Fairmont Magazine - spring-summer 2010 by Spafax

STATE OF THE ART Abu Dhabi: cultural capital on the rise TEA STORY Visiting Kenya’s lush plantations SWING TIME Celebrating golf’s true nature ADVENTURE LAND Beyond the beach on the Riviera Maya

Fairmont Magazine , Yours to enjoy SPRING–SUMMER 2010

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Choosing Fairmont is just the beginning When you choose Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, you choose a world of premium offerings. We are proud to partner with some of the world’s most respected brands to bring you, our valued guest, these exclusive benefits and exciting offers. All of which lead to a heightened travel experience. To get the most out of your stay, enroll in Fairmont President’s Club. Visit www.fairmont.com/fpc for more information.

Fairmont Fit,* in partnership with adidas, helps you stay active and balanced during your travels — with fitness apparel and equipment delivered directly to your guest room. You’ll also have access to pre-loaded mp3 players and Fairmont Fit Weekends, our elite-athlete led fitness programs, available at select properties.**

* Only available with Fairmont president’s Club membership ** Coming Summer 2010

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ enjoys a global partnership with the legendary moleskine notebooks — a perfect way for our guests to document their inspirations and ideas while staying at a Fairmont Hotel or Resort.

Fairmont guests enjoy select benefits at Saks Fifth Avenue, including personal shopping appointments, last-minute gift delivery and complimentary makeup applications.* From Saks gift cards and exclusive over-the-top packages for Fairmont president’s Club members — the perks are endless.**

* Available at select Saks locations ** Exclusive to U.S. properties

our par tnerships. your pleasure.

Other global partners include:

live your whole life

Access bestselling Emi artists through a variety of outlets: Fairmont Fit’s 500-song mp3 play list during your workouts;* exclusive releases and download discounts at Fairmont’s online music store, www.fairmontmusicstore.com; or our Global music Series, featuring exciting live performances. please visit www.fairmontmusicseries.com * Only available with Fairmont president’s Club membership

Green-minded guests can choose the Lexus Hybrid Living Suites (available at select properties); gourmands can enjoy refined “Taste of Lexus Events,” which highlight Fairmont’s acclaimed chefs and guests can take advantage of Lexus transportation vehicles, available at US hotels.** Exclusive Lexus-owner offers also abound.* * program is exclusive to U.S. properties ** Available at select properties. Some restrictions apply.

Fairmont president’s Club members can streamline their journey — for an even more effortless travel experience. Origins travel amenity kits, available for a nominal fee and delivered directly to guest rooms, allow you to travel with just a carry-on, saving time at the airport.*

* Only available with Fairmont president’s Club membership

As the official tour hotel sponsor for Napa Valley Vintners, we offer exclusive opportunities to guests and Fairmont president’s Club members — among them, your access to high-profile events such as “Taste Napa Valley” at select properties worldwide.

100 FEET TO THEIR RIGHT IS THE SITE OF OTTAWA’S NEW CONVENTION CENTRE A sparkling new convention centre in the heart of downtown, Canada’s most unique off-site venues, cultural, urban and outdoor riches—not to mention an exceptional hotel community and one of the world’s most customer-friendly airports…It’s time for you to take a closer look and to book your next event in Ottawa, Canada’s impressive yet intimate Capital city.

A SPARKLING NEW CONVENTION CENTRE The all-new Ottawa Convention Centre…overlooking a UNESCO World Heritage Site, surrounded by the Capital’s vibrant downtown, and within walking distance of thousands of hotel rooms. If you’ve always wanted to meet in Canada, the new Centre gives you more reasons—and meeting space—than ever to make it so.

UNPARALLELED DELEGATE APPEAL The more attractive your destination, the more delegates you’ll attract. Ottawa is an impressive yet intimate G8 capital, home to famous national landmarks, cultural attractions and celebrations, rich in natural beauty and blessed with a relaxed urban rhythm. Adding unique Ottawa activities for delegate to your agenda is easy.

SUPERIOR CONVENTION HOTELS Ottawa meeting and convention hotels include national and international brands and unique local properties. All are equipped with state-of-the-art meeting rooms, offer an array of guestroom types, and have extensive group hosting experience.

UNIQUE OFF-SITE VENUES No other city in Canada offers more unique settings for special off-site events than Ottawa. Whether a banquet in a forest of towering totem poles, a reception under the wings of vintage aircraft, or a gala dinner in a sparkling glass hall, Ottawa’s national museums provide settings for truly memorable moments.

CONNECTED AND CONVENIENT Ottawa is easy to reach, with an award-winning airport welcoming direct flights from over 30 major Canadian, U.S. and international centres. Once you arrive, it’s easy to get around Ottawa, thanks to the city’s compact, walkable downtown, with thousands of hotel rooms and many major attractions all within easy walking distance.

COMMITTED TO YOUR SUCCESS Ottawa Tourism and the Ottawa hotel and convention community are committed to winning your business and making your Ottawa meeting or convention an unqualified success. From site visits through bid coordination and our MeetingsEasy eRFP tool to attendance and agenda-building assistance, we make it easy to meet here. Find out more by visiting us online. WWW.OTTAWATOURISM.CA/MEETINGSEASY

MEETINGSEASY.CA

1-800-363-4465

WWW.OTTAWATOURISM.CA

photographed by Bob Krieger

WWW.PALZILERI.COM

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COVER: KATARINa premfors. PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: MARK WOODWARD. StyliST: SARAH MAISEY. DRESS: PIERRE CARDIN for paul and joe/boutique 1. HAIR & MAKEUP: CLAIRE RAISON. MODEL: ANITA LALIC. all talent represented by bareface.com. THIS PAGE: Katarina premfors.

SPRING–SUMMER 2010

State of the art Rising from the sands of the Arabian Desert is the next art capital. Introducing – with the help of Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid and the cultural visionaries of Abu Dhabi – the future of art and architecture. By SUSAN HACK | photography by KATARINA PREMFORS

PAGE 52

Fairmont magazine

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SPRING–SUMMER 2010

Features

DEPARTMENTS

38 PACIFIC HEIGHTS

12 CONTRIBUTORS

A search for a higher state of being fuels a wellness road trip down the West Coast.

15 THE LOBBY Water-inspired design makes a splash

By ALEC SCOTT

20 NAME YOU SHOULD KNOW Designer Jessie Randall

Photography by ALEX FARNUM

22 THE LIST Historic hotels with iconic style

18 TEST DRIVE Sampling spirits with local pride

24 THE EQUIPMENT The art of cufflinks 46 HIGH TEA

27 OUR TOWN Follow the leaders in Washington, D.C.

Informed by the unique geography and climate of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, the teas that are grown here are as rich and nuanced as the place they come from.

28 timeline Moleskine’s noteworthy history

By Valerie Howes

36 THE EQUATION World phones by the digits

Photography by DOMINIC NAHR

82 checkout Ocean explorer Enric Sala

30 BACKSTAGE PASS On the road with Kristina Train 32 OPTIMIZE Travel-friendly fashion 34 STREET SCENE Singapore’s Haji Lane

62 BEYOND THE BEACH

On Mexico’s Riviera Maya, a little adventure gives this tropical idyll a lot of local flavor. By DOMINIQUE RITTER

fairmont hotelS & resorts

Photography by REANNA EVOY

10 PRESIDENT’s Letter

74 WELLNESS Fitness for kids

Master golf-course architect and nature lover Stanley Thompson’s green-minded designs inspire a return to the game’s roots.

75 FAIRMONT MOMENT Gold standard service

By CURTIS GILLESPIE

81 THEN & NOW A Caribbean legend turns 125

ILLUSTRATIONS by SONIA ROY

76 ASPIRATIONS The scoop on Fairmont 78 DIRECTORY Worldwide property listing

PHOTO: ALEX FARNUM

73 DESTINATION GUIDE Napa Valley, California 68 SWING BACK IN TIME

FAIRMONT magazine

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Toronto Montreal Vancouver

416 925 3500 514 954 1661 604 682 3088 w w w. e d o x . c h

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President’s Letter

North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study. Results reflect the importance we place on our service culture, and honor the efforts of our highly motivated colleagues. Of course, awards of all sorts are an excellent indication of the overall health of any brand. Recently we have won three awards I’d like to share with you.

■ Santé Restaurant at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma, California, received its first star from the prestigious 2010 Michelin Guide. The dining experiences in all of our properties are second to none, featuring local ingredients, top-notch chefs and a menu to suit all tastes.

■ Readers of Condé Nast Traveler recently cited 25 Fairmont properties as their favorites in the annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

■ And The Plaza in New York City, a Fairmont-managed property, was awarded the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Rating for the first time in its amazing 103-year history. Fairmont Mayakoba in the Riviera Maya, The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle and Fairmont Scottsdale in Arizona also continue to hold AAA Five Diamond Ratings.

Awards are the result of many things. But again, the key is service. You are our guests, and as such, the most important people in the world to all of us. On behalf of everyone at Fairmont, we hope you enjoy your stay. And we thank you for staying with us.

Thomas W. Storey President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

PHOTO: Suzanne Merrett

Our new Apprentice-Trips are the latest way in which we are innovating the Fairmont experience by offering handson learning packages.

Welcome to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. We know that you have a broad range of options when choosing a hotel. That is why “turning moments into memories” for our guests is our guiding mission. We work hard so that your stay with us creates amazing experiences that last long after you’ve checked out of one of our properties – because a hotel that is more than the sum of its many parts is one that earns your continued patronage. We do this by being creative in our offer to our guests and designing experiences built around classic comforts, but in a modern way that today’s luxury travelers appreciate. Our new Apprentice-Trips are the latest way in which we are innovating the Fairmont experience by offering hands-on learning packages in areas as diverse as golf-course management, falconry, the French language, American lawmaking and more. And enhancing each novel experience is the sincere, personalized service and genuine warmth of our over 30,000 colleagues around the world. Our people set us apart and make all the difference. Supporting our resolute commitment and our promise to our guests, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts was ranked third out of 60 brands in overall guest satisfaction in the recent J. D. Power and Associates

FAIRMONT magazine

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landrover.ca/

www.landrover.ca

IT MAKES 500 DECISIONS PER SECOND YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE ONE

Introducing Adaptive Dynamics. It’s the unique intelligence system in the new 2010 Supercharged Range Rover Sport. It measures every detail of the road 500 times per second for a more assured drive, no matter what the terrain. This combined with its powerful new 510 horsepower engine and redesigned luxurious interior leave you with only one decision, that’s when to book a test drive?

THE NEW 2010 RANGE ROVER SPORT POWERED BY INTELLIGENCE

Drive responsibly on and off road.

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LIVE:

DOCKET # LRC VAR A 97553 10 NUV

8.8175 in x 9.75 in

VERSION # FAI

TRIM:

9.75 in x 11.25 in

CLIENT: LandRover

BLEED:

10 in x 11.5 in

JOB DESC.: Q4 Magazine FILE NAME: 97553_FAI_R0_Decisions_9.75x11.25.indd START DATE: 01/25/10 MOD. DATE: 3-3-2010 10:44 AM MEDIA TYPE: Fairmont Mag INSERTION DATE: May REVISION NUMBER: 1

FAI 97553

TO PRE-PRESS:

COLOURS: 4 colour Cyan MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

PRODUCTION: Kari Macknight Dearborn CREATIVE: None ACCOUNT EXEC: Sasho Bitove STUDIO: Scannapiego, Lino PREV. USER: Heon, Brenda

TO PUB:

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FONT DISCLAIMER: The fonts and related font software included with the attached electronic mechanical are owned (“Y&R Proprietary Fonts”) and/or licensed (“Y&R Licensed Fonts”) by The Young & Rubicam Group of Companies ULC. They are provided to you as part of our job order for your services, and are to be used only for the execution and the completion of this job order. You are authorized to use the Y&R Proprietary Fonts in the execution of the job order provided that any and all copies of the Y&R Proprietary Fonts shall be deleted from your systems and destroyed upon completion of this job order. You warrant and represent that you have secured the necessary licenses for the use of Y&R Licensed Fonts in order to execute our job order and will abide by the terms thereof.

CONTRIBUTORS

FAIRMONT MAGAZINE SPRING–Summer 2010 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dominique Ritter fairmontmagazine@spafax.com

EDITORIAL SENIOR EDITOR Jean-François Légaré CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Alexandra Redgrave EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Marie-Hélène Alarie, Lisanne Rheault-Leblanc

“I’m interested in the impact of globali zation on traditional culture,” explains SUSAN HACK, who reports on the burgeoning Abu Dhabi art world in “State of the Art” (page 52). The next adventure for Condé Nast Traveler’s Cairo-based senior international correspondent? A desert truffle-hunting expedition in Syria.

Finding himself lost in Moscow at 3 a.m. or in the highlands of Guatemala has never been a problem for globetrotter CURTIS GILLESPIE, who wrote “Swing Back in Time” (page 68). The author of Playing Through: A Year of Life and Links Along the Scottish Coast is currently working on a personal history of the family vacation entitled How Much Farther?

Swedish-born, Dubai-based KATARINA PREMFORS, who shot our Abu Dhabi cover story “State of the Art” (page 52), loves working in Islamic countries: “I feel at home here and move about with ease in the cultures of the Arab world.” Her upcoming projects will take her to Oman, but, she says, “I am also planning my wedding, which is the biggest project of all!”

COPY EDITOR Christopher Korchin FACT CHECKER Line Abrahamian EDITORIAL INTERN Julien Beaupré Ste-Marie ART ART DIRECTOR Annelise Dekker SENIOR DESIGNER Jannike Hess PHOTO RESEARCHER Julie Saindon PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Nicole Moir ACTING PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Blais PRODUCTION MANAGER Rachel Robbie PROOFREADER Rebecca Silver Slayter

“Haji Lane is not a long stretch, but it seems like there’s always something new happening,” says DAVEN WU, who wrote about this Singapore neighborhood for "Street Scene" (page 34). A contributor to Time, Travel+Leisure and Wallpaper*, he favors “Bali for blissful relaxation, Paris for the macaroons and New York for The Frick Collection.”

A self-described “art director moonlighting as a photographer,” REANNA EVOY enjoyed simple pleasures like sipping a fresh lime margarita when not shooting “Beyond the Beach” (page 62). Inspired to “take more time to enjoy life,” she’s off to Australia, where surfing lessons – and an underwater camera – are on her travel wish list.

Born in Switzerland, raised in Hong Kong and now living in Nairobi, photographer DOMINIC NAHR makes his home wherever he lands. While shooting “High Tea” (page 46), the Wall Street Journal and New York Times contributor felt like he was “on holiday with old friends.” On his to-go list: northern Canada, somewhere “truly off the grid.”

CONTRIBUTORS Mike Astins, America Blasco, Reanna Evoy, Alex Farnum, Curtis Gillespie, Susan Hack, Valerie Howes, Andrew Moore-Crispin, Dominic Nahr, Susan Nerberg, Laura Osborne, Katarina Premfors, Clay Risen, Sonia Roy, Pete Ryan, Alec Scott, Mark Slutsky, Christopher Stevenson, Isa Tousignant, Claire Ward, Ilana Weitzman, Daven Wu © Copyright 2010 by Spafax Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Fairmont Magazine is published twice per year by Spafax Inc. Points of view expressed do not necessarily represent those of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising matter. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited art, photographs or manuscripts. Printed in Canada.

FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

William R. Fatt President

SPAFAX MANAGING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER

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ADVERTISING & MEDIA SALES sales@spafax.com ASIA

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FAIRMONT magazine

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Take on the World in Tilley! Embrace your spirit of adventure!

Tilley clothing makes travel easier. Specifically designed for travel, Tilley clothing is lightweight, sun protective, breathable and features secret and security pockets. It also mixes and matches well, making it easy to pack for a week in a carry-on bag.

Wear a Canadian icon – acknowledged the best in the world, Tilley Hats provide excellent sun protection (UPF 50+) and are guaranteed for life not to wear out. With 37 styles and 22 colours to choose from for the warm or cool seasons, Tilley Hats are sure to please! Wherever your adventures take you, take Tilley.

www.Tilley.com Toron to • Mississauga • Va ncou v er • Mon tr é a l • Brossa r d For a retailer near you call 1-800-363-8737 Proudly made in Canada f

the rush you feel when wearing your favorite jewels—it lasts longer than coffee. matching your nail polish to the color of your latest ﬁnd.

800.429.0996 © SAKS FIFTH AVENUE 2010

smiling—you won’t believe how contagious it is.

MARCO BICEGO NECKLACE

THE LOBBY

Blue Crush

A new wave of sea-inspired design hits the mainland. By AlexANDRA Redgrave

photoS: katarina premfors

Perhaps it’s the allure of making a breezy getaway or the possibility of exploring nature’s mysterious depths, but our attraction to the ocean is surfacing in the shape of sea-inspired design. Since the Romans, who made baths a focus of public life and dedicated fountains to their gods, architecture has integrated water as a life-giving force. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, a private residence built atop a gushing waterfall, resembles a modern incarnation of that ancient ideal, while the undulating, sculptural balconies of Chicago’s new Aqua building take a cue from the regional limestone outcroppings that have been shaped by water over time. ›

Fairmont magazine

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Shipshape at waterside L’Horizon Deck; the rooftop pool’s Dedon Orbit chairs provide chic sun screens; Saphir le bar – in true Monaco style – is open 24/7.

› Channeling the relaxed, elegant Riviera style that inspired its original nautical design, the recently renovated Fairmont Monte Carlo captures the maritime spirit of the Côte d’Azur in its new entrance with a wall of gently running water, a suspension bridge and a large glass canopy evoking a transparent sail. Inside, the mahogany furnishings and chrome accents are fit for a sleek ocean liner, and even the hotel’s energy is derived from the sea – it’s entirely heated and air-conditioned by a sophisticated system that draws seawater from a depth of 40 m (131 ft), where the temperature fluctuates between 12°C and 20°C (54°F and 68°F) year-round. But the crowning jewel is the sapphire-hued swimming pool on the rooftop terrace, perched on a coveted stretch of Monaco coastline. From here, bathers can soak in the subtle contrast of blues between pool, sea and sky. The Mediterranean is also reflected in the menu at L’Horizon Deck, Restaurant & Champagne Bar, where fresh marinated sardines and tangy sea bream tartare make for perfect amuse-bouche with a glass of bubbly. From an alfresco table, diners are seemingly sent out to sea with pano ramic views of the iconic Casino, Opera House, Prince’s Palace of Monaco, and Hercules Port – where sporty residents can be seen zipping out for a sail – making the hotel feel as if it were an island unto itself.

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s p e c i a l p r i v i l e g e s f o r o u r s p e c ia l g u e s t s

Experience Fairmont your way Guests of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts know that the difference is in the details. And Fairmont President’s Club, our exclusive guest-recognition program, anticipates those details that make the biggest difference to you. As a member, you’ll enjoy exclusive benefits and privileges that reflect your individual travel preferences and passions—whether your interests are culinary, fashion and beauty, sports and fitness, arts, culture and entertainment, or health and wellness. • Exclusive

savings: Enjoy complimentary in-room high-speed Internet access, 2-for-1 golf,* and savings at Willow Stream Spa, the Fairmont Store and the Fairmont Music Store.

• Exclusive

offerings: Treat yourself to unique Fairmont Moments travel experiences, and exciting partner promotions from Saks Fifth Avenue, Napa Valley Vintners, EMI and many more.

• Exclusive

partnerships: Take advantage of Fairmont Fit—adidas workout apparel, yoga mats, stretch bands and MP3 players featuring EMI tracks and Lexus courtesy vehicles.*

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, let your complimentary Fairmont President’s Club membership turn every visit into a seamless experience of luxury. Visit fairmont.com/fpc, or stop by the hotel’s Fairmont President’s Club private reception desk, to enroll today!

• Exclusive

service: Benefit from private check-in and checkout, complimentary use of TaylorMade golf clubs,* and our member newsletter featuring special promotions and travel tips.

*Available at select hotels and resorts. Restrictions apply.

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TEST DRIVE

Raise the Bar

Searching for a little local flavor? Fairmont Royal York bartender Mike Astins distills the essence of five authentically regional spirits.

Maracame

Yamazaki Single

Añejo Tequila

Malt Whisky, 18 years

KYOTO, JAPAN On the tongue: Notes of orange, chocolate and maple syrup. The finish is pleasant and fairly long with a bit of fire, ending in a notable impression of oak. In the glass: Serve in a heated snifter or a rocks glass with a side of ice to be added as desired.

JALISCO, MEXICO On the tongue: Hints of brown sugar and vanilla. Warming and reminiscent of a great single malt Scotch with a depth of flavors. In the glass: Serve in a heated snifter or on the rocks with sides of fresh lime juice and sparkling water. Perfect for a margarita or a cilantro smoothie.

10 Cane Rum

TRINIDAD On the tongue: Wellrounded and not too sweet, with an underlying taste of honey and citrus and hints of pear. The finish is long and reveals pure sugar cane to perfection with a sweet, oaky snap. In the glass: Cocktail connoisseurs will appreciate this rum in a dark ’n’ stormy, a daiquiri or a mojito.

Bols Genever Gin

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS On the tongue: Distilled using a sweeter style of botanical roots, this gin has distinct cherry and malt tones. In the glass: Try my own recipe, the Velvet Genever. Combine 1 oz gin, 1 oz grapefruit juice and 1 oz Drambuie with a dash of bitters in a shaker with ice. Serve in a martini glass.

Karlsson’s Gold Vodka

CAPE BJÄRE, SWEDEN On the tongue: A top-shelf vodka with a fresh, earthy nose. Sublimely smooth, even as it hits the back of your throat. In the glass: Perfect for a gimlet, a classic martini or served straight and icy cold.

Find Fairmont cocktail recipes at everyonesanoriginal.com.

photos: christopher stevenson (glasses); Reanna evoy (bottles)

Suntory

FAIRMONT magazine

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prestigious second home ownership

Make Telluride your own. Prime 2 and 3 bedroom fractions available from $45,000 to over $335,000

The luxury you enjoy at Fairmont Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge can be yours forever. With the purchase of a deeded interest, you and your family will receive all of the personalized services and extraordinary amenities at this property, now and for generations to comeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;without the worries of maintaining a second home. Ownership allows you to use some of your time from Franz Klammer Lodge for reciprocal time in participating Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Fairmont residential properties worldwideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; in thrilling urban centers such as London and Monaco, or spectacular retreats in the Canadian Rockies and Kenya. You will also be automatically enrolled in our most elite benefits program, the invitation-only Fairmont Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Circle, offering outstanding services such as a dedicated concierge, exclusive savings and personalized amenities. For more information, please call 970 728 2330 or visit www.telluridevillagerealestate.com or www.fairmontheritageplace.com

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NAME YOU SHOULD KNOW

SOLE SISTER JESSIE RANDALL

We speak to the head designer of Loefﬂer Randall – maker of chic footwear and a line of apparel – about perfect shoe shapes and channeling Parisian style. BY JEAN-FRANÇOIS LÉGARÉ

DESIGNING FOOTWEAR?

I was wearing a lot of vintage shoes, and I couldn’t ﬁnd the toe shape I wanted in shoes that weren’t vintage. I wanted something that wasn’t too round or too pointed – sort of that perfect in-between spot. So my husband and I decided to start our own line.

of thin air. My ﬁrst love is footwear and always will be, but clothing is fun because there’s a little bit more freedom. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR SPRING 2010?

One of the most important things to look for is the quality of the leather. A boot with rich, expensive leather will age beautifully, taking on a patina over time.

There’s this book that I love to read to my twin sons, Little Blue and Little Yellow, by Leo Lionni. It’s about two spots of color, a blue and a yellow, who hug and become green. To me, it evokes the optimism of spring. It inspired the happy palette of neutral solids that I mixed with pops of vibrant multicolors.

HOW HAS IT BEEN, WORKING

CAN YOU DESCRIBE

WITH YOUR SPOUSE?

YOUR IDEAL HOLIDAY?

I try not to sit at a desk across from him because it gets a little intense. [laughs] But we met working together, so we’re very used to it. And it’s nice to be fully invested in this with him. It’s our family business.

My dream would be to take the kids to Paris, but I’ll have to wait until they’re older. I haven’t been in years. The Luxembourg Gardens are my favorite. I remember renting little boats to push in the fountains when I was little. And I love the way children are dressed in France.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SHOE?

IN 2007, YOU ADDED A READY-TO-WEAR LINE TO YOUR BRAND. HOW IS Beauty and the Beach

IT DIFFERENT FROM

SO YOU LIKE TO PLAY

For summer 2010, Loefﬂ er Randall is making

DESIGNING FOOTWEAR?

DRESS-UP WITH YOUR BOYS?

waves with a swimsuit line featuring bright

There are more constraints with making shoes because there’s equipment involved. With clothing, I can pretty much create anything out

I do. The poor things! I dress them alike, and I’ll do it until they tell me to stop.

lemon hues and soft neutrals, modern geometric prints and ﬂ attering lace-up details. Our fave: a sweater tank that goes from work to beach.

Find Loefﬂ er Randall at Saks.

PHOTOS: ©LOEFFLER RANDALL INC.

HOW DID YOU START

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THE LIST

LOCATION

DIPLOMAT’S CLUB

“The palace by the Thames”

These iconic hotels have been the preferred spot of celebrities, politicos and artists – and continue to inspire a century later.

During WWII, when the hotel’s air-raid shelters were deemed “some of the smartest in London,” Winston Churchill and members of his "dining society" would meet in The Pinafore Room to smoke cigars and discuss current affairs away from the prying eyes of Parliament.

The Plaza, New York (1907) “New York’s most celebrated address” In 1968, just before her father took ofﬁce, Julie Nixon wed Dwight David Eisenhower II and held the reception in the Grand Ballroom. Among the guests were FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and former New York governor Thomas E. Dewey.

Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai (1929) “Number-one mansion in the Far East” The Peace Hotel has earned its paciﬁst title: In 1964, ChineseFrench relations were restored after a meeting between Chinese premier Zhou Enlai and former French Prime Minister Edgar Faure in the hotel’s Ninth Heaven hall.

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The Savoy, London (1889)

PHOTOS, TOP ROW: POPPERFOTO/GETTY IMAGES (WINSTON CHURCHILL); ISTOCKPHOTO (CIGAR). MIDDLE ROW: TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES (JULIE NIXON); ISTOCKPHOTO (PEACE SIGN). BOTTOM ROW: KEYSTONE PRESS (THE PEACE HOTEL); ©BILL BACHMANN/ALAMY (PEACE HOTEL EMPLOYEE); ISTOCKPHOTO.COM (PEACE CHARACTERS); KEYSTONE PRESS (ZHOU ENLAI).

POWER HOUSES

PHOTOS, TOP ROW: ©TONY FRANK/SYGMA/CORBIS (BOB DYLAN); WIREIMAGE (SIENNA MILLER); GETTY IMAGES (WATERLOO BRIDGE); GETTY IMAGES (CLAUDE MONET). MIDDLE ROW: ISTOCKPHOTO (MASK); ©BETTMANN/ CORBIS (BLACK AND WHITE BALL); GETTY IMAGES (SEAN COMBS); GETTY IMAGES (ELOISE); ISTOCKPHOTO (TEA CUP); GETTY IMAGES (CARY GRANT). BOTTOM ROW: ©BETTMANN/CORBIS (MUHAMMAD ALI); GETTY IMAGES (CHARLIE CHAPLIN); DAVID HUME KENNERLY/GETTY IMAGES (BILL CLINTON); ISTOCKPHOTO (SAXAPHONE); GETTY IMAGES (VICTOR SASSOON); GETTY IMAGES (NOËL COWARD); ©SONY PICTURES CLASSICS/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION/CP IMAGES (THE WHITE COUNTESS).

CELEBRITY SPOTTINGS

STAR RESIDENT

CULTURAL MUSE

At a press conference in 1956, Marilyn Monroe sparked a small scandal when she wore a dress with a daring net midriff. Channeling the seductive starlet, contemporary screen star Sienna Miller was seen dining in the legendary Savoy Grill.

Dinner for 13? Not at The Savoy. Since the 1920s, Kaspar the Cat, the hotel’s twoand-a-half-foot-high black statue, has been at the ready to stave off bad luck and accompany diners as the honorary 14th guest at the table.

The views of the Thames from his hotel room inspired Claude Monet to paint Waterloo Bridge. In the alley behind the hotel, Bob Dylan ﬁlmed “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” in which he holds up a series of ironic cue cards.

In 1966, Truman Capote hosted his star-studded Black and White Ball (dubbed the “Party of the Century”). In 2009, Sean Combs celebrated his 40th birthday with a $3-million bash that drew rap royalty like Jay-Z and Lil’ Kim.

Mischievous sixyear-old Eloise holds court – and stays out of trouble – posing in her life-size portrait that hangs near the lavish Palm Court, where she would sip tea on rainy days in Kay Thompson’s popular children’s book series.

Alfred Hitchcock had Cary Grant kidnapped from the Oak Bar in North by Northwest. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby, a Plaza suite served as the backdrop for a climactic scene between Tom, Daisy and Gatsby.

Heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali and his wife, Lonnie, paid a visit in 1994, joining an already distinguished roster of patrons that includes playwright George Bernard Shaw and silent ﬁlm stars Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin.

The hotel’s ﬂamboyant founder Victor Sassoon would hold rowdy costume parties in his 10th-ﬂoor penthouse. The musicians of the hotel’s Old Jazz Band have played for more than 30 years for the likes of Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.

Noël Coward finished his play Private Lives in 1929 while staying in the penthouse suite and recuperating from the flu. The Peace Hall ballroom recalled the Art Deco style of 1930s Shanghai in the 2005 Merchant Ivory film The White Countess.

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THE EQUIPMENT

CUFF LOVE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP EDM Design US$85, watch-cufﬂinks.com Links of London US$140, linksoﬂ ondon.com Hermès US$510, hermes.com Tateossian US$125, tateossian.com

Historic Links Introduced in the court of Charles II in the 17th century, ﬂ amboyant sleeve or cuff buttons (as they were then known) became de rigeur in securing the ultra-wide sleeves of the era. Despite subsequent trends away from masculine jewelry, the smallest (and smartest) of men’s accessories remains very much on the cuff 350 years later.

PHOTO: REANNA EVOY. LINKS OF LONDON AVAILABLE AT HOLT RENFREW.

Giving a new shape to the ultimate gentleman’s accessory, these designs let you wear your art on your sleeve.

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Peter Gago Chief Winemaker Peter Gago is a member of the illustrious line of Penfolds Chief Winemakers. From Mary Penfold to Max Schubert and through to Peter Gago, there is an unbroken chain of over 165 years. Respectful of the Penfolds style, Peter believes it is his job to both maintain and contest; to continue to do what works and always has, but also strive

To the visionaries. To those who do things for love not money. 165 years of winemaking.

ÂŠ2009 FWE Imports, Napa, CA

for excellence in new and creative ways.

We l c o m e t o O U R H O U S E

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OUR TOWN

The Kreeger Museum

Politics and Prose

Potomac River

Capital Good Time

Washington, D.C.’s movers, shakers and policy-makers are as savvy at selecting off-duty hangouts as they are at lobbying for political change. Here’s your in. Gibson

photoS: ©Susana Raab 2008/photoshelter (The kreeger museum); Peter Gridley/getty images (potomac river); brian liu (gibson); the washington post/getty images (politics and prose)

By CLAY RISEN

Watch the heavyweights duke it out over health care, free trade or the future of Social Security in the intimate, wood-lined Committee on Ways and Means Chamber. Tip: Check the Committee website to make sure it’s in session.

The Palm is the politicos’ power-lunch spot of choice – James Carville and Larry King come for the animated conversation and the crowd-pleaser: blackened steak salad. Tip: Get in good with executive director and host Tommy Jacomo for a plum table.

1100 Longworth House Office Bldg., 202-225-3625

1225 19th St. N.W., 202-293-9091

A hidden cultural gem, The Kreeger Museum used to be the private home of its art patron namesake. Now, everyone can visit the airy, high-modernist galleries and tranquil outdoor sculture garden. Tip: Reservations are required during the week.

The capital’s elite dock their boats along the Georgetown Waterfront, a brick-paved plaza overlooking Potomac River and Theodore Roosevelt Island, one of Washington’s green space gems. Tip: Rent a canoe or kayak and play explorer for an afternoon.

2401 Foxhall Road N.W., 202-337-3050

K St. N.W. and Wisconsin Ave. N.W.

D.C.’s first neo-speakeasy, the unmarked Gibson churns out vintage cocktails like the Sazerac (rye whiskey and bitters) for an über-hip crowd. Tip: There’s no standing room; give the doorman your number and he’ll text you when a seat opens up.

A must for book lovers, Politics and Prose houses a vast selection of foreign-policy titles. Tip: Some of the bigger names on the reading schedule, like Obama campaign mastermind David Plouffe, appear at the more central Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.

2009 14th St. N.W., 202-232-2156

5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W., 202-364-1919

Power BILL

Once you’ve frolicked in the footsteps of the capital’s political players, why not try your hand at policy-making? As part of the The Fairmont Washington, D.C.’s How to Pass a Bill Package, guests learn the steps required for a bill to become a law and receive pre-arrival tips from a registered lobbyist on crafting their very own agenda. fairmont.com/washington

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TIMELINE

BOOK CASE

Moleskine notebooks have the history to elevate stationery to legendary status. BY MARK SLUTSKY

1986

1940

In Royan, France, Pablo Picasso uses his sketchbooks to capture the WWII German forces’ onslaught with images of the devastation.

Author and Moleskine devotee Bruce Chatwin writes that his Paris bookseller has told him, “Le vrai moleskine n’est plus,” as the family-run company that created them had closed.

1997

Milanese publisher Modo&Modo creates Moleskine brand notebooks – inspired by the originals – and they quickly become cult favorites among writers and artists.

1908

A nine-year-old Ernest Hemingway writes, “My favorite studies are English, Zoology and Chemistry. I intend to travel and write,” in his journal. Years later, he’ll pen The Sun Also Rises in a similar notebook.

Detour, a traveling exhibition of artists’ Moleskines with their designs and ideas for the public to browse, hits London, New York, Paris, Berlin, Istanbul and Tokyo.

2010

Bruce Chatwin’s notebooks, having been sealed and housed at Oxford since a year after his death, will ﬁnally be available for public perusal.

1885

Vincent van Gogh uses sketchbooks to prepare studies for some of his most famous works, like The Potato Eaters.

NOTEWORTHY The Next Chapter The newest generation of Moleskine includes a rainbow of new colors and its Passions series, with journals dedicated to wine, recipes, ﬁlm,

Jot down memories, sketches or inspired ideas in your Fairmont Moleskine notebook, now available for purchase at select Fairmont Stores.

music, books and wellness.

fairmont.com

PHOTOS: REANNA EVOY (MOLESKINE); GETTY IMAGES (VAN GOGH); TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES (PICASSO); GETTY IMAGES (CHATWIN); REANNA EVOY (PASSION SERIES); © CAT'S COLLECTION/CORBIS (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK FILM STILL)

2006–2009

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BACKSTAGE PASS

TRACK STAR

Rising talent Kristina Train is enjoying the ride – especially when she gets to set the soundtrack for her fellow passengers.

One of the things you may not yet know about soulful singer Kristina Train is that she’s also a cross-country backseat DJ. In between performances in small-town theaters, California wineries and even an appearance at The Plaza, this up-andcomer mans the stereo in a rental van full of her bandmates, touring the U.S. to promote her debut album, Spilt Milk – a record that blends elaborate orchestral arrangements with her dusty, lilting Southern voice. Her current listening choice? Bob Dylan’s program Theme Time Radio Hour on CD. And it’s no wonder: Dylan hails from a time that’s written all over Train’s music. Among her influences, she cites Joni Mitchell, Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson. “I just played with Willie – we did a benefit and I almost died. I’m a slightly obsessed fan,” Train laughs. Growing up with her mom in New York and then Savannah, Georgia, Train studied the violin and sang in church and school choirs. “Because I played violin from a young age, I’d always dreamed if I were to make an album I would include strings and a brass section.” Upon hearing Train’s vision for her music, a New York producer hooked her up with guitarist Jack Petruzzelli, formerly of Rufus Wainwright’s band. The pairing proved to be a perfect fit. Train’s reviews have won her comparisons with vocal powerhouses Dusty Springfield and Janis Joplin. While a rental van on the interstate might be a far cry from the Festival Express, Train says of the perma-road trip, “I love meeting people and seeing what’s going on in different places. I love the adventure.” Kristina Train’s debut album, Spilt Milk, is available from Blue Note Records/EMI.

photo: EMI

By CLAIRE WARD

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Napa Valley Legendary American Wines Although the most renowned winegrowing region in America, Napa Valley is a mere one-eighth the size of Bordeaux and produces only 4% of the wine made in California. Napa Valley is perfectly suited to the growing of fine wine grapes. Its Mediterranean climate, cooling marine breezes and configuration of hills, soils, exposures and elevations give our grape growers and winemakers a masterly palette to create fromâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and wine lovers an array of classic, quality-driven wines to choose from.

Visiting Napa Valley? Create a customized winery tour map at napavintners.com/wineries Looking for Napa Valley wine events? Check out our calendar for events within Napa Valley and abroad at napavintners.com Become a Napa Valley fan! Follow us at facebook.com/NapaVintners or twitter.com/NapaVintners

The Napa Valley Vintners is the non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as the premier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944, today the association represents nearly 400 Napa Valley wineries and collectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn more, visit napavintners.com

napa valley vintners

Enjoy a glass of Napa Valley wine at

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Partner of the Napa Valley Vintners

Optimize

Double Duty

Traveling light? Keep your options open – and stylish – with these adaptable pieces. By Julien Beaupré Ste-Marie White gold and 3.65-carat diamonds add a splash of sparkle when worn as a brooch or necklace. Van Cleef & Arpels Cosmos Clip-Pendant US$34,500, vancleef-arpels.com

Whether tied around your waist, neck or head à la Grace Kelly, a patterned silk scarf is the ultimate accessory. Emilio Pucci Silk Printed Scarf US$295, emiliopucci.com

Add a dose of color to any outfit with these versatile flats, which act as stylish slippers en route and statement pieces upon arrival. Pretty Ballerinas “Shirley” shoes US$250, pretty ballerinas.com

When not holding carry-on essentials, this sunny tote folds down into a chic shoulder bag with adjustable strap. Colto Moltedo Priscilla Canary Deco purse US$1325, corto.com

photos: REANNA EVOY

This ultralight jacket lets you keep your cool on the greens and in the air thanks to breathable darts. adidas by Stella McCartney Golf Performance Fitted Jacket US$160, adidas.com

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TAKEN BY ME FROM INSIDE THE TRAIN ON DAY 4 OF OUR TRIP.

Discover VIA Rail’s new all-inclusive packages. Take advantage of our train-hotel-activities package including a sleeper class cabin and on-board meals.

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STREET SCENE

Dulcetﬁ g

SINGAPORE’S HAJI LANE

In the shadow of the Muslim quarter’s traditional textile shophouses and towering mosques, this spirited side street is emerging as a creative hotbed for bespoke labels and clever design.

KIN

Across the street, Salad (25 Haji Lane; +65 6299 5805) tempts with a crisp selection of home and fashion accessories in a mostly black-and-white palette, including chic chrysanthemum ﬂower brooches in kimono prints and lacquered wood animal ﬁgurines of rhinos, horses and other animals. Style emporium PLUCK (31/33 Haji Lane; +65 6396 4048) is another local favorite for its boho-chic vibe, showcasing everything from quirky coasters by U.K. artist Edward Monkton to intricate charm bracelets intertwined with pearls. Equally hard to resist: homemade strawberry champagne sorbet at the in-house ice cream parlor.

Heading north, Dulcetﬁg (41 Haji Lane; +65 6396 5648) stocks mint-condition vintage clothes and handbags like a recently spotted (and quickly sold) mock croc envelope evening clutch. (The resident felines are not part of the merchandise.) Farther up, KIN (51 Haji Lane; +65 6392 5475) has become the place for up-to-the-minute Japanese and Swedish men’s street labels as well as owner Suraj Melwani’s own line, Sifr, which he designs upstairs. Ladies, duck into Soon Lee (56 Haji Lane; +65 6297 0198) for summery bias-cut dresses and smart pencil skirts by local designer Priscilla Tan. For unusual souvenir gifts – and excellent people-watching – adjacent Arab Street beckons with decorative Oriental prayer mats, colorful pashminas, hand-printed batiks and handsome wicker baskets. Don’t be afraid to bargain. Modeled after the majestic Taj Mahal, the gold-capped Sultan Mosque (3 Muscat St.; +65 6293 4405) is the largest in Singapore and a neighborhood highlight. Finally, Café Le Caire (39 Arab St.; +65 6292 0979) merits a visit for a refreshing iced mint tea and a puff of shisha before you head back.

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PHOTOS: WALTER CIMBAL/STOCK FOOD/MAXX IMAGES (PLATE); STEVE

Haji Lane

Most of the shops on the strip only open around 2 p.m., so first pop into Hjh Maimunah Restaurant (11/15 Jalan Pisang; +65 6291 3132) for homemade Malay curries and stews infused with fresh coconut cream and spicy hints of clove, turmeric and chili. Satiated? Head to Loft & Public (16A Haji Lane; +65 6297 0169), where white walls and sleek wood ﬂoors put the accent on an eclectic mix of European and local designs, like Mojoko’s colorful silk-screened tees and Fabrix’s handsewn laptop sleeves.

PHOTOS: DULCETFIG (DULCETFIG); GARY FRANCIS/ONASIA (HAJI LANE); KIN (KIN)

BY DAVEN WU

St . ia

or t

Br id ge

Vi ct or

ch . Rd

Loft & Public

Sultan Mosque

PLUCK PHOTOS: WALTER CIMBAL/STOCK FOOD/MAXX IMAGES (PLATE); STEVE RAYMER/AGE FOTOSTOCK/MAXX IMAGES (SULTAN MOSQUE); PLUCK (PLUCK); LOFT & PUBLIC (LOFT & PUBLIC). MAP: PETE RYAN

PHOTOS: DULCETFIG (DULCETFIG); GARY FRANCIS/ONASIA (HAJI LANE); KIN (KIN)

. St b ne ra A La ji . Ha Rd ir ph

Fairmont Singapore

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

Work meets play at Fairmont Singapore, a hub for business, shopping, dining and culture, located in bustling Raffles City. As diverse and efficient as the island nation itself, the hotel boasts a state-ofthe-art Executive Conference Centre with a dedicated Convention Services team, leaving you more time to cozy up in the intimate INK Club Bar with a pleasantly tart Honey Breeze cocktail. fairmont.com/singapore

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THE EQUATION

Smooth Operators

When it comes to choosing a world phone, let these digits do the talking. By ANDREW MOORE-CRISPIN

12.1 megapixels

Bring this snap-happy phone on the road and leave the point-and-shoot at home. Taking an impressive nine pictures per second in 16 million colors and with up to 16x digital zoom, your photos will speak for themselves. Sony Ericsson Satio, sonyericsson.com

100,000+ applications

Take direction from this wellequipped phone with built-in digital compass that finds your location via GPS. New “augmented reality” apps such as Nearest Tube give you a first-person, 3-D view of where to find the nearest transit station depending on your position. iPhone 3GS, apple.com

4.3-inch touch screen

At the forefront of the touch revolution, this finger-friendly handset goes the distance with a pixel-packed display for those who love a slick interface (using HTC’s signature Sense technology for easy navigation) but are loyal to the Windows platform.

Lasting up to 21 days on standby and offering a respectable six hours of talk time or network use, this sleek handset has staying power – which means no unscheduled recharging stops. Long may you roam... BlackBerry Bold 9700, blackberry.com

HTC HD2, htc.com

Your passport to borderless chat? Quad-band phones, which support four international frequencies. 850/1900 MHz: U.S., Canada, Latin America; 900/1800 MHz: Africa, Europe, Brazil, Australia, Asia

photo: christopher stevenson

504 hours

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RU READY?

FAIRMONT’S FITNESS PROGRAM FOR GUESTS AGED 7–17 At Fairmont, we’re committed to the wellness needs of all of our guests—and not just the adult ones. RU Ready?, our innovative interactive program, addresses the fitness needs of our younger guests, aged 7–17. This partnership with adidas and Trick It Out Sports offers a fun fitness challenge designed to improve kids’ athletic skills for baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, skateboarding, snowboarding, soccer and more. Participants train for two hours in the morning, performing drills of specific “tricks” that will sharpen their skills in different ways. They then come back for an hour in the afternoon to compete against others. But it doesn’t stop there. E-mail updates and customized web pages allow participants to continue their training after they return home. They can compete virtually against other kids, or just test their own progress.

A GI LI TY COORDI NATI ON S PE E D S TA MI NA BA LA NCE F LE X I BI LI TY S TRE NGTH

RU READY? IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES: The Fairmont Acapulco Princess The Fairmont Chateau Whistler The Fairmont Kea Lani Fairmont Mayakoba The Fairmont Orchid Fairmont Singapore The Fairmont Southampton Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland Fairmont Turnberry Isle

For specific program information, please contact participating properties.

7271 FHR RUready Ad_FA2.indd 1

3/26/10 5:03:20 PM

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Pacific Heights A California road trip steers onto the unbeaten path, where the dramatic landscapes, free-spirited culture and holistic approach to wellness create a healing holiday. By ALEc SCOTT | photography by ALEX FARNUM

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THE ORIGINAL OWNER CALLED IT THE HOUSE OF HAPPY

walls and, as the late-afternoon light dapples the rough-hewn stone manse perched on the slope of Sonoma Mountain, it’s easy to see why. Charmian London built this home in memory of her husband, Jack, and it is in many ways a monument to the adventurer and The Call of the Wild author. Inside are Easter Island-esque masks, grass mats, dug-out salad bowls – travel mementos collected by London, who bought the surrounding 1,400 acres in the early 20th century and christened it Beauty Ranch. One of the original California dreamers, London looked to this idyllic place – now a State Historic Park – for simpler pleasures compared to the “big moments of living” he sought elsewhere. After a hike beneath a canopy of handsome oak trees into the lush Sonoma Valley, I begin my own California adventure with the most intimate of experiences – a bath. The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa sits on an ancient hot spring considered sacred by native Americans, and as part of an hour-long bathing ritual, I take to the natural mineral waters. I complete the full rotation of stations that runs from exfoliating shower to bubbling bath, still pool, eucalyptus-scented steam room and dry sauna, then finish with a cleansing shower. At first it feels forced, taking this long for what – a bath? But my hurried pace begins to slow, and an hour expires in a puff of steam. My cheeks retain their flushed glow all the way to dinner at the Michelin-starred Santé Restaurant, where I meet a San Francisco food journalist friend. Tucking into foie gras and crunchy little gem lettuce between sips

of late-harvest wine, we soon fall quiet, rolling the delicate flavors of black cod in lemon beurre blanc on our tongues. In contrast to the bucolic pleasures of Wine Country, far from everyday worries, a visit to the busy hubbub of San Francisco’s Chinatown makes for an invigorating change of scenery. My ebullient local guide, Shirley Fong-Torres, conducts me to herbalist dispensaries and hidden Buddhist temples high up in the neighborhood’s colorful buildings – “Closer to heaven,” she says. Ducking into the Red Blossom Tea Company, I sample a few of the more than one hundred teas on offer under the guidance of proprietor Alice Luong. Speaking like a wine sommelier, she mentions terroir and tannins, and explains which dainty porcelain cups are appropriate for which brews. She has me try the Iron Goddess of Mercy, Reserve (for which each leaf is hand-bruised) and Aged Phoenix Oolong, instructing me on the changes I might sense in each increasingly concentrated brew of the same tea. “The last pour is like espresso – intense,” she says, emptying the pot. As I sip, I close my eyes and try to isolate the flavors. In one there is apricot and honey, and in the other, notes of walnut subtly sing. Exiting the shop and entering the stream of people filling the sidewalk, I’m still blissed-out, California-style. The feeling stays with me as I take in the sea air while swooping down State Route 1, which hugs the Pacific coastline to L.A., in a gassipping Lexus HS 250h hybrid car. (Two tanks covered all the miles I logged this week, on this road to wellness.) Off a particularly curvy stretch near Big Sur, I stop at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Rugged

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Sonoma’s sunlit vineyards; an evening dip in The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa’s thermal waters, for which the hotel has its own source; Santé restaurant’s heirloom beets. PREVIOUS PAGE The scarlet sweep of the Golden Gate Bridge.

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cliffs plummet to the sea and from them, a waterfall bursts, cascading to an isolated cove far below. The sun has pierced the veil of clouds, leaving a series of golden discs on the rolling swells. Taking in the mentholated scent of eucalyptus that wafts from nearby trees, I sit on a bench and practice the deep breathing I learned from the Mission Inn’s yoga instructor, Elizabeth. Slowly, my intakes and exhales line up with the sound of the waves. The dramatic vistas slowly downshift into the familiar beachfront views of Southern California dotted with bathers frolicking in the waves and surfers tackling the swells. Emerging almost as part of this landscape, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows sits perched atop sea-swept bluffs overlooking Santa Monica Beach and the Pacific beyond. Tucked away behind two massive oak doors is seasonal bistro FIG, which takes its name from the 200-year-old Moreton Bay fig tree in the hotel’s grand entry. ›

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Incense burns at San Francisco’s oldest Buddhist temple; The Fairmont San Francisco’s smart entrance; weighing options at a local herbalist; string theory takes flight in Chinatown.

And... Action!

Expert tips for staying fit on the road from fitness guru Charles Wise of Fairmont Scottsdale’s Willow Stream Spa. • After a long car trip or flight, explore the hotel grounds with a power walk, keeping a brisk pace for at least 30 minutes. • Pack a resistance band for a convenient in-room workout, using your body weight to tone muscles and improve flexibility. • Jumpstart a new exercise program or spice up an existing one by trying a new class like Latin aerobics at the hotel gym. willowstream.com

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Bixby Creek Bridge shows off Big Sur’s famous curves.

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› When I meet chef Ray Garcia in a corner booth of the cozy restau-

rant, I’m surprised at how young he is – there’s no salt in his sweep of peppery hair – and also at how chilled-out he seems given that the dinner rush begins in just over an hour. Garcia sources many of his ingredients from the weekly Downtown Farmers’ Market in Santa Monica, he tells me, and has a designated forager to travel this agriculturally blessed state to secure the freshest fare. “We try to eat things just at the peak of their season,” he explains. To that end, the menu items fall into three categories: Just Arrived, In Peak Season and Coming Soon. Following his recommendations that evening, I try a house specialty, tender braised tongue accented with crisp radishes and sharp tomatillos, and savor bites of an airy yet rich lobster thermidor – a dish “you can’t make as heavy in L.A. as you might elsewhere,” Garcia says. Nearby, diners mingle with a glass of wine at the pewter bar. To be a locatarian is no hardship in California, I’ve come to realize. With warm belly, I set out along the 100-year-old Santa Monica Pier, lined with jauntily lit amusement concessions. The sea lions are arfing away from below; some die-hard fishermen are casting their lines. The nearly full moon hangs low over the water – and I feel a concentrated sense of my luck. The journey now over, the “big moments” collected along the way begin to line the walls of my mind. But I also keep something that sinks deeper into memory than a good traveler’s tale. As Jack London wrote about his Beauty Ranch, “I have everything to make me glad I am alive. I am filled with dreams and mysteries. I am all sun and air and sparkle. I am vitalized, organic.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Sundown off Big Sur; peddle power takes to the beach; making an entrance in a Lexus HS 250h at The Fairmont Santa Monica; water break near Monterey Bay.

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The Fairmont San Francisco

Sonoma The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

Big Sur

1 10

1 Pacific Ocean

Santa Monica

Los Angeles Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

ConciergE Locally sourced cuisine, eco-friendly design,

When it’s time to venture out, Wok Wiz tours

alfresco excursions – the best of California living

shows you the hidden gems of Chinatown.

shines through at these Fairmont hotels, linked

fairmont.com/sanfrancisco

by the bucolic back roads of Sonoma Valley

250 King St., Suite 268, 650-355-9657, wokwiz.com

and the iconic State Route 1 along the coast. Eating well, traveling mindfully and staying fit

Santa Monica

just became part of the same trip.

Rent a bike at Perry’s and take in the sights and sea air along Santa Monica Beach before

FROM TOP Enjoying a light meal in FIG’s airy dining room; winging it at Half Moon Bay just off Highway 1.

SONOMA

sampling the Golden State’s freshest flavors at

Feed the senses at The Fairmont Sonoma

FIG restaurant in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel

Mission Inn & Spa with a morning hike

& Bungalows. Hidden among colorful tropical

through neighboring vineyards followed by

blooms and tranquil waterfalls, the Bungalow

a soothing bathing ritual. For a taste of

Suites make for a lush retreat.

Wine Country, tuck into healthful fare at

fairmont.com/santamonica

Santé Restaurant, which was recently

320 Santa Monica Pier, 310-393-9778,

awarded a Michelin star.

perryscafe.com

fairmont.com/sonoma

Combining eco-friendly technology and

Sitting atop Nob Hill, with panoramic views

luxury design, Lexus has introduced a new

of the city, the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite in

line of sleek hybrid vehicles, some of which

The Fairmont San Francisco hosts green-

are available for guests to borrow at select

minded guests in sustainable style, featuring

U.S. Fairmont properties. Enjoy your destination

furnishings made of organic materials and

and the road that leads you there.

a minibar stocked with biodynamic wines.

lexus.com

map: pete ryan

green power San Francisco

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Funny thing is, this started out as lunch. ADD TO FAVES

BLOG THIS

Comments SeniorMaximus

pro says:

Looks delicious. the whole trip, I mean. posted 1 hour ago. ( permalink )

Adalfi.Steve

pro says:

Be sure to check out the roM. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so beautiful at night!

www.canada.travel

posted 3 hours ago. ( permalink )

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HIGH TEA

Like fine wine, tea takes on the character of its surroundings. Fairmont’s Kenyan teas are mainly sourced from the Changoi and Tinderet estates on the western side of the Great Rift Valley, where the rich volcanic earth and dense rainfall create an expressive brew. By valerie howes | photography by dominic nahr

Back to the source The short flight from Nairobi to the estates belonging to the Williamson Tea Group passes over the Great Rift Valley, above salt lakes where flamingos nest and it’s not uncommon to spot a lion, elephant or giraffe in the Nandi Hills district. At the sight of deep swaths of green, you know you’ve arrived.

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Field guide Pickers with baskets on their backs wiggle artfully around the dense full-grown bushes, plucking new shoots – just below the bud and top two leaves – from the highest branches. These are pruned to the height of a privet hedge; untamed, they’d reach 9 m (30 ft). The husbandry on these estates is of such a high standard that there’s no need for herbicide. (Bugs hate this elevation, so crops are pesticide-free, too.) The leaves are treated with reverence on their journey from field to factory: Bags of fresh-picked tea are hung on hooks in trailers, never tossed in piles.

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A new leaf At the factory, inspectors weigh the leaf and check that it isn’t bruised or mixed with stalk – then they assign it a grade. Afterwards, it’s withered in aerated troughs, releasing an intensely fresh, uplifting aroma. Within 24 hours, the leaf is limp and thus easy to cut, chop and roll. The leaf from these estates, which is of a higher quality and favored in Fairmont blends, is rolled with gentle yet firm pressure through a castiron or steel device – like an old-fashioned mangle. As the leaf twists, it already begins to ferment, changing color from grasshopper green to sultry copper. The fermented leaf is then dried in a hot-air chamber, where it turns a richly nuanced black.

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Green acres Like all workers on these Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certified estates, pickers start their day sipping tea – sampling their own wares. Their communities have good services and medical clinics, and the surrounding area is serviced by neatly bordered tarmac routes. Families live together; children spend their days in school and at play.

TEA AT THE FAIRMONT

• Brews available at Afternoon Tea: 19 • Optimum steep time: 3 mins for green, 5 mins for black, up to 7 mins for herbal • Number of countries around the world from which Fairmont sources its teas: 18 • Number of weeks a year that tea is in its peak season in a given region: 2–4 (all Fairmont luxury teas are sourced within these periods) • Percentage of Fairmont’s tea line that is certified USDA organic: 75 fairmont.com

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ST ATE of the art With a bold vision and four grand new museums, Abu Dhabi rises to the forefront of an Arab arts renaissance. By SUSAN HACK | photography by KATARINA PREMFORS

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crowd gathers around black-clad French architect Jean Nouvel as he tests his lighting design for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. At the museum site, engineers have built a giant pyramid-shaped structure topped with an intricately latticed prototype dome. “We’ve created a rain of light that will shift with the movement of the sun,” the florid Nouvel observes happily. As the midday sun passes directly overhead, we see sand-moted sunbeams scattering hexagons and squares, and diffusing white splotches across the hangar walls and floor, an effect meant to mimic the light and geometry that is the essence of Arab architecture. When it’s completed, Louvre visitors will walk through the “rain” in a village of cube-like galleries, the light forming a kinetic sculpture. Nouvel’s Louvre will be one of four grand museums in the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, a seaside arts zone that will include a Performing Arts Center designed by Zaha Hadid and the world’s largest Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry. Though the museums are not yet ready, I’ve come to sample the capital’s cultural fare. Independent local art venues like the minimalist contemporary Salwa Zeidan Gallery or Qibab Art Gallery, specializing in Iraqi art, are showcasing rising stars from across the Arab world. The government, meanwhile, is sponsoring art festivals and prizes, and every week seems to bring an important exhibit, seminar or performance by such varied musicians as Beyoncé, Kings of Leon and the Vienna and New York Philharmonics – events intended to generate international buzz ahead of Saadiyat’s grand debut in 2012. The district is part of a dramatic flowering of the arts across the Gulf region that includes I.M. Pei’s new Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Dubai’s independent art

ABOVE French architect Jean Nouvel and Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, the head of the local tourism board, inspect a shimmering prototype of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. PREVIOUS PAGE Flower power reigns at the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque, with inlaid marble mosaics and a shimmering chandelier with gold and Swakovski crystals.

photo: ©TDIC

WITH THE AWE OF SUN WORSHIPPERS WAITING FOR A SOLSTICE, A

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galleries and Christie’s and Sotheby’s auction houses, the construction of a classical opera house in Oman and a biennial and residency programs for local and inter national artists in the emirate of Sharjah. To ensure that Abu Dhabi’s estimated 387,000 native citizens don’t feel marginalized by the flood of foreign art and tourists (three million anticipated by 2013), the ruling sheikhs plan to promote indigenous heritage and preserve Abu Dhabi’s local identity. “Our museums will not be mere branches of the Louvre in Paris or the New York Guggenheim,” insists Rita Aoun-Abdo, Director of the Cultural Department of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development and Investment Company, which helped organize the Abu Dhabi Art fair and commissioned the Saadiyat Island development. An elegant, long-haired woman of Lebanese origin, she tells me in a beach tent set up for art-panel lectures that the biggest challenge is not to fill museums with objects but to nurture local artists and audiences. “The return for Abu Dhabi is in education, future art production and jobs. Our aim is to nurture a tolerant, hopeful and forwardlooking society.” The Al Nahyan family, ruling patrons of Abu Dhabi, have more in mind than high culture. From the brand new Fairmont Bab Al Bahr hotel, where I’m staying, I hire a taxi to drive me to Yas Island, a $39-billion pleasure zone inaugurated last November that boasts a Formula 1 racetrack and will soon include a Ferrari-branded theme park and driving school, and a seaside 18-hole links golf course. This action-packed facility is part of the emirate’s master plan, which includes Masdar City, a carbon-neutral enclave designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. Masdar is a green utopia – a 21st-century version of the Arabian walled city with narrow streets, windtowers, ›

Our museums will not be mere branches of the Louvre in Paris or the New York Guggenheim.

photo: ©TDIC

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT A rosy view from Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s Bliss flower shop; the hotel lobby has guests sitting pretty in Edra-Vermelha rope chairs; a “veiled” glass-andsteel structure sparkles from Yas Island.

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LEFT Artist Salwa Zeidan takes a rest in her namesake gallery, which represents international artists and emerging local talent like Fatema Al Mazrouie. OPPOSITE PAGE The contrasting faces on artist Al Mazrouie’s “inspiration wall” in her studio inform her mixed-media work.

ART APPRAISAL For tips on collecting contemporary Arab and Iranian art, we spoke to Janet Rady, curator and founder of Janet Rady Fine Art, a London gallery representing Middle Eastern artists. When should an art collector visit Abu Dhabi? Go during the next Abu Dhabi Art fair. It’s a brilliant opportunity to see the very best work from around the world. Otherwise, there is always some exhibition going on in Abu Dhabi. Only do avoid visiting during Ramadan or in summer, when many local galleries close. artinthecity.com, artsabudhabi.ae

Is contemporary Middle

› courtyards and personal rapid transport (PRT) pods. Photovoltaic power will be

part of a network of advanced clean technology that will generate every resident’s total energy needs. The race to the future seems all the more dramatic since just a couple generations ago, Emiratis made a living pearl fishing. To get a sense of the pre-oil culture, I drive two hours across a desert highway past dunes and camel farms to Al Ain, site of the date oasis where Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s first president, spent his childhood. Located next to a 20th-century fort, a museum displays tools, silver jewelry and other implements from the old nomadic life of saluki dogs, camels and falcons, as well as ancient pottery and stone tools from 5,000-year-old tombs found at the foot of Jebel Hafit, the 1,240-m-high (4,068-ft) mountain that rises above the city like an Arabian Ayers Rock. Some old traditions survive, and Al Ain is also the site of the emirate’s last permanent camel market, where I see a sheikh in a white thobe examining a white female camel. The salesman demonstrates her worth by passing around an aluminum bowl from which we sip the camel’s warm, sweet, foamy milk. I head back to the capital, where it’s hoped that cultural offerings will attract the type of visitor who will respect Abu Dhabi’s traditions and Islamic values. Significantly, the first of Abu Dhabi’s new buildings to open was the $750-million Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the world’s largest, with 80 domes adorned with 24-carat gold and enough courtyards and halls for 40,000 worshippers. Sheikh Zayed, who died in 2004, commissioned the white-marble monument. A relay of imams recites the Koran live day and night over his tomb here as a sign of respect. Since my last visit, the mosque has had to hire extra guards, who cheerfully but firmly make sure that visitors obey the “no intimacy” code and that non-Muslim women remember to keep their hair covered. While protective of its Islamic identity, Abu Dhabi is hardly xenophobic. An old crossroads for trade, it is building cultural institutions so that its young population ›

Eastern art a good investment? Absolutely. Iranian art is gaining popularity the most rapidly. Major Western galleries, especially in London, are holding group and solo shows, and Middle Eastern curators are also setting up galleries outside the region. What kinds of pieces are likely to rise in value? Anything with a political content or edge. Also calligraphy in which words written in Arabic or Farsi script are deconstructed into abstractions. How can I learn more? Journals such as Contemporary Practice and magazines such as Canvas and Bidoun focus on the Middle Eastern arts scene. If you’re interested in a specific artist, track his or her performance at auction by looking at pre-sales estimates and final purchases, particularly at the contemporary art sales at Christie’s or Bonhams in Dubai.

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Traditional fishing dhows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with their mesh of wire nets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; moored in the harbor across from Abu Dhabi's city center.

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LEFT TO RIGHT An untitled work by Ali Ahmad Said Asbar, the Syrian artist and poet known as Adonis; artist Faiza Mubarak's detailed work was chosen by the director of the Musée National Picasso in Paris to appear in the recent Emirati Expressions show.

The geography of art has shifted. Abu Dhabi is one of its new beacons.

› will have more opportunity to learn from people of different religions and back-

grounds. As I wander the art fair, I meet 31-year-old artist Faiza Mubarak, a slight woman clad in an abaya and head scarf, who grew up in Abu Dhabi. Her conservative family was initially not supportive of her career choice, Mubarak tells me, as she describes her mixed-media sculptures that take the form of closed books in which she conceals “a painting, an idea and a secret.” Despite all the big museum projects, Abu Dhabi still doesn’t offer art courses with nude models, she says. “Instead, we learn to paint the human figure copying photographs.” The social fabric is changing nonetheless. Mubarak’s family let her go to France for three months to live in Paris and do an arts internship in Dijon. “They allowed me to travel alone,” she says proudly. “That was as big a deal as the Louvre coming here.” In the rise and fall of Arab cities, Abu Dhabi is clearly ascendant. Optimism, ambition and deep-pocketed patrons make this an excellent time to be a young artist in Abu Dhabi. Faiza Mubarak introduces me to AbdulQadir Alrais, one of the most distinguished artists in the UAE and the first ever to mount a solo exhibition (it took place in 1974, when there was still sand in the streets). The doyen with warm, crinkly eyes and a gray-flecked brown beard walks me through some of the booths at the Abu Dhabi Art fair, his long white thobe and headscarf contrasting with the slick suits of the international dealers. The price of contemporary Arab art is rising as Gulf auctions and shows provide international exposure; Alrais’ paintings, inspired by Arabic calligraphy, are on display in a booth next to another offering blue-chip works by Picasso, Jean-Michel

Basquiat, Francis Bacon and Keith Haring. “When I was a boy, not even books on art and art supplies themselves were available,” he says. “I saw my first picture of a Renoir when I was 16.” The Abu Dhabi Art fair is a sales platform, but also a meeting ground for artists: Jeff Koons, Chinese master Yan Pei-Ming and Indian sculptor Subodh Gupta are attending along with artists from Iran, India and across the Arab world. More than the net worth of the art – a $45-million Alexander Calder mobile looms on a terrace – it’s the emerging talent and confidence of local artists that seems most impressive. “Because of what Abu Dhabi is building, the generation coming after us has a chance to learn and develop far more than we did,” Alrais smiles, adding that three of his own works are now in the collection of the British Museum. “I never dreamed this could happen, and things are getting better and better.” I say goodbye to Alrais and drive back to my hotel, over the island bridges, past new skyscrapers and half-constructed architectural icons, wondering whether it all amounts to the beginnings of an Arab renaissance. Among the world’s richest cities, Abu Dhabi is itself a kinetic sculpture and a work in progress. Whether its museums sustain a balance between imported international works and products of a burgeoning local arts scene, and whether emerging Arab artists become canonized in the wider world, remains to be seen. Already, the geography of the art world has shifted beyond the confines of Europe and America. Abu Dhabi is one of its new beacons.

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LEFT The Corniche, a coastal boulevard overlooking the Persian Gulf, is where locals go to hang out – and strike a pose.

CONCIERGE Facing the city’s grand mosque across a tidal inlet, Fairmont Bab al Bahr’s glass modernity captures this emerging city’s contrasts. Its 8,000-sq-m (26,000-sq-ft) spa and striking outdoor swimming pool offer their own temptations. fairmont.com/babalbahr

Do The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque offers a free guided tour at 10 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Be sure to wear loose clothing that provides full coverage – long trousers, full-length skirts and long sleeves. Women must wear headscarves, which are provided on site. Located between the Al Maqtaa and Al Mussafah bridges

Check with the concierge for the schedule of international art exhibits. Independent Salwa Zeidan Gallery holds seminars and exhibits of contemporary regional art. The Qibab Art Gallery specializes in work by Iraqi artists. Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street 30, Saadiyat Island

Villa 256, 2nd Floor, +971 2 666 9656, salwazeidangallery.com Al Zaab Area Street 15, Villa 3 +971 2 665 2350, qibabgallery.com

Persian Gulf

Enjoy the seaside promenade of the newly landscaped Corniche, which Qasr El Bahr

has separate beaches for single men and families. For a more active day,

d .

th 30

ch ni

Al Nahyan

rent a bike, or rent a kayak to explore

ter

MAP: PETE RYAN

Hideriyyat

the coastline.

Eas

ing

Eat

The Michelin-starred chef introduced

Al K

hale

ej A

l Ar

abi

his namesake Marco Pierre White St.

Steakhouse & Grill to Abu Dhabi in 2009. The menu includes sumptuous Fairmont Bab Al Bahr

classic steakhouse fare in addition to daily English-influenced specials. In the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr

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BEYOND THE BEACH On Mexico’s Riviera Maya, a curriculum of cultural immersion includes learning and learning to unwind – with extra credit for mixing the perfect margarita.

By DOMINIQUE RITTER | photography by REANNA EVOY

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“WATCH OUT FOR THE BATS,” WARNS OUR GUIDE, FERNANDO, WITH

a casual smile as we stand in front of the doorway of what was a customs house for travelers some 2,000 years ago. The heavy limestone structure is typical of the Mayan architecture I’ve studied in books and I’d like to explore it firsthand, but my natural circumspection usually keeps me – very happily – on a lounger at the beach, well away from the risk of flying mammals. For this holiday, however, there’s an uncharacteristically daring plan. My friend Reanna and I may be perfectly content sipping margaritas in the sun, but we’ve decided to add a measure of adventure to our beach vacation to see if a dose of the real Mexico doesn’t elevate our experience. “I feel like Indiana Jones,” says Reanna as she bravely ducks through the doorway, prepared to face a cloud of very real ruin-dwelling bats. I suck in my breath and follow suit. Archaeological exploration is just one aspect of our tour of Sian Ka’an (which means “where the sky is born” in the Maya language). Our agenda of cultural immersion – experiencing the Yucatán’s fauna and flora, flavors and ingredients, history and legends – begins at this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which comprises over a million acres of lagoons, mangroves, beach, tropical jungle and 23 pre-Columbian archaeological sites. Unlike Chichen Itza and Coba, there are no crowds here (in fact, we see only six people in six hours), and I can’t help feeling that we’ve walked into our very own living museum. Many of the ruins have been left in their natural state – mounds of limestone rocks being reclaimed by jungle vegetation – but some of the buildings have been reconstructed, and we climb the steep and narrow steps of ancient temples and follow the rocky remains of the sacbé (“white road”), an innovative raised limestone path that allowed the Maya to find their way through the jungle at night, when it was cool enough to make their journey to Xlapak, the temple at which they would honor the fertility goddess.

After checking out the customs house, Reanna and I have been stripped of our Indiana Jones bravado and are standing giggling nervously on the dock. Wearing lifejackets over our bathing suits, we jump into the cool, natural freshwater canal that runs through the red mangroves, connecting two lagoons. This is a Sian Ka’an version of a lazy-river cruise and live-action ecology class. Buoyed by our jackets, we drift along at eye level with the thick mangrove roots, through which we spot wild orchids, a shy young heron and lazing lizards as we follow the flowing water as it makes its way toward the Caribbean Sea. The Riviera Maya has been attracting sun-worshipping tourists since the early 1980s, after Mexican bankers determined that Cancún’s sunny clime, white sand and gentle surf would make it the perfect place for beach resorts. And who am I to argue? If my holiday master plan necessitated an agenda of lazy decompression, Fairmont Mayakoba’s seaside location, just 70 km (44 mi) south of Cancún, would be the spot for luxuriating in the sun. But instead of finding my Zen through inaction, I’m standing on a yoga mat on the beach, working to find my balance in a tree pose. It’s 8 a.m. and I’ve already broken a sweat as I try not to curse the slightly uneven sand that is presenting an extra challenge to my somewhat herky-jerky sense of equilibrium. “Don’t forget to breathe,” urges our yoga instructor, the petite and sweetly smiling Julia, whose calm is, lucky for me, catching. Oh, right. That. I inhale deeply and try to maintain my one-legged pose with a modicum of grace. “So you can feeeel it,” explains the charming and handsome executive chef David Andrews when, later that morning, I ask about the advantage of juicing limes by hand instead of, say, using a juicer. I squeeze the fruit between my palms and drain it of its liquid as best I can. With a tall chef ’s hat on my head, what I’m feeling is like a bit of an impostor in this cooking class. But then Chef comes by to taste my guacamole, ›

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Birdwatching at Sian Ka’an; Alonso navigates the canals at Fairmont Mayakoba; reference manual at the ready; one of the Fairmont’s local residents; the entrance to a roadside cenote. PREVIOUS PAGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Xlapak temple in Sian Ka’an; flying the local colors in Puerto Morelos.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Friendly faces at Fairmont Mayakoba; lunchtime treats courtesy of Community Tours Sian Ka’an; snack attack back at the hotel; the mixmaster’s ingredients for a cocktail tutorial.

› and I get a little chuffed when he proclaims, “Good.” A second later, however, he says, “More salt.” My appreciation of flavors continues through our cocktail lesson, during which the gentle bartender Willy assures us everything will be “muy fácil” with the right ingredients (translation: the freshest, juiciest fruit). “You’re a fruitologist!” says Reanna of Willy as she sips the sweetly refreshing pineapple margarita prepared according to his careful instructions. Willy seems pleased with his new title, but he modestly shares the credit: “You must use beautiful ingredients that come from the earth,” he says with a sweep of his arm, indicating the lush surroundings. The Yucatán Peninsula itself is mostly porous limestone – “It’s like Swiss cheese,” says Lyn Santos, the Fairmont Mayakoba ecology manager – and underneath the surface runs a vast network of waterways. Cenotes are the sinkholes that formed where these waterways come to the surface, and are known by the Maya as entrances to the underworld. “Legend has it that if you drink the water from a cenote, you’ll stay forever in the Yucatán Peninsula,” Lyn tells us. This strikes me as the perfect way to extend my holiday, and I vow to make a sinkhole the source of my next drink. At one of the many cenotes along the coastal roadways, we pull over and walk a short distance through the jungle to a pond-size freshwater pool. Here, I assume the role of brave explorer as I shrug off warnings about the “very cold” water and strip down to my bathing suit. Reanna endorses my free-spirit approach but makes a somewhat feeble excuse about needing to stay on shore to take some photos. I dive into the cenote with my eyes open, searching for the portal to the dark and mysterious waterways that flow beneath this land. But the water is too murky to see beyond a few feet so I content myself with the thought that I will have to return to this place at some point in the future... with a diving mask. I take a sip of water and swallow. 66

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CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Poolside serenity; seashore finds during a beach walk; nature in harmony at Fairmont Mayakoba.

Concierge In many ways, Fairmont Mayakoba is a bold green experiment. The resort has introduced environmentally friendly transportation (by electric cart, bike, electric boat) and a return to basics (walking on your own two feet, growing vegetables on-site). Many of the property’s physical characteristics are reflections of the natural environment: The canals mimic the underground waterways that run under the limestone shelf, the casitas obey the height limit set by the indigenous jungle greenery and even the main pool is a mini canal system, with bends and bridges. The property itself is vast and includes a Willow Stream Spa, five swimming pools and three sophisticated restaurants, and it manages the neighboring Greg Normandesigned El Camaleón golf course. Local products sold in the Willow Stream Spa shop and Café Maya raise funds for Mayan cooperatives and entrepreneurs. Cooking classes and a new cocktail tutorial are offered, and the culinary program includes a vegetable garden on the property. fairmont.com/mayakoba

Sian Ka’an This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is the third-largest in Mexico. Tours are available through Community Tours Sian Ka’an and include different thematic experiences of the reserve’s nature, wildlife and Mayan ruins. One of the highlights of our tour was lunch, which was served beside the lagoon and was prepared by the people who live on the reserve. We loved the zesty lobster ceviche, made with crustaceans raised and caught at Sian Ka’an according to the highest eco standards. siankaantours.org

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SWING

BACK IN TIME Legendary golf-course architect Stanley Thompson created three of his finest layouts over 80 years ago. Ensconced in their natural settings, these Canadian greens just keep getting better with age. By Curtis Gillespie | ILLUSTRATIONS by SONIA ROY

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THE FIRST TIME I PLAYED THE FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS

golf course – designed by the Toronto-born Stanley Thompson (1893–1953) – was as a wide-eyed teen some 30 years ago. Mount Rundle towered above. The crystalline Spray River flowed below. The castle-like hotel loomed behind us. I felt as if I were on the set of Where Eagles Dare, ready to join Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood in WWII heroics rather than play a simple round of golf. The place still inspires such feelings. Recently, friends from Scotland visited Alberta, and I took them to play the Springs. When we came to the 14th, they stood staring out over the hole. And were momentarily silent. “Bloody hell, there isn’t anything else like this,” one friend half-whispered. “Anywhere.” Thompson is one of the giants of golf-course architecture, renowned for his ability to route a course through natural environments and his way of tempting golfers to take a shorter path to the hole – a path that is invariably more hazardous. But even though I’ve played the Springs countless times, I am still prone to the course’s primary hazard. Yes, there is the Bow River churning away along the back nine. There is the pine forest jail that lines every hole, and Stanley’s intimidatingly high-backed bunkers. The bent grass greens are slick and appear to run in every direction... except toward the hole. And elk roam the course – you’re well-advised to avoid them, particularly in the fall rutting season. But what I fear most is tripping over my own feet, since I often find my attention directed at my surroundings, leaving my feet without instructions. The course opened in 1928. It took teams of men and horses to get it made, given that it was hewn out of dense conifer forest. But the work paid off: Banff Springs has more impressive vistas than any golf course has a right to provide. I mentioned the tee shot at the 14th, but the most famous view comes at The Cauldron (originally the 8th hole, but now the 4th). There are as many great stories about Stanley as there are courses he built, and one of the best has to do with the 4th hole. Urban legend has it that the first time he walked the area, he found himself at the site of what would later become The Cauldron. As he was standing there, a rockslide thundered down the face of Mount Rundle, spilling scree and boulders and creating a natural amphitheater. Today, the tee box is on one side of a crater filled with crystal-clear water. The green sits 199 yards away. To the right is Mount Rundle. If you can concentrate on the shot at hand, you are a rare golfer.

Stanley loved nature and he wanted us to love it, too. That was his gift to every golfer.

History Club

At The Fairmont Banff Springs, take a trip back in time with the Heritage Golf Experience, a retro round that replicates 1930s golf, down to the hickory-shafted clubs. Accompanied by a caddy dressed in period garb, you’ll tee off from the original hole #1 (now #15), use vintage clubs and a period score card, and hit balls pressed to replicate the design of the era. fairmontgolf.com/banffsprings

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Fairmont Le Château Montebello Golf Club, surrounded by Quebec’s rolling Laurentians, is very different, a subtle Pinot Noir compared to Banff Springs’ bold Cabernet. Stanley didn’t have the same kind of dramatic terrain at his disposal, but he made superb use of what he found when he began construction on Montebello in 1929 (the course opened in 1931). At just over 6,300 yards, the course isn’t long by modern standards, but it features thrilling elevation changes as it moves elegantly through the forest around the Château. Standing on the tee box of the 535-yard 4th hole, I’m always filled with awe at the panorama before me; the view goes for miles and is especially striking in the fall when the colors turn fiery. The feeling of peace this creates inside me is Stanley’s gift to every golfer – he loved nature and wanted us to love it, too. One of Thompson’s greatest skills was finding a natural path for a golf course to flow. At Montebello, I’ve always felt that you are not just playing a round of golf, but experiencing the land as Stanley found it. I play the game for the challenge, but also for the beauty and imagination on display, and Montebello has that in ample measure.

If Banff Springs was my initiation into the boldness of Stanley Thompson, playing The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, in Alberta, for the last 30 years has been an investigation into his art. It, too, is a different experience from Banff, even though both are Rocky Mountain courses. The Jasper peaks, for one, are more rounded than Banff’s; in fact, both the town and the resort mirror their landscape, being quieter, less jagged and not as busy as Banff can get. I’ve played Jasper over 40 times and can attest that although there isn’t a single bad hole, there are no fewer than 11 of the best golf holes I’ve played anywhere. The stretch that always captures my imagination is the 8th, 9th and 10th. The 427-yard 8th winds between two severe swales, leading to a heavily sloped green with a deep drop-off to the left – it’s like playing golf through a slalom course. The 9th is a 231-yard downhill par 3 known as Cleopatra, followed by a par 5 named The Maze for its clusters of bunkers, one of which is named Boötes Arcturus. About 15 years ago, the Lodge embarked on a careful restoration using a detailed map of the original design drawn in Stanley’s hand. The sketch showed an octopus-shaped bunker to the right of the 10th fairway, but the restoration team had one problem – the present-day hole featured no such bunker. Perplexed, they went to the spot where the bunker should have been and started digging. What they found, buried under layers of swaying fescue grasses, was an outline for Boötes Arcturus. It turned out that after WWII, the bunker had been filled in during a routine refurbishment. During the recent restoration, Perry Cooper, the course super intendent, curious about the name, looked it up in an encyclopedia and discovered that Boötes is a constellation, and Arcturus, the constellation’s brightest star. And so the legend goes that during construction, Stanley went for a stroll late one starlit night. He looked up to see Boötes and its shining star Arcturus blazing against the dark backdrop of the universe, and with a branch, he drew the outline of the bunker on the ground to mirror the stars above. Only the great Stanley Thompson would have done this. How lucky we are that he did.

Birthday bonus

Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2010, Fairmont Le Château Montebello will mark the occasion with special packages. For $80 (CAD), guests can enjoy two rounds of golf between Sunday afternoon and Friday noon until the end of May. And throughout the year, visitors observing an 80th birthday of their own will receive a cake on the house. fairmont.com/montebello

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EMI Music, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest independent music company and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in the hospitality industry, have joined forces to bring world class music to Fairmont guests around the world.

Guests at the Fairmont can now enjoy music by these great EMI artists

Coldplay Lenny Kravitz Norah Jones Anne Murray Sarah Brightman Keith Urban Lily Allen and many many more Explore world class music www.fairmontmusicstore.com

EMI_multi_Fairmont ad_Feb09.indd 1

25/2/09 16:26:32

Destination Guide Destination Guide Wellness 74 Fairmont Moment 75 Aspirations 76 Directory 78 Then & Now 81

Napa Valley, California

Three ways to sample, study and embrace West Coast vino culture.

Cakebread Cellars Learn the finer points of culinary harmony at a food-andwine tasting (by appointment). A tour of the winery is followed by an interactive tasting that includes four seasonal recipes inspired by fresh ingredients from the Cakebread garden.

photoS: ISTOCKPHOTO

8300 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford, 1-800-588-0298, cakebread.com

Schramsberg Vineyards For those who take their sparkling wine seriously, a twoday camp (Sept. 12–14, 2010) includes grape harvesting, food-and-wine pairings and in-depth “bubbly” sessions with Schramsberg’s chief winemaker.

CADE Winery Experience the leading edge of sustainable winemaking thanks to this latest venture by San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and philanthropist Gordon Getty, whose specialties are Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

1400 Schramsberg Rd., Calistoga, 707-942-4558, schramsberg.com or visit kitengela-glass.com

360 Howell Mountain Rd. South, Angwin, 707-965-2746, cadewinery.com

Valley Vintners Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is the proud hotel tour provider to Napa Valley Vintners, which represents over 350 wineries. Through our strategic partnership, we provide Fairmont President’s Club members with exclusive events, including wine tastings and winemaker dinners at select hotels as well as shopping events at Saks Fifth Avenue. napavintners.com, fairmont.com/fpc

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Play Time

A new fitness program shows young guests how to be good sports.

Fairmont’s got game. Merging outdoor play with online savvy, our new RU Ready? program, created by author and youth sports expert Scott Lancaster, is a fun and challenging workout for guests aged seven to 17. Participants receive a Trick It Out Sports card pack with a series of physical challenges, or “tricks,” based on different fitness elements: agility, balance, coordination, flexibility, speed, strength and stamina. By performing drills of specific tricks, they sharpen their skill set, gaining confidence and motivation to stay active even after the vacation ends. “Maybe our future Olympians will be inspired by one of our training sessions,” says Kash O’Brien, one of the “program champion” leaders and Health Club Manager at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler

in British Columbia. He uses the top snow-sports destination to teach kids correct alignment for ski jumps and landing techniques for snowboarding. At The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Miami, participants improve hand-eye coordination with ball games on the Laguna Lawn, while their parents play tennis at the nearby courts. After taking part in the program, young athletes have access to a customized webpage, where they can chart their progress with new tricks and connect with other RU Ready? participants around the world. And adults, take note: “The program is designed for kids, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see parents practicing as well,” says O’Brien. fairmont.com/ruready

photO: istockphoto.com

Wellness

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Fairmont Moment

Going for Gold

photo: veer

Fairmont’s customer service values personalized attention.

Taking bespoke service to the next level, Fairmont Gold offers guests at select properties exclusive amenities such as private check-in and spacious lounge with honor bar. The program’s dedicated team of “memory makers” has orchestrated everything from an impromptu wedding (within 24 hours and on Thanksgiving Day, no less) to a cross-country shipment of bagpipes. Less extravagant gestures have created equally memorable moments. When a prominent CNN correspondent had only a few hours carved out of an otherwise busy schedule to visit the souks in Abu Dhabi, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr came to the rescue. Upon discovering that no cars were immediately available, Gold team member September Garcia offered himself as chauffeur for the afternoon using his own car.

At The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Gold managers arranged for a guest’s son, Stephen, to receive a special wake-up call on the morning of his birthday. His new favorite play companion, Mavis the resident dog, arrived at the door carrying a stuffed toy in her mouth as a gift. “It was a hit, and the family has been back many times since,” said Gold Manager Darren Klingbeil. After discovering that a regular guest would be home alone for Thanksgiving, Gold managers at The Fairmont Washington, D.C. sent him a care package with some of his favorite hotel items, such as fluffy slippers and treats for his dog, along with a personal note from the team. “He was thrilled,” said Corporate Fairmont Gold Manager Clarence McLeod.

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Aspirations

Fairmont News & Views

1 HIGH DESIGN Opening this spring, the Fairmont Pacific Rim mixes West Coast cool with Far East chic thanks to celebrated designer James Cheng. Of note: the light sculpture by origami master Joseph Wu that runs the length of the hotel’s Oru restaurant.

fairmont.com/pacificrim

2 WINE TIME Fairmont President’s Club members with an appreciation for fi ne wine can savor the opportunity to book a Fairmont Moment package for the Auction Napa Valley weekend June 3–6, 2010.

fairmont.com/fpc, napavintners.com

3 TIP-TOP PLEASURES An icon since the 1920s, the Penthouse Suite of The Fairmont San Francisco has undergone extensive restoration. The billiard room, two-story library, dining room seating 60 and the use of a Ferrari make it the ultimate in top-of-the-line luxury.

4 ORIGINAL LINKS The Open Championship returns to Scotland July 15–18, 2010, on the Old Course at St Andrews. Fairmont St Andrews is the perfect tee-off spot, sitting on 520 acres of open coastline and offering two incredible 18-hole courses.

5 CLICK TO IT! Relive a memorable vacation or plan a new one on Fairmont’s new online community site Everyone’s an Original. Share your favorite Fairmont stories, photos and videos, and find Fairmont secrets like tasty recipes and mixology tips.

fairmont.com/sanfrancisco

fairmont.com/standrews

everyonesanoriginal.com

PHOTOS: NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS ASSOCIATION (2); ISTOCKPHOTO (5). MAP: ISTOCKPHOTO

From migrating zebras to rooftop beehives, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is working from the ground up to take your stay to new heights. Whether placing guests at the heart of exclusive events or in the seclusion of pristine nature, we hope you’ll feel at home with us.

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INTERNATIONAL AMENITIES 5

PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO (7); ISTOCKPHOTO (8); EMI (10)

PHOTOS: NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS ASSOCIATION (2); ISTOCKPHOTO (5). MAP: ISTOCKPHOTO

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6 BRILLIANT BRUNCH You won’t go hungry at the weekly Friday brunch at Fairmont Dubai’s Spectrum on One. With eight kitchens, six international cuisines and unlimited pourings of Moët & Chandon, it’s no wonder this meal has become a Dubai tradition.

7 WILD THINGS Make Fairmont Mara Safari Club your base for spotting migrating zebra and wildebeest at the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya (July to September). Another highlight: dining at sunset on the shores of the serene Mara River.

fairmont.com/dubai

fairmont.com/marasafariclub

8 BEE COOL Fairmont is buzzing with the introduction of rooftop honeybee colonies at properties like The Fairmont Royal York and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac to help pollinate local gardens and provide delicious honey.

fairmont.com/royalyork, fairmont.com/frontenac

9 ROOF WITH A VIEW Overlooking the famous hairpin turn of Monaco’s Formula 1 Grand Prix (May 13–16, 2010), Fairmont Monte Carlo gives you a front-row seat from the privacy of the hotel’s rooftop terrace. And to relax after the races? Head to the Willow Stream Spa.

10 BEST IN SHOW Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim will be the site of an exciting Music Series, beginning with Barenaked Ladies on April 8, 2010. The hotel will host live talent six days a week, including a range of EMI recording artists and local musicians.

fairmont.com/montecarlo

fairmont.com/pacificrim

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