kick the tyres and light the fires
/01
EDITOR’S LETTER
B
sanja cloete-jones
etween 1912 and 1991, the Pravda was published in Moscow. It was owned by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and so it was a newspaper that happened to not print news. A century after Pravda first hit
the streets, we find that the democratisation of information is no longer the problem. Instead we have information overload, excessive online retrievability and less and less understanding. As it turns out, having no information and too much information can be equally toxic. When we set out to produce Maverick, information was a secondary concern. Creative engineering, great design, intriguing ideas, social conscience and aspirational lifestyle choices… were the notions we found ourselves grappling with instead. You might think that it is not the most efficient way to produce a magazine (you would be quite right) and that it is all a little serious for the frivolous arena of entertainment. But then Maverick is part of a larger company that is in the business of literally taking people’s lives in their hands – so serious is simply part of the day job. We know that you will not think Maverick is more important because of its magnificent size and sturdy binding – but you might consider that thoughtless design for thoughtless consumption is no longer sustainable… which is why we designed this edition for your bookshelf where, like a good vintage, it will age gracefully. We hope that this rather unusual in-flight magazine might take you on a virtual journey where you find space to think about your personal definitions of life, living, wisdom and knowledge. Welcome to Maverick – the Vintage edition.
Lifestyle | 17
Minimalist might be classy, but is it frolicking fun?
Pylones
Not so much! And for proof of this one only has to visit the very French Pylones shop in Carnaby Street which has made a business of bringing unadulterated amusement to weary shoppers for the last quarter of a century. They say they have something for everyone, which initially might sound like a well-hackneyed marketing line, but hey ho, five minutes into a
Pylones browse and I have to admit they are right. Putting a twist and a spin on a wide range of everyday objects, a Pylones acquisition is guaranteed to surprise and delight even the hardest-to-buy-for family and friends. Pylones is a riot of unapologetic colour and a little anti-establishment in a pleasingly avant-garde way. Founded in France by a group of designers, 25 years on quirky and fun designs are still the order of the day. Today Pylones works with designers from all over the world and they design for every aspect of modern life – from home to office, playtime, personal grooming, cleaning and of course the wonderful world of gifts for pets. The Queen is said to believe that expensive presents are vulgar and amusing gifts like the shower cap reading ‘Ain’t life a bitch’ that Prince Harry gave her are the way forward. In England, Pylones carries a great range of Royalty-inspired gifts, so whether you agree with the Queen’s irreverent approach to largesse, or simply fancy the idea of a William and Kate teabag, Pylones will deliver in psychedelic spades.
The world’s largest toy store? What’s not to like!
Hamleys
Hamleys’ flagship Regent Street shop is a bona fide tourist magnet in a city that is known to boast the odd notable attraction. William Hamley originally founded a toy shop at 231 High Holburn Street in 1760. It was called Noah’s Ark and the wealthy Bloomsbury set loved it. The Regent Street branch opened in 1881. Queen Mary gave Hamleys a royal warrant in 1938
and whilst the shop was bombed five times during World War II it survived to be given a second royal warrant by Queen Elizabeth II in 1955. The current Regent Street address has seven floors and covers 5,000m2. Every floor has its own section of toys. The basement has interactive toys ranging from Lego to novelties. The ground floor has soft toys ranging from life-size giraffes to valuable Steiff bears. The first floor has a Build-a-Bear workshop and a sweet shop as well as board games. On the second floor there are toys for young children. The third floor is dedicated to girls and the fifth floor to boys. Cushioned in between on the fourth floor are model kits and remote-controlled toys. The job description for a Hamleys shop assistant includes playing with the toys in the aisles, and no sooner have you ducked out of the flight path of a flashing boomerang or flying saucer you are side-stepping another Hamleys employee shooting past on some later incarnation of the wheel. It’s impossible not to get caught up in the mad elves on a deadline for Christmas atmosphere. The big shop is an experience, but if you run out of time the good news is that you can catch Hamleys at the airport on your way out of London at Heathrow Terminal 1, Stansted and Gatwick.
Lifestyle | 19
Aldous Huxley believed
La Chapelle & Café a Vin
the difference between being
a
pessimistic
determinist
and
an
optimistic believer in freedom of will is down to whether or not one has eaten lunch. To lunch in London we go,
and we stop in historic Spitalfields – a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, Spitalfields straddles Commercial Street in the East End of London. The name is a contraction of ‘hospital fields’ as it once lay to the east behind the ‘New Hospital of St Mary without Bishopgate’ that was erected in 1197. Old Spitalfields Market was founded in the 17th century and today the Sunday UpMarket and the Brick Lane Markets imbue the area with an open- air fair atmosphere. It is here that we find the perfect Galvin eateries side-byside – whether you want to take your time surrounded by storied architecture and a Michelin star, or simply take your time with great food, La Chapelle and its neighbour Café a Vin deliver perfection.
Galvin La Chapelle The grade II listed Victorian school chapel of St. Botolph’s Hall has 30-metre high vaulted ceilings and is the setting for one of the most impressive destinations for lunch in London. The restaurant design has won awards and Chef Patron Jeff Galvin’s modern French menu earned the venue a Michelin star in the 2011 Red Guide within a year of opening. And the list of awards continues very reassuringly, but at the end of the day it’s not the awards that make the restaurant, it’s the food. Jeff and Chris Galvin specialise in fine cooking that is an evolved, contemporary take on classic cuisine bourgeoise. The destination restaurant does have a doorman with a bowler hat to go with its movie star interior and guests can choose from a menu gourmand, prix fixe lunch, early dinner menu and a ‘Sunday Roast’ lunch. Classic French bistro cuisine includes lasagne of Dorset crab with chantrelles and chervil and veal cheek with zingara garnish and pommes puree, and if you really want to set the experience apart you should book the half-mezzanine floor that is suspended in elegant glass and steel within the cathedral-like setting.
Galvin Café a Vin A funky café that exudes cool from its six-metre pewter bar designed by Sir Terence Conran, to its lavish helping of baguettes and the finest French butter that precedes its fabulous Italian and French menu. Separated from the more formal La Chapelle by a narrow aperitivi bar, the cafe has the perfect dish for every occasion, from gratinated onion soup to fabulous pizza and Alsatian-influenced tarte flambée – a woodfired, thin dough base topped with smoked bacon, onion and tangy fresh cheese.
The tradition of dim
Ping
pong
sum started on the Silk Road. Travellers needing
a
rest
stopped to drink tea at teahouses along the roadside and eventually teahouse
owners
started
provide
to
various snacks. The art of dim sum has evolved from its Cantonese roots to a modern day dining experience that is enjoyed across the world. Traditionally dim sum was only served until midafternoon but the happiness keeps on coming well into the night at the restaurant chain Ping Pong which has branches across London. Dim sum literally means the point of the heart and at Ping Pong, dim sum is also referred to as ‘little steamed parcels of deliciousness’. The menu includes not only steamed dim sum but a variety of seasonal specials, nibbles and sauces, soups, rice dishes and of course dessert. Vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free dishes can also be ordered. The dim sum is prepared by specialist chefs but the real beauty of the meal lies in the ancient tradition of meeting over food. The flowering teas are incredibly delicate and beautiful and taking the time to wait for the buds to open up and infuse the water through tall clear glasses leaves you feeling you have escaped the fast lane‌ if only for the duration of lunch! Remember to pour tea for others before filling your own cup. You should also tap your bent index finger if you are single or both the index and middle finger if you are married to give a symbolic bow, and so thank the person pouring your tea.
Lifestyle | 31
“Beauty has never been absolute and immutable but has taken on different aspects depending on the historical period and the country.” – Umberto Eco
Let’s be superficial All through the ages, philosophy, literature and art have
make them appear larger. Pale, clear skin was a sign of
imitated that which people find beautiful. Or fascinating.
wealth as it signified that you did not work outside or live
In the modern world ugliness has lost many of its ties
in cramped conditions where disfiguring diseases such
to morality, religion and morbid curiosity, but beauty
as smallpox were rife. In the 21st century being thin and
and what is considered its antithesis still reflects the
glowing (if not actually tanned) signals wealth.
underlying morals of our complex universe.
Then there are the extremes– the Padaung women of
So what is beauty? It is quite clear that a strong cultural
Southeast Asia increase in desirability with the length
component is at work – what is considered beautiful
of their neck, that is stretched with metal rings until it is
at one time and place simply isn’t in another. Ruben’s
so long that the girls are also known as ‘Giraffe Women’.
‘Venus at a Mirror’ is pale and plump but the Chinese and
And never mind Angelina – the Surma women in Africa
Egyptians consistently portrayed a slimmer female figure.
and the Suya Indians of Brazil favour lip stretching using
In 1885, Lorings sold Fat-Ten-U and Corpula Foods to help
lip plates. In recent years of course, these practices can’t
ladies put on weight – whereas today you can never be too
compete with what is considered normal amongst Western
rich or too thin. An accelerated portrayal of how the ideal
women. From breast augmentation to liposuction, being
weight has changed within the last century is the torch-
injected with botulism and fat to attaching fake hair and
bearing Columbia Lady… who has obviously been on a
fake nails, plastic surgery is an industry that is bursting at
pretty steady diet since she first graced film screens back
the seams.
in 1924.
In the face of all this excess, and considering the
In some parts of Africa obesity continues to be a sign
fleeting nature of the latest trends, trying to live up to
of wealth. Size is not the only thing that has changed – in
the standards of beauty endorsed by your culture might
Elizabethan England women plucked their foreheads to
quite rightly be considered a vain, shallow and ultimately
Lifestyle | 33
impossible quest, as the concept of beauty changes as
your level of adherence to cultural preferences and fads,
quickly as our cultures evolve. As our world develops and
if you really want to make the most of your natural beauty
everything becomes more sophisticated our approach to
you can invest in treatments that guarantee real and often
beauty follows suit. Today the pursuit for good looks is also
lasting solutions. Ageless Lasers in Johannesburg’s Hyde
linked strongly to our health and our humanity.
Park is a clinic that does not dabble in the arbitrary and
Let’s get real
artificial but offers exclusive laser and dermatology clinic services, with three dermatologists and two aesthetic
So, how do you tell the difference between superficial
doctors as well as beauty therapists and other medical and
beauty that changes with the times – and the kind that
specialised laser personal on the staff.
reflects health and wellbeing?
This is where you come when you don’t want to
First of all we look at collective indicators of beauty.
make good with unwanted spider veins and broken
Evolutionary psychologists have discovered that there is
capillaries or fancy never having to look a bikini wax in
a universally preferred waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7. And by
the eye again. This salon specialises in treatments that
universal we mean that the ratio even applies to blind men
change lives and offers a unique service that is tailor
as a study by a Dutch psychologist proved. The Venus de
made for every individual by competent and caring
Milo has it, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn had it,
doctors and therapists. The setting is elegant and well
and so do Kate Moss and Jessica Alba.
thought through and clients often enjoy a snack to
Facial beauty has three important aspects: symmetry,
ensure they do not feel faint after treatment. Adequate
clear skin and (believe it or not) averageness. These are
pain control is a priority. They have an anaesthetist who
all ultimately indicators of health, fertility and good genes.
can do conscious sedation on standby for clients with
So, while you can trade your genetic fitness up or down by
extremely low pain thresholds.
It is all becoming increasingly clear What are the latest developments in skincare?
Zeltiq
dioxide gas (a gas that naturally occurs within our bodies)
A system that was created with a clear objective – a cooler
for therapeutic purposes is used in the treatment of stretch
you! Breaking down fat cells that are eliminated by the body’s
marks, cellulite and hyperthrophic scars. It improves skin
lymphatic system, with a 25 to 45% reduction in fat with each
elasticity, circulation, encourages collagen repair, improves
treatment, is technically called Cryoliplysis. ‘Coolsculpting’
the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and destroys
smoothly contours the body with minimal downtime and
localised fatty deposits. Large areas are treated in one
no loose skin. Or, in layman’s terms, it freezes those pesky fat
session but multiple sessions are needed.
cells that defy all your exercise efforts into oblivion.
GentleLASE Alexandrite hair removal Ulthera
The very last word in effective hair removal – this treatment
A non-invasive, instant facelift that uses medical ultrasound,
emits an exact wavelength of light (phytothermolysis) that
Ulthera works deep below the surface without harming the
is calibrated to attach to the melanin in the hair, damage
outer layer of skin for dramatic and long-lasting benefits.
the follicle and ensure maximum efficacy. Unwanted dark
It tightens the skin through contracting collagen and deep
hair is history with just one treatment. The treatment is
skin tissue – the new collagen stimulation also results in a
not completely pain free and sensitive patients are offered
more youthful look.
anaesthetic cream prior to treatment. (Ageless Lasers specialists do not recommend laser treatment for light
Fraxel
hair removal.)
Don’t think your laugh lines are funny? Fraxel dual™ resurfaces the skin by promoting the natural
Your genetic make-up, lifestyle and personal history all
rejuvenation process through proven laser technology.
contribute to how your skin looks and feels. There is no
It’s you in the mirror… just a younger version with fewer
one-size-fits-all, and it is essential to develop an individual
fine lines and wrinkles, reversed sun damage, improved
treatment plan that takes what you have and what you want
texture, less scarring and pigmentation. Fraxel is also
into account. Ageless Lasers also offers tattoo removal with
great for wound care.
the Q-switched Nd Yag and Alexandrite laser combined. Pigments are shattered with pulses of light and energy and
Microdermabrasion with infusions
this new laser treatment has the added benefit of being
Pampering that is underpinned by medical science,
almost pain free.
this treatment combines the known benefits of
Other routine treatments include chemical peels
microdermabrasion with infusions designed to enhance
and stretch mark reduction as well as Botox and
skin response. The treatment will plump the outer skin
fillers. The doctors offer mole-scanning and the laser
and the collagen and elastin in the middle skin – resulting
therapists are involved in countrywide training. The
in improved texture and tone.
entire approach combines therapy with great skin care products for maintenance.
Carboxy therapy
The perception of beauty is subjective – and the wise
Originating at the Royal Spas of France in the early 1930s,
woman knows that the only beholder’s eye you should
the cutaneous and subcutaneous administration of carbon
heed is the one gazing back from your mirror.
Lifestyle | 35
This is where you come when you don’t want to make good with unwanted spider veins and broken capillaries or fancy never having to look a bikini wax in the eye again. Ageless Lasers specialises in treatments that change lives and offers a unique service that is tailor made for every individual by competent and caring doctors and therapists. Contact Details 1st Floor Hyde Park Shopping Centre Corner Jan Smuts Avenue & 6th Street Johannesburg Tel: 011 022 9771 /2/3 Email: info@agelesslasers.co.za Web: www.agelesslasers.co.za
Top tips for small changes that have big results No, it isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but there’s no harm in going over the essentials… · Protect your skin from the sun – wear SPF 15 or higher, daily. Choose broad spectrum creams and apply (and reapply) liberally · Don’t smoke – it’s a no-brainer as it simply accelerates ageing · Minimise alcohol – it expands the small blood vessels in the skin · Eat well – your skin needs nutrients to repair damage and stay healthy · Reduce stress – frowning and wrinkles go hand in hand · Take 40 winks – most people need between eight and nine hours every night · Be gentle – limit hot baths to 15 minutes, use warm (never hot) water on your skin and gently remove waterproof makeup with an oil-based product · Moisturise – as soon as possible after cleansing · Shave carefully – press a warm washcloth on your skin before shaving · Conduct self-screenings – familiarise yourself with your skin and look for changes
Lifestyle | 43
“W
orking for the Russians was an aesthetic choice as much as anything else.”
As a defence for high treason it may lack a certain gravitas, but John le Carré’s spy could not be faulted for his general reasoning. Truth is – tinker, tailor, soldier or sailor – few can claim to have truly escaped the seductive pull of beauty. And beauty is Ozwald Boateng’s stock in trade. At a towering six foot four the downright fine-looking Ozwald Boateng is the darling of bespoke fashion and reigning king of Savile Row. The man bounds where others walk and even in still images exudes a crackling of potential energy. He exerts not so much pull as a sucker punch to the solar plexus.
Courtesy of Varon Bonicos’s documentary ‘A Man’s Story’ that premiered last year we have an intimate log of the last 12 years of Boateng’s life. The highlights are impressive and – let’s face it – on
myself. I just worked it out. And every time I did it, it just
celluloid the man even loses breathtaking amounts of money and a
worked. And the confidence of a 16-year-old who gets it
couple of wives with unwavering elegance.
right is outrageous, right?”
Curiously, in print it is a different story. It is all but impossible
In spite of the fact that Ozwald was already supplying
to find an interview that does not contain oblique comments and
trendy boutiques by the time he was 18, he says that when
in-jokes about the size of Boateng’s ego, his great knack for deflecting
he decided to make fashion his life (leaving his computer
questions to make the answers prettier and even his overuse of certain
studies on the altar of dreams) his father seriously
speech patterns.
considered brain damage was to blame. Ozwald, true to
Could it be a simple case of rampant jealousy? Possibly, but
form, was utterly unflappable. “At that time, menswear was
considering that our obsession with beauty is closely followed by our
very different. Things were very deconstructed. It was the
adoration of success, unlikely. This tinkering with the story of Ozwald
time of Armani and Comme des Garçons and Yamamoto.
Boateng is intriguing and warrants a reconstruction of the tale.
Nothing had any formal structure.” And so the field was wide open for preaching the gospel of Boateng.
“Every time I did it, it just worked. And the Confidence of
Oswald spent five years paying his dues before opening
a 16-year-old who gets it right is outrageous, right?”
his first shop in the melting pot of culture and wealth that
Ozwald Boateng
was Portobello Road. He decided to educate men on how their form can look in something that is well cut – taking
When Ozwald speaks of his childhood in London he often makes
something traditional and making it modern.
references to Ghana. Ozwald Boateng OBE might be quintessentially
He tells a great story about his first celebrity client, the
British, but his African roots have never been in doubt. “The economy
legendary guitarist Jimmy Page: “I didn’t know who he
of Ghana is controlled by women. My mother is an instinctive trader”
was. All I knew was that he had this great house in Holland
he says, and the very footings of the Boateng Empire might be found in
Park. I was making him trousers and I asked, ‘What is your
the Singer sewing machine that Mary Boateng always found work for.
music like?’ and he said, ‘You know, I’ve done some good
Mary was also responsible for ordering a mohair suit made for Ozwald’s
stuff,’ and I said, ‘Like what?’ and he said, ‘Oh, you know,
fifth birthday. It was purple.
Stairway to Heaven...’”
Ozwald’s father was an English teacher who subscribed to the
And then, finally Ozwald arrived at the birthplace of the
proud opinion especially ingrained in immigrants from Africa, that
perfect suit: Savile Row – a place that, according to Boateng,
intellectual achievement paves the way to success. Ozwald is a little
was little more than a temple of formal if dusty elegance
hazy about his academic achievements – and can’t remember if he
when he arrived. He was careful to embrace the spirit of
shared classes with other black children – but he vividly recalls his
the tradition of the Row whilst proposing an entirely new
Muswell Hill school uniform and the general sophistication of eating a
take on the traditional suit – and understanding the magic
three-course meal with a knife and fork every day. He is also clear on the
of every individual.
fact that his father had an instinctive belief in him, although he is quick to admit that the only two people who really impress Mr Boateng Sr
“Storekeep the belief.”
are Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali. Ozwald quotes Kwesi Boateng
Ozwald Boateng
frequently, giving his father credit for many of his own principles, such as ‘a problem is only a problem if you make it a problem’, and ‘you make
Somewhere along the line, somehow, Boateng the Great made
a decision about something, you stick to it’.
some big mistakes and he found himself in receivership.
At 14, Ozwald spent a summer working in a factory sewing linings
Today, he is philosophical about his errors. He is very clear
into suits. Then the prettiest girl in school asked him to assist with her
that the only way to deal with a dire situation is to treat it as a
fashion show, and next thing he was making suits and selling them at
beginning rather than an end. Oswald attributes his recovery
the grand old age of 16. How did he do it? “It was instinctive. I taught
to his ability to hold on to his vision and faith, so strongly in
Lifestyle | 45
Back to the beginning “Africa does not need aid.” Ozwald Boateng “They taught me the value systems,” Boateng says about his fact that he convinced the company who came to close him
African roots. “We have a very strong culture, people tend to like
down to bankroll the future of Boateng.
to intellectualise everything, so we have a lot of red tape, we talk a lot but not a lot gets done. I’d like to see a lot more get done, but
“Style is much more important than substance, a tailor is much more than someone who
most importantly the people are good people.” “This is what I love, designing clothes and creating, that is just
specialises in suits,
me. The whole mission for Africa is out of frustration and need.
he’s a couturier for men.”
It is just not moving enough. I’m frustrated getting off a plane.
Ozwald Boateng
I don’t want to see open drains, I don’t want to see a road that takes ten years to build, I want to be able to go there and open
Boateng sees his success as being the recognition of the
one of my stores.”
message he has promoted for nearly a decade: “Right
And so he and two friends formed the Made in Africa Trust
from the start I wanted to change the way people look at
(MIA) in 2006, a for-profit venture for developing projects
Savile Row and the profession of tailoring. When I started
in Africa. MIA will help create wealth and economic self-
working, being elegant meant dressing in a sombre manner.
sufficiency by exposing African business opportunities to
I think a suit should make the man wearing it feel as sexy
international investment and capital markets to develop
and self-assured as a woman feels when she puts on a dress
profitable commercial businesses, and facilitating the entry
that makes her feel beautiful. But expertise alone is not
of major public and private companies into Africa. Read that
enough, you need a creative vision. This is why I say that a
sentence again slowly. It isn’t a matter of hand outs.
tailor is much more than someone who specialises in suits, he’s a couturier for men.” He considers fashion temporary – and tailoring constant.
“I’m just going for it.” Ozwald Boateng
The essence of Boateng style? A scalpel-like cut that makes a suit fit you absolutely perfectly. The quality of his
Boateng’s quest for global success started with an epic runway
craftsmanship is acknowledged throughout the industry.
show in Paris, then he took Moscow and now he is setting his
The focus on details, such as angled pockets, concealed
sights on Shanghai. In the longer term he plans to have 50 to 100
buttons and the finish of the linings. Textured, refined
stores globally (including in Angola, Nigeria and South Africa)
fabrics with a mix of contemporary and traditional style.
and to venture into womenswear.
The other Boateng trademark is colour which he uses “like a painter”, continually expressing a desire to experiment.
“Creativity must have meaning.”
“You need to educate men to win them over to colour,
Ozwald Boateng
which is why I decided to combine it with very formalcut suits. This let me make colours acceptable and then
Ozwald Boateng is condemned if he does and denounced if he
completely gentrified.” Even when he uses black he finds
doesn’t. The very traits that make him an iconic couturier also
a way to create colour with it.
leave him open to abuse. After all, people are hardly likely to rush out and pay good money for a suit cut by a timid tailor. And a
Gee-Von-SHEE
large part of the eye-popping price tag is directly related to how many fibs a garment tells to flatter. Ozwald Boateng is innately talented, incredibly successful,
Boateng followed in the footsteps of John Galliano and
extremely hardworking, constructively charitable, fantastically
Alexander McQueen when Givenchy employed him. He was
self-assured and ridiculously good-looking. Perhaps some
a perfect fit and designed the first ever Givenchy Homme
simply find it an irresistible challenge to make THIS MAN look
runway show during the Spring 2005 menswear season.
anything but magnificent.
Vintage | 59
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THE ‘BON CHIC BON GENRE’S GUIDE to jetsetteing
T
T
Dual Voltage Garment Steamer. The thing with
mon sense should really not be allowed to cloud your
vintage travel is that you really need to commit to the
judgement, but one also has to allow for the fact that
need for speaking Louis Vuitton Luggage Language
inner gorgeousness is for amateurs so I like to rely on
and lock down your fascinator.
a White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap, a Good
he past may very well be another country but luckily I’m the sort of girl who never leaves the
house without my passport… and my Samsonite
F
he HIP Hotels Guide ensures the domestically disabled and their Afghan hounds never lack
for somewhere that is all-the-rage to sleep. Com-
or some reason girls were expected to always be
Night Sleep Mask and an REI Therm-a-Rest Neck
perky back in the day, so in the name of authen-
Pillow to ensure my en-route beauty sleep.
ticity it is essential that one fights jetlag with a Philip Stein Watch with Natural Frequency Technology. It’s that, the Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones or the retro café-mochavodka-valium latte to go please! After all – it’s five o’clock somewhere, right?
D
on’t you just hate it when people say lazy like it’s a bad word? Why don’t they pick on frugal
instead!! Personally I make sure I don’t spend the grocery money on shoes… by spending it on hotels instead.
T
his trip is beginning to look a lot like excess. Oh well…
S
omeone has to set the bad example and I always forget, is it nice to be safe… or better to be sorry?
Vintage | 63
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Vintage | 65
shot / 03
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FIND YOUR PIN UP personality I AM HAPPY WHEN I’M… A Motivated B Medicated C
Looking at other people working
D
Whining, bitching and moaning
WORLD PEACE…
Pinning down, with inherent humour and trivial intent, a fellow mortal by inquisition
A
All anyone needs is a warm bed, a kind word and unlimited power
B
I used to care but now I take a pill for that
C
Start every day with a smile and get it over with
D
All men are animals – some just make better pets
I DRINK BECAUSE… A
You’re boring
B
Martinis are not just for breakfast any more
C
Otherwise I would not enjoy working for an idiot
D
One should always have vodka on hand in case life gives you lemons
MY FRIENDS ARE MOST LIKELY TO SAY… A
She looks so awake, so alive… caffeine or botox?
B
What IS a good reason to act your age?
C
Love, honour and what?
D
I understand the concept of cooking and cleaning …
just not how it applies to me
Mostly A’s: Mostly B’s: Mostly C’s: Mostly D’s:
Most like Marilyn Monroe Most like Doris Day Most like Lucille Ball Most like Marlene Dietrich
Vintage | 69
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FAST, LOOSE AND LOVELY… H
the vintage look
air
Don’t wash your hair because slightly dirty hair
M
ake it up as you go along
A slightly darker, warm foundation blended with
makes for superior styles and curls. (Dry shampoo
face powder that is slightly lighter than your natural
also improves texture for strong styles)
tone will ensure the Vintage look
Practice sleeping in overnight sponge roller sets for
Rosy cheeks are guaranteed when you use red rouge
perfecting your victory rolls (see below)
with pink undertones, bright pinks with fuchsia
Strong hairspray, smoothing serums for frizz and
undertones and bright roses
17,000,000 bobby pins (okay that is only an estimate
Keep the eyebrows natural but manicured
but seriously, what happens to all the bobby pins?)
Thin eyeliner, muted gray and brown eyeshadow
are all essential
Then style your crowning glory with… Victory Rolls – named after an aileron roll performed by World War II fighter pilots celebrating beating the dashed jerries, this is the quintessential 1940’s hairstyle or BettyBangs – faux bangs created by using a ‘rat’… a round tapering mass of hair or synthetic material used to support puffs and rolls of natural hair
and dark brown or black mascara Any lipstick will do – with an exaggerated top lip
L
ucky lingerie
Get gorgeous faux vintage underwear from What Katie Did . Vintage is the perfect excuse to stock up on stockings, lingerie, girdles, corsets and bullet bras.
S
obriety in moderation
Coffee can keep you busy until it’s time to drink. A nice vintage gal will never be caught without either
Hot Sticks at the ready, nerves steady… while setting
caffeine or vodka… this is your opportunity to make
hair overnight is the traditional way to do it, Hot
some tremendously poor choices of the ‘why do
Sticks can save the day!
dishes when you can do daquiries’ kind.
shot / 10
Vintage | 85
O
nce upon a time, history was written by the victors. During the last century something far more sinister started twisting our tales as we have developed a seemingly insatiable hunger for the malfunction of public figures. For a 21st century Molotov cocktail, simply mix equal parts fame
and wealth. Our fascination with pain and derision is fed by the tabloids, nurtured in our children and a rather handy excuse for our own failures. It is also informing our stories and allowing our perception of recent history to get in the way of our education. Romantic notions are frequently simply fiction or at best one side of the story. Take Leonardo da Vinci. Arguably the most diversely talented man ever to have lived, he was many things, including irrepressibly idle, unreliable and erratic. Four hundred years later, the Howard Hughes story is almost an inversion of idealisation. Like the fly and the pitcher plant, we are drawn by the promise of his brilliance – only to find ourselves drowning in the macabre minutiae of his life. Or is that only because of how his tale is told? Let’s start the Howard Hughes story with some facts. Born in 1905, descended from English royalty on his mother’s side and clearly inheriting the engineering and business genius of his father, Howard showed early promise, building a radio transmitter when he was 11 and riding around Houston in the motorised bicycle he designed by the age of 12. He had his first flying lesson soon after the death of his mother at age 13, and when he was 17 he turned $5 into $990 gambling in Brussels. Following the death of his father, Howard was declared an emancipated minor and inherited most of his family’s fortune on his 19th birthday. The
same year, inspired by his parent’s premature deaths, he included the creation of a medical research laboratory in his first will. He also decided on a career in the movie-making business. His films were a financial success, pushed the boundaries of censorship, blew production budgets out of the water and won a number of Academy Awards. The fact that he was young, attractive and had more money than God didn’t hurt, and he cut a swath through Hollywood in his Fedora, white Oxford shirt, white slacks and G10 Baracuta jacket. Hughes could also predict the future and he said it would be defined by safe, fast, long-distance travel. He had a remarkable understanding of form and functional aesthetics. Every new design was honed to the point where there was nothing left to take away – as perfection demanded, according to French aristocrat and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Hughes built airplanes, helicopters, missiles, and satellites; designed radar systems and provided weaponry and communications equipment. Heavily involved in the airline industry, he owned TWA for some time, and personally smashed through aeronautical speed and distance records on numerous occasions. Hughes enjoyed golf and held a handicap of three during his twenties. Of course he famously did not reach the golf course on the 7th of July 1946 when he aimed his failing XF-11 plane for the Los Angeles Country Club greens – but ended up in Beverly Hills instead. The list of injuries following this crash read like an autopsy report. Highlights include the fact that his heart was displaced into the right side of his chest, multiple third-degree burns, seven crushed ribs on the right and nine on the left. No-one could survive his injuries without developing Intractable Pain – pain that is not relieved by ordinary medical, surgical, and nursing measures – and Howard Hughes would live with this for the rest of his life. His use of codeine, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants
A fellow inductee to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton Ohio said that Hughes was misrepresented and libelled by malicious associates and greedy little men. The real crime is that we are still so eager to believe them.
Vintage | 87
and stimulants would be considered pseudo-addiction today; drugseeking behaviour for relieving pain as opposed to the compulsive dependence of classic addiction. Intractable Pain, or IP, is an important field for modern research as the incidence increases with medical advancements and our improved ability to save trauma patients. But half a century ago the term did not even exist, and Howard Hughes’s pain was never under control. At that time the chances of surviving beyond a decade with IP treated with opioids were practically nil. Howard Hughes beat the odds three times over – living up to a surgeon calling him ‘The Man of Steel’ – and he made it all the way to 1976. During his initial hospital stay he redesigned his bed, adding 30 electric motors and push-button adjustments to operate various features, including hot and cold
We are drawn by the promise of his brilliance – only to find ourselves drowning in the macabre minutiae of his life. Or is that only because of how his tale is told?
Surviving for 30 years against incredible odds, he was eccentric and irascible – but never hallucinatory or psychotic.
Vintage | 89
Hughes could also predict the future and he said it would be defined by safe, fast, long-distance travel. running water. Even his womanizing only ceased 15
eloquently at Senate hearings, marry a film star, regularly transact business,
years later – five years after the average IP patient of
sell stocks, make tax decisions, fly an aircraft, meet with the president of
his era would have been dead.
Nicaragua, sign affidavits for the New York Supreme Court and be asked to
Sure, there was the screening room incident, where
lend his name to the CIA’s Project Azorian? It’s hardly rocket science.
Hughes stayed inside the Martin Nosseck Projection
People who worked for him could never anticipate what would happen next
Theatre surrounded by movies and Kleenex, living
– and they loved it. So what if he sorted his peas by size or wrote a detailed
on chocolate, chicken and milk, and relieving himself
memorandum about the seam on Jane Russell’s blouse that gave her the
into the empty milk bottles. But until you have
appearance of having multiple nipples. Okay, so he was greedy and hamstrung
experienced the kind of pain that would prevent you
by pride, but Howard Hughes navigated the labyrinth of himself with so much
from brushing your teeth or cutting your nails for over
superhuman vigour that he occasionally became airborne and slipped the
a decade, you might want to hold out on judgement.
surly bonds of Earth.
Alternatively, you could simply form an opinion of
Surviving for 30 years against incredible odds, he was eccentric and irascible
Hughes based on what he achieved AFTER this four-
– but never hallucinatory or psychotic. He kept his sense of humour and he left
month blip.
enough money to keep the probate lawyers going for 15 years, paying out an
Ever hear of the over-sedated, bumbling,
eventual settlement that awarded 22 heirs a cool $33 million each.
unproductive, germ-crazy drug addict, who managed
A fellow inductee to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton Ohio said that
to develop and produce the Spruce Goose, destroy a
Hughes was misrepresented and libelled by malicious associates and greedy
major Hollywood studio but still make $6.5 million,
little men. The real crime is that we are still so eager to believe them. If you pit
add Hughes Helicopters and Hughes Aerospace to
the much-publicised fact that Howard Hughes privately watched Ice Station
Hughes Aircraft, form the Howard Hughes Medical
Zero 150 times against our insatiable addiction to gossip, Howard Hughes’s
Institute for biomedical research, get the State of
guilty little secrets might seem a bit more reasonable… and ultimately none
Nevada to change its gaming licensing laws, speak
of our business.
vintage | 91
Glamour and the underground The prim and proper façade of London
Understanding
that
speed
and
carefully projects a sober soul that has
splendour were the stuff the ultimate
survived the Black Death, the Great
escapist dream was made of, Pick
Fire, the Blitz and terrorist attacks.
decided to deliver exactly that – by
From the Queen to Big Ben, most
Underground – to a brand new market
of her icons are untouchable – and
sector. He was out to shift the ‘Tube
so it is rather satisfying to take a
travel is for work’ paradigm and grab
peek under Lady London’s crinoline
the attention of leisure travellers. As
petticoats and find a forgotten world
befits a modern revolution, Pick started
of accessible and brazenly commercial
his campaign by commissioning eye-
Underground glamour.
catching posters.
Around six decades after the first
Horace Taylor summed up the new
train trundled along the Tube tracks in
motto with his laconic ‘Brightest
1863, the rather basic public transport
London is best reached by Underground’
system of the city of London did
design in 1924. The love affair between
exactly what it said on the tin, and was
the Underground and contemporary art
predominantly used by the English
proved to be anything but fly-by-night
workforce for getting from A to B.
and over the years a number of iconic
Then Frank Pick became the Managing
images, such as Man Ray’s abstract
Director and his vision changed
‘Keep London Going’, have resulted
everything. He saw the gap in the
from this alliance.
market – and he minded it.
The bold grandeur of the style that
F
rank Pick became the Managing Director and his vision changed everything. He saw the gap in the market and he minded it.
ruled the first half of the last century was
Charles Holden’s ingenious masterpieces
comfortable. Pick took the gamble that people
perfect. Art Deco cleverly disguises the fact
defined the first modern architectural style for
would translate the visual echoes of beauty,
that it was conceived to fit function first, and
a country that had previously managed to cling
order and consistency into a commodity that is
Frank Pick understood that an approach
resolutely to fussy tradition. The Piccadilly line
invaluable for a cutting-edge service provider
developed specifically for the machine age
extensions to the north and west all feature
– the culture of trust.
was the perfect tool for the world’s first major
the geometric, almost Cubist, detailing, boldly
During World War II the Underground
media campaign. Eventually the entire Tube,
exposed brickwork and curving lines juxtaposed
sheltered Londoners from the Blitz, provided
from the headquarters at 55 Broadway down to
with rectangular spaces characteristic of Art
regular accommodation and even offered night
the very reflections trapped in the shiny curved
Deco. Stanley A Heaps even went so far as to
classes and book-lending libraries.
carriage roofs, would echo with meticulous Art
finish the walls, ceiling and columns of a ticket
Deco allure.
hall in exposed concrete.
Half a century later, the Tube still excels in offering practical solutions to pressing
The distinctive, bespoke Johnston font, the
Pick’s cohesive branding dressed every
problems, although today’s users consider the
instantly recognisable Underground roundel
detail, from the trains down to the ticket
overcrowded service a necessary evil rather
(also by Johnston) and the trademark Harry
kiosk, lighting and litter bins. Doors and
than a safe haven. The vintage glamour has
Beck map design that became an industry
windows were wider, more space was devoted
certainly faded, but if you know how and where
standard are all timeless relics from the
to storage, and the moquette-covered seats
to look you will find phantoms of art that stood
Underground’s facelift.
were not only prettier, they were also more
still while history moved on.
vintage | 93
B
ring a touch of London Underground glamour home. Buy Vintage Posters or 1930s geometric moquette cushions, pencil cases, bustiers, sofas and canine coats online at the
London Transport Museum: www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk
‘T
he longest art gallery in the world’ In a recent Christie’s auction a collection of 300 vintage posters originally displayed in the London
Underground between 1913 to 1955 fetched over a million pounds.
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Travel | 99
People who call Monaco a procession were probably not around in 1965.
T
he physical environment experienced by a Formula One driver during an actual Grand Prix race is pretty rarefied. If it tweaks your curiosity, you could lift your right foot off the ground and trace a clockwise circle. At the same time, draw the number six in the
prince. He pillaged and plundered his way along the Riviera and claimed Monaco
air with your right hand without changing the direction of your
in 1297 by disguising himself as a monk, sneaking into a religious fortress and
foot’s circle. Got that?
killing everyone who queried his property-acquisition methods.
Now simply imagine performing a sequence of tasks requiring
In what would later become the tiny principality of Monaco, anything could
roughly this dexterity for around two hours, in a sauna, racing
happen – and it often still does. Amidst the aftermath of World War II, His Serene
upside down along the world’s fastest rollercoaster track. Most
Highness Prince Rainier III dramatically transformed his realm by marrying Grace
people find watching the race on a flat screen infinitely more
Kelly – cementing Monaco’s über-glamorous reputation. Fabulous taxation laws
agreeable. Of course, if you have a problem identifying with ‘most
drew the ultra-rich, the highest living costs in Europe kept the riffraff out, and
people’ you probably don’t need to be told that there really is no
today Monaco is filled with bougainvillea-covered mansions and breathtaking
substitute for being a spectator at a Grand Prix.
corniches set against a backdrop of dazzling sea dotted with magnificent yachts.
Leave science, physics, charisma, bravery and – let’s face it –
Before Grace, the Grimaldis opened a casino and turned their streets into a
biblical knowledge of lady luck to the professionals, and there
racing track. The 21st century circuit remains practically the same as the day
is still the small matter of choosing the perfect circuit. The truth
it was designed by Monégasque cigarette heir, Anthony Noghés. The cars first
might initially require suspension of disbelief, but the shortest and
head right and climb towards Casino Square, where they change direction
slowest circuit of the Grand Prix is where the business of racing
and elevation over a crest. The first corner is blind and the exit is off camber.
goes to get serious. As former world champion Nelson Piquet said,
Racing down the hill towards the harbour, the cars run through a tunnel (adding
“a win in Monaco is worth two anywhere else”.
pupillary light reflex to the list of desirable driver attributes) and along the
The same family has ruled less than a square mile of mostly rock along the French Riviera for the last 800 years. As is the case with
harbour wall before reaching Tabac corner. From here it’s all about closing the gap to the barriers before looping back onto the pit straight.
many epic tales, the history of the Grimaldis starts with a pirate.
If you believe one should start as one means to go on, you’ll appreciate the
Nicknamed ‘The Cunning’, Francesco Grimaldi’s sins could make
glamour and mystery surrounding the first winner of the Monaco Grand Prix.
even Charlene Wittstock feel like she had married the perfect
A real life James Bond, William Grover-Williams was recruited by the Special
Travel | 101
Operations Executive to parachute into France during World War II. While many believe he was killed by the Nazis in 1945, there is new evidence that Grover-Williams was rescued by the Red Army and led a long life in America under an assumed name. The Circuit de Monaco offers the master-class moments of the year’s racing calendar. It is almost impossible to overtake, and as
de Paris, where guests choose from more than 550,000 wines stored in the rocks underneath Monte-Carlo Square.
Formula One machines are built for different terrain this is the
Monaco is also home to Jacques Cousteau’s dazzling Musée Océanographique.
race where true driving talent comes to the fore. People who call
It is where you could drop in for coffee and koeksisters with Albert and Charlene,
Monaco a procession were probably not around in 1965 when
or at least visit 15 rooms of the slightly awkward Palais du Prince. The Prince
Graham Hill was forced up an escape road and lost the lead on Lap
of Monaco’s pristine car collection is also on public display, and you have the
25 but fought back through five places to claim the victory... or in
option of taking former winner turned resident David Coulthard’s personal
1970, when Jack Brabham crashed into a wall on the very last corner
recommendations to have lunch at La Saliére and party at Sass Café. It goes
of the race, seconds before what should have been a sure win, or in
without saying that you should put 100 on black at a Monte-Carlo Casino roulette
’82, when even Riccardo Patrese himself was surprised to hear he
table (or was that red?), and if you spot someone flagging, send them directly to
was the victor after he crossed the line. Not forgetting 1984, when
the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, where guests are polished and pampered to
the lead changed six times in the final four laps. Here a driver has
within an inch of their lives – together with half of Hollywood.
to race the barriers, which are only a blink away – concentration,
Bernie Ecclestone, president and CEO of Formula One Management and
grit and looking after rubber are key. Aerodynamics is for people
Formula One Administration has said that Monaco gives Formula One more than
who can’t build engines, and lacklustre engine power rarely comes
Formula One gives it. But even though there is no other place on earth where
into the equation at Monaco.
the glitter of the location sticks to the sport quite like this, the Monaco Grand
It is not only the promise of seeing Formula One drivers
Prix might not be around forever – Ecclestone has made noises about Formula
stripped to their skills that makes Monaco the best spectator
One not needing Monaco because it doesn’t pay enough, and the current deal has
circuit. Here you can get closer to the cars than anywhere else, it
Monaco on the calendar for only nine more years.
is the epitome of unpredictable, the race actually lasts longer than
The next Monaco Grand Prix will be held between 23 and 26 May 2013. Pack
any other, and nowhere else on Earth can you end the day in Alain
your ear defenders and Boateng suit. Book early – big dogs around the world
Ducasse’s three-Michelin-starred Le Louis XV restaurant in Hotel
dream of catching this cat!
aviator
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The Cowshed because the first chapter should be poetry
United Charter would like to make a special mention and a huge thank you to BigCityLife who has designed and painstakingly compiled the exceptional product you find before you and for all the work that they have put into our marketing efforts, ensuring our company image is maintained to the highest standard in you,
www.thecowshed.co.za our clients eyes. www.facebook.com/cowshedvenue Diana Fallone: c: +27 (72) 243 2429 e: thecowshed@vodamail.co.za Ann Wilson: c: +27 (82) 453 5998 e: ann@thecowshed.co.za Photo: welovepictures http://welovepictures.blogspot.com
Travel | 107
Travel | 109
1864
Travel | 111
monte carlo
I
n the circles where French hotels are de rigueur, this French hotel manages to steal the show with a seriously
impressive address along Monte Carlo’s Place du Casino. The Hôtel de Paris was built in 1864 to offer the very best that earth had to offer… and it carries that philosophy to this day.
T
he splendid lobby is separated from the Place du Casino only by one flight of steps. Awe-inspiring
tradition is acknowledged by the artistry of relief sculptures, the gravity of marble colonnades and the sparkle of sunlight reflected from crystal chandeliers. Within these hallowed spaces the art of hospitality is not something that is practised… but rather something that is perfected.
E
njoy a front-row seat to the extravaganza that is the charming principality of Monaco. Monte
Carlo was named for Charles III of Monaco… a legacy which is perfectly apt as the prince was responsible for the casino concession that eventually put the principality on the map. The elite Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo can also trace its beginnings to Charles II, as it was opened as part of his development plan for the city by the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) in 1864. Almost 200 years later the hotel is still owned and operated by SBM.
A
self-proclaimed
temple
of
gastronomy, the Hôtel de Paris not only boasts a Michelin star
Le Grill restaurant but also the threeMichelin-starred
Le
Louis
XV-Alain
Ducasse restaurant. Côté Jardin, Le Bar Américain and La Salle Empire complete the suite of restaurants offering exquisite cuisine and rare wines. Deconstruct your day in a leather armchair at Le Bar Américain where the understated lighting, the carefully-framed oceanic views, and Doctor Gab’s piano, double bass and drums set the scene for very fashionable relaxation.
Travel | 113
Travel | 115
1863
I
monte carlo
n 1863 a Sovereign Decree was passed by Prince Charles II, and the SBM resort was born. Playing an extraordinary part in the
adventure that is Monte Carlo, the SBM has also played a fundamental role in the development of the whole principality. Prince Charles’s son, Prince Florestan I had even bigger ambitions for the town in the form of a casino surrounded by fine hotels that would be considered exceptional around the world for their luxury, comfort and location. Among these, the Hôtel de Paris would stand out as the finest. Its original owners François and Marie Blanc enlisted the services of the most talented designers to ensure the very best amenities. In 1866, within two years of its opening, the hotel’s first extension was designed by the architect Godinot de la Bretonnerie, who ensured that guests in the brand new dining room were dazzled by the lighting produced by Monaco’s new gas facility. Following her husband’s death in 1877, Marie Blanc decided to carry on his work and build the new wine cellars.
Travel | 117
1869 monte carlo
B
y 1869 Monte Carlo was hosting 170,000 tourists. The Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII,
Alexandre Dumas, Jacques Offenbach, Baron Haussmann and Prince Napoleon were among visitors enchanted by the marvellous climate. The principality of Monaco was suddenly the most fashionable winter meeting place for international high society – and the Hôtel de Paris was the place to stay.
T
he popularity of Monte Carlo grew
throughout
the
20th
century. The threats of war and
economic crises could all be forgotten in balmy, beautiful Monaco and the shining jewel in its crown, the Hôtel de Paris. Illustrious guests included Lloyd George, Sir Winston Churchill, The Aga Khan, the Comtesse de La Rochefoucauld, and the Duke of Edinburgh, to name but a few. And of course the movie stars also came here to relax and unwind or even to get married. Errol Flynn chose the Hôtel de Paris for his wedding in 1954, with guests including Rita Hayworth, Michèle Morgan and Cary Grant.
T
oday the very word Monaco immediately conjures beautiful imagery, glorious panoramic vistas
and extravagant architecture. Among this splendour, the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo takes centre stage.
Travel | 119
wine monte carlo
A
not very well kept Monegasque secret, the 550,000 bottles of wine that lie within the rock walls under
the streets of Monte Carlo are the stuff of legend.
T
hese wine cellars easily take pride of place amongst the finest in the world and offer the perfect conditions of
stillness and cool temperatures to keep bottles from ch芒teaux and estates both French and foreign. The philosophy embraces age-old expertise and fiercely protects the legacy and heritage of earlier generations. A head cellarman and a team of ten keep constant guard over the wines that lie within the cave until the day when they are ordered by guests of the H么tel de Paris and travel to the surface to be presented by a sommelier.
T
his wine cellar occupies 1,500 square metres, with a kilometre of wine racks with bottles arranged according
to year. Cellarmen, chefs and sommeliers create wine lists featuring the wines that are reaching their peak in the cellar. The menu itself is designed to complement the very best wines that this unusual cellar has to offer. The H么tel de Paris Monte Carlo wine cellar also offers a rare and exclusive setting for special events ranging from romantic celebrations to special wine-tasting sessions.
eorge
made me do it. sanja cloete-jones makes an argument for lake como
George of the Clooney clan funds satellites over Sudan, he once chartered a jet to fly around the United States and pick up friends so they could attend a funeral together, and he admits to rubbing bacon on his shoes to impress stray dogs. Some girls just can’t get past the double alumni of the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ list’s looks, and it could be argued that an obsession with an airbrushed mind is equally shallow, but the man intrigues me. So when he says that Lake Como is where one gets to live the life you’re supposed to have, I’m taking notes… and then – in a fit of angst about the lack of anything like a scientific approach – I go and see for myself.
TRAVEL | 121
A
speedboat races along the deep blue
to a dazzling pool – that just happens to float on the lake.
of the glacier lake, kicking white foam
But we are not heading that way yet… our destination is
into a balmy Mediterranean sky. If
the grand villa, artfully poised within formal gardens.
it all seems vaguely familiar you can
Villa Roccabruna was built in the 18th century and in
blame the lack of sublime surprise on
the early 19th century Giuditta Pasta, the famous opera
Hollywood. Lake Como features as the planet Naboo
singer and muse of Vincenzo Bellini, bought the house.
in Star Wars, in Ocean’s Twelve the villain Francois
In true diva fashion she completely restored it, styled
Toulour lives at a Lake Como estate, and 007 has been
the interior to resemble La Scala and then threw open
a frequent visitor.
the doors to a never-ending party of famous artists,
The driver cuts the power and guides the boat over a
singers and composers.
gentle swell next to imposing gates, where passengers
It was this house that inspired Bellini to compose the
disembark for a short walk through secluded grounds.
very highlights of Italian opera’s ‘Bel Canto’ era. The
The natural garden has little brooks, white pebbled
title role in Norma demands a technical virtuosity that
paths and a 19th century historical dock. Every view is
makes it one of the most difficult in the entire soprano
perfectly framed by pine trees and one path leads away
repertoire and Giuditta delivered not only range,
TRAVEL | 123
“…the intensity of tangible drama that enshrouds the location has not suffered any dilution.”
flexibility and dynamics but an emotional tour de
closets with gold paint capture the rarefied grandeur
force that drew on the conflict between her personal,
of another era.
public and romantic lives, maternal love, friendship,
The buildings might be resplendent with history
jealousy, murderous intent and resignation. A
and beauty, but it is the spa that ultimately steals the
century later the building has taken on a new role.
show. Ritual ‘Lomi Juma’ massage combines with
But the intensity of tangible drama that enshrouds
yoga, pilates and martial arts to reboot your energy
the location has not suffered any dilution.
channels in a subterranean reserve with treatment
Today the grounds carry the name of an aria from
rooms carved from the rock. The four elements of fire,
the Bellini opera and functions as CastaDiva Resort
earth, air and water fill an eco-friendly 1,300m2 with
and Spa, the only luxury five-star hotel on Lake Como
everything you need to unlock your inner peace and
that is open all year round.
experience an intensely sensual journey.
Featuring an eclectic and Renaissance style,
Too much of a good thing is wonderful – and the
CastaDiva rooms, suites and two exclusive villas
food at CastaDiva does not disappoint. Chef Paolo
are all decked in precious materials and beautiful
Casagrande has won a Michelin star under the
wooden furniture. Heavy silk curtains and mirrored
guidance of the Spanish chef Martin Berasategui,
Order your treatments by element:
Earth Water
A symbol of devotion and purity, Water is used to clean, relax and purify as you swim through features designed to resemble an old steamboat, or relax on the glass floor that is suspended over the 19th century dock. There is also an indoor pool, a jacuzzi, a Finnish sauna, a Mediterranean bath, a Turkish bath, a Vertical Kneipp (a system developed by a 19 th
century Bavarian priest), a salt therapy area, an ice fountain and drench showers. Water has always been the element of wellbeing par excellence. Let the positive energy of the thalasso bath dissipate stress while you inhale eucalyptus and mint fragrances, drink purifying herb teas and finally move on to a heated water bed. Treatments include wellbeing, detoxification, firming, anti-stress and an experience that promises to work towards perfecting your silhouette.
Mother Earth is associated with the physical and sensual aspects of life. Green and brown connects guests with a nurturing energy that is stable, firm and filled with endurance and strength. The grotto dedicated to Earth invites purification of body and soul through the steam bath and the Roman bath, with tropical showers and cold mists which involve all the senses. Here you will listen to sweet melodies while you are pampered
Air
with fragrant oils and the ‘chromo therapy’ of soft colours.
Clear, pure blue imbues the space with an intensely positive atmosphere. A heavenly space. This suite evokes and celebrates the lightness of the natural element Air. Healing herbs and essential oils dissolved in a cloud of steam create a pleasant hammam environment, where the skin can
Fire
regenerate, and stress and impurities are released.
Purifying, masculine energy is represented by candles, incense, volcanoes and lava. A burning brazier heartily welcomes guests to a luxurious suite, where the heat, strength and power of Fire are combined with the enlivening effects of water. Take what you need from the energy of dry heat as your body slowly and deeply releases moisture, before drenching yourself in a shower that includes colour and music therapy as well as alternating hot and cold mists.
TRAVEL | 125
and L’Orangerie’s menu is a showcase for seasonal
established but it may very well be right here” said Herb
ingredients and typical Italian cuisine – often served with
Caen, while the JFK verdict was simply, “I don’t think I’ve
an innovative twist.
ever seen such a beautiful lake.”
As exquisite as the historic villa is, there is no doubt
In 1826 a steamship with sails was launched on Lake
in my mind that the real magic of this location happens
Como and today various ferry services link all the small
courtesy of Italy’s third largest lake.
towns and villages around its perimeter. Como, Milan
Lake Como was born from a glacier – it is one of the
and Lugano are close enough for a day trip, while in
deepest European lakes and the weather is Mediterranean
winter the slopes (and the shops) of St Moritz are only a
and typically mild. Private docks guarantee privacy,
sea-plane hop away. Between October and June, guests
and the Amphitheatre on the water adds an element
at the CastaDiva take a romantic boat trip to Como for
of sophisticated charm to shows and events. George
special operatic events.
Clooney’s Villa Oleandra lies on the opposite shore a little
The lake also offers absolutely perfect windsurfing,
to the south of CastaDiva. He is only the latest in a long
kite surfing, diving and canoeing conditions, there are no
and very distinguished list of famous admirers of the lake,
fewer than seven golf courses nearby, and Milan Malpensa
which has been a tourist destination since Roman times
airport is only 55km from CastaDiva.
and is renowned for attracting musicians, singers, writers, poets and artists.
In spite of the fact that artistic talent is meticulously compartmentalised in our society – and one girl’s realism
Roman senator Pliny the Younger built the Comedia
might very well be another man’s rock star nihilism – it
and Tragedia resorts at Lake Como, starting a real estate
is generally agreed that Italy represents the history of
rush that shows no signs of abating. Virgil simply referred
Western art in all its forms. As Samuel Johnson said, “A
to it as the “greatest lake”. Shelley proclaimed the lake to
man who has not been in Italy is always conscious of an
“exceed anything I ever beheld in beauty” in 1818. He
inferiority.”
recalls that the olive, orange and lemon trees have more fruit than leaves and that “The union of culture and the untameable profusion and loveliness of nature is here so close, that the line where they are divided can hardly be discovered.” Mark Twain could not resist a lengthy discussion of Lake Como in The Innocents Abroad, Victor Frankenstein marries Elizabeth here in the Mary Shelley novel and Ernest Hemingway’s Lieutenant Henry
At Lake Como, one finds it difficult not to feel decidedly superior. In the words of Gorgeous George:
“At Lake Como, you live your life the way you’re supposed to live your life if you’re lucky. The two-hour lunch. The glass of wine. Everybody sitting around and talking. Dinner starts at nine and it ends at midnight or one.”
talks about a vacation to the lake in A Farewell to Arms.
It’s true.
“The precise location of heaven on earth has never been
I’ve checked.
Travel | 127
T
here is another Europe out there. Beyond the edge of the travel envelope lie the forgotten names, in corners of the map that once simply said ‘Beyond this place, there be dragons’. According to Kurt Vonnegut, unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from the gods – so if you fancy a boogie… read on!
FLETCHER CHRISTIAN
& PITCAIRN ISLAND
V
NAPOLEON
& ST HELENA
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St Augustine ery few people ever get to read the chapter that
“A little world, within itself, which excites our curiosity.” Charles Darwin
lies 4km2, bang in the middle of the South Pacific. The title says Pitcairn, and at more than 500km
from the nearest small airport and almost 5,000km from the nearest major landmass it is the most remote inhabited place on Earth. Bounty Mutineer Fletcher Christian thought it was the perfect haven when he found himself on the run from the British Empire and in need of a little sun, sea,
S
o remote it was considered suitable for the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, St Helena also played a part in the work of Edmund Halley and Charles Darwin.
An extraordinary place, born of volcanoes seven million
peace and easy lovin’. Centuries later, the island remains
years ago, the island offers rugged coasts, inviting waters
unspoilt and still ticks the untapped adventure box. Even the
and rolling hills.
current inhabitants have left large tracks of land completely unexplored for decades.
There are almost as many vehicles as there are Saints (inhabitants) on St Helena, but as with almost all of the island’s
So if you think you could do with a little Fletcher Christian
bleak attempts at joining the 21st century, these are best
therapy, fly from Tahiti to the Gambiers, the Cook Islands or
ignored. To conquer this particular piece of volcanic rock,
Mangareva from where a chartered vessel is the only way to
you need to get moving. Jacob’s Ladder has 699 steps that
Pitcairn. Prepare for four-metre swells and gale force winds
head straight up out of Jamestown. The historic High Knoll
as ‘depending on the weather’ is not merely a natty turn of
Fort has commanding views, but Diana’s Peak at 823 metres
nautical phrase in the South Pacific.
above sea level gives the best 360o panorama of this exotic
Most Pitcairners can trace their line of descent right back
paradise. This hill is now a protected national park, covered
to the Bounty crew. They welcome visitors and will even
in tree-fern thicket that harbours the island’s endemic animal
launch their longboats to escort weary travellers on the
species. St Helena also boasts a picture-perfect, heart-shaped
final leg of the journey – a treacherous maze of sharp rocks
cliff face, complete with a cascading waterfall that can be
born from volcanic activity, with suitably ugly names like
reached on foot. In spite of the fact that St Helena makes full
Goathouse Peak and Down Rope. Tall rocks rise from an
use of its abundant tropical fauna and flora and the excellent
island flanked by sea cliffs and lush jungles. At the top of the
underwater visibility with a variety of underwater trails, it
Hill of Difficulty, on a plateau above Bounty Bay, lie the white
is virtually unknown as a diving destination. Visiting divers
facades of Adamstown.
are practically guaranteed exclusive access to the creatures,
Guests can stay in the recently converted prison hotel or
caves and shipwrecks surrounding the area.
eat breadfruit fries and pure Pitcairn honey lodging in a
At Longwood House, guests find the world’s foremost
Pitcairner’s home. The final resting place of the famous HMS
Napoleonic museum. The Emperor himself chose Sane
Bounty makes for interesting diving and at St Paul’s Pool, Big
Valley for his burial and his tomb remains… even though his
Blue enthusiasts can explore a six-metre-deep electric cobalt
body has been returned to Les Invalides in Paris. St James is
lagoon. Three neighbouring volcanic atolls offer a stunning
the oldest Anglican Church in the southern hemisphere and
variety of animal and bird life as well as sandy beaches and
doubles as an exhibition hall with many plaques and tablets
heavenly scenery.
telling the tales of this historic island.
As is true of most of Earth’s last remaining paradise islands,
St Helena is currently fiscally stuck in a British colonialist
this one might not hold on to its status for much longer. The
nightmare, and since 2002 an international airport has
residents are anxious to boost income and are rooting for
looked like the only profitable way forward. When – or is
a semi-regular ferry service from Mangareva… which will
that if? – that happens, Napoleon’s St Helena might very well
inevitably change the experience.
become buried beneath the tourists.
Travel | 129
Visiting divers are practically guaranteed exclusive access to the creatures, caves and shipwrecks
STEVE McQUEEN
& FRENCH GUIANA “When a horse learns to buy martinis, I’ll learn to like horses.” Steve McQueen
…and when the capital goes by Cayenne and the cuisine is Creole, one can be forgiven for expecting the destination to deliver a little spice. A French department nestled between the Caribbean and the Amazon, French Guiana has fabulous architecture and one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world, including sumptuous rainforests and beaches. The Amana Nature Reserve is home to flamingos, jaguars and monkeys, and is an exceptional marine turtle nesting site. McQueen put French Guiana on the map for his portrayal of Henri Charrière’s escape from the infamous Devil’s Island penal colony in the movie Papillon, and it’s impossible not to find yourself immersed in the extraordinary history of this bohemian outpost. Evocative names for mythical locations arouse an almost visceral response. But it isn’t all about the past. Occasionally the macaws and toucans share airspace with ships destined for space as they are launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG for short). Back on earth, a dugout canoe is the perfect vehicle for exploring majestic rivers and the towns of Kourou, Iracabo (with its church painted entirely by the hand of Huguet), Counaman and the lower Sinnamary. A catamaran will take you 15km from Kourou over sharkinfested water to the Îles du Salut (Salvation Islands). Île Royale has restored prison buildings, on Île St Joseph you can visit the eerie solitary confinement cells, while the dangerous currents surrounding the famous Île du Diable or Devil’s Island – once reserved for the most dangerous convicts – renders it practically unreachable. Animals
*
‘Pushing the edge of the envelope’ is a term denoting an approach that exceeds or even extends the limits of what is considered possible or permissible in any context. The outer
have thrived and Île Royale is home to macaws, agoutis,
boundaries of Europe are not easy to get to and have not
sea turtles and capuchins to name but a few. The island also
been groomed for ease of mass consumption, but they offer
has a fabulous white sand beach… and a monstrous infrared
something the more usual travel portals can’t – that positive
camera that tracks every eastward space launch.
rubber hammer tap to the adventure bone reflex.
Pitcairn
Pitcairn
Pitcairn
Travel | 131
St Helena
French Guiana
Pitcairn
St Helena
French Guiana
“The church and the whorehouse arrived in the Far West at the same time” John Steinbeck wrote in East of Eden, and they were united in their intention “to take man out of his bleakness for a time”. Distil any great tale and you will end up with the story of an escape.
Santorini,Oia & Sutsukaki
S. O. S.
Travel | 133
T
he collective human consciousness craves it, and as individuals shackled to reality, we pursue it every day. From the bread you
eat to your trademark trainers – what you buy is ultimately calculated to deliver you from drudgery. Everything, that is, except the one activity invented specifically for that purpose. All things travel have become downright serious and philosophical. Forget ‘when in Rome’ – the 21st century travel destination is submitted to a series of exacting cerebral exercises and moral tests. The destination has to be eco-friendly – it goes without saying that you offset the carbon emissions from the journey – you should donate time, money and/ or energy to worthy causes and you must return with a suitably altered soul. Now, social responsibility is necessary and admirable, of course – but surely one will have more energy to devote to world peace when one indulges in the odd bit of pure diversion? The kind of get-away where brilliant light reflects a clear blue and white palette and DH Lawrence’s ‘Cool un-lying life’ can flood in once again. The weary modern traveller’s deliverance lies in a piece of rock. The lonely relic from the moment in time when a volcanic cone blew its top into the Aegean Sea…
Travel | 135
Santorini It really is the ultimate escape.
silently represent a world that
Depending on which geological
So
lovely,
is as familiar as myth. Ancient
layer of solidified lava is exposed,
you find yourself peculiarly
Akrotiri is one of the most
the sand is white, red or black.
unconcerned about the fact that
impressive, publicly-accessible
Officially a desert, Santorini
it literally stands at the epicentre
archaeological sites in the world
certainly delivers the heat and
of the catastrophic eruption that
– so well preserved by its tomb
the darker the sand, the more
annihilated Minoan civilisation
of volcanic ash that the large
effective the heat retention…
3,600 years ago. In fact, guests
earthenware jugs still contain
black volcanic sand is literally
enthusiastically queue to visit
traces of fish, olive oil and onions!
blistering and you are advised to
exhibits
the
Suspend your disbelief when you
pack your Ed Hardy ‘Surf or Die’
island’s volcanic temperament
enter the triangular plaza with its
flip flops!
– and clues to the distant past
multi-story houses and you travel
can be found throughout the
3,000 years through time.
heartbreakingly
that
advertise
Santorini
is
known
as
the stealth wealth capital of
island. In Fira, the Historical and
The inner coast features a
the Cyclades and the most
Cultural Archaeological Museum
sheer precipice as the caldera
extravagant tastes are catered
gives travellers a very real peek
shoots up from the sea, reaching
for. Great hotels for framing
down the halls of history. Stark
heights of 300 metres where the
the caldera, the black cliff rim
geometric black vases from the
major towns and hotels perch
of the old volcano and the sun
5 century BC, Minoan artefacts,
spectacularly on the crest. The
setting over the sea behind it
Hellenistic period frescoes and
outer rim slopes gently down to
are Zannos Melathron in Pyrgos
sculptures,
works
the water’s edge and here guests
and Anastasis Apartments in
of art and prehistoric remains
may pick their beach… by colour.
Imerovigli.
th
Byzantine
Oia Who doesn’t love a happy ending? George Lucas says it
Plato’s moral tale was almost certainly based, if not on
adds ten million dollars to the box office and Santorini really
reality, then on the story of what happened to Santorini a
knows how to stage the final act.
millennium before the philosopher’s birth. One does not
The Santorini Sunset features prominently on every self
need to know that this is the exact spot where an actual
respecting ‘best sunsets on earth’ list. Not happy with the
version of the famous city once stood. The literal truth of the
usual colour suspects, these super twilight whoppers paint
matter is of no particular concern – you are under relaxation
the sky in every hue from purple-black through apricot
orders remember. Far-fetched fantasies will do just fine.
and silver. Oia claims the best seats in the Santorini Sunset
If nothing relaxes you like messing with your personal
theatre, but if you want to avoid the body crush then you
boundaries you could consider a Swimtrek holiday in
need to find a spot upon a yacht.
Greece and swim around the Cyclades – the risk of chafing,
Go one step further, have a Lara Croft moment and allow
hypothermia, jellyfish stings, cramps and well… drowning
yourself to glimpse the legend of Atlantis dancing in the
are nothing compared to the satisfaction of visiting parts of
dying rays of the sun.
the islands no one else will see.
Travel | 137
Sutsukaki The Art Space near Exogonia is the perfect monochromatic counterpoint to brilliant blue. Two cool wine cellars, a rake distillery and a large underground pumice rock cave that exhibits representative contemporary art lead, by underground tunnel, to the modern winery. The European winemaking trade began in Greece 6,500 years ago and the volcanic earth of Santorini imparts a mineral depth and complexity to the celebrated, contemporary, local wines. The island boasts considerable viticultural pride. If the Vinsanto is a little too sweet for your taste you might like to indulge in the strong, citrus scent and mineral and iodide salt from the volcanic soil that is to be found in the very dry white wines produced here. The matchless ecology, climate and soil also produce the renowned Santorini cherry tomatoes. Intensely red, very sweet and uniquely flavoured they are like no other on earth. You will find them in your salad of course but you should also order battered tomato slices (sutsukaki) and deep-fried tomato balls (keftades). You can expect plenty of fresh seafood, meat dishes (often flavoured with garlic and thyme), char-grilled kebabs and the genuine Greek salad. Cafés stay open late until the trendier bars and clubs take over. And tomorrow you can do it all again… maybe also take a donkey for a ride. A visit to Santorini might not elevate you to the heights of environmental/humanitarian/philosophical glory… but occasionally that is a small price to pay for magical transcendence of circumstance.
Santorini or Thera Named for Saint Irene during the Latin Empire of the 13th century, it was previously known as Kalliste ‘most beautiful one’, Strongyle ‘the circular one’ or Thera. In the 19th century Thera was picked as the official name, but the colloquial Santorini remains popular.
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hou shalt not’ is soon forgotten, but ‘Once upon a time’ lasts forever” Philip Pullman
No-one fast-forwards past the TV show to get to the commercial break. No-one has spiritual moments reading corporate jargon. No-one starts Spin Clubs to discuss the deeper meanings of press releases. No-one’s ever cried at an infomercial. Stories are what make the world go round. Humans forge personal connections through satisfying narrative. Our brains are wired to tell tales and learn from them. In a highly commoditised, information-bloated society, a memorable story is more relevant than ever. The strength of a business lies not in the size of its corporate headquarters or the size of its profit margins. It lies in the story it tells its customers. The most successful companies understand that ‘brand’ is just another word for ‘story’. BigCityStudio loves stories. We specialise in gathering dry data and, through design, weaving it into a tapestry that resonates with people. We believe stories are transformational and can turn the smallest company into the leader of its field as easily as a frog becomes a prince. We know this because we do it every day. Every business has a story to tell. Let us find your ‘once upon a time’ and help you move towards ‘happily ever after’ one page at a time.
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FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 191
ultimately touch me, who am here; the duration of the transmission is insignificant; the photograph of the missing being, as Sontag says, will touch me like the delayed rays of a star.” Roland Barthes
V
iew from the window at Le Gras is the title of the earliest surviving permanent photographic image. It was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826. Close to two centuries later, the humble photograph (from the Greek for light and write) has a complex beast of a relationship with the world at large. Tim Flach is an artist
caught mid-evolution as he migrates from commercial work to a curated public space.
P
“The photograph is literally an emanation of the referent. From a real body, which was there, proceed radiations which
assion
FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 193
almost impossible to ignore the personal journey of the artist and how it affects our perception of their works of art. Right now however, the British fine art
photographer Tim Flach (rhymes with Bach) remains something of an enigma. We do know he loves coffee (he lists his coffee paraphernalia above
his
Hasselblad
and
Broncolor
in
importance), and in spite of suffering from dyslexia and being ‘visually wired’ (his words) his interest in ideas and concepts, research and philosophical thought is a framework that he clearly and easily communicates. But in the absence of a real sense of the photographer behind the image, both the relevancy of the subject matter and the image achieve a pleasing autonomy of a kind. The context becomes a part of the background, and the unique journey that is the private history of every viewer defines what each individual takes from the image. Every distinctive period in art has given birth to a strong anti-movement. For photography, this has ultimately resulted in the democratisation of photographic media to the point where the craft of taking an image is an everyday thing. For the artist however, every image is a construction – a search for a moment of truth that carries much greater poignancy, an extra element that sets it apart from the mundane. Tim enhances this highly-organised experience further through cropping, framing, lightening and darkening different areas with Photoshop (concepts such as Content-Aware Fill and Puppet Warp are all happily used here), leading the eye through the image in a dance that is entirely orchestrated. He considers shock pointless and instead subtly mines the potential that allows photography to penetrate through layers of ambiguity and interpretation. Tim Flach celebrates his ability to lead people to find what is interesting and surprising in every image by shifting what is essentially familiar through the discipline of crafting rather than compositing. What sets the image in a photo apart from other forms of art is the fact that what you see did in fact once exist in front of the lens. In his latest work, More than Human, Tim brings animals into a human space with pretty pictures that ask the seven billion people on earth to consider how we are spoiling our nest and the consequences of our actions –obliquely and audaciously. The subject is often carefully de-familiarised in order for people to see the world anew. Fresh insight allows us to engage and, at that moment, Tim Flach has what he wants. We find ourselves addressing the prominent questions of today and stretching the envelope of definition for the craft of photography.
C
I
n the age of the fortunately-famous it is
URIOSITY
FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 195
us to the door that opens to debate
and
understanding.
More than Human demands that the viewer questions his or
her position on the existence of the animal soul, and redefines how much we think animals can understand. The success of our species might not be about the animal as much as it is about how we prescribe meaning to the animal. The centralised position of humans assuredly influences how we make our choices. Logistics are more complicated with animals, and the animal photographer has much in common with a fisherman. As Picasso said, “I don’t search, I find!” Tim admits to a lack of presumption; he approaches his subjects with a strategy and then allows things to reveal themselves within the perceptual bubble, and goes with the flow. There is a fine interplay between the universal sense and the distinctive personal sense – whilst some questions come from the collective consciousness there are many small details in this work that will speak to an individual and flood them with an idiosyncratic echo or a unique set of questions that bounce between the human and animal interfaces. Tim stays neutral and does not communicate a message from the moral high ground. Instead he makes a striking picture that finely reminds the viewer that there is no divorce from the effect we have on the planet. The observer is present from the outset. Before the image is taken decisions have already been made regarding how meaning will be achieved through communication. In this instance it is quite useful that we are all so addicted to virtual reality for the judgements we make on important matters such as genetic engineering, conservation and the management of our fellow dwellers on Planet Earth. Having drawn his inspiration from painters such as Picasso and Cezanne, as an image-maker Tim acknowledges the definition of the concept of an image as it is explored through the philosophy of Roland Barthes and Nicolas Bourriaud. Tim Flach is in the delicate business of making humans ask themselves the questions that carry weight. His approach to the work of photography is through inquiry and journey, and his advice to photographers reads like a blueprint for life. He counsels you to find space to play within what you do, not to blindly respond when projects arrive but to invest in and thrust yourself into unfamiliar terrain once in a while. Find yourself in the deep end of that territory through More than Human published during the autumn of 2012.
W
A
s a photographer Tim beckons
onder
FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENt | 199
P
assion
FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 201
COUTURE TRAVEL Air Travel is the greatest cultural force in the history of the world according to Bill Gates (After the Written Word and before the World Wide Web).
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technology | 235
A LITTLE TECHNOLOGICAL FORTUNE TELLING...
A cco r d i n g
to
Chinese astrologers, the Year of the Dragon was always going to be marked by prosperity. And considering how often we all read the words ‘Made in China’, most people will happily acknowledge the strength of the symbolic dragon. However, when it comes to predicting trends in technology, seekers should consider a different zodiac animal altogether.
LET’S START WITH A TALE A long, long time ago in ancient China, the Jade Emperor decided to hold a race to determine which animals would represent the 12 years of the zodiac cycle. It was expected that the strong ox or the swift dragon would win the race with ease. However, the wily rat prevailed. He convinced the ox to carry him across the river, leaping off its back to claim victory as they arrived at the finish line. The implications of the rat’s victory are clear. Relying on one’s natural strengths is not enough. Leading the pack requires an acute awareness of one’s environment and the ability to conceive an intelligent, unconventional strategy around it. Apple epitomises this concept. Steve Jobs’s visionary leadership transformed a once failing company into a groundbreaker. Jobs was the ultimate rat, and more than a year after his death Apple finds itself in the position as the market leader that must avoid complacency… as rats in other companies scurry out from their hiding places with their own innovations. Here’s what you need to know to ‘think rat’ in 2013.
technology | 237
B U SINESS On the app store front we are keeping an eye on the balance between enterprise application stores and private application stores that limit themselves to specific devices and types of apps. IT departments will
HOLD THE PHONE
In 2013 mobile phones are poised to overtake the PC as the most common web access point worldwide. The mobile architectures will eventually need to move from native apps
have to play multiple roles and coordinate IT-related activities. At the same time, organisations are moving from traditional approaches to ‘big data’ towards multiple systems that include content management, data warehousing, data marts and specialised file systems. Logical enterprise data warehousing is the future.
to web apps, even though the native apps will always offer the best user experience. Touch-optimised mobile applications that operate and coordinate across a range of devices will prove the most resistant.
S A GETS S MA RT In South Africa, more people have access to cellphones than clean water. Of the ten million phones sold in 2013 six million will be smart – resulting in half the total
THE INTERNET OF THINGS
The internet has started to expand to physical items and assets – now smartphones use not only the cellular network but also an expanding range of devices and peripherals including wristwatches, smart posters and home entertainment. At the same time, cellular technology can now be found in devices ranging from pharmaceutical containers to automobiles.
cellphone owners in South Africa running smartphones. Consequently, marketers and corporate entities are expected to take greater advantage of social media platforms and mobile apps. Cellular operators are planning to roll out high-speed 4G technology across their networks so data transfers will be faster than ever before.
THE S K INN Y ON U LTR A B OO K S
The laptop market’s response to the ubiquity of mobile computing was the introduction of ultrabooks – high-end, super thin, lightweight notebooks which make regular laptops look as outmoded as the blocky cellphones of yesteryear. Full hybrids, these sleek, lean beauties don’t skimp on performance – and intend to offer the holy computer trinity of heavyweight power, portability and power efficiency. Whilst 2012 sales failed to meet predictions this might all change in 2013 with the successful release of Windows 8.
A NDROID v s I P A D
Apple’s share of the tablet market dropped from 69% in the
P ERSON A L CLOUDS
second quarter to an estimated 55% in the third quarter of
Individuals are moving their personal
the new Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 are
content from the deskbound PC to their
strong, and while it is still too early to understand the full
unique, personal cloud – shifting service
impact of the iPad mini it certainly seems to be outselling its
from device to cloud-based delivery.
bigger brother, the iPad 4.
WINDOWS FIGHTS BACK
2012 while Android rose to 44%. Many market experts now predict that Android will eclipse iPad within 2013. Sales of
The legend of the zodiac race resonates with current tech trends. Like the rat, companies are harnessing the power of
Windows 8 has been an unmitigated sales success with 40 million
mobility. Traditional desktops have always relied on their
licences sold within the first month of its release. Optimised for touch
ox-like power, but social, mobile, cloud and information
screens and tablets, early reviews are positive. Microsoft is dependent
technology form a nexus of converging forces that creating
on hardware manufacturers coming up with a large number of perfect
new leaders. It is clear that mobility will continue to be a
products that will stretch the platform – and if that happens, Windows
key driver behind innovation in 2013. The race is on – and
8 will finally unshackle Microsoft software from the desk and take it out
everyone will be chasing the chance to have everything,
onto the streets.
everywhere. Mobile computing is the beast to beat.