Prestige Magazine 46 March 2011 by Neo Africa Publishing

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Nothing is more liberating than a blank piece of paper. It’s the chance to create something original.

Introducing the Audi A7 Sportback. With its aerodynamic, elegant frame, it truly is a worthy addition to the world of contemporary design – quite impressive when you consider that this was the first drawing that Audi’s Head Designer put on paper. Step inside and you’ll find yourself in a cocoon of luxury, surrounded by a myriad of impressive technology, such as Audi Drive Select and Active Counter Steering Assistance. Couple this with sporty, powerful and efficient engines, and you realise that the Audi A7 Sportback is an engineering masterpiece. To book a test drive visit your nearest Audi dealer or www.audi.co.za Models available: A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI quattro® S tronic, A7 Sportback 3.0T FSI® quattro® S tronic. Official fuel consumption for the A7 Sportback range: from 6.0l/100km to 8.2l/100km (combined). CO2 emissions from 158g/km to 190g/km (combined). Car featured fitted with optional equipment.

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Nothing is more liberating than a blank piece of paper. It’s the chance to create something original.

|||| CONTENTS

issue 46 – MARCH 2011

Fore|Words 6

Chairman’s letter

Life|Style 17

Vivien Natasen

Editor’s letter What’s News From around the world

Enabling job creation

Whisky

South Africa’s unexpected love affair with Scotch

Mary Pierce

Financial independence

Baltimore Wharf London’s finest new address

Get Cooking

Humble beginnings Mercedes-Benz celebrates 125 years of innovation

Superior sound Out of our heads

We talk to the two-time singles Grand Slam star

What does it really mean?

Dr Demartini talks about wealth distribution

little Luxuries

Tech|Know

How best to spend it

Toni Muir

Battersea heliport Land in luxury on London’s south bank

Gadgets, gizmos, gear The latest

Beef Fillet with Sauce Veirge

De Bethune Enter their second decade – new models, new CEO

Garden Route paradise Views Boutique Hotel & Spa

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March 2011

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|||| CONTENTS

issue 46 – March 2011

Features 34

Pretty as a picture Peter Lindbergh, Hollywood stars, and 1960s Portofino

Lost city of Umm Mawagir Tracking Egypt’s ancient civilisations

Superyacht Solemates Cruise this sleek damsel of the seas

London in vogue Fab fashion capital

Le Chameau Royal mud-beaters

Oceana Protecting the oceans

BMW Gina Morphing supercar

Final vinyl The LP is back – and it’s not too late to start your collection

The New Machu Picchu Discovering the almost-lost city of Choquequirao

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62 www.prestigemag.co.za

Fore|Words

Letter from the chairman This has been a very interesting month and I sense that we are in for even more interesting times to come. With many countries in the world in turmoil from the aftermath of the global crunch,

accountability from political and business leaders. Personal ownership is again key. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, there is a growing trend towards people

game beyond mediocrity or generally available activities to provide something truly special to their markets. Our own Prestige look and feel has been evolving with

In the lifestyle space, we have noted a growing trend towards the experiential rather than the material.

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March 2011

living by the sword now having to succumb to the same swords by which they have lived. It appears that many â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;old recipesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; have now expired and the time has come for new leadership and fresh thinking. In the lifestyle space, we have noted a growing trend towards the experiential rather than the material. Many players in the lifestyle market are also realising that to attract valuable clients, they have to raise their

great acceptance from the market and is appealing to many new audiences. Thank you for the amazing feedback thus far and please, keep the comments flowing. Finally, our best wishes go out to South Africa for a successful Cricket World Cup. We are holding thumbs that they return with the trophy.

Images: ÂŠ ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

there have been added tensions in politics in OPEC countries and natural disasters in some others. It seems that mankind is being forced to re-examine itself even more from both an economic and an environmental perspective. Locally, there is a focus on social consciousness as more and more people are starting to stand up for principles and rights, and there is a strong impetus for governance and

Chairman Vivien Natasen www.prestigemag.co.za

A new style of Prestige, with the interior open to the sea and an impressive living space, characterises the Prestige 400, which fits perfectly into the new world of the Prestige.

Going down to the interior, the new style Prestige offers a harmony of shape, materials and colours that is both contemporary and elegant without being excessive.

Elegant and streamlined, the Prestige 390 S is in the Italian tradition with an innovatory double cockpit, a concept previously reserved only for those boats longer than 40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

The Prestige 390 S offers attractive interior volumes, including a spacious saloon and two cabins, one of which is full beam with a central berth and features a large walk-in closet.

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Fore|Words

PUBLISHER

Neo Publishing (Pty) Ltd Tel +27 11 484 2833 Fax +27 86 699 2266

CHAIRMAN

Vivien Natasen vivien@neoafrica.com

EDITOR

Toni Muir toni@prestigemag.co.za

ART DIRECTOR

Dylan Seegers dylan.seegers@neoafrica.com

TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY EDITORS

Letter from the editor

Charl du Plessis charl@prestigemag.co.za Tanya Goodman tanya@prestigemag.co.za

ADMIN & CIRCULATION Adesh Pritilall mail@prestigemag.co.za

ADVERTISING

Tel: +27 11 484 2833 mail@prestigemag.co.za

PROOF-READING

Beth Cooper Howell

PRINTING

Colors, Gauteng

SUBSCRIPTIONS

I was lucky enough to be one of the 98 000-strong crowd at the recent U2 concert in Joburg, and as the crowd feverishly surged and swayed in perfect unison, crooning along to Bono’s belted-out version of It’s a Beautiful Day I couldn’t

because it’s true. And I’m sure our President would absolutely agree too. And because our Prestige readers form part of this great nation, we offer them only the best. This month my favourite featured story has presented

help but be impressed by Mary Pierce, a tennis star whose rise to fame from incredibly difficult circumstances can only be admired. Needless to say our correspondent was giddy with glee when I told him he would have the opportunity to inter-

Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought. – Blaise Pascal, French Mathematician, Philosopher and Physicist help but bop along, in total agreement with the Irishman’s lyrics. It was a beautiful day, and goodness knows we’ve had some rather frightening ones of late, what with all the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, snow storms, cyclones and flash floods the world has been experiencing of late. As Bono ardently told us all what a great nation he thought we are I had to agree,

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March 2011

in the form of the BMW Gina, because it demonstrates the incredible creativity and imagination of the human mind – a morphing supercar able to change shape at the push of a button. Genius! I also have a fondness for Peter Lindbergh’s Portofino photo shoot, perhaps because it feels like the delicious Kevin Spacey is secretly making me an offer I just can’t refuse. And I can’t

view the tennis legend! And as has become customary, we’ve not forgotten our conservation feature, this month looking at Oceana, the largest international organisation focused solely on ocean conservation, and the incredible work their team has done to protect our planet’s waters.

R360 for 12 issues; R720 for 24 issues To subscribe, send us an email with the words SUBSCRIBE PRESTIGE in the subject line, and your name, email address, cell number and delivery address in the body. Send it to mail@prestigemag.co.za.

DISTRIBUTION

Prestige is available on newsstands and through subscription. Free public space distribution includes charter fleets operating in the Southern African region. Top five-star hotels and all major business-class airport lounges nationally also receive copies. Prestige can also be found in various upmarket coffee shops, spas and private banking waiting areas. COVER IMAGES iStockphoto.com, Joanna Henderson, BMW Group

Please, do enjoy Toni www.prestigemag.co.za

Fore|Words

Flying ambulance

New medevac version of Phenom 300 Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has signed a contract for the sale of one Phenom 300 jet to Amil Assistência Médica. This will be the first MEDEVAC (Medical Evacuation) version of

the Phenom 300 executive jet, which went into operation in Brazil in May last year. Delivery of the aircraft is expected for the fourth quarter of 2011, after supplementary

type certification and the installation of the special medical rescue package. The jet will be an aerial Semi-Intensive Care Unit for patients, with a 10-hour oxygen

autonomy, 1 000 watts for vital equipment, a compressed air system, and space for a ventilator, medical injection pump, defibrillator, IV poles, and a neonatal incubator.

The Veuve Clicquot Masters

Rolls-Royce confirms electric test vehicle project Rolls-Royce Motor Cars recently confirmed the development of the 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric, a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom, to debut at the Geneva

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March 2011

Motor Show now in March. While there are no plans to develop a production version, as one of the company’s EX models it will serve to begin a dialogue with existing owners and stakeholders. Through test

drives, owners will be given the opportunity to experience an alternative drive-train technology and to feedback their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly to RollsRoyce. The future is here.

The Veuve Clicquot Masters will take place in South Africa for the first time this year, on Sunday 17 April, at the picturesque Val de Vie Wine & Polo Estate. Set to become the jewel in the South African Polo season, the Veuve Clicquot Masters will utilise the estate’s world-class polo fields and luxurious club-house facilities, offering VIPs and guests an unforgettable day in the Cape winelands. Tickets priced from R350 to R950. www.valdevie.co.za

www.prestigemag.co.za

Deneys Reitz Attorneys Paragon Interface

Sean Williams Contracts is passionate about conservation, raising awareness and taking action. The planet suffers under human selfishness and greed, which is changing our environment drastically. Save the Polar Bears: www.polarbearsinternational.org www.savethepolarbear.ca www.churchillpolarbears.org

ears Polar B

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Fore|Words

Creating one job

What does it really mean to enable job creation and entrepreneurship? CHARL DU PLESSIS

kinds of capital requirements constitute a successful enterprise that creates employment. The corporation is a fictional legal person, allowing for the pooling of risk and resources and for a limit to exposure. Created by the Act of 1862 in Britain, the arrival of this legal fiction replaced the risk of life and limb early entrepreneurs experienced. By 1937, economist Ronald Coase, in The Nature of the Firm, focused attention on the cost of transacting and how, through the creation of a corporation that brought people in-house, the cost of repeating multiple transactions could be reduced. In time, other economists demonstrated that transaction cost savings had to be offset against the cost of organising these employee hierarchies, seeing the firm as either a network of contracts or a bundle of

and the lowering of transaction and hierarchal costs. Necessity does indeed breed invention, and we hold the dubious honour (!) of being the country that gave the world the term ‘necessity entrepreneur’. In essence though, this level of entrepreneur will unlikely trade up to the point of becoming an employer of note, and hence the collective effort to stimulate larger entrepreneurial initiatives. Yet, too often, the assumption appears that it only takes some funding and some training in basic accounting to become self-employed. Entrepreneurship, by definition, entails four elements: the identification of a future market for goods and services; the decision to pursue such opportunity with its associated risks; the gathering of resources to enable the pursuit; and taking action to start the

Social network theory shows how the information gathered from one’s regular environment opens the door to opportunity. comes to job creation: lowering barriers to entry into the formal job market, or alternatively, creating masses of smaller entrepreneurs, hoping they grow into employers themselves. Both of these approaches seem to draw on certain interpretations of what the corporation itself is, what entrepreneurship entails, and what

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March 2011

organisational capabilities. The critical defining elements for both are highly contested areas in the South African landscape – labour law and employment contracts, as well as education and training. In summary, when looking at job creation through the corporate lens, the likely available levers appear to be in the areas of risk underwriting

pursuit. We have little problem in this country with the second and fourth elements. It is in the identification of future markets and the gathering of appropriate resources where we seem to fail frequently. Social network theory shows how the information gathered from one’s regular environment opens the door to opportunity.

When a large part of our poor population is, however, shielded from insight into the markets for goods and services that the working class, middle class and upper class enjoy and engage with, the universe of ideas for new ventures shrinks dramatically. We witness how often award-winners among small entrepreneurs hail from some former corporate employment background where they enriched their own universe of ideas around markets, goods and services. There are www.prestigemag.co.za

Image © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

As events unfold in Egypt, Tunisia and beyond, the voice of an impatient global unemployed youth driven to the brink of nihilism grows bolder. The suggested anecdote is to create jobs and the hope of a better future. What does it take though? If anything is learnt from the tectonic shifts in the Middle East, it is that a global elite cannot assume that governments and markets will solve the problems of the youth and the unemployed. If for no other reason than the purely instrumental, namely to ensure stability of markets, job creation becomes the problem of every captain of industry. Below we revisit some of the underlying constructs worth considering in the search for solutions. There are two apparent streams of thought when it

more venture ideas sitting in the bottom drawer of regular employees’ desks than what an army of willing, would-be entrepreneurs and their wellintentioned mentors could ever muster, because the employees are already in the thick of things – they know a particular market and its needs. So, when it comes to the creation and identification of opportunity, the irony is that the most important lever actually sits within the formal corporate environment, not in the private www.prestigemag.co.za

or public agencies sweating it out on how to create new ventures. Finally, the third element of entrepreneurship, namely the gathering of resources, requires our attention. Too often this is simplistically equated to financing. Yes, start-up capital is a necessity, but hardly sufficient. Two other forms of capital are far more important – human capital and social capital. Human capital relates to the set of functional skills that an individual can trade in the market. So, think

of human capital formation as teaching and training the skills to perform a job, and of social capital as the ability to get the job done based on an understanding of how you fit into the bigger picture. We fall short on both accounts in developing human and social capital. It is inconceivable, given the death of good quality artisan training in this country, that major corporations have not started their own academies where they could harvest both skills and

loyalty. On developing social capital, even more innovative thinking and real investment will be required in order to take young people from deprived communities and to ‘socialise’ them into the regular world of work. The largest pool of resources, whether financial, human, social or potential capital cluster around our corporations, and if we hope to make progress with job creation, it will require innovative leadership and action from industry.  March 2011

Prestige

Fore|Words

Wealth distribution

Why do so few become financially independent?

Have you ever wondered why so many people are challenged financially even though they desire to be financially independent? Or why the rich get richer and the poor often get poorer? Even though overall living standards have markedly increased over the last two centuries, there still exists a wide inequality when it comes to wealth distribution. It has been claimed by some authorities that only one percent of the world’s population ever reaches the status of financial independence. But why so few? While travelling the world and participating in the education process of millions, I have asked general public audiences how many of them would love to become financially independent. Without

them are the misfortunate ones. Their response is predictable, and an expression of unrealistic expectation or fantasy. Of course, when I present these same questions to more financially savvy and adept audiences, the response is quite different. I’ve noticed that there are distinct personality differences between those wealthyminded headed for financial freedom and those living in a fantasy world regarding their future misfortunes. Those who are more likely to become financially independent:

• Understand and appreciate the purpose of money and how it represents a rational means of exchange between parties. • Have a higher value or priority on serving ever greater numbers

their loved ones and society. • Are working on their businesses more than just in them and refining their actions to maximise profit margins and minimise redundant actions or unnecessary expenses. • Prioritise their actions and delegate those priorities that cost them time and money and extract surplus value out of productive and competitively advantaged work teams – capitalistically. • Leverage their moneymaking opportunities and embrace progressive levels of risks and rewards and more often become owners rather than renters. • Value themselves and pay themselves first. • Are more masters of their destinies than they are victims of their histories.

It has been claimed by some authorities that only one percent of the world’s population ever reaches the status of financial independence. fail 99.99 percent of attendees quickly raise their hands, smile and laugh as they collectively answer: “I do, I do, I do!” I’ve then asked who is on their way to being, or is already, financially independent. The majority of raised hands drop immediately. So I ask who is ready to transform their financial destiny and become part of the one-percent club. They generally point to themselves and assume that those around

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March 2011

of people and believe they are destined to be rewarded immensely, so they have their money working for them instead of them working for money. • Are long-term visionaries who save and invest their company’s profits on building appreciable assets for personal and then, familial, social or charitable causes. • Study the principles of wealth accumulation and management for the sake of

Those who are less likely to become financially free:

• Don’t understand or truly appreciate the purpose of money and often have illusions concerning money’s goodness or evilness, and become trapped in moral dilemmas. • Are immediate gratifiers who spend their monies on things that depreciate in value or liabilities – they work for their money instead of having their money work for them.

• Fantasise about how they will spend their imagined fortunes on progressively fancier lifestyles instead of strategising, structuring and managing money to make it grow. • Expect entitlements in life, rather than empowering themselves, and don’t have a high value on serving ever greater numbers of people. • Have less, little or no interest in studying the principles of wealth management and accumulation, and work in other people’s businesses instead of running their own. • Are not refining or prioritising their actions to maximise profit margins and minimise redundant actions or unnecessary expenses. • Fear financial risks and withdraw to the assumed security of safe earning redundancies, and often live as renters with shortterm visions. • Devalue themselves and pay themselves last. • Are more victims of their histories than of masters of their destinies. When I’ve asked those who feel financially strapped what they would do if they suddenly had a substantial sum of money, their answer is usually that they would enjoy spending their money on depreciable items. The answer is rarely how they would make their newly acquired money grow by saving and investing. People who are unlikely to be wealthy are spenders, not savers. When I pose this same www.prestigemag.co.za

Images © DEMARTINI INSTITUTE; istockphoto.com

 DR JOHN DEMARTINI

question to those who feel more financially free, their answer focuses on how they would guarantee preservation of their financial principle and wealth growth, spending only a portion of it so that it could continue to grow, building towards a desired cause into the future. The wealthy and the poor have different hierarchies of values and mindsets. The wealthy value and understand money better. They see, create and attract ever greater opportunities to grow their fortunes. Those who manage money wisely receive more money to manage and those who manage it poorly receive less. Money automatically circulates through the social economy from those who value it least to those who value it most. Ultimately, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. But nature has its inherent and compensatory ways of equilibrating the economic game. It levels the playing field over time. As the wealthy become really wealthy there emerges from within them a desire to contribute back – an urge for philanthropy. Meanwhile the poor develop a greater feeling of entitlement and rely on welfare and charitable contributions to survive. Ultimately, nature recycles the wealth through time to give everyone the opportunity to master the art of wealth building, which is a set-ofvalues game, and a state of mind. Each individual must decide where they want to play in the game of life – socioeconomically at the top, the middle or the bottom. The former and the latter are actually complementary opposites to maintain a dynamic equilibrium – the laws of nature. We have a choice on where and when we want to place ourselves in this magnificent financial game.  www.prestigemag.co.za

March 2011

Prestige

Life|Style

Luxury redefined The Spa at The Oyster Box

Voted onto the 2010 Hot List as a ‘Hot Spa’, by the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller magazine, and winner in the category ‘Hotel Spas for 2010’ at South Africa’s Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards, true luxury awaits you at The Spa at The Oyster Box. We recently visited the Spa and can honestly recommend the Oyster Box Hammam Ceremony, a 75-minute treatment that will leave you feeling completely rejuvenated. The treatment begins with a 20-minute session in the steamy-hot hammam, to warm and soften the muscles. A 30-minute back massage is then given on a heated marble slab, before the exfoliation part of the treatment begins. This makes use of heated lemons, which soften and burst, releasing fresh natural citric acid to exfoliate and condition. The skin is then cleansed using cane sugar and coconut oil to eliminate excess surface skin. To say the treatment is divine would perhaps be an understatement. Other facilities at the Spa include a tranquillity lounge, a salon, a dry floatation and colour therapy bed, health bar, plunge pool, and hammam and sensation shower. +27 31 514 5000 / reservations@oysterbox.co.za

Durchzug Handbags Made with love and care in a locally-run Cape Town factory, Durchzug handbags are edgy, elegant and made from top-quality local leather and hides. And they’re affordable, too. For pricing and stockist info go to www.durchzug. biz or email info@ durchzug.biz.

2008 La Motte Méthode Cap Classique What better way to start a celebration than by popping a bottle of bubbly? Those who enjoy celebrating in style should add La Motte’s latest to their guest list. With vineyards on the southern slopes, 200 metres above sea level, both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from which the wine is made were produced on the La Motte estate in Franschhoek. The vineyards have been

managed organically since 2006. The prominent fruit in this wine is strawberry, probably because of the 60 percent Pinot Noir. The palate is surprisingly fresh with fine mousse and the wine can be enjoyed with a wide range of South African foods. Only 3 300 bottles were released, so act quickly to get yours. Available from La Motte estate and select liquor outlets for around R230 per bottle.

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Whisky at the southernmost tip South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unexpected love affair with Scottish spirit NEIL PENDOCK

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March 2011

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Images © iStockphoto.com

Life|Style The late Hugh Trevor-Roper, famous for authenticating Stern magazine’s forged Hitler diaries in the gullible eighties, and earning the nickname ‘Hugh Very-Ropey’ from satirical magazine Private Eye in the process, dropped a final bombshell from the grave. Five years after his death, the publication of The Invention of Scotland claimed that large tracts of Scottish cultural history were inventions – surely enough to make a crusty old kilted gillie splutter into his whisky and toss his caber. Bagpipes came from the Middle East, and Roman emperor Nero was something of a virtuoso piper, when not strumming his fiddle. That whisky is an Irish invention (even if they spell it whiskey) is well known, but it turns out that kilts, and the tartan from which they are made, were invented by a Sassenach (a word used chiefly by the Scots to designate an Englishman), as a dress of convenience during the industrial revolution.

bottle once purchased (especially once open, as three years seems to be the maximum drinks-cabinet life). But offering a wee dram from the year of your birth has unbeatable brag appeal, as Makro acknowledged when they advertised vintage dated Macallan in their Christmas catalogue. As for the merits of leaving whisky in cask for 206 years, at an evaporation rate of around two percent per annum, after two centuries less than two percent of the original volume of spirit will be left. As for flavour uptake from a barrel, this also levels out in decades, rather than centuries. Pedantic observations aside, Johnnie Walker master blender Jim Beveridge (a most appropriate surname for a career in the drinks business!) created a 200-bottle blend of spirit including some from defunct distilleries such as Glen Mhor and Glen Albyn. To make doubly sure, his magic recipe was also destroyed, making it impossible to ever replicate.

auction rooms of Hong Kong rely on the conceit that they are masterpieces of terroir: you can literally taste the rocky vineyard in the Riedel in your hand. Yet for whisky, most of the flavour comes from the oak barrels in which the spirit is matured for a minimum of three years. Those barrels typically hail from Kentucky, Spain (Jerez) or Portugal, so the lion’s share of flavour is foreign. The grain used to make the beer that is distilled into spirit typically hails from France or Eastern Europe, though in the dark days of Apartheid, would often include mielies from the Orange Free State. The brewer’s yeast comes from Canada, while the highlands, islands and lowlands supply water and peat, coal futures if you like, responsible for that pungent TCP character in selected spirits that some people confuse with complexity. With so many international ingredients, it is little wonder other countries make the stuff and call it whisky without

Lost in Translation, won the laurels for the world’s best blended whisky. In South Africa, Three Ships is distilled in an improbable pagoda in Wellington. Launched in 1977, it is the 7th largest whisky brand in this country, and won a gold medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London. And last year saw a single malt added to the Three Ships portfolio. Ten-year-old spirit is matured for a final few months in sherry casks. The colour of warm copper, on the nose a hint of peat and on the palate opulent fruit flavours abound. But the killer is the price: R200 a bottle. For ladies, and those with a sweeter palate, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky appeared in 2009. It is a very smooth vanilla bomb indeed, thanks to a double wooding regime: three years in US Bourbon casks followed by a further two years in new barrels. Although local is affordable and lekker, consumers can’t get

Romantic myths and dodgy history have long been a potent marketing strategy to shift Scottish products. Johnnie Walker is up there with the Loch Ness monster as a maestro of marketing and one of his recent wheezes was a masterpiece: a blended whisky called Johnnie Walker® Blue LabelTM 1805, so named to mark the birth of founder John Walker. Of course, 1805 is not a vintage statement: once bottled, whisky does not age like wine. From a taste point of view, there is no benefit in keeping a

Beveridge is no stranger to local whisky wonks: he was the man who brought us another blend – Johnnie Walker King George V – which sold out in days despite its R5 000-a-bottle price tag. The launch was held at Tuinhuis, residence of thenpresident Thabo Mbeki, himself something of a be-whiskered whisky aficionado. But on a deeper level, whisky is a triumph of marketing, as precious few of the flavours actually originate from Scotland. The high prices realised for Burgundies and Bordeauxs in the

any challenge. India, Wales, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Finland and even South Africa produce whisky, while in America and Ireland, it is a major industry. In fact, the Japanese do it so well that they often beat the Scots in international competitions. In a recent competition run by Whisky magazine, Yoichi 20 years old, distilled at Sapporo on Hokkaido Island on the shores of the Sea of Japan, was voted best single malt, while Suntory Hibiki, as advertised by Bill Murray in the movie

enough of the Scottish stuff. Earlier this year, Spar liquor executive Ray Edwards noted that South Africa is now fifth largest importer of Scotch in the world, imports having doubled between 1999 and 2009. It’s all to do with aspiration, with a new generation welcoming the Age of Chivalry from Chivas Regal and the Striding Man of Johnnie Walker. Heck, Madiba’s autobiography was entitled Long Walk to Freedom, which could double as a slogan for Mr Walker and his striding spirit! 

www.prestigemag.co.za

March 2011

Prestige

Mary Pierce Two-time singles Grand Slam winner IAN MACLEOD

Mary Pierce’s success is a tribute to the emotional grit that pulled her back from the hurt of a madly domineering father, the emptiness of crude tabloid attacks and that helpless, drained feeling of a spell of limp form. Of course, her savantlike talent always helped. The point is, the path beginning with child athletes and their Hoover-mouthed, glory-hungry dads is strewn with the carcasses of could-have-made-its, while

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Pierce found her own slipway and built her own trail to success and, in the end, happiness. Mary Pierce’s tale starts not dissimilarly to those of many other kiddies whose tiny limbs crackle with the mysterious ability to do wonderful things on one sports paddock or another. A blonde 10-year-old who fancied becoming a paediatrician some day, she happened to chance her arm at a bit of tennis one afternoon with a

friend who played the game. Now, tennis is not a beginner’s game, normally demanding months or even years of practice to rally with any degree of consistency. Not so for young Mary Pierce. “The first time I ever played tennis, the first ball I hit in my life, I hit in the court,” she recalls. “People were amazed. I even had to come back the next day with my parents to see the head coach of the club because he couldn’t

believe it was my first time.” A couple of weeks later she beat an older and highly regarded opponent, and by 12 years of age was the US national age-group champion. In 1989, at the age of 14 years and two months, Mary turned professional at the Hilton Head tournament, making her the youngest ever American tennis player to do so (though Jennifer Capriati broke that record the following year). However, like www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGES © GREATSTOCK/epa; CORBIS/GREATSTOCK

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most extreme achievements, Mary’s accelerated rise had come at considerable cost. Andre Agassi gives a textured and emotional description of his father-enforced childhood in his stunning autobiography, Open. With different names and nuances, Mary’s formative years followed that same dictatorial corridor: illtempered, over-assertive father grinds exceptional child into champion through unrelenting force. Indeed she sees parallels between herself and Agassi. “I always felt that we had similarities in tennis and also in the heart that he has, the things he does for other people with his foundation and school,” she says. For Mary, enforcer-inchief was her father, American Jim Pierce. “From the very www.prestigemag.co.za

beginning my father was always there,” she explains, “at every lesson and eventually he became my coach.” Not a tennis man originally, Jim schooled himself in the intricacies of the game, which he then shovelled into his daughter during many highpressure hours on hot asphalt rectangles in Florida, USA and around the world. “It was very hard, and at times it was very unpleasant,” she reminisces. “I was afraid of losing because my father would get upset. It was very, very tough growing up like that.” At last, shortly after the 1993 French Open, where a disorderly Jim was forcibly ejected from the stadium during Mary’s third-round match, a mature Mary cut herself loose from her father’s grip and embarked on the journey of her own direction. “When I was 18 I realised, ‘Ok, now I’m an adult and I can decide for myself ’, and so I broke off from my family,” says a reflective Mary. A new coach in Nick Bollettieri and with a new, independent outlook, she began her assault on women’s tennis without the man who had previously planned its every move. With reports of an irate and unstable Jim stalking Mary and her French mother, Yannick, as well as the pressures of a fickle and underwhelmed public and media in her adopted France, Mary landed her first authoritative blow on the women’s tour. She fired her way through the field at Roland Garros 1994, pummelled world-number-one Stefi Graf in the semis and finally fell to nerves and the terrier-like hustling of Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the final. But the key wasn’t the shape of the trophy she took home. She had won over the Parisian crowds, commanded that the French media love her and shifted her image from unfortunate starlet to respected contender. In 1995 she took the Australian Open, this time beating Vicario in the final, and now nobody doubted her

credentials. Always chic and athletically glamorous in her body-hugging Nike dresses and plaited blonde hair, it was Mary’s power game that dismantled so many opponents. At 5 foot 11, Mary was stronger than most of the girls who stood in front of her. She thrived on thumping down heavy serves and then bludgeoning ground strokes from on top of the baseline, always ready to surge net-ward with one of her signature drive volleys. Her return-of-serve was similarly predatorial, cutting off angles early to thunder balls back to an often underprepared server. One commentator aptly described her play as “big babe tennis”. Interestingly, this combined rather well with ‘small babe tennis’ at times. Mary can’t contain a grin when she thinks back to the times she joined South Africa’s ‘Little Assassin’, Amanda Coetzer, in a doubles team of contrasting styles. “I love Amanda,” she chuckles, “you

say her name and it makes me smile. We had so much fun and we laughed a lot.” They also won together, most notably when the pair took top honours at the Nichirei Open in Tokyo in September 1996. One can imagine Mary’s howitzer serves tenderising opponents while the nuggety Amanda fizzed about at the net snapping balls out of the air like a Jack Russell does at the park. Having eventually won her beloved French Open in 2000, today Mary appears rather content with life in Mauritius, which she now calls home. She takes great pleasure in her church projects in Africa and has taken under her wing two youngsters to guide as tennis players. At the 2007 French Open Mary was honoured with an avenue named after her at Roland Garros: Allée Mary Pierce. At a place she holds “very, very close to heart”, it seems a fitting testimonial to a lady who cut her own road where many have failed. 

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Baltimore Wharf

London’s finest new address is sure to wow investors CHARL DU PLESSIS

London has a must-have new address for anyone needing to spend time in the city or requiring easy access to the rest of London, Europe and New York. Aspiring to be a new heart for the City, the Baltimore Wharf development is a dramatic 12-storey architectural showpiece on the banks of one of the city’s most historic docks. Express connections bring the world to its residents. South Africans are discovering the ideal home away from home in London and local representative Pam Golding Property Group’s International www.prestigemag.co.za

Division has appointed a dedicated team to assist interested investors. There are 64 of the 238 Baltimore Wharf units exclusively targeted for South African investors, and according to Andrew Golding, the renewed confidence in property as witnessed with the One Hyde Park development in Knightsbridge augurs well for early movers. Even before the official launch in South Africa, negotiations were already underway on several apartments. With a vibrant rental market reflecting London’s prime position as March 2011

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two-bedroom duplexes on offer, South Africans typically would balk at the available space due to our own expansive residences in the suburbs, yet people in the know would recognise that by London standards, these apartments are extremely spacious, ranging up to 1 050 square feet. With 24-hour security, a Montessori nursery of its own, a signature restaurant, a well-appointed gymnasium and pool alongside its health spa, landscaped water gardens and private screening rooms, residents have all they require at their fingertips. And, parking is offered with every flat, something unheard of in London. The Club also boasts saunas, solariums, cardio facilities, a bar and an interactive gaming room. The idea behind this facility is no longer just sweat and grind – The Club blurs the line between exercising and socialising and it is likely the first stop where residents will come to shake off the stress of London’s fast-paced work environment. Most impressive though is the architectural and design pedigree behind Baltimore Wharf. Investors buy into

another showcase from Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, one of the most celebrated firms over the past 100 years. Their work includes the Sears Tower in Chicago and Lever House in Manhattan, described as the most perfect, elegant skyscraper ever conceived. Their next big project will likely become the most famous building in the world – New York’s Freedom Tower. In designing this residential development for London, they created an ultra-modern exposition of the European boulevard around Prime Avenue, which is within the Baltimore development. Here, angles,

light and choice of materials combine the sense of sharing the social space of yesteryear with the best of modernity. Alan Bell, the vice-president of sales for Pam Golding Property’s International and Projects Division describes it as no less than an architectural masterpiece. When a man grows tired of London, as the old maxim goes, let’s not grow tired of life. Rather reinvent and treat yourself to the charms of the best new residence on the block. Yes, this is where the future is at.  +27 21 762 2617 byron.dick@pamgolding.co.za

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IMAGES © BALTIMORE WHARF; PAM GOLDING

global financial centre, investors recognise the returns they may expect from getting in at the right moment when both the financial and property industries start shaking off their recent inertia – a potentially perfect storm. For those who frequent London, the appeal would be easy to spot. Docklands dwelling is luxury living at its best and the trendy of London are moving out east. E14 is now the wealthiest postal code in the country. No other area in London has the same dynamic and progressive live/work balance, and nowhere else are there such smooth and efficient transport links. Over 100 000 people work here for some of the world’s most powerful companies including Barclays, Credit Suisse, HSBC and Citigroup. The shopping in Canary Wharf – including premier department stores as well as branches of Bang & Olufsen, Space NK and Jo Malone – eclipses many other areas in the capital for exclusivity and convenience. Its foodie reputation grows and grows, with the first branch of Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian, D&D’s spectacular Saarinen-furnished Plateau, and an outpost of the chic contemporary Japanese, Roka among the most celebrated. The nearby O2 Arena, voted the world’s best international music venue, is now an important arts stadium in the capital – host to the likes of Prince and Madonna. With over 200 restaurants, bars and boutiques, London’s most celebrated style and culture enterprises continue to move east. This is where the future is at. Just four minutes from Canary Wharf, and less than half an hour from the West End or London City Airport, the entry level price of £240 000 for the extensive luxury facilities of Baltimore Wharf makes it one of the prime investment and lifestyle opportunities in London. With either one-bedroom suites or

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The fine art of waterfront living, a masterpiece of light, line and space.

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Ingredients 800g beef fillet Olive oil or melted butter Salt and crushed black pepper Sauce Vierge 2 jam tomatoes 6 fresh basil leaves 1tsp coriander seeds 1 lemon 100ml olive oil

Beef Fillet with Sauce Vierge Method For potato wafers

Heat sunflower oil in a heavy saucepan. Thinly slice potatoes width ways and with a toothed mandelane slicer or a grooved chip knife if possible, to create a wafer effect. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and salt while hot. For ratatouille

Cut all vegetables into 2mm cubes. Heat olive oil in a

saucepan on low heat and slow cook the onions until glassy. Increase heat to medium, add remaining vegetables, sauté until al dente. Add tomato puree and a splash of water and bring it to the boil. Season as required and remove from heat. For Sauce Vierge

Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove into ice water. Once cool, peel

Ratatouille 1 small aubergine 1 small onion 1 courgette 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 1 tblsp tomato puree 50ml olive oil Potato wafers 1 large potato Sunflower oil Pinch salt

off skin, remove seeds, and dice into 2mm cubes. Finely slice basil, toast and crush coriander seeds, and juice the lemon. Mix all ingredients together with olive oil and refrigerate.

hot pan, and seal the outside. Move to oven and cook – 10 minutes for medium-rare, 15 for medium, 20 for well done. Remove to cutting board and allow to rest.

For fillet

To serve

Preheat oven to 180ºC and preheat a heavy frying pan on high until hot. Season fillet with salt and crushed black pepper, paint with melted butter or olive oil, place in

Reheat ratatouille and spoon onto plate. Slice fillet into four portions and place on top of ratatouille. Spoon over a serving of sauce and arrange potato wafers around. Serves 4. 

About Hotel Izulu This five-star, eco-friendly boutique Hotel is perfectly positioned to take full advantage of the amazing wildlife, magnificent scenery, unique history, culture and delicious food and wine experiences offered within the Zulu Kingdom. Executive Chef Guy Gorrie heads up the culinary journey, aided by the Hotel’s extensive organic herb and vegetable garden, which benefits the newly launched Gigi’s Brassiere. The cuisine incorporates these home-grown organic

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herbs and vegetables and only uses meat sourced from free-range farms and certified hormone free. Similarly, all chocolate used is from organic producers, while the bread served is made daily on the property using organic flour. The Hotel is committed to operating in an eco-friendly environment and has been applauded by guests and industry alike for many of its green initiatives. www.hotelizulu.com

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acquire PERMANENT RESIDENCY in the EU - in CYPRUS

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Ground Floor, Liesbeek House, River Lane, Mowbray PO Box 23644, Claremont, 7735 Tel +27 21 680 5272 | Fax +27 86 670 6490

CYPRIOT REALTY - official South African marketing agent for LEPTOS ESTATES (www.leptosestates.com)

CONTACT Jenny Ellinas: +27 83 448 8734 | jenny@cypriotrealty.com | www.cypriotrealty.com

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Phase Two

New models, new CEO – enter De Bethune’s second decade  KEN KESSLER

At the 2003 Basel Watch Fair, De Bethune’s debut took place in a quiet corner of a smaller hall. De Bethune? In an exhibition bursting with spurious brands bearing deliciously antiquesounding names, a new arrival called ‘De’-something-or-other might be just another pretender. As it happened, the elegantly-attired gentleman at the period desk was founder David Zanetta, a “worthy and well-known consultant of some of the most prestigious watch collections in the world”. More accurately, he’s a veteran mover-and-shaker in high-end horology; among his roles was acting as an advisor to one of the world’s most important auction houses. If Zanetta provided the knowledge and experience to ensure that the image and authenticity were suitably ‘haute horological’, De Bethune’s Technical Managing Director guaranteed that the technical credibility was assured by the movements. Denis Flageollet was a professor at the watchmakers’ school in Le Locle, with more than 20 years of experience in creating over 120 high-end watches. After working in restoration alongside Michel Parmigiani,

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Flageollet developed watches for Breguet, Omega, Chopard, and Cartier, among others. De Bethune itself was named after the Chevalier de Bethune, the inventor of a clock escapement in 1727, Zanetta and Flageollet modestly choosing not to emulate their watchmaking contemporaries, whose companies are eponymous. The two simply abide by a motto: ‘L’Art Horloger au XXI Siecle’ – ‘The Art of Watchmaking in the XXIst Century’. For the pair, this means the creation of wholly original, modern watches, but ones that refer back to past greats without allowing the observer to pinpoint the specifics: distinctive lug designs, clean dials, elegant cases and assorted, respectful nods to history that ensure they cannot be mistaken for the products of any other marques. Unlike too many modern watchmakers, Zanetta adamantly states: “Even my most complicated watches must be legible at a glance.” Not one of the models forces the wearer to study the dial for an inordinately long interval in order to learn the basic time of day. For De Bethune, even the colour of the numerals has been selected to offer superior legibility.

Zanetta located the company’s atelier in La Chaux L’Auberson in the Swiss Jura, in the heart of the watchmaking region. In under a decade, the company has introduced a disproportionate number of all-new movements, pioneering the use of silicon and earning patents for the flat terminal curve spring, the titanium/ platinum balance, the triple parachute anti-shock system, and a unique speed regulation system that accommodates the wearer’s lifestyle. Another patent was granted for a De Bethune signature feature: instead of a flat representation of the lunar state, the company devised a three-dimensional moon-phase indicator in the form of a rotating, bi-coloured platinum and blued steel sphere revolving on its axis and accurate to within one day every 122 years. Flageollet, too, has emerged as one of the most adventurous watchmakers currently refining the tourbillon. A combination of these disciplines, refined over the past decade, has enabled De Bethune to enter 2011 with a pair of spectacular models evolved from recent efforts, but taken to new heights. De Bethune’s re-think of the www.prestigemag.co.za

tourbillon – a device conceived to counter the effects of gravity on a timepiece’s accuracy – has centred on a reduction of the tourbillon’s weight. Employing new technologies, De Bethune has created a silicon-titanium tourbillon in a 0.18g carriage that spins once every 30 seconds, and a balance oscillating at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour. This carriage is the lightest on the market – rivals’ counterparts weigh typically four times as much. For the DB25 Tourbillon Regulator, Flageollet chose to ally this with one of watchmaking’s greatest historic concepts: the ‘jumping seconds’ display. Instead of a smooth rotation, the central hand jumps from second to second, showing the observer the precise second rather than an interim moment. Its visually-arresting action is only part of the fascination: the owner must examine the back of the watch to see the discreetly hidden tourbillon. As subtle and uncomplicated as the dial may seem, it is as involved as the rear view. It is fashioned from fired-blue, hand-crafted titanium and studded with golden stars to represent the night sky. The hour and minute ring in ❱ www.prestigemag.co.za

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sterling silver recalls 18th-century clocks, the metal destined to acquire a subtle patina over the years. Beneath the 12 o’clock position, from a power reserve of 100 hours, a window reveals the time remaining. Within the DB25 and visible through the back of its 44.6mm white or rose gold case is the manually-wound, 45-jewel Calibre DB2109 mechanical movement, beating at 36 000 vibrations per hour. Its main plate is hand-decorated and snailed, with hand-chamfered and polished steel parts, and a finish of De Bethune stripes. Prominent above the 30-second rotating tourbillon carriage is the natural, fired-blue titanium bridge, the self-regulating twin barrel responsible for its long power reserve, the thermo-

blued steel, silicon/palladium balance wheel, triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system and another clever in-house creation: ‘floating lugs’. A patented system that easily adjusts to the size of the wrist and its various movements, it ensures that the DB28 is supremely comfortable despite a case size of 43mm, the floating lugs allowing the case to ‘rock’ with the position of the wrist. Additionally, the case is ultralight, being made entirely of titanium. The shape of the case, which is made from grade 5

combined with a blue chapter ring to ensure optimal readability. A deliberate effect is a shimmering light playing across both polished and matt surfaces, to provide something of a show for its wearer. The movement features a selfregulating twin barrel responsible for six-day power reserve indicated on the back of the case, as well as the new silicon/ palladium balance wheel with a flat terminal curve, protected by the triple pare-chute shockabsorbing system. With two all-new models and a third, ‘entry level’ also promised for imminent release, 2011 is set to be a banner year. Moreover, on 1 March, De Bethune appointed Pierre Jacques as CEO. Co-founder in 2000 of specialist watch magazine GMT, and, since January

Unlike too many modern watchmakers, Zanetta states: “Even my most complicated watches must be legible at a glance.” compensated silicon/platinum balance wheel and balancespring with flat terminal curve. If the DB25 is slightly coy about its innards, the DB28 is blatantly extroverted. The design fits mid-way between the earlier DBS and a one-off model developed exclusively by De Bethune for the Only Watch 2009 charity auction. It boasts the patented spherical moon,

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titanium or rose gold, positions the famous crown at 12 o’clock, a nod to classic pocket-watches and which is balanced visually by the spherical moon at the 6 o’clock position. Between these two points the observer sees the uniqueto-De Bethune, delta-shaped, polished steel main-plate of the hand-wound, 29-jewel Calibre DB2115 movement, its stripes

2010, the branch manager of Les Ambassadeurs in Geneva, Jacques also headed the organisation responsible for the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix. Jacques’ combination of talents and skills complements perfectly those of Zanetta and Flageollet. As a triumvirate championing haute horlogerie, one imagines that De Bethune’s time has come. www.prestigemag.co.za

Images © OMEGA

IMAGES © DE BETHUNE

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Views Boutique Hotel & Spa

An idyllic paradise from which to unlock the secrets of the famed Garden Route NICKY ARTHUR

The Views Boutique Hotel & Spa is superbly positioned on a beachfront dune in Wilderness, the warm Indian Ocean playing at its feet along a coastline that stretches for miles. It is the perfect spot for a relaxed beach holiday, a nature-filled break or a vigorous outdoor adventure. The maritime climate, with its moderate summers and mild sunny winters, makes it pleasant all year round. In fact, it has the most sunshine and least wind of all coastal regions of South Africa. Noted architect Harry Burger designed Views Boutique Hotel & Spa to maximise its magnificent ocean setting, where the sapphire surf and sky-reddening sunsets are spectacular. Inside, chic, contemporary interiors by Lulu Ridgway are styled for comfort and luxury with clean-lined, smart furnishings

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designed and made exclusively for the hotel. Water and light are themes that play throughout, from custom-made lighting systems to a suspended three-storey, rotating aquarium filled with handcrafted glass fish and life-sized glass seagulls. The hotel’s 18 suites range from deluxe to honeymoon, culminating in the stunning penthouse suite. Four of the

amount of natural light and bring the ocean and beach feel inside, large LCD TVs, iPod connections, fully-stocked mini-bars, mood control lighting, generous cupboards with walk-in dressing rooms, and of course, air conditioning. Bathrooms have under-floor heating, heated towel rails, a private WC, a separate bath and shower and indulgent

below, and which is also where guests are served breakfast. The other is a more casual, bistrostyled restaurant with terraced decking spilling outside. Guests are also invited to relax on the rooftop Sea View Cocktail Deck, which overlooks the beach and sea. Here, alfresco meals can be enjoyed or a bit of whale and dolphin spotting undertaken. Behind the

Views Spa was awarded Best Boutique Hotel Spa in Southern Africa in October 2010. suites can be combined with adjoining classic rooms to form a two-bedroom family suite with private entrance lobby. All rooms have balconies with sea and/or mountain views, floor-to-ceiling picture windows to maximise the

amenities. Linen is 400-thread count, while a pillow library helps to ensure you have an absolutely idyllic night’s sleep. There are two restaurants on the property, one a finedining venue with exquisite views of the tumbling waves

cocktail deck is the pool deck with its solar-heated rim-flow pool exclusively reserved for hotel guests. The hotel also offers its guests a choice of two lounges – Sea View Lounge and Library Lounge. The former opens www.prestigemag.co.za

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IMAGES © THE MANTIS COLLECTION

onto a sea-facing deck and is a great spot to unwind and enjoy a quiet drink. It also has a fireplace for cooler evenings and a complimentary business desk with computer facilities and complimentary Internet access. The Library lounge, with its unusual ‘bio fire’ fireplace offers a quiet spot to take time out, as its positioning on the mezzanine level directly beneath the glass floor panels of the swimming pool makes for an abundance of soft light filtering through from the pool above. The hotel’s Views Spa was awarded Best Boutique Hotel Spa in Southern Africa in October 2010 at the 6th annual Spa Awards of Les Nouvelles Esthetiques South Africa. Aiming to enhance wellbeing through the therapeutic benefits of its treatments and the soothing, thermal qualities of water, the spa has four multifunctional treatment rooms available, including two with their own hydro bath, perfect for couples. Additional facilities include a tylarium herbal sauna, a floatation room, a vitality pool, a Moroccan-style Rasul chamber, and a hydrotherapy lounge. The hotel offers complimentary services including movies on demand in all suites and in the media room, Wi-Fi access throughout, a games room with pool table, table tennis table and Wii games, a sauna and a gym, which boasts a range of cardiovascular equipment including treadmills, cycles, an elliptical cross trainer, vibration plates and a hydraulic strength circuit. Views Boutique Hotel is an easy 30-odd minutes’ drive from George airport, which has regular connecting flights to and from Cape Town and Johannesburg. Views – the name says it all. Views Boutique Hotel & Spa is a Mantis Group property and a proud member of Preferred Boutique.  +27 41 407 1000 / www.viewshotel.co.za

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Fashion |

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TONI MUIR; IWC

Peter Lindbergh and the Hollywood elite bring 1960s Portofino back to life ❱

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| Fashion

Photographer Peter Lindbergh

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ortofino epitomises the Italian way of life. French author Guy de Maupassant described it as such: “Portofino: a little village stretching like an arch of the moon around a quiet basin. Never have I felt the way I did when I walked into that green indefiniteness, with such a sense of peace and fulfilment.” Though more than a century has passed since De Maupassant voiced his thoughts, the clear blue water of the Ligurian Sea and the serenity of the scenery are still very much the same. International stars love Portofino. As far back as the 1960s, the biggest names in music and cinema were drawn to this harbour town on the Gulf of Tigullio in search of relaxation. Actors Sophia Loren and Clark Gable loved staying in Portofino every bit as much as the ex-President’s wife Jackie Kennedy. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton relaxed in Portofino during breaks from filming Cleopatra in Rome. They all stayed at the legendary Hotel Splendido, read books in the café down by the harbour, strolled through Portofino’s narrow lanes, and enjoyed the Italian way of life far removed from the hustle and bustle. In 1984 this little Italian town was the inspiration for IWC Schaffhausen’s legendary Portofino line of classic, elegant wristwatches. And the appeal of this wee town is still strong today, as Portofino was recently the setting for a photo shoot with international stars – all friends of the IWC brand – who brought the easy-going Mediterranean lifestyle of the sixties back to life in a series of exclusive photographs shot by internationally acclaimed photographer, Peter Lindbergh. Cate Blanchett and Kevin Spacey were ready and willing to take up this unusual challenge, as were Elle Macpherson, Jean Reno, Matthew Fox and Marc Forster. Boris Becker, Eric Dane, Luís Figo and Zinédine Zidane likewise joined the party of well-known personalities, as did Tim Jefferies, Ronan Keating and Hiroyuki Sanada. Polish-born photographer Peter Lindbergh spent his earlier years travelling and studying, turning his

attention to photography in 1971 only. In 1978, a much-admired fashion feature in Stern magazine marked the starting point of his international career as a fashion photographer and since then he has become one of the most-discussed interpreters of fashion internationally. Lindbergh has shot for Vogue – first the Italian and then the English versions, with the French, German and American editions following – as well as Marie-Claire, Vanity Fair, Allure, Rolling Stone, Harper’s Bazaar, and New Yorker, and has handled campaigns for Giorgio Armani, Jil Sander, Prada, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein. He has shot portraits of Catherine Deneuve, Mick Jagger, Nastassja Kinski, Charlotte Rampling, Tina Turner, John Travolta, Madonna, Sharon Stone, and John Malkovich, among others. Lindbergh snaps his shots in black and white, using a pictorial language that takes its lead from early German cinema and the free dance of the 1920s. Says photographic historian Martin Harrison of Lindbergh’s work: “Peter Lindbergh started working in Paris around the same time as Paolo Roversi, sometimes for the same magazines. However, his work developed in a completely different direction: powerful black-and-white photographs, rich in contrasts and reflecting, as he puts it, his ‘melancholy Expressionist German vein’. The dramatic style of his photo series is the result of his interest in cinema: his work contains references to directors from Fritz Lang to Jim Jarmusch, thus displaying his reverence for photographers as different as Lartigue and Blumenfeld.” Over the years Portofino has lost none of its charm, making Lindbergh’s task of recreating various film sets in sixties Hollywood style an easy one. Lindbergh created some fabulously atmospheric images, which will be touring the world as a travelling exhibition during the year of the Portofino collection. His photographs serve to confirm an old truism: international stars love Portofino. www.iwc.com March 2011

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The starryeyed cast Cate Blanchett Blanchett has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, won an Oscar for The Aviator, and has played Queen Elizabeth I twice on screen. Elle Macpherson Sydney-born Elle ‘The Body’ Macpherson was the first of the 1980s supermodels. “My first professional photo session was with Peter for Italian Vogue,” she said. “I couldn’t have wished for a more brilliant, talented mentor!” Boris Becker “To be stepping onto the tennis court of the Hotel Splendido in a white tuxedo – it doesn’t get any more glamorous than this,” said this multiple-Wimbledon winner before mischievously adding, “or funny…” Tim Jefferies Jefferies owns and runs Hamiltons Gallery in London, one of the most prestigious photographic galleries in the world, and represents, among others, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts. “I really admired the completeness of Lindbergh’s vision,” he said. “Every detail was carefully thought out and put into place even though the chaos with all the fans, the paparazzi and the rain can’t have made life easy for him.” Eric Dane Eric Dane, who stars as ‘McSteamy’ (Dr Mark Sloan) on the hit television show Grey’s Anatomy, never complains. It’s all part of the job. Turns out, the actor from San Francisco was born for just this role: the super-cool Portofino habitué. Luís Figo Rarely can a more elegant man have struck as much fear in the hearts of his opponents than Luís Figo. The silken skills of this Portuguese 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year are legendary, and he is the most capped player of his country. Kevin Spacey Jack Lemmon took a 14-year-old Kevin Spacey aside and said to him, “You ought to do this professionally.” Years later, the two men appeared together in a celebrated theatre production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night and, later still, in David Mamet’s film adaptation of Glengarry Glen Ross. After winning Academy Awards for The Usual

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Suspects and American Beauty, Spacey returned to theatre as the artistic director of London’s Old Vic Theatre. Marc Forster During the shoot this acclaimed director, whose films include Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, Kite Runner, and Quantum of Solace, enjoyed playing with Lindbergh’s collection of antique smoke machines, camera dollies and flashlights. Matthew Fox “Wet. Very wet!” Served up with a huge grin, that is Fox’s summary of his time in Portofino. He doesn’t mean the rain, though. What he is referring to is the swimming pool in which he landed fully clothed. Fox was the iconic lead of the globally successful television series Lost. Ronan Keating Keating can look back on four multi-platinum albums made with his first group, Boyzone. His career as a solo artist spans a decade and has

brought him many more awards and platinum discs. Jean Reno Casablanca-born Reno can ‘do’ mean and moody exceedingly well, and has done so in many of Luc Besson’s films. He has also starred alongside Kevin Kline, Tom Cruise and Robert De Niro. Hiroyuki Sanada Born in Tokyo, Sanada has been renowned as one of the finest actors of his generation, keeping international audiences impressed with his versatility in such films as The Last Samurai and Sunshine. ZinÉdine Zidane Three times – 1998, 2000, 2003 – Zizou was voted FIFA World Player of the Year, with even David Beckham, Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer rating him as one of the very best footballers ever. And when fans, paparazzi and sightseers threatened to turn the Portofino shoot into chaos, it was Zizou who stepped forward to calm the overexcited throng.

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International stars love Portofino.

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March 2011

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Discovery |

The lost city of

Umm Mawagir Tracking the evidence of ancient civilisations in Egypt

Yale team led by Professor of Egyptology John Coleman Darnell, has unearthed a lost city – the site of a massive breadmaking industry – that flourished more than 3 500 years ago in the Western desert of Egypt. According to Professor Darnell, the discovery of the remains of this mud-brick settlement, which functioned as an administrative centre as well as a major supplier of

DORIE BAKER

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bread, stands to shed new light on an obscure era of Egyptian history, the Second Intermediate Period, when rival factions contended for domination of what had been a prosperous state united under Pharaonic rule. During this period, invaders from Asia – the Hyksos – seized control of the Nile Delta in the north; the Nubian kingdom of Kerma was centred in the south, and what remained of Pharaonic power struggled to survive in

the Thebaid, the region around modern Luxor. Egyptologists have focused on these three contending groups during this intermediate period. How the weakest of these – the Pharaonic forces based in Thebes – managed to come out on top has always been something of a mystery. Predating the only other major settlement in Kharga Oasis by some thousand years, the recently discovered town stretches over a

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Discovery | One excavated portion of Umm Mawagir, showing a narrow sinusoidal wall (left) crossed by a main east-west wall (right) preserved to nearly a meter high.

kilometre in the southern Kharga oasis, a location long-held to have been an uninhabited no-man’s land, but which Darnell says was actually a hub for caravan routes connecting the Nile Valley of Egypt to what is now Western Sudan. The bustling ancient city, which literally produced enough bread to feed an army, suggests a fourth faction with strong ties to Pharaonic culture flourished in this Western region. “The Western Desert of the Second Intermediate Period may well have been wild, but it was not disorganised,” comments Darnell on the significance of finding a sophisticated urban development in an area thought to have been a wasteland. Beyond that, Darnell ventures that the fourth oasis state he believes occupied this important trade route may have formed an alliance with Thebes. This might explain how the vestiges of Pharaonic power came to prevail over their adversaries,

eventually to establish the Golden Age of the Egyptian Empire. The Yale expedition that led to the discovery of the town is part of the ‘Theban Desert Road Survey’, an ongoing mission to map and study the ancient caravan routes of the Egyptian Western Desert. Now in its 19th season, the Survey was created and is run by John and Deborah Darnell. Among the important discoveries their expedition has made are the Scorpion tableau (perhaps the earliest historical record of the foundation of a unified Upper Egyptian state at the dawn of Dynasty); the earliest datable alphabetic inscriptions in the Wadi el-Hol; and important archaeological remains of the formative Predynastic and Protodynastic Periods. The Theban Desert Road Survey is an expedition of the Yale Egyptological Institute in Egypt, of which Professor Darnell is the director and Deborah Darnell the administrator. 

Excavating the lost city of Umm Magawir

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In 1999, John Darnell ( then Assistant Professor of Egyptology at Yale University), made a discovery that shed light on the origins of the alphabet. Inscriptions that he and his team of archaeologists found in the desert west of the Nile may be described as the ‘missing link’ between hieroglyphics and the phonetic alphabet – that is, between a form of writing in which pictures represent words and one in which each letter represents one sound within the word. The discovery not only changes commonly held beliefs about the provenance of the alphabet but sets back the date of its supposed beginning by two or three centuries. An Egyptologist is a specialised archaeologist, a field that embraces a number of disciplines, including geology, geography, anthropology, history and chemistry. In addition, an Egyptologist must draw heavily on philology (the study of language), and palaeography (the science of dating and decoding ancient forms of writing). A student of ancient Egypt also has to master a full gamut of hands-on skills, from wielding a pick and shovel with surgical dexterity to dealing with sophisticated photographic technology. Finally, to trace the origins of a particular finding, an Egyptologist must display the cunning and deductive imagination of a detective. Asked to demonstrate the basic principle of the development of early letters, Darnell begins by drawing a sketch of something that looks like an upside down ‘A’. “This is the Egyptian hieroglyphic of the bull’s head,” he explains. “It is ‘aleph’, the Semitic name for this sign.” As he talks, he sketches a similar figure in a rotated position to show how the sign for ‘aleph’ evolved into the Greek ‘alpha’ and then to ‘A’, the first letter of the Roman alphabet. Similarly he demonstrates how the hieroglyph for ‘house’ changed its orientation and ultimately became the letter ‘beth’, an ancestor of the Hebrew ‘beth’, the Arabic ‘beit’, the Greek ‘beta’ and the letter ‘B’. Darnell explains that, in fact, the position and particular transformation of the hieroglyph as it evolved over time offers one of the most important clues about when it was written. The inscriptions Darnell and his team discovered at the Wadi el-Hol – which are themselves surrounded by other inscriptions from the late Middle Kingdom, around 1850 to 1750 BC – represent a particular kind of script associated with Semitic-language-speaking people from a region far to the east of the Wadi el-Hol. Darnell speculates that the inscriptions, which he believes are the earliest precursors of the modern alphabet, represent the collaborative efforts over time between Egyptian scribes and their Semitic servants, with elements of the writing of both cultures in the resulting hybrid that developed. It was this hybrid ‘shorthand’ that eventually evolved into the modern Roman alphabet. Darnell and his team return as often as they can to the area to continue their research.

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IMAGES © JOHN COLEMAN DARNELL / YALE UNIVERSITY. Copy courtesy Yale Office of Public Affairs

Origins of the alphabet

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Yachting |

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Superyacht Solemates

Still seeking your very own sailing soul mate? Try a cruise on this sleek damsel of the seas

TANYA GOODMAN

olemates, whose current owner upgraded to this Lürssen 60-metre vessel from his previous yacht, was delivered in the middle of 2010. Like her predecessors, Arkley and Linda Lou, Solemates is a rather voluminous yacht, with exterior design by Espen Oeino. She is dominated by sleek, curved features that extend throughout. The end result is a sophisticated,

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contemporary aesthetic and a sense of understated elegance. And this aesthetic extends beyond the exterior, to the look and feel of the living spaces onboard, albeit with a more geometric theme inside. Here, Glade Johnson, who is responsible for the interior design, has created generous and warm areas, in which the look blends elegant, rich woods and textures. The integrated use of deeply sensual wood, in ❱ March 2011

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particular, is a keystone to the entire design concept and is employed throughout the majority of the interior. The wood includes satinfinished medium-toned Maple Burl, straight grain Anigre, and Wenge. The design concept can best be described as one that is ‘squared’, referring to the way in which her form, furniture and decor have been defined. Says Johnson, “The design concept for Solemates’ interior was based on a strong use of pure rectilinear shapes and strong horizontal lines balanced by the contrasting use of soft sensuous natural materials with fluid textural patterns found in natural stones and woods.” Indeed when one enters the yacht through the main foyer, one immediately notices the ‘squared’ concept. The staircase, which connects all three interior decks as well as the

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sun deck, is surrounded by a bold Wenge-clad, square-design, threestorey grid wall containing inset panes of subtly textured art glass and mirror. The layout of the yacht relies mainly on a traditional and proven flow, used in most of Lürssen’s 60-metre craft. This means it leads from the main foyer aft into the main salon with dining area. The formal dining area can be separated through sliding doors, to ensure a certain intimacy. A special design feature here involved the illumination of this space, which consists of 18 lamps arranged in groups of six, each with square parchment shades. Explaining how the design team managed to create such a voluminous space, Johnson points to the abundance of natural coloured artistic glass that was used www.prestigemag.co.za

| Yachting throughout the interior to reintroduce natural light throughout and to be reminiscent of the water environment. He explains how mirrored glass and polished stainless steel were used as architectural accents and trims throughout to provide a lighter feeling to furnishings and visually expand the spaces. Walking forward from the main foyer you enter the owner’s private accommodation through sliding doors – again, a feature that is used well to directly convey a feeling of intimacy. The bathroom is very impressive, dominated by the centre whirlpool tub and the glass-walled, two-person shower fitted with a multitude of shower heads, rain bars and aromatherapy steam functions. Four equally sized guest cabins are located on the lower deck. The design of the guest cabins

best of what today’s technology can offer. Meanwhile, the centre of the sun deck houses the owner’s gym, with a great assortment of training equipment. At night this area also functions as the disco. The forward area of the sun deck is dominated by the centrally placed Jacuzzi, which is surrounded by sun beds. A cosy seating area and a bar ensure that every guest is happy. The rear part of the sun deck also boasts an extending dining table, yet another desirable dinner spot. But, just because Solemates exudes such a divine aura of calm and comfort, don’t be lulled into thinking there is nothing exceptional about her. For one, she is at the cutting edge of high-tech applications thanks to an interactive concierge system that operates off the new iPad. Guests are

The end result is a sophisticated, contemporary aesthetic and a sense of understated elegance. is consistent throughout but is accented by natural stone surfaces and flooring unique to each space. Extra large vertical portholes ensure that much natural light is given to each cabin. A fifth guest/VIP cabin is situated on the upper deck, which is similar in decor to the lower-deck cabins. The upper deck foyer leads aft to the sky lounge, which lives up to its name. A tremendous view through multiple windows makes it tempting to choose this as the best place onboard. Guests have a choice of seating, from a comfortable sofa or large arm chair to the game table or the bar. The outside aft deck offers more seating space as well as a circular table for al fresco dining. The bridge and captain’s cabin and ship’s office are situated forward of the upper deck foyer, with a sofa situated perfectly for guests who have the desire to observe the navigation and decision making processes. This ‘paperless’, state-of-the-art bridge can most appropriately be described as the www.prestigemag.co.za

free to adjust or control a number of different functions onboard to enhance their experience. Whether you want to access the shipboard multi-media entertainment system or the climate control, dim the lights or adjust the blinds in your cabin, or summon a real human being to top up your champagne, the iPad concierge offers the ability to satisfy every whim at the touch of a finger. Should you not have your own iPad (though, if you can afford the $600 000 per week charter fee, an iPad is likely already in your possession), the Captain will provide you with one when you embark. If you want to know what else sets her apart, you need to experience her for yourself. Luxury Yacht Charter Group just added Solemates to its fleet and consider her a jewel in their crown. Accommodating 12 charter guests plus 14 crew, Solemates is designed for cruising the Mediterranean or the Caribbean in style.  www.luxyachts.com March 2011

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London in vogue From funky fashion to first-class couture – the Queen mum’s hometown has it all TONI MUIR.

ondon’s an exciting place, full of lights, life and energy; brimming with new trends and fashions, up-and-coming designers and talented artists. But it’s also a very big place. So where should you head to find what your heart most desires? If it’s all the world’s best brands under one roof that you seek, then to Selfridges (the second largest store in the UK), you should go. Here you can experience everything from personal shopping to palm reading – jokes aside, the Psychic Sisters are quite a popular attraction. Selfridges has a floor space of some 650 000 square feet, and on it a mind-boggling assortment of just about everything from perfumes to Prada, high-street-fashion to Ralph Lauren, kitchen cutlery to Riedel crystal. Despite the name, the one thing they don’t sell are fridges and other ‘white goods’. The store boasts the world’s largest beauty hall and similarly the world’s largest shoe department

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– The Shoe Galleries. Largest perhaps literally and figuratively, as there are several two-odd-metretall stiletto shoe statues positioned about, one of which is made out of pots. Yes, pots. It’s a shiny marvel one simply must behold! And then there’s the Wonder Room, oh the wonderful Wonder Room. One of London’s newest destinations, it commandeers a glorious 20 000 square metres of store floor and sells more fine watches than any other space in Europe. Inspired by the tradition of the wunderkammer or cabinet of curiosities originating in the Renaissance, it is filled with rare and precious things, and is home to the world’s finest jewellers, watchmakers and winemakers. Among some of the many Houses and brands represented

are Chopard, Cartier, Tiffany, Dior, Vertu, Theo Fennell, Pomellato, Chrome Hearts, Hermès, Bvlgari, Parmigiani, Breitling, Godiva, Dom Perignon, and Moët et Chandon. And in the corner of the Wonder Room is a curiosity store of another kind, a one-stop gift shop, if you will, filled with whimsical oddities. It is here that you might find puppets created to resemble rock stars and pop stars – Lady Gaga included – and a foosball table where the players are buxom, blonde Barbie dolls rather than the usual stock-still, strong-legged footballers. Other items of interest include cult books and games, art editions, architectural models, and artisan teas. You may have heard it whispered in corridors, read it on the pages of glossy mags, or seen it strutted on international runways: vintage is in. And if you’re a lover of all things eclectic, you shouldn’t pay London a visit without stopping in at Lucy in Disguise. Recently opened and the brainchild of singer Lily Allen ❱ www.prestigemag.co.za

Travel |

and her sister Sarah Owen, the store has a fascinating range of clothing, shoes, handbags, jewellery and hats dating back several decades. And they’re not just granny’s old throwaways either, they’re designer vintage, which means they’re pretty much one-of-a-kind, their carefully stitched-in couture labels carrying as much clout as their price tags. And the store has a fun hair and nail bar in it, too. In keeping with the notion of all things old and beautiful, East London has some interesting goingson. The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane is recognised as East London’s revolutionary arts and media quarter, and is home to a hive of creative businesses and independent shops, galleries, markets, bars and restaurants. One such establishment is 14 Bike Co, a custom bicycle shop able to pretty much build you whatever you want. And they post worldwide, too. Then there’s Junky Styling, where

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charity shops and jumble sales were the source of choice for owners Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager, who scoured to find second-hand traditional suits to carefully unpick before sewing back together as unique, tailored garments. And we don’t use the word unique lightly, for each item on their shelves really is distinctive, and very, very cool. Along a similar vein, 123 Store promotes a new, sustainable fashion concept. If I told you that a lot of the materials used to make the clothes sold here had been hauled out of a giant bundle destined to be turned into rags and shipped off to North Africa you likely wouldn’t believe me, but it’s the truth. This is what’s called a ‘fresh approach’ to ethically minded fashion, as all the clothing is the result of a very close relationship between designer, production studio and factory. If you’re looking for independent fashion from as-yet-unheard-of designers, try The Laden Showroom, www.prestigemag.co.za

which provides a platform for independent creatives to show and sell their products. And you’ll surely get hungry during your East London endeavours, so before you head back West pop into Storydeli Pizza, which serves some of the most delicious pizzas I’ve ever tasted, and which has an upstairs gallery with a remarkable collection of jewellery, decor items, small artworks and collectible keepsakes available for purchase. If your appetite leans more towards the traditional idea of luxury than the curious, might we suggest the usual suspects of Saville Row and Oxford and Bond Streets, where you’ll discover London like a sophisticated local. The upmarket enclaves of Bond Street and Marylebone in particular are packed with interesting treasures, from slick department stores to couture houses; from intimate boutiques to independent shops. Some of our favourite out-of-the ordinary stores included Matches, DePloy, KJ’s Laundry, Folk, and Tracy Neuls. And, lastly, for something marvellously different, stop in at Burlington Arcade, a treasure trove of luxury accessories. Opened in 1819, Burlington Arcade was Britain’s very first shopping arcade, and is today recognised as an historic and architectural masterpiece. The longest covered shopping street in England and possibly the most beautiful, this

is one of London’s hidden gems. Since its early days, Burlington Arcade has been protected by the Beadles – liveried guards deckedout in traditional Edwardian frock coats and sporting gold braided top hats. Originally recruited by Lord Cavendish from his family regiment the 10th Hussars, the Beadles enforced the Lord’s stipulated code of behaviour in the Arcade. There was to be no whistling, singing, playing of musical instruments, running, carrying of large parcels or pushing of babies’ prams, and definitely no opening of umbrellas. Today, these rules still apply and the Beadles have the power to eject any visitor daring to commit one of the aforementioned blunders. But I digress. In the Arcade, your wide eyes will be met by row upon row of pristinely polished store-front windows with displays of lavish goods that will have you drooling. From high-end watches to vintage Rolexes; decades-old perfumers to connoisseur writing instruments, from soft cashmere to sturdy leather goods; shiny gold jewellery to a store where the interior is entirely inlaid with delicate gold leaf, and which sells perfect, pastel-coloured (and mighty pricey) macaroons. Burlington Arcade is an experience that just cannot be missed, and it’s certainly an unforgettable way to ❱ end a trip to London Town. 

Travel |

Where we stayed in London The Halkin

The Metropolitan

Located on one of the most significant of London’s thoroughfares, Park Lane, the Metropolitan was among the capital’s first hotels to embrace contemporary design, creating a property that is cool and accessible, sophisticated and warm. Accommodation is spread over nine floors, with 51 park-facing rooms (including 31 suites) and 99 city-facing rooms. The 110 square-metre COMO Suite is among London’s most dramatic penthouses, and enjoys a balcony with Japanese rock garden and a sweeping vista over hyde park; a view that can also be enjoyed from the free-standing bathtub and expansive shower. The hotel’s Met Bar, considered to be among the capital’s most dynamic night-time haunts, while a membersonly bar, is open to hotel guests. The sultry interior features deep club chairs and wine-dark walls with acid-etched glass and an abstract mural by British artist Jonathan Huxley. The cocktails are divine, with mixologists behind the bar able to create some 26 varieties of Martini. The hotel’s signature restaurant is Nobu, which serves an original mix of Peruvian-Japanese cuisine, a combination known as ‘New Style Japanese’. The muchacclaimed Nobu has done well to retain its Michelin star. If you’ve never been much of a fan of Japanese cuisine, dining at Nobu will convert you completely, as it did me! Finally, as a counterpoint to all this urban energy, the Metropolitan has a substantial 207-square-metre COMO Shambhala Urban Escape for those seeking greater health through yoga and related spa treatments.

IMAGES © COMO HOTELS & RESORTS

With an interior designed by Italian architects Laboratorio Associati of Milan, and offering uncompromising standards of service and style, the Halkin has become the benchmark for contemporary hotels around the world and is internationally regarded as London’s most elegant, exclusive discreet hotel. At the heart of the hotel’s look is the concept of the ‘expansion of space’, a sensation carried throughout. Above the lobby soars an atrium ceiling decorated with a mural ‘skyscape’, created by the Italian painter Valentino Vago, while each floor was designed with a different element in mind. Rising through the building, water, air, fire and earth are echoed in carpet shades of aquamarine, sand, russet red and slate respectively, while the fifth floor evokes the sky with a lucid pale blue. There are 41 guest rooms and suites, all generously proportioned and furnished to very high standards in an uncluttered style, using pale cream fabrics and warm Pomelé Sapele veneers. Beds are fitted with Egyptiancotton sheets and goose-down pillows. Many rooms have separate seating and dressing areas, and all offer large marble bathrooms with deep tubs, separate walk-in showers and plentiful COMO Shambhala amenities. The property’s signature restaurant is Nahm, from celebrated Australian chef David Thompson – the first Thai restaurant in Europe to be awarded a Michelin star. And the food is worth every accolade that has ever been bestowed upon it!

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Le Chameau Royal mud-beaters CHARL DU PLESSIS; LLC LIMITED

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| Craftsmanship

rench style met British aristocracy and its landed practicality when Le Chameau, its fine country footwear in particular, jumped the English Channel about 15 years ago. Forget the high-jinxed colourful wellies that have held sway among the urban crowds and gone into mass production and rather join the exacting and well-heeled country user who continues to stick resolutely to quality with his or her Le Chameau boots. Decidedly for the ‘in-the-know’ crowd, Le Chameau boots have reached the consciousness of royals such as Prince William, and country-savvy celebrities like Madonna, Guy Richie, Jamie Oliver, Jeremy Clarkson, Stella McCartney and Elizabeth Hurley, all of whom have been spotted with these when out and about in the country. It seems that to be taken seriously in the country, you need to be wearing a pair of handmade, natural rubber boots that prove quality is worth the investment. Le Chameau has been making premium quality, natural rubber boots at their factory in northern France since 1927, and the name Le Chameau has become as renowned for tradition and quality in the UK as it has at home in France. The brand became dominant in the UK shooting market during the 1990s,

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when GMK Ltd, the UK’s leading supplier to the shooting sports market, took on the UK distribution, introducing Le Chameau’s products to a consumer already looking for something better than what was on offer. And so this range of boots handmade from top-quality, supple and durable natural materials found its way onto the feet of royals, celebs and country folk. With Le Chameau, the luxury of comfort meets the heritage of protection through a historical manufacturing process. Each set of boots is the result of a meticulous 12-step, hand-crafted process, executed to the highest level of precision by master boot makers who spent nine months in training. The attention to detail combined with continuous product development has earned Le Chameau the reputation as the world’s most respected bootmaker. Steeped in tradition yet always at the forefront of boot technology, Le Chameau uses only the latest soles, mid soles and innovative linings in the manufacture of their top of the range boots. The materials may be modern but the care and process used in the craft is exactly as it has been for 80-odd years. In keeping with their luxury status, Le Chameau’s popular ranges start at around £105 for a decent pair of neoprene wellies, with the ❱ March 2011

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The pursuit of quality

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gear, and the country squire and lady can enjoy jackets, gloves, hats and many other seriously classy accoutrements to create the whole picture. As country living and weekends spent in the great outdoors hiking, riding, hunting and fishing have consistently maintained their allure for well-off South Africans, your fireside conversation and hot toddy at the lodge will invariably dwell on special gear, albeit the Range Rover, the GPS, the camera and binoculars, and soon perhaps the weather-proof gear you brought home from your last trip to the UK, the US or France. So, keep your eyes out when abroad, or contact a stockist before departure. 

IMAGES © LE CHAMEAU

luxury ranges such as the Jameson Fouree, Jameson and Vatna setting the trend both in style and price, costing upwards of £275 a pair. The brand is further personified by its charitable bent, with farming communities in Sierra Leone benefiting from a generous donation of Le Chameau rubber footwear from the UK distributor. Organised last year by international charity Real Aid, The Footwear Appeal project aims to reduce the spread of parasitic disease by ensuring communities aren’t working barefoot, since diseases spread through the soil in which labourers work. Apart from footwear, Le Chameau also stocks a range of accompanying

There are two things on which Le Chameau does not compromise: the perfection of their craft and the superior quality of their materials, which include rubber, leather, jersey and neoprene, and air comfort linings. Only natural rubber is used, and the quality of Le Chameau boots relies on the characteristics of this elastic, resistant, waterproof material, which retains all its flexibility even at very low temperatures. Natural rubber guarantees protection, strength and comfort. It is in Asia, more specifically in Thailand and Indonesia, that Le Chameau sources its most beautiful natural rubber. Le Chameau hand selects its leather from a tannery in Italy. An excellent natural material, leather as an interior lining envelops the leg and foot for exceptional comfort. A leather-lined boot is very easy to put on and take off and keeps its flexibility even in contact with water. Le Chameau selects only a ‘full grain’ Italian calf skin leather, chosen for its excellent qualities; flexibility, scratch resistance, and ability to control moisture. Jersey is a knitted fabric made up of 50 percent cotton (for comfort) and 50 percent synthetic (for its resistance to friction), and forms the lining of Le Chameau boots. Together with the natural rubber, this ‘mid-season’ lining lets the boot mould to the foot. Neoprene is the material that performs the best against the cold as it keeps natural body heat in contact with the foot and the leg. It is recognised for its resistance to extreme temperatures and its elasticity. The Air Comfort™ lining is a new material that permanently keeps air between the boot and the foot, even after several hours of walking. It is a ventilating and insulating material that responds to the demands of absolute comfort.

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SPORT 28

SPORT 34

SPORT 34 HT

SPORT 38

SPORT 38 HT

SPORT 43

SPORT 43 HT

DEEP BLUE 46

YOU WAITED A LONG TIME FOR THIS ONE. SPORT 34. BAVARIA presents the SPORT 34. A perfect combination of functionality, safety, high-quality workmanship and an attention to details. Designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA.

Book an individual appointment with your local dealer. You can obtain more information at www.bavaria-yachtbau.com

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| Conservation

Oceana:

Protecting the oceans Despite 2010 being declared International Year of Biodiversity, world leaders have done little to enhance marine conservation efforts TANYA GOODMAN

IMAGES © EUO © OCEANA Carlos Suárez

ver the past few years, increasing attention has been paid to issues of marine diversity, protection and conservation. Transnational efforts culminating in global conferences have begun to capture the gaze of mainstream media more frequently, especially during times when environmental catastrophes make it impossible to avert one’s eye. However, despite major environmental efforts such as Nagoya COP10, the Cancun Climate Change Summit and OSPAR, among others, there seems to be an inability on the part of world leaders to take strong action or fulfil their commitments to marine issues. Oceana, founded in 2001, is the largest international organisation focused solely on ocean conservation, protecting marine ecosystems and endangered species. Remarking on the spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year, which affected thousands of marine species and habitats and was a stark reminder of the dangers facing marine ecosystems, Oceana was highly critical of the European response. While the US government reacted by establishing a moratorium on exploitation, Oceana observed, Europe chose to ignore www.prestigemag.co.za

the signs and continued supporting the development of an energy mix with significant participation of fossil fuels, increasing the number of offshore platforms. As 2010 came to a close, Oceana reiterated their disappointment in the failure of world leaders, and particularly the European Union (EU), to heed the call of the International Year of Biodiversity and take firm steps to reverse the dangerous trend of biodiversity loss around the world. In the case of the EU in particular, Oceana highlighted how the Natura 2000 network – legislation designed in 1992 to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe – remains unfulfilled and current fisheries management measures unsustainable. “Governments are showing they don’t take environmental commitments and legislation very seriously, and laws are postponed or ignored with complete impunity,” says Ricardo Aguilar, Director of Research at Oceana. “We are already suffering the damaging effects, including declining fishery resources or problems related to climate change, and we must be firm in order to solve these problems.” In Europe alone, there are a

number of key issues of concern. For example, less than one percent of marine areas in Europe are protected, despite the UN Convention on Biological Diversity commitment to protect 10 percent of marine areas by 2012. As Oceana points out, the Nagoya COP10 unfortunately postponed the objective until 2020. Similarly, OSPAR did not comply with its objective to create a coherent network of marine protected areas in 2010, taking only a small step forward in this direction. Meanwhile, the Cancun Climate Summit COP 16 was not able to reach commitments to reduce emissions enough to halt the effects on the oceans. Grounded in cutting-edge research and documentation, Oceana’s scientists work closely with dedicated teams of economists, lawyers and advocates to achieve tangible results for the oceans. The sailing vessel, Oceana Ranger is a vital piece of Oceana’s campaign work in Europe. Custom-made in 1986 as a hospital ship, the Oceana Ranger was donated to Oceana by board member Steve McAllister. Since then, its crews have sailed from the Pacific to the Mediterranean doing invaluable research ❱ and documenting illegal fishing, March 2011

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habitats and marine species and evaluating the impact of destructive fishing on the marine environment. Their dramatic still and video footage is available to the public on their website. Since its first expedition in 2005, Oceana has achieved multiple victories with the help of Ranger’s on-the-water presence. In 2006 and 2007, the Oceana Ranger crossed Mediterranean waters where the team identified illegal fishing activities and documented areas of special environmental value. In spring 2008 the Oceana Ranger sailed to the Atlantic coast of Spain and the Bay of Biscay to gain knowledge about the Spanish seabed, document illegal bottom trawling and promote the creation of new marine protected areas. In summer 2009, she sailed again, this time to the Canary Islands. The objective of the campaign was to contribute information so that Spain would have 10 percent of its marine environment protected by 2012, as required by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. One of Oceana’s most recent issues of concern is how climate change is causing the acidification of the oceans via increased CO2 emissions, which affects the calcareous structure of corals and mollusc shells. In 2010, the Oceana Ranger expedition focused on the Western Mediterranean, where Oceana researched marine areas of ecological interest needing protection. Thanks to a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Oceana was able to film at depths of up to 3 000 feet in order to assess the importance of these zones and the species living in them, all with the goal of providing

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supporting data for policy proposals to create protected areas. A second expedition vessel, the Marviva Med, began its first journey with Oceana in May 2008. The six-month initiative was carried out in collaboration with the MarViva Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation that also works for the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal resources. The debut expedition was aimed primarily at documenting illegal fishing of the severely overfished bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, to document the impact of bottom trawling and driftnets on marine ecosystems and to identify marine areas that need protection. As a result of Marviva Med’s work, the EU ended the bluefin tuna fishing season several weeks early for most of the Mediterranean’s purse seine fleet, a move which saved up to 100 000 bluefin in 2008 alone. For the first time, the Spanish Parliament considered creating a bluefin tuna reserve south of the Balearic Islands, a critical spawning area for the fish. Oceana’s work is so critical because biodiversity depends directly on the amount of species present in the oceans, and in Europe’s case, these numbers are declining at an alarming rate. Fisheries resources continue to be overexploited and management plans are failing to ensure stock sustainability. We need to develop management and conservation measures that ensure the future of our oceans and the resources on which we depend. Oceana stands at the forefront of identifying these problems and devising solutions.  www.oceana.org

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Dr. John Demartini has consulted for Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, Hollywood celebrities, sports personalities, financiers and other professionals. He has appeared on hundreds of national and international radio and television talk and financial news shows including CNN’s Larry King Live, CNBC, CBS, NBC, PBS and more.

The Breakthrough Experience The Breakthrough Experience

Real Solutions To Your Problems Real Solutions To Your Problems Whatever your challenge, whether professionally at work, or personally in your home or social environment, the Demartini Method®, the primary methodology taught in the Breakthrough Experience, is a certain solution to the most common issues that people deal with every day from low self esteem to depression, relationship challenges to divorce, lack of drive and focus to uncontrollable emotions, breakdowns in communication and more. In the Breakthrough Experience Dr. Demartini imparts a depth of knowledge about human behaviour so that you have certainty of direction and clarity as to the most important goals you would love to achieve now and into the future. The outcome is that you learn how to overcome personal and professional challenges, manage any emotion and unfold a more meaningful, focused, driven, inspired and purposeful life. Will the Breakthrough Experience help me in a relationship breakdown? Absolutely. The Breakthrough Experience will show you how to dissolve relationship fantasies, set realistic expectations, calm emotions and tension, reinstate communication and break down the barriers that keep you and your partner from appreciating each other. I am experiencing a career crisis and don’t know what my next step should be. What can I do? At the Breakthrough Experience you will be shown how to clarify your direction by determining what is most important to you with a process called the Demartini Value Determination Process™. Learn how to identify which of the 7 fears is holding you back from living your dream and discover how to dissolve the fear so that you get to make money doing what you love. I would love to grow my wealth, how will the Breakthrough Experience help me to make money? When you receive money, do you save it or spend it as fast as it comes into your life? Your values will determine which one of those options your life demonstrates. There are 6 easy steps that when you implement, your wealth starts to grow. The Breakthrough Experience will show you how to determine your most important aspects of life and how to increase your value on wealth building so that you get to see tangible results.

The Breakthrough Experience - Cape Town Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 June 2011 The Westin Grand Arabella Quays The Breakthrough Experience - Johannesburg Saturday 18 June & Sunday 19 June 2011 Sandton Convention Centre Cost: R6900 new / R3900 repeat Time: Saturday 8am - midnight, Sunday 9am - 6pm For bookings and specials: 083 370 2201 or info@drdemartini.co.za

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Ask us about additional Demartini programs

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BMW shapes up It’s got curves in places that other cars haven’t got places. Corny? Indeed. True? Definitely. ❱

ADRIAN BURFORD

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| Motoring

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March 2011

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March 2011

and you could one day be driving a hatchback, the next day a sedan, the following day a sporty coupe. Of course, this multi-faceted persona isn’t impossible right now, at least in terms of the driving controls. For a number of years, throttle, steering and gearshift response has been a function of an electrical voltage rather than a mechanical or hydraulic connection. This means that, by changing the input signal (the voltage), the weighting and response speed of these systems can be altered: drive on the open road and the steering can be quickened, or use your car for a track day and

you can adjust the throttle response to be swifter and sharper. Conversely, when you’re driving in traffic the last thing you want is a gearbox that overreacts to pedal movements. So many modern cars allow the driver to select from a number of maps, which alter the behaviour of these systems to improve driveability. The Gina Light Visionary Model – to give it its full name – is the first car to do this with its body. BMW don’t see Gina as a concept in the traditional sense but rather, as a car that “initiates a fundamental discourse about the characteristics that will affect the development of www.prestigemag.co.za

ersonal transport, with the emphasis on personal, like never before. That’s the philosophy behind the BMW Gina, a shape-shifting design concept that suggests you can have your cake and eat it. GINA is an acronym, of sorts. It stands for Geometry (in other words, shape) and functions in N Adaptions (the N being a reference to an infinite number sequence). It’s not your usual car name, but this isn’t your usual car. In essence, it is a car with a flexible form, able to change the way it looks, depending on both wants and needs. Take that to its logical conclusion

| Motoring

cars in future… To steer creativity and research in new directions”. Gina isn’t a new release, but nearly three years after it was first revealed it continues to answer questions that others seemingly aren’t interested in asking. It does so by challenging some of our most basic assumptions about a car, with its unusual body construction creating an entirely new thought process. In fact, it doesn’t have conventional body panels as we have known them for more than a century. Instead, a special fabric is stretched over a metal and carbonfibre substructure, the form of which www.prestigemag.co.za

can be changed via electro and electro-hydraulic controls, either automatically, or by the driver. So, for example, the shape of the car will alter to improve its aerodynamics as speeds increase, while in traffic, allround visibility and ease of parking can take precedence. A similar process allows the headlights to remain hidden until they’re needed: the fabric cover parts to reveal the lights, the outer surface of the car changing to accommodate these requirements. Ditto the intake for the radiator, the trademark BMW kidneys altering shape and size depending on cooling

requirements. The tail lights also remain completely hidden until they’re needed: they shine through the fabric cover, which is permeable to light yet not transparent. And when access to the actual engine is required, the engine compartment ‘unzips’ along its spine to reveal what’s underneath. This join is essentially invisible at all other times. The same applies to the doors and in concept, the entire front of the car, all the way to the trailing edge of the doors, is one piece. When they’re opened, the doors swing out and up, the skin folding along their leading March 2011

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Motoring |

BMW don’t see Gina as a concept but rather as a car that initiates a fundamental discourse about the characteristics that will affect the development of cars in future. edge. When closed, there is simply a smooth and seamless surface. Of course, the material used for the skin plays a critical role in all this, and some of the groundwork was done in the area of soft tops used in convertibles, both the manufacturing techniques and materials finding their way into series production. Not only must it be water-repellent and durable in the face of all kinds of environmental extremes, but it must be able to retain its shape and not stretch or weaken over time.

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Gina’s outer surface remains under tension at all times, so as one area of the car is stretched – for example a spoiler rising up to increase downforce as speed increases – it requires a shrinkage of the exterior dimensions elsewhere. So the car must be able to morph in seconds, the contours changing as if there’s a constant flow of water over an uneven surface. The mix of convex and concave surfaces is dictated only by the range of movement of the controls under the skin.

This basic philosophy is applied to the interior too, with shapeshifting seats making it easier to get in and out, and the possibility of the steering column position and the windscreen angle changing depending on requirements. BMW believes that car design is about desire, a notion which ultimately embraces individuality. The Gina is a fascinating look at how this desire can be maintained by integrating form and function, thereby enabling customers to establish a relationship with their car.  www.prestigemag.co.za

Final vinyl The LP is back – and it’s not too late to start your collection KEN KESSLER

| Collectibles

early 30 years after the arrival of the Compact Disc, black vinyl records are back with a vengeance. They’ve seen off digital as far as the most fervent of music-loving purists are concerned, for their sound quality alone. In this age of streaming and downloading and iPods, no self-respecting audio enthusiast would dream of building a system without a turntable. Whether your motivation for returning to vinyl (or, if you’re under 40, just discovering vinyl) is sound quality, nostalgia or simply savouring the fabulous artwork filling a 12x12-inch sleeve, you’ll find that LPs satisfy on many levels, in ways CDs never could. As a result of the rediscovery of the LP, decades after nearly all of the major labels dismantled and closed down their record-pressing plants, a blossoming industry of analogue die-hards is serving up freshly pressed LPs for like-minded connoisseurs. Web vendors such as www.musicdirect.com and www.acousticsounds. com, as well as amazon.com, source records from specialty labels such as Mobile Fidelity, Pure Pleasure, Sundazed and even a few majors that have woken up to their heritage. In some cases, such as Analogue Productions’ breathtaking reissue

computer processing might offer the music companies for sound restoration software, the original release of, for example, Bob Dylan’s eponymous debut, sounds exactly as it was meant to be heard. A reissue might even sound superior in many ways, as did the 2009 reissue of the entire Beatles catalogue, but the diehard fan will argue that they do not sound the way they did when they were first released – even when the reissue was sanctioned by the artist. Although the LPs being pressed today are limited editions, some as few as 100 or 500, but with most pressed in runs of a couple of thousand, their inherent rarity is not the same as the scarcity imparted by the passage of time. Every Beatles LP sold countless millions when first released between 1963 and 1970. But try finding a first pressing with both the record and the sleeve in absolutely perfect condition. Record fanatics will pay a small fortune for ‘100-point’ mint copies of LPs that sold in the tens of millions. Even more so than with vintage cars, watches, artwork and other collectibles, condition is paramount, because an LP cannot be restored in the manner of a car or a painting. Defects, wear or damage to the record manifest themselves audibly as ticks or pops, while scratches

Whether for sound quality, nostalgia or the fabulous artwork, LPs satisfy in ways CDs never could. of The Nat King Cole Story, the new pressings may even sound better than the originals. But charming and appealing as these pristine, new releases are, collectors want first pressings – contemporary with the initial release of the music itself. Their thinking is a mix of logic and emotion, which describes the mindset of most collectors. They argue that, no matter what www.prestigemag.co.za

might render an LP completely unplayable. As for the condition of the inner and outer sleeves, this must be regarded as a fixation similar to the urge that drives a model car collector to pay as much for the original box as for its wheeled contents. But too much concern with such minutiae obscures the core element of the enthusiasm that defines record March 2011

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Collectibles |

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This impossible-to-find treasure can command $35 000 in stereo and $16 500 in mono. attract fans who weren’t even alive when they were at their artistic peaks, in precisely the same manner that Marilyn Monroe still inspires a following almost 50 years after her death. Permanently lodged in the uppermost reaches of record collecting hierarchy are the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Queen, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones. And their new fans need to play catch-up, acquiring LPs from a finite and dwindling supply. Although some standard releases can command hundreds of dollars, it’s the limited production rarities that drive prices into the stratosphere. Among the most coveted are promotional items, usually sent out to radio stations or reviewers, and identified as such. They may have been pressed by the hundreds, or less than a dozen. Some commercial releases were withdrawn for any of a number of reasons, such as offensive artwork, copyright issues or pressing

errors. Collectors will stop at nothing to acquire such trophies. Easily the best known, most notorious collectible is the withdrawn version of the Beatles’ US LP, Yesterday & Today. Now known as ‘The Butcher Cover’, it showed the Fab Four in butchers’ smocks, festooned with broken dolls and bits of meat. It was withdrawn, replaced with a more sedate cover, but some copies escaped the returns process. In 2006, a perfect example sold for $39 000. Bob Dylan collectors’ Holy Grail is the 1963 pressing of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, with four songs that were deleted from subsequent pressings. This impossible-to-find treasure can command $35 000 in stereo and $16 500 in mono. Ultra-rare records are priced like fine wines. But LPs, unlike great wines, don’t have to be consumed for you to enjoy them. You simply switch on your hi-fi system, slip the record onto the turntable and sit back. Again and again. 

collecting. As one fellow addict explained to me about his love for early 78s, they were recorded mechanically, the singer or band playing into a horn that excited a stylus, which etched the master recording. When electrical recording arrived, it placed all manner of circuitry between the performer and the listener, distancing the two. In his mind, hearing Bessie Smith via an original 78 from the 1920s was more ‘authentic’ than hearing her – however much more clearly – through a transfer to a CD. Because fashion also plays its part, many artists whose records once fetched small fortunes from collectors no longer do so. Entire genres, especially ‘Big Band’, certain eras in country music or folk, and lesser pop types such as disco, have slipped down the ‘most valuable records’ charts. Once upon a time, Elvis Costello or X-Ray Spex or Jam picture-sleeve singles commanded £5, £10, even £50. In the 21st century, they struggle to attract bids of £1 on eBay. What remains constant, however, are the musical giants, due entirely to the law of supply and demand. Unlike artists who do drop below the radar, music legends’ audiences continue to grow. Such icons

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“You have cancer... ... was the most devastating sentence I had ever heard. What now? What if I had known before?”

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By Supporting the Cancer Loyalty Card you support a cause that has touched each and every one of us. In addition you will receive discounts at selected retailers countrywide for goods and services purchased. Show your support for PinkDrive and MBTM by signing up for a Cancer Loyalty Card. Proceeds from these cards will contribute to cancer awareness and education programmes. Apply online at: www.pinkdrive.co.za. For more information: www.pinkdrive.co.za 071 328 6756

Early detection of cancer saves lives.

A CMF initiative (Cause Marketing Fundraisers is a Section 21 Company registered under the Companies Act of South Africa. PBO Nr. 930025326)

Have you met an angel? Not the really big ones with wings, but the normal unsuspecting ones that walk amongst us? If you’ve ever wondered about this phenomenon, I can now tell you that since I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I have met them and they are out there, waiting to touch your life. You just know that your family and friends will be supportive at a time like this. They cannot help themselves because God made them in that wonderful way that will not allow them to be anything else. Sometimes the hardest part is for you to relinquish some of your own independence and admit that you need help. Still, all you have to do is ask. What is extraordinary though, is the kindness that you receive from people outside this usual support group. Some of these people do not even know you, whereas others might be in a position to understand that you are currently in the biggest battle of your life. Whatever their origin, whatever the reason, they all work together to help keep the faith, albeit unwittingly. My first encounter with an angel was when a hearing-impaired nurse knew what I wanted to say without having to utter a word. She covered me with a blanket that kept me safe from this thing that wanted to take over my heart and mind. Something similar happened a few weeks later when a nun held my hand in the middle of the night because my hair fell out and I was feeling lost. And scared. And so terribly sad. The wonderful thing about these encounters is that they do not wait for the dark and desperate times to cross your path. They also happen during the day when the sun is shining. One such day was when two young friends of my son walked through the door before I was ‘ready’. They were absolutely fascinated by my look in the most honest and open way. I marvelled at the experience, especially since, of late, I was found fascinating only when either bare chested or under a microscope! Another lucky encounter was when a proudly South African lady shared the secret of tying a scarf around your head just the way her mother, and her mother before her, did it. I was an African queen. That happy experience was only rivaled by a gift sent by my sister who lives in a faraway country. She sent me the simplest aid to free me from daily boundaries – a little pink cap. Immediately, it was true love . I am lucky because my story has a happy ending and I have been truly blessed. For that, I say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all the angels who were with me on my journey with breast cancer.

For more touching true life stories click on “Survivorship stories” at the bottom of www.pinkdrive.co.za.

Adventure |

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March 2011

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The New Machu Picchu Discovering the almost-lost city of Choquequirao â?ą

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ÂŠ Alessandro Gandolfi/Parallelozero/TCS

March 2011

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Adventure |

erched on a ridge 3 000 metres into the Peruvian Andes is the ancient city of Choquequirao. Abandoned for centuries, it was rediscovered by American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1909. But when Bingham discovered Machu Picchu two years later he forgot all about this ancient citadel, leaving the ruins to continue in splendid isolation, mostly reclaimed by the jungle. Today, this new Machu Picchu remains off-limits to all but the most adventurous, as it can only be reached by way of a three-day trek on foot. I am such an intrepid traveller.

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It is dawn on the third day, and the mist still envelops the humid forest. Choquequirao is visible on top of the mountain, preceded by steep terraces on its southern slopes. Dozens of these ‘balconies’ jut out here and there, and I realise why the archaeological site of Choquequirao is still largely hidden under jungle, excavation work having only really been carried out over the last 20 years. Jury, the young guide with whom I’m walking, explains: “Since the 1990s we have uncovered 30 percent. It is thanks to the work of the archaeologists acting on behalf of the Copesco Plan that every day

some new piece comes to light.” Carefully built on a ridge, the citadel of Choquequirao was once home to part of the Inca elite, and it was here, in this isolated and difficult-to-reach region, the domain of the Andean condor and the mountain lion, than the Incas put up their strongest resistance to the Spanish conquistadors. Getting here is a major undertaking – no trains come here as they do at Machu Picchu – and involves a five-day, roundtrip hike. The point of departure for the trek is Cachora, a village with gravel roads and mud-brick houses a little www.prestigemag.co.za

south of the River Apurimac – the ‘Mountain that speaks’ in the local Quechua language. From Cusco it is at least three and a half hours by car in the direction of Abancay. We leave early in the morning, well before six. Once in Cachora the arrieros, also known as muleteers, load the mules with supplies, tents and various bags, and we begin our walk along a path halfway up a slope which, between fields of maize and cacao, gradually skirts around the Cerro Apayhuana, Cerro Rumihuasi and Cerro Huayhuacalle Mountains. It is behind the latter and some 20 minutes from the river, in the small www.prestigemag.co.za

outpost of Chiquisca, that we pitch our tents at the end of the first day. We have walked for at least six hours through low tropical forest which, as we climb above 3 800 metres, gradually thins out and disappears, leaving barren open landscape interrupted by a few waterfalls. “During the Inca Empire there were more than 40 000 kilometres of paths,” says Fidel, the arriero who transports our belongings and necessities with the mules. He continues, “It was a perfect system of communications that joined the centre to the periphery of the empire. That is why, continuing along this path and passing Choquequirao, after

another four days of walking between the Altiplano and glaciers above 6 000 metres, you will reach Machu Picchu.” That evening, while the cook prepares a cream of sweet barley, and Fidel cuts the trout he caught along the Apurimac, Jury shows me a succulent plant. “It is called mague,” he explains, “and it is the most common in all the Andes above 3 000 metres. We get the finest and strongest fibres from it, which we make into rope, and also the tents we are sleeping in tonight.” We are awoken at 3:45am with breakfast – a little mate de coca (coca tea), frittata, jam with bread, and the ❱ March 2011

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Entering Choquequirao today is an incomparable experience. It is one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Peru, yet nearly always deserted.

usual creamed barley – to give us the energy needed to face the steep, zigzagging path leading down to the wooden bridge across the Apurimac. From here to Maranpata, the last village before Choquequirao, means another seven hours of walking – excluding any stops along the way for photos or for a Cusqueña beer in Saint Teresa, a tiny village that meets us half way and where they sell drinks and fruit juice. We arrive at Maranpata, a splendid green terrace overlooking the Apurimac valley, in the late afternoon. Choquequirao is just an hour from here. You can virtually see it in the distance, but our departure is set for dawn on the third day. www.prestigemag.co.za

Forgotten for centuries, it took the prestige of explorer Hiram Bingham to make the name of Choquequirao resonate in the world of modern western archaeology. Bingham had listened to the local legends: that the site was the mythical Vilcabamba, the lost city of the Incas. In 1909 the American came to visit, but two years later he discovered Machu Picchu and became convinced – wrongly – that this was the true Vilcabamba. Everyone forgot about Choquequirao until the Peruvian government decided to launch a series of digs a few decades ago. Entering Choquequirao today

is an incomparable experience. It is one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Peru, yet nearly always deserted. Very rarely will you meet other travellers. In the main square encircled by high walls (the Urin), or in the upper zone called the Hanan (with its ceremonial buildings reached via a long staircase), you are more likely to encounter archaeologists busy uncovering ancient channels or temples wrapped in vegetation. The theory is that Choquequirao was once part of a more immense urban plan that was never realised. Or perhaps it was just swallowed for all eternity by the forest.  March 2011

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Tech|Know

Karl Benz

Humble beginnings The first-ever motor car didn’t look anything like the vehicles of today AMI KAPILEVICH

There is a Star Trek episode from 1976 in which Captain Kirk is reviewing a video of an attack on an enemy spaceship. Kirk scratches his cleft chin and narrows his eyes handsomely, a picture of captainly concentration. Suddenly, he

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leaps out of his chair. “Spock,” he cries, “stop the tape!” Hang on a sec. The Star Trek Universe is famous for its technological foresight: warp speeds, teleportation beams, cloaking devices … and Kirk is watching the replay on VHS?

This anachronism goes to show that despite the vast and magnificent possibilities of the human imagination, we are sometimes limited, rather than spurred on, by the most cuttingedge technology of our time. Henry Ford once mused that if

he had asked his customers what they wanted, they’d have said, “A faster horse.” Of course, Ford only really began to draw customers in 1908, by which time his German counterparts were way ahead of him in terms of www.prestigemag.co.za

1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen

engineering and design of the automobile â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for the simple reason that they invented it. On 29 January 1886, Karl Benz applied for a patent for something called a Benz PatentMotorwagen. This intriguing three-wheel contraption was the www.prestigemag.co.za

worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first car. It had a rearmounted engine that delivered half a kilowatt of power to an enormous, horizontal flywheel, which turned the wheels using a chain in much the same way as a bicycle does. To truly appreciate the

ingenuity of the Patent-Motorwagen, however, we must remember that while it may look like the gangly love child of a horse-carriage and a lawn mower, it was preceded by a string of truly miraculous innovations. Because in order for

Karl Benz to invent the motor car, he first had to create the engine that ran it, including the carburettor and cooling system. Little did Karl Benz know that less than 50 kilometres away, Gottlieb Daimler was pursuing an almost identical â?ą March 2011

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Tech|Know project – but that is another story. One fine summer’s day in 1886, the residents of Mannheim were treated to an historic display. There, riding up and down Ring Street, was the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. But while the good people of Mannheim gawked and marvelled at the vehicle, they did not all immediately rush out to buy one. Until Mrs Benz decided to take a little drive. Bertha Benz was a remarkable woman. She saved her husband’s business twice. Once in 1871, when she used her dowry to bail him out of imminent liquidation after his business partner had plunged them

into catastrophic disrepute, and the second time in August 1888, when she undertook the world’s first test drive. It had been Bertha Benz two years since Karl Benz had unveiled his fabulous invention and sales were far too slow. So Bertha Benz decided that a small publicity stunt was required. She put her two sons, Eugen and Richard, into the Patent-Motorwagen and drove 100 kilometres to her mother’s house in Pforzheim. It bears mentioning that Bertha did more than simply steer them there. For one thing, she had to stop to refuel

(the motor required about 11 litres per 100 kilometres), and without a Shell Ultra City in sight. In those days, the only shop where one could buy benzene was a pharmacy – which sold it as a floor cleaner. Bertha also had to change the water, fix an ignition wire with a stocking and clean the fuel line with a hairpin. And along the way in Bauschlott, she had to ask the cobbler to fix a brake shoe. The first that Karl Benz heard of the journey was when Bertha sent him a telegram from Pforzheim. When news of this landmark test drive spread, Benz’s creation became one of the most celebrated machines at a subsequent technological expo in Munich. After all, if a woman could transport her two sons across such a

distance, then surely the vehicle was reliable enough over shorter distances and safe enough in an urban environment? For the same reasons that Star Trek’s creators envisaged Captain Kirk watching video on tape, the first automobile looked more like a horse carriage than a car. But revenues generated by sales of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen financed Benz’s efforts to develop the first truly viable commercial automobile, the Benz Velo, which became so popular that it reached the shores of South Africa in 1899. So the next time you see an SLS AMG flash past you on the freeway, take a moment to doff a mental hat to Karl Benz and his magnificent wife. Who knows where we’d be without them. 

Despite the vast and magnificent possibilities of the human imagination, we are sometimes limited by the most cutting-edge technology of our time.

1894 Benz Velo

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hrough its luxury print, fine look and feel, captivating editorial, and innovative distribution, Prestige has firmly established itself as Southern Africa’s premier luxury lifestyle magazine for billionaires and millionaires, and those aspiring to this lifestyle. Working with a finely nuanced definition of luxury, Prestige is a magazine for those with finesse and financial freedom, who

engage with the world in significant ways. Prestige incorporates the latest in the areas of sailing and yachting, motoring and aviation, travel and lifestyle, art, antiques and collectibles, haute horology and audiovisual, personalities and icons, property, business and investment, and much more. Subscribe to Prestige for just R360 for 12 editions (a saving of 25%) and stand a chance to win a weekend of exquisite five-

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Tech|Know

Out of our heads Like grandma always said, never stick anything in your ear larger than your elbow KEN KESSLER

As one wag put it, in a US trade publication, the headphones that come with Apple’s iPod are free because they’re worth nothing. As a modern cliché or truism, it’s one that has kept the tills ringing around the world: purchasers of iPods (and iPhones) soon learn that the best thing they can do to improve their cherished devices’ sound quality is to upgrade the cheap and nasty headphones. For most, that means buying a replacement set of what are referred to as ‘earbuds’, the tiny headphones that fit into the ear canal. There are upsides to these wee transducers, not least the minuscule size, which makes them ideal for portable use, sound isolation (both for the listener and those nearby, who might not wish to suffer a tinny buzz), and acceptable bass performance thanks to the seal created when they’re inserted in your ear. But there are downsides, which can even affect one’s health. Most obviously, hygiene is

an issue, and one wouldn’t or shouldn’t share one’s earbuds the way one might try another’s traditional, on-the-ear type of headphone. Another is the tendency to listen more loudly than is healthy, with earbuds ‘injecting’ sound directly to the delicate innards of the ear. Other negatives include fragility – they break so easily that they re-define ‘planned obsolescence’ – and, unless you buy professional models custom-made specifically for your ear canal, a distinct lack of comfort for many listeners. Their relatively mediocre sound, too, is a given. A by-product of the public realising that there’s more to life than cheap earbuds is a new awareness not only of traditional, over-the-ear and over-the-head headphones, but of costly, high-end versions that usually retail for more than an iPod or even an iPhone. And because one can audition them in stores – unlike earbuds, which would be kind of, shall we say, ‘icky’ – it’s easy for retailers to show an iPod user what he or she is missing if they stick to the standard dross, or to earbuds in general. Not that expensive headphones are anything new: they’ve been around for as long as there have been audiophiles in a perpetual quest for better sound. Traditional, established headphone manufacturers, of whom many have released iPodfriendly earbuds or lightweight designs, have always had ‘halo’ models, such as Grado’s

GS1000 Statement, Sennheiser’s HD800 and others with prices around £1 000. What has boomed of late are serious – and seriously expensive – high-end models from companies that do not, like Sennheiser, specialise in headphones. While these headphones might seem too good for use with portables, they address the new habit rather than the new hardware: if iPods and the like have conditioned listeners to prefer headphones over loudspeakers, shouldn’t they use the best that are available? Denon, known for full-sized audio components and mini-systems, added to its range of headphones with the handsome AH-D7000. This device encompasses the ear with elegant speakers crafted from real mahogany in a subtle satin piano finish, with intricate internal carving to enhance the natural tonal balance. Inside each earpiece is a large diameter, free-edge micro-fibre diaphragm that provides extended frequency response worthy of a full-scale loudspeaker, from the lowest bass notes, up to 45kHz, to provide the ultimate listening experience for all kinds of sources. The drivers incorporate high strength Neodymium magnets, to provide high efficiency and freedom from motor structure non-linearity. Attached to the AH-D7000 is a lightweight, tangle-free cable made from reference grade 7N OFC. They feature 99.99999 percent Oxygen-Free Copper ❱ wiring and are finished with www.prestigemag.co.za

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March 2011

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If iPods and the like have re-conditioned listeners to prefer headphones over loudspeakers, shouldn’t they use the best that are available?

Tech|Know an elastomer-coated cloth sheathing. Complete with a luxury storage case, the system retails for £799. Though known for superior loudspeakers, Bowers & Wilkins created a groundbreaking product for iPod users with the best-selling Zeppelin iPod dock. It was only natural that their experience in extracting the most from iPods would lead to a superlative headphone. The P5 headphones are compact and lightweight, and therefore not too great a leap for those accustomed to almost-weightless earbuds. Designed to be ‘very easy on the ears’, the P5s boast a genuine head-friendly ergonomic design, with the headband and earpads crafted from the finest quality New Zealand sheep leather. The material is durable and hardwearing, yet remarkably soft and supple, so long listening sessions do not end in the listener feeling as though he or she had been clamped with some implement of torture. Zeppelin owners will recognise the touch of designer Morten Warren, Native Design, who followed the Zeppelin and its little sister with the P5. They look like no other headphones on the market, and the designers have further enhanced their iPod/iPhone compatibility by attaching the leather earpads magnetically, so they can be removed quickly to swap the supplied cables, which provide functionality with Apple devices. As important as the comfort or the iPod/iPhone control is the performance, the P5 delivering amazing sound quality when used either in tranquil environment of the home, or outside of it. And then there’s STAX. This company singlehandedly invented the ‘highend’ headphone with their

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March 2011

electrostatic ‘earspeakers’, capable of delivering sound quality that surpasses most loudspeakers. They’re noted for their open out-of-the-head sound, in direct contrast to most headphones that suggest the performers are in your cranium. The current flagship model of the STAX range is the sublime SR007 Omega II. These headphones, complete with their energiser, sell for around $2 200. If you still wish to stick to in-the-ear types, you need not sacrifice quality. Shure, Monster Cable, Klipsch, Sennheiser and many other manufacturers offer upscale earbuds, though it’s hard explaining to most iPod users why quality earbuds can sell for $500 or £500, when many would balk at paying £20 to improve on the standard issue iPod ‘buds. Serious earbud devotees turn to companies

like Etymotic, who make models that mould to the shape of your ears. Professional musicians not wishing to lose their hearing number among their customers. Such headphones deserve great amplifiers. As a number of modern systems do not include headphone sockets, many music lovers add external units, such as those manufactured by Headroom, which are dedicated to headphone listening. Ironically, retailers who are aware of the groundswell in interest in better headphones, demonstrate them most often with traditional hi-fi systems, which is precisely the sort of music-making machine that the younger generation has eschewed in place of music via computer or iPod.  www.prestigemag.co.za

premier TRAVEL

TwELVE APOSTLES cAPE TOwN

Stand at the edge of the world where you can enjoy nature or explore Cape Town’s cosmopolitan V&A Waterfront with car transfer or helipad services. Voted Africa’s leading spa resort, the Twelve Apostles welcomes children and pets and promises an idyllic getaway for the whole family. www.12apostleshotel.com Reservations: +27 21 437 9000

FORDOUN SPA MIDLANDS

This family-run hideaway in the Natal Midlands, with its pristine country air and rolling hills, offers luxurious accommodation and some of the most advanced, award-winning spa facilities. Highly personalised service includes the very best in traditional African treatments. Fordoun is the perfect place to escape and refresh mind, body and spirit. www.fordoun.com Reservations: +27 33 266 6217

RADDISSON JHB & PORT ELIZABETH

Spas, gyms and a unique “Yes I Can” concept that includes 100 percent Guest Satisfaction, both hotels have conference facilities and free Internet and offer luxurious rooms, fine dining experiences as well as opportunities to “paint the town Blu.” www.radissonblu.com/hotel-portelizabeth and www.radissonblu.com/hotel-johannesburg Reservations: +27 41 509 5000 (PE) and +27 11 245 8000 (JHB)

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THE SAXON BOUTIQUE HOTEL & SPA SANDHURST Voted the World’s Leading Boutique Hotel six years in a row, The Saxon is the ultimate city base when in Johannesburg. Close to the financial and business hub of South Africa, the lush tranquillity offers a calm retreat from a busy day’s work. Enjoy discreet and highly personalised service in a tasteful African elegance. www.thesaxon.co.za Reservations: +27 11 292 6000

OYSTER BOX DURBAN

Hovering on the ocean’s edge, the Oyster Box Hotel is conveniently close to Afro-chic Durban, yet exudes an air of charm and elegance. This iconic hotel’s dramatic revamp now offers guests a vibrant, contemporary old-world experience, while evoking the warm nostalgia of days gone by. www.oysterboxhotel.com Reservations: +27 31 514 5000

TINTSwALO ATLANTIc

With unsurpassed views of the Sentinel, this lodge can only be described as one of the most secluded and breathtaking jewels on the Atlantic seaboard. Its 10 luxury suites and one regal presidential suite provide an environment that offers a time for stillness and reflection in total privacy. www.tintswalo.com Reservations: +27 11 300 8888

February 2011

Prestige

w w w. p r e s t i g e m a g . c o . z a

Tech|Know

Battersea heliport

Land in luxury on London’s south bank

Back in 2007, British helicopter charter and management company PremiAir clinched an exclusive deal to operate London’s only commercial heliport at Battersea. Located on the south bank of the River Thames between Wandsworth and Battersea bridges, the heliport provides landing, parking and refuelling services for customers requiring quick access in and out of the UK’s capital. Able to offer right of entry to up to four helicopters at any one time, plus parking facilities for as many as five additional helicopters Sun Odyssey DS50 depending on size, the heliport is operational between 7am

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March 2011

and 11pm, seven days a week. In actual fact, the heliport has been in operation since 1959, and not only provides an essential travel link for London but also a vital service to the capital’s emergency services, including helicopters operated by the Metropolitan Police and The Air Ambulance. Luxury hotel group von Essen Hotels acquired the freehold site from London heliport’s former operator Weston Group, which had acquired the heliport in 2003 from Harrods’ owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Von Essen awarded the contract to PremiAir as part of a massive development project,

which has seen the formerly run-down airport blossom into a high-end destination. Battersea now caters for about 1 000 movements a month, and has undergone a major expansion programme that includes a new luxury hotel and aircraft terminal. Helicopter travel is usually the quickest point-to-point option for journeys up to 400 kilometres, and PremiAir offers access to over 13 000 helicopter landing sites around the UK. The company’s own charter fleet includes a mix of an Agusta A109A, a Bell 222, an AS355 Twin Squirrel helicopter (which seats up to

four passengers) and Sikorsky S76 VIP helicopters (able to comfortably seat up to nine passengers). All PremiAir’s craft are twin-turbine engine helicopters, which afford a margin of safety above those of a single- or piston-engine aircraft. PremiAir’s own in-house engineering team maintain all the craft, ensuring that the fleet adheres to the highest safety standards. Cabins are presented in mint condition, with every detail of the flight meticulously scrutinised. PremiAir also manages von Essen’s fleet of helicopters and business jets and is able to ❱ provide a full range of bespoke www.prestigemag.co.za

LIZ MOSCROP

Helicopter travel is usually the quickest point-to-point option for journeys up to 400 kilometres. helicopter charter services, seven days a week. In 2009, the company launched a new helicopter transfer service, the London Heliport Shuttle, which offers dedicated flights to meet private jet arrivals from the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key business aviation airports. The shuttle service whisks passengers to their destinations from airports such as Luton, Farnborough, Biggin Hill and Oxford, plus the usual London airports of Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick, with other airports available on request. Further major UK companies using the Battersea heliport include EliteJet, which can arrange a helicopter to pick customers up from the nearest suitable landing site and transport them to their homes or offices, as well as arrange

landing permission at their final destinations. The firm can also arrange chauffeured cars and specially trained high-profile minders, or discreet bodyguards at customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requests. An executive helicopter is more than just a means of transport. It is a space in which passengers, as they travel, can conduct business, catch up on paperwork, relax or entertain guests. The opportunity to customise the interior and exterior with corporate logos, as well as the luxurious amenities onboard, ensures the experience is akin to business-class airline travel, while the ability to fly at night and in most weather conditions, over congested and built up areas, offers a quick and efficient commute, whatever the purpose. ď&#x201A;Ž

Hotel Verta The five-star, state-ofthe-art Hotel Verta adjacent to Battersea opened in 2010. The hotel advocates that luxury is just as important as location, that style should come with substance, and that classic should mix with contemporary. Thus, the decor fuses

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cutting-edge facilities with timeless comfort like high-end fragrances and soaps. There are 70 bedrooms including four suites, each elegantly furnished and finished with bespoke fittings. The Patrisey Restaurant serves both traditional English and modern European dishes, while

the glamorous Vertilon Bar affords panoramic views of the Thames. The Spa Verta boasts the opulent Spa Vitality Suite, as well as a techno-gym-equipped fitness room, a sparkling vitality pool and thermal rooms offering soothing multicoloured lights on a permanent cycle.

March 2011

Prestige

Tech|Know

Marvellous Miele

Because not all coffee makers are created equal If you enjoy a good cup of coffee, you are not alone – millions of people the world over do. In fact, it has been estimated that 1.4 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every year. But not all coffee makers

are created equal, and mean the difference between an outstanding and an ordinary cup of java. Enter Miele’s CM5000 Countertop Coffee Maker. All the components guarantee first-class taste and have passed

Running Lifestyle Remixed for the Street Nike’s brand-new Autumn/ Winter 11 Collection presents a range of shoes specifically created for runners and, in terms of grams, it’s a question of ‘how low can you go’? Lunarlite technology takes over where phylon and polyurethane broke ground. The no-sew build on the upper re-creates those classic panels, details and silhouettes, but lightens the load. Modern meshes are lighter and more breathable. It also utilises a sleeker, more minimal midsole,

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March 2011

and gives a definitive response to the question of stability via the dynamic support application, because Nike knows runners.

Miele’s excruciating endurance tests with flying colours – no fewer than 50 000 cups are made on test appliances to furnish proof of durability, reliability and longevity. But perhaps best of all, the CM5000 Countertop Coffee

Machine can be programmed to switch on and off at any desired time, meaning your coffee can literally be ready and waiting for you when you get up in the morning, or arrive home from work in the evening.

Get started with the Startmonkey200 Thanks to its high-energy, dynamic polymer battery, this nifty little gadget claims it can restart a standard 12-volt car battery between 15 and 20 times on a full charge. When we tested it, it did just that. Simple and quick to use, the startmonkey200 easily attaches to your car battery via the crocodile clips and in just eight seconds is ready to

jumpstart. It’s small and weighs just 660g, so it can be stored in the boot or glove compartment. And because of its lowstatic waste, the startmonkey200 will still retain 75 percent of its charge – even after one year without use. Available from www.mantality. co.za for around R2 000.

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Stars of Portofino • Mary Pierce • Journey to Choquequirao • Superior sound • Entrepreneurship • 125 years of Merc

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