Exotic Places • Interesting People • Intelligent Travel
SUMMER 2014
The Great
EscapE Exotic Places • Interesting People • Intelligent Travel
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Little Lord Howe London Calling
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Magazine
10 EDITOR’S LETTER
W
elcome to another issue of JETSETTER, Asia-Pacific’s dedicated experiential luxury travel magazine. I’m writing this from the busy sales floor of the International Luxury Travel Mart Asia (ILTM) 2014, the region’s premium showcase of luxury travel experiences, held each year in Shanghai. This year’s packed exhibition, a collection of lavish events and nose-to-the-grindstone business appointments that welcomed over 500 buyers (an 11 percent increase) from 19 countries, remains a trusted thermometer of the Asian luxury travel scene in general, and of China’s specifically.
PUBLISHER Denis Fahy denis@channel1hk.com MANAGING EDITOR Nick Walton nickwalton@artemiscomms.com DEPUTY EDITOR Gayatri Bhaumik gayatri@artemiscomms.com
A report released at ILTM and commissioned by its organisers Reed Exhibitions and luxury consumer authority Hurun Report, delves further into one of the most important markets for luxury hotels and travel companies. Outbound travel from China increased by almost 18 percent in 2013, to 98 million, the report found, making it the largest outbound market in the world. With 2.9 million millionaires in China, a number that’s increasing by 3.6 percent per annum, it’s a positive time for the luxury travel scene, both regionally and beyond. We have a little something in this issue for all travellers from Asia. We escape to little Lord Howe Island, an isolated paradise off the coast of Australia; and head for warmer climes at ShangriLa’s Villingi Resort & Spa, one of the Maldives’ most luxurious resorts; before delving into the redevelopment of London’s historic King’s Cross precinct, the city’s most ambitious project to date. In Phuket we visit the regal Regent Cape Panwa on the island’s ruggedly beautiful east coast; visit the home of luxury hospitality with Langham London, and give you the low down on Asia’s best adults only resorts. Gayatri Bhaumik luxes out in France and Bangkok, while Divia Harilela gives us her favourite haunts in Tokyo in The Guide. In our regular Lifestyle section, we travel the world with mint-themed experiences; sample craft-distilled spirits from Down Under; eat our way through Lima; and get behind the wheel of Lamborghini’s newest supercar. Whether you’re new to experiential travel or are a seasoned jetsetter, we hope our latest issue informs and inspires you, where ever you’re headed. Safe travels.
Nick Walton
Managing Editor
ART DIRECTOR Herbert Nunag herbert@channel1hk.com TRAVEL INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIP DIRECTOR Tammy Fong Tammy@channel1hk.com BEIJING SALES MANAGER: Louis Chu louis@channel1hk.com SALES MANAGER Fatima Cameira fatima@channel1hk.com JETSETTER is registered as a newspaper & periodical. JETSETTER is published by Channel One Communications JETSETTER is printed by Channel One Communications Suite 402-3, Hong Kong Trade Centre 161-167 Des Voeux Rd Central Hong Kong 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-5706 Valley Cottage, NY 10989 USA
Contributors
www.jetsetter.hk All rights Reserved: Copyright and distribution rights are reserved exclusively for Channel One Communications, their partners, associates and affiliates. All materials published remain the property of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission. All information contained in this publication is from a reliable source. Channel One does not make any guarantees to the accuracy of the information contained.
Master of Wine Debra Meiburg is a celebrated wine journalist, TV personality, wine educator and in-demand speaker. With a serious tongue for wine, but a little tonguein-cheek, Debra is pleasing palates across Asia with her fresh take on the world of wine. In this issue, she argues the merits of diminutive bottles of vino.
www.jetsetter.hk
Divia Harilela has been working in fashion and lifestyle media for over a decade and recently held the post of Fashion Editor at the South China Morning Post newspaper, where she remains a contributing editor. She has often been quoted as a leading authority on fashion in Asia, and can be found navigating the cobbled streets of Paris in her Rupert Sandersons or interviewing design luminaries such as Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani or John Galliano. In this issue she explores Tokyo for our regular The Guide section.
When on assignment, JETSETTER’s editorial team use Nikon professional cameras.
CONTENTS
SUMMER 2014
65 50
20 Room with a View A Turkish Haven
70
56
32
24 Hours... Be My Boston
50
65
56
70
Little Lord Howe Australia’s Castaway Paradise
London Calling Long Live the King’s Cross
Adults Only Escapes Fun Under the Sun for Two
The Great Escape Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives
CONTENTS 88
88
105
91
120
98
124
Eastern Dream The Regent Cape Panwa
Turning Left Luxury, Alive & Well at Heathrow
Spirits The Taste of Down Under
SUMMER 2014
91
105
98
120
Restaurant Review The Ultimate Dining Expedition
Auto Lamborghini Huracรกn
Technology See No Evil, Hear No Evil
16 DIARY
Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs Tate Modern, London, UK April 17 – September 7, 2014 London’s Tate Modern is hosting the most comprehensive exhibition of Matisse’s paper cut-outs, which the artist produced between 1943 and 1954. Matisse began to experiment with creating maquettes of painted paper cutouts when ill health prevented him from continuing to paint. The exhibition brings together some 120 pieces from this era, including 1953’s The Snail, Memory of Oceania, and Large Composition with Masks. www.tate.org.uk Where to Stay: Book a Philippe-Starck inspired room at St Martins Lane, a dramatic, daring hotel in a prime location that’s walking distance from many of the city’s biggest attractions. www.stmartinslane.com
Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluesapalooza Mammoth Lakes, USA July 31 – August 3, 2014
There’s no better way to enjoy the pure mountain air of Mammoth Lakes, California, than with blues and brews at the 19th Annual Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluesapalooza. The biggest event in Mammoth Lakes – and one of the premier events in the USA – the festival spans four long summer days and showcases the best craft breweries and top blues performers from across the country. www.mammothbluesbrewsfest.com Where to Stay: With just 26 well-appointed rooms and suites, the lodge-style Mammoth Creek Inn Hotel & Spa offers comfortable digs just minutes from the lake. www.themammothcreek.com
Lan Kwai Fong Beer and Music Fest Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong July 19 – 20, 2014
One of the biggest parties in Hong Kong, this celebration of beer and music in the heat of the city’s Central district is vibrant, colourful, and sure to thrill. The streets of Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong’s entertainment hub, teem with revellers sampling the specialty beers and limited-time cocktails being served up by the bars and restaurants that fill the area, and the crowd is kept entertained by live music performances and street artists, while one of the can’t-miss events is the annual Miss JulyFest Pageant. www.discoverhongkong.com Where to Stay: Hotel LKF By Rhombus provides five-star accommodation in the heart of the entertainment precinct. www.rhombushotels.com
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18 DIARY
Carpeaux (1827-1875), a Sculptor for the Empire Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France June 24 - September 28, 2014
The son of a stonemason and lacemaker, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux built a stellar career that was closely tied to the ‘fête impériale’ of Napoleon III’s reign. He created the vast majority of his work in a period of just fifteen years, an oeuvre that spans sculptures, paintings, and portraits, and this retrospective is the first since 1975. Some of his most famous works will be on display, including Ugoilino with his Four Children. www.musee-orsay.fr Where to Stay: Set in Paris’ famed St Germain neighbourhood, the Hotel Pont Royal offers luxe accommodation and a literary history that features Hemingway and Fitzgerald. www.leshotelduroy.com
T in the Park Balado, Kinross-shire, Scotland July 11 – 13, 2014
One of the biggest parties in Scotland, this year’s T in the Park festival promises the ultimate international music experience, with an exclusive lineup that features more than 100 wellestablished acts like Manic Street Preachers, Calvin Harris, Pharrell Williams, Arctic Monkeys and Tiny Tempah, along with plenty of local acts. The performers will play across nine stages to a frenzy of festival goers from around the world. www.tinthepark.com Where to Stay: For an authentic Scotch baron’s country estate experience, check into one of the 12 luxurious suites at the intimate Solsgirth House. www.solsgirthhousehotel.com
Victor Hugo: Les Misérables – From Page to Stage Exhibition State Library of Victoria Melbourne, Australia July 18 – November 9, 2014
Melbourne’s State Library of Victoria will play host to a carefully curated exhibition which explores the life and times of writer, poet, and artist Victor Hugo. Through original manuscripts, photographs, paintings, drawings, and publications, visitors will see what inspired Hugo’s timeless masterpiece, Les Misérables. The world-first exhibition coincides with the Australian staging of the 25th anniversary production of the musical. www.slv.vic.gov.au Where to Stay: Check into one of the lavish Victorian-style suites at The Hotel Windsor, and you’ll get a beautifully-appointed room in a choice city-centre location. www.thehotelwindsor.com.au www.jetsetter.hk
20 ROOM WITH A VIEW
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ROOM WITH A VIEW 21
A Turkish
W
Haven
ith a perfect marriage of rustic charm and luxurious elegance, Brigitte Bardot, one of five individual starlet-themed lodges at Turkey’s Hotel Prima Donna, epitomises the best of Mediterranean summertime escapism. Dressed in eclectic colours and locally-sourced art, each lodge is a home-away-from-home that embraces its unique surrounds to perfection. Wake to captivating views from the mezzanine floor’s queen-sized bed, embrace the day’s end with mesmerising sunsets over Patara Beach, and explore the heavens by night with the lodge’s own telescope. Under the Mediterranean sun, guests have the chance to explore the local farmer’s markets and the sensational beaches of the Turkish Riviera, thanks to a hotel shuttle bus, and then return to the lodge’s fullyequipped kitchen and barbecue pit in time for a complimentary massage and a soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi, complete with a glass of local Beylerce. www.hotelprimadonna.com www.jetsetter.hk
22 JOURNEYS Perfect for keen hikers and those interested in Japanese history, online boutique travel agency Backyard Travel has created a new tailor-made Japan tour. Trek Japan’s Ancient Kumano Kodo is a spiritually-charged six-day, five-night hiking tour giving travellers the chance to explore some of Japan’s most exquisite scenery and mystical sights on the Kumano Kodo ancient pilgrimage routes. The hiking tour traces the steps of Japan’s imperial ancestors on routes that date back over 1,000 years. Visit ancient historical sites like the Takahara Kumano-jinja shrine and the statue of Kaza, one of the first abdicated emperors to make this pilgrimage. Other highlights on the fully-guided tour include a visit to Nachi Falls, Japan’s highest; a chance to soak in the picturesque hot springs at the Yunomine Onsen; and sleep at an authentic Japanese ryokan on a private island in Katsuura Bay, the perfect ending to this journey. Each aspect of this itinerary, from excursions to accommodation, can be altered to suit guests’ requirements. The tour begins and ends in Osaka, and best of all, guests can hike in comfort, as their luggage will be transferred separately each day. From US$3,297 per person. www.backyardtravel.com
Seeking
Spirits
www.jetsetter.hk
24 JOURNEYS
Four Wheels, One Hump Safari specialists Cheli & Peacock has created a new 14-day journey through rugged Kenya on quad bikes and camels. The Savannah, Quads & Camels itinerary promises an authentic African experience from the Maasai Mara to a Sky Island, with an innovative take on getting from A to B. The route goes through the Maasai Mara, the Northern Frontier District, and Mathews Mountain Range, and includes tackling the spectacular scenery of the KIpsing Lugga’s dry riverbed by quad bike, and trekking the Ngeng River by camel. The itinerary starts from Elephant Pepper Camp, one of the few in Kenya to receive a “Gold Level” Eco Rating, and promises to whisk guests back to the basics of the African bush. From US$12,440 per person, twin share. www.chelipeacock.com
Cruise in Comfort Overwater villas are one thing, but for Maldives-bound travellers looking to truly spend their vacation on the lagoon, Soneva Group, will launch the first of its luxury Boat Villas, Soneva in Aqua, at Soneva Fushi in November. Combining all the benefits of the resort with the freedom and exclusivity of a private boat charter, the ultra-luxury yacht measures 19.25 metres in length with a cruising speed of six knots as well as the ability to run solely on sails. Catering to four guests, the two-cabin boat features a spacious master suite with a sunken glass bath and shower facilities, an external raised sun and dining deck, a lower level bar and dining area plus daybeds, lounge seating, and a jacuzzi. Additional sun deck space is also available on a lower level for spa treatments and an internal library, lounge, and dining room provide additional areas ideal for entertaining. Decked out in natural materials, including rich brown leathers, woods, and organic cottons, Soneva in Aqua has been built with environmentally zero emission materials and features a skilled captain, private dive master, housekeeper and chef. A ‘map of locations’ allows guests to tailor their voyages, which are priced from US$4,375 per night for four guests. www.soneva.com
A Journey for the Soul Sri Lankan hotel group Jetwing has launched the first of four luxury houseboats on the island’s Bentota River. A fusion of old world nautical accomplishment and modern technology, the steel-hulled Yathra by Jetwing – which takes its name from the Sanskrit world for ‘journey’ features two cabins beautifully appointed in bamboo and thatch by local craftsmen, as well as ensuite bathrooms, and private balconies. Spacious outdoor and indoor dining areas are great spots for families and friends to come together while exploring the Bentota waterways. A full crew caters to guests’ every need and customised itineraries can be designed to capture the essence of Sri Lanka both on and off the water. www.jetwinghotels.com
Bottoms Up For the spirits connoisseur who thinks they’ve seen – and sipped – it all, luxury travel company Holidays Please has created the ultimate drinks-themed itinerary. The 40-day epic takes in a dozen locations around the world famed for the quality and unique nature of their tipples, from sampling a GBP12,000 (US$20,190) diamond-filled cocktail at the Algonquin Hotel in New York, to popping the cork on a GBP330,000 (US$555,200) bottle of Armand de Brignac Dynastie at the Billionaires Club in Monaco. Travellers with a thirst will also sip shots of Jose Cuervo 250 Aniversario tequila in Las Vegas and enjoy private tours behind some of the drink scene’s biggest names, including Grey Goose and Dalmore. Of course, between drinks guests travel in style, with business class flights, helicopter transfers and tours, meals in leading fine-dining restaurants, and stays in some of the world’s leading hotels, from the Corinthia London to Raffles Singapore. From GBP750,000 (US$1.2 million) per person. www.holidaysplease.co.uk www.jetsetter.hk
JOURNEYS 25
Travel Ups & Downs
Island Escape Boutique online travel company Backyard Travel has created a new fourday tailor-made tour to Myanmar dubbed Macleod Island: Myanmar Beach Retreat, which captures the beauty of the Mergui Archipelago off the nation’s west coast. Famed for its stunning, and rarely visited islands, travellers can split their time between the soft white sand beaches of Macleod Island, and the dense rainforests of the interior, ideal for hiking. There are opportunities to dive on untouched reefs with a PADI-registered dive company and also sample the archipelago’s legendary seafood, including local lobster, at the Myanmar Andaman Resort, where accommodation is included for the three nights. From US$507 per person. www.backyardtravel.com
Despite fears that the giant A380 would only be used to pack in as many travellers as possible, many airlines are reveling in the increased space, including one which is hoping to fly all of its passengers in style; Domestic Japanese airline Skymark will fit out its Superjumbo with premium economy and business class seats only when the aircraft arrives later this year. www.skymark.jp Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is making sure that football fans won’t miss a single match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The airline has teamed up with IMG Media to ensure all 64 games of the competition will be screened live on long-haul flights through the airline’s state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system.
Ups Downs
Karma Cleansing For the ultimate challenge, adventure company Whistling Arrow will offer a unique opportunity to hike Western China’s legendary Meili Snow Mountain to coincide with the Tibetan Year of the Horse. The Kawa Karpo Kora is one of the best all-round treks in Western China and one of Asia’s great mountain adventures. Known as the ‘white pillar’ by Tibetans, this peak is never climbed and remains worshiped as a deity, but this unique 17-day itinerary allows the intrepid to trek the Kora on a 180km route that climbs from the Mekong River valley to the legendary Shola Pass at 4,810m. Take in spectacular scenery, delve into the rarely visited culture of the Khampa nomads, and purify a lifetime of negative karma on this amazing journey through moss-laced forests, remote Tibetan villages, alpine meadows, and panoramic mountain passes. The trek is for fit, experienced hikers and includes long days and significant ascents and descents, although no previous Himalayan experience is required. Departure is from Shangri-La in northern Yunnan province on September 27. From US$4,200 per person. www.whistlingarrow.com
Lucheng Museum in the Chinese province of Liaoning, northeast of Beijing, has been closed down by police after it was found that thousands of items from its 8,000-piece collection were fake. Counterfeits include a sword supposedly from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) that was valued at over US$19 million. The museum is the latest in China to be closed due to fakes within the collection. Taxi services throughout Europe are being disrupted as drivers protest the launch of private online booking services such as Uber. Paris, Madrid, London, Rome, and Berlin were all affected by the protests, while those arriving in Nice ahead of the Cannes Film Festival found the Nice Cote d’Azure International Airport blockaded by striking drivers. www.jetsetter.hk
26 HOTELS & RESORTS
At the Heart of it All In the latest addition to the urban renaissance being experienced by the South African city of Johannesburg, a new Four Seasons will open in the heart of the city’s financial and business district in December. Located just minutes from the newly-opened Museum for African Design, as well as the city’s commercial centre. The new hotel is nestled among lushly landscaped gardens, with 240-degree views across Johannesburg’s green belt. Only 30 minutes from two major airports, including the largest and busiest in Africa, the new Four Seasons Hotel, The Westcliff, Johannesburg, is perfectly suited for business travellers or as a stop off for safari-bound adventurers. Housed within a former stately enclave, local designers RSL Architects and Jacket Interiors have given the grande dame of The Westcliff a dynamic facelift; with 117 guest rooms and suites across nine low rise buildings, the hotel brings a residential feel to the city centre. Look out for a curated art collection featuring the likes of Helmut Starcke, Obie Oberholzer, Gawie Joubert, and Saral Petrus, as well as an all new spa complex, two swimming pools, and five all-new restaurants. www.fourseasons.com
Beauty of the Bay Following an extensive two-year renovation of an early twentieth century building, Hotel G has opened in the centre of San Francisco’s fashionable Union Square district. The new lifestyle hotel combines residential sophistication with a laid-back vibe perfectly suited to west coast-bound travellers looking to soak up the sun and culture of San Francisco. Comprising 153 guest rooms housed within the 100-year old former Fielding Hotel building, the hotel features designs by New York-based Hun Aw Studio, including fog-colored walls, wood finishes, and earthy fabrics and textiles juxtaposed with clean lines, pops of color and fair-trade accents and art. Furnishings are crisp, simple, and functional, and include Victorian settees, vintage schoolhouse chairs, banker’s lamps, and mid-century writing desks. Keep a keen eye out for art from Creativity Explored, a non-profit arts centre for developmentally disabled adults, which will showcase its works within the hotel. www.hotelgsanfrancisco.com
Idyllic Island Retreat Tucked into the southwestern corner of Tokoriki Island, part of Fiji’s paradisiacal Mamanuca group, is the recently opened Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, the brand’s eighth property in the Pacific region. Located in a stunning beachfront position, guests arrive at the sprawling 14-acre property via a 12-minute helicopter ride from Nadi, or a one-hour boat ride. The resort boasts 101 well-appointed guest rooms and suites rendered in a tasteful, modern style that utilises natural accents drawn from the surrounding environment; the top suites here however, are the Tokoriki Beach Front Retreats, 18 secluded havens that seamlessly combine indoor and outdoor living and feature endless panoramas of the Pacific Ocean along with private decks with plunge pools and day beds, and direct access to the beach. Away from their retreats, guests can indulge in a wide range of treatments at the Tokoriki Retreat Spa, nestled into the adults-only side of the island, or indulge in fresh, sumptuous Fijian seafood by chef Kim Brennan at the alfresco Flying Fish Tokoriki restaurant. www.sheratontokorikiisland.com
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HOTELS & RESORTS 27
Better Late Than Never After long delays, the W Beijing – Chang’an is set to open this month, bringing the brand’s colour and flare to the city’s exclusive Diplomatic District, conveniently located near Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The 340 room hotel on Jian Guo Mennan Ave promises stunning urban views from all of its guest rooms, as well as W signature beds, W hotel’s minibar Munchie Boxes, Bliss spa amenities, and cutting-edge technology, making it ideal for both business and leisure travellers to the Chinese capital. Look out for three restaurants, including a sophisticated modern Chinese eatery and the mixological musings of the Living Room, as well as an indoor heated pool, perfect for Beijing’s chilly winter months. www.starwoodhotels.com
Bridging Time Opening next month, the St Regis Chengdu brings new levels of luxury to one of China’s most important commercial and tourism hubs. With an exclusive address in the heart of Chengdu’s business district, the hotel is located just steps away from Tianfu Square and the Chun Xi Road high-end retail area, making it ideal for both travellers at play and at work. With a design persona that fuses Art Deco styling with traditional elements of Szechuan culture, the hotel is a marriage of heritage and modernity. A curated art collection emphasises this bridging of eras through the hotel’s 279 sumptuously-appointed guest rooms and public spaces. In a nod to the city’s epicurean pedigree as Unesco’s first City of Gastronomy in Asia, the new hotel features six distinct restaurants and lounges, including Social, a signature all-day dining restaurant; Yan Ting, St. Regis’ specialty Chinese restaurant featuring Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine; Decanter, Chengdu’s only dedicated wine bar; and Vantage XXVII, an elegant outdoor sky bar with views of the spectacular city skyline. The St. Regis Chengdu is also the first hotel in the city to offer the brand’s signature butler service to all guests. www.stregis.com/chengdu
Paris Revival Located between the Golden Triangle and the Place de l’Etoile on the Champs-Elysées, Paris’ historic Hotel Vernet has reopened after an extensive renovation by star architect François Champsaur to coincide with its 100th anniversary. Sumptuous, contemporary new interiors throughout the hotel’s guest rooms and public spaces feature accents of marble and brass, egg shell, rainforest green, and bold blue leather, as well as glass, in keeping with the hotel’s iconic original glass dome, created by Gustave Eiffel, which canopies the Le V restaurant (pictured), one of the most coveted tables in town. The Design Hotels member’s 50 guest rooms and suites, spread across seven floors, now boast warm autumn and summer colour palettes, as well as contemporary furnishings and tactile fabrics, signature touches by Champsaur, who is best known for his attention to detail by artfully playing with light and volume. www.hotelvernet-paris.fr www.jetsetter.hk
28 INTRODUCING
Point
of
Perfection
Located on the northeast coast of Phuket, Point Yamu by Como is a magnificent work in progress, with the main cliff-top resort now open and a clutch of 27 indulgent standalone villas on their way. With the limestone peaks of Phang Nga Bay as a stunning backdrop, the Mr & Mrs Smith member resort blends its Thai surrounds with touches of the Med, thanks to bold, modern interior designs by Paola Navone. A cavernous entrance lobby with captivating views to the fishing villages below branches off to a main pool, restaurants and 79 super sexy white washed guest rooms decked out in blue tiles, timber accents, and plenty of creature comforts. Our favourites are the Bay Pool Suites with their bright master bedrooms, opulent bathrooms, and infinity pools, though sadly, they lack in privacy what they offer in design-savvy. Much of the resort is centred around an impressive 100-metre sun lounger-wreathed pool, including Nahmyaa, sister restaurant to Bangkok’s award-winning Nahm, and La Sirena, which has an Italian twist and does long, lingering breakfasts (the Thai take on bacon and eggs is a must-try) and stunning Como Shambala spa cuisine. While the Como Shambala Spa’s blue tiles and white painted metal staircases is reminiscent of a renovated municipal swimming pool in a former Communist state, the therapists are expertly trained, and the views from the treatment rooms are truly to die for. The resort offers ‘soft opening rates’ until September as construction of the villas is ongoing. www.mrandmrssmith.com – by Nick Walton
www.jetsetter.hk
INTRODUCING 29
If you’re headed to the west coast of the US this summer, be sure to leave time to escape the city to the newly opened Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage for a truly unique desert experience. Nestled in the Santa Rosa Mountains two hours from Los Angeles and San Diego, the resort is perched on a towering bluff overlooking Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, with 244 guest rooms and suites (our favourite are the Valley View Suites), dressed in the natural elements of timber and stone, embracing their surreal surrounds. To shake off the stress of city life,
D e s e r t
D e v i a t i o n
there is a luxurious two-level spa inspired by the beauty of the surrounding desert and mountain ranges, with treatments that take advantage of rare indigenous herbs and plants to awaken the senses and refresh mind and body. To please the palate, the State Fare Bar specialises in classic American cocktails and prized Californian wines, as well as spirits from small-batch local distilleries, and features a stunning terrace with a fire pit, while the State Fare Kitchen is an ode to Calfornia’s prized harvest and locally sourced ingredients, showcased at a lively chef’s display kitchen and private dining room. www.ritzcarlton.com/ranchomirage
www.jetsetter.hk
30 INTRODUCING
A Grand Entrance The Peninsula Paris, the group’s first European property, opens its doors this August, a stunning marriage of cutting-edge technology and timeless elegance. Housed in a century-old maison that was once the Hotel Majestic, the Peninsula will be in the heart of the elegant 16th arrondissement, just steps from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. Built as a new icon in a city of legendary landmarks, the Peninsula Paris will feature 205 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites (look out for lavish signature suites with private rooftop gardens), spacious public areas, and expansive rooftop and street level terraces. With interiors by Hong Kong-based Henry Leung of Chhada Siemieda & Associates, and architecture by Richard Martinet of Affine Architecture & Interior Design, the elegant building has been lovingly restored by French craftsmen with the aim of preserving its rich heritage and elegance. Dressed in soft grey and cream hues accented with high-gloss lacquered architectural features, look out for collections of contemporary art by celebrated artists Ben Jakober and Xavier Corberó. Six restaurants and bars will include the Lili Chinese restaurant, the Kléber Terrace, and the L’Oiseau Blanc rooftop restaurant, bar and terrace, with its 360-degree views over Paris. http://paris.peninsula.com
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INTRODUCING 31 Opening this summer as part of the city’s newest hub for fashion, food, and the arts, Raffles Istanbul Zorly Centre sits on the European side of this ancient city, on the cusp of its famed waterway, The Bosphorus. Boasting 130 beautifullyappointed guest rooms and 50 suites, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and its own heliport for arrivals in style, the new Raffles will also be home to one of the largest spas in Istanbul. Art lovers will enjoy the hotel’s curated collection of specially commissioned pieces by local artists, which tie into a strong Turkish design theme throughout guest rooms and public spaces. A dedicated Art Concierge will be the perfect point of reference for guests looking to delve into the local arts scene, which has been recently punctuated with the opening of several keystone galleries and museums. The hotel promises rooms with spacious balconies offering panoramic views of the city, as well as a rooftop pool that will offer a welcomed respite from the city by day or night, complete with visiting international DJs and one of the city’s first champagne bars. www.raffles.com
B r i d
g i n g
East & West
www.jetsetter.hk
32 24 HOURS
Be My
Boston When summer comes to Boston, residents and locals alike make the most of sunny days and warm evenings on the coast, discovers Nick Walton. 9am Start off in the city’s newest boutique urban hideaway, The Boxer. The newly renovated hotel, which is part of the Independent Collection, is located between the foodie hub of the North End and the storied cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill, making it the perfect base from which to explore Boston on foot. Our favourite rooms are the Deluxe Kings, with their fisherman’s knit bed scarf, Calcutta marble tops in the bathrooms, iHome systems, and Keurig coffee makers. Be sure to leave time for a lingering breakfast in the Finch Restaurant, which serves modern American fare. 107 Merrimac Street, Boston, Tel: +1 617 624 0202; theboxerboston.com
11am Set out on foot into the North End, and make a beeline for the great cafés and www.jetsetter.hk
boutiques of Hanover Street. This is Boston’s Italian-American quarter so join the crowd of tourists and locals at Mike’s Pastry (300 Hanover Street, +1 617 742 3050; mikespastry.com) for fresh cannoli, before window-shopping past the likes of Aquire, famed for its restored furniture, Twilight, for its summer dresses, and Shake The Tree, for everything in between.
1pm You’re in the North End so Italian it is, and one of the city’s best spots is Strega, a local institution famed for its great ambiance, its generous portions, and its adherence to tradition. Its lunch menu is laced with palate-pleasing dishes, from the zesty signature salad, with baby arugula, grapefruit, walnut, shaved parmigiano, and a citrus vinaigrette; through to the cozze alla marinana, with farm raised mussels in a spicy tomato sauce. This being Boston,
there is a distinct leaning towards fresh seafood and a brilliant wine list to match. 379 Hanover St, Boston; Tel: +1 617 523 8481; www.stregaristorante.com
3pm Walk off your meal by exploring the emerging Atlantic Wharf development (top right), a new precinct of offices, waterfront retail, and acclaimed restaurants and alfresco bars. The development began with the Russia Wharf project, which saw three historic low-rise buildings on the Fort Point Channel waterfront being incorporated into a new development of offices and luxury apartments that has helped revitalise the district. Running from the North End to South Station, and bordered on one side by the Boston Harbour and on the other by the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the new neighbourhood promises new hotels, restaurants, and plenty of public events.
24 HOURS 33 rum-themed cocktails and an enviable collection of the fiery spirit from the top rum-producing nations. If champagne is more your thing, the bar’s dedicated champagne bar takes its design accents from the Moulin Rouge. 510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Tel: +1-617 747 1000; www.intercontinentalboston.com
8pm One of the first restaurants to open on Atlantic Wharf is a branch of the sophisticated steakhouse Smith & Wollensky, a local icon itself. Serving up USDA steaks that they dry-age and butcher on site, as well as lobster and fresh seafood, in elegant surrounds, order a glass of local pinot, and pick your cut; the coffee and cocoa rubbed filet with ancho chili butter is a crowd pleaser, as is the beef tenderloin trio, served with Cajun seasoning and a madeira demi glace. 294 Congress Street, Atlantic Wharf, Boston; Tel: +1 617 778 2200; www.smithandwollensky.com
5pm Time for a little history, and there is no better place to learn about some of the most important events in the city’s past than at the Boston Tea Party Museum. Don’t worry, this isn’t your usual fuddy duddy house of history, but one that brings the characters and events of the past to life, with historical recreations, live actors, and special effects. Meet the colonists, explore the ships, and dump tea overboard just as the Sons of Liberty did on that fateful night in December 1773. Tours take approximately one hour. 306 Congress St, Boston, Tel: +1 617338-1773; www.bostonteapartyship.com/ museum
Alternatively, if you’re not such a meat fan, head to North 26 at the Millennium Bostonian Hotel, one of the city’s top tables (below right). Their dinner menu is laced with light, creative offerings, from the Maitland Farms Field Greens salad, with baby greens, roasted walnuts, dried cranberries and a zesty Great Hill bleu; through to signatures like the black mussels with saffron cream; the Misty Knoll Farm organic chicken breast with Haricots verts and fingerling potatoes; and the five spice Long Island duck with dried Michigan cherry wild rice and blackberry gastrique. 26 North Street at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston; +1 617 557 3640; www.millenniumhotels.com
11pm If you want to end the night among the city’s beautiful, head to Whisky Saigon, the reinvention of the city’s iconic Gypsy Bar. With a dance floor bedecked with special effects and laser lighting, and a constantly evolving roster of international DJs, expect long lines and stiff drink prices, but a night on the town unlike any other in Boston. 116 Boylston Street, Boston, Tel: +1 617 482 7799; www.whiskysaigon.com
10am If you’re lucky enough to be visiting the city on a Sunday between May and October, there is only one place you should be spending your morning – at the SoWa Farmer’s Market, home to 60 mouth-watering stands and Boston’s best food trucks. Look out for the likes of Clover Food Lab, famed for its chickpea fritters and brown sugar lemonade; Staff Meal, which serves up quirky pickings like Venezuelan arepas topped with pickled watermelon, and Chinese sausage burritos; and Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheeses (below), as you explore the award-winning markets. Even if you can’t take the fresh vegetables home, you can graze to your heart’s content and even take a few condiments home. 460 Harrison Ave, Boston, http:// newenglandopenmarkets.com/sowafarmers-market
6.30 PM It’s a very reasonable time for a tipple, and in Atlantic Wharf, that means RumBa at the InterContinental Boston. Rum was once one of New England’s most prolific trade items, and RumBa pays tribute to rum’s heritage with www.jetsetter.hk
34 PAMPER
Summer Soothers Dead Sea Healing Chi, The Spa, at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Penang, has unveiled a luxurious new treatment that harnesses the healing properties of the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea. The Rasa Ocean Inspiration Treatment is a truly indulgent two-and-a-half-hour ritual where spaophiles will be treated to a 15-minute Sea Salt Soak, a 30-minute Sea Salt Scrub, and a 45-minute Dead Sea Mud Wrap. The soothing wellness journey finishes with a 60-minute energising Asian Blend Massage, leaving guests with silky smooth, hydrated skin, and a revived circulation and metabolism. www.shangri-la.com
Pampering by Textures Exclusive for guests of the Wynn Macau, The Spa at Wynn has created a lavish new treatment, the Signature Silk & Cashmere Awakening. Inspired by the smooth textures of silk and cashmere, the 90-minute journey begins with a purifying exfoliation and a light massage with warm silk gloves that gently revives and rejuvenates the skin. Next, a deeper full-body massage with warmed lotus oil precedes the application of a luxurious cashmere-infused silk body wrap. The decadent treatment concludes with a refined body cream of lotus flower extract and shea butter that infuses the skin with a gorgeous glow. www.wynnmacau.com
All-Natural Skincare Eforea, the wellness retreat at the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa in New Zealand, has launched a home-grown skincare line that incorporates a number of natural local ingredients including unique ferns, flax, kawakawa (a coastal plant), manuka honey, and marine wakame algae. The new line, Evolu, consists of products like body mud, hand and foot cream with menthol, and a rehydration mask. The products will be used in the spa’s Escape rituals which includes facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and massages; the highlight of the range is the popular 90-minute Purifying Body Experience. www.queenstownhilton.com
The Perfect Tan The three Anantara Spas in the Maldives have teamed up with award-winning organic sun skincare line Coola to create a full treatment program that gives the perfect tan. The Coola Morning Sun Soother is a 60-minute pre-sun ritual where guests are prepared for a day in the sun with a Coconut & Mint Scrub and Wrap, a Pre-Sun Care Facial, the application of Coola Sun Protector, and a Sun Care Coola SPF body treatment. Guest can also opt for the All-day Application for sunscreen top ups every few hours; or the Coola Full Day Sun Care Programme, which includes all the above and a few post-sun skin soothers. www.anantara.com www.jetsetter.hk
SPA PROFILE 35
Desert
Detox Next time you’re passing through Dubai and need a break from endless meetings or hours lost window shopping, head for the city’s newest house of pampering, the ESPA at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal’s Venetian Village. A serene space in one of the Gulf’s busiest cities, the new beachfront spa offers pioneering treatments laced with traditional Bedouin healing heritage. Dressed in locally-sourced materials, including limestone, iridescent glass, and brown onyx, the spa is spread across two levels, and features a striking Moroccan hammam, saunas flooded with natural daylight, marble steam rooms, and a total of 16 luxuriously-appointed treatment suites. Separate female and male outdoor relaxation areas bring respite during Dubai’s summer months, and include private plunge pools enveloped in lush greenery. Detox with the Indulgence Hammam treatment, a total body ritual that revitalises body and mind with a traditional deep cleansing and body scrub followed by a full body foam massage, a nourishing mud body mask, and a refreshing hair cleanse and scalp massage. Alternatively, the Oasis Ritual is a 120-minute treatment that combines a stimulating hammam scrub with a warm oil massage designed to calm achy muscles and create a sense of wellbeing. www.ritzcarlton.com www.jetsetter.hk
36 BUSINESS TRAVEL
Get Down to Business Setting a new benchmark for travel in the Middle East, Dohabased Qatar Airways has launched a new, daily, all-business class service between its hub in Doha and London Heathrow. The first of its kind in the region, the new service operates on an Airbus A319 aircraft, featuring wide seats that recline into lie-flat beds arranged in a single aisle, 2-2 configuration that caters to 40 passengers. Along with the airline’s award-winning hospitality, passengers will have access to the state-of-the-art Oryx entertainment system. This additional flight will be the sixth for the airline, alongside its five daily regular services, and will increase the frequency of the airline’s Doha-London route from 35 to 42 services weekly. www.qatarairways.com
Heathrow’s New Oasis Plaza Premium Lounge has made its first foray into Europe with the opening in June of its new lounge at London Heathrow’s Terminal Two. Designed by Kinney Chan of KCA Associates, the sleek, contemporary new lounge offers travellers five luxury shower rooms; five ensuite, private relaxation rooms; a Wellness Spa with exclusive treatments by British spa brand Ila; a champagne bar; and a wide selection of food, drinks, tapas, and freshly baked artisan breads. Other amenities include high-speed WiFi, a range of international newspapers and magazines, and televisions with full flight information. The Plaza Premium Lounge is accessible to all passengers, regardless of which airline or class they’re travelling on; an admission fee of GBP38 (US$64) grants access to the lounge for two hours. www.plaza-network.com
Home in the Sky Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is bringing new levels of luxury to the skies with the unveiling of its new ‘residence’ class onboard its A380 aircraft. Touted as the next step up from traditional first class offerings, the ‘residence’ is a three-room suite in the front section of the plane’s upper deck perfectly suited to single travellers or couples. Featuring a living room, a separate bedroom with a double bed, a private minibar, two LCD televisions, a bathroom and shower, the ‘residence’ is a fully-equipped apartment in the sky, complete with butlers trained by London’s Savoy Butler Academy, and an inflight chef. The new offering will be rolled out across a number of routes through 2014 and 2015. www.etihad.com
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BUSINESS TRAVEL 37
Seoul Respite Korean Air has unveiled its new lounge at the Tom Bradley International Terminal of Los Angeles Airport. Set on the terminal’s fifth floor and designed by global architecture and design firm Gensler, the new lounge caters to the airline’s Prestige and First Class passengers, as well as corresponding SkyTeam customers. The new 1,320sqm space features a large–scale drawing of Seoul’s Changdeok Palace, a world heritage site, at its entrance, and offers travellers 305 seats, four private lounge rooms and showers, a balcony with panoramic views of the terminal, and a luggage depository service. www.koreanair.com
Manchester Calling Hong Kong’s national carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, has announced the launch of a four-times-weekly service to Manchester from December 2014. Tickets are already on sale for the new Manchester service which will be operated on Beoing 777-300ER aircraft featuring the airline’s latest cabin products, including its award-winning Business Class, Premium Economy Class, and new Economy Class seats, as well as its lauded cabin service and state-of-the-art entertainment system. CX357 will depart Hong Kong at 1am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving in Manchester at 6:20am; CX358 departs Manchester midday on the same days, arriving in Hong Kong at 7:44am the next day. www.cathaypacific.com
Smart Security Frequent flyers in Europe may soon benefit from the easing of restrictions on airport liquid bans. Earlier this year, the European Union began to allow a limited category of liquids, aerosols, and gels onto planes under a phased implementation process. Britain will soon follow suit, thanks to the recent purchase of LS10 liquid bottle scanners, manufactured by Ohio-based Battelle. Using radio frequency and ultrasonic technology, the scanners are able to detect whether or not a liquid could be dangerous. London’s Heathrow has been the first British airport to purchase the scanners, but several other airports, including Aberdeen, Southampton, and Glasgow International, will soon implement the machines. www.battelle.org
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38 CRUISING
Home Port in China Luxury cruise line Royal Caribbean International has announced that its newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, will make its home port in Shanghai, China, from May 2015, following its inaugural winter season sailing the Caribbean from New York. From June 2015, the ship will sail three- to eight-night itineraries from Shanghai to Japan and Korea. The new ship boasts 2,090 well-appointed state rooms over 18 decks, and a new set of onboard experiences such as SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea, complete with bumper cars and roller-skating. The Quantum Class ship also features the new Dynamic Dining concept, a culinary experience offering 18 restaurant concepts, including specialty restaurants created by partner-chefs Jamie Oliver, Devin Alexander, and Michael Schwartz. www.royalcaribbean.com
Princess’ Americas Lineup Princess Cruises has released its 2015-2016 Americas cruise itineraries, a comprehensive lineup that includes journeys between three and 28 days, to the Caribbean, Canada, New England, the Panama Canal, Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, and the West Coast. Highlights of the season are the 50th anniversary cruise to Mexico, departing December 3, 2015, and a new fiveday Mexico cruise with an overnight stay in Cabo San Lucas. In total, 12 ships will sail on 48 itineraries to 86 destinations, totalling more than 230 departures. Guests will have the chance to sail the Caribbean on the company’s two newest ships, Royal Princess and Regal Princess, and its largest ships, Crown Princess and Ruby Princess, which will be positioned on the West Coast.
Land Extensions for Canada Crystal Cruises is giving guests sailing on Crystal Serenity’s September-October voyages the chance to extend their vacations with two new lavish land programs. From US$1,365, the two-night Toronto & Niagara Falls package includes a tour of the falls; a visit to to Niagara-on-the-Lake, home to 28 wineries, and the Heritage District; dinner at the rotating restaurant atop Toronto’s CN Tower; and an exploration of the Path, a 16-mile underground network of shops, museums, theatres, and dining. Also on offer is the three-night Quebec City and Montreal by Train itinerary, where guests will stay at the Unesco-listed Auberge Saint-Antoine and the Ritz-Carlton Montreal; travel by Business Class train between Montreal and Quebec City, with lounge access and onboard lunch; and explore Quebec City’s museums and historic districts, and Montreal’s Notre Dame Basilica, Latin Quarter, and Mont Royal. www.crystalcruises.com
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CRUISING 39
Wrangel Me This Off the north coast of Siberia, Wrangel Island and its tiny neighbour, Herald Island, look much as they did in the Pleistocene epoch, when woolly mammoths roamed the land. Today, a different species with a penchant for colder climes calls the islands home, with an average of 350 polar bears denning on the island each year. A government endorsed nature reserve since 1976, this unique landscape is only accessible by government officials, and invited guests, making Heritage Expeditions’ unique voyages to Wrangel Island a must-try for nature lovers with an adventurous streak. With just 50 guests travelling on the Spirit of Enderby, as well as an experienced and knowledgeable expedition team including rangers from Wrangel Island, itineraries depart from Anadyr, Russia, and cross the Arctic Circle to both islands and destinations on the wild North Eastern Siberian coastline, a journey only made possible with the summer retreat of the pack ice in the Chukchi Sea. In addition to the endangered polar bears, look out for the world’s largest population of Pacific walrus, as well as gray whales, reindeer, musk ox, and snow geese. Departures in August 2014. www.heritage-expeditions.com
Entertainment At Sea Miami-based cruise line Regent Seven Seas is taking at-sea entertainment to new heights with the introduction of 12 exciting new productions aboard its three ships, a medley of worldclass theatrical, musical, and acrobatic performances. Produced by Jean Ann Ryan Productions, all the shows utilise a new fullstage LED video wall to help transport guests to famed locales like the Moulin Rouge. Seven Seas Navigator will host four shows, including The Piano Man, featuring songs by Elton John and Billy Joel, and Broadway Tonight, celebrating music from hit musicals like The Book of Mormon, Jersey Boys, and Rock of Ages. Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager will house three shows each, featuring timeless classics and contemporary hits from Elvis Presley, The Carpenters, The Temptations, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake. www.rssc.com
Lavish Makeover Unveiled Star Pride, the lavishly revamped jewel of Windstar Cruises, was recently debuted at a christening ceremony in Barcelona, Spain, ahead of its inaugural voyage through Spain, France, and Italy. The luxury yacht underwent an intensive three-week transformation which included the updating of its public spaces, dining venues, and suites, and new furnishings, upholstery, lighting, and carpeting. The all-suite yacht also features the new Destination Suites, which will eventually be rolled out fleet-wide. Star Pride will spend the summer in the Mediterranean, before taking guests on exotic itineraries through Asia and Arabia, including the 7-day Black Sea Tapestry; the 9-day Pride of the Agean, from Athens to Istanbul; Riviera Enchantment, a 7-day, round-trip voyage from Rome; and Venetian Passageways, a 9-day journey from Athens to Venice through the Corinth Canal. www.windstarcruises.com
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40 BOUTIQUE & BEAUTIFUL
C U L T U RA L L Y
COOL Melbourne's boutique hideaways extend the city's reputation as an arts and culture hub with design-savvy looks, gastronomic surprises, and historic pedigrees. By Gayatri Bhaumik.
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Adelphi Hotel With only 31 guest rooms and suites hidden on Flinders Lane, Adelphi Hotel is an intimate, design-savvy retreat right in the heart of the city. Recently renovated at the hands of local design practice Hachem, the ‘dessert hotel’ is a treat for all the senses, with contemporary art and suspended black leather couches in the lobby, guest rooms sporting a chic, modern design aesthetic punctuated with bursts of colour and whimsy, and a fantastical dessert-inspired restaurant tucked into a quiet corner. All rooms feature 40-inch flat-screens, bedside iHome docking stations, LED strip lighting, plush patterned carpets, complimentary minibars – including a jar stuffed with candy – and WiFi, and industrial-chic bathrooms with steel vanities, separate showers and bathtubs, and amenities by Appelles Apothecary & Lab. Opt for a spacious Flinders King suite, which also boasts a king-sized bed bedecked with high-thread-count sheets and a faux-fur blanket, and abundant natural light through windows overlooking bustling Flinders Lane. Make sure to stop in at the Om Nom ‘dessert bar’ for your welcome drink – choose from dessert-inspired cocktails like Banoffee Pie and Cherry Ripe – and innovative signature desserts, or try the Sunday High Tea which features a range of sweet and savoury treats and a glass of Veuve Cliquot champagne. The hotel’s outdoor Pool Deck is due to reopen late this year. www.adelphi.com.au
BOUTIQUE & BEAUTIFUL 41
The Lyall Hotel & Spa Hidden on a small cross-street in the leafy suburb of South Yarra, this urbane retreat offers elegant accommodation steps from fashion-forward Chapel Street, and just 10 minutes from the CBD. Boasting a refined aesthetic that hints at the elegance of an English country manor, this quiet property has just 40 guest rooms, including Deluxe one and two-bedroom suites, stylish Grand suites, and the unique Platinum suite which boasts two fireplace and a huge outdoor terrace perfect for enjoying the fresh air with your morning coffee. Each well-appointed suite is rendered in a simple, refined style with soothing tones and comfortable furnishings, and features separate living areas and bedrooms with LCD flat-screens, complimentary WiFi, fullyequipped kitchenettes with gourmet minibars, fridges, and dishwashers, and bathrooms with heated floors – a blessing during winter – and paraben-free amenities by The Lyall Spa. Be sure to book a treatment at The Lyall Spa, a pampering haven with a full complement of wellness rituals and beauty services by Sodashi and Skeyndor; enjoy seasonal cuisine in a relaxed indoor setting, or alfresco on the terrace at Bistro Lyall; and start your evenings at The Lyall Champagne Bar, which offers a selection of French champagne and a tantalising bar food menu. www.thelyall.com
Hotel Lindrum Housed in a historic building located on Flinders Street, on the southern fringe of the CBD, Hotel Lindrum has been a Melbourne institution since the 1960s, first as the Herald and Weekly Times headquarters, and later as Lindrum’s Billiard Centre. The building became Hotel Lindrum in 1999, and late last year, its 59 guest rooms emerged from an extensive refurbishment overseen by Bate Smart Architects decked out in a palette of sophisticated neutral tones. Each room features rich wood furnishings, dark polished floorboards and woven carpets, along with Samsung LCD TVs, Philips docking stations, gourmet minibars, original artwork by local artists, and Apelles Apothecary & Lab amenities. Make time for a meal at the cozy Felt Restaurant tucked into the hotel’s ground floor. Catering to just 40 people for breakfast and dinner, it also serves a delightful Sunday afternoon tea that includes a glass of Moët & Chandon champagne and a choice of 15 T2 teas. With cushy sofas and leather armchairs arranged around a fireplace, and an extensive drinks list, the Back Bar & Billiard Room is the perfect spot for an after-hours tipple or a relaxed winter evening. Make sure to rack up a billiards game in the adjacent room, where you’ll play surrounded by memorabilia of world-renowned champ Walter Lindrum. www.hotellindrum.com.au
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42 THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
Chasing THE TEMPLARS The south of France is famous for its food, its rosé wine, and the glitz and glamour of the Côte d’Azur. But the area is also bursting with a palpable sense of history, finds Gayatri Bhaumik.
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’m captivated by the idea that I’m staying where a Templar stronghold once stood. The Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa in Vence, a stone’s throw from Nice, Cannes, and Antibes, is built on the foundation of a fortified structure that, in the 12th century, was a Commandery for the Knights Templar. But of course, the original structure was older. Dating back to Roman times, it was once the home of the Bishop of Tours. Set in a serene, lush park of 14 hectares, the ‘chateau’, now part of the Oetker Collection, evokes a very real sense of history. Behind the intimate terrace, with
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its panoramic views of the south coast of France and the Mediterranean Sea, are the remnants of a stone wall. Covered with moss, and with small window frames and tall red double doors, I’m told they’re from the original building and have stood there since 350AD.
of exclusive local wines, the stone walls and limestone foundations make you feel like the Templar’s legendary treasure isn’t far away. Treasures of other sorts can be found in the property’s Le Rossini bar, where two massive 18th century Gobelins tapestries adorn the walls.
Throughout the property, visitors will find a number of features that pay homage to its historic legacy. Its logo, emblazoned on everything from stationary to towels and bathrobes, features a Templar knight set into a cross. The property’s 51 rooms are simple yet elegant, and boast large stone archways through the balconies. Several stories underground, in the wine cellar where guests can have private tastings
The town of Vence itself has a long history. If you look hard enough, you’ll find signs of prehistoric habitations in the form of tombs, and remnants of the Roman Empire in inscriptions and the remains of a mausoleum. Turns out, this part of France has some real surprises in store for history buffs. A number of historically significant villages are in the area, including Seillans, Tourettes, and Fayence, but I visit the more
THE SOUTH OF FRANCE 43
popular Saint Paul de Vence, a medieval town not far from Nice, enclosed by fortified ramparts built in 1538. “Would you like to hear about our history?” I’ve just walked into the church in Saint Paul de Vence when the caretaker approaches me with this question. I’m intrigued by the church; boasting a beautifully decorated chapel and some serious art, it seems incongruous with the rest of the town. Built between the 14th and 18th century, the small Collegiate Church came into its own during the 17th century, when it benefitted from the notice of Antoine Godeau, a founding member of the Académie Française. The intricately decorated St. Clement Chapel, with its 17th century frescoes and stained glass windows, takes its name from the third Pope, whose remains are entombed here; later, I see the marks left when, during the French
Revolution, the tomb of a descendent of Henry the Third – a 16th century French king – was broken. There are a surprising number of art galleries lining the cobblestone streets of Saint Paul de Vence, a legacy of its extensive artistic history. Artists have long flocked to the town, drawn to its picturesque aesthetics and stunning light. Paul Signac, Raoul Dufy, and Chaïm Soutine were the trailblazers, paving the way for artists of all disciplines. Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso followed, while Marc Chagall, a resident of 19 years, died here in 1985 and is buried in the local cemetery. In their own ways, Saint Paul de Vence and Chateau Saint-Martin offer visitors a glimpse of the vivid history of this part of southern France, and an alternative experience to the seaside glamour most associate with the region. Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa, Avenue des Templiers, BP 102-06142 Vence Cedex, France, +33 (0) 4 93 58 02 02, www.chateau-st-martin.com
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44 PARIS
The Cat’s Meow A Parisian landmark that even locals flock to, Hôtel Le Bristol exudes a certain je ne sais quoi. Gayatri Bhaumik checks-in to see what all the fuss is about.
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named for the Earl of Bristol, a fastidious traveller known for his taste for the finer things in life, and it’s clear that this pursuit for unmitigated excellence – whether it’s in the accommodation, the food, or the service – is still at the heart of what is widely considered to be France’s best hotel.
Fa-raon is just one of several idiosyncrasies that come together to create the iconic Hôtel Le Bristol. It doesn’t take me long to realise that the hotel is a special place, but it takes a little longer to work out what makes it so. Opened in 1925, the hotel was
Design is an important factor here, and every detail is overseen by the matriarch of the Oetker family that owns the hotel. The ornate prints, paintings, and mirrors throughout the property are all originals, some with a great story behind them. The Marie Antoinette portrait at the Le Jardin Français café was done by a court painter
’ve only just arrived in France, and I’m already enthralled. His name is Fa-raon, and he’s the resident Birman cat at Paris’ Hôtel Le Bristol. A princely feline, the ‘Empurrer’, as he’s known, saunters around the lobby, coolly accepting all the attention lavished on him, and walking away when he’s had enough.
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in 1781; it hung in Versailles before the revolution, and passed through various hands before the Oetkers bought it at auction in the 1970s. The heart of a hotel is its accommodation, and Hôtel Le Bristol doesn’t disappoint, with 188 rooms – including 92 suites – across two wings, each of which is decorated in classic 18th century style. My room, on the attic annex accessed from the seventh floor of the old wing, is spacious yet cosy and inviting, with windows that overlook the rooftops – and the Eiffel Tower. Lavish without being garish, the room features an ornate wooden dressing table, cupboards
PARIS 45
with latticed mirrors, and a hidden minibar; the expansive Carrara marble bathroom is flooded with natural light, and features a double vanity, a separate bath and shower, and indulgent La Prairie products. Room service is encouraged here, and my mornings couldn’t feel more decadent as I enjoy pastries, coffee, and a newspaper in the opulent surrounds. For a real treat though, choose one of the luxurious signature suites. The 3,225sqft Royal Suite is a celebrity favourite; the duplex Penthouse Suite was originally built for Hippolyte Jammet, founder of Le Bristol; and the Panoramic Suite was immortalised in Woody Allen’s 2011 film, Midnight in Paris. It quickly becomes obvious that even dining at Hôtel Le Bristol is an exquisite experience – and it should be, since it’s the only hotel in France to have four Michelin stars. Overseen by Eric Frechon, a threeMichelin star chef who’s been awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France and decorated as a Knight of the Order of the Legion d’Honneur, the dining outlets here are renowned for turning out real culinary delights.
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46 PARIS
Slightly jetlagged, we traipse into the casual Le Jardin Français, a bright, airy space which, we find out, is the perfect spot to enjoy a sumptuous light lunch while watching locals do business over coffee. Across the lobby, 114 Faubourg, the one-Michelin star restaurant, is a chic
two-floor space with an open kitchen, orange walls, and a (mostly) classic French menu. But the real culinary gem is Epicure, the refined, light-filled three-Michelin star eatery overlooking the hotel’s gardens. It’s here that we indulge in a decadent, multicourse lunch, and while everything was as good as you’d expect at a restaurant of this calibre, it’s the end of the meal that thrills us. There is a large cheese selection carted around on a Cristofle service trolley; macarons that are an experience in their own right; and the main event, a lychee ‘snowball’ – iced meringue – flavoured with rose, pear, and lemon, which was created especially to celebrate the recent International Women’s Day. The hotel’s culinary offerings are complemented by the effortlessly elegant Le Bar Du Bristol, a gorgeous space serving up serious mixology and delicious tapas-style bar snacks. But as sumptuous accommodation and fine-dining are de rigueur at most fivestar properties, it takes more for a hotel to stand out from the pack, and Hôtel Le
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Bristol rises to the challenge with luxurious yet unassuming amenities. At the Spa Le Bristol by La Prairie, guests can savour indulgent treatments in rooms which overlook the indoor garden, or have their manes tamed at the hairdressing salon on the spa’s ground floor. For guests looking to stay active, the spa also features a small but well-equipped gym, and a charming indoor pool made to appear like a ship arriving by sea at the Hôtel du Cap EdenRoc, the Oetker Collection’s property in Antibes. With all this, coupled with an unbeatable location on the fabled Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, it’s no surprise that over the years, celebrities like Josephine Baker, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, and Orson Wells, have made Hôtel Le Bristol their Paris base – or that it was voted the best hotel in France in the 2014 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice. Hôtel Le Bristol, 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France, +33 (0) 1 53 43 43 00, www.lebristolparis.com
CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF STORIED ELEGANCE The St. Regis Bali Resort invites travel connoisseurs to join yearlong, 360-degree celebrations surrounding the number “5”, highlighting the rich legacy and unique
stregisbali.com/5years
heritage of the St. Regis brand. Be delighted with Kayuputi restaurant’s “Panca Surprise Anniversary Menu”, savor five distinctive Bloody Mary cocktails at the King Cole Bar and immerse in pure relaxation with the Remède Spa’s luxurious “Golden Sea Creation” treatment. Discover a world of bespoke service and extraordinary indulgences at Bali’s fi nest address.
kawasan pariwisata nusa dua lot s6, bali, indonesia 80363 tel: +62 361 8478111 stregisbali.com
48 THE LIST
The Happiest Places
on EARTH
Theme parks have long been a top choice for family vacations, where the young and young-at-heart can indulge in all manner of fun. Here, we run down some enduring favourites.
A
t Disneyland, the granddaddy of theme parks, guests can visit famous attractions like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, Space mountain, and the Haunted Mansion, while mingling with beloved characters such as Mickey and Minnie, Jasmin and Aladdin, and Buzz and Jessie.
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uilt around a 19th-century gothic mansion and gardens, Alton Towers is England’s answer to Disneyland. The park’s newest attraction are Sharkbait Reef, a piratethemed aquarium, and The Smiler, the latest addition to the 50-odd roller coasters on offer.
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eputedly the world’s biggest amusement park, Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari in New Jersey is home to the world’s tallest roller coaster, Kingda Ka. Guests will also ride with superheroes like Batman, the Green Lantern, and Superman, and get up close and personal with Looney Toons characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.
A
rguably Australia’s favourite theme park, Dreamworld is home to the ‘Big 5’ thrill rides. Set on the Gold Coast, adrenaline junkies can test their stomachs on the thrills and spills of The Tower of Terror, The Giant Drop, Wipeout, Cyclone, and The Claw.
F
or film buffs, the only park to visit is Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Potterheads will fall under the spell of the immersive experience that is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, while other rides take you into the world of films like Transformers, Despicable Me, Men in Black, The Incredible Hulk, E.T., and Terminator.
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MALDIVES 49
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50 AUSTRALIA
L ittle
Lord Howe
Located off Australia’s east coast, tiny, unassuming Lord Howe Island is a unique
I
t’s funny how silence can be deafening to a city dweller. We become all too accustomed to the bedlam of big cities. But here on Lord Howe Island - an island whose name few are familiar with, and whose shores even fewer have touched silence prevails. Its very name conjures up majestic images of towering cliffs, turquoise waters, colourful coral gardens, and a delicate paradise removed from convention, time, and of course, noise. Lord Howe’s windswept airport, like many of the island’s gathering places, has the feeling of a communal living room; everyone clearly knows everyone else, and all eyes are on the newest batch of visitors to this pint-sized utopia. A massive, mustached
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man wrapped in an official-looking polo shirt with CUSTOMS stenciled across the back, casually watches as a handful of tourists file past – he’s also the island’s lone policeman. Lord Howe is truly special. The island was first discovered in February, 1788, by the crew of the rather-innocuously named HMS Supply, then commanded by Lieutenant Henry Lodgbird Ball, RN, whose name was later used for both the island’s tallest point and Ball’s Pyramid, a staggering tooth of rock which leaps out of the water off the coast of Lord Howe. The island itself was named after Richard Howe, the First Lord of the Admiralty. The British Navy has a history on Lord Howe,
in modern times best remembered by the 2002 near sinking of the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Nottingham after it struck the island’s Wolf Reef. Located 700km northeast of Sydney, the Lord Howe Group consists of several outcrops of land, a lingering volcanic legacy dating back seven million years. It remains an ecological wonderland boasting 241 species of plants, 105 of which are endemic. There are also 168 species of bird, including the rare flightless woodhen and massive glider-like providence petrels, which dance on cliff-top thermals or gossip on the surf drenched rocks that descend into the sea, waiting for dinner to be caught in one of the tidal pools.
AUSTRALIA 51
paradise that’s made all the more beautiful by its isolation, discovers Nick Walton. Tourism came slow to the island – when Ball arrived, few Polynesian he mentioned the island to were familiar with it, and with ships or flying boats the only way to reach Lord Howe until the airstrip was cleared in 1974, the tiny population was left to the isolation of the sea. To help keep it that way, only 400 tourists are allowed on Lord Howe at any one time, making it akin to a living national park. It’s only minutes after arriving until I find myself cruising through park-like surrounds to my resort, the tiny, beautifully unassuming Arajila. The contrasts of life on Lord Howe are immediately apparent; I see more cyclists in 10 minutes then I ever see in Hong Kong, signposts announce
a speed restriction of 25km/h, and the numerous golf buggies make me wonder if I’ve arrived on a massive, if rugged, country club. Then there is the rather unnerving fact that my room, a modern New York loft affair encircled by thick tropical bush, has no door key, and the few that exist remain permanently in car ignitions. Peddle power is the name of the game, and I am soon cruising the tiny coastal road down to a beautiful local beach with stunning turquoise waters lapping at powdery yellow sand. This stretch the coast seems cheated by its overly simplistic name, Ned’s Beach. Wherever he is, Ned must be very proud. Black and silver bulletshaped fish wrestle in the shallows, having
been tamed by generations of crusty bread tit-bits handed out by eager tourists and local fish lovers. The fish in the lagoon are not only spoilt, they’re protected, like so many other wonders on this World Heritage Listed island paradise. It’s easy to lap up an island lifestyle that keeps your right hand light on the handle bars lest you miss the chance to respond to a friendly wave from passer-bys; where the sea is never far away; and where places have magical names like the Valley of Shadows and Kim’s Lookout. Sunsets can’t be missed and are best viewed from the beaches lining the lagoon, where fingers of charcoal-coloured volcanic rock reach out towards the rising tide, and where the sand
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52 AUSTRALIA
competes for space with piles of flattened stones begging to be skimmed across the gentle waters. Sunset has the sky ablaze with massive peach plumes, and as the day ends, you can look out to sea and hear the crashing of massive waves against the distant reef and look across a horizon absent of tower blocks, ferries, cell phone towers, or aircraft contrails. Much of the tourist trade is centered on the lagoon and its coral reefs, the southernmost in the world. Donning wetsuits, sun cream, and smiles, tourists snuggle into a tiny glass-bottomed boat, which chugs quietly out across the opal waters to the reef, where techno-coloured coral formations, some swaying gently in the current, others resolute up against the swell, are hiding places for delicate, dancing tropical fish, which dart through the water weightlessly.
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Some of the bigger fish, now familiar with the boat and its potential meal, nudge up against the bobbing hull and the Perspex viewing window, and I can’t help but wonder who’s really watching who. Diving into the freezing waters, which give the unsuspecting snorkeller an ice cream headache at first, I find myself face to face with another world. The fish are every imaginable shape, colour, and pattern, some the colour of mercury, others like a holographic collectable card; all beautiful in their novelty. The reef remains healthy, unlike other reefs in the region, thanks to limited contact with humanity, and is completely awe-inspiring. From the weightlessness of the lagoon, to the battle with gravity that is hill climbing! A “short walk” to the top of Kim’s Lookout turns out to be 1,000 stairs up a steep
bush-clad hill, but the amazing views from the top are well worth the excursion. Massive cliffs plummet to crashing surf and fat, white gulls play in the thermals, almost mockingly – no stairs for them. In the distance, jagged Ball’s Pyramid rises straight out of the cold depths of the Tasman Sea. On the way down we pass the site where, during a night in 1948, a Catalina flying boat operated by the Royal Australian Air Force, clipped trees while performing an emergency landing in the lagoon, crashing onto Old Settlement Beach with the loss of seven lives. There is a thought provoking memorial to the young airman – though most of Lord Howe is thought provoking, through its beauty, its isolation, its purity, and its defiance.
AUSTRALIA 53
With burning thighs but the rare feeling that I’ve actually earned the gourmet dinners on offer at Arajila, I end my day with sunset cocktails. With no pollution, the setting sun turns the sky to amber, then rose, and finally an inky darkness as another day in this beautiful, lonely paradise comes to an end.
Travel Tips Getting There: Cathay Pacific www.cathaypacific.com flies from Hong Kong to Sydney, from where Qantas operates direct turbo-prop flights to Lord Howe, with a flying time of two hours. Seasonal frequency applies. www.qantas.com.au Where to Stay: Arajilla features ten suites and two two-bedroom apartments. The tariff includes gourmet meals, pre-dinner drinks, airport transfers, beach and bush equipment, and mountain bike use. Picnic and BBQ meals can also be arranged. www.arajilla.com.au
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54 CONCIERGE
Only
Food and Horses A Hampshire native with a keen interest in the equine, Russell Blandford, Concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, talks to Gayatri Bhaumik about enjoying the best of the English countryside. We'd like to start our morning with a bit of sportsmanship. What should we do? Hampshire as a county has so many sporting opportunities, including water sports on the nearby Solent, or crosscountry running through the countryside. If you’re staying at our hotel, you can enjoy a game of tennis on our courts, or we can even arrange a hitting session with our professional coach from Peter Burwash International.
What would you suggest for couples seeking romance? Being single, I’m probably not best qualified for that question! Seriously though, this part of the world has some really beautiful countryside, so when the weather’s good, I would suggest a quiet picnic for two and a couple of glasses of champagne.
We've got kids in tow, how do we keep them occupied? A trip to nearby Peppa Pig World is always a hit with the younger ones, as is LegoLand. There are also great historical sites like Windsor Castle or Downton Abbey’s famous Highclere Castle. We also have a really good kids club at the hotel, with facilities for both older and younger children, as well as an adventure playground. www.jetsetter.hk
Time for a hearty pub meal. Where to?
We're off for a day at the races. Where do you recommend?
For a hearty country pub meal, Hampshire has plenty of options. I really like The Gamekeepers in the nearby village of Mapeldurwell. It’s a traditional family-run pub with really good traditional food. They serve our local Tunworth cheese, baked whole and served with bread to dip in for a starter - you’ll find it hard to save room for dessert.
For me, you can’t beat Royal Ascot for grandeur, with the Queen arriving by horse-drawn carriage every day, as well as some of the finest horses from all over the world. Glorious Goodwood is glorious for a reason, a picture-perfect racetrack in the heart of the South Downs, and some excellent racing to boot. For a really good evening though, a trip to Windsor Races on a Monday can’t be beat. It’s a really friendly track, and when you walk through the grandstand it’s hard to imagine it’s changed much since the days of Queen Victoria.
What are the best equine experiences in Hampshire? Obviously I’m biased towards our brand new equestrian centre, but the rolling Hampshire countryside is like a giant horse playground. There are endless opportunities for riding out across the fields, but there are also some great riding and polo schools in the area which offer lessons for beginners right up to advanced level. Many famous horse racecourses are located nearby, with Ascot, Kempton Park, and Goodwood not far from the county’s border, and polo meets happening frequently throughout the summer. Each of these offer a unique and fun experience during the summer, when you can sip Pimms and enjoy a flutter on your favourite horse.
Any styling tips for the racetrack? I always like to go smart, you can never go wrong with a suit and tie! It’s always important to check each course’s dress code. Ascot is notoriously strict, even when it is not a Royal meeting - for ladies it must be a hat, not a fascinator!
Any pointers for race-day etiquette? Just remember you’re not at a football match. It’s fine to get excited and cheer your horse on, but always be respectful and you can’t go wrong.
LONDON 55
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56 LONDON
Long Live the
King’s Cross
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LONDON 57
In one of London’s most ambitious projects since the reshaping of the Docklands, the once notorious neighbourhood of King’s Cross has become the epicentre for a redevelopment designed to breathe new life into this ancient capital, discovers Nick Walton.
I
t’s late afternoon on a clear but chilly spring day in London, and under a canvas canopy, two young men wrapped in coats and twill caps frantically slave over a locomotive-sized coffee machine, sating the caffeine addictions of passing pedestrians. Beyond the billowing steam and stacks of paper cups, a bright red sign welcomes walkers to Kings Cross Central as they make their way up King’s Boulevard, one of the first major road developments in London in half a century. The coffee stand is one of a host of innovative street-side stalls slated for London’s most dynamic new neighbourhood. The Boulevard on which the young men toil, at present blissfully only open to pedestrians, links London old and new; a vital artery to the new King’s Cross Central development, it binds some of the precinct’s heritage buildings, which have enjoyed multi-million dollar renovations, with new cutting-edge complexes that will redefine this inner city suburb for decades to come. On either side of its temporary plasterboard confines, construction continues as cranes lazily turn in the sky and workers in day-glow helmets put the finishing touches on some of the site’s icons-in-the-making.
Located in central London, King’s Cross is best known for its eponymous railway station, which remains an important transport hub and a gateway to the city’s north. The opening of the train station in 1852 heralded a new era for the surrounding neighborhood, which in those days was dominated by vital industry. Unfortunately, during the industrial decline of the post-World War II era, King’s Cross’ many warehouses and factories were closed and the district took on the mantle of the city’s red light district, a reputation which extended into the 1980s, until the formation of the King’s Cross Partnership to fund the district’s regeneration. As with the original King’s Cross Station, the moving of Eurostar services in 2007 from Waterloo to the adjacent St Pancras International, paved the way for massive urban regeneration at the centre of the British capital. Much of that change is evident as I make my way up King’s Boulevard from Battle Bridge Place, where the iconic Great Northern Hotel, which first opened in 1854, has been painstakingly restored after lying derelict for more than a decade. Designed by Lewis Cubitt, who also designed King’s Cross Station, many of the hotel’s original features have been retained as part of the GBP40 million facelift, and now the Great Northern boasts over 90 luxurious guest rooms with views over the development.
King’s Cross Central from the air
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58 LONDON Behind, the British Library opened spacious new digs in 1997 as part of a new arts renaissance focused on King’s Cross that has seen museums, galleries, theatres, and even newspapers set up shop in the surrounding streets. On either side of King’s Boulevard, high-end office buildings are reaching completion. One Pancras Square has already been let to the likes of Louis Vuitton and IT gurus CSC, while next door, SAV Credit and PRS for Music will open offices in Two Pancras Square. A host of other big corporate names, including BNP Paribas Real Estate, The Office Group, the Art Fund, and advertising agency Zone, will move into King’s Cross Central in the coming months, with Google planning a giant Allford Hall Monaghan Morrisdesigned 920,000sqft complex that will feature a swimming pool, running track, climbing walls between floors, and room for 5,000 workers. I reach the heart of the redevelopment on the banks of the Regent’s Canal. Built between 1812 and 1820 to link the Grand Junction Canal’s Paddington arm with Limehouse, the Regent’s Canal was always intended to allow barges to move through the heart of the city and was a vital transport link to Southern England until the development of the railways. Today, several brightly-coloured barges still live on the narrow canal, the tow tracks of which have proven a popular walking and cycling path through the ever-changing King’s Cross landscape.
On the far side of the canal, students make the most of the spring sunshine, sitting in little clutches on a wide open expanse of turf-dressed stairs which lead to the water’s edge. Beyond, the sun dances off 1,000 choreographed fountains that welcome visitors to the impressive Granary Complex, now home to the world-famous Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design, part of the University of the Arts London. The towering building once held Lincolnshire wheat for London’s bakers before being beautifully restored by Stanton Williams Architects. As an anchor for the northern part of the redevelopment, the Granary boasts studios, workshops, and lecture halls catering to 5,000 students, as well as some of King’s Cross’ innovative restaurants, including Caravan Restaurant Bar & Roastery, where trendy students and office workers dine on Peruvian-style ceviche and grilled quail with cumin-scented hummus. Nearby, chef Bruno Loubet’s Grain Store serves up a distinctly modern vege-centric menu in bright, spacious interiors. Other nearby newbies scattered through King’s Cross Central’s restored buildings include Shrimpy’s at The Filling Station; and Plum & Spilt Milk at the Great Northern Hotel, while D&D London is poised to open a sophisticated spot within the renovated German Gymnasium, and Jamie Oliver will open in the Fish & Coal Building in 2015.
being bolstered. King’s Cross has long inspired artists, from the Victorian painters fascinated by the modernity of the railroad to the Camden Town Group which painted the precinct’s demise in the 1900s, to the galleries and workshops that are taking up residence today, King’s Cross has always been a meeting of the minds, a place where ideas took shape and form. The presence of the University of the Arts London gives foundation to the precinct’s cultural persona, and a graduated arts program by Michael Pinsky and Stéphanie Delcroix has helped bring attention and crowds to the evolving public spaces between highend office blocks and luxury apartment towers. Fashion will also play an important role thanks to Louis Vuitton’s early vote of confidence and popular pop-up events by J. Crew and Alexander McQueen. Beyond the Granary, former coal sheds, now known as the Coal Drops, are being transformed into market-like settings where grassroots fashion brands will have their start. Above their ancient rooftops, more luxury, sustainable tower blocks inch closer to the robin’s egg sky as the vision that is King’s Cross Central is slowly but surely envisioned. www.kingscross.co.uk
King’s Cross by the Numbers
Site size: 27 hectares - 271,000 sq metres Above the fancy restaurants of the Granary, the district’s arts credentials are
743,200 sq metres of mixed use development space 50 new buildings c 2,000 new homes 20 new streets 10 new public squares 316,000 sq metres of workspace 46,000 sq metres of retail 10 hectares – 105,000 sq metres of public space up to 45,000 people living, working and studying by 2016
An artist’s impression of things to come
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LONDON 59
(Clockwise from top left) Cranes tower above King’s Boulevard; the redevelopment welcomes bold new architecture; students enjoy the sun beside Regent’s Canal; the Granary is now home to arts students; 1,000 choregraphed fountains welcome visitors to the Granary; canal side seating at a pop up restaurant; food stalls are used to draw the pedestrian crowds
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60 HOTEL REVIEW
L o n d o n ’ s
True Grande Dame The Langham London, one of the city’s most endearing hotels, continues to evolve and innovative, determined to stay at the forefront of British luxury, discovers Nick Walton.
The Langham London remains one of the city’s grande dame hotels
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HOTEL REVIEW 61
Located in Marylebone, across from the BBC’s new-look headquarters and close to Regent’s Park and Oxford Circus, The Langham is nestled in the heart of the city’s luxury precinct and, despite dark days during The Great Depression, WWII, and its stint under the Hilton banner, was beautifully restored to its previous grandeur by Hong Kong’s Langham Hotels International. A GBP80 million (US$134 million) renovation in 2009 included a reduction in guest rooms, new event spaces, new bars and restaurants, and a beautiful restoration of Palm Court.
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t’s mid-morning on a clear, if not chilly, Sunday and at Palm Court, the lavishly-decorated lobby lounge of the Langham London, the city’s good and great are doing what any self-respecting English person does in late spring: they’re taking tea. It’s a timeless scene – the hotel was the birthplace of afternoon tea after all - as affluent diners lounge on velvet stools and chaise longues in royal blue and burgundy, serenaded by a pianist and waited upon by staff in immaculate cream jackets. It may seem a little fuddy duddy when compared to the bold and brash hotel
chains dominating major cities from London to New York; houses of slumber which count in-house DJs, neon-bathed bathrooms, salt menus, and rock star concierges among their selling points. But the Langham London is at the forefront of a renaissance within the luxury world, one that represents a shift away from incessant minimalism, lifestyle soundtracks, pool parties, and overly chatty staff, and a return to the golden age of elegant, unashamedly luxurious grande dame hotels. Built in 1865 by John Giles, the Langham remains the largest and arguably the most iconic of London’s traditional style hotels.
Today, Palm Court remains one of London’s most sought after bookings, thanks to sumptuous décor, razor sharp service, and the constant innovation of multi-award-winning pastry chef Cherish Finden, whose Tiffin tea journeys have helped the Langham snatch the coveted top afternoon tea ranking from stiff local competition. That same innovation goes into each of The Langham’s restaurants and bars. The Artesian Bar, located on the lobby level, is a showcase of rare spirits and mixology that’s equal parts art and science. Here, in a bar regularly regarded as one of the best on the planet, three of the game’s best players, Alex Kratena, Simone Caporale, and Silviu Stan, create inspiring cocktails that are playful interpretations of classic recipes, served in decadent surrounds popular with the city’s work-hard-play-
(clockwise from top left) The dining room of Roux at the Landau; the Artesian Bar; a standard guest room
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62 HOTEL REVIEW
hard financiers. A ‘butterfly wheel’ helps the uninitiated select a cocktail based on flavour combinations, from the Langham Martini, with Tanqueray Ten gin and artesian vermouth, through to the Super Panda, with Botran rum and Kamm & Sons ginseng spirit, mango, citrus, and almond, served with an inflated ‘panda head’ garnish.
My Grand Langham Room epitomises the grande dame’s legacy to a tee; a king sized bed, flooded in natural light thanks to ample windows, stands off with two comfortable arm chairs, a sizable work desk, and a graceful sideboard-cum-mini bar. The bathroom features an oversized shower, a bath, and double vanities, like any regal reprieve should, while hints of technology – from the 42-inch flatscreen television to the MP3 player and highspeed WiFi connectivity – gently nudge this Austenian space firmly into the 21st century.
Around the corner, Roux at the Landau is synonymous with world-class French cuisine. Father and son Albert and Michel Roux Jr, along with young Roux protégé Chris King and acclaimed restaurant manager Franco Becci, bring together two generations of culinary pedigree with a menu of classically-constructed French dishes with modern touches. The adjacent Postillion, created by designer David Collins, remains one of the city’s most sought after private dining rooms. Langham’s heritage continues into the 380 lavishly-appointed guest rooms above. Enjoyed in years past by everyone from eccentric millionaire Hetty Green, Napoleon III, and Oscar Wilde, through to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Diana, Princess of Wales, Winston Churchill, Charles de
Gaulle, Don Bradman, and Noël Coward, the Langham’s guest rooms and suites range from simple but elegant Classic Rooms all the way to the acclaimed Infinity Suite, an opulent two-bedroom space with bespoke furnishings and double-height ceilings.
In addition, guests in Grand Langham Rooms or any of the hotel’s larger suites of apartments, have access to the hotel’s chic Langham Club, which serves light, intimate breakfasts and evening cocktails in a space akin to a sophisticated private living room. It’s the perfect spot in which to reflect the rich history that’s passed through such hallowed halls, and the noble future still ahead for his truly unique hotel. 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London, Tel +44 20 7636 1000; http://london. langhamhotels.co.uk
(clockwise from top left) Artesian head bartender Alex Kratena; Roux at the Landau manager Franco Becci; pastry chef Cherish Finden
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comes into full bloom
THE SOUTH OF FRANCE 63 Special Promotional Section
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64 ADULTS ONLY Few resorts are further from the crowds and the chaos of kids than the W Retreat & Spa – Maldives. Located in the heart of the Indian Ocean and surrounded by dazzling blue water and talcum powder beaches, the W caters to guests over the age of 13 and remains the perfect adult escape, especially for honeymooners. Arrive in style from the International Airport at Male on the resort’s own Escape yacht, then choose from one of 78 luxurious private retreats – our pick is the Ocean Haven, a two-bedroom tropical oasis perched over the azure lagoon, complete with eclectic custom furnishings and amenities, a rustic thatch roof, oversized circular bathtub, and an infinityedged plunge pool. You’ll wonder how you survived the festive period without it. Also be sure to leave time for a visit to Gaathafushi, the W’s private island, for the ultimate Robinson Crusoe experience, and mingle with other consenting adults at 15Below, an innovative cocktail divan that boasts one of the Maldives’ largest collections of luxury vodkas. www.wretreatmaldives.com
Adults only Escapes Christmas is over, Chinese New Year has passed and you’re probably looking forward to a bit of a break, from your children and anyone else’s. Find solace at these top adult only hideaways across Asia. By Nick Walton
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ADULTS ONLY 65
On the party island of Phuket in Thailand, Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas has couples covered with its Adults Preferred policy, which means during high season there are strictly no little people under 12 running around, and in low season they’re not recommended – pure bliss! Located on Kamala Beach on the island’s west coast, this award-winning retreat boasts both conventional guest rooms and sprawling villas. Treat yourself with a stay in Villa 3, a two-storey ocean cliff pool villa with three private guest rooms, butler service, oversized bathrooms, outdoor showers, and sun-kissed day beds. Soak up the serenity with cocktails and stunning sunsets at the Vanilla Sky Bar & Lounge, and enjoy an intimate degustation dinner on the terrace of Plum Restaurant with new-found friends. www.capesienna.com For a distinctly urban escape, head to Taipei’s Villa 32, a unique hot spring retreat in the city’s Beitou district. With only five beautifully-appointed guest rooms – each of which boasts its own natural hot springfed soaking tub – the property instills the simplistic elegance of Taiwan’s traditional hot spring inns, with plenty of natural wood and stone décor. Check into the Azure Suite, a two-level European-style retreat with views across the geothermal valley from its private terrace and two decadent hot tubs on the second floor. If soaking isn’t quite enough to shake off winter and prepare you for the year ahead, make for The Spa for intimate Japanese-themed treatments – they specialise in aromatherapy – but leave time for a leisurely dinner, as this Relais & Chateaux property has a stunning wine collection matched with world-class gastronomy. www.villa32.com www.jetsetter.hk
66 ADULTS ONLY
With one of the best coastal locations in Thailand, the Sensimar Khaolak Beachfront Resort is an exclusive retreat for travellers looking for a tropical, child-free environment. Ideal not only for honeymooners but also couples looking to rekindle the flames of amour, the recently-opened resort boasts 231 rooms, including 76 deluxes, as well as four swimming pools, a comprehensive fitness centre, two restaurants, and extensive water sports on hand . Make friends at the swim-up cocktail bar or walk into town to explore the culinary landscape of Khao Lak. Alternatively, enjoy the serenity of the resort’s signature restaurant, with its expansive terrace wreathed by coconut palms – there won’t be a kid’s menu in sight. www.khaolak-beachfront.com Bali’s Seminyak is a great spot for couples looking to escape the screams and tantrums of the young, and One Eleven is a blissfully adults only enclave in the heart of this chic neighbourhood. With just nine modern 350sqm villas, each boasting a private swimming pool and sunkissed gazebo, the resort is elegant and understated thanks to the extensive use of natural wood and stone, and high walls adding ultimate privacy. If you can drag yourself away from your open plan villa, pamper yourself at the resort’s spa, with its menu of indulgent Balinese-inspired treatments – the 60-minute Essential Ritual blends various hand techniques to ease muscles aching from picking up and carrying other peoples’ children. You’ll also find adult company at Shiro, the property’s thoroughly grown up sushi and sake bar, where chef Shiro serves up fresh sushi and sashimi amidst interiors by Shigemasa Noi. http://111resorts.com www.jetsetter.hk
Up Air
GM TALK 67
in THE
Reflection and reaction has led to Garuda Indonesia’s dramatic transformation into a leading regional player. Nick Walton talks with the airline’s general manager for Hong Kong and Macau, Dedy Irawan, about changing perspectives, new surrounds, and undiscovered destinations. How important is Hong Kong and Macau to the Garuda Indonesia network? Macau and Hong Kong are markets that are exposed to frequent travel, being busy Asia-Pacific hubs, therefore they’re very important to us, whether people are travelling to Jakarta for business or to Bali for pleasure. As of September 2013, we have seen travel to Indonesia from Hong Kong and Macau increase by nearly 50 percent compared to three years ago, with a 12 percent year on year increase.
You've been with the airline since 1991; what are the most significant changes you’ve seen at Garuda Indonesia in that time? One of the most significant changes I have seen at Garuda was the development of the Five Senses service approach. We want passengers to experience Indonesian hospitality at its best, even before they arrive. The concept is based on the “five senses” - sight, sound, scent, taste, and touch, which includes 24-hour customer touch points, from pre-journey, pre-flight, inflight, post-flight and post-journey services. It may be the soothing music you hear as you board, or the traditional, delicious Indonesian menu that changes every three months; everything engages the senses, making for a relaxing and invigorating Indonesian experience. Another great time to be remembered would of course be the
recent joining of Skyteam…which definitely marks a significant milestone for Garuda.
What can consumers expect to see next?
Many travellers in Hong Kong and greater China know Jakarta and Bali. What role does Garuda play in introducing the rest of Indonesia to Asian travellers?
We launched our first ever non-stop flight between Jakarta and Amsterdam in May. This is a stepping stone for us to create a hub in Europe before we launch our connection to London Gatwick in September. The expansion of international routes is by no means undermining our core foundation, which is the extensive network the airline provides for national routes.
Tourism in Indonesia has been booming in recent years and being the flagship airline, we are constantly looking to explore new, fascinating destinations that our beautiful country has to offer. Indonesia has thousands of small, unique islands to discover. Sumbawa Island, for example, is practically untouched and breathtakingly authentic. Located east of Bali, it has magnificent volcanic ridges, wild terrain, desolate white sandy beaches, and turquoise seas. It’s also a pro surfer’s paradise. Another location we would like to highlight is Komodo Island, a hidden gem between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores that also remains untouched. We have brought in a number of small aircraft to service more isolated locations such as Sumbawa, Manado, and Surabaya, where travellers can experience an altogether different type of Indonesia.
Garuda Indonesia has completely reinvented itself over the last few years, including the addition of new livery, new destinations, and state-of-the-art new aircraft.
Indonesia's air safety has been a concern for many travellers in past years. What is the Indonesian government and its flag carrier doing to set minds at ease? Garuda Airlines makes passenger safety the highest of priorities, and as our annual passenger figures show, we have loyal and dedicated customers. Since 2009 we have focused on the introduction of new planes, better service, and extra routes. As a result of this revitalisation, Garuda has won several awards over the past few years, including Payload Asia’s Rising Star Carrier of the Year 2013 and of course, the most recent accolade, becoming a SkyTeam member. In addition, since 2009 we have begun an aggressive five-year expansion program named “Quantum Leap” which focuses on the introduction of new planes, better services, and extra routes so there is plenty on the horizon for the airline. www.garuda-indonesia.com
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Colonial Charm in
I
Jakarta
n the heart of Jakarta’s prestigious Menteng district, nestled amidst tree-lined streets and lush parks is The Hermitage, the newest addition to the city’s hotel scene. Built in 1923, the building was once a Dutch telecommunications office, and has been given a new lease on life in its new incarnation as a place of slumber. A gorgeous example of 1920s Art Deco architecture with cutting-edge facilities and ultra-modern amenities, the new hotel boasts old-world elegance and contemporary flair just 45 minutes from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and in proximity to the city’s central business district.
An intimate hotel of just nine floors, The Hermitage houses just 72 rooms and 18 suites ranging from the 30sqm Superior Rooms to the two 150sqm Presidential Suites. Elegant, well-appointed, and rendered in a sumptuous style that fuses the old and new, each guest room features a 40-inch LED TV with satellite, a fullystocked minibar and espresso machine, complimentary WiFi, and Carrera marble bathrooms with Hermes & Etro amenities; most rooms also have separate living areas. The luxurious Presidential Suites come with a few added extras, including 55inch flatscreens, Bose docking systems, separate living and dining areas, 24-hour butler service, and panoramic city views.
Dining is an essential part of any luxury hotel, and The Hermitage does not disappoint with its food and drink offerings. L’Avenue, an opulent space of Carrera marble, colonial-era art, and rich veneers, is the hotel’s chic brasserie, which serves up tempting Gallic favourites laced with exotic local touches; the restaurant also boasts a stylish, intimate private dining room that caters for up to 10 guests and has its own terrace. Offering a more relaxed setting is the Courtyard Café, an al fresco, garden-like space dishing up light snacks, pastries, and delicious original cocktails; while the rich wood panelling, sumptuous leather sofas, and oversized wine cave at the inviting Bar, Wine and Cigar Room
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make it the perfect spot for after-hours tipples. The Hermitage also boasts 350sqm of function space in the form of four wellappointed meeting rooms with abundant natural light, dimmer switches, and a full complement of audiovisual equipment. Combined, the rooms transform into an extravagant pillarless ballroom, with massive chandeliers and a versatile space. For important meetings, the ‘Smart Room’ is a 10-seat executive boardroom featuring a 75-inch smart board and a host of other cutting-edge technology, making it perfect for taking care of business. The extensive function space is overseen by a dedicated
banquet and meetings team that stands ready to help you create your perfect event. Rounding out The Hermitage’s offerings are a range of leisure and wellness facilities designed to allow guests to indulge in some quality rest and relaxation. On the hotel’s rooftop is the outdoor infinity pool, and La Vue, the cozy, resort-like panoramic lounge offering views over Menteng. Guests who like to stay active while on the road will appreciate the 24hour fitness centre which is fully-equipped with a range of cardio and pin-loaded strength machines, as well as free weights and a stretching nook; for those who want a little pampering, the hotel also has some wellness rooms for soothing massages.
With luxurious accommodation, great dining, comprehensive facilities, and a nod to a glamorous bygone era, The Hermitage is set to be the ultimate home-away-fromhome in Jakarta.
Jalan Cilacap No. 1 Menteng Jakarta Pusat 10310 Indonesia Phone: +6221 – 319 26888 Fax: +6221 – 319 26999 www.hermitage.co.id
70 MALDIVES
The Great
Escape
The remote Shangri-La Villingili Resort & Spa in the Maldives is just the ticket for affluent travellers looking for seclusion in the heart of the Indian Ocean.
A
t a shaded table in a sala wreathed by an organic garden alive with colour and sound, it’s not hard to imagine that Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives is literally a million miles from the nearest city. Dragonflies dart and dance between the rows of eggplants and green bananas like tiny jet fighters, while beyond, resort staff harvest fiery red Maldivian chilies the size of babies’ fists as Irish executive chef Brian Porteus serves up a chilled capsicum and watermelon gazpacho and a delicate tuna ceviche with pink grapefruit. Everything on the plate comes from the resort garden or the surrounding seas. Since it opened in 2009, Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa has done its utmost
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to differentiate itself from the many other resorts dotting the Maldivian archipelago. Its location, so far south of the capital Malé that it’s in a different hemisphere (crew on the tiny Maldivian Airlines plane down from Malé dish out equator-crossing certificates as you disembark) certainly helps the Shangri-La stand apart, but that’s just the beginning. The fact that it also has an airport popular with private jet travellers only a few minutes away by boat has helped the resort built a loyal following of well-heeled sun worshippers who jet in on their own wings or via the capital, looking for the ultimate in escapism. Even if you’re not arriving on your own jet but by regular domestic flight, the ShangriLa is a symphony of beauty, elegance, and efficiency. Guests await their luggage in a
dedicated airport arrival lounge with WiFi and plush couches (there are dedicated lounge spaces for private jet passengers too), before zipping across the lagoon to the resort’s arrival pier, where villa managers guide newcomers to their choice of iconic over-water bungalows; beach villas wreathed by tropical jungles; or tree houses nestled in lush canopies. At three kilometers long, Villingili Island is one of the largest in the country, which means the Shangri-La always had a lot more breathing room than many of its luxurious but land-thirsty brethren. The result is a collection of indulgent villas that make the most of their stunning surrounds. My Water Villa is the living epitome of the luxury Maldivian escape. A vestibule splits the spacious villa, with its master bedroom,
MALDIVES 71 offers some tantalising touches of Maldivian cuisine, through to the fresh local produce and seafood at Fashala, and the fine-dining of Dr Ali’s, which serves up three distinctive menus covering the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and Arabian Gulf. In addition, moonlit nightcaps can’t be beaten at Endheri, while the tiny club house at the island’s golf course does a mean sundowner cocktail. I take a golf buggy the length of the threekilometre long island, winding my way down sandy paths that split around thick coconut palms and duck under thick canopies that dazzle the ground with beams of tropical sunlight. The still waters of the lagoon on one side and the turbulent waves of the Indian Ocean on the other converge as I make my way down a narrow finger of land at the island’s tip, home to the only golf course in the archipelago. The nine-hole course is pint-sized but deceptively difficult. With fresh sea breezes, narrow fairways lined by swaying coconut palms, and often treacherouslysloped greens, the course would be the Maldives’ most challenging, even if it had competitors. Each hole is named for a tropical reef fish species and is lined by
ample work space, and outdoor twotiered patio to one side, and a cavernous bathroom with outdoor shower, dressing room, twin vanities, and Olympic sized bathtub to the other. The ceiling is vaulted, giving a sense of space galore, while the shimmering lagoon below is omnipresent. The resort’s house reef is only metres away. Families are better suited to the beach villas, which boast direct access to the beach, while honeymooners will love the seclusion of the stilted tree house villas. Whatever category you prefer, the ShangriLa’s villas are designed to be the perfect hermit’s hideaway, and indeed, with highspeed connectivity, a flat-screen television, a sophisticated sound system, and a dedicated villa host a call away, many guests rarely venture from their sun-kissed water-edge lounges, fan-cooled day beds, or opulent bathrooms.
But one of the beautiful things about Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa is that, unlike many of its coral-wreathed brethren, there is an abundance of activities for travellers of all ages, and many have ties with local community and conservation initiatives. Lunch in the organic garden is more than just a great alfresco meal; different fruits and vegetables, including hydroponic lettuces, are grown in test plots within the garden, and those that prove successful are adopted by local farmers on neighbouring islands in an agrarian mentoring program that sees the resort buy back the resulting produce. Anything left over, the farmers can take to market, ensuring a strong local community and plenty of greens on the plate for resort guests. This leads to some pretty spectacular dining experiences, from long, lingering breakfasts lagoonside at Javvu, which
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72 MALDIVES
white talcum powder beaches. The course is also home to the rather tongue-in-cheek Mount Villingili, the highest point in the Maldives and one of the course’s teeboxes. You don’t need to bring your golf sets, shoes, and designer clothing for this course; play is strictly casual and tropical, with a small beach shack doubling as the club house and pro shop, offering clubs for hire. A small green fee controls the masses. If birdies aren’t your thing then perhaps bottlenose dolphins are. Each morning, pods enter the atoll from the open ocean to feed, and the resort’s dolphin cruises are timed for their departure through the narrow channels between the islands. The Maldives is one of the best places in the world to watch dolphins, with more than 20
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species found here, and the daily cruises are a brilliant experience as pods of playful dolphins emerge from the depths and frolic in the bow wave of the resort’s dhonis. Many of the Shangri-La’s activities have a conservation leaning to them; the Turtle Quest snorkelling trips take place on a dramatically colourful reef favoured by both hawksbill and green turtles and includes information on conservation and nesting efforts by the resort’s in-house marine biologists. Guests can even learn the importance of coral health and plant their own contribution at a specially built underwater coral nursery. Of course, once you’ve done your part for the earth you can reward yourself with a bit of pampering at CHI, The Spa. Resembling
a holistic village complete with thatchroofed spa suites and stone paths lined by tropical gardens, the Spa is one of the most comprehensive in the archipelago, catering to well-heeled travellers looking to indulge themselves with ancient wellness traditions.
Travel Essentials Getting There: Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com) has direct flights between Hong Kong and Malé and Maldivian (maldivian.aero) offer domestic flights to Gan. Stay: Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa has Water Villas from US$860 per night including breakfast. www.shangri-la.com
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P a r a d i s e
T e es
Only an hour from Clark International Airport, and accessible from Manila by road or helicopter, The Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports Club is testament to the Philippines’ potential as an Asian golfing haven, discovers Nick Walton.
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74 TEE OFF
I
of spectacular holes that make up the challenging back nine of Anvaya Cove, one of the region’s most ambitious golf projects to date. Built on land that was previously part of vast tracks controlled by the US Navy, the emerging project includes free hold property, condominiums, and country club amenities that are already appealing to affluent families from the capital across the Bay.
With a gentle descending slope, captivating sea views, and the exhilaration of sea cliffs backing a teardrop-shaped green, hole 13 is just one of a clutch
Golf is an increasingly important contributor to the Philippines’ tourism coffers. With golf tourism to the Southeast Asian nation up almost 20 percent over the past two years, thanks to both a willing regional market bolstered by competitive green fees, and a strong domestic market, several keystone projects are currently underway, including Megaworld owner
t’s clear that no one is in a rush to leave the stunning 13th hole at Anvaya Cove, a combined real estate and country club project located in Subic Bay, northwest of Manila. Foursomes linger at the tea house drinking water and iced tea in the shade, pretending not to notice when other players position their tee shot closer to the pin. No one is quite sure who is arriving and who is set to leave – the hole is aptly named ‘Reflection’ - but the caddies are in no rush, and time seems to stand still under the tropical sun.
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Andrew Tan’s new course in Boracay, and extensions to existing facilities at Eagle Ridge and Tagaytay Highlands. Anvaya remains the most ambitious standalone project as it combines multifaceted real estate opportunities with world-class amenities, including the 18-hole all-weather sustainable golf course and club, an extensive sports complex due to go online this month, and a comprehensive beach club. The course is the crowning glory of a development that is still very much a work in progress. Each hole has its own personality, its own challenges, whether you’re playing up blind hills and around tight dog legs in the front nine, or down narrow fairways with deep gullies on
TEE OFF 75
either side on the back nine. Dramatic seaside holes emphasis the remote nature of the course and also the phenomenal scenery, with some fairways backdropped by towering Mt Mariveles, and others wreathed in thick tropical foliage. For regional golfers looking to check another course off on their list, Anvaya Cove might prove a little difficult; the members-only club is presently in talks to create luxurious accommodation and play packages in conjunction with leading five-star hotels in Manila, including the Fairmont, to give potential property buyers and golfing die hards a chance to get on the course and see the project for themselves. For those looking to make the trip a regular thing, restrictions on the purchase of property in the Philippines
by foreign nationals also puts a spin on investment. Fortunately, the powers that be have devised a series of memberships that allow golfers and property investors alike flexibility.
at the Beach and Nature Club, which is a separate entity, also starts at US$30,000 for an individual share, and offers access to the entire facility, including Anvaya Cove’s beautiful golf club, but not the fairways.
A membership of the Anvaya Cover Golf and Sports Club, which launched at US$30,000 but is expected to rise with market pressures, affords members not only access to one of the best courses in the Philippines, but also the ability to book the complex’s chic condominium accommodation, for themselves or selected guests. The condos are elegantlyappointed, spacious apartments with views across the development, deepset balconies, modern bathrooms, and access to their own amenities, including a swimming pool. Alternatively, membership
Either membership allows foreigners the opportunity to buy lease hold apartments in either the Sea Breeze Verandas complex, a development of low-rise condos ranging in price from US$182,000 to US$227,500, or the lavish Seascape Ridge quadruplex, which goes for between US$340,000 and $387,000. Affordable luxury accommodation, easy access from across Asia, and stunning golfing and leisure facilities, is sure to make Anvaya Cove a destination in its own right as this master plan reaches fruition in the coming years. www.anvayacove.com
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76 BANGKOK
The Making of an Icon As it celebrates several important anniversaries, Gayatri Bhaumik checks into the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok to discover what goes into making a much-lauded hotel.
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BANGKOK 77
The service here is impeccable, and for good reason. With one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios in the industry – and a quality 24-hour butler service – every whim is met with marked efficiency. A chilled lemongrass drink will already be sitting by your sunlounger when you step out of the pool; a pre-dinner refreshment might be delivered to your room if you’re around; and personalised stationary sits on the desk of each guest room. The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has long been the choice of distinguished visitors to the city. Heads of state, Hollywood A-listers, and sports heroes have all checked into its well-appointed rooms and suites, but it’s a host of literary greats that have left their mark. Paying tribute to iconic writers who have sojourned here – Norman Mailer, John Lé Carré, and Wilbur Smith, to name a few - are a range of gorgeous suites that have been individually designed to reflect their namesake’s real or written personality; the Barbara Cartland Suite flaunts the femininity of the romance novelist, while the Wilbur Smith Suite features animal prints and African prairie motifs inspired by his books. Of these, the most coveted are the four Heritage Authors’ Suites housed in the hotel’s Author’s Wing, which were named for Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward, and James Michener, all former guests.
W
hen the Oriental Hotel opened in 1887, it became Thailand’s first hotel and established a reputation as a pioneer in Thai hospitality that continues to this day as the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Over the years, the storied hotel launched other outlets that would be the city’s first, many of which recently celebrated milestone anniversaries. Most notable amongst these are The Oriental Thai Cooking School, and The Oriental Spa, which just marked its 20th anniversary. The hotel also recently celebrated the 60th
anniversary of its intimate Bamboo Bar; and the 30th anniversary of Sala Rim Naam, its renowned Thai restaurant. Recalling a more glamorous age, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok retains an oldworld elegance. By afternoon, the Author’s Lounge, with its wicker furniture and palm trees, serves a traditional afternoon tea of scones, finger sandwiches, and Mariage Frères teas that’s a Bangkok institution; in the evenings, a string quartet plays in the lofty-ceiling, marble-floored lobby, and guests are requested to adhere to a smart dress code.
Of course with 393 rooms and 35 suites, a range of accommodation is available, and the top choice is the stunning Royal Oriental Suite. With timeless interiors, an extensive art collection, separate living areas and bedrooms, a pantry, and two balconies, it’s no surprise that Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson are among the eminent personalities to have called this home. Food is taken seriously at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, with ten exceptional outlets giving the hotel a well-deserved status as a choice dining destination in its own right. In fact, the food here is of such superior quality that for years, the hotel bakery has sent fresh pastries to the royal
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78 BANGKOK
palace each morning. At Le Normandie, the chic three Michelin-starred French restaurant, guests can enjoy decadent meals complemented by exceptional wines and stunning views over the river. The critically-acclaimed Sala Rim Naam serves up a lavish Thai feast accompanied by riveting classical Thai dance performances, a nightly occurrence; while at the elegant Lord Jim’s, the famous, pescatarianfriendly buffet features everything from sushi and sashimi to oysters and caviar – and everyone makes more than one pass at the expansive dessert station. The hotel’s Bamboo Bar, reputedly the best jazz venue in town, just celebrated its 60th anniversary, an occasion marked with flowing champagne, signature Oriental Mai Tais, and jazz standards by a New Yorkbased band flown in for the celebration. Frequently voted one of the best in the world, The Oriental Spa was Bangkok’s first hotel spa when it opened in 1993. Housed in a Thai-style building of gold teak wood, the spa couples 2,000 years of Thai holistic teachings with contemporary
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western philosophies in a comprehensive range of treatments that have been enjoyed by the likes of 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan. I manage to slip in one morning to try the Oriental Signature Treatment, which combines Thai and European massage techniques with acupressure movements and stretching. The 90-minute treatment is pure bliss, and I leave thoroughly rejuvenated and fully aware of why this soothing ritual has helped the spa gain its lofty reputation.
It takes a lot to become an iconic hotel, and in the case of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, it’s taken a remarkable history of over a century, involving illustrious personalities and pioneering efforts, an unwavering adherence to excellence, and a unique combination of tradition and modernity. www.mandarinoriental.com/ bangkok
VILLA LIVING 79
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80 THE GUIDE
A Taste of
Tokyo
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From the lost in translation moments to some of the world’s best food, Tokyo offers a cultural experience like no other, finds Divia Harilela.
THE GUIDE 81
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82 THE GUIDE
EAT Tokyo may boast more Michelin stars than any other city in the world, but if you stick to local cuisine you are guaranteed a delicious meal. Restaurants tend to specialise in just one style of food, be it Kaiseki (a traditional multi-course meal using seasonal ingredients), sushi, tempura, or humble favourite, ramen. Such is the case at Akira (1-10-23 NakaMeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, +03 37 93 00 51), located in the hip neighbourhood of Nakameguro, alongside a tiny creek. Akira specialises in yakitori (chicken on sticks) with a twist. Rather than watch the chefs prepare the food, diners are given their own charcoal fuelled grill where they can cook specialities such as the tsukune (chicken meatball) wrapped in shiso leaf, which is served with an onsen egg dipping sauce. It’s also one of the few places in the city that offers chicken sashimi –if you are brave enough. While everyone talks about Jiro Sushi, those in the know head to Sushiso Maso (4-1-15 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, +03 34 99 91 78); while the tiny space seats only seven people at a time, meals can last up to three hours. Chef Masakatsu Oka likes to experiment with different types of fish you can’t find at traditional joints, including Nodoguro and Kinmedai-no aburi (golden eye sea bream). His speciality however, is the Masa-feuille, which is made up of delicate layers of finely sliced toro and wasabi, and will blow your mind. There’s no set menu here but that makes it that much more of an experience. Finding the best ramen is the holy grail for many foodies, and Afuri (several locations, including 1-8-10 Azabu-Juban, Minatoku, Tokyo, +03 35 85 11 56) fits the bill. Unlike most ramen joints, the atmosphere is hip and happening, with modern food to match. Diners can choose from two soup bases - a chicken-based stock made with fish and konbu, and a richer version prepared with chicken oil. Both are laced with fresh yuzu to add lightness and flavour. Be sure to try their Tsukemen – a cold dipping noodle that’s the perfect treat for those hot summer days. www.jetsetter.hk
SLEEP The Palace Hotel (1-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, +03 32 11 52 11, palacehoteltokyo.com) has been an integral part of the city’s history since its opening in the 1960s. Although located in the Marunouchi business district, the setting is serene and tranquil as the hotel overlooks the moat, courtyards, and lush gardens of the Imperial Palace. Reopened in 2012 after an extensive three-year
renovation, the revamped hotel boasts a contemporary East-meets-West design that combines light and airy interiors with an extensive art collection valued at US$1 million. Many of the hotel’s elegant rooms come with a balcony, and on a clear day you can even spot Mount Fuji. Guests can also enjoy eating at one of ten dining establishments (many are run by Michelin starred chefs) or being pampered at the country’s only Evian Spa.
THE GUIDE 83 Tokyo, +03 57 75 65 33, tantra-tokyo. com) one of the city’s most exclusive gentlemen’s clubs, which counts Jackie Chan and Steven Segal as customers. The entertainment here is strictly old school, with nightly shows featuring everything from pole-dancing to live fire acts. Guests can also enjoy nibbles from the in-house Italian restaurant Sala Ferrari before being chauffeured back to their hotel via the club’s private car service.
EXPERIENCE
(clockwise from left) Palace Hotel; A Sumo match; Mori Art Centre
Business travellers looking for modern luxuries should check out the five-star Conrad Tokyo (1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-Ku, +03 63 88 80 00, Conrad Tokyo. com) which is located on the upper floors of a futuristic skyscraper in Shiodome, downtown. The 290-room hotel boasts incredible city views as well as luxury amenities including a full-service spa, gym, and indoor pool. If you wake up early, be sure to visit the famed Tsukiji fish market, just a 10-minute walk away. The most stylish boutique hotel in town is still The Claska (1-3-18 Chuo-cho Meguro-ku, Tokyo, +03 37 19 81 21; claska.com) which can be found in the trendy neighbourhood of Meguro. Each of the 20 rooms are unique. Designed by local designers and architects, they range in style from modern to traditional. Guests who opt to stay in the Tatami style rooms can enjoy hanging out in a communal chill-out lounge. Other modern hipster amenities include a luxe beauty salon for dogs and a shop-cum-gallery.
Golden Gai, which consist of two streets lined with tiny post-war bars that fit a handful of people. If your looking to escape the crowds then head to the These Library Lounge (2-1319 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, +03 54 66 73 31, these-jp.com) to sample one of their signature fresh fruit cocktails. The intimate space looks like a chic British library with comfy Chesterfield sofas and walls lined with hundreds of books and other eclectic objects. Hidden doors reveal private alcoves where you can catch up with friends over a glass of champagne.
PLAY
No trip to Tokyo is complete without a night of karaoke, but forgo the big chains and head to the members-only Amour Club (Aoyama Center Building 1F, 3-8-40, Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, +03 34 03 12 82, amour-bar.com). Run by the same crew as the posh Le Baron nightclub next door, it features four private rooms, each one more luxe than the other. Belt out your favourite tunes on leather-style bed platforms, gold cushions, and amphitheatre-style tiered leather seating.
The red light district of Shinjiku still offers the ultimate setting for a bar crawl at
For a boys’ night, head to Tantra (Zeches Baum Bldg, 3-9-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku,
Tokyo has no shortage of museums, from the Nezu to the Mori Art Center, but if you are looking to explore the city’s impressive yet hard-to-navigate art scene, then book the Transcendent Tokyo Art Tour offered by the Palace Hotel (palacehoteltokyo. com). Arranged in partnership with international art and culture curators Louise Blouin Media, members of Blouin ARTINFO’s Japan bureau will design bespoke full- and half-day art tours that last between four and eight hours. It’s always best to avoid tourist attractions, but most people make an exception when it comes to the out-of-this-worldJapan-meets-Vegas-experience known as the Robot Show (robot-restaurant. com). Probably the glitziest, gaudiest, and most bonkers show you will ever see (it cost JPY10 billion to stage), it features everything from bikini-clad women and fem-bots playing drums to robots battling it out with dinosaurs and sharks. By the end of the 90-minute show you will be waving your glow-sticks high in the air. Sumo wrestling is the country’s national sport so it’s always worth visiting a Sumo match. Fifteen-day tournaments are held three times a year (January, May, and September) at Tokyo’s National Sumo Hall (Ryogoku Kokugikan 1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida, Tokyo, +03 36 23 51 11, sumo. or.jp/kokugikan). Bouts are scheduled throughout the tournaments, but Friday and Saturdays are the most exciting. During the rest of the year, you can watch the wrestlers flex their not so big muscles during their training sessions at a sumo stable (for more information visit www.sumo.or.jp/en/sumo_data/sumo_beya/list).
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Discover Macau's Hidden Gems There’s no better way to get under the skin of a destination than to pound the pavement. Exploring a city under the steam of your own two feet is the best way to discover the unique sights, sounds, smells, and taste that make up a city. The next time you visit Macau, get a different perspective on the peninsula city with the launch of the new Stamp Collection activity that coincides with the Step Out, Macau walking tours. Before beginning your walking tour, pick up a stamp collection card from the booth locations, Tourist Information counters of the MGTO, or hotels, then collect three stamps for each route to receive a souvenir. For the physically inclined, collect 12 stamps by completing all four walking tours and receive a very special souvenir. The Stamp Collection activity will be held until September 20, and stamps can be collected from the various booths between 10am and 5pm every day.
Arts and Culture
Nature and Creativity
This walking tour visits the important cultural landmarks in the area, showing visitors everything Macau has to offer outside its gambling dens.
Lush natural scenery and Macau’s creative hub are the focus of this walking tour which incorporates the Flora Garden and the creative den of St. Lazarus Parish.
Stamp Collection and Gift Redemption Booth Locations: Macau Fisherman’s Wharf; Macau Science Centre; A-Ma Temple
Stamp Collection and Gift Redemption Booth Locations: Communications Museum (closed Mondays); Tap Seac Square (beside the Historical Archives of Macau); Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial House (closed on Tuesdays)
Historical Trails Travel through time as you discover Macau’s history and development at some of the city’s most prominent historical sites. Stamp Collection and Gift Redemption Booth Locations: Senado Square (Macau Business Tourism Centre); Tun Sin Tong Historical Archive Exhibition Hall (closed on Tuesdays and Public Holidays); Opium House (side corridor)
East Meets West Evidence of its Portuguese colonial history are scattered throughout Macau, and this tour shows the seamless integration of East and West that the city embodies. Stamp Collection and Gift Redemption Booth Locations: St Lawrence’s Church; Mandarin’s House (closed on Wednesdays); Macau Maritime Museum
luxurious comfort
A TOUCH OF TRADITIONAL BALINESE WARM HOSPITALITY COMBINED WITH REFINED SERVICE IS THE KEY TO A SERENE GETAWAY. PAMPER YOURSELF IN OUR LUXURY PRIVATE VILLAS WITH 24 HOUR BUTLER SERVICE AND COMPLETE ACCESS TO VILLA LOUNGE AND NIKKO CLUB LOUNGE. WE'LL MAKE YOU HOLIDAY UNFORGETTABLE... For futher information and reservations, please contact: GRAND NIKKO BALI Jalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, PO BOX 18, Nusa Dua, Bali - 80363, Indonesia Tel: +62-361-773-377 Fax: +62-361-774-060 E-mail: sales@grandnikkobali.com URL: http://www.grandnikkobali.com
88 VILLA LIVING
E a ste r n
Dream Hidden away on the east coast of Phuket, The Regent Cape Panwa combines luxurious sophistication with elegant Thai hospitality, discovers Nick Walton. www.jetsetter.hk
VILLA LIVING 89
I
t’s a beautifully warm evening on Phuket’s less visited east coast, and as the sun nears the completion of its daily decent towards the horizon, guests at The Regent Cape Panwa assemble on the expansive cocktail terrace of the Grill Lounge, with its sweeping views of the Andaman Sea, for tropical-themed sundowners. Far below, fishermen cast their nets in the shallows as the sun’s dying rays cast the sky a brilliant orange, followed by tones of violet and indigo. For a moment, before the insects begin their nocturnal chorus, there is blissful, all-encompassing silence, and it’s that serenity that’s drawing affluent travellers east.
For travellers who like the privacy and space of villa accommodation, The Regent’s 22 pavilions and suites are luxurious and modern, and offer unsurpassed views, but for the ultimate indulgence, you can’t go past the property’s clutch of unassuming Pool Villas. It’s hard to tell from beyond the garden-wreathed front door, but each boast a spacious master guest room with a king sized bed and lounge, a sizable bathroom dressed in cream and white, and a private plunge pool with views that cascade down to the bay below.
Luxurious, unassuming properties like The Regent are ideal for travellers looking to nip down to Phuket for a long weekend, but who want to stay clear of the crowds, traffic, and bedlam of the west coast’s most popular beach locales. Perched high above the waters of the Andaman at the tip of Cape Panwa, and one of the island’s newest luxury enclaves, The Regent’s villas are spacious recluses, its restaurants acclaimed by local foodies, and its expansive infinity pool a picture of serenity, especially as days comes to an end.
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90 VILLA LIVING
The 150sqm Pool Villas are intelligently designed and beautifully-appointed; the master bedroom is a symphony of timber tones, with a traditional vaulted ceiling and ample natural daylight. A spacious work desk can be found to one side, with highspeed WiFi connectivity throughout the resort, while a Juliet-style balcony juts out above the lush manicured gardens below. Ample storage, a complimentary minibar, and a guest bathroom are secreted behind the bedroom, while an ample sun deck embraces a private plunge pool, high walls ensuring a level of privacy that’s increasingly rare on Thailand’s favourite holiday island. Although afternoons lounging by the pool can’t be beat, my favourite space in the villa is the bathroom, which has at its centre an oversized bathtub in the shape of a half egg shell that sits beneath another
elegantly-vaulted ceiling. Rattan blinds can be drawn to flood the space with sunshine or moonlight. A few additional perks come with Pool Villa residency, including 24 hour butler service; the innovative mini bar, which features locally-dried fruit, nuts, and local beer, as well as the more conventional beverages; a daily laundry and pressing service, and access to the intimate Regent Club. This dedicated cliff top space - it resembles a villa hosting an open house - is accessible by pool villa guests for breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails (actual cocktails, not just innocuous red and white wine selections). There is a larger infinity pool, with 180-degree sea views, for guests who can drag themselves from their own villa, and the sun loungers which ring the Club’s pool deck are perfect for sunset gazing. During our visit, the Club was unfortunately run riot by children (it was a public holiday long weekend), but we were assured that during normal weekends the space offered almost as much serenity as the Pool Villas themselves. The Club is one of the rare reasons you might want to venture from the serenity of your Pool Villa; the resort’s restaurants are another. While the all-day dining option, The Restaurant, serves up lingering buffet breakfasts and themed dinners each evening, the true star is The Grill, a semi-formal dining space where New
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Zealand executive chef Justin Baziuk’s menu is laced with locally sourced organic ingredients and the best imported meats. Carnivores will especially enjoy the superb selection of beef cuts, including pedigree Hereford, purebred Black Angus and topgrade Wagyu, as well as organic chicken and duck, and Phuket lobster. Alternatively, if you’re committed to being a recluse, the in-villa barbecues offered by the culinary team are reason enough to stay in your Pool Villa for the duration of your stay. Finally, if you’re feeling a little guilty about overindulging on Baziuk’s world-class cuisine, or need a little more pampering before returning to the rat race, The Regent offers both a comprehensive list of daily activities and a brilliant spa that offers a choice selection of authentic Thai treatments. From sweat-inducing introductory Thai kickboxing classes with the resort’s own professional warrior (trust us, they’re more work than a work out!) to early morning power walking and yoga sessions, and late afternoon bicycle tours of Cape Panwa, not to mention a modern fitness centre manned by personal trainers, there is plenty to keep guests active, and exercise is the perfect rationale for a signature 60-minute, 20-finger Harmony Massage or a traditional Thai Herbal Compress in the spa above. Pool Villas from THB10,000 per night (US$306) twin share. www.regenthotels.com
TURNING LEFT 91
Luxury, Alive & Well
at Heathrow
Middle Eastern airline Qatar Airways extends its Arabic hospitality to the British capital, with its signature lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 offering travellers a unique private club experience, discovers Nick Walton. For anyone that’s travelled through Heathrow over the years, I’m sure you’ll testify that Terminal 4, with its wide open spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, and ample seating, is a refreshing touch. So too is the terminal’s newest business and first class amenity, Qatar Airways’ Premium Lounge, located on the departure level of Terminal 4. With the distinctive air you’d usually associate with a revered private members club, and all the amenities busy business and first class travellers require, the new lounge is the perfect extension of the airline’s Premium Terminal experience in Doha. A narrow vestibule, diligently guarded by immaculately dressed airline staff armed with iPads, leads to an open meeting and lounge space dubbed Palm Court that is punctuated by an Arabic fountain and, on the afternoon of my visit, is lit with ample late afternoon sunlight – a welcome change from the usual dark, demure, and subterranean-esque lounge experience offered at most airports.
Like many lounges, the space is a sum of its parts; there is a line of comfortable armchairs that leads to table settings reminiscent of an English garden party but with distinctive Arabic touches, including olive trees, calligraphy-laced walls and ornate tiled floors wreathing a wine and martini bar. The circular bar is the epicenter for the lounge on the day of my visit; businessmen and women surf the web and chat over glasses of Chablis and bowls of Niçoise while bartenders shake up a storm beyond. I decide to settle into the sophisticated and serene Bistro, an elegant space off the main bar area where a la carte meals are matched with old and new world wines. An open kitchen concept at one end allows diners to see the action in the kitchen, while at the other, a screened-off area affords groups a little more privacy, further extending the private members club persona. In fact, the service staff, headhunted from top hotels and restaurants in London, are phenomenal, and help give the sense that the Bistro is a restaurant with a rather elaborate waiting area, rather than simply a dining room
within an airline lounge. I order a martini from the bar, and soup and salad from the kitchen, and almost forget I’m preparing to fly halfway across the world – which I guess is the whole idea. Of course, not all travellers have the luxury of time; many arrive in the lounge after a long work day, eager to dress down and get home. Fortunately, the lounge also has business travellers well covered; there are power sockets and high-speed WiFi throughout, as well as a business centre with printers and PC work stations. Private and spacious shower suites with heated floors and hotel-style amenities also help ease the process from boardroom to business class seat. The only catch is who gets to enjoy the perks of the new lounge. Open to Qatar Airways and One World first and business class passengers, top-tier members of One World airline loyalty schemes not travelling at the pointy end will be directed to the terminal’s SkyTeam Lounge instead. www.qatarairways.com
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92 TURNING LEFT
Two of the biggest names in Asian hospitality, Cathay Pacific and the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, collaborate to create a special culinary experience for first and business class passengers, reports Nick Walton.
Sky High Dining
F
rom branded PJs, duvets, and down pillows, to martini bars and luxury amenity kits, the world’s top airlines are working hard to seduce premium travellers in a segment that’s seeing a global resurgence. Dining, both on the ground and inflight, remains one of the most important deciding factors for business and first class travellers. In the ever-competitive business travel segment, a creative and consistent dining experience is ranked on par with the comfort of the seat and the rewards of the airline loyalty scheme by many regular travellers, and airlines like Cathay Pacific regularly innovative on the dining experience they offer their First and Business Class passengers in order to stay competitive. In the airline’s latest collaboration, Cathay Pacific has teamed up with the culinary team of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong to offer travellers in the pointy end of the plane an unparalleled dining experience direct from the hotel’s signature Michelinstarred fine-dining Italian restaurant Tosca. Available until July 31, special menus will be available for First and Business Class
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passengers on selected long-haul and regional flights departing Hong Kong. “We are committed to providing the best inflight experience to our passengers and the food we serve on our aircraft is an integral part of that experience,” says Cathay Pacific general manager of inflight services James Ginns. “Being creative with our menus gives us an opportunity to bring different tastes of the world to our passengers.” The special menu, which features iconic Italian flare with fresh ingredients, has been designed by Tosca’s chef Pino Lavarra, who has curated a collection of delectable starters, pastas, entrées and desserts that are authentic Italian dishes at heart but with added elements of sophistication. “In the sky, there are no limits to your imagination,” says chef Pino. “When working with Cathay Pacific, I was particularly intrigued by the approach of creating intense flavour pairings that can offset the impact flying at high altitude has on the sensitivity of our taste buds. I therefore crafted a special menu that
combines a set of interesting dishes and flavours which I hope will enliven the gustatory senses of passengers, enabling them to enjoy something that’s uniquely delicious in the open skies.” Highlights of the menus include buffalo salami antipasto with grilled focaccia; lobster caesar salad; Ditalini pasta with zucchini, Pecorino cheese, Tomberry tomato and langoustine; and centre cut sea bass “acqua pazza” style, with baked fennel and bottarga. In another recent culinary innovation, Cathay Pacific tasked Hong Kong’s top mixologists to create a new signature drink for First and Business Class passengers. Ten mixologists created non-alcoholic submissions to be sampled by more than 1,400 cabin crew. A judging panel, which included Cathay Pacific’s director of service delivery Philippe de GentileWilliams, a top-tier Marco Polo member, and a senior purser, chose a combination of passionfruit, lemongrass, and apple juice prepared by the Upper House’s Marlo Guevarra that will be named by CX crew and served in the second half of the year. www.cathaypacific.com
MINIBAR
93
lifestyle
The Taste of
Down Under Australian Gin Turning Heads
Lima Dining in the City of the Kings
So Fresh & So Clean
Go Like the Wind The new Lamborghini Huracán
Travelling For Mint Luggage for the La ds • See No Evil, Hear No Evil • Bohemian Rhapsody www.jetsetter.hk
94 FOOD ADVENTURES
So Fresh and So Clean
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FOOD ADVENTURES 95
Whether in a bracing cocktail, a refreshing dessert, or a stimulating spa product, the humble mint adds a dash of cool freshness to everything it’s added to, discovers Gayatri Bhaumik.
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estled into a sprawling 13-hectare ranch just outside Waco, Texas, is the country-style wellness retreat that is The Spa at Canyon Oaks. Here you’ll find a full range of ‘Peppermint Stick’ spa treatments, packed with antioxidants and vitamin E, among other nourishing properties. Treat yourself to the seven-hour Ultimate Peppermint Stick Indulgence, during which you’ll enjoy the full range of peppermint-laced rituals, including a body wrap, 60-minute massage, facial, pedicure, and manicure. Finish with a sumptuous lunch and leave with a Spa t-shirt. www.thespaatcanyonoaks.com int Juleps are traditionally found in the hands of race-goers at the Kentucky Derby, but it’s worth stopping by The Whip in London’s Mayfair which has six iterations of the Southern Classic. Try The Whip Julep, where the traditional bourbon is replaced with Case Rhubarb Vodka, topped with Williams Chase GB Dry Gin, lemon, sugar syrup, soda water, and finished with plenty of fresh mint and basil. The refreshing concoction is served in the traditional manner – in a silver plated julep cup, perfect for sipping on balmy summer afternoons. www.thewhipmayfair.co.uk
ay down south in Melbourne, Shane Delia serves up a crisp and refreshing mintlaced dessert at his Middle Eastern eatery, Maha. Order the Watermelon and Beetroot, Peppermint Crisp Ice Cream with Rosewater Ice, and what you get is a generous helping of pinky, crunchy ice piled over scoops of minty-fresh ice cream teeming with shards of chocolatecovered peppermint crisp, sitting on top of a deep purple beetroot sponge drizzled with a sweet beetroot ganache. The sweet treat is finished with tiny fresh mint leaves, adding extra freshness to the dish. www.maharestaurant.com.au
ituated in Saint John’s, Michigan, or more colloquially, ‘Mint City, USA,’ Crosby Mint Farm is a family-owned property producing some of the purest peppermint and spearmint products available. Visitors to the farm will be completely immersed in the history of Clinton County’s mint industry, and learn how the farm’s products have developed over the last century. Don’t forget to pick up a few minty souveniers like lip balms, oils, and soy wax candles on your way out. www.crosbymintfarm.com
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96 CHEF PROFILE Recently awarded the Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, chef Fergus Henderson is credited with pioneering ‘modern British’ cuisine, and is famous for his nose-totail culinary philosophy. He speaks to Gayatri Bhaumik about his life in the kitchen.
The
Whole Hog www.jetsetter.hk
CHEF PROFILE 97
You trained as an architect before becoming a chef. Why the switch? I realised that food was very much at the forefront of my mind, even when designing – buildings that ended in feasts, then buildings prescribed by the feast, then finally, recipes for buildings. Why not go straight to the feast? My preoccupation with food grew when deprived of a decent lunch – there is a great sadness to a sandwich consumed with one hand at the drawing board. This is not the meal for me.
How did you become involved with with culinary endeavours? By chance, I got a job in a kitchen before I got a job in an architect’s office, and thank goodness. My first kitchen was an eye-opener indeed; young, frightened thugs being yelled at by a bigger thug to the point that they did not know what they were doing, turning them into thuggish headless chickens. But things improved. I found better kitchens, met my wife, Margot, a fellow chef, and we opened a restaurant in SoHo…and the rest is history!
Why the focus on 'noseto-tail' cooking? There are so many good things to be found beyond a fillet, how could you ignore them? We should celebrate the wonderful textures and flavours of insides and extremities.
What do you like to cook? At home I cook Italian, purely because the only good food shop on our doorstep happens to be Italian. One cannot underestimate the soothing powers of
tomato pasta. But for a special occasion, perhaps a romantic meal for two, a pig’s head, pot roasted. The flesh is flavoursome and tender, with a lip-sticking layer of succulent fat.
What inspires your cooking? The search for the musk of a good time has informed my life ever since I first identified it as a child, coming downstairs in the morning to find the debris of my parents’ dinner party the night before. More than this, nature writes our menu, and we should listen.
“
We should celebrate the wonderful textures and flavours of insides and extremities.
”
How do you stay creative and innovative in the kitchen? Eat other people’s food, drink well, and keep an open mouth as well as an open mind.
Have you learned any important lessons during your time in the industry? There is a common misconception that chefs need to sleep under the restaurant tables with their apron rolled up as a pillow. This is not the case. You need to breathe fresh air, read books, and see your loved ones.
Your restaurant, St John, has been credited with pioneering 'Modern British' cooking. What's your take on this? When we started initially, twenty years ago in October, we were accused of being “two hundred years out of date.” All those years ago, in the first few months, people would stand around their table unsure whether to sit down, crying “Why have we come! Look at this menu!” But people have caught on – even though sometimes the British nose-to-tail label is cynically acquired to validate John Bull and sausage-and-mash in congealed onion gravy.
Do you have a signature dish? Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad is one of two dishes that are always on the menu, and it has become almost iconic in its simplicity – just the megaliths of bone, ready to be scooped onto the sourdough toast, a parsley and caper salad with a freshness to cut through the rich marrow, and a little mound of wet salt. The other staple, especially in our bar, is the Welsh Rarebit – the perfect solitary lunch. Order with a green salad and a pint of ale, and make a gentle criss-cross pattern on the surface to act as irrigation channels for your Worcester sauce. This is a noble version of cheese on toast, which I have found innumerable times to have amazing powers to sooth and heal the soul.
What's next for you? While the future is always just around the corner, sometimes you should wait and see what serendipity brings. I think we’ll be happily busy for as long as we wish to be!
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98 SPIRITS
With a distinctive style that binds culture and tradition, Victoria’s Four Pillars Gin is turning heads across Australia and beyond with its fresh, bold flavours and underdog persona, finds Nick Walton.
The Taste of Down under W
hile it’s easy to associate gin with London, where the dry London style was born and where an increasing number of artisanal spirits are being launched as part of gin’s renaissance, Merry Old England has stiff competition from the colonies. Australian bartenders have taken to gin’s complex floral notes with gusto, and the Down Under ‘do it yourself’ attitude has led to several distillers trying their hand at a spirit that’s seeing massive global growth across the luxury sector. “Craft distilling in Australia is in its infancy. A combination of red tape and incredibly high taxes on spirits make entering the market a challenge,” says Cameron MacKenzie of Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin, a gin recently launched in Victoria. “It is very much a labour of love, and you need a significant dose of passion in the project to have any chance of success,” he says, attributing much of the brand’s progress to date to the tolerance of his and his business partners Stuart Gregor and www.jetsetter.hk
Matt Jones’ wives. “Having said that, we have an incredible opportunity to create a thriving craft industry. Our produce is beautiful, our water is about the cleanest in the world, and we have some truly unique ingredients to play with. There is no reason that Australia cannot produce some of the finest spirits in the world.” The Four Pillars distillery, located just outside Melbourne, is the product of a four-week crowd-funding campaign that gave online fans a chance to get their hands on the first batch in late 2013. Like many gin makers in Australia, MacKenzie capitalises on his years in wine production, naming the resulting spirit (of which there are only 420 bottles per batch) for its four vital components – a German-engineered copper CARL still called Wilma (after Cameron’s mother) - water, botanicals, and passion. Featuring ten carefully curated botanicals – juniper berries, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, indigenous lemon myrtle, Tasmanian pepper berry leaf,
cinnamon, lavender, angelica, star anise, and whole, fresh oranges – Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin boasts hints of both the outback and the Mediterranean. “Four Pillars Gin is made in a modern Australian style,” says MacKenzie. “We didn’t want a clichéd “Australiana” product; we wanted to draw inspiration from modern Australia which has an amazing blend of cultures. After distilling around 80 botanicals separately we started to narrow down our focus. We had a canvas of European juniper which was crucial. Then we played with spices from Southeast Asia through to the Middle East. Our Australian botanicals worked amazingly with the other spices, while our final piece of the puzzle was to use fresh organic oranges in the botanical basket. This lovely hint of the Mediterranean completed what we feel is a modern Australian gin.” The distillery has plans for an Old Tom style barrel-aged gin, as well as a Sloe gin in the future. www.fourpillarsgin.com.au
Special Promotion Section
Mi s kawaan Miskawaan offers the ultimate in island accommodation, matching exclusivity with luxury. With direct frontage to the white sandy expanse of Maenam beach and backed by lush palms, each of the eight unique villas are built around its own private swimming pool, giving approximately 500 square meters of living space on land plots ranging from 735 to 1,635 square meters. All Villas include personal Butler and Maid services, as well as the option of a Thai Chef, Driver and Nanny. Miskawaan opened in 2007, with villas ranging between three and six bedrooms. Contemporary tropical in concept, the architecture is an inspired design that fuses the comforts of modern. Western living with the elegance of Asian forms and motifs. Harmonizing with the environment, Miskawaan provides that seamless blend of interior and exterior that is the ultimate pleasure of a tropical lifestyle with full use of teakwood and other natural materials giving it a superior finish.
Miskawaan Luxury Beachfront Villas Koh Samui, Thailand Tel: +66 7733 2271 Email: reservations@miskawaan.com Website: www.miskawaan.com
100 MINIBAR
Summer Lovin’ From eye-catching bottle designs and spirits that capture the heritage of distilling to the perfect antidote for hot summer afternoons, here’s what we’re pouring this season. By Nick Walton
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The first of its kind in the world, Japanese Gin, by the Cambridge Distillery, is a marriage of London and Tokyo, with the traditions of juniper and gin meeting a range of exclusively Japanese botanicals. Ingredients like sesame, yuzu peel, shiso, cucumber, and sansho pepper give this unique drop a fantastic, floral, and complex flavour profile that’s perfect for summer pitcher cocktails and punches. Only 50 liters of this luxurious spirit is made in each batch, with distilling taking place in Cambridge. Each beautiful bottle is silk-screen printed by hand, ensuring that Japanese Gin is as much a style addition to any home wet bar as it is an ingredient in your favourite gin cocktail. www.cambridgedistillery.co.uk
The perfect touch for Asia’s summer heat, Sipsmith Summer Cup is a refreshing blend of Sipsmith London Dry Gin and a carefully selected array of summery ingredients, including an Earl Grey tea infusion, lemon verbena, and cucumber. A modern interpretation of the Cups cocktail of the 1800s, Summer Cup is aromatic yet surprisingly dry thanks to the tannins of the tea. Look for a distinctive cucumber flare on the nose followed by black tea and citrus, with subtle spice on the palate. Bottled at 29% ABV, Summer Cup is a summer essential that’s perfect by itself over ice, served tall with lemonade or ginger ale, as a little flare in your gin and tonic, or as a base for a festive punch laced with spice and fruit. www.sipsmith.com
MINIBAR 101
For gin lovers, summer is a time of floral, complex cocktails and of course, the iconic gin and tonic. Gordon’s has launched a new flavoured gin perfectly timed for the warm evenings of summer. Gordon’s Elderflower, the first flavoured Gordon’s gin since last year’s Crisp Cucumber gin, is a blend of Original Gordon’s London Dry Gin with natural elderflower flavouring. Elderflower is an increasingly popular ingredient in mixed drinks, with mixologists championing its sweet, floral notes globally. The addition of elderflower with Gordon’s gin makes for the perfect base for summertime drinks that make the most of seasonal ingredients like forest berries and cucumber. Bottled at 37.5% ABV, the new Gordon’s will initially be launched in the United Kingdom. www.gordons-gin.co.uk
The first Absolut state-themed flavoured vodka follows in the success of the brand’s citythemed collection, which has included New York, Miami, and New Orleans. Absolut Texas is a limited-edition spirit based on the Lone Star state. With a unique Southwestern flavour profile that includes cucumber and serrano chili, and an eyecatching bottle design by San Antonio artist Cruz Ortiz that features a “cosmic caballero” cowboy boot against a stylized Texas landscape, Absolut Texas lends itself to summer concoctions perfectly, with sweet and crisp cucumber and warm spice pairing perfectly with cranberry, cilantro, and grapefruit mixers. For an interesting take on the spirit, combine with Dolin Blanc vermouth and celery bitters to make the signature Heel-Spur Martini. Available in the US. www.absolut.com
A brand new artisanal gin created by spirit aficionados in Scotland, Crossbill Gin’s limited-edition first batch can be found in top spirit shops in the UK, but the growth in popularity of craft gins ensures they will soon be expanding. Made with 100 percent Scottish juniper, which was traditionally exported to Holland to make Jenever style gin, as well as rosehip, the spirit is distilled in Argyll in a copper pot using the pure waters of Loch a’Bhaillidh. Named for the Scottish Crossbill, a native bird that, like the juniper berries used, can only be found in the ancient Caledonian pine forests of Scotland, Crossbill is bottled at 45.8%ABV ensuring a heady, if not complex, and smooth spirit that lends itself to long gin and tonics and short Negronis. http://crossbillgin.com
Elephant Gin is another new artisanal spirit produced in the UK, but in addition to being a smooth, luxurious spirit, the brand also supports its African namesake. This awardwinning handcrafted London Dry Gin style is bottled at 45 percent to ensure plenty of character, and is made with a carefully selected collection of ingredients that capture the essence of Africa, including the savannah’s “superfruit”, Baobab, the extraordinary Buchu plant, with a flavour similar to blackcurrant, and African wormwood. Locally sourced spring water, fresh apples, and other select ingredients enhance the purity and smoothness of the gin’s finish. In addition, you can sip easy in the knowledge that the company contributes 15 percent of all profits to Space For Elephants Foundation and Big Life Foundation to support the preservation of the African wildlife. www.elephant-gin.com
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102 WINE
Waste Not, Want Not Whether you view the world as a glass halfempty or a glass half-full, you should never have to leave a wine bottle halfempty, says Master of Wine Debra Meiburg.
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istorically, wine has been sold in many bottle sizes, but these days, 750 millilitres (27 ounces) is the industry’s standard bottle size. Oh, there are a few wayward bottle sizes lurking on shelves, such as the showy large-format bottles destined for the oversized luggage check-in counter. Largely named after a confusing array of biblical kings, these imposing bottles range from the Jéroboam (with the capacity of four standard bottles) or Nebuchadnezzar (twenty bottles) to a novelty bottle created in 1958 called the Adelaide that held 1,000 liters of wine and weighed a whopping 99 kilograms – when empty. While large format bottles never fail to impress, a size that has always made more practical sense for the industry (or at least parts of it) is the petite half-bottle (375 mililitres). Half-bottles, which hold 2-3 glasses of wine, are convenient for solitary diners, sport friendlier pricing, and lessen concerns about drinking and driving.
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Restaurateurs note that half-bottles provide high-quality alternatives to wine-by-theglass selections, and provide diners with more diversity in menu matches. These nifty little bottles are especially attractive to new wine drinkers who find them less intimidating, and to aging boomers, who find them less wasteful. With a list of advantages that is so, well, large, why aren’t there more of these elusive little bottles in the marketplace? Gallerie du Vin carries twenty odd halfbottles, City Super offers about the same, and Watson’s, one of the largest retailers in Hong Kong, has more than forty choices on its shelves. Wine importers agree that halfbottle sales are on the rise, but complain that it is hard to source the little numbers. So why aren’t wineries bottling more wine in these user friendly packs? Producers find these diminutive bottles awkward to handle, and complain that half-bottles cost them almost as much as standard-sized formats,
leaving little margin. More worryingly, they argue bottle size has an impact on a wine’s evolution and development. The quantity of airspace between the liquid and the cork in an unopened bottle is much the same whether in a half- or standard bottle. Thus, one inch of airspace in a half- bottle has a more powerful impact on the wine than in a larger bottle. Because exposure to oxygen hastens aging, some experts argue that wine matures twice as fast in a half-bottle. Another concern is that the small bottle increases the wine’s vulnerability to heat and light damage. Riedel Glass Company, never one to miss an opportunity, has noted the trend to imbibe half-bottle portions by offering an elegant 375 ml crystal wine saver. Immediately upon opening a bottle of wine, one pours half into the decanter, quickly sealing it with a crystal stopper. The reduced airspace in the decanter does extend the wine’s life a day or two, though don’t expect Methuselah-like results.
104 RESTAURANT REVIEW
Bohemian Rhapsody
A tribute to the arty bohemians of 1930s Paris, Bibo is a feast for all the senses. By Gayatri Bhaumik
T
he stairway leading down from the Hollywood Road entrance is deceptive. Sparse and industrial, you’re not prepared for the sleek wood bar with its warm tones and display of exclusive bottles. Even less so for the dining room, a cacophony of colour, textures, and objects which, for a moment, threatens to overwhelm the senses. Part art gallery, part fine-dining restaurant, and part laidback bar, Bibo brings a fresh, creative concept to Hong Kong’s tired culinary scene.
incongruous, but the experience is all the better for the laidback vibe courtesy of a eclectic soundtrack and artwork and installations from major contemporary artists like Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Damien Hirst. Helmed by executive chef Mutaro Balde, whose serious culinary pedigree includes stints at famed eateries by Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon, the kitchen dishes up innovations on French cuisine where everything, from the bread to the ice-cream, is homemade.
Overseen by mixologist Alexandre Chatté, the intimate bar boasts a menu of forgotten cocktails from the 1930s, each of which comes with a compelling story. Try the Corpse Reviver. A heady mix of gin, lemon juice, triple sec, Kina Lillet, and absinthe, it’s a ‘hair of the dog’ recipe lifted from The Savoy Cocktail Handbook. Also on hand is a long list of exclusive wines and whiskies that will satisfy even the pickiest connoisseur.
Although there are hefty mains available for the insatiable, the focus here is on degustation experiences, so we submit to a six-course tasting menu paired with choice drops from the wine list. The foie gras starter, L’Oursin (Hokkaido sea urchin and Baeri caviar), and L’Agneau (Australian lamb with pan-fried polenta and spring vegetables) are all well-portioned, palatepleasing, and beautifully presented, but two dishes in particular stand out. Le Caviar, ratte potatoes topped with a healthy dose of Ossetra caviar, is perfection on a plate; while we demolish La Saint Jacques, a dish of Japanese scallops served with
The restaurant itself is an interesting contradiction. Fine-dining food and service amid an industrial, art-filled space seems www.jetsetter.hk
corn done three ways – puréed, foamed, and grilled. To finish on a sweet note, we share two desserts. La Pomme – layered calvados compote, apple caramel, and a dollop of granny smith sorbet – is a not-too-sweet, cleansing meal-ender; but La Banane, banana-infused milk mousse and caramel topped with a crispy shell, is the only choice for real dessert fans. Bibo, 163 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 852.2956.3188, www.bibo.hk
RESTAURANT REVIEW 105
A Journey for the Palate
A new menu at one of Hong Kong’s favourite fine-dining restaurants gives diners an opportunity to explore the globe without leaving the table. Nick Walton buckles up for takeoff at The Principal.
A
ny visit to The Principal, the Press Room Group’s fine-dining restaurant on Hong Kong’s Star Street, is a journey for the senses. Helmed by acclaimed Canary Island chef Jonay Armas, The Principle is as much a science lab, an art gallery, and an imaginarium, as it is a white-clothed, high-brow eatery. The Armas-led culinary exploration continues with the restaurant’s newest ten-course tasting menu, The Expedition. A web of textures, tastes, and memories harvested from Armas’ the world’s finest, during which he worked in some of the world’s finest Michelin-starred restaurants, the new menu draws inspiration from a multitude of national and regional culinary styles, with the distinctive, playful twists diners have grown to expect from the innovative Spanish chef. The Expedition begins with The Principal’s fascinating amuse bouche – the pina
colada balls are to die for – before moving on to a curated collection of street food interpretations that includes a briochestyled Chinese bun and bite sized Mexican ‘tacos’. Armas manages to draw sea urchin’s silkiness from its fishy tang, despite serving it with delicate caviar, calamari, and quinoa, before matching locally-sourced crab with leaks and chives in a dish reminiscent of his childhood in the Canary Islands. There is more influence from Spain with the Mediterranean-inspired Carabinero, a paella-style dish with aioli and red prawns, as well as plenty of Asian influence, from the spicy yet elegant tom yum foie gras, which turns convention on its head, to the smoky notes of garoupa with sambal, which tells of his time on Bali. “The Principal’s new tasting menu reveals my inspirations and personality while also honouring my heritage,” explains Jonay. “This menu recalls personal journeys, my experiences with various cultures, and my love for Asian and Western cuisines.”
The Expedition is not just about foreign influences but about discovery, as The Principle’s staff explain the intricate techniques and processes that take place for each dish to reach fruition. We don’t want to spoil the surprise, but rest assured there is a little something for every curious connoisseur, from sweet touches to bold savory flavours. Priced from HK$1,080 per person (US$139), there is a HK$500 (US$64) wine pairing option as well as The Excursion, a sevencourse option and a vegetarian selection available, both priced from HK$890 (US$114). www.theprincipal.com.hk
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106 TOP TABLES
Singa pore Speakeasy Named for the golden age of mixology, Manhattan, the elegant new cocktail bar at the Regent Singapore, combines craft bartending and artisanal spirits to pay homage to the classic and forgotten cocktails of history. Celebrated American head bartender Ricky Paiva uses over 100 American oak barrels from a small cooperage in Minnesota to finish whiskies and other spirits, and to also age bitters and single-cask cocktails, which are made using a remarkable collection of spices, fruits, and roots from the bar’s own Ingredients Room. Think wild cherry bark, shisandra berries, and dandelion root and you start to get the picture. With a list of 25 seasonallyrotating cocktails themed on the neighbourhoods of Manhattan – from Spanish Harlem to Wall Street – look out for the city’s first trolley service, which elevates the classic Manhattan cocktail by blending rare and housefinished spirits, artisanal vermouths, and a unique collection of bitters to each guest’s taste. www.regenthotels.com/singapore
Celebr ity Credenti als Acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval, whose accolades include Bon Appétit Restaurateur of the Year and Mexico’s Toque d’Oro, has partnered with Dining Concepts to open Toro Steak House & Gastro Bar in Hong Kong’s Elements complex. A modern Latin steak house with both alfresco dining downstairs and an elegantly-appointed dining room upstairs dressed in dark wood, wrought iron, and leather, Toro features plenty of South and Central American flare, including a menu laced with smaller dishes ideal for sharing, as well as a selection of the finest cuts of beef from the US, prepared to perfection. These include dry aged ribeye, pasture fed T-bones, and Kobe skirt, and join less carnivorous dishes like marinated black cod, Mexican-style whole snapper, and grilled Boston lobster on an eclectic, innovative menu that’s paired with hand-muddled cocktails and a list of Latin and international wines. Located close to five star hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong and W Hong Kong, Toro is also close to the Kowloon Station of the Airport Express, making it ideal for business dinners on the go. www.diningconcepts.com/toro
Beachfront Bl iss A stylish new waterfront dining destination has opened on Phuket’s Natai Beach, offering diners a truly unique experience on the cusp of Unesco-listed Phang Nga Bay. The Edge at Aleenta Phuket features breathtaking vistas over the white sands of Natai Beach, while serving up world-class gourmet menus built on the freshest locally-sourced ingredients, organic produce, innovation, artistic presentation, and the lauded culinary talents of the resort’s F&B team. The modern Thai menu promises to explore nuances of texture and colour, flavour, and scent, juxtaposed with daring new uses of ingredients and innovative cooking techniques, matched with an extensive wine list. The restaurant also features a sophisticated cocktail bar, lounge, swim up pool bar, and multifunction rooftop space, ideally suited to private celebrations. www.aleenta.com
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TOP TABLES 107
Latin Lean ings Pisco South American Kitchen & Bar at Resorts World Sentosa brings vibrant culture and innovative cuisine to the Lion City. Named for the strong Peruvian grape brandy of the same name, Pisco introduces a fusion of traditional dishes from Peru, Chile and other South American countries, and features a diverse menu with everything from Native American fare to dishes from the Andes Mountains. Several variations of the ceviche, an iconic South American dish of marinated raw seafood, are available, including the conchas borrachas, piscodrunk sea scallops with passion fruit sauce; pulpo, octopus in olive and capers sauce; and robalo, sea bass with mango. Also on the menu are los pinchos, or skewer sets where guests can select a combination of three skewers made with meat, vegetables, and seafood, served with mint salsa, salsa criolla or Amarillo chili. Lighter options include arepas venezolanas, a Venezuelan sandwich using corn flat bread; and Bolas De Yuca, deep fried cheese balls with cassava mayo, perfectly matched with an extensive list of pisco-laced cocktails. www.pisco.sg
REV IEW T imeless French Fare in Noho The latest in a string of innovative French eateries to open in central Hong Kong, Cocotte serves up contemporary French fare in a harmonious marriage of traditional techniques and modern implementation. With chic, sexy interiors, the Parisian brasserie concept is the brain child of restaurateurs and brothers Jonathan and Brice Moldovan, with chef de cuisine Patrick Dang heading up a culinary team that focuses on seasonal ingredients and a “less is more” philosophy that’s refreshingly unpretentious for bustling Noho. Sensational starters include steak tartare with truffle ‘egg yolk’; a tart yet perfectly balanced foie gras terrine with fig and balsamic; and the ‘Barley Touched’ langoustines with lemon confit vinaigrette and caviar. The Cocotte take on a Caprese salad includes hints of strawberries and parma ham and is a light, zesty dish that’s perfect for Hong Kong summers, while mains like milk fed veal; and the Mathers genuine Scotch lamb ‘cannon’ with tagine spice, are supplemented by sharing options that include Brittany guinea fowl, served in two dishes; and L’Entrecote de Beouf Race Wagyu with spinach and blue cheese gratin. Cocotte also features an impressive French wine list with cocktails to come later in the season. - Nick Walton http://cocotte.hk
T ime to Soci al ise In the latest collaboration between chef Jason Atherton and restaurateur Yenn Wong, Aberdeen Street Social club has opened in the new PMQ arts quarter in Central Hong Kong. With a menu showcasing modern British cuisine, playful cocktails, and interiors by Shanghai’s Neri & Hu, the venue boasts a contemporary restaurant setting upstairs with a private dining room and a balcony overlooking the gardens below, as well as a savvy cocktail bar below that’s already proving popular with the nine-to-fivers. An outdoor patio spills out into landscaped gardens – a rare find in Hong Kong – where Sweet Social, a new retail shop selling fresh pastries, chocolate, and gelato, has also opened. Atherton’s menu is executed by executive chef Chris Whitmore and features the likes of raw Hokkaido scallops with dashi jelly and wasabi; pork chops with pumpkin and orange puree; and snapper with cauliflower and lemon. www.aberdeenstreetsocial.hk
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108 THE LIST
Insects
A La Carte
A long-time staple of Asian food markets, insects are catching on as a food source, especially since the United Nations became a recent proponent of this highprotein trend. These are a few places where crawling cuisine is on the menu.
T
ucked into Paris’ bohemian Montmartre neighbourhood, Le Festin Nu’s insectlaced offerings fit perfectly into its eclectic surrounds. To accompany glasses of vin natural – organic wine – daring young chef Elie Daviron offers patrons palm weevils with beetroot and oil of truffle; water scorpion with preserved peppers and black garlic, and grasshoppers with quail’s eggs.
F
ood trucks are big business in California, and in San Francisco, Don Bugito serves up a literal movable feast. The bugs-only menu is constantly evolving, but you can expect crawly treats like mixed fried insects, wax moth larvae tacos, toffee mealworms over vanilla ice cream, chocolate covered salted crickets, and spicy superworms.
G
etting in on the crunchy-critter trend, Archipelago is paving the way in London with its “exploring the exotic” ethos. Helmed by Daniel Creedon, this envelope-pushing eatery offers dishes like the Love-bug Salad, pan-fried locusts and crickets seasoned with chili and garlic; and the Sumer Nights, pan-fried chermoula crickets with quinoa, spinach and dried fruit.
G
iven that it’s the UN Headquarters, it makes sense that New York City’s jumping on the bug-eating bandwagon. At toloache – there are three branches – chef Julian Medina’s menu of family-inspired Latin cuisine includes Chapulines tacos. One of Medina’s signature dishes, these extra-crunchy tacos are filled with Oaxacan-style dried grasshoppers, onions, and jalapeno.
T
he cuisine of southern France may be known for socca, niçoise salad, and ratatouille, but at Nice’s Aphrodite, Michelin-starred chef David Faure has an “Alternative Food” menu where normally innocuous fare like foie gras, cod fillet, and pear are given a proteinpacked twist with surprise inclusions of grilled mealworms and crusty crickets.
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110 WATCHES
Male Bonding Featuring both the technological sophistication of world-class chronographs and strong masculine lines, these four new timepieces will have pride of place in any gentleman’s watch cabinet.
Breitling’s new limited series
Calibre de Cartier Diver
extends the brand’s iconic Navitimer collection, launched in 1956, with a 1,000-piece limited series distinguished by a bronze-coloured dial, three hollowed counters and a circular slide rule designed to perform all calculations involved in airborne navigation. A transparent caseback provides a chance to admire the Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01 movement, a high-performance, self-winding chronograph entirely developed and produced within the Breitling Chronométrie workshops. www.breitling.com
features powerful lines, a rugged case, and a 1904 MC self-winding movement, making it one of the brand’s most masculine pieces to date. Building on the original Calibre de Cartier, launched in 2010, the new Divers piece meets the challenge of combining Cartier style with the technical requirements of ISO 6425, which dictates diver watch criteria. With a unidirectional bezel, water-resistant to 300 metres, and hands and dive-time indicator in superluminova, the Diver watch features a thick crystal face and a screw back with oversized seals to ensure optimal performance. www.cartier.com
A newcomer to the TAG Heuer Carrera collection, the Carrera
In the latest partnership between watch and automotive marque, the new Jaeger- LeCoultre
Calibre CH 80 Chronograph features an exquisite Calibre CH 80 movement combining thinness and endurance with an unprecedented 80-hour power reserve. Inspired by the first generation of Carrera watches, the Carrera Calibre CH 80 Chronograph reinterprets the aesthetic codes established by its illustrious forebears with powerful design, pure lines, and optimal ergonomics. With displays arranged in a classic layout, with the chronograph minutes counter at 3 o’clock, the chronograph hours counter at 9 o’clock, and small seconds at 6 o’clock, the overall look is based on black and white contrasts, a tribute to the first Carrera “Panda” chronograph. www.tagheuer.com
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More than just good looks, the new
Navitimer 01 Panamerican
AMVOX2 Transponder watch has the ability to start your Aston Martin, while embodying a blend of high-end mechanics and ingenious electronics. In addition to its tiny transmitter system, which serves to lock and unlock any model of Aston Martin sports car, the AMVOX2 Transponder maintains its unique verticaltrigger chronograph functions, which enable the user to control the chronograph by merely pressing on the sapphire watch glass. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
WATCHES 111
Fire & Ice Uniting the craftsmanship of watchmakers and casemakers with the creativity of the Patek Philippe design department and the artistry of the manufacturer’s jewellers, the Haute Joaillerie ‘Aquatic Life’ is set with 1,937 diamonds – including closed-set baguettes on the extremities of the case and bracelet function - and 43.74 carats of sapphires. Within the mini aquarium that forms the bracelet and dial, baguette diamonds have been invisibly set, sealing vivid blue sapphire fish in a watertight
In preparation for its 175th anniversary, Patek Philippe has released two stunning timepieces that capture imaginations with their smooth lines and elegant, elemental personas.
environment that features a manual caliber 16-250 movement with a 38-hour power reserve. Patek Philippe’s new Calatrava Haute Joaillerie Ref. 4895R combines the graceful contours of the Calatrava legacy with a stunning array of exquisite icecold diamonds. With an elegant, soaring ruff collar case dressed in a swath of 162 baguette diamonds, the new Calatrava Haute Joaillere Ref. 4895R features a black
lacquered dial, with hints of warm rose gold on the bezel and hour markers, and represents another harmonious marriage of watchmaker, casemaker, and gemsetter. The timepiece features a manuallywound calibre 215 movement developed specifically for women’s watches that can be admired through a sapphire crystal caseback; and final flourishes include a prong buckle with 20 baguette diamonds and an alligator strap with square scales. www.patek.com
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112 WISHLIST
Glassware specialist Riedel has debuted five new decanters for 2014, each of which has been designed in-house. The line includes the Apple and Big Apple, inspired by New York City; the elegant Horn, celebrating the instrument’s influence on Austrian culture; and the Horse Decanter, celebrating the Year of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac. But the collection’s pièce de résistance is the limited-edition Titano Boa, of which only 500 have been made. Inspired by the longest snake in existence, the vessel incorporates a ‘double-decanting’ technology to accelerate the aeration of wine, and bears the Riedel signature and individual number on the base. www.riedel.com
The
Good Life From high-end decanters to stunning jewellery, these are our picks of summer’s most coveted offerings.
Developed by NowNThen, the Eco-Essential range of writing equipment is sleek, stylish, and benefits sustainability. Available as a pen or pencil, the EcoEssential range features a bamboo and aluminium barrel, ensuring that the writing instruments are both lightweight and incredibly strong. Our pick is the Incognito Edition pen which features a sophisticated dark finish; an interchangeable core that works with Pilot Hi-Tec-C or Pilot G2 pen inserts; a highly-sensitive, durable stylus nib for electronic work; and comes with a set of five colour rings, and a flexible carry pouch. www.ishuja.com
Trump Soho New York has teamed up with luxury swimwear brand ViX Paula Hermanny to create the ViX Valise, which will be available exclusively at the The Spa at Trump SoHo. For US$468, hotel guests will have all the resortwear essentials necessary for a day by the pool. The ViX Valise is a fashionable black and white canvas tote packed with a caftan, flip-flops, towel, and the Bia, ViX Paula Hermanny’s most popular bikini style, which features 24-carat gold-plated hardware, removable padding, and neck and back ties. www.trumpsohohotel.com
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WISHLIST 113
Luxury jeweller Graff Diamonds has debuted its Butterfly Collection, an exquisite line of sparkly pieces that incorporate butterflies composed of marquise and pearshaped diamonds. Within the collection, there are three different lines – the Butterfly Motif, the Butterfly Silhouette, and the Classic Butterfly collections. Our favourite piece is the stunning Butterfly Motif Collection necklace, which features 35.24 carats of diamonds, and 13.15 carats of rich-hued blue sapphires. www.graffdiamonds.com
Lebanese-born couturier Elie Saab has released a delicious new fragrance that’s sweet, light, and perfect for summer. L’Eau Couture exudes femininity with its fresh, floral scent, a combination of Calabrian bergamot and magnolia, with delicate hints of orange blossom and green almond accord, and a light vanilla base. Presented in a sophisticated jewel-like glass bottle, the L’Eau Couture Eau de Toilette is available in 30, 50, and 90ml formats. www.eliesaab.com
Made exclusively in Belgium for online retailer The Third Row, these gorgeous slippers are the perfect companion for a cozy night in. The best-selling Dandy slippers by Penelope Chilver boast a clean top line and slim line at the toe sets, and are trimmed in vividly coloured leather. A bold fusion of the contemporary and the classic, these slippers are a must-have. www.thethirdrow.com
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114 INSIDER
When
History
Becomes
Art
Greek artist Vassiliki Theodorakidi-Mamona’s history-inspired art and jewellery have been showcased at galleries around the world and collected by notable figures like Fidel Castro. She explains her artistic endeavours to Gayatri Bhaumik. What inspires your work?
Moreover, my family, with roots reaching back to the 13th century, being one of the noble families of the Byzantine Empire, held strong connections with the East, by having the monopoly of silk and gold of that era. As you can imagine, honouring this heritage is definitely a challenge, as well as a heavy duty, which I always try to serve through my work, strongly believing that what you leave behind is what defines you as a person and an artist.
Why do you specifically work with precious stones and 18, 22, and 24-carat gold?
Inspiration comes intuitively. It can be born at any time, from any stimuli. The unsaturated source of my inspiration is the legacy of the past; the greatness of the past, the cultural heritage that comes to shake, teach, and guide us. Thus, my inspiration lies in the endless and fascinating history of human expression as seen through the centuries.
Since my work is handmade, and based on original craftsmanship techniques, I always choose to work with pure materials, because only their authenticity and resistance to time can serve my needs. Pure gold for its warmth and deep color, diamonds for their clarity, precious stones – these are the materials I prefer to work with to shape art pieces with strong personality and unique character.
How heavily has your Greek heritage and Byzantine roots influenced your work?
What messages do you hope to convey with your art?
My Greek origins, specifically the roots of my family, have definitely affected my creative expressions. Being born and raised in Greece, the cradle of Western civilisation, where the imprint of its enormous cultural endeavors surrounds you in every step, it is inevitable for an artist not to be deeply touched and inspired for creation.
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Art aims not only to impress, but also create emotional responses in the viewers. I personally feel the need to turn history into art; not as a narrative, but rather, as a dialogue, acting as a signifier for future endeavours. In this discourse, the viewer is free to choose his own truth. The sense of truth, according to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, lies in the human effort to escape
oblivion; as humans, we haven’t changed a lot since Aristotle’s time, so to me, it seems that by seeking memories, we reach into ourselves for our ultimate truths, in an effort to avoid repeating mistakes, but also to attain perfection.
Your work draws heavily from history. How do you bring history to contemporary pieces? It is a challenge for me to take what existed in another era and bring it to the present, creating something totally adapted to today’s aesthetics. I take inspiration from the past to integrate history into our everyday lives; the elaborate, goldornamented handle of an ancient dagger, created to protect and defend its carrier, becomes the inspiration for a contemporary sculpted cuff bracelet that gently ‘hugs’ the human wrist and ‘protects’ it.
Describe your “Jewellery as Art” philosophy. Jewellery is a very special and unique artistic approach; the only one to succeed in being identified with its recipient. Many view jewellery as a soulless object and value it only as an asset. Personally, I’m unwilling to accept this approach, because to me, jewellery is a self-existing form of art, bearing messages and symbolism that match the personality of its owner. My jewllery has its own artistic meaning and historical reference, which operate as independent elements of a piece.
LUGGAGE 115
Check In to
Green Causes Luxury luggage brand Rimowa has teamed up with charity Organisation Saúde e Alegria to offer regular travellers a chance to do a good deed for the environment next time they select a suitcase. The newest addition to the Rimowa collection, the Bossa Nova is only being produced in the brand’s Brazilian factory and will initially only be available in branded stores during the World Cup. Each of these limited-edition, eye-catching cases comes with a detachable copy of Margaret Mee’s Amazon: Flowers of the Amazon Forests, with a proportion of the sales proceeds helping Organisation Saúde e Alegria in their battle to save Brazil’s rainforests and to promote socio-environmental development in more than 150 Amazon communities. If you can’t get to the World Cup, look for this artist-inspired green-savvy case in stores globally later in the year. www.rimowa.com
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116 CARRY ON
Summer Style
Statement
Easy to carry, easy to match, these leather duffels are essential for summertime weekend escapes. By Nick Walton
Perfect for escaping the city at the end of the week, the Cutter & Buck Leather Weekender Duffel features a roomy main compartment with a handy interior organizer. Made from genuine top grain leather, the duffel features a sturdy bottom board with metal feet, and satin nickel hardware with an detachable, adjustable shoulder strap. www.leedsworld.com
Just as the label says, any gentleman will make a stylish escape with this Weekend Bag by Baron Leather & Canvas Goods. This is the perfect travel bag, made of fully-lined suede with a detachable shoulder strap in leather, embossed with the Baron logo. It has an interior zippered pocket with tassel pull and a combination lock in brass for secure closure. With measurements approved for carry-on luggage, you can bring it with you wherever you go. And you should, because the suede will get more character and richer patina the more you use it. http://baron.se
Masculine and practical, the Military Duffle Bag by Whipping Post is modelled on the travelworn bags of American servicemen, but with a few luxurious touches. Perfect for a few days away rather than military deployment, the bag is made from 100 percent vegetable-tanned leather and features stout draw straps and a cavernous opening, essential for quick escapes from the office. www.whippingpost.com
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THE BITE 117
the best found at Cesar’s Restaurant on Avenue La Mar, where this simple dish has been given gourmet status. For surrounds more refined, Perroquet at the colonial-styled Country Club Lima Hotel (www.hotelcountry.com) in San Isidro, specialises in Peruvian cuisine, including a trio of causa layered with avocado, crab, chili, shrimp, sea bass, and local pickles.
Dining in the
City of Kings Once the epicenter of the Spanish New World, Lima has emerged as the dynamic capital of the Latin American culinary scene.
W
ith its long Pacific coastline, Peruvian cuisine is accented by the freshest seafood, with the national dish, ceviche, typically made with fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices and laced with chili. It’s thought that early ceviche recipes were brought to Peru by Moorish women from Granada, who accompanied the Spanish conquistadors. There is a spectacular range of ceviches available across Peru, and in Lima you can try a local touch with chef Javier Wong’s Chez Wong, a tiny restaurant in gritty La Victoria famed for its strict booking policy
and fresh seafood dishes, or at Astrid & Gastón (http://astridygaston.com) in Miraflores, a fine-dining joint opened by Gastón Acurio and his chef wife in 1994, and best known for its Ceviche of Love, with raw sea urchin, squid, clams, mussels, and shrimp, marinated in lime and three types of chili pepper. Another dish of national significance is causa, a careful balance of boiled yellow potatoes with local spices, fresh tuna, and avocados. There are many variations on the theme, with some of
Japanese cuisine and ingredients have had an influence on Peruvian cuisine for generations, since Japanese slaves were shipped to South America from the Spanish Philippines. Japanese Peruvians now make up the single largest ethnic minority in Peru, and the marriage of these two culinary cultures, known locally as Nikkei, is a must-try for any visitor. Contemporary Nikkei cuisine can be found at Ache in Miraflores, including tiradito, fresh fish wrapped around shredded turnip; flaming scallops; and grilled beef served on Peruvian cacao. For an iconic Peruvian dish, the intrepid can try cuy chactado, fried guinea pig, a special dish with its roots in the Andes. Seasoned with white corn, garlic, cumin, and pepper, the dish was once eaten by royalty and made a comeback in the 1960s. Today, the best place to try this unusual dish in Lima is at Culantro y Perejil (www.culantroyperejil.com), a classic restaurant serving up home-style Peruvian cuisine. Not for the faint-hearted - the Peruvians don’t slice and dice their guinea pig but serve it roasted whole, so have your cameras ready. Finally, you can’t leave Lima without a sip of the fiery local grape brandy that’s taking the world’s bars by storm – pisco. Head to upmarket Peruvian restaurant Mayta (www. maytarrestaurante.com) in San Antonio, famed for its extensive pisco collection, including spirits infused with everything from ginger to cocoa leaves. Order the iconic pisco sour, a creamy yet refreshing blend of lemon and lime juice, egg white, and bitters.
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118 BEAUTY TRAVEL
Under the
Summer Sun
Summer means finding a balance between getting a gorgeous glow and protecting your skin from the sun. Stash these new products in your bag this summer, and you’ll get the best of both.
The latest from renowned skincare line Murad, the Essential-C Sun Balm SPF35 PA+++ is the ultimate travel companion this summer. Packed with broccoli extract to stimulate the skin’s defences against UV damage; tangerine butter to boost moisture; and vitamins A, C, and E to protect the skin, Murad’s latest product offers advanced protection against sun and free radical damage. The broadspectrum sunscreen – which protects against UVA and UVB rays – also features MuraSol Antioxidant Defense, a blend of powerful antioxidants that creates a protective barrier against the skin, and releases protective free radical neutralisers. The smooth balm comes in a sleek, portable package perfect for on-the-go application. www.murad.co.uk
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Nothing says summer like a perfect tan, and the new V6.8 Tan Prolong by European-based skincare line Sepai is your secret weapon for achieving that sun-kissed glow. Formulated with a unique tanning accelerator peptide, the exclusive extract safely boosts the natural tanning process, while acting as a natural antioxidant to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. Used with a base cream, the extract should be applied during and after sun exposure, and is used in conjunction with sunscreen. The end result is a gorgeous tan that is extended for up to two weeks. www.sepai.eu
Protect your skin from damaging UV rays with Clinique’s Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF45, created with the brand’s patent-pending Invisible Screen technology. The new formula is a 100 percent non-chemical sunscreen that provides broadspectrum protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays while providing a flawless, protective base for make-up, and helps prevent the appearance of dark spots, age spots, and facial discoloration. Non-drying and oilfree, the gentle, lightweight cream is suitable for all skin types and glides on without leaving chalky residue, and can be used daily. www.clinique.com
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120 AUTO
Go Like the Wind With clean, distinctive lines and incredible performance, the new Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 epitomises the modern supercar to perfection, discovers Nick Walton
D
espite credentials that include a top speed of 325km/hr, the ability to sprint to 100km/hr in the time it takes to say its name, and a V10 engine boasting 610 wild mustangs (or should it be raging bulls?) under the hood, all you have to do is glimpse the elegant yet veracious lines of the new Lamborghini Huracán to spot an icon in the making. The replacement for the popular Gallardo, the Huracán features an innovative hybrid chassis made from carbon fibre and aluminium that’s not only racetrack worthy but also accident safe. Combined with a new seven-speed dualclutch transmission geared towards faster, cleaner gear shifting, elegant interiors, and a host of customisable options, the Huracán promises to be the belle of the emerging Asian supercar scene. Of course, the Huracán has big boots to fill. With 14,022 units produced, the Gallardo
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is the most successful Lamborghini model ever made. Like its predecessor, the new Huracán takes its name from the world of bullfighting, in this case a fighting bull of the Spanish Conte de la Patilla breed. And like its powerful namesake, the Huracán boasts a distinctive profile of taut curves and sharp edges that includes a single line stretching from the front of the car, over the passenger cell to the rear. Add luxurious touches inside and LED lighting throughout – a first for the supercar segment – and you have a marque that’s as distinctive during the day as it is at night. The design-savvy persona continues into the cockpit; the slender lines of the instrument mounts and the centre tunnel is indicative of the lightness of the interior design without being ornamental, while a 12.3-inch TFT display can be configured in a number of different driver-friendly modes.
Weight is always the enemy of the supercar designer, but the Huracán’s hybrid chassis is a wonder of design and engineering, light enough to offer unparalleled performance, yet stiff enough to generate the handling of a racing car. With a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.33 kilograms per hp, the Lamborghini Huracán achieves absolutely breathtaking performance; in addition to its spectacular top speed and torque, new Stop & Start technology has dropped fuel consumption to 12.5 liters per 100 km, a feat bolstered by three different driving modes, spanning from road to race track, and selected with a switch on the steering wheel. Twenty-inch wheels with the standard-fit carbon-ceramic brake system deliver exceptional stopping power, should you ever need it. Priced from €169,500 (US$231,160). www.lamborghini.com
Special Promotion Section
A Tradition of
Beauty and Brains
The new Panamera S E-Hybrid from Porsche combines futuristic technology and stunning design while adhering to the core values that made the German car manufacturer a household name, says Joachim Eberlein, Managing Director of Jebsen Motors, distributor of Porsche in Hong Kong, China and Macau.
Sleek and stylish yet powerful and capacious, the Panamera S E-Hybrid, the latest iteration of the Porsche Panamera, breaks the mould by being the first car in its segment to be a plug-in hybrid. The first-ever plug-in hybrid technology allows the Porsche’s latest offering to make short, silent, environmentally-friendly jaunts on its 95hp electric motor and 9.4kWh lithium-ion battery, immensely practical for smaller, denser cities. This unique feature represents Porsche’s tradition of steadfast commitment to cuttingedge technology and environmental protection, says Joachim Eberlein. “It’s
important [for Porsche] to be on top of technology and hybrid is the coming technology of the future. Porsche was the first car manufacturer to start the idea of hybrids, and has continued to invest in that technology because we have a responsibility for the environment.” At its core, Porsche is a sports car manufacturer, a fact reflected in its latest marque. Built with a super charged 333hp V6 gasoline engine and incorporating the latest technology in the drive shaft, the Panamera S E-Hybrid manages to stay true to Porsche’s roots in the sports car
market. Add to that its electrohydraulic steering, the generously sized 245/5018 front and 275/45-18 rear tyres, and a storage capacity of 335 litres, and it becomes obvious that this is far from an ordinary sedan. As Eberlein points out, “It is born for the race track, but it’s usable everyday.”The Panamera S E-Hybrid, with its nod to Porsche’s sports car legacy, truly intelligent design, and considered practicalities, is a driver’s car. Eberlein sums up the Panamera S E-Hybrid perfectly when he says, “The Panamera is a continuation of our tradition.”
122 CULTURE
An
Elementary Experience
One of the greatest icons of crime fiction goes under the magnifying glass this Autumn with a special exhibition at the Museum of London delving into the famed legacy of daring detective Sherlock Holmes. Perfectly timed for the unpredictable October weather of the sleuth’s own city, Sherlock Holmes, the first London exhibition on the detective since 1951, will explore how this pivotal character has transcended literature onto stage and screen and continues to attract huge audiences to this day. Going beyond film and fiction, visitors to the museum will be transported to the real Victorian London – the backdrop for many of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. Through early film, photography, paintings, and original artefacts, the exhibition will recreate the atmosphere of Sherlock’s London, with visitors able to envisage the places that the detective visited and imagine they are standing on the pavement of the Strand watching the horse drawn traffic pass by. www.museumoflondon.org.uk
Sherlock Holmes Museum of London October 2014 – April 2015
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124 TECHNOLOGY
JVC injects action into the camcorder market with the introduction of its line of rugged, weather-proof Everio models that allow video to be shot in almost any weather. The two new JVC Everio camcorders, the GZ-R70 and GZ-R10, feature JVC’s Quad-Proof structure, which offers water resistance to a depth of 5m, the ability to withstand a drop from 1.5m, and are both dust-proof and freeze-proof down to –10˚C. The new line offers a combination of performance capabilities and innovative features for those who want to take their videos beyond what a smartphone or other camcorders can deliver, including a 40x optical zoom, 2.5 megapixel backilluminated CMOS image sensor, audio that zooms with the picture, and compatibility with third-party editing software, including iMovie and Final Cut Pro X. www.jvc.com
See No Ev il , Hea r No Evil For many travellers, good headphones can make or break a long flight. Sony’s newly released Sound Monitoring On-Ear Headphones offer clearer sound and deeper, richer bass, blending crisp, perfect sound with stylish travelfriendly lines. Featuring a 30mm dynamic driver unit and a great inward folding design that means they can slip into carry-on luggage easily, these ultra-lightweight yet durable headphones are available in five colours, including white (pictured) and classic black. www.sony.com
For an interchangeable lens camera that’s as much a fashion statement as an image capturing device, the newly launched Leica T-Series, designed in conjunction with Audi, features finesse and durability. With a 16.2-megapixel, APS-C sized CMOS sensor and the ability to record video in 1080 HD, most of the functions of the camera, which is precision machined and polished from a solid piece of aluminum, are accessed via a sizable 3.7-inch touchscreen LCD display, leaving the top and face of the camera uncluttered and distinctive. The first two compatible lenses for the T-Series include an 18-56mm F3.5-5.6 and the 23mm Summicron-T F2, the equivalent of a classic 35mm film lens.
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TECHNOLOGY 125
For a phone that does almost everything, the new HTC One Max rides the fine line between smartphone and tablet with ease, running an Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system on a 5.9-inch full HD LCD display. Powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, with 16GB internal memory via micro SD memory and up to 64GB external via micro SD, the HTC One Max is ideal for work and play, with WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity, a 3300mAh battery promising up to 25 hours of talktime, dual cameras, and a fingerprint scanner for added security. Measuring 164.5x82.5x10.29mm and weighing 217 grams, the One Max isn’t for everyone, but for travellers looking to be able to watch movies as easily as they read emails, it’s an ideal companion. www.htc.com
From stylish headphones that are perfect for travellers, to cameras designed to capture scenes as well as emotion, here are our favourite travel-friendly gadgets for the season. By Nick Walton For some eye-catching ear candy, Audio-Technica’s new ATH-M50xBL Professional Monitor Headphones offer superb performance on and off the road. As the most critically acclaimed model in the M-Series line, the ATH-M50 is praised by top audio engineers and pro audio reviewers year after year. Now, the limited edition ATH-M50xBL headphones feature the same coveted sonic signature, with the added feature of a detachable cable. From the large aperture drivers, sound isolating earcups, and robust construction, the M50x provides an unmatched experience for the most critical audio professionals. Available in limited edition blue and tan, or black and white (pictured), the headphones are made from pro-grade materials that are durable, yet comfortable. www.audio-technica.com
Canon has released the new PowerShot N100 digital compact camera, which features a dual-lens design, a Story Highlights mode, and control flexibility in a stylish and compact body. The PowerShot N100 can create ‘picture in picture images’ with front and rear lenses, enabling the photographer’s face and expressions to be captured simultaneously, while a new WiFi Remote Shooting function via smart devices has been added to realise more freedom and creativity in shooting angles. The new Story Highlights mode generates a ‘story movie’ by automatically selecting photos that are precious to the photographer with a press of the button. The camera’s front lens is a f/1.8 large aperture, 24mm ultra wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens that provides excellent low-light shooting capability, while the rear camera features a 25mm wide-angle lens to offer wide coverage of the photographer and the environment. www.canon.com
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126 PAGE TURNER
Paradigm Shift Whether we've travelled or not, we're all guilty of harbouring certain ideas - sometimes stereotypes - about different countries. In this issue, Gayatri Bhaumik delves into three books which challenge these notions. The Land Where Lemons Grow: The Story of Italy and Its Citrus Fruit
Helena Attlee Particular Books Having spent nearly 30 years in Italy, Helena Attlee has a deep love and strong understanding of all things Italian; she deploys this to great effect in The Land Where Lemons Grow, where she uses citrus fruits to present a unique perspective on Italy. Journeying to trace the origins and influences of citrus in Italy, she chases lemon trees in Lombardy; sented gardens and chinotti in Liguria; the world’s best blood oranges in Sicily; and the out-of-place Battle of Oranges in Ivrea, for which oranges arrive by train from the south, since the town doesn’t actually grow the fruit. Woven into the narrative of her travels is the story of the citron’s migration from the foothills of the Himalayas to the sunny shores of southern Italy, while cooking tips in the form of authentic recipes – like that for a Torta Caprese All’Arancia – are interspersed for the use of those suitably inspired by Attlee’s narration. What could have been an insufferably boring subject is transformed, through good research and an easily digestible writing style, into a compelling insight into this Mediterranean country, and the relationship between human travel and the spread of food.
Lessons from China: A Westerner’s Cultural Education
Beau Sides Rutledge Publishing First things first: this book is in fact, a work of fiction. Calling on a strong understanding of China – developed through 40 trips and a number of teaching tours – Sides tells the story of Mississippi native Jan Cross, a recent college graduate with control freak tendencies who fulfils a New Year’s resolution by uprooting herself and moving halfway across the world – to Beijing. The first pages are full of endearing misconceptions, the thoughts of one totally unfamiliar with China. The protagonist states that, thanks to the immaculate Chinese flight attendants, she ‘was already convinced that China must be the most immaculate, orderly, and polite place in the world’; on being handed a green tea, she comments, ‘My attendant forgot the sugar, bless her heart, but I survived.’ The following pages detail Jan’s lessons inside and outside the classroom as she works in a local university. Along the way, she makes friends; irks the government and university administrators; and learns to tackle all the cultural differences she encounters with aplomb. Engaging and easy to read, Lessons from China is a light-hearted exploration of China today, teeming with insights into Chinese culture, business, and etiquette, with historical anecdotes woven in for context.
Fragrant Heart: A Tale of Love, Life and Food in South-East Asia.
Miranda Emerson Summersdale In 2008, Miranda Emerson and husband Chris set off on one last big adventure before ‘settling down’. What was intended to be one year in China turned into a journey thorough China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia. On the opening page, Emerson writes ‘This is a book about travel but it’s also a book about food. The experience of food, the discovery of it, the sensuality of eating strange things in strange lands and falling in love with the taste of other people’s countries.’ And it is. Part diary, part travelogue, and part cookbook, Fragrant Heart recounts the Emersons’ chaotic adventure through Asia in an honest style that is at different points fascinating and unequivocally funny. While the narrative focuses on food – and Emerson’s struggle to find some that fit her vegetarian diet – it also skillfully incorporates comments on culture, history, art, politics, and even snippets of the Emerson’s relationships and the author’s state of mind. An easy read that explores the challenges of travelling in Asia – and navigating relationships – Fragrant Heart is a compelling outsider’s perspective on the region. The recipes for a range of Asian dishes look pretty good, too. www.jetsetter.hk