LATINCONNOISSEUR "your lifestyle guide to excellence"

LATINCONOISSEUR

TM

YOUR LIFESTYLE GUIDE TO EXCELLENCE

+ MAY / JUNE 2014 + ISSUE 3 + LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

Y O U R

L I F E S T Y L E

G U I D E

T O

E X C E L L E N C E

George Lopez GOLF 101

THE LUXURY OF TIME

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CONTENTS MAY/JUNE 2014

pg. 50

The Luxury of Time - Milosz Pierwola

FEATURES 24.

The Luxury of Time

if time is gold, then luxury is the freedom to pursue your passion.

45.

Rio Mar Beach Resort

78.

Practice Makes Perfect

A new generation of doctors fine-tune the intricacies of health in the 21st century

By Mia Ricci

By Naadu Blankson-Secki

By Milosz Pierwola

28.

George Lopez

is a man making peace with his past, looking to the future, and loving the present.

50.

Be Wise Bid, And Buy

and spa is the centerpiece of Puerto Rico’s ecological renaissance.

If you are serious and have a plan, art auctions might be for you.

By Rodney Green

By George Nelson Preston

82.

Vines With Flavor

Amelia Ceja leads a team that has turned a small family owned vineyard into a power wine house.

By Pablo Aguilar

DEPARTMENTS Motor Way Travel Concierge

Entrepreneurship Fashion

08.

12.

18.

22.

34.

Spirits

Restaurants Gastronomy

36.

38.

41.

52.

FERRARI + PORSCHE + ASTON MARTIN PANAMA COSTA RICA NEW GENERATION OF BUSINESS JETS QIVIUK + “The Most Precious Suit on Earth”

THE GIN YOU ARE IN MOST WANTED NYC MIXOLOGIST 2014 MEET HENRIQUE! OUR RESTAURANT CRITIC THE “FIRST” BIODYNAMIC CHOCOLATE + “Where it comes from + where and how to get it”

Master Recipes

Business & Money

Power Watches Tech & Gadgets

58.

62.

Sports & Play Wine

Wine Reference Kit Smoke Rings Wine Buying Guide

CHEF DANIEL BOULUD

+ “He sent us his own recipe of a classic Mexican dish”

64.

KEEPING IT ALL IN THE FAMILY

+ “Practical measures to assure your family’s quality of life”

68.

71.

Must-Have Gifts

NEW RESTAURANT’S ERA - A REFLECTION

pg. 44

COVER: George Lopez Photo by: Jessica Grenier

LATEST & GREATEST DIVE WATCHES PERSONAL JET CAPSULE + “Infrared Sauna” (page 73)

72.

74.

76.

86.

WINE SERVICE

+ “Sommelier Yannick Benjamin”

ART & GIFTS THE BUCK STOPS HERE-WALLETS PADDLING IN PARADISE

88 90 88.

TOP WINES TO BUY NOW ONLINE!

+ “With Our Wine Referee”

pg. 52 The Perfect Chocolate is made in Ecuador

pg. 08

wine buying guide pg. 08

WINE CLASS + D.O. JERES-XERES-SHERRY CIGAR CLUBS + COHIBA + NYC CIGAR CO.

pg. 82 Vines with Flavor wirh Amelia Ceja

PUBLISHER’S NOTE My mission as the Latin Connoisseur’s publisher is to bring excellence to your lifestyle, intellect and to your heart, so you can live life to the fullest.

My goal is to serve you by publishing the single most influential and authoritative publication for the most discerning Hispanic and Latino affluent audience, who represent more than 42 countries, who have many looks and speak many languages and who are looking to discover the world’s finest products, services and experiences via digital media, print, tablet, email, social media and events.

Our guide brings the best in travel, automotive, electronics, watches, jewelry, fashion, yachting, fine dining, aviation, real estate, wines, spirits, and home furnishings.

“We are what we choose to think. Let’s strive for excellence only through the slightest detail”

All that’s valuable and excellent. Well yes, I know reaching for excellence is not an easy task, and it brings many challenges along the way, but that’s what makes any endeavor more interesting and what makes us appreciate who we are and what we have just a little bit more.

I welcome every one of you to join me in an ongoing discussion about the state of mind of Latin and Hispanic culture that crosses the superficial lines of borders and hemispheres.

Once again we are always open to any input you may have on any subject - we welcome it! Our mindset is to serve you, just like at the family table.

As always, the best harvest is at home!

Pablo Aguilar

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

LATIN CONNOISSEUR

MAGAZINE PUBLISHER & EDITOR Pablo Aguilar EDITOR AT LARGE Emily Kane GRAPHIC DESIGNER Gerry Marks CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Mia Ricci Milosz Pierwola Cathy Lilly

GASTRONOMY: Recipe contribution: Chef Daniel Boulud (Pescado Veracruzana) Adapted from: Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine by Daniel Boulud & Melissa Clark, Ecco 2006 - FOOD: Clay Gordon (When buying gourmet chocolate) PHOTOS: courtesy of Pacari Chocolates. BEVERAGE: Craig Carey & Jerry Pietzak (The gin you are in) - ADVENTURE & PASSION: Milosz Pierwola (The luxury of time) PHOTOS: Milosz Pierwola - TRAVEL: Rodney Green, (Rio Mar Beach Resort), Panama (Karina Arrua) Mia Ricci (Costa Rica) - COVER STORY: Mia Ricci (Home on the range) PHOTOS: Jessica Grenier - AVIATION: Gregory DL Morris (Global Reach) - HEATLH: Naduu Blankson-Seck (Practice makes perfect) - FINANCIAL: Kevin Walker (Keeping it all in the family) - WATCHES: Christopher Morris (Dive watches) SPORTS: Jon Gromer (Paddling in Paradise) - CIGARS: Gregory DL Morrys, David Roth (Cohiba Siglo Vl) - CARS: Paul McIndoe (Ferrari, Aston Martin & Porsche) - ART & COLLECTION: George Nelson Preston (Be wise, bid & buy) - Sotheby’s Latin American Art auctions photos: Desnudo acostado + Still Life with fruits by Botero, Courtesy of Sotheby’s - Axel Stein editorial@latinconnoisseur.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Virginia Cano: virginia@ latinconnoisseur.com ADVERTISING SALES ad@latinconnoisseur.com www.latinconnoisseur.com EDITORIAL OFFICES: 106-15 Queens Blvd Suite #2D Forest Hills, NY 11375 Published b y L a t i n C o n n o i s s e u r M u l t i m e d i a I n c .

Latin Connoisseur – Your Guide to Excellence is the most provocative cross-cultural lifestyle brand name and guide tool that’s in constant motion engaging its vibrant and refined audience at an intellectual and emotional level via print, interactive web platform and mobile device app ex: Ipad and events.Latin Connoisseur effectively has been acting as a link between leading brands and a rather diverse universal audience in the U.S. This media platform is targeting affluent (150k+) acculturated Hispanics in the U.S. who pursue excellence and for everyone in between who is equally influenced by and passionate about our culture and values.Our Latin lifestyle magazine is the perfect guide that speaks and reflects equally on sophisticated and intellectual individuals of high net worth in the US and the world. Latin Connoisseur is written in the language and style that directly speaks to a wider range of Latin and Hispanic discerning connoisseurs through fashion, travel, gastronomy, health, sports, family and culture. We publish in print and online 6 issues per year in the most important cosmopolitan cities such as: Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Houston and other major metro areas.Our mission is to inspire our readers in a way that everytime they get our products or simply visit our site in search of any answers we can remind them their culture (their past) their family (their present), and their education, (their future).

Latin Connoisseur speaks to a wider range of Latin and Hispanic consumers through fashion, gastronomy, health, sports, family and culture. Latin Connoisseur is the premier way to reach millions of high net worth individuals of Latin and Hispanic origin in the US. Latin Connoisseur is committed to providing a creative and ethical platform to promote the timeless and universal pleasure of sharing our culture with family and friends. We recognize that Hispanic refers to Spain and its culture and people, while Latin refers to the language of ancient Rome as well as a person of Latin American descent. In an effort to remain culturally relevant, we’ve opted to use “Hispanic” when referring to both Latin and/or Hispanic populations. Hispanics are individuals who have either partial or total knowledge of the Spanish language and whose lineage can be traced to countries where the Spanish language is the dominant tongue.

EDITOR’S NOTE I want to establish an active forum that builds awareness through which we can empower each other to the highest levels, through fashion, gastronomy, art, business, sports, technology and health from every part of the world.

I’m so incredibly proud and yes, happy! to tell you how many “new up and coming” Hispanic and Latino professionals and companies are flourishing in every industry.

For example in our Gastronomy section (page 52) we bring you the first biodynamic and the best chocolate in the world.

We are here to guide you with our editorials, which will not only inform but also reflect our creative and intellectual spirit. Also in this issue we have prepared relevant, useful material that we believe could impact different aspects of your life.

To quench your intellectual thirst, again let us satisfy your appetite with a creative opinion as our travel writers share theirs. In this issue we bring you an analogy between luxury and time by travel adventurer Milosz (page 24). Who said that traveling makes you wiser and more compassionate about life? And for those who are going on vacation, our contributors bring amazing stories from Panama, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica (pages 12, 18 and 28).

For our feature story, our Latin Connoisseur Golf expert and guide Rafael Martinez had the pleasure to play golf one-on-one with actor and show host George Lopez, who shared with us his latest wins (page 45).

In fashion and style we bring the most precious suit and garments on earth which are made from the sheddings of the muskox in the Canadian Arctic, two visionary entrepreneurs from Peru realized the potential of this precious fiber and now connoisseurs can’t have enough of it (page 34).

In the food section I decided to get crative and write about the restaurant worker of the future I feel it’s a fun read that will keep you thinking about it (page 58).

For those who love auctions and want to buy or just learn more about auction houses, we have visited three major auction houses around the world and gotten the inside story from one of them about Latin American Art in the 21st century (page 50).

At this stage we are thinking about health issues, bringing you “Practice makes perfect” (page 78).

Once again to seriously tease your taste buds and prove that we can all cook “well” just like the French ooh la la - please don’t tell them… - we got an amazing recipe from one of the most successful restaurateurs and chefs in the world; Chef Daniel Boulud who graciously sent us his own interpretation of a classic Mexican dish.

You know already that we are serious about wine here, well again wine just doesn’t let me go to sleep and not because I have been drinking a glass or two, but because we are sharing with you once again our wine section. The Latin Connoisseur brings you a few engaging wine-related stories: the first one brings you the most successful Hispanic winemaker in the U. S. (page 82); the second is a super invigorating story about a great man that didn’t allow an accident that left him in a wheelchair stop him from dreaming big and executing excellence at all levels (page 86); the third is the wine reference kit - a page that you have to take with you (yes, rip it out and take it with you and use it as you go along with your food ad wine activities). And of course we can’t let you go without showing you our hand-picked best wines to buy now! (page 88). In our spirit section find a note about the classic gin & tonic and a cocktail that was mixed exclusively for us by one of the hottest mixologists in NYC (page 38).

Once again we are always open to any input you may have on any subject; we welcome it!

Our mindset is to serve you, just like at the family table.

Thank you once again for giving us a read!

Pablo Aguilar

EDITOR’S NOTE

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MOTOR WAY

FERRARI GTB There’s no better example of Ferrari’s contemporary automotive dominance than the 599 GTB Fiorano. Let’s start in the most important place: Under the hood. The powerful 12-cylinder engine is a work of art all its own. With a series of chain-driven, twin overhead camshafts, the pulsating pistons are able to produce optimal torque and serious acceleration.

How does 0-60 in 3.7 seconds sound? Is a top speed of 205 miles per hour fast enough for you? The next generation of Ferrari’s F1 gearbox cuts shift times down dramatically by simultaneously releasing the clutch while disengaging and re-engaging the next gear. Of course the interior and exterior are beautiful—as you’d expect from any Ferrari.

They are driveable pieces of art. But owning one of these truly unique machines is more about reconnecting with those childhood dreams and dominating the road. But for those of you who like the perks, you can take solace in the fact that this is the first Ferrari equipped with a standard electronic device connection. Who says classic can’t be cool?

08 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

ASTON MARTIN DB9 Of the many things to love about the Aston

100 mph in 4.9 seconds for the standard ( 5.1 for

Martin, its body should not go unnoticed —

the automatic), and its magnesium alloy paddles

with its taut angles and gentle curviness, this

behind the steering wheel enable F-1 style gear

mechanized wonder evokes awe usually re-

changes when driving conditions necessitate.

served for big cats of the wild. Conceived

Swan wing doors handsomely avoid high curb-

from the outset as a coupe and convertible

sides and when open, give flight to the DB9’s

(Volante), this beauteous speed machine has a

mythic beauty. Complete with lightweight alu-

front-to-rear weight distribution that places a full minum and composite body panels, halogen 85% of its mass between the front and rear axles

for maximum balance. Its 6-liter engine does 0-

projector headlights with power wash and a top speed of 186 mph, the DB9 offers no reason to hang around for the ovation.

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S H OW RO O M

20 15 PORSCHE 918 SPIDER

DRIVING IN NYC

>2015 PORSCHE 918 SPYDER<

Quiet & elegant: E-Power” Last fast lap around Central Park in Manhattan

10 LATIN CONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

While I know I can beat the unofficial speed record (24 min. 7 sec. loop) by a an unknown man on the ring of highway around the edge of Manhattan, which was recorded on Aug. 28th, I will remain calm and continue my leisurely trip around the city that never sleeps.

The 918 Spyder embodies the essence of the Porsche idea: it combines pedigree motor racing technology with excellent everyday utility and maximum performance with minimum consumption. The task faced by the development team was to create the super sports car for the next decade with a highly efficient and powerful hybrid drive. Developing the car from scratch, appropriately beginning with a sheet of white paper, allowed the team to come up with a no-compromise concept. The entire car was designed around the hybrid drive. The 918 Spyder therefore demonstrates the potential of the hybrid drive to a degree never seen before:

the parallel improvement of both efficiency and performance without one being at the cost of the other. This is the idea that has made the Porsche 911 the most successful sports car in the world for 50 years. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In short, the 918 Spyder What’s inside: will act as the gene > Parallel Full Hybrid pool for the Porsche > V8 engine sports cars of the fu> 608 hp at 8,600 rpm ture. Marking the > 390 pound-ft torque at 6,600 rpm success of the final tuning measures, the Porsche super sports car is now even more capable of putting in a strong sprinting performance. The vehicle now accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds (-0.2 seconds), and with the Weissach package, it accelerates from 0 to 124 mph on the track in 7.2 seconds (-0.5 seconds). It reaches the 186 mph

mark after 19.9 seconds (-2.1 seconds) on the track. Quiet and elegant: “E-Power" When the vehicle is started up, the “E-Power" mode is the default operating mode as long as the battery is sufficiently charged. In ideal conditions, the 918 Spyder can cover approximately 18 miles on purely electric power. Even in pure electric mode, the 918 Spyder accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 7 seconds and can reach speeds of up to 93 mph. In this mode, the combustion engine is only used when needed. If the battery’s charge state drops below a set minimum value, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode. At the speed I’m driving around Central Park, the only thing left to do is avoiding the police, but while that happens I’m thinking that something as simple as driving around Central Park at 2 am can turn into a totally different experience behind the wheel of this Porsche.

WWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

hoto credit: Creative Commons (SaavedraVS)

Ciudad de Panama Night Skylline

PanamaFresh MOMENT COLLECTING IN THE AZUERO PENINSULA

by Karina Arrue

PEOPLE COME TO PANAMA For the Canal, for its beaches and rainforests, for surfing and sports, fishing and for all sorts of adventure-touring. Things like visiting Captain Henry Morgan’s ruins in Panama Viejo, the historic part of the capital city, or islandhopping in the Indian territory of San Blas always have their place in the tourist’s itinerary. If you come all the way to Panama, then you must certainly do these things, but I encourage you to explore some of the lesser-tapped origins of this Central American country as well. Perhaps I emphasize this because Panama is my father’s homeland. Of course I’ve enjoyed visiting my share of tourist attractions too, but that’s not where I came in contact with 12 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

the people and traditions of Panama—that’s where I bumped into other tourists like myself.

I’ve learned after several tries that when trekking in any country, the sensible traveler should be armed with three tools: 1) a good travel guide; 2) the ability to put away the list of recommended sites contained therein; and 3) the desire to slow down enough to wander down random streets or simply people watch while drinking a cup of coffee. It also helps to meet some local people who already know the lay of the land. My father comes from a small town in the Azuero Peninsula, a region located on the southern coast of the country. It’s a three- or four-hour drive from Panama City and happens to be one of the last parts of Panama to be discovered by tourists.

Actually, Panamanians from other parts of the country don’t know much about this region either, except that if you want a big party, the Azuero Peninsula is the place to be. Known as the “cradle of Panama’s Spanish

In fact, they often participate in the crazed affair by jumping onto the Weld and attempting to ride the bulls themselves. This of course, is always accompanied by the clapping and jeering encouragement of others. Personally, I’m not a fan of the sport, but it’s a relief to know that Panamanians are a bit more humane than their Spanish counterparts—none of the bulls are killed or hurt.

Since fireworks are de rigueur for just about any occasion, the bulls are good enough cause to light up. In another corner, inebriated Panamanians emboldened to participate in folkloric singing contests make for an equally lively part of the event.

The Cathedral of Santa Librada in Las Tablas. It dates back to the 18th century.

PHOTO CREDIT: NICANOR ARRUE JR.

heritage and folkloric traditions,” the most elaborate festivals and traditional religious celebrations in the country happen here.

My father grew up in Guararé, but most of his family lives in the neighboring town of Las Tablas. Both are in the province of Los Santos. I visited this past July, and I was in luck since I booked my flight for the week of festivities surrounding the regional patron saint Santa Librada. Catholic or not, you are sure to enjoy the extended revelry, which includes seemingly random parades, religious processions, horse promenades, and live music.

Panamanians are a fun-loving people, and just about any occasion is good enough reason to bring out the floats and have an impromptu parade around the town square. Such was the case after El Concurso Nacional de la Pollera, an annual contest for the traditional costume held right in Las Tablas during this time. (See side bar on the next page for more on the pollera.) Winners and losers alike mount kitschy floats and dancing breaks out in the street to the sounds of a full murga orchestra ensemble, which consists of trumpets, trombones, drums, claves and other Latin percussion instruments.

Where does a city with less than 10,000 inhabitants find so much money for the magnitude of these joyous fiestas? I have yet to figure that one out. To add to the merriment, there are also clandestine horse races and bull Wghts, which are distinct in Panama because the crowd isn’t barricaded behind fences.

One of the contestants at El Concurso Nacional de la Pollera proudly displays her dress.

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La Pollera Embodies Four Centuries of History La pollera is the national dress of panama. Women often

although in the more rural regions, a simpler version is worn daily. The word “pollera” simply means a full skirt, but its current signification is a bit more regal.

The dress descends from the attire of Spanish peasants A beachfront hotel at El Uverito

in the 17th century, but has since evolved into a distinctly Panamanian costume due to the influence of Panama’s geography, climate, and various ethnic groups.

It is estimated that every Panamanian woman owns at least two polleras in her lifetime, and this is no small accomplishment. A pollera is a huge investment, costing thousands of dollars to make. So much so, that what was once a peasant dress is now considered an heirloom that is passed on from generation to generation. It typically takes about a year to create because of the intricate embroidery

Much of their musical inspiration comes from the sugarcane liquor Seco Herrerano, the national beverage, which is made right in the Azuero Peninsula (or some other domestic brew, like Cerveza Atlas).

If you want to try the culinary delights of Panama, times of grande fêting are ideal because food stands and street vendors abound. You can sample traditional fare, such as carimañolas, yucca fritters stuffed with meat, or bollos de maiz nuevo, fresh corn mashed and boiled in its own leaves. A favorite of mine, which is also available on the street, is Resbaladera, a drink made from rice, barley, and nutmeg. Another staple that is available year-round is arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, which has lots of variations throughout Latin America. The Panamanian version contains green olives, capers and green peas.

And if you’re on a beach on the Azuero, I highly recommend that you eat at one of the little shacks you might be tempted to walk right past, especially on the less commercialized beaches (i.e. in Guarare and Las Tablas). You will be rewarded for the lack of aesthetic flair by the most freshly caught seafood at ridiculously low prices.

On the subject of beaches, be sure to visit some in Pedasí. This is the region of the Azuero which tourists have begun to buzz about, and for good reason. There is a beach in Pedasí that I will never forget: It’s called Venado, a hot spot for international surfing. I remember making little crabs crawl out of their holes as a child and then chasing them as they scurried across the sand in droves. Their red shells were a sharp contrast to the straw-colored sand and the crystalline aqua blue water. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

During the festivities, any foreigner can easily navigate through the area because all the commotion is in the center of town. Even if you have the worst sense of direction, the sounds and smells will help you pin down the local happenings. But a word to the wise: if you come to this region on a day when there is no huge celebra-

to each dress.

There are different kinds of polleras (and they vary by region), but the most stunning of them all is the gala or luxury pollera with its full two- or three-tiered skirt that unfolds like a delicate hand fan. There are about 30 differ-

ent pieces of gold jewelry that are often custom-made for the costume; and turtle shell combs bordered in gold and adorned with pearls are also made, unless they are passed on, of course. The tembleque, or headpiece, is a beautifully complicated arrangement of pearls, fish scales and silver threads. La pollera montuna is a bit more simple, but just as festive. It consists of a long skirt in a bright color and a white blouse with one tier instead of two. The skirt is not embroidered, but is often made with patterned cloth.

Whether it is montuna or gala, the pollera is proudly donned by Panamanian women as the greatest symbol of their country’s cultural identity.

top right: The elaborate tembleque and gold ornamentation traditonally worn with a pollera

PHOTO CREDIT: NICANOR ARRUE JR.

El Uverito Beach in Las Tablas

or appliqué floral designs sewn into the skirt and ruffled shirt. The design is first created by an artist and is unique

PHOTO CREDIT: NORIS VILLAREAL

wear it to festivities accompanied by an elaborate ensemble of gold jewelry and white, beaded hair ornaments,

14 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

bottom: La reina nacional de la pollera—the national queen of the pollera shows of her beautiful dress during a parade

PHOTO CREDIT: NICANOR ARRUE JR.

A clandestine horse race on a dirt road

A rowdy bullfight in Las Tablas

tion, it is best to travel with a native in tow.

Unless you enjoy aimless wandering, that is.

During my stay, for example, it struck me that there were virtually no street signs in Las Tablas, except for a few random plaques commemorating somebody. “How do you know where to go if there are no signs?” I inquired. “Well, you don’t really need them,” my uncle replied one day from behind the wheel. “This town is small enough that you just know where everone lives.”

Obviously, there isn’t an overwhelming amount of commercialization catering to the tourist, which just means more interaction with the locals—who are more than happy to oblige with special insights.

My grandmother, for instance, knows all the “spots.” I mentioned on one occasion that I was hoping to get a pedicure, so she took me to a nondescript house on a little road in Chitre where she knew someone—not the kind of information you would find in the Yellow Pages. Later, when I requested a brightly woven mola tapestry to take home, she drove me along the highway 40 minutes south of Las Tablas and then took a few bends along a narrow road. And then she parked her car in front of another nondescript house to inquire within, claiming that I could score a better deal there than in the capital city.

Outside of a good time, this is one of the most attractive things the Azuero Peninsula has to offer: an authentic small-town charm that will win you over. People still ride their horses down the street and roosters peck at the grass on their owners’ front lawns. Having to stop for a herd of cattle crossing the road is a common occurrence.

And if you want a coconut, chances are someone will grab a machete and knock it down from their own tree.

My uncle’s beach house

OF A GOOD TIME, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST “OUTSIDETHINGS ATTRACTIVE THE AZUERO PENINSULA HAS TO OFFER: AN AUTHENTIC SMALL TOWN CHARM THAT WILL WIN YOU OVER. ”

The bright colors of the Pollera Montuna on display at a parade

Children clad in the national costume for a parade

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COSTA RICA

The Jewel of Central America

By Mia Ricci Despite its rich history and culture, recent decades have not been kind to much of Central America, so the region is not often considered a luxury vacation destination.

Except for Costa Rica.

Having forgone the idea of a national army more than 50 years ago, Costa Rica is tropical, affordable, and most importantly, neutral. The people are friendly, the hotels are inexpensive, the food is exotic, the culture is fascinating, the coffee is unbelievably good. and the golf is amazing. Picture teeing it up in the morning at a course designed by a famed architect, surrounded by beautiful rainforest and exotic animals, and then going home in time for dinner followed worldrenowned coffee as you enjoy the night view of an active volcano. With seven top-level courses and more in the works, Costa Rica is becoming quite the golf destination.

66 18 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

By Cathy Lilly A scene of cliff divers from an Annette Funacello beach party film drifted into my mind.

A faint young girl s voice proclaimed It isn t fair.

Yes, I recalled my younger self s sensibilities when hearing dad say "Only men dive off cliffs."

Then I vowed to join them, but only got as far as diving on 1meter boards in high school.

What inspired me to literally jump through immobilizing fear and start cliff diving at the age of 56? What residue of childhood trauma percolated up as I watched the woman balk at the edge of the beautiful reservoir?

The longer I watched the more a visceral identifcation with her spoken dread crept in...

No! I pulled myself away, taking a deep yogic breath, and anchored my anxiety with a quick inventory: The waterwall s mist was gently soothing; my skin glistening in the sun. I was pain-free from physical injuries I have. So, a pause for prayer, then I leapt off the cliff, reaching my arms wide into the longest swan dive of my life. Pura Vida!

THE GOLF Most courses in Costa Rica are part of a luxury resort, making it easy for visitors to plan a practical and easy vacation. The courses are designed by world-famous architects and the green fees are affordable.

As Costa Rica is a small country, the best way to experience the golf is by going from resort to resort, where you can see the country, meet the people, and stop at cozy local restaurants along the way.

The Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort in Guanacaste has wide fairways with vast sand bunkers, reedy lagoons, and greens with tricky fall lines, making it a favorite among avid golfers. The Garre de Leon course is Latin America s first Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, meaning that there is a good chance that while you are putting you might have an audience of colorful birds or shy monkeys watching from the woods nearby.

The Los Suenos Marriot Ocean and Golf Resort is located in a 1,000-acre rainforest at beautiful Herradura Bay and features a18-hole course designed by Ted Robinson. There is also a driving range, tennis courts, a large casino, and a luxurious Health Club and Spa. Opened in 2003, the Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo features the newest (and most luxurious) golf course in the country. The Arnold Palmer designed course offers jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean on 14 out of its 18 holes, and the resort offers the Four Seasons signature world-class accommodations and amenities.

For those who are a little more adventurous, you can also stay at hotels and resorts of your choice and take day trips to the golf courses. Places to check out include the Xandari Resort Hotel and Spa, a small hotel not far from the SanJose airport featuring stunning architecture, spacious rooms, and an adjacent spa village, which is a series of private thatch roofed treatment rooms.

THE FOOD The best way to enjoy a true Costa-Rican dining is to eat at a mirador, a hanging restaurant on the side of a volcano. The miradores are usually found around San Jose, because of the area s typography.

Since San Jose is set in broad valley surrounded by volcanic mountains, the locals have no place but to go up, so they build vertical roadside cafes on the sides of volcanoes. The best place to go to a miradore would be the town of Aserri, six miles south of downtown San Jose. Go to the Mirador Ram Luna, sit by the window to enjoy the glimmering lights on San Jose below, and order a plate of chicharrones (fried pork rinds).

If dining at such heights is not your thing, there are plenty of ground-level restaurants. The Grano de Oro is a restaurant in La Sabana known for its wide range of meat and fish dishes. Try the macadamia-encrusted corvine, a fish dish served in a light and tangy orange sauce, and end with the Grano de Oro Pie, a delectable desert with layers of chocolate and coffee mousses and creams.

Another restaurant to check out is La Luz, famous for serving adventurous international ethnic dishes. Try the fiery garlic prawns, sautéed in acho-chili oil and sage and served over a roasted-garnish of fried leeks and tequila-lime butter and cilantro-oil sauce. Then there is Machu Picchu, an unpretentious little joint in San Jose. This cozy eatery is known to be one of the most popular places to eat in the city, with its delicious no-hassle dishes. Make sure to try the causa limeña, lemon-flavored mashed potatoes stuffed with shrimp, and the aji de gallina, shredded chicken served in an aromatic cream sauce. sauce

THE ATTRACTIONS There is always an abundance of things to do when you are in Costa Rica, a small country high on flavor and culture. Most of the points of interest in the country, however, are located in San Jose, so it might be best to spend a couple of days sight-seeing apart from your golf road trip around the country.

For museum-lovers San Jose offers more than a dozen museums, ranging from traditional and cultural museums to art exhibitions. The Museo de Oro Precolombino (Museum of Pre-Columbian Gold) is an impressive underground building in downtown San Jose showcasing indigenous jewels with mysterious and dark backgrounds.

The Museo de Jade (the Jade Museum) exhibits the largest American jade collection in the world.

For the art-lover, there is the Museo de Arte Costarricense, set in a gorgeous building that used to be an international airport, featuring fine paintings and sculptures. Then there is the popular Museo Criminológico (Museum of Criminology), also in downtown, a bizarre showcase of body parts and gruesome pictures illustrating the history of criminology and law enforcement in Costa Rica.

One of the best attractions in Costa Rica are the festivals and street fairs in San Jose. Many people show up early to these fairs to sample homemade traditional snacks k and d admire ad d dmire i handicrafts h di f offered ffered by local vendors. When you arrive in San Jose, find a local and just ask.

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Global R The newest generation of business jets put entrepreneurs & executives one stop from anywhere in the world.

N

othing beats a great pair of legs. In business aviation, long legs mean a range of anything more than 6,000 miles, which puts passengers just one stop from anywhere. No matter where the destination might be on this planet, if the trip is more than 12,000 miles, go the opposite direction. The Earth is only 24,000 miles around, so no two places can be farther apart than half that distance.

To drive, or rather, fly the point home, one of the top business jet makers, Bombardier, flew its new Global 5000 nonstop from San Francisco to London for the Farnborough Air Show this summer. The Global 5000, along with the rival Gulfstream 500 series, has the longest legs of all business jets and are just two hops from any business meeting, any vacation spot, and any golf course in the world.

Both Boeing and Airbus, the two major commercial aircraft makers, have business versions of their smaller airliners, but those are not generally available in pools or for fractional ownership. At least one fractional plan, Marquis Jets of New York, can make available a Boeing Business Jet, which is based on the 737 airframe. But as with the biggest lobster in the tank, you have to make a special inquiry to book time on one of those aircraft.

50 22 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

At the slightly more accessible end, Marquis Jet, in affiliation with NetJets, offers blocks of 25 hours ranging from about $110,000 for a sevenpassenger, 2,000-mile Citation V to about three times that price for a 14-passenger, 7,000-mile Gulfstream V. Marquis has also formed a partnership with Cunard Line that includes a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 one way, a private jet flight the other way, and accommodations in between.

Marquis flies most of the top business and private aircraft, including Gulfstream, Raytheon (Hawker), Cessna (Citation), and French company Dassault (Falcon). The major exception is Bombardier jets. That maker runs its own fractional ownership program called FlexJet with Globals, Challengers, and Learjets.

Marquis partner NetJets, which is part of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway empire, just ordered 20 Hawker-800 mid-sized jets from Raytheon, as well as 20 Hawker-400 light jets. For those with a sense of aviation history, Hawker is the storied maker of the Hurricane British fighter plane from World War II. British Aerospace still produces parts for today’s jets, but the company was bought by Raytheon in 1993, and merged with Raytheon’s civil aviation unit, Beechcraft.

The newest Hawker will push the midsized jets into competition with some of the long-range model. The Horizon, due out later this year, is being billed as a “super mid-size” and will sport a range of 3,400 miles—and most importantly transatlantic capabilities.

“The Horizon will be a sweet spot in business travel,” says Brad Hatt, president of Hawker. “About 90% of business travel Bombardier Global 5000 is within that range, either coast to coast in the

each

By Gregory DL Morris

U.S. or New York to London, and then city pairs in the rest of the world. We can’t do nonstop to Tokyo, but that is really a very small segment of the market.” Fully equipped the Horizon is yours for $18.4 million. The biggest jets run $35-$45 million.

PGA pro Robert Gamez, rookie of the year in 1990 when he won the Tucson Open and the Bayhill Invitational, flies with another fractional program, Citation Shares. “Most pros find 24 tournaments a year ideal,” says Gamez, “but I play in about 30.

Being with Citation has allowed me to get to so many tournaments, and to get home for a few days in between.”

He still flies commercially, but recently had to call on his hours to salvage a tournament in Hawaii. “I had to get from Las Vegas to LAX for the flight to Hawaii, but there was a problem with the first leg. I called Citation and they got me to my connection. They prefer at least eight hours’ notice, but they will work with anything.”

The overall business and private jet business is recovering after a few bad years. Analysts Forecast International of Newtown, CT, expect almost 11,000 business jets will be produced in the next ten years, worth all tolled $135 billion. First quarter production was up 14% already this year.

The two fastest growing segments of the market are the entry level, the ultra-long range top end. At the smaller, but still very posh, end, a new competitor, Eclipse Aviation, plans to crank out about 100 aircraft a year for the next ten years to grab a significant slice of the market.

At the top end the clash of the titans is between Bombardier and Gulfstream. If Bombardier’s Challengers look familiar, that is because their stable mates are the CRJ’s that led the revolution among airlines to regional jets over turboprops (Bombardier makes those, and subway cars too).

Gulfstream, part of mammoth defense contractor General Dynamics, delivered its first G-500 in May to venture capitalist and long-time Gulfstream client Danny Pettit who has business interests in Europe and Australia. But for those adventurous capitalists whose business takes them no farther than London, Ontario, Rome, NY, or Melbourne, FL, business jets are becoming an efficient and affordable alternative to commercial airlines.

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PA S S I O N & A DV E N T U R E S

IF TIME IS GOLD THEN LUXURY IS the freedom to purse your passion

incgy in h t y r e v e ytisis a curreunxury r u x u l , tetlyto be. Isupply. L s a m i t l Uexpect i inishingcome thatsde,eiftinies the wiemited dipmosable ins us purpdoay and do l s the dis and give p every what we i ur lives e wake u onnects e. o eason w fe. It cto achiev sue r herish li e wish r u p o t c o what w om. d e e r f e t h isotur passion y r u x u y L

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By Milosz Pierwola

uxury is the opportunity that we create for ourselves to enjoy passion unhindered and uninterrupte d. Passion is the value that we place on time. This is because time is limited and enjoying our passion serves the selfish purpose of permitting us to do exactly what we most ardently desire.

The more passionate we are, the more of this time we want and the more we are willing to work for it.

EXP adventures brings international leading explorers & guides like Eric Larsen who has dedicated his adult life to sharing his love for the outdoor world with others.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;And, that period of time that we have access to our passion is a luxury.â&#x20AC;?

Unfortunately, most never even begin the pursuit of their passion. Even identifying the absence of passion in our lives is a frustrating task because from youth it exists as a permanent longing that hums in the background and one that we become accustomed to as a permanent fixture in our lives.

However, to some of us this hum grows louder until it is screaming like a siren and the only thing we can focus on is satisfying its call.

In this search for our passion the risks that once stood in the way become secondary, silenced, and worth taking. And that is only the beginning; suddenly, the world is no longer a predetermined path of finite distances.

24 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

It is as if the clouds part and sunshine beams down upon a colossal landscape for the first time; opportunity revealed before us is uncharted and imposing.

Passion calls upon the roused spirit of adventure that lay dormant inside us until that moment. The size of our lives comes into focus and for the first time we feel the crushing limits of mortality.

Surprisingly, this revelation of mortality is not sad but beautiful. It is an ever present truth in our lives, like gravity or air; however, becoming aware of it changes us forever.

Every breath takes on meaning, blandness becomes flavorful, and moments of freedom become cherished opportunities for introspection.

The world, in all its complexity, reveals beauty and authentic experiences take on a value beyond measure.

It is as if we momentarily experience the magnitude of infinity.

“Luxury reveals its true nature as the opportunity to fully engage in this pursuit.”

Newly alert and attentive, our spirit becomes the guide to the beacon, our passion, hovering just over the horizon.

The eternal longing feeling is finally satiated even if ever so briefly; and our long term plans become not just possible, but inevitable.

It is in this way that luxury earns its value and becomes worth its wait in gold. It is often misunderstood because to an outside observer it appears artificially only at the moment that passionate individuals experience the reward of their great silent effort.

But luxury is not such simple exclusive access; it is the ethereal satiation of a lifelong journey.

Luxury represents the accumulation of the incredible efforts to produce such an opportunity; luxury is the currency of time.

For those that follow the path that leads to passion, we no longer wander or backtrack. Our decisions are deliberate and final and we move forward in an unforgiving way. “The luxury of time allows us to pursue our adventure.”

>EXP ADVENTURES< Milosz Pierwola is the Founder and CEO of EXP Adventures. As an attorney in New York, he discovered a demand from professionals who sought to reach the world’s most incredible destinations. As a passionate lifetime adventurer, he received training under the world’s top expedition programs by elite adventurers. He has now organized and led multiple international expeditions across the globe and focuses on designing custom experiences to any destination. www.expadventures.com 347-974-3980

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GATEWAY TO

RIO MAR BEACH RESORT & SPA IS THE CENTERPIECE OF PUERTO RICOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ECOLOGICAL RENAISSANCE

PARADISE

By Rodney Green

T

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: RIO MAR BEACH RESORT & SPA

HE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO IS RICH WITH BOTH SPANISH

colonial flavors and natural wonders. It is a 110-mile long and 35-mile

wide Island of Enchantment, a no customs, no passport, no problem place where adventure reigns and the transition from everyday to

once-in-a-life time experiences is seamless. At the center of it all is

the Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, a Wyndham Grand Resort.

Warm Latin culture is accented by spectacular beaches, tropical rainforests and ancient fortresses.

28 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

Pick your pleasure

Palio’s pleasant surroundings

PUERTO RICO’S COASTAL REGIONS EACH BEAR DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS. The north is consid-

ered the hub, offering historic plazas, diverse venues, charming museums and more than 300 shops. The southern region is rich with 19th century culture and architecture, transporting visitors through time. The western region is ideal for those seeking solitude which can be found in the small coastal towns of Isabella and Aguadilla. The east is home to the Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa as well as natural wonders like El Yunque National Rainforest, long stretches of coral reef, bio bays and pristine beaches.

Rio’s lobby makes a delightful first impression

R

io Mar Resort & Spa features 600 guest rooms, including 72 suites, all with private balconies and views of the rainforest, Atlantic Ocean or the Marbella Gardens. It also offers the largest ballroom in the Caribbean with 21,000 square feet of unobstructed space. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the rotunda of the lobby offer panoramic views of the ocean, creating the ideal space for a pre-function reception. Those feeling lucky can visit the resort’s Las Vegas-style casino. Play a hand of Caribbean Stud Poker or Blackjack, try your luck at the roulette table, or pull the handle on one of the progressive slots.

One of the crown jewels of the resort is the world renowned Mandara Spa. With over 25 unique relaxation techniques from around the world, the spa is a sanctuary where you can relax and discover the elixir of youth. I was lucky enough to experience one of their signature treatments, the Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow. This exfoliation ritual invigorates the body and brings vitality to the face. I was advised by a helpful therapist to try a deep tissue massage. The next day after a vigorous workout at the fitness center, I underwent this fantastic treatment, which I would do everyday if possible.

With 11 different restaurants and bars within minutes of the resort there are enough options to satisfy every palate.

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Mandara Spa Frangipani Spice

Marbella Mandara Spa oil and scrubs treatment

While my stay in Puerto Rico was brief, I left with the overwhelming feeling that there was

LAND LUBBERS • atv excursions through El Yunque National Rainforest

so much that I did not have the • Spa services at Mandara Spa chance to experience.

• LISTED ARE OTHER ADVENTURES ASSOCIATED WITH RIO MAR RESORT & SPA: AQUA - ADVENTURES • Bioluminescent nighttime kayaking • Catamaran sailing & snorkeling adventure trips

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: RIO MAR BEACH RESORT & SPA

f course, a world class resort would not be complete without some challenging golf courses. Masterfully crafted into the spectacular settings of the Caribbean, the two 18-hole championship courses—designed by Tom and George Fazio and Greg Norman— make Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa one of the finest golf destinations in the region. Panoramic Atlantic views and still ocean breezes accompany golfers on the 6,782-yard Tom and George Fazio-designed Ocean 30 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

butler service • Poker, blackjack, roulette and slots at the resort casino • Peter Burwash International Tennis Center • Horseback riding along the banks of the Mameyes River

• Kayaks, waterbikes and

• Camuy Cave excursion

windsurfers

O

Garden lawn • Pool-side cabanas with

• Sailing on luxury yachts

• Padi certification instruction

One particular stand-out was Palio, the resort’s signature restaurant featuring classic northern Italian specialties accompanied by gracious service and elegant surroundings. Also, the Grille Room at the Rio Mar Country Club features delectable steaks and seafood choices.

• Croquet on the Marbella

• Latin dance lessons • “Club Iguana” children’s camp

• Day and night diving trips

• Daily iguana feedings

• Waverunner tours

• Basketball and volleyball courts

• Drive-in movies • Deep sea fishing • Swimming under waterfalls

Course. One of Puerto Rico’s most popular courses, its classic layout features four sets of tees, numerous bunkers and elevated greens. The signature 16th hole, an ocean-side par-3 playing 240 yards, always rates among the Caribbean’s best. As with all courses that have elevated greens, you should always remember to use one—or sometimes two—more clubs to allot for the greater distances associated with uphill shots. Such was definitely the case with the Ocean Course. The greens were a little grainy, which is typical of Bermuda greens but all in all, they putted smoothly. Unfortunately, I was not able to play the 16th due to afternoon showers abruptly ending my round after nine holes. Word to the wise: In the summer months, it is a good idea to get an early tee time since afternoon rains are common this time of year.

This course is known for its demanding play and challenges even the ‘big hitters.’

The Greg Norman-designed 6,945-yard River Course winds its way around the Mameyes River, with the

“Masterfully crafted into the spectacular settings of the Caribbean, the two 18-hole championship courses—designed by Tom and George Fazio and Greg Norman— make Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa one of the finest golf destinations in the region.”

top: Ocean Course’s 16th: beauty lovers beware bottom left & right: River Course’s 7th

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF: RIO MAR BEACH RESORT & SPA

El Yunque Rainforest as a breathtaking backdrop. With a meandering layout, Norman preserved the native foliage and let the natural terrain determine the placement of all holes. Of the two courses, I found the River Course to be the most challenging, and it just happens to be longer. Everyone is diferent, but I find there is something more challenging about having to hit your ball to just the right areas of the fairway in order to set up your second shot. You can blast away at your driver on the River Course, but be mindful that the risk may not always be worth the reward. Play long irons or fairway woods off the tee to position yourself for the best approach shot to these medium to large greens. One of the unexpected highlights of the rounds was the presence of dozens of iguanas lizards. While they may seem a bit scary, it’s obvious that these lizards are very comfortable around humans, as they casually stroll across the fairways and greens, seemingly oblivious to human presence. Being from Florida, I’m used to seeing alligators basking in the sun regularly, but alligators typically don’t venture too far away from the water’s edge.

Iguanas are true explorers and are to be found everywhere on the course. To watch one change colors right before your eyes is truly amazing.

At 35,000 square feet, the Rio Mar Clubhouse resembles an open-air hacienda. The stately facility is home to the Grille Room restaurant, the Iguana Pub and a fully-stocked golf shop with pro-line equipment, accessories and attire. Practice facilities include chipping and putting areas and a large driving range that can accommodate up to 50 golfers.

Camuy Cave

32 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

El Yunque National Forest

A

day off from golf can be spent lounging by the pool or on the beach, but several other options are also available. To satisfy my inner adventurer I chose the bioluminescent nighttime kayaking and ATV excursion through the rainforest. Puerto Rico is home to two of only seven bioluminescent bays in the world. By taking a nighttime kayak you can navigate a maze of dense mangroves into a secluded bay showcasing large concentrations of microscopic photosynthetic organisms called dinoflagellates which illuminate the water.

The ATV ride was equally riveting. I traveled through El Yunque, the 28,000-acre tropical rain forest, that is home to the endangered Puerto Rican parrot as well as 50 orchid varieties, 150 species of ferns and 240 species of trees. Be sure to bring your bathing suit as midway through the trail you can stop to take a refreshing dip in the Mameyes River. Any clothes you wear are sure to get very soiled as you trek through numerous mud puddles at full speed on your ATV. To book your next Rio Mar-velous vacation at Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, call 1-888-4riomar or visit www.wyndham.com.

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TM

YOUR LIFESTYLE GUIDE TO EXCELLENCE

2014 PASSION + KNOW HOW + EXCELLENT EXECUTION + CHARM + SOPHISTICATION + CREATIVE + UNIQUE + CRAFTMANSHIP + CONNOISSEURSHIP + DETAIL+ CLEAN + SPACIOUS + SIMPLE + DELICIOUS + FRAGRANT + TECHNOLOGY + LINEAR + ARTISTIC + RUSTIC + CELESTIAL + COMFORTABLE + EARTHY + TASTY + WELL MADE + GORGEOUS + AWESOME + UNIQUE + SUSTAINABLE + GREEN + HANDMADE + ARTISAN + HIGHEST STANDARDS + PERFECT + PERSISTANT + TASTFUL + ELEGANT + ESQUISITE + HARMONIOUS + CLASSY + REFINED + CULTIVATED + POLISHED + STYLISH + INTELLIGENT + ARTISTIC + IN GOOD TASTE + GRACEFUL + CULTURED + RICH + PASSION + KNOW HOW + EXCELLENT EXECUTION + CHARM + SOPHISTICATION + CREATIVE + UNIQUE + CRAFTMANSHIP + CONNOISSEURSHIP + DETAIL+ CLEAN + SPACIOUS + SIMPLE +DELICIOUS + FRAGRANT + TECHNOLOGY + NATURAL + ARTISTIC + RUSTIC + CELESTIAL + EARTHY + TASTY + WELL MADE + GORGEOUS + AWESOME + UNIQUE + SUSTAINABLE + GREEN + HANDMADE + ARTISAN + HIGHEST STANDARDS + PERFECT + PERSISTANT + TASTFUL + ELEGANT + ESQUISITE + HARMONIOUS + CLASSY + REFINED + CULTIVATED

FASHI ON & STYLE

Pronounced (kiv-ee-uk or kiv-ee-ut). it is the exquisitely soft downy undercoat the Muskox that begins to show and shed when the sunlight gradually emerges to pierce the Canadian Arcticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter darkness.

Qiviuk is a fiber that offers you a tactile experience when you feel it with your fingers. You have to touch it to believe it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s softer than cashmere and warmer than wool. Qiviuk is a clothing company based in Banff, Canada. A fashion house specializing in handcrafted garments and suits. Known for its muskox logo designs, the company had its first runway show for hand-knit wear in 2006. Its products are distributed worldwide through its own boutiques, and also via wholesale and private label projects with exclusive clients.

Precious Suit

The most

34 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

on Earth

We spoke to the two men behind the Qiviuk brand: President Fernando Alvarez and Vice-President Sergio Mercado. There are a few reasons why this garment maker completes the perfect profile to create the most precious suits on earth.

Q: Are your garments made out of a natural fiber?

A: Yes completely, The natural environment in the Arctic is prevalent and we love the fact that our company supports an environmentally-sensitive plan that allows the muskox to thrive in their natural habitat, before and after the fiber is harvested by hand, in other words the products we make are completely natural.

Q: How do you get the Qiviuk fiber?

A: We have established a long lasting relationship with the natives Inuvialuit who work with us in picking up the underwool from the Muskox, an ancient sheep that thrives in the Canadian High Arctic.

The company gives back to the producing community by promoting socio-economic benefits that travel to its members.

Q: Does your company specialize in handcrafted products and how are you trying to recover the almost lost art of knitting?

A: Qiviuk strives to recover the almost lost art of hand knitting reflected in amazing accessories such as the well known and best-selling scarfshawl called "two thousand hours" because it takes two weeks to make it using an ancient lace-knitting technique from Belgium. To reinforce our educational efforts we bring a community of knitters together to talk about it and also to learn new techniques.

Q: Why is Qiviuk a precious fiber?

A: Qiviuk is literally the most precious and rare fiber on earth because of its scarcity; the Muskox only yields approximately 8 pounds per year.

Q: How do you keep up with your demand?

A: Our limited production allows us only to maintain our exclusive live inventory in our boutiques but also we save a percentage for our exclusive private clientele.

Q: Today you are consistently producing the most precious suits in the world?

A: Qiviuk maintains its suit line with tailor-made suits; our reach for the most precious fibers also includes the precious Vicuna, which is sourced directly in the highlands of Peru.

Our Qiviuk suit is an investment; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made from the finest and lightest fabric on earth. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entirely made by hand by the best tailors in the world.

Q: How long does it take to produce a Qiviuk suit?

A: It takes in excess of 80 hours to complete it, with over 5,000 individual stitches.

To get the most precious suit in the world visit or contact: Phone: 212.826.3388 - email: newyork@qiviuk.com Visit: Qiviuk Boutique: 40 East 58 St, Bet Park & Madison, NYC

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IN THE SPIRIT PHOTOS COURTESY OF: CHIVAS BROTHERS

The perennial gin & tonic

THE GIN YOU’RE IN T T H E S W E E T S E N S AT I O N S O F S I P P I N G

By Craig R. Carey and Jerry P. Pietrzak

hough Dutch in origin, gin is now as English as cricket The original Dutch gin (known as jenever, which is Dutch for

and the crown jewels. Brand names such as Beefeater and Bombay pay tribute to British culture (their labels affixed with the visage of the Yeomen Warders—guards of the Tower of London—and Queen Victoria, respectively) while also standing as staples on liquor shelves the world over. Gin, in its most oft-marketed form, is a neutral grain spirit flavored with juniper berries and a combination of botanicals. The botanicals often include orange or lemon peel, cassia bark, anise, angelica root, cinnamon and coriander. The exact combinations and ratios of these additional flavorings is, for every manufacturer, a closely guarded secret.

36 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

juniper and hails from South Holland) arrived in London after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which unseated the Catholic king, James ii of England (vii of Scotland), in favor of his Protestant nephew and son-in-law, Dutch aristocrat William of Orange. The production of gin was promoted as a means for the England grain farmers to compete with French brandy interests and boost the English economy. High tariffs were placed on brandy originating from all the Catholic wine-producing nations, and taxes and fees for the manufacture of local grain spirits (also known as corn brandy then) were lifted. Gin production—and its consumption—boomed.

The proper union of gin and vermouth is a great and sudden glory; it is one of the happiest marriages on earth, and one of the shortest lived.

BERNARD DE VOTO

Once the spirit had become engrained as part of English culture, it was referred to colloquially as Madam Geneva. By the early 18th century, gin’s naturally addictive properties, coupled with its incredible accessibility (both physical and fiscal), had created the ‘gin craze’ — an epidemic William Hogarth described as “idleness, poverty, misery, and distress” fueled by a potent spirit that could almost literally be had on every street corner in London’s poor and working-class neighborhoods. Long before opiates and coca derivatives engendered the American war on drugs, “gin was the original urban drug,” writes Jessica Warner in her social history Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason (2002). The efforts Parliament and concerned members of English society made to combat the scourge were eerily parallel to current American efforts (in both approach and, some would say, effectiveness) to combat the distribution and use of illegal narcotics on our shores.

It was a combination of legislation and luck that eventually saw gin go from social bane to respectable drink, and its place in English culture was secure and its legitimacy undoubted. In Gin: The Much-Lamented Death of Madam Geneva (2002), Patrick Dillon partly attributes gin’s legitimization to the government’s default solution for many issues it can’t readily resolve: legalize it, regulate it and tax it. King William’s market tactics were no longer, but demand was high and the industry continued to thrive.

Over time, gin went from a public policy headache to the drink of gentlemen and loyal Englishmen all over the the world.

Gin and tonic, concocted by British military colonials, was conceived as a method by which soldiers could ingest the bitter doses of quinine used to combat malaria in the tropics. While modern tonic water has nowhere near the amount of quinine needed to be considered therapeutic, it still retains enough flavor to work well with the botanicals found in gin. Indeed, the gin and tonic has since gone on to be arguably the most famous drink associated with gin.

tini or a Tom Collins: cocktail recipes abound. Gin gained much popularity during Prohibition for its ease of production — cheap grain alcohol was mixed with flavoring such as juniper oil — and remained the mixer of choice until vodka gained popularity in the 1960s.

Aside from mixing in a bathtub, there are several methods of producing gin — but only two of these are both widely used and recognized by European Community regulations governing spirit drinks. The lesser of these methods is called compounding, where a suitable neutral spirit is flavored with natural flavoring additives, which in the end impart a predominant taste of juniper.

The primary and most important method is distillation. The details and exact methods vary by distiller, but the basics remain similar.

The spirit, which starts at approximately 96% alcohol by volume, is diluted to approximately 45%. It is transferred to a still, the botanicals are added, and the mix is allowed to soak before being redistilled. Some producers, rather than placing the botanicals directly into the spirit, place the botanicals in a tray or screen above the spirit, allowing the alcohol vapors to pass through the various botanicals during the distillation process. The early part of the distilling run (foreshots) and end of the run (feints) are diverted to be redistilled— only the middle run is used to produce higher quality gin.

On a sweltering day on the African plains, a gin cocktail was the perfect 19th-century refreshment — so too on a foggy and windblown Carnoustie round. No wonder, then, this refreshing spirit has proven so resilient, long after the sun has effectively set on the empire with which it is so commonly associated.

Cheers+Salud!

Classic Martini with a twist of lemon

The modern G&T is a refreshing mix of one part gin with one to two parts tonic water, served with lime. The other libation synonymous with gin is the martini — a simple drink of ice-cold gin and vermouth served in a chilled martini glass. There are a wide range of opinions on the amount of vermouth in a good martini; one part vermouth to four parts gin is fairly common, but some palates prefer a little less vermouth. It is often related that Winston Churchill mixed the driest martini: He poured four parts gin, glanced at a bottle of dry vermouth, then garnished with an olive. Gin drinks however are not limited to only the marWWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

38 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

No. From England to N YC the “G in & Tonic” has com e a6 long w ay. Joe Santos is the Co-founder of “Brooklyn Gin,” a sm all independent spirit com pany w hich creates sm all batch, handcrafted distilled spirits and is based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Joe All eyes says he uses only the finest botanicals and locallyon purchased me. fresh fruits for their gin. The process starts with neutral spirSweater its m ade from 100% corn sourced from upstateFila N ew Golf York.

They distill the ingredients in an old-fashioned handcrafted copper still, one small batch at a time.

v

We paired this great gin w ith a fantastic man!

Eamon Rockey “MOST WANTED NYC MIXOLOGIST”

NYC E amon Rockey

is an accomplished professional who inspires excellence and is surrounded by people who equally believe “excellence in service is a pleasure but also a virtue”.

In late spring of 2013, Eam on reunited w ith his form er Eleven M adison Park colleague, chef Bryce Shum an to open Betony, a M odern A m erican restaurant in M idtow n, M anhattan. He is the general m anager at Betony and is constantly on the floor greeting guests. Since opening, Betony has been the recipient of great critical acclaim , garnering three stars in The New York Times and Esquire’s “Restaurant of the Year” for 2013.

W hen not at Beto ny, Eamon enjoys cooking. American fare w ith Latin A m erican and Japanese influence.. A s an accom lished m ixologist he constantly m akes innnovative cocktails being the latest: Milk Punch & Pisco Sour made with Chuncho, a Peruvian-m ade bitters. His creativity is evident w hen he show ed us how to m ake w ine out of beets. His love affair for tea took him to create a fabulous tea-blend made out of quinoa. He a lso likes collecting food and beverage-related books and exploring new restaurants, as w ell as biking and the performing arts.

Exclusiveley for Latin Connoisseur, Eam on prepares a Brooklyn-made gin w ith French Absinthe.

High & Dry Yield: 1 cocktail 1 1/2 oz. Gin (Brooklyn Gin is recommended) 1 1/2 oz. Absinthe Verte 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup 4 dashes Angostura Bitters Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir w ith ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish w ith a tw ist of lemon.

WWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

We make rum of 4 years, 5 years, 7 years, 12 years, a n d 42 m ed a l s .

In just 3 years Flor de Caña has earned no less than 42 distinctions for quality in international competition. Let ’s drink to that.

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07

ESTELA

06

PPHOTO COURTESY OF CHEF FERRAN ADRIA

Uruguayan Chef Ignacio Mattos & Tomas Carter a former Alain Ducasse and Blue Hill Sommelier launched in NYC “Estela”. A fantastic American proposal, balanced with modern French techniques, Uruguayan craftsmanship and wine savvy from Carter. They teamed up to serve creative food “tapas style or in French caves à manger. A place to eat good food and good wine at affordable prices. The Calamari a la plancha with romesco and charred onions that reminds you of a home-cooked meal which is the goal of the chef. Carter will make sure to pour the wine that you love the most. Also try steak with taleggio and anchovy is without a doubt a tasty steak dish. Service is most of the time ahead of your needs.

MIAMI

L’ECHONBRASSERIE

I love French restaurants especially when they are nice and rustic, bistro, brasserie fare. And I thought that Miami never really had a place like this, especially in Miami Beach.

The latest escargot and bone marrow came out phenomenal; the rabbit dumplings are also very good. Every single dish is made with such care and the ingredients are chosen very well dishes executionm are unique and different. Service is good but could be better.

07

CHICAGO TANTA

Peruvian Chef Acurio was trained at Le Cordon Bleu.

He switched law for cooking and I don’t blame him. His popularity is unprecedented so much so that He might be running for president for 2016. He does know how to cook innovative Peruvian food but here at Tanta the one sweating the stove is Chef de cuisine Jesus Delgado who prepares his cebiches “a la minute” or last minute to maintain the freshest flavors and textures. Tanta offers fresh ingredients and innovative technique. The tiradito - Peruvian sashimi-style dishes, the nikei featuring a diamond-shaped pieces of ruby-colored ahi tuna dripping with a refreshing leche de tigre or tiger's milk in English – (honey, passion fruit, sweet lime and chili-bright sauce. Amongst the best dishes are: Try the cebiche tasting three cebiches or the Cebiche chifa. The food is a great example of well-executed Peruvian food. Got to report, “service is better but still under development”

HENRiQUE!

T

he first time I met our reviewer was 28 years ago & he has been super consistent on one thing: EATING WELL. I’m sure that every one that knows him, knows that side of him aswell, so I trust him simply because he was born to eat well! Besides his resume being one of the most impressive hospitality has to offer, he has worked for the best chefs in the world and as a result his knowledge on cooking, food, wine & service is impeccable. His experience has dramatically impacted his own life and the ones around him. ur mission with this page is to impact your lifestyle and If we do it effectively YOU will be happy. Latin Connoisseur brings Henry as our restaurant column resident to recommend restaurants for you to visit that will positively impact your stomach and your life style. For obvious reasons the real

RESTAURA NT RECOMME NDATIONS

NEW YORK CITY

O

name of our reviewer will remain secret.

HENRiQUE!

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK NOW!

Quote: “without French technique there would be less diverse & multicultural refined dishes”

LATINCONNOISSEUR RESTAURANT REVIEW CRITERIA: http://www.latinconnoisseur.com/restaurant_review_criteria.html WWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

2010

Home on

By Mia Ricci

44

Cover story: all photos by Jessica Grenier Location: Pebble Beach Golf Course, Carmel, CA

LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

www.latinconnoisseur.com

Range ttheRange the T

his is not just a rags-to-riches story, or just a celebrity golf story, and it is definitely not a moving-on-up story.

It is the story of a talented comedian, actor, author, father, husband, and avid golfer George Lopez.

Pebble Beach was packed with crowds of automobile enthusiasts for the 55th Concours D’Elegance, an annual international event showcasing dozens of historic luxury cars. This was one of those rare occasions where the attention was focused on something other than the scenic greens of the world-renowned golf complex.

Among the handful of people actually playing that day was George Lopez, who was just about finishing his game.

Wearing a black-and-white cashmere argyle sweater, Lopez looks right at home on the course. He should be. A sizable, beautiful brick house right above the 15th tee has been his home for the past year and a half. Lopez lives there with his wife Ann and eight-year-old daughter Mayan. It is quite a change from the time the Chicano spent growing up in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley.

52 Lopez was born 52 42 years ago to a trou-

bled mother and a father who left when he was two-months old. He was raised by his overbearing grandmother, resulting in a childhood that anyone would rather forget than cherish. He has publicly spoken about his dim past, and even wrote of it in his bestselling autobiography Why You Crying?.

Lopez had always wanted to be a comedian and started early in his life. His first gig was the night of his highschool graduation, performing at an open-mike night at a comedy club in Los Angeles. Stage fright got the best of

him and traumatized, he swore off the stage. Four years later Lopez returned, determined to make it.

“For the longest time I struggled with myself, with my life, with being shy, with not being able to write,” he says. “I remember thinking, how can I want to do something so bad yet be so bad at it? But then I would think that everyone that got good had to be bad at some point.”

Lopez has credited many people for his success. His wife is one of them. “From the first time we met, she has always been so encouraging of my career. When we met I had nothing, but she liked what I had to say and even through the darkest times she was always so supportive of me, saying ‘you can do this’ all the way,” says Lopez, gushing a little, “Let me tell you, man, without her I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. I wouldn’t know where I’d be. I don’t tell her enough, but I think she knows.”

On his weekly television show, “The George Lopez Show,” the role of his wife, played by Constance Marie, is mostly based on Ann. “On the show we make the wife the finder of all causes and that’s exactly what my wife is. She completely must have saved everyone and everything. We’ve been through our ups and downs and it’s so great now to know that she was there when all I had was what I had to say, you know, and we’re still together with our beautiful, wonderful daughter.”

Another person that Lopez has credited as responsible for his ambitions and his success is the late Freddie Prinze Sr., star of the 1970s television series “Chico and the Man.” Lopez saw the promo for the show in 1973--a minute and thirty-second promo that he says changed his life.

“Until that day, I had never seen a Latino on TV that was that cool, with the denim and the droopy mustache,” Lopez recalls, “I immediately opened myself to this guy and I watched his show every Friday no matter where I was.”

He was only twelve then. Growing up without a father, he found the father figure he was missing in Prinze. He remembered a heartbreaking memory.

“I wrote a letter to NBC, asking for tickets to see Chico and the Man. One day I got a response and I got tickets. I asked my grandmother if she would please take me to see the show and

WWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

May | June 2014

George Lopez is a man making peace with his past, looking to the future, and loving the present -- a sometimes rowdy fusion of family, work, play, and comedy.

oct/nov May / 2004 June 2014

16 46

she says okay. On the day we were supposed to go she wouldn’t take me. I remember where I was in the kitchen and she says ‘I won’t take you. We’re not going.’ I was devastated. And not long after that he committed suicide.”

At age seventee and still completely distraught, Lopez went to Prinze’s grave site.

“There was a plaque there on his headstone. It was loose and I broke the screws and I literally took it with me. I put it in my pants under my shirt, and I ran away with it. At that time, I didn’t know that anyone knew Freddie and I wanted a part of him so bad that I would commit theft.”

Years later, with Prinze’s headstone still at his house, Lopez and his wife moved to a house that was only four blocks away from where Kathy Prinze, Freddie’s widow, lives. They became friends and one day Ann decided to tell Kathy about the headstone.

“I had to come clean,” Lopez says, “I told her that I stole his headstone and that I love him. She started to cry because no one had ever paid any type of respect to him because of the way he died. I told her that I love this dude then, today, and tomorrow.”

Lopez felt such a connection with Prinze that since then, and until now he has a shrine devoted to Prinze in his dressing room.

Lopez’s manager, Ron DeBlasio, was Freddie Prinze’s manager.

“He’s my right-hand guy, we’ve been through everything together,” says Lopez about DeBlasio, “He’s like a father to me. He surprised me one day and introduced me to [Freddie Prinze] Junior, and I showed him everything I had of his father’s, and it was so emotional to me that I started crying. At the TV Land awards I presented Junior with an award on behalf of his father; it meant a lot to me.”

Around that time, Lopez also ran into a person he knew that works for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I told him that I wanted Freddie to have a star,” Lopez says, tearing up, “So now, on November 4th, Freddie will have a star on the Walk of Fame. I took his headstone and now I can present him with a star. What I have done in my life, I made good with all the bad. I wanted Freddie’s passing to be worth something, to be worth what it’s supposed to be.”

In the present, Lopez sells out appearances at large venues around the country. His last movies, “Bread and Roses” and “Real Women Have Curves” are widely acclaimed around the world, and have won various independent film awards. The “George Lopez Show” is now going on its fourth season on ABC, with rising ratings and expectations.

“You know what? I don’t feel the pressure because once you 46 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MARCH | APRIL 2014 MAGAZINE 46 LATINCONNOISSEUR

break through and get in the walls, you realize how difficult it is for anyone of any color to make it. In 2001 17 shows premiered, and you know, one show has survived, and it’s my show. I have always believed in myself. I was a soldier all the way through.

I’ve put everything I had on the table and because of that I don’t feel any pressure. I gave it my all; I believed in it. I was there day and night, always the first person there and the last person to leave. When the cast and crew worries, I’m there to encourage them. When they think, ‘What if?’ I tell them that there is no if.

We will succeed.”

Lopez has worked hard all his life, but he also played hard.

Golf above all. He played for the first time 20 years ago and is now completely hooked. “Golf taught me all the things I never learned at home. It teaches honesty, patience, and humility. As a Latino, too, it’s a different thing. You know, I play with Ahmad [Rashad] and Sam [Jackson] and I know what it means to us, compared to what it means to Anglos that grew up playing it with their fathers. To us it’s a game that we learn, that teaches many things that we never learned in the house. You know, when I was a kid we always had a club in the house. It was a 7-iron, but it was in case we heard a noise. Or the 3-wood that we used to keep the door closed so the dog wouldn’t get away.”

“People think that it’s boring,” Lopez continues, “but the game means so much. It’s a lot like life. The game beats you up and it makes you want to quit and give up but the minute you take a breath and calm down, relax, it gets better. That’s the reward of golf and in many ways that’s exactly how life is. It’s in the patience and the practice. Like Vijay Singh said once, the answer to life is in the dirt. It’s around us.”

To Lopez, as to many of those who truly love the game, golf is more than just a game. It’s a life. It is a way of thinking. “You know if there’s anything Latinos can learn from golf it is to not just rush into a place without thinking. We’re Latinos--we’re hotblooded and emotional. That’s where we go wrong, when we act first without thinking. Just like in golf, when you’re putting instead of hitting it straight to the hole, you stand back, look at it and find the best way to go. In life it’s the same thing, it’s never just direct to the hole. Life has breaks too, and instead of hitting straight and fast and losing, you take it smooth, and it will go in.”

Lopez also talked about how all kinds of friendships are formed through golf, the kind that last. He reminisced about growing up admiring Lee Trevino and then meeting him. “I loved

In The Clubhouse • Rafael Martinez (RM): How did you get into golf?

• George Lopez (GL): It started almost like a dare. On Christmas day in 1981, my friend Ernie asked me if I wanted to go play golf. Although I was skeptical at first, we ended up going to the El Cariso golf course in Sylmar, California. Nobody was there. We rented clubs, got a couple of Coors Lights, and we spent four and a half hours together talking and laughing. You know what? To this day I don’t think I’ve ever spent as much quality time with that guy as I did that first day. And then I was hooked, man. In the past four years, golf has become my sanctuary, my passion; it is the thing I go to when things get heavy.”

• RM: Is there one place in the world where you would absolutely love to play?

• GL: You know, for me to be a Chicano, to grow up in San Fernando, to learn on a public course, you know what, to tee it up at Saint Andrews would be the end. The Holy Grail. That would be the end.

• RM: How do you find the time to play?

www.thegreenmagazine.com www.latinconnoisseur.com

ing but luscious grass under the setting sun, people were still hitting balls. You wonder what life on the golf course is really about. It’s so simple. In the words of argyle wearing Lopez, the Chicano homeboy from San Fernando Valley who now finally has everything he worked so hard for, “it really is more than just a game. Golf is life. It connects you with who you are, with what you do, with relationships. It is everything.”

• GL: I make the time to play. Last Wednesday we finished shooting [the show] at 6:30 and I went to this club, Lakeside, that I’ve joined.

Ray Romano, Joe Pesci, Jack Nicholson, and Kevin Costner are members there. I remember when I joined I looked at the calendar and I saw August 23, Mexican Night. I thought what the hell? So I asked one of the members there and they were like, “Oh it’s great, they have piñatas, sombreros.” And I was thinking that doesn’t ring right, Man. I ‘m going to petition for Honkey Night, and have all uptight people, walk uptight, you know?

• RM: The presidential election is coming up. Any thoughts?

• GL: You know, I think what’s important is that for people to go out and vote. I mean, regardless of what you believe and who you’re voting for, when I think about what people had to go through in the past, like lives being lost for the right to vote I realize voting is our duty, an obligation of every citizen of the United States. That’s what’s wrong with the way we live today. We don’t even take the moment to make a difference, whether it be punching a ballot, sitting with your child while they’re doing their homework and turning off the television, or just walking up to somebody and say hi.

We need to get back to what’s most important. Really what we have is each other and what we do for each other.

• RM: Any encouragement for other Latinos who aspire to greatness?

• GL: I’m there and I’m with you and that whatever success that we achieve, as people of color we should never apologize for our success.

We should encourage each other and be happy for anyone who’s doing something positive, whether it be teaching, golfing, wanting to be an x-ray technician, whatever it is, whatever they want to be you should encourage it. Donald Trump never apologized for being a billionaire, he says he is who he is. When Oscar de la Hoya moved out of East LA, he was considered a sellout. It shouldn’t be like this. We have to be there for each other and always think positive.

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oct/nov 2004 2014 May / June

Trevino. I love Tiger and all, but you know all those guys that played before us, when things were different--Lee Elder, Calvin Peete, and Trevino--man I have so much respect for them,” A year and a half ago Lopez had the chance to play with Trevino. Lopez recalls how nice a person he was, and how Trevino gave him his home phone number. He went home “literally feeling like a seventeen year old again,” he says, beaming.

They made plans to play together but Trevino broke his back and had to cancel.

“He called me at home,” Lopez says, “and left me a message that if you live to be hundred you’d be lucky to get.”

The message says how Trevino was sorry about canceling their appointment, but more importantly, Trevino mentioned how he had read Lopez’s book and how he really felt what he was trying to say. “He says ‘I loved what you have to say, I had issues with my father too, and isn’t it amazing how two Mexican kids that came from nowhere can succeed,’” Lopez remembered, “that right there means so much to me. We hung out again after that and it was amazing how all this happened through golf.”

The chaos at Pebble Beach was finally quieting down. All the tents were emptying out and the car chit-chats were finally done.

But over on the other side of Pebble Beach, where there is noth-

47

Say What?

George, what’s in the bag?

“My candy-apple green and black flake driver. Brother, you would never see anything like this on the PGA tour or anywhere else but in my bag. I also got some nice Titleist irons that my boy Steve Matte, a Latino executive there at Titleist, hooked me up with. I got the Vokey wedges that are stamped Lopez, and I got a Scotty Cameron Futura putter with a George Lopez caricature on a see-through handle. Come on man.”

George MacLopez, what’s with the getup?

“The clothes, yeah. You know it’s hard for a homeboy to wear argyle during the day regularly. It’s like when I played at the AT&T and these dudes were like, ‘Hey is that argyle?’ And then I was walking down the course and the Mexican guys asked me, “Hey is that argyle?’ The clothes, man, I love it.”

George, what’s the handicap?

“Actually it’s a little inflated now. Since I live in Pebble Beach, my goal is to get my name on the rock that has the names of the past winners of the AT&T(National ProAm at Pebble Beach). Tiger is there with my boy Jerry Chang, and I want my name on it too. Last year I played the AT&T for the first time. I played with Jesper Parnovik and we came on third and now I know what mistakes I made. I guarantee you my name will be on that rock, even if I got to be a fourteen and really be a three to do it. Everybody that wins, man, people say they’re cheaters. Andy Garcia won with SANKOWSKI [] and they say to this day that he’s a sandbagger. You know, whatever it takes to get on that rock I’m going to do it.”

oct/nov 2004

George, what’s with the cigars?

48

“It’s too many things. I love the cigars. To me, it’s a very masculine thing, a guy thing, and a wealth thing. All the ballers smoke cigars, Sam smokes, Michael smokes, Ahmad smokes, Garcia smokes, Pesci smokes, Nicholson smokes, Ray smokes. I think to be outside, smoking a cigar and being amongst friends adds to the whole experience, you know. It’s like when you have a meal and you have wine with it. Golf isn’t golf to me without a good cigar.

It’s the added touch, it’s the spice that makes golf golf; to walk, to smoke, to be partners, to connect, and to live. Unfortunately, mine are only illegal Cuban cigars. To me, smoking a cigar exceeds whatever the health consequences.”

48 LATIN CONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

ART & COLLECTIONS

Be Wise, Bid, and Buy If you are serious and have a plan, art auctions may be for you

I

By George Nelson Preston

n increasing numbers Americans of means have turned to collecting art for self-fulfillment, investment, and a means of announcing the quality of their taste and lives. For some, purchasing art at auctions has become a viable, educative, and entertaining alternative to the much more costly tradition of buying art in art galleries. In addition, the old boy cronyism and social contracts that are necessary for truly investment-quality gallery purchases is easily circumvented by buying at auction.

So, what is an auction? Here in a nutshell are some basics of what you wanted to know but were embarrassed to ask about how auctions work. An auction is a marketplace in which products, in this case works of art, are sold to the highest bidder. When you arrive at the auction house you may be given, or purchase, a numbered paddle, which is only for prospective buyers. If the house is small enough, the seekers sometimes use hand signals to make bids. If this is the case, exercise self-control because any gestures you make may be interpreted as a bid. Feel free to approach the auctioneer or one of the aides to indicate your intentional signifier of choice—perhaps the tweak of an ear or a cough.

Preparation for an auction starts with your own interest in art and an idea of what you want. This idea is often inspired by something you have already seen or heard of in a museum or collection. The more educated you become, the more your purchases will reflect an informed taste. The habit of buying on the basis of simply what you like will eventually prove to be a costly and humiliating mistake. So, how do you develop an informed taste? The more you expose yourself to viewing great art, the more likely you are to acquire informed taste.

Impulse buying is dangerous to the uninformed but highly gratifying to the informed

50 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

Where to go...

Sotheby’s 1334 York Avenue New York, NY 212.606.7000

Christie’s 20 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 212.636.2000

Galerie Walu Rämistrasse 25 CH-8001 Zürich 41.44.280.20.00

because the impulse turns into lasting gratification instead of remorse later.

Preview the sale. The auction house will inform you of the days and hours the public is permitted to view and handle the objects. Do not be arrogant. If you are intelligent enough to know that you are not an expert, hire one. Make sure you understand what an expert does and that you are not capable of doing the same. Your expert may charge you a finder’s fee of between 7.5 and 15 percent of the hammer price of your purchase on a scale based on the cost of the object. Arrive at the auction on time. To assist bidders in their efforts to proceed calmly, guests are sometimes offered complimentary light breakfast, buffet lunch or hors d’oeuvres.

By this time you should have thoroughly reviewed the terms and conditions of sale.

These are quite similar to those used elsewhere but rarely identical from house to house. The objets d’art you want to buy are called properties and each is assigned a lot number. Many but not all lots will be illustrated. When you previewed the auction you should have already taken note of the estimated price of your object of interest and decided how high you would be willing to bid. Be attentively prepared for the auctioneer and your competition—the other bidders— to call and respond at breakneck speed and get in the mix. Finally, pay keen attention to the incidentals beyond the hammer price, which combined with taxes and other charges may go beyond your budget. Once the hammer drops, you will be held responsible for your bid.

Other details such as purchase strategies, absentee bidding, auction lingo, taxes, fees, fakes and forgery, export and import problems, and connoisseurship (mastery of the knowledge of the origin, development, distribution and influence of styles) will follow.

S

OTHEBY’S

LATIN AMERICAN ART

Photos courtesy: Sotheby’s Latin American Department

Still Life With Fruits - Fernando Botero (B-1932) - oil on canvas

Axel Stein is a key player in the Latin American Art auction business

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Axel Stein at his NYC Sotheby’s office not long ago. He effusively invited us to sit at a table where I believe he’s made deals with the most important art collectors and dealers of Latin American Art in the past century. What didn’t happen in art dealership in the past 50 years is happening right now, he explains while showing us an interesting series of paintings staggered one after the other on the side of the table. He says, “the most interesting part of my job is the direct interaction with the kind of art an average person can only see it via print or TV”, of course Mr. Stein is also an expert in art history and also spends time as investigator and researcher for the art pieces or consignments the auction house acquires for every Latin American auction. Mr. Stein joined Sotheby’s in 1990. Since 2000, he has overseen consignment management and all major sales of Latin American Art and other Fine Art in Miami. Mr Stein has been instrumental in securing highly important consignments for the Latin American Art and the Contemporary Art departments in New York.

His initial role was as the firm’s sole representative in Venezuela, based in Caracas. Through his experience, he has become a key player in the Latin American Art market, having participated in several record sales during the past decade, including the 1997 sale of The Beatriz Plaza Collection of Modern Art, which realized $15.4 million. The collection included an exceptional group of Giorgio Morandi paintings, drawings and prints, which sold in London for $11 million, above the preauction estimate of $4.7 to $6.3 million. In 2004, Mr Stein was instrumental in finding and selling Arturo Michelena’s “missing” masterpiece, L’Enfant Malade, which sold to one of Mr Stein's Venezuelan clients for $1.4 million, well above a presale estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. Previously, Mr Stein was a professor at the Universidad de Los Andes in Mérida, Venezuela, and later was Chief Curator of Exhibitions for the Paintings Department at the Museo de Bellas Artes in Caracas (1978 to 1982), where he was cofounder of the Research Institute of Latin American Art ascribed to the museum. From 1982 to 1990, he was the Director of the Sala de Exposiciones of the Fundación Mendoza in Caracas.

Desnudo Acostado - Fernando Botero (B.1932) - oil on canvas

An Evening Sale Sets Artist Record. The November, 2103 auction brought a total of $17,037,750 with strong prices achieved for a variety of Latin American abstract and constructivist artists, as well as Matta, Rufino Tamayo, Joaquín Torres-García, and Fernando Botero. The sale was 73% sold-bylot, with an auction record set for Sergio Camargo when Untitled (Relief No. 21/52) sold for $2,165,000, well over the $400/600,000 estimate.

WWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

NO GGAASSTRO T RO N OM MYY

heavenly!

To Crave is Human; to Eat

Chocolate is...

T

here are a select few w ho need convincing of chocolateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessity, and that its rightful position is just after hearth and home. W hether it be by dint of allergy or a w oefully m istaken palate, w e m ourn their state. For the rest of us, there is reason to rejoice.

Ecuador is a country w ith centuries-old history as a cacao producer but it could never boast a fine chocolate to m atch the quality of its cacao until Pacari began to produce and export exceptional bars in 2008.

Pacari's chocolates are 100% organic and sourced from fair-trade certified grow ers and it is the only chocolate com pany in the w orld w orking w ith biodynam ic cacao. Pacari chocolates are now sold in m ore than 28 countries around the w orld.

Pacari won gold at the International Chocolate Award in London-England in 2013

Cocoa beans grow in bright yellow pods on a cacao tree, w hich is indigenous to the Amazon Basin and tropical areas of South and Central America. In less than four years, the company, a family-ow ned business operated by Peralta and his w ife Carla Barboto, has revolutionized the industry in both Ecuador and the w orld by creating a transparent model of tree to bar manufacturing based on innovation, ecological and social responsibility, and direct trade w ith certified organic farms throughout the country. Recognized tw o years in a row as the best medium-size export company of Ecuador by FEDEXPOR (Federation of Ecuadorian Exporters), has w on the most important chocolate competitions w orldw ide. Pacari chocolates are now sold in more than 27 countries around the w orld. www.pacarichocolate.com

52 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

PHOTO COURTESY SANTIAGO PERALTA

.

Ecuadorean Chocolatiers: Santiago Peralta and his wife Carla Barboto

THE FIRST BIODYNAMIC CHOCOLATE IN THE WORLD

P

Pacari is a Chocolate With Imagination

acari is the leader of the raw chocolate movement and the only chocolate com pany in the w orld w orking w ith biodynam ic cacao. But Santiago Peralta (founder and m aker of Pacari chocolate) is also using exciting South A m erican ingredients in his flavored bars like forgotten A ndean fruits such as goldenberries ( Physalis-peruviana ) and w ild m ortiños as w ell as traditional flavorings from neighboring countries such as Chilean m erkén (a spice m ix from the M apuche Indians of Chilean Patagonia) and M aras Peruvian Pink Salt from M aras, an ancient salt w orks near Cuszco. In the process of developing these flavors.

Pacari created new m odels of sustainable

organic agriculture that primarily benefit w om en from im poverished farm ing communities in the Ecuadorian highlands.

For instance, goldenberries, once a marginal A ndean crop, are now cultivated successfully by m ore than 100 Q uechua speaking w omen w ho are part of a cooperative that also dries the berries to be used in some Pacari products.

Pacari chocolates are processed to preserve the purity of flavor of the regional cacaos from Ecuador. A nyone interested in exploring the subtle differences betw een the cacao producing regions of Ecuador should try Pacari’s regional bars.

THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE

You w ill taste seductive caram el and brow n sugar flavors in Pacari Esmeraldas 60% , elusive floral notes and dried fruit roundness in the Manabí bar 65%, w oody and fresh green accents as w ell as a bright red fruit tang in the raw chocolates, and experience a pow erful floral attack in Pacari’s Nube 70%, a limited edition bar that captures the long-lost orange blossom scent that m ade Nacional cacao famous the w orld over am ongst connoisseurs of fine cacao.

M inim al processing of raw chocolate at the factory (and even during ferm entation) helps preserve cacao’s flavanols, com pounds know n to enhance cardiovascular function am ong other health benefits. Sourcing its cacao from certified organic and biodynamic farms, Pacari further guarantees both the health of the land and that of consumers.

Obsessed w ith purity of flavor, Peralta spends m uch of his tim e in the field sourcing cacao’s from genetically-diverse old farm s that capture the full range of flavor and arom a of the best cacao regions of Ecuador; the largest producer of fine cacao in the w orld. Paying higher prices for quality certified organic cacao, Peralta and his com pany benefit m ore than 3,000 farming families.

P

acari chocolate obtained the prestigious Demeter Biodynamic Certification, the ultimate recognition of sustainability.

Based on the principles and holistic philosophical approach know n as “anthroposophy” as outlined by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s, a biodynamic farm is understood as a self-regenerating ecosystem free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Headquartered in Germany, Demeter International is the w orld’s only certifier of Biodynamic farming and products. It specifically defines a biodynamic farm as a living organism w here animals, soil, crops and humans are interacting units w ithin the complete system.

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GASTRONOMY

WHEN BUYING

GOURMET CHOCOLATES...

By Clay Gordon Some chocoholic friends of mine insist that there is no such thing as bad chocolate. “All Chocolate is good,” they say, “but some chocolate is better than others.” As someone who eats a lot of chocolate for a living in my role as a professional chocolate critic (tough job, I know, but someone has to do it) I can say with certainty that, unfortunately, there is a lot of bad chocolate. Here are some of the things I’ve learned over the past decade that will improve the likelihood that you’ll never buy bad chocolate. Keep in mind that what when I say chocolates what I

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am talking about is confections (or truffles or bon bons), not bars of eating chocolate or candy bars—those are subjects for a separate article. Here are seven ideas to bear in mind.

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MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 200 8MAY | JUNE 2014

JACQUES TORRES aka Mr. Chocolate 350 Hudson St. NYC 10014 718.875.1269 www.mrchocolate.com Established in 2000 in NYC by passionate, creative master Pastry Chef Jacques Torres who has made his American Dream come true by offering what He loves the most. Chocolate. In 1986, he became the youngest pastry chef in history to earn the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman of France) medal in pastry. He combines traditional French techniques with his vast knowledge and passion for the culinary arts to produce luxe, creative and edgy chocolate treats. Jacques is a teacher at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC.

MAISON DU CHOCOLAT 1018 Madison Ave, New York 212.744.7117 www.lamaisonduchocolat.com One of the top three chocolatiers in France (the chocolates sold here are made in France and shipped via air freight), these delights never fail to impress true chocophiles. Favorites include the mint and the rum raisin.

FRANCOIS PAYARD NYC, Las Vegas, Korea & Japan 1293 3rd Ave. New York, NY 10021 212.995.0888 www.payard.com Born in Nice in 1966, François Payard is a third generation French Pastry Chef. He cultivated his passion for the art of pastry as a child in his grandfather’s acclaimed shop on the Riviera, Au Nid des Friandises. François grew up surrounded by the delicious classic French pastry in the tradition carried on by his parents and grandparents for over fifty years.

VOSGES CHOCOLATES NYC & Chicago locations 132 Spring Street (Greene & Wooster) NYC - 212.625.2929 Vosges Chocolates is a Chicago -based company owned by Katrina Vosges and features creative and exotic tastes, featuring curry, paprika, and wasabi in some chocolates as well as bacon and super dark chocolate bars.

DONNELLY CHOCOLATES ALINEA RESTAURANT 1723 N Halsted St Chicago, IL 60614 312. 867.0110 www.alinearestaurant.com To conquer your palate, end your dinner experience with a chocolate masterpiece, created by Chef Achatz. A freeze-dried chocolate bricks, mint, coconut and chocolate gelatin.

1509 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA. 888.685.1871 www.donnellychocolates.com Also available online and through select gourmet retail outlets. One of the delights of this shop is being able to talk to the chocolatier and watch the work being done—so you know it’s fresh. Favorites include caramels.

GARRISON CONFECTIONS 815 Hope St, Providence, RI. 401.490.2740 www.garrisonconfections.com Andrew Shotts began dreaming of making his own line of chocolate bonbons while working as the pastry chef at La Cote Basque in New York City, where he began experimenting with chocolate, flavor, and texture combinations. Try his ultimate Toffee; it’s one of the best anywhere at any price. Other favorites include their truffles with pate de fruit, a thin layer of intensely flavored fruit jelly on top of a delicate ganache covered with a thin layer of chocolate.

JOHN & KIRAS 800.747.4808 www.johnandkiras.com online, through select gourmet retail outlets and in farmer's markets in both New York and Philadelphia’s farmer's markets. Artisan chocolates with stories from a young company with a strong mission to support small familyowned and farmers-producers and urban gardens. Favorites include the coffee whiskey, mint, and star anise.

RECCHIUTI CONFECTIONS Ferry Building Marketplace San Francisco 415.834.9494 www.recchiuticonfections.com Also available online and through select gourmet retail outlets. Starting with his signature tarragon grapefruit truffle, Recchiuti’s confections combine interesting flavors in unique combinations. For the adventurous chocophile.

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G A S T RO N O M Y

ISN’T EVERYTHING

The image that you have in your mind for a chocolate is probably based on advertising and marketing, not reality. The name and packaging may be easily recognizable but that usually says little about the chocolates in the box. In fact, it’s the smaller boutique artisan chocolatiers that make the best chocolates. If you truly want the best, search out these smaller chocolatiers. If you must buy boxed chocolates, buy them from a highend gourmet store with a good reputation.

You can also get good boxed chocolates over the Internet.

FRESHNESS

COUNTS

That box of chocolates that has been sitting in the store is not fresh. Chances are it has been “designed” to “stay fresh” (that is, to not go bad) for a minimum of six months at room temperature. There is a reason why you’ve never heard the

phrase, “Better chocolates through chemistry.” When you’re looking for the best you want to look for chocolates that have a shelf life of three weeks or less at room temperature (60-68º F).

PRICE

IS A GOOD INDICATOR

While it is possible to buy some very good chocolates inexpensively (especially toffees), with chocolate you generally get what you pay for. The best chocolates will cost well over $40 per pound. Let that sink in. It is not uncommon to pay from $65 to $100 per pound for truly superior chocolates.

While this may seem like a lot, it works out to a couple of bucks per piece.

Good chocolates are one of the more affordable luxuries when compared with aged balsamic vinegars at close to $2,000 per liter or that bottle of ’62 Bordeaux you’ve got your eye on.

QUALITY INGREDIENTS ARE KEY

It all starts with the chocolate, and some of the best chocolate that chocolatiers use costs close to $10 per pound wholesale. You just can’t make great chocolates that cost less than $40 per pound when the most important ingredient costs that much.

If you’re paying more than $40 per pound and the chocolate comes in a box with an ingredient label, avoid chocolates that list any fat other than cocoa butter in the chocolate that is used, any chocolate with artificial preservatives, and chocolates that contain hydrogenated fats, tropical oils, or artificial vanilla (vanillin). When you’re paying this much for chocolates, cutting corners on the ingredients is plain unacceptable. Look for fresh flavorings like herbs (such as mint) instead of oils (such as peppermint oil) that can render a taste more like that of a breath mint instead of bona fide chocolate.

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IMAGE

83 2256THELATINCONNOISSEUR GREEN MAGAZINE JANUARY

MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014 FEBRUARY 200 8 |

THIN

IS GOOD

At least when it comes to the coating (the shell or enrobing) of the chocolates.

The chocolate shell acts as a preservative, keeping oxygen from coming into contact with the dairy ingredients in the filling. A thick covering protects longer than a thin shell, and a thicker covering is much easier to make than a thin one. A thick covering is one way to make the product last longer at room temperature without using artificial preservatives (good) but it does negatively affect the texture of the piece you’re eating.

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ASK

QUESTIONS

If you walk into a chocolate shop and you have no idea what to buy, ask questions.

First is freshness. From there, ask about the flavors. Buy what you like or what you know the recipient likes–or doesn’t; if the recipient is not an adventurous eater, you might want to shy away from more exotic flavors. If you are still stuck, ask the counter person what the most popu-

lar flavors are with customers and what their favorite flavors are.

KNOW

YOUR CHOCOLATIER

If you’re lucky enough to have a gourmet chocolate shop in your community where they make the chocolates on premises, one of the best ways to make sure you are buying the best is to get to know the chocolatier. The relationship you want to have is the one your grandmother wanted to have with her butcher. They get to know who you are and what you like and can make recommendations. When you show your loyalty, they’ll reward you with free samples as well as making sure you’re always getting their freshest and best.

Ultimately, however, what you like is what you like. Just because I don’t like white Zinfandel doesn’t mean that my taste is better than people who do: in the end you’re the one who’s going to eat it, and if you like what it tastes like then that’s what really matters.

84 WWW.THEGREENMAGAZINE.COM WWW.LATINCONNOISSEUR.COM

23

the new restaurant era

Chef Ferran Adria working the kitchen line expediting & detailing his dishes before going to the dining room.

58 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

D

& the new restaurant worker of the future ˜ OF CHEF FERRAN ADRIA PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY

“Restaurants are evolving into true institutions of science from the back to the front of the house.”

espite being considered a second-class profession in the past, today service in hospitality across the world from NYC, Paris, China to Argentina, service and cooking professions are getting their dues; many people have embraced these careers as the in-fashion profession.

Now is cooking time!

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˜ NUNEZ PHOTOGRAPH BY: JOHNNY

ALL IN ONE the new restaurant worker of the future 60 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

B

But these professions don’t go alone - they go hand-in-hand with complex cultural and scholarly roots, and as a result the professionals in this industry are increasingly becoming more educated, more savvy and even more competitive.

Restaurants are evolving into true institutions of science from the back of the house to the front. The workers in the restaurants of the future do not just obtain one skill; each worker is expected to handle every aspect of the restaurant operation such as: principles of growing food, restaurant management, cooking, fine dining service and wine & service.

Regardless of all the new technological features, the human factor will always continue playing a unique and important role in dining operations of the future; that being said, the server of the future will continue smiling.

MANAGEMENT The restaurant operation of the future’s backbone lies on its management structure. This management model allows every single member of the team to be as knowledgeable and as flexible as the others, delivering a more accurate performance in terms of quality and service. Every worker rotates duties.

The new restaurant worker is that one that knows everything about the restaurant he or she is working in and performs every position effectively. There, everyone can perform the same management, cooking, service, and wine duties effectively. This management approach will deliver CHEF, SOMMELIER, SERVER in one: “the restaurant worker of the future.”

FOOD

CHEFS In order to break the market, new upcoming chefs will have to reinvent themselves to compete successfully. As competition increases in this profession there are fewer chances to get jobs as head chefs. Most restaurants worldwide will continue having chefs that promote the restaurant worker of the future. Star Chefs will continue building traction to continue their legacy, thanks to various media platforms. Indeed there will be the gifted and super ingenious chef who is constantly working on new concepts, where a restaurant is not a restaurant – as Chef Ferran Adria says, “whatever I have done is nothing compared to what’s coming next.” Adria closed his restaurant El Bulli in Spain in July 2011 to continue growing his legacy - “the best food, service and restaurant in the world” – via the Alícia Foundation, a center with a social vocation, devoted to technological innovation in cuisine, the improvement of eating habits and the evaluation of food heritage.

WINE & SOMMELIER Wine consumption is increasing worldwide, especially in China. The wine industry will continue to drive revenues in restaurants and as a result the Sommelier profession is continuing its growth at a rapid rate. However there will be fewer restaurants that will be able to afford a Sommelier because of the economy. Only restaurants and hotels with large budgets will be able to afford Sommelier positions and wine teams. Most restaurants worldwide will continue having Sommeliers that promote the restaurant worker of the future.

“In the restaurant of the future every worker iscapable of performing every position: management, cooking, service, and wine duties effectively.”

MENU – TWO OPTIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE

Vegetables and fruits will continue to be important. Quality over quantity of ingredients will be the center of the table. Smaller portions are being used more for multiple reasons: more cost-effective, less calories, easier to execute in menus and service.

A diet rich in plants results in a healthier lifestyle. Natural eating habits such as flexitarianism, which is a part-time type of vegetarian lifestyle, will continue to be a strong trend in food, cooking and consequently menus. Many cooking techniques and palates are being born every day, with more attention paid to bolder flavors and unique ingredients.

1- Menus will be optional for many chefs based on the notion that guests will be offered multi-course meals highlighting the freshest offerings from the field and market.

2- The menu design will look rather like food almanacs, providing detailed descriptions of ingredients and diagrams and photos of dishes, along with the nutritional value of the foods offered. Additionally, nutritional diet and exercise plans will be custom-made for customers by the restaurant team.

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The ultimate holiday cocktail starts with wheat, rye, and potato.

ULTIMAT WHITE CRANBERRY 2 oz. Ultimat Vodka 陆 oz. Patr贸n Citr贸nge 2 oz. white cranberry juice Splash of champagne Combine first three ingredients in a mixing tin. Shake. Pour into a martini glass. Add champagne.

Garnish with fresh cranberries.

ULTIMAT ON THE ROCKS 2 oz. Ultimat Vodka Pour Ultimat over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

Find more recipes at ultimatvodka.com.

V E R A C R U Z A N A

RED SNAPPER W I T H S P I C Y TO M AT E , OLIVE & CAPER SAUCE

CHEF DANIEL BOULUD 1 (3 to 3 1/2-pound) red snapper, cleaned 2 oranges 2 limes 3 tablespoons annatto seeds, finely ground (see note) Coarse sea salt or kosher salt 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper 1 ripe banana, peeled 1 1/4 banana leaves, optional (see note) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 3 small Spanish onions, peeled and thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely minced 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup green olives, pitted 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained 12 ripe plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded 1 tablespoon dried oregano Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish 1.

Score the top of the fish with 3 vertical slashes. Put the fish into a large nonreactive dish, such as Pyrex. Zest 1 of the oranges and set aside. Zest 1 of the limes and place the lime zest in a small bowl. Juice both oranges and limes into the bowl as well. Whisk in the annatto seed, 1 tablespoon salt, and the crushed pepper and pour this marinade over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

2.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 275°F. 3.

Remove the fish from the refrigerator and scrape off the marinade (reserve the marinade). Wrap the banana in the 1/4 banana leaf, if you are using this ingredient. Split the fish in half along its belly and stuff it with the banana.

4.

In a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the cumin and coriander and stir for 10 seconds. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeños, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until the onions are lightly colored, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the olives, capers, and 2 cups water.

Arrange the fish on top and pour the reserved marinade over the fish. Add the plum tomatoes and the oregano.

5.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining olive oil and the reserved orange zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the oil mixture over the fish, and top with the remaining banana leaf, if you are using it, making sure that it completely covers all the other ingredients. (Alternatively, partially cover the pot with its lid, leaving a crack open for evaporation).

6.

Transfer the pot to the oven and braise until the fish is cooked through, 45 to 60 minutes. Discard the banana—it’s only used as flavoring. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately.

Contribution recipe adapted from: Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine by Daniel Boulud and Melissa Clark, Ecco, 2006. With permission from the author and Chef Mr. Daniel Boulud.

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MASTER RECIPES

PESCADO

BUSINESS & MONEY

Keeping it All in the Family Practical measures to assure your family’s quality of life come what may By Kevin Walker Properly titling of assets can help ensure a smooth transfer of possessions to your heirs.

Naming beneficiaries is a key part of estate planning that many people overlook. Your last will and testament designates who will receive your assets upon your death; however, it does not always control the legal transfer of wealth. If you title an asset in one person’s name and leave it to another person in your will, the title takes precedence. “How assets are titled can determine whether or not your estate plan does what you want it to do,” says Joan Bozek, First Vice President, Merrill Lynch Bank & Trust Co., FSB. “The details matter.”

64 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

According to Bozek, you should title your assets in ways that are consistent with your estate plan. In addition to real estate, keep beneficiary information up-to-date for stocks, bonds, collectibles and business interests. Life-altering events such as marriage or divorce, the birth of a child or the death of a family member are especially important occasions to revisit how your assets are titled.

Here are a few solutions to keep in mind when developing your titling strategy.

Consider Your Heirs Proper titling is important in all families with multiple children. It can be even more critical if you are in a second marriage and have children from a previous marriage, or if there is a significant age difference between you and your spouse.

Assume, for instance, that a single homeowner living with her children remarries and subsequently has the house titled in joint tenancy with rights of survivorship with her new husband.

Let’s also say that she wants her spouse to live in the house after she dies, but wants the property to pass to her children from her earlier marriage upon his death. Under the current asset titling — joint tenancy with rights of survivorship — the husband would become sole owner of the house, with its disposition to be determined by his will or estate plan.

“Clearly, that outcome is not what the wife would have wanted,” says Bozek.

“Fortunately, there are titling options available which would result in estate planning goals being accomplished.”

One possibility would be to re-title the property as tenants in common. In that case, a portion (the percentage of which is determined by the account holders) of the property’s value would be disposed of according to the wife’s will. Bozek says an even better option would be for the wife to place the house in a revocable trust (also known as a living trust) before remarrying.

“Upon the wife’s death, the revocable trust becomes irrevocable and its terms could expressly state that the house be held and available for use by the husband, but at his death, it would pass to the children. A trust guarantees that a third party is making sure that the wishes of the trust’s creator are achieved,” notes Bozek.

“

Improper asset titling is easy to overlook, but can lead to some unfortunate surprises down the road.

”

As the name implies, revocable trusts can be altered or dissolved at any time before the creator’s death or incapacity.

Consider Your Property

Living trusts also can be useful in avoiding probate, a time-consuming and potentially expensive process that could involve multiple jurisdictions. “If someone owns a vacation home outside of his or her primary state of residence, it would need to pass through probate in that other state,” Bozek explains.

One solution is to hold the property in joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, but only if the owner is sure who the property should pass to if he or she dies first.

Another way is to place the property in a revocable trust, which would allow it to avoid probate and pass quickly to heirs according to the terms of the trust document.

For residents of community property states, assets acquired by you and your spouse during your marriage are subject to specific rules that may differ based on which community property state you reside in. But proper asset titling is still critical because it could blunt the negative impact of estate taxes. For example, spouses in community property states may find it advantageous to title their assets in the name of a joint revocable trust to receive further benefits from the step-up in cost basis which is allowed upon the death of the first spouse. Assets held in joint tenancy or joint tenants with rights of survivorship only are granted a step-up in basis proportional to the interest of the deceased owner.

Currently, there are nine community property states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

Consider Your Creditors Bozek recommends caution in making pay-on-death or transfer-on-death designations, which are similar to naming beneficiaries for life insurance contracts or ira accounts. Meant to expedite the transfer of assets upon death, they take legal precedence over the individual’s will and can upset a carefully crafted estate plan. Also, there are potential pitfalls when holding significant assets, such as a house, jointly with a son or daughter, as some parents do later in life. If the child were to incur significant liabilities, the house could be subject to the claims of the child’s creditors, a list that could include a divorcing spouse.

The bottom line is that asset titling should be the foundation of any estate plan. “Improper asset titling is easy to overlook, but can lead to some unfortunate surprises down the road,” Bozek says. “By working with your attorney and a Financial Advisor, you can make sure your estate plan works as you intend.”

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POWER WATCHES

LATEST&GREATEST Richard Mille RM 032 Diver Chrono

Richard Mille is a giant of today’s horology. He offers magnificent watches to buy now and also unique pieces to look at. While exploring the depths, you have at your disposal hours, minutes, seconds, 60minute countdown, 12-hour totalizer and flyback chronograph, annual calendar with oversized date, and a month indicator. Available in titanium, 18K white gold or red gold, the 50 mm x 17.80 mm RM 032 is water resistant to 300 meters (30 atmospheres), following ISO 6425 diver’s watch norms.The power reserve is circa 50 hours, 45h with chronograph running. MSRP: USD 135,000.

S

DIVE WATCHES

Even if you never leave the deck of the yacht, these Maritime Pieces speak volumes about adventure

by Christopher Morris

ince the first dive shops opened in this country in the 1950’s, SCUBA diving has been America’s portal to the undersea world. No piece of equipment since the invention of the Gagnan-Cousteau demand valve regulator has been more vital to the safe return of divers than the dive watch. In a realm where timing can mean the difference between life and death, reliability and accuracy are the commandments for timepiece manufacturers.

Working in concert with dive tables, dive watches can track your bottom-time, average depth, dive start, end times, surface intervals, and other critical bits of information, thus allowing military, professional, and recreational divers to go underwater and return safely.

68 LATIN CONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

Louis Vuitton's Tambour Diving II Chronograph

automatic is a very fine and unique, large, self-winding, water resistant, 18K black gold diver’s wristwatch with square button chronograph, counter, date and orange Louis Vuitton rubber strap with an 18K black gold Louis Vuitton buckle.

The case is polished, rounded and contains a unidirectional rotating bezel with diving time indicator and an orange rubber raised Louis Vuitton signature. The dial is black with large orange Superluminova indexes, outer orange numerals and indexes for the diving time indicator. The watch is water resistant to 100m. MSRP: $10,000

Blancpain 50 Fathoms Calendar Moon Phase Flyback Chronograph is driven by a complex 448-part movement featuring a series of innovations developed by Blancpain. It gives users exceptional freedom to modify each indication at any time of the day or night. A mechanical based watch it consists of a classic fly-back movement controlled by a column wheel and a vertical coupling-clutch. The 45mm-diameter stainless steel case is fitted with a unidirectional blue sapphire crystal bezel and a matching dial. Power reserve of 40 Hours. Water resistance is up to 300 meters. It comes with a satin-based sail-canvas strap.

MSRP: $23,000

Stainless Steel Rolex Submariner

The classic Rolex 40 mm stainless steel case houses a workhorse self-winding Rolex Caliber 3135 and a 31-jewel movement backed by a 50-hour reserve. The “Sub” has aclass setting test depth of 1,000 feet (300 meters), which is more than enough for most recreational divers who never see the deep side of 135 feet. For the pro-diver, Rolex also offers the Sea-Dweller 4000, which stays water-poof to a hull crushing depth of 4,000 feet (2,220 meters).

MSRP: $3,875 - $21,875 for 18K gold

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New Concept in Water Mobility

I

dream to leave from a port, without having to pay a large amount of money for the size of my yacht; I dream to leave from the port and carry all my friends with me; listening music from the player and trying to sing some songs; I dream to reach an island, where next to the beach, there is a nice cove on a calm sea.

>YOUR PRIVATE MINI YACHT< I dream to eat two sandwiches, watching videos; I dream to fall asleep over there...waking up, feeling the sea and feeling the sun.

Now you can get your yown private yatch with seating capacity for seven people or transformable bed solutions, photochromic windows, personal transforming sunbathing,

completely customizable from 120Hp to 800Hp with a hydro jet propulsion system.

Vacuum-infusion moulding with film in composite and 70% carbon. The leading optional feature of the Jet Capsule is the 100% pre-preg carbon from which it is composed, and other parts such as the Upper structure, the central stairway and the

deck, extremely lightweight, guaranteeing maximum stiffness, efficiency and minimum waste. The highly advantageous weight/power ratio, unique for a transport/pleasure boats, enables the Jet Capsule to reach a top speed range from 20 to 50 knots. (depending on the engine configuration you choose)

TECH & GADGETS

The Jet Capsule 2014

This also means that less diesel is needed aboard, producing a positive cycle which makes the yacht less expensive, respectful of the environment and guarantees a large range. Our Jet Capsule is still the most secure and sophisticated option for water mobility available. Inquire about the electrically-chargedcapsule.

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ARTS & GIFTS

Carte Blanche ART FOR THE HEART Available at $20,000 from www.dudapenteado.com.

Beauty for Ashes is a re-visitation of Picasso’s Guernica by international fine artist Duda Penteado inspired by the tragedy of September 11. Media: mixed; dimensions: 96” x 48.”

FIJI PRIVATE ISLAND GETAWAY The entire island is available for seven days at $250,000 from www.turtlefiji.com or 800-255-4347.

South Pacific’s Turtle Island is a super-exclusive Fiji gem featuring 500 acres and 14 luxury cottages, each with a private beach and accommodations for two adults and up to four children.

FERRETI 810 YACHT

MO-LUXE LUXURY HOTEL PACKAGE

Available for one week at around $35,000 from www.carefreelifestyle.com.

Available at $50,000 from www.mandarinoriental.com.

The 810 is a faultless blend of super technology and innovative design with four lavish cabins. The owner’s cabin has a separate lady’s vanity, complete with a small divan and a large wardrobe.

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Mandarin Oriental NY’s Mo-Luxe package includes a two-night stay, private consultations with designer Vivienne Tam, a private dinner party, a $5,000 shopping spree, and a trip to MO’s luxurious Spa.

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The Luxury Armana FA R I N F R A R E D S A U N A

As you can see, the Luxury Armana sure isn’t your grandfather’s sweat lodge. In fact,

Basswood and removable backrests allow you to configure the seating based on

it’s not like any other wooden sauna. The Luxury Armana, Sunlight Sauna’s flagship

your needs. Sunlight Saunas can even customize the Luxury Armana with a Blaupunkt

product, relies on innovative Solocarbon panels to produce the largest amount of far

CD / MP 3 sound system and a DVD player with a high resolution fold-down LCD

infrared heat available on the market—which means you’re guaranteed a detoxifying

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between sessions. You can’t put a price on health and peace of mind. And as we all

your skin, drop a few pounds, or just catch your breath for a few precious seconds in

know a trip to the sauna can bring out the charmer in the coyest of old flames. I’m

this sleek modern refuge.

not saying that you should or would…but with the Luxury Armana the sky’s the limit

The Luxury Armana seats three comfortably and is great for indoor or outdoor

when it comes to breaking a sweat.

use. The sauna can be constructed in your choice of Canadian Cedar or Hypoallergenic

32 THE GREEN MAGAZINE MARCH | APRIL 2007

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THE BUCK

Stops Here

Jack Spade

Warren Street Monza Leather Flat Wallet MSRP: $70.00 www.jackspade.com

happens to everyone. You’ve been waiting in line and your turn has finally come. The cashier calls you over and begins to ring you up. You might start fishing through your bag, or simply reach into your back pocket, but either way you’re probably looking for the same thing. At least once a day, you bring your wallet out into the open for all to see. You probably don’t even think about it.

Like your keys or your toothbrush, your wallet serves its purpose even if it isn’t all that attractive. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Your wallet can make as much of a statement as the most fashionable pieces in your wardrobe.

It

74 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

We’ve come a long way since the 16th century when men & women still carried their money in little leather purses.

With the introduction of paper currency into the West in the 17th century, this didn’t cut it anymore; no one wanted to crumple their new bills into a little pouch. And so the wallet was born.

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Ghurka

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Chanel

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SPORTS & PLAY

PADDLING IN PARADISE

S

By Jon Gromer

oft, distant percolating sounds echo from the canyon walls ahead as we glide down the now-still river in our raft. A couple of hawks slip out of the clouds overhead, circle intermittently, then head off into the woods to find a snack…we’re much too lively to be good fodder. I wick the water from around my eyes and turn to my raft mates. The sensation makes us all smile like a bunch of giddy children. It’s the feeling that builds in your stomach like the click-clack of a rollercoaster car climbing the first big ramp — you know what’s coming next. The distant percolating comes from Pillow Rock, one of the “Big Five” rapids on the Upper Gauley river that’s a veritable

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washing machine of powerful churning waters, and its rumblings grow louder and louder. The raft begins to accelerate. A minute or two later the raft comes to life, bucking slowly like a mechanical bull that’s just been turned on. The aquatic rodeo begins. By the time we’ve weathered the fury of Pillow Rock and the three other major rapids that come after it on the Upper Gauley we’re soaked, a little sore and one paddle short. And there isn’t one of us who wouldn’t do it again in a heartbeat.

West Virginia’s Gauley River boasts almost 20 miles of sheer entertainment, delivering huge thrills in the form of powerful rapids, boulder gardens, traversable waterfalls, standing waves and outrageous scenery. But, it’s far from the best whitewater experience for everyone in the United States. Popular rafting rivers can be found on both the East and West coasts of the U.S., with a surprise or two like Wisconsin’s crowd-pleasing Peshtigo and Wolf rivers lurking in the largely flat Midwest.

A good whitewater river generally needs two ingredients: nearby mountains and potent, reliable waterflows. What makes a good whitewater destination great depends on your preferences. Many urbanities (myself included) value a short commute, particularly if you don’t intend on staying the night at your destination. Fortunately, there are quite a few authentic rapids that can be experienced a few hours away from major cities. You might even be able to see the night sky in all of its glorious detail if there’s minimal light pollution in the area.

Popular “suburban” rivers in the Northeastern United States include: New York’s Hudson River (featuring challenging rapids near Indian Lake in the scenic Hudson River Gorge), Pennsylvania’s Lehigh River (known for its close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, along with moderate rapids that make it a great destination for first-time rafters) and Massachusetts’ Deerfield River (a two-hour drive from Boston that delivers great options for an easy-going or aggressive experience).

The Southern U.S. also offers a few whitewater gems that don’t require a major urban exodus to enjoy. Among them are Tennessee’s Ocoee River (located a couple of hours from Atlanta, with a beginner-friendly middle section and a challenging upper section that was showcased in the 1996 Summer Olympics), West Virginia’s Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers (an authentic, scenic and beginner-friendly whitewater experience that’s only about an hour away from Washington D.C. in Harper’s Ferry) and the Youghiogheny River (a very popular destination an hour and a half from Pittsburgh that delivers thrills in its upper section, a moderate experience in its lower section and a relatively sedate yet scenic trip in its middle with great opportunities for wildlife spotting and fishing).

Colorado and California serve up great river rapids that are close to major cities in the West. Two highly recommended and convenient spots in Colorado are Clear Creek and the Cache la Poudre River. Clear Creek is only a 30-minute jaunt from Denver and offers sections that appeal to the beginner, the intermediate, the thrill-seeker and the naturalist alike as it passes through dense forest and old mining towns. At 3 miles length, Cache la Poudre is a shorter than average whitewater run, but it’s close to Ft. Collins and features rapids that are framed in the distant blue grandeur of the Medicine Bow Mountains. River otters, beaver, deer and bighorn sheep are known for making cameo appearances along both routes.

Tucked away between the northern end of California’s Sequoia National Forest and the southern end of the Sierra National Forest is the Kings River, close to Fresno. The Kings flows through the second deepest canyon in the United States,

and promises both fantastic scenery and medium-rated rapids that should please both the beginner and the experienced rafter. Just to the south of the Sequoia National Forest, California’s Kern River delivers a scenic and challenging escape for people in the Los Angeles area. The Kern is available in mild, medium, hot and extra spicy varieties. Easier and medium-rated rapids can be found in the Lower Kern. The Upper Kern offers more challenging rapids. Those seeking the greatest thrill the Kern has to offer should opt for the Forks of the Kern, only available as a multi-day trip through what’s known as the Golden Trout Wilderness.

If you’re fortunate enough to have the time, quite a few of the aforementioned “urban escape daytrips” are also available as multi-day adventures, replete with anything from nights spent under the stars in tents and simple campfire fare to luxurious cabins with gourmet surprises. The charm of certain destinations, however, demands nothing less than a multi-day stay.

“

Popular rafting rivers can be found on both the East and West coasts of the U.S., with a surprise or two like Wisconsin’s crowd-pleasing Peshtigo and Wolf rivers lurking in the largely flat Midwest.

”

At the top of the list of marquis multi-day rafting trips is the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas. The river’s temperate rapids are entertaining, but forced to play second fiddle to the overpowering beauty of the Colorado Canyon’s massive limestone walls, old homesteads, gorgeous mountains, Mexican ruins and desert wildflowers. Of course, the Colorado River in Arizona’s Grand Canyon also delivers an unforgettable scenic experience painted in palettes of stunning walls, terraces, mesas and buttes. As John Wesley Powell ( the famed explorer who first traveled the Grand Canyon’s waters ) would attest, the Colorado is also capable of delivering an incredible whitewater experience. Colorado’s Arkansas River, host to 250,000 annual visitors, earns the title of America’s Most Popular River with its notoriously big whitewater and picturesque views of wildlife and the Royal Gorge it passes through. The Canadian equivalent of the Arkansas, Ontario’s Ottawa River, deserves serious consideration as well. The Ottawa, replete with challenging whitewater, is home to waterfalls, grand rock formations and unusually warm water supplied by sun-warmed lakes.

Thousands of people would readily recommend the above destinations for a great whitewater experience, but the perfect river escape begins and ends with careful planning. The rapids rating system, starting with the very mild Class I and ending with the ridiculously intense Class VI, is an excellent guide for gauging the intensity of the water you’ll encounter. Class III or IV conditions are perfectly adequate for willing first-timers, but some might desire a more placid experience.

Websites like raftinfo.com provide great insight into what many rivers have to offer.

Equally important is selecting the right outfitter. Always ask an outfitter for references if you don’t have a word-of-mouth recommendation for their operation. Some companies will deliver an enjoyable yet more staid experience on the same body of water where others will deliver a more adrenaline-filled aggressive adventure. The choice is yours. Adventurevacation.com is an excellent resource for finding out which companies run tours on a particular river and what other activities they may offer. Many outfitters in the United States also have provisions for common activities like hiking and mountain biking. Select the right one and you might find yourself on a hot-air balloon ride or llama trekking.

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PRACTICE MAKES

PERFECT

By Naadu Blankson-Seck

A new generation of doctors fine-tune the intricacies of healthcare in the 21st century

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W

ITHOUT QUESTION, the concept of staying healthy in 21st century America presents myriad challenges. The reality of an increasingly sick population, crammed appointment schedules and third party payors is cause for frustration on all sides of the equation — and solutions do not seem fast in coming. The anxious outcry unleashed by former President Clinton’s 1992 national healthcare proposal spoke to the seriousness of the problem. More than two decades later, the issues still haunt us.

At the turn of the century this nation’s uninsured number a whopping 44 million, many of whom have turned to the Internet to seek health solutions as though hunting for a better deal on tires or a new laptop. Meanwhile, television network ratings strategists take ample advantage of hazy conditions to supply saucy combinations of documentary and drama depicting all manner of tension in the operating rooms, hallways and closets of Any Hospital USA. Add a blend of confusing insurance policies, diminishing confidence in the doctor’s office as a safety zone, and a scandalous correlation between dispensable income and comprehensive healthcare and you have what the New England Journal of Medicine aptly described as a “paradox of excess and deprivation.”

Strangely enough, despite its condition, the healthcare sector is not sufering for a lack of eager practitioners. Recently, the number of medical school applicants more than doubled the number in the past 50 years,

according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The number of women who applied increased by better than 10 times in that same period. If nothing else, it seems the cache of becoming a doctor— or hopefully, the passion to promote healthy living—has not lost its vitality.

Nor has it lost its edge. In a study of a graduating class at 16 medical schools across the country, nearly 84% of seniors—men and women—reported experiences of belittlement by fellow students, professors, and patients. The team, which was led by Erica Frank, a professor of health and epidemiology at the University of British Columbia, found that the students suffered poor mental health and low career satisfaction in significant correlation with their experiences.

“Surgical residents are the scum of the earth,” says Dr. Marion BobbMcKoy, a family practitioner in New Jersey. “It’s an old boy’s

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“

I think in the end I would rather have a doctor who is at ease and sensitive to my issues.

”

network; they break you down to build you up, and I didn’t want to put myself through that.” During her study at Stonybrook Univesity, she found that she enjoyed performing surgeries. “I don’t know if it was a power thing, but I was good and encouraged to do it but the passion wasn’t there.”

Bobb-McKoy, whose mother is a midwife, initially thought of specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, but realized in her third year of rotation that she had major philosophical diferences with the Weld’s standard teachings. “Why do you have a woman lie on her back when gravity pushes down? Why not have her squat? Childbirth is a natural life process; it doesn’t need IVs and all sorts of intervention. I had my three children with midwives in a bed. That is the way childbirth should be.

“In family medicine you can see a child, then a geriatric, and next a prenatal patient; it’s the variety of family medicine that I love. Also, the people that tend to be interested in family medicine tend to be more interested in having a family and a life outside the practice.”

She splits her professional time between a New York hospital andher own office, which she opened a few years ago following a trend called the Ideal Micro Practice. Like most working mothers BobbMcKoy found herself looking for a way to handle all the demands on her time, so the imp system—which allows the same person to answer calls, schedule appointments and treat patients—was a natural fit. She thinks she is part of a growing trend of women who “want their cake and eat it too.”

Dr. Ngozi Osuagwu is an obstetrician-gynecologist based in Ohio and the author of Letters to My Sisters: Plain Truths and Straightforward Advice from a Gynecologist, which she decided to write as she contemplated what to give her patients once she closed her private practice due to exorbitant overhead expenses. Plain Truths is a blunt-cut series of notes to functional patients who have gained an unnatural amount of weight, hidden paternity information from their boyfriends or chosen to deny the fact that their partners are unfaithful. She says, “Its purpose is to start dialogue. A couple of women have read it and said ‘I know this,’ but I ask ‘Does your neighbor know?’

“My biggest passion is to teach women to take advantage of their doctor’s visits and know what they need to have done,” says Osuagwu. “I would love to be able to take care of patients and also get paid so I can live in a decent house. I don’t want to worry if a person can pay me enough; I’d rather not deal with the business end of it.” However, private medical practitioners are not the only ones concerned with numbers. As a member of the teaching faculty of Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Osuagwu sits in on meetings at which she says doctors are challenged to ramp up the number of patients they bring in to the hospital. “You have to market yourself as a physician by giving talks and writing papers. My husband always reminds me that Coca-Cola still markets.”

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Candice Branch is in her third year at St. George’s University in Grenada and is considering family practice or emergency medicine.

She says her class is basically split between men and women. “A lot of care giving has to do with personality rather than the sex of a person. You will see highly academic people with no social skills who would not do as well at family practice, but if they go into neurology, which is less patient-oriented, or surgery they will do better no matter what.”

At the same time, Branch says she has noticed “a lot of medical practice is going towards [dealing with] the entire patient—what they do, what they eat and their habits. Certain men are more directed to the problem instead of the underlying causes of the problem.”

“What I have noticed is that women are more conservative with treatment,” says Anahid Youssoufian, a general dentist who did her studies in Egypt at Alexandria University. “A lot of men like to do a lot of surgeries and a lot of crowns. They do make more money by doing that, but women dentists are more conservative and try to save a tooth rather than take it out.”

Given the increased chances that a woman doctor is familiar with the challenges of providing leadership and support in widely disparate circumstances, the growing presence of women practitioners may ultimately have an impact where legislation has been unable to reach: the examination room. “Huge brain trusts are trying to figure out how to make their market share bigger [but the question is] ‘what rapport can you develop with me? People of our generation are looking for physicians who are more like them, and most of the people going to the doctor are women,” says Dr. Natalie Achong, a clinical associate professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

“I think in the end I would rather have a doctor who is at ease and sensitive to my issues,” Achong continued. “I would like someone with bedside manners who can come to the table and be real. Some doctors have the idea that if Ms. X doesn’t show up for an appointment it is because she doesn’t care, but it may be she is dealing with some real issues, like travel in bad weather.”

Perhaps the notion of a woman’s touch will finally find an application that is universally appreciated and respected.

VINE CONNOISSEUR

c

Vines

with FLAVOR

“YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WINE TO ENJOY IT”

c

LEFT TO RIGHT: PRESIDENT: AMELIA CEJA, HUSBAND: PEDRO CEJA AND WINE MAKER: ARMANDO CEJA WITH HIS WIFE MARTHA CEJA

ASK CELEBRATED VINTNER AMELIA CEJA ANYHTING ABOUT WINE AND

She will tell you don’t need to know anything about wine to enjoy it and she is totally right, because if you are drinking a wine that gives you pleasure, then that’s a great wine. I learned volumes about Ms. Ceja and her unique brand of passion and perseverance while interviewing her.

Perhaps the greatest advantage Ms. Ceja has—besides her innate deter82 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

mination — is her genuine and positive approach to life—She says: “It’s easy to get attention if you’re nice and genuine; it’s just so much easier to be nice!” It doesn’t only take people skills and passion to run a successful vineyard but it takes a focused, diligent pursuit of excellence to be in the wine business, producing wines that are enjoyable to the most

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: CEJA VINEYARD

demanding palates and competing on the same level as the most reputable wine producers in the U.S. and the world. Amelia leads a team that has turned a small family-owned vineyard into a wine power house that today releases only award-winning wines under the Ceja label.

Ceja’s team planted their first vines back in 1986 and 2 years later they had their 1st vintage.

The artist making the wine is Armando Ceja (Amelia’s husband’s brother) who is a respected winemaker and vineyard manager in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. He studied enology and viticulture at UC Davis, one of the most respected wine schools in the world. With more than for forty-five years of experience growing grapes in the Valleys and with a rounded and contemporary UC Davis understanding of the vine-growing process, they know firsthand that wine is made in the vineyard and have a profound respect for farming.

With Armando leading the wine making process, they actively practice sustainable agriculture, use integrated pest management

strategies and cover crops. It is evident that Ceja’s winemaker matches vines to terroir, planting each varietal where it grows best to bring its pure soil personality. The family owns vineyards that are situated in exclusive locations of Carneros in Napa and Sonoma counties, a property in the Stags Leap area just off the Silverado Trail, as well as on the Sonoma Coast by Petaluma. 113 out of the 115 acres yield balanced and healthy grapes, with a consistent annual production of 120,000 bottles10,000 cases of fine wine.

Education for the Ceja family is paramount because they believe training is the most effective way to reach their audience. Last time I heard from Amelia she mentioned she was in Banff-Canada but getting ready to go down to NYC to offer a wine seminar at the famous Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. Later that week while sipping Ceja-Chardonnay at the bar, I learned from the Oyster Bar’s long time legend and bartender, Marcelo Hernández, that her presentation was excellent.

Amelia’s calendar keeps her super busy touring the United States, visiting exclusive distributors, restaurants, hotels and retail establishments where she teaches and explains to staff and particularly Sommeliers the best ways to pair her wines to the dishes available on their menus.

The Ceja’s love “cooking with family” and they find the table as a great opportunity to share good food, conversation good friends and of course good wines. Amelia uses web videos to educate her wide audience of food and wine lovers at www.saludnapa.com, a small group of passionate individuals who believe sharing recipes, cooking tips and wine pairings can make the world a better place. For more information about wine tasting notes and other related information please turn to page 99 in our wine guide section.

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There is brandy, there is cognac, and then there is Hennesssy The international standars for cognac was estabished. in 1765 by Richard Henessy, a young soldier who had retired from the army and settled in the city of cognac on the bankks of the Charente River in the Saintoge region of southwest France. He used the family crest the arm and broad axe - for the company emblem and began one of many House of Henessy traditions that survives to this day.

Brandy is a type of wine that has been distilled twice; cognacis a brandy specifically from the city of Cognac, located in the Southwest region of France. All cognacs are brandies, but not all brandies are cognacs!

However, the greatest cognancs are made by the cellarmasters who know how to blend eaux-de-vie (waters of life). Seven generations of the Fillioux family, Master Blenders to the house of Henessy, have blended eaux-de-vie from four premier growing areas only, and they then age the cognac in propietary oak barrels. Only Henessycontrols every aspect of its own production, fromvineyards and distilleries to oakforests and cooperage.

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For more than a century, Henessy X.O wa the only X.O in the world. It remainstoday the world standard, against which all other X.O c onacs are mesured . It is “I’ original X.O” This exceptional cognac is woody and spicy, inspiring experts to cite in their tasting notesthe powerful effect of pepper tempered with ripe fruit andscented flowers. Balance is essential, especially for such a full-bodied and robust cognac.

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For more information please visit www.hennessy.com

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

Somm

YANNICK BENJAMIN

is a New York City-based sommelier and co-founder of Wheeling Forward. In 2003, a car accident left Yannick paralyzed but did not stop him from pursuing his dreams of going on to college and becoming a world class server.

“After All Wine Is a Communal Thing”

WHEELING FORWARD

86 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

Are you the only wine Sommelier on wheels?

YES! Back in 2003 I was working at Atelier Restaurant and I just had finished working my shift and I was driving back home and I was in a car accident that left me permanently paralyzed from the waist down. I was devastated because I would never walk again but never being able to fulfill my dream of working as a Sommelier was hard to accept. I had dreams of doing major sommelier competitions and now I had no idea what I was going to do with my career. However with my persistence and assistance from the Sommelier Community and most of all my mom and dad I never gave up. Yes I failed many times on my new chapter in a wheelchair but I learned so much from those failures and I never gave up. I always loved challenges and being a Sommelier in a Wheelchair certainly is a challenge

You feel the greatest physical therapy you have ever had has been participating in Sommelier competitions that said you have chosen wine as tool to empower yourself?

My passion for wine and the Hospitality Industry is what kept me motivated. I was born to be part of this industry and I am not sure what it is that does it for me, but when I am on the floor nothing else matters and all that is wrong with this world is left outside the door.

What’s your ultimate goal in life?

My ultimate goal is to become a Master Sommelier and to make my non-profit organization “Wheeling Forward” a relevant charity organization and a major force for people that need to find new opportunities especially on the employment area. I also would like to be a motivator to make restaurants more accommodating for people with disabilities.

What would be doing if you weren't disabled?

I would be a Sommelier but maybe I would not have this passion to help others and this perspective on how beautiful life is.

What didn't you have before that you have now?

Today my perspective is different I’m much more patient, I certainly don't let the small things get to me.

The most important part of it is that if I have a question, I will simply ask, because I feel curiosity is important. I just go ahead and do it. Why not!!

Your desire to guide disabled people who need resources to become independent now has taken you to establish “The Wheeling Forward Foundation” - www.wheelingforward.org, how is wine assisting you in accomplishing your foundation's goals?

We do organize a few relevant wine and sport events and it's our major source of revenue. Our biggest Wine Tasting Event is Wine on Wheels, which brings only top Sommeliers to pour donated wine by some top wine importers around the world. After all wine is a communal thing.

Wine is food?

Yes! Food is something that stimulates and gives you satisfying feeling. However in my case food should also bring some nostalgic feelings of different memories but positive ones that smell and taste just like wine.

Necessity is the mother of all creations. Has your disability helped you become more creative?

A good proof of that is the wine service tray you invented! I would say I am much better at troubleshooting and more creative then before my accident.

Have you named your tray yet?

Not yet but I should now that I think about it, it was designed by Jean Paul Violette. He owns a great Atelier and produces the finest woodworks.

This beautiful tray has enhanced my daily wine activities dramatically.

What’s your introduction style when approaching a table?

The very first thing I want is that my guests feel my passion and eagerness to please and how much I truly love being a Sommelier.

Do you have an "I would love to work in that restaurant" sort of fantasy. Surely your dream can come true!"

In NYC I have a deep admiration for Chef Daniel Boulud. In France I love Guy Savoy and L'Arpege and George V. Another dream come true would be to work the floor one night at La Tour d'Argent.

What is your favorite wine region?

My heart is in red Bordeaux and love Northern Rhone Syrah but as I get older I drink white and I absolutely love white Burgundy followed by Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley.

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WINE REFERENCE KIT

DO JERES-XERES-SHERRY & MANZANILLA-SAN LUCAR DE BARRAMEDA Consists of nine boroughs, lands shared by the regions of Jerez de la Frontera, Puerto de Santa María, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Chipiona, Trebujena, Rota, Puerto Real, Chiclana de la Frontera and especific pagos of Lebrija. Within this production area, the most notable designated area is called Jerez Superior and, a denominated zone integrated by pagos of barros and arenas

THIS PAGE IS INTENDED TO BE USED ON THE GO - PLEASE CUT IT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU

GRAPE VARIETIES Varietals approved by the consejo regulador, regulating council for this area are La Palomino Fino, Pedro Ximénez, and the Moscatel.

A significant year for the Sherry wine trade was 1996 when a law was issued that only wines from the Cadiz D.O have the legal right to use the word "Sherry" on the labels of wine bottles. Production of Sherry is singular; it is called the Solera System in Oak Barrels, which is a generic name that refers to a system where the oldest wines are aged. It is an aging process to improve young generous wines with the oldest. This aging system is used for generous wines from Jerez. In this system, white Palomino grapes are crushed and the juice is fermented in stainless steel or cement tanks. After this, wine is lightly fortified with grape spirits. The fortified wine is then poured into barrels and set aside for a year or more to develop its complexity. In addition, wines under the umbrella of this D.O. should have a minimum age of three years to be ready for consumption, and are divided in two big groups: Finos and Manzanillas. These former groups are bred under flor, a layer of leaveners, which helps the formation of Aldehydes during the biological ageing of some wines like wines from: Jerez, Montilla, Rueda, and some from Jura (France).

TYPES OF FINE SHERRY -Manzanilla -Fino -Amontillado -Palo Cortado TYPES OF SHERRIES-OLOROSO -Oloroso -Cream -Pedro Ximénez 88 LATINCONNOISSEUR MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2014

BUYING, SERVING AND PAIRING SHERRY The best foods to pair with Sherry are seafood or the well-known "Spanish tapas." Serve it cold. If you serve Sherry at a social event or you buy it from a restaurant, make sure the Sherry, Fino or Manzanilla, is fresh. Freshness of this wine is crucial, because it will make a difference in the quality of its flavor. At some restaurants, once servers have opened a bottle of Sherry, Fino or Manzanilla, the bottle oftentimes remains open for long periods of times, which results in the oxidation of the product. Once a bottle of Sherry is opened keep it no more than one day. Fino and Manzanilla, oxidize or turn rancid once exposed to air. In Jerez its usually sold in half bottles, which in the end is more practical and ideal for a meal.

Amontillados, Olorosos and creams will last much longer. Try to buy Sherry from a trusted source to ensure the integrity of your next bottle of Sherry. There is also the classic sweet sherry that may be paired with desserts as well.

WINE CLASS CLASES DE VINO

With Latin Connoisseur

SMOKE RINGS

The Grand Havana Club

SMOKE FILLED ROOMS

Part showplace, part speakeasy, the cigar club is on fire

By Gregory DL Morrys

Havana has been moving a little closer to the U.S. At least a little part of Havana is. Nowadays is easy to find cigar rooms and clubs that suite your taste, be it Miami, NYC or Chicago for a relaxed mixed crowd of profesional men, women and cigar lovers alike. Below we list the most renown cigar rooms in N.Y.C. For a complete list of the best cigar rooms in the U.S please visit our web site: www.latinconnoisseur.com/cigars.html.

The private membership clubs represent the top end of an emerging trend: the luxury cigar club or bar. Driven as much by smokers’ passion for their stogies as by increasingly restrictive smoking regulations in many public places, a range of private clubs, bars, and smoking rooms are the place to see and be seen.

The New York Grand Havana Room occupies 17,000 square feet on the 39th floor of 666 Fifth Avenue, former site of the renowned Top Of The Sixes bar. In contrast to the strong Hollywood vibe at the California club, the New York club has a broader range of business types from advertising, publishing, fashion, finance, and entertainment.

The humidor room is one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The Spanish cedar and glass enclosure dominates the club, because it is situated just inside the entrance and runs down one side of the hallway leading to the bar, lounge, and dining room. Despite the club’s name, however, only cigars legal to import to the U.S. are available.

A year after the Grand Havana opened on the Left Coast, Club Macanudo opened in New York at 26 E. 63rd St. on the Upper East Side. Although it is not an exclusive private

Images above showcase the Club Macanudo in New York City

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establishment, Club Mac has become the focal point for cigar culture in Gotham. The club is owned by General Cigar Co. and sells all its brands there—Partagas, Cohiba, Punch, Excalibur, and Hoyo de Monterrey—not just the eponymous cigar. Other premium marques are also available.

Most recently Club Mac took its show on the road with the creation of a cigar lounge bus. Fine food and cocktails are obviously not an option, but fine cigars and plush surroundings are. There are also three wide-screen satellite televisions and a mirrored VIP lounge.

New York has some of the strictest smoking regulations of any city, which contributes both to the health of the population and the displacement of cigar smokers. Tobacconist Nat Sherman allows smoking throughout its store on 42nd St., just across from the New York Public Library and also has a humidor lounge. There is rental space and a healthy waiting list to gain access.

Then there is the Brandy Library. One of the most urbane and sophisticated spaces in this most urbane and sophisticated city, the Brandy Library at 25 N. Moore St. at Varick is a temple and repository of fine brandy—the older and more expensive the better. As it should, the Brandy Library has humidors and a smoking patio.

Founder Flavien Desoblin tells Latin Connoisseur that despite the exclusive air, the club is open to the public.

Members, he adds, get their own engraved glass and free storage of their prized smokes and bottles. Brandy and cigars. Does life get any better?

Building a business from the ground up is no easy task. Especially when you are trying to create a product you love. LatinConnoisseur Magazine recently caught up with David Wells, the owner of the NYC Cigar Company to learn why his cigars and smoking lounge are second to none.

What makes the smoke shop so appealing to your customers? We have done quite a few venues and everyone said, “There is no place to smoke.” When you

You’ve worked with many celebrities, is that correct? We’ve worked with many people. We’ve done Marc Ecko’s events. We did Larry Johnson’s 28 th

walk into an average smoke shop and you see people sitting around in folding chairs watching one TV, it’s kind of a cliquish thing. What we wanted to do was to have a comfortable lounge where you feel at home and there are no barriers.

There are no cliqs. I have a fantastic crowd here. Whether you wear a suit or pick up the garbage, when you put a cigar in your hand and sit down in here; everybody’s the same. There is a common bond among guys that smoke cigars.

That was our goal and we have achieved it so far.

birthday party. Last year we did La Douchavaia an event for the Duchess of York’s foundation at Cipriani’s. Celebrities like Clive Davis, and LL Cool J were there. We also provide cigar rollers for golf events.

What are some of your best-selling cigars? Well, we manufacture all our own cigars. We have a small facility in the Dominican Republic. We come out with our own blends, different types and sizes of cigars. We are more of a boutique shop. We are not trying to be a major label. All of our cigars are hand rolled. Quality control and customer service are big with us. We built up quite a following here. We are looking to expand and everything with us is word of mouth. We really don’t advertise.

Is a franchise in your near future? Yes, that is in the future. We are looking to open and operate many and this is the first. The reception has been tremendous. Our motto is: “If you chase the money, it’s not coming.” You treat the people the correct way and do the right thing by the customer and everything else takes care of itself.

Tell us about your Liberty Series Cigars? It’s what we call a mild plus cigar; somewhere between a mild and medium bodied cigar. It’s a Dominican filler with a hint of Nicaraguan tobacco and it’s available in either a Connecticut or Ormadora wrapper. They come in different sizes: robust, corona, and torpedo.

Obviously, it has a yellow label with the Statue of Liberty and a taxicab. For a full body smoke, we recommend our Empire Series.

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THE COHIBA SIGLO VI: Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em

Y

ou know him. That Guy. The one who breaks out new woods every other round. That Guy who gets his personalized golf balls flown in from Malaysia. Trendsters like him are a fact of life, and they don’t spend all their time in the pro shop. Say you’re enjoying a cigar on the golf course: a great golf cigar like an Arturo Fuente Canone, say.

That Guy is smoking a limited edition Arturo Fuente Opus X, and waving around its alligator-skin box. Well, if you’re smoking a Cohiba, and if That Guy has his game tight, he’ll be lighting up a Cohiba Siglo VI. Ordinarily, we would encourage you not to hang with That Guy, or at least cough softly during his backswing. But here’s the hard truth: the Cohiba Siglo VI may be the trendiest thing among the trendiest cigar smokers right now, but it actually deserves to be.

So, what’s a Siglo VI, and where are the other, uh, V of them? Cohiba’s Siglo series was commissioned by Cuba’s cigar-chomper in chief, Fidel Castro, in 1993: Siglos I-V, which were all different shapes and styles, commemorated the five centuries since Columbus’s landing on Cuban soil and the cultivation of tobacco. Cohiba had planned to issue a million of the cigars, but due to a combination of bad weather and an inherently inefficient economic system, only 500,000 Siglos were made. Due to their limited runs and Cohiba’s sterling reputation, Siglos I-V are among the most widely counterfeited cigars of all time. The Siglo VI, which commemorates nothing but Cohiba’s recognition that it has a luxury-good juggernaut on its hands, probably will be, too.

2

By David Roth

Counterfeiters will struggle to replicate Cohiba’s new gold band (anyone selling you Siglo VIs with that recognizable Cohiba band is a fraud) and sleeker packaging, but they’ll certainly be unable to match the VI’s flavor and shape. The VI’s look is hard to match, too: the 52 ring gauge is extra thick, the cafionazo shape is a new one, and the VI is the heaviest cigar to leave Castro’s island in thirty years. Then there’s the flavor: the Siglo VI is, by all accounts, a monster.

James Suckling, Cigar Aficionado’s Cuban expert, gives the VI a sterling 9.5 out of 10 and calls it “one of the best Cohibas ever.” The broader cigar smoking public, in message boards and smoking rooms everywhere, has placed it among the best Habanas on the (gray) market, raving about its remarkable strength and flawless construction. Of course, there might be some investment protection going on here: the VI is the most expensive cigar out. Also, because it’s Cuban, you can’t buy it in the United States.

No wonder That Guy has it.

You could get the VI, too, though.

Dozens of websites sell Cuban cigars, and the Siglo VI’s gradual multi-nation rollout is far enough along that it’s easy to comparison shop. A box of 25 will run you anywhere from $580 to $860. As is always the case with Internet commerce, you’ll have to take authenticity on faith.

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TOP WINES TO BUY

+ MEJORES VINOS PARA COMPRAR

After all you are the first and last to decide on the wines you drink. With that in mind our mission is to guide you with ease and clarity to find what you like. Wine is for everyone, or wine is food and there is nothing intimidating about it. All it takes to get to know your favorite wines is tasting them often with your food and what we all need to become more familiar with wines.

Tasting notes are being written ONLINE here: www.latinconnoisseur.com/WINE BUYING GUIDE.html

Our WINE-REF hand picks high quality & well priced wines for you!

Our 1/100 rating system is simple (as it should be) it’s like when your dad showed you how to whack the ball. We promote a healthy and sober wine culture. We carefully taste the wines reviewed carefully based on the “wine is food” culture, which in turn reveals the true nature of each wine. Our wine rating system and buying guide is the most effective tool to assist you in choosing the tastier wines at the best retail market prices.

100

Most impressive wines with universal relevance. Their quality is extraordinary of superior character style and are smart must have buys.

70

Excellent wines that show off their terroir, grape & know-how personality with healthy marketability, drinkability & availability. are great

to 90

to 80

60 Well-made wines, showing good flavor, character, good availability to 70 and good buys.

Our Wine Ref will encourage you to become more adventurous in tasting new wines-after all diversity, is what makes wine interesting!

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TOP SPANISH WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

ROSE ROSADO

NAME: MATARROMERA PRESTIGIO 2005

NAME: VINA CATAJARROS-Rosado Cigales

FOUNDED: 1988

FOUNDED: 1987

VINEYARD: Bodega Matarromera.

VINEYARD: Hijos de Crescencia Merino

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 370 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 37 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 30,000 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Carlos Moro

WINEMAKER: Eugenio Merino

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Tempranillo REGION: D.O. Ribera del Duero

GRAPE VARIETY: 80% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo), 5% Garnacha Tinta, 10% Verdejo, 5% Alvillo

ALCOHOL: 15.3%

REGION: Cigales - Castilla & Leon

TASTING NOTES: This cuvee is made only with selected grapes from old vineyards. It appears as an intense dark purple color, with the strong scent of blackberry and black mulberries.

Complex combination of aging aromas of vanilla, black pepper, cloves, liquorice, bitter chocolate. Palate is engaging and powerful with semi-sweet tannins and delicious long finish.

ALCOHOL: 13%

ABOUT: Carlos Moro is a passionate man especially when He talks about his prestigious wines and I don’t blame him because his wines and success reflect on what He says. Since 1988 Bodegas Matarromera’s reach has increased dramatically, thanks to their innovatiion, experience & organizational structure. Matarromera has launched innnovative products such as nonalcoholic wines, and the fisrt fortified wine from D.O. Ribera del Duero in Spain.

ABOUT: An artisanal, organic wine made by a pair of brothers who pride themselves on their grapes which are sourced from grapes grown in the North Valladolid region of Spain.10% of their vine’s age range from 50 to 100 years old.

The Merino brothers make their wines using the classic Roman-style press. While they do make very good artisan reds, I’m sugesting this rose for those who ‘LOVE” rose wines.

TASTING NOTES: It looks bright energetic, the same look and feel on the nose with additions of vibrant cranberry mature red fruit extracts all these elements are reflected directly on the palate with an a racy but balanced acidity leading to a fresh finish.

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TOP URUGUAYAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: PISANO 2010

NAME: ESTIVAL WHITE BLEND 2010

FOUNDED: 1914

FOUNDED: 1947

VINEYARD: Bodegas Pisano

VINEYARD: Vinedo de los Vientos

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 49 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 17 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 13,800

WINEMAKER: Gustavo Pisano

WINEMAKER: Eugenio Merino

GRAPE VARIETY: Tannat

GRAPE VARIETY: Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ruby Cabernet, Nebbiolo and Barbera, Arneis, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Moscato Bianco.

REGION: Progreso- Uruguay ALCOHOL: 13.5% TASTING NOTES: Deep purple in color, its aroma is concentrated a bit tannic with earthy notes of mushrooms and spiced wood.

Red fruit forward with intense jammy tones of cranberries and blackberries that linger for a bit on your palate.

ABOUT: Pisano belongs to the group of small family vignerons with an artisan tradition of making wines that reflect the character of the land and the people who make them. They also make wines from Italian grapes such as Sangiovese and Moscato Giallo, reflecting their roots.

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REGION: Atlantida-Canelones ALCOHOL: 12.5% TASTING NOTES: On the nose I find it slightly similar to an Alsatian styled wine (becasue of the blend of grapes) with expressive notes of exotic fruit and honey suckle. On the palate reflects an intense aromatic floral spicy character that lingers to the long-lasting finish with sour pear.

ABOUT: In 1920 Angelo Fallabrino founded one of the largest winery in Uruguay. His son Alejandro followed his steps; Vi単edo de los Vientos has remained a family business since its inception.they practice a minimal interventionist viticulture, respecting the environment and the native wild life.

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TOP ITALIAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: TOMARESCA 2011

NAME: TENUTA MAZZOLINO 2011

FOUNDED: 1988

FOUNDED: 1980

VINEYARD: Masseria Maime

VINEYARD: Mazzolino Estate’s vineyards

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 370 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 74 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Laura Minoia

WINEMAKER: Jean-François Coquard

GRAPE VARIETY: Cabernet Sauvignon Primitivo - a twin to the Zinfandel varietal.

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay

REGION: Brindisi - Puglia ALCOHOL: 13% TASTING NOTES: Rustic dry fruit and earthy aromas on the nose. On the palate reflects blackberry, currant, chocolate and coffee flavors. Leathery and tobacco notes follow reminding the flavor of a hearty Cab or spicy Zin. On the finish: hints of licorice, black pepper and oak.

ABOUT: Tormaresca is the fruit of the Antinori family's investment since July 1998. Southern Italian wine from Puglia, the peninsula at the heel of Italy's boot. They founded the Tormaresca winery in 1998 and source grapes for Neprica from both the Bocca di Lupo vineyard in Murgia and the Masseria Maime in the Salento region. Tormaresca means “tower by the sea” and is named for the many towers that line the coast of the Adriatic sea. This wine is a great buy at the highest quality.

REGION: Oltrepò Pavese DOC ALCOHOL: 13.5% TASTING NOTES: A classic white Burgundy style that shows a vibrant straw-yellow color with golden highlights. Its aroma is intense, very complex and rich with tones of elegant white flowers like acacia, citrus fruits and hazelnuts. The flavor is balanced dry, lingering, velvety and delicate.

ABOUT: The vines have been grown for 3000 years and today the Braggiotti family uses modern technology alongside old traditions. Under the direction of the great enologist, together with Jean- François Coquard, a graduate from Burgundy University, a great Pinot Noir (Noir) and a Chardonnay Blanc of the highest level were created. The wines produced here are among the most refined internationally.

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TOP FRENCH WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: CHATEAU DES CAPITANS 2009

NAME: POULLY FUISSE- LOUIS LATOUR

FOUNDED: 1964

FOUNDED: 1797

VINEYARD: Les Vins Georges Duboeuf

VINEYARD: Louis Latour

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 390 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 37 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 30,000 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Georges Duboeuf

WINEMAKER: Denis Fetzmann

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Gamay, very thinskinned, light bodied grape that does well in Beaujolais.

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay

REGION: Julienas, Beaujolais is technically part of Burgundy.

ALCOHOL: 13% TASTING NOTES: Deep red color. Its intense, its nose offers an array of fruits, from strawberry, peach to raspberry and black currant, with a subtle touch of spicy clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. A bit oaky and dry at the end.

ABOUT: The land on which the tiny Chateau des Capitans estate sits has history dating back to Roman times. The property was considered a strategic headquarters by the leaders of the Roman armies in the area, hence the name “Capitan.” For over 40 years Georges Duboeuf has been the Beaujolais region's most renowned négociant and is today regarded in the wine world as the "King of Beaujolais.”

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REGION: Burgundy Mâconnais Appellation: Pouilly-Fuissé ALCOHOL: 13% TASTING NOTES: Green-gold color, and delicate aromas on the nose which bears notes of white flowers, such as acacia, that are disarmingly seductive. On the palate there is round and full herbal and fruity notes that complements the crisp-peppery acidity leading to a satisfying finish.

ABOUT: The Latour family founded the 'Maison de négoce', an important shipping company, in 1797, having passed down from father to son for over ten generations, it’s still one of the most important family run institutions in Burgundy. It was from this region that the Grandfather of the current Louis Latour sought out high-quality and good-value wines to export to the American market. This wine was called "Grand Pouilly" or as we call it today, PouillyFuissé.

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TOP US WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: CEJA NAPA VALLEY 2007

NAME: CHATEAU MONTELENA 2011

FOUNDED: 1986

FOUNDED: 1882

VINEYARD: Ceja Vineyards

VINEYARD: Chateau Montelenas

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 113 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 254 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 120.000 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Armando Ceja

WINEMAKER: Bo Barrett

GRAPE VARIETY: Cabernet Sauvignon

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Riesling

REGION: Silverado Trail-La Loma Vineyard

REGION: Calistoga AVA

ALCOHOL: 13.9%

ALCOHOL: 11%

TASTING NOTES: Aromas of spiced smoky rum, toasted plums and bright cranberries. The palate showcases seductively elegant rich fruit building to a full, mouth filling, with a round finish with a powerful yet subtle grip. Its flavors are savored in every sip and its finish reflects well structured and long lasting tannins.

TASTING NOTES: Pale gold in color, it opens up with floral aromas of honeysuckle and candied orange, layered with pear, spicy honey, and rich melon. Flavors of lemon zest and tart mandarins lead the way and are followed by light stone fruits, honey, and poached pear - all rounded off with a warm, subtle, spicy finish.

ABOUT: Amelia Ceja-leads a team that has turned a small family owned vineyard into a wine power-house that today releases only award-winning wines under the Ceja label.

Ceja’s team planted their first vines back in 1986 and 2 years later they had their 1st vintage. They know first-hand that wine is made in the vineyard and have a profound respect for farming.

ABOUT: Chateau Montelena was founded by entrepreneur Alfred Tubbs its a Napa Valley winery, which is most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic “1973 Judgement of Paris" wine competition. Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay was in competition with nine other wines from France and California under blind tasting. A fictionalized version of Chateau Montelena's historic victory was featured in the 2008 film Bottle-Shock.

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TOP CHILEAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: LAPOSTOLLE CUVEE ALEXANDRE 2010

NAME: CASA SILVA COOL COAST 2012

FOUNDED: 1994

FOUNDED: 1912

VINEYARD: San Jose de Apalta

VINEYARD: Paredones Vineyard

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 370 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: N/A

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 200,000 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Odeth Ulloa / Michele Roland

WINEMAKER: Ignacio Maturana

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Syrah

GRAPE VARIETY: Sauvignon Blanc

REGION: Colchagua Valley

REGION: Paredones - Colchagua - Chile

ALCOHOL: 15.3%

ALCOHOL: 13%

TASTING NOTES: A dark, ripe red-looking wine. The aromas reflect an elegant fruity rich and ripe character. Its palate reflects a combination of rich dark cherries with intense creamy flavors with refined and long lasting tannins.

TASTING NOTES: Its aromas are refreshing and intensely savory-herbal. The aromas reflect on the palate with sophisticated additions of refreshing citrus with tropical fruit tones. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definetely a wine of elegant mineral and cool coastal influence.

ABOUT: The Syrah parcels are located on the slopes on the coastal cordillera along the Tinguirrica river which influeces the character of the wine. The Marnier Lapostolle family has also been involved in winemaking for generations. This family chose Chilean terroir and quality to create world-class wines using French expertise from international wine legend and consultant Michel Rolland.

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ABOUT: The winery is 6 km away from the Chilean Pacific Ocean. This family-owned estate is the oldest vineyard in the Colchagua Valley with modern facilities. The Silva Family have passed their history and traditions from generation to generation, being the latest one to have achieved an unprecedented international following for the quality of their wines. Paredones are located in a pioneering region for the production of wines of high quality.

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TOP PORTUGUESE WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO NAME: QUINTA DA ROMANEIRA 2009 FOUNDED: 2004 VINEYARD: Quinta da Romaneira TOTAL AREA OWNED: 85 acres TOTAL PRODUCTION: 20,000 bottles WINEMAKER: Antonio Agrellos GRAPE VARIETY: Touriga Nacional 60% Touriga Franca 40%

WHITE BLANCO NAME: LEACOCK’S RAINWATER MADEIRA - NV FOUNDED: 1913 VINEYARD: Leacock’s- Madeira Wine Co. TOTAL AREA OWNED: N/A TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A WINEMAKER: N/A GRAPE VARIETY: Tinta Negra Mole REGION: Madeira - Portugal

REGION: DOC Duoro - Portugal

ALCOHOL: 19.5%

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

TASTING NOTES: The grapes are collected from several small terraces that sit along the steep slopes of the island. Surely an experience to remember why Madeira can be one of the most amazing dessert wines. It’s medium amber in color. The intense flavors reveal an explosion of candied citrus with hazelnuts blended toffee and dates with a luscious earthy aftertaste.

TASTING NOTES: The nose is intensely concentrated with fruit and delicate aromatics, it is characterized by the balance and finesse of a great wine. Spicy wild floral nose, voluptuous fruit, powerful structure with a long lasting refreshing finish.

ABOUT: Based on the name, it is said this vineyard dates to Roman times. Records show that in 1872 the auction house Christies auctioned ports of Romaneira. Today Touriga Nacional still represents the majority of the plantings at Romaneira (about 40%) and is a key element in the best wines. The property is one of the largest and moderns in the region.

ABOUT: Madeira has been a classic fortified since the 18th centuries and was the wine with most demand. Today Madeira is becoming cool again. John Leacock sailed to Madeira from the United Kingdom (after the death of his father) in 1741 and at the age of 15 became the youngest apprentice at the firm of Madeira merchants. Leacock's today is one of the four main brands in the company together with Blandy's, Cossart Gordon and Miles.

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TOP ARGENTINEAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: CATENA ALTA MALBEC 2010

NAME: TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES 2009

FOUNDED: 1902

FOUNDED: 1999

VINEYARD: Angelica Vineyard

VINEYARD: Terrazas de los Andes

TOTAL AREA OWNED: N/A

TOTAL AREA OWNED: N/A

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 9,600 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Alejandro Vigil

WINEMAKER: Adrian Meyer

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Malbec

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay

REGION: Mendoza-Argentina

REGION: Tupungato - Argentina

ALCOHOL: 14%

ALCOHOL: 13%

TASTING NOTES: Color is dark violet with a dark hue. Its nose brings complex flavors of black currant and dark berries, floral tones of violets. Palate shows intense spicy plumy and leathery flavors. Persistant tannins are silky well-balanced. The finish is refreshing and slightly citrus.

TASTING NOTES: Sraw pale yellow with green hue, On the nose is tropical with pineapple, peaches and ends with a delicious lemony note. On the palate shows off a well structured barrel aging personality with cocoa and hazelnuts flavors, coupled with a balanced acidity.

Great example of a chardonnay of high altitude at 3,900 feet above sea level.

ABOUT: In 1902 the Catenas were the pioneers to introduce for the first time the French grape Malbec in Mendoza. Fourth-generation winemaker Nicolรกs Catena continued revolutionizing Argentine wine introducing high altitude Malbec to the world. Every year Bodegas Catena brings only high quality wines with several varietals internationally.

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ABOUT: This winery is an estate of the Moet Hennesy Wine Division. A team effort of Argentineans and French winemakers to carve out the quality, style and evolution of their wines and vineyards. They are united by their craftsmanship and understanding of high-altitude winemaking.

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TOP GREEK WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: SAMOS MUSCAT ANTHEMIS 2006

NAME: MOSCHOFILERO BOUTARI 2012

FOUNDED: 1934

FOUNDED: 1879

VINEYARD: Union of Vinicultural Cooperative

VINEYARD: Mantinia

TOTAL AREA OWNED: N/A

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 37 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

WINEMAKER: Cooperative of Samos

WINEMAKER: Yiannis Voyatziz

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Muscat Blanc

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Moschofilero

REGION: Samos - Greek

REGION: AOC Mantinia - Greece

ALCOHOL: 15%

ALCOHOL: 11%

TASTING NOTES: Dark thick color with aromas of honeycomb, butterscotch candy, fruit preserves, and cherries and traces of cocoa and chocolate. Those elements travel directly into its rich palate.

TASTING NOTES: Clear and pale in color with vegertable-green hints. On its nose focusing on white flowers and citrus. On the palate its chalky acidity that comes from the soil balances elegantly the blend of the fuity and floral personality of the grape. The most popular wines of Greece and abroad. Wines here are fresh, aromatic, and dry expressions of the Moschofilero grape and the volcanic soil.

ABOUT: This coop is one of the oldest of Greece's top producers of the island's famous Muscat. Samos boasts an extremely steep terrain, the vineyards here, at high elevation, are planted on terraces. Every single grape is hand picked. The muscat wine “SAMOS,” has guaranteed appelation of origin at an altitude of 900 meters with a controlled low yield production.

ABOUT: Following the departure of Yannis Boutari, Konstantinos Boutari, the new Chairman. Since 1999, the fifth generation of the family has taken its place in the business.

Boutari Estate wineries are only at selected appellations in Greece. Mantinia is located in the center of the Peloponnese. There the high-lying plateau is planted with Moschofilero vines.

Vines reach 600 meters in altitude. Today this winery is the area’s most up-to-date winery.

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TOP AUSTRIAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: LETH GIGAMA 2008

NAME: PICHLER KRUZLER RIESLING 2011

FOUNDED: 2004

FOUNDED: 1998

VINEYARD: Altwein

VINEYARD: D체rnsteiner Fraueng채rten

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 85 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 7 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 20,000 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 65,000 Bottles

WINEMAKER: Franz & Erich Leth

WINEMAKER: Erich Krutzler/ Elisabeth Pichler-Krutzler

GRAPE VARIETY: Zweigelt REGION: Wagram - Austria ALCOHOL: 14.5% TASTING NOTES: Produced only in exceptional vintages. On the nose raspberry and strawberries are found. On the palate shows a juicy red fruity and elegant oaky character. its acidity and earthy mineral tones from the terroir lingers. Its an elegant, sophisticated yet simple Zweigelt based wine.

ABOUT: The winery sits in a rocky outcrop which stretches across the north bank of the Danube all the way from Krems to east of Vienna, is the distinct location where the grapevines grow. Only 1/3 of Leth's vineyards are dedicated to black grape varieties, predominantly Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. Red wine production has increased dramatically.

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GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Riesling REGION: Wachu - Niederosterreich - Austria ALCOHOL: 14% TASTING NOTES: Bright green-yellow. Peppery herbal and savory flavors. With a powerful citrus minerality, apple, pear and peach fruity elements with a fine buttery touch. A long spicy finish.

ABOUT: Elisabeth Pichler-Krutzler from the Wachau and Erich Krutzler from the Burgenland founded their own wine estate in the Wachau Valley in 2006. Both husband and wife originated from famous wine-making families. Together, they craft wines of great soul and individuality, based on a respect for nature and sustainable viticultural practice.

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TOP GERMAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: BURGEL SPÄTBURGUNDER 2011

NAME: MAXIMIM GRUNHAUSER T. 2011

FOUNDED: 1789

FOUNDED: 1998

VINEYARD: Altwein

VINEYARD: The Herremberg - 19 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 4 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 84 acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: N/A

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 1,200 Bottles

WINEMAKER: Klaus-Peter Keller

WINEMAKER: Dr. Carl von Schubert

GRAPE VARIETY: Pinot Noir

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Riesling

REGION: Rheinhessen - Germany

REGION: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

ALCOHOL: 13%

ALCOHOL: 14%

TASTING NOTES: This wine was made from 30% whole clusters from 2011. It offers a deep and very classy bouquet of red and black cherries, it’s a bit chewy with notes of cocoa butter, lovely earthy tones blended with new oak. On the palate the wine is medium-full, with a rich core of fruit, impressive focus and balance, nascent complexity and a long, elegant and gently tannic finish.

TASTING NOTES: Its transparent but thick.

On the nose is elegant displaying herbal, savory character. It’s nose reflects on the palate with rich fruity elements of candied orange and ginger peels. Finishing with a refreshing herby attack with evident firm acidity.

ABOUT: Bürgel is located to the west of Dalsheim on a south-east-inclined slope. It is known locally as the Burgundy of Rheinhessenbecause the quality of Pinot-Noir grown there.

Its already evident that winemaker Klaus-Peter has established already the standards for Spä t burgunder at very high levels. His wines only get better.

ABOUT: The Grünhaus estate was densely settled even in Roman times. The Maximin Grünhaus estate lies at the foot of a long steep south-facing slope on the left bank of the Ruwer river, about two kilometers before it joins the Mosel. The estate belongs to the Von Schubert family and is divided into three separate but contiguous vineyards: the Abtsberg, the Herrenberg and the Bruderberg. Dr. Carl von Schubert, who now runs the business, comes from the fifth generation of the family. His doctoral thesis examined the economy of viticulture on steep slopes.

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wine buying guide LATINCONNOISSEUR

TOP MEXICAN WINES TO BUY NOW RED TINTO

WHITE BLANCO

NAME: ROLU 2010

NAME: MONTE XANIC S.B. 2011

FOUNDED: 2007

FOUNDED: 1998

VINEYARD: Vinedo 105.5

VINEYARD: Vina Kristel

TOTAL AREA OWNED: 8 acres

TOTAL AREA OWNED: acres

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 6,240 bottles

TOTAL PRODUCTION: 48,000 Bottles

WINEMAKER: Luis Rodriguez

WINEMAKER: Erich Krutzler/ Elisabeth Pichler-Krutzler

GRAPE VARIETY: Tempranillo 40%, Nebbiolo 40% & Cabernet Sauvignon 20%

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

REGION: San Vicente, B.California, México

REGION: Valle de Guadalupe - Mexico

ALCOHOL: 13%

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

TASTING NOTES: Deep color with aromas of blackberries, cherries, prunes, rose petals and tobacco. The fruity aroma expression reflects on its palate with berries, cherries, and prune rich flavors which are blended with herbal and woodsy elements of vanilla and caramel. The finish is round and persistant.

TASTING NOTES: Light pale straw with a see-through clarity. Brings classic varietal aromas of grapefruit, tangerine and herbal notes.

On the palate has a citrus elegant style followed with refreshing acidity and tropical finish of passion fruit and pineapple.

ABOUT: Legendary winemaker Chuck Wagnerproducer of "Caymus"- has taken it under his vinos Wagner's portfolio. Napa Valley winemaker and Mexican native Luis Rodriguez recently released his first wine from a vineyard he planted in Mexico’s northern Baja California or known as the Napa Valley of Mexico. A totally visionary move. "Luis came up through the ranks due to his love for wine. I consider him one of the top winemakers in the world today,” says Chuck Wagner.

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ABOUT: They have been making wines for 20 years now, proving that perseverance and high standards pay off. Today they produce one of the best wines in Mexico consolidating a brand that today is the benchmark of the Mexican Wine Industry. The Valle de Guadalupe is Mexico's most prestigious wine region, and home to 90% of the top wines of Mexico. Monte Xanic uses the latest technology to create the ideal conditions wine-making. Grapes are handpicked by night.