Crystal Living '19-'20 by ppigroup

C RYSTA L L I V I N G

CL Seashells in the

SEYCHELLES A LOCAL’S GUIDE TO THE INDIAN OCEAN’S PARADISE ISLANDS

DIM SUM PRIMER • MEDITATE IN MOMENTS • MANOLO’S CANARY ISLAND COUTURE

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US.MARCOBICEGO.COM

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The Baths, Virgin Gorda.

CRUISE THE BVI FROM COAST TO COVE.

Dive into the true spirit of the British Virgin Islands while cruising the best-kept secret in the Caribbean. Hop off the boat and immerse yourself in the unique culture, endless adventures and discoveries waiting to be made on and offshore â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and then plan your trip back to explore all 60 islands, cays, atolls and isles.

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YOUR FAVORITE PANORAMIC VIEW. YOUR FAVORITE DRINK WITHOUT ASKING. THESE ARE THE INGREDIENTS OF UNFORGETTABLE.

Bar Waiter

W H E R E L U X U R Y I S P E R S O N A L™

TO BOOK YOUR NEXT CRYSTAL EXPERIENCE, VISIT THE ONBOARD FUTURE SALES CONSULTANT.

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contributors

“

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.

1. ANTONY BOLANTE is a writer, performer, video-editing trainer, and playwright whose stage credits include onomatopoeia; on the nOse; Liquid Courage; and Egg Tooth. He recently earned an MFA from the UArts / Pig Iron Devised Performance Program. 2. SUE BRYANT is cruise editor of The Sunday Times and has contributed to the Insight Guides to European River Cruises, Mediterranean Cruises and Caribbean Cruises. Her writing awards include the CLIA award for Contribution to Cruise Journalism.

3. TERRY ELWARD travels the world in search of the densest jungle and the finest Champagne. Her work has appeared in publications such as International Living, Time Out Istanbul, Taste & Travel Magazine, and on her blog, remarkabletravels.com. 4. JACK FEERICK has written for Better Homes & Gardens, The Saturday Evening Post, and Mental Floss, and published poetry, fiction and comics for various small presses. He lives and works in western New York with his family. 5. ADAM FORD, of Chewton, Australia, has written poetry collections The Third Fruit is a Bird and Not Quite the Man for the Job, the novel Man Bites Dog, the anthology Heroes and Civilians, and the website theotheradamford. wordpress.com.

6. LYNNE HELM has covered travel for metro dailies, biz pubs, glossy consumer mags and travel trades, and contributed to Fodor’s Travel Guides for more than a decade. Most recently, she launched Ft Lauderdale Fun+Sun, an iPhone app. 7. SHERRY KENNEDY, a passionate cruiser, has seen her articles and photos published in major newspapers, travel-industry publications and travel websites, including USAToday. com and msnbc.today. com. An advocate of slow travel, she is the travel writer who doesn’t fly.

— Saint Augustine

CRYSTAL LIVING Bill Panoff PUBLISHER Linda Douthat ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR Grant Balfour, Phillip Crandall MANAGING EDITORS Chanel Samson COPY EDITOR Skip Anderson, Caroline Geertz ART DIRECTORS Laura Roche SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Tammy Robinson AD SERVICES DIRECTOR Alexandria Geubelle CREATIVE ASSISTANT

Grant Balfour Anthony Bolante Sue Bryant Terry Elward Jack Feerick Adam Ford Lynne Helm Sherry Kennedy Jennifer Lawrence Schott CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sara Linda PROOFREADER Alamy, AWL Images, eStock, Getty Images, Ingram Images, Superstock CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS oxygen / Getty Images COVER PHOTO

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, CONTACT SALES@PPIGROUP.COM Corporate Headquarters: PPI Group 6261 NW 6th Way, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 USA Phone: (954) 377-7777 Fax: (954) 377-7000 Email: bpanoff@ppigroup.com Website: www.ppigroup.com Sharon Cherry VICE PRESIDENT, BRAND SALES AND DEVELOPMENT

Bill Panoff CHAIRMAN/CEO William P. Jordan III PRESIDENT Audrey Balbiers-Panoff CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Jose I. Martin CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Linda Douthat SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHING

Brett Grady DIRECTOR, GLOBAL SALES

Piero Vitale SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE STRATEGY & FINANCIAL PLANNING

Richard Collins REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Soren Domlesky DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

Christina Hunting VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MARKETING Patti Lankford EXECUTIVE ASSISITANT TO THE CEO

Please address all correspondence to CRYSTAL LIVING c/o PPI Group Corporate Headquarters. ©2019 Panoff Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. CRYSTAL LIVING is published under contract to PPI Group. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright. Reproduction, either in whole or in part, including but not limited to transmission by any means, in any form — digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise — is forbidden without express written permission from the publisher. The magazine assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited manuscripts, photography, artwork or other material. Electronic queries only will be acknowledged. Email to editorial@ppigroup.com. Commentary and opinions expressed in CRYSTAL LIVING are not necessarily those of the publisher. Crystal Cruises and PPI Group are not responsible for any claims or offers made in advertisements appearing in CRYSTAL LIVING. You may limit our affiliated companies from marketing their products to you based on the information that we collect and share with them. Your choice to limit marketing offers from our affiliates will apply until you tell us otherwise. You may request that your information not be used in marketing efforts of our affiliates by contacting us at privacy@ crystalcruises.com.

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LESS STRESS, better life

TRAVELLER COLLECTION Dare to explore the journey within you with the Traveler Collection embedded with our unique Natural Frequency Technology® which harnesses and channels frequencies of the Earth to help you feel less stressed and improve your overall wellbeing.

Discover your wellbeing at philipstein.com ANTIGUA – Diamonds International / ARUBA – Diamonds International, Kay’s Fine Jewelry / BAHAMAS (Nassau) - DI Watch & Design, Diamonds International, Kay’s Fine Jewelry / BARBADOS – DI Watch & Design, Diamonds International, Milano Diamond Gallery / BELIZE – DI Watch & Design / BERMUDA – Crisson Jewellers, Diamonds International / CABO SAN LUCAS – DI Watch & Design / COSTA MAYA – DI Watch & Design / COZUMEL – DI Watch & Design, Diamonds International, Forum Shops / CURAÇAO –Freeport Jewelry & Gift Shop, Diamonds International / DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- Diamonds International / GRAND CAYMAN – Island Time, Diamonds International, Tanzanite International / GRAND TURK- Diamonds International, Mark Henry Boutique / GRENADA – Milano Diamond Gallery / JAMAICA (Falmouth) - Philip Stein Boutique / JAMAICA (Ocho Rios) - Jewels & Time, Diamonds International / JAMAICA (Shoppes of Rose Hall) - Jewels & Time / KEY WEST – Diamonds International / PUERTO RICO – Blue Diamond, Diamonds International / PUERTO VALLARTA – Diamonds International, Milano Diamond Gallery / ROATAN –Diamonds International / ST. KITTS – Diamonds International, Kay’s Fine Jewelry, Gold Mine / ST. LUCIA – DI Watch & Design / ST. MAARTEN –Diamonds International, Majesty Jewelers / ST. THOMAS – Philip Stein Boutique, DI Watch & Design, Diamonds International, Bliss Jewelers, Grand Jewelers, Milano Diamond Gallery (Havensight) / TORTOLA –Diamonds International

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contents

CRYSTAL LIVING DEPARTMENTS

Ship Spotlight...Crystal Bach

New Now...Countdown to Endeavor

Shore Couture...Manolo Blahnik

Connoisseur...Dim Sum

Decanter...Digestivi

Locals Love...Seychelles

Wellness...Meditation

Haute Hotels...Kempinski Hotel Corvinus

72 Room With a View...Musée d’Orsay, Paris

64 48

FEATURES

30 400 36 42

YEARS OF FAITH

DAY NIGHT DUBAI

Since 1634, this German village has re-enacted a religious mystery.

The jewel of the United Arab Emirates has something special to offer at any hour.

NOODLING & SPECKING OUTBACK

The rainbow-colored opals of Oz turn up in surprising places – so keep your eyes peeled.

48 52

LITERARY LEGACY

Anne of Green Gables is woven into Prince Edward Island’s history.

THE MAKING OF LUXURY Vision, Innovation and a Commitment to Excellence

Left to right: Ingram Image, Crystal Cruises, Tourism PEI / John Sylvester, Ingram Image

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Dear Traveler,

Art and architecture. Wine and food. Fashion and design. Together or separately, all are known to inspire our travels and each, in some way, is sure to influence our memories. From exploring the grand palaces and famed museums on the rivers of Europe, to discovering a land through its vineyards or learning of cultures through the legacy of novels, cuisine, jewelry or passion plays, at Crystal we understand that every journey is a personal one for each guest. We also know that how you choose to navigate our world is an equally individual preference and we are thrilled to be the only luxury cruise brand to offer you award-winning, all-inclusive vacations by Ocean, River, Yacht and Expedition fleets. In this, our premier issue of the newly designed Crystal Living, we shine a spotlight on the intangibles that stir our wanderlust, from the design of a shoe to the taste of dim sum. We share an independent review of the Crystal River Experience and details on the August 2020 debut of Crystal Endeavor, the world’s largest and most spacious luxury expedition yacht. From the tranquility of the Seychelles to the grandeur of Dubai, our ships span the globe on destination-rich voyages curated to quench your curiosity for discovery. As we prepare to celebrate our 30th year of luxury travel in 2020, we remain committed to bringing you extraordinary new ways to explore with innovative programs and exceptional standards of service, space, quality and choices. Thank you for choosing to travel with us. We hope the pages that follow will speak to your own sense of adventure as it will be our sincere pleasure to welcome you back aboard for another journey with Crystal … Where Luxury is Personal™. Sincerely,

Tom Wolber

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perfectly simple. True luxury speaks for itself and perfection never needs to be dressed up. We have responsibly sourced our caviar and fine foods from the world’s most prestigious farms for nearly a century, because we refuse to put our family name on anything less. Whether you are preparing a grand gala or indulging in a private moment of bliss, you can be assured that no one will ever match our quality, passion and savoir-faire.

PETROSSIAN FONDÉ À PARIS EN 1920

PARIS

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BRUSSELS

LYON

WEST HOLLYWOOD

NEW YORK CITY

LAS VEGAS

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Dear Reader,

I wish I could be where you are right now, aboard one of the most luxurious ships visiting some of the most delightful destinations the world over. That feeling of settling into your new home-away-fromhome, of anticipating the places you’re about to be and the eye-opening experiences you’re about to have … it’s absolutely intoxicating. As Judith Thurman, a great traveler, once put it: “Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you’ve never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground.” That dreamer’s sense is what’s behind all the stories in this magazine. We want to share that yearning to see more of the world, to live in new ways, try marvelous foods and sample the good life wherever and however it flourishes. You might wonder what it’s like to be on a river ship heading toward the Bavarian town of Obergammau with its absolutely stunning theatrical heritage stretching back centuries — so turn to page 30. You might picture yourself embarking on a Mediterranean cruise, eager to eat well and sample the digestive spirits that finish the best Italian meals — so turn to page 28. You might dream of a yacht voyage to the sun-kissed Seychelles — to fill in all the sumptuous details, turn to page 58. If you’re a lover of fashion, you might be on your way to explore the source of Manolo Blahnik’s Canary Islands-inspired designs (on page 22) or be intrigued by the sparkling opals that can be found literally lying beside some roads in Australia (on page 42). Wherever you’ve been before, there’s always some new destination, beckoning you onto your next trip, and the next one after that. It’s a beautiful world. Happy travels,

Bill Panoff Publisher, Crystal Living

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cruise focus

CRYSTAL

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Crystal Cruises (2)

Sail Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterways in unconventional style. BY SUE BRYANT

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Gray skies hang over Germany’s Black Forest and there’s a hint of rain in the air, but I’ve stepped off the gangway into a world of shimmering light.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW Traditionally, river ships on Europe’s waterways are limited in size by the many locks and bridges. It’s how you use the space you have that makes the difference — and Crystal Bach certainly defies convention. For starters, there’s a wonderful sense of ample space, which is no surprise given that the ship holds just 106 guests, while other lines accommodate up to 190 onto ships of identical dimensions. There are no second-rate cabins; the lowest deck, typically featuring the most inexpensive accommodation, only has crew cabins, the small gym, spa and laundry. Every stateroom upstairs on both the Crystal and Seahorse decks has a panoramic window that slides down to create an indoor balcony effect. There are only three categories: 15 Petite Suites, 35 River Deluxe Suites, and two lavish Crystal Suites complete with fireplaces that flicker with faux flames. My 253-square-foot Deluxe Suite was gorgeous, with heavy silver drapes and a whole wall of glass. The color scheme boasts soothing creams and grays with an emerald-green velvet armchair and a black glass-topped vanity. A button on the phone

summoned the butler, while the white marble bathroom was stocked with Etro goodies from Italy and big, fluffy towels and robes. There are other differences, too. In a cutting-edge design, the Palm Court (the main lounge) has a glass ceiling on each side, so light floods in and fills the beautiful space. By day, the Palm Court serves as the ship’s elegant, serene and sunny living room. At night, it transforms into a chic cocktail lounge with tiny crystals sparkling above the dance floor and a Steinway piano bathed in pink light. Cocktail hour was my favorite time of day, with Perry, who has a cult following on Crystal’s ocean ships, at the piano, a hubbub of chatter and the gentle rattle of the cocktail shaker. All-inclusive drinks certainly add to the relaxed vibe. There’s no cruise director on board, only hotel and excursion managers, so when it comes to entertainment, besides Perry’s wonderful piano tunes, on one evening, guests were treated to an excellent opera recital with singers flown in from Milan. Late at night, the dance floor was always packed.

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES Food is every bit as delicious as it is on Crystal’s larger oceangoing ships. Breakfast and lunch in the Waterside dining room are buffet style, with dishes such as breakfast omelets and lunchtime pasta made to order. And there’s no shortage of local specialties including apple strudel, fresh berries and Swiss and German cheeses. (CONTINUED ON PG. 68)

Crystal Cruises (3)

Crystal Bach is a stunningly beautiful river ship, all cool, contemporary shades of cream and silver with splashes of teal, emerald and burnt orange. Surfaces surround you that long to be touched: marble, heavy silk and velvet. Hints of art deco create a sense of old-fashioned glamour. I can already tell that Crystal Bach is something special.

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“

At night, it transforms into a chic cocktail lounge with tiny crystals sparkling above the dance floor.

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new now

Countdown to Crystal Endeavor A new way to see the world’s last frontiers.

BY JENNIFER LAWRENCE SCHOTT

ever before has our collective curiosity about the world and its undiscovered wonders been so high, and now Crystal Endeavor, the world’s largest and most spacious luxury expedition yacht, is ready to escort you to the corners of your imagination in real time. Come aboard for the journey of a lifetime to discover the secrets of nature, the wonder of cultures and the beauty of planet Earth. The ship debuts in August 2020. From her maiden voyage in the Russian Far East, expeditions in Antarctica, the Aleutian Isles and a rare transit of the Northeast Passage … to adventures in the Great Barrier Reef, the Raja Ampat Archipelago, the wilds of Tasmania and the windswept isles of Scotland, Crystal Endeavor marries extreme wilderness adventure with unsurpassed luxury cruising. Intimate and elegant, the all-suite, all-verandah Crystal Endeavor welcomes just 200 sophisticated travelers with butler-serviced luxury — the perfect balance to a voyage teeming with discovery and adventure. Follow your wanderlust and prepare to explore the remote islands of Japan, the exotic landscapes of Southeast Asia, or the little-explored coasts of New Zealand and vast wonders of Australia. Navigate Alaska’s hidden harbors and Norway’s towering fjords. From the North Cape to South America, Crystal Endeavor circumnavigates the globe to explore destinations where nature is truly wild.

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Crystal Cruises (3)

A superb collection of all-inclusive journeys ranges from 12 to 22 nights, each one hosted by an Expedition Leader with specific destination experience. A curated Expedition Team also accompanies every voyage, with expertise offered from marine biologists, glaciologists and ornithologists to archaeologists and historians depending on the region explored. These subject-matter experts are on board to inform and entertain with presentations on wildlife, ecology and more, as well as to lead small-group excursions ashore via Zodiac landings, optional helicopter tours and submersible adventures. Days at sea are very much a part of the expedition experience too, providing fantastic opportunities to look out for and photograph rarely seen seabirds and marine mammals. And what of the yacht itself? The very design of Crystal Endeavor breaks the mold of traditional expedition ships, fueling a heightened spirit of adventure. Putting discovery — and luxury — center stage is a dramatic two-story, glass-enclosed Solarium, showcasing stunning vistas day into night. There are intimate expedition lounges to host engaging conversations and lectures, state-of-the-art mud rooms for expedition preparations, a helicopter lounge, submersible launching chamber and more. Luxuriously comforting pursuits are enjoyed at the Crystal Life Spa, while the

panoramic Palm Court and Connoisseur Club, among other venues, provide the perfect balance of serenity on board with bold discovery ashore. Plus, adding a different kind of thrill, Crystal Endeavor features the only casino aboard an expedition ship! At the very heart of the Crystal Expedition Experience is a family of dedicated professionals chosen for their expertise, personality and shared passion for discovery. With one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios in expedition cruising, each interaction aboard Crystal Endeavor is not only highly personalized but delivered seamlessly, and always with sincere pleasure. This standard of excellence is reflected in the Michelin-inspired cuisine served at the open-seating Waterside Restaurant, the Italian specialties at Prego — which also hosts Crystal’s signature Vintage Room wine dinners — and the Japanese-Peruvian creations offered at Umi Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa. Finally, following the rare adventures of the day, the 100 suites aboard Crystal Endeavor are enclaves of sophisticated elegance and ingenuity, among the largest and most spacious in the industry. All feature the attentive services of a European-trained butler, a private verandah and a host of hightech amenities … and each is the perfect retreat for extraordinary discovery in the world’s last frontiers.

CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR’S sleek PC6 design allows her to cruise extreme polar regions, while dynamic anchor-free positioning technology means she can hover over tropical, underwater treasures without impact. Let your inner explorer guide you in choosing a voyage that speaks to your own personal sense of adventure: REMOTE EXPEDITION Journeying to Earth’s most remote polar regions and faraway destinations, these are true expert-led expedition voyages, combining rugged adventure and Zodiac landings with rare discovery, extraordinary wildlife and stunning landscapes few have ever seen. DESTINATION EXPLORATION Deeply immersive explorations and landings in rarely-visited destinations — distant islands and coastal landscapes home to exceptional biodiversity, eco-treasures and wilderness — are combined with visits to world-class cities featuring an expedition twist. CULTURAL DISCOVERY From legendary lands and exotic isles to modern-day cities and destinations renowned for their history, art and nature, these voyages delve into the cultural heart and iconic wonders of each unique locale with adventurous experiences, landings and insight.

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the best

hauteMONDE THE ESSENCE OF RARE MODERN COLLECTION Ref ined Swiss craftsmanship meets groundbreaking technology in the Modern Collection, f inely designed to help you better cope with stress so your best self shines stylishly through each moment.

Pink diamond, one of the rarest colors in diamonds on earth, has been cut exceptionally into a matched pair in one of the rarest shapes. These spectacular, heart-shaped Pink Diamond Earrings display almost 4 carats in the two main pink diamonds alone. To complete the exquisite look, the pink heart shapes are surrounded by 46 round brilliant pink diamonds, and another 46 round brilliant white diamonds. As stunning as they are rare! HUBERTgem.com

philipstein.com

PETROSSIAN

SPANISH SADDLE

To commemorate this year’s truly sublime vintage of caviar, Petrossian commmisioned only 100 of these sleek black lacquer treasure chests. Press the polished button and it glides open, revealing six 50g tins of wondrous Petrossian Special Reserve caviar – two each of Special Reserve Ossetra, Special Reserve Alverta™ and Special Reserve Kaluga Huso Hybrid.

Vegetable-tanned saddle leather extends over the solid-oak framework of Børge-Mogensen’s Spanish Chair, while the broad armrests, evocative of medieval Spanish furniture, serve as a practical place for your drink or ashtray. The sum of all these rustic components is a masterfully crafted chair that forms a warm patina, becoming more stunning with time.

petrossian.com

fredericia.com

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Manolo Blahnik

shore couture

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O MAN LO

Manolo Blahnik seized the world by its heels, but always insists: “My mother is La Palma.”

BY JACK FEERICK

Manolo Blahnik

n the workaday world, a shoe is a functional object — a tool, almost — and the relationship between the object and the environment that inspired it is straightforward. It is the woods and trails, the rocks and dirt and grass, that give a hiking boot its rugged construction and thick soles. A running shoe is made for pavement. A basketball shoe is for hardwood floors — though so is a ballet slipper; different means, different ends. In all cases, form follows function.

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shore couture

But in the world of haute couture, where you’ll find the designs of Manolo Blahnik, a shoe is a vehicle for artistic expression, no less so than a painting or sculpture. “My shoes are not fashion,” he has said. “They are gestures.” That sounds whimsical. And Manolo (for so we must call him, as his celebrity being such that he is on a first-name basis with the entire world) does indulge a taste for whimsy in his colors, his cheeky subversions of classic designs, and his quirky ornamentation. But Manolo’s designs, however fanciful, are still grounded in the environments that formed his sensibilities.

MANOLO BLAHNIK WORKING ON DESIGN SKETCHES IN HIS OFFICE, MARCH 18, 1988

BANANA YELLOW AND LIPSTICK RED First among these influential spaces is the Canary Islands. Born in 1942 in Santa Cruz de la Palma, in the shadow of the Caldera de Taburiente, Manolo came from a well-heeled family (“My mother’s family had a banana plantation,” he has noted) and was homeschooled in his youth. His mother was always interested in couture, and had to take an active hand to stay fashionable, even learning to make her own shoes: “My mother’s shoemaker, Don Cristino, taught her to cobble, so she could have shoes when he went off to war. Left to right: Ian Cook / Getty Images; Manolo Blahnik (3); Gotham / Getty Images

(CONTINUED ON PG. 69)

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DEVON WINDSOR, WEARING ALEXIS WITH MANOLO BLAHNIK AND A BY FAR HANDBAG, ARRIVES AT OLIVIA CULPOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S 27TH BIRTHDAY, MAY 08, 2019 , NEW YORK CITY

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connoisseur

A diner’s guide to dim sum proves that big happiness comes in small parcels.

LITTLE PLATES, A LOT OF HEART BY ANTONY BOLANTE

Dim sum isn’t just a distinctive cuisine; it’s a singular dining experience. For the uninitiated, both can be a bit intimidating. But armed with a few pointers, you don’t have to let this delicious opportunity pass you by. In a classic dim sum restaurant, numerous servers roll carts from table to table, each cart covered with small plates and steam baskets made of bamboo or metal. When a cart arrives at your table, you’re on: Indicate the items you want, and then send the cart on its way and await the next one. It requires a bit more, shall we say, assertiveness than usual. Sure, you can get dim sum a la carte or for take out, but what’s the fun in that? Once you’re familiar with the basic dim sum offerings and dining etiquette, you’ll be ordering your meal with confidence — and eating it with gusto. The Cantonese term “dim sum” is translated as, “point of the heart,” or sometimes, “a little bit of heart.” Fittingly, dim sum refers to any of a number

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Jacopo Ventura / Alamy Stock Photo

of small dishes that include filled dumplings, buns, rolls, meat or vegetable plates, and dessert items. The meal itself is called yum cha, which literally means, “drink tea.” Originally, dim sum were offered as an accompaniment to tea, and particularly well suited for travelers. These days, yum cha is usually served from early morning to mid-afternoon, but has become especially popular as a kind of brunch. When sitting down to yum cha, it’s only natural to start with a pot for the table. Proper tea etiquette requires that you always serve your companions first. When the pot is empty, leaving the lid ajar is a tacit signal to your server that you’re ready for it to be replenished. Meals are always better shared, and this is especially true for dim sum. Each plate usually contains three or four morsels — so the more people at your table, the more opportunities there will be to sample different dishes. If you accept a dish consisting of a single item — say, a pile of greens — don’t hesitate to transfer a bit to your plate. The main thing to remember is to relax and enjoy the ride. Your server will usually identify your choices (albeit briskly) and unveil the contents of a steam basket for your assessment. If they don’t, point and ask. There’s no reason to feel stressed; and there’s no need to hem and haw, either. Don’t feel obligated to take something that doesn’t appeal to you. And if you’re unsure of a dish, why not give it a try? After all, most items are inexpensive, and your small risk could pay off. That said, here’s a field guide to a few representative dim sum delicacies. (CONTINUED ON PG. 70)

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decanter

PARTING SIPS BY KEVIN REVOLINSKI

ta traditional meal in Italy, the food comes in abundance, arriving at the table in waves like the sea, the antipasti followed by the primo and secondo piatto, then on to the fruit and dolce. With all that delicious fare, it’s no surprise that a person may be inclined to overindulge just a bit. But the Italians are pros at this sort of thing. They’ve discovered the best thing to be done about it is to end with a digestivo or “digestive”: a shot of a special liqueur or liquor that serves as the final note of the opera. As the name suggests, a digestive helps your stomach face the task before it and relieves the discomforts of being stuffed. 28 | CRYSTAL LIVING

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SAMBUCA Many cultures around the Mediterranean have some form of aniseflavored spirit — ouzo in Greece, pastis in France, raki in Turkey — and sambuca is Italy’s contribution. The ingredients of this sweet, clear liquid include essential oils of anise and elderflowers. Also considered an ammazzacaffè because it goes so well with coffee, it is sometimes used in a cup as a sugar substitute. And if the night is going quite well, it may be served con la mosca — “with the fly.” Three coffee beans are placed inside a shot, which is set aflame to toast them. The beans represent health, happiness and prosperity — a perfect toast for the end of a perfect meal.

GRAPPA This is probably the boldest of the after-dinner drinks and some say the high alcohol content merely gives the illusion of aiding digestion by calming the diner. The Italians ferment grape pomace — the solid remains left over after pressing grapes for wine — and distill the liquids. True grappa does not contain any added water. The result is a pomace brandy containing anywhere from 35 percent to 60 percent alcohol (that is, 70 to 120 proof). In some dining situations, grappa may be swished around in the bottom of the empty end-of-meal coffee cup before drinking, a sort of rinsing with benefits. Or it may be served in the coffee itself or as a shot on the side, which gives you caffè corretto or “corrected” coffee.

BITTERS STARTED OUT AS MEDICINE, BUT ARE NOW UBIQUITOUS THROUGHOUT ITALY AS DIGESTIVES.

(CONTINUED ON PG. 71)

Left to right: Campari Group, Ingram Image

BRIGHTLY COLORED CAMPARI, TYPICALLY THOUGHT OF AS AN APERITIF, IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS A BITTER.

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years of

FAITH BY GRANT BALFOUR

PASSION PLAY OBERAMMERGAU 2020

SINCE 1634, THIS GERMAN VILLAGE HAS RE-ENACTED A RELIGIOUS MYSTERY.

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PASSION PLAY OBERAMMERGAU 2020

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THE VILLAGERS OF OBERAMMERGAU made a vow: Spare us from the plague, and we will show our gratitude by re-enacting the Passion of the Christ every 10 years. For four centuries, this Bavarian town has kept its promise, becoming a place of pilgrimage for the devoutly religious and devotees of the theater alike — fascinated by the traditional retelling of the death and resurrection of Jesus. By 2018, roles had been selected for half the town’s population in time for the 2020 season. Some will remember moments like the Judas kiss (top left) or the Last Supper (top right) from 2010, or from their grandparents’ version in 1930 (below left). Some family tales go back to 1830, when the theater was built (below center), or to 1330, when the monks built the nearby Ettal Abbey (top center). Other players may be newcomers, swept up in the town’s dedication to everyday art (below right).

Passion Play Oberammergau 2020 (3); Rostislavv / Getty images; clubfoto / Getty Images; Chronicle / Alamy Stock Photo; Ingram Image

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WERE IT NOT FOR the Passion Play, Oberammergau would possibly still be held in high regard for its traditional wood carvings (top right) and its alpine beauty. But the sacred drama has a profound effect on the town, where posters blend the ancient and the modern (left) and lead actors get public recognition (below right). The Oberammergau players keep up their acting chops between seasons with other, less biblical shows, like 2019’s The Plague (top center), and “living pictures” have provided necessary intermissions for 5-hour Passion Play performances since the 1800s. But one is never far from a reminder of this region’s long Catholic heritage. Building exteriors are decorated with frescoes depicting religious stories and folktales, while inside the abbey, the ceiling (below center) is adorned with The Glory of Heaven, Johann Jakob Zeiller’s 1734 masterpiece.

DPA Picture Alliance / Alamy Stock Photo (4); Ingram Image; Frans Sellies / Getty Images

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day

DU BAI night

BY TERRY ELWARD

Antonio Saba / Getty Images; jezdicek/ Getty Images; ansonmiao/ Getty Images; Belinda Muller / Getty Images

The jewel of the United Arab Emirates has something special to offer at any hour.

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Antonio Saba / Getty Images; jezdicek/ Getty Images; ansonmiao/ Getty Images; Belinda Muller / Getty Images

In this city, the skyline is shaped by hotels and shopping malls. Locals are friendly — you will see the odd Emirati in their pristine national costumes — but they’re not as ubiquitous as the army of expats who provide a labor force for the country. The most famous Emiratis of all are unmissable — photos and painted portraits of the beloved sheikhs who rule this tiny but prosperous land can be seen on billboards and in hotel lobbies. The elaborate malls have a dress code (no miniskirts, neat attire) and hats and sunscreen are recommended all year round. Taxis are the best way to get around in the heat but drivers are usually from other countries and some are new arrivals who speak limited English, so clear instructions or a map of your destination are helpful. The day starts early in Dubai when it’s nice and cool. Every glitzy hotel and shopping mall serves breakfasts from all over the world, but an Arabic breakfast is just the fuel for a long

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Mark Horn / Getty Images; Ingram Image

CITY OF VISITORS

franckreporter / Getty Images

From feeling sand in your shoes while perched on a camel’s back to sampling dazzling cocktails at dizzying heights, a day in Dubai is never dull. Here’s how to take in the United Arab Emirates’ most sensational city from sunrise till late in the night. Animal lovers, shopaholics, photo buffs and adventurers alike — Dubai has something for everyone.

Mark Horn / Getty Images; Ingram Image

day. Typically, this is a vegetarian meal that consists of flatbread, cheese, olives, eggs and salads. But let’s go for an “only in Dubai” experience: camel-milk coffee and pastries. The Majlis Dubai in Dubai Mall specializes in this uniquely Emirati ingredient. Beverages such as latte, Arabian coffee and date milkshakes are all made with camel milk — a healthy local alternative to cow’s milk. Camel milk is low in saturated fats and is used in the Gulf for those with lactose intolerance. And it tastes great. The muffins, chocolates and pastries are divine, as is the full Arabian breakfast platter. Expect to pay 75 to 100 AED per person.

TREASURE HUNTING After breakfast, head over to the biggest gold market in the world: the Dubai Gold Souk in Deira. You might think you don’t need a new tiara or a solid gold breastplate as a souvenir … but just to see rows of shops crammed with gold belts and collars is a sight to behold,

and one you’re unlikely to see elsewhere. The market draws thousands of international businessmen, shoppers and tourists, all of them looking for a bargain, an original piece of wearable art or a large wedding dowry…. If you do succumb to the glamor of a dazzling new gold trinket, then this is the best place to buy gold — the price is good and the standards are high. You’ll find 18-, 22- and 24-carat pieces made from yellow, white and rose gold at the Gold Souk. Small items are available and everything is negotiable: the discount is usually only a few percent on precious metals but don’t pay more than you are willing. There are gold shops all over Dubai so competition is quite fierce. Always haggle; this is expected. On the street leading up to the Gold Souk are shops selling colorful kaftans, exotic Arabian and Indian perfume, scarves, handicrafts and costume jewelry. Once again, always ask for their best price. Discounts tend to be more generous with items not made of precious metals.

“

Latte, Arabian coffee and date milkshakes are all made with camel milk.

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Dior storefront in Dubai Mall

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Palm Jumeirah island

Opposite top to bottom: owngarden / Getty Images; imageBROKER / Alamy Stock Photo; Ingram Image; P-ierre / Getty Images

This page: GlobalVision Communication / GlobalVision 360 / Getty Images

CREATURES AND COMFORTS Dubai is famously larger than life — what could be more appropriate than a man-made, palmshaped island? This is the home of Atlantis, The Palm, a resort that offers an experience not for the faint-hearted: a shark safari. Dolphin Bay at Atlantis, The Palm has a special system by which you can “dive” with the sharks without a scuba license — willing participants are lowered into a lagoon of turtles, fish, stingrays and (well-fed) sharks. The SeaTrek helmet is a self-contained diving system that weighs you down and pumps in air without the need to wear a cumbersome diving suit. These diving experiences can be completed in less than an hour, leaving plenty of time to cuddle a sea lion and play with the dolphins before returning to the business of sightseeing. If you haven’t had your fill of animals, see the sun set over the sand dunes on camelback. The Al Sahra Equestrian Centre off Dubai-Al Ain Road offers camel rides led by experienced camel handlers, who are very knowledgeable and will tell you all about these amazing desert creatures. The rolling sand dunes are particularly beautiful in the late afternoon and make for quite the photo opportunity. However, if riding camels doesn’t interest you, Dubai is famous for its fantastic spas. An authentic and relatively inexpensive option for ladies is the Al Asalla Spa, which is a traditional Arabic hammam spa on Jumeirah Beach. Located in the Dubai Ladies Club, this spa offers traditional scrubs, steam baths and is open to non-members. A more upmarket unisex option

is CHI The Spa at the Shangri La Hotel, Dubai. The opulent Arabian Ritual treatment (two hours at 720 AED) includes a coffee scrub and a traditional rhassoul clay treatment followed by an amber-and-cardamom massage. You’ll smell as good as you feel. Another treat for the ladies is the favorite local body art — the henna tattoo. A significant element of Emirati culture, henna tattoos are semi-permanent, dark-brown designs swirling around hands, ankles or wherever else you may choose to have them. Traditionally, they’re painted for weddings and festivals, but most beauty salons in the United Arab Emirates offer henna treatment — just walk in and ask. Beautiful designs can be done in under 10 minutes, cost only a few dollars and become a souvenir you can keep for weeks.

DESERT LIGHTS A glamorous end to day in Dubai: drinks or dinner among the skyscrapers at Weslodge Saloon. This cool but comfy bar and restaurant on the 68th floor of the JW Marriott Marquis is quite an experience. The view of the fairyland that is Dubai at night is spectacular. Weslodge is decked out in sofas, candles and orchids. Classic cocktails are shaken to perfection and the menu is a mix of comfort foods and gourmet bar snacks such as lobster fries or lamb burger with mint sauce. For those who are afraid of heights: Close your eyes in the glass elevators that take you to this bar in the skies. Once you’ve made it up there, relax and enjoy the splendor of nighttime Dubai. ❖

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The rolling sand dunes are particularly beautiful in the late afternoon.

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“ Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in Dubai Mall

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The rainbow-colored opals of Oz turn up in surprising places – so keep your eyes peeled. BY ADAM FORD

Hemis / AWL Images

The exact way in which opals come into being is still a mystery. The most popular theory suggests they are formed when a mixture of water and silicon crystals leaks through sandstone and is trapped in underground cracks and channels in layers of clay. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind the silicon as a kind of gel. Over millions of years, if the right conditions are met (including the acidity of the ground and the presence of particular minerals), as more water enters these cracks and channels and is itself evaporated, layer after layer of silicon builds up. This eventually turns into a deposit, or “seam” of opal. These seams can sometimes take the form of fossils that are buried within the ground where opal is formed. In the past, Australian opal miners have found fossils completely made of opal, including ancient mussel and snail shells, prehistoric crocodile and plesiosaur teeth, and even the jawbone of an early ancestor of the modern-day platypus.

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“

Noodling is the practice of sifting through the unwanted dirt and clay (locally known as “mullock”) dug up by professional miners.

Opal is translucent, which means light can pass through it. Depending on the circumstances of an opal seam’s formation, the arrangement of the silicon crystals in an opal seam can be more or less regular. If the crystals in an opal formation are arranged in a regular pattern, they will split any light that passes through them into a rainbow “play” of component colors. The more regular the structure, the more colors can be seen. Gem opal, the rarest and most valuable opal, has the most color, while common, non-precious (or “potch”) opal, which has no color play, is not regarded as precious at all. The circumstances required for this rainbow-conducive regularity are extremely rare. The existence — and then evaporation — of a massive inland sea in the center of prehistoric Australia was an ideal crucible for gem opal formation. Such conditions have only arisen a few times on this planet, however, and never to such an extent as they did in Australia. (Opal has also been discovered on Mars, which draws intriguing parallels between the geology of the Red Planet and Australia’s Red Centre, now famed for the massive monolith of Uluru but once the deep heart of an enormous body of water.) Thanks to its unusual geological history, Australia is home to the largest opal fields on our planet, underscoring the Aussies’ decision to designate opal as their national gemstone. These opal fields are located near many outback and desert towns along what would have

been the edge of that long-gone inland sea. The most well known of these towns include Coober Pedy and Andamooka in Central South Australia, Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs in New South Wales, and Winton and Quilpie in Queensland. The towns might be small, but their names can be seen in jewelry stores in every major Australian city and around the world — because each opalmining region is famous for its own signature strain of gemstone opal.

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Clockwise from top left: Marion Bull / Alamy Stock Photo; Chris McLennan / Alamy Stock Photo; Hemis / AWL Images; Selfwood / Alamy Stock Photo; rod williams / Alamy Stock Photo

CAPTURED LIGHT

Clockwise from top left: Marion Bull / Alamy Stock Photo; Chris McLennan / Alamy Stock Photo; Hemis / AWL Images; Selfwood / Alamy Stock Photo; rod williams / Alamy Stock Photo

Lightning Ridge is famous for its black opals, whose dark base provides a stunning contrast to their rainbow opalescence. Queensland boulder opals (so called because they form as thin veins within underground ironore boulders) are also dark, but necessarily thinner due to the circumstances of their formation. The white opals found in places like Coober Pedy and Andamooka are valued less highly than their darker siblings because of the lesser contrast between their base and the color they contain. These days the amount of opal exported from Australia is much less than it was in the booming ‘80s and ‘90s, but that’s not to say there’s no opal to be had anymore. Many miners remain committed to finding the next big one on Australia’s major opal fields, and the industrious visitor

could also do quite well for themselves if they decided to put aside some time for a bit of “noodling” or “specking.”

GEM HUNTING Noodling is the practice of sifting through the unwanted dirt and clay (locally known as “mullock”) dug up by professional miners. The hope is that the noodler will find pieces of opal or other gemstones that have been overlooked or discarded. Sometimes the discarded pieces are too small for commercial miners to consider. Sometimes they’re simply missed in the haste to find a good seam of gem-quality opal. Many people travel into Australia’s heartland with the full intention of spending whole days noodling on their hands and knees, slowly brushing away the dirt on a chalk-white “mullock heap” with a dustpan and shovel, picking through stones with a pair of tweezers in search of a rainbow glimmer. Specking is a similar practice, though more mobile, whereby a hopeful individual wanders around a likely area, eyes downcast in search of pieces of opal that the less attentive have stepped right over. John Dodson, proprietor of Johno’s Opals (www.johnosopals.com) is a veteran noodler and specker whose pedigree goes back to the 1960s and who has gleaned many a gorgeous stone. “I’ve found more specking,” Dodson says, “but people have found some really nice ones in picking the right mullock heap and sitting there, spending hours just scraping away. Some people have found some very nice opal that way. It’s all pure luck.”

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Dodson’s first opal-finding expedition took place in 1966 when he and his brother took a trip into remote western Queensland to an old opal town called Pride of the Hills. “We discovered all these little bits of boulder opal just laying on the ground,” he says. “Like a gem shop, to be honest. We got a box each. I’ve still got some of that. I’m still cutting it all these years later.” Dodson says that noodling and specking embody the ease with which anyone can try their hand at opal mining, which is at the heart of the egalitarian romance of the hunt for opal. “I think there always has been a romance to opal. People can just go there and get a license and you could be lucky and get a million dollars in the first hole you dig,” he says. Dodson acknowledges that over the years there has been a decline in opal mining, which has trickled down to the prospects for noodling. More and more miners are returning to their mullock heaps and sifting through using larger-scale industrial methods to extract as much opal as they can from their own refuse.

EYES ON THE ROAD

Momatiuk - Eastcott / Getty Images

Dodson suggests that the best place for opal encounters these days is simply specking on the side of the unpaved roads around opal towns. “All the main roads are sealed, but the internal roads they’ve just got mullock heaps and spread them out to make a road,” he says. “Last year, looking on the side of the road I found a nice opal, worth about a hundred dollars.” For those who want to give their luck a run, Dodson is encouraging in his advice about how easy it is to get your hands dirty. The essential equipment he recommends for first-time noodlers is first and foremost a hat (these are desert towns, after all), a small garden trowel and a mat to sit on. “That’s all you need,” he says. “You just go and pick a heap, walk up and sit there, and gradually scrape away at the surface. Anything that glints, you pick up. You never know what you’ll find. He adds: “I wouldn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up that you’ll just walk in and find something, but pretty much every trip I’ve been on I’ve found a little bit.”❖ ❖

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WHEN LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY PUBLISHED ANNE OF GREEN GABLES IN 1908, HER HEARTWARMING STORY OF A LITTLE RED-HAIRED ORPHAN NAMED ANNE SHIRLEY BECAME AN INSTANT BESTSELLER.

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LITERARY

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES IS WOVEN INTO PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND’S HISTORY

LEGACY BY SHERRY KENNEDY

Prince Edward Island is steeped in history, charm and incredible scenery — but it’s more than an ordinary destination. While PEI, as the island is affectionately nicknamed, beckons tourists from all over the world for its rolling hills, pristine beaches, rugged coastline and scrumptious fresh seafood, the island’s preeminent fame lies in its literary history. When Lucy Maud Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables in 1908, her heartwarming story of a little red-haired orphan named Anne Shirley became an instant bestseller. Prince Edward Island was catapulted into world fame. Curious readers wondered: Did such an idyllic place as described by L. M. Montgomery actually exist? It did and still does, as millions of visitors have discovered.

MEET CHARLOTTETOWN Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province. It lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, nestled in the curve of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, to the island’s south. Charlottetown, the capital, is the most-visited city on the small island. From the Historic Charlottetown Seaport and its modern cruise terminal, it’s a short walk to the quaint downtown area, filled with souvenir shops, seafood diners and craft pubs. Though the impact of Anne of Green Gables on PEI only began in the early 20th century, the island’s history dates back to 1763

and the Treaty of Paris, following the British defeat of the French on what was then St. John’s Island. In 1765, Charlottetown was declared the capital of the new province and nearly 100 years later, in April 1855, it officially became a city. Thirty years later, electricity illuminated the island and the city began taking off as a tourist destination. Next to the seaport, visitors can stroll brick paths through treelined Confederation Park to the cobblestone streets leading into the historic area. Victorian brick homes from the 19th century and flat-front wooden houses line the streets that lead away from port. The historic district of Victoria Row stretches along Richmond Street, between Great George and Queen Street. Quaint artisan shops, restaurants with locally sourced seafood and craft pubs attract both locals and tourists. Shops offer colorful hand-knit woolens and flannels, from scarves and mittens to pashmina wraps and stocking caps. Culinary enthusiasts and history buffs will enjoy spending the day here. Charlottetown is noted for its rich, homemade fudge and shopkeepers stand in their doorways to lure tourists inside with sweet, chocolaty samples. But the legion of Anne of Green Gables fans will savor every minute sampling this picturesque island’s literary landmarks, especially an area on the north shore known as Anne’s Land and the small town of Cavendish.

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ANNE INSPIRATION Born and raised in Cavendish, Lucy Maud Montgomery (and her beloved fictional character Anne Shirley of Green Gables) attract more than 125,000 visitors every year. They come to pay homage to Canada’s first woman to receive the distinction of Officer of the Order of the British Empire and to walk in little Anne Shirley’s fictional footsteps. Now part of Prince Edward Island National Park, the home where Montgomery lived is preserved in grand Victorian detail. While the road to Cavendish from Charlottetown is cluttered with tourist attractions, the homestead looks much the same as it did at the turn of the 20th century. A visit to nearby Green Gables Heritage Place should be relished, not rushed. Here, fans can immerse themselves in the fictional world of Anne Shirley and walk through the green-gabled house that was her storybook home. In reality, this beautifully restored green-gabled structure was Montgomery’s cousin’s house, which she frequently visited while living with her grandparents just a short distance away.

Tourism PEI / John Sylvester

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FANS CAN IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THE FICTIONAL WORLD OF ANNE SHIRLEY AND WALK THROUGH THE GREEN-GABLED HOUSE THAT WAS HER STORYBOOK HOME. CRYSTAL LIVING | 51

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THE MAKING OF

LUXURY Vision, Innovation and a Commitment to Excellence

Crystal Cruises

BY JENNIFER LAWRENCE SCHOTT

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chef partnerships with names like Wolfgang Puck and long-time collaborator Nobuyuki Matsuhisa (Umi Uma & The Sushi Bar remain the only seagoing restaurants in his eponymous global empire). The line’s popular Crystal Wine & Food Festival themed sailings followed, attracting the world’s leading and up-and-coming chefs and wine experts to come aboard and share their passions. As this commitment to culinary excellence evolved, Crystal introduced its Vintage Room, offering curated wine dinners as an optional indulgence. Other firsts included the Computer University@Sea, complete with iMac computers, email and Internet services (today with complimentary Wi-Fi), and, recently, Technology Concierges to assist guests in learning how to use all their newfangled devices. The line’s Los Angeles offices put Crystal on the leading edge of enrichment and entertainment, too. The innovative Creative Learning Institute

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Crystal Cruises (2)

n July 20, 1990, crowned by a broad blue sky in Los Angeles, the elegant Mary Tyler Moore christened Crystal’s first ship, Crystal Harmony. Four days later, on July 24, the 960-guest luxury liner sailed beneath San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge on her maiden voyage, bound for Alaska as the melodic strains of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” filled the decks. On that day, the Crystal Age began with a vision that was crystal clear: to break the mold of traditional cruising and create the very best luxury travel experience. And break it, Crystal did. It was — and remains — a spirit of daring innovation that saw the new cruise line debut many industry firsts, several of which are now standard on other lines: staterooms with private verandahs, alternative dining specialty restaurants, the most expansive spa at sea and personal butler service in every suite, to name a few. Crystal was the first to forge celebrity-

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two reasons to celebrate

Crystal Cruises (2)

Prab S / Getty Images

continues to offer complimentary courses in all manner of topical subjects, and the line has long been regarded for its stellar entertainment, setting it far above any of its luxury competitors. Crystal Symphony joined the fleet in May 1995, christened by actress Angela Lansbury, followed by Crystal Serenity in 2003, with Dame Julie Andrews in her role as the ship’s godmother. And while Crystal Harmony was retired in 2005, fleetmates Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity continue to enchant an international audience of travelers with their exceptional standards of service, space, quality and choices on all-inclusive voyages all around the world. Fast forward to 2015 and Crystal would once again revolutionize luxury cruise travel. Leading international hospitality company Genting Group purchased Crystal in May, and by year’s end the company debuted Crystal Yacht Cruises with the arrival of the all-suite Crystal Esprit. Welcoming just

62 guests in butler-serviced elegance, this boutique yacht navigates iconic coastlines and harbors from the Adriatic and Greek Isles to the Seychelles and Arabian Peninsula. Crystal’s growth continued in 2016 with the launching of Crystal River Cruises exploring the grand waterways of Europe — the Danube, Rhine, Main and Moselle. As the World’s Most Luxurious River Cruise Line, in 2020 this fleet of four all-suite, all-balcony, butler-serviced ships — Crystal Bach, Crystal Debussy, Crystal Mahler and Crystal Ravel – offers the largest accommodations in all of European river cruising. 2020 will see another thrilling milestone in the company’s growth with the August 8 maiden voyage of the all-suite, all-verandah Crystal Endeavor, the world’s largest and most spacious luxury expedition yacht. Under the Crystal Expedition Cruises banner, this PC6 polar-class ship will travel pole to pole to explore the world’s most remote destinations, from Antarctica, the

Russian Far East and a rare Northeast Passage transit to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and beyond. Thirty years from its inception, Crystal is the only cruise company to offer allinclusive journeys by Ocean, River, Yacht and Expedition. It remains the most trusted luxury cruise brand, having earned more “World’s Best” accolades than any other cruise line in history. As much today as it was in 1990, the cornerstone of the Crystal Experience is an unwavering, and innovative, commitment to delivering an extraordinary guest experience. Regardless of how or where you choose to explore with Crystal, you will always dine on the finest Michelininspired cuisine and enjoy curated enrichment on board, a wide variety of discoveries ashore, and a generous roster of all-inclusive services and amenities. More than anything, you will always be welcomed by your Crystal Family at sea.❖ CRYSTAL LIVING | 55

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Since 1995, when Crystal Symphony set sail from Los Angeles on the company’s very first World Cruise, Crystal’s renown for hosting exceptional global odysseys has only grown. In 2020, the line will host its 25th annual epic adventure aboard Crystal Serenity. This epic adventure journeys to the Southern Hemisphere and beyond, exploring fascinating lands that will captivate your curiosity, tantalize your senses, and warm your soul with sun-drenched wonders. On a voyage of discovery throughout the Pacific and Indian oceans, and into the Tasman, Andaman and Mediterranean seas, uncover the marvels of

FULL WORLD CRUISE BENEFITS 

Welcome Celebration Dinner aboard Crystal Serenity on the eve of departure in Miami



“As You Wish” shipboard spending credit of up to $2,000 per guest

Complimentary Private Car Transfers from the airport to ship and ship to airport



Two Exclusive Shoreside Events

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Exclusive themed Onboard Events

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Specially curated gifts

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Robust enrichment program, culinary experiences, celebrity entertainment and special festivities



Excess luggage reimbursement

man and treasures of Mother Nature, from the Panama Canal to the Great Barrier Reef. Relish the welcoming joie de vivre of idyllic French Polynesian isles. Allow the majestic fjords of New Zealand to stir your inner adventurer. Go on a walkabout in the Australian Outback and delve into the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sri Lanka. Dip your toes into the cultural melting pot of India, and follow the path of legendary empires in Arabia. This 105-night odyssey weaves a vibrantly colored tapestry of traditions, flavors and enrichment that will leave you speechless as each destination unveils its own story.

2020 WORLD CRUISE SEGMENTS SEVEN UNIQUE WORLD VOYAGES 13 to 18 Nights Focus your wanderlust on the destinations of your dreams and create your own World Cruise itinerary, combining one or more of seven unique segments, each shining a spotlight on a particular part of the world. Fall in love with the romance of Fiji, Tahiti and South Pacific isles long revered as the inspiration for artists and authors. Explore New Zealand’s Dusky, Doubtful and Milford sounds, and then retreat to the sprawling wine country. Enjoy the cosmopolitan charms of Sydney and play on the white sands of Mooloolaba and Airlie Beach, both Australian maiden ports. Discover the treasures of Indonesia, from Bali to Komodo, and witness the world in motion, from the temples of India to the skyscrapers of Malaysia. On journeys where ancient traditions and modern masterpieces coexist side by side, travel the road of sultans and kings across Israel, Jordan and Egypt to arrive in Italy, itself a masterpiece of art, culture and wonder.

2020 marks Crystal’s 30th Anniversary of awardwinning personal luxury, and travelers are invited to celebrate throughout the year with new 2-for-1 fares and exclusive savings on a collection of 30 all-inclusive worldwide voyages. Travel aboard a fleet of spaciously elegant ships: by Ocean to see UNESCO wonders from the Mediterranean to Asia; by River to discover Europe’s legendary Danube and Rhine; by Yacht to navigate iconic harbors in the Seychelles, Arabia and beyond; and by Expedition to explore Indonesia and the Great Barrier Reef. In addition to exclusive savings, every voyage in Crystal’s 30th Anniversary Collection features special shipboard events and celebratory gifts including a commemorative Crystal cookbook and wine stopper, personalized luggage tags, and more. Make plans now to join Crystal for an extraordinary 30th year of cruising in 2020.

Crystal Cruises (2); Ingram Image

2020 EPIC EMPIRES & IDYLLIC ISLES January 6 to April 21, 2020 • 105 Nights | Miami to Rome

30th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

two reasons to celebrate

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EMPOWERING THE DIGITAL GUEST JOURNEY WITH CRYSTAL CONNECT

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locals love

SEASHELLS SEYCHELLES IN THE

The tropical stepping stones off Africa’s coast are like nowhere else on Earth.

BY LYNNE HELM

IT’S NO WONDER THAT WILLIAM AND KATE, THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, CHOSE TO HONEYMOON HERE.

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Fregate Island (3)

here may be no better place to get away from it all than the Seychelles. The archipelago is composed of some 115 islets covering 108 square miles northeast of Madagascar. With an average annual temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the verdant, sun-washed Seychelles are welcoming any time of the year. Scenery somehow seems greener, glossier, simply more spectacular with its granite cliffs and white-sand beaches lapped by turquoise waves. These Indian Ocean islands are also home to some of the world’s rarest and most interesting species, including the Seychelles magpie robin, the coco de mer palm and giant tortoises that live for more than a century. It’s no wonder that William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, chose to honeymoon here — these islands are uniquely beautiful.

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locals love SIGHTS OF THE SEYCHELLES The Seychelles are made up of southern, low-lying, outer coral isles and northern, inner, granite bastions covered in vegetation. The primary inner isles are Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette and Mahé, the nation’s largest island (where Victoria ranks among the world’s smallest capital cities). Private isles include the ultraexclusive Fregate, William and Kate’s honeymoon retreat.

SOME OF THE PRIMARY SITES OF INTEREST INCLUDE: Pralin’s Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site where coco de mer palms grow in profusion. The fruits and flowers have strikingly unusual shapes and are reputed to boost vitality, so are used in ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medical treatments. Morne Seychellois National Park, which covers a fifth of Mahé, is prized as the

habitat of the rare jellyfish tree, a species from a plant family (the Medusagynaceae) seen only in the Seychelles. Among a dozen trails, the hour-long hike to the Morne Blan summit delivers spectacular views and showcases jellyfish trees and other rare species. The park’s tea factory dispenses cinnamon SeyTe — Seychelles Tea. Mahé’s La Réserve and Brulée boasts granite cliffs and prime palm forest. Of six palm types unique to the Seychelles, five grow along the La Reserve hike. Mahé’s Bel Air Cemetery opened soon after French settlement in the 1700s. Tombs, vaults and shrines harbor the remains of swashbucklers and other largerthan-life characters. Victoria, Mahé’s capital city. beckons with a vibrant spice and craft market, plus attractions like Victoria Botanical Gardens and Victoria National Museum of History. Dozens of gorgeous white-sand beaches

invite relaxation, exhilaration and exploration. Mahé’s Beau Vallon Beach ranks high with pristine sands, a smooth ocean bottom and occasional big swells for boogie boarding. Anse Royale lagoon delights snorkelers with bright-colored coral fish. On Praslin, Anse Boudin’s soft sands lie along the coastal road to the renowned Anse Lazio. Apart from La Digue’s Anse Source d’Argent with its dramatic rock formations, the Anse Bonnet Carre (only accessible by foot) rewards with seclusion. Silhouette’s Anse Lascars is famed for ancient tombs of Arab sailors and, reputedly, treasure buried by French corsairs. Praslin’s Black Pearl experience is proximate to three attractions: The giant clam farm (showcasing these odd creatures’ feeding and reproduction habitats), a pearl farm and the Black Pearl Shop, stocking creations from the Seychelles black lip oyster. Silhouette National Park, a mountainous (CONTINUED ON PG. 68)

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS THE SEYCHELLES SUITCASE: The balmy climate calls for light, layered apparel with sturdy footwear for exploring. Gauzy cottons for dining out or casino access are especially appropriate. Bring hats, sunglasses and sunscreen of SPF 30 or more, since this tropical sun comes on strong. Add protection by topping swimsuits with T-shirts when snorkeling. For shutterbugs, the bigger your memory cards, the better to capture flora and fauna during the islands’ 12 hours of daylight year-round, following the sunrise just after 6 a.m. SOUVENIRS: Art, fragrances, black-pearl jewelry, and spirits are great mementos. Resist gathering seashells, often home to shelter-hungry hermit crabs. For that matter, collecting shells is prohibited in nature reserves and marine parks. Be aware that flora taken as souvenirs requires a certificate and an official export permit. CURRENCY: Seychelles Rupee (SCR), divided into 100 cents. Coins are in 5, 10, 25 cent and 1 and 5 Rupee denominations. Notes are in 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 Rupee denominations.

TIME: Seychelles is 4 hours ahead of GMT TOURISM WEBSITE: www.seychelles.travel

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LANGUAGES: English, French

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Behind the Scene

The future of cruising The seafaring world is poised for considerable upheaval. Digital technology is set to make things simpler and to improve on-board safety. Meanwhile, intelligent networking on board will help “IT is becoming the central nervous system of ships”, explains Klaus Vollmer, Director of the Maritime Solutions division at Lufthansa Industry Solutions, a Hamburg-based IT consultancy and systems integrator. And this affects the passengers. “We bring their living room into their cabin.”

What does the future of cruising look like?

New generations of ships will be fully fitted out with digital technology. Portable communication devices like smartphones and tablets will be networked with the ship itself. The vessels’ digital equipment will make everyday life easier. If a malfunction is detec-

ted in an air-conditioning unit, a technician will often be on their way to the cabin before its occupants have even noticed the problem. Window shutters, lighting and other electrical components now feature entirely automated controls; this means that curtains close automatically across an entire side of the ship in intense sunlight, reducing energy consumption by air-conditioning systems. These are just a few examples of the growing array of possibilities. The next big thing … “We offer better IT conditions than … will be the smart cabin. It will mean most small towns”, Klaus Vollmer says. passengers won’t need a switch to turn off the lights anymore – just have to say Guests can use a contactless wristband the voice command “light off” when in or their phone to open their cabin door the cabin. All guests have to do is sleep. and pay for drinks at the bar. More than Expression recognition will also arrive in a thousand cameras across all decks the next ten years. When a passenger serve not only to ensure the safety of says what they want, the system will those on-board but also to accommorecognize them. “Digitalization, connecdate guests’ preferences in restaurants tivity and automation – that’s the future”, using facial recognition. When a custoKlaus Vollmer says with conviction. mer orders a drink using the app, the “What began as rough design is increasystem recognizes where they are and singly becoming fine-detailed work. what direction they’re heading – allowing That’s what we love about our job. We the drink to be taken right to them. see it as a calling; it’s our passion.”

to accelerate processes, to reduce costs and passengers benefit from these changes.

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wellness

MOMENTS of Mindfulness MASTERING MEDITATION DOESNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T HAVE TO MEAN DROPPING OUT TO JOIN AN ASHRAM. IN FACT, IT CAN TAKE LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO REAP THE BENEFITS.

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By ALEX DARLINGTON

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ONCE, THE WORD “MEDITATION” called up an almost cartoon-like image in the Western mind: Some gaunt ascetic in a Tibetan monastery, sitting for hours in the lotus position on a hard floor, all to feel more “spiritual.” Or worse, some zoned-out hippie with his body pretzeled up in an uncomfortable position swathed in beads and flowers making his mind a total blank — no job, no responsibilities. In short, no connection at all to what most of us know as the real world. But over the past few decades, thanks to the pioneering work of Dr. Herbert Benson, Dr. Dean Ornish and other

Here are some facts that may surprise you: Most meditation techniques can be learned in five minutes or less. • Meditation can be easily incorporated into even the busiest lifestyle and can be done virtually anywhere — trains, taxis, park benches, even dentists’ waiting rooms. • Twisting into difficult positions is not necessary. Relaxation is the byword. To those concerned about the time meditation takes from their day: Is 20 minutes twice daily too much? Okay, what about one minute, 10 times a day? Below are two methods that fit both those time frames. Before getting into specific •

After picking a mantra… 1. Sit comfortably and quietly. Take a few relaxing breaths and close your eyes. 2. Begin to think your mantra. Don’t say it out loud, even in a whisper. Just speak it silently, mentally, to yourself. 3. When you notice your mind beginning to wander (and it will), simply return your attention to the mantra. 4. Continue for 20 minutes. For mantra meditation, experts advise against using an alarm timer. Use a stopwatch instead and “peek” every now and then

JUST MINUTES A DAY CAN ALTER YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH. responsible scientists, much of the myth and perceived silliness surrounding meditation is being demolished. Informed Westerners are now aware of its astonishing mental and physical benefits. Spiritual oneness is optional, even incidental, to meditation’s more secular, measurable advantages. We know it slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and fights heart disease. Some studies show it increases longevity by an average of eight years. Other reports say a regular practice of meditation not only stretches the length of life, but also enhances its quality. In other words, generally speaking, people who meditate are happier and more at peace than those who don’t. So we know meditation is good for us. But there’s still a mountain of ignorance about the amount of time and degree of difficulty involved. Busy people say, “I wish I had the time and willpower to master meditation. But I have this thing called ‘a life.’ I just don’t have the years to put into learning those complicated techniques. And my day is far too crowded to allow for those hours of contemplation.”

techniques, here are two general tips that apply to almost all forms of meditation. First, don’t condemn yourself if your mind wanders. You’re not failing if you can’t control your thoughts. No one can — even experienced meditators. Do your best and trust the process. And second, remember that if you can’t spend the full amount of the allotted time, it’s okay. A little meditation is better than no meditation, and just minutes a day can alter your perspective and improve your health. Here are two quick meditation techniques that will change your life while imposing minimum infringement upon it. MANTRA MEDITATION (20 minutes): Do this one twice a day. A mantra is a word or sound that one gives his or her attention to during meditation. If you want to shell out around $870, a Transcendental Meditation® instructor will give you one. But Dr. Herbert Benson, of Harvard Medical School, and many others say just about any word or sound can serve as a mantra. Benson suggests using the word “one.”

BREATH AND STILLNESS MEDITATION (One minute): Repeat this one 10 times a day. This ancient technique, advocated by ayurvedic practitioner Dr. John Douillard, takes about 60 seconds. It involves the breath (as so many mediation methods do). 1. Take 30 breaths inhaling and exhaling deeply and rapidly through the nose. On the inhalations, make sure you fill your lower abdomen first. In other words, your belly should expand before your chest does. Each in-out breath should last about a second. You don’t need to use a watch on this first part, just estimate. 2. After the 30th breath, simply relax. Breathe slowly and naturally through the nose. As you do, just sit and notice the stillness in your body for 30 seconds. It’s okay to use a stopwatch, but again, don’t use a timer. Do your best to keep your attention on the stillness within you. If your thoughts drift away, simply return them, without judgement, to your body. Soon, you’ll be feeling the benefits. ❖

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haute hotels

THE KEMPINSKI HOTEL CORVINUS POLISHES OLD WORLD CHARM WITH AN EMBRACE OF MODERN PLEASURES.

Danube Renewed ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ROUTES

Discoveries pre-post-cruise hotel stands out

with Nobu Matsuhisa signature dishes. It’s no

through the Old World follows the Danube

as a high point of Eastern Europe’s hospitality

wonder that the World Travel Awards gave

from Hungary to the Czech Republic,

— and a haven of cultivated convenience.

this accommodation special recognition in

Deep in the heart of downtown Budapest,

2019 as Hungary’s Leading Hotel Suite.

some of the world’s loveliest cathedrals (and

the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus styles itself as

most dedicated breweries). For those who’d

a “lifestyle and gastronomy hub.” Meaning: It’s

two restaurants (including a Nobu location),

like to avoid rushing straight to the dock

the perfect, calm oasis for a bit of leisurely

two bars (including Blue Fox The Bar, a

at the beginning of the trip, or back to the

indulgence while still conveniently located a

cocktail lounge with a music sommelier),

airport at the end, one Crystal Destination

short walk from the Danube in the buzzing

a New York-style deli and a coffee house:

center of one of Europe’s cultural capitals.

The Living Room. Every evening, guests

Noted designer Alex Kravetz has given

ABOVE: NATIONAL GALLERY IN BUDA CASTLE. BELOW: CHEESE CAKE AT NOBU

For public spaces, Hotel Corvinus boasts

gather here for a candlelit Ignite the Night

the Grand Deluxe rooms a distinct feeling

ceremony, which marks the close of the

of spacious — yet warmly embracing —

day with a bottle of Taittinger Champagne

luxury, with views of Erzsébet Park or the

opened using the virtuoso sabrage technique

quaint neighboring streets. The colors are

— a feat of swordplay first mastered by

warm, soft and dark, with brown wood tying

Napoleon’s Hussars (a unit founded centuries

together muted gray and elegant gold and

earlier by Hungary’s King Matthias Corvinus).

platinum tones. The pillow menu ranges

The Corvinus Art Collection and Gallery

from anatomic memory foam to horsehair,

displays works by celebrated contemporary

and an assortment of bath salts and bath

Hungarian artists, designed as a place where

oils are available to ease stress and soothe

audiences and new artists meet. There’s

muscles. The Royal Suite includes distinctly

a spa with sensation showers, a heated

21st-century indulgences: fully equipped

pool, a steam bath, and Finnish and aroma

offices with iMac computers, an infotainment

saunas. Just outside, the peaceful expanse

system consisting of a 49-55” LED TV with

of Erzsébet Square, Budapest’s largest green

58 channels, and 24-hour in-room dining

space, wraps visitors in urbane tranquility. ❖

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus (3)

winding through Germany and Austria, past

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the five

DE TINATIONS

british virgin islands THE BATHS AT VIRGIN GORDA Giant granite boulders were formed 65 million years ago when hot lava oozed into the cool, clear waters of the Caribbean. Today, worn smooth by eons of wind and wave, they create a network of open grottoes, shaded pools, tunnels weaving along an idyllic tropical beach. The island, literally “Fat Virgin” in Spanish, was named by Christopher Columbus’ crew, who thought the landscape’s soft, undulating curves resembled a voluptuous woman lying on her side. bvitourism.com/baths-national-park

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athens

TEMPLE OF POSEIDON The Olympian god of horses, earthquakes and the sea was said to have competed with Athena for rulership of Athens. At Poseidon’s temple, on the rocky crag of Cape Sounion at the city outskirts, white-marble columns still mark one of the world’s best places to look out to the watery horizon and wonder where to visit next. odysseus.culture.gr

M Swiet Productions / Getty Images; Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images; Jane Sweeney / AWL Images; Two Paddocks; The Peninsula

new zealand TWO PADDOCKS The Otago Peninsula is an area of primordial beauty, so when Jurassic Park star Sam Neill decided to take his love of quality wine to the next level, it’s natural that he planted here, in his New Zealand home. More than 25 years on, his winery produces world-class pinot noirs and rielslings from four local vineyards, as well as raising organic vegetables, saffron and lavender oil, and a number of animals named for Neill’s famous costars, like Helena Bonham Carter the cow. twopaddocks.com

5 hong kong THE PENINSULA: FLY & DINE Spend 18 minutes “flight-seeing” over the outer reaches of the city with an expert guide piloting a helicopter around the skyscrapers and harbors. Then, settle down for a memorable meal at one of several restaurants within Hong Kong’s oldest hotel, where selections range from a buffet at The Verandah or a Spring Moon dim-sum luncheon to a five-course set dinner at Gaddi’s or a sixcourse culinary journey at The Peninsula Academy. peninsula.com

amsterdam IRIS VAN HERPEN This Dutch designer’s first love was classical ballet, and her fashions show a love of movement, beauty and the art of transformation. Dresses swirl with stellar cartography, or bloom like her home country’s famous tulips. Her Hypnosis collection was created with kinetic sculptor Anthony Howe, whose pieces pulse with the wind. irisvanherpen.com

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LOCALS LOVE continued from page 60

bio-diversity hotspot rooted in tales of pirate trade and buried treasure, is home to one of the last known roosts of Seychelles sheath-tailed bats. On La Digue, the national monument that is Eustache Sarde’s House stands as a wondrous example of ornamental Seychellois architecture. Aldabra, an isolated ring-shaped coral atoll, beckons as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a colony of giant land tortoises.

CULTURES AND CUISINES Around 1502, Portuguese explorers discovered the uninhabited Seychelles. The islands remained that way until 1756, when the French laid claim, settling in 1770 and controlling the islands until 1811, when the British took rein. In 1976, the Seychelles gained independence. Understandably, French and British cultural influences

remain prominent. A population of 94,000 blends European, African and Asian heritage and nearly 90 percent are Roman Catholic. Of more than 100,000 annual visitors, most are European. Cinnamon, a sought-after commodity in the 16th century, was once a Seychelles economic mainstay, but the spice gave way to sightseeing. Tourism is credited for elevating living standards around capital Victoria, where the downtown’s 100-yearold clock tower replicates the one near London’s Victoria Station. Seychelle Creole cuisine is still flavorful. Melding French, Indian, Asian and African influence, typical dishes showcase fruits of land and sea, often thickened with coconut milk or basted in ginger and chilies. Tuna and kingfish are grilled or fried in garlic butter. Red snapper gets slathered in green curry sauce. Octopus is a popular

delicacy and shark chutney is stir-fried and seasoned with bilimbi fruits and herbs. Meat from bats (called roussettes, sometimes stewed with tomato and onion) also pops up on menus. Shellfish cooked with pumpkin becomes soup. Rice reigns as a side, served either plain or saffronscented. Papaya, bananas, mangos and golden apples abound, often sauced in caramel cream. Coco D’amour, a coconut liqueur, lifts spirits, as do local lagers Seybrew and Ecu. On Mahé, Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove has elegant dining with tip-top service, while the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino’s three restaurants include the Parrot with themed international buffets. On Praslin, near the Anse Lazio, the restaurant at Le Chevalier Bay Guesthouse draws beachgoers for Creole dishes like fish curry. ❖

menu with paired wines, but I opted for the more modest lunch which kicked off in style with a 2006 Dom Pérignon followed by a stunning Austrian Riesling and a 2012 Premier Grand Cru from SaintÉmilion. A honey-like Austrian dessert wine accompanied a trio of heavenly chocolate and strawberry confections.

constantly evolving, too, with new shore excursions themed around food, the arts, activities and local culture. Recent offerings include kayaking through the canals of Strasbourg, going behind the scenes in Amsterdam with a tulip grower, or a guided tour of Budapest in an old Trabant car. Some are included, some cost extra, but either way, with no more than 15 per group, you’ll need to book early. Many of the guests on my sailing were on their first river cruise, having been persuaded by their experiences on Crystal’s ocean fleet to give it a try. Overall, there’s a sense of being in a very chic boutique hotel rather than the more basic environment of traditional river cruising. Judging by the happy, convivial atmosphere that developed by the end of the cruise, as well as the talk of future trips, Crystal has certainly brought real sparkle to Europe’s rivers. ❖

CRYSTAL BACH continued from page 17

In the evenings, Waterside features open seating, so you can arrive when you like. Many European guests, who eat late, love this. Menus feature high-class, farm-to-table cuisine, with a nightly local special such as veal tenderloin with rösti potatoes and a creamy wild mushroom sauce. There’s always-available comfort food to sate more conservative palates as well as a separate vegetarian menu. For casual fare, the Bistro, aft of the Palm Court, provides all-day snacking from smoked salmon bagels and specialty coffees at the late-risers’ breakfast to dainty cakes and mini-quiches at lunch. In the evenings, you’ll find family-style platters including roasted jumbo shrimp and pulled pork sliders. The Vintage Room, seating 10 and bookable several days per cruise, is a decadent affair where it’s all about the wine. Dinner is an eight-course tasting

ADVENTURES ASHORE A relative newcomer to river cruising, Crystal is continually tweaking its newest ships. A sleek speedboat that was formerly parked behind the glassroofed swimming pool on Crystal Deck is now stashed on shore instead (along with the boats belonging to her three sister ships), bookable for private, Champagne-fueled jaunts in ports such as Vienna and Basel. The space has become a terrace, and a fleet of bicycles has been added for exploring the shore. Crystal Destination Discoveries are

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MANOLO B. continued from page 25

She continued her work as her son grew, handcrafting shoes for her own pleasure, and passed on the skills she had learned from Don Cristino to young Manolo. That Old World craftsmanship is still evident; despite their lightness, Manolo Blahniks are well-loved for the durability of their stitching. The Canaries have a neither-herenor-there quality. This chain of volcanic islands lies less than 60 miles due west of the Moroccan coast, yet is Spanish soil — not a colony, not a territory or protectorate, but an autonomous region. The summers are long, hot and nearly rainless, though the geography of the seven islands fosters various microclimates — cooler, wetter pockets that allow for robust agriculture; bananas, tobacco and sugarcane thrive in the rich tropical soil. In arid regions, cacti are cultivated — not for their own sake, but as hosts for cochineal, a parasitic insect whose ground husks produce carmine, the natural dye that gives lipstick its brilliant red. La Palma, the most northwesterly island of the archipelago and the island of Manolo’s birth, was considered permanently settled by the time of Columbus’ first voyage; the island’s capital, Santa Cruz, was founded in 1493. The Spanish culture of the Canary Islands is distinctly Castilian; it is the Spain of Madrid, Léon and La Mancha. The Catholic Church has a profound influence, reaching deep into the folk culture and bursting forth in the revelry of Carnival — the annual cavalcade of joyous, fantastical fashion and music in the run-up to Lent. The hybrid environment of La Palma — culturally European and geographically North African — would prove hugely influential on Manolo. “Africa has been my greatest source of inspiration!” he has said. “Again and again, I come back to it.” The hard, clear light sharpened his eye. The plantations and gardens provided fruits and succulents later recalled in ornamentation evoking red

currant and cherries and purslane, and in the sinuous straps that wind around the ankle and calf like twining ivy. And looking at the traditional colonial architecture, two- and-three story houses rising in colonnaded tiers above a central courtyard, it’s not hard to connect the slender, graceful columns with Manolo’s signature high heels.

DREAM COUNTRY The European aspect is easier to spot, but harder, perhaps, to pin down — part real and part imaginary. Certainly, Manolo knew the mainland personally. Several times a year, the family would take the 2-day voyage by ferry to Cadiz, and from there to visit family or order the latest designs from boutiques in Madrid and Paris. But his Europe was also a continent of the mind, entered through old movies and 19th-century novels; a dream country of impeccable elegance and aristocratic intrigues. And Manolo had a mind for intrigues. When his family sent him to Switzerland to complete his education, they thought they might make a diplomat of him. Instead, he chose to study literature and architecture, then landed at art school in Paris in the mid-1960s with an eye toward a career in stage design. All the while, he was sketching shoes and accessories and supporting himself on the fringes of the fashion world — writing for fashion magazines and working as a buyer for a London boutique. A 1970 portfolio review with Vogue editor Diana Vreeland convinced him to concentrate on shoes. Manolo found his place within a new wave of designers bridging the modern freedoms of the 1960s to a more sophisticated, artistic style. In 1972, Manolo, then living in London, accepted an invitation from Ossie Clark, the quintessential King’s Road designer, who’d made his bones designing stagewear for the likes of Mick Jagger and Liza Minnelli. Manolo worked on Clark’s runway show, creating shoes to

complement his new collection. Later shows with major designers proved his versatility; Manolo’s tall, slender heels — a deliberate rejection of the chunkier styles of the day — worked as brilliantly with Jean Muir’s cool, understated silhouettes as with Zandra Rhodes’ dynamic proto-punk stylings. The speed of Manolo’s ascent was breathtaking. Within less than a decade, he had purchased the very shop in London where he had once worked, opened his own boutique, and secured US distribution for his shoes through Bloomingdales. And for 40 years, his star has never waned. Indeed, in recent decades, his work has become ever more prominent, thanks to its association with pop-culture phenomena. Carrie Bradshaw’s love for the shoes was a running bit on Sex and the City, of course, but the brand has also become ubiquitous in hip-hop culture, with dozens of songs name-checking Manolo Blahniks. Fashions come, and fashions go, but elegance remains eternal. Though he has continually experimented with his designs — his Georgian home in Bath, in the West of England, is fitted with custom paneled cabinets to hold an estimated 25,000 prototype shoes, arranged by date — yet he remains an old-fashioned craftsman, still hand-carving the wooden lasts that serve as forms, still molding the fabrics and leather by hand, still supervising the placement of every stitch. A far cry from designing stage sets, perhaps. But that love of the dramatic arts remains essential to Manolo’s work. Bianca Jagger, a longtime Manolo devotée, calls him “more than a shoe designer. He’s a multi-disciplinary artist.” That’s the essence of theater. From memories, from places, from the movies — Almodóvar, Wong Kar-Wai, his beloved Luchino Visconti — Manolo’s art creates its own environment of sophistication and indulgence. All the world’s a stage; and when you slip into his shoes, you’re the star of the show.❖ CRYSTAL LIVING | 69

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Food for Thought / Alamy Stock Photo LITTLE PLATES continued from page 27

HAR GOW — CRYSTALSKIN SHRIMP DUMPLINGS If har gow are the most recognizable dim sum, it’s because they’re classic. To make har gow, wheat starch is transfigured into a smooth, translucent wrapper that encloses a shrimp filling. Finely chopped bamboo shoots, water chestnuts or onion can also add texture and flavor. Because the pink shrimp should shine faintly through the wrapper, har gow are also known as “crystal skin” shrimp dumplings. Traditionally, the wrapper should resemble a bonnet, carefully pleated before sealing in the filling. In fact, the number of pleats made into the delicate dough — seven or more tiny folds — showcase a dim sum chef’s abilities.

CHAR SIU BAO — BBQ PORK BUNS Char siu bao is one of the most popular buns, or baozi. Char siu is sliced or diced pork loin marinated and slow-roasted in a Cantonese-style BBQ sauce. Recipes vary, but most include soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame seed oil and a thickener like flour or cornstarch. Sugar or honey provides sweetness. This savory-sweet pork is ensconced in a bao, or bun, which is either steamed or baked. In the steamed variety, the bao is a fluffy, white, soft bread. In the baked version, the char siu is completely hidden within a spherical bao, which has a glossy eggwash finish sprinkled with sesame seeds

DAN TAT — EGG CUSTARD Chinese cuisine isn’t particularly known for desserts, but rest assured, your dim sum server will come along with a confection that will satisfy your sweet tooth. One favorite is dan tat, a bright yellow custard made from whipped eggs, sugar and evaporated milk, baked into a crisp and flaky pastry crust. It’s sure to catch your eye and delight your palate. And remember, you don’t have to wait until the end of the meal for dessert. Feel free to get one whenever the cart comes your way, and to eat it whenever you please.

SIU MAI — PORK DUMPLINGS Siu mai aren’t the only pork dumplings available, but they are the quintessential pork dumplings. Your dim sum cart will likely feature the Cantonese variation: a meatball made of ground pork and chopped shrimp mixed with Chinese mushrooms, and scallions, seasoned with a bit of ginger, rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil. This savory morsel is cupped in a yellowish wheat-flour wrapper. The top is usually garnished with a dot made from roe, carrot or a pea, giving the dumpling a flower-like appearance.

CHEONG FUN — RICE WRAPS Chee cheong might be the name for pig intestines, but fun denotes a noodle. Thus, cheong fun is simply a noodle — in this case a very wide, flat and shiny rice noodle — that, when rolled, is said to resemble a pig intestine. But if that’s too vivid, you can just think of it as a dim sum–style savory crepe. Cheong fun is often wrapped around a filling, such as marinated shrimp, beef, char siu or chicken. Generally, a plate holds three rolls, which will be doused in a light, sweet soy sauce just before serving.

FENG ZHUA — PHOENIX CLAWS Despite their grandiose appellation, you’ll immediately recognize phoenix claws for what they are: chicken feet. In Cantonese cooking, they are deep fried, braised and steamed before being simmered in a sauce of fermented beans, bean paste and sugar. The lengthy preparation makes the feet tender and remarkably flavorful. Once you overcome any mental barriers you may have, feng zhua may even become one of your favorites. ❖

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LITERARY LEGACY continued from page 50

Montgomery was inspired in part by the island’s rolling hills, hidden harbors and mysterious woods — and her own issues of being abandoned as a child and sent to her grandparents. In Montgomery’s works, Cavendish became the fictional town of Avonlea, where Anne loved to explore, play and experience the beauty of the sea, the changing seasons and the realities of life. Tours at the Green Gables House offer a glimpse into Anne’s very Victorian way of life in the late 1800s. The house is accurately decorated as though duplicated from Montgomery’s pages. Even Anne’s room on the second floor is furnished as it was depicted in the stories. Marked paths from the house beckon visitors to explore the Haunted Wood trail and Lover’s Lane as referenced in Montgomery’s novels. Signs lead to the site where Montgomery spent her childhood and first wrote, though unfortunately all that’s left of that childhood home is the stone foundation that marks the perimeter of the house. Out-buildings within Heritage Place have been carefully restored to keep the ambience of an 1800s farmstead.

NEARBY NEIGHBORS En route to Heritage Place is the Anne of Green Gables Museum at Silver Bush. This 110-acre farm will brighten the day of any Anne fan with its beautiful gardens, carriage rides, views of the lake and especially the home of Montgomery’s cousins, the Campbells. Walk through parts of the home to view the author’s personal effects as well as Victorian items described in her books. When Montgomery chose to be married in front of the fireplace at the Campbell’s home in 1911, little did she know that couples from around the world would come to choose the same living room for their own weddings. After a visit to the Museum, the nearby Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace is the next stop on an Anne of Green Gables tour. Here, at the tiny wooden house where she was born, visitors can

view authentic Victorian furnishings including her mementos, copies of her writings and replicas of her books. What was once no more than a craggy outcrop of an island in the Canadian Maritimes, Prince Edward Island has developed into a destination unto itself. Rich in scenery with vibrant arts and excellent cuisine, any time of year is a good time to visit. In the fall, leafpeepers can observe striking shades of gold, orange and burgundy leaves from their ship as well as on drives through the pastoral countryside. It’s difficult not to fall in love with quaint-yet-lively Charlottetown, with its beautifully preserved homes, friendly locals and small-town atmosphere. But it’s the spell cast by little Anne of Green Gables that people remember most from a visit to Prince Edward Island. ❖

PARTING SIPS continued from page 29

LIMONCELLO With an alcohol content hovering around 30 percent and a sweet character, this is one of the least aggressive of your postprandial relief options. Served chilled, limoncello is a product associated primarily with southern Italy but which is growing in popularity in Italian restaurants worldwide. Lemon zest is left to steep in grain alcohol, releasing the oils, and then sugar is added to make a quite palatable drink. A rare treat similar to this, bergamino, is made from the bergamot orange, the citrus essence one might recognize from Earl Grey tea. Bergamino hails from Calabria where the fruit is commonly grown.

AMARI An amaro (amari is plural) is literally translated as “bitter,” a fair description of this wide range of alcohol-and-herb blends. Using medicinal herbs in alcoholic drinks is a practice that dates to Ancient Egypt at least, and distillation in the Middle Ages made these digestive potions even more potent. Bitters, as they came to be known in the English-speaking world, started out

MANY AMARI ARE SWEETENED A BIT BUT THE BITTERNESS IS NEVERTHELESS PRESENT. as medicine, often for stomach ailments, but are now ubiquitous throughout Italy as digestives. Restaurants and families may even have their own secret recipes. It has long been believed, and science bears it out, that the bitterness of the herbs triggers the body to produce more digestive enzymes. Many amari are sweetened a bit but the bitterness is nevertheless present. Fruit peels, herbs, spices, roots and tree barks may find their way into these mixes, and varying ingredients and proportions create a wide spectrum of tastes. One commercial brand, Cynar, even uses artichokes. Bologna’s Amaro Montenegro, one of the most popular amari, uses 40 different ingredients, but contains (compared to grappa) a far milder 23 percent alcohol. It is also known as an ammazzacaffè or “kills coffee” as it is served after an espresso or the last coffee of the meal in order to dull the effect of the caffeine or the drink’s bitterness. Because of this, it may also be used in place of grappa in caffè corretto. One special variety of amari is fernet. Ingredients are often in that “several dozen” range but many brands include chamomile, rhubarb, as well as perhaps mint or ginseng, and, most notably, saffron. This grape-based liquor packs a punch at around 90 proof, and unlike many other bitters, there is no sweetness to help the medicine go down. Therefore, enjoying this one may take a bit of practice. That said, the brand Fernet-Branca has found fans all around the world. Brightly colored Campari, typically thought of as an aperitif, is also described as a bitter, as is the bright orange Aperol. While sweeter and lighter than many other amari, the herbs and bitterness do their magic just as well but lack the typical dark, caramel color. ❖ CRYSTAL LIVING | 71

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room with a view

As time passes, things change. A Beaux-Arts railroad station on the banks of the Seine becomes a temple to creativity, specializing in the fin de siècle period — the end of the 19th century, when formal structures of the past gave way to the surging passions just under the surface of modernity.

Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Kopal Jaitly Photography / Alamy Stock Photo

The more Paris changes, the more it stays the same.

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Sarment Sea Wine

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