy about the fiberglass bathtubs, and the lobby, a sexless space, definitely needs shooshing up. But there’s much to admire in the staff’s esprit de can-do. 8 Rue de Bellechasse; 1-866/376-7831 or 33-1/45-50-22-31; lebellechasse. com; doubles from US$455.

This 299-room property just off Orchard Road marks both the debut of St. Regis in Southeast Asia and the first international luxury hotel to open in Singapore in more than a decade. The multilingual butlers are rigorously trained, and we found their graciousness refreshing in the midst of Singapore’s often harried atmosphere. Our night butler presented us with two different types of lens cleaners for our eyeglasses. The next morning, a double espresso was waiting for us when we woke up. Butlers are even equipped with BlackBerrys. The hotel is classic in feel, a fact which belies the modern glass façade. Interiors do acknowledge the St. Regis’s Asian setting, though details like the Czech crystal chandeliers and Regency-style furniture are a tad old-fashioned. 29 Tanglin Rd.; 1-877/7873447 or 65/6506-6888; stregis com; doubles from US$319.

200 206 130

THOMAS LOOF

[ DESIGN ] PARIS, FRANCE

JEAN-MARIE DEL MORAL

Surely the new J.K. Place Capri is one of Europe’s most stylish recent openings. And that it can be found on Capri — which, despite its reputation, still has some unspoiled corners — is music to our hotelobsessed ears. This charming spot is sing-out-loud gorgeous, and in its mellow atmosphere, we felt like we were staying at a chic friend’s house. The design is nautical with a twist: round porthole-style interior windows, sea-blue walls, crisp white sofas, bronze imitation Greek statues and houndstoothprint stools. Guests have complete run of the house; we loved picking fresh chilies from the garden to sprinkle on pasta at lunch and drinking Bellinis on the terrace while watching the bathers on the beach below. 225 Via Provinciale Marina Grande; 39-081/838-4001; jkcapri.com; doubles from US$791, including breakfast.

Relaxing on the rooftop of a beachfront casita at the Mandarin Oriental, on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Opposite: A J.K. Place Capri guest room.

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INDULGE YOURSELF

NOVEMBER 2008

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Global exhibitions, shows and scenes happening now

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THE IT LIST OUR GUIDE TO

THE BEST AND NEWEST HOTELS WORLDWIDE

Bali

How harmony became hip

Tokyo’s Top Bites The latest food fads in Asia’s culinary capital

(T+L)11.08

ON TRAITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BAY,

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MARQUESAS. PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEWART FEREBEE

134 Finding the perfect balance in BALI 146 OUR favorite emerging destinations 156 Up for anything in the NEW Berlin 133

bal a n ce i n

BALI

As development spreads, this idyllic island is changing fast. But is its culture, built around balance and harmony, also built to last? ADAM SKOLNICK thinks he has the answer. Photographed by PABLO ANDREOLOTTI Making an offering on Seminyak Beach, Bali.

Bali Highs Clockwise from right: Young Balinese men carrying coffins in the shape of animals for a cremation in Ubud; traditional drawings in Tenganan; Balinese en route to the Purah Besakih anniversary festival; the coastline at Sanur; a Balinese mother and child at the Tirta Empul holy waters; a simple doorstep offering; praying at the Tirta Empul Temple; lush paddy fields in Penestanan; Balinese women laying offerings on Seminyak Beach during a temple ceremony.

T’S SUNSET ON THE ROOFTOP at the hip new Anan-

tara Seminyak. Beautiful, moneyed Javanese and Bali’s euro-glam collection of expats cozy up on daybeds, sip martinis and nibble on grilled prawns. I feel at home. A DJ blends electro-funk from a sleek Mac, the martinis keep flowing and so does the food. The conversation veers from surfing to club-hopping to high fashion to Barack Obama. A soccer game breaks out on the beach below, dreadlocked Balinese boys jam in a drum circle and tourists wade into the shallows to feel the waves rush in. This is Bali. A day-and-a-half later I’m sitting on the floor of a Hindu temple, one of 4,800 in Bali, in Ubud’s Taman village, the lone Westerner in a sea of Balinese. Again, I feel at home. We’re here to celebrate Kuningan—explained to me by locals as “Bali’s Christmas,” but really it’s like most other temple ceremonies I’ve attended. Men smoke clove cigarettes, toddlers roam free and teens whisper as the mangku (priest) chants Hindu mantras. Then, suddenly, the crowd falls into a hush. Children sit quietly with their parents. Teens close their eyes, light incense and cleanse their hands in smoke. Even the dogs lie down. The mangku wanders through the seated rows, sprinkling holy water before leading us through a series of prayers. We link our hands. Each of us holds a flower—sometimes red, sometimes white, sometimes blue—for the gods Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu between our index fingers. I have only a vague idea of »

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Sunny Days Above: Waiting for the best waves at Kuta Beach. Right: Sunset at Ku De Ta, a popular hangout in Bali.

what the priest is saying. But I know what this ritual is all about. It’s a cultivation of harmony. This may explain why my third eye begins to buzz uncontrollably. After the meditation, the mangku appears again to pour holy water into our hands. We sip it and wash our faces, before sticking a pinch of rice to our forehead and throat. Once the ritual is complete, a wave of energy floods through me. This, too, is Bali. Just days into my first trip here, after breaking up with my then-fiancée, I sensed that Bali would become my second home. It has. Thanks to Bali I’ve fallen in love again, learned to dive and become a writer. I’ve shown up in Denpasar overweight and lost that within 10 days. This time I arrived weak and sick thanks to a last-minute sinus infection. I was back to normal within 48 hours. Bali heals me. Part of that has to do with the lush landscape, the volcanoes and the monkey forests, the beaches, rivers and rice paddies. But mostly it’s because the Balinese culture is built around balance and harmony. Wherever you walk, it seems, you’ll see a ritual in progress—a young woman making an offering with a canang—a banana-leaf prayer basket full of 184 138

flowers, incense and rice—at an altar (for the gods), or on the floor (for the dark spirits). There are temple-mask dances, cremation parades complete with floats and gamelan orchestra, and throngs of people strolling to temple in traditional garb. Whole villages of artisans carve wood and stone. It seems the Balinese are always tending the energy and honoring spirit through art and ritual, which is why it produces a community of people who are among the warmest, most openhearted in the world. But Bali is changing fast—this has been its biggest tourist year ever. Investment is flooding in; rice paddies are giving way to luxury hotels; Dreamland beach—once a surf paradise dotted with sweet local warungs, is now a golf course and beach club. My Balinese friends whisper of a new influence in the Balinese community: greed. Families are hungry to sell their land to the highest bidder. With all this commerce, I couldn’t help but wonder if the culture was being devoured along with the land, if there hadn’t been some sort of seismic shift in the Balinese worldview? Were the traditional arts and rituals still alive? Was harmony still paramount in sweet Bali?

A scenic spot for football on Sanur Beach.

EARLY ONE thousand years ago, the Javanese kingdom was fractured with religious tension. After waging a losing war against the increasing Muslim majority, Javanese Hindus escaped to neighboring Bali. Among them were royalty, scholars, priests, carvers, painters and musicians, enabling Javanese Hinduism—its religion and its aesthetics—to survive. Once in Bali, their rites, rituals and arts evolved to include a touch of Bali’s indigenous animism. Together, this means a unique sect of Hinduism that honors Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva—one that works to keep the more shamanic spiritual realm in balance by appeasing and cultivating the forces of darkness and light. That’s why you’ll see the Balinese make offerings to the gods at temples, family and business altars, on their motorbike saddles and even on the dashboards of their cars. At the core of Balinese spiritual life is the philosophy, tri hita krana. “It has to do with harmony,” says the silver-haired Ida Peranda Wahayan Buruan, one of Bali’s 1,000 high priests.

“Harmony in the community. Harmony between man and nature. Harmony between man and the gods. Our art, dancing, carvings and offerings are all part of that.” I meet the peranda at his family compound in Gianyar, Bali’s second biggest city. All around us, his wife and her team are making colorful rice cakes dyed and shaped like ﬂowers, birds and other ﬁgurines destined for altars around the island. Of course, every culture is only as strong as the dedication of the next generation, and the peranda admits that this is an issue in Bali too. “Young people like to copy other ways, other lifestyles. All people want something different, especially children. We cannot force their interest. But even if they dye their hair red and pierce their nose, they are still Balinese. They will come back to the old ways.” There is no shortage of interest in Balinese traditions. Dance, carvings and offerings are all part of the culture, one based on religion. Says the high priest: “You see, the culture and the religion are connected in one never-ending cycle and as long as belief is strong, this will never die.” When I enter Tjokorda Raka Tisnu’s compound in Singapadu—about 15 minutes from my house in » 139

BALI heals me. Part of that has to do with the lush landscape, the volcanoes and the monkey forests, the beaches, rivers and rice paddies

A ceremonial procession at Purah Besakih. Opposite: Elegantly terraced rice paddies near Tegalalang.

Balinese dancers await their ceremonial turn onstage.

Ubud—Balinese tradition stares back at me with bulging eyes and sharp fangs. Tjokorda is one of Bali’s greatest mask makers. He specializes in carving barong masks used in temple dances. Barong can come in many forms: boars, elephants, tigers and the mythical ket. When a temple needs a new barong they pray and ask what form the beast should take. Then they visit Tjokorda with a basket of offerings and as much money as they can muster to place their order. They usually find the balding, bespectacled, heavyset artist, sitting cross-legged with wood shavings stuck to his powerful legs, carving a block of wood. When I stop by, his grandchildren are buzzing around him but I’m mesmerized by one particularly fierce boar barong painted with fiery red swirls. “We don’t pray to these nasty things,” says Tjokorda. “We’re asking the spirit that resides in the barong to protect the village and our personal well-being.” He can see that I’m confused, so he tells the Ciwa Gama story. The Goddess Uma, Shiva’s

wife, became cursed and fell to earth where she took on the form of an ugly being called a rangda. She lived in a cemetery with her followers, and they began to rule the earthly realm with fear and darkness. Shiva saw that there was no balance, so he came to earth and transformed himself into a barong. Shiva and Uma, barong and rangda, danced and made love to restore balance. “Where Shiva’s sperm spilled on the earth,” Tjokorda explains, “a Pule tree grew. That’s the tree which we use to carve the barong masks.” During temple festivals, dancers perform this story and the community sees it as a lesson about the ongoing tension between light and dark, good and evil. The lesson is that love and respect can be the most powerful tool against the forces of darkness. The masks are key to the ritual. Tjokorda, an eighth-generation carver, is also an accomplished dancer who teaches at Bali’s performance arts academy. “You have to study dance ﬁrst so you can know the soul and the spirit of the mask,” he

I look around and I see smiles and a glint of love 142

Tropical Calm Above: Praying at the Tirta Empul Temple. Right: Mount Agung towers over some Balinese at Putah Besakih.

says. “It helped me get the eyes and expression right so it can be true to character during performances.” Dance performances are not just reserved for temple festivals. Dance productions take place in all of Bali’s resort towns. Tjokorda himself once performed in Ubud quite regularly, and has also danced in Malaysia, India and Europe. “But my art is not for money or self-promotion. It is my offering to God,” he says. Judging by the interest his grandchildren take in the half-carved mask in his hands and the chisels and mallets spilled all around him on his bamboo mat, this is one tradition in no danger of irrelevance. Bona Alit, 40, may not agree. One of the island’s best and most controversial classical musicians, he believes Balinese tradition can be too constrictive, and that if artists remain slaves to tradition the culture suffers. “Bali must learn to ﬂow,” he says from his Gianyar compound. It was Alit’s interest in world music that brought him noto-

riety in Bali. Tired of performing the same traditional music in Ubud performances and temple ceremonies, he began composing and choreographing his own music and dance along with his wife. His performances are based on Bali’s classics, but he intertwines body paint, new costumes and characters. Usually they have classic Balinese themes, such as the balance between good and evil. “But instead of Uma or the Monkey God, we may use George Bush and Tony Blair,” he says with a laugh. The gamelan orchestra is also a departure: it includes guitars, Indian, Chinese and Japanese instruments, congas, as well as unique stringed instruments—think: hybrid violas and cellos—and enormous bass ﬂutes that he makes himself. At ﬁrst, he encountered some hostility. “People who I cared about and respected said, ‘This is not art. This is blasphemy.’ It hurt even though I know older people can be stuck in their ways. But I had to express myself,” he says. »

in the HOSPITABLE eyes of three generations 143

Island Customs Above: A cremation in Ubud. Right: A traditional side of the island: a Balinese dancer.

His 400-strong troupe, Kishi-Kishi, is now one of the most sought after in Bali. Over the years, young people who were more interested in pop music than in Balinese tradition, who refused to join temple dance troupes, started gravitating toward Alit. Today, they play regularly at the Performing Arts Centre in Denpasar, and they travel internationally. Like Tjokorda, money doesn’t drive him, the art does. Though, considered a big name in Bali, Alit still plays traditional music at temple festivals. I go to meet him at Lebih’s annual festival on one of the island’s black-sand east-coast beaches. I watch the end of a barong dance, accompanied by an all-female Gamelan orchestra. Alit is nowhere to be found. After the dance, everyone sits knee-to-knee to pray, and that’s when I see Alit emerge from behind a stone wall. He waves me through a gate into an interior temple then leads me into yet another, which is different from any Balinese temple I have ever seen. A white tapestry is unrolled across the black-sand ﬂoor as the priests walk through the crowd with offerings and holy water. More offerings are stacked in towers decorated with palm-leaf fans, umbrellas and rice-cake displays—like those I 144

saw at the peranda’s compound. These intricate towers surround all of the altars. Some extend to more than 5 meters high. Directly in front of me is a barong body made from shaggy stalks of rice. Alit sits with the selonding orchestra. The selonding, a wooden xylophone-like instrument made with thick brass keys and hammered with hardwood mallets, predates the gamelan, but as they begin to play I hear a similar haunting beauty. The music is at times dissonant and harmonic, full of call and response tension that pulls the brain in opposite directions until all thoughts cease. Throughout, the priests chant mantras and we ready our ﬂowers and incense. Then we raise our hands in prayer, and I feel that familiar calming bliss once more. I look around and I see smiles and a glint of love in the hospitable eyes of three generations. Then I think about Bali’s social tension between commercialism and tradition, greed and spirit, and remember what the peranda told me a few days before. “Everything we have, whether it’s good or evil, is created by God. Good never wins and evil never wins. This tension gives us a stable world. It all comes down to balance.” ✚

Balinese life still revolves around temples, such as this, the lotus temple in Ubud.

GUIDE TO BALI

WHEN TO GO The ideal time to visit is from May through August, avoiding the rainy season. GETTING THERE Asia’s major airlines ﬂy to Denpasar from their hubs, while the island is well connected to the rest of Indonesia. WHERE TO STAY Anantara Seminyak This new resort blends minimalism with

Balinese architecture. Suites are equipped with Jacuzzis on the terrace. Jln. Dhyana Pura, Seminyak; 62-361/737-773; anantara.com; doubles from US$350.

St. Regis Bali Expect barefoot elegance at this Nusa Dua resort with 121 suites and villas. Kawasan Pariwasta, Nusa Dua; 62-361/847-8111; stregisbali.com; suites from US$435.

Four Seasons at Sayan A Bali classic in Ubud. Ubud, Gianyar; 62-361/977-577; fourseasons.com; villas from US$550.

WHERE TO EAT Jimbaran Fish Grills As the name suggests, ﬁsh, squid, lobster and crab are grilled over smoldering, sweet coconut husks and served with an array of salads and sides. Jimbaran Beach, Jimbaran; dinner for two US$20.

Maya Ubud A gorgeous cliffside property with river views. Jln. Gunung Sari, Ubud; 62-361/977888; mayaubud.com; doubles from US$195. Como Shambhala Estate The architecture is stunning, and so is the setting: a rain-forest plateau overlooking a deep river valley. Jln. Begawan, Ubud; 62361/978-888; cse.como.biz; doubles from US$300.

Warisan Indo-Mediterranean fusion with rice-paddy view. Jln. Raya Kerobokan; 62-361/731-175; dinner for two US$50. Sarong Bali Bali’s new chic hot spot blends haute cuisine with high style. 19X Jln. Petitengit

19X, Kerobokan; 62-361/737-809; dinner for two US$45. Kagemusha Terriﬁc Japanese country cooking in Ubud. Jln. Pengosekan, Ubud; 62-361/973134; dinner for two US$18. Ku De Ta Attracts the island’s cosmopolitan crowd. 9 Jln. Laksmana; 62-361/736-969. Naughty Nuri’s Expats and Jakarta tourists love the mixedgrill barbecue, Thursday night sashimi specials and the legendary martinis. Jln. Raya Sangingan, Ubud; 62-361/977547; dinner for two US$20. Waroeng Terriﬁc artsy café specializing in noodle soups and plates from across Asia. Monkey Forest Road, Ubud; 62-361/970928; dinner for two US$10.

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EMERGING D ESTINATIONS Alfresco dining on Mexico’s Paciﬁc Coast. Right: On Calle Carnaval in Mazatlán (dress by Gucci; sandals, K Jacques St. Tropez; bag, Louis Vuitton; sunglasses, Oliver Peoples). Left: The beach by Valention’s nightclub, in Mazatlán.

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FAVORITE UP-AND-COMING SEASIDE RETREATS (PLUS 15 MORE), WHERE WITHIN REACH. READ ON FOR OUR PICKS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

FIVE MORE GETAWAYS IN ASIA ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA

Mumbai’s style set ﬂocks to this archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. The Barefoot at Havelock has 18 thatchedroof cottages that are hidden in a rain forest. Radhan-agar Village, Havelock Island; 913192/282-151; barefootindia. com; doubles from US$90.

A mangrove forest in Pranburi, Thailand. Clockwise from above left: The exterior of Pranburi’s X2 Kui Buri hotel; the hotel’s stone-walled spa; a deserted surf shack on the beach. Opposite: A ﬁshing boat on the Khao Dang Canal, in Pranburi’s Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park.

BORACAY, PHILIPPINES

Known to insiders as one of the world’s great diving spots, the 10-square-kilometer island is poised to enter the international spotlight with the opening of the Shangri-La Boracay Resort & Spa this December. For now,

WHY GO NOW The pine tree–lined stretch of southeastern coastline known as Pranburi—a three-hour drive south of Bangkok and 30 minutes south of the popular resort town of Hua Hin—is blessedly free of the wandering masseurs, banana-boat operators and other interlopers who crowd many of the country’s beaches. Visitors are likely to encounter only the occasional couple strolling along the sand, enjoying uninterrupted views of fishing boats plying the Gulf of Thailand. A few miles inland, pineapple plantations, mangrove forests and rice fields attract travelers in search of the Thailand of 20 years ago. THE DETAILS Change is slowly creeping into Pranburi and surrounding areas, announced by charmingly idiosyncratic boutique hotels; the area’s alluring mix of seclusion, authenticity and character is driving many travelers to choose it over Hua Hin. “Hua Hin is becoming a big city with traffic,” notes Yingluck Chareonying, a clothing 148

designer who was one of the first Bangkok settlers to open a hotel in the area 11 years ago. Her whimsical 12-room Brassiere Beach (210 Moo 5, Tambon Samroiyod; 66-32/6305555; brassierebeach.com; doubles from US$117) was inspired by two domelike islands that sit just offshore and is set in a lush tropical garden on a secluded beach. Other properties, including the just-opened X2 Kui Buri (Moo 13, Ao Noi, Muang; 66-26/968-239; x2resorts.com; doubles from US$135), a compound of 23 low-slung stone-and-wood bungalows designed by Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, are raising the region’s international profile. Pranburi has plenty of authentic flavor, with countless seaside shacks dishing up tasty street food, like som tam accompanied by honey-basted grilled chicken. The best meals can be found at the cluster of stalls on the beach at the southern end of town, where lunch for two runs just US$5.— J E N N I F E R C H E N

T H I S S P R E A D P H O T O G R A P H E D BY A N D R E W R O WAT

THAILANDPRANBURI

check in to Boracay Beach Club. Many of the 30 rooms overlook the sea. 63-36/2886770; boracaybeachclub. com; doubles from US$110. BORNEO, INDONESIA

Eco-conscious travelers are ﬂocking here for the region’s extraordinary biodiversity, found in the 130 million-yearold prehistoric forest. The just-opened Gayana Eco Resort in Sabah has 44 overwater bungalows. 60-88/442233; gayana-eco-resort.com; doubles from US$200. CON DAO, VIETNAM

This pristine chain of volcanic islands is only 225 kilometers

southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Saigon Con Dao Resort offers simple, light-ﬁlled rooms set in a tropical garden. 84-64/830-155; saigoncondao.com/en; doubles from US$100. SUMBAWA ISLAND, INDONESIA An alternative to

Bali, the laid-back pace of this surfer’s Mecca is now drawing international crowds. With only one hotel on the island — the beachside Aman Gati Hotel (not part of Amanresorts) — you’re guaranteed a stretch of sand to yourself. 62-361/780-1763; doubles from US$38.

MEXICO MAZATLÁN T H I S S P R E A D P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y C E D R I C A N G E L E S ; S T Y L E D B Y M I M I L O M B A R D O ; H A I R & M A K E U P : E L S A C A N E D O / U T O P I A ; M O D E L : YAYA / O N E M A N A G E M E N T ; A S S O C I AT E FA S H I O N E D I T O R : C AT H E R I N E C R AT E

Along Playa Olas Altas, in Mazatlán (dress by Carlos Miele). Clockwise from top right: The courtyard at Melville Suites; an ocean view from the Casa Lucila hotel in Mazatlán’s Old Town; shopping in Mazatlán (silk dress by Diane von Furstenberg); the lobby of Casa Lucila; El Clavadista, a cliffdriving spot; outside the Teatro Ángela Peralta; a Melville Suites room; on Stone Island, near Mazatlán (swimsuit by Stella McCartney).

WHY GO NOW During the late 19th century, the Pacific Coast town of Mazatlán was a playground for vacationing members of the German, French and Mexican aristocracy, who took up residence in the Centro Histórico, or Old Town. Its reputation as an elite hotspot continued through the early 20th century. But in the 60’s, the city became a popular port for cruise ships. Soon after, southern California–style strip malls and Señor Frog’s restaurants sprouted up along the Zona Dorada, a 19-kilometer stretch of beach 15 minutes north of the Centro Histórico. And the Neoclassical mansions with 5-meter ceilings and wrought-iron balconies—remnants of Mazatlán’s heyday—were abandoned and all but forgotten. Until now, that is. THE DETAILS The 114 hectares that make up the Old Town are experiencing a renaissance, with stylish cafés, boutiques and hotels opening on seemingly every corner. Local Alfredo Gómez Rubio jump-started the revitalization in 1997 with Pedro y Lola (Avdas. Constitución and Carnaval; 52-669/982-2589; dinner for two US$40), a Nuevo Mexicano restaurant named after Mexican actor Pedro Infante and ranchera singer Lola Beltrán. Housed in a 130-year-old Neoclassical building, the former social club, which hosted prominent dance performances in the 1800’s, serves regional dishes such as molcajete (chunks of arrachera beef with grilled nopales, onions and fresh panela cheese) in a wood-beamed dining room. Soon after, artists Miguel Ruíz and his Belgian wife, Helene van der Heiden, opened Casa Etnika (50 Calle Sixto Osuna; 52-669/136-0139; casaetnika.com.mx), an art gallery and crafts shop. Inside, Michoacán silver necklaces hang alongside colorful paintings by local residents. More galleries followed, as did a complete overhaul of Teatro Ángela Peralta (1024 Avda. Constitución; 52-669/982-4446; teatroangelaperalta.com), an 841seat Italian Renaissance–style theater with an open-air lobby and tripletiered balconies—all of which put the area back on the cultural map. In 2007, Conchita Valades de Boccard created Casa Lucila (16 Calle Olas Altas; 52-669/982-1100; casalucila.com; doubles from US$185), Old Town’s first seaside boutique hotel, built on the site of a 1940’s nightclub frequented by John Wayne and Ernest Hemingway. Overlooking Olas Altas beach, the eight contemporary rooms are outfitted with custommade mahogany doors, Italian ceramic-tiled floors, and local wood furniture. Around the corner, Melville Suites (99 Avda. Constitución; 52-669/9828474; themelville.com; doubles from US$78) is more traditional: it’s a 19th-century former nunnery converted into 20 large suites that are brimming with hand-carved armoires and Mexican antiques. Jaime Flores was a manager at Denver’s historic Broker Restaurant for 10 years before returning home last January to help open El Santo y La Panga (1505 Niños Héroes; 52-669/985-4124; dinner for two US$78), Old Town’s newest addition. The pint-size seafood joint packs in locals nightly, who come for tuna tostadas with chipotle mayonnaise and avocado. “Mazatlán has turned a corner from what it was 40 years ago,” says Flores. “It’s an exciting time to be here.”—J E F F S P U R R I E R » 151

MORE GETAWAYS ALAÇATI, TURKEY

Windsurfers have long known about this ﬁshing village on the Cesme Peninsula. Thanks to the addition of the Port Alaçati marina, its reputation is fanning out beyond the adventure set. Stay at the 17room Port Hotel Alaçati. 90232/716-0385; portalacati. com.tr; doubles from US$152. GOZO, MALTA The main

CYPRUS PAPHOS+LIMASSOL WHY GO NOW The prime Levantine location and sandy turquoise shores of this tiny island belie its complicated political past. But after decades spent divided between a Turkish-occupied north and Greek-speaking south, Cyprus is unifying, and international attention is now focused on its wildﬂower-covered hills and crystalline coastline. Cyprus is changing dramatically around the port town of Paphos, the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite. During the Hellenistic period, Paphos was Cyprus’s capital, renowned for its temples and olive groves. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage site serves as an entry point to the island’s most exclusive resorts, and to tiny nearby crafts towns, like Omodos and Lefkara. THE DETAILS The chic Almyra (357-26/888-700; thanoshotels.com; doubles from US$242) set the tone for Paphos’s resurgence when it debuted in 2004. Designed by one of Karl Lagerfeld’s favorite architects, Joëlle Pléot, and Tristan Auer, the hotel lures Europeans with its whitewashed bungalows and black-bottom pool. Down the coast at the mod-rustic Thalassa Boutique Hotel & Spa (35726/881-500; thalassa.com.cy; doubles from US$453), the 58 suites—most with butlers and all named after a Greek god 152

or goddess—are perched on a peninsula just above Coral Bay, overlooking 3,400-year-old Mycenaean ruins. Although equally historic, Limassol, a harbor town on the southern coast, is more focused on its future than its past. Indeed, the marina of this commercial hub, home to the largest shipping port in the Mediterranean, is in the midst of a US$265 million makeover. In the Old Town, cobblestoned Agiou Andreou Street houses many stylish shops: You’ll find Cavelliesque tunics and blouses from Cypriot designer Pantelis Mitsu at Mitsu Mitsu (191 St. Andrews St.; 357-25/359-291) and handmade jewelry at the Precious Metal Gallery (17 Agora Anexartisias St.; 357-25/353-639). The island’s only microbrewery, Draught Microbrewery Bar & Grill (Vasilissis St.; 357-25/820-470), is nearby. On the waterfront is Londa (357-25/865-555; londahotel. com; doubles from US$425), a 68-room seafront retreat designed by the venerable Italian firm Caruzzo Rancati, also responsible for Milan’s Gianfranco Ferré flagship. A favorite of fashion designer Julien Macdonald, the hotel has creamy marble and wood interiors, a mod restaurant and an alfresco bar. It adds just the right amount of gloss to the increasingly cosmopolitan city.— D A V I D K A U F M A N »

C LO C KW I S E F RO M TO P L E F T: © M I C H A E L PA L I S / D R E A M ST I M E .CO M ; CO U RT E SY O F A L M Y R A ; CO U RT E SY O F LO N DA ( 2 ) ; CO U RT E SY O F T H A L A S SA B O U T I Q U E H OT E L A N D S PA . O P P O S I T E : CO U RT E SY O F A L M Y R A

island’s hilly little sister was proposed as the site for the Malta International Fashion Show. There are 13 terraced rooms at the San Antonio Guesthouse in Xlendi, a small ﬁshing town. 356/2156-3555; clubgozo.com.mt; doubles from US$44.

SOZOPOL, BULGARIA The Black Sea’s answer to St.Tropez is attracting celebrity visitors like Brangelina. Hotel Logatero’s 11 rooms are outﬁtted with sleek naturalwood furnishings. 3595/502-4202; hotellogatero. com; doubles from US$140.

LARACHE, MOROCCO Expats

LAMU, KENYA Outﬁtters such as Micato Safaris (micatosafaris.com) are now including Lamu, a tranquil white-sand island off the Kenyan coast, in custom tours. If you’re on your own, check into one of the six Swahili-chic suites at the Banana House. 254-721/275538; lamuretreats.com; doubles from US$139.

MUSANDAM PENINSULA, OMAN This sandy spit is

are converting Andalusianstyle villas in this quiet coastal town into boutique hotels, including the SpanishMoroccan La Maison Haute, near the bustling souk. 212653/448-88; lamaisonhaute. free.fr; doubles from US$78.

known for its arid landscape and secluded, mountainbacked beaches, just a threehour bus ride from Dubai. Book a room at the 60-room Golden Tulip Resort, Khasab for mesmerizing Persian Gulf views. 968/2673-0777; goldentulipkhasab.com; doubles from US$209.

At the Almyra. Opposite, clockwise from top left: Paphos castle at Paphos harbor; Almyra exterior; superior room at the Londa; the retreat’s sundeck; Thalassa’s pool.

FOUR MORE GETAWAYS IN THE AMERICAS At Pousada da Amendoeira. Top right: One of its bungalows. Right: The beach at Pousada do Toque.

BIG CORN ISLAND, NICARAGUA

CAYE CAULKER, BELIZE

Known for its lush forests and a smooth shoreline. At Casa Canada, 20 cabanas overlook an inﬁnity pool. 505/644-0925; casacanada.com; doubles from US$85.

This coral strip has stunning barrier reefs. Seaside Cabanas has a cheery orange-and-red palette. 501/226-0498; seasidecabanas. com; doubles from US$105.

CAMPECHE, MEXICO The colonial city on the Yucatán Peninsula is slated to become the next Mérida. Stay at the Castelmar Hotel. 52981/811-1204; castelmarhotel.com; doubles from US$85.

CULEBRA, PUERTO RICO Off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, this gem has dune-studded beaches and blue-green waters. Stay at Club Seabourne. 787/742-3169; clubseabourne.com; doubles from US$195.

On Traitor’s Bay, off Hiva Oa. Clockwise from top right: Church of Vaitahu, on Tahuata Island in the Marquesas; off Tahuata; breadfruit trees on Hiva Oa.

WHY GO NOW This archipelago, an outpost of French Polynesia, has the geographic distinction of being the farthest group of islands from any continental landmass, and yet it is just a three-hour flight from Papeete, Tahiti’s capital, on Air Tahiti (airtahiti.pf). The island Hiva Oa (population 1,991) lacks the blue lagoons and overwater bungalows of Moorea or Bora-Bora, but travelers in search of peace and quiet will find it here in the primeval landscape of cliffs, waterfalls and ironwood forests. Hiva Oa is also where French artist Paul Gauguin spent the final years of his career, and the island draws plenty of pilgrims who are traveling in his footsteps. THE DETAILS The main island’s only hotel, Hiva Oa Hanakee Pearl Lodge (1-800/657-3275; pearlresorts.com; doubles from US$267), has 14 bungalows, some of which face the 154

BRAZIL T H I S PAG E P H OTO G R A P H E D BY ST E WA RT F E R E B E E . O P P O S I T E : CO U RT E SY O F P O U SA DA DA A M E N D O E I RA ( 2 ) ; CO U RT ESY O F P O U SA DA D O TO Q U E

SOUTH OU PACIFIC MARQUESAS

lush Tehueto valley and Tahauku Beach. Each bamboo lattice bungalow is outﬁtted with woven-palm wall coverings, carved tiki poles and traditional bark-paper paintings. Arrange a tour with Pearl Lodge’s guide Lecortier Tematai, who will point out trellised vanilla orchids and petroglyphs and expertly maneuver dirt-road switchbacks under a canopy of acacia and mango trees. He’ll drive you by Polynesia’s largest stone tiki, then stop for a typical Marquesan lunch (tuna ceviche, goat curry, fried breadfruit) at the house of native chef Pua Poevai. In the main village, Atuona, the narrow thoroughfare is lined with shops selling Tahitian beer and one-story whitewashed houses with ﬁshing boats lying in the yards. Gauguin’s grave is on a hill at Calvary Cemetery in the village, and the Paul Gauguin Cultural Center (689/927-897) showcases 92 reproductions of his works. A stroll on the village’s black-sand beach at the base of 1,276meter Mount Temetiu is the best way to end the day. You can rest assured that very few travelers have ever done the same.— S H A N E M I T C H E L L

SÃO MIGUEL

DOS MILAGRES WHY GO NOW Located between the more famous Brazilian beaches in Recife and Bahia, São Miguel dos Milagres is off most travelers’ radar. The attraction: reef-formed pools, emerald waters and hypnotically tranqüilo beaches. “In a sense, there’s no tourism—on any given day, maybe a hundred visitors can be found on a beach 40 kilometers long,” says Joaquim Gonçalves, the Portuguese owner of two area pousadas. That may change soon: Amanresorts has been looking at land near Alogoas’s capital, Maceió, while paulistas (São Paulo residents) make up the majority of the visitors. THE DETAILS Set in a lush garden, the Pousada do Toque (Rua Felisberto do Ataide; 55-82/3295-1127; pousadadotoque.com.

br; doubles from US$327) has guest rooms with tile-mosaic bathrooms, ofuro tubs and rough-hewn woodwork. But the restaurant is the real attraction, with dishes like peixe ao molho de camarão—grilled ﬁsh in a shrimp-and-tomato sauce. Down a dirt track 8 kilometers north of São Miguel is Goncalves’s four-year-old Aldeia Beijupirá (19 Sitio Roteio, Praia do Lage; 55-82/3298-6549; aldeiabeijupira.com.br; doubles from US$287). Nine thatched-roof bungalows are surrounded by gardens of palms and red hibiscus. “We came here for a life-changing experience,” says paulista Jessy Greenhut. So she and her husband bought the Pousada da Amendoeira (Praia do Toque; 55-82/3295-1213; pdamendoeira.com.br; doubles from US$167). “A lot of people who come here are really attached to nature,” says Greenhut. With this beach, it’s not hard to see why.— I A N M O U N T Additional reporting by Katie Bowman, Lisa C. Cheng, Tanvi Chheda, Caroline Davis, Angela Fleury, Jennifer Flowers, Serra Guercay, Kendall Hill, Catesby Holmes, Rosamaria Mancini, Bree Sposato and Stephanie Stephens. 155

Adventures in the New Berlin

The Bode museum, on Museumsinsel (Museum Island). Opposite: A local woman in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

Everyone is here: artists and hipsters, writers, intellectuals and ﬁlmmakers, architects and actors. It’s an electrifying scene, where Gary Shteyngart ﬁnds 21st-century unpolished glamour thriving under the weight of 20th-century history. Photographed by Mischa Richter

Inside Norman Foster’s glass-and-steel Reichstag dome.

“Berlin ist gross und ich bin klein” (Berlin is big and I am small), reads a popular children’s T-shirt featuring a forlorn mite of a penguin staring up at the immensity of East Berlin’s iconic TV tower. At barely 1.67 meters I know how that penguin feels. I have spent four months in Berlin talking to people’s navels and having drinks passed over my head. If I ever joined the 15.5 percent of Berliners who are unemployed, I could make an attractive footstool for one of the gentle giants here. One night, at a failing bar in an outlying district, lost in a sea of blond heads crowned with halos of cheap smoke, I notice the kind of person who I think is still referred to as a midget waving happily to me across the room. I wave back with a big smile and an awkward thumbs-up. It is one of the happiest moments of my stay in Germany’s capital. I love the towering denizens of what is easily Europe’s coolest metropolis. But now I know that I am not alone. And there’s more help on the way. “This is the year Berlin went international,” a long-term expatriate who works in art and publishing tells me at a party. Get out your measuring tape: the short, non-Teutonic folks are coming! By my estimate, at least half of them seem to be New York expatriates, intense, wiry, funny Jewish men who talk up their novel-in-progress, their nascent yoga practice and their plans to open yet another art gallery to the interested local Fräulein, who peer down at them from their stratospheric heights. Making an absolute mockery of everything Joseph Goebbels ever stood for, Berlin is now a city where you hear more English than in New York and more Russian than in London. The foreigners come for the cheap rents, to be sure, but also for a nightlife that begins at midnight on Thursday and sputters dizzyingly to an end at 8 P.M. on Sunday. And there is so much culture that by the end of my stay I can only dream of using the bathroom of the neighborhood pub without running across a ﬂier touting a gallery opening, an avant-garde theater performance in a disused bathhouse, or the frightening advent of yet another “Bolshoi Bandits Russian Ska East Bloc Music DJ-Team Party.” Berlin is its youth, and its youth are hip—even the teenage llama at the zoo has a fashionably retro Pat Benatar haircut. They are restless, and they are up for anything. »

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Big Berlin Clockwise from above: Postdamer Platz; a mother and child enjoying the sun in Prenlauer Berg; Klaus Wowereit, the popular mayor of Berlin.

And the new Berliners are one other thing: earnest. One of the greatest gifts that can fall in the lap of any emerging artist is the opportunity to fail. When you’re paying 200 euros a month for a high-ceilinged room in a so-called W.G., or Wohngemeinschaft, an Oberlin-style “living community” where young people share chores and each other, you can spend years of your life “working only with adhesive tape,” as one would-be Warhol told me. But maybe that’s just the cynical New Yorker in me speaking. Whether German or foreign, these young people genuinely care about the communities they have forged out of the rubble of the 20th century’s most problematic metropolis. And they appreciate the creative impulse around them, because it’s still okay to be excited by things in Berlin. To wit, a freezing Friday night in the middle of a season the rest of Europe still regards as autumn. At the Glass Pavilion of the Volksbühne theater in the former East, dozens of people are huddled together in the small space, warmed by nothing but cheap beer for free and the warbling of one overtaxed radiator. We are braving the elements to watch a brilliant short film by the British visual artist Tacita Dean about the British poet and translator Michael Hamburger, who was exiled from Berlin in 1933 and passed away last year. The film flickers on the makeshift screen, the elderly poet is picking up apples and talking about them at great length (“The Boskoop is good for baking, but also for eating…,” he creaks. “I was very taken by the Devonshire…. It is just about the darkest apple I’ve ever seen”). The film is hypnotically simple and rendered with an ambient quality that somehow makes the end of life seem both close by and oddly matter-of-fact, like the dark Devonshire apples the elderly subject so loved. As the film unfolds, there is not a sound in the little theater, except for the balding twenty- and thirtysomething men and very young women in vibrant leggings, who are taking snapshots of the screen with their mobile phones. It’s the kind of cultural encounter that I may pretend to remember from the New York of the 1980’s and early 90’s, but in any case it is here in Berlin right now—and it is touching and it is real.

Y FOUR MONTHS IN THE CITY were spent at the

lakeside American Academy in Berlin, where I’d been invited to be a fellow for a semester. The Academy’s villa is located in the neardistant suburb of Wannsee, across the lake from the House of the Wannsee Conference, where the Final Solution to the so-called “Jewish Problem” was signed. My temporary home had been owned by a Jewish banker who ﬂed the country during the 1930’s. The house then fell into the hands of the Third Reich’s minister of ﬁnance, who

added several architectural details, including my balcony. In the warmer months, I happened to divide my time between my Jewish study and my Nazi balcony (to add to the confusion, my bedroom was once occupied by the playwright Arthur Miller). Berlin, as the old adage from historian Karl Scheffler goes, “is a city that never is, but is always in the process of becoming.” The city the international art world has inherited has been in mad flux since the collapse of the Wall, but its physical infrastructure has more or less taken shape. Now that the terrific rupture of the Cold War has been sealed and partly cauterized, Berlin has become something— an often hypermodern, usually well-functioning, deindustrialized metropolis with almost no money. “Poor but sexy” is how Klaus Wowereit, universally described as “Berlin’s popular, gay, socialist mayor,” describes his city. The results of the building boom have been uneven. The glass box of the chancellor’s office has been rightly drubbed by locals as “the washing machine,” while next door, the Reichstag, with its transparent Norman Foster dome and top-notch collection of contemporary art—cue Gerhard Richter’s stunning interpretation of the German flag in the lobby—is a blessing upon the urban grid and a serious statement about Western democracy’s chances of survival. On the other hand, Potsdamer Platz, the new commercial and tourist heart of the city, resembles a rouged-up version of the skyline in Raleigh, North Carolina. Four billion dollars and five years were sunk into the building of this supposed future-scape just so that one of its main squares—MarleneDietrich-Platz, mind you—could host a McDonald’s, a Starbucks, a sad-looking casino and Mamma Mia!, the musical. Arriving at the glassed-in Hauptbahnhof, the central train station and one of the largest in Europe, is like pulling into a mall/office complex from the farthest reaches of suburbia. The task of reassembling a city whose history still has the capacity to make you gasp has led many of the world’s best architects to perform open-heart surgery on Berlin’s center, but along with generous helpings of glass and steel, they have injected a surfeit of anesthesia. And yet, just a few minutes away from the studied plasticity of Potsdamer Platz lies the postwar Berliner Philharmonie, by architect Hans Scharoun—widely considered one of the best concert halls in the world and still the greatest artistic joy the city has to offer. The audience is seated like the U.N. General Assembly around the warm, glowing orchestra stage, and my favorite way to enjoy the music is not to close my eyes, but to remove my glasses and stare myopically at the golden haze around me, at the hushed and indistinct humanity; in this space, even the soft coughs of those afflicted by the city’s damp air resound with a hidden melody. During the » 161

intermissions, hordes of Japanese music students rush the stage to feel themselves at the apogee of classical music. Conductor Simon Rattle’s interpretation of Mahler’s majestic and oddly hopeful Ninth Symphony brings the teenage concertgoer next to me to tears, and by the end of the performance she is shouting—shouting, mind you—for Sir Simon to grace us with an encore, which he does. How Berliners love their dandelion-haired British maestro.

on the way. The city is a baby-making machine. German parents receive a sizable subsidy for each child, and that child then collects a stipend until the age of 25. Hence, the tony eastern neighborhood of Prenzlauer Berg on a Thursday evening becomes a parade of well-dressed women on fancy bicycles with swaddled bundles of joy perched on the backseat, the occasional husband following behind at a respectful distance. The fecundity of these people is astonishing, and one wonders what this generation of new Berliners—born to be mild amidst a landscape of hatha yoga and bio-products—will be like when it comes of age. While the children seem mellow, coddled and rosy-cheeked, Berlin motherhood is fierce and competitive. Crossing at a red light while a Kind is watching might earn you the reproach “Are you color-blind?” from a mama worried that you are setting a dangerous example. Prenzlauer Berg, arguably the most attractive of the East’s neighborhoods, used to be the place in which to get pregnant. Now I see Maclaren strollers everywhere. Trying to figure out Berlin’s neighborhood of the moment is like trying to corner an especially smart chicken. But one thing is certain: the trend of colonizing the East seems to have been reversed, with formerly uncool western neighborhoods that were the preserves of punks, draft dodgers and the Turkish community during the Cold War—often beautiful Kreuzberg, but also the grittier Neukölln, to the south—now attracting the mommies and daddies of the city’s creative class, not to mention a cascade of Americans with juicy Fulbrights. My favorite stretch of Kreuzberg runs along the banks of the Landwehrkanal. Here, Turkish and bohemian Berlin meet in a way that makes the city feel as multicultural as Paris or London. On a Tuesday or a Friday I start at the Turkish Market, which stretches along the Maybachufer bank of the canal, to sample a smorgasbord of fat navel oranges, hot spinach böreks that flake to nothingness as soon as they’re in your grasp, glowing aubergines, piles of octopus glistening in olive oil, every gradient of feta known to the Bosporus. The Anatolian young women in beautiful sequined chadors and men screaming out their prices until their voices break ND THERE ARE MORE BERLINERS

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remind you of the greater world beyond the glacial forests and lakes of Brandenburg. All that produce calls for a terrific meal. I head west along the canal to Defne, a restaurant that is nominally Turkish, but also smartly plays with the flavors of the Mediterranean. In other words, the greasy döner kebab that feeds Berlin’s workers and party people is blessedly absent from the menu. One night I sit next to a German man with a beautiful flowing mullet like the mane of a balding lion, his breast adorned with a necklace of miniature pelts, perhaps an homage to the Navajo people. He is sampling one of my favorite dishes, the Imam Fainted—a zesty mix of aubergines with pine nuts and peppers, in a tomato-herb sauce. Defne also has the spiciest octopus in town, drowning in garlic and white-wine sauce and oven-baked with—I’m not really sure how this works— crumbly feta cheese. The so-called Well Brought Up Lamb skewer is charred but red-centered, and perfectly lives up to its name. Even more shocking, the service, for Berlin, is competent and caring: a waitress, when summoned, may come. In need of a nightcap, I head to the nearby Ankerklause, a bar boat moored by the Turkish market, afloat with hipsters, punk rockers and the occasional ageing French tourist couple who have steered way off course. When the sun sets—that would be 5 P.M.—the bar becomes the kind of Berlin free-forall that has made the city the world’s capital of informality. As Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” blasts across the canal, I take a peek outside to watch the resident swans—those most blasé of Berliners—tuck their beaks beneath their wings and drift off to their complex avian dreams.

Formerly uncool western neighborhoods now attract the city’s creative class

HE SWANS ARE ASLEEP, but the city is just getting started. Berlin lives by its nightlife. Even the average cabbie knows the score and will tell you that “Tresor is over and Café Moskau is full of teenagers,” but Berghain is still the place to go. The club is housed in a muscular former power station in a nether zone between West Kreuzberg and the gentrifying Friedrichshain area of the East (you’ll simply never ﬁnd it). In its mix of straight and gay, this fantastically imposing space recaptures the Weimar aesthetic Berlin has been aching for ever since the Third Reich wiped out much of the city’s eclectic culture. But before you can enter, a guy with three lip rings, some sort of pirate’s vest, and the mien of a young Mozart—the bouncer, in other words—will carefully scrutinize your worth. “Berlin is the city for electronic dance music,” says Mark Butler, a fellow at the American Academy and professor of music at the University of Pennsylvania who has written extensively on the Berlin scene. “Almost every twentyor thirtysomething you meet is a degree or two removed »

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, rebuilt after World War II with its damaged belfry preserved.

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Historical Ties Clockwise from above: Gleis 17, a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust deported by train from the city; shoppers at the Turkish Market, on the border of Kreuzberg; the Postdamer Platz train station, including graffiticovered remnants of the Wall.

from someone who is recording techno or running a label.” And half of them seem to convene at Berghain every Saturday night. By 9 A.M., when the club’s shutters suddenly open to reveal the stealth arrival of a gray Berlin morning, the purist techno rhythms may well have grabbed your heart and taught it how to beat. If not, something else will do the trick. Berlin may be tamer than it was in the 1990’s, when people would organize spontaneous after-hour parties in the ATM vestibules of their local banks, but the nightlife is still thumping. Back in Kreuzberg, the Monarch bar, on the second ﬂoor of a hilariously dreary housing project, beckons the 40-year-old hipster who wishes to turn the clock back by exactly 15 years and is ready to groove to a disco version of “Hava Nagila” or the gypsy-punk band Gogol Bordello. Wedding is a gentrifying neighborhood of art galleries and new clubs just north of the Hauptbahnhof. Here is Haunch of Venison, the branch of a London gallery that put on a stunning display of Zhang Huan’s 4-meter-tall Berlin Buddha, which was made entirely of incense ash and took three months to disintegrate—impermanence being yet another of this city’s leitmotifs. Opposite the Haunch is a club called Tape, home of the World Championship for Chess Boxing, where the contenders play chess for four minutes and then beat each other up. At other times, this enormous space hosts well-known acts like the Swiss diva Miss Kittin and the singer Peaches, the ever-popular mistress of incorrectness, whose ﬁlthy Canadian mouth has found a perfect home in Berlin. And then there’s the KMA 36 bar, on the broad and unrepentantly socialist boulevard that is Karl-Marx-Allee, formerly known as Stalin Allee. The vodka martinis are excellent, and the bar’s architecture alone is worth the visit—this former GDR cosmetics studio is an open constructivist glass box that would rank with the best of Warsaw Pact design. Glowing bright at night, the bar has a simplicity and inclusiveness that belie its ridiculous roots.

and the economy picks up a bit—picture media parks and town house developments—the question remains: Is this the new crucible of world culture or just an unusual city with a tiny airport? The galleries are here (although the buyers often are not), the nightlife, the youthful excitement, the coffee shops full of media types with laptops are all in evidence, but the international set likes to eat well, and restaurants have never been Berlin’s strong suit. That’s changing. Celebrity chef Tim Raue, who has done much for the city’s cuisine at the restaurant 44 in the Swissôtel, is moving on to the famous Adlon Hotel. Here is a S BERLIN SWIRLS WITH EXPATS

chef with affection for watermelon and the ability to bring Asian-chili heat to a humble piece of cod, a level of spicing appropriate for the global tongue. Another worthy entry is Facil, on the top floor of the Mandala Hotel at Potsdamer Platz. The space is reminiscent of the clean lines of the Neue Nationalgalerie down the street, and one is mesmerized by the two rows of chestnut trees—yellow and green in equal measure—shivering in the autumn cold on the attractive patio. The weird acoustics deposit snatches of political and economic German on your plate, along with the helicopter laughter of powerful men. The wine list is heavy on fine Austrian Sauvignon Blancs, and one night I was moved by a shoulder of Brandenburg venison with pine-cream chicory that was as good a treatment of the city’s anorexic deer as I’ve ever had. But this is above all a city of cozy neighborhoods—a local will swear foremost allegiance to his Kiez—and some of the best restaurants are little places that serve food, often from the south and west of Germany, to people from up and down the block. I’m thinking of a fairly new spot called Lebensmittel in Mitte, a grocery store with a shock of fresh green vegetables laid out in front, along with cans of tasty homemade cherry preserves. A typical night could find its back room full of nursing middle-aged mothers (“I’ve never seen people who love their children so much,” a visiting American tells me), their husbands dividing their time between the hollering tots and a soccer match on television—as close as Berlin will ever get to feeling like Naples. Highlights include the occasional appetizer of homemade lard with plums and bacon, a tender goose with a glistening layer of fat, and a plate of spaetzle egg noodles smothered with cheese and perfect for brunching. A civilization can often be judged by the quality of its chicken, and Kreuzberg’s legendary Henne offers the moistest, crispiest milk-roasted bird to be found in Mitteleuropa, along with a décor that’s a celebration of Berlin as a workingclass city, with its wooden ceilings, tartan tablecloths and dingy, nicotine-stained walls. A draught of golden Landbier from the northern part of Bavaria and the occasional drag of a forbidden cigarette (Berlin has just enacted a shocking smoking ban) will help you feel as drunk and rheumatic as the rest of the clientele. In another part of Kreuzberg, on the relatively posh Bergmannstrasse, I swear by the restaurant Austria, which I love for more than its monstrously sized schnitzel perched atop a tangy potato salad made with onion and vinegar. In this folksy, low-ceilinged, crimson setting, former Berlin resident Jeffrey Eugenides celebrated the completion of one of the best novels of the new century, the Pulitzer Prize–winning Middlesex. In fact, the hero(ine) of his novel, Calliope » 165

This is a city of cozy neighborhoods and some of the best restaurants are places that serve food to people from down the block

Stephanides, goes on an important date at Austria and is taken with the many sets of deer antlers that line the restaurant’s walls, which are described as “comically small, as though they come from animals you could kill with your bare hands.” During my last meal at Austria, I watch yet another young Berlin mother cutting a schnitzel with an optician’s precision for her brood of three. Two children are reaching up for the crusty bits of veal like newborn chicks, but one little fellow is too engrossed to eat: he is…reading a book. “The restaurant is dark, warm, woody and comfortable,” Eugenides writes. “Anybody who wouldn’t like it is somebody I wouldn’t like.”

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, near Brandenburg Gate.

NE CHILLY MORNING, after consuming our body weight in schnitzel, a short Jewish friend and I cross the lake to the House of the Wannsee Conference, where on January 20, 1942, the head of the Reich Security Main Ofﬁce, Reinhard Heydrich, invited a group of gentlemen for “a meeting to be followed by breakfast.” The gentlemen in question were high-ranking members of the S.S. and other Nazi entities; the meeting was a plan to murder all European Jews; and the breakfast must have been a traditionally healthy German one, with lots of small talk and gales of morning laughter. As with all German historical sites, the documentation in this thoroughly pleasant lakeside villa is meticulous. After learning of the Nazi plan to deport the country’s Jews to Madagascar (if only!), my friend and I realize that most of the conference involved the so-called Mischling question—in other words, what to do with Germans of mixed Jewish-Aryan blood. After deliberating the semantics of the question for an hour and a half, the gentlemen decided that if an individual looks, “feels, and behaves” like a Jew, then he “should be classed with the Jews”—in other words, gassed. As I’m stroking my dense, nearrabbinical beard and my friend is playing with her Sephardic curls, the inevitable older German woman quickly gravitates to us and says, apologetically, “It was a dark time in our history.” And I’m torn between sadness and revulsion, an appreciation of the sentiment, and the impotent feeling that I do not have the power to absolve. The visual artist Thomas Demand is, in my opinion, the ﬁnest artist in Germany today. Some of his work re-creates »

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life-size models of recent historical events—for example, the lectern used by Serbian dictator Slobodan Miloševic in 1989 to declare open season on Yugoslavia’s other ethnic groups (Podium). The models, constructed of colored paper and cardboard, are photographed and then destroyed. Whatever the subject matter, these works, to my mind, accurately and honestly capture what it means to be born under the canopy of history in a perennially overcast part of the world. Demand is able to tease out a paper-thin beauty from his often mundane subjects, while in a work like Podium we are left with a brief, if stylized, visual portrait of what history looks like during the tremulous instant, that last exhale of breath, before the slaughter begins. Which is to say that unlike that of other contemporary artists, Demand’s vision frightens me. He works from a 1,400-square-meter storage building behind the Hamburger Bahnhof museum, a place that in any other “world city” would house 800 graphic designers and an overpriced Thai-Mexican restaurant. Part of Demand’s factory space is cantilevered over a garden that used to be taken up with train tracks, a potent Berlin symbol, while his studio building runs right up to the frontier of the former Berlin

Bright Lights Clockwise from above: Paul-LöbeHaus, near the Reichstag; an exterior view of KMA; the crowd at KMA 36 bar.

Wall. “Can’t do anything about it,” Demand says, one ﬁnger on his thick dark frames. “History is everywhere.” He’s right. As of 2008, Berlin’s guilt infrastructure is almost completely in place. Tributes to its tragic past have been cropping up recently, including the thousands of concrete slabs that form the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a stone’s throw from the Brandenburg Gate and the adjacent bunker that will be the new U.S. Embassy. The most impressive memorial, however, does not aspire to architectural glory or to strenuous interpretation. I take the S-Bahn west for 20 minutes to the tiny suburban train station of quiet, leafy Grunewald. Between 1941 and 1945, more than 55,000 Jewish Berliners were deported to extermination camps from what is now a disused track labeled Gleis 17. The dates of deportation and the destinations of the trains are carved onto the edge of the platform. But on the day I come to the memorial, my last day in Berlin, a fresh snow has obscured everything. Only the lights of nearby cottages blink in the gloom. And all I can see are snow-covered boughs gently arching across the tracks. And there, in the far distance, some young trees, sturdy and short, have found a foothold. ✚

GUIDE TO BERLIN Ritz-Carlton 3 Potsdamer Platz; 49-30/337-777; ritzcarlton.com; doubles from US$317. WHERE TO EAT Austria 30 Bergmannstrasse; 49-30/694-4440; dinner for two US$68. Defne Restaurant 92C Planufer; 49-30/8179-7111; dinner US$70. Facil 3 Potsdamer Strasse; 49-30/5900-51234; dinner for two US$200. Henne 25 Leuschnerdamm; 49-30/614-7730; dinner for two US$37. Lebensmittel in Mitte 2 Rochstrasse; 49-30/2759-6130; lunch for two US$15.

Vyacheslav and Alexander Konstantinovsky, at Concord, one of their popular spots.

WHEN TO GO The best time to visit is May through September, when temperatures are in the 20’s. From October through April, expect damp, colder weather.

887-7770; artotel.de; doubles from US$193.

WHERE TO STAY Art’Otel 85 Lietzenburgerstrasse; 49-30/

Kempinski Hotel Bristol Berlin 27 Kurfürstendamm; 49-30/884340; kempinski-berlin.de; doubles from US$216.

GREAT VALUE

Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin 77 Unter den Linden; 49-30/22611016; hotel-adlon.de; doubles from US$448.

Wannsee; 49-30/805-0010; ghwk.de. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Breitscheidplatz, Charlottenberg. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Edge of Grosser Tiergarten, between Wilhelmstrasse and Eberstrasse; stiftung-denkmal.de. Berliner Philharmonie 1 Herbert-von-Karajan-Strasse; 49-30/254-880; berliner-philharmoniker.de. Reichstag Platz der Republik; 49-30/2270; bundestag.de. Turkish Market Maybachufer, on the border of Kreuzberg and Neukölln.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO WHERE TO GO OUT American Academy in Berlin Ankerlause 104 Kottbusser Damm; 17-19 Am Sandwerder; 49-30/80449-30/693-5649. 830; americanacademy.de. Berghain Am Wriezener Bahnhof; Gleis 17 Memorial no phone; no phone; berghain.de. gleis-17.de. KMA 36 36 Karl-Marx-Allee; Haunch of Venison Berlin 46 no phone; kma36.de. Heidestrasse; 49-30/3974-3963; haunchofvenison.com. Monarch 134 Skalitzer Str. House of the Wannsee Conference 56-58 Am Grossen

Tape 14 Heidestrasse; 49-30/28484873; tapeberlin.de.

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(My Favorite Place) Tony Wheeler towering over Macau.

MACAU

that China was almost completely closed off to the outside world only a few decades ago. We used to go to places like Hong Kong and Macau to glimpse across the border, to ponder that such a large slice of the world was so close by and yet so far away. You could venture out to the northern edge of Hong Kong’s New Territories and, with binoculars, peer across the border at “Communist peasants working in the rice paddies.” That was as close as I got in my first visits in the 1960’s and 70’s. Then you could jump on a high-speed ferry and zip across the mouth of the Pearl River to Macau, a city-state that still had some Portuguese flavor entwined with a healthy dose of intrigue and steamy, seductive corruption. In 1985, at a time when the first independent travelers were beginning to explore China—earlier visitors were mainly on strictly regimented tours—I made a slightly extended stay, pinned down by a typhoon’s near miss. A couple of years later, my first foray into China started

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T’S EASY TO FORGET

NOV E M B E R 2 0 0 8| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

with a bus trip from Macau to Canton (now Guangzhou), but it was my most recent visit that I’ll remember best. I was speaking at a travel conference and decided that I’d make a more appropriate arrival if I traveled by land from Singapore, so it was trains, buses and assorted other forms of transport through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and across China to the busy border of Macau. Land reclamation, an international airport, new casinos and a host of five-star hotels have transformed the city over the years, but from atop the 338-meter Macau Tower the view is fabulous. A. J. Hackett, the New Zealand bungy-jump inventors, stuff you into an orange suit, strap you to an overhead rail and let you walk right around the outside at the top, sit on the edge and dangle your feet over the drop. Fortunately, the old Macau survives. The next day I lunched with friends at Fernando’s, a Portuguese seafood and barbecue place on the beach, and then rocketed back to Hong Kong on a high-speed ferry. ✚

CO U RT ESY O F TO N Y W H E E L E R

Well-traveled Tony Wheeler—founder of Lonely Planet guidebooks— tells JENNIFER CHEN why Macau still remains a special place

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