The Review - Gumball Rally - 2013 by The Review Magazine

Q2 2013

BLT CLOTH OF PROVENANCE KO SAMUI PALATIAL PROPERTY TWISTED A LANDIE FOR THE AGES PETRINA KHASHOGGI IN LA ON CAMERA

15th ANNIVERSARY

GUMBALL 3000 THE WORLD’S ROCK & ROLL RALLY

.BLT. The formidably styled and fiercely sartorial, Lord of the Trad clan, David The formidably styled andThis fiercely sartorial, of Fox the Trad clan, David Minns. issue, DavidLord visits Brothers & Co.Minns. This issue, David talks about his man crush on Sir Michael Caine. Pictures: MANY Photography: MANY

FOOD : EBRINGTON ARMS

A friend recently introduced me to the new owners of Fox Brothers & Co., the last remaining cloth mill in the south west of England. Accepting an invitation to visit the showroom at their mill in Wellington, Somerset (given that I live just an hour away in Bristol), I was keen to learn more of Fox’s provenance. The mill itself is no longer in its original location, but driving through the country lanes en route, one can see the original Georgian red-brick buildings in the distance – and how majestic they are too. Fox once employed 5000 staff. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the company employed Wellington, as it was, at the time, the largest employer in the area – not dissimilar to Clarks, also in Somerset, whose shoe empire built the village of Street. a Before I’d even entered the reception of the mill, I could hear the clatter-clatter of some original looms, weaving some of the finest cloths in the world. To the front of the mill is tailor Brian Smith’s workshop. Brian was master cutter for Huntsman for many years, but now works his sartorial magic in the surroundings of this mill, which he is very familiar with (tailor’s nirvana?). And there, in the window of Brian’s workshop, was the cloth that had eluded me my entire tailoring career: the Prince of Wales check flannel. Its mix of autumnal-coloured yarns, ever pleasing to the eye, almost brought a tear to mine. And the PoW is not the only true British classic that Fox Brothers produce, as their archives proved. To say I was in my element, perusing the tomes of cloths produced over the past hundred or so years, would be putting it mildly. The selection of wonderful worsteds and flannels (for which Fox are renowned) seemed endless, yet so of the moment. It is encouraging to see a business, founded in 1772, not only flourishing and upholding such timehonoured tradition, but also being so relevant to modern style. Of course, suits are currently enjoying something of a renaissance, and have been for a number of years, but there’s nothing quite like following in the footsteps of some of our greatest sartorial icons. Here are just some of Fox’s discerning and well-known patrons. Cary Grant: Bristolian, Hollywood icon and greatest sartorial inspiration of The BLT’s patrons. Grant favoured Fox’s plain worsteds. Picture Grant and you envisage Fox Brothers cloth. Sir Winston Churchill: esteemed prime minister, political heavyweight and cigar aficionado, Churchill favoured Fox’s chalk stripe flannel cloth. Churchillphiles can not only partake in smoking Churchill’s eponymous cigars, but also acquire his favoured chalk stripe cloth, for use in their very own version of his classic three piece suit. The Duke of Windsor: king, sartorial hero of mine, and once bearer of the title HRH Prince of Wales. Edward VIlI may not have been the namesake of this beloved cloth, but he certainly did much to promote it. So, whether you are a renaissance man (like me) or simply a classic dresser, there is surely nothing more hallowed than sporting a suit made of cloth of such provenance.

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FOREWORD : PRPR

THE

REVIEW ‘LIFE.

STYLE.’

There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. I am controlling transmission. Please do not be alarmed, programming will be returned to normal shortly. You may well be wondering where your idol has disappeared to. Mr Al-Kaisy is taking a well-deserved break – or so his ‘out of office’ tells me. Fear not, I’m here to let you know what what’s happening this issue. The answer is a hell of a lot. This is the biggest issue of The Review to date. Over 100 pages of the best the world has to offer. So let’s get down to business: what’s new? We’re rich. Well, rich in media. The Review is stacked with video content of your favourite articles. Just look for the ghosted ‘play’ reticle and click to play. This edition we bring you the fifteenth anniversary Gumball Rally, from Copenhagen to Monaco. David Minns meets the new owners of Fox Brothers & Co, The Ferrari FF puts us in our place, and Mimi Avery talks bubbles. Our man on the other side of the pond, Bobby Reyes, styles the signature Review shoot with Petrina Khashoggi. The team at the Hideaways Club in Nendaz keep us on piste, whilst the team at the Mandalay Beach Villas keep us on the beach. We talk piracy with Adrian McCourt at Watkins, talons with Arnelle Paterson, and take a poke around the Cotswolds with Oliver Smith. Inhale. We also take you away to St Petersburg, Latvia and Chamonix. Vienna tops our destination list this issue with some breathtaking apartments in the city centre. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed wrestling it to print. TR

P E T E R R O B I N S O N, P U B L I S H I N G D I R E C T O R

CONTENTS .BLT. The formidably styled and fiercely sartorial, Lord of the Trad clan, David

The formidably styled andThis fiercely sartorial, of Fox the Trad clan, David Minns. issue, DavidLord visits Brothers & Co.Minns. This issue, David talks about his man crush on Sir Michael Caine.

Pictures: MANY Photography: MANY

TRAVEL

96. No11 CADOGAN GARDENS

50. ST PETERSBURG 56. L HOTEL

AUTOMOTIVE

58. Hideaways club

16. TWISTED LANDROVER

62. alpine centre

24. GUmball rally

64. Hameau Albert

FLIGHT

70. Gallery Park

154. VICTOR

74. Athenee Paris

156. SIKORSKY S-92

82. Chez cliche vienna 86. ebrington arms 90. the nam HAI

WINE 80. FINE WINE 76. CHAMPAGNE

CONTENTS

FASHION 109. BLT 104. BEST DRESSED 108. dont tame the tiger 110. Push, breathe & pose 112. BOBBY reyes 122. hamptons fashion

ON THE WATER 148. WATKINS

TOYS FOR LIFE 152. WACOM

FINANCE 152. time = wealth

HEALTH 1oo. DAVID LLOYD

134. MARGARITA LIEVANO

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CONTRIBUTORS

ARNELLE PATERSON

AMY McNICHOL

OLIVER SMITH

CHIARA THOMAS

FASHION WRITER

TRAVEL WRITER

MOTORING EDITOR

FASHION WRITER

Paterson’s work has appeared on the Spear’s magazine website and she has created her own newsletter for Hounslow Homes. Her grounding is in fashion, current affairs, food, celebrity, the arts, culture and lifestyle.

McNichol has worked across six of the BBC’s titles. She regularly writes for The London Word on all things food and booze related. A former Bangkok dweller and features writer at Thai glossy, Traversing the Orient, she considers herself an expert on (eating) oriental cuisine.

Smith is our very own automotive editor. By day, he is the marketing manager for a restoration company, looking after the UK’s finest pedigree automobiles. By night... well... just don’t give him cigars and a magnum of champagne. The Hangover doesn’t come close.

Thomas is a fashion journalist. She spends her time between London, Barcelona and Brussels, contributing articles for Cosmopolitan UK and Metropolitan Magazine Barcelona, as well as being style columnist to The 405 Magazine and current subeditor of Stylobal Magazine.

GEORGE HEALY

PETER J ROBINSON

DAVID MINNS

MIMI AVERY

MIA

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

STYLE EDITOR

WINE BUYER

A rambunctious writer, Healy is most at home with his feet up on the Chippendale, posterior firmly placed in his Chesterfield, watching Racing UK, with a Punch smoking gently in hand. The man is also a fountain of knowledge on all things relating to the tweed brigade.

Rebel without a cause. Robinson has spent the past five years working in luxury print and publishing. This we feel may of jaded him slightly. He now heads up The Review’s partner video production agency and so you are more likely to find him on set than at an editorial meeting.

Something of a renaissance man, Minns loves nothing more than dressing for an occasion, and encouraging others to do the same. In his capacity as Senior Style Advisor for A Suit That Fits, he literally dresses the nation.

That’s right, rather than dragoon in a writer, we bring you Mimi Avery, buyer for the dynasty that is Averys wine merchant. There is no one better to guide you through the world of wine whether it be for pleasure or investment.

Twisted ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. An adage that you could apply to many things in this world, but none more than an item as steeped in heritage and tradition as Land Rover’s Defender – or so you would think. Words: OLIVER SMITH As old as the hills themselves, this iconic vehicle is woven into the very fabric of our country. For decades we have farmed in them, taken the family out in them, and when the mood takes us, we’ve occasionally invaded in them. From its birth as the Series 1 in 1948, through to what we know as the Defender, Land Rover’s trusty workhorse has changed very little. Well, you might say, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Sorry, you’re wrong. In 2013, after your local Land Rover dealer has cashed your cheque for £32,995 for a top of the range Defender and you drive merrily off down the road, you will notice several things: all of the trim will fall off, you won’t be able to hear the radio on the motorway (although you may just be able make out your passengers complaining about the wind-up windows in the back), the headlining will fall down, and it will let enough water into the cabin to make a log flume blush. This will all be in the first ten miles. If you think that this is ‘character’ that lends it a quirky air, then you probably have a mullet and think it looks nice. However, help is at hand, in the shape of a company based in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, called Twisted Performance. They take a Defender and make it into something truly special. The first thing they do is disassemble it. And then reassemble it – properly. This includes extensive sound proofing and a refitted bespoke interior trimmed to supercar standards. Handling is taken care of by progressive springs, specially developed Bilstein shock absorbers and thick anti-roll bars. Alcon brakes bring it to a controlled stop and an ECU re-map will allow an effortless 80mph cruise and a boost in torque. The cars have a high-end, manufactured feel to them – a far cry from many of their competitors who just tack on pieces of plastic and label them as special editions. The Undersparrows of this world aside, Twisted offer a viable option for people who wish to use their Defenders on a daily basis and experience the comfort of a luxury vehicle in the process. In their pursuit of perfection, they haven’t diluted this British icon. Everything has been carefully considered before, during and after application, and the result is a truly cohesive feel that complements the Defender’s lovable qualities. TR

AU T O M O T I V E : T W I S T E D R E D E D I T I O N

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FOOD : EBRINGTON ARMS

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This year we were asked by the team at Twisted Land Rover if we should like to join them on the 15 year anniversary of the Gumball Rally travelling across Europe in their converted V8 Land Rover. Tickets were booked, visas agreed, and bags packed before I even put the phone down. Words: PETER ROBINSON Photography: GF WILLIAMS Photography: RICHARD P WALTON Photography: MARC KASER Photography: OSKAR BAKKE

EVENT : GUMBALL 3000

Having left a wet miserable day in Central London, I found myself on a British Airways flight to Copenhagen (a country I knew very little about). Upon arrival, I’m told that the Danes invented pubs. A point that I vehemently deny. They can claim bacon, if we can claim pubs. Agreed. We arrive to truly beautiful weather. So much so that I realise my wax jacket is not the right attire. I quickly swap it for anything I can find that stops me leaking. Oli and Matt (two friends of Twisted Performance MD Charlie Fawcett) collected us at the airport. Charlie launched Twisted when

he began adding performance mods to Land Rover Defenders for off-road competitions and realised that, without a degree in engineering or a sympathetic dad, tuning was out of reach for the common man. So, with a small off-road army, he set to work designing and manufacturing performance parts that would significantly boost power, torque and drivability without requiring major modifications to the standard Land Rover engine. Twisted has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Today’s Twisted is a pedigree name in the Land Rover tuning space. So, why would Charlie gamble it all on a new marque

for the Gumball 3000? Why would be create this new marque and not even test it? Travelling through Copenhagen, we finally arrive to meet the Twisted team, including Charlie’s right hand man, John O’Mahony, at their hotel and discuss the trip. We realise that we still have not picked up the team’s passes from the Gumball HQ. Back in the car, back across Copenhagen. As we ascend the stairs of the Gumball Hotel in Copenhagen, I spot Dylan Kwabena Mills. That is Dizzee Rascal to those that were not aware that musicians tend to have names as basic as your own. I’m told later that day by Jeff (one of

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the Gumball bods) that he wasn’t supposed to be coming. He just rocked up. That’s Gumball for you; the most rock and roll rally going. Having secured passes, caps, jackets, stickers, iPhone cases, cameras, earphones, lanyards, race cards and official Gumball ‘heart monitors’, I realised that Gumball was a global entertainment and lifestyle brand now. So much so that when I wear my Gumball gear around these days, I’m asked if I went or just bought it online(!). Perhaps I should show them the fractured parts of my psyche to prove I attended. Gumball built its pop culture appeal by inviting the many names that ushered in pop culture on its hallowed route each year. This year would see Xzibit, Tony Hawk, David Hasselhoff, EVE, MTV Brazil, the Dudesons, Jon Olsson and more attend the rally for

nothing other than unadulterated pleasure. No velvet ropes, no barriers. If you could pony up the weighty entrance fee this year, you could sit happily having lunch and watch Xzibit searching for Wi-Fi, The Hoff trying to find a bathroom and Tony Hawk roll in on his board. Okay, Hawk didn’t do that, but our first meeting was when he asked if I knew what “that” sound was in the Twisted Defender. “It’s a Defender, Tony. It makes all kinds of sounds. Have you driven a manual before? No? Good luck, man.” Having secured our Gumball memorabilia, we headed to our hotel to prep, then to the Royal Opera House across the river for the VIP launch. Outside we found a ground built Batmobile courtesy of Team Galag and a Twisted Land Rover on display. Cue many dinner jack-

ets and swooning for press. Having witnessed the Gumball launch night, I decided to head off to the other side of town to meet up with some old friends in a local tavern and drink to the wee hours of the morning. Smart move with a 350 mile journey the next day. That morning we awoke in Copenhagen. Having opted for our own accommodation, we were faced with a beautiful view of unspoilt countryside, just beyond the industrial estate we found ourselves in. Breakfast was quickly devoured and we headed over to the Gumball hotel for a briefing from Max Cooper, CEO of Gumball 3000. “DONT CRASH, DONT SPEED, HAVE FUN”. Or words to that effect. We also learn that there are some serious pieces of history up for auction throughout the race. Last night was

Kimi Raikkonen’s F1 steering wheel, one of 250 replicas made. It sells for an incredible $32,000. Having been maxed out with detail, it is finally time to head to the grid. A surging sea of people all happy to get drenched in the rain that Copenhagen’s sky line seems committed to churning out. Time stands still for me as I watch the super cars leave the grid one by one on their 3000 mile journey. The Twisted team have driven from Thursk in the UK to the Gumball Grid and will be driving back from Monaco, so the total journey is closer to 5000 miles for the Northern brigade. After watching millions and millions pass my eyes, we decide to hop in and drive ourselves, for fear of missing the action. What you don’t prepare for is staring at the road, the hours

of watching the rain come down whilst looking out the window for fellow Gumballers to race. Eventually the rain clears and we find ourselves approaching a pre-ordained stop at the Koenigsegg factory in Sweden. That’s right, we have left Denmark and are making our way to Finland via Sweden. The factory is as you would expect, surrounded by boy-racer types in half-decent modified cars all shouting and screaming. The factory, however, is a place of calm and celebrity relaxation. The Hoff and his Welsh girlfriend sit quietly eating traditional Swedish fodder whilst I take the world’s quickest tour around this motoring nirvana. I have just enough time to eat a light lunch, watch a team-mate miscalculate the currency conversion from pounds and spend £120 on a Koenigsegg hoodie, and then it’s back into

the convoy for the drive to Stockholm. The next destination should be the Kings Palace in Stockholm, but it would appear that everyone has underestimated the time it would take to get to there. We are all catching a ferry, one that leaves that night and arrives the following morning. Having put the hammer down, we decide to miss the display and head straight for the ferry, the deadline of which is 6pm. Our ETA is 7:30pm. Luckily for us, a message comes down the food chain to say that the embarkation has been delayed by a few hours to allow for the Gumballers to make it. This isn’t a private ferry – no, this is as commercial as it gets. It’s less ferry and more liner with five restaurants, a gym, numerous bars and onboard accommodation. So, imagine

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how impressed we were when they held it back. Then imagine how pissed the cattle-class were that they had to wait for us. Luckily our areas were all private, so no one had to look upon any of the underlings’ disdain. Having parked the cars, I politely explained to one of the Gumballers why all the car alarms were going off at the same time. Most modern supercars are fitted with anti theft systems that set off localised and head-office alarms when the car moves without the engine being switched on. I learnt from experience when driving a Ferrari Cali over to France some years ago. That night the Dudesons, MTV’s franchise players in the destruction genre, put on a live stage show on the ship. It isn’t too long before I wonder how much these loveable idiots get paid to nail each other, well, to each other. With that, I head off to my fold down bed to try to piece together a plan for tomorrow. In my absence, Max auctions off a pair of Jon Olsson’s X games winning skis. These are some serious prizes. I wake up, but have no idea what time it is. My watch is on a time zone from yesterday. I would have had more luck with a sundial. I put my boots on and head into the hallway to see if someone can tell me how long until we need to be in our cars to disembark. “20 minutes,” I’m told by the cheerful porter. CHRIST! I wake everyone up with my kid gloves (made from real kids). Some insist on showering, as if it matters. You will be sitting in a hot car all day; it won’t make a difference. You’re better off with a can of Febreeze and some duct tape. Clean as a whistle. We make it to the parking galley and into the vehicles in the nick of time and leave the ship into the onslaught of paparazzi flash bulbs. I have been to many events that commanded this type of sycophantic audience appreciation, but never one that spanned Europe and involved cars. Of course I’m a car fan, but would I get out of bed on a Saturday morning at 6am to stand on an underpass to watch various supercars scream past? Probably not. I guess if you can afford to have one, the appeal of going to see one changes. That didn’t stop the people of Finland coming to support us in full force though. The loveable bastards, with their lakes and water quality. YEAH! ROCK AND ROLL! We head off the boat and into rush hour traffic. Rush hour traffic is the same everywhere. Of course, being in a Twisted Defender means that almost everyone gives way. And of course, if they don’t, you’re welcome to drive over them.

The V8 monster still seemed to be going strong. And what an engine: a V8 GM 520 Bhp from the Chevy performance range. The sound was unmistakable as the Twisted V8 by the end of the race. The Twisted team were leading the pack. They had the iconic skateboarder Tony Hawk in the Twisted Alpine Edition, MTV Brazil’s Luca and Deco in another Twisted Marque, and two support vehicles. It was undeniably the largest team there. Our first destination today was the Kamppi shopping centre in Mannerheimintie, Helsinki. As we all pull in, there are, once again, thousands of fans lining the route and the roped-off driveways. With the cars parked up, it was time to head to see the entertainment; a snow stunt display put on by Battery energy drinks. Two crazy bastards on snow-mobiles hitting a snow-covered ramp and jumping thirty-plus feet onto an airbag, in the centre of

fresh was it – they were smoking it outside over an open fire. The Fin’s do not muck about. Contrast personified, I think you will find. Having feasted on smoked salmon, I decided to go outside to see what all the sudden commotion was. It appeared that Tony Hawk had arrived from the X-games in Barcelona. Obviously Tony missed the start of the race but made it to the track to pick up his Twisted Alpine Edition. Possibly one of the meanest looking marques that Twisted make in my opinion. The Alpine Edition looks like it would take your mother out for a steak dinner and then never call her again. Having realised that his credit card wouldn’t work in Europe, Charlie the MD headed out with Tony Hawk to “gas” the Landie up for him. The same thing happened with the Hoff the day before. I imagine that the lack of American passports means European usage isn’t high on Visa or MasterCard’s to-do list. Before we loaded up and headed off, I was stopped by a cool looking Brazilian guy who asked if we were going to St Petersburg. “I’m pretty liberal, my man, but this isn’t really a hitchhiker affair,” I told him.”No, you don’t understand,” he replied. “I’m Luca from MTV Brazil, we are in the Twisted Defender, and we missed the ferry last night, we hitched here. We need to get to St Petersburg to follow the party, and someone is driving the Defender over to Tallinn in Estonia to meet us tomorrow. Can you give any of my guys a lift?” The spirit of Gumball is simple, you’re all there as one teeming mass of excitement and horsepower, leaving no man behind. “Of course, we can take someone”. We weren’t going to Russia direct and neither were they. We dropped them off at the local train station and headed for the Estonian equivalent of a Holiday Inn. Having signed up for the Gumball late, it didn’t seem like much point trying to arrange a Russian visa for one night. So I counted on Charlie to catch me up the following morning when they drove from Russia into Estonia. However, they didn’t arrive the following morning. We wouldn’t actually see them until about 9pm in Vienna. “Charlie, where the hell were you?” I asked. “We had a police escort across the whole of Finland. It actually started to feel normal. Then they left us at the Russian border to be picked up by Russian police, and this is where it definitely didn’t feel normal. More than 100 supercars, four Twisted Defenders and a blue fluffy elephant – don’t ask, were then given a high speed escort through Russia for 140 miles. Straight into the centre of St Petersburg;

“This year would see, Xzibit, Tony Hawk, David Hasselhoff, EVE, MTV Brazil, the Dudesons, Jon Olsson and more attend the rally for nothing other than unadulterated pleasure”. the town, surrounded by crowds! It was insane and honestly like nothing I had ever seen before. The video says it all really. Having sampled some traditional Finish breakfast, (it seemed to be smoked salmon and cream cheese in a wrap of some kind), we rolled out of Helsinki toward Premier Park in Porvoo, Finland. As we arrived at the race circuit at Porvoo, the driver of a certain Mercedes was quite obviously pushing the boundaries and took a tight corner a little wide resulting in much cheering and a truck load of gravel. Once again, worth looking for in the video embedded in the article. We stopped for lunch and watched the Dudesons fly around the track in their converted Escalade blue elephant. I noticed that very few of the Gumballers actually went around the track. Imagine the scene on a local British trading estate at about 8pm on a Saturday night in Staines. Rows of converted Japanese cars line up with ill-fitted body kits and deafening stereos, the convoy occasionally breaking from the meet to go to KFC or McDonalds. Then imagine a track in Finland, with row after row of supercars and glamorous owners, breaking only to go into the race control centre for some freshly smoked salmon. And how

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almost every road junction had police to stop traffic and if not, there were swarms of police cars zipping back and forth moving transgressors out of our way. “Doing 70mph through a city 30mph zone through red lights and over tram lines with a police escort on your rear quarter with flashing lights, just left us head-shaking for miles. This is what Gumball is about. Madness, but safe, thanks to the local police entering the spirit of things. At 8:45am (we think, but we’re not sure) we took a police escort to the border but unfortunately, we had to pull in for fuel. That left us behind and trying to catch up thanks to ‘the slowest fuel pump in the world’. We found ourselves travelling on our own for the next 100 miles to the Estonian border, not half as exciting as the high-speed pursuit we came into Russia with. But when we got to the border we met up with maybe 30 or 40 Gumball cars waiting to have their papers checked. The four-and-a-half-hour wait could have been worse, but we had a spontaneous BMX demo from Rooftop, jumping up a stone wall, over ridges and anything else in his way. Apparently neither laws of physics nor gravity apply to him or his bike.” I was glad to hear that the Twisted team were having a good time at the Russian border.

We had rolled into Tallinn early though, to catch the day’s festivities. This gave us a chance to interview Tony Hawk, The Hoff, Max Cooper and Elo, a Gumball veteran and owner of the London Motor Museum. You can watch them all later in the magazine. Having been in Tallinn for four to five hours and witnessed another maddening crowd and various promo teams keeping us fuelled and fed, we were increasingly aware that the Twisted team weren’t going to roll through Tallinn. Given the time, they were to head straight to Riga in Latvia. I haven’t been back to Riga since a friend’s stag party some four years ago. A few bullet points: drinking, female taxi driver, taser, biting, passenger seat driving. Say no more. When we cruised in to Riga, the rain was hammering down, and the majority of teams had already arrived. We decided to stow our gear at the hotel, and then I drove back solo to meet up with the teams. I found them in the Vērmanes Park restaurant next to the infamous Coyote Fly Club. I stopped briefly to chat to friends of Badr Bin Saud who said he had expressed an interested in Twisted. I decided that this was a discussion worth having and so, wearing my cat boots, Gumball t-shirt and wax jacket, I headed for the club.

It is a pretty infamous place in Riga (dignitaries, celebrities, etc) but not for its dress code, but it’s ‘face policy’. Yes, imagine a bouncer with a mirror standing at the entrance assessing your mug after hours of straight driving. I flashed my Gumball lanyard and the gates opened like Moses parting the Red Sea. The club itself was pretty impressive. I was flying solo though, so there is only so long I can make the loner look appear cool. I then bumped into Elo, founder of the London Motor Museum, a man who could make Sinatra look like he was slacking in the cool stakes. Elo is chilling, just taking in the scene and wondering how many modelling agencies sent room meat for tonight’s festivities. I spot Badr and head up the stairs to sit with him and talk shop. I’m welcomed into the fold, we sit, we talk, we smoke, we drink, then we rock out to Xzibit’s live set. Gumball sets the standard for partying, without a shadow of a doubt. To drive for seven hours, even in shifts, arrive at 9pm, change, eat and then head out to a club till 3am, only to wake up at 8am and do it all again is no small task. I challenge you to do it for 48 hours; some people would probably nail that with ease, but for a week! No deal. Having had my fill of Belvedere and Shisha, I retire to the hotel, only to stay up till 6am,

looking at pictures and catching up on emails. The following morning we all storm out of Riga and straight for Warsaw, hoping to arrive at a reasonable hour. The drive is relentless. So many un-policed stretches of open road. I think, all in all, we only amassed two tickets. One was down to the support team though. A Defender is a vehicle at home in Chelsea and Arctic tundra alike. What it doesn’t like is traffic. With an open central reservation, what’s the problem? It would seem that the local rozzers were keen to discuss international relations with us in their unmarked car. Despite following suit in our car and pulling over behind a parked JCB, they still flagged us down. “Don’t give them any cash,” I said. I’m from the old world where Eastern Europe is to be regarded as a splendid place, so long as my wallet stays in my jacket. Twenty minutes later and a small fine and the police are posing for pictures with us, allowing us to put a Gumball sticker on their car. Part of me thinks they are getting into the spirit of it. Part of me thinks that they are taking the sticker, knowing that it all helps to catch drivers further down the road. “Zat iz right you silly westerners, axelerate. Ve have sticker, ya, we love Gumball”. With that little episode under our belt, we press on, arriving before Charlie and the sup-

port vehicles to a sea of people. There were easily 10,000 fans lining the streets of Warsaw, not even the entrance route, the parking area. Police were lining the entrance route that was now formed out of average Polish teenagers. We eventually made it into the calm of the parking area, barricaded off and serene. Ten minutes passed and the amount of people within the barricade had increased slightly. Then more and more. After twenty minutes, the crowds had peacefully ignored the five Gumball staff and were freely milling around the supercars. There was a sense of respect, of course. There was no touching involved, but even with that, I would still have cringed if I owned any of the exotica lined up that night. Jon, one of the Gumball generals, began herding crowds to the X-Games ramp that was setup on the other side of the square by shouting “This way to see Tony Hawk”. And you know what, it worked. Like lemmings, they followed, until the area was empty again and security had been reinstated. That night we mustered enough strength to eat at the hotel, interview Charlie in the lobby and then head to the other side of town to argue with a receptionist at the hotel about our reservation. We eventually secured a room with no lock – terrific. By this point, I would

have happily slept in the car. The following morning, I drove across town to catch the convoy before we left, only to be faced with the mammoth task of helping the Gumballers stop traffic to allow the Tumblr out into the street. Not exactly the most manoeuvrable of vehicles. Impressive, nonetheless. In a three-strong convoy of Land Rovers, we waved goodbye to Warsaw having seen the largest crowd so far. Watching Tony Hawk and crew perform a live skate demo on the XGames half pipe would stay with me for some time. Did I mention that we had another passenger? Yes, this time, it was Russian resident Robb Pritchard, marketing man at Kombat. Kombat produce the T-98, the vehicle that Sacha Baron Cohen used to ferry him around in The Dictator. The T-98 is a wheeled armoured vehicle built by Kombat Armouring. Such is the strength of the beast, it has no frame, rather a monocoque double steel body and can be fitted with a 14.5 mm or 12.mm machine gun, or a 55mm smoke grenade launcher. Suffice to say, Rob was an interesting guy. As he was insured to drive anything, we decided he could drive our chariot for the stretch to Vienna. By this point, we had decided to miss out the engineering museum in Krakow. Arguably a travesty, but we were so sleep deprived, dragging

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our carcasses around the museum wouldn’t be appropriate. So we press on through the day, sleeping, eating, discussing the race, and stopping to wave at people pulled over in their hyper cars by the local police. We stop briefly at a lake outside Vienna as the sun is setting and it makes for a beautiful backdrop for the Twisted teams photographer, Georgina. As Charlie and Tracey Fawcett walk alongside their vehicles, her atop his shoulders, it makes for a special photo shoot. Charlie is really doing something pioneering here. Yes, the tumblr is impressive and the team with the hand-built car is cool, but Charlie is road-testing a prototype Land Rover Defender on the Gumball Rally. Failure isn’t really an

option. They are a brand partner of the race and so they have to finish. The V8 prototype is set to go into production by the Yorkshire based company this year. So come hell or high water, this baptism of fire will involve a newly indoctrinated vehicle into the Twisted family and what a family it is. So, having watched the sunset over the lake, and drag tested the V8 a little (just a little), we make our way to Vienna, arriving at about 10pm. The hotel is the Ritz Carlton: marble, oak, immaculately dressed staff, everything you expect from the hotel to bear the name Cesar Ritz. We aren’t staying at the Ritz, we have a swankier address, an apartment in the centre of town called Bella, courtesy of Chez

Cliché. A 92 m2 apartment with B&O TV and such immaculate styling, we had to create a short video. Flick forward and you will find a short film of this amazing apartment in the centre of Vienna. Having stowed our gear at the apartment, I was the only person willing to head back out to the club for the evening’s live performance from The Hoff. It had to be done. Although, getting lost in Vienna’s city centre afterwards was hell on earth. I drove around in circles for 45 minutes, drove up one way streets and having ridden with the illegal cab drivers for a bit, eventually earned their trust. I was so damn pleased to get home I could have cried. I dragged myself into my Egyptian cotton sheets

for six hours, before waking to take on our last journey. The following morning, having shown Rob from Kombat how to use the coffee machine, we made our way to the city centre to meet with the team from MTV Brazil, Tony Hawk, the Twisted guys and the Gumball crew. Oh yeah, me and Tony were tight now. We left in a convoy headed for Verona and then our final stretch into Monaco. This stint would not be easy; this stint would be some 700-plus miles. We were already broken. We had three in the car and so could easily do 250 miles each. Having driven through some beautiful mountain ranges and tunnels that would make the channel team embarrassed, we arrived at

the Byblos art hotel for lunch. I will be honest, parking was an issue. In the 15th century, architect Michele Sanmicheli started from the ruins of a Roman ‘case forte’ to design the central part of the villa in Venetian style. Inside, both art of the time and modern pieces exist in symbiosis. It truly is a beautiful place, for the ten minutes we are there before getting back onto the road. The journey into Monaco is gruelling. The roads are amazing, but the rally is starting to take its toll. We only manage to break the driving up by continuously having the V8 slow down for us to take pictures before engaging warp and disappearing. It has been a week of highs and lows – of

course, mainly highs, peppered with sleep deprivation, weird motorway food and energy drinks. The Dudesons and The Hoff have kept us entertained though. As we left Verona, The Hoff pulled alongside in his Audi R8, slowed down, held his watch up to his wrist and said “Kit, I need you,” before laughing and speeding into the distance. I don’t think any of us really realised the cultural significance of what just happened. As we negotiate the roads into Monaco, we find ourselves trying to out-manoeuvre the race marshals that are busily planning tomorrow’s Formula 1. This doesn’t work and we drive around for about 20 minutes before finally finding the right hotel, the infamous

THE REVIEW 2013 37

Fairmont. Red carpet, cameras, security, pretty girls and tanned men with jumpers over their shoulders. I had packed two David Minns suits with me, a selection of crisp shirts and had then realised that the journey would be spent wearing my Run DMC t-shirt with jeans. If there were ever a place to pop your finer duds on, this was it. But to be honest, I just couldn’t be bothered. I ran into Dainton from Dirty

Sanchez outside the hotel, drinking a can of beer and looking like he was gearing up for a proper session. He looked like I felt: broken but exhilarated. The V8 had made it without so much as a glitch. A true testament to the Twisted team from t’up North. The Gumball Rally is many things to many people. You can cast your eye over it discerningly and assume it is just

a bunch of affluent people driving fast cars. Or you can see it as the mobilisation of a 21st century pop culture motoring event. Either way, Max and his army built this empire and raised $600,000 for charity this time around. I defy anyone to attend the Gumball Rally and not yearn to go the next year. We salute you. TR

MOTORING : FERRARI FF

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“Snow at this time of year? You have to be joking. Hasn’t global warming severely dealt with Mother Nature on that front.” “No,” scorned the women from the MET office, as she put the phone down on me. This wasn’t something that I had considered: a foot of snow at our intended destination. This wasn’t the Alps, you see, so the English are hideously unprepared to deal with anything other than an onslaught of damp. We were driving the Ferrari FF though – so how would the Italians fair? At first glance the FF (four seat and fourwheel-drive) is unconventional. It might be the prancing horsed manufacturer’s most audacious looking vehicle to date. It conjures coupe, then hatchback, then fastback at the same time. The term shooting-brake has been used to describe the FF in many cases; a British term coined in the 19th century for a vehicle used to carry shooting parties with their hounds and guns. There wouldn’t be any of that kind of pomp and ceremony this time though. Our destination was Rugby. Yes, glamourfilled Rugby, with more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in the country. But don’t be fooled: we all know that our fair isle has some of the best driving roads in the world,

including the black mountains. It’s as if God himself carved out a winding tarmac pathway out of the Ten Commandments in the middle of Wales. The Scottish can have the referendum, the Welsh can too, provided that the black mountains are classified as some form of motoring nirvana and thus become owned by the people. Or perhaps the heir apparent of the commonwealth realms could advise the duchy to buy the mountains for the people, and we could call it a done deal? A sort of religious, mountain-filled Goodwood. Anyway, I digress, our car was four deep as we approached the Severn Bridge and changed our money into Welsh cakes. I can only imagine that the FF streaming across the bridge must have been a magnificent sight, with

these two pinnacles of engineering atop each other. The cabin is more than comfortable for four people. Banish the thought of previous incarnations of supercar that offered four seats, one for you and three for a bottle of water, phone and wallet. The FF is a grand tourer of the highest order, designed to replace the 612 Scaglietti grand tourer. Inside the FF is all modern Ferrari – think leather contrasting against technical elements. Of course, you can have it in any colour and any style. The Ferrari marque will always be one of individualism and expression. I get the impression that you can clad almost anything in the FF with leather. It smelt like a combination of Tom Ford and a winning lottery ticket.

The cockpit, as I had taken to calling it, offered up a yellow tachometer and a three stroke steering wheel that was bejewelled with buttons and controls. I can only assume that Massa and Alonso know exactly what each button does. I am deftly familiar with the launch control function; I had attended a launch event in Newbury back when the California was fresh out of the box. I remember the test driver looking at me and casually asking “Are you ready?” “Yes, of course,” I replied. I wasn’t. We shot off at three times light speed. Who says there is no place for that kind of acceleration on UK roads. I said acceleration, not speed. The FF is a 6.3-litre V12, producing 651 horsepower at 8000 rpm. Top speed is 208 mph. Ferrari are taking things greener these days. The company introduced the HELE (High Emotion Low Emissions) system into the FF. The start/stop system means fuel consumption is rated at 11/17 city/highway mpg and emissions are curbed at 360 g/km. Impressive figures for a Ferrari. As we cut our way through the black mountains, tearing down our mpg, the FF cut into Wales with the grit and grip of Fred Goodwin appearing against a Parliamentary commis-

sion. It was a thrill of ages. The FF applies neutral handling dynamics by apportioning power from side to side. This makes it an extremely easy drive, even with the adage of four-wheel drive. Despite the FF’s 3946 pound curb weight, she dances like a much lighter marque when pushed. This comfort, space and engineering prowess comes at a pricw: a two-ton weigh in. Fear not, carbon-ceramic brakes will stop the show just as you screech to a halt in the school yard. Cleaving our way across our fair land, whilst it threw everything it had at us, was an experience of sublime comfort. The Review press team are all tall gents and even with four six footers, we sat in unbridled comfort. As the FF is at home as a family vehicle, it features DVD players in the rear head-rests. I think it was Jack Dee who complained that if he had to drive the family around watching the road, he would compile a film of the back of his head for them to watch, with commentary. No need to go to the trouble on our account Jack. Later that night, we arrived at our home-fromhome in the heart of Rugby. A stylish country house with much pomp and ceremony but

also panache. Let’s be honest, the country house was beautifully appointed, billiards room, hot-tub, grand piano, king size beds, etc. We, however, arrived, looked around, then setup shop in the one room that had a view of the driveway. The FF managed to captivate the evening’s discussion. No amenities were used, no billiards played, no hot tub to relax the muscles – mainly because there was no stress and no strain. The FF was as comfortable as a recliner for passenger and pilot. Even when pushing the envelope of acceptable speed and inertia, the FF handled like a tamed stallion. It doesn’t feel as insane as a 599 GTB in the lower gears, but in third and onward, it’s righteous. 80 per cent of the engine’s 504lb ft of torque is available from 1750rpm. It feels every bit as effortless as a real GT should. To ensure the classic Ferrari weight distribution format, the FF features a mid-front engine, but the gearbox is situated at the rear, and the rear transaxle is connected to the engine by a single driveshaft. This enables a weight distribution of 53:47 between the rear and front. The new four-wheel drive system features a power transfer unit just for the front wheels that is connected directly to the

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engine and is located over the front axle. We had plenty of snow that weekend, and despite some efforts to push the traction to the edge, the FF was steadfast. It was infallible. We tried – God knows we tried. It’s somewhat of a marvel, a vehicle for all seasons. It does come with a serious price tag though. The base price is £227,077. Obviously you will never see one that cheap. Buying a Ferrari without the bells and whistles is like buying off the rack. Why bother? People will no doubt try to compare the FF to the Panamera or the Rapide, but we think that it’s operating in its own space. There is nothing like the FF. It is the ‘only’ in class. We can only imagine what our neighbours must have thought when we awoke the beast around the country lanes that weekend. Standard v-12 engines are renowned for

soothing tones, but the FF has a flat-plane crankshaft and so calls forth the apocalypse every time your press the accelerator. The morning was crisp and the roads had a light dusting of snow. And there was lunch waiting for us at the country house, so we decided to power back to dine, served in the formal, well, kitchen, with its view of the FF. To its credit, Ferrari has set the engine management electronics to allow you to rev the engine in neutral. You never know when you will see a small child pointing, mouth open, or an old friend that might not realise the enormity of your success. Yes, it is childish, and yes, it is irritating to everyone not in the FF. But they aren’t in the FF for a reason – so they are a distant memory. As we sat, smearing foie gras on toast and drinking hot cider, I asked what the team

thought of the yellow Scuderia Ferrari badges? Was it not obvious it was a Ferrari already? Was the sound not clear enough? They were likened to inviting Beyonce to dinner and then making her wear a name badge. “So you wouldn’t have them?” “Oh no, we want them.” Surprise. The following morning, having spent two days driving the 50 miles around this grand house, we loaded the FF and began the journey ‘down south’. The four-wheel torque vectoring system just allowed us to keep accelerating onward, faster and faster, as if there was a blackhole just around the next corner. Even then none of us felt we had really got near the Ferrari’s limits. The FF steps outside the safe confines of supercar orthodoxy with a giant stride that knocks the competition onto two wheels. TR

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To Russia! With love

Why Saint Petersburg should be top of your list for a long weekend Words: AMY McNICHOL Photograhy: TINA LAWSON

T R AV E L : S T P E T E R S B U R G

Built around the river Neva, Saint Petersburg is often dubbed the ‘Venice of the north’ due to its intricate network of islands. Boasting neoclassical and baroque architecture and built, essentially, by Italians for Peter the Great, Saint Petersburg is Russia’s ‘window to the West’. But until quite recently, Brits have tended to think of the Russian culture capital as being a weekend away for the brave. Let’s be honest, its character equates to a bleak cocktail of sinister espionage, thick-necked man-brutes and deadly 100% proof spirit. Its reputation is one of being cold, both in temperature and in attitude. Does it deserve its threatening reputation? I’m not so sure.

Granted, it does get nippy during the winter months. From November to March, the city’s renowned spires and domes often find themselves peeping out from under a glistening cloak of snow, while temperatures drop to a less than thrilling -10 degrees Celsius. However, when the landscape begins to thaw in springtime, Saint Petersburg gradually becomes more popular with Brits as a long weekend destination. “Summer right through until September is the busiest time with tourists from the UK,” says Anna Kagan, a spokesperson for the five star Kempinski Hotel. “We’ve definitely seen a significant increase in the numbers of British tourists over recent years.”

And so, as my taxi sped northwards from Polkovo airport into the centre of the city, I became one of those Brits Anna is referring to. With an unquenchable thirst for culture, traditional cuisine and vodka, I ventured forth to round up Saint Petersburg’s Sensational Seven.

1. The eerily awesome White Nights If you pay a visit during the warmer months, you’re likely to notice the wonderfully long days. However, due to its geographical location, the city formerly known as Leningrad also boasts a two week period each year around mid June called The White Nights, or Belye nochi as the

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WHITE NIGHTS AT THE BEACH

HIGH TEA

KEMPINSKI HOTEL Russians call them. They stretch lazily from 11 June to 2 July and are magical and disconcerting in equal measures. Vodka-fuelled revelers step out of clubs all over the city at 3am into a weird, post-apocalyptic half light. Seeing is believing.

-7pm every day. Whatever your daily plans, you’ll want to schedule in some time to work your way through the Kempinski’s five page tea menu, all of which is served in the finest Imperial Russian porcelain from a silver samovar.

2. Luxury on the river

3. Happy new year… again!

The Kempinski Hotel is a gem located at the Moika River within spitting distance of the Hermitage Museum. It serves macaroons to rival the Hummingbird Bakery’s and homemade pralines that would give Choccywoccydoodah a run for its money. And those, my friend, are just the sugarfrosted tip of the iceberg. A choice of three, very reasonably priced (£26-£32) afternoon tea menus are served in front of an open log fireplace from 3

For anyone looking for the cool and the quirky, allow me to introduce Purga, a nightclub on the Fontanky river. It has a bonkers but brilliant USP of celebrating New Year’s Eve each and every night at midnight. The décor is a questionable mish-mash of nonsense from jars of what appear to be pickled phalluses on the shelves to a free standing door in the centre of the room that leads to, well, nowhere but the other side of

the frame. With a welcoming atmosphere, that only seems to get friendlier as shots are knocked back, put this on your to do list even if you only stay thirty minutes either side of midnight.

4. Let’s get arty farty “I think the reason Saint Petersburg is becoming more popular with tourists is because of the culture it offers,” muses Anna Kagan. For example, you could spend every waking hour of a long weekend at the Hermitage Museum and still not come close to seeing all it has to offer. This sprawling mass of magnificent and iconic architecture comprising The Winter Palace (former home of Russian tsars) and the Little, Old and New Hermitage buildings is an art lovies’

HERMITAGE MUSEUM

AT THE KEMPINSKI wet dream. With over three million items, the Hermitage Museum rivals art heavyweights Le Louvre in Paris and New York’s Metropolitan Museum. Highlights include several pieces by masters of the Renaissance period Leonardo Di Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo. And while we’re getting all arty farty, let’s talk about opera. In May this year, the opening of Mariinski Theatre’s Second Stage was celebrated with an enormous, operatic knees up. Led by the artistic director of the White Nights festival (who is also the principal conductor at London Symphony Orchestra), Valery Gergiev, the opening was a huge success. Many believe that Gergiev has raised the cultural profile of the city overseas. “Thanks to him, this high-end

YUSUPOV PALACE festival has become pretty famous worldwide which can only be good for our tourism industry,” says Anna. For an evening of sophistication, get yourself along.

5. Murder mystery If you’ve ever been on a ghost tour and enjoyed being in the company of a sinister, cloak-clad character with a penchant for fake blood, a tour of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika river is well worth a couple of your precious hours. This is one unbelievably gripping tale, the sort that tour guides can really get stuck into. Irina Smurovskaya, our independent guide, has lived in Saint Petersburg all her life. As she leads us through the decadent palace, she regales us with

RUSSIAN KITCH stories about the immensely wealthy Yusupov family who used to live here. Now, however, the palace is more famous for being the scene of the mysterious murder of Rasputin in 1916. Legend has it that despite being poisoned, stabbed, shot and beaten by Felix Yusupov and his cronies, Rasputin, a rock hard bloke by all accounts, survived. He eventually died of hyperthermia when he stumbled into the river due to his injuries. Prepare to be enthralled, as Irina can’t half tell a good tale.

6. Kitsch by name, kitsch by nature Although Russian Kitch serves decent food such as pies and potatoes and baked apple stuffed with cashews, it is the décor and atmosphere that

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is the real pull here. In an age where getting the perfect snap for Facebook shows the rest of your social group whereabouts on the rad scale your weekend away was, you must check this place out as the photo ops are tremendous. Hundreds of plastic posies adorn the ceilings above metallic gold Chesterfields and gemtastic cushions. Cosy up to one of the Barbie pink, life-sized stags with bejeweled antlers for a fun photo or pop your arm around a statue of 80s TV icons. The list of loveable tat and tack is endless, and endearing. This place is what Instagram was made for.

According to the World Health organization, Russians supped almost 2 billion litres of vodka last year. That’s a blinding 14 litres of the stuff for every man, woman and child. Vodka expert and co-author of 40 Degrees East: An Anatomy of Vodka, Peter Iglikowski, talks vodka culture. Russians serve ‘zakouski’ (appetisers) such as caviar, salted herring, pickled gherkins and dark bread with a small glass of unflavoured

7. WLTM folk with GSOH At the beginning of my trip, I’m eager to disprove the familiar stern and severe stereotype that we have of the Russian nation. Alas, as I’m handing my jacket over with a smile of gratitude, I’m wondering if the cloakroom attendant is the most miserable women I’ve ever clapped eyes on. As I ponder this out loud, our guide Irina remarks that this straight-faced service is standard in Russia. She has an interesting theory about this and puts it down to the fact that the Russian language and the shape one’s mouth

makes when speaking it doesn’t require many of the muscles you need to smile. She recalls the time when she was learning English, “I was speaking it for several hours a day, intensely, and when I got home in the evening, my face would ache because it wasn’t used to working the muscles in the face that English language demands! My theory is that because the Russian language doesn’t have words that stretch your mouth muscles into smiles, Russian people grin less!” TR

vodka like Stolichnaya, Moskovssalted herring will kill most white kaya or even Absolut. Served frozen, wines dead in terms of the clash of of course! the palate but vodka will compliment it nicely. Just as the French would view serving an aperitif without nibMost people would keep vodka in bles, in cultivated Russian circles it their freezer but some like to put the is considered uncivilised to drink bottle of vodka covered in ice on the vodka without eating something at table for the visual spectacle! the same time. There’s no Russian tradition of mixIn traditional Russian households, it ing vodka in cocktails as there is in wouldn’t be unusual to serve vodka western culture. with food throughout the meal. A

A good vodka does have a taste. Traditional Russian vodkas are distilled from grains but the western supermarket brands are often distilled from molasses - fine for cocktails but certainly not worth consuming neat! When making a toast, Russians say “do dna” which means ‘drink to the bottom in one go.’

L’Hotel Oscar Wilde famously declared “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.” In true Oscar wit and style, it was he who lost this particular battle, when he very soon afterwards left this mortal coil in Room 16 of L’Hotel. That was 1900. Since then, an illustrious array of artistes have followed in his footsteps: Salvador Dali, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Princess Grace, Frank Sinatra and Jim Morrison, to namedrop a few, have all graced L’Hotel with their presence over the years (and thankfully all survived their stays to tell the tale). Words: CHARLOTTE WOODS

And, though too late for Wilde, the wallpaper did eventually leave the building. L’Hotel has since been renovated several times, most recently by the interior designer Jaques Garcia. Perfectly tucked away on the Rue de BeauxArts, on the Left Bank, St Germain to be exact, we finally stumble upon L’Hotel. In true pilgrim style, it wasn’t the easiest of places to find, but this is all part of its charm. We at last reached our bohemian Mecca for the night. Staying true to the designer’s signature opulent style and the hotel’s rich history, this award-winning revamp really is a feast for the eyes. Parisian decadence and glamour oozes from the ceiling down to the tiniest of embellishments; the velvet bar and furnishings, the leopard print carpet and antique light fixtures all sit together in wonderful juxtaposition. In a way, it shouldn’t work, but there are no duels to the death anymore, all parts have been perfectly balanced with quintessential French elegance. On arrival, we are greeted in the most intimate of lobbies by the most attentive of velveteen-apparelled hosts. With all great stories, though, there is an inevitable plot twist and we are informed that our room will not be ready for an hour, despite us arriving after the check-in. At any other hotel, this would be followed by the obligatory sigh and acceptance of my ill-fate: a husband born without patience. Sigh, indeed. Not at L’Hotel, though. There are few things in life that can beat being party to a conversation that goes something like this: “Bonjour Madame, we have arranged for you to use our pool and spa while you wait for your room.” Unfortunately a tinge of regret temporarily halts my renewed joie de vivre when I realise that I haven’t brought any swimwear. Our host is not to be defeated by such trivialities, though, and I am swiftly

assured “This is a private pool, madame”. Sans vêtements – ooh la la. The serene hammam pool and steam room can be found down a spiral staircase in the very tasteful stone-vaulted cellar of the hotel and fits perfectly with the left-bank artisan vibe. With fresh dressing gown and slippers, organic toiletries, water on ice delivered, we are set adrift by candlelight and remain uninterrupted until our room is ready. Bliss. Returning from the hammam (or should I say, returning to earth), after what can only be described as a transcendental state, the spiral staircase continues upwards to form a six-floor cylindrical atrium that is illuminated by a shaft of light from the glass ceiling. All twenty bedrooms, no two alike, stem from the atrium towards the Parisian sky. Unsurprisingly, Room 16 remains loyal to Oscar Wilde in perfect fin de siècle vigour and with shrine-like adornment; newspaper clippings, sepia photographs, and handwritten letters from this most infamous of guests complete the room. Another, the Mistinguette room, is dedicated to the French entertainer of the same name and is an art deco dream – all furnishings, including the bed, are mirrorpanelled with perfect 1930s geometry. We are quick to realise that we will be spending the night in the Chinese bedroom. Instantly referential, it is like walking into a showcase of oriental antiquities; dark hardwood, larger than life vases, jade, and porcelain dragons fill the room with turn-of-the-century opulence and an authenticity not matched by any other hotel that I’ve had the fortune (or misfortune) to stay in. Despite the Chinese theme, you can still feel Paris throughout – the large French windows look out onto St Germain rooftops and the bathroom is marble-clad with old style bathtubs. British company Green & Spring provide the delicious bath and shower

products, made with 100% natural botanical ingredients –they bring a little piece of home to Paris. For those wanting to dine, there’s the option of room service. We enjoyed a classic continental breakfast, bought to our room and at a reasonable price (€18) for a hotel of this standard. More importantly (and expensively) is the Michelin-starred Le Restaurant. Run by head chef Julian Montbabut, it is classic France with a contemporary touch; a dish such as wild turbot with seaweed jus deservedly hits the €50 mark with ease. They also provide the option of ‘degustation’ or the ‘surprise menu’ which consists of five or seven dishes organised by the chef, which will cost you between €110 and €180 per person depending on your accompaniment of wine. The rich decadence of L’Hotel only continues – if not intensifies – as you make your way through the book-lined bar into the restaurant. A cocktail in Le Bar, which is still a favourite haunt for artists and film stars alike, is a must. You can truly experience the epitome of L’Hotel’s discreet glamour. When Oscar Wilde said that “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination,” he may have had a point. L’Hotel is pure, unadulterated pleasure and uncompromising excess to the point that no one should forego an opportunity to stay here, whatever their means. In an era of the mundane and minimalist hotel style that is spreading at an alarming rate, the only downside to staying at L’Hotel is the knowledge that you’ll eventually have to leave and return to tmonotony. To sum up my stay at L’Hotel, especially in comparison to the modern hotel (cue the most predictable of Oscar Wilde quotes), we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. L’Hotel is right up there. TR

T R AV E L : L’ H O T E L

L’HOTEL ENTRANCE

L’HOTEL ROOFTOP TERRACE

DINING IN STYLE

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde

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RESPECTABLE RATE OF RETURN

Earlier this year, we spent a week at the fabulous Chalet Etoile in the Valais region of Switzerland, looking over the towns below and enjoying some of the finest views in Nendaz. This property is making its investors a handsomer return than most. Enter The Hideaways Club, our gracious and hospitable hosts for the week here in the village of Nendaz. Words: PETER ROBINSON Photography: HIDEAWAYS

T R AV E L : H I D E AWAY S

Chalet Etoilet

The Hideaways Club was founded in 2006 by Stephen Wise, Helmut Schoen and Michael Balfour. Being holiday home owners themselves, the founders were looking for a simpler and more enjoyable way to own a second home overseas. “If you have a property abroad the first few days of your holiday are spent doing chores like fixing a broken window, cleaning-up or taking stuff to the tip. Our Members can afford second homes but they don’t want the hassle that comes with it. They also want the chance to explore a different location every time.” The initial portfolio included 13 properties located mainly around the Mediterranean and 60 Members, most of them joining through word of mouth. After a few years, the Club positioned itself as an exclusive members travel club, bringing together the elite that wanted the travel lifestyle, minus the home ownership headache. The Hideaways Club brings a twist to the US “fractional ownership” model, the main difference being that investors pay £250,000 to own a share in a global property portfolio, rather than just buying the right to use the properties. The global portfolio now consists of 32 Villas in France, Italy (including Sardinia), Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Croatia, Mauritius, South Africa and South East Asia as well as Ski Chalets in France, Switzerland and Japan. More properties are planned to be added and reciprocal agreements with similar destination Clubs such as Banyan Tree, Equity Estate and Exclusive Resorts give the Club’s Members access to over 250 additional properties in 70 different locations around the world. We were staying at the Ski Chalet Etoile in Switzerland. With four plush bedrooms, two

masters, a games room, walk around terrace, jacuzzi and majestic views across the valley, it was hard to not fall in love with the place. As you can see from the video embedded in the magazine, the chalet itself was breathtaking. We were greeted by Treena Davis the Operations Manager for The Hideaways Club. And before you assume we were getting preferential treatment, we weren’t. All Hideaways Club guests are greeted personally – be it at the airport or at the resort by the team. Having loaded our luggage onto the Polaris, we steamed up the hill towards the properties. Quite a sight as the sun set over the mountains and millions of tiny energy-efficient bulbs switched on across the Rhone valley. I have stayed in many a chalet before and enjoyed some of the best the big five regions have to offer. I always bring a few people with me who are ski seasonaires and who can give me a wide-eyed, dewy opinion. ‘Magnificent view’, ‘amazing house’, the compliments came in drifts. The one thing I hadn’t experienced, believe it or not, was a ski in chalet. Having spent many years travelling as the guests of many organisations, I had never been placed high on the piste. This was to be an experience for me. Setting off first-thing involved no lengthy trudge or drive, just a small click here and there and off I went. I was on-piste in about two minutes, scouting for bars. As the season was coming to a close and the heat was being turned up, there were many people skiing in shorts enjoying the fine weather this side of the valley has to offer. Having parted with my Swiss currency and bought a lift pass (another opportunity to use my Franglais), myself and my non-ski-centric friend ascended the piste.

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Don’t worry, I wasn’t about to try and give lessons; I was far too keen to try and cause serious injury to myself by hurtling down the piste. Luckily I had arranged for Patrick Schlup from the Alpine Centre to come and teach my partner in crime to parallel. True to his work, he had him skiing reds and blues within two days, in Nendaz and Verbier no less. Despite having invested in the new GoPro Black edition, I still wasn’t able to get any sizeable spills on camera. After two days on and off piste, I felt we were starting to get our bearings and a real feel for the house and the local village. There are a selection of excellent bars and restaurants in the town, but La Cabane ranks highly along with Le Bob bar on the slopes of Tracouet. To be honest, I’m more a fan of buying in for the family from one of the local butchers and cooking something hearty and delicious. The kitchen in the chalet was chef standard, so cooking up a decent meal for all was a joy. The Hideaways Club can of course arrange restaurant reservations or an in-chalet chef for the length of your stay of course. So how does the system work?

There are several levels of membership package ranging from £69,500 - £250,000 and your time at the properties in the portfolio is determined by your investment package. You can choose from Tuscany, Miami, Mauritius – the list is endless – and growing every year. A huge amount of research also goes into property selection, as you would expect. If the past few years have told us anything, it’s that the international property market for single investors can be volatile and daunting. The Classic Collection is now the largest club investment with properties worth upwards of £1.5m. Properties tend to be chosen with the area’s natural beauty and access in mind, and are all furnished with care and attention. If you are more allured to the idea of a cultural weekend break, the group also has the City Collection. The Hideaways Club offer a selection of fully-serviced Apartments spanning the world’s most sophisticated and culturally diverse cities from Paris to New York and Miami. These aren’t properties just anywhere; you wouldn’t be able to hire somewhere to this specification and in these well chosen areas, if you tried.

The key focus for the Club’s Members is ownership. Both Funds allow investors to buy a stake in the portfolio, which is then managed and maintained by the Operations team. The Hideaways Club also offers a unique concierge service that tailors each holiday to its property owners’ needs. Airport transfers, activities, nanny, chef – you name it, they are there. Our meagre needs in Nendaz weren’t quite up to family-of-four standard. All we required was the occasional transfer and late-night recommendation on where to go. It is clear that the team and concierge care about their Members’ enjoyment. And what could be more enjoyable than staying in your own home, knowing that it will be looked after all year round by dedicated professionals. All this – but with a tangible ROI. With market fluctuations as they are and the increasing level of complexity required to own a second home, The Hideaways Club is leading the field of international property ownership. Don’t just take our word for it – watch the video and see for yourself. TR

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Alpine Centre

Premier Alpine Centre was founded by Patrick Schlup in 2012 to meet growing demand for expert and bespoke ski tuition all year round in the world class 4 vallees region. Words: PETER ROBINSON I would imagine that, having skied for a number of years now, I wouldn’t need any tuition. But I’d be very wrong. When we arrived in Nendaz, we had already called and arranged tutelage from Patrick at the Premier Alpine Centre. Patrick is a professional ski and télémark instructor with 15 years of experience. Undoubtedly highly qualified, it’s only when you see Patrick ski that his expertise becomes apparent. Having grown up living and breathing the Alpine mountains, Patrick certainly knew his way around. We met on the first day in Chamonix, a decent two-hour drive from Nendaz. With snow melting fast, it felt like I was continually throwing a slush puppy in my face. I was able to traverse the piste with ease, but Paul, our gofer for the weekend, had never skied before. As such, Patrick took him under his wing and having established the best teaching method, had him crisscrossing the piste in no time. In hindsight, I probably should have advised Paul to liberally administer sun screen before going up. For that matter, I should have used some myself. April is a great time to catch the last of the snow: the runs are quiet and the lifts are empty. You find yourself surrounded by tanned and toned locals.

When we regrouped for a beer on the mountain, it was clear that Paul had caught the bug. I didn’t know which way his experience would go to be honest. Skiing is said to be harder to learn as you get older. With Patrick’s instruction though, Paul had picked up the basics in no time at all. Despite my hovering with the camera, there were almost no spills to record. With a full day’s skiing under our belt, we took the cable car down and set off for our chalet in Nendaz. If you ever have the chance to drive through the Four Vallées region, you really should; the scenery is breathtaking at any time of year. Having stowed our gear at the beautiful Hideaways chalet, we discussed the following morning’s ski destination with Patrick. “Verbier? Isn’t that on the other side of the mountain?” Apparently not. According to Patrick it was a short drive. (I skied Verbier last year and there were some amazing runs.) The following morning, Patrick was diligently waiting for us in the van outside the chalet. The Alpine Centre offers a private transfer from the chalet to the piste and back for all classes. They can even put your skis, boots, poles and general gear in your chalet before you arrive. For that matter, they have a rental shop on site in the resort and a mountain

office offering freeride and heli-skiing products. A short while later we found ourselves ascending the piste and skiing down into Verbier. The snow was still fresh. Obviously there was a lack of powder, but that was to be expected. All the usual restaurants were still open along with the various ski bars. Paul was coming along well and his form had really improved. Yes, there were moments when he resorted to the pizza wedge manoeuvre – but who hasn’t. He was clearly enjoying it (much to my relief) and I hoped that Patrick would get him up to red and blue level. By the end of the day, we were all tired and looking forward to a well-deserved drink. Patrick had really got Paul’s style and form together in a matter of days. I don’t know whether Paul was a natural or whether Patrick can just teach anyone how to ski with time and patience. If you are thinking of heading to Nendaz this winter season and looking to tighten up your style or get the little ones trained up, Patrick and his team are great. If you travel to the region in the summer season you might like to try bungee jumping, canoeing or stand up paddle boarding with the Premier Alpine Centre team. TR

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Le Hameau Albert 1er Having stayed in Chamonix a number of times, my ski instructor, Stephane Legarde, always mentioned the Hameau Hotel in the centre of town. All of his top-tier clients stayed there apparently. Words: ALIYAH LASKIT I wondered if there was any hotel in Chamonix where I hadn’t had an après. Perhaps the long driveway into the hotel had thrown me off; considering ski resorts are places where space is charged at a premium, perhaps I never thought a green area that big could be owned. The hotel was established in 1903 by grocer and stagecoach director Joseph Carrier, under the name of The Railway Hotel. The Railway arrived in 1901 and had served as Joseph’s muse for the hotel. In 1924, Chamonix hosted the Winter Olympics and so the Pension du Chemin de Fer had heating installed to gain from the tourist traffic. During this period, the King of Belgium became a keen alpinist and a regular visitor to Chamonix. As such, Joseph’s son, Francois, renamed the hotel ‘the Albert 1er et de Milan’. Today the hotel is obviously a five-star retreat,

THE HOTEL GREEN

complete with spa and a two Michelin-starred restaurant. However, it still maintains the rustic charm you would expect from a Chamonix ski hotel. The main hotel has unique rooms, antique furniture, carefully chosen artwork and a general feel that’s classic and comfortable with alpine ambience. We would luckily be staying in the Chalet Soli. This authentic alpine retreat had wooden beams throughout, two beautifully appointed double rooms with ensuite bathrooms and jet baths, two single beds on an open mezzanine overlooking the lounge, a terrace overlooking the Mont Blanc range and a pirate sauna. If you are inclined to rest those weary muscles, you can walk out the front door and into the spa ‘Le Bachal’, complete with an army of masseurs and beauticians. The view from the pool over Mont Blanc is pretty spectacular. I’m one of those people that can’t really be sat idle taking in the calm for longer than a day.

This view, however, left me transfixed. The hotel also has a fitness room and sauna in the main building. Heaven forbid you should have to walk to your morning exercise session. Speaking of putting the pounds on, rather than working them off, the gastronomic restaurant is the stuff of legend. Pierre Maillet, the head chef, joined the family dynasty when he married Perrine Carrier, daughter of the previous-generation owner Pierre Carrier. The restaurant ensures a consistently subtle yet modern menu inspired by the region. The restaurant inspires a sense of mountain living, using granite, wood, leather, wool and horse hair. The restaurant is still manned by fifth generation Perrine Maillet who will greet you on arrival. If you find time off the piste, the Quartzbar is a rather special place. I only wish we had had more time to truly appreciate this gem of an alpine retreat. TR

T R AV E L : L E H A M E AU A L B E R T 1 E R

INSIDE MEETS OUTSIDE SPA

BEAUTIFUlLY APPOINTED ROOMS

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Mandalay Beach Villas

Thai Edge. Words: ALIYAH LASKIT

Let’s take a step back for a moment, as far as investments go, I have been given much advice over the past few years, fine wine along with Indie films and sports clubs were all suggested. The reality though is that like me, you will be looking for a cork screw faster than Dean Martin, your indie film will consist of three young men striving to get out of skinny jeans and the sports club, well, who wants to count Abramovich and Al Fayed as investment partners. This is an investment vehicle that forms more of a lifestyle choice. Now, I’m not FSA regulated, and if you know anything about high finance you will know that it’s no longer called the Financial Services Authority. It’s been split into two groups called The FCA, replace ‘services’ with ‘conduct’ and the PRA, Prudential Regulation Authority. Those of you that think it is a public smoke screen on the part of the government are, probably right. But back to the matter in hand, I have long been looking for firm property investments where by you aren’t just pouring money into a trading estate in Denby or buying retirement homes in Norfolk. I have been looking at holi-

day investments. Now this isn’t a development that is solely geared towards a reasonable rate of return, this is a development that is for down time and one that will be managed in your absence to more than cover the initial investment. But perhaps you want it all to yourself, perhaps your greedy, well that’s fine, the team at Mandalay Bay seems to have all the answers. I had personally avoided property offshore until there were savvy firms in place, that were able to take my hard earned coin and make the paperwork disappear. So for a moment, imagine you have signed the paper work and are investing in a piece of paradise on your own Thai island. Mandalay Beach Villas consist of seven beachfront pool villas in contemporary modern design. The project offers the ultimate in island accommodation, matching exclusivity with privacy. Facing the white sandy expanse of Laem Noi Beach and backed by lush palm stands, each of the seven exclusive villas has its own private courtyard, giving approximately 350 square metres of living space, with 17m beach frontage each, on land plots ranging

from 800 to 900 square metres. Each Client has the option to participate in a Rental Management Program, that has been created for all those who wish to own their property as a form of a lifestyle & investment product. Attuned to Thailand’s dynamic architectural culture, Mandalay Beach Villas work well to harmonise with the rich heritage of its surroundings. This progressive project reflects the very latest European thinking on contemporary modern living, tailored for the Koh Samui experience. Well known as award-winning developer of unique contemporary homes, Mandalay Samui envision a confident form that encompasses bold geometry and an inspired use of light and shade. “The most revolutionary perspectives often start from a simple thought: how to connect the dots and seamlessly merge different forms and functions into one continuous experience.” Mandalay Beach Villas provide an impressive, cutting edge visual experience. The architects have introduced a distinctive and cohesive

T R AV E L : M A N DA L AY V I L L A S

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design aesthetic across the seven three bedroom luxury villas. Mandalay Beach Villas are an impressive balance between form and function, inside and out, modern and tropical. The rectangular forms and vertical fins that articulate the building’s facade offer residents privacy and frame views over the white sand beach. Beyond the facade lies a lush tropical garden that provides natural light and a private place to relax. The visitor enters through the back side of the building. The design concept focused on establishing additional open air spaces so as to create a pleasant habitat in the plot. Thus, the pond in the entry of the plot separates the common use areas from secluded spaces creating the essential privacy. The characteristic element of the floor plan which was developed on the basis of the proportions of the human body is the minimisation of corridors and the enhancement of the fluid motion of the individual volumes of the building.The right side of the Living Area is a massive rock wall, while the left side opening

in the living area works to connect the ‘public’ and ‘private’ spaces of the residence over the stepping stones. The three bedrooms with balconies without railings and transparent glass for maximisation of the view. The Master Bedroom has infinite view and a vast veranda. The back side comprises of additional secondary ‘functional rooms’. The simplest appearance often belies the most complex thinking. Thin worktops, matt and glossy surfaces, floating elements, and purity of lines combine to refine the visual experience. Sunlight streams into the Mandalay Beach Villas through full height windows and reflects off the high ceilings to give a sense of openness and space. The architects have ensured each villa is oriented to its best vantage point. The heart of each villa is the spacious open plan living area where the kitchen, dining room and lounge form one integrated space for entertaining or relaxing. Bright and awash with light, this space offers residents the ultimate in flexibility and style. The sleek contemporary kitchen segues effortlessly across an island bench into

the living space. A clean slate for residents to arrange, personalize and express themselves. Perfect for relaxing and winding down or getting together with friends, the space expands with ease by opening the sliding doors to the garden and the outside world. When it comes to the bedrooms and accompanying en-suites, it is the richness in the detail that makes them so attractive and appealing. True to the modernist ideals of simplicity, neutrality and tranquillity, Mandalay Beach Villas interiors are a smart blend of tone, texture and stylish materials. Mandalay Beach Villas’s light option is a warm combination of muted light browns, greys and organic elements that enrich the sense of sanctuary. Terazzo underfoot spells indulgence and luxury, and when combined with bamboo flooring and sand wash floor in the bathrooms provides a seamless visual terrain. Generously proportioned yet warm, they reflect a desire for private retreats with a feeling of tranquillity. Spaces where residents can ease into the day on holidays and return to their busy lives rested, relaxed and rejuvenated. Mindful of

the latest market trends, Mandalay Beach Villa’s three-bedroom villas offer en-suite dual bathrooms, making them supremely private and convenient for residents, and ultimately more desirable for investors. The combined design of the mechanical elements of the utilities and equipment so as not to interfere visually or sound wise with the overall architectural composition of the building, assisted in meeting this end. The leading edge technology in the kitchen including the stovetop, oven and integrated dishwasher, is sleek and timeless. It is constructed in accordance with the specifications of a smart home where all operations including lighting, the movement of shutters, video surveillance cameras, multi room sound system and air conditioning are all enabled via remote control. Energy efficiency, sustainability, and ecofriendly measures are important factors. “Going Green” means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the envi-

ronment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations. Some of the Energy Efficiency and Eco-Friendly Measures : - Heat Exchange System for producing hot water.

of corrosive chemicals, such as chlorine. - Minimizing tree removal when building and using only botanical (plant-based) herbicides & pesticides in garden & grounds. - Use biodegradable cleaning products.

- Indirect low consumption LED and fiber optic lighting throughout the compound contributes to significant power savings. Intelligent lighting system enabling full control via iPhone/iPad, allowing our client to turn on or off lights, even when they are not at the property or even in the country. - Eco-Friendly Bamboo Flooring. Bamboo is proving to be a durable and attractive alternative to hardwoods for flooring. It is rapidly renewable, growing to maturity in five to seven years, compared to 50-150 years for many hardwoods. - All pools are mineral treated with copper/ silver ionization, eliminating the extensive use

- Take additional specific actions to preserve the local habitat. Imagine a stylish development of ultimate prominence and impact designed to far exceed the ultimate aspirations of today’s sophisticated, eco conscious individuals and you have Mandalay Bay. TR

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Gallery Park Hotel In the stately embassy district of Riga in Latvia, you will find the Gallery Park Hotel. Banish all thoughts of euro pop and stag parties please. Words: ALIYAH LASKIT The hotel was first built as a private manor in 1875, the owners were inspired by French architecture and so incorporated an inner courtyard. As the hotel is a UNESCO world heritage site, their 2009 restoration was a painstaking process. Working with French and Italian interior design companies was essential to stay true to the Napoleonic era. The wallpaper is leather with gold plating created with the same vintage tech used in 1901. The lunch room has the only Vin-au-verre EuroCave wine cellar in the Baltic states. The carpets throughout are 100 years old. Minimum stay is ten years. I jest, there is no minimum stay, but they are proud of their heritage and so they should be. The Gallery Park is a 5* hotel in the centre of Riga built across from the Kronvalda Park.

All rooms have a panoramic view of the Park, the Art Museum and Riga’s boulevards. Guests can choose from rooms decorated with antique furniture from the 19th century France or in contemporary style. We opted to side with the French. All rooms are air-conditioned and feature heated floors and luxurious amenities such as Bulgari and Thalgo toiletries. The award-winning gourmet restaurant Renommé offers Latvian and French classics incorporating regional ingredients. When weather allows, a summer veranda in the private garden is open. Bar X.O. offers a variety of drinks, cocktails and snacks and the Vinoteka offers a selection of wine chosen from a power on high. The 23 room manor was the first hotel in Riga to be awarded the 5-star classification, no small task, and it shows. From the staff

offering me a cup of tea on arrival to asking if I would like the Times in the morning. The Gallery Park is a cut above the usual hotels in Riga, this is your like for like swap of the Savoy. The continental breakfast is actually modelled on the Ritz don’t you know. Speaks for itself doesn’t it. I threw the night porter an interesting one at midnight however; I was in need of an Apple laptop charger, something, I feel is quite specific. “Right away Sir”. That’s a level of attentive beyond anything I can comprehend, they just hold onto a box of chargers in-case you might need one. Breakfast the following morning was an all too sad affair. We were only at the hotel for one night and so it was our final moment in the palace. It is now formally the only hotel for me when travelling to Riga. TR

L’HOTEL ENTRANCE

T R AV E L : G A L L E RY PA R K H O T E L

I WILL TAKE THE FRENCH FURNITURE

COURTYARD

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Relax in one of 120 hand-selected properties ranging from cosy fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cottages on the beach to stunning barn conversions in secluded valleys

Athenee Paris Words: CHARLOTTE WOODS Like me, if you came of age in the Sex and the City era, you’ll be able to recall the penultimate episodes of the series set in Paris. Drunk on one too many pairs of Jimmy Choos, Carrie Bradshaw had left New York to live every girl’s dream in the fashion capital of the world. And as much as I hate to admit it (and in print as well) if you were a fan of the show, then you’ll definitely remember the scene where Carrie arrives at the most Parisian of Parisian hotels. Swinging open the shutters from her classic French suite and onto the balcony, she shrieks in awe at the stunning view of la tour Eiffel. This idyllic scene was filmed at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, so the prospect of staying at the same hotel and claiming my moment on the balcony invokes a very girly yet unashamedly heady excitement. Although our arrival is nowhere near as glamorous, deciding to walk with our suitcases down Avenue Montaigne, it’s all starting to feel a little bit special. With a history as rich as the hotel’s signature red colour, the Athénée first opened its doors in 1913. As intended by Jules Cadillat, who imagined this luxury and fashionable hotel, it was highly regarded as the place to be after an evening at the neighbouring Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and regularly drew in a wealth of performers, musicians and composers. The Roaring Twenties only broadened the clientele and created an international guest list attracted by the Parisian blend of glamour and class, politics and art. Liberated after occupation throughout World War II, the hotel’s reputation as the epitome of Parisian style was firmly cemented in 1947 when Dior moved to be closer to the

Plaza Athénée. Coinciding with the introduction of Christian Dior’s infamous ‘New Look’, Avenue Montaigne was proclaimed as the avenue of Haute Couture and today its permanent residents including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and of course Dior line the pavement and showcase a literal anthology of fashion. Hôtel Plaza Athénée now forms part of the Dorchester Collection of hotels and was one of the first to be given the official title of ‘palace’, based on its status as a luxury hotel. On arrival, we are greeted by the concierge who of course ensures that the obligatory checkin is handled in the most stylish of manners. The foyer is polished French Régence with splashes of the hotel’s emblematic red and is an indication of what is to come as we’re swiftly whisked away for our first taste of the hotel’s many offerings. A fashion parade of high-class flavours, la Galerie des Gobelins is renowned for its selection of teas, cakes and pastries created by award winning pastry cooks, Christophe Michalak and Jean-Marie Hiblot. Staying faithful to my favourite tipple of Earl Grey, the service is impeccable and as satisfying to the senses as the décor. Before we have the chance to come back down to earth, we are shown to our room for the night. Accept this isn’t a room, with a total area of 450 metre-squared; this is the largest suite in Paris, otherwise known as the Royal Suite. Suffice to say, the Royal Suite is on the fifth floor of the hotel and has very recently been redecorated by Marie-José Pommereau. All furnishings date from the Régence, Louis XV and Louis XVI periods but Pommereau has updated the colour palette to create an elegant balance of modernity and tradition.

Bathrooms made with marble from Verona, complimentary champagne and high tech features including an 85-inch television screen and remote controlled lighting complete the suite with unapologetic ostentation. Our evening meal is provided by the hotel’s “chic bistro”, Le Relais Plaza. In Art Deco style, it is still the favoured haunt for film stars, diplomats and fashionistas and the classic French cuisine doesn’t disappoint. For those not only looking to sleep, but also dine like royalty, there is the Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée. In pure Louis XV splendour, this gastronomic restaurant is one of the two hotels in the Dorchester Collection to have 3 stars in the Michelin Guide. In terms of cost, if you aren’t blinded by the regency gold that garnishes the décor then you might be somewhat dazzled by the price. Rooms start at €785 for a chambre individuelle while a deluxe room is €1,195 and suites start at €1,405. The Royal Suite is of course the most expensive at an unrepeatable €27,000. And so, yes, a night at Hôtel Plaza Athénée is shockingly expensive but, as with all haute couture, this is a hotel that has been made to order for the customer with the highest quality and expense and with an indisputable attention to detail not matched by the majority of 5-star hotels. Standing on one of the many balconies that adorn the hotel in all its ‘Haussmann’ glory is testimony to this. With a glass of champagne and unbroken views of the Eiffel Tower at night, you are not just paying for a night in a hotel but for a unique experience of authentic Paris and its many charms. TR

T R AV E L : L’ H O T E L

THE FINEST VIEWS IN PARIS

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The mark of excellence Champagne – has the bubble burst? Mimi Avery of the British wine dynasty that is Averys wine merchants, reviews the current market favourites. Words: MIMI AVERY

Getting bubbles in the first place is an interesting story in itself. The method of producing a secondary fermentation in bottle was, often questionably, discovered by the English in the mid 1500s, when Charles Merret (who now has a Ridgeview English aparkling wine named after him, Merret) added sugar to create the second fermentation. The Methode Champenois for volume production was then perfected by the French: Dom Perignon, a monk, started at the monastery six years after Merret’s work and took forty years to complete the process. That said, Blanquette de Limoux holds the title for the first sparkling wine, well before this. Champagne production only really got underway in volumes in the 19th century when glass was strengthened by the English and could withstand the extra pressure. This along with the muselet

(cage) to trap the cork in the bottle, invented by M. Jaquesson of France. Production shot from 300,000 bottles to 2 million in the late 1800s. By 1900 it was 47 million and 315 million in 2000, around which it has hovered over the last ten years. Last year 312 million bottles were sold, sales have slipped back to the volumes of 2005 and 2006, which is not a significant drop in the current climate. Markets have expanded rapidly now, including all the emerging markets of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) along with other Asian countries. The more traditional markets have plateaued in the latest recession. In the international market, marketing is still paramount. Taittinger, for example, has just been announced as the champagne for the Brazilian football World Cup. There is competition from the sparkling

wine producers of the world, but the perceived quality and apparent exclusivity of champagne, helped by the legal case that banned the use of the term ‘champagne’ on anything but the real thing (even the Yves Saint Laurent perfume had to be renamed Yvresse), has helped champagne to hold its position and pricing in the current climate. Current sales are fairly static, which in this present climate is seen as a positive. Much of it is drunk at events such as Ascot and Polo, but also English weddings will invariable have the toast with champagne, if not the pre-breakfast aperitif. The bubbles, as within the Champagnes themselves, are persistent and buoyant, weathering the financial storms well. In retail, the spikes of interest are when the champagne houses release their vintage wines, such as Dom Perignon 2003 (RRP £115), Bollinger la Grande Annee 2004 (RRP £80), Pol Roger 2002 (RRP £60) and, of course, for Averys this year, Averys Diamond Jubilee 2004. 2013 is a year that celebrates both 220 years of Averys and 50 years of working with Boizel – a wonderful, family-run business. Initial contact was a visit from Christophe Roques-Boizel to this writer’s grandfather in Bristol, in 1963. This started a great friendship and long-lasting work relationship, culminating in an invitation to their 175th anniversary dinner in Bordeaux two years ago, and the release this year of a celebratory 2004 vintage bottle of Averys Vintage Champagne. Being the champagne buyer was one of the highlights of my buying remit. Along with working with the great names of Bollinger and Louis Roederer, smaller houses such as Gosset have had great success in the shop. We also deal with family-owned houses such as Billecart and Bauchet. Bauchet was, in fact, the first wine that I ever introduced to Averys, before I was even a buyer. Whilst employed as the shop manager, I was a member of the Bristol Junior Chamber of commerce. I met various representatives

W I N E : C H A M PAG N E from our (Bristol’s) twinning heritage, Bordeaux, Hannover, Oporto and in this instance Champagne, as Frederic Gaulthier of Bauchet came to Bristol (because it was the closest large town to Clevedon, twinned with Epernay.) After a lively chat, samples were requested and we have never looked back. More recently, we have started work with Bernard Remy and we currently have a fragrant, multi-award-winning Blanc de Blanc 100% chardonnay of theirs. If you like your fizz without the bourgeois feel of the high street labels, then I’ve highlighted a few of our range below.

Aver ys NV Champagne This cuvee was designed by my grandfather to have a higher proportion of the lesserknown Pinot Munier (33% of each of the three varietals). That is because it matures quicker and therefore the wine develops a mature flavour, similar to a vintage, but in only 36 months of lees aging and a further 6 months to a year in either our or our customers’ cellars. This wine has a lovely biscuit aroma, soft creamy texture, brut (meaning dry), but a richness on the palate which softens the acidity. RRP £26.99

Aver ys Vintage 2004 champagne The latest addition to our portfolio, a chardonnay led blend with Pinot Noir. This is a slightly more delicate style than our Brut, the apply fruit flavours and elegent acidity gives a wine with more ‘wow’ appeal, good with food, but a perfect aperitif to make any occasion special RRP £34.99

Gosset Brut Excellence Gosset is a house that we have been working with for over 10 years. They are the oldest wine house in Champagne. They have a unique style using more reserve wines than most. This house brand is also Pinot noir led, which gives a soft, full and fruity style with white stone fruit and apricots, and a lingering finish. RRP £39.99

Billecart Rose Billecart is a seventh generation, familyowned champagne house. This again is a blend of all three and the nose and palate both reflect the percentage of the pinots, giving raspberry notes. Delicious as an aperitif, but will also go well with smoked salmon and sushi. RRP £60.00

www.aver ys.com

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The art of time management

Impeccable time management and a personal approach to the customer’s needs, these are the main principles of lifestyle management, that are going to replace the usual concierge service. In this article, John Bird from Ashton Rose Concierge encourages readers to feel the difference. Words: JOHN BIRD - MANAGING DIRECTOR

Over the last decade we have been observing a clear trend: increase of the number of family offices, offering lifestyle management services. What is the reason for it? In my view, it is quite simple: for a modern HNWI time is becoming one of the most valuable assets. So anything that helps to manage this increasingly scarce and expensive resource in the most efficient way starts to be in high demand, which produces an adequate offer. It was the idea of providing professional assistance with regards to a wide range of topics, from making restaurant reservations and purchasing tickets to a world star concert to searching for an appropriate doctor or school for children from wealthy families, which originally gave birth to the concierge service. Today, however, this service being in its conventional form a kind of phone book with many useful contacts does not fully meet

requirements of modern HNWIs with a more sophisticated lifestyle and a broader variety of requests. Lifestyle management is a logical step in the evolution of the “traditional” concierge service, which providers take over the function of the complete support of wealthy clients. In essence, they manage their lifestyle. In practice, the lifestyle management is a comprehensive personalized service, aiming at the organization of various processes in all spheres of vital interests of the HNWI and the members of his/her family. It helps managing daily life, entertainment, leisure, property acquisitions across the world, travelling and much more - anything the customer may want. More than that: a good lifestyle manager should be able to advice on opportunities, which the HNWI may be not aware of. This is why the ability to be proactive in the interests of the customer, even if they are not expressed

explicitly, is as characteristic feature of a highclass lifestyle-management, as the individual approach to the customer requests. Needless to say how important it is to build a deep, sincere and trusting relationship between the manager and his/her customers. There is a certain nuance that makes this relationship so special: in about 80% of cases the main counterparty for the lifestylemanager on the family side are wives. This not only imparts a certain psychological overtone to these relationships, but also directly affects the structure of request, most of which concern children. To find your own lifestyle manager is well worth the time: it is exactly the case where such costs are fully justified. If your choice is successful, you will experience the difference in comfort of your life before and after very quickly. TR

Winery F

1921 Château d’Yquem – 1 x 1.5L (Magnum)

1982 Château Latour – 1 x 3.0L (Double Magnum)

£19,500

£7,900

This is the best sweet wine in existence and this year remains celebrated amongst collectors as a mythical vintage for Château d’Yquem in the 20th century, perhaps even the very greatest. Michael Broadbent, in his book Vintage Wine, has described enjoying this wine as, “one of life’s sublime experiences.” AWC has an extended history with Château d’Yquem, including transacting several of the world’s largest collections of this superb Sauternes and also achieving a Guinness World Record for The Most Valuable Bottle of White Wine via the sale of an exceptionally rare bottle from the 1811 vintage. Additionally, this magnum is a château-bottled example, making it all the more unusual, as dedicated estate bottling was not fully established there until 1924.

Of the Bordeaux First Growths from the lauded 1982 vintage, it is Château Latour which has proven out as perhaps the longest lived of the bunch thus far. As the rate of maturation significantly decreases as the size of the bottle increases, this Double Magnum is particularly rare and valuable. Robert Parker has the right of it when he says, “[This] has been the most opulent, flamboyant, and precocious of the northern Médocs…It hasn’t changed much over the last 10-15 years, revealing sweet tannins as well as extraordinarily decadent, even extravagant levels of fruit, glycerin, and body. It is an amazing wine…This vintage has always tasted great, even in its youth…[it] is still evolving at a glacial pace. The concentration remains remarkable, and the wine is a full-bodied, exuberant, rich, classic Pauillac…remarkable effort…Drink it now, in 20 years, and in 50 years! Don’t miss it if you are a wine lover. (Drink: 2009 – 2059).” – 100 Points, Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

UK based wine critic Neal Martin notes, “The wine is the stuff of legend. A deep orange and gold colour. An immense nose bursting with honey, orange peel, crème brûlée and quince. Incredibly youthful and full of vitality. Incredible intensity on the botrytisladen palate. Rich, concentrated, good acidity with incredible length. Just a sip was sufficient to assert its ineffable purity and [the] ethereal quality of this truly magical wine.” – 100 Points, Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate

1990 Pol Roger Vintage Champagne, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill – 6 x 75cl (Original Wooden Case) £1,920 After more than two decades, fine Champagnes from the 1990 vintage still remain in their infancy. This is a spectacular example of a wonderfully mature Champagne which AWC highly recommends. As the prestigious, flagship label from this historic, family-owned estate in Épernay, the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is only produced in exceptional vintages. Apparently, it was also so enjoyed by its namesake that at least 500 cases of Pol Roger passed through Churchill’s personal cellar during the last ten years of his life. For interested parties, AWC will also be running a Pol Roger Masterclass at their Wine Academy in Marylebone, Central London, on October 30th, 2013. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy ten different vintages from this famed producer, including this 1990. Champagne critic Bruce Sanderson describes it as, “Power and intensity in a glass. Bold and full of bread dough and apple, with a marmalade note, married to a big, firm structure, it still seems youthful. A brilliant Champagne that should develop beautifully.” – 96 Points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator

Finery

WINE : INVESTMENT

2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo, Domaine du Pégaü – 2 x 1.5L (Magnums) £1,600

2005 Château Haut-Brion – 6 x 75cl (Original Wooden Case)

The southern Rhône Valley region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape has been the beneficiary of a string of nearly unbroken and absolutely wonderful vintages over the past decade. The trend started with the warm and sunny 2003 vintage and the year’s top wines are, even now, only starting to become approachable. Domaine du Pégaü is perennially regarded as one of the region’s best estates and it produces a traditional, age-worthy style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Cuvée da Capo is one of the estate’s two, super-premium cuvées and it is only produced on exceptionally rare occasions – the 2003 was actually only the 4th vintage ever made. Only 455 total cases were bottled and, upon release, it received a perfect, 100 point score from Robert Parker and a 99 point rating from James Molesworth at Wine Spectator.

Due to its location in the suburbs of the city of Bordeaux, Château Haut-Brion is often considered to be the outlier amongst the First Growth properties. Although each of the five great estates is unique and undeniably great, as it is situated in the Graves region and is the southern and eastern most of the lot, Château Haut-Brion has a style all of its own. 2005 remains one of the top Bordeaux vintages in recent memory and the majority of the wines are already drinking wonderfully. While this is the case for the vintage as a whole, the 2005 Château Haut-Brion is still very much in its infancy. The palate is multi-layered, with a finish that stretches for several minutes and the aromatics are absolutely stunning. Only 9,000 total cases were made and the wine has now been given a 100 point rating from James Suckling at Wine Spectator and a 98 point score from Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate.

A massive fan of the region, Robert Parker described this particular wine thusly, “…[it has] that extra level of flavour, power, complexity and richness…[it boasts] a dark plum/garnet colour as well as a stunning bouquet of aged beef intermixed with pepper, herbs de Provence, and steak au poivre. This unctuously textured, full-bodied Châteauneuf possesses enormous body, huge flavours and sweet, velvety tannins. Still youthful, it has not yet begun to close down, and I’m not sure it ever will given this unusual vintage. It is a modern day classic that should continue to provide provocative as well as compelling drinking for 20-30+ years. (Drink: 2010 – 2040)” – 100 Points, Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2005 La Grande Rue, Domaine François Lamarche – 6 x 75cl (Original Wooden Case)

£2,950 £2,220

Describing the wine, James Suckling writes: “This is incredible on the nose, showing coffee cake, blackberry, floral, coffee bean and vanilla bean, with Chinese spices. A very complex, full-bodied red, with seamless, hyperpolished tannins that caress every millimetre of the palate. Lasts for minutes. So beautifully balanced, I’m left speechless.” – 100 Points, James Suckling, Wine Spectator

This Grand Cru red Burgundy vineyard is located in Vosne-Romanée and is a monopole of Domaine Lamarche, meaning that they are the world’s only producers of this particular wine. Often described as a slightly more delicate version of the wine produced from the neighbouring Grand Cru vineyard of La Tâche - itself a monopole of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti - at just 4.1 ha in size, less than 1,400 of these cases are made each year. 2005 was about as perfect a vintage as is possible in Burgundy and this wine is a beautiful testament to the favourable conditions that occurred. Noted Burgundy wine critic Allen Meadows comments, “A hint of menthol adds nuance to the mostly highly-spiced red berry fruit nose…beautifully complex while leading to sweet, delicious, generous and round [flavours]…classy and refined…a strikingly persistent and explosive finish. This offers excellent cellar potential…will need every bit of 15 years, perhaps even slightly longer, to arrive at its prime as it’s very structured. A really beautiful La Grande Rue...(Drink: 2020+)” – 95 Points, Allen Meadows, Burghound.com

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CHEZ CLICHE´ I have stayed at many hotels and I can count on both hands the amount of times I have needed to call on the small army that are responsible for running the various establishments. Words: PETER ROBINSON I have stayed at many hotels and I can count on both hands the amount of times I have needed to call on the small army that are responsible for running the various establishments. Do I order room service? No, the smart traveller heads out to eat anything but the anaesthetised hotel food. Of course, the humble steak sandwich and the standard caesar salad are hard to bugger up. When you spend in excess of £350 on a hotel room for a night, you’re likely to only use the bedroom. Unless, of course, you’re on business, in which case, you’re likely to sit staring at a laptop. If, however, you’re looking for a city break, before scouring some hotel deal website or considering your usual suite at the W Hotel, stop. The smart team at Chez Cliché are redefining hospitality. Chez Cliché is an apartment rental company in the heart of Vienna. Banish the thought of business centre-style carpet and the odd ‘retro’ neon light. Saatchi would be complimentary about the styling of these apartments, I assure you. Chez Cliché offers a selection of top-end city apartments with beautiful fixtures and fittings and amazing locations. Each apartment looks and feels as if you’re staying in

T R AV E L : V I E N NA

E´

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someone’s home – someone with style, flair and a propensity for the finer things in life. The only catch: there is no owner! This is something I learned from Gerald Tomez, brand development manager for the company. Gerald came to meet us personally to show us around the beautiful apartment in the heart of Vienna. He recommended restaurants, shows, late night drinking holes and basically became our guide to the city for the weekend. Needless to say, Vienna is beautiful any time of the year and should be on your list of major European cities to visit. So, each apartment in the city has its own conceptual personality with an online profile of the owner to boot. We stayed at Bella, a loft-split duplex with the most amazing views and open space. Bella lists herself as the following: “I am very open and communicative. I love life and welcome all the adventures it

has in store for me. When I started flying, life above the clouds was completely untroubled. Rio, New York, and Tokyo! I don’t fly professionally any more, but the excitement of the wide world entices me to travel over and over again and I love taking home souvenirs. Fabric from India, statues from Africa, incense, and spices from around the world create a mysterious and exotic atmosphere in the apartment. I’m also a total photography and design lover. My friends adore my apartment – so much that they usually don’t want to go home after a party! I hope that you feel just as good here as they do. Ciao, Bella”. Possibly one of the coolest apartments I have ever seen. The sort of place that would easily fit into a model shoot. So much so that I mentioned it to our head stylist on my return. The apartment was indeed filled with seriously cool aeronautical fixtures, from model

planes to seatbelt signs and a well-moulded piece of the fuselage in the spare bedroom. These guys are seriously going for authenticity. Bella is 92 square metres and €239 per night with a minimum two night stay. It does sleep through guests though, which means, for the quality of establishment, you’re making a killing. The apartment is 92 square metres and is located in Vienna’s most famous nightlife district – the Bermuda triangle is what it’s affectionately called. There is a lot going on, especially on weekends. The Danube Canal is also nearby, with trendy bars like the Motto Am Fluss or one of Vienna’s most famous clubs, the legendary Flex. However, once you pass through the small inner courtyard and climb to the top floor, you discover a haven of peace, an oasis far removed from the hustle and bustle below. TR

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Life on the edge (of the cotswolds)

It’s a sunny Saturday morning in the city. Another working week is behind me and the gloomy thought of Monday morning is far away. Keen to make my precious two days off work as hard for me as I do for the other five, I’m leaving the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle for more gentle surroundings of the semi-rural Cotswolds. Words: OLIVER SMITH Being a country boy at heart (although not unaccustomed to creature comforts) a few of the things that I love about the countryside are the people, the honest feel and the environment. Imagine my disappointment when I stroll into a Cotswold inn, only to find that it has been renovated. Marble floors and glass tables with chrome legs are surrounded by Pandora and Perpetua from Fulham drinking Bollinis. Oh dear. I’ll spare you the verbose tirade on second homers destroying rural communities, but let’s just accept that sometimes you want a bit of escapism. Eventually I arrive in a small but perfectlyformed place called Ebrington. It’s a chocolate box village that sits about two miles east of the larger village of Chipping Campden in the North Cotswolds. My lodgings for the night are at the Ebrington Arms, a seventeenth century inn which overlooks the village centre and the local war monument. It’s a pretty building constructed proudly of Cotswold stone, with a recent but sympathetic extension to the rear. When you arrive, you’re greeted by superfriendly staff who show you to your room

through a charming little door next to the bar. You climb a modest staircase and then walk along a small corridor, which has sloped over time as the building has aged and settled. Behind the oak door, the room has a great feel to it. The contemporary-rustic balance is very well struck and everything has an air of quality about it, whilst maintaining the charm that you would expect. Blue and white china, a four poster bed and a tasteful palette of colours gives the room a very homely and unpretentious character. I have a table booked in the restaurant for eight o’clock, so a stroll into Chipping Campden in the afternoon sunshine is in order to sharpen ones appetite. Just before dinner, I have a drink in the bar and get chatting to the barman who tells me that the expansion plans have worked out well and the recently enlarged restaurant is proving ever popular. More importantly, the bar is well stocked. There is an excellent wine list and they also carry an eclectic selection of local ales. Whilst enjoying my pint of Prescott ale (named after a local hillclimb in the same county) it occurred to me that part of this place’s charm is the staff. Nothing is too much trouble and

they all really care about their work. They are polite and helpful without being sycophantic. Sitting down to dinner and looking at the menu, you can see the selections are seasonal and the produce is sourced locally. The number of dishes is modest, which means that real care will go into preparing your food. I never trust a restaurant with a raft of different dishes to choose from, as this tends to favour quantity over quality. I order duck and foie gras croquettes to start and a contemporary favourite of pork belly for main course. The waiter doesn’t hesitate when asked to recommend a wine and a splendid bottle of Beaujolais is delivered to the table. The food is excellent and arranged without pretence on the plate. After a panacotta and an espresso for dessert, I’m ready to head up the wooden hill to bed. As my stay comes to a close and the thought of Monday morning looms, a process of reflection takes place. Have I really made my two days off work hard for me? Well, the answer is no. Simply because the lovely people at the Ebrington Arms have made them work hard for me instead. TR

FOOD : EBRINGTON ARMS

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Every Overfinch is a personal creation, designed to the most exacting standards. Yours.

LUXURY, REDEFINED. FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS, WE’VE BEEN SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN LUXURY, PERFORMANCE AND VISUAL STYLING FOR THE RANGE ROVER. THE OVERFINCH VOGUE GT IS NO EXCEPTION.

OVERFINCH.COM

‘Nam Flashback Paul Farrow discovers barefoot luxury at Nam Hai Words: PAUL FARROW

Watching the sunset over the summit of the Victory Monument in Dien Bien Phu, where hoards of Vietnamese people perform their daily exercises, I can reflect upon a country about which I understood so little before I began my journey through it. A country steeped in culture and tradition, but mired by conflict and tragedy. Vietnam is a country where one can go from fine, sandy beaches to mountain-

ous ranges and grass-tipped archipelagos. From the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, where motorbikes adorn even the pavements, to the serenity of Hoi An, where one can take an evening stroll across a lantern-lit riverside and eat fresh seafood under the moonlight. For many people in the Western Hemisphere, the word ‘Vietnam’ is synonymous with warfare and little else. The myriad films depicting the

Vietnam War and the intense media coverage that it received have served to reinforce this attitude. The Vietnamese people, though, have shorter memories, and whilst the 20th century saw a period of intense fighting and hardship, the turn of the millennium has brought about a new era of economic development and a reintroduction into the global political forum. As a result, Vietnam now, like most of South-East

T R AV E L : NA M H A I

Asia, attracts millions of tourists to the region every year. And whilst many of these come with backpacks, long beards and student loans, there are plenty of ways for the more discerning customer to take full advantage of what the country has to offer. My girlfriend and I, being of the bearded variety of tourist (me, not my girlfriend), were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity

to break away from the backpacker havens to sample some of the finer things in Vietnam. More importantly, having just finished my doctorate, I felt Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d earned it. Of all the places we stayed in Vietnam, Nam Hai is probably the most impressive. Located roughly seven miles south of Hoi An, the villas are plotted furtively amongst a vast 35 hectares of land, all teeming with contemporary cool.

Our one-bed villa is a proper recherchĂŠ affair, a mix of granite stone, dark wood and earthy aesthetic. The feel is opulent and designer. You can tell a lot of effort has gone into making this the premier resort for discerning travellers. Each villa boasts a multi-story bed platform, draped in curtain and finished in the aforementioned dark wood, with numerous pillows, and a huge accommodating mattress.

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There are also day beds on the terrace, which give way to the impressive vistas – a seriously deft touch. The bed area also has a beautiful sunken bath, perfect for whiling away an hour or two in complete bliss. In terms of technology, Nam Hai has got it made: entertainment centre, with a huge flat screen TV, iPod and dock, a free film library and internet access. What more could you ask for? The architecture of the place is keenly symmetrical, with precisely manicured lawns, and an infinity pool too. The villas stride the ashen sands that make up Ha My beach, as vertiginous palms stand shoulder to shoulder next to the swimming pools. Overlooking this picturesque setting are the restaurants and bars, decked out with minimalist intelligence, with much glass and wood. It’s a wholly attractive place to relax and sample some fine food and drink. Indeed, the two standouts were the Beach Restaurant and, simply, The Restaurant. The Beach Restaurant is the ultimate in comfortdining; an elegant, open-air affair, offering pizza and salads, sushi, as well as some interesting regional delicacies. The Restaurant, con-

versely, is a touch more formal. The head chef is Ashish Deva, who is considered a master of fusion cooking. The menu at The Restaurant is mind-blowingly innovative, highlighted by

“Of all the places we stayed in Vietnam, Nam Hai is probably the most impressive.” ingredients such as duck liver, red snapper, foie gras, and giant prawns. This type of barefoot luxury doesn’t come around that often. In the most clichéd of terms: it’s the stuff dreams are made of. When you think of a paradisiacal idyll, this is it: a mile of private beach, hand-and-foot service, great facilities, indelible cuisine, opulent accommodation, and of course, exquisite natural scenery. Castaway chic at its finest.

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CENTRAL KENSINGTON

T R AV E L : C A D O G A N G A R D E N S

No11 Cadogan Gardens When our editor in-chief wrote “Reviewing top end hotels is a pox of the profession” earlier this year, he was right. Words: PETER ROBINSON

My perception of what an exceptional hotel is has changed dramatically over the past five years. I used to be pleased when the checkin desk ork knew my name. Now I expect a fanfare on entrance and an en-suite with sinks overflowing with Chanel, whilst a suitably tailored gentleman complements me emphatically about my Aspinal luggage. Life has changed in many ways. Life in Knightsbridge, however, hasn’t changed much since serfdom. In a quiet corner of South Kensington you will find No. 11 Cadogan Gardens, built in the 19th century on a former cricket ground by Lord Chelsea. Well, obviously not ‘by’ him. I’m sure the serf’s helped. It isn’t often I will schlep up to London for a hotel review. Even though London is frequented by millions of tourists each year, I still find it hard to see it as a getaway destination. There is always the inevitable toss-up between the prison camp conditions of the tube or the high-risk financial investment of a cab from Paddington. So, this time around, I decided to beat the system by driving. At least if i was stuck in traffic (having paid Boris his dues), I would be able to listen to my own music with the roof down. As i arrived in Chelsea, I realised that parking in the borough is the seventh circle of hell – perhaps something I should have enquired about when I made my reservation. I, however, found a place for the car overnight at a local hotel owned by Dubai Holdings – for free. Thats a trick to save £150 a night that only a few people know. Hand in hand, I strolled back through Chel-

sea with my partner, admiring the various eateries and boutiques. As we ascended the stairs to No. 11, we were greeted by some rather well-dressed staff from the hotel, who were more than eager to release me of my leather goods. Two cows lighter, we made our way to the discretely-placed reception desk, acquired our keys (yes, keys), and made

“No. 11 Cadogan Gardens is quite possibly one of my favourite London hotels. Not because of its location, but because of the sheer quality of the establishment” our way to the Red Room. Cue a deluge of red velvet, red murano chandeliers and a beautifully-dressed four poster bed. Quite. The. Room. We weren’t devoid of mod-cons though: flat screen, iPod dock, safe, hot and cold running water, windows and breathable oxygen. I think it is pertinent to include the modern touches, but to remember that, these days, a televisual device and a place to park your

Steve Jobs kit is standard. What certainly wasn’t standard was the Regency art work, probably featuring past owners. Louis XV style furniture meets brocade upholstery. I refer to my earlier point: London isn’t a getaway destination for me. Well, I was prepared to have my mind changed. I poured us a glass of champagne and decided that a stroll around the hotel was in order. The mirrored room is a thing of true beauty and the perfect place for any suitably swish private event. The property used to be three separate town houses, but now features 54 rooms, three apartments, a bar with well versed barkeep, two private terraces and the most knowledgeable concierge in all of London. Richie Long was the winner of the Golden Keys concierge of the year award back in 2011. He won the competition by fulfilling a request for a camel to be bought to the premises. No mean feat. That night we were headed to an event on The Strand. So, dressed to the nines, we left the hotel and stepped into the Phantom, headed for cocktails and a cold Thames night view. Sometime later and several cocktails deeper, we headed back to the gardens for dinner in the Tartufo restaurant. A haven away from the madness of the city. The lunch menu includes chilled watermelon and red pepper soup; warm peach and grilled scallops with radicchio leaves and wild rocket; crunchy pork belly; and parsley and garlic marinated Atlantic cod – to name a few. We were, however, here for dinner. The first thing that strikes you about the restaurant

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is the thousands of photographs that adorn the walls of 80s celebrities at various night haunts. Some of the images will cause a serious double take â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for instance, David Bowie and Grace Jones riding an elephant whilst holding a trumpet in the air. The restaurant is run by Manuel Oliveri. He began his career training in the kitchens of Gualtiero Marchesiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ristorante di Erbusco, under head chef Andrea Berton. He went on

THE RED ROOM

to positions with Paulo Teverni at Ristorante Teverni and Nino Graziano at Semifreddo Mulinazzo. The menu is simple yet elegant and seems well balanced. I opted for the grilled Scottish scallops with crunchy fennel, long radish salad, pine nuts and a coral jus. The highlight of the meal was the side of black spotted pig. The new season leeks were slightly burnt, giving a smoky fresh taste.

I highly advise you to opt for the cheese selection when dining at Tartufo. Manuel Oliveri has chosen a 32 month old aged parmesan and pecorino that makes you yearn beyond reason. Dinner finished, coffee drank, belt loosened, we headed for slumber in our four poster bed to dream of one day owning an apartment at No. 11 Cadogan Gardens. TR

“The highlight of the meal for me though was the side of black spotted pig. The new season leeks were slightly blunt giving a smoky fresh taste.”

TARTUFO RESTAURANT

BLACK TRUFFLE TORTELLI

the MIRRORED ROOM

PEACH SORBET

RICHIE LONG

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David Lloyd Having seen Andy Murray take the Wimbledon title for England for the first time since we thought the Earth was flat, I fully expect the population of our fair isle to head for the nearest set of courts they can find, thus reliving ‘past tennis glory’ and keeping chiropractors and physiotherapists in the lifestyle to which they are accustomed. Words: PETER ROBINSON There are easier ways, though, people. Having spent the last two weeks frequenting my local David Lloyd health centre, I have come to embrace exercise the way prepubescent boys covet gentlemen’s magazines. My relationship with exercise is somewhat mixed. I was always a rather thin child and couldn’t have weighed more than nine stone for the majority of teenage years. Then I turned 18 and thus a great British tradition was bestowed on me by my grandfather: beer! So, over the years, my waistline has increased somewhat and so my suits have needed a little letting out (many thanks to tailor David Minns for that one). I am, however, turning 30 this year and feel that it is time to put the gut in check. To be honest, I’m a little daunted at the task. I expect the gym to be dragooned with 18 year olds working on their muscles. Note to all 18 year olds: at 18, everyone has a flat stomach. I’m pleasantly surprised when sitting at the outside pool at the amount of people aged 25-plus with tight, toned bodies. So much so that I politely enter into small talk with a gent who sits in the lounger next to me. I ask him what he does for a living, expecting him to be a body builder or male model. “I’m a surveyor,” he says. I ask him what he eats and how often he exercises. “Three to four times a week. And of course, I don’t eat junk food everyday or

binge drink, but I also don’t deny myself my culinary favourites”. So there is light at the end of the tunnel. Having been going to the gym for two weeks now, I’m surprised by my general fitness and muscle strength in daily life. I have never been one for the fitness bug, but having dedicated a portion of my life to go and do it in these surroundings, I think I might be hooked. Our local centre is in Long Ashton. And with 78 clubs across the UK, you are hard pressed to not find a local centre. tennis courts, badminton courts, pools, gyms, classes, bars, restaurants, kids clubs, fitness experts, nutritionists, physios – they couldn’t have made it easier to say yes. The building and its numerous treadmills and sun loungers is clean, crisp and a haven for exercise. A real health centre, rather than an old leather punch bag or exercise bike. Perhaps that’s what has made the difference: the health club, rather than the gym side of the operation. As with many people, the gym fad usually starts after Christmas and drops off suddenly. Myself and my annoyingly athletic partner will be reviewing the offering at David Lloyd for the rest of the year and invite you to join us! David Lloyd Leisure is giving a free health club pass to every reader. Just Visit: www.thereviewmag.co.uk TR

H E A LT H : DAV I D L L OY D

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FOOD : EBRINGTON ARMS

CARY GRANT

THE DUKE OF WINDSOR

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BEST DRESSED WHO: RIHANNA WHERE: Boujis Nightclub, London Showcasing the hot holographic trend taking the world by storm this season is Rihanna, who demonstrates effortless-chic through pairing distressed boyfriend jeans with a simple structure cropped shirt, allowing for the materials to do the talking. Combining a backless, holographic crop top with matching stilettos and a stunning holographic faux-leather Stella McCartney clutch, the Diamonds singer brings sparkle to an otherwise-casual look, brightening up the streets of the London at the same time. If ever in need of tips on how to dress up by dressing down, Rihanna is your woman.

WHO: Olivia Palermo WHERE: NEW YORK For a second issue in a row, Olivia Palermo makes it onto The Review’s best dressed list. If the base of personal style be a blank canvas upon which to display creativity, then we have this generation’s very own Picasso Palermo on our hands. Palermo combines a vast array of diverse pieces including this MGSM jacquard peplum top and matching cropped trousers in citrus, a leopard-print belt, a Diane Von Furstenberg monochrome blazer, a dark cherry oversized handbag and turquoise stilettos in a way that, on paper, would spell out the word “Disaster.” Her God-given talent in all things vogue, however, not only makes this look work, but it quite simply works fantastically. Hello city chic.

FA S H I O N : B E S T D R E S S E D

WHO: THANDIE NEWTON WHERE: Cartier Queen’s Cup, Windsor For an insight into the epitome of class, look no further than Thandie Newton’s springkissed look from the Cartier Queen’s Cup. Showcasing a sheer, white polka-dot Temperley dress with a matching Fall 2013/14 overcoat and Charlotte Olympia ‘Dolly’ heels accented with majestic metallic gold, Newton’s look is both rich and royal. Her choice of gold-studded barrel clutch lends the look a certain youthful essence, steering the outfit away from appearing demure. Newton’s embracing of this season’s soft nude trends works wonders with her skin tone, making this an example of picture-perfect summertime style.

WHO: David Gandy WHERE: London Collections Men When it comes to outstanding men’s fashion, it would seem unnatural not to include David Gandy amongst our best dressed. Just when you thought that it was impossible to look good one hundred percent of the time, Gandy casually proves you wrong. Embracing this season’s bomber jacket trend in this Dolce and Gabbana piece, the British model adds classic charm in the form of a Ralph Lauren waistcoat and a love for Spencer Hart tailoring in his shirt, trousers and tie. In true Gandy fashion, no outfit is complete without a great pair of shoes; these oh-so-shiny Paul Smiths add an executive edge to an otherwise light-hearted daytime look, polished off with world-famous chiseled Gandy cheekbones. A five star ensemble.

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WHO: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE WHERE: CANNES FILM FESTIVAL Whoever said you had to wear a tuxedo to make a statement at Cannes Film Festival had clearly never come across Justin Timberlake. Coolly sporting a Tom ford double-breast cardigan over a blue checkered shirt and coupled with a casual pair of khakis, Timberlake confidently expresses that you quite simply do not need a power suit in order to look powerful. Oozing charm through this mature fashion choice and adding new heights to traditional granddad cardigans, Timberlake’s marine mélange makes him very much the captain of Cannes.

WHO: THOM EVANS WHERE: LONDON COLLECTIONS MEN It really is no wonder that Thom Evans has been shortlisted within GQ’s ‘Most Stylish Men of LC: M’, especially when outfits like this surface. Flaunting a Bespoke HQ doublebreasted Prince of Wales check suit with a shawl lapel, Evans’ casual demeanor would have us believe he simply rolled out of bed this way. And, let’s be honest, he probably did. Adding to Evans’ effortlessly-dapper aura is his eye for fine detail and a willingness to experiment with colour and fabrics – demonstrated through his Bespoke HQ brook shoes in Air Force Blue, purple Prince of Wales check shirt, and a light blue Aston Martin Grosvenor tie. The perfect look for the perfect gentleman.

Don’t Tame The Tiger

Arnelle Paterson gets her claws out. Words: ARNELLE PATERSON

It is a common truth that the aesthetics of a woman’s nails speaks volumes. Her individual taste, the depth and richness of colours she adores and the pride that she takes in her appearance. No outfit is complete without attention to detail – and this cannot be forgotten. After adorning your wrist with a Michael Kors watch and choosing the perfect quilted Marc Jacobs bag, you have to think closer to home. Dagger, spiked, almond, claws, the synonyms are endless, but one thing’s for certain – this feline-like feature has swept the fashion world and has even been branded couture. Formally known as ‘Russian’ nails, this is an alternative to the generic square-shaped nail, a new generation of nails that has been proudly pioneered by the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce and Lana Del Rey. Whether you’re an acrylic, gel or fibre glass addict, or Miss Au Naturel, you cannot bypass the beauty of this look and its... je n’ai se quoi – one of the few trends that

is tailored for all women. As a devout follower, I cannot contemplate reverting back to my rigid square-nailed past. A trip to my manicurist and I feel like a rejuvenated woman ready to conquer the world. Unbeknown to us ladies, square nails are not complementary as they appear more artificial, while short, rounded nails emphasise short, thick fingers. Length and shape is a huge factor within creating the mirage of beautiful hands. The manipulation of nail shape is a godsend for those who weren’t gifted with fingers that seem to go on forever. Elongation of the fingers creates the illusion of slender hands and fingers which is reasonably more flattering. Simplicity is key with this look. A simple coat of red or black nail polish adds instant sophistication to any outfit in under five minutes, which is excellent for any occasion – perhaps a quick lunch, a date or a meeting. Stiletto nails have been contemptuously nicknamed ‘claws’ creat-

ing an awful animalistic stigma association, but rest assured they do not cause injury. Like everything that is seemingly flawless, unfortunately these miracle talons have their disadvantages. The length can be problematic in terms of maintenance: the longer the nail, the more susceptible it is to breakage, so you must invest in nail hardener. Consequently, everyday tasks are extremely difficult from cleaning to buttoning blouses and shirts. Arguably, this would frustrate a domestic goddess more than a lady of leisure, although it allows you to develop the patience of a saint. If you’re not ready to jump on the bandwagon of these statement nails, perhaps a more almond-shaped nail is preferable. Find a level of equilibrium that you’re comfortable with and proud to exhibit with confidence. I anticipate what the next development in the world of fingernails will be – and I’ll definitely be willing to try it. TR

Push, Breathe & Pose Arnelle Paterson-Mensah looks at the grueling psychological fight against bodyimage and the media during pregnancy inflicted by insolent expectations. Words: ARNELLE PATERSON-MENSAH Pregnancy is arguably the most overwhelming challenge that a woman undertakes, as it pushes mental, physical and emotional boundaries. Additionally, both mother-to-be and her partner must prepare for welcoming their new arrival with that feeling of lifelong responsibility. Despite this life-changing event, women are forced to focus on their outer being as opposed to their bun in the oven. In recent years, we have been exposed to an unhealthy cult, catapulted by celebrity mothers in the name of trend and vanity that is reductive of the importance of pregnancy. The media force-feeds us images of highprofile women with their offspring in tow, seemingly as a new fashion accessory rather than a proud mother. An expectant mother should feel gratification at the thought of her bundle of joy, but the yummy mummies of the celebrity world are imposing a disastrous effect as an increasing number of women are becoming pregnant – regardless of their financial capabilities, whether their partner is ready for child, or even the solidity of their relationship. This is all in order to emulate the allure of their yummy mummy role models. The media is infamous for promoting unrealistic images of idealised beauty, which influences women everywhere. Women across the country are bombarded with images of pregnant women who have the ‘perfect’ baby bump. Maternity is a significant time period

– woman shouldn’t be expected to look redcarpet glamorous. The main priority should be maintaining a healthy balanced diet in order to provide the nutrients necessary for the growth of the growing life that is inside of her. I personally find the overwhelming burden to look photo-shop perfect extremely superficial. A recent example can be seen with Kate Middleton, who is carrying the country’s future king or queen and has been repeatedly criticised for being ‘too skinny’ and accused of having a bump that is ‘too small’. In contrast, Kim Kardashian has received mortifying comments and comparisons about her pregnant body, with claims that she’s gained too much weight. Both of these women are from very different walks of life, but share the same current situation of castigation due to their pregnancies. I ask, what IS the perfect pregnancy body? IS there a perfect pregnancy body? This is an incredibly superficial outlook on childbearing, as it is well known that every woman’s body is different and has different responses to maternity. Instead of embracing that pregnancy glow, stretch marks, swollen limbs and cravings, we are delivered the message that we must fit into an archetype whilst sustaining an ambrosial flair in our appearance. A number of women have spoken about the crushing pressure to lose the weight that they have gained during pregnancy and squeeze into their pre-pregnancy jeans, despite

the fact that weight gain is expected and is considered to be normal by doctors. Females are pioneering unhealthy methods of rapid weight loss from wearing excruciating multiple corsets for long periods of time to limiting calorie intake to 1,100 a day, although women are advised to have 2,000 calories a day. What is most shocking is that mothers are turning their backs on the negative impact this may have on their newborn, affecting their breast milk and their energy levels hindering their ability to be able to look after their child efficiently. Surely a mother’s priority should be her child straight after birth, not fitting into her pre-baby jeans or gaining a svelte figure. As a young woman, I often question whether these same shackles of vanity, which are advocated through cultural hegemony, will force me into this unforgiving world of scrutiny, causing me to become a victim of self-loathing. I am confident that when the time comes, I will welcome the fact my body is adapting in preparation for my child. Rather than concentrating on my aesthetics, my newborn will be my primary focus, and he or she will be taught the importance of self-acceptance and love. Every pregnancy is individual – but collectively, we must respect the visible and cognitive changes a woman’s body must go through. For this, women should not be penalised by their partners, society or the media, but taught to adore their post-baby anatomy and be selfless mothers. TR

S OA P B OX : P R E G NA N C Y

Heidi Klum in a Marchesa dress

We dont know. Adult entertainer?

Natalie Portman at the SAG awards

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan at the OScars

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NY-LON Our man on the other side of the pond Bobby Reyes, works up a storm with Gotroxx, BeBe and Express. Stylist: BOBBY REYES Photographer: FREDRIK MARKLUND Model: PETRINA KHASHOGGI Lighting: KRISTOFFER OHLSSON Hair and makeup: JENNIFER CORONA

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PAGEs, L & R JEWELLERY BY GOTROXX DRESS BY BeBE

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TEAM-DESIGNED, CUSTOM-BUILT, BADASS.

the 51-30 tIDe

nixon.com • 3 hand Swiss Quartz with tide sub dial • Custom 300 meter stainless steel case • Custom solid stainless steel band with double locking clasp

Nathan Fletcher

Haute Hamptons Jana Schuessler takes a US team out to the east coast playground that is the Hamptons for some atlantic relaxation. Male Model: Rinor Raqi Female: Suzy Oluwa Female: Ania Charlot Photographer: JANA SCHUESSLER

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State

London

Columbia to London, a hell of a swap. We are very proud to have an exclusive shoot this issue from Margarita Lievano. We take on London town with our mini model army. MUA: JOSEPHINE McGRAIL Hair: REGINA MEESSEN Stylist: AISHA PAPARELLA Models: Cottia Thorowgood Josephine McGrail Photographer: Margarita Lievano

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Cream Dress:- BIBA BOTIQUE ( House Of Fraser) Chunky Chain Necklace:- Adele Marie Silver Sandals with Studs:- Kurt Geiger Silver Chunky Bracelets:- Adele Marie Silver Chunky Chain Belt:- Stylist Own Hat:-MEAN and GREEN.COM

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Shirt:- Nicole Farhi Tie and Brace:-H&M Mens Collection Blace Wet Look Trouser:- Topshop Black Lace Up Shoe Boots:- Stylist Own Hat:-MEAN and GREEN.COM

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PAGES, L & r JEWELLERY BY GOTROXX DRESS BY EXPRESS

Shirt:- Nicole Farhi Tie and Brace:-H&M Mens Collection Blace Wet Look Trouser:- Topshop Black Lace Up Shoe Boots:- Stylist Own Hat:-MEAN and GREEN.COM

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Sequence Top:- Stylist Own Navy Customised Blue Jacket:- Malene Birger Pink Lace Hotpants:- Stylist Own Over the knee socks: Falke Hat:-MEAN and GREEN.COM

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Red Coat:- Juicy Couture Blue Sweat Pants:- TEZENIS Chunky Brown Boots:- Topshop Jewellery:- Accessories & Adele Marie Yellow Bra:- Nicole de Carle Hat:-MEAN and GREEN.COM

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Military green jacket: Lee Over the knee socks: FALKE Hat:-MEAN and GREEN.COM Chunky Brown Boots:- Topshop

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Pirate Bay

The Review talks with Adrian McCourt, MD of Watkins Superyachts, to find out why yacht security is more important than ever. Words: ALIYAH LASKIT

M A R I N E : WAT K I N S YAC H T S

Why is having a security plan so important for yacht owners? Firstly, there are two types of security plan. One is mandatory under the ISPS Code, which is in reality a fairly useless bureaucratic exercise, in my opinion of course, but is as good a place as any to start on the second type – provided it does not in itself become too onerous in terms of paperwork. The second type is a working plan, perhaps better described as a security management system. This will be driven by three factors – to state the obvious – the yacht, the owner or charterer, and the location Ignoring the requirements of the ISPS Code,

the plan needs to be based on an assessment of the three factors and should be managed thus remains current and relevant. The Yacht Ideally, security begins on the designer’s pad. I would suggest that no owner will wish their security provisions to be overtly visible – the yacht is, after all, to be a place for pleasure and no designer in the world will want to entertain the owner’s rep or security provider diving in at the eleventh hour insisting on full Kevlar protection, for example. The Owner

The owner may have personal security arrangements and these should be considered at the design stage, or first refit after purchase. It is not always welcome, but the price of not taking appropriate security advice is unthinkable. It is of course for the Owner to have his own security risk assessed. No two security profiles are the same, thus there will not be a one-size-fitsall solution. The Location Without wishing to tempt providence, it is fairly obvious where the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ locations are and, in general, the established cruising

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areas have a degree of safety and littoral states will ensure that yachts, which after all do produce significant revenue, are given a cursory degree of protection if only a gendarme driving past on his routine patrol. Having said that, wealth does generate interest, and yachts offer an unforgettable day out for the tourist family walking the quayside as well as those with less innocent intent. On the other hand, world cruises or the new generation of expedition yachtsmen will enter pass or approach less appealing ports and it is important that an appropriate risk assessment is conducted and if required, a country or port overview purchased from a professional security analyst. What are the main security issues facing yacht owners? The layman would say piracy. The chances of hijack are infinitesimally small if the owner avoids the global hotspots, which covers almost all the western-half of the Indian Ocean and large areas of West Africa – and has made an intelligent assessment of risk. Even in the Indian Ocean, the chances of hijack are considerably reduced if the provisions of the industry-wide BMP4 [Best

Management Practices for Protection against Somalia Based Piracy version 4] are complied with and an armed protection team in embarked. As an example, we polled 70 of the world’s leading tanker owners 12 months ago and found that 25% were using armed guards. The same group polled recently returned 95%. To date, not one single vessel has been taken which had an armed team on board. Choosing the right team is another matter. For the majority of people involved in the large yacht business who have neither intention nor desire to pass anywhere east of Suez, the main security issues are rather more commonplace. Theft or trespass can be planned or opportunist. We are aware of a boarder gaining access to a yacht during a fire drill when all the door alarms were off. The first the crew were aware of his presence was his arrival in the wheelhouse wearing the owner’s dressing gown. Timing was a fantastic coincidence. He had no malicious intent. Like the Blues Brothers, he was on a mission from God and was gently escorted away by Florida’s finest. How do we stop that? Risk assessment should be a routine part of security management. It doesn’t need to be complex.

Are security threats, like piracy, being taken seriously by yachters? And if not, why should people take heed? In broad terms, people are listening, but there is always a minority who believe that their right to freedom of the seas will be honoured by pirates, or that cruising the world distributing religious documents provides some kind of immunity. It doesn’t. It doesn’t help that the boarding parties are often illiterate and will speak almost no English anyway. If the voyage really is necessary and there is not a large dry transport ship available, then transiting the high risk area should be subject to risk assessment. In any event, compliance with BMP4 and observing reporting requirements should be an absolute minimum, and will be a condition of insurance cover anyway. We appreciate that complete adherence may not be practical and this should be raised in the course of an effective risk assessment and raised with the insurance broker. It is also important that the boat reports in to the appropriate organisation such as MSC(HoA). Yachts have been taken and the stories are not pleasant.

How do the services Watkins offer differentiate from other service providers? Through our origins as a daughter company of a leading Lloyd’s marine underwriter, and the experiences and continued relationships of some of our staff with commercial shipowners, underwriters, insurance brokers and a large number of security providers, Watkins’ insight and experience are unique. Indeed, one of our staff was involved in the post-hijack recovery of a disabled ship from the pirates’ holding anchorage. The ransom had been paid and the pirates had left but the ship was without power. Our guy met people he didn’t want to meet in places he didn’t want to go to, but after several weeks and many nights’ lost sleep, the crew was reunited with their families and a ship returned to her owner. During this operation, trustworthy armed protection teams to escort supply vessels and of course to then put guards on board were needed in a hurry, and at one time 30 armed men at sea from four companies on board three vessels were involved. The companies used delivered splendidly. Those that responded immediately with ‘we can’t cover this operation’ also earned our praise and remain on our trusted service

providers list. At times such as this, fast honest answers are a necessity. Some companies failed to perform with spectacular results and underlined the fundamental need for these to be some kind of reliable vetting system for private marine security companies. Such a system does not exist, and is unlikely to do so for some time, so we have produced our own points-based system. It was no surprise that Special Projects and Services Ltd (SPS) and Unity SPS both exceeded our vetting threshold by a wide margin and was the deciding factor in us engaging with them. Where yacht owners do not have their own dedicated security providers, we would appoint SPS, and with our non-yacht commercial shipping interests, recommend Unity SPS. We understand piracy and we also understand that the object of a yacht is to create pleasure for the owner. We do both. Outside of the hardening risk areas, security should be invisible to the owner. Nobody wishes to enjoy their precious down-time surrounded by armed guards. Is there anything else in the Watkins catalogue that yacht owners should know about? Security alone does not define us at Watkins, but is

an important aspect of our duties as a responsible manager, and our clients expect to have a wide knowledge of this subject and robust policies and procedures in place for the protection of our clients, guests, crews and yachts. I was reluctant to talk at such length on security alone, but there is an important message here. The number of hijacks has fallen recently and some commercial operators are already considered lowering their guard. That is ill-advised. They are still there and they are hungry. Our favourite line ‘A passion for your craft’ applies to all areas of our services, whether it’s simple safety, payroll or purchasing full-blown management, build projects, charter or sale and purchase brokerage. As the majority of our directors are registered with the UK FSA, our management and brokerage clients have objective evidence that we will handle their financial affairs with transparency, confidentiality and integrity. And of course, not forgetting that yacht ownership is an emotional choice. It’s meant to be fun. And that’s a responsibility we take seriously too. TR

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TOYS FOR LIFE Imagine a giant touch screen monitor to replace your standard flat screen. Yes, we know how you feel! Words: ALIYAH LASKIT It sounds basic, doesn’t it? Why haven’t we all thought of this before? The Cintiq family of interactive pen displays combines the advantages of an LCD monitor with the natural feel and superior performance of Wacom’s patented, professional pen technology. You gain all the benefits of working digitally in a creative experience that replicates traditional media. Interactive pen displays enable creative professionals to work naturally and intuitively using Wacom’s pressure- and tilt-sensitive pen directly on the surface of a high-performance LCD. Cintiqs are designed to replicate the traditional experience of working with conventional tools, such as pens, markers, brushes, canvas and paper, photographic exposure retouching tools, or sculpting tools and clay, while at the same time allowing users to work with all of the power and flexibility of advanced creative software applications. If you aren’t a creative and you just like the bragging rights, go right ahead. You will be equally at home flicking through the BBC website as you will be touching up photos. The Cintiq comes in a 24HD, 22HD and 13HD format along with a selection of creative tools. TR

www.wacom.com

TFL : CINTIQ

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Victorious Victor is a private jet company which is changing the way people fly privately. Started by Clive Jackson, the premise of Victor is simple: it’s a book-direct, pay-less model that allows charterers to also share their aircraft, should they wish, offsetting the cost through the sale of surplus seats. It’s a no-brainer. Words: ALIYAH LASKIT As with many industry-changing ideas, Clive’s inspiration was born from frustration, experiencing, first-hand, the inconvenience involved with flying commercially. “I had no idea about private aviation,” he says. “What triggered my interest was when I was sitting on the last scheduled BMI service to Palma where I have a property, realising the only existing alternative was budget airlines which can be horrendous in peak season, to the point where, if it’s busy and you get delayed, you think ‘I wish I hadn’t bothered going down there for the weekend, it’s just not worth it’.” Believe it or not, membership is free, with no upfront costs either. We wonder what membership currently looks like, expecting it to be in the low-hundreds. “Not far off 2000,” he replies. “Probably 2000 by the end of the day.” Victor’s partnerships already include top-end restaurants and hotels, clubs and retreats, and luxury property firms. But it’s Victor’s members that make the idea workable. Victor discovered that some 92 percent of private jet users were actually happy to travel with like-minded people. As well as sharing common interests, be they social or professional, the opportunity to offset the cost of chartering a jet by selling the spare seats is a big motivation. Not even the super-wealthy enjoy getting ripped-off by overly high prices. “I generally don’t think the market should continue to levy extortionate commissions on top of jet charter, particularly for the loyal client,” says Clive. “If you’re a loyal client and you don’t keep asking, you get screwed. The jet charter world is quite murky. Victor makes it transparent.” Surely jet owners want seats filled. How does the market currently work? Clive says, “You’ve got brokers, then you’ve got operators, who don’t own the aircraft. They’re owned by wealthy people who say ‘look, you manage my aircraft, so when I am not using it, charter it out and deflate some of my management costs’. Management costs for a decent jet run up to £175,000 a year. That’s just to keep it parked. That’s the amount of dough you shell out just to say ‘I have a jet’. Hence management companies charter out jets, and hence there is

FLIGHT : VICTOR JET a charter market for people who spot-buy. So, you’ve got brokers, who sit in between; you’ve got jet charter companies, who are all over the place and don’t have a direct offering.”

“I don’t think the market should continue to levy extortionate commissions on top of jet charter” It’s the growing number of partners and members that testify to Victor’s brilliance and innovation. And whether, like Clive, you’re fed up with traditional methods of aviation, or you’re a private jet owner looking for partnership, it’s definitely worth contacting Victor. ‘Revolution’ is a strong and overused word, but Victor is truly changing the private aviation market – one seat at a time. TR

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F L I G H T : S I KO R S K Y S - 9 2

Blackhawk A worthy note for the super-rich: if it flies, floats or fornicates, rent it. But let’s be honest, who wants to share? Words: ALIYAH LASKIT When you absolutely have to outshine everyone on arrival, accept no substitutes. The Sikorsky S-92 is the mother of all VVIP helicopters. Numerous heads of state, corporate giants and wealthy recluses have chosen the S-92 over its competitors for a number of reasons. In today’s travel environment, owners and operators require a VIP aircraft which is comfortable, safe and productive. The Sikorsky S-92 offers a standard nine-passenger interior within its spacious cabin and can incorporate custom features including a galley, wet bar, closets and lavatory. Active vibration suppressors and acoustic technologies make the cabin exceptionally quiet and smooth, providing passengers with a comfortable and relaxed journey. With a six-foot (1.83m) high ceiling, the S-92 offers true “stand-up” headroom,

enabling passengers to walk freely throughout the cabin. The wide, open space also means more comfort when seated. To complete the perfect flight environment, the S-92 offers warm air at passengers’ feet, together with temperature controlled air overhead. The S-92 not only offers passengers unrivalled interior cabin space, but also provides significant storage provisions in the main cabin, while the aft fuselage provides 140 cubic feet (4m³) of additional baggage capability. The S-92 delivers maximum safety, comfort and flexibility and is ideal for those who require ‘round-the-clock productivity. Installed with an optional Rotor Ice Protection (RIPS) the S-92 is FAA and JAA certified to fly in known icy conditions and provides the comfort of a fixed-wing business aircraft with the freedom of a medium sized helicopter. TR

VITAL STATISTICS • Max Speed: 165kts • Long Range Cruise Speed: 252km/hr • Misson Range at Long Range Cruise Speed: With 9 passengers and baggage - 887km With 9 passengers and baggage 1,015km

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