the magazine
volume one 2009
Lifestyle is a bi-annual magazine from Mulpha Land Bhd., published with the primary objective of keeping all Mulpha privileged guests abreast with the latest lifestyle issues and the Group’s upcoming developments. Copies of Lifestyle can be obtained from the Mulpha International Bhd. office. For enquiries, please call (603) 7957 2233 or (603) 7955 1344 or contact Simone Pan at span@mulpha.com.my
CHAIRMAN Chung Tze Hien CEO Lai Meng GENERAL MANAGER Ronn Yong EDITOR Faridah Hanim EDITORIAL BOARD Simone Pan Mulpha, Malaysia Koh Boon Teng Mulpha Land, Malaysia Terence Lee Mulpha Land, Malaysia Sally Morgan Mulpha, Australia & Hayman Thomas Thang Mulpha, Vietnam Karen Evans Bimbadgen Estate, Australia Elizabeth Masselos InterContinental Sydney, Australia Dush Velcek Hilton Melbourne Airport, Australia Mark Jensen Sanctuary Cove, Australia Karen Edwards Norwest Land, Australia Peter Lewis The Hotel School Sydney, Australia Erin Millar Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Australia
ADVERTISING/SALES ENQUIRIES Simone Pan +603 – 7957 2233 ext 382 span@mulpha.com.my INTERIOR DESIGN Design Development Department Mulpha Land & Property Sdn. Bhd. PRINTING Label Plus Sdn. Bhd. CONTACTS Mulpha International Bhd. (603) 7957 2233 Mulpha Australia Limited (Australia) (61-2) 9268 5000 Mulpha Vietnam (Asian Fame Dev. Ltd.) (848) 930 4009 DISTRIBUTION Mulpha’s Lifestyle magazine is a free publication showcasing the quality of life with a controlled circulation of 2,000 copies, offered to an exclusive database through selected distribution channels. • • • •
Mulpha Group of hotels -InterContinental Sydney -Hilton Melbourne Airport -Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove -Hayman Great Barrier Reef Residents of Leisure Farm Resort & Residences, Johor Lifestyle brand owners Professionals
Mulpha International Bhd. is a diversified conglomerate and a component stock of the Bursa Malaysia Composite Index. Listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad since 1983, it has shareholders’ funds of about RM2 billion. The Group’s focus is on real estate and property-related services and financial services, with operations and investments in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong and Australia. Over the years, Mulpha has leveraged on its expertise abroad to become Malaysia’s largest real estate investor and developer in Australia, owning world-class assets that include Sanctuary Cove and Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove in Queensland, InterContinental Sydney, Hilton Melbourne Airport, Norwest Business Park Sydney, The Hotel School Sydney, Bimbadgen Estate in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley and the world-renowned and award-winning Hayman Great Barrier Reef.
Contents lifestyle with a difference volume one
sojourn
2009
after hours
02
The School of Choice
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Credit Crunch Beauty
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Home Grown
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Eco Chic
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A Landmark Exhibition from the Met
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I Spy with My Little Eye
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Domestic Goddess
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Young Rider
high life
16
Meetings for Free
18
Your Own Private Sanctuary
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Urban Utopia
life st yle
The School of Choice When it comes to training the young and talented, The Hotel School Sydney rises to the challenge, grooming only professionals for the world’s largest industry.
sojourn
The School of Choice
The hospitality industry is one of the fastest growing and most diverse industries. It is so diversified, that most people do not even imagine its breadth. Business travel and tourism are its driving force and represent an important part of the economy in virtually every country. The World Travel and Tourism Council projects that between now and 2013, the hotel and tourism industry will generate 250 million jobs – consisting of approximately 10 percent of total world employment. Even in these unfavourable times, the economic downturn provides the industry with the opportunity to expand business. According to MKG Hospitality, business experts in the fields of tourism, lodging and food service, the economy should slowly recover in 2010 onwards, and when it does, there is likely to be built-up demand. The need to find good, skilled employees is now. This is the best time to choose a career in the hospitality and services industry. Traditionally, the industry opens many doors and is very rewarding. However, this field that is rich with opportunities also requires individuals that
are skilled, competent and fully prepared to become a leader in today’s broad hospitality marketplace. This is exactly what The Hotel School Sydney delivers with its graduates as soon as they leave the establishment. The Hotel School Sydney is a unique partnership between Southern Cross University and Mulpha Australia’s hotel portfolio (InterContinental Sydney, Hayman Great Barrier Reef, Sanctuary Cove, Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove and Hilton Melbourne Airport), and Bimbadgen Estate Wines in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Paid internship in employer reserved places is an attractive feature of the programme, as is its proximity to the five-star hotel, InterContinental Sydney (adjacent). The school is positioned in the heart of the Sydney CBD, with the Harbour, Opera House and Botanical Gardens on its doorstep.
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At inception in 1989, The Hotel School Sydney first operated as an integral part of InterContinental Sydney, but now, due to growth and demand, has close working relationships with many leading tourism and hospitality organisations in Australia and around the world. The Hotel School Sydney delivers a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management focusing on hotel operational skills, management practice in the tourism and hospitality industry, and the skills needed for continued learning in a changing global business environment. The programme develops dedicated professionals with university qualifications that are recognised and highly regarded internationally. This is clearly demonstrated by the continued global success of its graduates. The Hotel School Sydney not only provides students with an opportunity to complete the
Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management, but also heightens their proficiency in responding to situations and demands they will encounter with their progression in the hospitality industry. As hospitality is based around employees as a core differentiating factor between businesses, this awareness and skill is paramount to industry success. The curriculum at The Hotel School Sydney is particularly beneficial for students as it begins in First Year with Semester 1 units designed to promote success within the Internship study of Semester 2. When students return to study in Year 2, they are equipped with six months worth of industry exposure. This allows students to understand more thoroughly the principles taught through Years 2 and 3. The Hotel School Sydney curriculum also allows a student to gain an insight into varied areas of hospitality, including Business Law,
Financial Management, Sales and Marketing, and Environmental Management. This is a fantastic opportunity for students who wish to specialise their career or further study in a particular hospitality specialty. On campus, students benefit from personal and direct encounters with skilled faculty members. All queries can be promptly and efficiently answered by lecturers whilst on campus, or by email if away from campus. All students additionally assist one another in the understanding of topics and assessments, as the lecture groups are relatively small. The Hotel School Sydney is renowned for providing work opportunities integrated with university level education. A paid internship through employer reserved places in the second session of the First Year counts as four units of the degree. This may be completed within a partner hotel in Australia or overseas.
sojourn
The School of Choice
All students are employed and consequently establish valuable industry experience, confidence and networks in their first year of study. This also enables students to continue employment throughout Years 2 and 3 of study and graduate with three years work experience. The school also provides various career help for its students. Career Days for First Year students are held twice a year, involving 40 properties representing 135 hotels. Students are encouraged to attend the AAHS Career Expo (Association of Australian Hotel Schools) where they can explore the best hotel schools for their qualifications and fields of study to take them. Additionally, The Hotel School Sydney also performs individual appointments made with the Work Integrated Learning team to help students find employment. Graduates in hospitality management will have outstanding career opportunities awaiting
them, from within traditional sectors including hotels, restaurants and resorts, to nontraditional areas such as tourism, events, sport and entertainment management and theme parks. Says Peter Lewis, The Hotel School Sydney Director, “Whether or not everyone has a prosperous year is questionable given the current economic environment. However the tourism industry is a resilient one and we have previously recovered from airline strikes, the gulf war and SARS in Asia. Historically, education in difficult economic times is a logical option in preparation for new or changed direction during a recovery. Our enrollments in 2009 are self evident in this regard with 150 new students who were chosen from a pool of over 450 applicants, resulting in a record 470 students for this year.”
The Hotel School Sydney is enrolling now for June 2009 and February 2010 intakes, with an Open Day on September 19, 2009. Go to http://hotelschool.scu.edu.au for information.
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lifestyle
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Home Grown When meats are raised naturally and the vegetables are from the backyard, this is food to feel good about.
At Tanjong Jara Resort in Dungun, a rustic fishing village town in Malaysia’s east coast state of Terengganu, Chef Ann is seen talking to the first group of early diners at her Di Atas Sungei Restaurant, which literally translates to ‘The Restaurant on the Water’, as it does straddle a lagoon amid tropical bush. Expecting to be given the menu, her guests are taken by surprised when Chef Ann cheerfully tells them that there is none. “At this restaurant, I’m the ‘walking menu’,” she explains with a smile. By that, she greets her guests at every table and helps them plan their meal, a menu based on seasonal ingredients and the freshest catch of the day from the South China Sea that makes up part of the resort’s picturesque landscape.
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Home Grown
“At a time where everyone’s conscious of the kinds of food they eat, we at Tanjong Jara Resort take pride in putting our guests’ minds at ease.”
No dinner table will ever see the same dish, and while it challenges Chef Ann and her team in the kitchen, she’d never have it any other way. “At a time where everyone’s conscious of the kinds of food they eat, we at Tanjong Jara Resort take pride in putting our guests’ minds at ease,“ she says. “At this restaurant, everything on the menu uses locally sourced ingredients and also seasonal produce commonly found in the area.” Apart from fresh seafood, Chef Ann hand picks herbs and spices grown in the resort’s
01 The rambutan is a seasonal fruit in Malaysia 02 Tanjong Jara Resort grows its own ginger flower 03 Etch’s interior is comfortable and almost homely 04 Etch offers all day casual modern European dining
garden. Her farm-fresh eggs and milk are sourced from the villagers nearby; she sources fresh vegetables from the local farmer’s market, and she takes pleasure in knowing that everything that goes into the pot is fresh while engaging to support the locals’ income and promoting sustainable food practice. And she is not alone in her philosophy. A recent survey of 1,600 American Culinary Federation member chefs recently dubbed locally grown produce the No. 1 hot trend this year. In Sydney, Chef Justin North joins
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many of today’s restaurateurs who are touting the sustainable-farming label in an effort to reach today’s health-conscious and discerning consumers. Says North, “I believe that it is a responsibility of all chefs and restaurateurs to embrace the ideologies of sustainable and ethical food practices and concern one self with environmental issues such as carbon footprints.”
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“Everything on our menu is additive free, nor do we support growth hormones or any unnecessary processing of our products.”
in the Summer fish stew with tomato, chorizo and fennel are sourced from local markets and local boats that fish undervalued local, sustainable varieties.
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North is considered one of Sydney’s high profile chefs who heads the breed of today’s modern, contemporary chefs that mix classical training with a passion for excellent produce while creating sublime and stylish food. North begins his mornings at the Flemington Market, allowing the produce to determine his menus at Etch, an elegant all-day diner tucked under the side of Sydney’s InterContinental Hotel.
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“It is busy keeping up with customer demands and making sure we are always offering the balance of an outstanding quality product at very reasonable prices while maintaining a strong healthy business financially – especially in the current climate,” North admits. However, he remains firm to stay true to Etch’s philosophy. “We are not a 100 percent organic restaurant. We only deal with ethical, sustainable, local producers who, like us are incredibly focused and passionate about producing wonderful ingredients. Everything on our menu is additive free, nor do we support growth hormones or any unnecessary processing of our products.” Apart from restaurants, fast food eateries and pizza joints have also joined the movement. At Pizza Fusion that employs the motto “Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time,” no less than
At Etch the menu highlights fruits and vegetables from local growers and producers. Beef is Australian Certified Organic grass fed Wagyu beef sourced from Gundooee Farm in Dunedoo near the Great Dividing Range that turns, among others, into a succulent beef burger with pickled beetroot, caramelised onion, cheddar and chips. Lamb is saltbush lamb farmed in the Riverina area of southwest New South Wales, while the fish
05 Etch Lolly tray 06 Chocolate velvet with sugared doughnuts and yuzu curd 07 Gundooee Organic grass fed wagyu burger with caramelised onions, pickled beetroot and cheddar
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sojourn
Home Grown
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75 percent of the ingredients used in the pizzas, wraps and sandwiches are organic, or bought from local suppliers that practice sustainable farming. Similarly, much of the food at Chipotle, a fast food outlet that serves Mexican, is seasonal, family-farmed, naturally raised, hormone-free and/or organic. “’Food With Integrity’ isn’t a marketing slogan,” says Steve Ells, Founder and CEO, of Chipotle’s tagline. “It means working back along the food chain. It means going beyond distributors to discover how the vegetables are grown, how the pigs, cows and chickens are raised, where the best spices come from. We learn how these factors affect the flavour of the finished product. And what we can do to improve it.” Perhaps last year’s spike in gas prices also helped thrust local products into the spotlight when transported produce suddenly became more expensive. Contamination issues, such as melamine-laced eggs, also highlighted the need to know more about where foods
originate. Consumers are growingly becoming conscious of where their food comes from. Like the folks at Tanjong Jara Resort, one can find many restaurateurs growing their own herb or vegetable garden. At the EcoRestorán in Cuba’s National Botanical Garden, vegetables grown on the site supplies almost 40 percent of the restaurant’s needs. This includes over 400 species of vegetable, spice and medicinal plants. Home growing them also allows the restaurant to ensure the vegetables are grown organically. Similarly, the restaurants at Soneva Fushi by Six Senses in Maldives use fruits and vegetables grown in their own garden, cutting its food miles to zero. So imagine if the vegetables are hand-picked that morning, they make it to your table for lunch the same day. Since its beginning in 1994, Six Senses Resorts & Spas has earned its position as the benchmark for environmental responsibility in
the hospitality sector. The properties continue to pioneer green efforts and plan to move from carbon neutral to carbon free and eventually carbon positive by 2010.
08 P roduce picked fresh in the morning makes it way to lunch the same day at Soneva Fushi 09 The Soneva Fushi herb and vegetable garden
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Even where space is a constraint, many establishments devise novel and interesting ways to cultivate their own garden. George, a Toronto restaurant that describes itself as serving “local, natural and sustainable food”, once uses 20 blue recycling boxes to plant anything from long beans to basil and baby eggplants. The large plastic boxes are placed on the restaurant’s balcony overlooking its courtyard. While the courtyard today has been used to accommodate a new boutique hotel, Chef Loseto uses his own garden(s) to grow specialty products such as baby leaf vegetables which are difficult to buy while they are fresh enough. Whatever ingredients not found in the garden are sourced from the chef’s most reliable source: His mother’s garden. Perhaps no other message is more powerful than when America’s First Lady, Michelle Obama, planted a vegetable garden in the South Lawn of the White House – the first
since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden in World War II. What better way than in these hard times to be self-reliant by growing your own food. Last year, 36 million American households grew food gardens, up 10 percent from 2007, according to the Gardening Association. That number is expected to jump by another seven million this year, a fifth of whom will be first-time gardeners. Suffice to say, restaurateurs are delighted. In the age of industrial food systems and genetically-modified food, we ought to become more alert of the foods we consume. After all, food basically is about the relationship between land and man. In its deepest dimension, food celebrates the goodness of the earth that in turn, nurtures our body, mind and spirit. Isn’t that food for thought?
10 G eorge’s beautiful patio 11 George’s warm interior
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sojourn
lifest yle
Eco Chic
Eco Chic One of the most sought after zipcodes in Kuala Lumpur, Bangsar Enclave provides more than just a pretty abode.
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sojourn Eco Chic
The charming new homes on Medang Tanduk in a quiet enclave of Kuala Lumpur’s Bangsar looks a lot like the other new homes in this inner-city posh neighbourhood. Contemporary, sleek, with just the right touch of luxury that hinders it from being overly vulgar; the style blends beautifully with the area’s oh-so-cool persona that has made Bangsar the playground for the city’s Who’s Who. But because it’s built with plenty of green features, this is what sets it apart from other homes. With solar hot water heater, a rainwater recycling collection system, a convection cooling fan system, a louvered shading screen and an energy saving fixture, there’s huge savings annually compared to its neighbours in the owners’ utilities bill. Bangsar Enclave is Mulpha Land Bhd’s vision of a healthier, cost- and energy-efficient residence. It’s also a showcase of how green can also be beautiful. Little has been overlooked in the effort to create the seven exclusive homes that are modern and habitable without compromising on today’s eco-centric values. Yet the green features are not the only appealing elements of
this home. Designs chosen are a pleasing mix of taste and aesthetics, bringing up the style variation a notch for tropics-friendly homes that are flavoursome and fashionable. The three-storey house’s exterior features a garden spine that wraps itself around the Garden Deck level with water features and greens linking to all villas. Ready landscaping and private pool within your own private garden create the perfect sanctuary amid the city’s fast-paced setting. Inside guests are welcomed into the lobby, where warm wood flooring extends from here to the adjacent dining and living areas. There are also the wet and dry kitchens on this level, the latter fitted with built-in appliances from Bulthaub and Miele, including fridges, an LCD television, steam oven, pizza oven, a water filter system, coffee maker and microwave oven. Suffice to say, it is a home that anticipates the needs of today’s modern man.
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Upstairs, the entire level has been designed for an intimate living experience. The master suite has a study room with wood and marble flooring and an anti-room. The walk-in closet is a generous space that includes an island counter perfect for his-and-hers vanity area, and a heavenly sunken bath. Adding a luxe note to the master bath (in fact to all the bathrooms in the entire house) is fittings by Toto and Grohe/Kohler, leading providers of bath fittings and amenities. The master bedroom is also nestled away from the three other additional bedrooms that have a walk-in closet and a private bath each. Meanwhile, the spacious family area that includes a food pantry allows for families to unwind and relax privately, turning this level into an exclusive hideaway from the rest of the household.
In short, Bangsar Enclave’s graceful habitat balances the needs for intimacy and privacy while giving the residents a distinct identity. The finished lower level highlights an innovative design that presents endless options for great living space. It includes a powder room, a chauffeur’s and maids’ living quarters with attached bath, and a laundry room. Nearby is a guest bedroom with attached bath and walk-in closet as well as a gym/ multipurpose/AV room and a sauna. Created for the definitive family and entertainment living, Bangsar Enclave seamlessly balances traditional character and ultra contemporary style. Rounding out the impressive features of this home is the electric glass lift that takes you up through the foyer for a grand entrance on every floor.
Bangsar Enclave offers three different floor plans and facades with a built up area ranging from 7,500 sqft to 8,500 sqft. In addition to the impressive amenities, Bangsar Enclave truly has been designed as a home for tomorrow. At the heart of the robust architecture and design-driven innovative dwellings is a thinking home. Systems have been put in place to ensure you live in comfort and a worry-free environment. Each unit has power back up for strategic lighting and security. This includes a home alarm and security system with CCTV and panic buttons, an auto gate to individual villas, night light and motion sensors. Combine this with a single entry point and guard-home communication, these are all solutions perfect for the digital age.
sojourn Eco Chic
While this inspired living environment unfolds, Bangsar Enclave enjoys the perks of city living while maintaining its privacy and exclusivity. Situated in one of Kuala Lumpur’s most developed neighbourhoods, it is a stone’s throw away from stylish office addresses of Damansara Heights and Mid Valley, and within an easy stroll to neighbourhood malls such as Bangsar Shopping Centre, Bangsar Village, many world class cafes and restaurants. It also has its own neighbourhood post office, banks, pharmacies, bakery and a community hall. Access to the residential area is easy, with several major roads and highways, including the Federal highway, SPRINT highway and Lebuhraya Mahameru offering connectivity to downtown Kuala Lumpur and the suburbs of Petaling Jaya and Damansara. Additionally, the Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station, a self-contained city concept comprising of a world-class transportation hub, corporate office towers, business suites, international
hotels, convention centre as well as the Bangsar Light Rail Transit (LRT) is also within easy access. Yet, within its close proximity to everyday life’s indulgences, Bangsar Enclave still remains endearingly safe and quiet. Immersed in the area’s tranquility, it lies within a gated community where cars and people safely interact through a separate vehicle and sheltered pedestrian entrance amid a green belt and wide open areas. Bangsar Enclave is developed by Mulpha Land Bhd, the property arm of Mulpha Group of Companies. It has operations and investments in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, the People’s Republic of China, Australia and Hong Kong. Through its flagship development known as Leisure Farm Resort located in Iskandar Malaysia in Johor, Mulpha has successfully consolidated itself as a committed and responsible developer winning numerous prestigious property awards both internationally and locally, including two FIABCI Malaysian Chapter awards.
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high life
life st yle
Meetings for Free
Meetings for Free At Hilton Melbourne Airport, we are offering you a business deal too good to brush aside.
Book your bedrooms with us from 15 April to 30 June, 2009 and enjoy a meetings package with our compliments. Whether it’s a training session, sales presentation or corporate event we’ll provide the perfect venue, along with lunch and refreshments to make it a true success. What’s more, you have till 31 December, 2009 to hold your event. In these financially uncertain times, we know a crucial meeting will certainly help seal the deal. That is why we’re presenting an offer you will definitely want to pen down. So contact Hilton Melbourne Airport to receive an immediate verbal quote for your upcoming meeting today at MeetingsforFree.MelbourneAirport@hilton.com
Hilton Melbourne Airport Arrival Drive Melbourne Airport Vic. 3045 Tel : (03) 8336 2037 Fax : (03) 8336 1082
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Your Own Private Sanctuary Sanctuary Cove is Australia’s leading lifestyle community offering unique lifestyle, facilities and 24-hour active land and water security. Nowhere else in Australia will you find such a diverse range of luxury living options. Nestled within Sanctuary Cove’s 474-hectare residential enclave lies established lifestyle options that are complemented by two championship golf courses, four harbours, 15 restaurants and harbourside cafes, fashion boutiques and specialties overlooking the tranquil marina, an extensive Rec Club, the casual elegance of The Country Club, and the five-star Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove hotel. Located on the Coomera River and around four man-made harbours, Sanctuary Cove has access via the Broadwater to the rich game fishing waters of the Pacific Ocean. The prestigious residential community is set among native Australian fauna. Sanctuary Cove is open every day and welcomes close to three million visitors each year. Some simply enjoy the magnificent facilities and many decide to take it one step further to call Sanctuary Cove their home.
NOW SELLING AT SANCTUARY COVE BUY NOW
and get a lifestyle gift worth at least
$21,000
Hillside house and land from $995,000 To celebrate our 21st birthday, we’ll give you at least $21,000 worth of lifestyle ‘extras’ FREE if you buy now. It’s another great reason to build at Sanctuary Cove this year. This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Build your new home on a prestigious hillside block in Australia’s leading lifestyle community, for a never to be repeated price.
Offer also applies to • Hillside land from $500,000 • Golf course land from $625,000 • Waterfront land from $990,000
Living in luxury has never been so affordable. Call now. They won’t last long.
Image is indicative only.
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BIRTHDAY
+61 7 5577 6000 • info@sanctuarycove.com • www.sanctuarycove.com
SANCTUARY COVE
lifestyle
Urban Utopia The Raintree Residence, a luxurious 5-storey serviced apartment development located off Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur, is your answer to contemporary city living.
high life Urban Utopia
Built within the established environs of Kuala Lumpur surrounded by green foliage and next to the prestigious Raintree Club and Selangor Polo and Riding Club, the Raintree Residence is an abode of exclusivity and class. The 12 units of luxurious apartments consisting of four penthouses, each with a private individual entrance direct from the lift, and eight standard units are now available for rent, from as low as RM8,200/month. Floor areas range from 2,047 sqft for a standard unit to 3,742 sqft for the penthouse. With its proximity to Kuala Lumpur’s CBD and Kuala Lumpur City Centre, the Raintree Residence is the perfect address for work and play. Each unit offers two car park bays (four for penthouses), and access to facilities including a swimming pool, wading pool, bar corner and sauna. With round-theclock, 24-hour security, CCTV and intercom systems, the Raintree Residence offers a secure living environment.
For information, please contact PROPERTY DIVISION General Lines
: +603-7957 2233 / 7958 1888
Fax Number
: +603-7958 4013
: btkoh@mulpha.com.my
terrenz@mulpha.com.my
tlee@mulpha.com.my
taher@mulpha.com.my
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lifest yle
Credit Crunch Beauty Beauty lift amid the global economic crisis.
Not too long ago, breakfast over coffee and croissant was easily combined with a dash to the dermatologist for a shot of Botox. By the time lunch arrives, those crow’s feet that bugged you this morning (which seemed to have magnified itself overnight) is erased as easily as that video footage you killed of yourself in braces at 16 at your high school prom.
after hours
Credit Crunch Beauty
Then just as you think you could never experience such beauty high, your world comes crashing down, impacting you like a 12-foot wave slamming over a Bondi surfer. That menacing wave rears its ugly head disguised as the global economic meltdown. No one, or rather nothing, is spared from its ravages. Most mornings these days, you struggle not just between the choice of a skinny soy latte or macchiato, but if you could really afford to be blasé about your mid-morning clandestine cosmetic fixes. With fillers that can cost anything from USD$500 to USD$1,000 a pop, that, in the current climate, may seem a tad bit too extravagant. Beauty, you suddenly realise, has just fallen prey to the credit crunch beast. A filler a day can add up to some scary looking numbers by the end of the month. Unfortunately, wrinkles and lines cannot distinguish between good and bad times. They appear when you least expect it, and with their stubborn streak, will not let go of their right to occupy any space on your complexion for as long as there’s still a birthday candle to be blown next year.
ear and offer you comfort in times of need. They are also eager to showcase the latest in their beauty arsenal, creating weapons of mass deconstruction in the eternal fight for everlasting youth. With science moving at a break-neck speed, today’s skin creams can easily give derms a run for their money.
Pep Rally So what’s a gal to do then? After all, there’s a limit to how long you can pass off those wrinkles as laugh lines. Just ask Mick Jagger. But beauty die-harders don’t earn their reputation overnight. When the going gets tough, the tough rethinks the nip-and-tuck strategy.
Ever since the cosmetics industry discovered the power of peptides – a very active chain of amino acids that love to work with the skin – skincare has never been the same. Today, no beauty buff is worth her ounce of night cream if she doesn’t already have words like ‘pentapeptides’, ‘hexapeptides’, or even ‘neuropeptides’ ingrained in her vocabulary.
Face the Facts At times like these, it’s wise for women to re-evaluate their need-versus-luxury outlook. With under-the-knife procedures that can see up to a six figure bracket, consider alternative beauty saviours. That however, does not mean you should sprint to the chemist for everyday OTC products. There is a difference between skin at 14 and skin at 40. Younger skin is less fussed and low maintenance. With age, as you would easily attest by looking at your own persona, skin wants more attention and TLC. So while that twenty dollar cream worked fabulously once when you were a teen, it might not have the same effect on you now you’ve matured. Luckily, this is a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by cosmetics companies. More than ever, companies are eager to be your
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You may remember how Olay positioned its peptide-infused cream under the Regenerist brand. Today, cosmeceutical companies use, among others, copper peptides and lipo-peptide that work to stimulate collagen production and promote elasticity. Fans rave when Acetyl-hexapeptide-3 jumped onto the beauty bandwagon. Touted as a weaker, less invasive version of Botox, it was created specifically to relax facial muscles responsible for crow’s feet, frown lines and other wrinkles. Its manufacturers are ecstatic with the attention, claiming that Acetyl-hexapeptide-3 ‘relaxes’ muscles that work too hard.
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The peptide-of-the-moment, however, has to be neuropeptides. The word ‘neuro’, of course, refers to the nerves, so essentially, these group of peptides is like your skin’s PRsavvy communicator. They work in the neural tissue, egging it to stay resilient, elastic, and essentially, stay young.
In Dr. Nicholas Perricone’ Neuropeptide Firming Moisturizer the benefits of neuropeptides are harvested to keep skin smooth and plump in a luxurious and emollient moisturiser. Similarly, the makers of Kinerase C Peptide Intensive Treatment are confident that its SNAP-8 technology can reduce wrinkles especially around the eyes and forehead areas. Even the celebs are sold, with former Friends star Courtney Cox-Arquette declaring herself among the brand’s loyal fans. Described as more of a treatment than a moisturiser, the Kinerase C Peptide Intensive Treatment also works at evening out the skin tone.
Super Powers When it comes to the most powerful antioxidants to date, the origins of its discovery is as equally fascinating as is its benefits. Idebenone is used to preserve organs being transported for transplants. Then it was discovered that Idebenone also had properties which repair and regenerate the skin, prompting researchers to label it as a highly effective anti-wrinkle compound. According to patent holder Joseph Lewis, Idebenone is able to eliminate many free radicals and even stop them from forming in the first place. It protects the skin from external and internal aggressors, such as UV rays, smoke and pollution that cause premature cell death and, is the first clinically tested antioxidant that not only protects but corrects skin. Partnering fellow researcher Joseph DiNardo, who introduced AHA-based skin care in 1983 as the first ever cosmeceutical, Lewis
after hours
Credit Crunch Beauty
Priority Delivery
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Of course, the best of skin care remains worthless if they don’t have a snazzy delivery system. When it comes to anti-ageing rescue, digging deeper is the key. Cosmetics companies continue to develop ways for products to go down to the dermis level, where collagen and elastin reside, while enhancing everything from bioavailability, site targeting, time of residence, release characteristics, and optimising aesthetic properties. The idea is for skin to receive the help needed, while finding ways to ensure that help stays for as long as it is needed and provides skin with the rations to nurse it back to health.
launched Idebenone to the masses with the Priori skincare line. Today, fans flock to Harrods to get, among others, the USD$100 Priori Smooth Lines that reportedly helps smooth out unwanted frowns and facial lines. Idebenone is also the main ingredient in Vitage, a skincare line created by UK aesthetic surgeon Dr. Patrick Bowler. Fans argue that it dramatically rejuvenates skin. Elsewhere, Allergan (the company that introduced Botox) and Elizabeth Arden, have teamed up to create Prevage, an anti-ageing cream that relies on Idebenone to effectively improve signs of ageing while promoting an overall improvement of skin’s firmness, tone, texture, and radiance. 01 D r. Brandt’s Laser in a Bottle Laser Relief 02 Priori Smooth Lines 03 Elizabeth Arden Prevage range 04 Organic Apoteke Rasayana Rejuvenating Serum 05 Leaf & Rusher Tx Night Formula
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Organic Apoteke, that claims to be the world’s first certified organic cosmeceutical, relies on its patented multiple micro-emulsion technology in delivering the benefits of its Rejuvenating Rasayana Serum. The active complexes are ‘wrapped’ in eight layers of botanical oils and floral waters designed to unfold into the skin, infusing it with nutrients as they pass from layer to layer. The result, the company claims, is a 60 percent decrease in fine lines and wrinkles, while increasing the same percentage in hydration. For Dr. Brandt’s skincare, who himself is a leading Hollywood dermatologist, minuscule encapsulations does the trick in zapping wrinkles and unwanted lines through his Laser in a Bottle Laser Relief. Madonna is a fan of this cocktail of green tea, vitamins A and C, and judging by how she looks at 50, perhaps Dr. Brandt is worth checking out at after all. Finally, consider Leaf & Rusher Tx Night Formula that uses the latest DNA technology featuring an encapsulated enzyme extract. It complements the skin’s repair process by helping skin identify and eliminate damage from environmental factors and sun exposure.
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lifest yle
AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM AND REALISM:
A Landmark Exhibition from the Met Fans of American impressionist painting would be delighted with the latest exhibition running now till September at the Queensland Art Gallery.
Works by some of America’s foremost painters from the late 19th century and the early years of the 20th century will soon be seen in Australia for the first time. ‘American Impressionism and Realism: A Landmark Exhibition from the Met’ is organised by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in collaboration with the Queensland Art Gallery and Art Exhibitions Australia. It is a world exclusive exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery from 30 May to 20 September 2009.
William Glackens 1870 – 1938, Central Park, Winter c.1905, Oil on canvas 63.5 x 76.2cm George A Hearn Fund 1921, Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
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A Landmark Exhibition from the Met
01 W illiam Merritt Chase 1849 – 1916 At the Seaside c.1892 Oil on canvas 50.8 x 86.4cm Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876–1967) 1967 Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 02
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James McNeil Whistler, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, Childe Hassam, Theodore Robinson, William Merritt Chase, Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer and Maurice Prendergast will be presented alongside less familiar painters such as Ernest Lawson, John H. Twachtman, Cecilia Beaux and Willard Metcalf, providing Queensland Art Gallery visitors with an insight to the techniques, subjects and themes of American painting and its relationship to French Impressionism and the studios of Paris. Curated by H. Barbara Weinberg, the Metropolitan Museum of Arts’ (fondly known as The Met) Alice Pratt Brown Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, ’American Impressionism and Realism’ is a selection from the Met’s extraordinary collection of American painting from the late 19th century. Normally on permanent display, the Met’s major renovations (due for completion in 2011) have provided an opportunity to present an exhibition of this collection for Australian audiences. The exhibition also affords the opportunity to interpret and present these works with a selection of more than 30 major Australian paintings, including works by Tom Roberts, Charles Conder, Frederick McCubbin, Rupert Bunny and Hugh Ramsay. As a style, Impressionism developed in America only gradually. A more conservative, tonal iteration of the French style, which eventually enjoyed a degree of popularity and attention from collectors, was adopted
during a period of America’s history when the nation grew and moved from an agrarianbased economy to a dynamic urban and industrialised society. New wealth saw the establishment of European-style mansions and houses, increased travel abroad and the appropriation of European taste in art and fashion. For American artists, Paris - where admission to a private academy such as the Académie Julian or to the École des Beaux-Arts run by the French government, was considered essential for one’s reputation, training and career - was seen as the pinnacle of aspiration. Some of these artists became expatriates: John Singer Sargent established a dazzling career as a portraitist in Paris and London, while Mary Cassatt settled in Paris with her family. The lure of Paris as an artistic centre towards the end of the 19th century was also irresistible to many Australian artists including Hugh Ramsay, E Phillips Fox, Charles Conder and Agnes Goodsir. A judicious selection of important paintings by Australian artists from the period 1880 – 1929 will provide familiar visual pivots for points of comparison and contrast with the themes and subjects of the exhibition’s American works. The exhibition will explore many complementary visual and cultural dialogues through works by Australian artists such as Tom Roberts, Charles Conder, Hugh Ramsay, John Russell, Ethel Carrick-Fox and Rupert Bunny.
Cecilia Beaux 1855 – 1942 Ernesta (Child with Nurse) 1894 Oil on canvas 128.3 x 96.8 cm Maria DeWitt Jesup Fund 1965 (65.49) Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The majority of American artists in Paris enrolled in the private ateliers, with the Académie Julian the most popular. Frank W. Benson, Childe Hassam, John H. Twachtman and Willard Metcalf all studied there. Almost all of the American artists who studied in Paris also travelled elsewhere in Europe including to Spain, Italy, Holland and the countryside of France where artist colonies such as those at Giverny and Barbizon had been established. The opportunity to work en plein air in picturesque pastoral settings reflected most directly the influence of the impressionist style and technique. It was this approach to landscape painting and the depiction of
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modern urban subjects such as city life and people at leisure in parks and gardens that American artists adapted to their own country, particularly in the eastern states. New York and Boston became the major art centres of North America by the 1890s and repatriated American artists had set up rural and seaside colonies, such as those they had experienced in France, in locales such as New Hampshire, New England and rural Pennsylvania. Increasingly, American artists adopted impressionist techniques in the depiction of contemporary life and a new vibrant, confident and national identity. The instruction that American students received at the academies was conventional and reflected the styles of Dutch, Spanish and French painters such as Frans Hals, Gustave Courbet, Rembrandt and Diego Velázquez. The radical style of French impressionist painters such as Degas, Pissarro, Renoir and Monet did not have an immediate impact on Americans studying in Paris, although Cassatt and Sargent both adopted and adapted the
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John Singer Sargent 1856 – 1925 Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Phelps Stokes 1897 Oil on canvas 214 x 101 cm Bequest of Edith Minturn Phelps Stokes (Mrs I N) 1938 (38.104) Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
04 J ohn Singer Sargent 1856 – 1925 Mrs. Hugh Hammersley 1892 Oil on canvas 205.7 x 115.6 cm Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Douglass Campbell, in memory of Mrs. Richard E. Danielson 1998 Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 04
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A Landmark Exhibition from the Met 05 J ohn White Alexander 1856 – 1915 Repose 1895 Oil on canvas 132.7 x 161.6cm Anonymous Gift 1980 Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 06 Charles Conder 1868 – 1909 Departure of the Orient – Circular Quay 1888 Oil on canvas 45.1 x 50.1cm Purchased 1888 Collection: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Photograph: Jenni Carter of Art, New York
French style to their own ends, with Cassatt exhibiting with the impressionists four times between 1879 and 1886. By the mid 1880s, however, Impressionism was beginning to gain acceptance in America, assisted by the French dealer Paul Durand-Ruel who, in 1886, exhibited over 300 French impressionist works in New York, and the painter William Merritt Chase whose support, practice and promotion of Impressionism in the United States contributed to its acceptance by collectors and public. Merritt Chase is credited with painting some of the first impressionist works in America and is represented in the exhibition by four paintings including the light-filled and lively At the seaside c.1892, which he painted at Southampton on Long Island. By 1900, a group of painters including Robert Henri, William Glackens, John Sloane, George Luks, Everett Shinn and George Bellows had settled in New York and came to be known
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as the Ashcan School. These realists brought a new kind of urban realism to the painting of modern life by rejecting the genteel and picturesque style of American Impressionism and adopting a darker tonal palette. While the American impressionists spanned several generations and lived diverse professional lives as painters, illustrators and teachers, the realists had backgrounds as newspaper illustrators with little academic training but exhibited together in several exhibitions in New York in the early years of the 20th century, including the ‘Armory Show’ in 1913, which introduced the more radical aspects of European Modernism to American audiences. Despite their differences in artistic expression, the two groups of painters that Weinberg defines, the impressionists and the realists, shared a number of themes and both drew on the influence of French Impressionism as they depicted life and leisure in a new modern
by the Met until the early years of the 20th century, despite the French-inspired style gaining popularity during the 1890s. A number of major gifts and estates, including those of Mary Cassatt’s friends James Stillman and Mrs HO Havemeyer, and the 1950 gift of almost 40 oils and hundreds of watercolours and drawings from John Singer Sargent’s sister, Francis Ormond, significantly increased the Met’s holdings of impressionist and realist paintings. The largest exhibition of American impressionist painting to be seen in Australia, this unprecedented display of over 70 works constitutes one of the largest international loans from the one of the world’s best known and most visited museums, and includes some of its best loved works.
America. As Weinberg has pointed out, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, founded in 1870, developed ‘without a foundation in royal or aristocratic collections and without reliance on martial plunder’, and has grown to be one of the world’s most encyclopaedic collections of art and material culture. However, the works of American Impressionism and Realism which constitute this exhibition were not acquired
The exhibition catalogue will be available from the Gallery Store and online at www.australianartbooks.com.au The Queensland Art Gallery’s opening hours during the exhibition are: Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 5.00pm, and Saturday and Sunday (and public holidays) from 9.00am to 5.00pm. For tickets, please visit www.qtix.com.au
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lifestyle
“The last time I got strapped for my meal was when I was two!” laughs Renata Keller albeit nervously, as a staff engaged to strap her to her seat for dinner. Sensing her anxiety, the staff threw her a charming smile. “Don’t worry ma’m. There’s no way possible for you to accidentally release the straps. You’re perfectly safe,” he says, patting at her four-point safety belts and winked.
I Spy with My Little Eye When you dine 50 metres up in the air, it’s hard to decide between the stew or the view.
Straps? Dinner? Could this be a fancy dress party? Partly true, and partly false. Although there’s no dress code, guests like to dress up for this dinner event, or at least take the trouble to look good. Because when dining at 50 metres up in the air, there’ll definitely be lots of photo opps to be done, both by you and curious onlookers trying to catch a glimpse of you as you cruise through dinner nonchalantly above air. Welcome to Dinner in the Sky (www.dinnerinthesky.com), an out-ofthis-world floating feast that has Forbes magazine ranking it as among the world’s Top 10 most unusual restaurants. Now you understand why one needs to be harnessed into their seats. And did we mention that the chairs also recline and swivel 180 degrees? After all, you wouldn’t want to miss giving the view the much deserved appreciation – whether it’s against the backdrop of France’s tallest Gothic cathederal at Amiens or the London city skyline.
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I Spy with My Little Eye
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Since it began in May 2006, Dinner in the Sky has globetrot the world and given foodies and fans alike the chance to do almost anything in the sky – from breakfasts to lunch to cocktails. The brainchild of two Belgian entrepreneurs, David Ghysels and Stefan Kerkhofs, this venture, while sounds amazingly fun, is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Guests literally float on air, with only a small platform to rest their feet. They dine on a 6.6tonne table that seats 22 persons, with chefs and waiters going about their way with ease in the centre, although they too, wear harnesses and are additionally tethered to the table. The whole structure is suspended from a crane. Yet, no matter how high the table is piled with all kinds of cuisine, being way up high can stir some latent butterflies in your stomach, even if it doesn’t make your head spin. The organisers acknowledge that they have seen their fair share of nervous guests, but it usually plays out like this: They are generally afraid for the first 10 minutes, start to relax after a quarter of an hour, and after 45 minutes, start to call their friends, saying, “You won’t believe where I am!”. And oh, by an hours’ time, the ultimate question gets asked – “Where’s the toilet?”. Short answer: There isn’t one. If one has to go, the entire table,
awkwardly, goes down with you for facilities available on terra firma. So best to use the lavatory before you go up in the sky. But not everyone is squeamish about sky-high dining. The braver ones, like Keller’s fellow diner Julian Keene, prefer to let his feet dangle in the air. “I just hope I don’t drop a fork and spike someone,” he chuckles. The waiters were quick to reassure him that extra forks, and other necessities, are stacked away safely to prepare for such incidents. As for the menu, the sky truly is the limit when it comes to options. From sushi to steak flambé, everything is possible. One Belgian party munched on tapas as they hovered near the Formula One race track watching the race. In the case of the Amien diners, guests had dinner prepared by five-star Michelin chef, Alain Passard, that included lobster. And don’t think that dinner is just a quiet and somber affair, either. Entertainment can also be arranged. The organisers simply hoist another platform to the same height and anything from a pianist with a grand piano or a string quartet can provide that special touch.
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I Spy with My Little Eye
To date, the company has hosted more than 500 events. With over 25 partners all over the world – Spain, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Italy and Turkey, to name a few – the affair is an unforgettable experience with an endless possibility of venues and a myriad of backdrops. With the crane easily relocated, the most logical follow-up question is the cost, as clients have to shell out all relocation and setup costs.
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Dinner does not come cheap. A typical eighthour affair can cost USD$11,000 not including catering. And, should you want entertainment, the cost can double to almost USD$22,000. It comes as no surprise then that many who take to the sky tend to be private individuals with money, or companies. The whole affair sometimes has very little to do with food. Corporations, for instance, take the opportunity to create what can best be described as a powerful visibility tool with its own captive audience. Holland’s Bavaria Beer created a four-sided wooden beach bar, complete with hammocks and palm trees with roots trailing for one publicity stunt. San Pellegrino suspended a piano for its event. But it was the car company Renault that probably showed the extent to which one is only limited by one’s own imagination. The executives decided to display their new model on an adjacent platform and sat 22 journalists at the dinner table. Suffice to say, it was a highly successful PR event!
Dinner in the Sky’s success is also attributed to the organisers’ almost obsessive nature when it comes to safety. Concepts and products are designed and built according to the highest industry standards. Clients are also advised to take up an insurance coverage of the event as well as a policy that covers uncooperative weather. Additionally, there’s always a security guy on ground who is in radio contact with the crane driver. After the success of Dinner in the Sky in various countries, both Ghysels and Kerkhofs decided to be more adventurous and creative. “Thirty months ago, when we launched Dinner in the Sky, we explained to journalists attending the press conference that Dinner in the Sky was not a finished product, but a creative concept: Each event is a unique experience, blending what happens on the table, the chosen location and the interaction between the setting and the table or other platforms,” Ghysels explains.
Today, Ghysels and partner Kerkhofs have made true upon that promise. Working in partnership with The Fun Group, a worldwide leader in this type of activity, guests can now look forward to Meeting in the Sky, Showbiz in the Sky, and Marriage in the Sky, all of which have added to the excitement of eating while floating on air. Marriage in the Sky, in particular, truly elevates (no pun intended) the experience of a marriage in heaven. Couples have the opportunity to get married just as they would in a conventional setting but in the clouds among the angels at 50 metres high. In this case 10 central seats out of the 22 seats that make up the platform are removed to create an aisle along which the newly married couple walks between their guests. And, if they choose, the newlyweds can also opt to start their new life with a bungy jump from the platform!
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Domestic Goddess
Blend style with form and function and you get a fashionable kitchen filled with gorgeous gadgets and fun kitchen paraphernalia. Even if cooking eludes you, these on the kitchen counter will impress even the staunchest of culinary critics!
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Tea Party Who can resist doing tea with such darling designs? Perfect for a Mad Hatter’s tea party or otherwise, this modern mini tea set from the Tea’s Me range not only looks charming, but is also microwave and dishwasher safe. www.rosannainc.com
Boiling Point Make tea or coffee a real fun occasion with the Halo from Le Creuset. Its heat resistant, ergonomic handle gives this tea kettle its own ‘angelic’ charm and the Dijon colour is just right to brighten up any stovetop. www.lecreuset.com
Ocean Deep
Great Grinds
Redefine the art of entertaining with this hand-made anemoneinspired bowl from the Oceania collection by L’Objet. Concaved bowl with enamel shell brings functional elegance to nature’s most spectacular underwater treasures.
Make your own unique spice blends and rubs, flavourful dips, herb mixtures and marinades in this twist on the traditional pestle and mortar by American Masala Mortar & Pestle. Pestles with Indian quilt motif and glazed mortars are available in cardamom green or saffron orange.
www.l-objet.com
www.americanmasala.com
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Domestic Goddess
Flour Power KitchenAid® Artisan series stand mixer not only looks dashing on the counter, it is also designed for highperformance household mixing. And what’s not to love when there’s a luscious range of hues to choose from? www.kitchenaid.com
Liquid Gold Coffee turns sexy with Bialetti’s Mokona Espresso machine that gives you the choice of using either capsules, pods or even your favourite classic ground coffee. Who says coffee’s boring?
Get Personal
www.bialetti.it
Make your mark in the kitchen with this hip monogrammed tray. Upholstered in 100% linen with nickel plated nail heads, this wooden tray also comes with a glass top to keep spills out of the way. www.monogrammarket.com
Serves Up Wow your guests with this Indian-inspired platter perfect for roasted vegetables, a grain casserole, meatloaf or chicken entree. Bright ruby-hued flowers outlined in sapphire and sprigs of earthy green leaves outlined in terracotta orange makes this platter a standout. www.americanmasala.com
Deep Dish Le Creuset’s roomy, 5-qt oval oven is great for cooking brisket, whole fish, tenderloin, and other long cuts. Made with premium cast iron and topped with a fitting lid, this oven spreads heat and moisture evenly, creating tender results every time. www.lecreuset.com
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Young
Rider
British Formula 1 driver and latest Tag Heuer ambassador, Lewis Hamilton, speaks on the recent appointment and life outside the racing circuit.
after hours Young Rider
“I always try to be a good guy, when I was growing up my family instilled respect, manners and so on in me, and I try to live by that. It doesn’t take anything to be polite.” How does it feel to be now photographed not only as a driver but as a sex symbol? I find it very strange to hear people use words such as sex symbol or star when talking about me, because I most certainly do not consider myself to be one. I have been extremely fortunate to achieve my dreams and become a Formula 1 driver. If this hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be having my picture taken.
Tom Munro has photographed top celebrities such as Quentin Tarantino, Dustin Hoffman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Keanu Reeves and many others. He is now considered the top fashion and celebrity photographer of his generation. What do you expect from your TAG Heuer photo shoot? It is always really interesting to be photographed by someone who is clearly at the top of their field. A leading photographer is as dedicated to their work as I am to racing, and you could tell that with Tom Munro.
Do you see yourself as a good guy or bad guy? I don’t think that is a question for me to answer. I see myself as a very lucky guy. Yes, there has been a lot of hard work to get to where I am today in Formula 1 with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, but I am lucky to be here. Going back to your question, I always try to be a good guy, when I was growing up my family instilled respect, manners and so on in me, and I try to live by that. It doesn’t take anything to be polite.
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“You just have to believe in yourself and work hard to reach your goals.”
Do you believe in fate? It is not something I spend time thinking about, but I guess fate must have some role to play in everyone’s lives. However, you need to have aims, be hard working and dedicated to get to where you want to be, to meet those aims, whatever they may be. If I or my father had sat at home every weekend when I was growing up, not even trying, then I would not be a Formula 1 driver today. It is the same for anyone, whether you want to be a Formula 1 driver, a doctor, a teacher, whatever, unless you make it happen, it won’t.
Do you feel you had to fight to get where you are now? I haven’t had to fight; I have just had to work hard and be totally dedicated and committed to making my dreams come true. I did not do it alone – the support I received from my family, in particular my father, and the team over the past decade has been instrumental.
Where is your own personal finish line? I am only 24. I am not thinking that far ahead to be honest. As a racer, the finish line marks the start of the next race. I am not going into the 2009 season thinking I am World Champion and everything is going to be easy. It is the start of the new season and the slate has been wiped clean.
What has been your biggest challenge? How did you overcome it? In motor racing, each year there is a new challenge, races to be won, championships to challenge for. Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motor sport, so winning the Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship was naturally the biggest challenge, but as I was coming up through the series there were other challenges that were as big to me at the time.
Who are your favourite heroes in real life? I wouldn’t call them heroes, but there are a huge number of people I respect massively for what they have achieved in their lives, such as Ayrton Senna, Mohammed Ali, Nelson Mandela, Michael Schumacher.
after hours Young Rider
What are your favourite qualities in a fellow human being? Respect, honesty.
What do you appreciate most in your friends? Respect, honesty, dedication.
What do you consider your main faults? Some people might think I am too dedicated to my sport. I might have missed out on some things, but I am living my dream.
Do you have a motto? I don’t have a motto I live by. You just have to believe in yourself and work hard to reach your goals.
How do you recharge your batteries between races? There is a lot of preparatory work that takes place between the races. When we cross the line on Sunday at the end of a Grand Prix, it is not the case that we do nothing until the qualifying session for the next race. I have engineering programmes to work on with the team, my training to keep up, promotional activities for the team and our Partners. I also try to find some time to chill out with my family and friends. Go to the cinema, out for supper, radio-control car racing with my brother, just normal things that we all do.
I don’t have one favourite actor – there are too many who are amazing to single one out. Again, it does depend on what I have seen recently. I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the other day and Brad Pitt was incredible. Going back a few years, Steve McQueen was always pretty cool wasn’t he! He also got to film some of the best car movies and car chases of all time.
What’s your favourite movie of all time?
What would you say your idea of happiness is?
I watch a lot of films and my favourite tends to be the one I have just watched. My favourite film of all time is Cool Runnings. I really like lighthearted comedies such as The Wedding Crashers, where you just switch off and laugh for 90 minutes. Also, there are some films around with pretty cool driving in them, such as Le Mans with Steve McQueen, and also Bullet. They must have been awesome to film.
Who’s your favourite actor?
The next race.
What is your next challenge? Working hard with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team to win the 2009 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.
“Some people might think I am too dedicated to my sport. I might have missed out on some things, but I am living my dream.”
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