Jumeirah | April 2017

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Private dining The epicureans' guide to throwing the perfect dinner party

Designer style

The creative collective behind Jumeirah Al Naseem

Spin-off

Former pro cyclist David Millar on his ride to the top

Emma StonE The Oscar-winning actress on singing and dancing her way to worldwide stardom

@HazarHauteCouture

Getty Images

April 2017

Jumeirah Magazine Jumeirah Corporate Office, Al Sufouh Rd, PO Box 73137, Dubai, UAE, Tel: +971 4 366 5000, Fax: +971 4 366 5001.

Website: www.jumeirah.com Jumeirah is a trading name of Jumeirah International LLC. A Limited Liability company.

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Jumeirah International LLC its affiliates, parent companies and subsidiaries (“Jumeirah Group”) and the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication for whatever reason, however caused.

The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of Jumeirah Group or of the publishers.

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Editor-in-Chief

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing Partner & Group Editor

lan Fairservice Editorial Director

Gina Johnson Group Editor

Sophia Serin Deputy Editor

Nina Catt

Contents

Senior Editorial Assiatant

Cecilia D’Souza Designer

Hiral Kapadia Picture Editor

Diana Bell-Heather

This Month

Contributors

Gareth Rees, Faye Rowe, Claire Hill, Tahira Yaqoob, Andy Sherwood, Conor Purcell, Danae Mercer

19 City watch Discover the most exciting events of the month

General Manager – Production

S Sunil Kumar Production Manager

R Murali Krishnan

26 Monitor Essential news and previews

Production Supervisor

Venita Pinto Chief Commercial Officer

Anthony Milne

Featured

Group Sales Manager

Ziad Saleh ziad@motivate.ae

30 On a roll Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone on her bold journey to stardom

For Jumeirah

Charlie Taylor

34 Dinner with drama Global epicureans share their recipe for the perfect dinner party

Head Office: Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, PO Box 2331, Dubai UAE, Tel: +971 4 427 3000, E-mail: motivate@motivate.ae

38 Virtual reality With changes in the way we work, we explore the world’s best co-working spaces

Dubai Media City: Office 508, 5th Floor, Building 8, Dubai, UAE, Tel: +971 4 390 3550, Fax: +971 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, UAE, Tel: +971 2 677 2005, Fax: +971 2 677 0124, E-mail: editor-wo@motivate.ae London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK, E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

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42 Riding into the light Former pro cyclist David Millar talks about the highs and lows of life in the saddle

April 2017

Contents 52

Lifestyle 48 In the bag The much-awaited Metiers d’Art collection by Chanel has arrived 52 Icons of time Premium watch houses remake some of the finest vintage timepieces 56 A connoisseur’s guide to caviar From sustainable harvesting to how to eat it, all you need to know about caviar

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60 Art in residence An exclusive insight into the design of Jumeirah Al Naseem

Travel 66 Spring fling Inside Frankfurt’s Spring Dippemess family-friendly funfair 72 Insiders’ guide to Shanghai Life with the locals of one of China’s busiest and most bustling cities 78 Dine with a difference The best tasting menus and degustation delights 80 Featured spaces Summersalt beach club, Jumeirah Al Naseem 82 The high life Cap Roig, Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel and Spa, Mallorca

MahallatiJewellery

MahallatiJewellery

Mrs.Mahallati

City Watch

Key dates for your diary

Dubai

Super Size ME April 6 to 8 Whether you are a committed cosplayer or a casual viewer of superhero franchises and fantasy TV shows, the Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) is one of the biggest events of the year in Dubai. This year’s extravaganza promises celebrity guests (Heroes’ Greg Grunberg and Game of Thrones’ Liam Cunningham), leading comic book artists, including Simone Bianchi, who has worked for both DC Comics and Marvel Comics, star cosplayers and local artists Andrew Clemson and Saeed Arjumand.

Middle east Film and Comic Con, World trade Centre, dubai. mefcc.com

World In MotIon April 7 New Order, one of the most successful British indie bands of the 1980s, makes its Middle Eastern debut with a performance in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. The Dubai gig will mark the start of the band’s Easter tour. new order, dubai duty Free tennis Stadium, dubai. neworder.com

Funny MAn compiled by Gareth Rees / Images: Getty

April 20 to 22 British comic Russell Howard brings his “biggest ever live tour” to Dubai. The awardwinning stand-up, best known

AFFordAble Art

for his popular UK television

April 12 to 15

show Russell Howard’s Good

The third edition of World Art Dubai hosts more than 150

News, will perform three nights

international galleries selling work by artists from across the

in Dubai College’s auditorium.

globe, ranging in price from $100 to $20,000. There is also a

Knock Knock It’s russell

schedule of art-related activities, including talks and workshops.

Howard, dubai College

World Art dubai, World trade Centre, dubai.

Auditorium, dubai. 117live.com

worldartdubai.com

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Abu DhAbi/istAnbul

Jazz It Up April 18 Grammy award-winning jazz singer Dianne Reeves performs in Istanbul’s Zorlu Centre.

Reeves is regarded by some as the natural successor to jazz legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone.

Dianne Reeves, Zorlu PSM, Istanbul. diannereeves.com

STAR WITh ThE X-FACToR April 28 British singer-songwriter Olly Murs performs for the first time in the UAE in the Du Forum. A runner-up on the British TV talent show The X-Factor in 2009, Murs has since become an international star, producing five hit albums, including 2016’s 24 Hrs. olly Murs, Du Forum, Abu Dhabi. duforum.ae

Solo ShoW Until April 29 Istanbul’s Galeri Nev presents Tea Time, a solo exhibition of Turkish video artist Ali Kazma’s triptych video work. Kazma filmed Tea Time, which explores the concepts of time and space, in Istanbul’s Pasabahce glass factory.

Tea Time, Galeri Nev, Istanbul. galerinevistanbul.com

Community Art Until May 26 New York University Abu Dhabi’s art gallery is showing the exhibition But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community, 1988-2008. It celebrates the work of a community of experimental UAE artists known as “the five”, including the late Hassan Sharif, Hussain Sharif, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Abdullah Al Saadi and Mohammed Kazem, as well as video interviews and work by other UAE-based artists, including Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Jos Clevers and Vivek Vilasini.

But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community, 1988-2008, NYUAD Art Gallery, Abu Dhabi. nyuad-artgallery.org

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frankfurt/Shanghai

Folk Hero april 25 Music icon Bob Dylan continues his Never Ending Tour – he has been on the road since 1988, if you ignore the brief break following a serious health scare in 1997 – with

Mena art

a performance at Festhalle

april 15 to June 11

Frankfurt. You never know

Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum and New York’s Guggenheim present the show But a Storm Is Blowing from Paradise: Contemporary Art of the Middle East and North Africa. The exhibition comprises one of the biggest collections of work from

what to expect from Dylan but seeing him live at least once in a lifetime is a must for any selfrespecting music fan.

Bob Dylan, Festhalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt. bobdylan.com

the Middle East and North Africa ever displayed in China.

But a Storm is Blowing from paradise: Contemporary art of the Middle east and north africa, rockbund art Museum, Shanghai. rockbundartmuseum.org

petrOlHeaDS april 9 The Shanghai International Circuit hosts the Chinese Grand Prix. Last year Nico Rosberg eased to victory in the second race of the Formula One season before going on to win the World Drivers’ Championship in Abu Dhabi - then retiring at his peak. His fellow drivers will be looking to match his success on a circuit

Spring FeStival april 7 to May 1

designed by German engineer Hermann Tilke

The residents of Frankfurt celebrate the arrival of spring with Spring Dippemess, a

to produce gripping races.

traditional folk fair with an arts and crafts market, fairground rides and the famous

Chinese grand prix, Shanghai international

Frankfurter sausage festival.

Circuit, Shanghai. grandprixevents.com

Spring Dippemess, Festplatz am ratsweg, Frankfurt. frankfurt-tourismus.de

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london

KEEPinG iT ShiPShaPE april 13 to 16 More than 30 tall ships will drop anchor in the River Thames

This British Life until June 11 The Photographers’ Gallery presents a selection of work by British photographer Roger Mayne. Famed for the images he created in the 1950s and 1960s – and in particular for his collection of photographs capturing life on Southam Street in London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood – Mayne was one of the most influential photographers of his generation. The

for the Tall Ships Festival over the Easter weekend. Step on board one of the vessels, enjoy a cruise, watch fireworks displays, enjoy maritime-themed activities in Maritime Greenwich and wave the ships and their crews off during the the Parade of Sail on Easter Sunday as they embark on the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta, a 7,000 nautical mile race to Quebec, Canada.

Tall Ships Festival, maritime Greenwich and Royal arsenal Woolwich, london. royalgreenwich.gov.uk/tallships

highlight of the exhibition is The British at Leisure, an installation comprising 310 images projected on five screens and a jazz score by tenor saxophonist Johnny Scott. It is the first time The British at Leisure has been exhibited since 1964.

Roger mayne, The Photographers’ Gallery, london. thephotographersgallery.org.uk

Family Fun april 1 to 17 Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson’s fairytale creatures the Moomins take over the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for Moomin Adventures this Easter. Take part in family-friendly activities and craft workshops, visit a Moomin camp in the woods, sample Moomin pancakes and on Easter Sunday, devour free Lindt chocolate. moomin adventures, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, london. kew.org

ThE lOnG RaCE hOmE april 23 The London Marathon, one of the races in the World Marathon Majors championship, is one of the most important events on the running calendar. The list of elite starters includes Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele and Kenya’s Mary Keitany, the second-fastest male and female marathon runners of all time respectively. Celebrity starters include double Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell, former Top Gear presenter Chris Evans and DJ Gilles Peterson, who will be joined by more than 6,000 runners on the 26-mile course.

London Marathon, various locations, London. virginmoneylondonmarathon.come

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football with the staRs Jumeirah has joined forces with Football Escapes, to bring former Premier League stars to Dubai and make family holidays extra special this April.

Former Manchester United and England defender, Rio Ferdinand and former Tottenham Hotspur, QPR, West Ham, Fulham and England forward, Bobby Zamora are set to host a two week soccer course for kids at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The courses will run from 9 - 15 April and 17 - 21 April 2017. Priced at $817 per child, per week, the package includes two training sessions per day and a full kit with shirt, shorts, socks, medal and a certificate at the end of the training. Available for 5-15 yearolds, the course is limited to 75 children per week.

For more information email JBHSportsActivities@jumeirah.com

Race to the finish line Cheer on the runners taking part in the London Marathon as they navigate the iconic 26-mile course taking in some of the city’s most prominent landmarks.

One of the most inspiring city marathons on the planet, the race attracts visitors from around the globe to witness everyone from top athletes to fun runners in fancy dress cross ing the finish line, raising vital money for charity in the process.

The mass race starts at 10am on Sunday, April 23 from Blackheath and Greenwich Park. All participants follow the designated route, which weaves its way through the city to the finish line on the Mall. It is best to avoid the busiest areas such as Greenwich town centre and the Cutty Sark as well as Tower Bridge, which can get extremely congested – think London in rush hour but busier. There are plenty of opportunities to catch a glimpse of the action, however, with fun entertainment such as live bands to enjoy along the way.

It is best to travel light as you probably will be standing for hours and can expect to do lots of walking due to road closures, which means comfortable shoes are a must.

Soap stars, sporting heroes, musicians and some of Britain’s most famous TV presenters, such as the TV presenter Chris Evans, ice-skating champion Jayne Torvill and double Olympic gold medallists Helen Glover and Heather Stanning will be running for their chosen charities this year.

The day will be a who's who of the great and the good running to raise funds for charity.

The Virgin London Marathon takes place on Sunday, April 23. virginmoneylondonmarathon.com

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monitor

On the fast track Watch the world’s top racing drivers battle it out for a place on the podium at the 2017 Formula One Heineken Chinese Grand Prix taking place at Shanghai International Circuit.

This high-octane event is a highlight of the city’s sporting and social calendar with spectators out in force to enjoy all the action on the track, which provides even the most seasoned drivers with a challenge. Designed by circuit architects Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl, the 5.4-kilometre track, which was unveiled in 2004, makes high demands on the drivers and their cars due to its numerous winding turns. The track is also celebrated for its high-speed straights offering crucial overtaking opportunities, making it an especially nail-biting experience for the fans. Michael Schumacher holds the lap record – just over 1.32 minutes – set in 2004.

The main grandstand has 29,000 seats offering spectacular views across the track, which is shaped like the Chinese character shang, meaning high or above. Other symbols represented in the architecture originate from Chinese history, such as the team buildings arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai.

Those who want a five-star experience can buy tickets for the Formula One Paddock Club, which is located above the pits and opposite the start line.

As well as boasting the best position, ticket holders can enjoy access to the pit lanes and watch all the qualifying sessions as well as enjoy the drivers' track parade and starting grid presentation.

The 2017 Formula One Heineken Chinese Grand Prix taking place at Shanghai International Circuit from April 7 to 9. formula1.com

scaling the dunes Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae, Ari Vatenan and Heinz Kinigadner are among the motorsports stars who have navigated the UAE’s desert dunes for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Image: Getty

This year, the 27th installment of the gripping cross-country event will mark the opening round of the 2017 FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship and the third round of the 2017 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup. While previous challenges have seen motorbike, quad bike, four-wheel and truck competitors battle it out in cross-emirate stages, in recent years the course has migrated mainly to the gruelling terrain of the Liwa desert in the Empty Quarter. Last year’s winners included Qatar’s Nasser al Attiyah, who captured the cars title for a second time and Australia’s Toby Price, who secured the Desert Challenge bikes crown – impressive for his debut at the event.

It is a real thrill to watch the expert drivers zooming over the sands.

The Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE usually organises viewing points along the route, which are accessible in a four-wheel drive. Those who want to witness all the action up close can mingle with the competitors at the dedicated desert camp.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is taking place from April 1 to 6. abudhabidesertchallenge.com

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Photo: Michael Kruger

LamaFurs_LLC

Featured 30 Emma Stone

The Oscar winner spills her secrets about being in the spotlight

34 Dinner with drama Global epicureans talk show stopping suppers

38 Virtual reality

The new way to work, network and create

42 Riding into the light

Image: Getty

Exclusive interview with former pro cyclist David Millar

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Jason Adams / The Interview People

featured: Emma StonE

on a roll Oscar-winning actress emma Stone on her bold journey to stardom, training for roles and finding happiness

Riding high on her recent Oscar win for Best Actress in La La Land, Emma Stone is a woman at the top of her game. Her consistently modest attitude to success, sense of humour and down-to-earth personality, however, is what endears her to fans.

“I still have a lot of growing and learning and work to do,” she said in her acceptance speech as she referenced the “extraordinary” women who were also nominated for the accolade: Isabelle Huppert, Ruth Negga, Natalie Portman and Meryl Streep. She also took time to thank Ryan Gosling, who has become something of a serial co-star and plays her love interest Sebastian in the film.

Despite playing it cool, Stone’s award win was well-earned with her portrayal of struggling actress Mia courting widespread acclaim from reviewers and audiences alike. Her authentic representation of the character was no doubt aided in part by her own experiences of the acting world.

Stone moved to Los Angeles when she was 15 – something she looks back on as a particularly bold move.

“I moved to audition to act,” she says. “I do not think I had a huge long-term plan with it. It was just before pilot season so I was auditioning for that but all the auditions dried up. I didn’t get the parts in anything and then I got no auditions, which is actually worse than auditions where you get rejected.

“It is a terrible feeling when you are living in a place and that is all you want to do and nobody is sending you any auditions,” she says. “So that happened and that was my first period [doing] that and there was the thought of: ‘Am I going to go back home now?’ because I’m being home-schooled and I’m 15. Then I saw a commercial for In Search of the Partridge Family on VH1 and I had not auditioned for anything in three months so I thought I would go to the open call.”

Thankfully Stone ended up getting the part, which is how she met her manager, Doug Wald, whom she is still with to this day.

“Strangely that sort of solidified me staying in LA and then auditions became more frequent,” she says. “But yeah, at the beginning, I don’t really know what the intention or the long-term plan was when I moved there.”

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Image: Getty

‘‘

featured: Emma StonE

‘‘

as an actor, doing a good job is when I feel like there is nothing more I could have done and that I have really let it all go. as a person, it is when I feel at peace as that is when I feel happiest

Support from the sidelines

Honing her craft

While the audition process in Hollywood sounds particularly gruelling, convincing her parents to let her strike out on her own must have been the toughest job of all.

Throughout her career, Stone has been attracted to roles with depth and meaning. “With work, I have always tried not to judge it by the size or the scale of the project,” she says. “It really comes down to story and character and who is directing it. The bigger the film, the more scared I tend to be – but not really in the way that it would feel like selling out for commercial reasons. I know I have never gone into something for the wrong reasons, workwise. That does not mean it turned out the way I was expecting but I try to always follow that feeling. I don’t think I could work on something that I didn’t feel was in some way creatively inspiring.”

“It’s pretty nuts,” she admits. “A lot of things combined, I think, to enable that to happen. I was incredibly lucky that my dad was instantly supportive. It was a little bizarre. I had done 16 plays at the youth theatre and I was just obsessed with acting and loved it. And he was like: ‘Well that’s that – she’s gotta go!’

And my mum was like: ‘Okay, we’re going to take a second to talk about this.’

“I think my parents have both had experiences in their lives of sudden loss so they both like to seize the day and say that if you know what your dream is then you should work to achieve it. They have this sort of mentality that has always been instilled in me that if you know something, you go for it.

So they support me in that way. I was incredibly lucky that financially they were able to help me do that because otherwise it would have been impossible. That has been an opportunity and a gift that I do not take for granted in any way. But also their mentality was that if I love it then I have to try it.”

Stone’s first film role was in Super Bad, during what would have been her senior year of high school. “Had my parents said that I should stay and finish high school like a normal human being – not that I wasn’t normal but you know what I mean – I don’t think that opportunity would have happened,” she says.

“The casting director for the movie, Allison Jones, who casts a lot of great comedies, had seen me a lot over a three-year period. I had done test things for her and they did not work out. She called me on a Friday evening for Super Bad and said: ‘Can you come in on a Saturday just to do this quick thing on camera, I have a feeling that this thing might work.’ And it did. It changed my life. So, going back to La La Land, I also relate to that in Mia – having that amazing person who kept an eye out for me and took a chance on me personally. So yeah, that whole thing all combined to be this crazy unique experience.”

Stone’s next project is Battle of the Sexes, based upon the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs (played by Steve Carell), which became the most watched televised sports event of all time. “I had to learn to play tennis – to a point,” she says. “I also had an incredible professional tennis-playing body double so I was trying not to be a hero because there is nothing worse than watching a sports movie where the actors are not good at the sport. But I did my best to learn her serve, her backhand and to play with a wooden racket. In terms of the character, Billie Jean was married to her husband at that time. She had also just started the Women’s Tennis Association and was fighting for equal pay for women. She was a real revolutionary and such an iconic human being. It is my first time playing a real person and it was right after La La Land, which could not be more different, in a way, but also required the same amount of focus and rehearsal. It was incredible.”

With so many diverse roles that require her to give so much of herself, it must be difficult for the actress to judge when she has done a good job.

“I think one of the reasons I wanted to be an actor is because there are parts of me that are very self-conscious and anxious,” she says. “I like to be in control and it is a job that asks you to not do that and to really be vulnerable and let it go. So as an actor, doing a good job is when I feel like there is nothing more I could have done and that I have really let it all go. As a person, it is when I feel at peace as that is when I feel happiest.”

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Dinner with Drama Global epicureans share their recipe for the perfect dinner party

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FeatureD: Private Dining

Keep it casual

Help guests feel at home

Sarah Walton lives in Dubai and runs the food blog The Hedonista. She is also a former restaurant manager and sommelier.

Stephanie Brookes is a food expert and BBC Radio London contributor who is based in London.

“Plus, the average person knows more about food than they did 30 years ago. It is harder to impress with technique and finery and guests know more about ingredients. They are more likely to be blown away by foraged mushrooms and Balik salmon than by a carved watermelon or seven-layer salad.

“I love to keep things simple.

I have a 12-seater dining table and a garden with good space for dining so I host many dinner parties at home. I trained as a sommelier so it is guaranteed there will be very good wine and that it will match the food. I hate cooking after my guests arrive so usually work with dishes that have most of the work done in the preparation stage, such as slowcooked meat, whole fish in the oven and salads that only need to be arranged and dressed. Or I work on dishes that feature champion ingredients served raw or that can be cooked in a couple of minutes, like scallops on the shell, grilled mushrooms with truffles, hot-smoked salmon or oozing burrata. I like to serve banquetstyle in the middle of the table as it means I only need to make one plate of each dish look beautiful. I like the way it involves all guests and makes the food service more convivial.

“For the perfect mix of guests, either invite very different people or people of the same ilk. It all depends on the diners. Dinner parties require conversation and lots of it. There is no loud music to fill awkward pauses and there is also no chance to nip off to another corner of the room if someone offends or bores you. I love sitting next to outrageous characters I do not know very well or people whom I adore but have not seen in ages.

The former provides a vision into a life I would never experience and the latter will keep me gossiping and giggling all night. I don't like being seated next to debaters, those who get political, religious, self-righteous or argumentative. I am quite opinionated myself so it can ruin a night for me or result in very loud conversation that ruins it for everyone else.”

To keep up with Sarah’s foodie adventures, see thehedonista.com

“I love putting together dinner parties where I introduce new friends for the first time and whom I know are going to get along. In terms of a wish list, I would invite some of my favourite culinary personalities such as Padma Lakshmi, Ted Allen, Anthony Bourdain, April Bloomfield and Gordon Ramsay. I think the mixture of world-class chefs and culinary experts would make a fabulous evening.

“During the warmer spring months, I would serve cocktails and a light supper in my garden. I love more relaxed evenings where guests can help themselves and it doesn't seem too formal. I also enjoy buffet-style food as it saves being in a hot kitchen all night. I would make my vegetable frittata bites – my go-to dish – heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella and pesto bruschetta, as well as chicken skewers marinated in chilli, lime, ginger and garlic. I would also call upon my expert dinner guests to rustle up some fabulous dishes in the kitchen.

“I have noticed cocktail-making is much more of an event at parties now and guests are being invited to join in as part of the evening activity. I remember a time when only wine was offered at parties, which always seemed a little dull but with cocktails now being such an integral part of the evening's entertainment, it livens up the party and offers much more choice drinks-wise.

“I always remind myself to ask guests beforehand if they have any special dietary requirements as I know how awkward it can be if they see a dish they cannot eat. I always want my guests to feel at home so I also like to find out what they do like and then I love to put a new spin on it. A friend has recently gotten into martinis so for my next dinner party, I am planning on making passion fruit martinis, which I hope will go down a treat.

“The best dinner party I have ever been to was a holiday party I threw a year ago. It was lovely to see friends who had not met before all interacting so well. I started the evening with a few cocktails as it is always guaranteed to get the conversation flowing. The whole evening was a lovely mixture of traditional foods, delicious drinks and fun party games and all seemed to go off without a hitch.”

Follow Stephanie on Instagram @stephbrookes or stephaniebrookes.com

Words: Faye rowe / Images: Getty

“The traditional dinner party is disappearing from the mainstream and most people keep it casual like I do. We live in apartments, work full time and have children we need to work around.

As a result most people do not have the time or opportunity to polish silver, iron napkins, arrange flowers, set a formal table, dish out four courses on individual plates to eight diners and then clean the whole lot up again.

I don't even know anyone who has the 32 matching plates one would need for such a thing. Not that we don't still like the pomp and ceremony, of course – we just don't need to go there anymore.

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Embrace the art of conversation Professional cook Jenny Gao lives in Shanghai and runs Flybyjing, a celebration of the vibrant street food culture of Sichuan.

“The best dinner parties are composed of a beautiful setting, simple and delicious food and a group of eclectic guests sharing laughter and conversation. I like to bring together my friends from different walks of life who are pushing boundaries and creating culture in their respective ways. If I could invite anyone my list would include Michael Lewis, Ta-nehisi Coats and Wendi Deng and I would sit next to Gloria Steinem and bask in all of her feminist glory.

“I would serve my kind of modern Sichuan cooking, sharing plates and big flavours that are perfect for a lively dinner party. Good cocktails and wine are essential so I would work with one of my favourite bartenders in the city to create bespoke drink pairings and host it in my studio in Shanghai. If it was a particularly nice summer evening, however, the ideal venue might be the garden of a villa in the French Concession.

Cook from the heart Jouni Ibrahim is executive oriental chef in the culinary department, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

“The best dinner party I ever attended was in Switzerland in 2009. It was part of a work trip with Jumeirah to learn about wine pairing and it was an incredible experience with amazing people in a stunning winter setting. I will always remember it. Today my perfect dinner party would be attended by guests from all over the world to ensure a diverse mixture of nationalities and I would serve modern Lebanese cuisine in Li Beirut restaurant in Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. Lebanese food is ideal for sharing as it is simple yet tasty and in Li Beirut, we take traditional cuisine to the next level by incorporating western influences to create signature dishes that wow diners. A must-try is the signature foie gras kebbeh starter.

“Underground supper clubs are all the rage now, popping up in London, New York, Paris and Shanghai. The best are those that exist around an ethos of community and shared values rather than just around the expression of food.

“Sustainability is a hot topic of conversation with Silicon Valley investors and chefs alike discussing how we harness the power of technology to improve our food systems while still celebrating the very human and communal qualities of our food. As you might expect, politics has also become a trendy dinner party talking point of late.

“Aside from good conversation, music is very important to me for setting the tone of a space and mood of my guests. For my next supper club with an oceanic theme, I will be playing a Spotify playlist with some chilled tropical vibes.”

To find out more about dinner parties and events by Flybyjing, visit flybyjing.com or follow Jenny on Instagram @flybyjing

“When I serve food I like to talk about each dish and how it has been created. A menu item can take up to six months to create so there is often a fascinating story behind each one that needs to be explained or an insight to offer about why it is being presented in a certain way.

“There is a trend toward healthy food being served at dinner parties and I think a selection of cold mezze captures this perfectly. For a very special event I would cook a meal in the desert where I could roast meat over a fire with traditional music and a belly dancer for entertainment to offer guests a snapshot of Arabian culture. A great dinner party could take place anywhere, whether it is in a restaurant or in the home.

“I am known to throw a good dinner party and often invite friends and colleagues to my home. I usually do all of the cooking but when there are a number of chefs in the mix we take it in turns to create the different courses, which adds an element of fun and excitement. It is actually a regular part of my life, which is why I like to create a different concept every time.

“One of the most recent dinner parties I organised was all about cheese and wine. I set out to impress with a five-course meal, which went very well. The best dish I served was the dessert – baked apple with gorgonzola, walnuts and apple jam with a hint of Baileys and caramel. It was delicious.

“Naturally, there is always a bit of pressure on me to impress my guests but the desire to make them happy is within me so I cook from the heart. For my next dinner party I am working on a concept around perfume and dessert to deliver an even richer sensory experience for my guests. I am looking forward to seeing what they have to say about it.”

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FeatureD: Private Dining

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gOUrMet SeCretS 1. Enjoy the best barbecue in the Maldives in a secluded beachfront setting complete with your own personal chef and server in the Jumeirah vittaveli. Call +960 664 2020 or email VittaveliLifestyle@jumeirah.com 2. Fans of Lebanese cuisine can consider booking the private dining room in Li Beirut in Jumeirah at etihad towers, abu Dhabi. From the foie gras kebbeh starter to the signature main course of zaatar-crusted rack of lamb accompanied by sweet potato and truffle, the menu is sure to be a hit. Call +971 2 811 5666 or email JADrestaurants@ jumeirah.com 3. For international cuisine served in an opulent setting, opt for the private dining room at Imperium at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai. Call +971 4 453 0444 or email jzsrestaurants@jumeirah.com 4. For a private dining experience in the heart of Frankfurt, head to Max on One in Jumeirah Frankfurt. The private dining area in this contemporary grill room is the ideal spot for enjoying a variety of specialities including meat, fish and vegetarian dishes with delicious sauces. Call +49 (0) 69 297 237 198 or email JFMaxOnOne@jumeirah.com 5. There are three private dining rooms available in the rib room Bar and restaurant at Jumeirah Carlton tower, London, each featuring the works of 20th Century artist Feliks Topolski. Head chef Simon Young can tailor a menu to suit your requirements upon request. Call +44 20 7858 5

7250 or email reservations@theribroom.co.uk

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Image: Getty

xxxxxxxxxx FeatuRe

Virtual reality Recent years have seen a change in the way we work, network and create. Conor Purcell explores some of the world’s best co-working spaces

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Jumeirah Emirates Towers - Biz Hub - Business Centre

What does how we work say about how we live and the society we live in? Quite a lot it would seem – particularly if you examine the rise of the co-working space, a very 21st century phenomenon.

Even two decades ago, the goal for most workers was to get the right job and work their way up the career ladder step by step. Start at the bottom and end up in the corner office on the 30th floor. A job for life was the expectation and the reality. Now, things are a little different. A recent report showed the average US worker spends less than 4.5 years in each job and as that timeframe shortens, expect more workers to embrace the freedom that co-working provides.

While the Industrial Revolution saw workers lose their autonomy – they were merely cogs in a machine – recent years have seen many companies place more value on workers’ decision-making. With everything from flexi-time to remote working becoming more commonplace, it is not surprising that a host of co-working spaces – some plush, some basic – have opened up across the world. The trend started in San Francisco in the mid-2000s when freelancers who supported the city’s tech industry wanted to work somewhere with the convenience of an office and more structure than a coffeeshop. Another factor was increasing rents becoming prohibitive for smaller companies, who saw co-working as a cost-effective solution for their workforce. Other cities followed suit and there are now thousands of co-working spaces around the world.

One of the most prominent of these spaces is WeWork, a New York-based company with more than 90,000 members across the world. The company claims 70 per cent of its members have worked together at some

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point, which illustrates one of the main reasons the phenomenon has been so successful. The knowledge economy might have come to prominence in recent years but who you know is as important as ever. The best of the co-working spaces highlight this fact by organising networking events where freelancers can get to know the people they share their space with.

Indeed many co-working spaces mirror the tech companies that many of their customers work for. Think open-plan, lots of comfy seating, a healthy, eclectic food menu and lots of extra-curricular activities on offer. Indeed, somewhere like Blix in the centre of Melbourne is beautifully designed (with wooden floors, Danish furniture, expensive coffee machines and showers) and looks like somewhere you would be happy to spend lots of time in.

However studies have shown that co-working space hallmarks – like the design features mentioned above – are far less important than their social structures, where workers feel a sense of individual autonomy that is still linked to a sense of collaboration.

So who are the men and women who join these spaces and breaking away from convention? They are writers, coders, illustrators, architects – anyone who freelances or runs a small business and finds home-working too inconvenient or isolating. A co-working space provides them with an informal network of colleagues and potential clients as well as moral and emotional support during the week.

There are other reasons to work in such a space, aside from the convenience. Many places combine co-working with start-up incubators, accelerators, funding schemes and mentorship support.

Feature

WeWork Fulton Center

Other types of co-working spaces will emerge. Witness the likes of Spacious in New York, which utilises spaces that are empty during the day, such as restaurants and theatres. Expect to see more co-working spaces owned by its members. As most co-working companies do not own the buildings they operate from, a hike in rent can see a profitable business model suddenly look unsustainable. Places such as The Foundry in Toronto crowd-fund the cost of the building, giving its members part-ownership and providing far more security for the members. Another future trend will be more big companies allowing their staff to co-work during the week. Already companies such as GE and Toyota allow their staff to work remotely part of the week in certain US cities, hoping some of the co-workers’ innovation will rub off on their staff. With the traits of a co-working lifestyle so attractive – independence, adaptability, flexibility – expect the co-working juggernaut to continue. Here are a few of the trendsetters:

WeWork, Global The undisputed leader in the co-working space with 90,000 members and 155 locations in 37 cities. It also launched a co-living space, We Live, on Wall Street last year. If rumours of a huge investment prove true, the company could soon be worth more than Snapchat. With spaces everywhere from Manhattan to Hong Kong, this is a company that is looking to grow. www.wework.com Cost: From $225 per month

blix SpaceS, Melbourne One of the most beautifully designed of any co-working space, Blix Spaces is one of Melbourne’s most popular sites. Large, open-plan

spaces are dotted with comfy upcycled furniture and state-of-the-art tech to ensure even the most demanding digital nomad is satisfied. www.blixspaces.com.au Cost: $45 per day

beachub, Thailand Located on Koh Phangan, an idyllic island off the southwest coast of Thailand, Beachub offers everything you would expect from a co-working space (meeting rooms, fast wifi) and spectacular sea views. Equally impressive is the restaurant: expect delicious, healthy food (homemade pumpkin soup, anyone?) and a friendly, laidback vibe. www.beachub.org Cost: $57 per week

iMpacT hub, london With four locations across London, Impact Hub is the standout of the city’s numerous co-working spaces. Part of its attraction lies in the services they provide to small businesses, from management consultants to hackathons and training sessions. www.impacthub.net Cost: From $120 a month

JuMeirah Jumeirah hotels are equipped with state-of-the-art business centres. From hi-speed wifi to conference rooms, concierge services and all office services, Jumeirah’s hotels offer all the convenience of your home office, whichever city you are staying in. www.jumeirah.com

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RiDing intO the light Former professional cyclist David Millar, who will ride in Dubai in October for one of his Jumeirah Ultimate Cycling holidays, talks about the highs and lows of life in the saddle

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Words: andy Sherwood / Photography: Jose trujillo and John Marsland

featured: david millar

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t

he winding, mountain road of Jebel Jais in Ras al Khaimah is an apt location to spend a day riding bikes with David Millar. The former professional cyclist experienced plenty of ups and downs of his own during a 17-year career racing with the sport’s elite, including stage wins in all three of cycling’s biggest races, the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, plus a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. But there were also dark days, including a two-year suspension for doping in 2004, something he discusses with candour in his 2011 book Racing Through The Dark. He returned in 2006 and raced clean until 2014. Since retiring, he has worked as a Tour de France television pundit and launched his own line of clothing called Chpt.III. Made in collaboration with Italian cycling brand Castelli, the simple, subtle colours and minimal branding are a far cry from his days wearing pro kit covered in sponsor logos. ‘I wanted to make something I would wear,” he says. “I had been advertising products since I was 16.”

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While the victories were coming thick and fast, Millar was also privy to the dark side of the sport. “Doping was thrown in my face at my very first race,” he says. “Discovering it was so prolific meant all those romantic ideas were thrown out of the window.” The pressure to win meant Millar did the unthinkable and took performance-enhancing drugs himself. “It was always the pressure. We all have different expectations and senses of duty and obligation. It is always the entourage around you that facilitates it – older pros, coaches.”

But Millar thinks getting caught in 2004 was the best thing to happen to him. “I was in a downward spiral. I hated the sport. I was not driven anymore, I was resentful. I had stopped doping but it was too late – I was having to lie as my team was getting embroiled in the doping scandal. I did not live with that well.”

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A bright young tAlent

rAcing through the dArk

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He has also joined forces with Jumeirah Group for a series of cycling holidays in Mallorca and the UAE, giving amateur riders the chance to cycle and chat with one of the biggest names in the sport in the past 30 years.

But Millar is quick to point out cyclists will not score points for beating the former pro on a climb. “I stay with the slowest rider and chat,” he smiles. “It is about finding new roads and having fun. I had the competitive spirit for 18 years but now I am a happy loser and enjoy these rides.”

Millar has Jumeirah trips planned for Mallorca this month and Dubai in October and spent three days in February riding Jais and roadtesting Dubai’s cycle track in Al Qudra. The October event will also include a ride with Dubai cycle club the Roadsters. “Al Qudra blew me away,” he adds. “You can teach people there and have fun.”

to wear the race’s coveted yellow jersey. It was the only time he wore it in his career. “I thought it was the beginning of a glorious career,” he says. “I did not realise the closest I would come [again] was in 2013 when I finished second by one second.”

It’s about finding new roads and having fun. I had the competitive spirit for 18 years but now I am a happy loser and enjoy these rides

A second chAnce

Millar returned to cycling in 2006, raced clean and helped create Slipstream, a pro team with a fierce anti-doping stance. “I went from being goalorientated to loving the journey and I was the ultimate pro,” he says. “I worked hard and enjoyed it. It was a privilege to have a second chance and I felt I had a duty to help younger versions of me. I won stages in Grand Tours and came second in the UCI [Union Cycliste Internationale] world championships and won gold at the Commonwealth Games for Scotland. It was exciting.”

But age overtook Millar and in 2014, he retired at 37 after failing to qualify for the Tour de France.

“I was reminded of the brutality of it. I was no longer good enough and I knew I had to get out.”

Born in Malta to Scottish parents, 40-yearold Millar has also lived in Scotland, England, Hong Kong, France and now resides in Spain with his family. He started riding in BMX competitions as a child in England and Hong Kong and then rode mountain bikes before turning to road bikes at the age of 14: “Some friends of mine told me I should ride road bikes and got me videos and magazines and brainwashed me.” One race in particular grabbed Millar’s attention – the Tour de France. “It seemed so romantic and far away. I had never seen mountains like that.”

While he might have lost that drive to win races or time trials, a new, equally driven Millar exists today – a devoted father and husband who wants to succeed in the business world. As well as bolstering his clothing line, he is releasing a bike this year made by Brompton and expanding on his relationship with Jumeirah. He also has a documentary out soon, Time Trial, about his last year as a pro. “I feel like I am 18 and driven again – this is my dream now.”

In 1997, at the age of 20, he signed with French outfit Cofidis and in 2000, he made his Tour de France debut. Not only did he race, he won the very first stage of the sport’s toughest event – a time trial – giving him a chance

David Millar’s Ultimate Cycling holidays take place this month in the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel and Spa in Mallorca and in October at the Jumeirah Al Naseem, Dubai. jumeirah.com

featured: david millar

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lifestyle 48 In the bag

Chanel accessories to set you apart from the pack

52 Icons of time

The world’s biggest watch brands reinvent the classics

56 A connoisseur’s guide to caviar

Everything you need to know about the world’s most expensive food

60 Art in residence

Image: Getty

The interior designers and artists in residence at Jumeirah Al Naseem

48 All accessories available at Chanel boutiques in May

in The bAg

The much-awaited Metiers d'Art, Paris Cosmopolite collection by Chanel has wowed the world with its stand out bags featuring delicate embroidery, ribbon embellishments and sequin's for days...

Compiled by: Sophia Serin

LifestyLe: accessories

Clutch embroidered with black and gold sequins

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Quote from wwd.com

You have to walk as if you are walking into a chic restaurant, convinced that you are the most beautiful and chicest woman in the world — which you are Karl Lagerfeld

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Minaudiere in black leather embroidered with gold sequins

LifestyLe: accessories

Minaudiere in black resin All accessories available at Chanel boutiques in May

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Icons of tIme

To cater to a growing demand for retrospective style, premium watch maisons are remaking vintage models.

Jumeirah highlights the most collectible pieces

Cameras flashed and crowds bustled as celebrities strolled along the red carpet. It was the 89th Academy Awards, the annual highlight of the film circuit.

There, poised among the chaos, was Oscar nominee Nicole Kidman.

Her dress was an embroidered cream, her makeup elegant with a red lipstick. And on her wrist? A vintage Omega watch from 1955, bedecked in 18k gold and diamonds.

Kidman is not the only one to have seized on the vintage watch trend. In an era of change, where everything from politics to economic markets are up in the air, old school is cool — possibly more than ever before.

Here are some of our favourItes

Cartier Panthere

Words: Danae Mercer

Fashion right now might be all about the 1990s but for Cartier, the 1980s are in. The brand has recently relaunched its 1980s Panthere. This ladies' timepiece draws on Cartier’s long love affair with the panther (an animal that has been a Cartier muse since 1914). A bracelet done in steel, gold or paved in diamonds lends the Panthere a solid jewellery touch.

Modern updates include a more waterproof exterior and a stronger link bracelet. Also interesting is the use of yellow gold — something suggesting this particular shade is coming back in style. cartier.com

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Bovet 19Thirty Fleurier While it might not be the most recent launch — this charming watch came out in late 2015 — the Bovet 19Thirty Fleurier is too vintage-inspired not to include here. The piece is based on the Bovet Easel Chronometer, a pocket watch from the 1930s. Particular significance comes from the fact that this was the last pocket watch to be manufactured

by Bovet before wristwatches became widespread. bovet.com

lifestyle: Watches

IWC Da Vinci In 1969, the first Da Vinci timepiece was unveiled featuring a gold bracelet, a hexagonal case and elongated hour markers.

Then the economy dropped and the price of gold shot up. Out came IWC’s steel and bicolour Da Vinci versions. Over the years, the hexagonal case was replaced with circles, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s favourite geometrical figures.

This year, IWC revisits the 1980s Da Vinci collection with a range of timepieces. The new range features the classic round case with some models updated through IWCmanufactured calibres. Two, the Da Vinci Automatic 36 and the Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36, are created specifically for women. With this, says chief executive Georges Kern, the brand is re-establishing an old tradition. iwc.com, net-a-porter.com

Rolex Oyster Originally Rolex’s Oyster was seen by Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex, as an indication that the wristwatch could be just as good as the pocket watch. “Watchmakers all over the world believed this new-fangled object was bound to prove a failure,” he wrote. But the Oyster, by resisting water and other decay, changed things. It was the first waterproof and dust proof wristwatch in the world. In 2016, Rolex celebrated 90 years of the Oyster. These vintage-inspired timepieces, now updated to all be Superlative Chronometers, are just as slick one year on. rolex.com

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For Montblanc, 2017 is all about the new TimeWalker collection.

These five watches are based on the glory days of motor racing

Montblanc TimeWalker Collection For Montblanc, 2017 is all about the new TimeWalker collection. These five watches are based on the glory days of motor racing — something intricately linked to the brand’s past when its pieces were used for recording road races. The case and dial feature vintage elements while the strap plays tribute to vintage leather racing gloves. montblanc.com

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lifestyle: Watches

Parmigiani Toric Chronometer This SIHH 2017 novelty was inspired by founder Michel Parmigiani's original Toric design. Granted, it is not as much of a giant leap in time as some of the other brands. Parmigiani didn’t launch until 1996 so the Toric harks back just 21 years. Yet it has got character with bezel featuring hand knurling and a hint of Greco-Roman columns. The hands and numerals are styled to create a vintage feel. parmigiani.com

KeeP a Watch out Many Jumeirah properties offer exclusive boutique shops perfect for purchasing timepieces or jewellery.

If you are in Kuwait, stop by Habiba jewellery store in Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa to try Italian jewels or gold Swiss watches by Kern 1974. In Dubai, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah’s boutique Al Dukan also offers luxury watches. For a truly immersive experience, book into a Chopard ladies’ room in Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

For details on other boutiques across Jumeirah’s global portfolio, visit jumeirah.com or speak to a concierge.

Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Back in 1962, the first Serpenti watch debuted on the elegant Elizabeth Taylor’s wrist. This high-end update on the historic model features brilliant-cut diamonds, precious gems and 18k white or pink gold. It is also Bulgari’s first rigid bangle, a departure from the brand's traditionally bendable, flexible wrap. A quartz movement completes this decadent timepiece. bulgari.com

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A connoisseur’s guide to cAviAr

From new trends in sustainable harvesting to dining etiquette, the experts cover everything you need to know about consuming caviar

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lifestyle: food

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hat could be nicer than a single bite of graphite-coloured, certified organic Empress caviar, nibbled from the tip of an engraved mother-of-pearl spoon? Simple: a 17 kilogram record-breaking caviar tin filled with the stuff.

That was achieved late last year when the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah partnered with AmStur Caviar to create the world’s largest caviar tin. A Guinness World Records title was awarded — and as per Guinness regulations, the entire carton of caviar was consumed.

Through all of this, one trend kept popping up: the sustainability tied to the caviar. In the world of luxury fish eggs, being eco-friendly is a hot topic.

This has come about for a variety of reasons: the risk of extinction of certain types of sturgeon, the fish behind caviar, the banning of certain sturgeon sales for the same reason and a growing awareness among consumers for something created in an ethical, sustainable fashion.

To this end, there are increasing numbers of companies popping up offer-

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ing sustainable caviar, including the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah’s recent partner AmStur Caviar. The California-based family business emphasises its farm-to-table practice. AmStur also strongly supports regulation from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which has banned the export of caviar from sturgeon caught in the wild.

In 2015 the US company expanded to Dubai. “Our success demonstrates that culinary excellence and sustainable practices can go hand-in-hand,” says Nicholas Narsavidze, a partner in the firm.

AmStur is not alone in the quest for sustainable caviar. In the US, the American Caviar Company offers farm-raised sturgeon caviar from one of America’s first non-profit aquaculture centres. Sunburst Trout Farms, also in the US, creates rainbow trout caviar.

In England, KC Caviar has created a sturgeon farm that extracts eggs without harming the fish. Once the eggs are extracted, the sturgeon return to lakes across Europe. Each fish is given a code so customers can track where their caviar came from. None of this impacts taste, says

image: Getty

lifestyle: food

New to caviar? Here’s wHat you Need to kNow “Don’t eat caviar where the eggs are slimy,” says Sascha Gausselmann, executive sous chef in the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The eggs should be firm, smooth and a little moist to the touch. When taking a spoonful, it should be possible to separate the grains on the roof of your mouth.

Keep an eye on taste and tone as well. The taste needs to be fresh and creamy, not fishy or foul. For tone, colours should be in the golden, silver, or glossy black range. Anything else warrants wariness. For a true caviar aficionado experience, eat it as the pros do - served in a cold crystal glass and on a fine bone or mother-of-pearl spoon. Never use metal as that might contaminate the caviar with a metallic taste.

“Never eat caviar above 2C,” adds Gausselmann. “Arguably

KC Caviar co-founder John Addey: “The taste depends on what the fish have been eating and the water they have been kept in. There are lots of reasons why caviar can have a different taste but if we have done our job right, [our caviar] should taste the same as others.”

chefs like to refine sauces or ravioli dishes with the black gold but we do not do that at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah.”

The property does offer a great range of caviar from different origins, she says, and “the only certified organic Beluga caviar in our repertoire.”

So what should a consumer know when it comes to purchasing ethical caviar? As when purchasing grass-fed beef or free range eggs, it’s all about knowing the producer. Small companies like AmStur Caviar (now available in the UAE), Caviar Giaveri (Italy), or Kaluga Queen (China) are good places to start.

It is also about looking for brands supporting the cause. Sustainability and a focus on the environment are both things that underpin much of the Jumeirah Group philosophy, says Doris Greif, senior vice president of operations in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia for Jumeirah Group.

“We pride ourselves on extending to our guests unique and memorable experiences,” adds Greif. And a 17kg record-breaking tin of delicious, ethically sourced, sustainable caviar is exactly that.

As for which wine to serve with caviar, try dry Californian sparkling, unoaked French Chardonnay from the Chablis region or an elegant champagne. Some diehard caviar fans argue none of these drinks are quite right and a true connoisseur goes for ice-cold vodka, which avoids distracting sugars but provides a mouth-coating oiliness.

Finally, it is not necessarily the most expensive caviar that is the best. “It is becoming more accessible and more affordable,” says Gausselmann. jumeirah.com/burjalarab

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Words: Faye Rowe

Travel

design in residence From its breezy spaces to its souk-like ambience, the design team behind Jumeirah Al Naseem share an exclusive insight into the urban resort’s contemporary feel

Walking into the lobby of Jumeirah Al Naseem, it is impossible not to gasp at the stunning view of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, framed by the vast picture window in the lobby. So evocative is the scene that it is easy to feel you could reach out and touch it.

Bringing the outside in is a key theme of the design of the property, which is Jumeirah’s newest hotel and the fourth and final addition to its Madinat Jumeirah resort in Dubai. The 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem, which translates to sea breeze, marks a fresh and forward thinking approach to hotel design in the emirate, providing guests with all the luxury of a beach resort within an urban setting.

When it came to the interior design, it was important for the property to pay homage to its Middle Eastern roots, albeit with a distinctly contemporary feel. The design is inspired by sand dunes, blue skies and Dubai’s heritage of pearl diving and Bedouin traditions. The concept shines through in everything from hand-drawn sketches on the walls to dynamic, customdesigned works of art and sculptures in public spaces, created by accomplished Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej.

Behind the easy, breezy ambience and striking design features, however, are months of hard work and planning, drawing on some of the best brains in art and design to collaborate to bring the vision to life.

“When people think about Dubai, the long hot summers and need for air conditioning are a common topic of conversation but we wanted to focus on the positives by emphasising how residents and visitors can enjoy the great outdoors for eight months of the year,” says Trevor Julius, founder and senior partner at Dsgn interior design firm in South Africa, which helmed the project. “This sentiment has been incorporated into many of the public spaces, including the light and spacious guestrooms accented with Arabian touches that deliver a strong sense of place. One of the most unique design features of the hotel is the external veranda in certain guestrooms, which can be entirely closed off and used as a dining space or an additional bedroom if needed.”

Not only does this cater perfectly to the rising number of families travelling to Dubai by providing a functional space for those with children in tow but it is pivotal to blurring the lines between the exterior and the interior space.

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We successfully embraced the concept of the beach, which is easy to do for a resort on an island but not so easy when you are in an urban space in Dubai

Grand designs

Effortless elegance

Another factor that makes the property stand out is that every design element in the 85,000 sq m space – even down to the 100 different light fittings – is bespoke.

Dsgn honed the ideas through visual interpretations of the Jumeirah brand in a hotel context, using mood imagery to bring it to life.

“The team worked extremely well together and looked for solutions to any problems as they arose,” says Julius. “We successfully embraced the concept of the beach, which is easy to do for a resort on an island but not so easy when you are in an urban space in Dubai.”

The palm leaf motif is used throughout the hotel and there are lots of subliminal design touches like this for guests. The reception counter, for instance, has a coral pattern that is illuminated from behind. There is gold leaf incorporated into the marble in the main lobby that follows a similar coral pattern while the curved metal ceilings were designed to cast a palm leaf pattern onto the floors below. This actually emulates the ambient lighting of a traditional souk.

“Ultimately it feels homely and the furniture is eclectic rather than matching, in line with how it would evolve in a more personal setting,” he adds.

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“We highlighted elements such as palm leaves, oysters, pearls and sea urchins that gave a visual of what the spaces would feel like,” he says. “It was all about conveying what a person would think and feel when they walked into the hotel.” The result is a space that is effortlessly elegant, casual and relaxed and not too formal. Indeed, Jumeirah Al Naseem has somehow managed to spotlight Arabian culture and propel it into the modern age by stepping away from the glitz and glamour toward something altogether more sophisticated.

“I was very concerned about whether visitors from the Gulf, who are traditionally used to an opulent hotel setting, would appreciate it. I was nervous to see if they would embrace it or find it cold and not to their taste but I am happy to report it has been extremely well-received. The lobby has been packed with people since the launch, so much so that you cannot always get a seat. If you have not yet been, I urge you to go and take a look.”

Travel

Artistic impression Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej was commissioned to create three breathtaking sculptures for the property, which took six months to complete. The Camel Caravan is situated at the main entrance while a poem dedicated to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, is behind the reception desk. The sand time watch sculpture, which looks like a teardrop, is in the hallway of the lobby.

“When creating the pieces, I was inspired by the signature theme of the hotel and how we wanted people to feel when they visited,” says Bin Lahej. “My work is heavily influenced by movement and I wanted to produce art that showcased the culture and heritage of Arabia with a personal stamp.

“The Camel Caravan piece is influenced by the power and dynamic movement of the cars pulling up outside the hotel as well as of people coming and going. The poem signifies the waves of meaning while the sand time watch represents the journey our grandfathers took across the sand and the sea.”

Bin Lahej studied the hues and lighting of the corridors before deciding what paintings to hang.

“The corridors seemed too quiet due to the shades of gold, yellow and beige so I decided to add a large painting of a horse to add a sense of power and colour. It attracts attention and breaks the silence – plus its reflection on the marble make it almost mesmerising. Many people have shared snaps of it on social media.”

The wave of appreciation is something the artist cherishes.

“The actor needs a theatre and Jumeirah Al Naseem is my theatre,” says Bin Lahej. “It is an important showcase for my work and the feedback from Sheikh Mohammed has been very good. I am feeling proud.”

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REDISCOVER DUBAI...

JUMEIRAH AL NASEEM, THE NEWEST ADDITION TO MADINAT JUMEIRAH — NOW OPEN Jumeirah Al Naseem is anchored on Dubai’s longest stretch of private beach, bringing fresh energy, exuberance and excitement to the award winning Madinat Jumeirah resort. Inspired by sand dunes, blue skies, sea breeze and Dubai’s heritage of pearl diving and Bedouin traditions. Perfect for those who like to explore and for whom Dubai might be a new experience.

For reservations call +971 4 366 8888 or visit jumeirah.com/alnaseem

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travel 72 Spring fling Frankfurt’s Spring Dippemess festival

78 Dine with a difference Four of the best tasting menus

80 Featured spaces Summersalt beach club, Jumeirah Al Naseem

82 The high life

Image: Getty

Cap Roig, Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel and Spa, Mallorca

Spring fling Based on a 12th century festival, Frankfurt’s Spring Dippemess is one of the city’s largest family friendly funfairs. But just why do such traditional celebrations survive? Experts discuss the enduring appeal of nostalgia and time

There is a nugget of history tied to Frankfurt’s annual Spring Dippemess. You just have to be willing to search for it.

Words: Danae Mercer / image: getty

The process starts at Ratsweg fairground on April 7. Technically it all begins back in the 12th century — but for you, the traveller, it is at Ratsweg. You will need to stroll past the 55-metre-high Ferris wheel, walking under rides that carry guests high in the sky or plummet them quickly to the ground.

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The fair’s motto is higher, faster, farther and the high-tech rides glint fluorescent with adrenaline.

You’ll have to keep going, ignoring the smell of salted popcorn stacked in bags as tall as a person, ignoring melted Nutella dripping from the edges of fresh crepes. There might be live country music at the party pavilion.

But keep going.

Keep going until you find the fair’s namesake, its inspiration and its heritage: the Dippe. Amid all the energy and excitement of Frankfurt’s annual family-

Travel: FrankFurt

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friendly funfair, these ceramic pitchers sit unobtrusively on stands toward the middle of the fairground. They are white-grey and simply painted with blue flowery decorations. Short fat pots — perfect for Frankfurt’s pungent Handkase cheese — mix with larger pitchers ideal for holding the region’s fragrant apple wine.

[people], holidays bring back memories of simpler times along with the sense of the security of childhood or the carefree feeling of being young.” Fewer worries and less stress come wrapped in one cosy warm package. “Like anniversaries or other temporal landmarks, holidays remind us of special times and help us keep track of what has changed.”

It was here that the fair began. “The folk festival dates back more than 900 years,” says Elena Holschier-Rupprecht from Frankfurt's tourism board.

“Back in the 12th century, the Dippemess was famous far and wide as a medieval pottery market.” Merchants gathered from all over Europe to sell ceramics, known as dippe, or pots. Today’s spring festival is aimed more at adrenaline junkies with a love for high-tech rides. The Dippemess happens twice a year and the autumn edition is more serene and rustic. “It is ideal for families,” says Holschier-Rupprecht. “The Spring Dippemess is known to be louder and more rambunctious.”

When it comes to nostalgia, ancestral ties are even more loaded. “Literary, film and artistic portrayals of the past can represent idealised versions,” says Batcha. “The romanticised view of close family ties and a simpler way of living can be attractive.” Such festivals extend far beyond a feeling of nostalgia. They are also about culture, history and human identity.

Among the flashing lights, the thrills, the rides and the food, the pottery market sits innocuously toward the middle of the fairground. Its painted jugs and pitchers seem understated. They don’t have bells or whistles. They simply sit as relics of a former time. For Holschier-Rupprecht, they prove a single important point: “The traditions of the fair have remained to this day.”

Why history matters The lure toward the past is not surprising, says Krystine Batcha, an expert on nostalgia expert from the American Psychological Association. “For many

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These things, explains Penelope Corfield, professor of history at Royal Holloway, University of London, are crucial to making a rounded human being. “All people live in the here and now but it took a long unfolding history to get [here]. Communities speak languages that are inherited from the past. They live in societies with complex cultures and traditions.” It is only natural the Spring Dippemess has changed over time. “Legacies from the past are preserved but also adapted,” says Corfield. There can be upheavals, shifts or even loss.

Even the link to spring or autumn harks back to something ancient. Such rituals, says Abigail Brenner, connect us with nature and the seasons. “The ongoing transitions that occur in nature provide the prototype for change.

By watching the constant shifts and turns in nature we recognise our own cycles of life. Rituals remind us of the interconnectedness of all of life.”

Travel: FranKFurt she says. Such festivals, modern as they may now be, provide a sense of renewal. “They offer us a time-out from our everyday routine,” she says - a space to rest, replenish, revive. Simultaneously they tie us to “our ancestors and to our heritage”.

All this might seem a little heavy when talking about an annual spring festival known more for its foodie delights and fun rides than centuriesold pottery. But it is intertwined and linked. The very roots of Frankfurt’s annual glittering celebration spread back through the years, bringing people together as it has for ages.

“I got to see the best of what Frankfurt has to offer at the Dippemess festival,” wrote one travel blogger on an exploration of Germany. “Apfelwein (apple wine), apfelwein pitchers and wurst. The only thing missing was Frankfurt’s signature green sauce.”

So if you go, go for the rides. Go for the apple wine (“an absolute must have at every Hessian festivity,” says Holschier-Rupprecht) and the roasted almonds. Go for the music, the games, the cotton candy-scented fun.

But as fireworks spring into the sky on the final night — another tradition, marking the end of the festival — maybe, just maybe, think back to the past. Think of ceramics and history and the never-ceasing movement of time.

Frankfurt’s Spring Dippemess is hosted at the Ratsweg fairground, April 7 to May 1. For more information visit frankfurt-tourismus.de

sleep over...

Whether it is shopping along neighbouring Zeil street, stopping at one of the many riverfront museums or exploring the city’s striking architecture, Jumeirah Frankfurt Hotel can help you organise any outing.

For visitors hoping to enjoy Spring Dippemess, the hotel’s concierge service would be delighted to manage all the logistics. Just stop by the concierge desk (if you are in-house) or contact jfinfo@ jumeirah.com to find out more about what bespoke activities can be arranged. jumeirah.com

Key Facts

nearby

•Jumeirah Frankfurt offers 217 rooms located in the heart of the city

•For guests who feel like shopping, the property is just a few

•A luxurious spa with two saunas and five treatment rooms is available

steps away from popular shopping streets

•Multiple restaurants suit any dietary tastes, while bees create fresh

•An amazing gym is located in the adjacent MyZeil shopping

honey on the roof

centre, available for complimentary use

•Original artworks from local artist Hartwig Ebersbach decorate the

•The luxurious hotel is just five minutes from the Messe Frankfurt

walls of the hotel

exhibition centre

•Guests have complimentary access to the neighbouring Fitness First

•Opera guests can easily stroll to the beautiful Frankfurt

Platinum Swim Club

Opera House

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The InSIderS’ GuIde To…

SHANGHAI

Image: Getty. Interviews by Gareth rees

Inside the lives of Shanghai's most talented tastemakers

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travel Helen Lee

Pearl Lam

Helen lee

Pearl lam

Fashion designer and founder of Helen lee fashion brand

Gallerist

Growing up in Shanghai, I was exposed to both international and local influences but the city has changed drastically over the past few decades. From its skyscrapers to its culture and even its fashion industry, Shanghai is now one of the world’s best-known metropolitan areas – like New York City, Tokyo or London. I live in Jingan, the district where our shop and studio are located.

It is in the centre of the city but there are quiet areas. Many things make Shanghai special – the language, the people, the unique mix of Western and Eastern architecture, the longest metro system in the world. Shanghai’s creative community is very lively. You meet talented people, exchange ideas and create something new together. Being a big city full of opportunities, it attracts the most talented people. Our brand is deeply rooted in Shanghai culture.

Much like the city itself, it is a mix of international and Eastern influences – dynamic, ever-changing. We constantly infuse our design with allusions to local peculiarities and culture. For instance, one of the stand-out pieces from our fall/winter 2016 collection had the Shanghainese characters for ‘come find me’ in bold print. It paid homage to the hand-painted advertisements left on sidewalks and walls by local craftsmen. The Shanghai fashion scene has experienced a lot of change over the past few years. Many new brands run by young and talented designers have emerged, amazing boutiques have opened. The demand for Chinese fashion is growing both locally and internationally, which is great. Tourists are now visiting the city to discover new brands and shopping spaces that are sophisticated and niche – not just buying fakes from the markets. Overall, it has become – and is still becoming – much more advanced in terms of what people are wearing and how and when they wear it. The perfect day in Shanghai would be spending an hour on the Bund early in the morning before the crowds arrive, walking the peaceful streets of French Concession and discovering a small boutique hidden among the old buildings, climbing the Pearl Tower in Pudong and having dinner with a night view on the Bund. Shanghai is a city of opportunities where everything is possible if you dare to dream big.

I was born in Hong Kong. I never wanted to live in Shanghai but my parents insisted I move here to work in the family property business after I graduated from university in the UK. Working in property was not for me but I am so glad I made Shanghai one of my homes. This is where I learned to become proud of my Chinese heritage. I had never been particularly proud of my background before that but in Shanghai I learned there was so much to be proud of. Even though it is constantly changing, Shanghai still evokes feelings of glamour, romance and decadence. I discovered Shanghai deco, a style of architecture and design that inspired me so I started promoting Chinese art, design and crafts and began working with both Chinese and Western artists and designers. I became friends with Shanghainese artist Sun Liang, who introduced me to the gallery scene and lots of artists in the city. When I was planning my first gallery, I wanted it to be in Shanghai and opened my first gallery here in 2005. Shanghai has changed in too many ways for me to name. For a start, the art scene has boomed. In Shanghai now, there are more galleries, museums and art fairs than there were 10 years ago and the quality of art on show in the city has improved. Shanghai now has two top art fairs, ART021 and West Bund Art and Design, both of which I take part in. The Rockbund Art Museum and the Power Station of Art – both of them world-class art institutions – have also opened over the past few years. Then there are all the new private museums that have been opened by collectors – Yuz Museum Shanghai, Long Museum and the upcoming Tank Shanghai. It has been thrilling to watch the art scene grow and to play a part in its development. My home is located in the former French Concession, an area full of architectural gems from the art deco period. As its name suggests, the area has a colonial history and the architecture reflects this. Unusually for Shanghai – which people normally associate with tall, gleaming skyscrapers – the area is mainly low-rise with lots of greenery and trees. The atmosphere is relaxed and there are plenty of boutiques and restaurants to explore, including my favourite restaurant Shintori, which serves Japanese fusion

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THE WORLD CAN WAIT

To reconnect with what’s important, you need to disconnect first - get caught up in a special moment and not in the worries of the world. At Jumeirah Zabeel Saray moments like these are abundant. That’s because we take care of every detail of your holiday.

Some call it a luxury, we call it quality time.

Time to let go. For more information, visit jumeirah.com or call +971 4 453 0000

travel Shanghai

food. I used to go to Wulumuqi Road for street food like stinky tofu, scallion pancake and dumplings but many of the vendors have gone. Everyone should experience it before it is completely gone.

If you only have 24 hours, start the day in the French Concession, taking in the architecture and boutiques of local designers on Changle Road.

Tianzifang is another quaint area with little alleyways of shops and cafes.

If you happen to wander by Fuxing Park in the morning, you can often see locals practicing tai chi, dancing or just getting some fresh air (some still dressed in their pyjamas). If you want to see art, my gallery on Middle Jiangxi Road is a must. This month we will be showing The Plane of Rewriting with works by a selection of Chinese artists – Huang Yuanqing, Ma Kelu, Su Xinping, Tan Ping, Tao Yi, Zhang Jian-Jun, Zhou Yangming and Zhu Jinshi.

The Bund, where you can get postcard-perfect views of the Pudong skyline, is a short distance away. There are plenty of super-tall skyscrapers to admire but there are also historic buildings that range in style from art deco to neoclassical. Both day and night views are breathtakingly beautiful and so different, plus there are many great restaurants and bars in the area overlooking the waterfront like Hakkasan or Mr and Mrs Bund.

Charlotte liu

Managing director of Christie’s China auction house

I was born and raised in Shanghai. I grew up around the Bund neighbourhood close to Nanjing Road. It was after the end of the Cultural Revolution and on the eve of China’s reintegration with the world. There were very few cars, people were still wearing austere uniform-style clothing and foreigners were a rarity. I left for graduate school in the US in 1999 and came back in 2012 after living in New York City and Toronto.

Rediscovering and reconnecting with my home city has been amazing.

Shanghai now is a truly a global metropolis, not just in its appearance with international brands, museums, restaurants and cafes lining the streets but also in its heart. It is a vibrant destination for people from around China

Charlotte Liu

and the world to live, work and visit. Shanghai is an exciting, innovative and open-minded place to be. I live in the French Concession area right in the heart of the bustling downtown. It has nevertheless retained its quiet and historical charm with its tree-lined streets and buildings and shops influenced by both European and Chinese styles.

Shanghai used to be called the Paris of the Orient. Today it is the economic, financial, cultural and innovation heart of the world’s second largest economy. As one of the youngest cities in China, with a reputation for openness, entrepreneurship and appreciation for beauty, it is destined to be a great city. Shanghai is also well on its way to becoming a cultural hotspot.

In the last few years, an impressive number of museums and galleries have sprung up as part of China’s national plan to promote Chinese culture in the global marketplace. Christie’s was the first international auction house to establish a representative office in China, opening in Shanghai in 1994 and in Beijing in 1996. It has become an integral part of the art community in Shanghai and remains committed to promoting dialogue and cultural exchange within the art ecosystem in China.

China is undoubtedly one of the most exciting art markets in the world, both in terms of creative output from Chinese artists and the growing global influence of Chinese collectors. My favourite book about Shanghai is Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng. My favourite film is The Wasted Times, set in the 1930s, a tumultuous time in Shanghai. If you are in Shanghai, visit the Long Museum in West Bund. It houses amazing collections of both Western art and Chinese art.

For food, I love Lost Heaven on the Bund. It serves cuisine from Yunnan, a region in southwest China bordering Burma and Tibet. The atmosphere is very convivial. I always have a great time there with friends and clients.

If I need to escape, I visit Century Park in Pudong on the other side of the city's river. The precious green space reminds me of Central Park in New York. You will find joggers, children flying kites and elderly people doing tai chi. The spring cherry blossom is stunning, not to mention many other flowers native to the Yangtze River Delta region.

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travel Miao Ying

French Concession

French Concession

Miao Ying

HsieH Feng Rong 32

artist

Curator and exhibition Manager for Rockbund art Museum

At the end of the 1980s Shanghai was starting to expand and I was living on the outskirts, where there were a lot of new apartments being built. The living conditions were better there than in the city centre but it was quite remote. This was before Shanghai had the subway and private cars so it was a nightmare for me. From a pre-school age I had to take the bus by myself. On one occasion it was so crowded that I got pushed out when it was still moving.

I was born in Taiwan and moved to Shanghai to work for the museum in 2009.

I am one of the founding members. The neighbourhood where I live is one stop away from the former French Concession area. Line 10 runs through the neighbourhood, connecting with Huai Hai Road, Hong Qiao Hub and the museum. All the busiest places are within walking distance. I like to walk or ride my bicycle around the French Concession area. You can find anything here. If one is tired of French Concession, one is tired of life in Shanghai.

The neighbourhood is now trendy and up and coming. Everything has changed. I live between Shanghai and New York. Shanghai is more convenient. There are so many 24-hour convenient stores, apps for ordering food, bikes you can rent and return anywhere in the city and the subway is more modern than in most other cities because it was built in the 1990s.

My favourite restaurant is Hunter Gatherer. Next door is the Shanghai Dramatic Art Centre, where you will find very interesting dramatic performances showing almost every day. The cultural make-up of Shanghai is unique because of its semi-colonial history. If you look back at the history of Shanghai to the 1920s and 1930s, you would see areas controlled by Western powers right next to native Chinese communities. Because of this kind of geographical make-up, Chinese and Western cultures are mixed together. This has had a profound impact on Shanghai’s identity. Shanghai is one of the most dynamic cities in the world. In the last decade, the Shanghai art scene has developed rapidly. Artists that have inspired me include Yu You Han, Chen Zhen and Zhou Tie Hai. My favourite book about Shanghai is Written on Water by Eileen Chang. It offers a glimpse of Shanghai life in the 1920s and 1930s. My favourite film about Shanghai is Centre Stage directed by Stanley Kwan. It is a meta narrative about the life of the famous Chinese actress Ruan Ling Yu set in the 1930s.

The art scene in Shanghai is booming. There are more contemporary art galleries appearing all the time and a lot of people I know from the art world are moving to Shanghai from Beijing. The artists Ding Yi and Xu Zhen have inspired me. In 2014, Zhen founded MadeIn Gallery, which is dedicated to the promotion of international artists with a focus on contemporary cultural development and communication. If you are only in Shanghai for a short time, go to the West Bund area, the new art district. If you are really stressed, I suggest the French Concession. It is like Williamsburg in New York – there are a lot of arty cafes. Only a longtime resident of Shanghai would know about the Shanghai marriage market held at the People's Park.

Parents of unmarried adults flock to the park every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5pm to trade information on their children.

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Hsieh Feng Rong

My favourite restaurants are Jia Jia Tangbao, Lv Ya Jiu Jia and Nan Lu Zhe Li. The image people have of Shanghai is one of a city dominated by the high rise skyline of Pudong but the most exciting part of Shanghai is its small alleyways.

When visiting Shanghai stay at the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai. jumeirah.com

Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara

DINE WITH A DIFFERENCE Tasting menus showcasing a chef’s whole repertoire are on the rise at high-end restaurants in Dubai - sparing diners the tough choice of picking just one dish

NATHAN OUTLAW, AL MAHARA The perfect place to celebrate a special occasion, Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara is inspired by the best possible produce and served by a professional and approachable service team. Enjoy simple, exquisite seafood on tables set around an impressive central aquarium which gives the feeling of an underwater restaurant in the heart of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. Outlaw’s signature tasting menu includes starters of lightly pickled oysters, jalapeno, cucumber and gherkins, followed by a citrus-cured brill, anchovy, smoked almonds and basil labneh. The next course comprises lobster risotto with orange, basil and spring onions while the halibut main is served with red pepper olive and a Porthilly crab sauce. Particularly British in style, the dessert menu includes a delicious sticky toffee pudding (inspired

by Outlaw’s 11-year-old daughter’s own recipe), which is served with clotted cream, apple and dates.

Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara

Tasting menu $259 / tasting menu with wine pairing $420 per person

ALTA BAdiA, JUMeiRAH eMiRATes TOWeRs Perched on the 50th floor of Jumeirah Emirates Towers, this restaurant named after a region in northern Italy is both elegant and romantic with breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. The food is inspired by authentic age-old recipes and diners are invited on a journey which explores flavours from the heart of the Dolomites to southern Italy. Tuck into a starter of seasonal greens, beetroot, fresh herbs, crispy bread, raspberry, yoghurt and edible flowers.

Try homemade rye flour spinach and ricotta ravioli, chanterelle, and porcini and for the main course sample the venison tenderloin, red cabbage and apple puree. For afters, the chocolate lava cake is a must, served with Grand Marnier ice-cream. Why not also enjoy a digestivo and sample the high life in the Alta Badia bar, 1,024 feet up in the sky, on the 51st floor.

Degustation and wine pairing, including water and coffee $136

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Alta Badia

travel: Cusine The Rib Room

The Rib Room, JumeiRah Zabeel saRay The Rib Room derives inspiration from the original restaurant, which opened in 1961 in the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London.

Founded on a strong heritage and culinary pride, the restaurant in Jumeirah Zabeel Saray features the finest grilled meats and rib dishes from across the world, including a mouth-watering selection of premium steaks and succulent meat cuts. It also showcases a superior selection of cheeses exclusively from the British Isles. By combining expertise alongside impeccable service, the tradition of British culinary excellence continues.

Seafood lovers can tuck into Devonshire crab followed by the seafood platter, oysters, poached lobster and prawns served with a cocktail sauce. Next up, pan-seared foie gras is served with caramelised apple, celery and a spiced chicken jus. Diners can then opt for surf or turf - either pan-roasted seabass served with butternut squash ravioli, wilted spinach and courgette blossoms with a prawn mousse or the John Stone beef duo. Succulent braised short rib and grilled tenderloin follows, with truffle potato puree, seasonal beans and bearnaise sauce. Topped by the best of British cheese and, if there is room, banoffee, banana butterscotch and Bahibe chocolate-flavoured cream.

Prices start from $95 per person, available for the whole table only on Fridays and Saturdays The Rib Room

PieR ChiC Pier Chic

There is nothing more romantic than a dining experience with breathtaking sea views. Take a short stroll across the shores of the Madinat Jumeirah resort and you will eventually find the awardwinning Pier Chic. Perched over water on stilts, the only sound you hear is that of the gentle lapping waves and if your timing is right, you might catch a glimpse of a sensational sunset over cerulean waters. The perfect setting for an evening of romance and serenity, this is one experience you will never forget. Redesigned to offer a modern, stylish and elegant dining space, this restaurant maximises views of the Arabian Gulf, the Dubai coastline, the Palm Jumeirah and the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The signature tasting menu begins with the dorade royale carpaccio, served with pink grapefruit, Blue Curacao caviar and truffle dressing. Mains include seared king scallops and foie gras served with butternut squash, golden raisins and liquorice. Diners then have a choice of the glacier 51 Chilean seabass or roasted wagyu beef tenderloin and braised cheek croquette. For dessert, a white chocolate cake awaits, comprising Manjari chocolate and sea-salted hazelnut.

Signature tasting menu includes five courses for $190 per person

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FeatuRed SpaceS SummerSalt beach club, Jumeirah al NaSeem Switch off your screen, grab your sunglasses and take some time to unwind in the great outdoors in Summersalt. This exclusive venue in the Jumeirah Al Naseem, one of Dubai’s newest hotspots, takes the beach club concept to new heights, thanks to its exclusive vibe and delectable menu inspired by the spice routes.

Located in one of the city’s premier spots on the beach in front of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, guests can relax by the sea and admire the view while sipping on a delicious mocktail, such as The Silk Route with pomegranate, sugar, mint, lemonade and agave. Those with adventurous tastes will enthuse over the dishes, which are categorised according to sweet, warm, herbaceous and earthy spices, representing all regions of the historic spice trade dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries. It is a gourmet tribute to the times when Arabian traders dominated maritime routes throughout the Indian Ocean, linking destinations in the Far East to the eastern Mediterranean region and Europe. The epic journey was originally made by boat and then continued over land by donkey or camel caravans.

Words: Faye Rowe

Today we are lucky to have an abundance of spices available without having to undertake such an arduous journey. Those featured on Summersalt's menu include earthy spices such as garam masala, cumin and mustard and tamarind, sweet notes with saffron and cinnamon, warming chilli, clove, pepper and coriander seeds and fragrant oregano, fennel seeds, basil and garlic. Don't miss the grilled snapper with cumin sauteed potatoes, spring onion and parsley and the Sicilian-style stuffed squid with Swiss chard, fennel, anchovies and pine seeds, although there is plenty more to choose from.

Follow your main with an indulgent dessert such as cinnamon-tossed churros or the Arabic Pearl – a caramel date cake topped with a ginger kunafa crumble and crisp chocolate. Gluten-free items are available upon request.

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During the day, beach club access is reserved for guests staying at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and Jumeirah Al Naseem. Visitors can purchase a day pass for $129 per adult and $108 per child on weekdays and $162 per adult and $108 per child at weekends.

The club is open daily from 9am to 11.30pm. Dinner is served from 7pm. To book call +971 4 366 7680 or email restaurants@jumeirah.com.

travel

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The high life:

Cap Roig, Jumeirah Port Soller hotel and Spa, Mallorca

The lowdown: Named after a delicious local fish known for its bright red

packed with flavour. For a lighter bite, tuck into tapas or treat yourself to

colour and intense flavour, Cap Roig is one of Mallorca’s premier spots for

a serving of Beluga caviar. Dedicated epicureans should request the chef’s

an indulgent meal with amazing views. The restaurant has a dramatic cliff-

five-course tasting menu, which has been designed specially to showcase

front location offering stunning vistas of the Mediterranean so make sure

local ingredients and tastes.

you make the most of the Balearic island's favourable summer weather by dining al fresco on the terrace.

The atmosphere: Comfortable and family-friendly, the al fresco environment invites guests of all ages to relax and linger over a meal. The dress

The food: Diners can choose from a selection of Mediterranean-inspired

code is smart casual.

Words: faye Rowe

dishes. Tasty lunch options include the creole octopus salad with red onion,

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tomato, ginger and banana chips while popular local dishes include paella

Insider’s tip: Fine wine enthusiasts will be pleased to learn the restaurant

designed for sharing. As the sun goes down, the star of the menu is the

is home to a well-stocked cellar. Take your pick from an extensive selec-

catch of the day. There is an array of fresh fish to taste as well as numerous

tion of international vintages or sample the local produce by opting for

exquisite seafood specialities.

a Spanish grape.

The linguini frutti di mare containing lobster, clams and cockles is a firm

Booking details: Cap Roig is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

favourite while the grilled king prawns with garlic, parsley and aioli are

Call +34 971 637 886 or email jpsrestaurants@jumeirah.com