Mercedes-Benz magazine — Fall/Winter 2015 by Spafax

mercedes-magazine.ca

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15 ·FALL/WINTER

GENERATION CHANGE The GLE is an original, made even better ITALY UNDERCOVER On the hunt for Tuscany’s hidden treasures

BLUE LENS Sebastian Copeland’s photo activism

TOAST TO COAST Explore the changing landscape of Canadian wineries

D E B E E R S ® A N D A D I A M O N D I S F O R E V E R ® A R E T R A D E M A R K S O F T H E D E B E E R S G R O U P O F C O M PA N I E S .

D I S C O V E R T H E 18 8 8 M A S T E R D I A M O N D S , C O L O U R E D D I A M O N D S O F E X C E P T I O N A L C H A R A C T E R ®

L O N D O N · N E W Y O R K · PA R I S · T O K Y O · S H A N G H A I · B E I J I N G · H O N G K O N G · TA I P E I · S E O U L · D U B A I VA N C O U V E R · 1 0 8 8 A L B E R N I S T R E E T

T O R O N T O · S H E R WAY G A R D E N S ( W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 )

DEBEERS.CA

The new GLE Coupe. Make the best of every ground. mercedes-benz.ca/GLE-Coupe

ÂŠ 2015 2015 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Canada Canada Inc. Inc. ÂŠ

A Daimler Brand

15 • FA L L / W I N T E R

In This Issue 16

THE LIST From dining to style, Canadian culture stays ahead of the curve.

STAR PROFILE ALL THE RIGHT NOTES James Stewart offered no shortage of paradoxes. On the one-year anniversary of his death, we celebrate his inspiring life.

JE TSE T TUSCANY, UNE ARTHED A once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy doesn’t have to be all about regal museums and gilded frescoes – sometimes it’s just about getting back to basics.

DESIGN DRE AM WE AVERS With an appreciation for hand-crafted design at an all-time high, designers are bringing the woven look back.

SCENE TOAST TO COAST Canada’s wine regions are quietly building one of the country’s most dynamic tourism sectors.

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STAYS TOWN & COUNTRY Our latest list of covetable getaways around the globe includes a boutique beach hotel and a rustic-chic lodge.

E VENTS BR AINSTORM AHE AD Renowned innovators, visionary thinkers and entrepreneurs from a wide range of backgrounds come together at events across Canada.

GE TAWAY STATE OF THE ART A road trip across Newfoundland’s cultural landscape reveals an arts scene far from sleepy seaside clichés.

120

SOCIE T Y PEOPLE & PL ACES Step out with Mercedes-Benz at this season’s hottest events, from fashion shows to golf tournaments.

ARE A OSBORNE VILL AGE A visit to Manitoba’s trendiest neighbourhood ensures you’ll never put the ’Peg in a square hole.

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RESE ARCH THE DRIVERLESS CAR The Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle takes passengers on a drive into the future.

Bulletin

Spotlight

PRESIDENT ’S NOTE

NICOLAS OUCHENIR ON DETAILS Only by investing time and effort in the smallest details can you create great and meaningful things, says this French calligrapher.

GENER ATION CHANGE An original made even better. That’s the essence of the new GLE. This premium SUV is all about powerful design and technical innovation.

IN THE GAME Ever since Game of Thrones, everyone has been talking about Dubrovnik. But it isn’t just a scenic backdrop, it’s also ideal for a fun-filled cultural getaway.

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ICONS Not all noises are that easy to tune out. Nature and technology produce a most unusual array of sounds, from earsplitting dins to unbearable silence.

POWER TRIP Following the debut of the world’s first-ever plug-in luxury sedan, hybrid versions of all Mercedes-Benz model series will be rolled out in the coming years.

60TH ANNIVERSARY As Mercedes-Benz Canada celebrates its 60th anniversary, take a look back at how the brand became a northern star.

SPOT THE FAKE Mercedes-Benz has a dedicated team working worldwide to investigate product piracy and expose illegal imitations.

POLE STAR Sebastian Copeland once had Hollywood celebrities in his camera sights. Today, he prefers to photograph icebergs in the polar regions.

A NEW AGE DAWNS A look back at 1979, with new developments ranging from the Walkman to hip hop to drainpipe jeans – and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

102

SMALL WONDER The new-generation smart is more modern and more comfortable than the original model – but every bit as innovative.

SHE’S A MODEL … ...and her partner looks great, too. Petra Nemcova and the GLC, the newcomer from Mercedes-Benz, make a dream couple.

P R E S I D E N T ’S N O T E

A S I T S TA N D S TO DAY, 2015 has been an amazing year for Mercedes-Benz Canada. In addition to celebrating our diamond jubilee, we recently reached a new milestone by delivering the 500,000th unit sold in Canada. This achievement has been no small feat considering the company’s most humble beginnings. In this issue, we take a look back at the storied history of a brand that truly became a northern star (page 40). For more than a century Mercedes-Benz has produced many iconic products, and in 1979 it paved the way for the modern sport utility vehicle with the introduction of the Geländewagen – better known today as the G-Class (page 88). You will notice that as of this year, all Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicles bear the G designation in their nomenclature, a letter that harkens back to the off-road heritage of this model. The demand for Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicles continues unabated. We are delighted to be well-equipped to meet these growing needs with no fewer than six spectacular models to choose from. In fact, one could say it’s the year of the SUV at Mercedes-Benz. In this edition, we are particularly pleased to feature two revisited favourites, namely, the GLE (page 58) and the GLC (page 102). Formerly known as the M-Class, the GLE has undergone an extensive facelift featuring a sportier design that emphasizes a redesigned hood and front and rear bumpers, and standard AMG styling. A stunning new interior is complemented by MAGIC VISION CONTROL windshield wipers, Crosswind Assist and the new optional Intelligent Drive package. Needless to say, the vehicle that launched the premium SUV segment is an original made even better. The GLC, successor to the highly successful GLK, promises to impress with the brand’s characteristic safety, state-of-the-art assistance systems and superb efficiency. Its new nine-speed automatic transmission has been fitted for shorter shift times, resulting in more fuel-efficient driving at low speeds. The new GLC exterior design is a radical departure from the original GLK, with 12

design cues shifting from angular lines to a more rounded and muscular appearance. Who better than supermodel and Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador Petra Nemcova to present this exciting new addition? We are also pleased to welcome the latest generation of the urban-mobility champion: the smart fortwo coupe (page 98). Over the course of its existence, this very special vehicle has led the way in significantly changing transportation paradigms. The new smart fortwo is just as innovative as the very first generation of this model, and is sure to enthrall with its many improvements, namely, a benchmark turning radius of just 6.95 metres and a new six-speed twinamic dual-clutch transmission that offers smooth gear changing without any interruption in tractive power. The smart fortwo coupe is more substantial and delivers a spirited ride with its cutting-edge threecylinder engine rated at 89 hp, but it nevertheless retains its unique length of 2.69 metres and its huge fun-to-drive quotient. This issue also profiles the debut of the world’s first plug-in luxury sedan – the Mercedes-Benz S 550 e plug-in hybrid – which is paving the way for more Mercedes-Benz hybrid models in the coming years (page 76). And we invite you to take a look at the detective-like work of a team of experts working worldwide to investigate counterfeit replacement parts that may put unsuspecting customers in serious danger (page 82). As with every issue of Mercedes-Benz magazine, we trust you will find some much-deserved respite and be transported into our world, away from the daily hustle and bustle. Sincerely,

Tim A. Reuss President & CEO

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PU BL ICAT ION DE TA I L S Published by Daimler AG · Communications · HPC E402 · D-70546 Stuttgart Responsible on behalf of the publishers Thomas Fröhlich · Mirjam Bendak Publisher’s Council Ola Källenius (Chairman) · Thomas Fröhlich · Bettina Fetzer · Jörg Howe Gesina Schwengers · Dr. Jens Thiemer · Andreas von Wallfeld Canada Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., 98 Vanderhoof Ave., Toronto, ON M4G 4C9 President and CEO Tim A. Reuss Vice-President, Marketing Gavin Allen Director, Communications and PR JoAnne Caza Manager, National Marketing Communications Virginie Aubert Supervisor, PR Nathalie Gravel Supervisor, Customer Relationship Management Lisa Hynek C O NC E P T A N D E DI T I N G Germany Condé Nast Verlag GmbH · Karlstrasse 23 · D-80333 München Contributors 500GLS, Thomas Argent, Titus Arnu, Kilian Bishop, Leandro Castelão, Sebastian Copeland, Christoph Henn, Enno Kapitza, Marija Latkovic, Mierswa & Kluska, Benjamin Pichelmann, Fernando Pinheiro, Alexander Runte, Niko Schmid-Burgk, Nike Vlachos, Margot Weber, Jan Wilms, Robert Zsolnay Canada Spafax Canada, 4200, boul. Saint-Laurent, suite 707, Montreal, QC H2W 2R2 President, content marketing Raymond Girard Executive vice-president, content marketing Nino Di Cara Senior vice-president, content strategy Arjun Basu Senior director, business development and client strategy Courtney MacNeil Senior strategist, luxury and lifestyle brands Christal Agostino Account manager, luxury and lifestyle brands Celyn Harding-Jones Editor-in-chief Natasha Mekhail Associate editor Eve Thomas Contributing editors Violaine Charest-Sigouin, Christopher Korchin Digital editor Renée Morrison Editorial intern Kyle Mooney Contributors Sivan Askayo, Bryan Borzykowski, Andrew Braithwaite, Stacey Brandford, Félix Léonard Gagné, Shinan Govani, Valerie Howes, Dominique Lafond, Richmond Lam, Celeste Moure, Daniel Raiche Art director Guillaume Brière Graphic designer Marie-Eve Dubois Photo researcher Julie Saindon Production director Joelle Irvine Production manager Jennifer Fagan Ad production manager Mary Shaw Production and circulation coordinator Stephen Geraghty Fact checker Jessica Lockhart Proofreader Jane Pavanel Advertising sales Spafax Canada, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1020, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8, sales@spafax.com Media director Laura Maurice, Tel. 416-350-2432, laura.maurice@spafax.com National sales manager Tracy Miller, Tel. 416-350-2434, tracy.miller@spafax.com National account manager, High Net Worth Media Mimi Quaile, mimi.quaile@spafax.com Rights ©Copyright 2015 by Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Reprints and use, as a whole or in part, only with the express written permission of Daimler AG. No responsibility can be taken for unsolicited texts and photographs. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editors. Some vehicles may be shown with non-Canadian equipment. Some vehicles may be shown without side marker lights. Some optional equipment may not be available on all models. For current information regarding the range of models, standard features, optional equipment and/or colours available in Canada and their pricing, contact your nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer or visit mercedes-benz.ca. All other content in this magazine has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, but no guarantee is given. Return undeliverables to Spafax Canada, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1020, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8 Printed on paper bleached without chlorine Printed in Canada ISSN 1925-4148 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement 41657520

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Fall in love Official dealer of: Rolex Vacheron Constantin Audemars Piguet A. Lange & Sรถhne Jaeger-LeCoultre Breguet IWC Hublot Piaget Blancpain Roger Dubuis Girard-Perregaux Franck Muller Chopard Omega Tudor Pomellato Ippolita Backes & Strauss

GOODS

STYLE

C U LT U R E

TR AVEL

The List

DINING

G O O DS

IN GOOD HANDS M A S T E R ceramicist Pascale Girardin brings a lyrical aesthetic to all that she touches. The Montreal artist’s body of work – from functional tableware to largescale architectural installations – has garnered connections with design firms like Yabu Pushelberg and repeated recognition from the Canada Council for the Arts. Girardin has been commissioned to produce dishware for restaurants (including Nobu), a 1,200-piece stoneware installation for a New York hotel and floral-artwork window displays for jewellery stores in Manhattan, Asia, Europe and Russia. Most recently, she collaborated with colleague Maud Beauchamp to fashion a series of geometric murals featuring lacquered fibreboard and handmade ceramic discs now gracing the rooms of a Montreal hotel.

Flyjin Plates by Pascale Girardin

PHOTO L AYNNA MEYLER ( T WENT Y ONE TOYS)

PA S C A L E G I R A R D I N . C O M

Ilana Ben-Ari, founder of Twenty One Toys.

DINING

TAST Y READS

French Canadians (and francophile foodies) have a menu of new culinary magazines to savour.

G O O DS

SKILL PL AY

“ T OYS A R E T H E new textbooks,” declares Ilana Ben-Ari, founder of Twenty One Toys. The Toronto-based toy designer builds products that teach social and emotional skills in ways that books can’t. Her first product, the Empathy Toy, engages multiple players in assembling the same construct made out of five asymmetric pieces. The catch? The players are blindfolded. The key to success? Communication, collaboration and, of course, empathy. The toy is now used in more than 800 schools in 40 countries as well as for professional development workshops for clients like FedEx and Deloitte. Next up: the Failure Toy. Released earlier this fall, this fun tool turns an age-old fear into a fascinating learning experience.

B OUFFE 4x year

Bouffe, produced in Moncton, New Brunswick, and Montreal, is for the bon vivant. With bold graphic design, the mag presents a smorgasbord of content: anything from well-reasoned essays to powerful photography to zany infographics. BOUFFEMEDIA .CA

T W E N T YO N E T OY S . C O M

CARIBOU 2x year Available on iPad

Caribou takes a no-recipes approach. The focus is solely on the products, producers and chefs of Quebec’s culinary scene. The Montreal-based editorial team hopes to create a strong bond between cultural and culinary identities in La Belle Province. CARIBOUMAG .COM

T R AV EL

CULTURE UNDER COVERS The country’s first Aboriginal art hotel, Skwachàys Lodge sits between Vancouver’s historic

Chinatown and Gastown. This Aboriginal-ownedand-operated complex has 18 new guest suites created by six artists paired with six interior

design firms. Each room is a unique reflection of First Nations culture, with features such as birchbark wallpaper, steel sculptures of salmon and a

chair with a carved branch motif. The hotel also features a residential housing facility run by the Vancouver Native Housing Society. The Urban Aboriginal Fair Trade Gallery in the lobby gives guests the chance to go home with genuine handcrafted pieces like bentwood boxes, pewter jewellery and limited-edition prints. S K WA C H AY S . C O M

TROIS FOIS PAR JOUR 4x year

Last to the party is Trois fois par jour, a food and lifestyle mag named after the award-winning cookbook (available in English this fall). Marilou, Quebec’s darling pop singer and food blogger, works with her life and business partner Alexandre Champagne to produce this gorgeous publication. TROISFOISPAR JOUR.COM/MAGAZINE

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THE LIST

C U LT U RE

JUST ADD MAGIC

“Deliverance” by Benjamin Von Wong

T H O U G H he’s only 29 and completely self-taught, Canadian Benjamin Von Wong produces images that transcend the limitations of the physical environment. Recently, he produced a surreal fashion shoot in Bali, working 25 metres underwater with freediversturned-models

IN THE KOLAPORE UPLANDS, near Collingwood,

Ontario, freshwater springs converge at Sean Brady’s fish hatchery, providing near-perfect conditions for raising rainbow and speckled trout. Demand for his Ocean Wise-recommended fish is fierce, and Brady sometimes makes emergency deliveries to Toronto in his Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG wagon. Clients include Top Chef Canada’s Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station and Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Kolapore Springs also ships across Canada. KO L A P O R E S P R I N G S . C O M

G O O DS

MARKET VALUE

A F T E R 15 years of working in international development, including seven in Afghanistan, Denmark’s Hedvig Alexander founded Far & Wide Collective in Toronto. The online marketplace connects buyers with wares made by highly skilled craftspeople from around the world. For citizens in post-conflict countries, fair trade and open dialogue between vendor and maker help to grow small businesses and establish sustainable

practices. Carefully curated collections feature fashion accessories, jewellery and home decor. Think Indian kantha scarves, vibrant Sri Lankan hand towels, Afghani silk tunics and Tanzanian leather beaded cuffs. And don’t forget that good dose of karma. FA R A N D W I D E COLLECTIVE .COM

tied to a 50-year-old shipwreck. He’s also photographed everyday people dressed as superheroes on the edge of a 40-storey skyscraper, worked above a toxic layer of hydrogen sulphur in a cenote in Tulum, Mexico, to capture a hyperrealistic image of a cormorant fisherman, and even been asked to produce a cellphone snapshot (no Photoshop allowed!) of a model surrounded by fire. No matter his assignment or personal project, Von Wong’s work is always out of this world. VO N W O N G . C O M

DINING

SAVOUR THE MOMENT Not content to simply help you unwind, Balnea Spa in Bromont, Quebec, is out to conquer your taste buds. For the past six years, the spa and thermal reserve has been hosting the popular Summer of Chefs competition, but now, guests can come any time of year to enjoy Lumami, a new restaurant headed by chef Jason Gladue. Among the healthy, creative menu items are wheatbeer chicken with Jerusalem artichokes and crispy collard greens, cardamomroasted butternut squash flan and other dishes inspired by umami – the savoury fifth flavour typical of Japanese cuisine. Whatever you order, expect the best meal you’ll ever eat while wearing a bathrobe. BALNE A .CA

ST Y L E

GET IN GEAR Show the world you drive in style with Mercedes-Benz accessories. THECOLLECTION.CA

2 - I N -1 C A B R I O L E T J A C K E T

C L A S S I C WA L L E T

Wind- and water-repellant with detachable faux fur collar.

Sleek brown leather hides a sturdy viscose lining.

LOOK SHARP M AT T H E W R U D O F K E R , chef de cuisine at New York’s Momofuku Ssäm Bar, had this to say about Murray Carter’s knives: “They can just flat-out cut better than almost anyone else’s.” Carter, a Haligonian turned Oregonian, has spent the last 28 years sharpening his skills, 18 of those in Japan, including six years apprenticing with a 16thgeneration master bladesmith. From his shop in Hillsboro, a suburb of Portland, he continues to produce his prized pieces (23,000 and counting). Carter also runs a school where instruction includes steel selection, Japanese metallurgy, blade balance, sharpening – and all of knife-making’s finer points. C A R T E R C U T L E R Y. C O M

M E N ’ S B E LT

Minimalist design crafted from black Italian calfskin.

WE CALL THEM VIKINGS, an exhibit opening

at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec this December, will no doubt displace misguided notions of bearded plunderers in horned helmets. On loan from the Swedish History Museum, the relics tell the stories of how these Scandinavians played important roles as traders, seafarers and explorers. It runs until April 17, 2016. H I S T O R Y M U S E U M . C A C U LT U R E

THE ORIGINAL PALEO DINOMUSEUM.CA

On so many fronts, the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum is making its mark on Alberta’s landscape. The four-hectare complex near Grande Prairie, Alberta, which opened this September, houses a state-ofthe-art research lab

for paleontology. The building, designed by Toronto’s Teeple Architects, features an impressive 3,900-square-metre footprint and references the skeletal form of a dinosaur. To educate visitors about the evolution and extinction

of Alberta’s giants, the museum features interactive displays, augmented-reality stations, a 70-seat theatre, an outdoor discovery fossil walk and a large gallery with recreated skeletons of five newly named species.

PHOTO CANDICE POPIK (PHILIP J. CURRIE DINOSAUR MUSEUM)

G O O DS

BUSINESS BAG

Laptop pocket and a sleeve that slips over a trolley suitcase.

For men who don’t need GPS to know where they stand.

Saxon One It’s our rough edges that testify real character. The Saxon One with its bold, timeless design lends this conviction a new form: elegant, dynamic, distinctive. And created with exactly that perfection which has made the predicate “Made in Glashütte” into a world-famous promise of quality. Saxon One · sweep minute stop chronograph · 6420-04

MADE FOR THOSE WHO DO.

Time & Gold • 565 W. Georgia St. • Vancouver, BC • (604) 682-4487 To obtain further information contact: Tutima USA, Inc. • 1-877-TUTIMA-1 • info@tutimausa.com • www.tutima.com

DESIGN

Dream Weavers With appreciation for handcrafted design at an all-time high, Canadian designers are bringing the woven look back. W O R DS PAIGE MAGARRE Y

SHEAR PLEASURE S H E L E A R N E D to knit from her Finnish grandmother when she was a child, but Connection Knitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tarja Yuill puts a modern twist on her current creations by working with needles up to one metre long and five centimetres thick for a giant stitch. The resulting ultra-chunky blankets in merino and New Zealand Corriedale wool (which she felts in soap and water ahead of time to make stronger) measure approximately 1.2 metres by 1.8 metres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and weigh upwards of five kilograms. CONNECTIONKNITS.COM

BOOGIE NIGHTS

OTTOMAN EMPIRE Earlier this year, Canadian online retailer G*Furn launched a series of knitted poufs to an enthusiastic public – so enthusiastic, in fact, that they were nearly sold out within two months. Covered in thick cotton knit, the seatslash-table-slash-footrest comes in square and circular versions and in a palette of muted colours, including slate blue and charcoal grey (mustard yellow is also on offer for more adventurous decorators).

Annie Legault’s wool-and-natural-fibre Amulette lamps began as a conceptual project in art school – “a concept of protection against the darkness and the cold,” she says – that caught the eye of a local shop owner at her exhibition. “I am influenced by the 1960s and ’70s, by architecture, by hair styling,” says Legault, explaining her affinity for all things woven. “I can’t stop looking around me and seeing sources of inspiration while walking in the street, in the woods… it’s just everywhere.” She describes her next project as “big scale. Big big scale!” A N N I E L E G AU LT. C O M

GFURN.COM

THE DOILY SHOW BASED OUT OF Perth, Ontario, Midknits’ Erin Black is a favourite among knitters who rely on her one-of-a-kind patterns to create woven versions of everything from pet beds to planters. Those less craft inclined can still appreciate Black’s talent by way of her home accessories, which include throws, cushions and chunky rugs. Handknit in your choice of colour, they are not your grandmother’s doilies.

PHOTO FRÉDÉRIC BOUCHARD (SAINTE- MARIE TEX TILE)

ERINBL ACKDESIGNS.COM

THE NATURE OF THINGS

Liz Eeuwes’ Alpine cushion is a perfect example of Canadiana done right. The wool dhurrie pillow is part of the Toronto designer’s Coast to Coast collection “celebrating the iconic creatures of Canada” (other patterns include rabbits, squirrels and beavers). E E U W E S . C O

VESSEL REVAMP Montreal designer Monique Ste-Marie adores the repetitive and meditative nature of weaving, but for her recently launched Hemp collection, she sought to make it 3-D. Using hemp yarn (she works with sustainable materials whenever

possible) in half-natural, half-bright colours, she wrapped the woven material around a circular wooden base. As a final touch, Ste-Marie added a fringe to allow the user to change the look of the basket depending on what side is showing. SAINTEMARIETE X TILE .COM

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EVENTS

C2 guests on chairs suspended five metres above-ground find out how risk changes perception.

Brainstorm Ahead Renowned innovators, visionary thinkers and entrepreneurs from a wide range of backgrounds come together at events across Canada.

M O N T R E A L , Q U EB E C

C2 MONTREAL M AY 2016

Go on a brain date of a different kind at C2 Montréal, an intellectual and experiential event held in an unconventional “Innovation Village” that is part Cirque du Soleil, part Coachella music festival. This year’s event included a tented and ingeniously designed hangout and seminar space, a Ferris wheel, gourmet food pavilions and more. Want to sell your business to a financial backer? There’s a workshop for that. Looking to get out of your comfort zone and experiment with virtual reality? There’s a collaborative activity to get you started. Your schedule will also be filled with panels, master classes and conversations hosted by CEOs, company founders and creative directors. Next year’s headliners include David Suzuki and Airbnb head of global hospitality Chip Conley. C2MTL .COM

OT TAWA , O N TA R I O

POLITICS AND THE PEN A P R I L 2016

Imagine sharing a table with author Douglas Gibson and Senator Joyce Murray. Or with Green Party leader Elizabeth May and scribe Taras Grescoe. Politics and the Pen – a fundraising event

for the Writers’ Trust of Canada, which advances and celebrates Canadian writers and the creation of new works – makes it happen. This annual Ottawa shindig at the Fairmont Château Laurier gives attendees the chance to dine with a politician and a writer for an evening of highbrow conversation. WR I T E R S TRUST.COM

PHOTOS ELECTRICUMBRELL A.CA (MOSO); EDMONTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (IGNITE)

WORDS CELESTE MOURE

Dylan Otto Boelte, art director of Wired (and formerly of Spin and Vogue), speaks at MoSo.

ED M O N TO N , A L B ERTA

IGNITE EDMONTON FESTIVAL S E P T E M B E R 2016

For two days in September, creatives, emerging tech builders,

entrepreneurs and product developers descend on the Shaw Conference Centre for the Ignite Edmonton Festival. Sessions take place on stages and in labs where individuals and teams learn new skills such as data tracking and prototyping, solve challenges in

mentor-led projects and discuss possibilities for innovation in changing markets. Even the festival’s temporary pavilions, whose designs are submitted by local multidisciplinary design teams, are a creative challenge. I G N I T E E D M O N T O N F E S T I VA L . C O M

S A S K ATO O N , S A S K ATC H E WA N

MOSO J U N E 2016

NO CONFERENCE ROOMS HERE Adventure Canada offers

educational cruise tours to Canadian wilderness destinations led by eminent personalities. Passengers on 2015’s Northwest Passage expedition, for instance, journeyed from Nunavut to Greenland with best-selling author and conservationist Margaret Atwood, who helped guests identify the Arctic’s rare seabirds in between beluga whale and polar bear sightings. A DV E N T U R E C A N A DA . C O M

If MoSo were a movie, it would be called Ideas: Catching Fire. This is the kind of event where people come to network, to be inspired by musical performances and to hear thoughtprovoking speakers share insights on topics ranging from how to leverage the power of social media to how music influences creatives. There are also opportunities to pitch business ideas and rub elbows with presenters and performers at event parties. It’s professional development – with an edge. M O S O2015 . C O M

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AREA

SMALL-PLATE SAVVY

Osborne Village

A visit to Manitoba’s trendiest neighbourhood ensures you’ll never put the ’Peg in a square hole. W O R D S B R YA N B O R Z Y KO W S K I

A s si ni b

v er oin e Ri

n Downtow iver R d Re

There may be no place in Canada that better defines the word community than Osborne Village. While it’s one of Winnipeg’s trendiest locales, it became a hot spot only after decades of collaboration between local store owners. It began in the 1960s, when retailer Carlo Gabrielli built residential and commercial spaces on one side of Osborne Street and long-time resident Dino Stewart built the same on the opposite side. It wasn’t out of competition – the two shared their plans so they could build their neighbourhood together. The Village has gone more upscale over the last few years, adding trendy restaurants and shops to its nearly two-kilometre strip, yet the area still retains the fiercely local spirit it was built on.

PHOTOS DUSTIN LEADER (SEGOVIA); BRYAN SCOT T (2); BILL ACHESON (5)

Traditional Spanish tapas get a Prairie makeover at Segovia.

4 2

GOODS

THE SHOPS

1. Black Rabbit’s chicken-bacon pizza. 2. Rooster Shoes stocks niche-label footwear. 3. Segovia’s chef Adam Donnelly. 4. Justine Brooks necklace at Silver Lotus. 5. Bed|Stü boot at Rooster Shoes. 6. “Bragabót” (2015) by Inga Torfadottir at Gas Station Arts Centre. 7. Gourmet double- and triple-decker sandwiches at Nuburger.

DINING

THE MENU Osborne Village’s culinary culture has matured along with the rest of the area. At one time, it was littered with dive bars and pubs; now it’s home to some of the city’s top – and tastiest – places to eat. First stop? Nuburger, a gourmet burger bar. Its Summer Breeze, topped with homemade pineapple-and-avocado salsa, was crowned best

burger in Winnipeg. For dinner, try Segovia, a traditional Spanish tapas bar by renowned local chef Adam Donnelly that serves the basics (chorizo, patatas bravas) as well as his own creations (seared tuna tostada, fried cauliflower in tahini-lime dressing). Nearby Black Rabbit Bistro & Lounge only opened in April, but it’s quickly become a top Osborne eatery. Its chicken-bacon pizza and brisket sandwich are worth the visit to the Village alone.

C U LT U R E

A F T ER W O R K

THE ARTS

THE SCENE

Art spaces have come and gone, but two Osborne Village staples have remained through it all. The Gas Station Arts Centre, an artist’s “first stage,” has been putting on plays by local actors and writers since 1983 (before that it was an actual gas station). It’s also one of the main venues for the annual Winnipeg Comedy Festival – Shaun Majumder, Sean Cullen, Elvira Kurt and many others have played its stage. At the other end of the strip lies the Motor Inn, a hotel that was once owned by the Winnipeg-born K-Tel founder, Phil Kives. It’s home to Ozzy’s and the Zoo, two legendary venues that have welcomed Mick Jagger, Neil Young and Jeff Healey (as patrons, if not players) as well as countless local bands.

Osborne Village is one of the main routes into downtown Winnipeg, a fact that makes it a convenient after-work gathering place. The business crowd tends to congregate at G Martini Bar, which also houses a Japanese restaurant (its oysters – baked with Japanese mayo, sake and miso – are legendary). Another popular spot is the Cornerstone, which opened in the Village last year. The upscale pub and restaurant has 31 different beers on tap, including plenty of otherwise hard-to-find Canadian craft brews.

Indie boutiques with a DIY attitude pervade this shopping strip that is noticeably free of brand names. Music fans will love Music Trader, one of the top record stores in the city, as much for the selection as for talking rock with manager Jay Churko, who once fronted popular Winnipeg band Transistor Sound & Lighting Co. Footwear enthusiasts shop Rooster Shoes for niche finds like artfully distressed leather boots from New York’s Bed|Stü or modern clogs from Scandinavian label Swedish Hasbeens. Next door’s boutique jewellery shop, Silver Lotus, carries distinctive Canadian designs, including stackable bracelets from Edmonton’s BauXo and silver cufflinks stamped with 19th-century wax seals from Vancouver’s Pyrrha. You’ll also discover the work of Whistler’s Justine Brooks, who creates stunning rings and necklaces inspired by the flora of the Pacific Northwest. If there’s one store that’s adapted to the changing face of the Village, it’s Out of the Blue, which began 25 years ago selling consignment clothing exclusively, and now stocks a mix of new and vintage, including Judith March cocktail dresses and a house line of Prairieinspired tees. mercedes-magazine.ca

S TA R P R O F I L E

All the Right Notes

Mathematician, classical violinist, philanthropist, activist: James Stewart offered no shortage of paradoxes. On the one-year anniversary of his death, we celebrate his inspiring life. W O R D S S HINAN G OVANI

rescendos and curves: These, in many ways, were what life was about for the world-renowned mathematics professor James Stewart. In the fall of 2014, Stewart toured guests through The Integral House, the custom-built home that has since become the most talkedabout residence in Canada. He was weak by then and resigned to the fact that the multiple myeloma cancer he’d been battling for over a year was betraying his body, but the 73-year-old was the consummate host. Walking a camera crew through the modernist masterpiece that sits on a ravine in Toronto’s priciest postal code, the mathematician understood one equation only too well: He’d spent a decade creating a dream home he would only enjoy for half that time. Still, he was upbeat. Asked by a journalist that day why he hadn’t decreed a design with straight lines, instead of the airy, curvaceous scheme conjured by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects (“an accordion of wood and glass” as The Wall Street Journal later called it), Stewart declared, “Calculus is the mathematics of curves. And curves are what make the world go round.” It was a typically grand pronouncement, but not his last. That would come, not too much later, at a party he threw, about which the lore has only grown in the year since his death. “Good evening, ladies and gentleman, and welcome to my wake,” he told a gathering of loved ones who packed into the main cavity of the house – one which doubled as an A-list concert hall and in which he had previously played host to the likes of Philip Glass and David Bowie. One last concert. One last bash. The professor – whose fortune came from writing the definitive calculus textbook, translated into 27 languages – threw some of Toronto’s most talked-about parties, putting to bed any ho-hum illusions about mathematicians. And yet, there was a spot of Howard Hughes-esque introvert about him, too – solo, even when surrounded by throngs. Let’s not forget that he lived alone in the grand house, all five stories, from the treetops down, in 1,670 square metres, give or take. Whether an introverted extrovert, or extroverted introvert, Stewart certainly became ever more celebrated when he passed away. The manse had much to do with it. Dubbed “one of the most important private houses in North America” by Glenn Lowry, the director of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, it was put on the market for

PHOTO STACEY BR ANDFORD (STEWART )

SOUNDSCAPE James Stewart often played for guests in the concert space in his home.

I FINALLY DECIDED it would be better to be a mathematician whose hobby is music than THE INTEGR AL HOUSE a musician BY T H E N U M B ERS whose hobby is mathematics. 6

CALCULUS is the mathematics of curves. And curves are what make the world go round.

years under construction

$22.9 million earlier this year. Articles about it appeared everywhere from Architectural Digest to London’s Daily Mail. Prospective buyers were rumoured to include Canadian rapper Drake and Elton John, whose husband, David Furnish, hails from Toronto. An event held to kick off the sale felt less like an open house and more like a movie premiere. But the mastermind behind the residence remains lost in an incense of mystique, just out of reach. Among his accomplishments, Stewart was one of the architects of the Pride movement in his hometown of Hamilton, galvanizing the first march there in the 1970s. As the obits piled up, the common denominator was the two subjects that forever vied for his interest: math and music. Though a professionallevel violinist (he played with the Hamilton Philharmonic), the former eventually won out. “I finally decided it would be better to be a

18,000 square feet

22.9

asking price in millions of dollars

150

audience capacity of its performance space

custom fabricated wooden fins in the entry level and performance space

mathematician whose hobby is music than a musician whose hobby is mathematics,” the Stanford graduate once put it. He had a fresh, approachable way of teaching calculus, which helped his students pierce its complex veneer – as it did for millions of others. His books, lined up like ducks in his home office, tell the story: They are the standard textbooks used in universities worldwide, some in their eighth edition. It’s those books that built the house, which will – in an inspired case of paying it forward – benefit so many others. Stewart’s final act was a bull’s eye: The educator and inspirer instructed his executors to take the proceeds of The Integral House sale and scatter them among organizations he’d supported while alive, including the Canadian Opera Company and the Glenn Gould School. It was one final, remarkable gift from one remarkable, albeit elusive, man. mercedes-magazine.ca

BULLETIN

RESTORATION PLAY The view from the city wall to the winding streets of the old city centre. Seventy percent of the rooftops were destroyed during the Yugoslav Civil War; since then, nearly all of the houses have been restored.

In the Game Ever since Dubrovnik began location duty for the fantasy series Game of Thrones, everyone has been talking about the Croatian city. But it isn’t just a scenic backdrop, it’s also ideal for a funfilled cultural getaway. WORDS TITUS ARNU PHOTOS ENNO K APITZA

ing’s Landing is a brutal yet beautiful place. Ivan Vukovic points to a cliff and says, “That’s where the bastards were drowned.” Then he takes his group to Gradac Park, with its impressive view of Lovrijenac Fortress. Vukovic holds up a laminated photo from the fourth season of the American television series Game of Thrones. “That’s where the purple wedding took place, where King Joffrey was poisoned.” Bastards? Purple wedding? For those who have no idea what Vukovic is talking about, Game of Thrones is currently the world’s most successful television series. In the blood-soaked fantasy saga, seven families battle for hegemony in a kingdom called Westeros. The characters die off in hordes, there’s intrigue, incest and brutal murder. All the action revolves around an iron throne housed in King’s Landing, a walled city on a cliff at the edge of the sea. And the true identity of this walled city is – at least as far as the producers and hard-core fans of the series are concerned – Dubrovnik. Until recently, this medieval city on the south Dalmatian coast was mainly oriented toward mercedes-magazine.ca

BULLETIN

CULTURE is embedded in our DNA. L AUR A HL ADILO, ASPIRING OPER A SINGER

Dubrovnik – originally named Ragusa – was a thriving republic for nearly 500 years, its independence from the Ottomans ensured by an annual payment of 12,500 gold ducats. But the republic’s golden age came to an abrupt end in 1806 at the hands of Napoleon. And the Yugoslav Civil War of the 1990s laid waste to 70 percent of the city’s rooftops and inflicted a terrible fate on many people. Dubrovnik has since been immaculately restored and, already the richest city in Croatia, it is enjoying a decade-long economic boom. Viewed from the ancient city wall, the Stradun – the old city’s main thoroughfare – looks like one long catwalk. Its paving stones have been worn smooth and shiny by the footsteps of millions of visitors, and cameras flash everywhere in the gathering twilight. Dubrovnik is home to 43,000 people, but only 1,000 of them reside in the old city, which has been on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list since 1979. Families with children prefer the newer suburban neighbourhoods further inland. Cars are prohibited in the old city, and then, of course, there are the 160 flights of stairs to constantly negotiate. Only recently has a younger generation begun returning to the historic city centre and attempted to create a cultural counterweight to the myriad cheap souvenir shops. This new wave includes people like chef Vedran Perojevic, who serves up Asian-infused Mediterranean cuisine in his restaurant, Azur, and jewellery designers Simona and Marko Farac, who fashion unique creations out of coral, gold and silver. UPS AND DOWNS Dubrovnik’s old city has 160 staircases.

cruise-ship tourists. During the high season, up to 10 ships a day docked here. Nowadays, the city’s tourist association has put out a map detailing the series’ most important shooting locations, and tour operators like Vukovic offer guided tours. Souvenir merchants are redecorating with fantasy themes in mind, and one jewellery designer is even working on a Game of Thrones collection. Thanks to its narrow, winding streets, wellpreserved wall and imposing fortifications, the Croatian city is the ideal location for a fantasy epic.

Cultural code Dubrovnik is an aesthetically pleasing city. Even unassuming signs showing the way to the nearest hair salon are tastefully designed, with elegantly curved white lettering on red velvet. At the small open-air market, zucchini blossoms, peaches, candied bitter oranges and burnt sugar almonds lie atop wooden tables. A stroll through the old town reveals how important culture is to its residents. There’s an art gallery on practically every corner, the sounds of cello and piano music drift across from the former St. Catherine’s convent,

mostly full. My grandfather filled them 70 to 80 percent on his trips,” says Ivan. “These days, they’re only 30-percent full.” The waters have been overfished, and noise from cruise ships, jet skis and ferries has driven away marine life. But the old fisherman knows a few choice places where he can still use his parangal, or long line, to extract a prime specimen or two from the crystal-clear waters.

A shark’s tale Near Lokrum Island, just across the water from the old city, the fisherman controls the steady puttputt of his diesel engine. This is where Game of Thrones scenes in the desert kingdom of Qarth were filmed. In reality, the park-like island has its own botanical garden. The fantasy TV series couldn’t interest Miho Hajtilovic less. He doesn’t have an Internet connection or a car, and lives in a modest apartment. But he doesn’t appear to lack for anything. On the contrary, his life contains more than enough excitement. “My grandfather used to be the Robin Hood of the spear fishermen,” reports his proud grandson, Ivan. Once upon a time, a marathon swimming race was taking place just off the coastline, and from his boat, Hajtilovic spotted an approaching shark. Without hesitation, the fisherman dispatched the predator with his spear. To this day, he is still celebrated as a local hero. A fisherman’s yarn? Perhaps. Regardless, the shark tale still sounds more plausible than most of what happens in Game of Thrones.

OASIS OF CALM Lopud Island, with its secluded coves, lies just a few miles away from Dubrovnik.

which now houses a music school, and a brass band plays on the Stradun. This small city boasts a symphony orchestra, a theatre, an academy of music and three openair movie theatres. Its summer festival of classical music concerts is a known quantity all over Europe. “Culture is embedded in our DNA,” says 20-year-old Laura Hladilo. The aspiring opera singer has been training for the profession since she was 15, following in the footsteps of her grandmother. Laura dreams of a career in one of Europe’s great opera houses, and though she treasures the familiar atmosphere of her native town, she anticipates eventually having to depart for Berlin, Vienna or Paris in pursuit of artistic success.

Miho Hajtilovic has never entertained the thought of leaving his hometown. The fisherman stands in the small hatch of his boat, tiller in one hand, cigarette in the other, looking a good deal younger than his 83 years. He started fishing when he was five; since then, he has made the rounds of Dubrovnik’s waters on an almost daily basis. The city used to have 40 professional fishermen; now, Hajtilovic is one of the last of his kind. “Fishermen are going extinct – it’s a tough job,” says the old man without any bitterness. Hajtilovic named his modest vessel, Mali Ivan (“Little Ivan”), after his grandson. Ivan is 35 now – the same age as the boat – and has promised his grandfather that he will continue the fishing business, even though it’s hardly worth it anymore. “The nets used to be

OPERATIC DREAMS Laura Hladilo, 20, dreams of a career as an opera singer, but it would require leaving her hometown.

BULLETIN

i TUNA WITH BASIL AND SPROUTS RECIPE BY VEDRAN PEROJEVIC, HEAD CHEF AT AZUR MAKES FOUR SERVINGS 680 G TUNA FILLETS, SLICED AT LEAST 2 CM THICK COARSE SEA SALT CHILI PEPPER FLAKES SESAME AND OLIVE OILS HANDFUL BASIL LEAVES HALF A RED PEPPER, SLICED INTO THIN STRIPS 1 TSP FRESH RED CHILI PEPPER, SLICED INTO THIN STRIPS HANDFUL SPROUTS 1 TSP CHOPPED CASHEWS HANDFUL GARDEN CRESS BLACK SESAME SEEDS

CROATIAN FUSION Vedran Perojevic worked and lived in China for many years; his Azur brand of Mediterranean-style concept eateries includes a restaurant in Zhuhai. Now, Perojevic has returned to his hometown and opened Azur Dubrovnik, a fusion restaurant that melds Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. His tuna fish (above right) is served raw on the inside and garnished with sesame oil, cashews, sprouts, basil and red chili pepper. The tacos (above) are filled with salmon ceviche and seasoned with Mediterranean-Asianstyle herbs. A Z U R V I S I O N . C O M

Pat the tuna fillets dry with paper towel, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and chili pepper flakes. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan. When the oil starts to smoke, briefly sauté the fillets, flip over and sauté two minutes more. Remove fillets from pan and set aside. In the same pan, sauté basil leaves, red pepper and chili with a bit more olive oil, until the basil leaves are nice and crispy. Lower the heat and leave everything in the pan. ASSEMBLY

Coat the tuna fillets with sesame oil (just one splash per fillet), slice thinly, arrange sprouts and cashews on top, add the sautéed vegetables, garnish with garden cress and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

MISSION: MOLLUSKS The Bay of Mali Ston, an hour’s drive north of Dubrovnik, is a prime breeding ground for Ostrea edulis, the European flat oyster, treasured by gourmands for its rich aroma and fresh sea flavour. The unique farming method in use here, in which the oysters are “cemented” onto ropes, has a long tradition: Mali Ston’s aquacultures date back to the Roman Empire. In the 17th century, the royal houses of Europe were regularly supplied with oysters from this area. The best place in Dubrovnik to sample fresh Mali Ston oysters is at the Kamenice Buffet in the centre of the old city. It’s a straightforward eatery where locals gather to enjoy a midday repast of oysters and fried anchovies, washed down with a carafe of white wine. The typical price for one oyster is about $2. B U F F E T K A M E N I C E , G U N D U L I C E VA P O LJ A N A 8 , T E L . +3 8 5 20 323 6 8

AN UNSUNG PLEASURE Croatian wines are a relatively unknown quantity outside the country. It’s not that they don’t taste good, but rather that most vintners only produce a small number of bottles, leaving hardly enough left over to export. Those looking for proof that Croatian vintages can hold their own against the finest wines of Italy and France should visit Razonoda Wine Bar, in Hotel Pucic Palace. Sommelier Hrvoje Gasparovic expertly leads his guests through the world of Croatian wines, accompanying them with cured ham, cheese and olives. Caution: Most of the wines have a higher alcohol content than you might expect. One red wine from the Vukas vineyard (Plavac Mali varietal), for instance, is around 16 percent. T H E P U C I C PA L A C E . C O M

STRONG STUFF Sommelier Hrvoje Gasparovic (left) serves up wine with a few choice tapas. mercedes-magazine.ca

BULLETIN

STUFF TO SEE 1

Park right here

Heights of enjoyment

Escape to the sea

In the 15th century, in a park north of Dubrovnik, the aristocratic Gucetic family constructed a summer residence. This eventually became the Trsteno Arboretum, one of Croatia’s most beautiful botanical gardens, known for its exotic trees. That, and the view of the Elafiti Islands, make it well worth a visit.

For a pleasant late-afternoon drink, try a visit to Dubrovnik’s Srd Hill: The cable car ride up to the 400-metre summit only takes a few minutes. At the top, there’s a viewing terrace and a caférestaurant with a panoramic view of the entire city and its surrounding islands.

If you need a day away from the crowds of the old city, head down to the harbour and let Niksa Smojver whisk you away. Climb into one of his speedboats, and 20 minutes later you’re in a different world – on Lopud, a quiet island without cars. From his former job as a spear fisherman, Niksa knows every secluded cove in the area. D U B R O V N I K B O AT S . C O M

D U B R O V N I KC A B L E C A R . C O M

LAP UP THE LUXURY Originally a private summer residence, elegant Villa Orsula subsequently housed a vocational school for the restaurant industry, then became a United Nations post during the Yugoslav Civil War. Nowadays, the structure is part of the Adriatic Luxury hotel chain, which also includes the five-star Excelsior and Palace. The boutique Villa Orsula has just 13 rooms, most of which feature arresting views of the sea and the old city. The rooms are tastefully outfitted with modern artwork, designer furniture and antiques. The atmospheric pergola of the Victoria Restaurant on the lower level is one of the loveliest places in the city. A D R I AT I C L U X U R Y H O T E L S . C O M

POETRY IN PORCELAIN

Artist Lucija Perojevic has lived in Dubrovnik for 37 years, working out of her apartment by the old harbour. Her porcelain vases, plates and decorative objects are inspired by the colours of the city: blue, white, turquoise, gold and red. STOP AND STARE The rooms at Villa Orsula have spectacular views of the old36 city and the sea.

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Laura Siegel laurasiegelcollection.com

Leinad Beaudet leinadbeaudet.com

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Mercedes-Benz StartUp. Presenting the six ﬁnalists of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz StartUp program, a national initiative produced by IMG in support of up-and-coming Canadian fashion designers. Visit mbstartup.com for details.

BULLETIN

N E E D TO K N OW

OIL CHANGE

Uje is Croatian for olive, and in a stylish shop of the same name, several different oils are available for purchase, as well as bowls and spoons made from olive wood, cosmetics, fig jam, candied oranges, cheese and regional wines. UJ E . H R

Dubrovnik Currency Although a member of the European Union since 2013, Croatia still uses the currency that it did before joining: the kuna. The word kuna means “marten” in Croatian and originates from the use of marten pelts as units of value in medieval trading. You can still pay almost everywhere with euros, though – and possibly even with marten pelts in a pinch. One euro is worth around 7.5 kunas.

Brave the holy wall Buza means “hole” in Croatian. The Buza Bar is built atop a cliff that abuts the city wall, 20 metres above the sea, and is only accessible through a hole in the wall. Loudspeakers blare Croatian pop tunes while patrons drink Ozujsko beer out of the bottle, sodas or local white wines. On a ledge just below the café-bar, suntanned youths strike poses for their girlfriends’ cellphone cameras. The most courageous among them leap off the cliff into the sea.

Pedestrian traffic During the high season for cruise ships from Easter until September, it’s wise to avoid the old city during peak visiting hours, because the narrow streets are packed with tens of thousands of one-day visitors. Occasionally, even admission through the city’s main gate takes place on a painstaking group-by-group basis. It’s better to visit early in the morning or toward the evening, either before the cruiseship tourists get there, or after they’ve left.

A Croatian thank you Croatian is a very difficult language. Unfortunately, just adding a vic at the end of every word probably won’t help much, either. Like everywhere, though, locals are grateful if you can at least say thank you. Hvala means “thank you” in Croatian, and is pronounced like the Australian “koala.” Molim lijepo means “you’re welcome.”

A STROLL THROUGH HISTORY Dubrovnik’s historic city wall is the largest and best-preserved municipal fortification in all of Europe, measuring around 2,000 metres in length and up to 25 metres high. Construction began in the ninth century, with additions continuing into the 17th. For years, the wall reliably protected city residents against foreign incursions. Traditionally, each visitor to the city was required to bring with them a stone as an entrance fee – the stones served as raw material for ongoing improvements. Today, it costs 70 kuna (about $13) to hike the city wall. The ideal times are summer evenings after 6 p.m. The ticket booths close at 7:30 p.m., and after that foot traffic on the wall eases off considerably. 38

Founded by monks in 1317, the Male Brace pharmacy still occupies its original location right in the heart of Dubrovnik, in the Franciscan monastery on the Stradun, and is generally acknowledged to be one of Europe’s oldest pharmacies. House specialties include rose petal cream, almond cream and rose water, all concocted according to ancient formulas.

ILLUSTRATION ANNA SCHÄFER

Old pharma

Trident_ redefined.

THE NEW

TRIDENT

C60 TRIDENT GMT 600 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Swiss made dual time watch with automatic mechanical movement, graduated rotatable ceramic (ZrO2) bezel, arrow-headed 24 hour hand and water resistance to 60 bar/600m. Available in 38mm and 43mm case sizes, three dial/bezel combinations and four strap styles.

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BULLETIN

As Mercedes-Benz Canada its 60th anniversary, take how the brand became a

celebrates a look back at northern star.

WORDS CHRISTOPHER KORCHIN

RAISED IN CANADA Advertising campaigns from Canadian media over the last 60 years showcase Mercedes-Benz vehicle models, dealerships, Canadian celebrities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and some retro outfits.

mercedes-magazine.ca

he year was 1955. The Canadian Red Ensign was the national flag, the St. Lawrence Seaway was under construction, Princess Royal Mary (the aunt of young Queen Elizabeth II) was on tour from Quebec to British Columbia and gas cost about eight cents a litre. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz was cautiously introducing a luxury automobile to a country of just 16 million people. The initial foray was a small display of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in 1954 at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto – the first time the company’s vehicles had been shown in Canada since before World War II. But the introduction of the soon-to-be legendary 300 SL Gullwing Coupe, whose futuristic ’50s styling created a buzz around the company, led to the opening the following year of the company’s first two Canadian retail outlets, at 100 Davenport

60 YEARS OF MERCEDES -BENZ IN CANADA

1955

1957

Mercedes-Benz opens its first Canadian dealerships in Toronto and Montreal.

1954 Mercedes-Benz automobiles are exhibited at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.

The 300 SL roadster is introduced.

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Road in Toronto and 3475 Park Avenue in Montreal. By 1956, an independent distributor on Georgia Street in Vancouver was serving Western Canada. In 1957, dealerships in Ottawa and Quebec City were up and running. Still, the success of Mercedes-Benz in Canada was far from assured. The core clientele consisted of German ex-pats who already knew the brand well and appreciated its value. Indeed, even around Mercedes-Benz Canada headquarters, German was the lingua franca for many years, recalls one long-time employee. “It was a really strong team in the sense that everybody knew everybody else,” says the employee, who worked in Warranty when she started in the 1950s, then for the VP of finance, and now handles trademark defence and corporate governance. “It was like a large family.” In the early years, many Canadians were aware of the company’s reputation for quality and reliability, and others were drawn to the slick appeal of coupes like the 300 SL Roadster, the successor to the Gullwing. But price was a factor. “Don’t forget, a large Mercedes-Benz sedan like the 600 cost as much as a house in those days,” adds the employee. That ratio is no longer the case, even for the company’s highest-end offerings, but for the first few decades, customers (most of whom came from single-income households) wondered whether they could really justify such a purchase. One crucial factor in the transformation from a niche brand into the nation’s leading luxury automobile retailer was the evolution of the model line. The introduction of the 190, for instance, the company’s first “small” car and the precursor to

1987

1994

1999

For the first time ever, Mercedes-Benz Canada sells 500 cars in one month.

The 1994 C-Class is voted Car of the Year by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

today’s C-Class, brought a new generation of customers into the fold. And a series of brilliant ad campaigns care of Mad Men-esque New York agencies like McCaffrey & McCall (see examples, opposite) showed why Mercedes-Benz wasn’t merely an aspirational brand, but a wise investment as well. The “big push,” however, came in the 1990s with SUVs. Following the introduction of the M-Class, overall sales tripled, and today, with the addition of the smart fortwo and commercial vans, Mercedes-Benz vehicles cover a full range of needs and budgets. The humble headquarters has also grown up. Now located on Toronto’s Vanderhoof Avenue, it accommodates about 200 employees. “Things have changed. It’s a prestigious brand. It was back in the day, too, but in a new country, you’ve got to prove yourself,” says the staffer. One thing that hasn’t changed is the “born in Germany, raised in Canada” mantra. And so as Mercedes-Benz celebrates 60 years in a growing country, from early days in Toronto to employing approximately 1,500 people across the nation today, they haven’t forgotten what a challenging – but thrilling – ride it’s been.

2014

2002

Mercedes-Benz Canada is voted one of the 50 Best Employers in Canada by its employees, as defined by Report on Business magazine. A McLaren Mercedes driver, Mika Häkkinen, wins Montreal’s Canadian Grand Prix for the first time.

IT WAS A really strong team in the sense that everybody knew everybody else.

Chatel Automobiles’ Dealer Principal Maurice Parent celebrates 50 years with the Mercedes-Benz brand in Quebec City.

2008

Mercedes-Benz Canada has the best sales year in the company’s history.

2015 Mercedes-Benz celebrates 60 years in Canada with the #60intheNorth campaign.

2013

The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy for New Drivers opens in Vancouver to the Canadian public. mercedes-magazine.ca

Toast to Coast Inspired by the world’s top viticultural destinations, Canada’s wine regions are quietly building one of the country’s most dynamic tourism sectors. WORDS ANDRE W BR AITHWAITE PHOTOS DOMINIQUE L AFOND ST YLING DANIEL R AICHE

NOVA SCOTIA Its wine region bears a strong similarity to the cool climes of Champagne, in northern France, creating ideal conditions for the high-acidity grapes required to make bubbly.

SCENE

pon the wooden kitchen table of Michael Lightfoot’s green farmhouse in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, the seventh-generation farmer lays out a deck of architectural drawings for me to flip through. “My wife and I first experienced this concept of agriturismo in Tuscany,” says Lightfoot, stocky in a tan hooded jacket and with crisp blue eyes that radiate optimism. “You stay at a farm in the middle of a vineyard, pick the ripe tomatoes for dinner and see cattle herds wandering nearby.” The expansion plans for Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards illustrate a barn-like structure that he and his wife Jocelyn, a trained sommelier and former travel agent, plan to build just down the road, on a north-facing hillside overlooking the Bay of Fundy. They include a wine-tasting bar, a commercial kitchen, an underground barrel cellar and an events space. Sheep will roam the surrounding farmland, where Lightfoot plans to lay out hiking trails. Phase two, a few years down the line, envisions a series of Acadian-style cottages for overnight visitors. It’s an ambitious vision for a commercial chicken farmer who planted his first vines in 2009 on land used for pasture and to grow apples. After selling grapes for a few years to the much-lauded sparkling producer Benjamin Bridge, Lightfoot decided that there was true potential to produce exceptional cool-climate wines in Nova Scotia. “In agriculture you have to adapt,” Lightfoot says. “That’s how farming families survive. And wine is the future of this region.”

WINES COURTESY OF THE CANADIAN VINTNERS ASSOCIATION

All about place Today, there are roughly 550 wineries in Canada, spread primarily across four provinces: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Together, these wineries attract more than three million visitors each year. These are no tight-fisted pilgrims, either: Wine tourists contribute $476-million of direct revenue to the wineries, or more than $150 per visitor. Additional spending on other tourism-related activities – restaurants, hotels, transportation – is nearly triple that. Spend some time in Burgundy, Napa or Tuscany and the attraction of wine tourism is apparent. The most interesting wines we drink, after all, are all about place. What makes them special are things like local microclimates, unique geographies and soil types – what the French call terroir. But wine tourism also comes down to the appeal of setting, a concept that barely registered

in Napa in 1966 when Robert Mondavi opened his winery in a grandiose architectural structure the likes of which the valley had never seen. In 1973, Sterling opened its Greek-monasterystyle tasting room on top of a hill, which guests reached via an aerial tramway from the parking lot. By the mid-1980s, Napa was drawing 2.5 million visitors a year, California’s second-highestgrossing tourist destination after Disneyland. I think about this a week after visiting Nova Scotia, as I sit on the other side of the country, on the balcony of the Sonora Room Restaurant, set in the middle of the Burrowing Owl vineyard in the south Okanagan region of British Columbia. The winery, a cluster of tan hacienda-style boxes jutting up from a hillside striped by perfect rows of cabernet sauvignon and pinot gris, is framed by rocky cliffs above. There’s a tasting room and an 11-room guest house with an outdoor pool deck, where I’ve spent much of my afternoon relaxing. As I cut into a roasted game hen and sip a brambly, herbal-nosed glass of cabernet franc – (an older “library” vintage available exclusively at the winery), I swear I can taste it: the hot summer sun beating down on this valley, thickening the skins and ripening the grapes, and the vines struggling for the same precious water that the pine trees suck off the dry hillside.

Different strokes In Canada we sit at the northern edge of the latitudes where high-quality wine grapes can grow. Consequently, the few places where excellent wine can be made tend to be near bodies of water that moderate both summer and winter temperatures – think the string of deep lakes that the Okanagan comprises, or the Niagara region fitted in between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, or Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau Valley on the Bay of Fundy.

IN AGRICULTURE you have to adapt. That’s how farming families survive. And wine is the future of this region. M I C H A E L L I G H T F O O T, V I N T N E R

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CANADIAN W I N E TO U R I S M BY T H E N U M B ERS

3 million

Estimated number of tourists visiting Canadian wineries per year, including 1,900,000 just to Ontario’s wine regions

548

Total number of wineries established in B.C., Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, an increase of 72 wineries since 2011, and 174 since 2005

6.8

Total economic impact, in billions of dollars, of Canada’s wine industry, including business and tax revenues and wages, according to a 2011 Canadian Vintners Association study

Degrees latitude of Viewpointe Estate Winery in Ontario, Canada’s southernmost winery, further south than Tuscany, Bordeaux and Oregon’s Willamette Valley

1 billion Glasses of wine produced by the Canadian wine industry and enjoyed by consumers each year

Wine regions often have this built-in advantage of being places where travellers, like grapes, appreciate the natural gifts bestowed upon the place. Although Ontario only has around onequarter of the country’s wineries, according to the Canadian Vintners Association it attracts almost two-thirds of all wine tourists to Canada. The Niagara growing region’s day-trip proximity to Toronto’s six million residents is a big reason, as is the proximity to Niagara Falls, which attracts 13 million overnight visitors each year. The Okanagan, meanwhile, draws many people from the rest of B.C. and Alberta – and doubles as a popular holiday destination for golfers and boaters. In Nova Scotia, Keltie MacNeill, the tasting-room manager at Benjamin Bridge, recounts the same effect: “When I leave the Gaspereau Valley and travel to cities to show our wines, I understand the benefit of having our winery located in this beautiful landscape.” Of course, all wine tourists are not created equal, nor are the wineries approaching tourism in the same ways. Take Mission Hill Family Estate winery, in West Kelowna, B.C., for example. Set on the crest of a hill overlooking Lake Okanagan, the winery was designed by Seattle architect Tom Kundig and completed in 2002. The grounds are immaculately kept and the architecture, a mix of Spanish and Tuscan monastic forms with a hint of Napa glamour, is majestic in scale – with a 12-storey bell tower that rings out on the hour. Just 30 minutes down Highway 97, in Summerland, Tyler Harlton has staked out a different sort of empire. He makes his TH Wines in an industrial park, occupying two bays that used to house a fabricator of skis for snowmobiles. “I don’t own my land, I don’t own my machinery,” says Harlton, who grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan. He calls it the négociant model, referencing Burgundian producers in France who buy grapes exclusively from growers. But visiting his space, I’m reminded more of the Steve Jobs-esque, build-it-in-your-garage spirit that pervades California. The TH Wines that we sample inside the tiny 42-square-metre tasting room, designed to fierce minimalist standards by Tarynn Liv Parker and opened in 2014, blow me away. The “By Hand,” a blend of chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, hits that crucial marriage of refreshing acidity and lush, creamy texture that makes you want to keep sipping it all afternoon. “Tarynn told me when she came up with the design that it would

WHILE the hospitality sector has the capacity to grow quickly, making wine remains a process best practised by patient souls. look great on Instagram,” says Harlton, who is clearly aiming his operation at a new generation of wine aficionados. “Younger people with GPS phones can find this place pretty easily, but some of my older clients show up exasperated. So I’m trying to get more road signs installed.”

Emerging clusters If Mission Hill is aiming to be Napa (founder Anthony von Mandl counts the late Robert Mondavi as a mentor) and Tyler Harlton is a Sonoma garagiste, then Benjamin Bridge, in Nova Scotia, is emulating grower-style champagne in its approach to both wine and hospitality. “We saw the by-appointment model a lot when we toured Champagne,” says Devon McConnellGordon, whose parents Gerry McConnell and Dara Gordon founded the winery in 1999. The modern black and white tasting room where I’ve tracked her down is barely visible from the road – the building’s facade, with its long rustic-cut wooden boards punctuated by a massive glasswalled entrance, faces the valley instead. An hour-and-a-half visit, which includes a tour, a tasting with one of the winemakers or family members and some light catering – seared scallops, smoked salmon on mini bagels, local goat cheese – costs $200. “We don’t sell aprons and jam,” says McConnell-Gordon. What Benjamin Bridge does sell is wine – its traditional-method sparkling wines are popping up on wine lists at top restaurants across Canada, priced similarly to some top champagnes. Indeed, Benjamin Bridge is likely to be the first wine from Nova Scotia that drinkers in Toronto and Vancouver will ever taste. “We take that responsibility – to be an ambassador for Nova Scotia wine – very seriously,” says McConnell-Gordon.

ONTARIO Its designated viticulture areas are the Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County. And while Ontario might count only a quarter of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wineries, it attracts almost two-thirds of all wine tourists to Canada.

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REGIONS LIKE Vancouver Island and the Eastern Townships will be the new labs for what Canadian wine country might truly become.

As the national and global perception of Canadian wines – riding a wave of interest in the sort of cool-climate, food-friendly styles that we produce so well – grows stronger, the bet is that more visitors will travel to wine country to discover the terroir they are tasting in the bottle. While a drive through the Okanagan or Niagaraon-the-Lake suggests that many wineries and their hospitality partners are already pulling their weight, it is some of the up-and-coming regions – Vancouver Island and the Similkameen Valley in B.C., the Eastern Townships in Quebec, Prince Edward County in Ontario – that will be the exciting new labs for what Canadian wine country might truly become.

From the roots up

BRITISH COLUMBIA Top varietals per acre planted include pinot gris, chardonnay and gewürztraminer for whites; merlot, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon for reds. Its ratio of white to red is 49:51 percent.

The tasting-room manager, Keltie MacNeill, estimates that half of all visitors to the winery come from Atlantic Canada. “The rest are sommeliers and serious collectors,” she says. “Last week we had the somms from Chateau Lake Louise in for tastings.” A wine club offers smaller production wines exclusively to some 200 members, and the quarterly releases are celebrated at a party hosted at Benjamin Bridge and catered by chefs such as Jason Lynch of the Gaspereau Valley’s top restaurant, Le Caveau at the Domaine de Grand Pré winery. “We have people in Ontario and B.C. who will plan their vacations around it,” says MacNeill.

While the hospitality sector has the capacity to grow quickly, making wine remains a process best practised by patient souls. Back at Lightfoot & Wolfville in Nova Scotia, Michael Lightfoot follows up our survey of his grand architectural plans with an unpretentious tasting straight from the oak barrels and stainless steel tanks where his upcoming vintages are fermenting. “We’re releasing our very first vintage this year,” he says. The wines – energetic pinot noir, aromatic riesling and a ripe, mesmerizing cryo-extracted chasselas – call to mind the rolling, sun-dappled hills licked by salt air that I’d driven along earlier this morning in Lightfoot’s truck. The head winemaker, Josh Horton, was a former Lightfoot farmhand. He studied oenology in Ontario and honed his skills as an assistant at Benjamin Bridge. Horton’s assistant is Lightfoot’s 24-year-old daughter Rachel, and I can tell after three minutes of tasting with her that she is knowledgeable beyond her years. As with the moment that grapes come off the vine, this project still has a long way to go. But the potential is here. Speaking as much to the nature of a generational family business as to the intoxicating contents of any great bottle, Michael Lightfoot sums up the strategy for him and every other winemaker in Canada: “It’s the long game.”

CANADIAN WINE PLAYLIST F É L I X L É O N A R D G AG N É curates the all-Canadian wine program at Montreal’s Maison Publique restaurant, which offers a local twist on the English gastropub concept. “We’re proud that every bottle on our list is Canadian,” says Gagné. Here, he shares his favourite sips, from coast to coast.

GASPEREAU VALLEY, NOVA SCOTIA L’ACADIE VINEYARDS, PRESTIGE BRUT “The bubbles in this sparkling are very fine, and it has this elegance that makes it a perfect pair with delicate seafood, or even with caviar.”

NIAGARA ESCARPMENT, ONTARIO PEARL MORISSETTE, RIESLING CUVÉE BLACKBALL BARRIQUE “An unusual yet very interesting winery goes low-intervention on this riesling, bone-dry and with an acidity that will blow your mind.”

EASTERN TOWNSHIPS, QUEBEC LES PERVENCHES, SEYVALCHARDONNAY “Tough wine regions should stay true to who they are, and this blend of the hybrid seyval blanc with chardonnay captures the essence of Quebec terroir.”

NIAGARA LAKESHORE, ONTARIO TAWSE WINERY, LAUNDRY CABERNET FRANC “A lot of different varietals work well along the shore, and the care and love evident in this cuvée make it one of the province’s best cabernet francs.”

OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C. BLUE MOUNTAIN VINEYARD AND CELLARS, BRUT “There’s real diversity and even delicacy in the Okanagan, and I keep this classicmethod sparkler on our by-the-glass list pretty much all the time.”

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CAPTION HEAD Ipsam aditiatur? Bistorr ovidest quunt velesec tioribus nat mo et quunt velesec tioribus nat mo et sitexerum ex et ilis et odis

S TAT E OF T H E ART A road trip across Newfoundland’s cultural landscape reveals an arts scene far from sleepy seaside clichés. W O R D S VALE R IE H OWE S P H OTO S R I C HM O ND L AM

LOCAL COLOUR Christina Parker stands in her eponymous gallery, which showcases artists from Newfoundland and the rest of Canada.

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I SETTING THE SCENE Works in the Christina Parker Gallery by Bruce Alcock (above) and Kym Greeley (right) reflect Newfoundland’s coastline.

am standing in the Christina Parker Gallery, staring at a painting of Newfoundland’s Highway 1, Exit 37. The canvas is the size of a camper van and the artist is Kym Greeley, from Conception Bay. Her unconventional take on landscape art – camel-brown roads, flattened yolk-yellow skies and graphic blue highway signs – is like looking at Newfoundland through the eyes of Andy Warhol. The silkscreen and acrylics grab me for more than their nod to Pop Art. I just spent hours on this very highway, staring out the window at the cliff-flanked ocean, evergreen forest and rocky coastal barrens, driving south to St. John’s from Fogo Island. I made the road trip with M’Liz Keefe, a Bostonbased artist working on a giant-scale series of moody Fogo Island paintings. I met her while working on a book about the island, a rugged little outport that has become a magnet for creative types with its wild landscapes and its monochrome art studios on ocean-thrashed rocks. Keefe and I are both under its spell, but we’re curious to see what’s happening elsewhere in the province. What we find is a place where the crafts of the past inform the arts of the present, and where the pull of home is a constant theme. Wandering further through Christina Parker Gallery, we scrutinize the colourful chaos of

St. John’s resident Will Gill’s pastel, graphite and acrylic works, and we stop to peer at Corner Brook-born Mike Gough’s dreamlike series on memory and dementia, Truths. Gough, a lanky twentysomething artist with a swoop of dark hair, is the gallery assistant here, and he shows us his favourite works in between answering phone calls and playing traffic warden to caterers with wine glasses. “We’re hosting an after-party for the Women’s Film Festival crowd,” he explains breathlessly. “Last night we all went to see their movies, and today they’re coming to our exhibitions.”

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Most of the artists exhibiting here are either Newfoundland born, based, or inspired. Many flit between genres. Take Bruce Alcock. In one room hang his inky midnight-blue paintings on raw linen burlap, mounted on steel bars. This series, Ice Men, depicts a 1914 disaster in which 78 Newfoundland sealers froze to death. In the next room, his animated film about the tragedy, 54 Hours, is playing. Alcock co-directed the film and created its dreamy shadow puppetry. Newfoundlanders have traditionally survived hard times and remote rural living through both community mindedness and a fearless approach to getting hands-on. “We all support each other here – the filmmakers, the visual artists, the musicians and the writers,” says Gough. “And that feeds our creativity.” This vast, high-ceilinged marine-rigging warehouse-turned-gallery is Parker’s third exhibition space. Within five years of opening her first, three decades ago, she realized there was already too much happening locally to be contained within a 42-square-metre gallery. “We just grew,” she says, looking sharp in her asymmetric skirt and top, with jagged auburn haircut to match. “We all grew together!” As Parker talks, I’m momentarily distracted by the orange and blue freight ships inching into the harbour out front, which serendipitously match the colour scheme in the abstract painting before me. Floor-to-ceiling windows connect the exhibition space seamlessly with life outside: a mountain-framed, iceberg-stabbed ocean; downtown boutiques in heritage buildings; houses in Crayola-box hues. “Newfoundland is an artist’s place,” says Parker as she catches me staring through the panes. “I think this gallery reflects that.”

OFF THE WALL Street art in St. John’s includes murals paying tribute to traditional industries.

Well connected “I’ve made chain-mail bikinis,” says Jason Holley. “I’ve walked on runways with several women wearing chain-mail bikinis,” he pauses to grin, “…and it was very fun.” The 37-year-old artist also makes rubber, metal and ceramic jewellery and sculptures. He’ll work with any material as long as linking chains for hours and hours is involved. “I’m a little OCD,” he says. At the downtown headquarters of the Craft Council of Newfoundland & Labrador, Holley grabs a knitted cluster of clunky chain links from its exhibition stand and shape-shifts it with both hands, as if it were a Transformers toy. Panicstricken, I scan for security guards. “These are tactile things,” he says, laughing. “I didn’t pick a gallery in Toronto, because I wanted people to play with them.” Holley hands me the piece to manhandle for myself. It looks like a ton of steel but weighs less than a 52

SKIN DEEP Megan Jackman handcrafts leather accessories using skills passed down to her from family.

LINKED IN Jason Holley makes jewellery and sculptures using chains fabricated out of metal, clay and rubber.

bag of sugar. This is one of 48 cubes originally stacked in a landscape installation called Chimney. Holley photographed them on the beach – once at sunrise, once at sunset – before bringing them here. The chains are actually made of clay, fired using the Japanese raku method for a metallic-like glaze. Raku is for daredevils: Holley shares a YouTube video on his cellphone to prove it. We see him take his ceramics out of a fiery kiln when it hits its highest temperature – about 1,000°C – then he throws it all into sawdust. There the glaze crackles all over and a cloud of smoke encrusts it with carbon (unless the piece he painstakingly spent the previous week moulding explodes first). “You can’t get attached,” he says. “People come to watch – it’s like fireworks. And I get to be this completely different person from the quiet guy who just worked alone in his studio, 16 hours a day for the past month.” Holley has taken a craft practised locally for centuries to make functional, everyday items – such as cups and bowls – and adapted it to create exquisite objets d’art. Craft for art’s sake. And he’s not alone. At our last gallery stop of the day, Quidi Vidi Village Plantation, a new city-funded space in a 400-year-old oceanfront neighbourhood, we walk from open studio to open studio

I DIDN’T pick a gallery in Toronto, because I wanted people to play with my sculptures. J A S O N H O L L E Y, A R T I S T

under a ceiling of criss-crossed steel beams, meeting around a dozen skilled young artisans just like him. “I learned to sew when I was little,” says Megan Jackman, stitching her own block-printed fabric to a rippled square of sheepskin as we chat. “My mother taught herself leatherwork – she made belts and she taught me,” says the softspoken former pharmacist. “My nan taught me to sew; Pop taught me about upholstery hardware installation.” Jackman’s finished product will be a butter-soft fringed leather purse, with handhammered straps and one-of-a-kind textile details. In neighbouring studios, we meet a weaver and seamstress who uses her loom and sewing machine to create decorative embroidered skylines from the vantage point of back alleys. And we admire the work of a beachcomber who turns sea glass and braided silk into necklaces. This generation of artists has already explored many other parts of the world for work, study and vacations. They’re savvy about trends beyond Newfoundland’s borders. Proud of their roots, they’re preserving heritage crafts while articulating a complex new identity in which outside influences happily co-exist with local sensibilities.

Rock stars I’m not one to disrespect a sunrise, but I curse this one as I lie in bed at Fishers’ Loft Inn at Port Rexton, three hours north of St. John’s. I’d planned on sleeping late, but I have to get up now and catch this on camera. Outside, the swirling red-shrub labyrinth leads down the slope to a still and orange-tinged ocean. The cables between saltbox cottages cut across the landscape like golden threads. I snap photos until the spectacle has played out. Co-owner John Fisher is up early too. “Did you see that sunrise?” he asks in the breakfast room. “Peggy and I have been here 25 years, and we were still yelling at each other this morning, ‘Look at the sun! Look at the sun!’” mercedes-magazine.ca

STITCHES IN TIME Luke Fisher of Fishers’ Loft Inn; traditional local crafts like quilts match form with function.

runs a reading series each fall to help give voice to local writers. “Artists have strong points of view on politics as well as aesthetics,” he says, hugging a sleepy granddaughter who just tottered in. (Three generations of Fishers live on the property.) “We want to connect visitors to the creativity of people in Newfoundland today.”

Seats of inspiration

The innkeepers and their sons, Luke and Gabe, have an eye for local beauty. They were named Patrons of the Arts by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council in 2012, and their property houses one of the largest collections of Newfoundland art in the province (the largest being at the Rooms, the provincial gallery in St. John’s). After an impromptu exhibition of her work on the back window of our car, Keefe finds herself invited back to be artist-in-residence next spring. “See, our selection process is not particularly formal,” says Fisher, laughing, while his wife looks for her wallet to buy three small Fogo Island pieces as Christmas gifts for friends. In the Fishers’ Loft bedrooms and public spaces, around 270 pieces hang. They’re all for sale, with 100 percent of profits going to the artists. “We have guests who always stay in the same room,” says Fisher. “And there’s different art there every time.” In a sitting room adorned with hooked rugs, ceramic fish sculptures and evocative photos of abandoned rural homes, I browse the “Give-and-Take” Library, which Fisher confesses to seeding with books by Newfoundland authors. He also started the provincial literary journal Riddle Fence in 2008, and 54

INSIDE VIEW The impressive collection of Newfoundland art at Fishers’ Loft Inn includes works by Anne LeMessurier Pinsent.

We find ourselves dodging errant chickens on the trail to carpenter Mike Paterson’s workshop in Upper Amherst Cove. I’d fallen in love with Paterson’s locally sourced birch, spruce and balsam fir furniture at Fishers’ Loft. He built the prototypes for Fogo Island Inn’s furniture, too, conceived of collaboratively by local carpenters and international designers. His beds, seats and cabinets channel the spindled and utilitarian forms of traditional outport design, yet are pared back and contemporary. “I have great respect for what’s time-tested but also evolves with the impact of time,” says Paterson as we walk around his sawdust-scented workshop, where paper templates hang from the ceiling alongside drying cattails. His chef-d’oeuvre: the new set of convocation furniture for Memorial University. We leaf through plans and photographs of a black walnut convocation table with fish-splitting motif and photos of five magnificent chairs, cleverly incorporating motifs such as oars into their backs or whale tails into their armrests.

I HAVE great respect for what’s time-tested but also evolves with the impact of time. M I K E PAT E R S O N , F U R N I T U R E M A K E R

COASTING ALONG Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no surprise that Newfoundland artists (and tourists) are inspired by the maritime landscape.

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MADE-INNEWFOUNDLAND SOUVENIRS 1.

Megan Jackman’s Fringed Purses MAKER’S MARK Mike Paterson pays tribute to traditional furniture, like this rod-back chair, for his modern designs.

A combination of soft, rippled sheepskin leather and upcycled or hand-printed textiles. R A G M AW. B L O G S P O T. C A

“This is as creative as anything I’ve ever done,” says the carpenter, closing his album. “There’s no template for this at all.”

Parting shots After watching other people create art all week, I’m inspired to join in. On my last day, I take a day trip to Landfall with photography instructor Maurice Fitzgerald, founder of Far East Photography Tours. “I like the way the ‘fall’ in ‘Landfall’ is literally falling down the cliff in that shot,” says Fitzgerald as he checks out my images of a rusting hand-etched sign. I snap another pic, switching perspective to capture the ocean and the raw-wood picket fence. Fitzgerald passes me a filter to coax nuances from a flat grey sky. We play with the blur of the background. “You’ve got a great establishing shot there,” says my

instructor, finally opening the gate. We head down the grassy path to Kent Cottage, where iconic American artist and adventurer Rockwell Kent set up home a century ago and created some of his most spectacular wilderness paintings. By combining my pilgrimage with photography lessons, I get to experience this part of the world as Kent did – with an artist’s eyes. Fitzgerald knows which rocks to scale and dirt roads to follow for the best perspectives. I snap away with the gusto of a crime-scene detective. Sitting in the passenger seat on the road home, I scroll through a week’s worth of photos, mulling over which to print and frame. Between the ocean spray and foggy harbours, the sunrises and painted cottages, I’m struck by how wildly inspiring Newfoundland is. I glance out the window as we approach our exit sign and smile to myself. Even the highways are a work of art.

Jason Holley’s Cuffs Tough, flexible and sexy rubber chain-mail bracelets. JASONGORDONHOLLEY.WORDPRESS.COM

Alexis Templeton’s Sea Urchin Salt Bowls Hand-painted in watery greens and milky hues and formed using an actual sea urchin skeleton. ALE XISTEMPLETON.COM

Chef Peter Burt’s Newfoundland Sea Salt Flaky and soft-tasting sea salt made from Atlantic seawater harvested in Logy Bay. S TJ O H N S FA R M E R S M A R K E T. O R G

GLE COUPE For a road-trip tour of Newfoundland’s contemporary art scene, why not try a modern masterpiece: the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 56

AMG 4MATIC Coupe. Part SUV and part sports car, it’s a fascinating blend of traditional craftsmanship, design and cutting-edge inspiration – just like the current crop of art being

made on the island. Of course, navigating the east coast of the Rock is not without challenges, nor opportunities. That’s where the GLE’s permanent 4MATIC all-wheel drive comes in, ensuring confidence on any surface, and the DYNAMIC SELECT system, which is what allows this 362-hp, 3.0-litre biturbo V6 vehicle to be both a solid and practical SUV and a spirited coupe, capable of going from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds. And the Active HighPerformance LED Headlamps, which enhance nighttime vision and turn with the vehicle, mean never feeling on edge while driving along the coastline.

Mike Paterson’s Rod Back Side Chair A contemporary kitchen chair, drawing on the outport aesthetic, made with Newfoundland birch and pine. PAT E R S O N W O O D W O R K I N G . C O M

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SPOTLIGHT

GENERATION CHANGE An original made even better. That’s the essence of the new GLE – the successor to the M-Class – as it writes the next chapter in a best-selling story. This premium SUV is all about powerful design and technical innovation. W O R D S J A N W I L M S P H O T O S M I E R S W A & K L U S K A EUROPEAN VEHICLE MODEL SHOWN

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SPOTLIGHT

hat does being an “original” actually mean? The advent of digital reproduction has muddied the waters. Visually, at least, it matters less and less whether something is authentic or a copy. That said, as the philosopher Walter Benjamin observed, only the original possesses the aura of uniqueness. The new Mercedes-Benz GLE as the successor to the M-Class is a prime example of this rare species. Notably, it contains all the genes of the car that created the premium SUV segment in 1997, triggering a global boom in the breed and making its mark on modern auto history. We come face to face with the “new original” behind the doors of a sprawling photographic studio in Sindelfingen, Germany. Everything is still top secret. Among those gathered here are Exterior Designer Volker Leutz and Product Manager Matthias Lücke. This is also the first time they have set eyes on the car outside of the factory and under spotlights. It is a special moment for both, the culmination of years of work that they and their teams have invested in the model. It is time for the GLE’s first taste of the

limelight. We are greeted by an imposing machine, resplendent in its cavansite-blue metallic paintwork. A finely tuned athlete’s physique dressed in tailored threads comes to mind. In the territory the ML used to call home, a modified front and rear end, clearly sculpted body, large wheels and unmistakable Mercedes-Benz grille headline the arrival of the new GLE – an even more modern car.

Organic surfaces The GLE represents a suitably taut and robust take on the current Mercedes-Benz design language. “Our guiding principle in the design of the new car was ‘sensual purity,’” explains Leutz. “It is evident in the interplay of the organic

SPORTING ARENA The revised multi-function steering wheel and pair of tubular, circular instruments bring a sporty flavour to the interior.

HEADLAMPS THAT EVOKE AN

OPERA STAGE

FAMILIAR FACE Headlamps with LED eyebrows are hallmark features of current Mercedes-Benz design.

THE POWER OF REFLECTION In their sketches for the body of the new GLE, the designers took great care to ensure that light refracts just so from its angles and surfaces. The prominent C-pillar is a GLE signature.

SPOTLIGHT

CLEAR-CUT LINES, MUSCULAR FORMS

A NEW SENSUAL HIGH

surfaces and harder edges. A vehicle that is equally comfortable in the city as it is off-road has the right to shout about it a little,” says the designer, alluding to the GLE 350 d 4MATIC’s equal assurance off the beaten track as on the road, courtesy of its permanent all-wheel drive. The designers have been busiest at the front end of the car. The radiator grille with double louvres and central Mercedes-Benz star, the bumpers, air intakes, fenders and hood (with its two power domes) have all been reworked. The stylists have also created new headlamps featuring the organic light graphic that has become a hallmark element of Mercedes-Benz cars. “In days gone by, a headlamp used to be a grooved glass surface where any design input was limited to the outer contours. Nowadays, we also design the inner workings of the lights. Fibre-optic technology has opened up so many avenues for us to explore,” beams Leutz. “We view headlamps like an opera stage – large, dark spaces in which we can present the various actors and showcase what they can do with striking immediacy.” The photographic studio where the shots are being taken provides a similar platform of almost limitless possibilities. The lines of the car’s body sparkle with razor-sharp intensity under the photographer’s daylight lamps and soft boxes. This is a case of a Mercedes-Benz model turning supermodel, as eyes around the room wander over its impressive form. The GLE has to cut a flawless figure in these surreal surroundings as well as out on the road. This is the acid test – but also a celebration – of the designer’s work. Leutz kneels down next to one of the wheel arches and mercedes-magazine.ca

SPOTLIGHT

STITCHING AND SILVER SURROUND

DEVOTION TO DETAIL 64

SWEATER MAERZ PANTS BOSS WATCH FREDERIQUE CONSTANT

MULTIMEDIA ON FOUR WHEELS The large, 20-centimetre screen of the optional COMAND Online system almost appears to be floating above the instrument panel. The infotainment system includes a DVD player and is also optionally available with a six-disc DVD changer and TV tuner.

SPOTLIGHT

Soul of its forebears We also wanted to learn more about the traditional DNA of the original, and in what ways it has found its way into the GLE and other upcoming SUV models. Cue model series expert Lücke: “The broad C-pillar is a classic yet unusual feature which has set every M-Class model apart from other SUVs. It probably illustrates the evolutionary line better than any other element, so it has been carried over for the GLE as well.” With its suitably contemporary design, the GLE takes its place in the Mercedes-Benz off-road vehicle lineup alongside the smaller GLA, which has a much more expressive look. This clear structure fits with the new nomenclature at Mercedes-Benz: The “GL” prefix now denotes an off-road vehicle and the other letter – “A,” “E,” etc. – tells you which model series the car belongs to. Finally, Exterior Designer Leutz asks for the camera lights to be turned off. That allows the rear LEDs to shine out like trail markers in the artificially imposed studio night. It’s time to send 66

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Transmission 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic

Drive configuration 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive

Seeing clearly MAGIC VISION CONTROL, the standard heated windshield wiper system, sprays washer fluid directly out of the wiper blades onto the windshield. As a result, visibility is improved and less fluid is used. The above data do not relate to an individual vehicle and do not form part of an offer but serve solely to facilitate comparisons between different models.

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the car from the studio out onto the road. Or, as a neat diversion, into more rugged terrain to make the most of the optional Off Road package. A 100-percent differential lock, reinforced underfloor protection and an off-road reduction gear help the SUV master even challenging terrain – just like its predecessors. “Many elements of the GLE, down to the details, have been inspired by the spirit of legendary Mercedes-Benz off-roaders and their supreme functional prowess and quality,” says Lücke. Only true originals like the GLE can hope to continue such a tradition – one that, happily, can now also be glimpsed with an eye to the future as well as a glance into the past.

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casts a critical eye over his creation. He’s happy: “We invest a lot of time in making sure the reflections on the surface of the car are how we want them.” The fresh harmony of the front end continues along the SUV’s sides. “The fenders, with their more muscular, convex form, inject greater presence and sensuality into the nose of the car,” says the designer. With his hand he traces the contours that flow out of the A-pillar into the forceful lateral lines. “The dropping line further up and the balance line lower down serve to structure the volume of the side surfaces and ensure that this large car conveys a relaxed rather than an overpowering impression,” explains Leutz. This bedrock on which an entire automotive segment has emerged would not want to impose such an image on the observer – further evidence, if any is needed, of the GLE’s sheer class. “It’s incredibly pleasing when the product you’ve been looking after gets top marks,” says Product Manager Lücke, taking his turn to inspect the GLE from every angle. “This car is not only a compelling proposition in terms of its design, it’s also unmatched in its segment in terms of efficiency, performance, safety and space.” Active safety is enhanced by a raft of clever assistance systems, such as the optional BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist. This ingenious technology uses a stereo camera and radar sensors to identify the risk of a collision with a vehicle approaching from the side and gives the driver a visual and audible warning so that an accident is averted.

LIGHT SHOW The familiar nighttime design of the rear lights instantly reveals the GLE as a Mercedes-Benz from behind as well.

LED REAR LIGHTS

HEALTHY GLOW

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POLE STAR Sebastian Copeland once had Hollywood celebrities in his camera sights. Today, he prefers to photograph icebergs in the polar regions. He is a society photographer turned eco-warrior, an activist who uses breathtaking imagery to campaign for climate protection. INTERVIEW MARGOT WEBER

PHOTOS SEBASTIAN COPELAND

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VISIONARY Photographer and environmental activist Sebastian Copeland

could find about adventurers, mountaineers and explorers – Livingstone, Scott, Amundsen, Mallory and Hillary. What is it about photography that made you want to make a career of it? The chance to capture a moment forever and make it immortal. And then to be able to share it with others.

PROTECTIVE INSTINCT In the Canadian Arctic, Zepher the wolfhound gives reliable warning of the presence of polar bears.

obody documents climate change quite as beautifully or as bluntly as photographer and adventurer Sebastian Copeland. Until a few years ago, the 50-year-old worked as a promotional filmmaker and celebrity photographer, his portraits of actors like Salma Hayek, Sandra Bullock or his cousin Orlando Bloom appearing in glossy magazines all around the world. But since 2007, the Brit, who now lives in West Hollywood, has been shooting mainly icebergs rather than stars of the silver screen. As a member of the supervisory board of Global Green USA, he campaigns for climate protection in the polar regions in his own individual way: by capturing their perfection in amazing photographic images. During a brief visit to Munich – where Copeland’s wife was born – the environmental activist explained what motivates and inspires him. Throughout the entire two-hour interview, Copeland remained alert and focused. That presumably comes from his other identity as an extreme sportsman. What do you say when people ask you what you do? That’s tricky! I’m three things: adventurer, photographer and environmental activist. First and foremost, though, I see myself as an artist. But you could also say I’m simply a guy who tries to pursue his passions. And what are they? I’m an extreme sportsman and I need that adrenaline kick. As a child, I was fascinated by the mountains and oceans, I used to sail and ski whenever I could. Later, I took up mountaineering and rock climbing, surfing, windsurfing, parachuting and scuba diving. And photography, of course – I started taking pictures when I was 12. My grandfather, who lived in South Africa, once took me with him on a photo safari into the backcountry. As a child, I read everything I

What do you hope to achieve through your photography? I want people to fall in love with our world so they are eager to protect it. But ultimately, a picture is just a picture. Can a photograph really be a force for change? For me, a picture is an emotional tool. It reaches out to people in a way that intellectual arguments simply cannot. After studying film, you spent one and a half decades working as a society photographer and promotional filmmaker in Los Angeles. What did that period mean to you? Those were important years for me – they shaped my understanding of photography. And they were key in enabling me to discover what I wanted to do with my life. You took a sabbatical in 2003. Did this mark the end of that phase of your life? I guess you could say that. I simply felt a growing rift between me and my former profession.

THROUGH MY PHOTOS, I want people to fall in love with our world so they are eager to protect it.

Was that when you began to take an interest in the issue of climate change? No, I learned about that back in the late 1990s, when I met the CEO of Green Cross, known in the United States as Global Green. This organization was founded in 1993 by Mikhail Gorbachev, and although it focuses mainly on climate change, it also deals with the issue of clean drinking water. In essence, the organization looks at the footprint we humans leave behind on Earth and considers the consequences. But I became clear about one thing during my year out: If I were suddenly to involve myself seriously in campaigning for a better use of our planet’s resources, it would be a turning point in my life. My activities as a promotional filmmaker, creating campaigns designed to make people buy more and more, would no longer be compatible with this new life. So what was the first thing you did with your new life? In addition to photography, I had one other important string to my bow: a knowledge of advertising < and marketing – and a list of contacts. So in

DREAMLAND A shot of a snowstorm over the Greenland ice sheet, the largest area of ice on Earth outside the Antarctic.

ICY FOCUS Sebastian Copeland (left) on an expedition to the North Pole with his most important piece of equipment: his camera. In the Canadian Arctic on Ellesmere Island, he photographed Iceberg VIII in Otto Fjord. The frozen salt water is as smooth as a mirror.

2005, I used my connections and persuaded the actors Salma Hayek and Jake Gyllenhaal to travel with me to Greenland on behalf of Global Green. Our aim was to make people aware how melting ice is threatening the lives of the Inuit. We got a lot of coverage, it was a great success for us. What came next? Another Antarctic expedition gave rise in 2007 to my illustrated book Antarctica, for which I persuaded Mikhail Gorbachev and Leonardo DiCaprio to write the preface. And I returned to the Antarctic in 2008 with my cousin Orlando Bloom, and once again we succeeded in focusing media interest on the melting ice. After a few years, I began to realize that all my interests and skills complemented each other perfectly. Why did you devote yourself to the polar regions and not the rain forests? The poles represent ground zero when it comes to climate change. The ongoing concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane in the Earth’s atmosphere is having a major impact on global warming, causing air temperatures and the temperature of the oceans to rise. The first and most visible consequence of this global warming is the melting ice caps. But in addition to that, I have a deep personal fascination with ice landscapes. Why are they so special? Ice landscapes are clean. There are no people. They are exceptionally beautiful. And they are the only places in our biosphere that look as if they belonged to another planet. Is the situation the same in the Arctic and Antarctic? No. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by 72

AS HUMANS, we have the capacity to reinvent everything. We must now use this gift to safeguard the survival of our species.

continents and covered with a thin sheet of ice no more than 1.8 metres thick. Whereas the Antarctic is a giant continent, one and a half times the size of the U.S. It is surrounded by seas and its ice extends right down into the depths. Temperatures in the Antarctic are much more stable than in the Arctic because the colossal volume of ice ensures constantly freezing temperatures. So the Arctic is actually under a greater threat? Precisely. Because there is so much less ice in the Arctic, it is much more sensitive to global warming. What’s more, the Arctic is under a two-pronged attack – from above, from the increasingly warm air, and from below, from the increasingly warm water. According to forecasts by the World Climate Council, the Arctic will be icefree in the summer months sometime between 2015 and 2035. What impact would an ice-free Arctic have on the planet? It would set in motion a downward spiral of events in many areas. The less ice there is on Earth, the quicker the planet will heat up. Meltwater from the poles could also interrupt the flow of the Gulf Stream, which is responsible for Europe’s mild climate. The temperature of the seas would rise. At the micro level, this changes

BULLETIN

living conditions for plankton, and at the macro level threatens the lives of polar bears and the Inuit. It would also have an impact on the infrastructure of entire regions. If the permafrost were to melt – i.e. the permanently frozen ground beneath the tundra and forest regions of North America and Eurasia – roads and railroad lines would become impassable. But the main problem is that the permafrost contains huge quantities of methane and carbon dioxide. If there were a thaw, these would be released into the atmosphere, driving temperatures even higher. How do you maintain your commitment, given this state of affairs? In spite of everything, I have great faith in the human species. I believe we have the capacity to reinvent everything. We must now use this extraordinary gift to safeguard the survival of our species. Why do you feel a personal responsibility to be campaigning for environmental protection? It’s a kind of moral imperative for me. Where the poles are concerned, I have come to be something of an authority. Today, I have the knowledge to tell stories and scenarios about the ice – and use these to inspire others. It has become a kind of calling: I feel I have to do it. You could put it another way: Would it not be irresponsible on my part if I didn’t apply all the skills I have acquired over the years to a good cause?

Is there still a chance to stop global warming or is it already much too late? That is the fundamental question. I don’t know the answer. But I’m not particularly optimistic – and nor are most researchers and scientists.

LIFELINES Born in 1964, Sebastian Copeland comes from a dynasty of musicians and actors; his father is a well-known French orchestral conductor. He grew up in France and New York and, on graduating from high school, studied film in Los Angeles. Since 2007, he has devoted himself to protecting the environment, including publishing the book Antarctica: The Global Warning.

Why not? The Earth is around 4.5 billion years old, but there has only been human life here for 175,000 years. That is nothing by comparison. Even flowers have been around for over 135 million years. Despite this, we humans think we are something special. Just because we are able to build spacecraft, computers and skyscrapers, our relationship to Earth is no different than that of a flower, a bird or a tree. To be honest, we are more destructive toward our planet than any flower, bird or tree could ever be. We are more of a virus than a blessing for our planet. The fact is, it doesn’t need us and it will continue to exist without us. How difficult is it not to despair in the face of such an outlook? Would it change anything if I were to lead a joyless existence? Hopelessness is not what I want to feel. So you are an optimist at heart? I celebrate life at the end of the day, just as every one of us should. All I’m trying to do is promote a common awareness that we ought to avoid doing this at the expense of our children and grandchildren.

TIME TO REFLECT Iceberg XVIII in northern Greenland; nine-tenths of it are hidden below the surface.

BULLETIN

NICOLAS OUCHENIR ON

DETAILS How do you produce something of timeless value? Only by investing time and effort in the smallest details can you create great and meaningful things, says the French calligrapher. I N T E R V I E W M A R IJ A L AT KOV I C P H OTO F E R N A N D O P I N H E I R O

ome years ago I travelled to China to meet a man named Mao Xiao Tao – an old master of calligraphy. I was in my late twenties at the time, had been working as a calligrapher for a while and was self-taught. I initially planned to spend just three days in China, tunnelling into Mao Tao’s knowledge. Three days became three weeks. When I arrived in China, my back was hurting from years of sitting hunched over designs and my hands were all tensed up. Three weeks later, I was pain-free for the first time. Not only did I learn how to make ink and a pen with which to write, Mao Tao also showed me how you can line up every vertebra so that your writing literally flows over the paper. I saw that exceptional calligraphy lives by rhythm, and realized that only by investing time and effort in the smallest details can you create great and meaningful things. Sure, in most cases you can save yourself the effort and opt instead for the quickest, most comfortable route. But to what end? To produce something that only satisfies the taste of the moment, that’s hot right now, that speaks to fashion – something nobody will be talking about a year down the line? Perhaps I’m critical of current methods because I want to do more than just keep my calligraphy, my almost dead-and-buried craft, alive. For me, it’s all about creating something new from something old: writings, logos or emblems

BY THE LETTER Ouchenir’s calligraphy captures the mood of different fashion designers in every letter.

that become timeless by linking the past and the present, and which will continue to have meaning tomorrow and beyond. This is only possible when I understand the brands and the people I’m working for – when I know their background story and what they embody. Sometimes people think I’m crazy because when I’m designing a new bottle label, I visit every single estate owned by a traditional champagne producer. I have sufficient powers of imagination to create something suitable without leaving my desk in Paris. But absorbing the atmosphere at the wineries, talking to the chefs de cave and breathing in the aromas of the champagne all help me to put my ideas onto paper more accurately, in a way that will help potential buyers – when they look at the label – to form a better idea of the taste of the champagne and appreciate what the producer represents. My fundamental aim is to arouse a feeling in people. The more you focus on the details, the greater your chance of succeeding. For that same reason, many customers come to me with requests for calligraphed wedding speeches, love letters or funeral addresses. They want this piece of paper to sum up everything they’re feeling, to lend weight to the significance of the words it contains. The text should appear as buoyant as the feeling of being in love, the shade of ink should carry the grief or seriousness of the moment. Why do people need me for this? Because their own thoughts and feelings are often blurred. The many small decisions bound up in calligraphy help them to understand themselves and what they are seeking to express. Attaching profound importance to details has an almost antiquated feeling nowadays. What matters now is speed and the end result – that’s a grave mistake, if you ask me. A treasured letter you keep for years or even decades began as an ink dot on a page, which then grew into a letter, a word, a sequence of sentences. You have to ask yourself the question: Can you really expect your work to move others if your heart wasn’t in it from the outset?

Pen Name N I C O L A S O U C H E N I R used to spray graffiti on metro trains as a youth in his hometown of Paris. Now 36, he is a calligrapher serving the luxury sector. For Fashion Week, he produces thousands of handwritten invitations on behalf of the major couture houses, and he also designs logos for wellknown luxury brands and various private clients. NICOL ASOUCHENIR .COM

ATTACHING PROFOUND importance to details has an almost antiquated feeling nowadays. What matters now is speed and the end result – that’s a grave mistake.

SPOTLIGHT

POWER

TRIP

Following the debut of the world’s first-ever plug-in luxury sedan, hybrid versions of all Mercedes-Benz model series will be rolled out in the coming years. W O R D S R O B E R T Z S O L N AY I L L U S T R AT I O N 5 0 0 G L S @ U N I T. N L EUROPEAN VEHICLE MODEL SHOWN

t is described as “sailing” – and that’s exactly what it feels like as the Mercedes-Benz S 550 e plug-in hybrid purrs smoothly, and almost silently, across the Øresund Bridge. When it was opened in 2000, the nearly eight-kilometre cable-stayed bridge across the Øresund Sound between Denmark and Sweden was hailed as a triumph of engineering. The same claim can be made of the vehicle in which I am crossing it: an opulent luxury sedan from Mercedes-Benz that happens to be the company’s first plug-in (externally rechargeable) hybrid model. Smooth and effortless propulsion, particularly in the engine-off “sailing” mode, is one of its specialties. A discreet double vibration from the haptic accelerator lets me know when it’s time to lift off the gas and enjoy that special sensation of light and effortless propulsion. What is actually happening is simply that the internal combustion engine has been switched off and decoupled from the powertrain, leaving only the electric motor engaged. Although Mercedes-Benz has already put a hybrid S-Class model on the road, it is the plugin hybrid S 550 e that gives the “S” in the badge an added attribute: superior sustainability. Two things stand out above all. First, the virtually seamless interaction between the 329-hp V6 biturbo engine and the 114-hp electric motor mounted directly on the seven-speed automatic transmission. Second, the way information is continuously circulated between the powertrain

and the electronic systems, enabling the electric motor and internal combustion engine to work together in perfect tandem and in perfect alignment with the route topography and traffic conditions. Based on information about everything from gradients to speed limits and congestion, the hybrid powertrain calculates when to deploy the engine or the electric motor for minimum emissions. That exchange of information enhances < both efficiency and safety. For example,

USING TOPOGRAPHICAL information, the navigation system helps select the optimal operating strategy for the electric motor and internal combustion engine.

mercedes-magazine.ca

SPOTLIGHT

Hybrid is the default mode in which the electric motor and internal combustion engine are engaged or disengaged based on factors like driving style and battery charge status.

In E-Mode, the vehicle operates on all-electric power whenever possible. The internal combustion engine only cuts in if the driver pushes the accelerator pedal past the pressure point.

when a vehicle ahead is slowing down and the gap is closing, the S-Class is prompted to activate its radar-based recuperation system to ensure the electric motor acts as a generator while also maintaining a safe following distance. The display shows the direction of energy flow: White arrows pointing toward the battery indicate that the electric motor is recovering energy and feeding it to the battery. This strategy can be deployed whenever the Hybrid drive mode and the E+ transmission mode are engaged. In this combination, the driver knows that the luxury sedan can always be relied on to adopt the most energyefficient powertrain strategy all by itself. The S 550 e is the most intelligent model ever to emerge from the luxury S-Class stable, in a 78

E-Save mode “freezes” the battery’s current state of charge, ensuring there is always electric power in reserve to allow for all-electric operation on a later section of the journey.

MIND the gap: Keeping a safe distance is left to the recuperation system, not the driver’s discretion.

If the mode switch is set to Charge, the internal combustion engine fully replenishes the highvoltage battery while the vehicle is being driven. This takes about half an hour.

career that now dates back more than 40 years. Throughout that time, the S-Class has been a byword for cutting-edge automotive engineering. In 1978, it featured the world’s very first electronically controlled anti-lock braking system (ABS) in a production car, in 1981 the first driver airbag was fitted and then, in 2005, it pioneered radar-based Brake Assist. Small wonder the current S-Class is the world’s topselling high-end sedan, with sales exceeding 100,000 vehicles. After a quiet coffee break, it becomes clear that cruising through the city is an experience likewise verging on the serene. Electric drive is automatically selected when pressing < the start button at the beginning of the

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SPOTLIGHT

INTELLIGENT TALK FROM THE PEDAL In E+ transmission mode, the S 550 e uses radar technology to adapt to traffic in front. A double vibration of the accelerator pedal tells drivers precisely when to lift off the accelerator so as to synchronize their driving style with the traffic ahead and to maximize fuel efficiency.

RECOVERING ENERGY If the driver responds to the double vibration from the pedal, the vehicle switches to engine-off electric “sailing” and recovers energy as soon as the vehicle in front slows down. Experts refer to this as radar-based recuperation.

journey, and that initial silence can be surprising. At first, you might think nothing is happening. But then you notice the instrument cluster has already sprung to life. And electric power is not only about “sailing” or cruising – it can also be used to provide boost power. The plug-in hybrid offers this function whenever the S transmission mode is selected. Activated by pressing smartly on the gas, the boost feature uses the electric motor to supplement the combustion engine for increased performance. On the highway, I try it out and just love the way it thrusts me back in my seat. The car quickly picks up speed and the arrows in the energy flow display show red – a sign that 80

QUIET time: After pressing the start button, the initial silence of electric drive can be surprising.

significant quantities of energy are flowing out of the rear-axle-mounted battery pack. The S 550 e is every inch a trailblazer. By 2017, Mercedes-Benz plans to offer as many as three different hybrid models. Daimler board member Thomas Weber recently commented that hybrid drive will soon be as normal as gasoline or diesel models are today. Back in town, it’s time to plug the cable into the charging port, located behind a discreet flap on the rear bumper. Depending on socket rating, charging takes some two to four hours. Within the lifetime of this model generation, the plug-in hybrid S-Class is set to be joined by an “unplugged” version with a wireless, inductive charging system. Now that’s real power.

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SPOTLIGHT

ORIGINAL

In the case of a genuine oil filter, the product name, part number, logo and other wording are finely printed yet clearly identifiable. The plastic interior is precisely manufactured and, when mounted, the filter offers a perfect fit.

FORGERY

The wording is coarser, often indistinct or missing completely. The fake filter is shorter than the original and the gasket is of appreciably inferior quality. The interior uses cheap wire and poor-quality adhesive.

SPOT THE

FAKE

At first glance, genuine and counterfeit replacement parts can appear virtually identical. But key differences may have serious consequences when it comes to safety. Mercedes-Benz has a dedicated team working worldwide to investigate product piracy and expose illegal imitations. W O R D S C H R I S T O P H H E N N P H O T O S K I L I A N B I S H O P/ S C N

AIR FILTERS

Adhesive residues on the centre spar and untidy foam seams reveal the filter on the right to be a deceptively realistic forgery. But the dimensions are also inaccurate: The counterfeit product (right) is shorter than the original (left), and would not fit snugly in the air filter housing.

hen a Mercedes-Benz sedan went up in flames in 2013, the resulting damage could hardly have been more dramatic. The vehicle had been parked outside the garage of an apartment block in the United States, and the inferno destroyed most of the three-storey building. Investigators quickly established that the fire must have started under the car’s hood. Closer inspection revealed the cause to be the cooling fan control unit: A short circuit had evidently resulted in a spontaneous blaze. With the car little more than a heap of molten plastic and twisted metal, X-ray analysis was used to uncover the truth: The faulty control unit was not a genuine Mercedes-Benz replacement part, but a forgery.

Classic fraud

FORGERY HUNTERS are increasingly coming face to face with organized crime. The profit margins in product piracy are similar to those in the drug trade – although the penalties are much less severe.

Thousands of miles from the scene of the accident, Peter Stiefel sits at a computer screen in his Stuttgart office, scrutinizing the investigators’ photos. “Our goal is to prevent such dangers before they arise,” says the Head of Global Brand Protection at Mercedes-Benz. Stiefel is Daimler’s chief forgery hunter. There is a poster on the wall of his office identifying over 360 different Mercedes-Benz wheel rims. Stiefel knows most of them by heart and can immediately spot a car without the genuine articles should one pull up alongside him at a traffic light. But light-alloy wheels are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to product forgeries. Counterfeit articles include everything from Mercedes-Benz key fobs to an entire vintage 300 SLR – not to mention the full range of replacement parts. These are what give Stiefel and his team the greatest cause for concern: Unlike copies of luxury watches or clothing, forged parts not only damage a brand’s sales figures, they can also put the safety of unsuspecting customers in serious danger. In order to determine exactly how great that risk may be, Daimler has been testing forged products for a number of years. As a result, the company now knows that a forged brake pad is up to 60 percent less efficient than a genuine Mercedes-Benz part – and that means an increase in braking distance of up to 15 metres. There is the additional risk that vehicle safety systems such as ABS and ESP no longer respond properly to counterfeit parts in an emergency situation. The Brand Protection department is currently working on further tests with the aim of putting a figure on the risk factor generated by other forged replacement parts, such as oil filters and airbags. Peter Stiefel and his team also coordinate the < global battle against product forgeries. And

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SPOTLIGHT

since counterfeiting is such a lucrative business, they are increasingly coming face to face with organized crime. Fraudsters are able to achieve profit margins not unlike those in the drug trade, and yet the penalties they face if caught are far less severe – if the authorities take an interest at all. Given this combination of high profits and low risk, the market for forgeries has grown exponentially in recent years. “Experts estimate that around 10 percent of industrial sales worldwide are lost to brand and product piracy – and the trend is set to continue,” the forgery hunter explains. Each year, forgeries in the automotive industry alone are thought to be increasing by nine to 11 percent. It is a dangerous development, since the replacement parts copied are increasingly relevant to vehicle safety: Filters, brake pads, windshields and steering columns were among the most frequently confiscated counterfeit products found in Chinese warehouses and production facilities between 2008 and 2012. And China is not alone: Other hot spots in the global forgery business include the United Arab Emirates, Southeast Asia and India. In addition to the increasing professionalization of the forgers, what makes Stiefel’s work so challenging is the fact that they are dotted around the globe. Although all roads eventually lead to

BR AKE PADS

OIL FILTERS

When compared side by side, these oil filters for automatic transmissions are practically indistinguishable. The best way to be certain of getting a genuine replacement is to purchase parts directly from an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer.

The risks are significantly higher when counterfeit parts are key to a vehicle’s safety. Closer inspection reveals the copied brake pad (left) to be poorly made in comparison to the original (right). As a result, it will not fit snugly in the brake caliper – and braking distances will probably be longer.

Stuttgart, individual battles are often waged thousands of kilometres apart. The Brand Protection managers are in contact with colleagues in China, Dubai, India, Russia and Turkey, where they liaise with customs and tax authorities to monitor investigations and raids in their region – most of which are the result of months of painstaking detective work. “An investigation usually starts six to 12 months before an actual raid,” says Stiefel. Typically, the process begins with a member of his team ordering a suspicious-looking wheel rim, brake disk or filter unit from an online dealer. Even before carrying out tests, it is often clear they are dealing with a forgery from the moment they take the part out of its packaging. Sometimes – as in the case of oil filters – closer examination is necessary to identify a fake. If initial suspicions are confirmed, the online trader will receive a letter from Mercedes-Benz demanding confirmation of a cease-and-desist declaration and naming the supplier of the forged article. Thereafter, the case is usually put in the hands of a specialist law firm, which employs detectives to carry out further investigations on behalf of the Brand Protection team. Often, they will conduct surveillance of a distributor’s premises for days in order to determine when the delivery in question is due. The detectives will then follow the vehicle carrying the forgeries back to the wholesale dealer, and the waiting game begins all over again: surveillance, discussions, more surveillance. If all goes according to plan, the trail will lead directly to the forger’s workshop, although the term “factory” is often more appropriate given the scale of operations these days.

Forgeries by the truckload In 2014 alone, 2,000 such actions led to successful investigations: Customs seizures, cease-anddesist declarations or raids resulted in forged Mercedes-Benz products being confiscated. In addition to Stiefel’s 15-strong team, over 100 external lawyers and investigators are employed to combat the fraudsters. But brand piracy usually involves only medium-size fish. The objective is to make the forgery business less attractive by carrying out carefully targeted raids. Occasionally, though, they also catch a major player. When Arab authorities carried out a large-scale raid on a warehouse in Dubai in the presence of the Brand Protection team in early 2014, for example, they unearthed over a million forged car parts – including 123,000 destined to be sold as Mercedes-Benz accessories. It took over 10 trucks to remove the potentially dangerous goods.

A HOME WITH A VIEW On one side, the magnificent Rivière des Mille Îles flows gently along. On the other, the fairways and greens of the prestigious Laval-sur-le-Lac golf club beckon. The breathtaking natural surroundings here were the original inspiration for the luxury L | L Laval-sur-le-Lac condominium project – the first to break ground in this stunning enclave in Greater Montreal. Architect Joanne Godin, of the international firm Lemay+DAA, was inspired by the area’s natural beauty to create this modern take on the English country estate, accessed by a grand central gate. Godin envisioned four streamlined pavilions, housing 24 to 30 high-end apartments of up to 4,000 square feet each, all in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings. “The architecture is all about enjoying the landscape,

with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the golf course and, on the other side, the river. The units have cantilevered terraces – they’re really like outdoor living rooms,” she says. Another distinguishing feature is that each condominium at L | L Laval-sur-le-Lac is like a private residence. “Every unit has a large vestibule. It’s a bit like entering an anteroom,” says designer Alain Desgagné. And then there are the rooms themselves, which are bright and high-ceilinged – perfectly tailored to make the most of the surrounding nature. L | L Laval-sur-le-Lac was conceived as a luxurious private club, with a heated indoor infinity pool, tennis courts and a lounge equipped with a cellar that lets fellow residents mingle over a glass of wine. “It’s all built on a human scale, with a real touch of sophistication,” says Desgagné. In short, a jewel in a natural setting. •

Visit the L | L Laval-sur-le-Lac sales pavilion today and explore our 1,700-square-foot show unit created by designer Alain Desgagné. llsurlelac.com 1000, rue les Érables, Laval-sur-le-Lac, Quebec

2009

One for the purists: The G 280 CDI EDITION30.PUR is built to mark three successful decades of offroad vehicles.

2014

The G 500 4x4 combines the superior all-wheel-drive powertrain of the 6x6 – minus one axle – along with a newly developed variable chassis.

Six wheels, an off-road low-range ratio in the transfer case, portal axles and five differential locks make the G 63 AMG 6x6 the most spectacular cross-country vehicle to date.

The 2016 G 550 4MATIC’s major facelift includes a new engine with more power and lower fuel consumption (the same used in the Mercedes-AMG GT S) plus a new suspension setup coupled with more sensitive ESP® control.

BEST-SELLER The Walkman was launched in July 1979 – and it conquered the world.

LIFT- OFF The first space shuttle, Columbia, is delivered to NASA in March 1979. Completed in the same year, the Kuwait Towers, at 185 and 145.5 metres respectively, symbolize the rise of the Gulf region.

LEADING ROLES I979 saw their careers take off: politician Margaret Thatcher (left), singer Debbie Harry of Blondie (below left) and Francis Ford Coppola (below), director of the award-winning Vietnam war film Apocalypse Now, which was released that year.

WORDS ALEX ANDER RUNTE PHOTOS DAIMLER AG; GET T Y IMAGES; MAURITIUS IMAGES/AL AMY

1992 1993 1999

The series-produced G 55 AMG with its naturally aspirated V8 engine and 349-hp output tops the G-Class from Affalterbach, Germany.

2015

The limited-edition 500 GE with its five-litre V8 engine is the first luxury off-roader from the Mercedes-Benz fold.

2016

Basic model: The W 461 is designed for professional off-road use as a workhorse for companies and public authorities.

SPOTLIGHT

A NEW AGE

DAWNS T

he number may suggest something different, but looking back, 1979 actually had little in common with the crazy eccentricities of the 1970s. In fact, 1979 could really be seen as the first year of the next decade: the 1980s. Take music and fashion, for example: Instead of the flares and colourful shirts of the 1970s disco scene, fashion was now all about drainpipe jeans and the natty suits worn by the latest New Wave bands. 1979 was the year Debbie Harry of Blondie became a style icon. And pop and rock fans no longer just went to clubs or concerts to hear music, or listened to it on a record player – they could now use their Walkmans to enjoy their favourite singers and musicians while they were out and about. It was in 1979 that Sony released the portable cassette player that quickly became an indispensable accessory for an entire generation. All in all, 1979 witnessed many events, inventions and trends that went on to define the 1980s. With the G-Class, Mercedes-Benz launched an unusual off-road vehicle on the market that quickly developed into a premium model with a production run approaching 250,000. The G-Class might, at first sight, have appeared rather boxy and far from elegant, but with this range, Mercedes-Benz was laying the foundation for the development of the modern SUV. With each new update of the G-Class, the vehicle became more and more technically sophisticated – though its looks only varied in subtle ways. Originally intended as a vehicle for extreme terrain, it is today favoured by many celebrities as a robust premium off-roader. The sheer boxiness of the G-Class in 1979 might appear to have been a deliberate reaction to the smooth curves of other vehicles, but looking back, their clear, functional design already boasted classic qualities. Nowadays, the basic model with three mechanical differential locks is highly appreciated by public authorities for various professional off-road purposes, while the

1979: The 1980s are looming on the horizon, with new developments ranging from the Walkman to hip hop to drainpipe jeans – and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. EUROPEAN VEHICLE MODELS SHOWN

WITH ITS G-Class models, MercedesBenz paved the way for the modern sport utility vehicle.

top-of-the-line versions are popular with a wide range of discerning premium customers. The G-Class may have won admirers for its reliability and off-road capabilities, but in other areas of life, 1979 already showed signs of the avant-garde sampling mentality of the 1980s. It was the year the Sugarhill Gang sampled disco band Chic to produce the world’s first hip hop mega-hit, “Rapper’s Delight.” Meanwhile, in Canada, two men playing Scrabble together came up with an idea for a new board game that they named Trivial Pursuit. More than 35 years later, many of these provocations and crazy ideas have become classics and have proved remarkably resilient to the passing of time. The same goes for the G-Class models, which have steadily developed technologically while remaining true to their quintessential character, never succumbing to the vagaries of fashion. They share this obstinacy with an individual who, in 1979, was elected as the U.K.’s first-ever female prime minister: none other than Margaret Thatcher.

BOX SET With its climbing capabilities and 21-centimetre ground clearance, the W 460 tackled the most extreme terrain.

mercedes-magazine.ca

Tuscany, Unearthed A trip to Florence and Verona doesn’t have to be all about regal museums and gilded frescoes – sometimes it’s just about getting back to basics. WORDS EVE THOMAS

PHOTOS SIVAN ASK AYO (FIGS); IL SANTO BEVITORE (RESTAUR ANT )

JETSET

TASTE TEST In Florence, Il Santo Bevitoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s young chefs put a fresh spin on classic Italian dishes (including figs and goatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheese), though simplicity often wins out.

JETSET

am relaxing in the middle of Florence. A rare feeling, to be sure, in Tuscany’s most populous city, one that’s best experienced while floating gently down the Arno River. As tourists line the streets for a peek at Michelangelo’s “David” or a photo op on the Ponte Vecchio, my friends and I are enjoying a casual history lesson, generous glasses of prosecco in hand. “There are only four of these traditional Florentine boats left,” says Paolo, one of the two boatmen taking my small group out on this serene excursion. The barchetto is a bit like a Venetian gondola, propelled in the shallow waters by large poles rather than oars. Yet unlike on Florence’s famous neighbour’s canals, there are no tour groups on the river with us, no water taxis, no overcrowded party boats drowning us out with dance music. The closest we come to company is a young member of an elite rowing club training downriver against a backdrop of palaces right out of the Renaissance. “The thing about Tuscany is, what you see now is what you will see 100 years from now,” says Bart Spoorenberg, general manager at Il Salviatino, as we drive back to the 15th-century villa-turned-hotel in the nearby Fiesole hills. But what preserves the region, from river to vineyard, can also be frustrating – after a painstaking restoration, the hotel still gets regular inspections to make sure things are done according to tradition, down to the last blooming rose. It can also mean that what you put on your bucket list (and Instagram feed) can look an awful lot like other people’s Italian getaways, right down to the selfies. When I get to my room I sit in the window and gaze out at the city, basilicas to bell towers to the majestic Duomo Cathedral in the distance, lavender bushes and birdsong below. It is then that I decide: I’m on the hunt for the simplicity in Tuscany.

To really get down-to-earth, I must leave the safety of Il Salviatino’s manicured gardens for the surrounding forest – the property sits on about 4.5 hectares of land – where my friends and I are warmly greeted by Giulio Benuzzi. He sports a blue utility vest and waves a vanghetto, a slender shovel designed for digging up truffles. But more important than any tool is Eda, the Lagotto Romagnolo-breed dog wagging her tail at his side. If this is a hunt for hidden Tuscany, then we’re in good company. “For the dog, it is all a game,” says Benuzzi as we start off behind the lively mop of brown and beige curls. In between feeding her bits of dog food from his pocket and instructing her in Italian – “Vieni qua! Come here, check again!” – he answers all the burning questions I have about my favourite ingredient in the whole world: No, they no longer use pigs – their burrowing can ruin trees’ roots. Yes, competition can get fierce – sometimes he’ll switch cars to throw off other hunters. No, I can’t teach my eight-year-old dachshund to do it – training must begin early and be consistent. When I inquire about obtaining one of the 1,000 licences awarded to truffle hunters in Tuscany, Benuzzi says it can be done, but warns that he himself had a difficult time getting started. “Generally, in Italy and France, the techniques are passed down as a family secret,” he explains, before noting dryly, “Unfortunately, my father was an engineer.” As we navigate our way through brambles and bushes, Benuzzi kindly explains the training process in greater depth, often speaking about himself in the third person, of “Giulio and Eda,” as if he were telling a tale about their adventures. First, you must place a piece of truffle inside a special ball and prepare

CITY BREAK Relax amid the bustle of Florence by taking a cruise down the Arno River or by getting lost in the winding alleys and side streets.

PHOTOS SIVAN ASK AYO (MAN); THIBAULT CHARPENTIER (RIVER, HOUSE); THE ROAD FORKS (DOG); STOCKFOOD/AL AMY ( TRUFFLES)

Forest to table

displaying a craggy black orb in his palm. It’s a summer truffle, tuber aestivum, about the size of a tennis ball and covered in dirt. Before any of us can snap a photo, it happens again. And again. It’s a bit like fishing – one bite and we’re on a roll, nabbing five truffles in total, not counting one lost to Eda’s appetite and our distracted conversation. Though summer truffles are less fragrant (and pricey) than other varieties, especially white, Benuzzi is clearly as impressed as we are by today’s combination of luck, skill and animal instinct. At dinner, the bounty is thinly sliced and served atop spinach gnudi pasta and, even though it’s relatively mild, the garnish still hints at everything a truffle can be at its best – earthy, pungent, savoury, sweet – as complex as the finest perfume, and a vital part of the ideal Tuscan holiday.

With the grain Ask anyone back from Tuscany about their most memorable meal and chances are their response will be heavy on superlatives but short on ingredients. Whether you’re churning gelato or cooking up spaghetti, the secret to Italian cuisine is beginning with a quality base.

yourself for endless games of fetch. Then, one day, you bury a truffle in the garden and only pretend to throw the ball. “The time it takes the dog to find the truffle will tell you if she is a champion,” says Benuzzi before breaking into a wide grin. “For Giulio, Eda took only 10 seconds!” Benuzzi scoffs when asked if he ever gets sick of the gourmet ingredient. He claims to have gone no more than a week without eating truffles, and reveals with a bashful smile that he’s written an ode to each of the six types that grow in the region. If any delicacy deserves poetry more than truffles, I haven’t found it. Not champagne, not caviar, not sea urchin nor Wagyu beef holds such enduring appeal, a simplicity belying its value to chefs and auctioneers. (For a taste: A recordsetting 1.9-kilogram Italian white truffle sold last year for about $80,000.) Then it happens. Eda’s ears twitch and we pick up the pace. Andiamo! Benuzzi approaches her, stops, crouches down and stands back up, proudly

FOR THE dog, hunting truffles is a game. GIULIO BENUZZI, TRUFFLE HUNTER

HUNT AND GATHER Six types of truffles grow in the Tuscan countryside, many of them under trees surrounding villas, homes and even hotels; Giulio Benuzzi and his dog Eda take guests out to hunt them. mercedes-magazine.ca

JETSET

H OT E L S

Tuscany Il Salviatino

OF RICE AND MEN Gabriele Ferron demonstrates how to hull rice the old way at the Riseria Ferron’s museum, then cooks up risotto complete with edible flowers.

COOKING RICE is like making love. You shouldn’t have to look at your watch.

S A LV I AT I N O . C O M

GABRIELE FERRON, RICE AMBASSADOR

Palazzo Victoria

NEW LOOK In Verona, Palazzo Victoria’s lobby is hypermodern, but below the floor, guests will find Roman ruins visible through select clear panels.

As much a hangout for locals as a resting spot for visitors to Verona, this hypermodern hotel in the heart of the ancient city opened in 2012 with 74 rooms that pair old and new, from original frescoes to oversize white leather couches and Meret Oppenheim’s iconic bird-leg tables. Find the Porta Borsari – which dates back to 1 AD – outside the hotel lobby; the balcony of Giulietta Capuleti and an impressive Roman amphitheatre are a short walk away. But you needn’t leave the hotel to go back in time: Sections of the main floor are clear, offering glimpses of the Roman ruins below. Book a table at Borsari 36 for modern Italian care of chef Carmine Calò (his Michelin-starred track record includes Milan’s Joia, the only vegetarian restaurant to earn a star), and stay up to sip Aperol spritz and watch live jazz in the bar. Ask at the front desk for tours of wine country and Riseria Ferron. PA L A Z Z O V I C T O R I A . C O M

PHOTOS RISOFERRON (GABRIELE FERRON); PAL A ZZO VICTORIA/DIAMOND PR (RISOT TO, LOBBY )

For this, my friends and I say arrivederci to Il Salviatino and drive north toward its sister property, Palazzo Victoria, in Verona. From there we make our way through vineyards and along canal-lined roads to Riseria Ferron. Though I’m eager to taste the riso the family has been producing for five generations, some of us have our doubts about the farm’s appeal as a day-trip destination. (We are swiftly, and happily, proven wrong.) We are welcomed by one of the owners, Gabriele Ferron, a jovial man in a gingham shirt and kerchief who leads us through a row of poplar trees to a square, green paddy. We’re told of the mondine women who would hunch over, inspecting every grain of rice, ankle-deep in water, singing operatic songs to get them through the day, then of the modern workers who manage entire fields on their own, with a little help from technology. We continue on to the small historical mill, which doubles as a museum, where antique pistoni hull rice. When it was first imported to Italy, rice was used for medicine and beauty treatments, considered a gift from the gods and only later used as a cooking ingredient (and given to newlywed couples – in a cup, that is, not scattered in the air). Next, we tour the small farm and organic garden, Ferron chattering in Italian while picking ingredients for our lunch (wild fennel, sage, hops) and arranging them delicately in a basket before handing us each a white lily to tuck behind our ears. O come sei gentile! As he brings us past the gift shop – with rice pasta and baked goods, it’s a gluten-free-dieter’s dream – and up to the demonstration kitchen, I see we’re not the only ones here for a cooking lesson. In a large open hall, students of seven or eight on a field trip don aprons and paper hats before standing dutifully behind a hot plate, prompting someone in our group to murmur, “Only in Italy.”

Built in the 15th century by a banker intent on outdoing the Medici family, this villa was later taken over by the Salviati family, welcoming everyone from popes to opera stars before being turned into housing for Stanford University. Bought in 2007 in a state of neglect, it was reopened complete with 45 rooms, red-carpeted hallways, restored mosaics and aroma-filled alcoves care of famed Florentine perfumer Dr. Paolo Vranjes. (Modern indulgences include televisions hidden in the bedroom mirrors.) Get a room facing the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (a.k.a. the Duomo) for a heavenly wake-up call, and reserve at least one lazy afternoon for a spa treatment. Dine alfresco on the front terrace, and don’t skip breakfast – it’s a communal experience, with meats, fruit and local yogurt delivered on an oversize tray. Ask at the front desk for experiences, including truffle hunting and boat tours.

JETSET

To call Ferron an ambassador for Italian rice is hardly hyperbole. The private dining room is lined with clippings and photos of him preparing risotto around the world, from Dubai to Beijing – where he cooked rice on the Great Wall of China. Perhaps most importantly, he rids me of my belief that good risotto means standing over the stove, stirring (and stirring, and stirring). “How long, exactly, should it cook?” I inquire, pen in hand. But he refuses to divulge a round number, instead telling us, in Italian, that cooking rice is akin to making love, adding: “You shouldn’t have to look at your watch.” Before our eyes, Ferron first toasts each grain of rice using minimal olive oil (not butter, which can burn), then adds the warm broth, covers everything and lets it cook for barely 15 minutes. (So no ignoring the dinner guests.) Ingredients like white asparagus come last, and a vigorous stirring only at the very end ensures a perfectly chewy, creamy mass. I can’t believe something so indulgent can be this unassuming, like finding a truffle beneath my very feet. After a last grazie mille, we make our way down a poppy-lined country lane and back into the city. It’s abundantly clear that Tuscany is rich with simple treasures – as long as you’re willing to dig a little.

GELATO VS. ICE CREAM

What makes the most basic Italian gelato shop (and its $2 cone of vanilla) leave even the poshest ice cream parlours in the dust? It starts with the ingredients. Gelato is traditionally made of milk, sugar and fresh fruit (or other flavourings, like chocolate), with less fat than ice cream and, often, less sugar. Perhaps the real secret to its success: a slower churn, which means less air is introduced, resulting in a denser, tastier scoop.

IL SANTO BEVITORE Italian food can be authentic without being stodgy, as proven by this hot spot in Florence’s student-friendly San Frediano quarter. This modern restaurant puts a youthful twist on classics like pappa al pomodoro (tomato soup), and the menu covers are works of art, somewhere between tattoo designs and graffiti. If you’re lucky, you can snag a table by the floor-to-ceiling windows for the best people-watching in the city. ILSANTOBE VITORE .COM

ENOTECA RISTORANTE COQUINARIUS A great place to refuel between cathedral tours, this rustic restaurant near the Duomo goes beyond basic antipasti, offering authentic Florentine food and hearty dishes ideal for cooler weather. Be sure to try the artichoke and potato pie, pear ravioli or tagliatelle with guinea fowl, black cabbage and walnut pesto. The area is also great for shopping – find a toy shop, gourmet grocer and Italian-English bookstore steps away. COQUINARIUS.IT

TRATTORIA AL POMPIERE If Verona looks and feels like a movie set, it’s because this is where the movie stars hang out (you’ll find the walls lined with black and white photos of Veronese celebrities). Expect to dine alongside raucous locals (who look like they are right out of central casting) and to be expertly led through your meal by a sommelier, a cheesemonger and a butcher who slices up everything fresh upon receiving orders from an entire menu page of cured meats. It’s worth brushing up on your Italian just to follow along. A L P O M P I E R E . C O M

PHOTOS THIBAULT CHARPENTIER (GEL ATO)

EAT ITALY

Change is Coming

NEXT GENERATION SERVICES FOR AGENTS AND THEIR CLIENTS

Revealed in 2016 www.luxuryauctionhouse.com +1 778 484 5300

SPOTLIGHT

SMALL

WONDER The new-generation smart is more modern and more comfortable than the original model – but every bit as innovative. WORDS THOMAS ARGENT EUROPEAN VEHICLE MODEL SHOWN

genuine game-changer breaks with conventions. It doesn’t tinker with old concepts but does things differently – in all sorts of ways. It comes up with new and radical ideas. When the ultracompact smart first arrived on the European market in 1998 (and in Canada in 2004), traditionalists were up in arms. A car just two and a half metres long? With an engine at the rear? Only two seats? And such small wheels! What were they thinking? The answer – if there was ever really any doubt – was: the perfect city car, an agile fourwheeled miracle that creates parking spaces out of nowhere, is frugal on fuel and, thanks to its tridion safety cell, offers the kind of protection you would normally only find in much larger vehicles. This was a car for unconventional

thinkers – and parkers. In short, the smart was revolutionary because it didn’t take its cue from other cars but from an idea: “reduce to the max.” Now, in fall 2015, an all-new generation of the smart is taking to the road. Once again, it prides itself on being the quintessential city car – and what’s more, it promises to be just as innovative as the very first generation of this model, except that it will be more modern, feature many improvements and, 11 years down the line, will also be a lot more grown up. The smart fortwo retains its appealing looks, but at the same time projects a much more selfassured image. The reason? At just 2.69 metres, its length is the same as before, but the car is a full 10 centimetres wider. It also has a

RAISING THE STAKES The smart Media System boasts a 17.8-centimetre multi-touchscreen and voice control.

SPOTLIGHT

FUNKY TRIM The contoured instrument panel is trimmed in a bright fabric mesh material.

TAKE A SEAT and you’ll soon see there’s nothing sober or austere about the interior of this ultra-practical and ultra-compact fun car for the city. wider track, which gives it a substantially sportier, more powerful stance. Adding to the sense of assurance is a higher hood, whose expressive curves are both attractive and eminently touchable. The effect is topped off by a new, larger radiator grille featuring the three-dimensional smart logo and an unusual honeycomb mesh, with holes that become smaller toward the edges. In a further attractive touch, the honeycomb theme is reprised in the covers of the new headlamps and even in the turn signals. And in side view, the colour-contrasting tridion safety cell is once again a visible signature of the smart.

Attention to detail Those extremely short overhangs and the rearmounted engine also help to maximize interior space. While the smart is compact on the outside, you’d never know it when you’re sitting inside. And that general sense of spaciousness has become even more pronounced with the increase in width. Careful attention to detail is conspicuous both outside and in. 100

GOT IT LICKED As before, the fortwo features a split tailgate for easy loading and unloading.

On most equipment lines, the large instrument panel and some parts of the doors are extensively trimmed with a colourful and irresistibly touchable fabric mesh material that resembles the breathable inserts in sports shoes. Each of the three equipment lines provides a different mix of materials and colours (for example, orange-coloured fabric trim, a leather steering wheel with black and grey accent features, and black leather seats with white topstitching and white panels). Each equipment line lends the interior a completely different character and personality – ranging from sporty to elegant or stylishly modern. Take a seat and you’ll soon see there’s nothing sober or austere about the sensuous interior of this ultra-practical, ultra-compact city car. It’s also packed to the brim with clever ideas, like a side drawer in the centre console and a sliding magnifying-glass control for the climate system. If the easily collapsible front passenger seat backrest is folded all the way down, this small car can carry loads up to 1.55 metres in length. Also new is an instrument cluster with an 8.9-centimetre colour display (standard on all equipment lines), which ensures drivers have all the necessary information at their fingertips at all times. Motorists who hanker after even more high-tech trimmings in the cockpit can choose the optional media system featuring a 17.8-centimetre multi-touchscreen display, voice control and Bluetooth connectivity.

PHOTOS DAIMLER AG

New assistance systems The chassis, too, has grown in maturity and comfort – with longer spring travel, a redesigned front axle and a wider track that gives the car a more road-hugging look. But that extra comfort doesn’t come at the expense of agility. Far from it – the new model is even more nimble than its predecessor. For cornering aficionados, this agility turns the city into the perfect playground for nimble manoeuvres. The smart fortwo’s turning radius of just 6.95 metres sets a new benchmark. Often the fortwo can slot straight into a parking space on the other side of the street without having to turn and backtrack. Meanwhile, new assistance systems of a type previously found only in cars in a much more expensive price bracket contribute to a relaxed and safe driving experience. The standardfitted Crosswind Assist – active at speeds of 80 km/h and above – can detect sudden crosswind gusts, for example, when overtaking a truck, and keeps the vehicle stable through precisely controlled braking of one or more wheels. The new practical electronic assistance systems include optional forward collision warning, an audible and visual parking aid as well as a reversing camera. As the revolution enters the next round, the new smart has improved on all the standout features of its predecessor, such as small dimensions, manoeuvrability, efficiency, unique styling and a commitment to unconventional solutions. It’s truly a car that keeps on living up to its name.

smart fortwo Engine/Performance Rear-mounted three-cylinder engine, 89 hp; 100 lb-ft torque

Transmission Five-speed manual or six-speed twinamic dual-clutch

Dimensions

COCKPIT 2.0 Standalone rev counter, instrument cluster with colour display and multifunction steering wheel

The two-seater is still just 2.69 metres long but is now 1.66 metres wide, an increase of 10 centimetres. The tight 6.95-metre turning radius sets a new benchmark.

smart assistants Every smart comes standard-fitted with speed-sensitive direct steering and Crosswind Assist, which keeps the vehicle stable in side winds through precisely controlled braking at one or more wheels. Optional systems include forward collision warning, a parking aid and a reversing camera. The above data do not relate to an individual vehicle and do not form part of an offer but serve solely to facilitate comparisons between different models.

S M A RT. C O M mercedes-magazine.ca 101

SHE’S A MODEL…

…and her partner looks great, too. Petra Nemcova and the GLC, a newcomer from Mercedes-Benz, make a dream couple. But not just on the outside – it’s also about their inner strengths. INTERVIE W NIKE VL ACHOS

PHOTOS BENJAMIN PICHELMANN

EUROPEAN VEHICLE MODEL SHOWN

102

OUTFIT COAT, PANTS: BOSS; BLOUSE: ALOE; SHOES: STUART WEITZMAN; EARRINGS, NECKL ACE: CHOPARD

SPOTLIGHT

104

OUTFIT WHITE SUIT, BLOUSE, BAG, SUNGL ASSES: BOSS; SANDALS: STUART WEITZMAN; RIGHT PAGE, TOP: ALOE

SPOTLIGHT

PETRA NEMCOVA

“I LIKE DRIVING, BUT ALSO BEING DRIVEN”

She flew into Berlin yesterday from Los Angeles to be photographed for Mercedes-Benz magazine. Then she was straight off to a charity event in Nice. Petra Nemcova, 36, seems completely unfazed by this schedule. She looks radiant and is in excellent spirits. “Isn’t Berlin just amazing?” she asks, still posing for the camera. The Czech supermodel has already done work for the GLC campaign, but today is her first time in this new model. As the photographer packs away his equipment, she invites us to talk in the car. We climb aboard the GLC 300 4MATIC, which takes her – needless to say – straight to the airport. Ms. Nemcova, what do you think of the car? It’s green, stylish and practical. And because

it’s adaptable to any terrain, you can use it on-road and off-road. You couldn’t ask for more. And just look at these stitched seams – it’s like being driven around Berlin in a giant Chanel handbag! Do you always travel this much? Yes, I visit at least three countries a week, often on different continents. I think it’s amazing to get to know different cultures and places. I’ve been doing this for the last 16 years. Nemcova began her modelling career as a teenager at the age of 15, when she won Elite’s Look of the Year Competition. She worked for Max Factor, Clarins, La Perla and Victoria’s Secret. In 2003, she was featured on the cover of

Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition. With that, she finally made the step up to the premier league of international supermodels. Where do you consider home? Everywhere. I don’t see myself as a citizen of the world, more as a denizen of the universe. What do you mean exactly? I’ve been learning about spirituality for the last 17 years, and that gives you a different understanding of the world and the universe, especially about how interconnected we are. One of the reminders I have to stay connected with everything is on my wrist: the number 108. It’s considered a sacred number in many traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and others. mercedes-magazine.ca 105

In Nemcova’s walk of life, many people describe themselves as spiritual – perhaps so as not to appear superficial. Or because it’s easier to express a few thoughts than to assume responsibility for a cause. In Petra Nemcova’s case, neither is true: She isn’t just a model, she is also a philanthropist who uses her celebrity status to fight poverty. Her spirituality is genuine: In 2004, her life came to a terrible turning point when she was in Thailand during the tsunami. Her fiancé died in the disaster; she narrowly escaped death by clinging to a palm tree for eight hours despite being seriously injured. After recovering from the ordeal, Nemcova set up the Happy Hearts Fund, which builds safe, resilient schools in nine countries. So far, 118 schools have been built. 106

Was there ever a time when you wanted to abandon the world of glitz and glamour for good? When I got my first two jobs after getting back to full health after the tsunami, I couldn’t stop crying. I just kept saying to myself, “What are you doing here? What’s the meaningful purpose in this?” How did you emerge from that? I suddenly found meaning in my work again, because I saw that everyone I worked with wanted to help. Right from the start, the Happy Hearts Fund was supported by people from the fashion world. Photographers donated their pictures, designers their dresses. That kind of charity is beneficial to both sides: The donors feel they are doing something meaningful, and it makes them happy, and the recipients get the opportunity to study at safe schools, which

makes them happy. We build a bridge between worlds. I’m at almost every opening ceremony for every new school. How important is driving to you? I like driving, but also being driven. When I lived in Paris, I spent my time cruising around the city. I got used to a pretty crazy style of driving, especially around the Arc de Triomphe. How do you feel about being away from home so much of the time? I see travelling as a great gift. I grew up in a Communist country. I was 11 when the Velvet Revolution took place, and until then I had never experienced freedom to travel, freedom of speech, not even the freedom to dream. My parents never learned to dream. For 20 years they could never tell me where they would like to go on holiday.

OUTFIT BLOUSE: BOSS; LEATHER SKIRT: LOR A GENE; SHOES: STUART WEITZMAN

SPOTLIGHT

MORE ROOM IN THE REAR, MORE LUGGAGE SPACE

BEAUTY IS NOTHING WITHOUT INTRINSIC VALUES

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SPOTLIGHT

HANDS ON The touchpad allows the driver to operate on-board systems with fingertip control.

DESIGN

Unlike the angular, edgy letter K, the curvaceous C is rounded and harmonious – and a fitting element of the Mercedes-Benz designation GLC. The new model contrasts starkly with the classically angular off-road design of its predecessor, the GLK, introduced in 2008. The new mid-size SUV is athletic, powerful – and elegant at the same time. To observe the GLC driving across Berlin with supermodel Petra Nemcova aboard, you would never think the car was equally suited to cross-country terrain. Daimler’s Design Chief, Gorden Wagener, puts it in a nutshell: “Our design philosophy has given the GLC emotional accents as well as enhanced functionality.” It is a vehicle equally at home on big-city boulevards and rocky plains. The designers have made only subtle references to its safari capabilities – the GLC is a master of understatement. At the same time, such formal purity is groundbreaking for 108

Mercedes-Benz. “In the future, all our SUVs will embrace our philosophy of sensual purity and become much sportier,” explains Wagener. The coupe-like silhouette, short overhangs for off-road use, extended rear roof spoiler and distinctive front end with underguard provide a hint of the GLC’s capabilities. They also help improve aerodynamics: A Cd value of 0.32 sets a clear benchmark in this segment. Nor does the newcomer need to brag about size – it just has it. The GLC is 12 centimetres longer than the GLK, five centimetres wider and nine millimetres higher. The extra dimensions are particularly noticeable in the interior: The maximum trunk space of 1,600 litres exceeds that of its predecessor by 50 litres, and rear legroom is improved by 5.7 centimetres. The car’s designers have succeeded in translating into automotive form a maxim from Petra Nemcova’s line of business: Beauty is nothing without intrinsic values.

OUTFIT BL A ZER: SAFIYA A; JEANS: LEVEL 99; TOP: ALOE; SHOES: LELE PYP; RING, NECKL ACE: CHOPARD; BAG: STUART WEITZMAN

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SPOTLIGHT

POWER AND EFFICIENCY

Mercedes-Benz engineers have equipped the GLC with intelligent technology to make it the perfect vehicle for the urban environment, longer journeys and off-road excursions. It comes standard with DYNAMIC SELECT dynamic handling control and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, enabling the GLC to tackle inclines of up to 70 degrees. The GLC 300 4MATIC features a four-cylinder

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gasoline engine producing 241 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The GLC’s lightweight design contributes to overall energy efficiency, with the body incorporating components made from aluminium, high-strength steel and high-resistance plastics. Although the car is bigger and better-equipped than the outgoing GLK, it weighs 80 kilograms less. Fuel consumption is as much as 19 percent below that of its predecessor.

OUTFIT SUIT: SAFIYA A; SHOES: STUART WEITZMAN

TECHNOLOGY

Warrants nothing but conﬁdence. Feel confident knowing every Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned comes with a standard warranty. Enjoy all the benefits that come along with owning a Mercedes-Benz vehicle. • Reassurance: 150-point certification inspection • Warranty: standard Star Certified warranty up to 6 years or 120,000 km • Confidence: complete vehicle history report • Security: 24-hour special roadside assistance • Peace of mind: five day/500 km exchange privilege Visit mercedes-benz.ca/certified for a complete vehicle listing and special offers.

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SPOTLIGHT

LUXURY AND SAFETY

COMFORT

engine kicks in automatically in hybrid mode, noise from the drive system, wind and tires is barely perceptible. Measurements taken in the wind tunnel show that the GLC achieves aeroacoustic values more typical of the current E-Class than the sport-utility vehicle segment. Virtually all of the driver-assistance systems familiar from the C-, E- and S-Class are also available in the GLC in the interests of safe and comfortable driving. These include as standard, for example, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, Passive Blind Spot Assist and PRE-SAFE. (Active Blind Spot Assist and PRE-SAFE Brake with pedestrian detection are also available as part of the optional Intelligent Drive Package.)

Most electronic-assistance systems operate using radar sensors and cameras to monitor the vehicle’s environment. The Stereo Multi-Purpose Camera (SMPC) beside the rear-view mirror, for example, can see 500 metres in front of the vehicle. Within a 50-metre range, it recognizes the trajectories taken by other cars or pedestrians and transmits this data to systems such as Brake Assist. Having arrived from Los Angeles only the previous day and now already on her way to Nice, Petra Nemcova is only too happy to be driven on this occasion through Berlin’s busy commuter traffic with human assistance: A chauffeur drops her off at the airport.

OUTFIT TOP: ALOE; JEANS: LEVEL 99

All GLC models are equipped with a new control element, the basic principle of which will be familiar to users of smartphones and notebooks: A touchpad integrated into the armrest of the centre console enables operation of on-board systems by fingertip control. Letters, numbers and special characters can even be entered into the touchpad directly – by handwriting, as it were. This makes entering street names into the navigation system much easier. But comfort is enhanced not just by digital technology. The high rigidity of the body, vibration damping and interior tranquility also combine to promote a relaxing effect in the cabin. Nemcova’s car even features an entirely inaudible electric “silent start.” And when the combustion

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Share the Wonder

Visit our website for special exhibition information

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100 Queen’s Park l Toronto, Canada l Museum or St. George subway stop. Images © ROM. The ROM is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

SPOTLIGHT

GLC 300 4MATIC Engine/Performance 2.0-litre four-cylinder, 241 hp at 5,500 rpm; max. torque 273 lb-ft at 1,300â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1,400 rpm

Fuel consumption Figures not yet released The above data do not relate to an individual vehicle and do not form part of an offer but serve solely to facilitate comparisons between different models.

M E R C E D E S - B E N Z . CA

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ST YLING JOANNE BL ACK HAIR MIRK A HAJDOVA/SAINT LUKE ARTISTS MAKEUP K ATERINA BR ANS WITH PRODUCTS BY MAC OUTFIT JEANS: LEVEL 99; BLOUSE: PAUL SMITH; SHOES: LELE PYP

Transmission 9G-TRONIC Automatic Transmission

S h I M -Su TC l I f f e ARC h I TeCTS

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Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc., Independently Canadian Owned and Operated.

SPOTLIGHT

ICONS CACOPHONOUS CREATURE The pistol shrimp is the world’s loudest animal. It produces a resounding snap with its claws up to 200 decibels in intensity – loud enough to disrupt submarine sonar. The loudest human is far quieter: According to the Guinness World Records, Jill Drake’s scream hit 129 decibels, while a jet plane barely makes it to 120. CANNED NOISE The sounds made by obsolete devices are becoming extinct, like the rattle of the telephone dial, the rasp of a car’s window crank or the typewriter’s clickety-clack. But there is an online museum dedicated to preserving their memory, featuring over 100 user-accessible recorded sounds.

NOISELESS ENGINE? Electric cars have a reputation for being virtually silent. But that only holds true when driving at slower speeds, when the noise of the typical gasoline engine is much more audible. Drive between 30 km/h and 50 km/h, however, and wind and tire noise drowns out everything else – including the notion that EVs are totally quiet.

C O N S E R V E T H E S O U N D. D E

THE MUTE BUTTON on a Mercedes-Benz steering wheel conveniently shuts off the radio’s sound. But not all noises are that easy to tune out. Nature and technology produce a most unusual array of sounds, from ear-splitting dins to unbearable silence.

PUMP UP THE VOLUME A noise level of 139 decibels, achieved during a sound check in Germany, makes Manowar officially the loudest band in the world. But things can get even more deafening at competitions for the loudest car stereos. These multiple 10,000-watt systems can achieve sound levels in excess of 180 decibels – sans passengers, of course.

EARS TO YOU For the human ear to register one sound as being louder than another, the volume of that sound relative to others has to be greater by 20 percent. But the ear is still able to process a vast range of sound. The loudest noise the ear can withstand (around 155 decibels) is roughly 100 billion times louder than the softest perceivable sound.

UNBEARABLE SILENCE A sound studio in the United States, accessible only through steel-reinforced doors, is the quietest place on earth. This acoustic “clean room” is 99.9 percent sound-absorbent, turning the quietest human into a one-person cacophony – you can hear your own heartbeat, your lungs, your gurgling stomach. Thirty minutes inside is about the most anyone can take. 116

WORDS CHRISTOPH HENN ILLUSTRATION LEANDRO CASTEL ÃO/DUTCHUNCLE PHOTOS DAIMLER AG; MAURITIUS - IMAGES/IMAGEBROKER/J.W.ALKER; MAURITIUS - IMAGES/FANCY; MAURITIUS - IMAGES/IMAGEBROKER/MICHAEL JAEGER; ORFIELD L ABS; MAURITIUS - IMAGES/AL AMY

SOUND CHECK

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S TAYS

Town & Country LE SOLEIL D’OR This is the realized vision of a New York businesswoman who dreamed of creating a working farm and resort on the secluded island of Cayman

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Brac. Select from one of four suites in the main lodge or between the Villa and Cottage, each on their own stretch of private beach. D E S I G N The personal nature of the project means no two units are alike, but all sport the same classic whitewashed colonial architecture and breezy beach decor. A M E N I T I E S Break up beach time with a tour of the kitchen gardens and livestock enclosures. Each day, you’ll receive a personalized basket of just-picked produce. Either have Chef work the fresh haul into your meal, or take a cooking class and do it

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LION PALACE

yourself. D R E S S C O D E You’ll need head-to-toe linen – and an apron. D R I N K The resort’s take on “lemonade,” made with calamondin, a tiny, tart orange grown on site. D I S H Each meal is a daily inspiration, but the vine-ripened tomatoes are a delicious constant. Taste them in an unforgettable gazpacho. O U T I N G Explore the many caves along the coast to learn where Blackbeard stored his booty. D O N ’ T M I S S Beachside spa treatments with organic oils, creams and body polishes blended on site with garden ingredients.

In the heart of Russia’s cultural capital, this palace-turned-hotel (with stints as a school and military headquarters in between) is an architectural icon in its own right. D E S I G N Book select terrace suites and enjoy brunch while looking out at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, which shares an architect with the hotel. A M E N I T I E S The Royal Body Scrub treatment at Luceo Spa infuses essential oils with gold particles. D R E S S C O D E Anything but tailored suits and sky-high heels is underdressed. D R I N K Try a tasting flight of (what else?) vodka at Xander Bar. D I S H Sample the best of Italian and Chinese without leaving the property – truffle risotto at Percorso and Peking duck at Sintoho. O U T I N G Museums such as the Hermitage flank the city’s canals in every direction, and Peterhof Palace makes a perfect day trip. D O N ’ T M I S S Brush up on your Pushkin before you go – the two marble lion statues outside the hotel were immortalized in his poem “The Bronze Horseman.”

G O L D E N S U N C AY M A N . C O M

F O U R S E A S O N S . C O M/S T P E T E R S B U R G

Five of our favourite getaways around the globe, from beach hotels to rustic lodges.

C AY M A N B R AC

ST. P E T ERS B U RG , R U S S I A

B R A D F O R D, P EN N SY LVA N I A

THE LODGE AT GLENDORN

G L A S G O W, S C OT L A N D

BLY THSWOOD SQUARE A row of terrace houses on a classic Georgian square, this 100-room, five-star hotel retains the elegance of its nine decades as HQ of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club. D E S I G N The ornate lobby and racing memorabilia look to the past, but a rainwater harvesting system, marble bathrooms with soaker tubs and red-tasselled chandeliers in the lively restaurant add a layer of ecofriendly comfort and funk. A M E N I T I E S Revitalize with an Ishga treatment at the mood-lit spa – the sea salt and seaweed come from Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Then

retire to the Salon for tea or cocktails, depending on the hour (and your mood). D R E S S C O D E Sophisticated but cool: Young guests dress up, older folks go casual. D R I N K The Pegu, named after a club for British army officers in 1880s Burma, fuses Tanqueray, Triple Sec, Angostura bitters, West Indian orange bitters, lime and sugar into a perfect suspension of tang and sweet. D I S H Tender venison with sweet-and-sour parsnips and caramelized pear. O U T I N G The palatial red sandstone Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the most visited museum in the UK outside London, followed by a walk up the gorgeous River Kelvin gorge. D O N ’ T M I S S The oracular glowing purple crystal ball in the spa’s steam room. T O W N H O U S E C O M PA N Y. C O M/ B LY T H S W O O D S Q UA R E

ARUBA

BOARDWALK SMALL HOTEL Break away from the all-inclusives that line the sandy beaches with a stay at this coconut plantation-turned-boutique hotel, owned by Aruban-Belgian twin sisters Kimberly and Stephanie Rooijakkers. D E S I G N Scandinavian chic meets tropical charm, with white ceilings, neon art and hammocks outside each of the 14 casitas. A M E N I T I E S Aruba Aloe toiletries (including after-sun lotion) are all made on the island. D R E S S C O D E Chic beach cover-ups are perfect for getting to and from the ocean across the street. D R I N K Find the fridge stocked with iced

tea upon check-in. D I S H All casitas come with kitchens and outdoor grills, and a private chef (or cooking class) can be arranged. O U T I N G Take a trip to the interior of the island by horse or 4x4 to explore desert plants and Aboriginal cave paintings. D O N ’ T M I S S The sisters

put together a series of treasure boxes (with help from local friends and loyal guests) full of their personal island suggestions, from the best restaurants to scuba diving spots (who needs the Internet?). B O A R D WA L K A R U B A . C O M

This Relais & Châteaux lodge features rustic-chic suites as well as 12 cabins built in the 1930s and ’40s. Each has its own fireplace, while some are equipped with full kitchens and accommodate up to a dozen guests. D E S I G N Pick your era: Several cabins and rooms are wood-panelled and outfitted with original furnishings dating back to 1929, while the decor of the Loft is decidedly more contemporary than countryside. A M E N I T I E S Cabin-side firepits with s’mores on demand and cookie jars in each cabin ensure that no sweet tooth goes unsatisfied. D R E S S C O D E Pack outerwear and boots for keeping toasty during daytime activities, but bring along a few smart-casual outfits for evenings in the Big House. D R I N K Enjoy a Bourbon Fix made with Glendorn honey in the Billiards Room before a four-course dinner in the traditional dining room. D I S H Braised duck, black truffle risotto and whitetomato basil soup are stars on the alternating menu created by executive chef Joe Schafer. O U T I N G Go on a snowmobiling excursion through the surrounding forest in the winter before warming up with a soothing massage at the recently built spa. D O N ’ T M I S S Driving tours around the 600-hectare property provide the best vantage points for viewing the Allegheny National Forest. GLENDORN.COM

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SOCIETY

CANADIAN GR AND PRIX

People & Places

Step out with Mercedes-Benz at the season’s hottest events, from fashion shows to golf tournaments.

Montreal’s 2015 Canadian Grand Prix marked several milestones for official automotive sponsor Mercedes-Benz Canada. Mercedes AMG Petronas drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg (pictured, left, with boxer Adonis Stevenson) placed first and second, respectively, and festivities included a customer event at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, and Le Grand Soir, where 900 guests raised funds for Moisson Montréal and Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal.

From May to July, Canadians got a chance to learn from the pros by enrolling in a one-day performance driving course. Run by the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy team at racetracks across the country, the course is designed to teach advanced driving techniques like weight transfer and trailbraking. Check mercedes-benz.ca for additional programming.

Mercedes-Benz Evening of the Horse Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Calgary’s Spruce Meadows once again showcased many of the world’s top show jumpers and welcomed 200,000-plus guests during the Masters Tournament in September. Calgary’s two Mercedes-Benz dealers hosted their guests in the CP Canada House for the Mercedes-Benz Evening of the Horse, where they had the opportunity to appreciate a totally different type of horsepower during the grueling ATCO Electric Circuit Six Bar competition.

PHOTO K ARI ERICKSEN (ENTREPRENEURS’ ORGANIZ ATION)

Mastering Performance

MercedesTrophy Canadian National Final The MercedesTrophy golf season wrapped up at the Oviinbyrd Golf Club in Muskoka, Ontario, with participants competing for a spot at the World Final in Stuttgart, Germany. The tournament began in late May with 17 qualifying tournaments across the country. This year’s Team Canada (pictured, left to right): Arash Vahdaty (Alberta), Tony Mandarino (Ontario) and Dwayne Henry (British Columbia).

Entrepreneurs’ Organization Last May, representatives from two Canadian chapters of the global Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) travelled to Germany as part of a learning initiative, with help from Mercedes-Benz. Delegates visited the Hugo Boss company in Metzingen and the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart (where they toured the museum and spent a day on the test track), as well as the Canadian embassy in Berlin. The visit was organized by the Learning Chair for EO Edmonton, Kari Ericksen of Heritage Valley Mercedes-Benz, and representatives from EO Montreal and EO Berlin.

Mercedes-Benz Start Up Montreal label UNTTLD was named Mercedes-Benz Start Up (MBSU) Awarded Designer at Toronto’s World MasterCard Fashion Week in October, after the six finalists presented their SS16 collections to a panel of judges. UNTTLD will receive industry mentorship, editorial coverage, a fully produced solo runway show as well as a $30,000 bursary. MBSU is an ongoing initiative that provides a national platform to discover and support emerging Canadian fashion designers. mercedes-magazine.ca 121

RESEARCH

The Driverless Car

The Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle takes passengers on a drive into the future. WORDS CHRISTOPHER KORCHIN

irst there was the automatic transmission – revolutionary in its day. Proud car owners would drive with their left leg out the window to show they didn’t have to use a clutch. Now, with the advent of the Mercedes-Benz F 015, the autonomous vehicle is here. And not only does it not require shifting gears, the research vehicle doesn’t even require a driver. Already over the last couple of years, the company had been experimenting with autonomous driving. In August 2013, the S 500 INTELLIGENT DRIVE research vehicle autonomously navigated through complex traffic situations on a trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Germany – the same roughly 100-kilometre journey that Bertha Benz, the wife of Carl Benz, accomplished in 1888 to demonstrate the revolutionary capabilities of the horseless coach known as the Benz Patent Motor Car. And since 2014,

Mercedes-Benz researchers have been conducting tests on the streets and highways of California with E-Class and S-Class models outfitted for autonomous driving. Now though, the F 015 – with its space-age aluminium, steel and carbon-fibre exterior – points the way to a forthcoming era, possibly as early as 2030, when passengers will view car travel as a time to relax and re-energize while, as one reviewer put it, “an autopilot who never tires” takes care of the driving. The F 015 was on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas and Shanghai, and the convergence of automotive and information technology it uses to achieve autonomous driving “will change our society,” says Mercedes-Benz Chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche. “The car is growing beyond its role as a mere means of transport and will ultimately become a mobile living space.”

Watch the F 015 research vehicle in action. M E R C E D E S - M A G A Z I N E . C A/ D R I V E R L E S S C A R

IN TOUCH Inside the lounge-like F 015 interior, find Nappa leather swivel chairs as well as six touchscreens that can be used for both navigation and entertainment.

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