Polo Lifestyles-Haiti May-June 2024: The Fresh Face of Monaco

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 - Hispaniola

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 of Alexandre Grimaldi By Luc Braquet/Courtesy The Tatler

Content Copyright © Polo Lifestyles 2024 All Rights Reserved. For information or to advertise Contact marketing@pololifestyles.com Read online at www.pololifestyles.com On Instagram & Facebook @pololifestyles

A proud partner of Issuu, NZ Polo Open, U.S. Polo Assn., The Impression and Mixam

INANDA POLO CLUB

Nedbank International Polo Cup

Inanda Patrons Cup

Africa Polo Open

POLO DE PARIS

Tournoi de Printemps

Tournoi de la Ville de Paris

130 e Open de Paris

26 e Open de Dames

POLO CLUB DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY

Coupe PGH

Trophée Bourbon

Polo Nations Cup

COWDRAY PARK POLO CLUB

British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup

British Ladies Open Championship

POLO CLUB DE DEAUVILLE

Coupe D'Argent

Coupe D'Or

Coupe de Bronze

Ladies Polo Cup

GUARD'S POLO CLUB

Cartier Queen's Cup

Out-Sourcing Royal Windsor Cup

MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach World Championship

The fresh face of Monaco, page 88

A.I. that can literally poison you, page 108

This Hamptons' bus route boasts perks of a PJ, page 82

RH3 sets the standard for super-yachting, page 75

PARIS OLYMPICS BEYOND

IT STARTED AS AN INNOCENT TRIP TO TRADER JOE’S ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. WE’D WORKED HARD ON THIS ISSUE OF POLO LIFESTYLES ALL DAY AND I WANTED A COUPLE OF NICE STEAKS FOR DINNER, MAYBE SOME BROCCOLINI, TOO.

I found myself in an absolute traffic jam unusual for that time of the evening, but even-more unusual, the vast number of limos and stretch limo Hummers all trying to make a tough left turn into a parking lot. It dawned on me: prom night.

When I finally arrived at Trader Joe’s, it was as though the prom pre-party was in the parking lot, giving me a chance to peruse the 2024 prom fashion do’s and don’ts from behind my Ferragamo shades. I remembered the line from “The Devil Wears Prada,” that explained Miranda’s sunglasses and facial expressions combination when reviewing designers’ new collections: There’s only been one smile on record, and that was Tom Ford in 2001.

The more I looked, the more I was confused. Boys in sloppy, rented tuxes… Okay, fine; but the tennis shoes and patchy facial hair weren’t helping. Plus, every boy seemed to be sporting the same hair style of Shaggy in ScoobyDoo. I didn’t see one forehead! Where are the foreheads? I’d settle for a buzzcut on a couple of the ones with better bone structure. Every forehead was obscured with wavy, frizzy (over-washed), mousy-brown locks. Now the girls were fairing somewhat better, teetering in their heels, their dresses unfortunately already covered up by their dates’ jackets as temperatures started to dip quickly (shawls, girls, shawls!). The girls all seemed to have the same hairstyle as well (individuality anyone?), featuring a hard part down the middle, the same way that 26-year-olds playing 17-year-olds on HBO’s Europhia style their hair (for some reason, I thought the hair styles on Euphoria were part of the culty, cold-asice and oversexed storyline).

Anyway, I bought my filets and broccolini and came home and went to my bathroom and shook out my hair and parted it down the middle. I gasped because I looked like Wednesday Adams’ blond cousin. It was horrifying. I tried again, thinking that maybe the trick was to part it and tie it back. Nope. Then out of the blue, the Duchess of Sussex showed up in Wellington for polo rocking a middle part and somehow not looking like Wednesday Adams at all. Our cover story – The Duke and Duchess at Sentebale –and the cover photo feature Duchess Meghan’s strong middle part prominently and I wish more people were talking about it. That’s all*.

Best,

Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief josh@pololifestyles.com

Beyond first class is a class of one.

INNOVATION EXISTS PURELY TO SERVE YOUR COMFORT, SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE VIA MULTIPLE SENSES. A VIRTUAL VOICE ASSISTANT LISTENS TO SERVE YOU.

LIGHTING AND FRAGRANCE SUBTLY SOOTHE YOU.

The kiss that everyone was waiting for... at the conclusion of the Royal Salute Polo Challenge benefitting Sentebale

It seems yachts and boats are all the rage these days with luxury designers and we don't dare to complain

Mercedes-Benz has dropped the first totally electric G-Wagon

retro_ralph

Where there are boats, there will be a good time

rivieraequisports

Dressage and showjumping competitions, and eventing on the schedule for the Olympics in July

This festive llama should probably be printed at 30x40 inches and installed somewhere hilarious in your home or office

maserati

Just dreamy landscape and ponies for days

Polo photographer Katerina Morgan curates unique and collectible equestrian art

garcelle

The Duchess of Sussex' American Riviera products landed in select mailboxes in April espnpolo

When the temperatures soar, we like our Champagne ice-cold

Summer views are loading... and loading... and loading

A spicier threesome never existedBridgerton season three coming soon

Click and comment on our choices... Tag @pololifestyles . We will share noteworthy comments with you next month. A little friendly competition between father,

of

is glam in this summertime hot-spot to see and be-seen

Get into your whites and get on the field already

Taking care of our ponies behind the scenes at the winter's biggest polo spectacle, the Gauntlet of Polo Bubble-gum pink

Adolfo, and son, Poroto, at the Gauntlet

Polo

It was Cambiaso versus Cambiaso in the final of the U.S. Polo Open Championships in April

Royal Salute Miami Polo special edition sponsored Prince Harry's Sentebale fundraiser

NATIONAL POLO CENTER LA DOLFINA 10 / 7 VALIENTE

IN THE GAUNTLET OF POLO'S BEST OF THREE, LA DOLFINA CONQUERED THEIR FIRST AMERICAN SEASON WITH A U.S. OPEN VICTORY.

Concluding the most prestigious polo tournament in the United States, the U.S. Open Polo Championship, fans and polo enthusiasts filled a sold-out stadium at the National Polo Center

(NPC) on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One on Sunday, April 21. Reaching the apex of the Florida high-goal season, La Dolfina (Alejandro Aznar, Rufino Merlos, Poroto Cambiaso, Tomas Panelo) and Valiente (Adolfo Cambiaso, Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez Jr., Paco de Narvaez Jr., Joaquin “Pelo” Vilgre La Madrid) met in an anticipated third consecutive final to determine season supremacy.

Splitting the first two legs in the

Gauntlet of Polo, Valiente’s veteran leadership led to the storied organization’s sixth C.V. Whitney Cup title, while the second clash of the Cambiasos saw La Dolfina power their way to USPA Gold Cup victory. In a fitting finale to an impressive first season, the dynamic duo of Poroto Cambiaso and Panelo contributed nine goals, dominating the pivotal sixth chukker to secure La Dolfina’s historic U.S. Open Polo Championship triumph 10-7 and

U.S. POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

NATIONAL POLO CLUB

$100,000 in prize money.

In a rematch of the C.V. Whitney Cup semifinals, La Dolfina eliminated Coca-Cola (Gillian Johnston, Kristos “Keko” Magrini*, Pablo “Polito” Pieres, Victorino “Torito” Ruiz Jorba) to carry a dominant 5-0 record into the coveted final. The second semifinal featured veteran 10-goalers Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres meeting for their first contest of the season. Valiente managed to edge Pilot (Curtis Pilot, Antonio Heguy, Santiago Torres*, Facundo Pieres) and continue their bid for a third U.S. Open title.

Entering the finale with a tournament leading 30 goals, Panelo wasted no time getting La Dolfina on the scoreboard. Wearing the Number 1 jersey in a heartfelt tribute to injured team owner Bob Jornayvaz, Cambiaso sent a soaring Penalty 4 through the posts to seize Valiente’s first lead of the match early in the second chukker. Masterfully navigating traffic, Panelo would briefly tie

the tight contest once more. Following back-to-back goals from Valiente, Poroto Cambiaso hit his first of the match to bring La Dolfina back within one.

Gaining momentum in the third chukker, La Dolfina held Valiente to just one off the mallet of Gonzalez Jr., as a Poroto Cambiaso cutshot ended the high-flying first half deadlocked 5-all.

Displaying standout defense from both sides, a Penalty 2 from de Narvaez Jr. stood as the lone goal of the fourth chukker. La Dolfina’s formidable pair of Panelo and Poroto Cambiaso took control, ending the fifth chukker on a breakaway from Cambiaso to take a 7-6 lead into the final chukker. Reflecting on the power and synergy of his two teammates throughout the Gauntlet, Merlos expressed, “We worked really well together. Poroto and Tomy, they’re a 10-goal and a 9-goal pair, so definitely, the best players in the world for me. To be able to play with them is incredible [and] to win with them as well.”

Tied in the early stages of the sixth, the remainder of the chukker belonged to La Dolfina. Working in tandem to put Valiente on their heels, Poroto Cambiaso found an unmarked Panelo driving to goal. Flashing his own display of horsepower, Merlos added his name to the scoreboard on a brilliant pass from Poroto Cambiaso. “In the semifinals and today she really impressed me—Pony Cuñada, the one I scored the goal on,” said Merlos. Holding a two-goal lead with less than two minutes remaining, a breakaway allowed Panelo to escort the ball across the line, capping-off a phenomenal three-goal run to seal La Dolfina’s 10-7 triumph.

Earning his first U.S. Open title at just 17-years-old, an elated Merlos shared, “It’s something [I’ve] been dreaming about with my father [Agustin “Tincho” Merlos] for a really long time, putting the horses together and getting the opportunity to play and it happened! Getting to play with Tomy, Poroto and

Alejandro is definitely a dream come true.”

Leading Valiente with four conversions in the final, Paco de Narvaez Jr. showcased remarkable composure under pressure, earning the Seymour H. Knox Most Valuable Player award. In recognition of his stellar performance, he was presented with a vintage 1990 Rolex Datejust Reference 16234, graciously presented by Eric and Christine Wind of Wind Vintage.

Antu Walung Chavetita (Chavetita x Open Sensacion), a 9-year-old mare played and owned by Paco de Narvaez Jr. in the second and sixth chukkers was awarded the Willis Hartman Trophy Best Playing Pony, presented by Palm Beach Equine. “I played her mother and her grandmother, so it’s pretty special— she’s the third generation,” said Paco de Narvaez Sr. A staple in a string spanning two generations of polo players, de Narvaez Sr. continued, “She’s been in the U.S. the last three years. Paquito played her last year and this year, I played

her the year she arrived in the U.S.” Additionally, de Narvaez Jr. took home Best Playing String in the National Polo Center’s End of Season Horse Excellence Awards five days prior. The award recognizes an outstanding performance of an entire string throughout the Gauntlet.

Awarding a Best Playing Pony for each game of the U.S. Open for the third year in a row, the two organizations combined to earn seven ribbons prior to the final. Collecting three awards, La Dolfina’s selections included Baysur Lapita (Lapa x Millionario) played by Poroto Cambiaso and Dolfina Cucumelo (Dolfina Cuartetera Clone B06 x Aiken Cura Clone 01) and Dolfina Texas (Tejana x Dolfina Obelisco), played by Tomas Panelo. Collecting four recognitions, Valiente’s honors went to Carpacho (Machitos Alcaparra x Dolfina Cuarteto) and Tan Primadonna (Opereta x Livingston), played by Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez Jr., alongside Dolfina Maria (Duranzo x Celina) and J5 Arg Auna (Fax Cherokee x Dolfina Guitarrero), played by Adolfo Cambiaso.

In partnership with USPA Global Licensing, both finalists selected a charity of their choice to receive a $3,500 donation—La Dolfina contributing to Polo Players Support Group (PPSG) and Valiente selecting St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Raising the U.S. Open Polo

Championship trophy for the first time in his career, Panelo expressed, “[I’m] very happy for all the people who help make this possible. Grooms, farriers, all the people who [are] working behind the scenes—my family, my dad, my mom, my brothers, my girlfriend. I have a lot of people behind [me] that make my play comfortable.”

Keeping Jornayvaz and the bond shared between La Dolfina and Valiente at the forefront of his thoughts, Panelo continued, “This trophy is for him—he put his team in the final, and he has a lot of horses that our team has. They did something amazing with Adolfito and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

U.S. POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

NATIONAL POLO CLUB

U.S. POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

NATIONAL POLO CLUB

U.S. POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

NATIONAL POLO CLUB

THE DUKE & DUCHESS OF SUSSEX SPARKLE IN WELLINGTON

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CANDACE FERREIRA / STORY BY SHARON ROBB & JOSH JAKOBITZ

ROYAL SALUTE

POLO CHALLENGE

FERREIRA / STORY BY SHARON ROBB & JOSH JAKOBITZ

IN A STAR-STUDDED EVENT FEATURING THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX, GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB IN WELLINGTON, FLA., HOSTED THE ROYAL SALUTE POLO CHALLENGE IN SUPPORT OF SENTEBALE, A CHARITY CO-FOUNDED IN 2006 BY THE DUKE OF SUSSEX AND PRINCE SEEISO OF LESOTHO.

The Duchess of Sussex mingled with guests in attendance, including tennis star Serena Williams, and presented the trophy to the winning team. The couple’s presence in Wellington’s equestrian community sparked online chatter about his-and-hers Netflix specials potentially showcasing polo. There was no comment from the royal couple on the subject.

Instead, they provided the sparkle and chemistry the world has grown to not only love, but to expect, from the modern royal couple. After six years of marriage, headlines and a transatlantic relocation for security purposes, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can wow the people around them with a glance or moment of tenderness.

“Me,” mouthed Prince Harry to his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as she climbed up on the ceremonial podium and walked toward him with the trophy for a sweet, celebratory kiss at the conclusion of the match. The crowd swooned.

Royal Salute Sentebale (Dana Barnes, 0, Duke of Sussex, 1, Adolfo Cambiaso, 10, Malcolm Borwick, 5) won the round robin, 3-1, over Grand Champions (Louis Devaleix, 1, Grant Ganzi, 3, Nacho Figueras, 5, Hilario Figueras, 6) and Mesaru (Steve Cox, 0, Ivan Rubinich, 3, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Mohawed Julien

Ndao, 0) with the Duke of Sussex scoring a goal. Steve Cox was named Most Valuable Player. Nacho Figueras’ bay mare Yatay Sara Jessica was Best Playing Pony.

After the match, Prince Harry said, “Bringing together the polo community that has long supported the work of Sentebale is always a great experience. Today, we raised funds to support our local teams on the ground deliver life-changing programs. The Sentebale team’s commitment plays an essential role in the lives of children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana, offering them hope, education and the means to combat the complex social challenges they face including high unemployment, poverty and the impact of HIV/AIDS.”

The name, Sentebale, meaning “forget me not” in Sesotho, reflects its dedication to ensuring no child is overlooked or forgotten.

“We are grateful to all of the guests, sponsors and partners who came together today to support this important work, and of course a huge thank you to all the players for making today’s game possible,” Prince Harry added.

The pro-am polo charity match at Grand Champions and post-game dinner for

280 invited guests, hosted by the Ganzis at Santa Rita Polo Farm, highlighted the importance of the programs in Lesotho and Botswana affected by issues of health, unemployment, inequity and climate change and how the sport of polo can help promote the charity’s vital work.

The polo match, in combination with

other events from the week, including a dinner and panel at Zaytinya in South Beach, and Sotheby’s benefit auction, raised a total of $1 million for the organization.

ROYAL SALUTE

ROYAL SALUTE

POLO CHALLENGE

DINNER AT SANTA RITA POLO FARM TO BENEFIT SENTEBALE

AL HABTOOR APRIL LEAGUE

FOUR TEAMS BATTLED IT OUT AT THE AL HABTOOR POLO CLUB (AHPC) APRIL LEAGUE ON THE GROUNDS OF AHPC.

The subsidiary final of the AHPC League 2024 kicked off with an exhilarating match-up between PBSHesketh Polo and MOR-Ralph Stars Polo.

Raja Abuljebain of the latter team secured the initial goal, setting the pace for MOR-Ralph Stars Polo. Despite a valiant attempt by Tomas Palacios to level the score for his team, MOR-Ralph Stars Polo maintained their lead throughout the second chukker. Keita Nakazawa widened the gap by scoring the third goal for the leading team. PBS-Hesketh Polo saw a glimmer of hope when Kim Roche netted their first goal, breaking the scoring drought.

Despite PBS-Hesketh Polo’s concerted team effort, MOR-Ralph Stars Polo demonstrated unwavering resilience in their defensive maneuvers. Finally, their cohesive teamwork proved decisive, securing victory as the Subsidiary Final winners of the AHPC League 2024.

Match Progression: PBSHesketh Polo vs. MOR-Ralph Stars Polo 0-1 | 0-2 | 0-3 | 1-4

The final match between Habtoor Polo and MahraWolves Polo was a thrilling affair, filling the field with excitement. Habtoor Polo took the lead early, ending the first chukker with a 2-0 score, while Mahra-Wolves Polo struggled to score.

In the second chukker, Habtoor Al Habtoor scored first for Mahra-Wolves Polo with a penalty shot. However, Mohammed Al Habtoor quickly responded, securing the third goal for his team and maintaining their lead. The third chukker saw Mahra-Wolves Polo catching up, tying the score with Habtoor Polo as Habtoor Al Habtoor scored another goal, while Tariq Al Habtoor giving his team a 3-4 lead by the chukker’s end.

As the tension reached its peak, the final chukker concluded in a deadlock, necessitating an overtime period. However, even amidst this extended play, Habtoor Polo demonstrated resilience and determination. Ultimately, Mohammed Al Habtoor’s golden goal secured victory, thus clinching the title in the AHPC League 2024 final match.

Match Progression: Habtoor Polo vs. Mahra-Wolves Polo

2 – 0 | 3 - 2 | 3 – 4 | 4 – 4 | 5 – 4

AHPC APRIL LEAGUE

AHPC APRIL LEAGUE

AHPC APRIL LEAGUE

WRESTORATION HARDWARE SPLASHES INTO YACHTING

HEN IT COMES TO RETAIL, RH CEO GARY FRIEDMAN KNOWS A THING OR TWO – PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO SELLING UPMARKET HOMEWARES TO THE US MARKET. DROPPING OUT OF COLLEGE AT AGE 18, THE CHARISMATIC SAN FRANCISCAN BEGAN HIS 47YEAR CAREER AS A STOCK BOY AT GAP. HE QUICKLY BECAME THE BRAND’S YOUNGEST-EVER REGIONAL MANAGER, THANKS TO HIS KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL AND AN INNATE TALENT FOR SALES.

At 29, he was recruited by another big US firm, kitchenware and furnishings chain Williams-Sonoma, where he spent the next 13 years and helped to grow the business’s annual revenue from $300 million to $2.1 billion – thanks in part to his introduction of novel and interactive experiences on the shop floor (demonstration kitchens, for example, and tasting bars), which you’ll now find in department stores around the world.

In 2001, he left after being passed over for a promotion to CEO, and instead became CEO of the then-struggling chain Restoration Hardware, now known as RH, injecting a multi-million-dollar investment of his own cash in the process. Since then, he’s been on a mission to elevate RH from a company selling cheap trinkets and $2 card games to a global

luxury brand. Today, it sells everything from marble entry tables to works of art, with price points at thousands of dollars. And, the key to taking the brand even further, he believes, doesn’t lie in glossy billboards or prime-time Super Bowl slots – it’s in a breathtakingly beautiful superyacht.

The 38.7 meter explorer yacht RH Three to be exact, which the company bought in 2019 and firmly put the RH stamp on. A calling card for the brand’s design aesthetic and a landmark to gain the attention of wealthy clientele, the yacht is also a charter vessel in her own right. She hit the market soon after, operating in the Mediterranean in summer and the Bahamas in winter. Although, explained Friedman, it was a chance encounter that got things to this point.

“Quite frankly, I’d been invited on many boats before by many very wealthy people, and I’d never been on one that I thought was beautifully designed,” he says. “I always thought there was a lot of discord between the boat inside and out, and a lot of them looked too decorative, like Las Vegas.”

Then, a designer in Belgium who had been in the Med, saw that a yacht called RH3 was up for sale. “He emailed me and asked, ‘Are you selling a boat in the Mediterranean?’ I laughed and replied, ‘I don’t know anything about yachts; I’m not even very good at swimming!’” Friedman recalls, but the note had piqued his interest, and he soon found himself flicking through the listing. “I said, ‘Yeah, it looks like we could have [designed] that,’” he says.

Friedman kept tabs on the

yacht, visiting it with his design team in Sicily, and a year later presented the project to his board. Her good condition and fair price, he reasoned, meant they wouldn’t have to invest much financially to make an impact, and besides, “This wasn’t one of those white plastic boats you see in the harbor in Saint-Tropez, which are all the same. I liked that it was different.”

Once RH3 was acquired and renamed RH Three, the renovations were begun in earnest, although much of the original structure and design remained untouched. Built in 2003 by Turkish yard RMK Marine to a design by Vripack, the yacht had already been blessed with something of a transformation, thanks to a renovation by esteemed Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen in 2016. “He had taken this

boat to a certain level in a way that was extraordinary,” explains Friedman. “We didn’t change any of the bathrooms, they were incredible. We didn’t really change any of the staterooms apart from a bit of painting and new bedding, or the lighting either.” Besides, he’s keen to point out, the yacht isn’t a floating catalogue of what can be bought in RH stores. Rather, she represents the essence of RH quality and good design.

There were, however, some major adjustments – starting with the yacht’s exterior. Her hull was originally white and gray, whereas today it’s a dark, metallic Phantom Grey with a champagne metallic above. It was a controversial decision. “Everyone told us you can’t paint the boat metallic, it’ll look bad, it’ll be too reflective,” remembers Friedman. “So we almost didn’t. And then right at the end we said, ‘You know what, the planes are painted metallic [the company had previously designed two Gulfstream

jets known as RH One and RH Two], and everyone told us that was a bad idea, and they look great.’ So, then we painted RH Three metallic, and now she’s the most beautiful boat in the harbor!”

Another move, according to Friedman, was changing the layout of the crew cabins, and downsizing the yacht’s five guest cabins to four in the process. “I went down into the crew quarters and I was in shock at the spaces the crew was kept in. I mean, two people in a room that was maybe a meter wide with 70-centimeter-wide bunks on top of each other? I can’t believe that’s much better than a prison cell, [I thought] it was crazy,” he says. “Everyone said ‘That’s just the way it is, don’t worry about that,’ and I said ‘Well, I do worry about that. We have a crew that we expect to give luxury service to our clients, but we’re not giving luxury service to them’.”

The crew then spent a week at RH’s California Center of Innovation and

Product Leadership, advising designers on what they needed and felt was important in their space. One of the five guest bedrooms then became the captain’s room, while the captain’s room became a spacious twin cabin, replacing one of the two bunk rooms that was previously for the stewardesses.

The upper deck was also transformed, from a space that was originally half lounge, half gym, to a single area with a bar and lounge space that extends outside, changing the white ceiling into a wooden one too. Initial plans to place a spa pool on the top deck were scuppered when the team realized how much extra this would cost in terms of stabilizing the boat with the extra weight on board, and the idea was replaced with a large fire pit and outdoor daybed to create a sunset terrace, while a new gym was created on the bow, with equipment

stylishly stashed out of sight.

Inside the saloon, a masculine palette of champagne lacquer, wire-brushed white oak, caramel Italian leather and charcoal velvet mirrors the colors of the yacht’s exterior, adding to the seamless effect of the design. And, there’s a less is more approach to styling, with items like individ-

ual photographs, carefully curated shelves and an extensive spirits bar taking center stage over a more maximalist approach.

Friedman has been on board of late to iron out any last-minute kinks. “I don’t get any freebies,” he laughs, “I have to pay full price, and I’ve chartered the yacht three times now. One was last winter,

and then I chartered this summer, one week in Saint-Tropez and one week in Ibiza.” Like many owners, he’s enjoyed the intimacy of spending time with friends on board, while having plenty of private space to retreat to – not to mention the joy of a good night’s sleep in the way that only a yacht can deliver.

THE LUXURY BUS SERVICE THAT RIVALS PRIVATE AVIATION AMENITIES

AN UNEXPECTED, LUXURY ALTERNATIVE TO PRIVATE & PRICIER HELICOPTER ROUTES

HELICOPTER CHARTERING COMPANY BLADE IS LAUNCHING A NEW LUXURY BUS SERVICE BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND THE HAMPTONS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CHEAP BUS JOURNEYS AND ITS PRICEY HELICOPTER FLIGHTS.

Part of the appeal of its helicopter service is its nearly 40-minute journey time, which costs around $1,050.

But while the company’s luxury bus still has to obey traffic rules, it aims to offer guests a more premium experience to

distract them from the longer journey time.

It will be like an in-flight service rather than a traditional bus. Passengers will be able to press a call button to have staff bring them complimentary refreshments, including espresso martinis and Sweetgreen salads, as well as hot towels and cashmere blankets, The New York Times reported.

“This level of service is commensurate to what you would see in private aviation,” Roisin Branch, Blade’s chief marketing officer, told the outlet.

It comes at a price, though: the cheapest one-way seats start at $195 for the

double-row seat and go up to $275 for a single-row seat, Bloomberg reported.

The 19-seat buses are a partnership between Blade and The Jet, a luxury coach company. The Jet also runs a service between New York City and Washington, DC which promises a similarly high level of service as the latest collaboration — including comfortable seats, extra legroom, and high-quality WiFi.

Blade aims to capture the market of people who don’t want to charter a helicopter but are happy to pay more than the mainstream bus fare. The popular Hampton Jitney bus costs around $40 when booked ahead of time.

The new luxury bus service promises fewer stops and only picks up New Yorkers going to the Hamptons in Hudson Yards — one of the city’s most expensive neighborhoods.

In 2022, Blade had to bump up the price of its helicopter trips to the East Hamptons after new airport regulations

limited the company to one trip a day, Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal previously said in interviews. The regulations were made in response to thousands of complaints from local residents over the noise pollution from helicopters.

The company — whose early investors included former Google CEO Eric Schmidt,

Warner Brothers CEO David Zaslav, and IAC chairman Barry Diller — has staved off competition in the field. It reported $225 million in revenue in 2023; over 50 percent of that was earned from the medical side of its business, which air transports human organs for transplant.

ALEXANDRE GRIMALDI

MEET THE FRESH FACE OF MONACO AS PRINCE ALBERT CELEBRATES HIS 66TH BIRTHDAY, ALEXANDRE GRIMALDI, HIS ELDEST SON, REFLECTS ON HIS ROYAL ROOTS, GROWING UP IN KNIGHTSBRIDGE AND GOING PUBLIC

HE’S THE GRANDSON OF GRACE KELLY, THE ELDEST SON OF PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO, AND FOR 20 YEARS HE HAS KEPT HIS LIFE PRIVATE.

A butler approaches a quiet table at the Four Seasons hotel in downtown New York, where a prospective resident of the city is talking about his father. He can tell my tablemate is special – the pristine cream outfit, the beautifully twisted braids, the gentle poise that denotes power – and can’t help but cut in. ‘So are you an actor or a musician or...?’ ‘No, I’m not,’ the young man responds in a voice so soft you have to lean in to hear. ‘Where are you from?’ the butler persists. ‘Monaco,’ replies Alexandre Grimaldi, with graceful finality.

It’s a moment of high comedy. With royal composure and Hollywood looks, Alexandre – Alex, really – is the fresh face of the House of Grimaldi: the son of Prince Albert II of Monaco and his

former secret girlfriend, Nicole Coste; grandson of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly. At 20 years old, gently fist-bumping friends in the lobby, he is a very modern Monegasque ambassador. And now, sitting forward in Nike Air Forces and a Y-3 tracksuit for his first solo interview, he’s ready to talk.

Buckle up: we’re on the precipice of the Alexandre Grimaldi era. Alexandre is going public now because his eyes are set on a business partnership with his father. ‘[I aspire to] work in a relationship with my dad and become this – let’s say – global ambassador for Monaco, and to bring business opportunities back to Monaco, which is what I’ve talked about with him.’

Here in Tribeca – the hooting, tooting antithesis of Monte Carlo – Alexandre was living in the Four Seasons while scoping out apartments (he moved to New York from London after this interview) and attending New York Fashion Week: a Chanel party in Williamsburg; a Dior event in Brooklyn; a Tommy

Hilfiger brunch in Tribeca; and Naomi Campbell’s Pretty Little Thing show at the Cipriani.

Making friends is in the Grimaldi blood, and Alexandre is capitalizing on the doors Prince Albert has opened for him: ‘Everyone’s been very nice to me.’ Take Campbell, who dated Albert in the early 1990s. ‘It was great to meet her. She was really open and kind of embraced me as like… a nephew,’ says Alexandre. ‘She gave me a bit of advice: just to be careful with anyone looking after me, especially since I’m coming out to the public.’ The invitation came through Pretty Little Thing founder Umar Kamani, whom Alexandre met with Albert in July. And Tommy Hilfiger? ‘He’s quite friendly with my dad. They watched the Grand Prix in Monaco together about 20 years ago.’

Dior and Chanel, too, have partnerships with the principality. ‘I relate to elegance,’ says Alexandre in his creamy English accent. ‘I love Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy. The big French houses. There’s a cultural connection which I

admire.’ A$AP Rocky and the basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are his style icons, and his most treasured piece of clothing is a pair of Off-White jeans designed by the late Virgil Abloh. ‘They have graphic angels in heaven. I’m a religious man. I like to go to church – I am Catholic – and to have that represented in fashion was quite nice.’ But don’t expect Alexandre to be strutting down the catwalk as a model: he has already turned down agency offers.

You get the distinct impression he’s being road-tested among friends as a public Monegasque figure. It’s an evolution you might hardly believe possible if you’d seen the past two decades of headlines branding him ‘illegitimate’. Alexandre recently responded to the word that has dogged him since before he could read, telling Point de Vue magazine its use is ‘insulting’. He didn’t mince his words: ‘Neither of my parents were married and neither committed adultery … My father claimed me voluntarily when I was a baby, not because a judge or the press forced him to.’

Still, Alexandre entered the world on August 24, 2003 quietly, in Paris. His mother, Togo-born flight attendant Nicole Coste, had met Prince Albert on a flight in 1997 and they’d engaged in a secret five-year relationship. It wasn’t until May 2005, two months after Albert became the monarch of Monaco, that Alexandre’s parentage was made public by Coste in a Paris Match interview. It was a scandal: Albert, already known as the playboy prince, was now certifiably so. Six days before his enthronement in July that year, Albert publicly confirmed that Alexandre was his son, though he would not be heir to the throne as Albert and Nicole had never married.

Then came another revelation in 2006. Albert laid public claim to another secret Grimaldi child: Jazmin, who had been born in Palm Springs in 1992. Albert had met her mother, Tamara Rotolo, on holiday in the Côte d’Azur in 1991.

Nicole and Alexandre got on with their lives, living (together with two sons from her previous relationship) in the prince’s apartment in Paris, with an allowance.

When Alexandre was a child, they moved to the South of France, New York and Geneva, and ultimately settled in Knightsbridge 13 years ago.

A lot has been made of Nicole versus Charlene Wittstock, the Olympic swimmer Albert married in 2010. He and Charlene first met in 2000 and they made their public debut as a couple at the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Their twins, Jacques and Gabriella – Alexandre’s half-siblings – were born in 2014, but there has been turbulence. Rumors of an overlap in the relationships; Nicole’s claims that Alexandre was moved to the staff wing of the Palace ahead of the royal wedding; Albert’s ‘furious’ response in Point de Vue. And now, as the mystery surrounding Charlene’s frequent absences from Monaco intensifies, Nicole is stepping into the limelight, attending official events, such as the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Rewild the Planet gala, glamorous in a fuchsia ballgown.

A Daily Mail headline read: ‘Is Prince Albert’s former mistress edging into the gap left by absent Princess Charlene?’ Or is it simply a complicated family just trying to make things work?

Alexandre seems to have escaped without a complex. ‘It was easy because I wasn’t too much in the public eye. It hasn’t affected me that much. Now it’s definitely going to become interesting, being more public and showing my face more, and being tied in with my family.’ Indeed, Alexandre’s blended family has allowed him to be part of two worlds, ‘especially, with my mum being French-African and my dad being Monegasque. I’ve had the pleasure of being brought up in two cultures and having that be part of my identity.’

Growing up without the weight of being heir on his shoulders, under the care of his attentive, God-abiding mother, has given Alexandre a degree of normality. ‘I really liked growing up with my brothers and my mum takes really good care of me. I couldn’t ask for more,’ he says. A close bond with his siblings – Coste’s two elder sons and Jazmin Grimaldi, now an actress in Los Angeles – seems to root

him. ‘We are all very close…We actually have a text message group. We’re having arguments about who’s better: Erling Haaland or Mbappé. My sister’s more Team Mbappé, but it’s more Haaland on the boys’ side. I like both.’ And Jacques and Gabriella? ‘The little ones are too young to have a phone, so it’ll take them a few years,’ he laughs.

Over 13 years, Alexandre has become part of the fabric of London, attending a private school (which he won’t name for security reasons), playing sports and taking tea at Harry’s. He loves Nobu on Old Park Lane and Chiltern Firehouse. ‘My drink order is either a Mexican Mule or Moscow Mule. I go quite often with friends on a Thursday or Friday night.’ For dates? ‘Maybe bowling, then a walk to either a very good steak house or Zuma, followed by drinks.’ Rap and R’n’B get him on the dancefloor – his favorite artist is Kendrick Lamar – but for studying (he’s attended Royal Holloway for the past year), classical music helps him focus.

Christmases and New Years have often been spent with his mother’s side of the family at Eden Rock in St-Barth. ‘It’s one of my favorite places: I really like the island vibe, I love the sun,’ he says. ‘I went to Togo [recently] to visit my mum’s home country, which is a place that I really enjoy. I’d love to do charity there.’ And summers? They have long been spent in Monaco, dipping into royal life with his dad: playing volleyball and padel, watching movies (Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained is a favorite) and celebrating birthdays. When it comes to sports, naturally, former Winter Olympian Albert is ‘more competitive’, says Alexandre. ‘It starts off as a bit of a laugh, but once the score gets close it turns a lot more serious and less comedy is involved.’ For the record, all seems well behind palace doors. ‘With my dad it’s good, we’re starting to see each other a lot more. During the holiday season, we are spending a lot of time together. It’s a very good relationship.’

In those balmy months, you might find Alexandre at Hôtel de Paris, dining at Le Grill and drinking at the Le Bar Américain. During the Grand Prix, it’s

ALEXANDRE GRIMALDI

ALEXANDRE GRIMALDI

the Tag Heuer boat party, followed by drinks at Sass Cafe and dancing with the glitterati at Jimmy’z. That’s also where Alexandre celebrated his 20th birthday this summer, after a private dinner at Coya: ‘My sister came, my father ][was there and other family members. Jimmy’z is a lot of fun; it feels like home. The way I celebrated was very special for me, having a lot of people that care about me.’ He also makes time to see his godmother (and aunt), the glamorous Princess Stéphanie. ‘She’s a lot of fun: very funny, very down to earth,’ says Alexandre. ‘I am quite close to her. In the past few years,

we’ve had dinners and lunches together to celebrate my birthday with my cousins. She’s been there for me as a godmother and an aunt.’

The aura of the grandmother he never met lingers: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. ‘I’ve seen a couple of her Hitchcock movies, my favorite being Dial M for Murder. We [Jazmin and I] talk about her a lot, because of the things we’re currently doing – especially Jazmin, as she’s sort of following in our grandmother’s footsteps in Hollywood. We always talk about that and about how she

wants to continue her legacy.’

Now, though, he’s sweeping off to either NYU or Fordham to study business or international relations. ‘I feel I’ve outgrown [London]. Coming to New York is better for me to grow as a person, to be independent. This is the first time I’m moving out by myself. My mum understands that it’s necessary. Even though I’m her last child and she has that feeling that the last one’s leaving, she understands that it’s important for me to be independent.’

His apartment search is centered around

SoHo, which he loves for its cool shops and restaurants. ‘Even the streets are nice: there is always energy there.’ Come January, you might find him eating at Wolfgang Puck’s Cut inside the Four Seasons, or Cipriani. Downtime will be spent playing sports and at the gym. ‘It’s very important to keep a good rhythm of life and stay healthy. I primarily [like] football and basketball. Tennis as well.’ Expect to see Alexandre in the NBA crowd soon: his team of eight years is the Memphis Grizzlies. And he has plans to venture over the bridge. ‘I would like to start working more on giving back. We’ve been talking to the Boys and Girls Club in Brooklyn about potentially doing charity work with them. I’d love to do that.’

His apartment search is centered around SoHo, which he loves for its cool shops and restaurants. ‘Even the streets are nice: there is always energy there.’ Come January, you might find him eating at Wolfgang Puck’s Cut inside the Four Seasons, or Cipriani. Downtime will be spent playing sports and at the gym. ‘It’s

very important to keep a good rhythm of life and stay healthy. I primarily [like] football and basketball. Tennis as well.’ Expect to see Alexandre in the NBA crowd soon: his team of eight years is the Memphis Grizzlies. And he has plans to venture over the bridge. ‘I would like to start working more on giving back. We’ve been talking to the Boys and Girls Club in Brooklyn about potentially doing charity work with them. I’d love to do that.’

An ambassador, a philanthropist, the son of a prince. Before all the Blair Waldorfs charge Vivier-heel-first for Bleecker Street, there’s one thing they should know about this most eligible bachelor. There’s a girl: ‘It’s going very well. We met in Monaco, I’m moving to New York, she’s already moving to New York.’ Whoever she is, she’s got a catch. Aside from the looks, aside from the royal blood, there is a kindness that emanates from Alexandre. ‘I’m very loyal and outspoken,’ he says. ‘I like to be honest with my friends as much as I can, to be there for them, to tell them the truth. Loyalty is a

big thing for me.’ He looks for much the same in a girlfriend: ‘Loyalty and honesty. Caring as well, and understanding.’

Looking forward, his focus seems crystal clear: ‘Finishing my studies, working with charities, trying to make an impact on those less privileged than I am. As well as working in a relationship with Monaco, with my dad. I’ve got a good plan, so I’m really happy about that.’ As for the pressure of having royal blood? ‘Since I’m part of this establishment, there is a natural pressure that comes with it. But any additional pressure? No, not really. I think I just have to do my job and honor my heritage and my family in a respectable way. But I consider myself to be very respectable and very kind, so I think I will do justice to my name.’ With total grace, you can count on it.

WHERE TO FIND BILLIONAIRES 365 DAYS A YEAR

THERE ARE EXACTLY 2,640 BILLIONAIRES IN THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO FORBES. THAT’S ABOUT 0.00003% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION.

Despite their scarcity, these billionaires are surprisingly easy to find. After all, birds of a feather — especially those of a small brood — flock their private jets together. At the start of the year, they descend en masse on Davos. In July, they fly to Sun Valley. In December, their yachts anchor in St. Barth.

Here’s where billionaires mingle, wheel and deal, and relax, and how you can join them — for a small price, of course.

JANUARY: DAVOS

After billionaires shake off their New Year’s Eve hangovers, many make their way to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in

Davos to attend lavish dinners, hit the slopes, and discuss the global problem du jour.

The official event is invite-only and costs tens of thousands per ticket. But those who want to rub shoulders with attendees — think Bill Gates, Marc Benioff, and Mark Zuckerberg — aren’t completely barred from the Alpine resort.

Many of Davos’ luxury hotels, like the Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère and AlpenGold, are closed to the public, so you’d be better off renting an apartment. Those don’t come cheap, though. Local outlets reported that rentals went for 10-times their typical prices last year. One apartment with two double beds and a pull-out sofa cost nearly $27,500 to rent for the five nights of the conference. And good luck finding food. With most of the restaurants booked up for conference events, you may be left paying $43 for a hot dog.

NFL teams are among the most popular toys of the ultra-rich: Walmart’s Rob Walton has the Broncos, hedge fund manager David Tepper owns the Panthers, real estate tycoon Stanley Kroenke boasts the Rams, Jerry Jones controls the Cowboys, and so on.

So it’s no surprise that a number of billionaires flock to the sport’s biggest game every year, though Super Bowl weekend as a billionaire involves more than just wings and great commercials.

Host committees and travel agencies have curated luxury experiences for the richest football fans that cost six figures and include chartered jets, five-star accommodations, and access to the field after the game. Suites for this season’s game in Las Vegas are going for up to $3 million on rental platform Suite Luxury Group.

There are also the private parties, known for their superstar performers — in some

FEBRUARY: USA’S SUPER BOWL

MONACO BOAT SHOW

cases, ones particularly familiar with billionaires. Last year, DJ D-Sol, also known as Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, reportedly spun a set at a party attended by billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Apollo co-founder Josh Harris.

MARCH: HONG KONG’S ART BASEL

Last year marked the grand reopening of Hong Kong’s Art Basel after a three-year coronavirus hiatus. Wealthy Chinese carpooled together in private jets to the fair, Bloomberg reported, and spent millions adding to their collections.

In a savvy scheduling maneuver, the 2023 art fair coincided with the Wealth for Good summit. The conference, a push to get more family offices to set up in the city, counted billionaires like Yahoo

cofounder Jerry Yang, Sequoia Capital China’s Neil Shen, and local real estate magnate Adam Kwok as its attendees.

Artsy clocked more than a dozen seven-figure sales at the art fair, including work like George Condo›s «Purple Compression» and Kazuo Shiraga’s “Kisan,” which sold for $4.75 million and $5 million, respectively. One of the fair’s most famous sales came in 2018, when Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold Willem de Kooning’s “Untitled XII, 1975” for $35 million to a private collector.

APRIL: THE MASTERS TOURNAMENT

Forget Easter. The first signs of spring mean one thing for billionaires: golf.

Each year, the Masters Tournament kicks

off the run of major professional golf championships at Augusta National. The famously exclusive club in Georgia — it didn’t allow women to join until 2012 — counts a number of billionaires as members.

Pals Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, as well as Warren Stephens, David Ziff, and Stanley Druckenmiller, belong to the club, Bloomberg reported in 2015.

Each year, hundreds of private aircraft land at the airports around Augusta, according to information from the aircraft-tracking website JetSpy.

Billionaires like former Nike CEO Phil Knight, hotelier Robert Rowling, and investor Herbert Allen Jr. all had planes touchdown for last year’s tournament, according to the Jetspy data. So did Tiger

THE MASTERS

Woods — the only billionaire winner of The Masters.

His victory means he is the proud owner of one of Augusta National’s iconic green jackets, which are only allotted to members and Masters winners.

The secretive club hasn’t ever spelled out its membership process, but it’s invite-only, and new members can only join when existing ones leave.

You can, though, spectate alongside some of the biggest names in business. Tickets for the Masters are available through a lottery system — or for as much as $10,000 on the secondary market.

MAY: CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Summer starts early for billionaires, who dock their yachts for the Cannes Film Festival at the end of May. While the event is technically reserved for industry professionals, per its website, the super-rich can, of course, pay to play. For them, the fete is as much an opportunity to get a first look at Oscar winners as it

is an opportunity to mingle with stars on La Croisette.

It was one of the first stops on Jeff Bezos’ 2023 grand debut tour of his $500 million superyacht Koru, which he disembarked to hit up the Vanity Fair party at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, a favorite venue of the very wealthy and those who court them. Other guests included A-listers Robert de Niro, Naomi Campbell, and Pedro Almodovar. In years past, the likes of David Geffen and Len Blavatnik have turned up at the same event.

Billionaires like François-Henri Pinault and the late Paul Allen have hosted their own parties at the film festival: The former throws the Kering Women in Motion Dinner each year, while the latter was known for his themed yacht parties.

JUNE: THE ROYAL ASCOT

While a number of billionaires spend June in the Hamptons or crisscrossing the Mediterranean, some prefer to spend it on dryer land. The headline billionaires

at the Royal Ascot — an annual horse race held about 25 miles outside London — are, unsurprisingly, the members of the British royal family.

But many other members of the three comma club, and their hats, are in attendance. The rich crowd is different from the one at a typical F1 Grand Prix, and some billionaire horse owners — like Chanel’s Alain and Gerard Wertheimer; the shipping scions of the Niarchos family; Tetra Pak heiress Kirsten Rausing; and construction magnate Anthony Bamford — have even had skin in the game.

For over 200 years, the Royal Ascot has been open to the public — about 300,000 people attend the five-day event — but don’t expect to get anywhere near the rich and famous. Joining the Royal Enclosure requires a special application process, including having two sponsors. Plus, there’s a strict dress code — no spaghetti straps or bow ties allowed — and kids under 10 years old are not allowed.

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

JULY: ALLEN & COMPANY SUN VALLEY CONFERENCE

Every July, private jets descend on the small town of Hailey, Idaho, for the summer counterpart to Davos: the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference — also known as billionaire summer camp.

Since 1983, boutique investment bank Allen & Co — its president, Herbert Allen, is a billionaire himself — has hosted the event, which attracts the biggest and richest names in business, including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett, and Rupert Murdoch.

The conference has become known for the deals struck in between rounds of golf, guided hikes, whitewater rafting, and tennis matches. It›s where Jeff Bezos snagged The Washington Post for $250 million in 2013 and where the seed for Disney›s $19 billion acquisition of ABC were planted in 1995.

The vacation-cum-business-meeting is invite-only and pretty much restricted to

masters of the universe dressed in vests and quarter-zips — as well as their entourages. Security is strict, with even the press walled off from most of the wheeling and dealing.

But when the conference is not in session, you, too, can stay at the Sun Valley Lodge, the homebase of the retreat that offers a year-round ice skating rink, a luxe spa, and pool with a view of the mountains. The most basic rooms cost upwards of $500 a night over the summer, and suites go for upwards of $1,500. But don’t feel too bad for the billionaires, Allen & Co foots the bill.

AUGUST: BURNING MAN (BELIEVE IT, OR NOT)

On its face, Burning Man — the anti-capitalist art and music festival in the Nevada desert — doesn’t really seem like an event for billionaires. But the richest people in the world don’t seem to care about whether or not they’re wanted.

Since the 1990s, attending Burning Man

has become a sort of status symbol of the tech elite. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are longtime Burners — the festival inspired the very first Google Doodle — as is Eric Schmidt, who they chose to be Google’s CEO.

Facebook co-founders Dustin Moskowitz and Mark Zuckerberg, and Uber cofounder Garrett Camp have also attended. Even Ray Dalio, the billionaire hedge fund manager, wanted to see what all the hype was about, sporting some psychedelic bell bottoms and joining the party in 2019.

The experiences of many celebrities and billionaires on the Playa lean less into the «decommodification» and «leave no trace» principles of the festival and more into the «immediacy» one — as in instant gratification. They take charter planes into Black Rock City’s pop-up airport, a temporary runway constructed for the occasion; travel around in tricked-out art cars (basically fancy golf carts); and forego rustic tents for more fancy camps, complete with furniture, air-condition-

SUN VALLEY CONFERENCE

ing, and personal chefs who charge six-figures for their services.

All of this may be why there was a hefty dose of schadenfreude when Burning Man went underwater, quite literally, in 2023.

SEPTEMBER: MONACO YACHT SHOW

There are yachts, and then there are the superyachts — and those are aplenty at the Monaco Yacht Show in Monte Carlo, where billionaires gather at the end of the summer to scope out their new toys. (There are also, technically, megayachts, but for plebeian purposes, they are one and the same.)

The 100-plus boats on display have an average length of 165 feet, and feature elevators, bars, spas, pools, gyms, hot tubs, and helipads — sometimes more than one. Jet skis and submersibles are popular add-ons.

In the past, yachts owned by billionaires like Paul Allen, Steve Wynn, and Pier Luigi Loro Piana have been exhibited at the show — with some available for sale or to charter. The event also used to be a favorite of opulent Russian oligarchs, though sanctions have prevented them from attending for the past couple of years.

If you’re looking to peruse boats — or maybe meet a billionaire who will invite you on theirs — you’re in luck: The Monaco Yacht Show is open to the public for the small price of 600 Euros, or $640, a day.

OCTOBER: THE FRIEZE ART FAIR

The Frieze Art Fair, held annually in London, draws the rich — and the staff of the rich — from around the world looking to add very expensive contemporary art to their collections. (For those who prefer pre 21st century art, there’s the nearby Frieze Masters.)

In years past, collectors like Point72’s Steve Cohen, Diamond titan Laurence Graff, and the wife of hedge fund legend Louis Bacon, Gabrielle, have all been

ART BASEL HONG KONG

spotted. While exactly which works these patrons have bought tend to be kept under wraps, pieces go for millions of dollars each year.

While anyone can buy tickets to the fair itself — this year for as low as £46, or $57 — the fetes surrounding Frieze Week are a more surefire place to spot a billionaire — or their younger, edgier heirs. A look at party snaps from the last few years show Gordon Getty’s granddaughter Ivy Getty, Cohen’s daughter Sophia, and Roger Penske’s granddaughter Sophia mingling with art-world celebrities, and possibly looking for some six-figure works of art to add to their starter collections.

NOVEMBER: LE BAL DES DEBUTANTES

Le Bal des Débutantes continues the centuries-long tradition of rich, famous women reminding society that they are, well, rich and famous.

The ball is invite-only, and no one, not even billionaires, can buy their way in — at least that’s what Ophélie Renouard, the founder of the ball’s current iteration, told Insider. Renouard handpicks the cohort of about 20 women each year, who go to Paris for a weekend of photoshoots, makeup and hair appointments, and traditional waltzes.

Past debutantes have included royalty like Princesses Hélène of Orléans and Akshita Bhanj Deo; children of Hollywood elite like Forest Whitaker›s daughters Autumn and True, and Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe›s daughter Ava; and, of course, the heiresses of billion dollar fortunes like Araminta Mellon, Kayla Rockefeller, Laila Blavatnik, and Amanda Hearst, usually with their very wealthy and very powerful parents in tow.

As is often the case for the rich — and rich nepo babies — things come free: The dance lessons, couture gowns, glam squads, and jewels are paid for.

DECEMBER: ST-BARTHS

Billionaires ring in the New Year seemingly anywhere but at home. And while Aspen and Maldives are popular choices for the wintering elite, there is perhaps nowhere with more billionaires-per-square foot during the holidays than St. Barth.

In years past, the Caribbean island, formally Saint-Barthélemy, has attracted yachts owned by the likes of David Geffen, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg, and Bernard Arnault for year-end festivities.

Hotspots like Nikki Beach, Eden Roc and Bagatelle are open until dawn with DJs, special entertainment, fireworks that never end and magnum after magnum of Champagne.

TIME FOR A SPRING TOUCH-UP?

Overhauling Made Easy with Morpheus8’s Revolutionary Contouring and Skin Rejuvenation Technologies

IN THE WORLD OF AESTHETIC MEDICINE, ADVANCEMENTS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING MADE TO PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS.

One such breakthrough is Morpheus8 by InMode, a technology that is transforming the field of facial contouring and skin rejuvenation more rapidly than the invention of mousse foundations. With its unique combination of applied science, Morpheus8 is quickly becoming the go-to treatment for individuals looking to improve their skin’s texture, tone, and overall appearance on the sly.

At the heart of Morpheus8’s success is the cutting-edge technology, which uses the duality of micro-needling and radiof-

requency (RF) energy to target deep layers of the skin. The administration of micro-needling involves the use of tiny needles to create micro-injuries in the skin, which then stimulates the body’s natural healing process and promotes the production of collagen and elastin. On the flip side, the usage of RF energy heats the deeper layers of the skin, further allowing that stimulation of collagen production, which produces the tightening of skin. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds, in one treatment?!

By combining these two technologies, Morpheus8 is able to deliver remarkable results that were previously only achievable through more invasive procedures. While Morpheus8’s micro-needles deliver the energy to the precise desired depth, this ensures that the administering professional can provide each patient with the maximum desired effectiveness and

extremely minimal discomfort or downtime. If you’ve ever had any exfoliation during a facial, the sensation is similar (and you can handle it.)

Dr. Alicia Olmoz, CEO and owner of Bellissima Medspa Aesthetics and Wellness Center has been utilizing this technology from its launch. Her practice, which is located in New Paltz, New York is a regular for clients that travel from both an international and multi-statewide radius to receive treatment. With one of the key benefits of Morpheus8 being versatility, the treatment can be customized to address a wide range of skin concerns. This includes fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, uneven skin tone, and the dreaded sagging skin. Whether used on its own or in conjunction with other treatments, Olmoz notes that Morpheus8 can help patients achieve smoother, firmer, and more youthful-looking skin; and this is

why it’s known as true facial remodeling.

For many patients, the decision to undergo a cosmetic procedure is not just about the results – it’s also about the experience. For this reason, Morpheus8 provides a major advantage with a robust safety profile. Unlike traditional surgical procedures, Morpheus8 is less-than-minimally-invasive, not requiring any incisions or sutures to be performed; that’s correct, you read that right.

During the procedure, the Morpheus8 handpiece is gently guided over the skin, delivering the RF energy through the micro-needles. Patients may experience a mild heating sensation and some slight pressure, but overall, the treatment is well-tolerated and virtually painless.

“Patients can expect a comfortable and relaxing treatment process, thanks to the device’s advanced technology and ergonomic design, Olmoz stated - Many often fall asleep!” Treatment of this nature provides minimal risk of complication, and patients can return to their normal activities shortly after the procedure. Olmoz recommends her C.H.A.M.P. method of after-care for Morpheus8 (and most

aesthetic treatments) to ensure a positive result. It includes Cleaning treated areas gently, Hydrating treatment zones appropriately, Assessing the areas for progress or abnormalities, Makeup application can begin two days after treatment, and a Protective sunscreen is a must when dealing with any skin treatment.

The proof of Morpheus8’s effectiveness lies in the results it delivers. Countless patients have experienced dramatic improvements in their skin’s appearance and texture after undergoing treatment. From smoother, firmer skin to a more youthful complexion, the benefits are clear to see. One such patient, Nina, a 45-year-old mother of two who struggled with acne scars and sun damage saw tremendous results after just a few sessions of Morpheus8. “I couldn’t believe the difference,” she stated. “My skin looks smoother and more radiant than it has in years, especially before children!”

As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for aesthetic medicine are endless. With innovations like Morpheus8, patients can achieve natural-looking results with minimal down-

time and discomfort. Whether used as a standalone treatment or in combination with other procedures, Morpheus8 is paving the way for a new era of facial contouring and skin rejuvenation.

Olmoz says, “We love this treatment because it can be useful for all skin types including those with darker pigments who may have limited options due to the risk of post treatment hyper-pigmentation. Treatments like this can be tailored for desired outcomes, and we often pair this therapy with platelet rich plasma to optimize outcomes by maximizing the body’s natural ability to repair itself through the power of its own growth factors.”

This game-changing technology will continue to take over the world of aesthetic medicine since consumers will always be searching for those treatments that yield unparalleled results safely while achieving the coveted YSF balance! (That’s youthful, smoother and firmer for those newly introduced beauty fans here) Afterall, maintenance & prevention are key in all areas of remodeling, including the health and beauty space!

CAUTION! A.I. CAN LITERALLY POISON YOU

SIX MONTHS AGO, I SPOKE WITH A MAN NAMED ELAN TRYBUCH ABOUT A PROBLEM HE WAS SEEING ONLINE. HE KEPT COMING ACROSS DIFFERENT E-BOOKS ABOUT MUSHROOM FORAGING THAT LOOKED SOMEHOW OFF. OFF AS IN: MAYBE POISONOUS.

The books were shorter than most foraging guides were, and way, way cheaper, says Trybuch. He’s a software engineer and volunteer secretary for the New York Mycological Society, a nonprofit devoted to “spreading knowledge, love and appreciation of fungi.” He knows mushrooms and he knows AI, and he thought

the covers of these books were probably AI-generated.

“They had mushroom structures that don’t quite make sense,” says Trybuch. They were the mycological equivalent of a picture of a hot blonde with six fingers and too many teeth.

Most disturbing was the information inside the books was totally wrong. “They aren’t even giving you descriptions of real mushrooms. They’re giving you something completely made up,” Trybuch says. Any readers looking to try to use these books to figure out which mushrooms were safe to eat and which weren’t (safe to eat) would be out of luck, which to Trybuch was seriously concerning. “It could literally mean life or death” if you eat the wrong mushroom, he says.

The problem of very low-quality, very low-priced, probably at least partially AI-generated e-books is not confined to mushroom foraging. Garbage e-books have been a problem on Amazon for at least a decade, but — not unlike many strains of fungi — they’ve exploded over the last few years.

I spent months investigating the shadowy economy where they’re produced, and what I learned took me by surprise.

Inside the scammy world of garbage e-book publishing Garbage e-books are all over Amazon’s Kindle store, on every topic. Searching for Jonathan Haidt’s bestselling new book The Anxious Generation, I found Jonathan Haidt: The Biography

of Jonathan David Haidt, Navigating Morality and Policy; A Joosr Guide to... The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom; and The Jonathan Haidt Story: Exploring the Life and Work of a Renowned Social Psychologist, Author, and Advocate.

None of these are actually books so much as book-shaped digital files, designed to be picked up in keyword searches and get clicked on in a hurry by someone a tiny bit distracted or not digitally savvy enough to notice what they’re doing.

This kind of grift has been around for a while. Now, with the rise of large language models, garbage e-books have become easier and cheaper than ever to make. Garbage book grifters often don’t use AI to write their books, but they do use it to pick a topic and build an outline. Then they give the outline to a wildly underpaid ghostwriter to flesh it out into something that will pass muster as a real book. The model is a dangerously inviting

prospect for anyone who’s ever toyed with the idea of publishing a book but doesn’t want to actually write one.

It turns out, though, that the people who make garbage e-books mostly lose money.

The real cash seems to come from the people who teach others the garbage e-book scheme. These teachers claim they’ve shared the key to a life of passive income, but their students say all their courses offer is demands for more and more money, with the ever-deferred promise to teach you the real secrets to easy money once you’ve paid just a few thousand more dollars.

Even these grifters are not the real villains. They are often small-time operators working one level of a very big grift industry.

The grift is that technology and retail platforms have incentivized a race to the bottom when it comes to selling books.

They’ve built an ecosystem where all the incentives are to sell at high volume and low cost. In book production, the biggest cost-saving and time-saving measure you can take is cutting out the labor of writing the actual book. Together, without ever caring enough about the issue to deliberately try to do so, these corporations have built a landscape in which it’s hard to trust what you read and hard to sell what you write.

In the end, everyone loses: the would-be writers getting grifted in a fake publishing school, the real writers whose products are getting choked out of the marketplace by floods of cheap garbage, and the readers who just want to be able to buy a book without having to check to make sure the author isn’t a robot.

I asked Elan Trybuch if he thought anyone was buying all those fake mushroom foraging guides.

“Yeah,” he said. “I mean, there’s a sucker born every minute.”

THE PARIS OLYMPICS BEYOND THE GAMES

THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN PARIS ARE NEARLY HERE FOR A WEARY WORLD,THEY CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH

THE OLYMPICS ARE READY FOR A SPLASHY COMEBACK AFTER TWO COVID-ERA GAMES. BUT THE FESTIVITIES IN PARIS ARE SHADOWED BY SECURITY FEARS AND GEOPOLITICAL TUMULT.

Start the countdown clock. In less than 100 days, more than 10,000 athletes and tens of thousands of spectators will converge on Paris for the start of the 33rd Summer Olympic Games, a 16-day extravaganza that marks the first time the City of Lights has hosted the world’s pre-eminent sports festival in a century.

In keeping with the slogan for this year’s Olympics, “Games Wide Open,” the opening ceremony will take place outside a stadium setting for the first time. The plans are ambitious: a 3.5-mile boat parade along the Seine before as many as 325,000 onlookers on the river’s banks. The hundreds of athletic events — hosted by dozens of venues across Paris and other cities in metropolitan France — will likewise be open to large crowds.

In many respects, the Paris Games promise to be one of the most elaborate cultural rituals since Covid swept across the world beginning in late 2019. Health restrictions forced the organizers of Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 to sharply limit the scale of the festivities, with events largely closed to the public. Paris 2024, powered in part by pent-up demand for communal experiences, symbolizes an international post-pandemic vibe shift.

But with that spirit of openness comes all-too-familiar challenges. The festivities in Europe’s most densely populated city are shadowed by security concerns. The International Olympic Committee and

French officials have insisted that they are putting strict security measures in place. Yet the recent history of violence in France — including the 2015 terror attack in Paris that left 138 people dead and at least 416 injured — stalks public consciousness there.

The geopolitical backdrop for the Paris Games is no less troubling. The war between Israel and Hamas recently crossed the six-month mark, raising fears of a protracted conflict and wider regional instability. The devastation in the Gaza Strip has provoked international outrage, isolating Israel on the global stage. Meanwhile, Russia continues to gain ground in its military offensive against Ukraine as some Western nations worry about the rise of authoritarianism.

These international crises could come into play during the Games in the form of protests and other political demonstrations.

“It is certain that the international context is particularly tense today,” Tony Estanguet, president of the Games’ organizing committee, recently told Radio France. “I believe in this universal event. It’s up to us to preserve, to talk about sport and not to politicize the subject too much.”

Nevertheless, Olympics organizers are determined to put on a show that stuns the throngs assembled on the boulevards of Paris, not to mention the millions of people expected to watch the Games unfold on their televisions and mobile devices. If the surge of enthusiasm for the Super Bowl, Taylor Swift, March Madness and the solar eclipse is any guide, then audiences are craving spectacle — and the Paris Games could be just the ticket. The scale of the Paris Games is immense:

nearly 40 sports and more than 300 events hosted in at least 35 venues in Paris and other cities across metropolitan France. Following two Games that were hampered by Covid protocols and other tight restrictions, Paris could resemble a colossal international party, heralded by five Olympic rings (fashioned from recycled French steel) that will be displayed on the south side of the Eiffel Tower.

“The last two Olympics certainly didn’t have the look and feel of what we expect from the Games,” said Jeremy Fuchs, a sports writer and the author of a 2021 book about the history of the Olympics. “I would expect Paris to go all out. … With fans back in the stands, we should expect one of the more raucous Games in recent memory.”

The iconic landmarks will be immediately recognizable to worldwide TV viewers. Beach volleyball players will show off their jump serves at a temporary outdoor arena at the Champ de Mars, a large public park at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Equestrian and modern pentathlon competitions will take place at the Palace of Versailles, one of the emblems of French royal history. The 124-year-old Grand Palais will host fencing and taekwondo.

At least one venue that hosted events during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris will be put to use again: Stade Yvesdu-Manoir, the home of the opening ceremony 100 years ago. (The stadium also hosted some of the races depicted in the Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire.”) This time around, the 117-year-old arena will stage field hockey competitions.

The sports themselves are sure to draw wide attention, from basketball and boxing to sailing and swimming. Breaking (also known as break dancing) is set to make its Olympics debut, and three re-

cently introduced competitions — sport climbing, skateboarding and surfing — will be integrated into the Paris Games, too. (Karate, softball and baseball won’t be part of the lineup.)

The vast majority of events are set to unfold across France, though there is one exception. The surfing competition will take place in a village on the southwestern coast of Tahiti. Paris organizers chose to hold the surfing events on the French Polynesian island because it “offers an opportunity to engage French overseas territories and their communities in the Olympic Games — for the first time in history — while showcasing France’s rich and diverse heritage.”

Paris organizers have signaled that they are attempting to reach younger audiences by featuring sports that are “closely associated with youth and reward creativity

and athletic performance.” But given that relatively few people in their teens and 20s watch traditional linear television, the IOC faces a steep climb in convincing viewers in that age bracket to tune in, according to David Goldblatt, the author of “The Games: A Global History of the Olympics.”

This year’s Games will be more widely accessible to at-home viewers thanks in part to streaming. Peacock, the streaming platform owned by NBCUniversal, plans to invest heavily in live coverage of the festivities, including a “multiview” feature that allows subscribers to watch up to four competitions at the same time. Superstar personalities could help make the case for the Games as must-see TV. Simone Biles, the seven-time Olympic medal-winning gymnast, hopes to compete in Paris. The list of U.S. athletes who

could make waves also includes swimmer Katie Ledecky as well as track-andfield sprinters Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson.

David Wallechinsky, a former president of the International Society of Olympic Historians and the author of “The Complete Book of the Olympics,” said he was most excited about the track-andfield competitions because he believes the sport has the most universal appeal — unlike, say, “swimming the 400-meter medley or participating in equestrian dressage.”

In total, more than 200 countries — known in IOC parlance as national Olympic committees, or NOCs — plan to send their most elite athletes to Paris, where most will check into the Olympic Village on the banks of the Seine. Russia and Belarus were banned from the

Olympics after Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 — four days after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

In recent months, preparations for the Games have arguably been overshadowed by the grinding realities of war and humanitarian disaster. Paris 2024 is just the latest in a long line of Olympic Games that have taken place against a backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, according to Wallechinsky, who pointed to several key examples.

The 1936 Summer Olympics were hosted by Berlin and opened by Adolf Hitler three years before the outbreak of World War II. Twenty-nine countries boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal to protest the fact that New Zealand’s rugby team had toured apartheid South Africa. The massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches by Palestinian members of the Black September terrorist organization cast a pall over the 1972 Summer Games in Munich and underscored the violent tensions that are often inseparable from the athletic competitions at the heart of the Olympics.

In the Cold War era, the U.S. led a boy-

cott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and the former Soviet Union sat out the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

In the lead-up to the Paris Games, France announced it would deploy 45,000 police, military officers and army troops across the country. The country has requested reinforcements from 46 foreign partners — a “classic approach adopted by host countries when organizing major international events,” the Interior Ministry has said. Everyone involved in the Games — security officials, building workers, volunteers — will be put through background checks, too.

French government officials also decided to cap the number of people allowed to watch the opening ceremony at 325,000. Two years ago, organizers had proposed making the July 26 opening festivities accessible to as many as 600,000 people, a grand gathering that would span 6 kilometers (roughly 3.7 miles), stretching from the east of Paris to the Trocadéro.

In response to a request for comment on the security fears, an IOC spokesperson said French authorities had informed the committee that “they have been working

for a couple of years under the assumption that the highest security measures will be required.” The spokesperson said that, per usual practices, “there is also very close international cooperation.”

“Based on this and the regular reports the IOC receives from them, we have full confidence in the French authorities and their strong collaboration with their international partners,” the spokesperson added.

In the run-up to the opening ceremony, organizers are also confronting markedly less existential issues — including high levels of “pollution of fecal origin” and other bacteria in the Seine, an environmental headache that might force officials to nix the triathlon swimming section.

“We are working hard on it. You know it’s one of the bigger challenges,” Estanguet told reporters this month.

In the end, though, spectators around the world will likely be focused on the pageantry and competition, savoring the first full-fledged Olympic Games in more than half a decade.

INDULGE IN FRENCH CUISINE LIKE A LOCAL

SUBSTANCE

Located in the 16th arrondissement, Substance draws a foodie crowd who are fans of chef Matthias Marc. (Chef Marc was a contestant on Top Chef). Substance boasts a top-shelf champagne menu that includes over 180 options from well-known names to small, local producers.

Fun fact, this is the only restaurant in Paris that serves Jacques Selosse Initial Brut cuvée, so if you’re looking to celebrate being in Paris for the Olympics, this is an especially good place to go, because you’ll have your pick of champagne and can celebrate in style with a flute of bubbly. We recommend the potato emulsions with trout eggs and pickled onions, the plant-based dishes, and the goat cheese and beetroot cannelloni. This modern fare will have you full and ready to enjoy the rest of the games!

Address: 18 Rue de Chaillot, Paris 75116

ALLARD

Allard in the 6th offers a classic style gourmet bistro that offers reliably good food in a bistro setting. Among Allard’s hits with customers are the duck with green olives, duck foie gras, and poached turbot. (And if none of those dishes are familiar to you, why not go out of your comfort zone while you’re in town for the games?)

Address: 41 Rue Saint-André des Arts , Paris 75006

BENOIT PARIS

In the 4th arrondissement, you’ll find the charming Marais neighborhood. There, you’ll also find Benoit

Paris, a historic restaurant that opened in 1912. If you’re looking for some classically French dishes, like the ideal cheese course, delightful escargots soaked in butter, and crêpes, then look no further than Benoit Paris.

Address: 20 Rue Saint-Martin, Paris 75004

JUVENILES

Juveniles is a wine bar plus bistro and it offers patrons delicious French comfort food and good wine without much fuss. Juveniles’ founder is Tim Johnston, a Scottish wine seller and Paris expat. Today, his daughter Margaux runs Juveniles alongside her French boyfriend, Romain Roudeau, who helms the kitchen. Juveniles’ motto is “We always deliver the goods,” and visitors can expect nothing less. The menu changes with the seasons, so during the summer Olympic games you can expect lots of fresh, in-season foods.

Address: 47 Rue De Richelieu, 75001 Paris, France

AU PIED DE COCHON

Au Pied de Cochon is a famous brasserie in the heart of Les Halles, and it has been operating since 1947. Saint Anthony, the patron saint of charcutiers, is named for one of the brasserie’s famous dishes, the Tentation de Saint-Antoine (The Temptation of Saint Anthony). The dish includes breaded pig’s foot, a muzzle, ears, and a pig tail with bearnaise sauce. If you’re feeling daring, order this dish, and enjoy it amid Au Pied de Cochon’s convivial atmosphere. The oyster trays here are also crowd-pleasers, and so is the French onion soup.

Address: 6 rue Coquillières, 75001

Paris

PARCELLES

Parcelles is one of the newer restaurants on our list. It opened in May 2021, and has been a hit since the moment it opened. This Maraislocated hotspot is typically crowded with foodies who appreciate the hospitality of proprietress Sarah Michielsen and the masterful work of chef Julien Chevallier. Parcelles offers a rotating menu featuring new dishes regularly. It’s been dubbed “stylish comfort food” here at Parcelles, and after a day of Paris sightseeing, stylish Parisian comfort food sounds like a beautiful end to the day. The wine selection here is top-notch, too, and is headed by sommelier Bastin Fidelin.

Address: 13 rue Chapon, 75003 Paris

CIEL DE PARIS

Looking for a tucked-away hidden gem? You’ll need to journey to the top of Montparnasse to find it, but Ciel de Paris is worth the trek and arguably offers the best view of the city. While the Eiffel Tower is the most popular way to get a good view of the City of Light, Montparnasse Tower offers the best view. Ciel de Paris is a stunning (albeit somewhat challenging to find) small champagne bar where you can sip bubbly among the stars and marvel at the gorgeous view of Paris.

Address: Tour Maine Montparnasse, 56ème étage, 33, avenue du Maine, 75015 Paris

SINCE YOU'RE IN PARIS FOR THE OLYMPICS... THERE ARE COUNTLESS OPTIONS

IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS HERE ARE A FEW

THE PARIS PASSAGES

Peruse the skylit arcades—Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, Galerie Véro-Dodat, and Passage Colbert are all great options. They’re the city’s original shopping malls and full of tiny boutiques, bookstores, antique shops, cafés, and more uniquely Parisian spots.

FASHION SATURDAYS AT LE BRISTOL

Situated in lap of luxury amidst the countless designer boutiques on Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, Le Bristol Paris is an exceptionally chic hotel that draws an exceptionally chic crowd. To cater to said style-conscious patrons, the hotel organizes a special haute couture version of high tea.

On certain Saturday afternoons, Le Bristol will invite one of its high-fashion neighbors (Céline, Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Chloé, et al.) to showcase pieces from their latest collections. You need not be a guest of the hotel to attend—but there’s a fee of €70. This gains you entry to the event and covers your full tea service, a glass of champagne, and a special gâteau inspired by the featured designer. The whole thing is basically heaven for any sartorialist.

MUSÉE D’ORSAY

Once a Beaux Arts railway station, this glass-ceilinged museum houses a permanent collection that ranges from neoclassicism to art nouveau—but the impressionist works by artists like Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, and Seurat are the crown jewel of Musée d’Orsay.

PARIS PASSAGES

DINING AT THE EIFFEL TOWER

DINING AT THE EIFFEL TOWER

Take your pick of any of the several restaurants housed in the Eiffel Tower. On the first level you’ll find 58 Tour Eiffel, which is open for lunch and dinner with breathtaking city views.

Le Jules Verne is one floor up on the second level, offering exquisite contemporary French cuisine in an elegant, modern atmosphere. Finish your evening with a glass of bubbles at the Champagne Bar on the third level.

ANGELINA

Just steps away from the Louvre is the elegant Belle Époque salon that’s now home to Angelina, where you’ll find the most decadent, velvety hot chocolate in all of Paris.

Aim to go at an “off” time, if such thing exists, because on the weekends this place overflows with folks queuing up for that liquid cocoa.

TANGO ON THE SEINE

For a romantic date spot, head to the amphitheaters that line the Seine in the 5th arrondissement.

Here, dance enthusiasts gather in the evenings to tango until twilight. There are also plenty of non-dancing spectators too, if you’d rather bring a bottle of wine and people-watch.

VINTAGE CAR TOUR

A company called 4 Roues sous 1 Parapluie offers a unique sort of Paris tour experience.

Get chauffeured around in a vintage convertible Citröen 2CV by a local Bretonstripes-wearing guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the city. It’s touristy, certainly, but still charming nonetheless.

PALAIS GARNIER

Housing a 1,979-seat opera house, Palais Garnier features as grand a staircase as you could ever wish to see, along with a

massive, glittering chandelier suspended from the theater’s domed-mural ceiling, painted by Russian-French artist Marc Chagall.

Take in a ballet or an opera for a night of opulence and culture. And after the performance, head to L’Opera Restaurant— also at Palais Garnier—for high-end French cuisine in a beautifully designed space. It’s a favorite of Victoria Beckham, Alber Elbaz, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

LE BON MARCHÉ

More upscale, chic, and sophisticated than the overcrowded Galeries Lafayettes and Printemps department stores, Le Bon Marché is class and style all the way.

Browse the elegant designer fashions from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, as well as contemporary French labels like IRO and Maje. Then, stop by the impressive dining hall/market, La Grand Épicerie, for an incredible selection of gourmet and specialty food items.

PALAIS GARNIER

CAFÉ DE FLORE AND LES DEUX MAGOTS

The ultimate left bank lunch spot, Café de Flore draws a style-conscious, bourgeois crowd—though at a time it was the place of choice for the likes of Picasso and Jean-Paul Sartre. Perfectly situated on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain, it’s prime real estate for people-watching. Just across the street, Les Deux Magots, once the go-to spot of Simone de Beauvoir and Ernest Hemingway, offers just as quintessentially French of an experience. Grab a table on their outdoor patios to take a break from shopping, sip some café au lait, and soak up the French-ness.

LES INVALIDES

The golden-domed building and its offshoots were created by Louis XIV in the 17th Century as a wellness center and sanctuary for wounded or unwell soldiers. Now, the collection of buildings

are home to a church, multiple museums, and a hospital/home for retired military, in keeping with its original purpose. Napoleon Bonaparte is buried here.

L’AVENUE

This hotspot on Avenue Montaigne is the place to go for nearly guaranteed celebrity sightings. L’Avenue is the favorite haunt of

CAFE DE FLORE

the rich and famous—literally everyone who’s anyone (Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, to name a few) makes it a point to be seen here any time they’re in Paris.

Come for the stargazing, stay for a drink.

LADURÉE

Have afternoon tea at Ladurée’s flagship location on the Champs Élysées. Prepare to feel thoroughly French as you nibble (okay, gorge) on some of the city’s most delicious macarons.

LADUREE

LE BON MARCHE

THE BEST NEW RESTAURANTS OF 2024 WORLDWIDE REVIEW

THIS YEAR’S HOT LIST MIGHT REALLY BE THE BEST ONE EVER. IT’S CERTAINLY THE MOST DIVERSE, FEATURING NOT ONLY A HOTEL SUITE THAT WAS ONCE WINSTON CHURCHILL’S OFFICE, BUT ALSO THE WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP AND RESTAURANTS FROM CAPE TOWN TO BALI.

We were surprised and inspired by this year’s honorees, and we know you will be too. These are the Hot List’s restaurant winners for 2024.

MATY’S — MIAMI

Maty’s in Miami is a happy place. It glows with golden warmth despite its capacious warehouse-style dining room, which has polished concrete underfoot and exposed pipes above. That’s due not only to front-

of-house activity but also to the sights, sounds, and smells of the open kitchen in the rear. A seat at the bar—complete with a pisco-dashed martini and an order of the ingenious crudo special of scallops and grapes—is the perfect vantage point for taking in all that chef Valerie Chang has orchestrated here. Standouts range from humble seasonal pickles and chicken milanesa to oysters kissed with leche de tigre and charred corn in a shower of pecorino.

YESS — LOS ANGELES

Dining at the contemporary Japanese Yess Restaurant is a spiritual experience. Located in Los Angeles’ colorful Arts District in a former bank, the space is large, tall-walled, and minimalist in design and decor. And despite the room’s massive size, dinner is an intimate affair. Diners sit side by side at a long cypress counter as they face chef Junya Yamasaki and his team—dressed in all-white garb

like some sort of culinary cult—work their magic in the kitchen, slicing sashimi in silence or gently grilling skewers of freshly foraged mushrooms, twisting and turning until just cooked. The meal is a meditation on restraint, where less is more and ingredients take center stage on the plate. Somehow you’ll leave Yess feeling like a healthier human.

CHISHURU — LONDON

Nigerian-born Adejoké “Joké” Bakare made history this year when she became the first Black woman in the UK to win a Michelin star. Her restaurant, Chishuru, only opened in its current stage in 2023— moving from the buzzy South London neighborhood where Bakare started out after winning a local competition in 2019 to a new, bigger spot. This new iteration of the restaurant is set menu only ($95 per person at supper; $50 per person at lunch). That menu takes diners on a whip-smart journey through modern

West African cuisine and might include pepper soup with cured mackerel or mutton cutlet with a coffee and yaji dressing. Make a reservation now, and don’t look back.

KILN — SAN FRANCISCO

You can’t put San Francisco’s Kiln in a box. The food you’ll sample throughout the two-and-a-half-hour, 18- to 20-course tasting menu is a truly global affair: a little bit Scandinavian meets

Japanese meets Californian with a touch of French finesse, courtesy of the table-side pours of luscious buttery sauce on your dry-aged mackerel. There’s no meal quite like those at Kiln because there’s no chef quite like John Wesley. Yes, it’s very much a fine-dining restaurant with white tablecloths and Michelinstarred ambitions, and yet loud hiphop blares through the speakers while tattoo-armed cooks walk each course to your table. Come as you are.

DATIL — PARIS

Take the sought-after roving chef Manon Fleury, a predominantly woman-led team, a plant-focused culinary ethos, and an earthy and bright interior, and you have Datil—the talented young chef’s first restaurant, located in Paris’s north Marais. Fleury has always given locally sourced produce the starring role in her cooking, treating meat and fish as condiments. But here, dishes are more than just the sum of their sustainable parts; they come out of the semi-open kitchen like artistic compositions meant for reflection. The menu shifts seasonally but standouts have included rutabaga and pink radishes layered with garlic cream, almond, harissa, and thinly sliced scallops, as well as a celery and mushroom consommé-congee mashup, sprinkled with a few comestible flowers.

TRESCHA — BUENOS AIRES

Tomás Treschanski took a gamble when he opened Trescha in March 2023, with just one other fine-dining restaurant in Buenos Aires for company. But now that he has a Michelin star under his belt—and the bonus track of the Young Chef prize—it was a risk worth taking. After honing his culinary skills at 108 (Copenhagen), Frantzén (Stockholm), and Azurmendi (just outside of Bilbao), 25-year-old young gun Treschanski was sufficiently versed to create an experimental 14-course tasting menu on returning home to Argentina. Cooking up architecturally captivating dishes, he breathes new life into world flavors: Think chawanmushi with aged bacon dashi and uni with its garum, paired with a 1999 Gewürztraminer—one of 740 gems from the chef’s treasured cellar. With just 10 seats up for grabs at the curved kitchen counter, Trescha has fast become the reservation to bag in Buenos Aires

MAIZAJO — MEXICO CITY

Maizajo’s conception began eight years ago when chef Santiago Muñoz began focusing on the recovery of maíz criollo, which for years had been losing the battle against the industrialization of tortillas. After opening a tortillería in Mexico

City’s Roma

Condesa to open this three-in-one restaurant. Downstairs, fresh tortillas are sold daily, made with 100% nixtamalized corn, either by hand or with special equipment, and always highlighting different regional varieties. Upstairs, a completely Mexican menu features street food with a boost, including wedding tamal and glazed tongue with salsa verde, and longaniza (pork sausage) tacos paired with either fried shrimp or rib eye.

LE PRISTINE — TOKYO

A vast open black doorframe hinting at the gates of a Shinto shrine marks the threshold of Le Pristine Tokyo, Michelinsprinkled Dutch chef Sergio Herman’s first foray into Asia. The restaurant is located in Hotel Toranomon Hills, whose softly minimalist Nordic-meets-Japanese interiors by Space Copenhagen hide behind a new twisted-façade skyscraper. The street-level venue is home to both a café and restaurant, the latter of which offers an escapist gourmet journey through modern European cuisine with a fresh Japanese twist. Dishes include marinated mussels, dashi, yuzu, and verbena; hamachi (a type of yellowtail), hairy crab, pistachio, mikan (Japanese mandarin), and black radish; and Sergio’s signature seafood orecchiette. Food is not the only winning ingredient, however: Diners also soak in the intimacy of the elegant lines and crafted textures of the plant-scattered decor, with the mushroom-like Como SC53 Portable Table by Space for &Tradition tabletop lamps, Rotgazen wall-clinging melted disco balls, and

Fredericia Furniture chairs playing into the theater of the central open-plan kitchen.

ANDREU GENESTRA — MALLORCA, SPAIN

In April 2011, Andreu Genestra opened his first sustainable restaurant in Capdepera, a remote corner of his beloved Mallorca. More than a decade later (and with a few Michelin stars under his belt), the chef has unveiled the second iteration of Restaurante Andreu Genestra in the luxe Zoëtry Mallorca hotel, located in the larger municipality of Llucmajor. The ingredients for the “Mediterranean” concept are the definition of local, sourced from the on-site biodynamic vegetable garden, vineyards, beehives, and sea of olive trees, as well as local Mallorcan farmers and growers.

CANALHA — LISBON

After departing from a Michelin-starred restaurant Feitoria, and partnering with food group Paradigma, chef João Rodrigues returned to Lisbon to establish a casual restaurant that honors his hometown’s heritage. Canalha is a quintessential “neighborhood restaurant”—increasingly rare in a city gentrified by over-tourism. Everything here exudes a sense of nostalgia: the yellow tram gliding past on the street, the extensive counter for meal service, the sturdy dark wooden tables adorned with marble tops, and a menu brimming with culinary delights, such as line-caught squid with sheep butter sauce, open-face omelets prawns and onions, and traditional Portuguese bitoque (steak crowned with a fried egg and signature pan sauce). But Canalha is also a haven for exceptional local produce and charcuterie. An imposing green charcoal oven nestled in the kitchen serves as a shrine where Rodrigues and his team grill to perfection fresh red-scarlet prawns, clams, and fish sourced from Portugal’s bountiful coast.

THE DEVONSHIRE — LONDON

Hyped restaurants in London are nothing new. But The Devonshire, just off Piccadilly Circus, has reached

buzzed-about levels we’ve not seen in a while. At the helm of all this fanfare is Oisin Rogers, an old-school landlord who has been working in London pubs for 30 years. Ashley Palmer-Watts (a Heston Blumenthal alum) heads up the kitchen with a menu that spotlights the wood-burning grill and oven—think duck-fat chips, suet puddings, and scallops with bacon and malt vinegar. In the legitimate British pub downstairs, the team slings out pint after pint of perfectly creamy Guinness, the most on-trend bar order in London right now. Reservations open three weeks in advance and get booked up in minutes—there’s no hotter table to book right now.

NAAR — DARWA, INDIA

Chef Prateek Sadhu’s ambitions as a culinary innovator are defined by two words: faeter (Kashmiri for “crazy”) and naar (“fire”). It’s fitting, then, that one of India’s most celebrated chefs announced his return with the aptly named Naar restaurant. Nestled amid the pine forests of Himachal Pradesh, this first-of-its-kind destination dining experience is a culinary progression across the Himalayas, from the north to the east of India. The 16-seater restaurant has six menus throughout the year that follow the distinct seasons in the moun-

tains, courtesy of dishes that transform traditional hill food into extraordinary surprises—think trout sandwiches with locally caught fish that is cured, dried, and treated at the in-house lab; a chinar leaf-shaped buckwheat biscuit that pays homage to Sadhu’s favorite tree in Kashmir; a miniature bowl of Ladakhi buckwheat pasta (or chutagi) with tripe; lamb neck smoked with juniper leaves; and a smoked version of a Himachali steamed bread called aiklu. Naar is

a labor of love and a showcase of the hills—its ingredients, its people and their culture, and a chef’s long journey back home.

THE GUILD — DUBAI

Few restaurant openings this past year have been as highly anticipated as The Guild, prolific Dubai restaurateur Tom Arnel’s first foray into fine dining. Fronted by heavy gray velvet curtains and a small jungle of more than 300

plants, The Guild is one restaurant, but many things at once: Inside, there’s a patisserie, brasserie, Champagne bar, seafood restaurant, wood-fire kitchen, cocktail bar, and chocolatier. The laidback Nurseries space is perfect for a cozy date night (tip: Order the Brie de Meaux truffle sandwich), while the more upscale Rockpool is where you’ll find the bulk of The Guild’s seafood. The latter features a live shucking bar, the day’s catch displayed on ice, and glass-fronted aquariums stacked to the ceiling filled with live king crabs and crayfish. Over at the Salon (which Arnel describes as his favorite spot), white-clothed tables sit underneath grand crystal chandeliers and overlook two open kitchens. Here, the starter of crispy prawns—slathered in surprisingly light batter and served with red chimichurri dip and lime salt—is incredibly tasty, while the Wagyu beef tartare, with shallots and chopped cornichons, is the right mix of rich and tangy. The Guild will soon add a piano bar and cigar lounge to its lineup, designed for those who want to keep the night going—which we envision they will. The Guild is a truly enchanting space, one that you’ll no doubt want to return to time and time again.

OSA — MADRID

Osa may be located on the outskirts of Madrid’s center, but it’s close enough to justify at least one visit from the city to enjoy chefs Sara Peral and Jorge Muñoz’s creations: Think homemade cured meats, wild pig’s head with rooster and porchetta, cod pil pil, and smoked eel with roe over rye bread and butter. Theirs is a oneof-a-kind experience inside a renovated two-story house, with an open terrace and a dining room built to welcome 20 lucky diners. In every bite, expect the omnipotent presence of French technique with the aesthetic of Japanese minimalism.

FISH SHOP — BALLATER, SCOTLAND

Despite its name, Fish Shop is not a classic British chippy but a smart, sustainability-focused seafood restaurant with its very own fishmonger. The double-use venue is the sister property of Scotland’s

slickest hotel, the Fife Arms, which is located just 25 minutes away. Russell Sage Studio (who also designed the Fife Arms interiors) chose tasteful nautical accents to complement the food. The menu is local and seasonal but might include Cape Wrath oysters in Champagne tempura or Shetland mussels with East Coast cured nduja. Whatever you order, accompany it with a round of Negronis (local gin and vermouth with Campari, pimped up with samphire), followed by glasses of Riesling or Picpoul.

KOAN — COPENHAGEN

At windswept Langelinieskuret, Kristian Baumann (formerly of Noma and 108) has transformed a former harbor warehouse into a must-visit on Copenhagen’s strong fine-dining scene. Born and adopted in South Korea and raised in Denmark, Baumann reconnects with his roots at Koan, seamlessly bridging a Nordic culinary upbringing with Korean impressions like kimchi, kkwabaegi (Korean doughnuts), and carefully selected ceramics. Koan’s high-ceilinged dining room with an open kitchen and sleek light wooden designer interiors beautifully mirrors Baumann’s minimalist and meticulous dishes. A standout is Norwegian langoustine with lardo, green strawberries, and chili, served with a sesame sauce flavored with Korean rice

wine. Aside from standard and “prestige” wine pairings (the latter showcasing rare labels), Koan offers a pairing of Korean sool (fermented rice wine) produced in Copenhagen by startup Yunguna Brewery. Only 70 days after opening last year, the restaurant received two Michelin stars directly—a testament to the ambitions here.

SOUL KITCHEN — DUBAI

Following years of turmoil in their native Lebanon, Beirut creative collective Factory People transplanted their thoughtfully curated restaurant, listening room, and communal hub Soul Kitchen to Dubai’s Business Bay. The food— Levantine/Latin hybrid that celebrates waves of Arab migration to Central and South America—is, indeed, soulful: Think ceviche tabbouleh, hummus chimichurri, shawarma empanadas, and Wagyu kafta in pillowy arepas paired with Araki bellinis and sumac-laced peach margaritas. But musically minded locals have also forged a community around Monday jazz sessions, Latin Sundays, iftar supper clubs, and party brunches with global musicians and DJs taking the stage. The lush, plant-filled space also doubles as an arts venue: Rumi Dalle’s Feathers of a Migration is suspended from the ceiling, and walls are adorned with textiles curated by carpet house Iwan Maktabi.

ILIS — NEW YORK

The large nondescript door at 150 Green Street in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint prepares you little for what’s to follow. Behind it lies a sprawling space with wood-beamed ceilings and low-slung white furniture that has shed all vestiges of its former life as a factory warehouse. This is Ilis, Noma cofounder Mads Refslund’s ambitious New York dining debut alongside Will Douillet, formerly of Chicago’s Alinea. The name is a portmanteau of Il and Is, or “fire” and “ice” in Danish, which illustrates how you choose your dishes to be served: fired up or chilled. An industrial open kitchen—with four stations, two each dedicated to “fire” and “ice”—anchors the space, and diners watch on as a flurry of chefs works in near-reverential

silence. Those same chefs later double up as servers; here, there’s no traditional distinction between front and back of house—just “one house,” as Refslund likes to say. On the menu, expect ingredient-forward dishes like raw tuna with nasturtium and salted plum and brown trout, cooked in its own roe butter and served with charred cabbage. A dining highlight here is the roving trolley that’s laden with chilled appetizers and a surprising amuse-bouche—a peppery tomato clam broth served in a large, slightly ridiculous clamshell fashioned into a flask. As you tip its contents down your throat, the act feels both primal and playful—it’s a decidedly Noma touch, right in Brooklyn.

PAPA’S — MUMBAI

Eleven Madison Park alum Hussain Shahzad’s eclectic skills are on full display at this fine-dining concept, a 12-seat countertop that overlooks an open kitchen in the space above Veronica’s, a bustling sandwich shop. The vibe is a delightful hodgepodge: Delicate glass lamps share space with a chamber for dry-aging duck, and the chef’s playlist of ABBA and Prince pairs nicely with the easygoing service. The modern Indian menu makes clever use of the nation’s

many home-grown ingredients: Clarified Bloody Mary cocktails arrive alongside petite pizza boxes of Monaco biscuits (India’s Ritz cracker) topped with Belper Knolle cheese; hibachi-grilled rabbit is served in a red-ant marinade; and a soup of sun-dried yak cheese is amped up by habanero chiles. The name Papa’s is a nod to Shahzad’s late mentor, chef Floyd Cardoz—whom he does proud.

LOCAVORE NXT — BALI

After closing Locavore, a hot-ticket and hyperlocal eatery in Bali’s Ubud late last year, Dutch Indonesian chef duo Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah moved on to open the concept’s aptly named next iteration. Pitched up in the rice fields just outside Ubud, concrete-clad Locavore NXT takes the chefs’ wildly ambitious methods to a new extreme with 20(ish)-course tasting menus that draw on ingredients grown in the rooftop food forest, subterranean mushroom vault, and koji fermentation lab—and ones sourced from surrounding farmers,

fishermen, and foragers. Seasonal menus could include imaginative creations such as honi pineapple with lardo and flower-flecked pudding from rice koji with bee pollen. For a full immersion in Locavore NXT’s closed-loop ethos, guests can overnight in one of the restaurant’s adjoining cabins and participate in a chef-guided tour and staff breakfast the next day.

POT AU PHỞ — HO CHI MINH CITY

At Pot Au Phở, Vietnamese banker turned chef Peter Cuong Franklin sets new standards for Vietnam’s beloved noodle soup, his 10-course tasting menu deconstructing phở and then reassembling the iconic bone broth. Inspired by French and Japanese fare, Cuong also plays with molecular cuisine and jellied consommé, even paying tribute to French chef Paul Bocuse’s legendary black truffle VGE soup. Perhaps the most cherished dish is Mom’s mì Quảng, a traditional prawn and pork turmeric noodle soup

prepared by his mother, Nguyễn Thị Như Thừa, at her Đà Lạt rice noodle shop; he was sent to the US as a child refugee, and they reconnected 30 years later. Housed in the same building as Cuong’s Michelin-starred Anan in the thick of the wet market on District 1’s That Dam street, the soup counter is designed for just 14 guests. Order the Phojito, mixed with fresh herbs and spices like cinnamon and star anise

AIR — SINGAPORE

At this sprawling space—an erstwhile clubhouse for civil servants—in Singapore’s leafy Dempsey enclave, chef Matthew Orlando (who used to pilot Copenhagen’s influential Amass) is continuing his mission to make circular cooking as natural as, well, breathing air. You’ll know this isn’t your typical restaurant from the moment you enter, up a sweeping walkway and past a thriving tropical garden commanded by Orlando’s business partner, Will Goldfarb of Bali’s Room4Dessert. In the dining room,

funky tables hewn from the leftover cores of balau trees and chairs with arms twirled out of recycled Styrofoam play off exposed concrete pillars. Orlando’s tasty zero-waste approach to Southeast Asian ingredients includes dishes like a whole coral fish transformed into a rillette with lavash made from the puréed bones of the fish.

Don’t miss the surprisingly fudgy ReIncarnated Chocolate dessert whipped up with the by-products of common food processes—none of which are chocolate or cocoa beans. Upstairs, there’s a pickling and fermentation room, a cooking school, and a research lab where anyone can dabble in food experiments.

OSEILLE — RIO DE JANEIRO

In late 2023, chef Thomas Troisgros— the fourth generation of the renowned French culinary dynasty—opened Toto as something like a Parisian neo-bistro, but with a menu inspired by the chef’s travels around the world. Nestled within a townhouse in the vibrant center of Ipanema, the casual restaurant was a quick hit. Troisgros recognized the potential for an elevated dining experience, however, and envisioned Oseille in the vacant upper part of the same building.

With the help of a three-member team, the chef fashioned a 16-seat counter around a well-equipped kitchen, where he now exclusively serves signature tasting menus (five or seven courses) that change from time to time—but they’re always anchored in local and seasonal ingredients, combining his French heritage with Asian influences, all topped with a Brazilian accent. The level of hospitality makes diners feel as if they’re being welcomed into the chef’s home—visitors can even choose their preferred background music.

LE FOOTE — SYDNEY

Sydney hospitality maestros Swillhouse have savvy locals tackling the tourist-drenched cobblestones of The Rocks for their latest swing-and-hit restaurant, Le Foote. Part Parisian wine bar, part Mediterranean grill, the restaurant is a sandstone labyrinth of nooks, crannies, and choose-your-own-adventure spaces in a sprawling former pub. The alfresco courtyard is just the place for fluffy fish sandwiches and carafes of orange wine.

Upstairs, settle into the moody candle-lit bar and order two-sip martinis to a soundtrack of funky jazz. The main dining room is draped in dramatic

Greco-Roman style, with giant Etruscan canvas murals, white tablecloths, and smart waiters in crisp shirts. Most of the Mediterranean-by-way-of-Australia menu is done on the Josper grill, and hits include fleshy barramundi in charred hazelnut butter, marbled tomahawk steaks, juicy tomato picante prawns, and a gooey cheese pie. Suddenly, Sydney’s oldest neighborhood feels fresh again.

NIKKEI — CAPE TOWN

On perennially cool Bree Street, Nikkei brings its namesake cuisine to Cape Town. Executive chef Justin Barker displays his range with a menu that marries South American spices and ingredients with bright seafood—think shrimp crudo with ancho chili oil and sesame tuna with guacamole and a lime-jalapeño ponzu— and a robust cocktail menu that showcases both sake and pisco.

The modern space, decorated with a riot of tropical plants, feels just right as the backdrop for Barker’s vibrant food. Look up and you’ll see oblong chandeliers shaped like chakanas, a symbol that has been used by Andean societies for over 4,000 years, which fittingly signifies a “bridge” or “a crossing over.”

FASHION & STYLE

NEIMAN MARCUS UNVEILS BALMAIN BEACH CLUB

RALPH LAUREN SHOWS FALL/WINTER IN NYC

NEIMAN MARCUS UNVEILS

BALMAIN BEACH CLUB

NEIMAN MARCUS HAS ANNOUNCED AN EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH BALMAIN, UNVEILING BALMAIN BEACH CLUB – A NEW COLLECTION AND IMMERSIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN DALLAS. THE 14-PIECE COLLECTION, AVAILABLE IN 10 STORES AND ONLINE, DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE FRENCH RIVIERA.

Lana Todorovich, Neiman Marcus’ Chief Merchandising Officer, highlighted

the partnership’s significance, stating, “Through the distinctive creative lens of Olivier Rousteing, Balmain continues to be the pinnacle of French style with a modern perspective. She continued, “At our core, we are a relationship business and Balmain Beach Club represents the latest chapter in our longstanding history with the Maison that, time after time, has engaged and delighted our customers.”

The collection, reflecting the spirit and colors of the South of France, features a summery palette of soft yellows, blues, and whites, adorned with Balmain’s signature gold details. “My team and I wanted to keep this special limited-edi-

tion collection chic, light and easy for upcoming summer days and evenings,” explained Olivier Rousteing, Balmain Creative Director.

“But, of course, we wanted to ensure that the connection to the house’s incredible design history remained evident for those in the know. So, we started out by riffing on some singular archival references— including Monsieur Balmain’s beloved Baroque flourishes and the signature Labyrinth motif. Then we mixed in some of the strongest themes that we’ve sent down our most recent runways, such as an array of eye-catching bright pastels and some unexpected twists on cam-

NEIMAN MARCUS + BALMAIN BEACH CLUB

ouflage patterns. And we’ve ended up with an offering that definitely channels the distinctive modern spirit of today’s Balmain.”

This collaboration aligns with Neiman Marcus Group’s strategy to enhance luxury experiences by offering curated product assortments. It follows in the key of previous exclusive launches, such as the Barbie x Balmain and Summer Set collections.

The Balmain Beach Club collection is accompanied by a full-scale installation at Neiman Marcus’ Dallas NorthPark store, creating a beach-front ambiance until May 5.

The retailer hosted a private dinner in Dallas to celebrate the collection, immersing guests in the glamour of the Côte d’Azur. This activation reflects Neiman Marcus’ ‘Retail-tainment’ strategy. Neiman Marcus boasts the largest as-

sortment of Balmain collections globally, with a partnership dating back over half a century. The collaboration underscores Neiman Marcus’ commitment to delivering personalized luxury experiences across in-store, online, and remote selling channels. The collection will be digitally promoted through Neiman Marcus’ website, app, and social media, with style advisors engaging customers through the CONNECT platform.

RALPH LAUREN

"Beauty stems from inner confidence and personal style."

- Ralph Lauren

ON APRIL 29, 2024, RALPH LAUREN UNVEILED HIS FALL/ HOLIDAY 2024 WOMEN’S COLLECTION IN A UNIQUE AND INTIMATE SETTING WITHIN HIS PRIVATE DESIGN STUDIO IN NEW YORK CITY.

Echoing the spirit of his first women’s show in 1972, this event provided a rare peek into the designer’s creative sanctuary, transforming the experience into a personal journey through his aesthetic and philosophy. Ralph Lauren’s Fall/ Holiday 2024 Collection encapsulates the essence of understated elegance and

timeless glamour. With a color palette dominated by soft neutrals and shimmering metallics, the pieces reflect the sophistication and confidence of the Ralph Lauren woman. The collection includes:

• Tailored Elegance: Sharp, trim suit jackets that pair seamlessly with luxurious textures.

• Fluid Fabrics: Draped knits, suede, and leather separates that signify a blend of comfort and chic.

• Evening Wear: Bias-cut gowns that offer a graceful nod to classic glamour.

• Artful Embellishments: A mix of beads, tweeds, patchwork, and other adornments that add a unique touch to each piece.

• Accessories: The launch of the new RL 888 Tote, alongside a range of meticulously designed bags, shoes, and jewelry that complement the seasonal aesthetic.

Ralph Lauren describes the collection as inspired by a woman whose beauty stems from her inner confidence and personal style.

He emphasizes that the Ralph Lauren woman is not swayed by fleeting trends but is drawn to a timeless, bold style that

resonates with her individuality.

For the event, the design studio was transformed to mirror the sophisticated ambiance of a Manhattan gallery, with sleek chrome accents, modern furniture, and warm lighting. The space not only showcased the collection but also reflected Mr. Lauren’s personal taste and style, featuring mahogany detailing and

cherished artwork that underscore his eclectic and layered design perspective.

Following the runway show, guests were invited to continue the evening at The Polo Bar, Ralph Lauren’s emblematic New York City restaurant. Here, they enjoyed a seated dinner in an environment that epitomizes the designer’s vision of classic American luxury, complete with

mahogany paneling, leather banquettes, and equestrian-themed art.

The event marks a notable moment in Ralph Lauren’s legacy, offering an intimate insight into the designer’s world and his unwavering commitment to elegance, craftsmanship, and personal expression.

TRENDSPOTTING 2024

OUR DESIGNERS AT HOUSE ON THIRD PICK THEIR FAVOURITE PATTERNED PIECES

TACHINNI: SEMPRONIA CHAIR

Circular elements fit together in a double circle that evokes the signature of the great master who designed it. Twin legs, created by the intersection of two cylinders, extend up to the backrest, to which they are linked by a thin metal ring that blends harmony and functionality. The strong character of the 80s aesthetic does not give up the comfort of soft padding and a remodelled seat to be even more welcoming. the Tacchini determined and versatile presence.

Tip: When playing with pattern, avoid overloading with prints of the same scale. Mix large and small designs to prevent them from competing with each other.

MOLTENI: GLOVE UP CHAIR

Designed by Patricia Urquiola for Molteni, Glove Up offers a distinctive seating experience. The evolution of a rigorous design theme, featuring sinuous, moulded and softly linked lines. A balance of forms which, from the fluid line of the backrest, flows into the lightness of the legs.

MINIFORMS: CHAP TABLES

Crafted by Matteo Zorzenoni and manufactured by Miniforms, the Chap coffee table made its debut at the Salone del Mobile 2019 in Milan. This exquisite piece features a base and top fashioned from Palladio Moro Marble, serving as both a coffee and side-table set.

FEATURE BY HOUSE ON THIRD

Expert

EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY

Are there really more things going wrong on airplanes?

NOTICING MORE PROBLEMS WITH BOEING PLANES DOESN’T MEAN THERE ARE ACTUALLY MORE PROBLEMS WITH AVIATION SAFETY.

Is it just me, or does it seem like a lot of bad things keep happening to Boeing airplanes lately?

Ever since the shocking January 5 incident in which a door plug fell out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 in midair, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane, many fliers have been jumpy. Their fears have been fueled by news sites that have been serving up incident after incident: a

Boeing 737 Max 8 sliding off the runway in Houston, another 737 in Houston making an emergency return after flames were spotted spewing out of an engine, yet another in Newark reporting stuck rudder pedals, a Boeing 777 losing a tire shortly after takeoff from San Francisco, a 777 making an emergency landing in Los Angeles with a suspected mechanical issue. And so on and so on.

So what’s actually happening? Are more planes having incidents than ever before? Or are we just hearing about more incidents?

It’s mostly the latter. Minor aviation incidents with few or no injuries — like those listed above — happen constantly. They just don’t make the news. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigates aviation incidents and accidents, lists 12 incidents on commercial aircraft in the United States so far this year. Last year, during the same time period, there were 13 such incidents.

From 2010 to 2023, there were on average 36 incidents a year. We’re about a third of the way through the year, so we’re having a more or less totally mundane year, as far as the rate of incidents serious enough to warrant an NTSB investigation goes.

FOR JOURNALISTS, IS THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS RIGHT?

So things aren’t going wrong on planes at an unusual rate — you’re hearing about it at an unusual rate because, ever since the January incident, journalists are paying much more attention and writing stories about relatively minor plane incidents, and people are nervous about planes and are eager to read stories about such incidents.

Various minor issues, from engine trouble to maintenance issues, were always happening under the radar but weren’t newsworthy; now, the same incidents are news, especially if they happen on a Boeing (and given that almost half of the US commercial fleet is made by Boeing, they often do).

Here’s the question I struggle with as a journalist: Do we have some responsibility not to write such stories?

Journalists take accuracy very seriously. Every journalist I know works very hard not to publish a story that’s wrong — and if they did, they’d feel obliged to issue a correction.

But it’s much less clear what our obligations are with stories that are completely true, and about a subject readers want to read about, but that paint for those readers a misleading picture of the world.

I think most people would agree it would be unethical to systematically report only on lurid crimes committed by one racial group and ignore those same crimes when the perpetrator is of a different background, or to report the evidence for a claim and not bother reporting the similarly credible evidence that it’s false.

But journalism intrinsically involves judgments about what is newsworthy. Do minor incidents become newsworthy simply because we’re all on the lookout for major ones? Is it reasonable to expect everyone to wait months until the data is in on whether there’s a trend, when readers want information sooner than that — and will reward media sites that provide it?

I tend to think that journalists (and, for that matter, all people) have a duty not just to tell the truth but to provide enough context with the truth that readers overall come away more informed, not less informed. And I think that a sudden surge in reporting on minor airplane incidents can paradoxically end up leaving readers less informed. Their misconceptions aren’t free of consequences, either — when people choose to drive instead of fly because they fear flying, they are probably more likely to die.

So I think that, ideally, coverage would steer away from writing about routine, boring aviation events — or would at least give readers context on how routine and boring these events are.

AN ACCURATE AVIATION STORY

“Three million people flew in and out of US airports today, and none of them died except of natural causes” isn’t a conventional news story, but it’s factual — and worth keeping in mind.

Planes sometimes lose a tire and still land safely with no injuries. They sometimes get a puzzling computer warning and have to land at the nearest airport — safely. An engine goes out sometimes, and the plane still lands — safely.

Every once in a while, you have an incident like the one last December in which two American Airlines airplanes had emergencies over Phoenix at the exact same time, one suffering a failure of its flaps system and one a problem with its engine — and everyone involved arrives safely, with no injuries.

And while the January door plug incident revealed some genuine and glaring failures in processes at Boeing, it’s really hard to overstate how safe aviation is. In all of the incidents involving regularly scheduled US commercial aircraft over the 15 years from 2010 to 2024, there have been two passenger fatalities — in about 8.75 trillion revenue passenger miles. That’s a safety record of about one or two passenger fatalities per light-year traveled.

There are plenty of stories to be reported about the state of the US aviation industry: how it got that breathtaking safety record, whether Boeing is now endangering it (as my colleague Whizy Kim wrote this week), and whether we’ve learned the lessons of previous eras when shoddy maintenance practices and cost-cutting really did bring down planes regularly in the US. But writers should stop writing — and you should stop clicking — stories about minor things going wrong on individual 737s.

MANSION OF THE MONTH

PORTLAND PLACE

LONDON

MANSION OF THE MONTH

PORTLAND PLACE LONDON

PORTLAND PLACE IS O NE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST REMARKABLE HOUSES IN CENTRAL LONDON

United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty is proud to present one of the largest and most remarkable houses in central London. Unfolding over 20,987 sq.ft, the property incorporates the rear mews house with all floors serviced by a lift. Originally built in 1775 by the renowned Robert Adam, the Grade II* listed property marries rich history with contemporary luxury, setting a new standard for quality and style and has acted as a film set for

The King’s Speech, Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse.

Newly renovated by interior designer 1508 and offered in turn-key fashion, the interiors blend meticulous craftsmanship with a creative re-imagining of the grand spaces, resulting in a classic, timeless aesthetic. Bespoke joinery, beautiful marble, hand-painted wallpapers, and artisanal chandeliers complement beautifully preserved period details.

For almost 250 years, No.33 Portland Place has played host to notable residents, aristocrats, and celebrities. From military engineer John Montresor in 1779 to the 4th Earl of Abergavenny and his pio-

neering daughters, ‘The Trio,’ this house has woven itself into London’s historical tapestry.

Located on an unusually wide boulevard, 33 Portland Place offers a grandeur and spaciousness rarely found in the city of London. In the heart of it all, the residence boasts the best of both worlds, with the verdant expanse of Regent’s Park and the world-class dining and unparalleled shopping of the West End just a stone’s throw away. Also within a short walk is the sought-after Marylebone High Street, famed for its boutique stores, artisanal cafes, and timeless charm. This coveted address allows you to enjoy and be a part of the very best that London has to offer.

PRICE $93,750,000 OR £75,000,000 GBP | BEDROOMS 11 | BATHROOMS 10 FULL | FEATURES 20,987 SQ FT.

MANSION OF THE MONTH

76 CLIFF ROAD, TORBAY

Redefining 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 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.

76 CLIFF ROAD, TORBAY

AUCKLAND, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

PRICE $14,750,000 NZD

BEDROOMS 4 | BATHROOMS 3 FULL AND 1 PARTIAL | INTERIOR 5,920 SQ FT. | EXTERIOR 0.95 ACRES

GREECE

PRICE UPON REQUEST

Located in Agni, Ayline is situated just a brief stroll from the picturesque bay and its famous beach-front 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 bio-climatic 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.

In Search of Solace California Reds that Scream "Summer"

Great California Reds for Summer Grilling

WBBQ-Worthy Red Pairings

WILLIAM SMITH @willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & CONTRIBUTOR

HEN SUMMER ARRIVES, MY TASTE FOR WINE DEFINITELY SHIFTS TO ROSÉS AND WHITES. THIS SEEMS PERENNIALLY THE CASE FOR MANY WINE DRINKERS. NARY DO I FIND MYSELF REACHING FOR THAT THIRST-QUENCHING RED IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER.

That is, unless, some delicious cut of red meat happened to have found its way onto a grill and then onto my table. Nothing rises to the occasion like a big, bold red when it is grilling and barbecue season.

Much has been written about why red wines are the perfect match for red meat. From a science perspective, there is the theory that higher levels of tannins in red wine help to release the flavors of the beef by countering and softening the meat’s fat. Another perspective postulates that the salt that seasons the beef that makes red wines taste smoother. Nothing at all in the research seems definitive, which frankly, seems just fine given millennia of history of wine drinking has underscored the complementarity of red wine to red meat.

And so, with summer upon us in the northern hemisphere, this month we feature a curated selection of incredible California red wines to consider when the grill is fired up and you are serving that perfect cut of red meat.

WOODEN VALLEY VINEYARDS 2021 SALUTI

I recently returned to the agrarian and rural placidity of the Suisun Valley where last year, whilst tooling about and doing research, I stumbled upon Wooden Valley Vineyards, a family affair of the Lanza clan dating back nearly a century. I love this place. It feels cozy and unpretentious and elevated, all at the same time. The rusticity of darkly stained wooden buildings greets visitors, as well as an old, perfectly aged pickup truck with two wine barrels set astride the back, which, I was told, once served as the Wooden Valley’s distribution center.

“They are farmers first and foremost,” remarked my affable and knowledgeable guide during my visit in referring to the Lanza family. They are also extremely capable winemakers, growing several Italian varietals that speak to their family heritage (the Primitivo is stellar), as well as more traditionally grown California varietals including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course, Petite Sirah, the grape for which Suisun Valley is so highly regarded.

Wooden Valley’s 2021 Saluti is a bold and velvety blend of 57 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Merlot, and 13 percent Petite Sirah, perfectly concocted for elevating summer grilling. The blend, curated by the “crew” of the vineyard and under the guidance of winemaker Rick Lanza, is described as a “Crew-vée,” – so fun and even further evidence of the unaffected nature of the operation.

On the nose, Saluti is full of bramble notes and fresh ly ground cocoa nibs. On the palate, a rich and lush mouthfeel is an immediate sensation, with, thanks to the Merlot, delightfully restrained tannins. It is full of tart cherries and ripe blackberries with just a hint of vanilla bean on the long finish. The Petite Sirah creates great structure for this wine and anchors it to Suisun. As soon as I tasted this wine, I wanted a well-marbled, bone-in rib-eye steak, knowing the depth of this blend and a high alcohol content (15.2 percent) would be exceedingly well-suited to the rich, charred cut of beef.

The 2021 Saluti is an extremely limited production of 88 cases and available only at the vineyard or online at woodenvalley.com. Better still, you can drink well and do good with Saluti as they contribute $10 for every bottle sold to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.

CAYMUS-SUISUN

2022 WALKING FOOL

While obtaining the Saluti requires advance planning, the Wagner family (of Caymus) has set up extensive operations in Suisun and their Walking Fool blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah is another example of the AVA’s prowess and is a much more readily available bottling.

In Search of Solace California Reds that Scream "Summer" BBQ-Worthy Red Pairings

This wonderful and unfussy blend is the perfect wine for a grilled dinner and has little resemblance to Caymus’ Cabernet Sauvignon which has both its ardent devotees and pointed critics. This is a wine to be enjoyed now and I tasted the 2022, which was bursting with deliciously ripe red berries and blackberries on both the nose and the palate. I observed additional notes of wood and leather on the nose with bold tannins on the palate desperately seeking out that perfectly mojo-marinated flank steak seared on the grill and served with traditional chimichurri.

GUST 2019 SYRAH

One of my great joys when gallivanting around Northern California’s wine country is the drive through Petaluma Gap. Designated as an AVA only in 2017, it sits at the very lower end of the Sonoma Valley and stretches from the Pacific Coast to the wetlands of San Pablo Bay. Thus far, it seems to have succeeded in maintaining much of its pastoral character. Herds of sheep and cattle laze away the days chomping on lush, verdant fields. Dairies dot the landscape.

One sign denoted pride in having been named California

Dairy of the Year. And there are grape vines. Lots of them, but still without the mammoth infrastructure that seems to accompany wine tourism. It’s the kind of place where you want to slow down, drive leisurely, and take it all in.

Before grape growing in Petaluma Gap gained greater recognition, Fred Cline of Cline Family Cellars planted vineyards in the late 1990s. Seeing an opportunity in the cooler climate of the area, Cline planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah and for decades, sold the bounty to other wineries.

Enter Fred’s daughters, Megan and Hilary, who are the magic behind capitalizing on Petaluma Gap and the prescient investments made by their dad decades earlier. Their label, Gust, is creating wonderfully finessed bottlings of the region’s stand-out varietals.

The 2019 Syrah is a stunner. Aromas of wood, wet earth, and moss dominate and divinely so. A brilliant plum color in the glass, on the palate it has layers of dark fruits – plum, blackberries, and figs – with tense tannins and a hint of pleasant oak that would pair exceedingly well with the right cut of beef. Call me old school but I enjoy this with a simply seasoned (remember the salt!) grilled filet with asparagus spears and sautéed mushrooms. A classic and perfect meal. It will be exciting to see what the Cline sisters behind Gust continue to deliver as, while this is drinkable now, its an age-worthy bottling for the cellar.

SILVER OAK ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019

Other than providing a basic review –and of course, a very positive one -- few writers take the time or opportunity to expand upon Silver Oak’s hallmark

bottling of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley. In part, that lack of more in-depth attention is the result of their incredible success in going all-in on this singular wine. Over the years, they have branched out into other ventures, such as Twomey, to offer varietals other than Cabernet Sauvignon (and at lower price points), and also to a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. But I’m still a huge fan of the original.

The Alexander Valley has a long history of wine making dating back to the mid19th century when Cyrus Alexander, after whom the valley is named, planted the first vines. The Alexander Valley AVA lies just north of Healdsburg, with the Russian River running straight through it. Established in 1984, today it is made up of 15,000 planted vineyard acres and 42 wineries.

Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon established itself as a classic for a reason: it is consistently exceptional. This is the case with the 2019 vintage as well… and, I might add, given the pricing of many Cabernet Sauvignons in Northern California, the $100 retail price feels like a real bargain. More than 95 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, splashes of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot were blended in for the most recent vintage. Deep garnet-hued in the glass, with notes of ripe bramble fruits and cherries on the nose, it’s a bold, fruit-forward expression with hints of baking spices, vanilla, and oak on the long and lush finish.

Seek out your local butcher and invest in the thickest, most marbled New York Strip, charred and topped with an herbed butter, served alongside a classic, crispy skinned baked potato with sour cream and chives, and haricot verts with crispy shallots. The quintessential Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will put those classics into proper context, with the acidity and lushness of this classic wine elevating every bite.

No doubt, you may have a favorite red that you feel is the perfect compliment when grilling that perfect cut – whether beef, bison, venison, or something else. Indulge and enjoy. But also explore.

In my own explorations, I stumbled upon impressive newbies to the scene, encountered some old-timers flying below the radar, and fondly rediscovered some old classics.

And in all honesty, testing out the food pairings wasn’t too shabby of a gig either.

As always, Salud!

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SPIRITUALITY FAITH

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The Celestial Mandate for a Radical Transformation in Devotional Living

“And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man, which is in Heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so much the Son of Man shall be lifted up: that whoseoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

(John 3:13-15)

ITHE SICKNESS OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE

AMRITLAL

ASCENSION CONTRIBUTOR

@monarch_visionary

N A WORLD SPELLED BY THE ILLUSION OF LACK AND SCARCITY, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO SHIFT OUR EYES TO THE UNHEARD CRIES OF THE WORLD’S FORGOTTEN MOTHERS AND CHILDREN? HOW DO WE RAISE THE AWARENESS OF THE MASSES TO EMPOWER THE FEW? HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THE MANY TO ABSTAIN FROM PRACTICES THAT EXPLOIT THE MEEK AND DISADVANTAGED?

With the Year of the Wood Dragon heralding the Ascension of the Cosmic Serpent, the ascending consciousness of the Earth plane shall leave no secret hidden as we are guided to embody our highest intentions.

Upon the righteous and valiant, who unite resiliently in the face of deceptive illusions, the strength and wisdom shall be bestowed to walk the Earth as immortals, as, through our sense of service, celestial denomination is rewarded. For it is the role of every enlightened soul to awaken the world to the power we each wield as we unsheathe our cosmic swords.

“Trafficking in persons is a vile crime that feeds on inequalities, instability and conflict. Human traffickers profit from peoples’ hopes and despair. They prey on the vulnerable and rob them of their fundamental rights. Children and young people, migrants and refugees are especially susceptible. Women and girls are targeted again and again. We see brutal sexual exploitation, including involuntary prostitution, forced marriage and sexual slavery. We see the appalling trade in human organs. Human trafficking takes many forms and knows no borders. Human traffickers too often operate with impunity, with their crimes receiving not nearly enough attention. This must change. The rights of victims must come

first - be they the victims of traffickers, smugglers, or of modern forms of slavery or exploitation.”

- Antonio Guterrez, Secretary General of the United Nations.

GLOBAL DEMAND FOR REGENERATIVE CAPABILITIES

Within us all lies a desire to remain young, vibrant, strong and fertile; relevant. Yet, the lifestyles in many developed nations directly contradict the fundamental values of an enlightened existence; that is, the collective

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alignment with spirit that charges our cells with divine life force as we evolve through embodied higher purpose.

For this reason, artificial means for sustaining desirable qualities in life are highly sought and valued, particularly by those whose lack of spiritual determination diminishes the radiantly attractive and magnetizing qualities of their divine emanation.

Found within nearly every tissue of the body, stem cells are considered immortal: they do not age, can proliferate indefinitely, and can form into any tissue of the organism. For this reason, the Global Stem Cell Market, valued at $12.9BN in 2022, is expected to reach $46.7BN by 2032.

If stem cells have the potential to remain immortal, the underlying fundamental question for scientific researchers and lifestyle gurus is how to retain optimal service of stem cells so that the cells

maintain their immortal function: their renewal ability and potential to differentiate into various cell types.

Recent scientific experiments have demonstrated that old stem cells, removed from the original donor environment, and placed into a younger environment, were rejuvenated with their optimal functioning restored.

Further investigations revealed a direct positive correlation between stem cell health and the lymphatic system. Lymphatic capillaries are highly permeable micro-vessels that branch throughout the body and are responsible for draining and processing extracellular fluid and macromolecules out of tissues. Hence, stem cells thrive in a clean environment.

Furthermore, the lymphatic system is closely related to the endocrine system that complements the nervous system. Both the lymphatic and endocrine sys-

tem contribute to the immune system, ensuring homeostasis in the body. The thymus gland, which is connected to the Heart Chakra, is vital to all three systems as it uses blood stem cells to develop cancer fighting T-cells and harmonizes the nervous systems that instruct the endocrine system.

Similar to the nervous system, the endocrine system is an informational signal system. While the nervous system uses neurotransmitters to conduct information, the endocrine system regulates the body’s internal environment by secreting hormones directly into bloodstream.

Understanding now that the epigenome determines our DNA expression and that our nervous system perceptions affect our genome, it is clear that our relationship to the environment, our sense for existence, determines our lifespan. Hence, the keys to immortality lie in awakening the spiritual heart, the Buddhist Bodhicitta, the emperor of our emotional systems.

THE UNREALIZED POWER IN DIVINE PURPOSE

“Dharma is the rhythm of the Universe. Dharma is the very foundation of creation that harmoniously integrates our body. Dharma allows us to awaken our dormant abilities to be of service to all those around us.”

- Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

It is widely accepted across the world that living with purpose directly correlates with youthful longevity. For decades, scientists have studied the electrical currents associated with animals’ ability to regenerate limbs. The body can be viewed as a battery that creates its own micro-current. The greater the current, the more complete the generation.

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In fact, the electromagnetic fields of cosmic subtle energies generated by the underlying micro-circuitry may themselves provide the divine blueprint according to which the body and its cells, tissues and organs self-organize. Through dharma, the path of righteousness, we activate these cosmic energetic seeds within the body that lie along the spine. Each blossoming chakra lotus directly corresponds to both the endocrine and neurological systems. Once activated, the chakra system distributes vital cos-

mic forces through the body by the endocrine glands, while also reversing negative perceptions, traumas, that are stored in the nervous system.

Karma, including ancestral and planetary distress, is stored in the DNA and through the healing process becomes a source for cosmic flow. The eons of planetary suffering the Earth and her kingdoms have endured, are stored within each and every one of us, and serve as the fertilizer for spiritual growth, as we ascend as enlightened beings.

As the cosmic life force, known as Kundalini Shakti, is raised up the spine, both the nervous system and the organ systems are purified of toxic energies supporting for the rebirthing of the body’s natural enlightened functioning, and the resulting emergence of a supreme spiritual reality.

A siddha, one who is perfected in Dharma, has fully activated her epigenetic genome through the cosmic magnetization of her spiritual DNA and as a result displays supernatural powers to be used in service of Universal Peace and Cosmic Harmony. Once the human vessel has been cleansed and perfected for service, it is now prepared to liberate the world from the darkness of spiritual ignorance.

Through the will to serve the Kingdom of the Universal Heart, conditioned limiting beliefs are unraveled as the veil between higher spiritual realities of existence is dissolved.

THE SICKNESS OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE

Whether or not you believe in your spiritual potential, all sentient beings are increasingly affected by the Universal Cosmic Laws and the rising magnetism of the planetary systems currently birthing our planet and her inhabitants into a higher di-

mensional plane of existence.

With almost $16 trillion in personal consumption expenditures, the United States is the world’s largest consumer market. While the United States is among the wealthiest nations in the world, it is far from the healthiest. According to a recent Commonwealth report, the U.S.:

Spends more on health care as a share of the economy — nearly twice as much as the average OECD country — yet has the lowest life expectancy and highest suicide rates among the 11 nations,

Has the highest chronic disease burden and an obesity rate that is two times higher than the OECD average,

Has among the highest number of hospitalizations from preventable causes and the highest rate of avoidable deaths

According to the CDC, six of 10 Americans live with at least one chronic illness. Reported by the United Health Foundation, the eight chronic conditions that have reached the highest prevalence in the report’s history include: arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression and diabetes.

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Despite an abundance of wealth and technological resources, the average American lacks the imagination, discipline, determination, devotion and patience to harness the cosmic energy available to all sentient beings to regenerate and heal from spiritual disease.

According to UNICEF, human trafficking is a $150 billion industry, and is the second most profitable illegal industry in the U.S, second only to the drug trade. The Global Financial Integrity (GFI) estimates that 10 percent of all organ transplants including the lungs, heart and liver, are done via trafficked organs. Based on WHO estimates, the most prominent organs that are traded illicitly are kidneys, with 10,000 kidneys traded on the black market worldwide annually, or more than one every hour.

BLINDED SENSE OF PRIDE

Without an inner sense to drive the purpose of one’s existence, humanity’s collective spirit is spent in distractive past-times that drive toxic behaviors, blind aggression and the perversion of sexual creative energy.

According to the UN and International Labor Organization, there are 49.6 million people in modern slavery worldwide and 35

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percent of them are children. Sex trafficking is the most common type of trafficking in the U.S. There were 88 million child sexual abuse material files reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tip line in 2022. Furthermore, child sex trafficking has been reported in all 50 U.S. states.

Every year, America’s favorite pastime sport, the National Football League, which generated $18.6BN in revenue in 2022, makes a donation, along with the Super Bowl Host Committee, to a non-profit that fights human trafficking. According to a 2017 Senate report, some 1.5 million people in the United States are victims of trafficking, mostly for sexual exploitation, and the majority are children. The Superbowl, in its host city, every year, increases this energetic demand with girls being trafficked from as far away as Hawaii to hook up with clients via the Internet, hotels and strip clubs.

National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month is every January, intentionally aligning with the spotlight that the Super Bowl shines on the issue. The emphasis on education and awareness is a welcome beacon of light on a problem that thrives in the darkness. This attention must also translate to action.

Former football player, Tim Tebow – whose foundation focuses on Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation, Orphan Care & Prevention, Profound Medical Needs, and Special Needs Ministry – in March 2024, urged members of Congress on Wednesday to dedicate greater resources toward finding and rescuing victims of child sexual exploitation.

Tebow attested, “I’ve had the privilege of playing for a lot of sports teams in my life. And on almost all of them, we’ve had incredible resources to give us a better chance at winning a game, something that ultimately, as much as we care about it, doesn’t matter. Why would we not give as much, if not more resources, to the front-line heroes that are going after the most vulnerable boys and

girls on the planet? … If all we do today is speak, all I do is speak, I also missed the mark. We have to do more than just talk about it. We have to act on it and be about it.”

The sexual creative energy, located in the sacral chakra, svadhisthana, is the most potent source energy. However, with the majority of humanity operating unconsciously, this energy becomes pent up in the lower chakras, rather than rising alchemically for the potential for immortality. Furthermore, this energy is then fed off, demonically, through our children who are vulnerable and helpless in a world that has been blinded by our potential to serve and numbed of our sense of responsibility to protect the innocent.

With the planetary shift

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rapidly gaining momentum leading to a critical mass bifurcation, or dimensional split, we must each realize the power as it relates to integrity and accountability in every decision we make. As the planetary magnetism rises, every decision holds a karmic impression upon our individual spiritual evolution, including wealth, health and success.

EVOLVE OR DIE, THE EMPATH’S PARADOX

Raising the Kundalini serpent provides more than a chance at pursuing immortality but an ever-heightening sense of planetary responsibility to honor the cosmic Shakti, the Divine Feminine life force energy that propels all sentient life into existence. As our Shakti energy increases so does our cellular magnetism and spiritual awareness.

In addition to becoming more sensitive, empaths are growing exponentially more powerful as the inner sun expands through the Heart Chakra, magnetizing our DNA for service to the inner Kingdom. As our awareness grows, our only choice is to liberate the cosmic flow as vessels of service to the divine.

Every empath is forged through pain, and it is the fire of the Kundalini Shakti energy that alchemizes the darkness within to empower the genetic and psychological transformation necessary to answer the beaconing call of our Mother Earth’s heartbeat to serve Universal Peace and Cosmic Harmony. Through the healing of one’s pain, spiritual abilities emerge to serve the restructuring of planetary systems. Lifted out of the shadows of despair, isolation and disempowerment, these New Earth leaders hold the keys to the evolution of our collective DNA.

Ignoring the inner call results in greater

energetic distortion, mental health imbalance and other energetic organ diseases. Recognizing planetary suffering as a necessary catalyst to drive humanity through an inner metamorphosis alleviates the stress of blame and disempowerment.

As we come together within families, communities and organizations through the power of sacred prayer and ancient energizing exercises, we dissolve the collective distortion that lowers our resonance and spiritual abilities. As we unite, we enhance the genetic resonance that not only improves our health, fuels our strength, but also empowers our higher intelligence to serve as we are ready through whatever powers are innate to our incarnation.

RESURRECT YOUR SPIRIT BY FULLY EMBODYING YOUR MISSION:

Our true power is only limited to our imagination, which expands through action. As we fully step into our heart’s calling, our cells react, and our cosmic channels guide us through the process of emergence as our lower self-identity gradually morphs into the divine being that we have always been.

Steps that we can take to birth our inner light and implement our vision for Universal Peace and Cosmic Harmony, include:

• Investigate global issues that call to you

• Actively volunteer with a local mission-oriented nonprofit

• Unite with neighbors to create safe environments

• Create an active dialogue that fuels empowered transformation

• Divorce from financially supporting corporations that enable human trafficking

• Invoke your personal Kundalini Shakti energy

• Love, nourish, respect and honor yourself, and all life

• Express your higher self through compassionate, creative activities

• Hold space for those in need

• Engage in spiritual education and ancient wisdom practices

On May 27, I will be holding the first Rainbow Warrior – Vedic Ascension webinar with high priestess Aelita Leto to support those ready to clear the path to their celestial purpose and receive the cosmic power to ascend to higher planes of existence by servicing Divine Mother’s plan for collective coexistence across her Galactic Kingdoms. See www. aelitaleto.com for more information.

By delivering healing upon this Earth, you realize your true worth, unraveling the golden strands of your divine existence, transforming the darkness within and without empowering your most sacred mission on Earth and beyond.

MOLD YOUR MIND

"THE MENTAL BREAK THROUGH" NOW ON SPOTIFY

BE MORE MINDFUL PART 5 DROPPING YOUR ANCHOR

COACH JOEY VELEZ MENTAL WELLNESS

CONTRIBUTOR @velezmentalperformance

MAYBE YOU ARE LIKE ME. WHEN I AM GIVEN A TASK, OR I AM LEARNING SOMETHING NEW, I WANT TO BE GOOD AT IT. REALLY GOOD. I DON’T WANT TO SKATE BY, I WANT TO FEEL LIKE I AM FULLY COMPETENT AT WHAT I AM DOING.

I mean, this makes sense, right? We do not actively pursue things because we want to be bad at them. However, because of this, thinking about the ultimate outcome while in the moment itself is a common practice and perhaps not too effective practice. Focusing on the outcome actually takes you out of the present moment. When things start going downhill, there is a tendency to immediately focus on why and/or how they are going poorly. When things are going well, there is a tendency to focus on how great it is going to feel like when you once you are done. But staying in the present moment allows you to have the fullest experience with whatever you are doing. Mindfulness is not about achieving a specific outcome, but more

so, a way to live your life.

NON-STRIVING APPROACH

When it first came to learning and practicing mindfulness, I personally experienced a lot of struggles. I would get distracted easily. I would fidget. A lot. And I would get frustrated because I allowed these things to take place, which led me to believe that my own mindfulness practice was not up to snuff. All I wanted was to be good at mindfulness. However, as I kept learning, I realized that my expectations for mindfulness –the outcomes I sought – was what was getting me in trouble.

The reason I wanted to practice mindfulness was to become good at it, to become better at my job. However, I learned that this was more of a striving mentality, when mindfulness as a practice is more about non-striving. I had this agenda that I wanted to fix all my shortcomings – real and perceived – as opposed to accepting those present-moment experiences as they happened. I learned that you can still set goals with a mindfulness practice, however, reframing my goal to the actual development of my practice further allowed me to appreciate these small moments of being in the present-moment, noting my moments of getting distracted and ultimately bringing my attention back to the present moment. This, in turn, provided me with even more motivation to continue

JOEY

practicing.

Mindfulness is not about being good or bad at something, it is about accepting whatever is happening in that present moment in a non-judgmental way. To this day, I still get distracted and my mind wanders, but the difference now is that I take everything in stride and allow myself to experience whatever is happening in that moment.

HOW TO: ANCHOR SELECTION

The final piece of your mindfulness practice is identifying a present-moment anchor for when you are performing and moving in the world. Whether you are working out or going for a run, giving a presentation, or even on vacation with the family, having a present-moment anchor is an effective way to separate yourself from reactions that steal your attention and allow you to become fully immersed in the task.

In honor of the Masters golf tournament, and since I like golf, let’s consider a few examples of present-moment anchors that you could use in a round of golf. When addressing the ball, you can observe sensations as you stand over the ball holding your club. In your backswing, you can observe sensations of the club rotating as you raise your arms, the shift in your bodyweight, and movements in various regions of the body, such as your shoulders and arms.

THOUGHTS MATTER

In your downswing, you can observe sensations as you make contact with the golf ball, the shift in your body weight, and bodily movements as you bring the club back through the hitting zone. As you walk to your ball or to the golf cart, you can observe sensations in your feet, as they make contact with the ground, or your arms as they swing by your side with each step (similar to the experience of a walking meditation).

Pick a task that you perform frequently and write down what you could use as present-moment anchors. This will vary based on the task chosen, but everyone is going to have a different present-mo-

ment anchor that they use. There is no right or wrong anchor, but the initial first step involves choosing what you can use and then going from there.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Take a moment to not just reflect on present-moment anchors, but also with mindfulness as a whole. What are the different ways that you practice mindfulness? What are common challenges you experience when practicing mindfulness? What did you learn through this experience? What changes would you make? And finally, how can you dedicate more time to practicing mindfulness? These are all questions

to consider as you progress with your mindfulness practice.

It is never going to be perfect, there are going to be roadblocks along the way, but the key is making a commitment and creating time for you to practice. You can practice for 10-minutes in the morning to set you up for the rest of your day. You can practice on your walk from the car to your office space. Or you might set aside 10-minutes before you go to bed to practice mindfulness as you wrap up your day. Any amount of time you find to dedicate to mindfulness is helpful as you continue to develop and deepen your practice.