Polo Lifestyles-Haiti March-April: Dubai Polo

DUBAI POLO

THE ULTIMATE POLO SEASON OF HOSPITALITY & LUXURY

FREE MEDICAL SCHOOL THE JAW-DROPPING GENEROSITY OF A $1 BILLION ENDOWMENT

WHY THE 1 PERCENT DON'T COVER THEIR WINDOWS

HEAVY METAL INSPIRATION FROM MILAN DESIGN & FASHION WEEKS

WHERE DO BILLIONAIRES COME FROM?

WHY CANCER IS AFFECTING MORE PEOPLE UNDER 50

15 ROMANTIC PLACES TO PROPOSE BECOME A WINE SNOB WITHOUT BEING SNOBBY

THE GAUNTLET OF POLO: C.V. WHITNEY CUP · 47TH NZ POLO OPEN · DUBAI OPEN 20-GOAL GOLD CUP · 40-GOAL CHALLENGE ALL STARS CUP

Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand Publisher

Joshua Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief

William Smith

Copy Editor & Philanthropy Contributor

Claire Barrett Head of Photography

Dana Romita Luxury Real Estate Contributor

Amritlal Saini Ascension Contributor

Tom Landry Design Contributor

Polo Photographers

Katerina Morgan Justine Jacquemot

Irina Kazaridi

Helen Cruden

Matias Callejo

Kathrin Gralla

Dr. Michael J. Snell Lifestyles & Luxury Automobile Contributor

Joey Velez

Wellness Contributor

Jamillah Scott

Polo Contributor

Raphael K. Dapaah Art Contributor

Brand Representatives

Dr. Michael J. Snell - NYC

Miriam P. Owens - NYC

Stanley Pierre-Etienne - Spain

Justin Johnson - Atlanta

Contributing Photographers

Xavier Merchet-Thau

Aubrey Chandler

Eric Carré

Eva Espresso

Rob Miskowitch

Margarita Crotto

Polo Lifestyles is a publication of HT Polo Publishing Co. 995 Detroit Avenue, Suite A Concord, CA 94518

Cover photo courtesy

Al Habtoor Polo

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NATIONAL POLO CENTER

2024 GAUNTLET OF POLO

· USPA Gold Cup

· U.S. Polo Open Championships

Women's U.S. Polo Open Championships

W.O.W. Women of Wellington Polo

USPA Junior Open Final

Florida Circuit 16-Goal Series

GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

USPA North American Cup

USPA National 20-Goal

Legends of Polo

Carlos Gracida Memorial

AL HABTOOR POLO CLUB

Gold Cup

Dubai Challenge Cup

AHPC League

Polo Masters

MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach World Championship

Why the 1% don't close the curtains, page 82

Become a wine snob without being snobby, page 177

The must-have luxury item for spring, page 100

NZ POLO OPEN

CROWNS A NEW CHAMPION UNDER THE KIWI SUN

Jet off to St-Barths like a connoisseur, page 124 PAGE

FOUR THOUSAND SPECTATORS GATHERED AT THE AUCKLAND POLO CLUB TO WATCH THE NZ POLO OPEN FINAL BETWEEN TEAM BRINKS AND TEAM ECOGAS AFTER A THREE-YEAR HIATUS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN YEARS PAST.

Billed as Auckland’s “event of the summer,” it certainly lives up to its name, as Whispering Angel poured glass after glass of rose, attendees competed for fashion prizes, and divots were stomped between chukkers. Pulling it all together is a woman we are thrilled to collaborate with: Lucy Ainsley. Organizing the NZ Polo Open is a year’s worth of work all rolled into one Sunday afternoon… talk about pressure. And even after a well-deserved break for some R&R, Ainsley will go right back to the planning for the 2025 event – all in the name of making polo more mainstream, both locally and globally.

Meanwhile, from West Palm Beach to Dubai, winter and summer seasons are in full swing. The Gauntlet of Polo just completed the C.V. Whitney Cup as of press time and will go straight into the USPA Gold Cup. The Polo Lifestyles W.O.W. (Women of Wellington) team will begin playing shortly – stay tuned to our Instagram for live coverage and updates.

There is so much going on that we could probably fill 3040 more pages with polo coverage, but that wouldn’t leave enough room for our content contributors who penned some smashing pieces this month. One last-minute profile is of Ruth Gottesman, who just donated $1 billion to Albert Einstein Medical College in the Bronx, guaranteeing free medical school to all its students for generations to come. Talk about jaw-dropping generosity. Writers Joey Velez and Amritlal Saini both addressed being generous with ourselves through different avenues of intentional living and spiritual ascension, respectively.

I had the pleasure to write our Little Black Book content for my favorite place on Earth: St-Barth. Our most recent trip there in November was a star-studded, luxury vacation from start to finish, so if St-Barth is what you need to get you through the end of winter, don’t miss our recommendations to jet to the most-exclusive destination in the Caribbean like a connoisseur.

Best,

Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief

josh@pololifestyles.com

Looking super-chic in all red from head to toe by Ralph Lauren

casablanca

To tequila or not to tequila? That is the question, but the serving glass should always be this refined

tiffanyandco

the brand's

casadecampodr

Getting ready for an unforgettable polo experience in the Dominican Republic

idealstbarth

nikkibeach

Go for the champagne, stay for the party at Nikki Beach in St-Barth

mkh.official

nzpoloopen

Breaktaking views of take offs and landings from Colombier, St-Barthelemy, French West Indies

Wearing

iconic "Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Bird on a Rock brooch"

NZ Polo Open welcomed new sponsor U.S. Polo Assn. to Auckland Polo Club for the 47th Polo Open

Habtoor Polo took home the gold in the Gold Cup in an intense match facing Dubai Wolves 11-10 in overtime

baccarat

Baccarat x Pegasus World Cup 2024 installation in the Carousel Club

ralphlauren

Click and comment on our choices... Tag @pololifestyles . We will share noteworthy comments with you next month.

Just do it? Jacquemus and Nike with the world's most-recognizable bag

These natural hot springs are must-visit destinations... from lukewarm to so-hot-ithurts options

robbreport

@xiaomi.global's latest flagship smartphone features a Leica quad-camera system with 50-megapixel main lens

ahadrazamir

March is bridal season and its not just from brides, here's a great look from @sfkbridals for the groom

dejia

Polo in Lagos, Nigeria, is as competitive as it gets when the players and horses meet on the grass

A special gift for someone special means only one thing: Lalique

lalique

jacquemus

twilightbeachpolo

nytimes

uspoloassn

Fieldside setups galore for U.S. Polo Assn. as winter and summer seasons collide in the month of February

It's a wrap for 2024 with an epic afternoon of polo in St. Kilda

All winter long at The Snow terraces of the Kitbuhel Alps until April 7

veuveclicquot

In an exhilarating Bentley Cup Semi Final, AIX Mahra faced off against Ghantoot Polo Team. The match kicked off with a strong start from Ghantoot Polo Team, but AIX Mahra fought back fiercely, scoring an impressive 4 points in the third chukker. Despite their efforts, Ghantoot Polo Team secured victory in the final chukker with a back-to-back scoring spree, clinching the 2nd runner-up position. The Bentley Cup showcased intense polo action, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.

Match Progression: AIX Mahra vs Ghantoot Polo Team

1-3 | 2-5 | 6-7 | 8-9 | 8-11

Top Scorer: Teodoro Lacau

The thrilling Gold Cup finals kicked off with Dubai Wolves by CAFU securing the initial goal, but Juan Juaretche of Habtoor Polo swiftly responded, advancing their scores in the first chukkers. The chukkers witnessed unpredictable victories, with both teams scoring consecutively. Showcasing remarkable teamwork, Habtoor Polo’s Benjamin Panelo and Santiago Laborde fought back with resilience after each score. In a captivating turn of events, Dubai Wolves by CAFU leveled the score with Habtoor Polo just 10 seconds on the final chukker, leading to a golden chukker to determine the ultimate winner. The game concluded with Habtoor Polo scoring the decisive goal, clinching the title of ultimate winners of the Gold Cup 2024, leaving the crowd in awe of their exceptional performance.

Match Progression: Habtoor Polo vs Dubai Wolves by CAFU

2-1 | 4-3 | 5-5 | 9-7 | 10 – 10 | 11 - 10

Top Scorer: Juan Juaretche

Joseph Tayar, General Manager of Bentley and Mr. Saeed Bin Drai, Vice Chairman of the UAE Polo Federation honored and presented the awards to the teams of the day.

47TH NEW ZEALAND POLO OPEN

IN ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING NZ POLO OPEN FINALS EVER TO BE HELD AT AUCKLAND POLO CLUB, A SPECTACULAR CROWD OF OVER 4,000 CHEERED FROM THE SIDELINES AS THE TWO BEST TEAMS COMPETED IN AN EXHILARATING MATCH TO WIN THE COVETED TROPHY.

The 47th NZ Polo Open was a very close game between team Ecogas (Paco O’Dwyer, Glen Sheriff, George Cronin, Bruce Fraser) and team Brinks (Matt van den Brink, James Harper, Bud Sorby, Jimbo Fewster) with Brinks taking the nation’s top polo title, 9 - 8.

With a field of polo players from all over the world, New Zealand, Australia, England, and Argentina the competition between the teams was fierce, with the

score at end of the third Chukka 6 - 4 to Ecogas.

NZ Polo Open Manager Lucy Ainsley curated a luxury experience with a plethora of returning and new international sponsors, including Whispering Angel and U.S. Polo Assn. The former hosted the ultimate, rosé-soaked VIP field-side party, while the latter joined as new sponsor with plenty of potential for 2025 and beyond.

Champion pony went to Lola, owned by Ash Reader, ridden by James Harper.

Best Retrained

Thoroughbred (an award created in collaboration between NZ Polo Open and Love Racing) went to Shooter, owned by Thomas Hunt, ridden by Paco O’Dwyer.

Most valuable player of the match went to Bruce Fraser of Ecogas.

RUNNER-UP TEAM ECOGAS

Paco O’Dwyer 7Argentina

Glenn Sheriff 5 - New Zealand

Bruce Fraser 2 - New Zealand

George Cronin 2 - New Zealand

47TH NZ POLO OPEN CHAMPION TEAM BRINKS

Matt van den Brink 1 - New Zealand

Bud Sorby 3 - Australia

Jimbo Fewster 5 - United Kingdom

James Harper 7 - United Kingdom

TEAM BRINKS WINS

TEAM BRINKS WINS

THE NZ POLO OPEN AUCKLAND POLO CLUB

TEAM BRINKS WINS

THE NZ POLO OPEN

AUCKLAND POLO CLUB

THE GAUNTLET OF POLO: C.V. WHITNEY CUP

THE GAUNTLET OF POLO C.V. WHITNEY CUP

THE GAUNTLET OF POLO

C.V. WHITNEY CUP

40-GOAL ALL-STAR CHALLENGER CUP

WEST PALM BEACH

40-GOAL ALL STAR CHALLENGER CUP

WEST PALM BEACH

2024 SAG AWARDS

OPPENHEIMER WON THE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE AT THE 2024 SAG AWARDS.

The film also scooped up two other awards, for leading actor Cillian Murphy and supporting actor Robert Downey Jr.

Leading actress honors went to Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon, while Da’Vine Joy Randolph was named best supporting actress for The Holdovers.

On the TV side, The Bear won three

awards, including best ensemble in a comedy series. Star Jeremy Allen White won the nod for best performance by a male actor in a comedy series, while Ayo Edebiri won the female actor award in the same category. Another awards favorite, Succession, was named best drama series ensemble, but lost out in the other categories in which it was nominated.

Elsewhere, Beef took two awards: Ali Wong won the award for best performance by a female actor in a TV movie or limited series, while Steven Yeun won the male actor award in the same category.

A surprised — and, he confessed, drunk — Pedro Pascal won the award for best

male actor in a drama series for The Last of Us, beating out three actors from Succession, which dominated numerous awards shows throughout its run. Another surprised winner was Elizabeth Debicki, who won the award for best actress in a drama series, for The Crown.

Awards are voted on by members of SAGAFTRA in categories across film and TV, including stunt performances. The winners of the stunt performers categories were announced during the red carpet preshow (those awards went to The Last of Us and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One).

2024 SAG AWARDS

CONSCIOUSNESS MAY ACTUALLY BEGIN BEFORE BIRTH

THE LIGHT SWITCH MIGHT FLIP ON MUCH EARLIER THAN WE THOUGHT.

FOR MILLENNIA, DEFINING CONSCIOUSNESS—BOTH WHAT IT IS AND WHEN IT EMERGES—HAS BEEN THE TRICKY BUSINESS OF SCIENTISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS (AND MORE RECENTLY, AI EXPERTS). AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST BLACK HOLES IN OUR KNOWLEDGE, EVEN THOUGH EVERY HUMAN HAS EXPERIENCED IT, IS EXPLORING CONSCIOUSNESS WHEN WE’RE YOUNG. LIKE, NEWBORN YOUNG.

To explore this confounding gap in our understanding, neuroscientists and philosophers from Australia’s Monash University, Germany’s University of Tübingen, Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin, and the University of Minnesota

in the U.S. conducted a widespread review of the literature surrounding prenatal and newborn consciousness.

Although the prevailing theory throughout the 20th century was that consciousness didn’t develop until many months after birth, this new research argues that consciousness could occur much earlier, and even possibly in the final month of pregnancy. (Note: The study makes it clear that any consciousness that could develop during pregnancy only occurs around 35 weeks of gestation.) The researchers published their findings in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

“Nearly everyone who has held a newborn infant has wondered what, if anything, it is like to be a baby,” Tim Bayne, co-author and professor of Philosophy at Monash University, said in a press statement. “But of course we cannot remember our infancy, and consciousness researchers have disagreed on whether

consciousness arises ‘early’ (at birth or shortly after) or ‘late’—by one year of age, or even much later.”

While it’s tempting to think of consciousness as a light switch—one moment it’s dark and then, suddenly, voila—this study argues that consciousness slowly awakens, with the smallest whispers of it possibly starting during pregnancy.

The study tracked consciousness across four key markers: functional connectivity, frontal brain networks, multi-sensory integration, and neural markers of perceptual consciousness. While these four markers possibly begin at different times—multi-sensory integration, for example, shows up last in the lineup—it nonetheless shows the dynamic process through which human consciousness could arise.

“Our findings suggest that newborns can integrate sensory and developing cogni-

tive responses into coherent conscious experiences to understand the actions of others and plan their own responses,” Lorina Naci, co-author and associate professor of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin, said in the press statement.

The study admits that this is only the tip of the consciousness iceberg, but confi-

dently claims that the idea of newborns as mostly unconscious beings can be safely laid to rest. To further analyze the early days of human understanding, innovations in fetal magnetoencephalography (MEG), as well as improved methods in analyzing fMRI readings in awake infants, could yield even richer data.

So, while the philosophical debate that’s raged for thousands of years continues (and likely will, far into the future), science is slowly providing some clarity as to what it means to be a brand-new, conscious being.

CONSCIOUSNESS MAY ACTUALLY BEGIN BEFORE BIRTH

15 ROMANTIC PLACES TO PROPOSE AROUND THE WORLD

A milestone moment calls for an unforgettable location. From a little-known spot in Santorini to a sand dune in the Namibian desert and Colombia’s ‘liquid rainbow’ river, here’s where to pop the question.

SO, YOU’VE MET SOMEONE YOU ARE SO COMPLETELY AND MADLY IN LOVE WITH THAT YOU WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIVES TOGETHER. CONGRATS! THERE’S NO BETTER FEELING. YOU’VE LIKELY DECIDED ON A RING, PERHAPS EVEN TOLD THOSE CLOSE TO YOU THAT YOU PLAN ON DOING IT, BUT HERE’S THE BIG QUESTION: WHERE WILL YOU PROPOSE?

Getting engaged is one of those moments you’ll never forget, so you want to make it as memorable as possible—which is why popping the question while on holiday could be the answer. In fact, a survey of 4,000 couples found that 38 percent proposed while on vacation with their other half, making it the most popular way to get engaged. It’s no wonder why; we know we are our best, most relaxed selves on holiday, making the location even more special to you both.

With so many awe-inspiring spots to choose from, it can be hard to know precisely where to propose. To give you

a helping hand, we’ve whittled it down to some truly beautiful places, from clifftop gardens on the Amalfi Coast to a remote island in Fiji and an elephant-studded river in Botswana.

LAKE TEKAPO, NEW ZEALAND

No trip to New Zealand is complete without a visit to Lake Tekapo. Wedged between Queenstown and Christchurch, snow-capped mountains flank the azure lake. This spot is at its prime in late November and December when the pink and purple-hued lupins come out to play. Even if you don’t manage a visit during the Southern Hemisphere’s early sum-

mer months, Lake Tekapo is part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, and you can see the Milky Way and even the southern lights, or aurora australis, from here on a clear evening.

LUCKY BAY BEACH, AUSTRALIA

While most tourists head to Australia’s eastern coast hotspots like Sydney and Byron Bay or south to Melbourne, those in the know go west. Western Australia is home to some of the country’s most beautiful national parks—but the Cape Le Grand National Park takes the top spot. You’ll find some of the world’s most stunning white sand beaches here. Our pick is Lucky Bay Beach to have wild kangaroos hop beside you while you get down on one knee.

PYRGOS CASTLE IN SANTORINI, GREECE

Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular islands for a reason: the peachy pink sunsets over the ocean are unmatched. Yet,

a jaunt to Oia to watch the sunset probably isn’t the best spot to propose unless you want to sidle up beside thousands of other spectators, so you should head to Pyrgos Castle instead. The castle ruins sit in Pyrgos, the highest village in Santorini, and give you excellent views of the sunset and the rest of the island. Plus, you’ll likely be the only people there, so bring a bottle of Champagne to pop open afterwards and have a sunset picnic to celebrate.

TURTLE ISLAND, FIJI

If lazing on white sand beaches, snorkeling through crystalline waters and exploring untouched jungles is your idea of the perfect break, we recommend booking flights to Fiji ASAP. Turtle Island is part of Fiji’s Yasawa Islands, a group known to have some of the best beaches and sea life in the Pacific. There’s just one hotel on the island: an adults-only oasis with space for just 14 couples across its 12 private beaches. You’re guaranteed to find an intimate spot for you and your love.

CHUREITO PAGODA NEAR MT FUJI, JAPAN

Japan is filled with many picturesque spots, but perhaps none as much as the Chureito Pagoda overlooking Mt Fuji. If you’re staying in Tokyo, pick a clear day and grab a train for the afternoon. After walking up the 400 or so steps to get to the pagoda, find a quiet spot under a cherry blossom tree (a visit during cherry blossom season is a must to see the hillside flanked in pink) and get down on one knee. It will undoubtedly be a moment to remember for the rest of your lives.

THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS, NORWAY

The northern lights are one of the world’s most beautiful natural phenomena, but seeing it with your own eyes is all down to timing and a pinch of good luck. While Norway’s Tromsø is a popular base for aurora borealis seekers, the Lofoten Islands nearby are made up of several picturesque fishing villages that see the lights dance above them on clear evenings. Our pick for where to propose? The viewpoint looking over the village of Hamnøy. It’s magic.

CHOBE RIVER, BOTSWANA

Like a safari, getting engaged is a oncein-a-lifetime kind of experience. A trip to Botswana is an excellent choice to heighten your chances of seeing the Big Five (leopards, lions, elephants, buffalo and rhinos). Be sure to spend a day on a boat on the Chobe River, where you can get up close and personal as herds of elephants make their way down to the water’s edge to cool off. While there will be many opportunities to propose, we suggest picking a sunset moment as you hug the river’s shore, watching the elephants walk beside you.

VILLA CIMBRONE GARDENS ON THE AMALFI COAST, ITALY

The Amalfi Coast on the southern

coast of Italy is one of the country’s prettiest and most romantic places, but you’ll also be shoulder-to-shoulder with other tourists during your stay. So, if you have your heart set on proposing here, opt for the Villa Cimbrone Gardens, a clifftop hotel with stunning views over the Tyrrhenian Sea. The last entry for the public is at 7:30 p.m., so find a quiet spot to ask your love if they will keep loving you for the rest of your lives. Be sure to have a restaurant reservation waiting in the hotel afterwards, and inquire about their wedding packages as it might be where you tie the knot too.

SKYLINE TRAIL IN NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

While areas like Banff and Lake Louise are obvious choices for a Canadian

proposal, if you want somewhere a little quieter and just as beautiful, we suggest heading east. The province of Nova Scotia hugs the Atlantic Ocean, and the Skyline Trail is a four-mile boardwalk loop that you can follow, giving you some spectacular views. Go at the start of autumn for trees washed in gold and red hues, and find a quiet spot to pop the question. Afterwards, drive north to The Sea Shack takeout at the northernmost tip of the peninsula for a fresh lobster roll.

ISABELLA PLANTATION IN LONDON, ENGLAND

Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park is one of London’s best-kept open secrets. A 40-acre Victorian woodland first planted in the 1830s, it’s best known for its stun-

ning azaleas in pink, purple and red hues that reach their peak bloom between late April and early May each year. If your partner is more of an Autumn lover, the trees turn all shades of gold, orange and red when the weather turns colder in November. Summer weekends here are busy, but a midweek or colder weather stroll will give you the privacy to pop the question uninterrupted.

LAGH DE CALVARESC, SWITZERLAND

One for mushy romantics who also love a good hike, Lagh de Calvaresc, in Switzerland near the Italian border, is a heart-shaped alpine lake. The challenging hike takes around three and a half hours and involves a lot of steep uphills, but the reward is more than worth it,

LAURA HAMPSON / SPECIAL TO POLO LIFESTYLES

especially if you plan to propose overlooking the lake. Be sure to take a small picnic with you to nibble at while you take in the view and bask in the feelings of being newly engaged.

SLIEVE LEAGUE CLIFFS, IRELAND

Among one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, the Slieve League Cliffs will make you feel like you’re on the edge of the world. Head to the Bunglas viewpoint for the best scenes and a particularly spectacular spot at sunset. Afterwards, take a short drive to Nancy’s bar in Ardara, where traditional music sessions play throughout the week, and order a pint of Guinness in celebration.

DIAMOND BEACH, ICELAND

If you had to choose a place to propose simply based on its name, it’s hard to beat Iceland’s Diamond Beach. Luckily, the scenery here is just as beautiful as its name suggests. Located on the country’s south coast, the black volcanic sand beach is famous for the thousands of icebergs that travel here from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon that resembles large diamonds peppered along the seashores. It feels otherworldly and is the perfect spot to ask one of the most important questions of your life.

PENEMU LOOKOUT IN RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA

Sure, Bali is beautiful, but have you heard of Raja Ampat? An archipelago off the northwest coast of West Papua, the jungle-covered islands seemingly burst out of the sea, creating a landscape of the most brilliant blues and greens, along with some of the world’s best beaches and marine life (this place is a haven for divers). The Penemu lookout is a small wooden platform that offers a magnificent view across the islands and is a magical place to propose.

PARC BAGATELLE – LA ROSERAIE IN PARIS, FRANCE

Parc Bagatelle - La Roseraie is a result of a bet between Marie-Antoinette and the Count of Artois (the French queen challenged her brother-in-law to build the space in less than three months), but now features rows of roses, irises, clematis, and peonies.

Head there in late spring or early summer for the most beautiful blooms at their fullest.

WHY THE 1 PERCENT DON'T COVER THEIR WINDOWS

PULLING BACK THE CURTAINS ON WHY

HOMEOWNERS AREN'T CLOSING THE DRAPES

WALK DOWN THE BLOCK OF A WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD AT NIGHT, AND YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH YOU CAN SEE.

One uncovered window might reveal the glow of a flat-screen TV across from a curved couch; through another, you might glimpse a marble kitchen island and a chandelier. Of course, some of the curtains are closed—but many are flung

open, the home’s interiors exposed, like you’re peering into a showroom.

Uncovered windows have quietly become a fixture of high-end homes across America. The New York Times recently referred to the “obligatory uncurtained windows” of Brooklyn Heights, a rich enclave in New York City, and The Root pointed out that this seemed common among wealthy young white people living in gentrified urban areas. On TikTok, onlookers have been baffled by the trend—and, sometimes, tempted to

pry. Although this phenomenon is most visible in cities, the link between wealth and exposed windows extends across the United States. Most people do still close their shades, but Americans who earn more than $150,000 are almost twice as likely to leave windows uncovered as those making $20,000 to $29,000, according to a large 2013 study for the U.S. Department of Energy—nearly 20 percent of the first group compared with just over 10 percent of the second. The line isn’t smooth as you slide up and down the income scale, but the overall trend is

THE ULTIMATE STATUS SYMBOL JUST MIGHT BE ONE THAT LEAVES NOTHING

TO THE IMAGINATION.

clear: The choice to draw or not draw the curtains is in part driven by class.

In a time when sharing every iota of your life on social media is at an all-time high, so too, it seems, is letting it all hang out— particularly when it comes to your home.

The New York Times compared homes with uncurtained windows in richer neighborhoods to “ethnological dioramas.” Walk down the clean, tree-lined streets of many upscale areas by day or night, like the West Village, Brooklyn Heights, or Park Slope, and you’ll see depictions of strangers’ lives before your eyes: flickering TV screens, families cooking dinner, or someone on a phone call. Even if you’re not intentionally prying on your neighbors, it’s those split-second moments you can’t help but notice if you happen to be walking the dog or walking home from the train after work.

Keeping your windows open to the outside world can enhance your well-being and exposure to natural light is crucial

for healthy living. Although windows channel heat, wealthier individuals might not be concerned with higher costs of cooling. Finally, those who dare to leave their windows open likely feel more safe in their neighborhoods. They also likely have sophisticated security systems protecting their properties—even if their Franz Kline painting is staring you in the face from the sidewalk.

The act of not drawing your curtains might seem risky and preposterous, but for wealthy homeowners, it signifies freedom, fearlessness, and a sign of financial stability. It’s not that wealthy people don’t have fancy window coverings; it turns out they just might not use them.

Anderson Kenny of Anderson Kenny Architecture works on fabulous properties throughout New York City, Westchester, Fairfield, Connecticut, and beyond. He says his clients—especially the millennials—are eschewing heavy window treatments for a more minimalist, “less fussy” aesthetic. Don’t be fooled;

less window treatments do not mean lower costs.

“We have clients that spend hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars on window treatments, but they never really draw them or touch them, maybe unless they’re sleeping,” he tells Robb Report. “It’s counterintuitive, I think, to cover up these great windows unless the sun is blinding you. The way I approach it is by first focusing on the interior architecture. As much as I love textiles, we want the interior architecture to stand on its own, so much so you might not need window treatments at all.”

Kenny spends more time focusing on the windows themselves by creating custom mounts and sizes and glass treatments that distort the ability to see in but let in natural light. Today’s windows are also often more energy efficient, with special films or tints to block UV rays and filter out heat, so window coverings are not always required to safeguard art or maintain interior temperatures. More

often than not, he also installs bulletproof windows.

Exhibitionism certainly might contribute to this “trend;” those of a certain status might be more inclined to show off their expensive custom furniture or museum-worthy art collection. Perhaps these successful individuals don’t care who sees them or what people think and feel they can do whatever they want.

“There’s a well-known gallerist with a townhouse on the Upper East Side and has every single one of his windows open that you can clearly view from the street,” Kenny says. “There is probably $100 million worth of art from blue-chip marquee artists on display. Maybe it’s a little bit, or a lot, of a power play. But most townhomes like that have ballistic windows and enhanced security.”

Then there are homes from renowned architects, like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House or Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House, whose architecture is so profound that it’s hard to imagine curtains or window treatments on them.

“The absence of curtains and blinds is almost an evidence, a manifesto of freedom and independence,” says Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays, co-founder of Invisible Collection. This means that window treatments are changing in form and function, too. Alongside Studio MTX, one of Chanel’s Metiers d’Art, Invisible Collection helped install window panels in front of the glass walls of New York’s tallest penthouse at Steinway Tower. While there’s no need to hide 984 feet above Central Park, MTX’s artistic director Matthieu Bassée created blinds that played with transparency, color, and

composition for blinds that look more like a work of art.

The fact of the matter is that wealthy people typically have assistants and they see staff come and go from their homes all day long, whether it’s a private chef, a nanny, the driver, or a retinue of housekeepers.

“Many of these individuals are already in a non-private arena anyway,” Kenny says. “They don’t have a ton of privacy baked in their lifestyles in some respects, so why do they need to pull the shades down?”

You don’t have to be a wealth flaunter to want to live a curtain-free life. Open them up or take them off entirely to let in the sunshine and embrace the freedom that comes with it. No matter your status or wealth, what’s the point of living behind closed doors?

LEAP DAY AND IT'S GENDER-BENDING TRADITIONS

NEARLY EVERY FOUR YEARS, THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR — WHICH IS USED IN MOST COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD — GETS AN EXTRA DAY: FEBRUARY 29.

For some people, leap day means frog jokes and extravagant birthday parties. For many, it may conjure memories of the 2010 rom-com Leap Year, which harkens back to the Irish tradition by which women can propose to men on that one day. And others likely see it merely as a funny quirk in the

calendar, or just another Thursday. Leap day means several different things to Alexander Boxer, a data scientist and the author of A Scheme of Heaven: The History of Astrology and the Search for Our Destiny in Data.

Literally speaking, he says, it’s an “awkward calendar hack” aimed at making up for the fact that a year isn’t a flat number of days, but more like 365 and a quarter. But there’s more to it than that.

“I think the significance of the leap year is that it’s a great reminder that the universe is really good at defying our attempts to devise nice

and pretty and aesthetically pleasing systems to fit it in,” he said.

Boxer says it’s also a great reminder that the calendar most people rely on every day is actually the product of multiple civilizations, building off each other as they share in what he calls “this great undertaking of trying to understand time.”

So where did leap year come from, and what are we supposed to do with our extra day? We spoke with experts in astronomy, history and economics to find out.

Why do we have leap years?

Most people know that a single day

is about 24 hours long, and that there are 365 days in a year.

But it actually takes Earth 365.242190 days to orbit the sun, says Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

“And that (extra) .242190 days to go around the sun is the entire reason why we have a leap year,” she explained.

Centuries ago, people kept track of the sun’s position — such as for a solstice or the longest day of the year — to know when to do things like plant and harvest. Over time, she says, the need grew for a centralized calendar system.

The Hebrew, Chinese and Buddhist calendars, among others, have long contained entire leap months. The West is no stranger to leap years either.

The Julian Calendar, which Julius Caesar introduced in 45 B.C., included an extra day every year. He borrowed the idea from the Egyptians, though his math wasn’t exactly correct. Caesar overestimated the solar year by about 11 minutes, leading to an overcorrection by about eight days each millennium. That explains why Easter, for example, fell further and further away from the spring equinox over time.

Pope Gregory XIII sought to address that problem in the 16th century with the Gregorian Calendar, which adds leap days in years divisible by four, unless the year is also divisible by 100. To make matters even more confusing, a leap day is still added in years divisible by 400.

Why add the extra day in February?

Boxer, the data scientist, says the Romans considered it an unlucky month. On top of that, they were deeply suspicious of odd numbers. Because February only had 28 days to begin with, they “just shoved it into February,” though leap day used to be on the 24th.

Ultimately, says Boxer, the calendar is a compromise.

“On the one hand, you don’t want a calendar that makes it so complicated to know how many days it’s going to be from one year to the next,” he added. “But on the other hand, you want to make sure that winter holidays, too, in the winter and summer holidays, stay in the summer, especially if your holidays are related to things like agriculture, harvest holidays and whatnot.”

What should you do — and not do — on Feb. 29?

There are lots of superstitions and traditions about leap day on the internet, and a few celebrations to look forward to IRL.

A decades-old French satirical newspaper, La Bougie du Sapeur, goes to print only on Feb. 29 — this year included. There are also festivities in the “Leap Year Capital of the World,” as Anthony, Texas, is known.

Leapling Mary Ann Brown petitioned Congress to give Anthony, Texas — and Anthony, New Mexico, on the other side of the state line — that designation in 1988 because of the “numerous number of leap year births that happened within the two towns,” Mayor Anthony Turner wrote by email.

In years past, he said, the community marked leap day with a parade that stretched between the two towns of Anthony. This year, the Texas side is hosting a two-day leap year festival, complete with live music, local vendors and an exclusive barbecue dinner for leap day babies.

“This is an opportunity for the community to take pride in the fact that they live in the leap year capital of the world, and a great chance for everyone from everywhere to join us and enjoy the true beauty of our lovely town,” Turner added.

Worldwide, most leap day lore revolves around romance and marriage, as the History Channel explains.

According to one legend, complaints from St. Bridget prompted St. Patrick to designate Feb. 29 as the one day when women can propose to men. The custom spread to Scotland and England, where the British said that any man who rejects a woman’s proposal owes her several pairs of fine gloves. In Greece and some other places, it’s considered bad luck to get married on leap day.

Katherine Parkin, a history professor at Monmouth University, said she doesn’t believe any of the myths are true — but doesn’t think they had to be to take hold, which they did in America as early as the 1780s.

The real origin, she believes, is that people have historically liked to challenge gender and gender roles.

“And in the case of marriage, to have a reversal of that power, I think is really unusual,” she added. “And it ties perfectly with this unusual date. Where did it come from and where did it go? And so I think it really plays well into people’s imagination and playfulness.”

But Parkin says her research points to darker undertones behind the tradition — namely, that it was actually intended to ridicule women.

She points to the proliferation of postcards in the 20th century — which people would send each other across all kinds of relationships — that portrayed women who proposed to men as desperate, unattractive and aggressive, such as holding butterfly nets and pointing guns at guys.

“It’s proving to ... reinforce that it’s a leap year and that this tradition exists and yet at the same time telling women, you really don’t want to do this because

it looks bad for you,” Parkin said. “As a historian, I look back to this tradition and see it as part of an American desire to offer women false empowerment.”

What if we didn’t have leap years?

Not everyone loves leap day.

Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, is one critic. He argues that the current calendar, in which dates occur on different days of the week each year, creates scheduling problems as well as confusion around holiday dates.

That’s why he and Johns Hopkins astrophysics professor Dick Henry have created the Hanke–Henry Permanent Calendar, a proposal for a new calendar that would implement an occasional leap week rather than leap day.

“The great thing about the permanent calendar is that it never changes,” Hanke explained. “The date would be on the same day. Every year, year after year after year

... January 1st is always on a Monday. July 4th is always on a Thursday. December 25th, Christmas, is always on a Monday.”

Their calendar divides the year into four three-month quarters, each with the same number of days. The first two months of each quarter — including January and February — would always have 30 days, and the third month would have 31. Every six years, there would be an extra seven days at the end of December, which Hanke says would “eliminate calendar drift.”

Hanke argues that his proposed calendar would save confusion and potentially money, pointing to studies in the United Kingdom that show the economic gains associated with having public holidays on weekends. And he believes it would be easy for a president to implement the new system by executive order, something that he and Henry have even drafted, just in case.

Still, he describes their lobbying efforts as more of a “soft sell” at the moment.

It seems like the current calendar system — with its leap days and years — may be here to stay, despite the many possible alternates. Faherty, the astronomer, says if someone truly wanted to keep track of their path around the sun, one could “build yourself a henge and know when the solstice is and carry on from that.”

“But we don’t do that,” she said. “We gave it an interval and we follow that, so now we’re stuck. And now you have to enter these leap days, to try and do our best to fix the human need to have a document that says where exactly you are in the position that the Earth is falling around.”

And that’s probably enough to think about for the year, maybe even the next three.

GIVE YOUR CHILD A CELL PHONE...

WHEN YOU WANT TO END THEIR CHILDHOOD

In a survey of 1,300 girls, ages 11 to 15, about their experiences on social media, nearly 60% who use Instagram and Snapchat said they had been contacted by a stranger that made them uncomfortable. The same was true for 46% of those who use TikTok.

YOUR TWEEN WANTS A SMARTPHONE VERY BADLY. SO BADLY THAT IT PHYSICALLY HURTS. AND THEY’RE GIVING YOU SOOOO MANY REASONS WHY.

They’re going to middle school ... they need it to collaborate with peers on school projects ... they need it to tell you where they are ... when they’ll be home ... when the school bus is late. It’ll help you, dear parent, they vow. Plus, all their friends have one, and they feel left out. Come on! Pleeeeeeze.

Before you click “place order” on that smartphone, pause and consider a few insights from a person who makes a living helping parents and tweens navigate the murky waters of smartphones and social media.

Emily Cherkin spent more than a decade as a middle school teacher during the early aughts. She watched firsthand as the presence of smartphones transformed life for middle schoolers. For the past four years, she's been working as screen-time consultant, coaching parents about digital technology.

Her first piece of advice about when to give a child a smartphone and allow them to access social media was reiterated by other experts over and over again: Delay, delay, delay.

“I wish I knew then what I know now”

“I have talked to hundreds of parents,” Cherkin explains, “and no one has ever said to me, ‘I wish I gave my kid a phone earlier or I wish I’d given them social media access sooner. Never.”

In fact, parents tell her the opposite. “I always hear, ‘I wish I had waited. I wish I

knew then what I know now,’ “ she says, “because boy, once you give a child one of these devices or technologies, it is so much harder to take it back.”

Smartphones, social media, and video games create large spikes in dopamine deep inside a child’s brain. As NPR has reported, those spikes pull the child’s attention to the device or app, almost like a magnet. They tell the child’s brain that this activity is super critical – way more critical than other activities that trigger smaller spikes in dopamine, such as finishing homework, helping to clean up after dinner, or even playing outside with friends.

Thus, parents set themselves up for a constant struggle when a child starts having their own smartphone, Cherkin says. “It’s the dopamine you’re fighting. And that’s not a fair fight. So I tell parents, ‘Delay all of it just as long as you can,’” she emphasizes.

That means delaying, not just a smartphone, but any device, including tablets, she suggests. By introducing a tablet at an early age, even for educational purposes, parents can establish a habit that may be hard to break later, Cherkin has observed.

“A child using a tablet at age 6 to 8 comes to expect screen time after school,” she says. “Flash forward to age 12, and now they have a phone. And when they come home from school, they’re likely engaging with social media, instead of educational videos.”

Neurologically, children’s brains haven’t developed enough to handle the magnetic pull of these devices and the apps on them, says neuroscientist Anne-Noël Samaha at the University of Montreal.

“It’s almost as if you have the perfect storm,” Samaha explains. “You have games, social media, and even pornography and shopping online, and the brains of children are just not yet ready to have the level of self-control needed to regulate their behavior with these activities. Even adults sometimes don’t have enough self-control to do that or handle some of the emotional impact of them.”

DISTURBING ONLINE ENCOUNTERS AND INFLUENCES

The same survey found that these apps often expose girls to content they find disturbing or harmful. For those that use Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat, 12% to 15% of girls see or hear content related to suicide on a daily basis. About the same percentage also said they see or hear content about eating disorders, on a daily basis as well.

An investigation by the Center for Countering Digital Hate also found evidence that content related to suicide and disordered eating is relatively common on TikTok. In the investigation, the nonprofit set up eight accounts ostensibly by 13-year-old children. Each user paused on and liked videos about body image and mental health. Within 30 minutes, TikTok recommended content about suicide and eating disorders to all eight accounts.

In one instance, this content began appearing in less than three minutes. On average, TikTok suggested content about eating disorders every four minutes to the teen accounts.

TikTok declined NPR’s request for an interview, but in an email, a spokesperson for the company wrote: “We’re committed to building age-appropriate experiences, while equipping parents

with tools, like Family Pairing, to support their teen’s experience on TikTok.”

A WHOLE WORLD OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT

Many children also come across sexualized content, even porn, on social media apps, Cherkin says.

If you want to get a sense for what your kid might encounter once you let them have a phone and popular apps, Cherkin recommends trying this: Set up a test account in one of the apps, setting the age of the user to your child’s age, and then use the account yourself for a few weeks.

“I did that with Snapchat. I set up an account, pretending to be 15. Then I just went to the Discover feed, where it pushes content to you based on your age,” she explains. Within seconds, sexualized content and vulgar images appeared, she says. “And I thought, ‘No, this is not appropriate for a 15-year-old.”

Personally, Cherkin uses Instagram for her business. And back in March, despite all her knowledge about the traps on social media, she says she “got catfished.” She engaged with a stranger who seemed to be a teen in her DMs and eventually received obscene and disturbing photos of a man’s genitalia.

She writes on her blog: "It's graphic. It's gross. And this is one teeny (lol) example

of what kids and teens see all the time."

WHAT’S A PARENT TO DO? CONSIDER SMARTPHONE ALTERNATIVES

In the end, Cherkin says, there are several other in-between options for tweens besides giving them their own smartphone or denying them a phone altogether. You can:

Share your phone with your tween so they can text and call friends.

Give your tween a “dumb phone” that only allows texting and calling. For example, buy an old-school flip phone. But if that’s out of the question because it’s not cool enough (and you have extra

cash to spare), you can now buy dumb phones that look like smartphones but have extremely limited functions — no easy-access to the internet, no social media. And very little risk of inappropriate content.

Try to limit the apps your child uses, but get ready to be busy monitoring them

If you do end up getting your tween a smartphone, Cherkin says, you might be tempted to simply “block” children from downloading particular apps on their phones. And in theory, this works. Parental control apps, such as Bark, can notify you when an app is installed.

But, she says, many kids find workarounds to this approach — and really

any parental controls. For instance, she says, if you block Instagram on their phone, kids can log in via the web. If you block TikTok, they might watch TikTok videos in Pinterest. Kids can find porn on Spotify.

“Kids are way tech savvier than we are,” Cherkin wrote in an email. “Remember how we used to program the VCR for our parents?! Every single parent who comes to me for help has a variation of this same story: ‘We had X parental controls; we blocked X sites; our child figured out how to access them anyway.’ ... It’s impossible to successfully block everything — and once you do, a replacement will pop up in its place.”

CANCER IS ON THE RISE IN UNDER-50S – A KEY TASK IS TO WORK OUT WHY

THERE ARE MANY UPSIDES TO GROWING OLD, BUT ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES, UNFORTUNATELY, IS A HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING CANCER. INCREASING AGE IS A KEY RISK FACTOR. AND WITH MORE OF US LIVING LONGER WORLDWIDE, MILLIONS OF OLDER PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THE DISEASE.

Now a new study adds weight to previous work warning of a grim trend in global health: cancer in people under the age of 50 is becoming more common.

In the study, researchers led by the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, found that the number of under-50s being diagnosed with cancer worldwide rose by 79% between 1990 and 2019, from 1.82 million to 3.26 million. Cancer deaths in the same age group grew by 27%, and more than 1 million under-50s a year are now dying of cancer, the research published in BMJ Oncology reveals.

The study is not the first to show the trend. A review in 2022 of cancer registry records from 44

countries found that the incidence of early onset cancer was rising rapidly for 14 types of cancers, and this increase was happening across many middle- and high-income nations.

The new research adds meat to the bone. Examining data from 204 countries, it found a striking increase in the global incidence of early onset cancers. It also showed the highest incidence rates of cancer in the under-50s was in North America, Oceania and western Europe.

Researchers worldwide are only just starting their next task: working out why.

The authors of the 2022 review, led by Harvard University, said any uptick in testing or checks could not account for the rise in diagnoses. They suggested the rise was most likely due to an unhealthy mix of risk factors that could be working together, some which are known and others of which need to be investigated.

Many of these risks had established links to cancer such as obesity, inactivity, diabetes, alcohol, smoking, environmental pollution and western diets high in red meat and added sugars, not to mention shift work and lack of sleep. Experts have speculated that ultra-processed food may also

be partly to blame.

The researchers behind the new study echoed those observations. Genetic factors are likely to have a role, they say. But diets high in red meat and salt and low in fruit and milk, as well as alcohol consumption and tobacco use, are the main risk factors underlying the most common cancers among under-50s, with physical inactivity, excess weight and high blood sugar other contributory factors.

As worrying as the increase in early onset cancers is, caution is required. Cancer in people under 50 is still uncommon. With breast cancer, the most common type in under-50s, there were 13.7 cases per 100,000 people in 2019. Nine in 10 of all cancers affect people over 50.

There were also limitations to the latest research, principally the variable quality of cancer registry data in different countries.

Until experts unlock definitive answers, there remains plenty that people young and old can do to reduce their risk of cancer. Not smoking, maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy weight, getting plenty of exercise and staying safe in the sun are among them.

THE MUST-HAVE LUXURY PURCHASE FOR SPRING... THE INFRARED BLANKET

WHEN IT COMES TO WELLNESS, I’M ALMOST ALWAYS GAME TO TRY A NEW PRODUCT OR EXPERIENCE. SITTING IN A HYPERBARIC OXYGEN CHAMBER? SURE. CRYOTHERAPY?

I’VE DABBLED. BUT THE LUXURY WELLNESS EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH SINCE THE VERY FIRST TIME I TRIED IT IN 2017 IS INFRARED SAUNA.

There’s just one small snag: back in 2020, I found myself missing my favorite wellness splurge as the seasons began to change when going to a spa was not possible, but I did know that HigherDose had a nifty

at-home solution: the Infrared Sauna Blanket.

I have owned the product for nearly three years now, and I can honestly say that this sleeping bag with infrared rays has been my most-used wellness item. The daily routine of getting into a pair of sweats and slipping in for 45 minutes almost every day of the week during the peak dreary months of early 2021 saved me from going a little bit batty. And the heat? At the highest setting it warms up to a toasty 158 degrees, raising my internal body temperature, boosting circulation, and kicking my sweat output into high gear.

It’s the perfect—and most relaxing—complement to a brisk walk and an at-home workout. On Sundays, it makes for a great way to unwind and hit re-set for the

week ahead. When I do it on a regular basis, I find that it seriously helps with aches and pains that come along with my chronic condition, and it’s said to help with muscle recovery; and because it gets your heart rate up, you burn some extra calories.

Also, I can highly suggest hopping into the sauna blanket in the morning. You emerge revitalized, wide awake, and ohso relaxed. No caffeine necessary!

These days, I’m still using my sweat burrito, as I lovingly call it, on regular basis, and even though they’ve released an updated version since I got mine, with a zipper closure that surely is easier to use, I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about this wellness essential. It makes me feel amazing to stop and take a meditative

moment to myself.

Better still, HigherDose has released a line of body care to use in tandem with the sauna blanket, and I have seriously taken to the Get Salty Spray, which is a blend of Zechstein magnesium and water.

Not only does it help replenish the electrolytes that I sweat out, but it also gives me a vital boost of magnesium, which is necessary for calming the nervous system, helping with muscle tension, and even inducing restorative sleep.

Dare I say it, with this little ritual ... I feel like Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s a luxe experience within the comfort of my home. And did I mention? It gives me the most unreal glow. When I’m done, I simply let it cool down, clean it, and then fold it to be stored underneath my bed, easy as that.

All in all, it’s a routine that I won’t be letting go of anytime soon.

As the world speeds up, the greatest luxury is in taking it slow… In Greece’s South Aegean, time stands still on the idyllic islands of the Cyclades. We pinpoint new favorites and share how best to vacation there: on the inside track, with a tailor-made stay.

CIRCLING

PARADISE

ISLAND GEMS

HOME TO PARADISES UNTOUCHED BY TIME, MYSTICAL IN NATURE AND DRENCHED IN STYLE, GREECE’S CYCLADES – THE CLUSTER OF ISLANDS CIRCLING MYTHOLOGICAL DELOS – IS THE KIND OF DESTINATION THAT PRESSES THE RESET ON YOUR SOUL. A HYPER-PERSONALIZED VACATION, DESIGNED BY LOCAL INSIDERS, IS THE SURE-FIRE WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE RIGHT ISLANDS FOR YOU, IN WAYS THAT MEET YOUR UNIQUE DEFINITION OF LUXURY.

They’re the postcard islands that spring to mind when you first think of Greece… Low, whitewashed villages clustered on hilltops, windows shuttered in shades of blue that match the sky and sea, sandy beaches, crystal waters and bright pink bougainvillea. But apart from Santorini’s fiery sunsets and Mykonos’ iconic nightlife, lesser-known island gems in the Cyclades archipelago offer something timeless, unique and, with their incredible diversity, the opportunity to meet your idea of luxury. For example, new gamma destinations include:

ANTÍPAROS

Best for secluded luxury, Antíparos has become the go-to for luxury travelers seeking untouched beauty and privacy. Sweeping villa stays are complemented by a growing frisson of cosmopolitan style in its idyllic one-street town and impeccable culinary scene.

SIFNOS

For the more curious and intrepid traveler, Sifnos is most loved for its incredible light and views. It’s the most aesthetically-pleasing island in the Cyclades and also boasts incredible gastronomy, both traditional and more modern.

TINOS

Along with the timeless beauty, peace and charm that characterizes every island in the Cyclades, Tinos is best loved for its spectacular villages and art scene. With sunsets to rival Santorini’s, its idyllic nature offers a unique mix for those seeking rest and adventure.

SERIFOS

An island of raw natural beauty, Serifos is a land made of iron and granite. Yet the rockiest of the Cycladic islands is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches one can find in the Aegean Sea.

THE INSIDE GUIDE

With countless islands in the Cyclades and infinite areas, villas and itineraries to choose from, the best way to vacation there is in the hands of local experts. In line with the growing luxury trend of hyper-personalized travel – having your holiday tailor-made just for you – using a boutique travel designer not only takes the stress and time out of planning your vacation, but also takes it from zero to hero.

Akin to the award-winning Away from the Ordinary in Scotland or Bellini Travel in Italy (the inimitable curator of the Roy’s jet-set destinations in HBO’s

Succession), boutique travel agency

The Cycladist was created to achieve just this: To help the most discerning travelers find the ζουμι (juice) of life on the backroads, hidden coves and ancient olive groves of Greece’s most iconic cluster of islands.

Serving only a limited number of travelers per year, The Cycladist uses their deeply intimate knowledge of the Cyclades to help clients find the right island(s), villa and experiences for their stay, as well as ensuring privacy and providing 24-7 support. Born out of its co-founders’ lifelong love for the

Cyclades, Petros Stamatopoulos and Maira Tagkalaki share their exclusive black book of hidden gems, private villas, insider tips and access (including helicopter and yacht charters to experience more islands than one), as well as itineraries that can include a day or night in Athens, Europe’s burgeoning new capital of cool, to bookend a dream island stay.

Sounds like just the ticket your soul is waiting for? We thought so. For more information and to book a private consultation, visit www.thecycladist.com.

From in-flight showers to video chats with flight attendants, here’s what you can enjoy at 30,000 feet.

IT’S SAID THAT THE 1960S WERE THE GOLDEN AGE OF TRAVEL. BUT IN THE 2020S—WITH ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FIRSTCLASS CABINS, AT LEAST—WE COULD CALL OUR PRESENT ERA THE DIAMOND AGE. IN THE FRONT OF THE PLANE, GONE ARE THE CIGARETTES AND LA-Z-BOY-STYLE SEATS; IN THEIR PLACE ARE MASSIVE SUITES WITH DOORS, LIEFLAT BEDS, SHOWERS IN THE CLOUDS, AND CAVIAR COLLECTIONS FIT FOR A KING.

Don't forget the bone china for in-flight afternoon tea or the bespoke bedding for a long nap, too.

And these days, even business class cabins on some airlines have amenities once reserved only for first class like privacy doors that fully close for maximum privacy or dine-on-demand meals. Demand

for premium travel is sky-high, and many people are willing to pay for the privileges that come along with sitting in front of the curtain. But not all premium cabins are created equally.

While many airlines have folded their first class into business entirely, making biz the most premium cabin you can fly on their planes, other carriers have pushed their first-class suites to soaring new heights to differentiate themselves from the pack and attract those willing to pay those sky-high fares (or cash in their miles) for them.

If you’re looking for the best in the sky, these first-class airplane seats are everything and more.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES FIRST CLASS SUITES

AIRBUS A380

Singapore Airlines doubled down in recent years to create what’s widely regarded as the single finest commercial flying experience. That’s not just hyperbole—at 50 square feet, its Suites on the A380 win by measurement as well, giving first-class

passengers more space than any other airline. Even though its double-decker planes are not currently flying to U.S. runways, you will currently find them on flights from Singapore to London, Paris, Sydney and Mumbai.

The fact that the flight experience out of Singapore starts with a trip to a lounge formally known as The Private Room doesn’t hurt either. The airline recently invested more than $36 million into its Terminal 3 lounges at Changi International Airport, and this includes where the luckiest first class flyers get to rest before their flights. Here, drink selections like Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2007 or the signature SilverKris Sling (a spin on the hometown Singapore Sling) flow like water, and the lounge feels downright serene.

On board, you’re in a true suite, with a reclining swivel chair capable of facing out toward the windows or inward to the cabin for dining; there’s also a desktop for work, and a separate bed. A tablet controls everything from dimming lights

to changing their colors. You can also carry it with you throughout the suite and use it, whether you’re in your chair or lounging on the bed. And then there’s the 32-inch television, which wouldn’t look out of place in most living rooms. Singapore also went one step further for traveling duos: Select suites can be combined to form a 100-square-foot apartment in the sky.

The airline’s book-the-cook service allows you to choose from more than a dozen meals before departure, including dishes like lobster Thermidor and filet mignon, although the airline says its Hainanese chicken rice is one of the most ordered advance selections. A new partnership with Golden Door Spa is bringing its wellness-focused menus to flights too. The airline sources much of its produce from sustainable vertical aeroponic farms.

CATHAY PACIFIC FIRST CLASS BOEING 777

Cathay Pacific’s first-class suite lacks many of the bolted-down features you’d expect on a list of the world’s top cabins.

No, it doesn’t have a door, nor does it have a separate seat and bed. But if you ever wished a lie-flat seat could be your actual bed, it would be this one, and it is angled away from the aisle for more privacy.

Booking into Cathay Pacific first class means you’re never let down at any point in your journey. Cathay’s The Pier, its first class lounge in Hong Kong, rivals many of the finest five-star hotels in decor—and arguably in spa amenities, too. There are also private sleeping rooms, complimentary spa treatments, and an a la carte restaurant to seal the deal.

On board, it’s impossible not to revel in the handwritten welcome notes given to passengers, before the question of “Would you like a glass of Krug Grand Cuvée 2004?” is proposed. A companion can sit on the ottoman opposite the suite’s seat for an intimate dinner for two, with a table set like the most superb restaurants in Hong Kong and a menu featuring recipes from some of the city’s top Michelin-starred chefs. From the finest cuts of meat to an authentic claypot rice or dim sum basket, no one will go hungry. And when it comes time to hit

the hay, the crew arranges each pillow, duvet, and mattress topper like a concerto from a grandmaster.

If that’s not good enough, there are rumors of a new first class product to arrive in 2025 with both privacy doors and higher walls, but also the same top-notch service for which the Hong Kong airline has earned its fame. While the exact details remain top-secret, this should be rolling out on the carrier’s new Boeing 777-9 aircraft in the coming years.

AIR FRANCE

LA PREMIÈRE CLASS BOEING 777-300ER

There are first-class cabins with larger footprints and plenty more glitz, but Air France’s first class is the epitome of sophistication. There’s high-threadcount bedding, a crew who could pass most sommelier exams, and teams on the ground tasked with ensuring that every step of the journey is flawless. One example? Each passenger enjoys a private sedan from the lounge directly to their plane, bypassing the woes of the terminal entirely.

This is an experience where 24-hour fasting beforehand should almost be mandatory too, as the exquisite on-board tasting menu, complete with polished silver cloche for dramatic service effect, was designed by a rotating group of the world’s finest chefs, with the most recent dishes conceived by three Michelinstarred Régis Marcon, who whipped up a delectable menu with entrée selections like pigeon filet, sea bass, and prawns bouillabaisse. In fact, Air France works with more than a dozen culinary stars and Michelin-starred chefs, keeping the reputation for French cuisine as elevated as possible. There are also Clarins massage and beauty skincare partnerships in the lounge.

For those who’ve experienced the other end of the plane, the first thing to marvel at on board is the fact that you’ve got four windows all to yourself. Your seat—if you insist on degrading it by simply calling it “a seat”—is the ultimate relaxation chamber. Because doors are boring, Air France introduced thick,

floor-to-ceiling curtains, which only intensify the feeling that you’re in a chic Parisian bedroom, rather than a plane. It comes as no surprise that the airline who once operated the Concorde would have such a chic first-class product both on the ground and in the air. In fact, the truly indulgent can even reserve all four suites in the first-class cabin for private use, creating a long-haul private-jet experience at a fraction of the cost.

EMIRATES FIRST CLASS BOEING 777-300ER

With virtual reality, zero-gravity seats, and fabrics inspired by Mercedes-Benz interiors, the latest first-class suites on Emirates are completely over the top. Perhaps what makes this experience so unique is the sheer notion that the middle seat is actually the best seat. For the new Boeing 777-300ER, Emirates offers two rows with three suites across, rather than the traditional four. To make sure that the middle seat passengers weren’t missing out, Emirates created virtual reality “windows,” which show the scenes

going on outside in HD clarity. After a few glasses from the airline’s $500-million wine cellar, including cult favorites like Château Mouton Rothschild 2004, no one would hold it against you for believing you’re in an actual window seat.

Emirates also commissioned top space engineers to create a zero-gravity position in the first-class seat, so you can feel as if you're floating through the skies. And with a seat that comfortable, who wants to get up to flag down a refill?

Emirates created a FaceTime-style setup, where you can video chat with the crew to make any requests.

Passengers can adjust their personal lighting according to their mood and even control the temperature within the suite. They’ve also upgraded the TVs to 32-inch HD monitors, while also introducing the only floor-to-ceiling privacy doors found in the sky. Resting comes easy with a flat bed and goodies like leather-bound

journals, Byredo eye cream, chamomile sleep oil, pillow mist, and an en-suite (non-alcoholic) minibar with soft drinks, mints, and snacks. In fact, there are so many gifts for first-class fliers that flight attendants present amenities like pajamas designed to prevent skin dehydration thanks to shea butter and Argan oil within the fabric, slippers, and deluxe amenity kits in a keepsake bag.

The only things missing on the Boeing 777 are the famous in-flight showers, bar, and lounge available on the A380. Luckily, Emirates’s first-class lounge in Dubai makes up for it with its dedicated Moët and Chandon bar, lavish shower suites, and an a la carte menu that includes a growing number of vegan and gluten-free selections. More decadent choices include char-grilled Wagyu burgers, 72-hour braised beef short ribs, and foie gras terrine. Even better, the airline has beefed up the amount of top-shelf Champagne and caviar it brings on-board for first class passengers to allow them to have second and even third helpings, should they wish.

ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS FIRST CLASS BOEING 777-300ER

ANA’s first-class airplane seats, dubbed The Suites, feature fully-closing doors and perhaps the widest entertainment screens flying today at 42 inches. Japanese hospitality is on full display with top-ups of high-caliber Champagne setting the tone for the flight. There’s also a lengthy list of sakes, shōchū, and plum wine to choose from too. Need something from a flight attendant? You won’t wait more than 15 seconds after ringing the call bell, and it will be delivered with traditional precision the carrier is known for. Japanese omakase or Western menus allow fliers to mix and match their above-the-clouds meals, and a companion can join using the ottoman as a second seat.

Everything is designed for easy access, like an individual coat closet should you need to reach for something mid-flight, and electronic window blinds that close at the touch of a button. There’s another noteworthy seat aboard, too: The aircraft

features bidet toilets in the lavatory. Free Internet is the cherry on top because, these days, who can afford being disconnected while crisscrossing the globe?

LUFTHANSA FIRST CLASS BOEING 747-8

Sleek cabins, ever-efficient German service, and luxury car transfers to the plane earn Lufthansa top marks for first class. But it’s the little details that make Lufthansa so special, such as an elegant fresh rose at each seat, plush pajamas tied with a ribbon, designer amenity kits stuffed with cologne, automatically controlled window blinds, and private storage closets for carry-on and garment bags.

Excellent bedding assures a comfortable rest, but for those that want to work, free Internet is a welcome perk. Dining is a multi-course affair with some courses plated at your seat like heaping helpings of caviar and a lovely after-dinner cheese cart.

There are no privacy doors guarding each seat, but the airline installed special car-

peting to dampen the sound of foot traffic (there’s hardly any in first class anyway). Slightly delayed, but coming in 2024 is a new first class product aboard the Airbus A350 that will feature sliding doors and walls that stretch to the ceiling.

In its Frankfurt hub, first-class fliers may never set foot in the main airport terminal either. Instead, a private building with a restaurant, napping rooms, shower suites, a cigar bar, and even dedicated security and immigration await. It feels more like flying private, and that’s extra special on one of the last few airlines to fly the 747 jumbo-jet, a.k.a. the queen of the skies.

QANTAS FIRST CLASS AIRBUS A380

The return of the double-decker Airbus A380 for Qantas flights between Australia and other parts of the globe highlights the tremendous demand for post-pandemic flights Down Under. This includes seats in its celebrated first-class cabin, which wins customer accolades for its airport lounge experiences with restaurant and complimentary spa services, on-board dining (including numerous plant-based options), and comfortable bed with companion seat for dining.

However, there is room for improvement: The airline could add on-board Wi-Fi

to the A380 and create more privacy between seats with a door). Luckily, this is all in the works for its new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft on the way by the end of 2025. These will have both a lie-flat bed and a separate seat in a private cabin with a door, plus on-board Wi-Fi. The airline plans to use these planes on its Project Sunrise flights (ultra-long-haul, nonstop services between Australia and places like New York and London). With enough time to eat, sleep, and be entertained, the privacy and service will give Qantas an edge that is hard to beat.

WHERE DO BILLIONAIRES COME FROM?

AND WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE EVERYONE ELSE?

IN LATE 2023, THE RICHEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD BECAME A CENTI-BILLIONAIRE. BUT SHE DIDN’T GET THERE BY BUILDING AN ONLINE SHOPPING EMPIRE OR BY SELLING SLEEK EVS. SHE DID IT THE GOOD OLD-FASHIONED WAY: BY INHERITING IT.

The scion of the French beauty brand L’Oréal, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers saw the value of her stake in the company shoot up during the rush of cosmetics and luxury fashion spending that’s taken place in the last few years. She’s far from

alone in receiving billions from a parent. A recent report from the investment bank UBS highlighted a milestone: In 2023, for the first time in the nine years it’s been publishing this data, inherited billionaire wealth outstripped new billionaire wealth.

Billionaires have been minted at a dizzying pace in the last few decades — in 1987 Forbes counted 140, while in 2023 the tally was 2,640 — and we’ve now returned to the point in the cycle where enormous piles of wealth are passed on to the next generation. “This is how wealth dynasties are formed,” says Chuck Collins, director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the left-leaning think tank Institute for Policy Studies. The only

BY WHIZY KIM / SPECIAL TO POLO LIFESTYLES

thing that’s new in 2024 is that the piles of money are bigger than ever.

Not only are there more billionaires today, their average wealth keeps ticking up too, thanks to historic stock market returns. On top of that, heirs are receiving wealth transfers earlier in life, rather than waiting for the death or near death of a family member. All this underscores the truth that having money remains the best way to get more money. Perhaps there’s nowhere that’s truer than in the US, home to the most billionaires, despite the pervasive myth of hardscrabble, self-made entrepreneurs climbing to the top of the socioeconomic ladder. If you’re born poor, you’re likely to stay poor; if you’re

The great billionaire wealth transfer means people born very, very rich are going to stay very, very rich.

born super rich, you’ll probably get even richer.

WHAT DO BILLIONAIRES DO WITH THEIR RICHES ANYWAY?

Many heirs are involved with the family business in some way, often weaving in and out of it. Bettencourt Meyers, the 70-year-old L’Oréal heir, sits on the company’s board but mostly chooses to live a quiet life as a writer who enjoys playing the piano. America’s richest heirs, the Waltons of Walmart fortune, collectively command almost $250 billion. Rob, the eldest son of the founder, was a longtime chair of Walmart’s board of directors. In 2022, he spearheaded a family effort to buy the Denver Broncos. Jim, the youngest son, is the former CEO and current board chair of the family-owned bank. Alice, the only daughter, collects art (she even founded her own museum) and is soon opening a health institute and medical school. Their family foundation has mostly prioritized expanding charter schools.

Whatever heirs do with their hand-medowns, chances are they’ll stay extremely rich — if not grow much richer. Though there are a surprising number of proverbs about the “third-generation curse” in which grandchildren fritter away the family fortune, when you inherit billions

with a B, the real challenge appears to be spending that largesse down. The same goes for newly minted billionaires: Just look at MacKenzie Scott, whose wealth comes from her marriage to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. She has given away over $16 billion to charity since 2019, when her net worth was about $38 billion. As of January 2024, she was worth more than $41 billion.

This is by and large a testament to the blockbuster stock market returns shareholders have received in recent decades. If you invested $10,000 in 1980 into the S&P 500 — a stock index tracking the 500 biggest companies on the market — it would have amounted to $760,000 in 2018.

Alongside the explosion of double- and even triple-digit billionaires, managing wealth has become a professionalized industry. We’ve seen an explosion of so-called family offices, whose employees work full time on preserving and growing a single clan’s assets. A 2021 Institute of Policy Studies report on American wealth dynasties found that 27 of the top 50 richest families on Forbes’ 2020 Billion-Dollar Dynasties list were already represented on the magazine’s list of 400 richest Americans in 1983 — and their wealth, collectively, had multiplied more than tenfold since then.

Don’t hold your breath for an onslaught of billionaire heirs suddenly giving their inheritances away for the betterment of society. One insight from the UBS report is that heirs tend to be much less interested in philanthropy than first-gen billionaires. A theory as to why, according to Collins, is that “the first generation has some confidence in their ability to create wealth,” while the second generation doesn’t. “We know that the second generation, third generation are more concerned about protecting wealth than creating it,” he continues. “They invest a lot in wealth defense; they invest a lot in lobbying.” That means opposing any wealth tax or income tax hikes on the rich, or fighting regulations that would close loopholes that have long allowed billionaires to minimize what they owe to the government. It’s a sign that “the tax system on wealth has become more optional,” says Collins.

THE ULTRA-RICH ARE PASSING MONEY DOWN TO THEIR KIDS EARLIER OUT OF FEAR

There are a lot of reasons why ultra-rich parents might be handing over some of their net worth — whether it’s via cash, stocks, a nice piece of property, a family business, or an art collection — sooner rather than later. Most of them involve fear of how their wealth might be lost.

For one, there’s the gnawing anxiety that estate tax and trust laws could tighten up. Circumstances have been pretty friendly for transferring wealth (in 2024, the first $13.6 million being passed on is completely exempt from the federal estate tax). But that could, in theory, change. The rich are well aware of the mounting political hunger to address yawning wealth inequality in the US, including by implementing a wealth tax that would apply to their assets (which they have a lot of) rather than just taxing income (which they tend to rely much less on).

The wealth-transfer rush may also have to do with a different kind of fear. Some ultra-rich are “fearful of what the next generation will do with it,” says Michael Kosnitzky, co-chair of the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman’s Private Client & Family Office practice group. “There have always been differences in how older and younger generations view wealth. But I believe that today there are very profound differences in how the next generation thinks about wealth and money. And the older generation believes that there is a need to get ahead of that now.”

There are trusts that simply stop heirs from impulsively wasting their money; some feel that “the next generation just doesn’t have the work ethic,” says Kosnitzky. But parents transferring wealth earlier is another way to proactively control how it’s spent because they’ll still be alive to see it used. Predecessor and heir often don’t see eye to eye on the best use of a fortune — whether it’s how to run the family business, what political causes to donate to, or, in some cases, whether keeping such a great fortune is even ethical or should be given away.

HOW BILLIONAIRES SHRINK OPPORTUNITIES

Getting an inheritance remains a rarity in the US. As of 2022, data from the Federal Reserve shows, only about a fifth of American households had ever received an inheritance. According to New York University professor Edward Wolff, the most common inheritance amount as

of a few years ago was between $10,000 and $50,000.

The Realtime Inequality tracker indicates that the bottom 50 percent of American adults — about 125 million people — collectively owned about $1.1 trillion as of January 2023. That’s about how much the eight richest people in the US own together, based on their current net worth listed on Forbes. This is despite the fact that the wealth of the bottom 50 percent doubled in the past few years.

The immense wealth of billionaires is not trickling down. It just gets passed to a handful of people from generation to generation. And this closed loop has repercussions on the rest of society.

Economic research shows that high wealth inequality coincides with lower intergenerational mobility, meaning the presence of a lot of really rich people goes hand in hand with ordinary people struggling to do better financially than their parents did — an observation dubbed the Great Gatsby Curve. According to research by City University of New York economist Miles Corak, wealth chasms make it more likely for “family background to play a stronger role” in determining your success in adulthood, with your “own hard work playing a commensurately weaker role.”

For all that America is championed as a land of opportunities and bootstraps, the hundreds of billionaires that have popped up here since the ’80s may actually mean your hustle and grind matter less today.

According to economist Salvatore Morelli, director of the GC Wealth Project, the US once had a relatively low incidence of inheritance compared

BY WHIZY KIM

to other developed countries, but it has started to shift to a “European level” of inheritance. The gap between the haves and have-nots shapes “the opportunity and the chances that people start with in their life,” he tells Vox. Examples of unequal opportunities include things like education: You might have the grades to attend an Ivy League school, but if someone’s parent is a billionaire who can outspend yours to hire the most expensive college consultants and even make a generous donation to the school, that heir may just snatch your spot. With an exploding number of ultra-rich families in the US, the bar for having a chance at financial success — even a slim chance — keeps getting raised.

It seems like at some point, this inequality will become impossible to bear — an “oligarchy tipping point,” Collins calls it — due to too much instability and polarization.

But rather than become disillusioned with the idea of fairness, growing inequality may actually lead to people believing more strongly that society is fair, according to research by sociologist Jonathan Mijs. The theory goes that inequality is so great that it needs similarly great justification — something like believing the explosion of American billionaires proves how much they’ve been working harder, innovating harder, being geniuses harder than ever before. The American dream and the idea that so many “self-made” rich people in the US went from rags to riches may paradoxically make Americans more accepting of inequality. Don’t let the reality that many of those billions come from Mom and Dad get in the way.

JET OFF TO ST-BARTH LIKE A CONNOISSEUR

AN ESCAPE TO THE CARIBBEAN'S MOST-EXCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND IS JUST WHAT YOU NEED... FROM GETTING THERE TO GETTING AROUND, ALL WRAPPED UP IN OUR SPRING GUIDE

JET OFF TO ST-BARTH

THE PLACES TO SEE AND BE SEEN FOR THE ULTIMATE LUXURY TRAVELERS

PLANNING A HIGH-SEASON TRIP TO THE WORLD’S MOST-EXCLUSIVE DESTINATION IN THE CARIBBEAN ISN’T SOMETHING YOU THEORETICALLY WANT TO BE DOING ONLY TWO WEEKS BEFORE ARRIVAL, BUT THERE I WAS ANYWAY.

I assembled the dream team and blocked the doors of the conference room. We were going to stay until the job was done. I broke out a charcuterie board and a few bottles of rosé to get us in the mood while the team cracked open computers, passed iPhones back and forth between French and non-French speakers and started

to check things off the lists I had made earlier that day.

Villa with six en-suite bedrooms? Called Daniel Correira, traded links and photos by WhatsApp and booked Villa Good News. Check.

Rental cars? Emailed Alamo St-Barth and booked two Mini Coopers. Check.

Restaurant reservations? The first three nights were booked and other possibilities were coming together. Check.

Flights? Flights? Flights…?

There is always one part of the logistics that is trickier than necessary and this year, it was bound to be the flights into St-Barth. Tradewind Aviation, with

BY JOSH JAKOBITZ / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

service between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St-Barth is always our preference, but there weren’t enough seats available for all of us arrive at the same time in St-Barth. And no one – no one – was volunteering to overnight in San Juan.

That’s when the phone rang from an unknown number with a Maryland prefix. “Hi, this is Jon with Tradewind Aviation, we saw you were trying to book San Juan to St-Barths on Monday. We can’t get you all on one scheduled flight, but we could charter an eight-passenger jet for you and add it to the schedule for Monday afternoon.”

Check.

Someone said something about copies of passports, but I was serving celebratory

COURTESY ST-BARTHS PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS

TRADEWIND AVIATION

glasses of rosé. We were officially headed to St-Barth.

The next two weeks flew by. There was dry cleaning to organize, a pet sitter to schedule, phones to forward and houses to winterize. The next thing I knew, I was in a car on the way to the airport. We all met up in San Juan, greeted and guided through the SJU airport by Tradewind Aviation VIP greeters and handlers. I sent a text to Daniel Correira, our luxury villa concierge in St-Barth: Everything was on-time in San Juan. I sent the same text to Alamo Rent A Car. There were snacks and drinks in the Tradewind Aviation lounge and we met other passengers traveling the same direction: St-Barth for Thanksgiving.

From San Juan, it’s up in the air for 50 minutes and then a turn and swoop over Gustavia’s picturesque harbor and a quick descent to the ultra-short runway at SBH airport. If you haven’t seen the new season of Real Housewives of New York where they all go to St-Barth together, cue it up on Peacock, because the camera crew really captures the landing in St-Barth well. Your stomach will live through a series of emotions on your first descent from unsettled to unsure to on the ground in about 12 seconds.

Daniel was waiting for us on the other side of the airport customs and immigration office with car keys and a smile. This was our second time using Daniel’s concierge agency, Luxury Villas SBH, and wonderful experience from start to finish. He had the rental cars lined up with the A/Cs on high and he put most of the luggage into his SUV before leading us to Villa Good News in Marigot.

I will say this about choosing a villa in St-Barths: don’t worry about geography. Marigot, Petit-Cul-de-Sac and Toiny areas are on the far side of the island from Gustavia, but they’re gorgeous, quieter and – about the third time you do the trip from downtown and back – not as far away as they feel at first.

We chose Villa Good News because of its size. We needed six en-suite bedrooms to accommodate our group. Villa Good News is an enormous cliff-side property within a private domain in Marigot. With four en-suite bedrooms upstairs and two additional en-suite bedrooms downstairs (along with a movie theater, fully equipped gym and laundry), the separation of spaces was perfect for our needs. Additionally, upstairs on the main level were a formal living room that we set up as a home office/work space, a for-

mal dining room, a huge kitchen, and an enormous common space with sofas and sculptures that led directly to the garden complete with a pool, an outdoor kitchen, two more dining rooms and multiple lounge areas, including one carved into the cliff-side with view of cruise ships and yachts in the distance.

Breakfasts were set up outside on a patio with a table that could easily seat 10. The retractable covering overhead shielded our faces from the strong November sun. On the only rainy day of our stay, we ate lunch in the formal dining room off the kitchen. We had never rented a villa with a movie theater before, and we used the cinema room multiple times. Daniel quickly went over the tech-connection basics, but we found it was really self-explanatory and soon we were signed in and streaming Netflix, Apple TV and more in theater chairs with ambient lighting and a screen that would put any other home theater system to shame. I text Daniel from my seat, “Netflix on the big screen… love it.” He replied with a thumbs-up.

Like most visitors to St-Barths, we started most days with a run to La Petite Colombe bakery in St-Jean. Their delicacies and delights are a staple for

VILLA GOOD NEWS

our breakfast table, from fresh quiche to decadent croissants and desserts for later. I made sure to grab a couple double espressos to go, too. On the occasional morning that took me into Gustavia early, Eden Roc To-Go, across from the airport, was a great place to grab a quick breakfast. Luxury Villas SBH has a preferred partnership with The Rosewood Le Guanahani, which was just down the mountain pass and back up the road from Villa Good News. I decided to drop by one morning during breakfast.

A pleasant hostess greeted me outside of the restaurant and immediately identified that I was not a guest of the property; one mention of Daniel’s name and connect with Luxury Villas SBH, and I was seated inside with a flourish. Breakfast at Le Guanahani is technically a buffet, but I decided to see if the staff would accommodate an Eggs Benedict custom order. I was not disappointed and – added bonus – I never had to get up and walk over to the buffet.

On the second morning, Daniel set up a spa appointment for two of us at Le Barthélemy. The entire sea-front property is gorgeous, but the management is particularly proud of the spa – and with reason. The subterranean maze of luxuriously appointed rooms, relaxation areas and treatment centers are something out of heaven. I could have stayed all day.

Dining in St-Barth can be tricky any time of the year, but high season –Thanksgiving to New Years – is par-

LITTLE BLACK BOOK TO ST-BARTHS

BY JOSH JAKOBITZ / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ticularly competitive. Those coveted second-seating tables – you know, so that when you arrive at 9:45 p.m., the entire restaurant is already seated… with the last remaining mystery table reserved for you – require a combination of planning, charm and a great concierge. Since planning in advance didn’t happen for us, we relied on the latter of the three. Between my charm and Daniel’s direct connections with management, we confirmed late tables at L’Isola, La Petite Plage, Bagatelle, Le Ti St-Barth, Eden Roc and Bonito.

L’ISOLA

We hadn’t been to L’Isola in years, so we were curious to try it again. One of the charming things about L’Isola is the Italian staff who make no attempt to speak French. At all. The menu is in English and Italian. The waiters switch indiscriminately between English and Italian. It is delightful and completely different. Plus, the food is to-die-for. Order the prosciutto because, as our publisher said, “We have to go back to L’Isola… the prosciutto is literally screaming my name.”

Pro tip: Do not skip L’Isola

LA PETITE PLAGE

We also went to La Petite Plage twice… because Sunday nights are just more fun there. The DJ blasts Euro-infused, pop music hits while servers pour magnums of champagne and dance on pedestals and table-tops – sometimes with you. But La Petite Plage is not just all show; the food is delicious, the service is impeccable and this is definitely the see-and-be-seen spot for Sunday nights. This was the hardest reservation to get on the entire island and required both Daniel’s connections and my charms.

Pro tip: Be charming (in French if possible)

BAGATELLE

Going to Bagatelle is like going to your most-fun, rich friend’s house. The servers come back to Bagatelle St-Barth season after season, so it’s hugs and kisses the minute you walk in the door. How do they remember everyone? I have no idea. There are gift bags on the table, a DJ is pumping your new favorite beats, everyone is dressed to the 9s and the party doesn’t stop until the last table is done.

There is nowhere else to be on Friday night.

Pro tip: Save room for dessert(s)

LE TI ST-BARTH

Simply, Le Ti (Luh-Tee), to those-whoknow, this is a tradition of seasoned party-goers. Go for dinner and stay for the show… and then stay for the after-party, which commonly goes until the sun rises. Dinner guests are entertained with live performances and are encouraged to join in the revelry – in costume.

The on-site costume shop is complete with wigs and headdresses, accessories and anything sequined. Whether you feel like going full-on Marilyn Monroe or Pocahontas, there’s something for everyone. As soon as the show concludes, the dance party stars – exclusively for dinner guests until the clock strikes midnight and those who have been patiently waiting at the velvet rope are allowed in to join the fun.

Pro tip: Wear something breathable; wigs add 10 degrees to your body temperature

L'ISOLA

EDEN ROC

The landmark, luxury property’s restaurant is a dining experience not to be missed. The long, beach-front arrangement of tables ensures that every table looks up as you make your way through the restaurant to your reserved booth. Any night of the week is the perfect night to spend at Eden Roc, where food and drink are taken to new culinary heights. We couldn’t choose from the caviar service menu, so we just ordered one of each.

Pro tip: Order the caviar service

BONITO

It seems like everyone eats at Bonito at some point – and there are two really good reasons for that. Bonito can seat a lot of people – it’s just bigger than many restaurants, plus its kitchen stays open late. That makes it easier to get into and harder to get out of. The food features Peruvian influences, so if you’re leery of spicy, make sure your server knows to tell the kitchen to hold the kick.

Pro tip: Forgot to plan? You can usually get a last-minute table here

BY JOSH JAKOBITZ / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A trip to St-Barth wouldn’t be complete without time at the beach. There are two ways to go to the beach in St-Barth: public beaches or private beach clubs. The term public beaches might be a turn off, but in St-Barth it’s not. The major public beaches – Salines, Gouverneur, Colombier – are all pristine, white sand where yachts regularly send tenders of their guests for a beach picnic. Gouverneur is the smallest, Salines is the largest and Colombier is the hardest to access (we’d recommend chartering a catamaran). Private beach clubs, on the hand, abound in destinations like St-Jean, where Pearl, Gypsea, Eden Roc and Nikki Beach are all just a stone’s throw from each other. Among them, Nikki Beach reins supreme.

NIKKI BEACH

For our day at Nikki Beach, we invited some VIPs that are so VIP that we can’t mention who they are. To be clear, they weren’t sold on Nikki Beach at first. As one of them put it, “I never think about coming here because it seems very American.” A magnum of Côtes-de-Provence, a sushi boat and the best table in the house quickly converted them. Nikki Beach does two sold-out seatings on weekdays, so planning in advance is absolutely necessary. People come to Nikki Beach to drink rosé and dance on the tables, and there is no better spot to do that on the island.

Pro tip: Make a reservation early

EDEN ROC SAND BAR

NIKKI BEACH

LITTLE BLACK BOOK TO ST-BARTHS

THE BILLION-DOLLAR GIFT & FREE MEDICAL SCHOOL

Billionaire philanthropist Ruth Gottesman bestows a $1 billion-dollar grant to Albert Einstein College of Medicine, finally making med school accessible to all.

PWILLIAM SMITH  PHILANTHROPY CONTRIBUTOR  @willismith2000

HILANTHROPY HAPPENS EVERY DAY IN WAYS BOTH BIG AND SMALL.

Donating those clothes in your closet that have not been touched since 2019 to The Goodwill creates employment opportunities for veterans and other populations. That volunteer time at a local animal rescue helped save an animal,

transformed the lives of a new adopting family, and made the world just a little bit better for the entire process.

And then sometimes philanthropy is big. And sometimes it is mammoth.

Such is the case with the $1 billion USD gift made in late February by Ruth Gottesman to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. The gift is the largest ever given to a medical school in the United States.

There has been much public debate

in the U.S. over how to keep a college education accessible to would-be students, given the exploding cost to attain a degree. For medical schools, those costs can be even higher – upwards of a quarter million dollars – and practicing also necessitates the need for a bare-pay residency that can last from three to seven years.

“This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission; not just those who can afford it. Additionally, it will free up and lift our

students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive. We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities,” said Dr. Yaron Tomer, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

The school’s announcement underscored just how impactful the funds will be for all current and future students: “With this donation, all current fourth-year students will be reimbursed their spring 2024 semester tuition and, effective beginning in August of this year, all students moving forward will receive free tuition at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Albert Einstein College of Medicine was founded in 1955 with a mission to welcome all students, without restrictions. Today this gift furthers that mission by removing the financial restrictions for those without the economic means to afford medical school.”

In addition to bringing down the financial barriers and opening the doors of opportunity to their students, the nation is approaching a critical shortage of new physicians. In October of last year, the President of the American Medical Association, President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., MPH, gave a speech that highlighted the looming crisis, citing data from the American Association of Medical Colleges that projects a national physician shortfall of at least 37,000—and possibly well over 100,000— over the next decade.

For her own part, Gottesman has been a part of Einstein since 1968, and at that time, led innovative efforts that drew attention to the intellectual and developmental learning challenges of children. She currently serves as Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees and is Clinical Professor Emerita of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) at Einstein.

Gottesman and her late partner David “Sandy” Gottesman were early investors in Berkshire Hathaway. Forbes estimated that when Sandy died in 2020, the Gottesmans were worth $3 billion USD.

MILAN FASHION WEEK

DOLCE & GABBANA'S EXUBERANT CELEBRATION OF SENSUALITY

Dolce & Gabbana, a brand synonymous with the exuberant celebration of sensuality, presents its Fall 2024 collection with a focus that goes back to the basics of texture and color—or the lack thereof.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana distill their iconic style into a primarily black palette, inviting a deeper exploration of fabric and form. The collection

thoughtfully elevates the house’s signature allure, intertwining a subtle sophistication with vintage flair.

The Fall collection delves into a monochromatic world where textures come alive against a canvas of black. This strategic emphasis on tactile variety allows each material—from lace to feathers—to tell its own story, creating a sensory experience

that is both opulent and nuanced. The brand’s hallmarks of corsetry and fishnets are present, yet they beg the question of whether there’s an underlying narrative to the overt sensuality on display.

The collection occasionally flirts with vintage aesthetics, offering modern takes on classic femme fatale silhouettes that evoke a sense of timeless glamour.

GUCCI AT MILAN

WITH THE PRESSURE OF THE OBLIGATORY DEBUT IN THE PAST, AND WITH THE FASHION PRESS AND GUCCI CUSTOMER HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY DIGEST SABATO DE SARNO’S NEW DIRECTION, HE CAN NOW TAKE THE TIME TO ESTABLISH HIS OWN ‘HOUSE RULES’ AND FOR 2024 (BOTH SPRING AND FALL) THAT ENTAILS VERTIGINOUS PLATFORMS, A RE-IMAGINING OF RETRO BUT THROUGH A SOFTER LENS SHAPES, A VISIBLE – BUT NOT OVERTLY SO – USE OF THE HOUSE LOGO THROUGH EMBOSSING, AND HEAVYWEIGHT COCOONING KNITS LADEN WITH DECADENT EMBELLISHMENTS.

That list is not exhaustive, but an observation of De Sarno’s visual cues which run across both men’s and women’s readyto-wear, as well as his insistence that his clothes are to be worn and experienced in the everyday, will hopefully help him establish a profitable era for the brand.

In today’s show notes the creative director said of the collection “This is my way of dreaming, without hurry”. Without hurry! What shouldn’t be a novel concept, is unfortunately something that is practically unheard of, time (for thinking, feeling, perspective) is a luxury few are afforded at this level of the industry, as the next thing is always needed yesterday. It was evident, in the slow pace at which the design language has evolved from last season to now, (because it’s not always necessary to feed the beast), and even from menswear to women’s that De Sarno is likely to have a lot more to say just in this stage of his development of the brand, as some of the silhouettes and shapes from his debut looked to provide a starting point and have been updated

through color, fabric, or finish. For example the heavyweight fringing of his neon green overcoat was translated in a more effervescent way on a peach sequin gown and was also reframed for day – but it is unlikely it will ever leave the closet of any buyers, other than for an occasion which warrants it – in a new iteration of the twinset consisting of ultra-mini knitted dress and cozy cardigan.

Season one gave us the high-low way to wear Gucci now, in the form of jewel-trimmed tanks and denim jeans. Acknowledging that this is often how it’s done once it leaves the shop floor. Today was more of a separation of the two, where purely evening looks were sandwiched between outerwear-focused daywear. And choosing to challenge the expected, which the creative director referenced as viewing “things from a perspective different from what is presumed most appropriate, not following the rules” in the show notes, he inverted the typical application of embellishment for A-lister gowns and instead sprinkled them mainly

across coats and cardigans, or tailoring. His nocturnal looks were selectively sheer and made creative use of seaming and paneling with tactility added through jewel-colored velvet, rooted in a loose referencing of 1920 and 30s silhouettes.

Knitwear has also become a sleeper hit in these last few seasons. Working across men’s and women’s they appear (on the runway and in real-life) comfortingly substantial and old-school in their approach. Classic chunky constructions which feel handmade can equally be investment pieces due to the attention to detail, such as the fringed embellishments, that are applied.

The Gucci fall 2024 collection was also the optimistic color injection that has been absent so far this season. Adding to his Ancora red which was introduced prior to his first show, candy pastels – pistachio, butter yellow, and cloud blue – were coupled with dialed-up autumnal tones such leaf green, and shots of bubblegum pink.

DEFINING 2024 HAUTE COUTURE

THE SPRING/SUMMER 2024 HAUTE COUTURE LANDSCAPE WAS A TESTAMENT TO THE ARTISANAL CRAFT EMULATING FROM THE ATELIERS OF EACH HOUSE, TRANSFORMING FABRIC INTO A CANVAS OF IMAGINATION; GARMENTS WERE ADORNED WITH INTRICATE THREADS, EITHER STITCHED CLOSELY TOGETHER IN UNDULATING PATTERNS OR EMBROIDERED WITH LONG THREADS, RESULTING IN A DELICATE AND WEIGHTLESS TEXTURE

This level of care and attention to detail means couture garments are the most elevated, avant-garde, and exquisitely unique. Texture is an essential aspect of haute couture garments, adding depth, dimension, and tactile allure to a piece of clothing, characterizing exclusivity, high quality, and attention to detail.

Fendi‘s Kim Jones trompe l’oeil style took a surprising twist with fur-inspired embroidery, bringing a novel texture play. Masterful textile work mimicked the appearance of fur and feathers, crafting an illusion of depth and luxury. This technique used tiny filaments arranged in densely overlapping rippling patterns to create feather-like, lightweight jackets, dresses, and pencil skirts handmade by the legendary petit mains – widely considered to be the most skilled arti-

sans in the world – represents a fusion of structural integrity and ornamental beauty. Each was meticulously adorned with intricate embellishments that added a nuanced complexity. The sparkling and iridescent surfaces were beautifully subtle yet gave weight to this elegant ambiance, acting as a futuristic skin, a hybrid of natural and artificial textures.

At Alaia, Mulier’s attention to craftsmanship was demonstrated through time-consuming procedures, such as the precise opaque-sheer splicing of leather and fabric strips, providing a touch of textural surface that emulated fur but was wool threads.

“This collection is about simplicity and purity, less meaning more — about intimacy. It is a decision, a choice, not to

ALAIA

ALAIA

ALAIA

minimize but to focus on expanding possibilities; all the clothes include “a single yarn” sourced from Merino wool and then reinvented by our Atelier for over a year”.

Valentino’s Spring/Summer 2024 Haute Couture runway presentation captivated the audience with a passionate homage to love, showcasing the enduring elegance of roses. Clothing was “decorated” with beautiful 3-D florals, evoking a whimsical and romantic atmosphere and turning the rosette from a simple ornament to a representation of sophistication and refinement. Feather details breathed life into the opening silhouette, creating an air of otherworldly grace. These ethereal elements were a narrative of delicate beauty and intricate craftsmanship – placing chiffon ruffles on a silver embroidered camisole dress or presenting a dramatic cloak in sparkling textural surfaces – “demonstrated that the ultimate luxury is the art of crafting truly remarkable clothes, each a testament to the skill and dedication of the artisan’s hand”.

FENDI

FENDI

FENDI

VALENTINO

VALENTINO

VALENTINO

VALENTINO

Giambattista Valli’s collection bloomed with its romantic essence. Roses, meticulously appliquéd, transformed garments into whimsical, floral spectacles, blurring the lines between fashion and fantasy.

Beyond these highlights, other designers also embraced unique textural elements. Dior’s carefully crafted swanlike feather embellishments on the asymmetrical bustier were embroidered with a Chardon Herisse motif and cream goose feathers or another, set with crocheted field flowers

and twine or a dress set with embroidered trellises of flowers in lacquered raffia, horsehair lace, and embroidered with a gradient of feathers – texturally mesmerizing.

Schiaparelli’s otherworldly creations came with over-embroidered guipure laces and hand-cut chenille fringe intertwined with modern motifs like motherboard patterns and microchip embellishments or silver sequins, crystals, rhinestones and tassels – ethereally cocooning and hugging the

body.

With their diverse and imaginative approach to textures, this season’s collections showcased the innovative textural weaves that became Haute Couture’s Artisanal fantasy.

They echoed a movement towards more sculptural, form-defining designs, where traditional tailoring techniques met contemporary artistic expressions –wearable art that challenges inspires, and captivates.

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

CHRISTIAN DIOR CHRISTIAN DIOR

CHRISTIAN DIOR

CHRISTIAN DIOR

SCHIAPARELLI

SCHIAPARELLI

STEPHANE ROLLAND

STEPHANE ROLLAND

STEPHANE ROLLAND

METAL

THE

GREAT

DEBATE

WHEN THE MARKET SUPPORTS EITHER SQUARE FOOTAGE OR AMENITIES BUT NOT BOTH, WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

DANA ROMITA REAL ESTATE CONTRIBUTOR @danaromita

WHAT IS SPACE? HOW DOES IT IMPACT OUR DECISION MAKING, OUR BEHAVIOR, OUR MOODS? FOR SOME, OWNING LARGE SPACES REPRESENTS ACHIEVEMENT, SUCCESS. FOR OTHERS, LIVING IN THE SIMPLE, ELEGANCE OF A SMALL SPACE CAN DEFINE THE SAME.

After location and design, real estate is about space. Space, size and square footage vary in importance to each person; everyone prizes a different amenity or aspect of Manhattan living. I consider space to be an amenity. The definition of ‘amenity’ is ‘a desirable or useful feature

or facility of a building or place’.

I prioritize space over an indoor pool or a private screening room, but a preponderance of clients in the current market will forego square footage in exchange for the golf simulator, private dining room, or padel court. Overall, in the NYC market, new development condos will have smaller floorplates and less closet space than most pre-war co-ops within a similar price range. Though the pre-war co-ops lack the luxury communal amenity spaces by which most new development projects differentiate themselves.

Current market buyers primarily desire new, or newly renovated. After eight to 10 years, a renovation is considered old or more accurately, it has lost value within the realm of newly renovated properties, particularly in the condo world. Renovations tend to hold value a little longer in co-ops, because there are fewer

recently renovated co-ops. Generally, a buyer realizes greater value in a pre-war co-op for the same price as a new condo. The co-op will not have the shimmering new amenities (amenities as defined in new condo terms), but it will have the amenity I most prize: space.

I observe and contemplate the way people respond to space. I will enter a sparsely furnished, large open room and feel cold and lost, while my client exclaims, “How elegant and perfect!” This continuing education aspect of my career is something I love and from which I gain energy – the constant study of human behavior. What brings some people comfort may have an opposing effect on others. The way each of us responds to a space is almost as individual as our fingerprints. Someone sees floor-to-ceiling windows and believes that the access to this broad expanse is a priceless luxury that brings them joy. I feel over-exposed to the elements and to others; I crave the

option to shelter myself and create my own environment, detached from the one that Mother Nature and the big city are presenting at that moment.

Furnishings distinguish a space, more than we often comprehend. The Italian aesthetic is popular now – curvi-linear, low to the ground, statement-making and imposing in size. A few sexy, elegant pieces carefully placed in a space. My sophisticated luxury clients are enthralled, while I might mistakenly reveal, “This is big furniture… you could create multiple seating areas with smaller pieces and interesting spaces. And so much room for bookshelves!”

With such comments, I like to think that I reveal myself as being from another era, rather than out of style. Bookshelves

are where I can place my precious, copious book collection, my photo albums and my mementos. A memento by any other name… knickknacks, clutter, junk, an elegant hoard

But even those closest to me consider my memento collection cluttered and unnecessary. I consider these folks a little unenlightened, even though I love them dearly. That ‘clutter,’ for which I need space gives structure to the quilt of my life still under construction. I supposed I did not need to save every Valentine that each of my children, who are both in their 20s, received from their classmates since kindergarten with the attached heart shaped lollipops or 20-year-old boxes of Conversation Hearts. But my mementos are items that represent a

moment of my life; surrounding myself with them brings me comfort, happiness, reminds me of how full and rich my life has been thus far. I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit during my birthday month of March. My birthday is March 15th, the Ides of March – tough day for Julius Caesar, but thankfully more fortuitous for me. I, like most of us, become a little introspective and retrospective with the passing of each year.

What are we giving up when we give up space? We lose the place to put things, to move around, options of where to physically plant ourselves. We lose the ability to accumulate items. But inhabiting a smaller area is not all about loss or sacrifice. We gain freedom, freedom from worrying about our stuff, from

maintaining the large space – we become lighter, less fettered.

This topic has also been very poignant to me lately, as I have been spending the last few months sorting through the things that I have accumulated over 25-plus years. This has been in preparation to move from a house to an apartment – giving up some space. As I went through stacks of the diner placemats that my children had colored every time we went for breakfast, I culled down the collection. The emotional wild ride that accompanied this process was unanticipated – joy, tears, loneliness, a sense of loss, pride, uncertainty, excitement for the future, and a subtle sense of fear.

How will I adjust to apartment living? Where will I put all my stuff? Yes, I have

been a ‘stuff’ person for most of my life. Why? That could probably be an entire book or years of profitable work for a therapist, but I have answered that question for myself in a good enough way for me to move forward to life’s next chapter. Our stuff takes up space; space, which in Manhattan, can be so precious, but our stuff can be precious, too. There is something basically human about feeling connected to our past by an item. And yes, it is the recollections and the people, not the things that matter. I know this is true, but I still struggle letting go of the little things that connect me to these memories, little things that take up space. I think about this; I am tireless in my search for self-awareness and understanding. And I understand

and accept that I am scared. I worry that without these items, I may lose some of the memories. Maybe there isn’t enough square footage in my mind to keep them all – maybe my brain is more of a new development condo: practical, sleek and efficient rather than roomy, filled with interesting spaces and many deep closets to keep all the beautiful memories with which I have been blessed.

Yes, of course, I have already rented an industrial-size storage space, the keys to which my children will receive upon my demise.

MANSION OF THE MONTH

76 CLIFF ROAD

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

KIWI LUXURY

$9,161,491 USD / $14,750,000 NZD

MANSION OF THE MONTH

RKIWI LUXURY

76 CLIFF ROAD, TORBAY, AUCKLAND

EDEFINING LUXURY ON A GRAND SCALE, THIS ICONIC ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL DELIVERS.

OCCUPYING A VAST 3850SQM OCEANFRONT LANDHOLDING DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE UNIMPEDED 270-DEGREE OCEAN PANORAMA FROM WHANGAPARAOA ALL THE WAY TO THE BEAUTIFUL SILHOUETTE OF RANGITOTO ISLAND, THIS IS THE EPITOME OF ARTFUL LIVING.

Private and secure, the expansive 550 square-meter Spanish limestone clad concrete and masonry residence has been designed by esteemed architects Fearon Hay to maximize the Hauraki Gulf views through extensive glazing while providing shelter and seclusion.

Natural light bathes the super-sized entertainer’s open plan living space anchored by the exquisite kitchen with new Nero Marquina island bench, Poggenpohl cabinetry, premium Gaggenau and Sub Zero appliances. The scale and form of the living areas are simply breath-taking with double height

ceiling which creates a true sense of space and grandeur.

Double height glazing with sliding glass panels ensures an uninterrupted connection to the panorama and the exterior hosting terraces where you can follow the sun and appreciate the exceptional private position. A heated 25m lap pool cast to the edge of the elevated stone terrace impresses with its extensive water horizon.

Sleeping accommodations are thoughtfully arranged for privacy and tranquility and include a guest suite with

BEDROOMS 4 | BATHROOMS 3 FULL AND 1 PARTIAL | INTERIOR 5,920 SQ FT. | EXTERIOR 0.95 ACRE(S)

kitchenette. Each bathroom is stunning and unique in design, sporting Boffi and Ritmonio tapware.

As you would expect of a property of this caliber, only the most exceptional amenities have been selected. A Rotex

system provides endless hot water for the home, basalt floors and pool. The home also comes equipped with a temperature-controlled 1400+ bottle wine cellar and triple internal garaging.

There is no need to fight traffic to head

to a beach when this resort-style estate is circa 20 minutes from Westhaven Marina and has beaches on its doorstep - Ladder Bay is a two-minute walk, while Long Bay and Waiake Beach are also a stroll away. This is an unsurpassed lifestyle masterpiece.

MANSION OF THE MONTH

Set high above the iconic St. Jean Beach, Villa Neo is an award-winning six-bedroom estate offering panoramic vistas and unparalleled luxury. Ideal for extended families or gatherings of friends, this two-level masterpiece showcases an expansive main-level deck boasting outdoor living spaces, a movie screen, and one of the island's largest pools—a sprawling 108-foot oasis, complete with an overflowing Jacuzzi.

Villa Neo is fully air-conditioned and thoughtfully designed. The first floor hosts

two kitchens, one of which is a chef's dream, a spacious living room, a media room, and a dazzling entertainment room. Two bedrooms, including one of the premiere suites, open onto the deck, while a third enjoys a tranquil garden view. An elegant glass staircase leads to the upper level, home to an office, an additional premier suite and two connecting guest bedrooms with ocean views and private terraces. Each of the six bedrooms boasts a beautifully appointed en-suite bath, with soaking tubs and generous dressing rooms in the premier suites.

Additional features include a fitness room, hammam, ample parking, and an elevator servicing both floors. Enjoy state-of-theart technology, including Home Assistant control via iPad.

This incredible villa is conveniently located just minutes from the beach, shopping and restaurants and can only truly be appreciated in person. Villa Neo is your gateway to a lifestyle of sophistication and serenity, offering the epitome of luxury living in the heart of St. Barthélemy's paradise.

Located in Agni, Ayline is situated just a brief stroll from the picturesque bay and its famous beachfront restaurants. The villa showcases a unique blend of Corfiot and Venetian architectural influences fused with modern aesthetics. Two distinctive features are the windows that amplify the panoramic views and the stone used on the façade and exterior walls, which was sourced directly from the property’s grounds. Each stone was meticulously hand-shaped by a skilled craftsman and fitted together like pieces of an intricate puzzle.

Ayline is on two levels and the living spaces are enhanced by exquisite interior design featuring contemporary French and Italian furnishings.

Initially planned for nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms, the property has been modified and currently consists of six exceptionally comfortable and impeccably designed bedrooms. The remaining three rooms have been repurposed to meet various needs. One of the rooms now serves as a spacious office with its own private entrance, offering panoramic views of the surroundings. Another room has been transformed into a gym, with stunning sea vistas and lastly, the third room serves as an additional office or library area.

On the lower ground floor, you’ll be captivated by the artistic atmosphere of the dual-purpose space—a dynamic art gallery meticulously designed to replicate a museum ambiance, allowing for the effortless rotation and change of exhibited art. At the push of a button, the room turns into a cutting-edge home cinema featuring state-of-the-art

audio-visual systems for a cinematic experience rivaling that of a professional theater.

The spacious living/dining area and kitchen, with large, sleek-framed windows and soaring beamed ceilings, is filled with abundant natural light, openness, and airiness. All these spaces provide access to the outdoor areas and the pool.

This beautiful property has direct access to the sea via a private jetty. Imagine being able to step out of your home and have the coastal waters just a few steps away.

Ayline is surrounded by an expansive Mediterranean garden unveiling a wide variety of flora, including over 50 olive trees and more than 100 diverse species of flowers, shrubs, and trees such as fig, pistachio, pine, pomegranate, jacaranda, lemon, orange, robinia, and kumquat. The abundant stone terracing across the property provides delightful outdoor living spaces. The pool area features 285sqm of terraces, some of which is covered by automatic bioclimatic pergolas. These areas provide an ideal relaxation and open-air dining setting while immersing in the picturesque views.

The infinity pool, strategically situated, gives the illusion of merging as one with the sea offering a sense of infinite space. Steps from the pool area lead first to a yoga and meditation spot with a panoramic sea view, followed by a waterside deck designed for sunbeds and access to the boat jetty.

OA Crash Course in Wine

WILLIAM SMITH @willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & CONTRIBUTOR

NE OF THE THINGS I AM ASKED ABOUT FREQUENTLY IS HOW I LEARNED ABOUT WINE AND, BY EXTENSION, PEOPLE CONSISTENTLY WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY, TOO, CAN BECOME MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WINE. THE TRUTH IS, IT IS LIKE ANY OTHER TYPE OF LEARNING AND JUST DIVING IN AND UNLEASHING YOUR CREATIVE AND INQUISITIVE SIDES ARE THE STARTING POINTS.

One of the drawbacks – rather consistently – is that there is a lot of arrogance and intimidation that too often accom-

panies those who “know about wine.” I was once at a wine dinner and the gentleman who arranged for the wines that evening had taken to the microphone and was asking for feedback on one of the wines. I shared that I got notes of tar – which, by the way, is a profile I like – and that it was interesting because these were Spanish Rioja wines and not Italian wines wherein tar is more commonly encountered. He audibly scoffed at my comment. Not only was it boorish in form, but it failed to recognize that we all have different palates and that my experience of a wine is, well, my experience.

This persistence of snobbishness isn’t helpful to an industry losing consumers at an alarming rate. According to the trade group Organisation for Vine and Wine, there was a six percent decline in wine consumption between 2017 and 2022, and that percentage continues to climb. And so, if your own journey into

learning about wine encounters one of those folks whose knowledge about wine is marked by rigidity and authoritarian certitude, feel free to move your merry self along and find a more humble and thoughtful oenophile ambassador. And as I have learned in my own journey, there are many of them, eager to share and learn with you.

Learning about wine and expanding your horizons can and should be marked by joy and there are so many opportunities to learn, explore, and engage. This month, I’m providing a few suggestions that can lead you further down the path of appreciating wine and becoming an ambassador yourself for bringing others into the wine fold.

ONLINE LEARNING

The options for online learning about wine are endless and there are offerings for everyone – from beginner to ad-

In Search of Solace Become a Wine Snob without being Snobby

vanced. What is even better is that many are self-paced and can be done according to your own schedule.

NAPA VALLEY WINE ACADEMY

The Napa Valley Wine Academy (https:// napavalleywineacademy.com) feels like the Ivy League of online wine education. Founded in 2011, there are dozens of course offerings, including all four levels of the Wine Education & Spirits Trust’s (WSET) qualifications program. The philosophy with which Napa Valley Wine Academy engages their work is laudable, “We’re premier, not pretentious. We design our programs for students, not snobs. We know wines are complex but believe wine education should be approachable and fun.” Amen.

They offer both Wine 101 and 201, perfect for those starting out. They also offer region-specific courses, on places like Oregon, Argentina, and Italy. Two region-specific courses are completely free – one on the Wines of Georgia (the country, not the U.S. state) and a second covering wines of the Rhone Valley.

WINE ENTHUSIAST ACADEMY

While you can take the WSET courses online from many companies, I am a

fan of Marshall Tilden, who is head of the Wine Enthusiast Academy (https:// wineenthusiastacademy.com) and from whom I have learned a great deal.

He writes frequently for Wine Enthusiast on topics as practical as how best to remove the capsule on a bottle of wine to more nuanced pieces like how to tell whether a Bordeaux is from the Right or Left Bank.

He brings this same depth of knowledge to online offerings of WSET Levels 1 (for true beginners) and 2. Plus, taking the course through Wine Enthusiast Academy includes a year-long subscription to the digital version of Wine Enthusiast, as well as a 10 percent discount for purchases on the website.

THE WINE SOCIETY

If you are one of those learners who prefers to read independently and eschews more interactive types of online learning like webinars and Zooms, then the United Kingdom-based, The Wine Society (https://www.thewinesociety. com), may be for you. Technically a merchant site, the open-source availability of content provides a wealth of great reading for every level of wine aficionado.

Navigate to the site and under the header of “Events & Expertise,” you will find more than 100 “Expertise” articles that will satiate the hungry mind. Further, they offer “Regional Guides” that cover the top wine-producing regions of the world. They are fantastic primers, and many include links to great food-pairing recipes. The guide for Austrian wines, for example, covers the major grapes and regions of the country, but I also found myself pleasantly distracted by the link to recipes for potato salad and schnitzel.

WINE REGION TRADE GROUP SITES

Whenever I am researching, I also seek out the Web sites of organizations that promote the wines of a country or a region. After all, these sites are specifically set up to educate consumers about wines from a specific place, and of course, encourage you to actually buy and consume them.

For example, some of my favorites sites to which I return again and again are Wines of Portugal (https://winesofportugal.com), Wines of Chile (https:// www.winesofchile.org), and Rioja Wine (https://riojawine.com). These sites, and others like them, allow you to virtually

immerse yourself in the history and viniculture of a place and, thankfully, the sites are often quite dynamic and visually engaging.

REAL WORLD LEARNING

Of course, nothing quite beats real-world learning and getting out and into places and engaging with people who can help expand your knowledge about wines. And while a planned trip to Sonoma, Bordeaux, or any other major wine growing region may be ideal, there are plenty of other avenues to attain some real-world learning.

LOCAL WINE TASTINGS

The weekend I was writing this particular wine feature, I also attended three different wine tastings at local wine shops that collectively covered the Languedoc, Alsace and New Mexico. In the span of a few hours, I tasted close to two dozen wines, listened to the experts pouring, engaged fellow wine lovers in

conversation, and learned a ton. I’m still salivating over that Pinot Blanc from Alsace and producer Trimbach, a wine I would have likely never tasted had I not ventured out.

Of course, not everyone may live in a place with such a bounty of availability, but it’s worth researching to find out. There are also many mega retailers, like Total Wine, that are frequently holding wine tastings inside the store, especially on weekends.

LOCAL WINERIES

There are wineries everywhere, and in areas that are not best-known for wine production, better wines are being produced with increasing fervor. Venture to these places and explore. I can recall that two decades ago, few wines of note were being produced in Virginia. But it was in tasting and exploring various iterations of Cabernet Franc at several wineries in the area that I became a lifelong devotee

of well-crafted and profoundly unique Northern Virginia Cab Francs. I ventured out…and you should, too.

WINE EVENTS

Across the globe, events are held that celebrate and bring the world of wine to a community near you. Where else can you taste and enjoy so many wines from so many places and all in one place? Nowhere and that is why these events have proliferated.

Whether you are a novice when it comes to wine or someone who wants to deepen your knowledge of a place or a varietal, make it fun. Ignore the wine snobs. Explore far and wide and across lots of price points. Take advantage of the avalanche of learning that is available online. Taste and talk with friends and family. Find your favorites and then explore within them. It’s a journey of lifelong learning. Enjoy it.

As always, Salud!

ALIGN WITH YOUR

SPIRITUALITY FAITH QUESTIONS GROWTH · FOCUS

THE CELESTIAL MANDATE FOR A RADICAL TRANSFORMATION IN DEVOTIONAL LIVING

TRANSFORMING HOPELESSNESS INTO

TRUTH & INSPIRATION

AThere is no greater beauty than a woman who is true to her celestial duty. It is through the very sight of an awakened one that we remember who we are and why to this Earth we have chosen to come. The pursuit of happiness is not an easy endeavor, as Spirit calls upon us all to surrender that which kept us asunder.

AMRITLAL SAINI SPIRITUALITY CONTRIBUTOR @monarch_visionary

NTONIO GUTERRES, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS SAID, “PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS HALF-HEARTEDNESS, OF THIS SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS. PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING MORE. PERHAPS, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR LIFETIME, THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF MAKING ALL PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD FEEL VULNERABLE AT THE SAME TIME, CREATING A STRONG SENSE OF INTER-CONNECTEDNESS. THEY ARE DEMANDING LEADERSHIP THAT RISES TO THIS CHALLENGE.”

ACCEPTANCE OF A HIGHER MISSION

In August 2023, in sacred commune with my spiritual guide, Aelita Leto, a burden of worry was released from her chest, as she pierced into my soul and expressed, “These fires in Lahaini are unbearable: the destruction, the rampage, the disempowerment of the Indigenous culture… What can we do to protect the Earth and support those robbed of their worth?” Immediately, I thought of the Ancient Earth Elementals, who have remained dormant with humanity’s devolved consciousness, and I responded, “We must inspire the people to accept their ancient power - to embody their roles, as returned souls.”

Aelita Leto quickly examined my astrological chart, “This is the age you rise into your role as a general.” As we reviewed the demons of my lineages, I could clearly see the triumphs and celestial support that had guided me to this

moment. As a much grandeur view into my prophetic destiny of service surfaced into focus, bestowed by the loving eyes of my teacher, I realized my power as an artist and a spiritual alchemist.

Many are clearly aware of the overwhelming sense of oppression spreading as the battle for Mother Earth’s sovereignty comes to a climax. Global citizens of Earth’s developed nations have lost faith in their civilized government officials, in their medical institutions and educational prisons.

As a collective species, we are healing from the colonial indoctrination practices of our greed-driven ancestors, and, there is no doubt, that as the veil of separation dissolves, the alchemized pain of our interconnected hearts shall unravel such profound radiance to propel us into the light of our becoming. Mother Earth’s celestial heartbeat shall orchestrate our Solar-Heart DiamondBody Ascension, as we each uphold our calling.

YOUR PURPOSE

IN SYNC WITH YOUR VIBE

RENEWAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT EXPLORATION · ENERGY

Triggered and herded into toxic behaviors that incite disease and chaos amongst humanity, the tribes of man have grown wiser, and the wisdom of our ancestors is naturally unraveling to serve our souls’ highest development.

The Inner Evolution - that is the Love Revolution - is radiating out from within our vital organs, revealing the demons that have blinded us, evolving our collective senses to perceive our cosmic potential.

What tools are there to unleash our fire? What lessons can be learned from past survivors? How do we reclaim our power as we overcome the struggles of changing our old ways? How do we invoke the spirit within to most gloriously dissolve the chains that keep our heart’s power at bay?

As messengers awaken to the calling and Guardians rise in service of the fallen, the ever-blossoming radiance of our collective purpose shall serve as the magnetizing field that illumines a path from within our very own hearts’ focus. In the year of the Dragon, as we reclaim our Divine Birthrights, we must evolve in how we express ourselves. As leaders of New Earth, we must turn inward for hope as our medicine for spiritual rebirth.

CONVICTION IN SELF WORTH

“Every ghetto, every city, and suburban place I’ve been, make me recall my days in a New Jerusalem.” – Lauryn Hill

Through music and prose, artists awaken

souls to a truth hidden, yet, so powerfully enlightening, that though it may not be seen fully, it inspires an opening of the senses to that which is pure and holy – the Absolute Truth that is our sacred divinity birthing. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and those mused with the gift to inspire the masses must learn to honor this sacred energy.

Every child is endowed with a deep sense of soul. The greater the suffering of our origins, the more powerful is the organic will to transform our environment, to emotionally alchemize our cultural darkness into the light that sources our unified becoming. To ignore the call is to wither away in a sense of undeservingness.

Whether through music, art, yoga or the martial arts, as Starseed children, we naturally attract opportunities to develop our spiritual senses through the law of future service, and through developed conviction of our sense of connectedness to higher power, we master the keys to our shackles as our ability to transform our own incarnated shame and hopeless, catapult us into the attention and fame of those searching.

Yet, so for many, the power blinds us of our initial quest for peace across the Earth. Our gifts are abused or abandoned. We are taught that our success requires a never-ending sense of superiority and competition, whereby our accumulated material attachment and developed bigotries gradually rob us of

TRANSFORMING HOPELESSNESS INTO TRUTH AND INSPIRATION

our sense of connection to the infinite, hardening our hearts, and severing our connection to our Inner Power. We become deranged, once again, by the cultural poisoning that skews our higher sense of discernment.

Many are led to believe that authorities hold sovereignty, that the misled can solve our own growing pains. As our sense of emptiness grows heavier, by our own dis-empowering transgressions, we soon realize that we must take back control of how we allow our lives to flow.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was launched at the turn of the century, as the collective sense was rumbling with anticipation for an evolution in female empowerment. A profound statement of independence by the 22-year-old artist, who was seeding the ascending legacy of

spiritual legend, Bob Marley, the transfiguration of Lauryn Hill continues to inspire millions.

“Every time I got hurt, every time I was disappointed, every time I learned, I just wrote a song,” she channeled her emotions into a divinely inspired invocation for justice and liberation, whereby mastering a conceptual confluence of the three most powerful musical ideas in all of African-American expression: hip hop, Motown-era soul and reggae.

Pouring her love into the world, she birthed herself a divine goddess. In 1998 and 1999 Hill grossed $40 million from royalties, advances, touring, merchandising and other revenues, and earned international superstar status that soon beckoned her onto Hollywood’s A list and invitations to roles in future

blockbusters.

A mother now, deep down, she sensed the power of her image, and refused to allow herself to be used as a source for manipulation upon budding female generations. At the cost of filling the world with distractions and false ideals that would lead young women further down, Lauryn Hill refused the potential for material wealth to redeem her sense of self.

At the core of all heart’s pain lies a misperception of what we have to gain. For those who truly shine fully, are yet to be seen by eyes skewed downwardly. Overcoming the tendency to behave for attention requires a powerful conviction in the power of our highest expression, even at the cost of disappointing the unfocused wills of the masses. Through alignment with the rapturous will of the cosmos, we rise, unpuppeted by commercialized eyes.

Last November, in Los Angeles on her tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of her debut album, Hill addressed her constant lateness proclaiming: “Yo, y’all lucky I make it on this blood ras stage every night. I don’t do it because they let me do it. I do it because I stand here in the name of God, and I do it. God is the one who allows me to do it, who surrounded me with family and community when there was no support.”

As empaths and artists, we absorb the pain of the world, and without a deep sense of conviction in self, the weight of the spotlight, and the pressure of our mission can be so overbearing that it collapses our nervous systems.

We thrive as we give ourselves permission to build our lives inspired to burn what’s been buried inside, demanding the respect to express ourselves, as we alchemize into art that inspires the emancipation of countless minds.

TRANSFORMING HOPELESSNESS INTO TRUTH AND INSPIRATION

MASTER EMOTIONAL ALCHEMY

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:2 NIV

Angels incarnated, it is the mission of artists to soften the perception of the overwhelming darkness, so that fear no longer depletes our will, but rather spurs the fire of compassion to spark our ancestral memory, invoking the Universal power from which our spiritual gifts of service manifest, naturally.

With each thought that we generate blame, we surrender, in this moment, our strength to change; while, also transferring power to those who keep us spiritually enchained.

As we ascend, celestially, we no longer view those who misuse their power as threats, but as misguided children, lost of their true sense. As our vital force is reclaimed, we can recondition ourselves through empowering rituals that unravel our conditioned, toxic ways.

Between 3:30 and 5 a.m., Brahma Murtha, the time of the creator in Sanskrit, is the last segment before sunrise, during this transitional phase the veil is open for the cosmic symphony to inspire life’s natural bio-rhythms and celestial guidance may be received. Meditative focus during this time grants spiritual access to the divine orchestration of life’s natural order, unadulterated by the chaotic, lower vibratory frequencies of most modern society.

As artists, activists and innovators, driven to raise the vibration of the planet while rediscovering ourselves, initiating our day by honoring our oath of service elevates our timeline trajectory, separating us from the incited mass chaos to

instill hope, productivity and creativity - Faith.

Recognizing fear, and other toxic emotions, as energies held within our organ system, through transcendental meditative practices, we can alchemize these lower frequencies within us, transforming feelings of disempowerment, hopelessness, victimization, shame and guilt, into a new sense of existence, which, perhaps, have not even been yet experienced, allowing artists to birth a new world of sense existence, through our focused intentions.

REALIZE YOUR COSMIC LOVE SONG

Seeded within us each is a cosmic rose blossoming, evolving in intelligence as it eases its own pain, drawing upon the elements for nourishment and inspiration. Understanding that the Universal cosmic plan is natural unfolding within each and every one of us, we naturally surrender our pain in realization of this magical Garden of Golden Hearts, beating as one. Shifting our focus, our narrative transforms, and the profoundly mystical joy of intuitively unraveling each and every one of our own pedals delivers us into attunement with our Higher Self.

Available online are the NASA Voyager recorded Symphonies of the Planets. Meditating upon the music of our living Solar System provides tremendous comfort to the constant tugging upon our minds, for our natural sense of cosmic awe to awaken our Interstellar beingness. Deep meditative awareness upon the celestial symphonies invites the unwinding of our chakra lotus petals for the ascension of the inner fire to release our sweet, regenerative nectar, Amrta in Sanskrit.

Tuning our awareness to the life-giving frequencies of the planetary system,

the toroidal field of the chakras can expand for a sense from relief from the constant attacked of EMF and negative thought-field frequencies. Unraveling our chakras as they vibrate up the spinal cord, from our sacral bone to our pineal gland, allows for the Kundalini fire of purification to reestablish our celestial pillar, the sushumna channel in Vedic teachings or Taji pole in Traditional Chinese Medicine, that bridges our seed soul to our Star Soul origins, and allows for communion with our ancestors across realms.

From a state of profound relaxation and ease, profound emotions of gratitude and appreciation override the reptilian limbic system, the emotional part of the brain that houses emotions such as fear, arousal, loneliness, and lower-evolved desires. As dark energies as flushed from the amygdala, the nervous system can be cleansed of the flight-or-fright response.

Furthermore, as the lower vibrations of fear are cleansed from the brain, our heart’s intuition can guide and direct our soul song into expression, from which we can draw strength and spiritual empowerment. Each embodied with the spiritual Tree of Life, we each hold an utmost duty to heal ourselves and one another, crystallizing Mother Earth with our highest spiritual service – our gift to Self.

Who are you, truly, without a purpose that fulfills you? Trends come and go, but our celestial mission is eternal. Only by delivering our spiritual gifts, can we stop playing ourselves as less than what has been divinely encoded within.

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON AND THE RAPTURE OF THE KUNDALINI

The year 2024 represents the year of the Wood Dragon, wherein a surge of transformative cosmic vital energies, pouring through the rooting system of humanity, are magnetizing us with Earth’s elemental Chi force to unveiling our celestial Star System missions and origins. The year 2024 is an invitation to harness the cosmic force of the Kundalini Rainbow Serpent energy as we abundantly unite in transformative impact and service.

As the Kundalini energy moves through our own nervous systems, it comes as a shock at first. As this powerful energy ascends through the emotional knots of the spinal cord, education is critical to one’s health and development as this divine magnetization is uprooting, though liberating, to one’s entire life conditioning.

A powerful, ancient, unstoppable force, the Kundalini energy dismantles one’s mental perception of reality. Symptoms include depression, bi-polar tendencies, schizophrenia, loneliness, and an upheaval of toxic emotional patterns that have enslaved family systems. As psychic gifts are becoming activated, a deep questioning for truth, and yearning for higher-dimensional expression lead to existential turmoil and disillusion.

Intense anxiety and panic attacks are most commonly experienced, as the rush of energy to the heart creates a love supernova that wrestles with the mind’s twisted perceptions, disturbing the

balance of the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems. Endless surrender to the power within, an artform within itself, facilitates the passage and expansion of the Kundalini energy allowing the brain to be freed of lower vibratory 3-D energies, for a new world of potential service to blossom forth.

Chasing the Dragon, or attempting to radically expediate the process, as is done with drugs and psychedelics is not recommended, unless training with experienced Shamans, as this is a powerful mystical process that is divinely orchestrated to inspire permanent positive evolutionary transformation. Attempting to force this evolutionary process, may lead to serious and fatal health effects, including cancer and heart complications and negative dark entity manipulation.

A healthy, constructive goal is to slow down and accept the blessed purge by embracing the primordial fire, allowing the mythical evolution of one’s ascended awareness to build a foundation for the I AM presence. Practices such as Kriya and Kundalini Yoga support the natural clearing of channels, while traditional yoga support the body’s innate adaptive and regenerative capacities.

The cosmic fire of the Kundalini energy removes all obstacles to liberation from within one’s slave-mind programming, by clearing the auric debris from within the inner Taji Pole, or

Sushumna channel, which serve as an etheric crystal portal to the soul’s star origins. Gradually, as the soul’s etheric blueprint unfolds, you begin to remember yourself as one returned.

As the Kundalini Dragon energy cleanses the organ system of toxic, poisonous emotions, it is critical for the restructuring of the nervous system, and reconditioning of the mind, to reconnect with the ever-flowing abundance of chi within Mother Earth’s ecosystem, allowing for the natural evolution of the Inner Kingdom, one’s evolved spiritual awareness of Self. Practicing Qigong, Tai Chi, or simply meditation and singing mantras, in Nature, will raise attunement to resonance of Mother Earth’s planetary vibration, her Planetary Logos, her spirit.

Tuning into the resonance of nature and her ever-guiding elemental forces, we can begin to remember ourselves as the Awakened Ones, rebuilding our auric holographic multi-dimensional aspects to be free of fear, worry and apprehension of the uncertain. Water is essential to life, and a powerful conduct of the planetary lifeforce, particularly within her oceans. Connecting with the magnetism of nutrient-rich living bodies of water has undeniably profound healing effects on the nervous system and detoxification benefits, as well as barefoot grounding with the Earth’s soil.

By harnessing the Kundalini magnetism, in the year of

the Wood Dragon, to resurrect our purpose through the process of self-realization, we manifest opportunities to bridge our realized spiritual gifts in a collective impetus to support the harmonization of humanity’s genetic code as well as the reactivation of Earth’s StarGates.

As the collective sense of self evolves, so too does our awareness of Mother Earth’s highest potential for spiritual activation and interconnection with the intergalactic portals, disabled during the Age of Darkness and Ignorance. Are you ready to fully Awaken the bliss of interstellar consciousness? Are you already beginning to receive your StarCode activations?

The year of the Wood Dragon represents a global unification of Awakened Starseed leaders, collaborating on a mystical front to serve our highest Rainbow Light emanation. Through our imaginative capacity to re-envision ourselves, opportunities to bridge beyond the lower densities of 3-D reality, support us in birthing the Divine Feminine Consciousness to resurrect Mother Earth’s planetary shield.

In May, international Feng Shui Consultant and Priestess Aelita Leto and I will be holding a complimentary educational, scientific webinar, demystifying the Kundalini Shakti energy as we further illustrate how to Harness the Year of the Dragon in 2024.

MOLD YOUR MIND

"THE MENTAL BREAK THROUGH" NOW ON SPOTIFY

BECOMING MORE MINDFUL PRACTICING INTENTIONALITY

COACH JOEY VELEZ MENTAL WELLNESS CONTRIBUTOR @velezmentalperformance

APHRASE MY FATHER USED A LOT GROWING

UP WAS, “SHOULDA, WOULDA, COULDA.” HE OFTEN SAID THIS PHRASE TO ME AFTER I MADE A COMMENT ALONG THE LINES OF, “I SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER.” I NEVER QUITE UNDERSTOOD WHY HE SAID THAT, BUT EVEN MORE SO, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW SAYING THINGS LIKE, “I SHOULD HAVE DONE X, Y OR Z” HAD AN IMPACT ON ME.

Personal expectations are a common theme in our lives, but sometimes we don’t even notice them hovering. Expectations are defined as beliefs about what an experience should be, needs to be or what is expected of oneself. How you respond to expectations may seem motivational on the surface, but in fact, they can actually also be a form of working out distress. When you say something “should” happen and it does not, imagine what that may do to your expectations the next time around. If

you thought there was pressure before, it’s now compounded into the future.

The reason expectations can be dangerous is because they create an outcome-oriented mindset. While nobody wants to lose, and we all want to perform our best; saying, “We should win,” not only increases pressure in that moment, but also leaves you with little mental room for deviation of those expectations. To achieve our desired results, it is more valuable to focus on the process of what it takes to achieve those expectations than it is to become fixated on the actual expectations themselves.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

With all this in mind, the next section is a practical but brief introduction into helpful mindful movements. When it comes to our bodies, we either take them for granted or feel we must push so far beyond our limits that we end up doing more damage.

Part of mindfulness is accepting our bodies’ limitations and being more intentional as opposed to going through the motions. So, take a moment for yourself today to go through a stretching routine to release tension and, at the same time, to build self-awareness of your body. You only have one body. Let’s make it count and take care of it the best way we can.

MINDFUL MOVEMENTS

The purpose of mindful movements is to complete basic body movements, like stretching and yoga poses, in a more relaxed state. The intent for doing this exercise is to develop greater awareness of yourself and your body, while also becoming conscious of your body’s limitations, and allowing yourself to sit in that experience to become more accepting of what those limits are.

Come to a table-top position on the ground, with your hands and knees in contact with the ground beneath you. As you inhale, drop your belly downward as you arch your back, sticking your tailbone up toward the sky. As you exhale, round your spine and press the mat away with the palms of your hands as you drop your head and tuck the tailbone.

Repeat this movement for three cycles of breath while paying attention to the sensations as your body moves. As best as you can, try to maintain awareness of your breathing during each inhale and exhale, allowing the breath to guide you.

Next, come back to a neutral spine position and extend your right arm out to the side as you inhale. Notice the muscles in the shoulders and arm that engage to allow this motion. As you exhale, thread your arm underneath you, bringing your right shoulder and right cheek to the mat. Make sure your

THOUGHTS MATTER

hips stay lifted and are not resting on the heels of your feet.

Take three deep breaths and feel the sensations of this stretch. Notice the contact between your shoulder and cheek against the ground. Notice any construction that may be present in the belly, and as best as you can, release any tightness with each exhale. Gently rise back up and repeat this movement on the other side, bring the left shoulder and left cheek to the mat. Take three deep breaths in this position and notice any sensations.

Now, come to a seated position and stretch your legs out in front of you, making sure your toes are flexed and pointed to the sky. As you inhale, lift

your arms up overhead, lengthening through your spine. As you exhale, hinge forward from the hips to fold over your legs into a forward bend not to touch your toes, but to release the hamstrings.

You may not need to stretch very far to feel this release. When you experience tightness in your hamstrings or lower back, there is no need to push beyond those boundaries, simply listen to your body and do what is right in this moment.

Slowly roll up and bring your soles of your feet together with your knees out to the side. Take a deep inhale as you find length in the spine. As you exhale, twist your body to the right, bringing your left

hand to the outside of your right knee and your right hand behind you. Relax your shoulders and allow the head and neck to be a natural continuation of the spine.

Again, there is no need to push beyond your boundaries, simply come back to the center and continue this process to the left. Return back to center and take a deep inhale as you lengthen your spine. As you exhale, fold forward and think of opening your heart toward your feet, keeping the spine long without rounding. Notice a slight hinging in the hips as you feel the stretch in your inner thighs. Breathe into the stretch and slowly shift back up into a neutral position.