Fairmont Magazine . Yours to enjoy | spring-Summer 2011
AFRICA NOW Reinventing travel for a new generation
Scents of Place
Breathe in Monaco and the French Riviera
In Pursuit of Pinot
Northern California’s best-kept secret
Bucket List
Golf's ultimate must-play holes
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ROSE-CUT, MULTI-COLOR SAPPHIRES ACCENTED WITH WHITE DIAMONDS IN 18-KARAT ROSE gOLD
NEW YORK, NY 10022
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Model (cover and this page): Khabonina Shabangu, ice model management
Spring-Summer 2011
An AFRICAN LEGACY Four Fairmont properties in Africa get involved in the communities that shape their destinations. BY STEPHEN JERMANOK 34
Cover and above Shot on location at the Fairmont Zimbali Lodge and Fairmont Zimbali Resort by Robert Lemermeyer. Styling, hair and makeup by Candice Mac Nicol, PlayPlay Creations. Wardrobe by South African designer Terrence Bray.
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Spring-Summer 2011
Rediscover the glamor of Monaco on a scent excursion.
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Features
DEPARTMENTS
44 THE GOLF BUCKET LIST
10 CONTRIBUTORS
Six must-play holes, plus expert tips on how to play them. BY PETER ROBINSON
13 HEALTH & WELLNESS Spa services with local flavor
50 HEAVEN SCENT
20 LEADERSHIP Naturally 7’s singing secrets
Follow your nose on an aromachology adventure through Monaco and the South of France.
22 FOOD & WINE How to navigate a wine auction
BY NATASHA MEKHAIL
26 HEALTH & WELLNESS Tools for a sound sleep
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANCES JURIANSZ
28 SPORTS & ADVENTURE Q&A with cricketer Adam Gilchrist
16 FOOD & WINE The sweet life of bees 18 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A stroll though Beijing’s
hip Dashanzi art district
24 SPORTS & ADVENTURE Sun and swing in Mayakoba
30 TRAVEL Packing tips from a seasoned globetrotter 60 THE LONG AND WINING ROAD
82 CHECKOUT Meet Fairmont Peace Hotel’s resident
The Anderson Valley brings authentic small-town charm to California wine touring.
By NEAL M c LENNAN
jazz musician
fairmont hotelS & resorts PRESIDENT’S LETTER
74 DESTINATION GUIDES London, England, and Beijing, China 76 NEWS & VIEWS The scoop on Fairmont 78 DIRECTORY Worldwide property listing
For more news, log on to Fairmont Magazine online. fairmontmagazine.com
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80 SERVICE PLUS Unique jobs at Fairmont 81 THEN & NOW Vladimir Nabokov at Le Montreux Palace
PHOTO: Frances Juriansz
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71 GREEN PLACES Abu Dhabi, UAE
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President’s Letter
one. Location, architecture and our prominent position within our communities define a sense of place and capture the very best of local culture.
Luxury is not a simple case of more is more.
In 1906, when The Fairmont San Francisco was completed, it defined a new standard of luxury in America. A year later, after surviving the Great Earthquake and citywide fires, it reopened, even more resplendent. It defined true luxury as a quality made not only of bricks and mortar, but also of experiences, ever-changing throughout the eras but always unique to each guest. This concept is one that we embrace at Fairmont properties worldwide. And though each hotel or resort is distinct, there is a fundamental truth that always applies: Luxury is not a simple case of more is more.
That leads me to a third: our guests’ freedom to define luxury for themselves. Our guests are looking for a chance to pursue their individual passions. These arrive in infinite variation, yet empowering them is not simply a matter of laying out a bounteous spread, of more being more. It has to do with active facilitation. So, yes, there are still many different luxuries on offers at Fairmont. But we believe you’ll appreciate them most when you can enjoy them in your own happy place. And that place is different for every one of our guests. It may be on top of a mountain, surrounded by family or, well, you tell us.
Chris Cahill President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts PHOTO: Suzanne Merrett
So, how is your experience elevated at a contemporary hotel or resort? We at Fairmont focus on several keys that we think help distinguish us. The commanding presence of our properties is
Another difference is the quality of our service – or, more precisely, the qualities of our service. These go well beyond the expected prompt and courteous to include inspired, genuine and individualized. For instance, through our new Lifestyle Cuisine Plus initiative, if you are diabetic or have allergies or have a heart condition, we can produce a delicious and healthy meal from a custom menu at any Fairmont property around the world.
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The Executive First速 Suite. Give your personal space what it wants. More personal space. Everything we do is designed to make your trip as easy and comfortable as possible.
Executive First Suites are available on all Air Canada-operated aircraft between Canada and international destinations, except certain Boeing 767s. 速Executive First is a registered trademark of Air Canada.
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CONTRIBUTORS
FAIRMONT MAGAZINE SPRING-summer 2011 EDITORIAL Executive editor Charlene Rooke fairmontmagazine@spafax.com
Managing editor Natasha Mekhail Senior editor Jean-François Légaré Assistant editor Eve Thomas
Award-winning photographer Frances Juriansz has shot ice fishing in Labrador, horseback riding in Costa Rica and peregrine falcons from the roof of Chicago’s Natural History Museum. A frequent contributor to Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller, Juriansz’s latest challenge was to shoot Monte Carlo for “Heaven Scent” (page 50).
After earning his MFA from Brown University and moving to Beijing in 2003, Stacey Duff has written extensively on China’s contemporary art scene for magazines, as well as being art editor for Time Out Beijing. In “Avant-Garde Asia” (page 18) he guides us through Dashanzi, home to Beijing’s cutting-edge modern-art community.
An expert on all things food and wine, Vancouver-based writer Neal McLennan teaches newbies how to navigate a wine auction in “Buy the Glass” (page 22). “Buying at auction is definitely one of my vices.” When not frantically waving his paddle for a lot of a 1999 Volnay, McLennan serves as the food and travel editor at Western Living magazine.
Editorial assistants Patricia Lachance Aliyah Shamsher COPY EDITOR Melissa Edwards FACT CHECKER Line Abrahamian ART ART DIRECTOR Aaron Nathaniel Standen Graphic designer Guillaume Brière PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jennifer Blais Production Manager Rachel Robbie PROOFREADER Jennifer Foster online Online editor Jasmin Legatos fairmontmagazine.com
What was meant to be a year-long vacation in the South Pacific turned into a travel-writing career for Boston-based StePhen Jermanok, who explores responsible tourism in Kenya and South Africa for our cover story, “An African Legacy” (page 34). A former columnist at National Geographic Adventure, he writes regularly about conservation issues.
For Robert Lemermeyer (left), full cultural immersion is the only way to capture a sense of place. Shooting Fairmont’s Zimbali properties in South Africa for our cover, the Calgary-based photographer fused the awe-inspiring with the deeply personal. He is currently working on a book about South African architect Carin Smuts.
Managing editor of Fairmont Natasha Mekhail has spent her life collecting fragrances, essential oils and ambers from all over the world. Her latest adventure took her along the winding roads of the French Riviera to explore the world of aromachology in “Heaven Scent” (page 50). She even began a new collection: French toys. “They’re adorable.”
CONTRIBUTORS David R. Adler, Andrew Braithwaite, Stacey Duff, Kevin Garret, Pascale L-Georgiev, Steve Jermanok, Frances Juriansz, Jaime Leblanc, Robert Lemermeyer, Candice Mac Nicol, Neal McLennan, Georgina Wilson-Powell, Peter Robinson, Sasha Seymour, Khabo Shabangu, Jim Sutherland, Maya Visnyei © Copyright 2011 by Spafax Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Fairmont 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 Executive vice president, media and publishing director
Katrin Kopvillem Publisher, Spafax Canada
Lyne Farley Content DIRECTOR
Arjun Basu Account Director
Nadine Hoffman DIRECTOR, FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES
Paula Pergantis DIRECTOR OF SALES
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FAIRMONT magazine
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health & Wellness
In the Zone
Whether you find yourself on the beach or in the desert, Fairmont’s locally inspired spa treatments have the power to soothe body and soul in every environment.
photo: CORBIS
By Eve Thomas
BEACH The Fairmont Southampton’s Willow Stream Spa embraces the natural beauty of its Bermudian surroundings, using island-inspired scents like tropical flowers and sweet lime in its Tropical Essentials Foot Bath. Rich, restorative products like body creams and sorbets and essential oils tailored to each of the four seasons, plus a fitness room with panoramic views of the South Shore, make this spa a perfect spot for regaining your energy. >
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> While it’s tempting to while away your whole tropical vacation staring at the sunset, the Willow Stream Spa at The Fairmont Acapulco Princess wants to help you dance the night away with the Latin Latte experience. Local cultures have sought out the healing properties of the coffee plant for its skin-soothing abilities, and coffee is front and center in this experience, reawakening body and mind through exfoliation, a body wrap and hydrating massage. (And all without drinking a single cup!)
The Fairmont Southampton
Mountain At Fairmont Pacific Rim, the VanActive signature treatments were created around the Grouse Grind, a popular local hike that as many as 100,000 people complete each year on nearby Grouse Mountain. The Willow Stream Spa’s VanActive foot, body and massage treatments are just as useful for hikers, cyclists and fitness enthusiasts of all stripes.
Fairmont Singapore
Skiers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts can count on breathtaking views when visiting The Fairmont Banff Springs. Through a therapeutic bath and massage, the High Altitude treatment at the Willow Stream Spa there remedies some of the possible side-effects of mountain life (as well as mountain sports), including rapid breathing and muscular pains, so you can quickly get your bearings and go back to enjoying your trip.
City The bustling pace of The Bund is forgotten when you enter Fairmont Peace Hotel, and even more so in its Willow Stream Spa, which gains inspiration from the hotel’s history and symbols. The Mystic Peace treatment borrows from the Mystic Knot, a classic feng shui symbol found throughout the hotel, which represents protection and purity. The treatment’s massage includes a continuous “knot” technique for relieving tension. Fairmont Singapore’s Willow Stream Spa Travel Recovery treatment is targeted to some of the city’s frequent guests – travelers on a day or weekend stopover on their way to another farflung Asian destination. The treatment begins with a de-stressing lavender and salt exfoliation and a soothing aromatherapy mineral bath and ends with a massage emphasizing the areas most prone to travel-related stress, including the feet, neck and shoulders.
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Say Ahhhh
Look for the same attention to detail and inspiration from local surroundings in Willow Stream spas opening up at new Fairmont Hotels & Resorts throughout 2011 and 2012, including properties in Jaipur, India, and Makati, Philippines. The Fairmont Banff Springs
willowstream.com
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photo Salvati e Salvati ARABELLA armchair (Modello depositato - Patent pending ) Carlo Giorgetti e Massimo Scolari 2010
www.giorgetti.eu
MILANO | DEN HAAG | NEW YORK | KรถLN GIORGEttI NY 200 Lexington Avenue, Suite 506 NY, NY 10016 tel 212-889-3261 showroom@giorgettiusa.com www.giorgettiusa.com to find a dealer in your area please call 888-836-9100
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FOOD & WINE
hive mind
All the buzz on the ultimate gourmet luxury: honey from a local apiary.
Nectar must be collected from about two million flowers to make about half a kilogram (one lb.) of honey.
Raw honey contains several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, vitamin C and catalase.
By Eve Thomas
Like organic and rooftop gardens, urban apiaries are popping up in major cities – and at Fairmont properties all over the world.
At the height of the season, there can be up to 80,000 bees in a single hive.
The art and science of beekeeping goes back at least 4,500 years, and honey was found in the tombs of ancient Egypt.
About 80 percent of all insect crop pollination is accomplished by honeybees.
Honeybees commonly travel up to 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) looking for food, visiting as many as 100 flowers during each trip.
The Fairmont Royal York executive chef David Garcelon prepared these unctuous Royal York Honey Madeleines with the hotel's own harvest. Find this recipe and more at fairmontmagazine.com/ honey
fairmont.com
Folds and compacts easily and can maneuver in tight spaces for life on the fly. Bugaboo Bee Stroller US$600
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Acacia honey gives sweet warmth to this fragrance. Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne 100 ml (3.4 oz) US$100
Charm school is sweet fun, with blue and pink sapphires sprinkled on 18K yellow gold. Tiffany Cupcake Charm US$1,500
photo: Maya Visnyei; food styling: Sasha Seymour
honey, i'm home!
Urban hives are currently abuzz at 11 international Fairmont properties, from The Fairmont San Francisco to Fairmont Yangcheng Lake in Kunshan, China. Ask your concierge if your hotel has a hive, or simply indulge in a honey-infused dessert or cocktail.
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I DIDN’T
ASK HER TO MARRY ME. I asked her to keep singing that song that gets stuck in my head. Keep kissing my neck when she walks by. I didn’t ask her to marry me. I asked her to keep being us.
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Arts & Entertainment
Avant-Garde Asia
Beijing’s Dashanzi Art District is putting China’s contemporary art scene on the map. By Stacey Duff
Pace Beijing
Galleria Continua
A irp
or tE
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y.
Jiuxianqiao North Rd.
Jiuxianqiao Rd.
Dashanzi 797 Rd.
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timezone8.com
Visit Beijing Commune (+86 10 8456 2862) near the art district’s south gate for a look at one of the city’s most critically acclaimed destinations, featuring Chinese artists’ work in every kind of medium, from oil painting to video to large-scale installations. The space, founded in 2004 by critic and curator Leng Lin, is a hybrid museum/gallery and also hosts professional conferences and publishes books on contemporary Chinese art. beijingcommune.com
If you’re looking for a more intimate setting, check out China’s first art gallery devoted entirely to works on paper, the Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery (+86 139 1165 1353). Founder de Montferrand, a former marketing director for French auction house Artcurial, sums up the medium: “You cannot lie with a drawing. It is either good or bad.” www.hdemontferrand.com
ucca.org.cn
798 Rd.
Fairmont Beijing
Start your journey on foot at the notfor-profit Ullens Center for Contemporary Art or UCCA (+86 10 8459 9269), founded by Belgian collectors Guy and Miriam Ullens. With two warehouses totaling more than 6,000 square meters (65,000 square feet), the UCCA holds several exhibits at once, balancing veteran and up-and-coming artists, including filmmakers and musicians. It’s also home to a great gallery shop and restaurant, Switch!, a perfect spot for weekend brunch (profits support UCCA’s educational programs).
excellent café-style cuisine and is a popular rendezvous point for artists and visitors alike.
Located across from UCCA, bookstore and publisher Timezone 8 (+86 10 8456 0336) stocks a huge supply of art, architecture, design and photography books (including English titles). The shop was opened in an old factory canteen in 2001 by Texan Robert Bernell; his store also hosts small-scale exhibitions and author talks, serves
In 2005, Italian exhibitors Galleria Continua (+86 10 5978 9505) became the first major gallery in Beijing to provide a venue for international artists showing in the city. Continua is considered a powerhouse on the local art scene, and it specializes in onsite installations, including a recent showing from Turner Prize-winning British sculptor Antony Gormley. galleriacontinua.com
PHOTOS: Oak Taylor-Smith (Galleria Continua); Courtesy of Pace beijing Romain Degoul (galerie paris-beijing); COURTESY OF BOERS-LI GALLERY; map: annick desormeaux
Like so many arts-rich neighborhoods, Dashanzi started its life as an industrial hub, Factory 798. Designed by East German architects in the 1950s, the district’s Bauhausstyle buildings remained industrial until the 1980s. Artists started leasing space in the 1990s when Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts used building 798 as a temporary campus. Now it’s one of the city’s major cultural zones, with more than 400 restaurants, shops and galleries, which feature both local and foreign artists.
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Renowned New York art exhibitors PaceWildenstein opened a gallery here in 2008 and, under the name Pace Beijing (+86 10 5978 9781), have become a focal point for some of China’s most historically significant artists, some of whom (Song Dong, Yin Xiuzhen) have earned critical acclaim abroad with solo shows at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. They also feature Western artists, like Jeff Koons and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who are increasingly sought after by Chinese collectors. pacebeijing.com
Photography enthusiasts should drop by Galerie Paris-Beijing (+86 10 5978 9262). The French-owned gallery specializes in contemporary photography and recently showed some China-specific works from the award-winning Canadian industrial and landscape photographer Edward Burtynsky.
Boers-Li Gallery
parisbeijingphotogallery.com
Romain Degoul (galerie paris-beijing); COURTESY OF BOERS-LI GALLERY; map: annick desormeaux
Galleria Continua
Galerie Paris-Beijing
Galerie Paris-Beijing
The 1916 cult fragrance mixes citrus and floral with heady base notes of spice and wood. Acqua Di Parma Colonia Essenza US$125
For a prime example of 798’s blending of old and new, local and international, visit Boers-Li Gallery (+86 10 6432 2620). Operated jointly by a Dutch gallerist and a Chinese art critic, it’s split into two galleries, which feature both large-scale projects from veteran artists and experimental works from up-and-comers, making it a favorite for serious art collectors. The gallery is also close to Yi House (+86 10 6436 1818), where you can dine on crabs and sashimi at Fennel restaurant or have a Yanjing beer at Gossip Bar, all the while taking in lush décor that blends 798 Bauhaus with 1930s Shanghai chic.
Boers-Li Gallery
ANCIENT ACCENTS
Conveniently located in Beijing’s Central Business District, Fairmont Beijing features art of a different kind: 222 rooms are decorated with local accents such as carved lacquer boxes and embroidered pillows, while a permanent installation in the lobby features a 16-meter (52-foot) glass dragon—the Chinese symbol of wealth and prosperity. fairmont.com/beijing
universalstudios.org.cn / yi-house.com
A simple nylon cord is dressed up with 18k yellow gold beads and Ivy charm. Tous Ivy Bracelet US$250
A durable keepall does double-duty as a carry-on and day bag. Louis Vuitton Monogram Keepall US$1,200
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Leadership
SOS Sound
In unique "vocal play" style, the members of Naturally 7 sing, beat-box and emulate musical instruments. Second baritone Dwight Stewart reveals how to care for your voice on the road, whether you’re chairing a meeting or singing in the shower. By Aliyah Shamsher
Naturally 7 (left to right): Roger Thomas, Polo Cummings, Rod Eldridge, Garfield Buckley, Dwight Stewart, Warren Thomas, Hops Hutton.
rants; they force you to shout and overwork your voice. Water may provide instant relief to nervous and dry vocal cords, but it’s healthier to allow your saliva to naturally coat and lubricate your throat. Tip: In a pinch, Naturally 7 like Thayers Dry Mouth Spray (thayersdrymouthspray.com).
Try to talk as little as possible for a few hours before any speaking engagement to give your vocal cords as much rest as possible. Tip: Avoid loud parties or restau-
Sip warm tea (including nourishing ingredients like slippery elm, bay leaf and eucalyptus) with honey throughout the day. Tip: Naturally 7 like Throat Coat
Lightweight linen travels easily between chilly plane rides and breezy spring days. Hugo Boss Boss Black Scarf US$115
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tea from Traditional Medicinals (traditionalmedicinals.com); Fairmont High Antioxidant Wellness Tea is one to try. Dry air from heating and cooling systems can wreak havoc on your vocal cords; a travel humidifier keeps the air moist and soothes throats after a long plane ride. Tip: If traveling in cold weather, always wear a scarf outdoors and while on the plane. Naturally 7’s latest album, Vocal Play, is available from EMI.
Jot down favorite artists, lyrics and concert dates to inspire your own original score. Moleskine Music Journal US$20
School of Rock
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have teamed up with EMI Music to showcase up-and-coming musicians, like Naturally 7, who recently performed at Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland, in partnership with Intelligent Life. Download Naturally 7’s album Vocal Play at the Fairmont Music Store. Visit fairmont.com for details on the Fairmont Music Series and all upcoming concerts. fairmontmusicstore.com emimusic.ca moreintelligentlife.com
Live out loud with a personal soundtrack of 16,000 songs and HD music videos. Zune HD Music Player US$350
PHOTO: Kawai Matthews
A multi-pack of vitamins that include A, B, C, D, E and flaxseed oil helps keep your immune system healthy while on the road. Tip: Before a big speech, coat your throat with the liquid from a flax seed oil capsule. Hold the liquid in your throat for two to three minutes while quietly humming and wash down with plenty of water.
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The next time your mind wanders ...
why not let your body follow? Escape to Antigua and Barbuda, where secluded beaches long to be discovered ered and the authentic warmth of island culture welcomes you with unparalleled hospitality. In a place where sophisticated elegance, tranquil refuge and exotic tradition coexist, you will feel a world away yet still so close to home. Here, pleasure is no pursuit – it is a way of life.
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Office 60 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 601, Toronto Ontario M4T 1N5 Tel: 416-961-3085 info@antigua-barbuda-ca.com www.antigua-barbuda.ca
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Food & Wine
Check the neck for excessive ullage (the space between the wine and the cork). More than one centimeter (half an inch) can mean excessive oxidization.
A wine bottle should be stored on its side during aging to keep the cork moist.
Buy the Glass
What makes a bottle hot (or not) with buyers at a wine auction? Even casual oenophiles can enter the sometimes high-stakes game of bidding with this four-point primer on what to look for before you raise your paddle at a live auction or pursue hot online-auction lots.
ILLUSTRATION: Guillaume briĂˆre
By Neal McLennan
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In general, the higher the alcohol content the longer a wine can be cellared. The curve at the bottom of the bottle is called a “punt.” Most experts agree its size and depth doesn’t affect a wine’s quality.
UV rays affect the quality of wine. Bottles made of dark green and amber glass offer the most protection. Wine in clear glass bottles is meant for immediate consumption.
Find an auction What type of auction house suits your style? Sotheby’s and Christie’s are the biggies, but Acker Merrall, the Chicago Wine Co. and even winecommune.com (the eBay of online wine auctions) offer the ability to review the catalogue well beforehand and bid in person or online. (Hong Kong, London and New York are the main locales.) Charity auctions run the gamut from small provincial affairs (where, due to the small audience, occasional steals can be had) to multi-day extravaganzas that offer rarities such as entire barrels of prized vintages or limited-edition and winemaker-select bottlings. Do your homework Just as you’d never stroll into a fine art auction without researching values, before bidding on wine you’ll have to study. The best strategy is to choose one region or varietal that your palate prefers, and go from there. One of the easiest areas to learn is Bordeaux: the French took a regimented approach to categorizing the wine and that makes learning simpler. Plus, it’s produced in relatively large quantities and is the most widely auctioned wine, so finding past comparables is simple. If you love Italian Barolo, French Burgundy or California Cabernet, know that the exceptions outnumber the rules and the learning curve is steep.
Sediment and cloudiness in a bottle of younger, filtered wine can be an indication of spoilage, including bacteria. (Not the case with unfiltered wine, which is meant to retain small particles.)
Lafitte grapevines and grape-seed polyphenols regenerate and redensify skin. Caudalie Premier Cru La Crème US$150
Learn to spot flaws Unlike a painting or antique, damage to wine through incorrect storage (extremes in temperature or standing a bottle upright are prime culprits) isn’t always so easy to ascertain. Telltale signs that a bottle of wine is no longer at its best include a lot of sedi-
Define timeless elegance with oyster perpetual movement and a superlative chronometer. Rolex DateJust 36 mm, yellow gold US$17,300
ment in a filtered wine, a wet cork or drips on the inside of the foil. In addition, the air space between the wine and cork should be a quarter to half an inch. Anything more is an indicator that the wine may be compromised. All reputable auction houses will list these flaws but, remember, it’s final sale at the big auction houses. Start your bidding Now the fun part. Just make sure you set yourself a limit and stick to it. Too often people get carried away by the excitement and end up paying more for a wine than what it sells for at retail. Once you attend a few auctions you’ll get attuned to where the deals lie. For example, the 1986 vintage in Bordeaux is only slightly less heralded than the 1982 but sells for drastically less, and that vintage produced wines with an exceptionally long life. Or, that Chateau D’Armailhac’s vineyards abut those of Mouton Rothschild but the wine sells for a fraction of the price. Exploit such anomalies. Finally, as any true wine expert will tell you, a great bottle of wine is simply one that you enjoy.
WINE AND DINE
Santé, the fine-dining restaurant at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, has a Sonoma-centric wine list featuring boutique wineries and limited-production varietals that make perfect pairings with the locally inspired, one-Michelin-star cuisine of chef Andrew Cain. fairmont.com/sonoma
Handcrafted, mouth-blown crystal adds a graceful element to your wine time. Riedel “O” Single Decanter US$195
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SPORTS & Adventure
Beyond the Green In between working on your golf game in the Riviera Maya, take a break to indulge in everything the resort area has to offer. By Jim Sutherland
Good Sports
Golfers can also get fit at Fairmont Turnberry Isle, a “one-stop shop” for golf and sports performance training, rehabilitation and nutrition. In partnership with top coach Pete Bommarito, the new center offers nutritionists, physical therapists and other experts working together on customized programs for resort guests, club members and pro athletes (including members of the NFL and NBA). The resort is also launching THEgolfacademy, which will feature some of the top golf instructors in North America, including Bill Forrest, PGA Teacher of the Year in 2006. fairmont.com/turnberryisle fairmontgolf.com
As an annual stop on the PGA Tour, the Greg Norman-designed course El Camaleón at Mayakoba (above) has a built-in mythology. No other tour stop boasts a cenote (a limestone cavern, complete with stalactites), let alone one in the middle of the first fairway. Few other courses play as difficult in relation to par; even fewer reward players who keep the ball in play on a track lined by a mangrove jungle, criss-crossed by canals and buffeted by breezes. It’s also home to the only Jim McLean Golf School in Mexico. Reward yourself post-round with a delicious meal of sustainable seafood (above, bottom right) at one of four rest– aurants at Fairmont Mayakoba.
The porous limestone topography and tropical flora and fauna of the Yucatán Peninsula make for a tantalizing ecological wonderland and spectacular photo ops (right and above, top right). If you’re seeking deeper immersion, there are half a dozen adventure parks sprinkled along the Riviera Maya, each with a slightly different menu. Among the most popular: Hidden Worlds for caving, cenote snorkeling and zip lines; Xel-Ha for fresh and salt water lagoons and diving; Xaman-Ha Aviary for tropical bird life; and Xcaret for jungle and aquatic activities, as well as cultural attractions.
Fairmont Mayakoba fairmont.com/mayakoba
Xel-Ha Highway Chetumal-Pto. Juárez, Km.
Mayakoba/El Camaleón Carretera Federal
240 local 1 y 2 módulo B., Xel-Há ,Tulum,
Cancun-Playa del Carmen Km. 298, 011-52
+52 (998) 884 71 65
(984) 206-3088
Xaman-Ha Aviary Mza. 13-A Lote 1, Fracc.
Jim McLean Golf School Carretera Federal
Playacar, +52 (984) 873 0330
Chetumal Pto Juarez, Km 298, Playa del Carmen
Xcaret Chetumal-Puerto Juarez Federal
984-122-5104
Highway, Km. 282, 01 (998) 883 04 70
Hidden Worlds Highway 307, C.P. 77780
Iconic circular sunnies get a sleek update in tortoise shell. MaxMara Audrey 1 US$220
Active seaborne extracts illuminate and balance skin while reflecting and transmitting light. La Mer The Radiant Serum US$250
PHOTO: istockphoto (chichÉn-itzÁ)
Tulum, Quintana Roo +52 (984) 115 4514
Time shift effortlessly with multiple cities etched along the case and a 24-hour dial. Breitling Navitimer World Watch US$5,560
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With shopping both exclusive and funky, and bars and restaurants both polished and rambunctious, Playa del Carmen behaves like that rarest of hybrids: a Mexican beach town by way of the Mediterranean. After strolling the boutiques on mile-long Fifth Avenue, hit one of the beachside bars where merrymaking continues until dawn.
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Health & Wellness
Best Rest
Get a good night’s sleep with products that promise sweet dreams.
Soothe tension and soak in aromatherapy with Jo Malone’s Amber & Lavender bath oil. US$60, jomalone.com
By Eve Thomas
Doze off anywhere with Ralph Lauren’s Cashmere Cable travel set: a blanket, eye mask and zip bag (which doubles as a pillow). US$395, ralphlauren.com
Make your nightcap a mini bottle of Snooz’n, an allnatural sleep aid containing melatonin and tryptophan. US$14/6-pack, snoozn.com
Transform your linens with the lavender, tea tree and geranium essential oils in L’Occitane’s Pillow Mist. US$20, loccitane.com
Beat insomnia with a lavender-infused body patch. US$16/10-pack, naturalpatchesofvermont.com
Sleep soundly with apps like Sleep Cycle, White Noise and Virgin Atlantic’s Jet Lag Fighter. US$0.99 to $1.99, itunes.apple.com
Shut out the world with Panasonic’s compact noise-canceling earbuds, which reduce noise by 88 percent. US$100, panasonic.com
Ditch the alarm and wake up gradually to discreet chimes from Bang & Olufsen’s BeoTime. US$375, bang-olufsen.com/beotime
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For even sweeter dreams, try Fairmont’s special sleep amenities. The Relaxation Menu at The Fairmont Washington, D.C., includes items like massages, silk eye masks and lavender cookies. Rest your head at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston, where you can choose from five pillow types based on your sleeping habits. Catch a catnap at “The Quiet Zone” at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport, where you can snooze in silence while waiting for your plane. Order a mug of Fairmont’s Tranquility tea, with calming ingredients like chamomile, oat straw and hops. fairmont.com
photo: Jaime LeBlanc
Comfort À la Carte
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our par tners h i p s . yo u r p l e as u r e .
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, exclusive benefits and exciting offers. All of which lead to a heightened travel experience. For more information on our partnerships, please visit www.fairmont.com/globalpartners To get the most out of your stay, enroll in Fairmont President’s Club: www.fairmont.com/fpc. For reservations, please contact your travel professional, call 1 800 441 1414 or visit www.fairmont.com Our global partners include:
8194_FHR Partnership Ad 03-07-11_FA3.indd 1 Fairmont fullpage.indd 1
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Sports & Adventure
The Wicketkeeper We speak to Australian sportsman Adam “Gilly” Gilchrist – pro cricket player, TV sports presenter and World Vision ambassador for India – about his beloved game, his adopted country and the all-important post-match curry. By Andrew Braithwaite
YOU RETIRED FROM THE AUSTRALIAN
IN 2005, THE BOSTON RED SOX TALK-
NATIONAL TEAM IN 2008. WHAT
ED OF BRINGING YOU OVER TO PLAY
CONVINCED YOU TO JOIN THE INDIAN
CATCHER. COULD YOU HAVE MADE IT
PREMIER LEAGUE (IPL)?
AS A BASEBALL PLAYER?
I heard someone call the IPL “the United Nations of cricket,” and I don’t think that’s too far off the mark. You get to play with other cricketers from all the Test-playing nations.
It was a nice offer, but I think it would have been extremely difficult to perform at that level of competition. I’d only ever played baseball once, when I was 14. It’s a fantastic game with many similarities – but probably even more differences – to cricket.
SO, NOW YOU’RE PLAYING THE NEW, FASTER TWENTY20 (T20) FORMAT?
When I first heard about T20 cricket [a condensed version of cricket played over hours, rather than days], I was skeptical. But having played it for several seasons now, I think that it’s a great game, requiring considerable skill and effort over a very intense three hours. Test cricket is still the ultimate contest, but we’re lucky to have the T20 version to bring the game into the 21st century.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT INDIAN FOOD?
I love it. Too much, actually. I really have to watch my diet whenever I’m playing cricket in the subcontinent. My favorite Indian dish is lamb korma with rice and naan. During the lunch or tea interval I’ll tend not to eat too much, but right after the game most players will tuck into the rice and curry that’s provided for us.
WHAT’S IT LIKE PLAYING IN INDIA?
The durable black rubber strap is flexible, sweat resistant and waterproof. Hublot Big Bang King Palladium $22,000
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Weather all conditions with an automatic open and durable wood handle. Brooks Brothers Plaid Mini Umbrella US$50
Pink City Pampering
Relax and rejuvenate at Fairmont Jaipur, which opens in late 2011. The property will feature a 930-square-meter (10,000-square-foot) Willow Stream spa, health club and convention center. fairmont.com
Hold everything with multiple pockets in unstructured, soft-but-tough nylon. Tumi Belvoir Daily Tote US$275
PHOTO: getty images
I’ve been to India more times than any other country, and it still never ceases to amaze me how their passion for cricket crosses all social, economic and class groups. It is an amazing place. Like the IPL, it has a rich historical mix of cultural and religious groups. Only in India can they call a place like Hyderabad a provincial city, when it has a population of more than six million!
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A very contemporary return to old traditional high-end standards FVa35 SuperSonico 5-Minute Repeater SuperLigero Concept FRANC VILA exclusive calibre FV35 Limited edition 88 pieces Black Titanium with Red Lightnium $45,000
For the dealer nearest you, please call W LUXURY GROUP, sole distributor for the USA and Canada at 305-674-9670 www.francvila.com
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TRAVEL Knit tie Hugo Boss US$125
Plaid shirt Ralph Lauren US$125 + Double-breasted trench Burberry Brit US$750
Leader of the Pack
Building the perfect travel wardrobe, and packing it smartly, is an art. Saks Fifth Avenue vice-president and men’s fashion director Eric Jennings shares his essential tips on travel style for men. By Aliyah Shamsher
Monk-strap shoes Bally US$425
On the Town Khaki pants Vince US$175
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"Pack dress-shoe hybrids: leather shoes with a rubber sole, for both dressy and casual wear."
photos: Jaime LeBlanc; styling: Pascale L-Georgiev
Silk tie Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Collection US$95
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Business Casual
Cashmere scarf Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Collection US$128
"The foundation of a great travel wardrobe is sport coats, from more sweater-like knits to structured business coats to casual ones."
Shirt Paul Smith US$265 + V-neck sweater Michael Kors US$195
Oxford-striped shirt Rag and Bone US$275 + Jacket Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Collection US$495 + Pocket square Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Collection (three-pack) US$48
Belt Michael Kors US$85
Happy Hour
Brogues Ralph Lauren US$525
"Travel with neutrals in shades of navy and gray. Then add pops of color with shirts, ties and pocket squares."
Leather travel kit Tumi US$135
Dark denim jeans Hudson US$198
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Double Duty "Pack items you can wear for both business and leisure – I call it 'bleisure.' Dress up a sport coat with tropical-weight wool trousers, a shirt and tie; dress it down with no tie and dark denim jeans."
Alpha Wheeled Garment Bag Tumi US$595
Ties Breuer (left) US$135 and Hugo Boss US$95
Pack It In Hungry for Style
"Rolling your socks and underwear up in your shoes helps keep the shoes’ shape and saves space." Socks Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Collection (three-pack) US$48 32
Saks Fifth Avenue Service offers Fairmont guests after-hours personal shopping appointments at The Fifth Avenue Club, where you can indulge in a complimentary facial and makeup application or get fitted for a made-to-measure suit. Forgot your shirt or hosiery for a morning meeting? Saks will source the item and have it delivered to your hotel room, while you prep for your presentation.
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photo: Robert Lemermeyer
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LEFT TO RIGHT Traditional baskets grace a feature wall at Fairmont Zimbali Resort; guests of Fairmont Mara Safari Club can enjoy a picnic lunch and walking tour, led by Maasai warriors.
An African Legacy
At four properties in Africa, Fairmont shows its guests the new way to travel: not just with a light footprint or a green conscience, but, by joining local communities to make life better in some of the world’s most unique and beautiful places. By Stephen Jermanok
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Enter through the wrought-iron gate of Fairmont
Mount Kenya Safari Club and you’re transported to a verdant valley of manicured lawns and flower-filled ponds, with a broad-shouldered peak in the background that towers 5,199 meters (17,050 feet). When Hollywood heartthrob William Holden gazed at this same sight, a two-hour drive north of Nairobi, in the late 1950s, he proclaimed it “the most beautiful place in the world,” and proceeded to purchase the land and build a members-only safari club. Bing Crosby, Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin could once be seen tiptoeing around the pet leopards for a seat at the bar. The snow-dusted peak of Mount Kenya looms so prominently in the background, today’s guests might not notice the organic vegetable garden, hundreds of recently planted trees or the unusual elephant sculpture, created from recycled scrap metal, that greets you at the front of
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the hotel. This environmentally friendly imprint is the handiwork of Joseph Kilai, whose official title at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club is President of the Green Team. As I soon found out, his work goes far beyond the realm of nature or the boundaries of this resort. The buzzword in the travel industry in the 1980s and ’90s was ecotourism. Serve local foods, plant indigenous flora, dub it an eco-resort, or so the thinking went. At the dawn of the new millennium, eco-tourism evolved into sustainable tourism. Hotels were more conscious of their impact on the surrounding communities, ensuring that locals would be employed and that local culture would benefit from the long-term success of the property. Kilai pushes the envelope even further, involving the hotel in meaningful ways that enhance the entire social, cultural and natural community. That might mean donating mattresses to needy children,
ABOVE Masai Mara National Reserve in southwest Kenya, near the Fairmont Mara Safari Club, is home to a large lion population and dramatic annual zebra and wildebeest migrations.
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photos: Kevin Garret (Peter Chacha, Ngerende)
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Private guest tents at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club; the resort's Service Plus committee president, Peter Chacha; Maasai greet visitors to the village of Ngerende.
cleaning up the litter in neighboring towns or planting thousands of saplings. With the work being accomplished by Kilai and his contemporaries at Fairmont Mara Safari Club (who preserve the dwindling rhino population from poaching) and Fairmont Zimbali Resort (who are building a community center for the local Zulu community), Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Africa is at the forefront of an important new trend in travel: socially responsible tourism. Simply put, it means being good neighbors to the surrounding communities. When these neighbors happen to be indigenous tribes in Africa, proud to open up their homes and ways of life to strangers, it leads to an authentic travel experience that’s hard to duplicate. Turning Trash to Treasure
“Tell Kilai when to stop,” says acting hotel manager Rana Mukherji, as
we board a minibus to see what the “Green President” has been up to lately. “Or you’ll never return,” he adds with a chuckle. Indeed, Kilai has an earnest nature that bubbles over with enthusiasm when he discusses his efforts. Kilai even begins to sound a bit Gandhi-like when he tells me, “The environment isn’t whole until you have love in the community.” Kilai receives a huge hug from the principal, Julia Kamweti, upon our arrival at the Likii Special School for the Mentally Challenged. It was here, in this downtrodden boarding school in the back lot of the region’s biggest city, Nanyuki, that he found 60 kids, many with autism and severe physical and mental disabilities, sleeping on the wires of bed frames, without mattresses, pillows or blankets. Kilai quickly called Fairmont’s corporate office and received the go-ahead to share the necessary supplies. On a small plot of land outside the dormitory,
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Thanks to Fairmont bringing guests to our village, we have become part of the equation.
photo: Kevin Garret
– Ranger Daniel ole Nkurumua, of the Maasai community of Ngerende, pictured below.
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photo: Kevin Garret (Joseph Kilai)
Kilai has taught both teachers and students to grow tomatoes, avocadoes, strawberries and bananas. He has also arranged firewood donations for cold nights. (Even though Nanyuki is north of the equator, it lies at a chilly 2,000-meter [6,600-foot] elevation.) Yet the generous Kilai insists the school provide transport to pick up all items. “They have to meet me halfway to show me their commitment,” he says. Also meeting Kilai halfway are children from other nearby schools, who learn about conservation through tree-planting. Much of the surrounding land has been deforested due to an increase in farming and illegal logging. “Without trees,” he tells the children, “rivers dry up, and there is no shade or protection from wind.” At Muthaiga Primary School, Kilai helped plant white bottlebrush and other native trees that now stand more than two meters (nearly 7 feet) tall. He teaches kids tricks of the trade, like filling an old wine bottle with water and planting it upside-down near the roots of a young sapling. This helped
the students save 98 percent of the trees during a massive drought in 2009. The children were rewarded with lunch at the resort and a tour of William Holden and Stefanie Power’s animal orphanage neighboring the property, which houses cheetahs, monkeys, ostriches and a 100-year-old tortoise named Speedy Gonzales. More than 10,000 trees have now been planted by local youth. Our final stop brings us to Kanyoni, the last village you see before the entrance to Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club. Kilai tells me that the town once had the look of a slum, with litter piled high along the streets and adults loitering during midday hours, without work or hope. Now there’s row after row of organic vegetables, like leafy kale and beans, sold by locals at the Nanyuki market; a chicken coop that supplies eggs and meat; and, perhaps most remarkably, the street and surrounding fields are free of litter. In a brilliant move, Kilai hired local artist Godffrey Kimani
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A sublime view of Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club; Joseph Kilai, President of the property's Green Team; brunch on the terrace overlooking majestic Mount Kenya.
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Horns of Plenty
Two actual rhinos, not of the plastic variety, are fencing with their horns on the slopes of the renowned Kenyan safari destination, Masai Mara. It is here on the Tanzanian border that wildebeests make their annual migration back and forth into the Serengeti, exhausted lions find shade in the sun after a night on the prowl, leopards and cheetahs run swiftly through the bush and families of elephants and giraffes stand taller than the acacia trees that dot the majestic Great Rift Valley.
Then there is the fate of the unfortunate rhino. In the 1960s, the population of the rhino in Kenya numbered close to 20,000. Today, there are just less than 700 rhinos, which have been poached almost to extinction; the rhino’s horn can fetch its weight in gold on the black market in parts of Asia, where it is used in traditional medicine. Fairmont Mara Safari Club – perfectly perched along the Mara River, where guests can wake up to the sight of bathing hippos – works diligently with Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy to ensure that the rhinos in Masai Mara flourish. A conservation fee is collected daily per guest, which goes straight to the rhino conservancy, helping to employ local Maasai villagers like ranger Daniel ole Nkurumua. Ole Nkurumua has only encountered one poacher in his 13 years as ranger: that’s proof, he says, that educating the Maasai about wildlife conservation has worked, as has fostering a growing partnership in Masai Mara’s travel business. “Thanks to Fairmont bringing guests to our village, we have become part of the equation,” he says. No visit to the Mara would be complete without a visit to the Maasai community of Ngerende. Chief Olenasi takes visitors right inside the village’s huts (made of tree branches, grass, clay soil and
ABOVE Rhino conservation is a priority at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club, which collects funds for the local rhino conservancy.
photo: Kevin Garret
(known as Kim) to create art from recycled trash that is collected monthly from the hotel’s litter and the village. Kim perfected a technique to melt plastic and safely burn off the flammable fumes into a sealed container. Using the liquid plastic, he molds whimsical animal shapes. Since being hired three years ago and locating his studio on the hotel property, Kim has converted more than two tons of trash into art. The scrap-metal elephant sculpture you see upon entering the lobby is his creation, along with the toy lions and rhinos every child in the hotel receives. These are only the most visible signs of the growth the Green President has fostered.
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LEFT AND BELOW The Fairmont Zimbali Lodge (left) and the Fairmont Zimbali Resort (below) are in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, rich in Zulu heritage.
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Modern Warriors
Watching the local Zulu dance at Fairmont Zimbali Resort on South Africa’s pristine east coast is a memory you won’t soon forget. Not all guests of this resort, which is nestled between a forest reserve and the Indian Ocean, a 40-minute drive from Durban, would realize that KwaZulu-Natal province is rich in Zulu heritage until these descendents of fierce warriors visit the property dressed in animal skins and multicolored beadwork. Spears have been replaced by shields and innocuous sticks as they perform a boisterous tribal song and dance. Suddenly, you’re transported back to the
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Africa of yore, a fascinating world to which only intrepid explorers like David Livingstone were privy. These Zulu men and women are part of the 500-strong Shaka’s Kraal village, located just down the road. Fairmont has been donating money and construction teams to help Shaka’s Kraal build its own community center, which will house a school, employment center, church, and crafts center and market. The project is slated to be completed in two years, and Zimbali sales and marketing director Julian Katz tells me the Zulu elders are excited to finally have a hub where guests can come to experience their village. Even in the modern city of Nairobi, where Fairmont The Norfolk is best known as a colonial outpost that once hosted such luminaries as Teddy Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and Out of Africa author Isak Dinesen, the recently refurbished hotel is working with local city organizations to clean up a nearby river. Back in Masai Mara, Fairmont Mara Safari Club is building a new school for Maasai children. And the restless energy of Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club President of the Green Team, Joseph Kilai, apparently knows no bounds. Together with artist Kim, he’s helping create a briquette made from grass and cow dung that can be used as an alternative to firewood. He also plans to start a rabbit-farming operation in Kanyoni as a way to empower women stricken with poverty. What does any of this have to do with running a modern hotel? Kilai says: “If we don’t take responsibility for our neighbors, then we have no future.”
ABOVE Early morning and sunset are ideal times for safaris (such as this one offered by the Fairmont Mara Safari Club), providing stunning views and optimal animal-watching.
map: annick desormeaux
cow dung) and tells us that the homes are all built by women in this community. Children smile for the camera while their mothers display their own artwork, and fathers, dressed in colorful garb, perform a traditional dance where the ability to jump as high as a professional basketball player is a prerequisite. Guests at Fairmont Mara Safari Club are encouraged to visit this genuine Maasai village, which has a healthy symbiotic relationship with the resort. By opening their community to hotel guests – who often comment that a visit to Ngerende is just as compelling as seeing the Big Five on safari – the Maasai community profits from selling their art and from the US$15 admission fee. The hotel has also helped build two pit-latrines and washrooms for the Maasai to improve the community’s hygiene, and it offers free medical assistance for minor ailments.
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Concierge STAY Start your sojourn in Africa at Fairmont The Norfolk in Nairobi, the traditional starting point for Kenyan safaris since it opened in 1904. Eight suites in the so-called 1937 Block are spacious favorites. fairmont.com/norfolkhotel
Nestled within 100 acres of landscaped gardens on the slopes of Africa’s secondhighest mountain is Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki, where luxurious cottages and a heated swimming pool offer comfort and relaxation. fairmont.com/kenyasafariclub
Surrounded on three sides by the Mara River, Fairmont Mara Safari Club is the epitome of luxury in the wilderness. Private tents and verandas overlook the hippoand crocodile-filled river, while the main lodge at the center of camp hosts an indoor restaurant and features an outside deck that leads to a heated pool. fairmont.com/marasafariclub
Unspoiled shoreline, rolling hills and lush flora have come to define Fairmont Zimbali Resort, which has 360-degree views of a 700-acre forest reserve, the beaches of the Dolphin Coast and an 18-hole golf course designed by golf champion Tom Weiskopf. fairmont.com/zimbaliresort
DO Early risers at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club can have a champagne brunch after a horseback ride along the base of Mount Kenya. Observe the critically endangered Mount Kenyan antelope, the mountain bongo, at the Animal Orphanage neighboring the hotel managed by the William Holden Wildlife Foundation. From there, tour the 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which works with the Jane Goodall Institute to provide refuge to orphaned and abused animals. For a true safari experience, travel through Aberdare National Park, where you ascend 3,050 meters (10,000 feet) to glimpse elephant, buffalo, zebra and waterbuck. Dress to the nines and pay homage to the hotel’s storied Hollywood past with a drink at Duma’s Corner. A nightcap at Zebar, which rests on the equator, means your server will have to cross from the southern to the northern hemisphere to take your order. fairmont.com/kenyasafariclub olpejetaconservancy.org aberdarenationalpark.net
At Fairmont Mara Safari Club, an early morning game drive with a packed picnic lets you explore the Masai Mara National Reserve, home to the largest lion population and the locale of the famed wildebeest and zebra migrations. Ditch the fourTOP TO BOTTOM Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Zimbali Lodge and Zimbali Resort.
wheelers for a guided Walking Tour by a knowledgeable naturalist and two Maasai warriors in full regalia. A full safari brunch is served on the riverbank, where hippos might keep you company. A Balloon Safari over the Mara plains gives you an unparalleled birds-eye view of the Great Rift Valley and even leopards, elephants, giraffes
Fairmont Mara Safari Club
Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club Fairmont The Norfolk
and warthogs. Immerse yourself in local culture with the Masai Cultural Experience package: visit a local Maasai manyatta (village) and watch the Maasai women create intricate necklaces, bracelets and belts, while the men perform a traditional dance. fairmont.com/marasafariclub maraplains.com
Situated in the mist belt of KwaZulu-Natal, Valley of a Thousand Hills is one of the province’s best-known landmarks. Guests of Fairmont Zimbali Resort will delight in a guided sunset drive through the valley to visit a contemporary Zulu village, to meet locals and experience traditional customs of the Zulu. Soar back in time at the KwaZulu-Natal Battlefields, where an accomplished storyteller, historian, researcher and battlefield guide shares all the drama that took place at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. Visit with an isangoma (witch doctor) during a Shakaland Tour, where you can sample traditional Zulu beer and witness the skill and artistry that goes into making Fairmont Zimbali Lodge and Resort
spears, shields and beadwork. fairmont.com/zimbaliresort 1000hills.kzn.org.za
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The
G olf Bucket list Six must-play holes, and advice from the experts on how to play them, from top courses around the globe. By Peter Robinson
Kittocks Course, Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland
No. 17, Sam’s Favorite: Par 4, 502 yards Kittocks is played almost in the shadow of the game’s birthplace, the “auld grey toon.” The 17th hole can be as tough as any you’ll find, if the wind howls in off the North Sea. If that weren’t enough, the ravine in right-front of green will swallow balls hit short. The original layout incorporated the expertise of the late Gene Sarazen, who, according to head professional John Kerr, was said to be drawn to the property because it reminded him of a Scottish version of Pebble Beach. But the enduring appeal of No. 17 is not just the stunning landscape or the risk-reward intelligence of its design, but also the rewards that come with playing in the “auld country.” It gets into your bones and once there it never leaves.
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“With the sea running along the entire right-hand side of the hole and a view of St. Andrews town and the beaches on the horizon, the hole plays into the prevailing southwest wind. From the tee, you have to play up the left-hand side of the fairway: guarding the green on the right is a 100-foot cliff-top ravine down to the beach, then a bunker ready to catch anyone lucky enough to clear the ravine.” — Jo Maes, head of GolfSwitch International and the European Golf Travel Media Association
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“The fun comes with being able to reach the green with one mighty swing; the challenge is not to miss right, left or long, which will be severely penalized.” — Ian Andrew, golf architect
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, Canada
No. 9, Cleopatra: Par 3, 231 yards (left) The woman herself transfixed Julius Caesar and her golf equivalent has cast a similar spell. In fact, Stanley Thompson was rumored to have modeled the hole on the form of a shapely woman, but was forced to tone it down. It’s a testament to the man’s brilliance that you can still sense feminine curves, even if they’re not really there. From a purely golf perspective, it’s both beautiful and a brute, because all but the very longest hitters have to catch their tee ball almost perfectly to get maximum distance. Go off-line and trouble is everywhere, but the clever design still allows many balls that land short to bounce up to the green. El Camaleón at Fairmont Mayakoba, Mexico
No. 15: Par 3, 155 yards (below) Greg Norman’s handiwork is worthy of the man’s moniker: the Great White Shark. Standing on the tee box of No. 15, a golfer can’t help but think of the deep’s most intriguing inhabitant, because the hole’s design conjures up similar feelings of awe. The hole is the most notable of many stunning physical characteristics of El Camaleón. Cenotes, mangroves, jungle and crystal blue waters almost crash into one another. It’s almost as if the Shark circled this property, stalked it, before settling on this location as the perfect setting for his creation.
“With the Caribbean Sea providing a splendid backdrop, the hole is certainly the most visually enticing on the course. Many golfers will be lulled into a false sense of security by the short length of this one-shot hole, but with winds blowing off the nearby beach, finding the putting surface can be a challenge.” — Robert Thompson, author, Going for the Green, and blogger, canadiangolfer.com
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“It’s tough; not very many players go for the green in two. You have to get your approach shot very high to stay on the green, so for most players it’s best to lay up and use a wedge in.” — Hiro Suzuki, head professional
“The big hitters should go for it. That’s the fun part of the hole!” — Harry Bowers, golf architect
Soffer Course, Fairmont Turnberry Isle, U.S.
No. 18, The Closer: Par 5, 542 yards Island greens appeal to the conflicting emotions all golfers have: they love to play them, but even the steeliest nerves twitch standing over the ball. The Closer should be enjoyed, not feared, as it’s a par-5 hole that incorporates all the elements a golfer could want to wind up a round: the opportunity to go for the green in two, take chances over water to record a round-ending birdie (or better), all while basking in a slice of South Florida that looks as though it could have been plucked from the shores of the Mediterranean. This hole inspired competing views from our experts, head pro Hiro Suzuki, and golf architect Harry Bowers, who worked with touring pro Raymond Floyd in designing the Soffer layout. Hypothetically, our tie-breaker could be Annika Sorenstam (the recently retired Swede who won an LPGA tournament at Turnberry in 2008). Fairmont magazine
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“The Fairmont Southampton is one of those fun courses that still gives you a good challenge. Don’t think of it as a par 3 in the traditional sense; think of it as one of 18 challenging short holes with great views and plenty of wind to have you guessing at the right club.” — Bob Weeks, SCOREGolf editor and TSN Golf Insider
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The Fairmont Southampton Golf Course, Bermuda
The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course, Canada
No. 1, The Turquoise: Par 3, 152 yards (top) Standing on the tee of Turquoise is an assault on your senses, revealing the kaleidoscope of color that is one of Bermuda’s calling cards. The Atlantic Ocean, with its turquoise hue, lurks off in the distance and is often a source of pleasant ocean breezes that add to the subtle charms of the course. But this signature hole shouldn’t be considered a pushover. Just when you think you have Turquoise – or Bermuda, for that matter– figured out, another stunning view, checkerboard of color or other unexplained wrinkle will both confuse and delight you.
No. 4, Devil’s Cauldron: Par 3, 200 yards (right) It would be difficult to find a golf hole anywhere in the world that incorporates a more dramatic landscape and intricate design than Devil’s Cauldron. The Rocky Mountains offer enough all on their own, but it’s the genius of the late, great golf architect Stanley Thompson that makes this hole. You must strike your tee ball with power to clear the water but also with enough finesse in order to not be left on the high ground behind the green. The bunkering, based loosely on the snow patterns that often form on the visible mountainside, add to the mix.
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“Trademark Thompson cheekiness: the bunkering in the shape of snow caps.” — Thomas McBroom, golf architect
Playing the Cauldron is probably the most exhilarated I’ve ever been, standing on the tee deck of a golf hole. It’s frankly impossible to imagine a more spectacular setting.” — Jason Logan, SCOREGolf managing editor
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H   eaven Scent
The light, colors, sights and sounds of Monaco and the South of France have captivated artists and travelers for centuries. For fresh inspiration across the region, we suggest you follow your nose on an aromachology adventure. By Natasha Mekhail | photography by Frances Juriansz
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Gleaming yachts in Port d'Hercule remind you why Monaco is one of the most glamorous destinations on earth.
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Is it time travel or some alchemical magic? One moment I am 34
years old, stepping through a bed of soft moss in a cedar forest of the Pacific Northwest. In the next, I am six, in my grandmother’s garden, eating sun-warmed cherry tomatoes from the vine. Now I am 28, escaping the oppressive Japanese summer heat in a cool stand of bamboo amid the electric hum of cicadas. Yet, while my mind may be a thousand miles away, my body is firmly in the South of France, in the medieval village of Eze, seated at a perfumer’s organ. Before me lays a selection of 160 bottles of liquid arranged, as this elaborate desk’s name suggests, in a multi-tiered semicircle like keys on an instrument. “Organ,” I will discover, is just one of many words that the art and science of perfumery borrows from music. One by one, I unscrew the amber bottles and release a few drops of their essences onto paper blotters. Some will take me places. Others give me
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nothing. But it’s only those scents in the first category in which Sandra Dziad, a professional perfumer, is interested, as she guides me through the creation of my own custom fragrance. The experience is part of the Magic of Aromachology program developed by Fairmont Monte Carlo and Galimard perfumery as one of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ international apprenticeship packages that provide local learning experiences to the curious, engaged traveler. Glittering Monaco is the legendary land of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, where every café is a catwalk and every traffic light a showcase of the world’s finest automobiles. At dusk the salmon-pink villas rising from Port d’Hercule take on a deeper, terracotta hue and yachts, freshly rinsed of the day’s salt spray, gleam white on the dark water. Even without a visit, I knew its appeal by heart. But not so well known
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The unmistakable entrance to the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo; a sunseeker on the rocky shores of Nice; freshly picked mimosa greets visitors to Fragonard perfumery; Rivieran beauties in Monte Carlo (bottom right) and Nice.
is that the historic center of perfumery lies just a short drive down the highway. Nowhere is scent and memory more closely linked than in travel. Our brains are wired for it: the olfactory bulb is closely connected to both the emotional-response processor (the amygdala) and the center of autobiographical memory (the hippocampus). So while I didn’t realize in those moments in Oregon, Barbados and Hiroshima that I was smelling, my most primitive and forgotten sense was carefully linking sight, sound, taste and touch in memories more vivid than any of the other senses could have achieved alone. It’s that lesson I’m here to explore along the French Riviera, where the air’s perfume is the brine of the Mediterranean, fields of lavender and mimosa, and a bounty of olives, honey and wine. Dziad surveys my selections, urging me to forget any preconceived notions of what I think I like and just allow myself to be carried away by scent. “The best way to cre-
ate is to return to the state of childhood,” she says. “Forget the reason.” She assists in narrowing down a selection of single notes (again, like music): we start at the bottom of the organ with the base notes – those musky, woody fragrances that linger on the skin. From the middle, I select from the floral and fruity heart notes. From the top, I sample those scents with the greatest volatility, citruses and greens. Dziad determines the quantities of alcohol-diluted essential oils that I will measure into a glass beaker. Eyes closed, she performs silent calculations, tapping into an internal library of thousands of scents, creating imaginary accords. Slowly my perfume emerges: a heady base of woods and ambers, a light heart lily of the valley and geranium and a fresh top burst of green tea. Dziad bottles the golden liquid and I dab it on my wrist, taking a deep breath. Alone, its notes conjure happy memories; together they have made a new one. ›
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Along the French Riviera, the air’s perfume is the brine of the Mediterranean, fields of lavender and mimosa and a bounty of olives, honey and wine.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A perfumer's organ at Galimard; fragrant materials at Molinard; the scent-capture process of enfleurage; a Monte Carlo shop pays homage to Princess Grace.
Grasse Is Greener
The treacherous cliffside roads of the Cote d’Azur demand frequent stops to take in the scenery: in seaside Nice, glamorous Cannes and charming Grasse, the birthplace of French perfumery. In the 16th century, Grasse was home to the finest glove-makers in Europe. But the leather carried a pungent odor. To mask it, the craftsmen began wrapping the gloves with fragrant flowers and later essential oils. By the mid-18th century, perfumery had supplanted glove-making in Grasse altogether. Once, the fields around this city lived with color: blossoms of jasmine, lavender, rose, violet and sun-yellow mimosa. Today, luxury villas are the area’s fastestgrowing crop. But Grasse’s three oldest fragrance houses are still based here: Galimard (mother facility to the Eze location), Fragonard and Molinard. The latter, in founder Hyacinthe Molinard’s 19th-century distillery, tells the company’s story in bottles. First, Molinard’s original single-note fragrances, one for each local flower, in Baccarat crystal. Then its most enduring flagship scent, the sultry Habanita, launched in 1921 as a fragrance for cigarettes and rereleased in 1924 as a perfume proper, in an opulent Lalique bottle. Molinard’s boutique proves another sensory delight, not just for perfume, but also for flower-water tonics, cone incense, candles and fragrant oils. Amber light from a stained-glass skylight pours into the large golden space, evoking an incense-steeped cathedral.
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I could spend all day here, but the nose tires quickly and I’ve one more stop. Ten minutes along the highway, among the factories and warehouses, I find Laboratoire Monique Rémy; my guide to this olfactory experience is the lab’s “nose,” Fabien Durand. His work represents the purest form of perfumery: producing the raw materials for the world’s most celebrated fragrances. Amid the factory's stainless steel drums the air hangs with the aromas of basil, rose and jasmine. Here, botanical concretes (waxy solids) from around the world are transformed into absolutes (concentrated oils). These forms represent the most pragmatic way for natural ingredients to travel. It takes 700 kilograms (317 pounds) of rose petals, for example, to make one kilogram of absolute. Plus, flower scents are not stable. Their extraction is a race against time. “Jasmine does not survive for more than a few hours,” says Durand. “The pickers start the harvest at 6 a.m. and what is not processed by noon is lost.” Durand’s eyes light up when he talks about the difference in fragrance between a bloom in the morning (when insect-pollination activity is highest) and one in the afternoon (when insects hide from the sun). It’s his job to work within a single essential oil – be it jasmine, oakmoss or orrisroot – to identify notes within the notes. Even rose can have a woody or mossy element that may be undesirable to a perfumer. As one colleague jokes, “He makes sure Trésor smells the same year after year.”
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The waxy residue of narcissus concrete after its transformation into absolute; two steps in preparing olives for the press at Huilery Sainte Anne in Grasse; Molinard perfumery's airy boutique.
That work takes Durand from farm to factory, around the globe. He tells me of the night he spent in a Moroccan orange-blossom distillery. To cool themselves, the men dipped their hands into the orange-blossom water, a distillation byproduct. He did the same and, seeing his interest, a worker explained that the word for “flowers” in Arabic is zahr, which also means “luck.” For Durand, that treasured memory would thereafter form his ideal of how a perfect orange-blossom oil should smell. Then there was the time in India when, sent to oversee the production of jasmine sambac, his visit coincided with wedding season. The flower, with its scent of fresh-cut grass, was everywhere: in offerings at temples and in garlands around the necks of the betrothed. That joyful scent memory would again become his standard. “For me, these products are alive,” he says. “There is a story and people behind them. When I come back, that’s what’s in my head.” That night, after dinner at Fairmont’s L’Argentin restaurant I’m drawn to a light tangerine-colored marshmallow on my plate of petits fours. “Flavored with orange-blossom water,” the waiter informs me. I think of Durand’s story as I give in to its lingering sweetness. The Magic of Monaco
The next morning brings part two of the Magic of Aromachology. In the sun-drenched relaxation room of the hotel’s Willow Stream Spa, I sip mint iced tea while select-
ing from four aromatherapy massages, themed by color. I opt for the Reflections of Midnight Blue, featuring the elevating fragrances of lavender, geranium, frankincense and rose. The treatment opens with a lavender-steeped breathing exercise and an all-over coating in rose gel before a full-body pressure-point massage. My therapist explains that, together, scent and color evoke a mood and lift the spirits. This idea resonates with me later that day, when I venture into Nice to visit the market in the Cours Saleya, an olfactory feast of fresh produce, flowers, spices, soaps, olive oils and confections. Henri Matisse once lived in a flat overlooking this square. The father of the fauvism movement (the portrayal of realistic subject matter in unnatural colors) discovered the Cote d’Azur at the age of 48 and, enchanted by the landscape and quality of light, remained here until his death. His museum sits high atop the city on the site of ancient Gallo-Roman ruins, in a park fragrant with olive, cypress and carob trees. In this Genovese villa, one can follow the thread of the master colorist’s development, from the 1905 paintings that mark his first tentative steps into fauvism to his seminal abstract 1952 Blue Nude. But the most captivating piece in the collection is the mural-size Flowers and Fruit, a large, vibrantly colored ode to this land that he loved. Was it dreamt up from his window overlooking the market? The meaning of inspire, after all, is “to breathe in.”
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Concierge STAY Fairmont Monte Carlo is one of the city’s premier addresses for its location between the Mediterranean Sea and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo. Its Willow Stream Spa won the 2010 Prix Villégiature for best hotel spa in Europe and the view from its rooftop Horizon Deck Restaurant & Champagne Bar is one of the best in the principality. Select from 10 experience packages, including the perfume-themed Scent’sational or the Room & Vroom, which includes a spin in a Ferrari 355 Modena or 360 Modena convertible. fairmont.com/montecarlo
Do Musée International de la Parfumerie in Grasse follows the history of the perfume trade, from antiquity to the present day. The facility’s off-site gardens, Les Jardins du MIP, allow guests to
Everything’s Coming up Rose 31
A new scent experience awaits in every room. Fairmont has teamed with New York boutique perfumer Le Labo to create an exclusive line of in-room amenities, fragranced with the bestselling Rose 31. But don’t let the fragrance’s flowery moniker deceive you. Originally developed for men, Rose 31 caused an international sensation when it debuted in 2006, winning Wallpaper magazine’s award for best perfume the following year. The scent has since become a must-have item among both sexes. Its secret: Grasse rose, a subtler, less fruity alternative to the bloom’s Egyptian and Bulgarian counterparts. That, along with the perfume’s complex blend of wood and spice notes, reveals itself as the essence of elegance. “There is a classicism to this perfume and, at the same time, a true modernity that meets the two sides of Fairmont,” says Le Labo co-founder Fabrice Penot. He and partner Edouard Roschi have spent more than a decade on the business side of scent, working with such names as Giorgio Armani and Hermès’ legendary perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, before opening their own retail atelier in 2006. Now their avant-garde signature fragrance will be part of your every stay at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. It’s one more sensory detail to fall in love with.
view (and sniff) fragrant raw materials in their natural states. museesdegrasse.com
Experience the life aquatic at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, which chronicles the pioneering expeditions of Prince Albert I of Monaco, aboard his vessels the La Princesse Alice, L’Hirondelle and L’Hirondelle II. The lower floor contains an impressive sea-life aquarium. oceano.org
Eat In Fairmont Monte Carlo’s L’Argentin restaurant, dine from the steak- and seafood-suffused à-la-carte menu. For something especially Monégasque,
ou
lin
s
reserve in advance to enjoy the sM
featuring the late Princess Grace's surprisingly simple favorite dishes.
de va rd ule Bo
Princess Menu: a three-course meal
Fairmont Monte Carlo
fairmont.com/montecarlo/GuestServices/ Restaurants/LArgentin.htm
For a casual option, visit Mozza. Just a short walk from Fairmont Monte Carlo
maldi Rue Gri
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along rue du Portier, this modern Italian restaurant is a reminder that the top of the boot lies only a 20-minute drive away. Try the house-specialty starter of bufala mozzarella. www.mozza.mc
map: Annick Desormeaux
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FAIR 6-up 9.75x11.25 SPAfax_. 3/17/11 9:23 AM Page 1
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Alberta
Fairmont Turnberry Isle, Miami
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia
The Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland
Pursue your passion. From magnificent mountains to breathtaking seascapes and bold desert expanses, Fairmont enables you to pursue your passion for golf in more than a dozen of the world’s most treasured destinations. Each of these masterpieces provides a world-class golf experience, reflecting the character of its distinctive setting and the engaging service that has become a hallmark of Fairmont. For reservations or more information on our golf destinations and golf packages, please contact your travel professional, call 1 866 840 8209 or visit www.fairmontgolf.com ACAPULCO • ALBERTA • BERMUDA • BRITISH COLUMBIA • HAWAII • MIAMI • NEW BRUNSWICK • QUEBEC • RIVIERA MAYA • SCOTTSDALE • ST ANDREWS
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On a journey to the Anderson Valley, an emerging terroir just a day trip from The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, savor the delights of exploring authentic small-town California wine country. By Neal McLennan
photo: Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association
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In Sonoma, finding something to complain about
can be a bit of a trick. The Mediterranean climate has all of San Francisco’s warmth, but none of its cold. There are 15 Michelin-starred restaurants within an easy drive. And then there’s the wine. A little more freewheeling, a little more playful than the powerhouse offerings from neighboring Napa, the wine here is nothing if not eager to please. The only blemish may be the utter lack of blemishes. After a while it can lead one to seek out an experience that isn’t quite so uniformly perfect, which is how I find myself, a couple of days into a flawless stay at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma, pointing my rental car toward the remote Anderson Valley in California wine country’s far northern corner. It’s easy to dismiss the area as another wine-growing valley, like Sonoma’s Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander. But where the others conform in some ways to an idealized Falcon Crest version of wine country, the Anderson Valley remains a glitz-free zone, a place to remind you that grape growers are, first and foremost, farmers. It’s like a time capsule back to an era when individuals, not corporations, owned wineries. The area has been a haven for those seeking isolation for more than a century; the locals even developed their own unique dialect, Boontling, at the turn of the last century. Bahlest! (Excellent!) In the last few years the spotlight has started to shine here, thanks to some phenomenal wines – the kind of low production, hand-crafted Pinot Noirs adored by those who really care about wine – that have been sneaking out of the valley and onto select shop shelves and
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wine lists. It occurs to me that, while I’ve heard oenophiles talk about Anderson Valley wine in strings of absurd modifiers (like “the taste of alderwood-smoked cherries” or “the skin of an immature huckleberry”), I don’t know anyone who has actually visited the Anderson Valley: that unexplored mystique is catnip to a culinary and wine tourist. Now, I’m not much for real adventure (shark diving and the like), but the patina of exploration fits me like a Savile Row suit. My only criterion on this trip, as I head north on Route 101, is that I return in time to slip between the high-thread-counts in my room at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. Anderson Valley, meet Mr. Soft Adventure. It’s love at first sight. The first road-less-traveled-moment on the straightforward main artery from San Francisco through Sonoma County comes at Cloverdale, a charming small town near the entrance to the Anderson Valley. A fool’s confidence causes me to spurn the hotel concierge’s insistence that I take a map; my GPS commands a right turn off the highway, where I find the first talisman of my journey: Hamburger Ranch & Bar-B-Que, an honest-to-goodness roadside barbecue stand. Not a Cordon Bleu trained chef ’s re-imagination of a classic barbecue stand, with the sustainably grown coleslaw and hormone-free pork that one might expect in wine country, but the real McCoy, right down to the oddball name and food served on paper squares. Genuine barbecue in California is about as common as world-class Cabernet vineyards are in South Carolina, so I saunter in to fortify myself for the final miles of my trip. The menu is a mix of the curious (Rock Shrimp Sandwich)
ABOVE Sheep at Navarro Vineyards are natural members of the viticulture team: they graze between the rows of grapevines. RIGHT, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Vintage fire truck at the Anderson Valley Historical Museum; vintage split-rail fences and redwood siding are both symbols of the area's pioneer roots; opt for a map, a GPS and winery directions from the locals.
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photo:s Navarro Vineyards (sheep); Gary crabbe (truck, road, flowers)
ABOVE The specialty of many Anderson Valley vineyards is Pinot Noir, "a real crybaby of a grape," says Adrian Fog winemaker Stewart Dorman.
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to the wonderfully lowbrow (Smoked Meatloaf). I go for a sandwich stuffed with a pink-ringed beauty of a beef brisket. Paired with some sweet iced tea, it hits the spot before hitting the open road. Maybe “open road” isn’t the right phrase. Until now, my drive to the valley has been the hassle-free ride one associates with a large interstate highway. Those carefree miles are now gone. The road starts to switch wildly back and forth, up steep grades flanked by monumental redwoods. Five minutes in and my radio turns scratchy, the GPS eerily silent. The posted speed of 50 mph is a dare only an Argentinean racecar driver would attempt. I’m reminded of my meeting the previous day with winemaker Stewart Dorman, whose boutique label, Adrian Fog, makes soughtafter Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley grapes. “There’s two schools of thought up there,” he said. “On one side you have the pioneers who fled up there in the 1970s to make Pinot in the more Burgundian style, nuanced and elegant. On the other you have a group of mostly younger winemakers who aren’t afraid of the fruit-forward California style.” It sounds like a wine-country feud, but Stewart assures me it’s a very friendly area. “They’re all characters. Just make sure you bring a map.” Of course, a map is exactly what I don’t have. The GPS and I are both flummoxed by the convoluted directions Jason Drew of Drew winery provided me for our meeting today, which involve phrases like, “The second driveway after the gray farmhouse” and, my favorite, “I’ll leave a white bucket beside the road.” Simple!
After the twists mellow out and I reach the valley floor, the first grape vines appear outside the miniscule town of Yorkville. Unlike Sonoma and Napa, where the manicured lines of vines gracefully follow the rolling contours of the land, the vineyards in the Anderson Valley still have a very primitive feel, clearly having been hacked out of the wilderness less than a generation ago. I roll my window down to feel the cool air on my arm. It’s this air – several degrees cooler than Sonoma, which is several degrees cooler again than Napa – that comes off the nearby Pacific and sits in the valley, creating the perfect climate for the thin-skinned Pinot Noir (“a real crybaby of a grape,” says Dorman, which, of course, makes it catnip to winemakers) to mature. While on farmhouse-and-bucket alert, I drive past the acclaimed Goldeneye, a winery solidly in the newcomer camp. Owned by Napa powerhouse Duckhorn Vineyards, it has been making acclaimed Pinot for about a decade, its presence doing much to raise the area’s profile. I stop in to browse the restored-farmhouse tasting room and stroll a fraction of the 200 planted acres, a massive vineyard by local standards, as many Anderson Valley winemakers tend smaller 10- to 20-acre plots. I ask if it gets pretty busy here in high season. Replies my host with a wink, “It’s not uncommon for us to see 50 to 75 people a day,” knowing full well that the average Napa winery down south would see that many in an hour. I dive into tasting a number of the exuberant wines, including the precious single-vineyard designations available mainly
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photos: Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (vineyards); Gary crabbe (winery, dogs, souvenirs)
TOP TO BOTTOM Milano Family Winery near Hopland; dogging it at Maple Creek Winery near Yorkville; find fruity jam, chutney and cider at Philo Apple Farm.
to their wine-club members and those dedicated enough to make the hike up here. The sense of discovery is so palpable, the wine so good and the crowds so sparse that it’s the wine equivalent of having seen the Beatles debut at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, that I simultaneously revel in the experience and imagine myself recounting it a decade hence in an “I was there when…” anecdote. Next I come across Navarro Vineyards, one of the valley pioneers. Almost all the older wineries like Navarro, Husch Vineyards and The Standish Wine Company sport the weathered redwood siding sourced from trees that were felled to accommodate orchards back in the day. Many of them eschew the Pinot-only focus of the newcomers (Navarro grows everything from luscious Gewürztraminer to crystalline Pinot Gris), and more often than not you’ll find a family member running the tasting room. I power through a tasting, rushing now to make my meeting at Drew, armed with a new set of typically local instructions: “You can’t miss it.” A few more miles and finally the promised left turn materializes, but the road sign doesn’t match my directions. The soft adventurer in me is nervous of wrong turns, particularly as I’ve been warned that California’s other major cash crop (the one that isn’t legal) flourishes around here, meaning No Trespassing signs should be strictly abided. I inch up the road until I come upon an apple farm, manned by a friendly couple. They inform me that I’m on the right road, but after this, “It gets real twisty.” I determine that there’s no way I’ll make my scheduled appointment, and call Jason Drew to regretfully cancel. But before I drive off, I get to chatting with the apple-orchard couple, who tell me their story of recently selling a successful Napa business to move up here and grow apples in this quiet, relatively untrafficked area. “Now we can’t imagine living anywhere else,” they say. I grab a jar of quince apple chutney and a Sierra Beauty apple for the road and humbly head back toward Boonville, where a number of winery tasting rooms beckon to the map-less adventurer. I stop at the Mosswood Market Café & Bakery in the city’s threeblock downtown for some lavender lemonade and an organic scone. The ultra-laid-back place seems airlifted, down to the reclaimed studs, from the prototypical California town of Berkeley, and I’m soon chatting with the amiable server about the friendly apple-farm couple. “Amazing story, huh?” she says. I concede that selling your successful business in Napa and moving to a relatively unknown area seems somewhat amazing. “Well, it wasn’t just any business…” She pauses, looking for my reaction. “It was The French Laundry.” I’m dumbfounded. That nice couple was Don and Sally Schmitt, who founded the famed restaurant in 1978, built it into the dominant dining force in wine country and sold it to a young nobody named Thomas Keller in 1994. Their son Johnny is now chef at the stellar Table 128 in the boutique Boonville Hotel. They are the perfect Anderson Valley tale, equal parts adventure, passion and humility. On the drive back the road’s twists and turns don’t seem half as intimidating, and in no time I’m back at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa with enough time to make my reservation at Santé Restaurant, the Michelin-starred restaurant on the property. From the extensive international wine list I pass over the fine French and Italian bottles to order a glass of Copain, one of the Anderson Valley’s finest Pinot Noirs, and savor the spoils of adventure.
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CONCIERGE STAY The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa offers the only full resort-style amenities in Sonoma County, while still feeling like a boutique property (albeit one with a Michelin-starred restaurant). The expansive Willow Stream Spa sets the standard for wine-country pampering, with pools fed from the nearby mineral springs around which the resort was created in 1927. Golf is available at the private Sonoma Golf Club nearby. fairmont.com/sonoma
While it makes for a longer road trip (about 4.5 hours return), an early riser could leave Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square, in San Francisco and take the 101 over the Golden Gate Bridge straight to the Cloverdale turnoff, visit the Anderson Valley and be back by evening. One-, two- and three-bedroom luxury residences, with fully equipped gourmet kitchens and outdoor fire pits with bay views, make this property an ideal home base for wine and culinary adventures. fairmont.com/ghirardelli
DO Most wineries are open to the public without appointments; plan on visiting them from 3 to 5 p.m., with lunch and dinner stops before and after your tastings. Must-visit wineries include Goldeneye, Breggo Cellars, Drew, Navarro Vineyards and, if you love sparkling wine, Roederer Estate. The website avwines.com is a good clearinghouse for wineries and growers. goldeneyewinery.com, breggo.com, drewwines.com, navarrowine.com, roedererestate.com
Make sure you visit the Philo Apple Farm and the owners' store in Boonville, Farmhouse Mercantile (artisan-inspired small furnishings), for a flavor of how folks like to do things a just little bit differently up here. 18501 Greenwood Rd., Philo, philoapplefarm.com
EAT Dining at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa just got a bit brighter. Its restaurant, Santé, has earned a coveted Michelin star for the second year in a row for chef Andrew Cain’s locally and organically sourced cuisine and a Sonoma-centric wine list. It’s one of just 44 Bay Area restaurants honored in 2011 by the The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
esteemed Michelin guide, and has won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. fairmont.com/sonoma
Sonoma
Napa
Table 128 at the tiny Boonville Hotel is one of the great, unheralded dining experiences of wine country. Dishes are served family style from a set menu, a trick chef Johnny Schmitt learned from his parents when they ran The French Laundry.
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14050 Hwy. 128, Boonville, boonvillehotel.com
Redwoo
The Hamburger Ranch & Bar-B-Que in Cloverdale makes a good fornia? It may be the only real barbecue in the bear state. 31196 N. Redwood Hwy., Cloverdale, hamburgerranchandbbq.com
Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square
Libby’s Restaurant originally catered to the large Latino contin-
San Francisco
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For a who's who of Anderson Valley vintners, visit fairmontmagazine.com
gent of grape harvesters. It offers wonderfully authentic Mexican food and absurdly low prices. 8651 Hwy. 128, Philo, 707-895-2646
map: Annick Désormeaux
rest stop en route to Boonville. Is it the best real barbecue in Cali-
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Energy - Worldwide Award-winning Willow Stream Spas are easy to find. They’re nestled inside Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in the world’s most beautiful locations. Willow Stream is growing globally with 17 spas and more on the way. They are all wonderful places for you to find your energy or to just relax and enjoy the first class spa amenities - alone or with friends. All Willow Stream spa treatments spring from nature, with inspiration from local traditions, the energy of the land and the power of focused spa therapy.
find your energy Willow Stream - a Fairmont Spa. Premier properties, each unique in all the world: Bermuda: Southampton; Canada: Banff, Alberta; Vancouver, British Columbia; Victoria, British Columbia;
China: Beijing; Shanghai; Yangcheng Lake; Egypt: Nile City;
Monaco: Monte Carlo; Singapore: Singapore; South Africa: Zimbali; Switzerland: Montreux;
Mexico: Acapulco; Riviera Maya;
United States: Scottsdale, Arizona; Sonoma, California; Miami, Florida
To find your energy, visit www.willowstream.com or www.willowstreammagazine.com twitter.:@willowstream
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miCoach is Your Coach This interactive adidas personal training program ensures that time- and fitness-conscious travelers don’t miss a beat when working out away from home. Starting in spring 2011, Fairmont President’s Club members at select Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will enjoy complimentary use of adidas miCoach (adidas.com/micoach), an interactive personalized coaching and training system that encourages runners and aspiring runners to reach their fitness goals with every voice-prompted step. Matthew Sterne, a lifelong runner and the general manager of Fairmont Battery Wharf in Boston, shares his adidas miCoach training experience.
How did the personalization options optimize your performance? I love to see what I’ve accomplished, so as soon as I’m done my run I’ll sync the Pacer tracking device to my computer and it tells me how I did against my overall objectives. You know if you reached the right target zones at the right time and if you were running too hard or not hard enough.
Which of the personalization options did you use? You can pick a UK or US accent and a male or female voice: I just changed mine from the UK accent to the American to see
How does miCoach work?
what it’s like! I also use the forum (forum-
I clip the miCoach Pacer device on my
micoach.adidas.com) on the miCoach
waistband to track my speed and distance.
website. People weigh in on what works,
It has earphones that plug into the Pacer so
new functionality and who’s using what… It’s
you can connect your MP3 player or iPod to
great to chat with other people who are also
it as well. I can listen to my own music, and
passionate about training.
when I get instructions from the customized miCoach Mobile app the music stops for a few seconds and then it just kicks back to
How will this be useful to Fairmont President’s Club members?
your playlist! It’s pretty neat. There’s a heart-
It’s a great way to get into a purpose-
rate monitor, which fits well and registers
driven training session. People are always
quickly, plus a stride sensor. There’s also a
forgetting things when they pack, but if
miCoach Zone wrist strap with color-coded
you’re staying with Fairmont you don’t have
training zones for at-a-glance tracking.
to worry about packing your own miCoach; we’ll have it right here for you. Guests can
You’re training for the Boston Marathon and an Iron Man race simultaneously. How has the adidas miCoach system helped you reach your goals? The miCoach system syncs back to my
program their miCoach account online and, when they arrive at a Fairmont, we give them their miCoach and workout clothes, they plug in their plan, and off they go!
online workout plan to track my progress. So every time I run with miCoach I know exactly what I’m going to be doing and why I’m doing that specific type of run. I find the voice prompts like “keep it up” or “slow down” or “speed up” enormously helpful. The system helps me understand that it’s not about running longer, it’s about running at the right intensity. In just six weeks, I feel my running getting stronger.
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indulge.
exclusive benefits
•
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•
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Fairmont President’s Club, our complimentary guest-recognition program, is designed around your passions. Whether your aim is business or pleasure, our goal is to create a personalized travel experience, always with your unique preferences and interests in mind. You’ll encounter a world of exciting benefits and an extraordinary hotel stay—one that’s all about you. To enroll or update your profile, visit www.fairmont.com/fpc
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Green Places Green Places Destination Guides 74 News & Views 76 Directory 78 Service Plus 80 Then & Now 81
Eco Emirate
Abu Dhabi is generally considered to be a sumptuous world of tomorrow, but its environmental approach also offers a striking glimpse of the future. By Georgina Wilson-Powell
With its mirrored pillars, translucent sea-blue facade and rippled tile ceiling, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s lobby always leaves me with the impression of having plunged into cool waters. The hotel, whose name translates as “gateway to the sea,” is the ideal hideaway from Abu Dhabi’s Arabian Desert climate, which can reach more than 40°C (104°F) in the summer. But while its sleek waterscape design points to a modern approach to living, it’s not style over substance. The hotel is at the forefront of the local green movement, taking its cues from the city around it. Ambitious, pioneering and inventive, the United Arab Emirates’ capital, at only four decades into its devel-
opment, has had the luxury of being able to assemble environmental best practices from the rest of the world and implement them directly into its urban planning (such as the soon-to-be-completed carbonneutral Masdar City) and new properties (like the Fairmont). On a recent visit to the hotel, I discovered some of its programs first hand. In my room, a comprehensive recycling program. On the menu, sustainable seafood options, with proceeds supporting the National Geographic Society. On the itinerary, the H2O package, in which guests can try an authentic water experience by kayaking through the nearby mangrove lagoons. For every package booked,
ABOVE The serene lobby of the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr evokes an aquatic environment.
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Water World Abu Dhabi is home to about 200 islands, so water is a predominant feature in the UAE’s capital. Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s name reflects that importance, as it means “gateway to the sea.” Guests can evoke those words by booking an H2O package. In addition to a luxury hotel stay, the package includes a two-hour early morning kayak trip through stunning lagoons, under a canopy of mangroves. Get back to nature, view native birds and fish, and round off the experience with a pre-prepared picnic. For every trip booked, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts donates mangrove seedlings to a nursery plantation on nearby Jubail Island. This is part of an ongoing program spearheaded by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and Barari Forest Management to help offset local carbon emissions and provide a habitat for indigenous wildlife.
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Clockwise From Left One of several zero-emission electric pods used as rapidtransit shuttles in Masdar City; a wind tower circulates cool air through Masdar's pedestrian walkways; mangrove reforestation is one of the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr's environmental priorities.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts donates seedlings so that new indigenous mangrove forests can be planted. Behind these initiatives is the hotel’s Green Team, whose mandate extends beyond the property’s walls to encompass the wider Abu Dhabi community. “Our Green Team is less than two years old but we’ve already been involved in several local clean-up and charitable initiatives,” says Harriett Type, the team’s co-chair. “We’re now working on a herb garden that will provide our restaurants with fresh organic produce.” The view from Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s Saker Ballroom looks across Abu Dhabi Creek and toward the UAE’s largest mosque. From this vantage point, the sky seems to shimmer as the heat rises off the desert and meets the water. It’s a sharp reminder of how quickly natural resources could evaporate here in the oil-fueled Emirate. That concern is shared by the local government, which, in 2006 and with the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, unveiled plans for Masdar
PHOTOS: corbis (shuttle); getty images (wind tower); corbis (mangrove)
Green Places
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PHOTO: courtesy of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center
corbis (mangrove)
World Green Tourism Congress
City, a live-work cluster that will be powered entirely by renewable energy and will feature a zero-emission, zero-waste infrastructure. This specially conceived development, scheduled for completion between 2020 and 2025, will serve as an international hub for clean-technology research. At the same time, its residents will walk the talk, riding light rail and emission-free personal rapid transport pods, strolling wind-turbine-cooled boulevards and drawing electricity from next-generation photovoltaic panels. “It will inspire many industries in the capital, including hospitality, to take a look at their operations and what can be improved from an environmental perspective,” says Type. As the groundbreaking Masdar (translation: “the source”) starts to take shape, it’s evident that Abu Dhabi will be the place to watch for future environmental solutions – technologies inspired by everything else that this land holds in abundance: sun, wind, land and that cool, blue water.
Clockwise From Left The Fairmont Bab Al Bahr balances nature and development along the Gulf; the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center was home to the 2010 World Green Tourism conference; the Bab Al Bahr's concierge is well versed in the city's green activities.
November 2010 saw Abu Dhabi host the groundbreaking conference and exhibition on World Green Tourism, which was moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest. Global field leaders gathered in the city to problem-solve environmental issues facing the tourism industry, and speakers included Linden Coppell, head of environmental Affairs for Etihad Airways and Fairmont’s own manager of environmental affairs, Sarah Dayboll. The annual congress will constantly re-evaluate how to make the world's cities more sustainable and how to reshape the wider industry to reflect the growing environmental concerns of its customers. H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the patron of the event, says, “The tourism industry is people orientated and for every destination the principle foundation for success is friendly, efficient professionals who have a thorough understanding of the culture, heritage and environment of the region they work in. This is particularly true for Abu Dhabi as we seek to establish a sustainable tourism industry, and this initiative will help encourage the next generation to become a part of our vision.”
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Destination Guide
London, England
Ben Malpass, head concierge at The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, shares the best of swinging London.
Curtain Call The Royal Shakespeare Company celebrates its 50th birthday this year with a £112.8 million theater transformation that features a new 1,000-seat thrust stage and tiered auditorium – the largest in the world. In honor of every Shakespearean genre, the company begins its new season with King Lear and Romeo and Juliet, followed by Hamlet and The Comedy of Errors.
Game Day With London hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, historic sites are being repurposed into sporting destinations. Spend the day in Hyde Park, future site of the triathlon. A bike ride in Regent’s Park lets you preview the road cycling venue. Greenwich Park will host the equestrian events, including the modern pentathlon.
Palate Perfect A foodie revival is taking place at the historic Covent Garden with The Real Food Market happening every Thursday on the East Piazza. Find gastronomic bliss where suppliers to some of the top restaurants in London gather to offer everything from bratwursts and rare-bred beef to macaroons and artisanal breads. coventgardenlondonuk.com
london2012.com
rsc.org.uk
Savoy Savvy Restored Edwardian and Art Deco flourishes were brought back to life this past fall as The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, reopened its doors, with distinctly modern touches and updates in place, including 38 new River Suites that offer some stunning views of the River Thames. fairmont.com/savoy
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Beijing, China
Fairmont Beijing’s chief concierge Bob Niu guides you through this modern metropolis steeped in history.
Treasure Hunt Touted as “the great flea market of China,” Panjiayuan Market in the Chaoyang district covers more than nine acres of land and houses 3,000 vendor stalls. The market sells everything from Tibetan carpets to medicinal herbs; antique hunters have the best selection on weekends. Panqiayuanqiao xinan St Dongsanhuan Na Lu
Heart of the City Spend the day cycling through Old Beijing in the historic hutong neighborhoods. Made up of narrow streets and traditional courtyard residences, now protected cultural areas, they offer a glimpse into Beijing’s vibrant past, which thrived away from the Forbidden City and court life.
Escape Artists The Summer Palace, first constructed by the Jin Dynasty in the 12th century, is set near lush Kunming Lake just outside of Beijing in the Haidian district. It is a popular destination for locals seeking a retreat from the crowds; tour the grounds and royal gardens or picnic in a secluded spot after a boat ride on the lake. 19 Xinjian Gongmen, 12 km (7 mi) northwest of city center, Haidian
Relax and Recharge At the Fairmont Beijing a three-level sky bridge, with its gate-form architecture and natural light-filled interiors, provides the perfect backdrop for the Willow Stream Spa, a tranquil urban getaway from the hurried streets below. fairmont.com/beijing
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News & Views
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Fairmont News & Views
Take time, connect and indulge this year at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Whether at far-off destinations or in your own backyard, experience, learn and create new memories with us.
Foodie Fare At the helm of The Plaza Food Hall is chef Todd English. The massive marketplace offers hungry guests eight stations to choose from, including cheese and charcuterie, sushi, burgers, pizzas and grilled seafood. End your foodie adventure with an espresso and handmade chocolate truffles. fairmont.com/theplaza theplazafoodhall.com
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Gold Standard An exclusive oasis awaits Fairmont Gold guests across China this spring. Start with a private check-in and welcome cocktail with a Fairmont Gold Manager; end each day with a bath drawn by your Fairmont Gold Butler, where discreet luxury reigns supreme. fairmont.com/beijing fairmont.com/yangchenglake fairmont.com/peacehotel fairmont.com/singapore
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3 Maui Makeover Steps away from the pristine white sands of Wailea, The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, opens after a multi-million-dollar renovation. Elegant quartzite surrounds the adults-only pool and the upper and lower lagoons, while remodeled seaside villas offer the comforts of home with newly equipped gourmet kitchens and private courtyards.
iTravel Book business travel on the fly, or your next vacation, with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ new global app. Search for packages tailored to your interests then check daily weather, access local destination guides and share your stay on Everyone’s An Original. Download at the iTunes or iPhone App stores.
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Multi-Lingual After launching fairmont.cn, which gave guests across the world access to Fairmont’s collection of hotels in Simplified Chinese, this spring Fairmont expands its web presence with enhanced booking capabilities available on Spanish and German microsites.
everyonesanoriginal.com
fairmont.com/kealani
itunes.apple.com
fairmont.cn fairmont.mx fairmont.de
photoS: istockphoto (truffles, globe)
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photoS: istockphoto (f1)
For more news, log on to Fairmont Magazine online fairmontmagazine.com
6 Jazzed Up The Fairmont San Francisco’s Venetian Room was a supper club for five decades, hosting Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Tony Bennett singing “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.” This spring the Bay Area Cabaret reopens the space with concerts featuring today’s jazz performers and Broadway stars.
fairmont.com/sanfrancisco bayareacabaret.org
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View from the Top Take the express elevator straight to the top: skyscrapers flank Fairmont Singapore’s eighth floor pool; 360-degree views of the Mediterranean await at Fairmont Monte Carlo; or retreat from the hectic streets of Cairo at The Sky Pool on the 25th floor of Fairmont Nile City. fairmont.com/montecarlo fairmont.com/singapore fairmont.com/nilecity
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Secret Gems Treasures await curious guests who visit the American Bar at The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel. A collection of archival jewels on display for the hotel’s reopening includes a necklace worn by frequent guest Maria Callas as Medea at the Royal Opera House and a Belle Epoque tiara worn at The Savoy’s 1953 Coronation Ball. fairmont.com/savoy
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Grand Prix This season, watch F1 action at Fairmont Monte Carlo from the rooftop deck overlooking the infamous Hairpin turn; take in the view from Fairmont Bab Al Bahr at the Yas Marina Circuit and at Fairmont Singapore for the annual night race during the annual Singapore Grand Prix. fairmont.com/montecarlo fairmont.com/singapore fairmont.com/babalbahr
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Hello, Hollywood The family classic Home Alone was shot at The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel; recently it also took center stage again in the romantic comedy Bride Wars. Fairmont properties have provided locations for other famous films, including Red (starring Helen Mirren, above), Twilight, Doctor Zhivago and The Great Gatsby, to name a few. fairmont.com/theplaza
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Directory
Fairmont Worldwide Locations
Fairmont Hotels United States Boston at Battery Wharf Boston at Copley Plaza Chicago Dallas Newport Beach New York Pittsburgh San Francisco San Francisco at Ghirardelli Square San Jose Santa Monica Seattle Telluride Washington, D.C. Canada Calgary Edmonton MontrĂŠal Ottawa Toronto Vancouver at Hotel Vancouver Vancouver at Pacific Rim Vancouver at Vancouver Airport Vancouver at Waterfront Winnipeg Europe, Middle East & Africa Abu Dhabi Baku (opening 2011) Cairo at Heliopolis & Towers Cairo at Nile City Dubai
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Hamburg London Makkah Nairobi Asia Beijing Hyderabad (opening 2012) Jaipur (opening 2011) Manila (opening 2012) Shanghai Singapore
Fairmont Resorts United States Hawaii Maui Miami Scottsdale Sonoma Canada Banff Charlevoix Jasper Lake Louise Montebello Montebello at Kenauk Mont-Tremblant QuĂŠbec City St. Andrews by-the-Sea Victoria Whistler Bermuda, Caribbean & Mexico Acapulco at Acapulco Princess
Acapulco at Pierre Marques Barbados Bermuda at Hamilton Princess Bermuda at Southampton Riviera Maya Europe, Middle East & Africa Fujairah (opening 2011) Kenya at Mara Safari Club Kenya at Mount Kenya Safari Club Monte Carlo Montreux St Andrews Zimbali at Zimbali Lodge Zimbali at Zimbali Resort Asia Kunshan
For reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 in the United States and Canada, and 1-506-863-6310 internationally, or visit us at www.fairmont.com.
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means never compromising your love of fine dining. Celebrity gives its guests the unique opportunity to savor their dining experience with up to 10 signature restaurants, including Blu—the exclusive restaurant reserved for guests of the spa-inspired and luxurious AquaClass® rooms. The ultimate in dining and accommodations while on vacation.
Call us at 1-800-CELEBRITY, visit CelebrityCruises.com, or contact your Travel Agent. Shown: Blu restaurant
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©2011 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador.
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Service Plus
Lyn Santos
Kerry Clasby unloads her recent finds with chef Ray Garcia.
Odd Jobs
Food forager and ecology manager are just a couple of the cool, unusual and important jobs at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. These two staff members think local and make a global impact. By Aliyah Shamsher
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For Lyn Santos, ecology manager at Fairmont Mayakoba in Mexico’s Mayan Riviera, it’s all part of sustainable tourism. Santos was first brought on during the resort’s pre-opening stages as a member of the environmental protection team, which made sure the ecosystems were left in better condition than they were found. After the hotel’s opening, Santos and her team learned about a rare species of bee that was on the brink of extinction and worked with the local Mayan community to support and protect the existing beehives in the nearby villages. With the beehives thriving once more, the insects' output is being cultivated by a group of entrepreneurial Mayan women. By producing beauty products under the name Melitsak (which are infused with honey, royal jelly, beeswax and propolis), these women have gained economic freedom and are now actively helping the Mayan community support itself. Today, Santos is helping preserve ancestral Mayan medicinal knowledge and working to protect the environmental and cultural heritage of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. When Santos talks about these projects and the others ahead of her, she notes that as an ecology manager for Fairmont, she is always thinking and acting locally.
Clocking in more than 2, 414 kilometers (1,500 miles) a week as the official food forager at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, California, Kerry Clasby travels along the coast in search of the freshest ingredients from local farms and suppliers. Clasby’s method is simple: within 24 hours, the food she gathers is prepared by Fairmont chef (and locavore) Ray Garcia and placed on your plate at FIG Restaurant. After becoming a vegetarian, Clasby began actively looking for sources of local, nutritious food for her family. Along the way, she realized she had a talent for finding the best fresh produce from local suppliers. What started as a hobby is now a full-time job, and today Clasby is leading the way in local eating. By actively seeking out small, family-owned farms, she helps Fairmont support, nurture and cultivate the sustainable farming industry in California. It’s farm-to-table cuisine at its very best. fairmont.com/mayakoba fairmont.com/santamonica
FAIRMONT magazine
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Then & Now
Literary Stars
Fifty years ago, novelist Vladimir Nabokov explored the shores of Lake Geneva and found peace during his stay at Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. In 1961, Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov had been living in America for almost two decades when he decided to make Montreux, Switzerland, his new home. Nabokov and his wife Vera arrived in the Lake Geneva region for what was supposed to be a short family holiday. They quickly settled into a four-room suite in the Cygne wing of Le Montreux Palace – and ended up staying for 16 years. While Nabokov’s American period saw the creation of some of his greatest works, including Lolita (1955), Pnin (1957) and Pale Fire (1962), it was Montreux that provided serenity – and Ada (1969). Written during his time at Montreux, the novel reflects his affection for the region, with many of its landscape descriptions mirroring the view from his balcony. Nabokov frequented the nearby slopes of Rochers-de-Naye, one of his favorite butterfly-collecting haunts, and photos from that period often show Nabokov sitting, while facing the lake and writing.
Picnic by the Palace Let the Swiss landscape inspire you with a Cultural Break package at Fairmont Le Montreux Palace that includes bicycle rentals, a picnic hamper and tickets to Chillon Castle, located on the shores of Lake Geneva. fairmont.com/montreux
Fairmont magazine
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CHECKOUT
All That Jazz
Theo Croker and his sextet play around with tradition at the Jazz Bar in Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel. By David R. Adler
Theo Croker Sextet plays from Tuesday to Saturday nights at Fairmont Peace Hotel.
You’re part of a long line of AMERICAN jazz musicians LIVING abroad. What’s your take on the global jazz scene?
I don’t think jazz belongs in any one place anymore. I see Asia, especially China, as kind of the future of jazz. It’s the only untapped market for jazz. And I see my role as trying to open a door. I think of myself as an explorer.
and very lively. It’s not about sitting down and being quiet. Your intensity and energy is what gets people’s attention. It’s cool to be exposing people to a high level of music. Your grandfather, New Orleans trumpet great Doc Cheatham, inspired you take
What are some of the differ-
up the horn as a kid. Do you
ences between the Asian and
reflect on his legacy now that
How do you like playing at
American jazz scenes?
you’re so far away?
Fairmont Peace Hotel in
Japan and Korea are saturated with jazz. In China, the scene is only about 10 to 12 years old. The perception of jazz here is very broad, so I don’t feel any pressure to play a certain way. I get to be myself, and it’s widely accepted. In general the audiences here are young, wide-eyed, interested
I do, especially as I get older. His sound was so huge, his playing so correct and accessible. That’s something I always strive for. I’m involved in some fusion projects and things that maybe he wouldn’t have liked — although he would have liked that I’m doing my own thing. That was very important to him.
Shanghai?
We’re playing five nights a week in one venue – you don’t do that in New York. Sometimes we forget we’re in a hotel, because we’re really throwin’ down. You walk through the lobby and the lounge, and then you’re in a jazz
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bar that has the décor of the ’30s. But we’re in there playing super hard-core jazz. Shanghai is the fastest-paced city I’ve ever lived in. I can go to a bank on a Sunday and do business. They put up buildings overnight. Things are always changing here, always moving forward.
FAIRMONT magazine
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