April 2010

travel+leisure southeast asia

*

Your 2010 europe guide SOUTHEAST ASIA

Europe Special Issue • London • Turkey • Madrid • Prague • Cambodia • Jakarta • Malaysia

* 25 april 2010

top secret destinations in EUROPE Jakarta

The best 24 hours in town

London

Fitzrovia: the newest must-visit borough

CHINA’s chengdu revival: history in a HIP hotspot

Prague

Europe’s coolest design scene

Kuala Lumpur

April 2 010

Create your own classic local cuisine

Tra v e l a n d L e i s u r e A s i a . c o m

Plus: Guide to affordable European villas

Singapore SG$6.90 ● Hong Kong HK$39 Thailand THB160 ● Indonesia IDR45,000 Malaysia MYR15 ● Vietnam VND80,000 Macau MOP40 ● Philippines PHP220 Burma MMK32 ● Cambodia KHR20,000 Brunei BND6.90 ● Laos LAK48,000

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By invitation only.

9p `em`kXk`fe fecp% For expression of interest, please call =fi \ogi\jj`fe f] `ek\i\jk Singapore: + (65) 6295 6293 ZXcc -)0, -)0*% Hong Kong: + (852) 2277 2233 Thailand: + (66) 2273 5445

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Gi`m`c\^\ befnj ef Yfle[Xi`\j% :Xii`\[ Yp k_\ >cfYXc <c`k\# k_\ nfic[ fm\i%

By invitation only.

9p `em`kXk`fe fecp% For expression of interest, please call =fi \ogi\jj`fe f] `ek\i\jk Singapore: + (65) 6295 6293 ZXcc -)0, -)0*% Hong Kong: + (852) 2277 2233 Thailand: + (66) 2273 5445

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(Destinations)04.10 Berlin 93 London 40, 90, 118 Prague 108 Paris 40

Genoa 126 Italy 56, 142 Madrid 40, 84

Barcelona 64

World Weather This Month -40oF -20oF -40oC

0 oF

20oF

-25oC

-10oC

40oF 0 oC

5oC

50oF

65oF

10oC

15oC

75oF 20oC

90oF 30oC

40o+C

Issue Index EUROPE Barcelona 64 Belgium 60 Berlin 93 France 75 Genoa 126 Italy 56, 142 London 40, 90, 118

Singapore 36 Thailand 22, 36 Vietnam 22 ASIA Beijing 36 Chengdu 55 Mumbai 57

Madrid 40, 84 Milan 40 Oxford 52 Paris 40 Prague 108 MIDDLE EAST Turkey 102

Currency Converter Singapore Hong Kong Thailand Indonesia Malaysia Vietnam Macau Philippines Burma Cambodia Brunei Laos US ($1)

(SGD)

(HKD)

(BT)

(RP)

(RM)

(VND)

1.40

7.76

32.7

9,175

3.33

19,085

(MOP)

(P)

(MMK)

(KHR)

(BND)

(LAK)

7.99

45.6

6.51

4,160

1.40

8,505

Source: www.xe.com (exchange rates at press time).

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APRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

M A P BY E T H A N CO R N E L L

SOUTHEAST ASIA Bali 22 Hong Kong 22, 36 Jakarta 54 Ko Tao, Thailand 44 Malaysia 46, 72 Phnom Penh 48 Rote, Indonesia 80

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M | V O L 0 4 | I S S U E 0 4

(Contents)04.10 >134 Staufen im Breisgau, in southern Germany.

102 Bodrum Heats Up Under a sizzling sun, PETER JON LINDBERG visits an abundance of Turkish delights. Photographed

by CEDRIC ANGELES. GUIDE AND MAP 107 108 Bohemian Revival Prague is reclaiming its traditions 10

and channeling them into innovative hotels, restaurants and galleries. By MARIA SHOLLENBARGER. Photographed by MONIKA HOEFLER. GUIDE AND MAP 116 118 London’s Next Great Neighborhood Fitzrovia is an enclave that most would struggle to find on a map. By MARK ELWOOD. Photographed

by REBECCA LEWIS. MAP 125

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

126 A Food Lover’s Guide to Genoa On a quest for delicious seafood, BRUCE SCHOENFELD reels in decadent squid-ink ravioli, roasted branzino and more. Photographed

by DAVID CICCONI. GUIDE AND MAP 133 134 25 Undiscovered Villages T+L went in search of Europe’s authentic and accessible towns.

Here, secret spots that deliver true charm without the crowds.

MARTIN MORRELL

101-134 Features

(Contents)04.10 Departments Cover

> 60

> 72 55 Neighborhood Chengdu’s historic quarter is now a happening ’hood. BY ROBYN ECKHARDT 56 Books Slow life in Italy. BY SHANE MITCHELL 57 Art Brushing up on Mumbai’s art scene.

BY TANVI CHHEDA 60 Classics Belgian chocolate takes the world by storm. BY CHRISTINE ADUJUA

63-72 Stylish Traveler 35-60 Insider 36 Newsflash Gourmets flock to Singapore, wine cruises in Hong Kong, customized minibars and more.

44 Detour Thailand’s Ko Tao is still laid-back.

BY ERIC GOODMAN 46 Quick Study A boutique kitchen hidden away in Malaysia. BY ROBYN ECKHARDT 48 Eat In Phnom Penh, foreign food for thought. BY NAOMI LINDT 52 Museums Oxford’s secret showplace steps out.

BY PAUL LEVY 54 24 Hours Jakarta: There’s plenty to do in a day.

BY HERNANTO 12

63 Icon Cartier’s emblematic panther accessory.

BY LYNN YAEGER 64 Fashion Barcelona favorites from nine plugged-in locals. BY ANYA VON BREMZEN 72 Spotlight Designer Fiona Kotur. BY ELLE KWAN

> 64

In Porto, Portugal. Photographed

by Frederic Lagrange. Styled by Mimi Lombardo. Market Editor: Catherine Crate. Model: Ana Moya/ Elite Barcelona. Hair and makeup: Maarit Niemela/D+V Management.

Sweater by Generra. Turtleneck

by Christopher Fischer. Leggings

by Vince. Boots by Belle by Sigerson Morrison.

> 93

75-93 T+L Journal 75 Restaurants Young French chefs are reexamining the legacy of haute cuisine. BY ANYA VON BREMZEN 80 Special Report The perfect escape to Indonesia.

BY ADAM SKOLNICK 84 Food Eating in Madrid means more than just patatas bravas. BY JENNIFER CHEN 90 The Arts London: A city for book lovers.

BY VERLYN KLINKENBORG 93 Getaway Can a European weekend cost as little as a leisurely lunch? ADAM SACHS finds out.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M FA R L E F T : M A R I E H E N N E C H A R T ; C O U R T E SY O F V E R D U R A ; C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R ; B I L L P H E L P S

14 Editor’s Note 18 Contributors 20 Letters 22 Best Deals 27 Strategies 142 My Favorite Place

(Editor’s Note) 04.10 EUROPE IS ONCE AGAIN ON THE RADAR OF A SIAN TRAVELERS. ACTUALLY, IT WAS NEVER OFF ( OUR OWN T+L READER SURVEY CONSISTENTLY RATES EUROPE AS HIGH ON THE LIST OF A SIANS’ familiar with; as well as Prague’s “Bohemian Revival” (page 108), detailing the brand-new cultural movement in this fascinating European city. And if you want to find something pretty much unique, then get stuck into “Undiscovered Europe” (page 134)—I’ll say no more here otherwise it’s obviously less “undiscovered” when you read the full article... But my own favorite piece has to be “Book Lover’s London” (page 90). As someone who loves faded nook-and-cranny shops, especially in London side streets, and as a serious book lover, this story took me to dusty shelves, weighty tomes and literary curios—not a bad place to be compared with sitting in front of a computer screen.

Speaking of Europe, as you read this issue—since I’m 100 percent sure you all will read it within days of it being on the shelves—I’ll be in the final stages of preparing to return to the U.K. for a quick break. It’s my first time in two years, so I’ve packed the windcheater, ordered some farm-green Wellington boots and bought a balaclava to protect me from the elements. Wish me luck: I may be gone for some time, as someone famous once said.—M A T T L E P P A R D

TRAVEL + L EISURE EDITORS, WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE THE INDUSTRY’S MOST RELIABLE SOURCES. WHILE ON ASSIGNMENT, THEY TRAVEL INCOGNITO WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND DO NOT TAKE PRESS TRIPS OR ACCEPT FREE TRAVEL OF ANY KIND.

14

A PRI L

2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

TOM HOOPS

favorite destinations), despite the global financial slowdown and all the gloomy fiscal forecasts. Indeed, a survey recently released by the regional travel company Abacus International reveals that in the last three months of 2009, when we were all (according to the received wisdom) still in the throes of apocalyptic debt and credit stress, a whacking 63 percent of Asian travel agents cited Europe as one of three regions that their customers were most interested in, beating the U.S. hands-down. Of course, there’s so much to Europe that to call it a single destination does it a disservice; even as a region it stretches from frigid, snowscaped Scandinavia to the balmy south of Spain. Which means that for this special issue, we cast our nets wide in finding and commissioning the best stories, written by the best writers and shot by the best photographers.

So it’s with much pleasure as a European (some Brits may disagree, but we’ve always had this identity problem) that I present to you such gems as our Strategies guide to (mostly) affordable European villa rentals (page 27); “Bodrum Heats Up” (page 102), about a tranquil side of Turkey you’re probably not

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVE CONSULTANT DEPUTY EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR SENIOR DESIGNER DESIGNER ASSISTANT EDITOR/ILLUSTRATOR ASSISTANT EDITOR INTERN

Matt Leppard Fah Sakharet Chris Kucway Lara Day Wannapha Nawayon Sirirat Prajakthip Wasinee Chantakorn Liang Xinyi Monsicha Hoonsuwan

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Jennifer Chen (editor-at-large), Paul Ehrlich, Jen Lin-Liu, Robyn Eckhardt, Naomi Lindt, Adam Skolnick, Cedric Arnold, Darren Soh, Lauryn Ishak, Nat Prakobsantisuk, Christopher Wise, Brent Madison, Tom Hoops

AD

CHAIRMAN PRESIDENT PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

PUBLISHER DIRECTOR SINGAPORE / ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER CONSULTANT, HONG KONG/MACAU CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION GROUP CIRCULATION MANAGER

J.S. Uberoi Egasith Chotpakditrakul Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj

Robert Fernhout Lucas W. Krump Pichayanee Kitsanayothin Michael K. Hirsch Shea Stanley Gaurav Kumar Kanda Thanakornwongskul Supalak Krewsasaen Porames Chinwongs

AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INSIGHTS, MARKETING & SALES EXECUTIVE EDITOR, INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER

Ed Kelly Mark V. Stanich Paul B. Francis Nancy Novogrod Jean-Paul Kyrillos Cara S. David Mark Orwoll Thomas D. Storms Madelyn A. Roberts Marc Abdeldaim

TRAVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA VOL. 4, ISSUE 4 Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, Room 1205-06, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2851-6963; Fax: +852 2851-1933; under license from American Express Publishing Corporation, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Produced and distributed by Media Transasia Thailand Ltd., 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, 75/8 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 204-2370. Printed by Comform Co., Ltd. (+66 2 368-2942–7). Color separation by Classic Scan Co., Ltd. (+66 2 291-7575). While the editors do their utmost to verify information published, they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

This edition is published by permission of AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America.

Reproduction in whole or in part without the consent of the copyright owner is prohibited. © Media Transasia Thailand Ltd. in respect of the published edition.

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04.10

M

ONIKA HOEFLER |

PHOTOGRAPHER THE ASSIGNMENT Shot Prague for “Bohemian Revival” (page 108). FAVORITE PRAGUE NEIGHBORHOOD The Jewish Quarter, for its wonderful row houses and quiet, little streets. HOTEL HIGHLIGHT The monasterylike atmosphere at the new Augustine, close to Old Town. CZECH DESIGN Simple and freaky. WHAT TO BUY I wish I’d brought home a Hofman chair or an antique marionette. PHOTOGRAPHY TIP Go out before 8 A.M. to catch the morning light and see people starting their day.

Monika Hoefler, left.

Below: A view from Prague Castle.

ADAM SKOLNICK | WRITER

TANVI CHHEDA | WRITER

SEBASTIAN CORTÉS

THE ASSIGNMENT Went in

THE ASSIGNMENT Reported

PHOTOGRAPHER

search of a piece of on Mumbai’s flourishing paradise (“Rote’s Second art scene (“Maximum Wave,” page 80). PARADISE Art,” page 57). NOT-TOIS… Sitting on a porch MISS GALLERY Devi Art overlooking the rice fields Foundation in Gurgaon, in Ubud at sunset. hands-down. It’s a RETIREMENT? I’m freelance, beautiful brick building retirement’s for civilians! amid steel skyscrapers.

WITH A YEAR OFF I’d fi nish FAVORITE INDIAN ARTIST I’m my novel. NEXT GREAT drawn to works by Atul Dodiya. FAVORITE ART ADVENTURE Beating the MOVEMENT Fauvism, mean streets of my native because of the vibrancy of Los Angeles before heading off to write about Henri Matisse. CAN YOU DRAW? Does fi ngerPortugal’s Douro River painting count? valley for a spell.

|

THE ASSIGNMENT

Photographed the Mumbai story. WHY INDIA? I like the freedom, and the incredible blending of old and new. FAVORITE SPOT IN MUMBAI Colaba. It feels a little like New York’s SoHo during the early 80’s: chic but affordable, trendy but real. INDIA OR ITALY? Both are rich in heritage and influences—hard to choose. NEXT ASSIGNMENT A book on Pondicherry.

A B O V E , F R O M L E F T : J E N S C H WA R Z ; M O N I K A H O E F L E R . B E L O W, F R O M FA R L E F T : C O U R T E SY O F A D A M S KO L N I C K ; C O U R T E SY O F TA N V I C H H E D A ; C O U R T E SY O F S E B A S T I A N C O R T É S

BANGKOK + DIM SUM + ARCHITECTURE + NIGHTLIFE + BLOGS + ISLANDS + BOUTIQUES NOODLES + STYLE + WINE + SPAS + HONG KONG + DESIGN + GALLERIES + SINGAPORE + HUA HIN + DRIVING + ONLINE BOOKING + LAKSA + FASHION + REVIEWS + GOLF + KHAO SOI BEER + DIVING + CLUBBING + HOT DEALS + TRAVEL NEWS + CRUISING + LAOS + BARS MUSIC + ART + ECOTOURISM + MALAYSIA + TREKKING + SAIGON + SHOPPING + DEALS + BANGKOK + DIM SUM +

www.TravelandLeisureAsia.com

(Contributors)

(Letters)04.10 From far left: Rue Lavaud, in the town of Akaroa; Te Matuku oysters at Martin Bosley’s Restaurant, in Wellington; a view of the harbor on the way to Akaroa, a former French settlement on New Zealand’s South Island.

WELCOME TO

NEWZE ALAND Sand dunes, surf towns and an ever-expanding circle of fast friends: oysters are plentiful, the road is wide open and everyone has a story

ADAM SACHS tours the far reaches of New Zealand, where the to share. Photographed by MARK ROPER

96

LETTER OF THE MONTH

97

Traveling Teens I’d like to suggest you repeat the special report [“Asia’s kid-friendly secrets,” June 2009] you did on family vacations at some point later this year. Your timely advice was welcome among most of my friends and caused a few minor debates as well. And please do something about how we can occupy our teenagers without boring them to death on our next family getaway.

—Y U R AWA N S A K U L , B A N G KO K

Kiwi Cures

After reading your February story about New Zealand, I think you had me at the first line: “A tuatua is like a pipi but not as big as a toheroa.” Now I definitely want to head Down Under [“Welcome to New Zealand,” February 2010], but not only to learn a few new words. Your story’s angle of not planning everything down to a tee, of being guided only by those you meet along the way, was refreshing to say the least. I think we’re all guilty of planning to the point that our breaks aren’t always relaxing. My next vacation, hopefully to New Zealand, I think I’ll take things as they come. That said, I might cheat a little and book a night or two at Otahuna Lodge: I could definitely see myself lounging on the beautiful veranda there.

—M A RY S C H W E P , M A N I L A

✉

EDITOR’S REPLY Thanks for your suggestions and keep them coming. You’ll be glad to know that we’re running our family special again in our May issue, so watch out for it then.

For Love of Art In your article about regional art [“Buying Art and Antiques in Asia,” March 2010], you covered a lot of ground, but I think you missed out on one integral point. While doing your homework when investing in antiques is essential, I’ve also found that half the fun is in the research, whether of a particular piece, a country or an era. In the modest collection on my shelves and scattered around my home, there lies an interesting story or a vivid memory behind everything I’ve purchased on my travels. Some of my collection is of valuable artifacts, some of it things that no one else in their right mind would ever want. That’s just the way I like it!

—B E T T Y W O N G , S I N G A P O R E

E-MAIL T+L SEND YOUR LETTERS TO EDITOR @ TRAVELANDLEISURESEA.COM AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON RECENT STORIES OR NEW PLACES TO VISIT. LETTERS CHOSEN MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY AND SPACE. THE LETTER OF THE MONTH RECEIVES A FREE ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO TRAVEL + LEISURE ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ONLY).

READER OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN LETTERS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF TRAVEL + LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA, MEDIA TRANSASIA LTD., OR AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING.

(Best Deals) 04.10 DEAL OF THE MONTH

Spoil Me package at the Langham Place Samui at Lamai Beach (6677/960-888; kohsamui.

At the Alila Villas Uluwatu.

langhamplacehotels. com). What’s Included

■ HONG KONG Romantic Rendezvous package at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers (852/2732-6331; sheraton.com/hongkong). What’s Included A one-night stay in a Main House deluxe room; breakfast in bed or buffet breakfast at The Café for two; welcome champagne with strawberries and chocolate in the room; and late check-out until 4 P.M. Cost HK$2,388, through December 31. Savings 75 percent.

■ INDONESIA Indulge in Another Day offer at the Alila Villa Uluwatu (62-361/848-2166; alilahotels.com).

What’s Included A four-night stay for the price of three. Cost From US$562.50 per night, through May 31. Savings Up to 25 percent.

■ THAILAND Mahout Discovery package at the Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa (66-53/784084; goldentriangle.anantara.com). What’s Included Daily breakfast; complimentary vouchers to the World Class Hall of Opium; and a three-day training course at our elephant camp (learn how to feed, bathe and guide elephants). Cost From Bt10,850 per night, four-night minimum, through April 30.

Savings Up to 30 percent.

22

Living Large at Suite XL offer at LUXX XL (66-2/684-1111; staywithluxx.com). What’s Included A one-night stay in the two-bedroom Suite XL; in-room American breakfast for four; and late check-out until 4 P.M. Cost Bt11,000, through October 31. Savings 62 percent.

■ VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA The Mekong Delta Experience package with Victoria Hotels (victoriahotels-asia.com).

What’s Included A seven-day trip that includes accommodation at the Victoria Can Tho, Victoria Chau Doc and Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa; various excursions including a breakfast cruise on the Mekong River and transfers between hotels; and a massage at the Victoria Angkor. Cost US$892 per person, twin-sharing, through September 30. Savings 32 percent.

Royal Retreat on the River of Perfumes package at La Résidence Hotel & Spa (84-54/383-7475; la-residence-hue.com).

What’s Included A three-day stay in a superior room; round-trip airport transfer; daily breakfast; a dinner; a 20-minute massage for two; and free half-day bicycle rental. Cost US$149 per person, double occupancy, through June 30. Savings 35 percent.

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

A two-night stay in the room of your choice; round-trip airport transfer; daily breakfast; a dinner at CHA restaurant; a welcome drink and fruit plate; and free Wi-Fi. Cost From Bt12,400, through October 31. Savings Up to 20 percent.

Dusk at the Langham Place Samui.

F RO M TO P : CO U RT ESY O F A L I L A H OT E L S A N D R ES O RTS ; CO U RT ESY O F L A N G H A M H OT E L S

Need a break? Spoil yourself with these beach getaways and city retreats

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REASONS TO SHOP

EUROPEAN

Discover Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most stylish outlet shopping destinations, labels to lust after at prices you can afford, all year round

A

s we enter an era that is shaping a new perspective of luxury, the Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages serve as a compelling proposition for customers seeking seriously smart investments.

The nine Villages, conveniently located just outside some of Europe’s most important cities, provide the ultimate fulfilment to meet the demands of the most seasoned style hunter, offering exceptional reductions of up to 60% and sometimes more, all year round, from the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands. This is time and money well spent.

1

6

Fidenza Village, 60 minutes from the fashion capital Milan, is the insiders’ answer to luxury shopping – outlet style. Discover boutiques from the world’s leading Italian and international fashion and lifestyle brands with recommended retail prices reduced by up to 70%, all year round.

7

LONDON Bicester Village

At Bicester Village in Oxfordshire you will find quintessential English, European and international fashion and lifestyle brands, offering previous seasons’ collections reduced by up to 60% off the recommended retail price, all year round – and only 60 minutes from London.

BRANDS INCLUDE Marlies Dekkers, BCBG, Olivier Strelli, Escada, Hugo Boss, Liu Jo, Versace, Karen Millen, Wolford, Strenesse.

8

3

BRANDS INCLUDE Jimmy Choo, Armani, Antik Batik, S.T. Dupont, Moncler, Paul Smith, Diane von Furstenberg.

FRANKFURT Wertheim Village

Just 50 minutes from Frankfurt and at the gateway to the Romantic Road lies Wertheim Village. This outlet haven is home to previous seasons’ collections of world-leading German and international names in fashion and homeware with recommended retail prices reduced by up to 60% all year long.

BRANDS INCLUDE Anya Hindmarch, Bally, Cath Kidston, DKNY, Villeroy & Boch, Elizabeth Hurley Beach Boutique.

At La Vallée Village, just 35 minutes from the centre of Paris and 5 minutes from Disney® Parks, you will find over 90 luxury outlet boutiques offering highly attractive prices, all year round. Discover smart shopping in the capital of chic.

/ ANTWERP / 7 BRUSSELS COLOGNE

Maasmechelen Village

DUBLIN Village 2 Kildare

PARIS La Vallée Village

BRANDS INCLUDE Missoni, Bruno Magli, Frette, Lanificio Colombo, Brooks Brothers, Diesel, Furla, Baldinini, Piquadro, Simonetta, Fabio di Nicola, Trussardi Jeans.

You can traverse the fashion globe by strolling down Maasmechelen Village’s picturesque, stone-flagged streets, around 60 minutes from Brussels, Antwerp and Cologne. Fabulous savings of up to 60% on the recommended retail prices can be made on previous seasons’ collections from Belgian, Dutch, German and international names in fashion, homeware and home décor, all year round.

BRANDS INCLUDE Alexander McQueen, Anya Hindmarch, Diana von Furstenberg, Matthew Williamson, Smythson, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli.

Kildare Village has established itself as one of Ireland’s hottest shopping destinations with over 55 outlet boutiques offering fashion and homeware. Set in County Kildare, famous for its horse-racing heritage and just 60 minutes from cosmopolitan Dublin, this Village give savvy shoppers an opportunity to pick international treasures from previous seasons’ collections with reductions of up to 60% off the recommended retail price, all year round.

MILAN Fidenza Village

BRANDS INCLUDE Baldessarini, Steiff, Belstaff, Escada, Versace, La Perla, Joop!, Schumacher, Bally, Longchamp, Lacoste, Windsor.

MADRID Las Rozas Village

MUNICH Ingolstadt Village Munich has more theatres and art galleries than any other German city. It also has Ingolstadt Village, the stylish outlet shopping destination, 50 minutes north of Munich’s centre and with over 100 luxury outlet boutiques of German and international fashion and lifestyle brands offering previous seasons’ collections with recommended retail prices reduced by up to 60% all year round.

4

The architecture of this beautifully landscaped Village, 30 minutes from central Madrid, is an interpretation of city streets of some of the world’s great shopping destinations: Paris, Rome, Moscow, Shanghai and Beverly Hills among others. Here over 100 outlet boutiques of luxury Spanish and international brands offer previous seasons’ collections with reductions of up to 60% off the recommended retail price, all year round.

9

BRANDS INCLUDE Philpp Plein, Escada, Aigner, MCM, Strenesse, 7 For All Mankind, Versace, Bogner, Elizabeth Hurley Beach Boutique.

BRANDS INCLUDE CH Carolina Herrera Company Store, Bally, Custo Barcelona, Armand Basi, Belstaff, Burberry.

BARCELONA La Roca Village Barcelona’s art and fashion scenes, world-famous architecture and gastronomy make it a jewel in Spain’s cultural crown. La Roca Village, on the road to the Costa Brava, is 40 minutes from the city’s centre. The Villages 100 plus Catalan, Spanish and international designer brand outlet boutiques offer reductions of up to 60% off the recommended retail price of previous seasons’ collections, all year round.

BRANDS INCLUDE Armand Basi, Custo Barcelona, Escada Sport,

La Perla, Hoss Intropia, Spazio Dolce & Gabbana, Swarovski.

5

B

ooking a unique experience at one of the Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages is simple. Visit www.ChicOutletShopping.com for details of how to plan your visit and purchase your Shopping Express Service tickets online, taking you directly to the Village. So if you are looking to get organised, and be on budget before you leave home, this is the way to plan your visit with ease and in style.

www.ChicOutletShopping.com/PlanYourVisit © Value Retail PLC 2010

03/10

A

s we enter an era that is shaping a new perspective of luxury, the Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages serve as a compelling proposition for customers seeking seriously smart investments.

The nine Villages, conveniently located just outside some of Europe’s most important cities, provide the ultimate fulfilment to meet the demands of the most seasoned style hunter, offering exceptional reductions of up to 60% and sometimes more, all year round, from the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands. This is time and money well spent.

1

6

Fidenza Village, 60 minutes from the fashion capital Milan, is the insiders’ answer to luxury shopping – outlet style. Discover boutiques from the world’s leading Italian and international fashion and lifestyle brands with recommended retail prices reduced by up to 70%, all year round.

7

LONDON Bicester Village

At Bicester Village in Oxfordshire you will find quintessential English, European and international fashion and lifestyle brands, offering previous seasons’ collections reduced by up to 60% off the recommended retail price, all year round – and only 60 minutes from London.

BRANDS INCLUDE Marlies Dekkers, BCBG, Olivier Strelli, Escada, Hugo Boss, Liu Jo, Versace, Karen Millen, Wolford, Strenesse.

8

3

BRANDS INCLUDE Jimmy Choo, Armani, Antik Batik, S.T. Dupont, Moncler, Paul Smith, Diane von Furstenberg.

FRANKFURT Wertheim Village

Just 50 minutes from Frankfurt and at the gateway to the Romantic Road lies Wertheim Village. This outlet haven is home to previous seasons’ collections of world-leading German and international names in fashion and homeware with recommended retail prices reduced by up to 60% all year long.

BRANDS INCLUDE Anya Hindmarch, Bally, Cath Kidston, DKNY, Villeroy & Boch, Elizabeth Hurley Beach Boutique.

At La Vallée Village, just 35 minutes from the centre of Paris and 5 minutes from Disney® Parks, you will find over 90 luxury outlet boutiques offering highly attractive prices, all year round. Discover smart shopping in the capital of chic.

/ ANTWERP / 7 BRUSSELS COLOGNE

Maasmechelen Village

DUBLIN Village 2 Kildare

PARIS La Vallée Village

BRANDS INCLUDE Missoni, Bruno Magli, Frette, Lanificio Colombo, Brooks Brothers, Diesel, Furla, Baldinini, Piquadro, Simonetta, Fabio di Nicola, Trussardi Jeans.

You can traverse the fashion globe by strolling down Maasmechelen Village’s picturesque, stone-flagged streets, around 60 minutes from Brussels, Antwerp and Cologne. Fabulous savings of up to 60% on the recommended retail prices can be made on previous seasons’ collections from Belgian, Dutch, German and international names in fashion, homeware and home décor, all year round.

BRANDS INCLUDE Alexander McQueen, Anya Hindmarch, Diana von Furstenberg, Matthew Williamson, Smythson, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli.

Kildare Village has established itself as one of Ireland’s hottest shopping destinations with over 55 outlet boutiques offering fashion and homeware. Set in County Kildare, famous for its horse-racing heritage and just 60 minutes from cosmopolitan Dublin, this Village give savvy shoppers an opportunity to pick international treasures from previous seasons’ collections with reductions of up to 60% off the recommended retail price, all year round.

MILAN Fidenza Village

BRANDS INCLUDE Baldessarini, Steiff, Belstaff, Escada, Versace, La Perla, Joop!, Schumacher, Bally, Longchamp, Lacoste, Windsor.

MADRID Las Rozas Village

MUNICH Ingolstadt Village Munich has more theatres and art galleries than any other German city. It also has Ingolstadt Village, the stylish outlet shopping destination, 50 minutes north of Munich’s centre and with over 100 luxury outlet boutiques of German and international fashion and lifestyle brands offering previous seasons’ collections with recommended retail prices reduced by up to 60% all year round.

4

The architecture of this beautifully landscaped Village, 30 minutes from central Madrid, is an interpretation of city streets of some of the world’s great shopping destinations: Paris, Rome, Moscow, Shanghai and Beverly Hills among others. Here over 100 outlet boutiques of luxury Spanish and international brands offer previous seasons’ collections with reductions of up to 60% off the recommended retail price, all year round.

9

BRANDS INCLUDE Philpp Plein, Escada, Aigner, MCM, Strenesse, 7 For All Mankind, Versace, Bogner, Elizabeth Hurley Beach Boutique.

BRANDS INCLUDE CH Carolina Herrera Company Store, Bally, Custo Barcelona, Armand Basi, Belstaff, Burberry.

BARCELONA La Roca Village Barcelona’s art and fashion scenes, world-famous architecture and gastronomy make it a jewel in Spain’s cultural crown. La Roca Village, on the road to the Costa Brava, is 40 minutes from the city’s centre. The Villages 100 plus Catalan, Spanish and international designer brand outlet boutiques offer reductions of up to 60% off the recommended retail price of previous seasons’ collections, all year round.

BRANDS INCLUDE Armand Basi, Custo Barcelona, Escada Sport,

La Perla, Hoss Intropia, Spazio Dolce & Gabbana, Swarovski.

5

B

ooking a unique experience at one of the Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages is simple. Visit www.ChicOutletShopping.com for details of how to plan your visit and purchase your Shopping Express Service tickets online, taking you directly to the Village. So if you are looking to get organised, and be on budget before you leave home, this is the way to plan your visit with ease and in style.

www.ChicOutletShopping.com/PlanYourVisit © Value Retail PLC 2010

03/10

(Strategies) 04.10

T+L’S GUIDE TO EUROPEAN VILLA RENTALS Living like a local: any traveler would agree there’s no better way to experience Europe. And a growing number are discovering that renting a villa gives you that insider access to authentic daily life. Although it may seem daunting, finding a property is easier than you might expect.

BY A N D R E A B E N N E T T • E D I T E D BY JENNIFER FLOWERS I L L U S T R AT E D B Y J O H N P I R M A N

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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C O M

| AP RIL 2010

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villa rentals hand knowledge of the properties and can answer questions you might not have thought of: How far away is the grocery store? Is emergency help nearby? Does the local host speak English? How new are the appliances?

Many agents also have access to more rentals—either in a private portfolio or through other contacts—that they can offer once you’ve outlined your needs.

4

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXTRAS

7 1

ESSENTIAL TIPS BEFORE YOU RENT

RUN THE NUMBERS

Renting a villa is a terrific value proposition right now. Given the current economy, many second-home owners are offering their properties for the first time, and the increased supply means better deals. A large family can stay in a beautifully restored Tuscan farmhouse for less than the cost of an equivalent number of hotel rooms. According to homeaway.com, which rents more than 185,000 accommodations online, 55 percent of all owners intend to give discounts and other perks this year, including free nights and relaxed minimum-stay requirements. You can get a sense of the market by doing a preliminary search on one of the multi-destination villa agencies’ websites (listed on page 29).

28

2

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

Determine what kind of experience you’re after— particularly if you’re vacationing with a group. Do you require housekeeping every day or are you willing to do your own dishes (even if there’s no dishwasher)?

Would you prefer being more isolated or within steps of town? If you’re considering extras—guided trips; an evening at the opera—confirm in advance your willingness to pay additional fees.

3

GET ON THE PHONE

Pictures on websites certainly help, but it’s always best to speak to an agent by telephone. (Some companies won’t even work with clients they haven’t vetted themselves.) Those we recommend here have first-

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Rental owners are staying competitive by offering such perks as free housekeeping, the use of a car or a private chef. When inquiring about a property, it’s entirely permissible—and not at all uncouth—to ask an agent if the owner is willing to throw in anything else. The best agencies leverage their industry contacts and relationships with property owners to organize things you couldn’t arrange yourself, be it a tasting in a noble family’s wine cellar or a hot-air balloon ride over the countryside. (Remember to confirm all related fees up front.)

5

PUT IT IN WRITING

Signing a contract is standard when renting a villa. Like any agreement, this protects you, the owner and the agent. Make sure it specifies which expenses are not included in the base price, such as air-conditioning, the cost of heating the pool or taxes. A basic contract will also outline policies regarding

17

property damage, as well as what would constitute an unsatisfactory stay. See “WorstCase Scenarios” on page 30 for more about what to do in the event of a problem.

ALL-STAR VILLA AGENCIES

Abercrombie & Kent's C'AWANUI VILLA

UNITED KINGDOM

6

CONSIDER BUYING

Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates BEST FOR Attentive service Suzanne Cohen thoroughly interviews all of her potential clients before steering them to her wealth of 395 cottages and manor houses.

WHAT WE LOVE Every property is managed by the same exacting firm, so you can expect consistency.

GREAT STANDOUT VALUE PROPERTY The Gates, a three-bedroom, stone-walled house in the village of Castle Combe, near the Cotswolds (£1,680 a week). 207/622-0743; villaeurope.com.

INSURANCE

Renting a villa is a large investment. Insurance can cover you in the event of a medical evacuation or an unforeseen conflict; it can also protect you from bad weather delays or errors made by the rental agency.

Some policies will let you cancel if you’ve recently been laid off from your job, while others will permit you to cancel for no reason at all.

Expect to pay a premium of 5 to 11 percent of the trip’s prepaid, nonrefundable cost; cost may depend on the ages of the travelers in your group.

Compare a broad range of policies on insuremytrip.com or use a company listed on tripinsurancestore.com.

SPAIN

7

TRY AN EMERGING DESTINATION

Travelers willing to move beyond blue-chip destinations can find incredible value in lesserknown regions. Carolyn Grote of Ville et Village recommends Île de Ré, an island off France’s west coast.

Other European markets to consider are the Azores, Madeira, Malta and the Italian regions of Puglia and Montepulciano. You’ll also find a growing number of attractive deals in Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

A B O V E : © A B E R C R O M B I E & K E N T V I L L A S . B E L O W : C O U R T E S Y O F T H I N K S I C I LY

strategies | european

Spain Select BEST FOR Great value; user-friendly website This Madrid-based company’s 80 villas and 200 apartments are located all over the country, from Catalonia to the Balearics.

WHAT WE LOVE Searching online is easy with the aid of categories (Luxury, Unique Charm, Great Deals).

STANDOUT An eight-bedroom house on the Cap de Creus peninsula (near the Costa Brava); it’s a short ride from El Bulli and has views of Salvador Dalí’s house (¤16,500 a week).

34/91-523-7451; spain-select.com.

¤216 Per Room Per Night

FRANCE

Hosted Villas BEST FOR Great value; local staff Each of the 125 properties comes with a host who will help tailor an itinerary. The firm also has properties in Croatia, Italy, Scotland and Spain.

WHAT WE LOVE Booking promotions, such as a recent offer for ¤365 toward a chef’s services in an ivy-covered château in the Dordogne.

STANDOUT Le Grenier, a 19thcentury estate with six bedrooms in Fontainebleau whose 13-meter-tall granary is now a living room (¤8,550 a week).

1-416/920-1873; hostedvillas.com.

Ville et Village BEST FOR Local connections Carolyn Grote has a sleuth’s Think Sicily's DON ARCANGELO ALL'OLMO VILLA

¤442 Per Room Per Night

knowledge of both the 250 properties she offers and the towns they’re in (how long it takes to walk into town; how good the market is). Listings are in Italy, Portugal and Spain.

WHAT WE LOVE Ville et Village is straight with clients, warning when authenticity means no window screens, the lack of a microwave or a garden gone wild.

GREAT STANDOUT A restored VALUE three-bedroom farmhouse in the Vaucluse with its own lavender field and views of Mount Ventoux (¤2,880 a week). 510/559-8080; villeetvillage.com.

ITALY

The Best in Italy BEST FOR Exclusives; local connections Many of the 80 gems offered by Florence-based Countess Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda are owned by her friends. She has visited all the properties and regularly spends the night.

WHAT WE LOVE Want to taste wine with the owners of Antinori or Frescobaldi, or meet the jockeys behind the scenes at the Palio in Siena? The countess can make it happen.

STANDOUT A 16th-century manor that hosts small groups with its five bedrooms built by the bishop of Fiesole (¤14,620 a week). 39-055/233-064; thebestinitaly.com.

LISTINGS DECODER Know how to read the fine print before signing on the dotted line — and be mindful that European property descriptions may be different from in your own country.

Bedrooms Ask for the total number of actual bedrooms. When a listing says “sleeps eight,” this may include foldout couches in common areas.

Bed size Some foreign distinctions of twin, full, queen and king beds don’t always apply in Europe. Ask for the size in centimeters and compare it with your own size definitions.

Bathrooms Clarify whether the bathrooms are half baths (sometimes called “WC”) or full baths with a shower and a tub.

Layout Get the specifics. Particularly in older properties, bedrooms are sometimes reachable only through other bedrooms.

Privacy If your heart’s set on seclusion, ask whether you’ll be sharing amenities such as the pool with other guests on the grounds.

»

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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C O M

| A PR I L 2 0 10

29

villa rentals hand knowledge of the properties and can answer questions you might not have thought of: How far away is the grocery store? Is emergency help nearby? Does the local host speak English? How new are the appliances?

Many agents also have access to more rentals—either in a private portfolio or through other contacts—that they can offer once you’ve outlined your needs.

4

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXTRAS

7 1

ESSENTIAL TIPS BEFORE YOU RENT

RUN THE NUMBERS

Renting a villa is a terrific value proposition right now. Given the current economy, many second-home owners are offering their properties for the first time, and the increased supply means better deals. A large family can stay in a beautifully restored Tuscan farmhouse for less than the cost of an equivalent number of hotel rooms. According to homeaway.com, which rents more than 185,000 accommodations online, 55 percent of all owners intend to give discounts and other perks this year, including free nights and relaxed minimum-stay requirements. You can get a sense of the market by doing a preliminary search on one of the multi-destination villa agencies’ websites (listed on page 29).

28

2

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

Determine what kind of experience you’re after— particularly if you’re vacationing with a group. Do you require housekeeping every day or are you willing to do your own dishes (even if there’s no dishwasher)?

Would you prefer being more isolated or within steps of town? If you’re considering extras—guided trips; an evening at the opera—confirm in advance your willingness to pay additional fees.

3

GET ON THE PHONE

Pictures on websites certainly help, but it’s always best to speak to an agent by telephone. (Some companies won’t even work with clients they haven’t vetted themselves.) Those we recommend here have first-

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Rental owners are staying competitive by offering such perks as free housekeeping, the use of a car or a private chef. When inquiring about a property, it’s entirely permissible—and not at all uncouth—to ask an agent if the owner is willing to throw in anything else. The best agencies leverage their industry contacts and relationships with property owners to organize things you couldn’t arrange yourself, be it a tasting in a noble family’s wine cellar or a hot-air balloon ride over the countryside. (Remember to confirm all related fees up front.)

5

PUT IT IN WRITING

Signing a contract is standard when renting a villa. Like any agreement, this protects you, the owner and the agent. Make sure it specifies which expenses are not included in the base price, such as air-conditioning, the cost of heating the pool or taxes. A basic contract will also outline policies regarding

17

property damage, as well as what would constitute an unsatisfactory stay. See “WorstCase Scenarios” on page 30 for more about what to do in the event of a problem.

ALL-STAR VILLA AGENCIES

Abercrombie & Kent's C'AWANUI VILLA

UNITED KINGDOM

6

CONSIDER BUYING

Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates BEST FOR Attentive service Suzanne Cohen thoroughly interviews all of her potential clients before steering them to her wealth of 395 cottages and manor houses.

WHAT WE LOVE Every property is managed by the same exacting firm, so you can expect consistency.

GREAT STANDOUT VALUE PROPERTY The Gates, a three-bedroom, stone-walled house in the village of Castle Combe, near the Cotswolds (£1,680 a week). 207/622-0743; villaeurope.com.

INSURANCE

Renting a villa is a large investment. Insurance can cover you in the event of a medical evacuation or an unforeseen conflict; it can also protect you from bad weather delays or errors made by the rental agency.

Some policies will let you cancel if you’ve recently been laid off from your job, while others will permit you to cancel for no reason at all.

Expect to pay a premium of 5 to 11 percent of the trip’s prepaid, nonrefundable cost; cost may depend on the ages of the travelers in your group.

Compare a broad range of policies on insuremytrip.com or use a company listed on tripinsurancestore.com.

SPAIN

7

TRY AN EMERGING DESTINATION

Travelers willing to move beyond blue-chip destinations can find incredible value in lesserknown regions. Carolyn Grote of Ville et Village recommends Île de Ré, an island off France’s west coast.

Other European markets to consider are the Azores, Madeira, Malta and the Italian regions of Puglia and Montepulciano. You’ll also find a growing number of attractive deals in Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

A B O V E : © A B E R C R O M B I E & K E N T V I L L A S . B E L O W : C O U R T E S Y O F T H I N K S I C I LY

strategies | european

Spain Select BEST FOR Great value; user-friendly website This Madrid-based company’s 80 villas and 200 apartments are located all over the country, from Catalonia to the Balearics.

WHAT WE LOVE Searching online is easy with the aid of categories (Luxury, Unique Charm, Great Deals).

STANDOUT An eight-bedroom house on the Cap de Creus peninsula (near the Costa Brava); it’s a short ride from El Bulli and has views of Salvador Dalí’s house (¤16,500 a week).

34/91-523-7451; spain-select.com.

¤216 Per Room Per Night

FRANCE

Hosted Villas BEST FOR Great value; local staff Each of the 125 properties comes with a host who will help tailor an itinerary. The firm also has properties in Croatia, Italy, Scotland and Spain.

WHAT WE LOVE Booking promotions, such as a recent offer for ¤365 toward a chef’s services in an ivy-covered château in the Dordogne.

STANDOUT Le Grenier, a 19thcentury estate with six bedrooms in Fontainebleau whose 13-meter-tall granary is now a living room (¤8,550 a week).

1-416/920-1873; hostedvillas.com.

Ville et Village BEST FOR Local connections Carolyn Grote has a sleuth’s Think Sicily's DON ARCANGELO ALL'OLMO VILLA

¤442 Per Room Per Night

knowledge of both the 250 properties she offers and the towns they’re in (how long it takes to walk into town; how good the market is). Listings are in Italy, Portugal and Spain.

WHAT WE LOVE Ville et Village is straight with clients, warning when authenticity means no window screens, the lack of a microwave or a garden gone wild.

GREAT STANDOUT A restored VALUE three-bedroom farmhouse in the Vaucluse with its own lavender field and views of Mount Ventoux (¤2,880 a week). 510/559-8080; villeetvillage.com.

ITALY

The Best in Italy BEST FOR Exclusives; local connections Many of the 80 gems offered by Florence-based Countess Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda are owned by her friends. She has visited all the properties and regularly spends the night.

WHAT WE LOVE Want to taste wine with the owners of Antinori or Frescobaldi, or meet the jockeys behind the scenes at the Palio in Siena? The countess can make it happen.

STANDOUT A 16th-century manor that hosts small groups with its five bedrooms built by the bishop of Fiesole (¤14,620 a week). 39-055/233-064; thebestinitaly.com.

LISTINGS DECODER Know how to read the fine print before signing on the dotted line — and be mindful that European property descriptions may be different from in your own country.

Bedrooms Ask for the total number of actual bedrooms. When a listing says “sleeps eight,” this may include foldout couches in common areas.

Bed size Some foreign distinctions of twin, full, queen and king beds don’t always apply in Europe. Ask for the size in centimeters and compare it with your own size definitions.

Bathrooms Clarify whether the bathrooms are half baths (sometimes called “WC”) or full baths with a shower and a tub.

Layout Get the specifics. Particularly in older properties, bedrooms are sometimes reachable only through other bedrooms.

Privacy If your heart’s set on seclusion, ask whether you’ll be sharing amenities such as the pool with other guests on the grounds.

»

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| A PR I L 2 0 10

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strategies | european Think Sicily BEST FOR Exclusives; regional expertise; special excursions The group’s 80 listings are pure fantasy, and Think Sicily’s strict standards ensure every villa is up to snuff.

WHAT WE LOVE Unique outings, such as helicopter flights over Mount Etna, wine-tasting trips and in-villa spa treatments.

STANDOUT Don Arcangelo all’Olmo, a 12-bedroom manor in the countryside between the sea and Mount Etna (¤37,165 a week).

WHAT'S NEXT January saw the launch of Think Puglia, from the same company, with a handful of properties on the fashionable Salento Peninsula. 4420/7377-8518; thinksicily.com.

CROATIA

Croatian Villas BEST FOR Great value; flexible minimum stays; emerging destinations This eight-year-old company’s 350 villas represent the lion’s share of the growing market in Croatia; it also has listings in Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

WHAT WE LOVE The London staff can arrange local transportation and guides.

GREAT STANDOUT A oneVALUE bedroom apartment in Korcˇula’s Old Town that has an ancient Roman column uncovered during a recent renovation (HRK4,150 a week). 44-20/88886655; croatianvillas.com.

villa rentals floor is dedicated to the master bedroom and its terrace (¤13,810 a week).

WHAT'S NEXT Villas in Mykonos’s sister islands of Antiparos and Paros. 44-207/ 060-6244; mykonosvillas.com.

White Key Villas BEST FOR Superb locations; local staff The Athens-based owners focus only on properties they believe are in prime destinations, from the golden beaches of Halkidiki to cosmopolitan Santorini. All 60 properties are beachfront or have sea views.

WHAT WE LOVE A concierge is always available, and on-site requests are encouraged (a fully stocked fridge, personal-training sessions or even a private security detail — you name it).

STANDOUT Villa Jade, a minimalist villa with five bedrooms on its own small bay in Kardamili (¤16,880 a week). 30-210/7210-5530; whitekeyvillas.com.

ACROSS EUROPE

Abercrombie & Kent Villas BEST FOR Excursions; local staff; user-friendly website Five decades of experience as a luxury travel operator gave A&K a more than a healthy head start

White Key Villas' VILLA JADE

capital, Montepulciano (¤8,140 a week). beautiful-places.com.

Carpe Diem Luxury Travel BEST FOR Local connections; over-the-top services The 25 properties Maria Gratsos represents all belong to people in her social network. After a telephone interview, you’ll receive password-protected links to suitable properties’ websites.

WHAT WE LOVE Those looking for privacy and discretion will find it here.

STANDOUT A hilltop palazzo in Umbria with 10 bedrooms whose staff will organize hunts for truffles or even wild boar (¤34,990 a week). 44-20/7402-5330; carpediemtravel.co.uk.

Dream & Charme

¤482 Per Room Per Night

with its 135-property villa-rental offshoot, which was launched only last year.

WHAT WE LOVE Rentals can include the on-point services that made A&K famous: customized itineraries, wine tastings and cooking classes to name just a few options.

STANDOUT C’Awanui (see photo on page 29), a four-bedroom villa in Majorca whose 10-meter swimming pool has views of cypress tree—lined hilltops (¤6,040 a week). 44-12/4254-7902; akvillas.com.

Beautiful Places BEST FOR Great value; flexible minimum stays; special events While the Sonoma-based agency is known for its far-flung properties, its current agenda is to offer more value-oriented options.

WHAT WE LOVE The events: Ferrari race-car driving, costume balls in French châteaux, even a party where guests create their own barrels of Bordeaux wine.

STANDOUT A restored sixbedroom stone farmhouse just 40 minutes’ drive from the wine

»

WORST-CASE SCENARIOS

GREECE

30

!

A medical emergency

SOLUTION If you purchased insurance that covers trip interruption, you can lay claim to the value of the remainder of your trip — in many cases even if a preexisting medical condition cuts your trip short. Note: although some agencies team with insurance providers to sell special policies, these tend to be one-sizefits-all, charging a blanket fee for the house, no matter how many occupants. But Steve Dasseos, CEO of tripinsurancestore.com, notes that “some trip insurance policies won’t charge for children under 17. So for two parents renting with several kids, a trip-cancellation policy may provide better coverage for less money.”

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

!

Your villa is burgled

SOLUTION Call your local rental contact and immediately file a statement with the police. Many homeowners’ insurance policies cover theft of belongings abroad; before your trip, confirm your coverage and what you’ll need to qualify for reimbursement. Some travel-insurance policies cover your liability for damage or theft up to a certain amount. Check directly with your insurer, bank or credit-card company to see what is available. But be sure to read the fine print: not all policies cover you if the break-in resulted from negligence — e.g., failure to lock the doors or set an alarm (if the owner instructed you to use it).

!

Unexpected charges

SOLUTION Villa agencies live and die by their reputations; every agent we spoke with is more than happy to intercede on behalf of a client when extra costs appear on a bill or a rental doesn’t turn out as expected.

Before you travel, print out the property description from the agency’s online contract; the page should also show how much you agreed to pay and what the charges include (if the contract doesn’t stipulate the extras you agreed to, ask the agency to put them in writing). Bring all documents with you. Finally, put all charges on a credit card, in case you need to contest fees to which you did not agree.

LOUISA NIKOLAIDOU/WHITE KEY VILLAS

Aqua Living BEST FOR Local staff; regional expertise Aqua Living specializes in Mykonos and has its headquarters there, which means you’ll get unparalleled access to the island-based staff. The 80 listings also cover Rhodes, Santorini and Tinos.

WHAT WE LOVE The company’s own catering service, Aquafusion (mykonoschefs. com), ensures a stellar roster of private chefs for its villas.

STANDOUT The five-bedroom, Cycladic-style Magic Garden, in Mykonos, whose entire second

BEST FOR Travel services A list of 500 properties includes pricier Dream or less expensive Charme properties in France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

WHAT WE LOVE The Milanbased company is also a travel agency, offering one-stop shopping for airfare and car rentals.

STANDOUT Dream’s staffed sixbedroom chalet near St. Moritz, with chauffeur service to the slopes and an in-house spa (CHF100,760 a week). 39-02/ 8050-3457; dreamcharme.com.

LaCure Villas BEST FOR Exclusives; great value The company’s 700 properties are especially strong across Italy and France, with a growing presence in Spain.

WHAT WE LOVE LaCure’s zealously guarded private portfolio is not just for over-the-top properties; owners of mid-range rentals also prefer to keep their places out of the public eye.

STANDOUT The private portfolio includes a former hunting lodge with six bedrooms in Tuscany that was once owned by the Medici family (¤35,650 a week). 1-416/9682374; lacurevillas.com.

Luxury Lifestyle Management BEST FOR Great value Even if your budget is inflexible,

*

A note on pricing: Weekly rate listings are for high season; prices often drop dramatically in low season.

owner Maria Salazar will likely find the best possible option for stretching your vacation savings somewhere among her 2,000 listings. Her favorite deals right now include the Azores and Madeira.

WHAT WE LOVE Salazar deftly steers clients away from “outrageous” high-season prices in favor of secret shoulder-season deals. She also offers frank advice about the true costs of the trip.

STANDOUT Casa Alta de Cerro in Algarve, Portugal, a hilltop property home to five bedrooms, each with sweeping views of the Atlantic (¤8,660 a week). 1-786/293-9061; dreamexoticrentals.com.

Private World BEST FOR Exclusives; local staff The agency aims to represent only the two or three finest villas in its destinations (currently 140 properties in 70 countries), handpicking them for privacy, style and individuality.

WHAT WE LOVE All properties are fully staffed and include a local guide and concierge services.

STANDOUT The fivebedroom Tyringham Hall estate, in Buckinghamshire, set on formal gardens (£33,280 a week). 44-20/7723-5599; privateworldvillas.com.

Unique Properties & Events BEST FOR Special excursions; exclusives Each of the 80 properties — located everywhere from France, Greece and Italy to Spain and Switzerland — includes a private concierge service and a knowledgeable local host.

WHAT WE LOVE The company is equally known for the “events” portion of its name (a tasting of rare wines in Tuscany; access to private yachts during the St.Tropez regatta).

STANDOUT A five-room travertine palazzo in Cortona, Tuscany that is surrounded by ancient olive trees (¤26,480 a week).

WHAT'S NEXT This year, the group will introduce a small selection of villas in Corsica. 44-20/7788-7815; cedricreversade.com. ✚

Private Villas Kata Noi

•

Phuket

Luxury and exclusivity await at Impiana Private Villas, perched above the cosy bay of Kata Noi, Phuket.

Here, surrounded by nature and the stunning vistas of the Andaman Sea, this villa-resort of only 4 Private Villas and 7 Suites, each with its own private pool and a personal butler, will play the perfect host to your next private holiday.

The sea views especially at sunset; the personalised service and flavours of culinary fusion; the calm and sense of timelessness; the total privacy that will have you thinking it’s just you and the ocean.

Impiana Private Villas at Kata Noi is where you’ll lose yourself in the feasting of the senses, only to find your soul.

www.impiana.com

Recently opened

Impiana Private Villas Kata Noi 10 Kata Noi Road, Moo 2, Karon District, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand Tel: 66 (0) 7634 0138 Fax: 66 (0) 7634 0178 Email: info.bkksales@impiana.com, info.ipv@impiana.com Regional Sales Offices: Kuala Lumpur - tel: 60 (3) 2141 6233 • Singapore - tel: 65 (2) 6227 2858 Bangkok - tel: 66 (0) 2260 6505 • Phuket - tel : 66 (0) 7634 0138

strategies | european Think Sicily BEST FOR Exclusives; regional expertise; special excursions The group’s 80 listings are pure fantasy, and Think Sicily’s strict standards ensure every villa is up to snuff.

WHAT WE LOVE Unique outings, such as helicopter flights over Mount Etna, wine-tasting trips and in-villa spa treatments.

STANDOUT Don Arcangelo all’Olmo, a 12-bedroom manor in the countryside between the sea and Mount Etna (¤37,165 a week).

WHAT'S NEXT January saw the launch of Think Puglia, from the same company, with a handful of properties on the fashionable Salento Peninsula. 4420/7377-8518; thinksicily.com.

CROATIA

Croatian Villas BEST FOR Great value; flexible minimum stays; emerging destinations This eight-year-old company’s 350 villas represent the lion’s share of the growing market in Croatia; it also has listings in Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

WHAT WE LOVE The London staff can arrange local transportation and guides.

GREAT STANDOUT A oneVALUE bedroom apartment in Korcˇula’s Old Town that has an ancient Roman column uncovered during a recent renovation (HRK4,150 a week). 44-20/88886655; croatianvillas.com.

villa rentals floor is dedicated to the master bedroom and its terrace (¤13,810 a week).

WHAT'S NEXT Villas in Mykonos’s sister islands of Antiparos and Paros. 44-207/ 060-6244; mykonosvillas.com.

White Key Villas BEST FOR Superb locations; local staff The Athens-based owners focus only on properties they believe are in prime destinations, from the golden beaches of Halkidiki to cosmopolitan Santorini. All 60 properties are beachfront or have sea views.

WHAT WE LOVE A concierge is always available, and on-site requests are encouraged (a fully stocked fridge, personal-training sessions or even a private security detail — you name it).

STANDOUT Villa Jade, a minimalist villa with five bedrooms on its own small bay in Kardamili (¤16,880 a week). 30-210/7210-5530; whitekeyvillas.com.

ACROSS EUROPE

Abercrombie & Kent Villas BEST FOR Excursions; local staff; user-friendly website Five decades of experience as a luxury travel operator gave A&K a more than a healthy head start

White Key Villas' VILLA JADE

capital, Montepulciano (¤8,140 a week). beautiful-places.com.

Carpe Diem Luxury Travel BEST FOR Local connections; over-the-top services The 25 properties Maria Gratsos represents all belong to people in her social network. After a telephone interview, you’ll receive password-protected links to suitable properties’ websites.

WHAT WE LOVE Those looking for privacy and discretion will find it here.

STANDOUT A hilltop palazzo in Umbria with 10 bedrooms whose staff will organize hunts for truffles or even wild boar (¤34,990 a week). 44-20/7402-5330; carpediemtravel.co.uk.

Dream & Charme

¤482 Per Room Per Night

with its 135-property villa-rental offshoot, which was launched only last year.

WHAT WE LOVE Rentals can include the on-point services that made A&K famous: customized itineraries, wine tastings and cooking classes to name just a few options.

STANDOUT C’Awanui (see photo on page 29), a four-bedroom villa in Majorca whose 10-meter swimming pool has views of cypress tree—lined hilltops (¤6,040 a week). 44-12/4254-7902; akvillas.com.

Beautiful Places BEST FOR Great value; flexible minimum stays; special events While the Sonoma-based agency is known for its far-flung properties, its current agenda is to offer more value-oriented options.

WHAT WE LOVE The events: Ferrari race-car driving, costume balls in French châteaux, even a party where guests create their own barrels of Bordeaux wine.

STANDOUT A restored sixbedroom stone farmhouse just 40 minutes’ drive from the wine

»

WORST-CASE SCENARIOS

GREECE

30

!

A medical emergency

SOLUTION If you purchased insurance that covers trip interruption, you can lay claim to the value of the remainder of your trip — in many cases even if a preexisting medical condition cuts your trip short. Note: although some agencies team with insurance providers to sell special policies, these tend to be one-sizefits-all, charging a blanket fee for the house, no matter how many occupants. But Steve Dasseos, CEO of tripinsurancestore.com, notes that “some trip insurance policies won’t charge for children under 17. So for two parents renting with several kids, a trip-cancellation policy may provide better coverage for less money.”

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

!

Your villa is burgled

SOLUTION Call your local rental contact and immediately file a statement with the police. Many homeowners’ insurance policies cover theft of belongings abroad; before your trip, confirm your coverage and what you’ll need to qualify for reimbursement. Some travel-insurance policies cover your liability for damage or theft up to a certain amount. Check directly with your insurer, bank or credit-card company to see what is available. But be sure to read the fine print: not all policies cover you if the break-in resulted from negligence — e.g., failure to lock the doors or set an alarm (if the owner instructed you to use it).

!

Unexpected charges

SOLUTION Villa agencies live and die by their reputations; every agent we spoke with is more than happy to intercede on behalf of a client when extra costs appear on a bill or a rental doesn’t turn out as expected.

Before you travel, print out the property description from the agency’s online contract; the page should also show how much you agreed to pay and what the charges include (if the contract doesn’t stipulate the extras you agreed to, ask the agency to put them in writing). Bring all documents with you. Finally, put all charges on a credit card, in case you need to contest fees to which you did not agree.

LOUISA NIKOLAIDOU/WHITE KEY VILLAS

Aqua Living BEST FOR Local staff; regional expertise Aqua Living specializes in Mykonos and has its headquarters there, which means you’ll get unparalleled access to the island-based staff. The 80 listings also cover Rhodes, Santorini and Tinos.

WHAT WE LOVE The company’s own catering service, Aquafusion (mykonoschefs. com), ensures a stellar roster of private chefs for its villas.

STANDOUT The five-bedroom, Cycladic-style Magic Garden, in Mykonos, whose entire second

BEST FOR Travel services A list of 500 properties includes pricier Dream or less expensive Charme properties in France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

WHAT WE LOVE The Milanbased company is also a travel agency, offering one-stop shopping for airfare and car rentals.

STANDOUT Dream’s staffed sixbedroom chalet near St. Moritz, with chauffeur service to the slopes and an in-house spa (CHF100,760 a week). 39-02/ 8050-3457; dreamcharme.com.

LaCure Villas BEST FOR Exclusives; great value The company’s 700 properties are especially strong across Italy and France, with a growing presence in Spain.

WHAT WE LOVE LaCure’s zealously guarded private portfolio is not just for over-the-top properties; owners of mid-range rentals also prefer to keep their places out of the public eye.

STANDOUT The private portfolio includes a former hunting lodge with six bedrooms in Tuscany that was once owned by the Medici family (¤35,650 a week). 1-416/9682374; lacurevillas.com.

Luxury Lifestyle Management BEST FOR Great value Even if your budget is inflexible,

*

A note on pricing: Weekly rate listings are for high season; prices often drop dramatically in low season.

owner Maria Salazar will likely find the best possible option for stretching your vacation savings somewhere among her 2,000 listings. Her favorite deals right now include the Azores and Madeira.

WHAT WE LOVE Salazar deftly steers clients away from “outrageous” high-season prices in favor of secret shoulder-season deals. She also offers frank advice about the true costs of the trip.

STANDOUT Casa Alta de Cerro in Algarve, Portugal, a hilltop property home to five bedrooms, each with sweeping views of the Atlantic (¤8,660 a week). 1-786/293-9061; dreamexoticrentals.com.

Private World BEST FOR Exclusives; local staff The agency aims to represent only the two or three finest villas in its destinations (currently 140 properties in 70 countries), handpicking them for privacy, style and individuality.

WHAT WE LOVE All properties are fully staffed and include a local guide and concierge services.

STANDOUT The fivebedroom Tyringham Hall estate, in Buckinghamshire, set on formal gardens (£33,280 a week). 44-20/7723-5599; privateworldvillas.com.

Unique Properties & Events BEST FOR Special excursions; exclusives Each of the 80 properties — located everywhere from France, Greece and Italy to Spain and Switzerland — includes a private concierge service and a knowledgeable local host.

WHAT WE LOVE The company is equally known for the “events” portion of its name (a tasting of rare wines in Tuscany; access to private yachts during the St.Tropez regatta).

STANDOUT A five-room travertine palazzo in Cortona, Tuscany that is surrounded by ancient olive trees (¤26,480 a week).

WHAT'S NEXT This year, the group will introduce a small selection of villas in Corsica. 44-20/7788-7815; cedricreversade.com. ✚

Private Villas Kata Noi

•

Phuket

Luxury and exclusivity await at Impiana Private Villas, perched above the cosy bay of Kata Noi, Phuket.

Here, surrounded by nature and the stunning vistas of the Andaman Sea, this villa-resort of only 4 Private Villas and 7 Suites, each with its own private pool and a personal butler, will play the perfect host to your next private holiday.

The sea views especially at sunset; the personalised service and flavours of culinary fusion; the calm and sense of timelessness; the total privacy that will have you thinking it’s just you and the ocean.

Impiana Private Villas at Kata Noi is where you’ll lose yourself in the feasting of the senses, only to find your soul.

www.impiana.com

Recently opened

Impiana Private Villas Kata Noi 10 Kata Noi Road, Moo 2, Karon District, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand Tel: 66 (0) 7634 0138 Fax: 66 (0) 7634 0178 Email: info.bkksales@impiana.com, info.ipv@impiana.com Regional Sales Offices: Kuala Lumpur - tel: 60 (3) 2141 6233 • Singapore - tel: 65 (2) 6227 2858 Bangkok - tel: 66 (0) 2260 6505 • Phuket - tel : 66 (0) 7634 0138

Special Promotion

Ang Thong National Park

Bangkok

Your Home From Home...

T

hailand is definitely not your ordinary tropical destination. Where else will you be so warmly welcomed that you instantly feel “part of the family”? In Thailand, you can sink into the rich cultural heritage of peace and goodwill

as all Thais warmly welcome you, wherever your travels take you.

And while you’re here, whether you’re watching a magical sunrise at the top of one of our northern mountains, diving deep in the turquoise waters of the south, or simply immersing yourself in the famously welcoming local culture, let profound peace wash over your mind, body and soul, and reconnect with yourself, as you sink into the bliss of a truly Thai getaway. You’ll leave with such a sense of emotional and spiritual renewal that you’ll be fully recharged—and eager to return.

And the great thing about any holiday in Thailand is the fact that this charming,

Floating Market

premier destination is a truly luxurious experience at an amazingly reasonable price.

Floating Market

Phitsanulok

For more information, visit www.tourismthailand.org

Cutting Edge.

Our guide to

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : J O H N S . C A L L A H A N ; S E B A S T I A N C O R T É S ; C H R I S T O P H E R W I S E ; D AV I D H A G E R M A N ; © G R E G S M O L O N S K I / P H O T O V I B E

Chill Zone.

Life’s a beach on laid-back Ko Tao <(page 44)

Mumbai’s most exciting art galleries <(page 57)

Bold Bites.

Brave new f lavors in Phnom Penh <(page 48)

Museum Makeover.

The Ashmolean in Oxford gets a fresh look (page 52)>

+

• The best of Jakarta in 24 hours or less • Chengdu’s historic quarter revamped • A chic culinary hideaway in Malaysia

(Insider) Where to GoWhat to EatWhere to StayWhat to Buy

insider

| newsflash BOOKS

E AT

Ultra Gourmet Clockwise from below left: Chef Michel Rostang; two dishes by chef Dieter Kaufmann; foie gras à la Rostang; a creative take on chocolate.

Two-Michelin-starred French chef Michel Rostang, famed for his way with truffles, is just one of the chefs coming to Singapore.

Here, he reveals his food secrets and more to T+L. FAVORITE FOOD CITY Paris.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A CHEF? It was natural for me because I’m the fifth generation of cooks in my family. ● CHEF YOU MOST ADMIRE Paul Bocuse. ● TOP COLLECTOR’S ITEMS French popular art, for instance 19th-century barbotines, or slipcast pottery, Robj ceramics and the everyday objects found in bistros. ● WHAT WILL YOU EXPLORE IN SINGAPORE? Local life, markets and cuisine. ● ●

36

APRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

C L O C K W I S E F R O M FA R R I G H T : C O U R T E SY O F L A N G H A M H O T E L S ; C O U R T E SY O F A M A N R E S O R T S ; CO U RT ESY O F BA A N O O M ; CO U RT ESY O F H K M AGA Z I N E ; CO U RT ESY O F Z H AO CA R DS

STELLAR S STEL TELL LAR CHEF

Foodies, mark your calendars. In its 14th year, Singapore’s World Gourmet Summit (various venues, April 11–25; worldgourmetsummit.com; tickets from S$18) promises a gastronomic line-up to satisfy the most discriminating diners. A staple on Asia’s fine-dining scene, the event is a 15-day extravaganza of nonstop gourmet action, from food and wine tastings to cookery workshops and celebrity-chef dining sessions. Attendees can hobnob with Michelinstarred maestros—including France’s Michel Rostang, Germany’s Dieter Kaufmann and Hong Kong’s Lai Yau Tim—as well as acclaimed sommeliers, leading vintners and even some Singaporean culinary talents. They can also tuck into cuisine by three-Michelin-starred chef Bruno Ménard along with paired vintages at the inaugural Grandeur of Wine Gala Dinner, indulge in decadent creations crafted by renowned pâtissiers at an evening chocolate spread and feast on signature dishes by iconic chefs at intimate luncheons. Of course, they may need to say goodbye to their waistlines for a while... —L I A N G X I N Y I

CO U RT ESY O F WO R L D G O U R M E T S U M M I T ( 5 )

An Epicurean Affair

INSIDER GUIDES Asia’s booming cities can be daunting.

What better way to navigate them than with a local? If you don’t know anyone personally, guidebooks written by residents may be the next best thing. ● We Love Bangkok! (baanoom.com; Bt350), the English version of a Thai best-seller, is loaded with bona fide Bangkok experiences, from legendary late-night congee haunt Jok Sam Yan to the quirky Bangkok University Gallery—better known as BUG—which showcases cutting-edge works by up-and-coming Thai artists. ● For an alternative to Hong Kong’s urban hubbub, Historical Hong Kong Hikes (hk-magazine.com; HK$200) guides ramblers along the SAR’s many hiking trails, highlighting a host of historical landmarks: noteworthy stops include places where the Battle of Hong Kong was fought around the city’s main island, the Matilda Hospital on the Peak and the Trappist Monastery, a calm retreat on outlying Lantau. ● Aimed at non-Chinese speakers, Zhao Shanghai (zhaocards.com; RMB100) is a stack of 99 color-coded cards detailing Shanghai’s best sights, shopping spots, restaurants and dishes. Mainly useful for the city center, the cards have names and addresses in Chinese—perfect for hassle-free taxi rides.

—M O N S I C H A H O O N S U WA N

TECH

Tips on the Go Hopelessly lost and don’t speak the lingo? Langham Hotels (langhamhotels.com) comes to the rescue with its recently launched Langham Touch, an iPhone app that travelers can download for free on iTunes. Part phrasebook, part personal concierge, this voice-enabled app supplies survival phrases in Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai, as well as a wealth of insider advice, from Shanghai’s best galleries to Samui’s most authentic local dessert spots.

There’s also a city-guide section, plus an SMS service that sends you the address of your chosen destination in both English and the local language.— L A R A D AY

Eastern Retreat Amanresorts has finally arrived in London in the form of the Aman Spa at The Connaught (Carlos Place; 44/20-3147-7305; the-connaught.co.uk; doubles from £345), located in the basement of the imperious Connaught’s new west wing.

Interior designer Jaya Ibrahim has swathed the 500-square-meter space in a mix of moodily lit dark gray granite, Portland stone, oak, copper, bamboo and burnished pewter. Each of the five spacious treatment rooms features an en-suite changing area and steam room. All the better to indulge in the spa menu that’s draws from destinations where Amanresorts has an outpost; expect luxe red clay body wraps with Navajo herbs, Samadara technique facials and Thai herbal heat compresses. When you’re suitably refreshed, pop upstairs to the sleek David Collins–designed bar for a post-spa bubbly.— DAV E N W U

S PA S

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

.

C O M |A P R I L

201 0

37

insider

| newsflash BOOKS

E AT

Ultra Gourmet Clockwise from below left: Chef Michel Rostang; two dishes by chef Dieter Kaufmann; foie gras à la Rostang; a creative take on chocolate.

Two-Michelin-starred French chef Michel Rostang, famed for his way with truffles, is just one of the chefs coming to Singapore.

Here, he reveals his food secrets and more to T+L. FAVORITE FOOD CITY Paris.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A CHEF? It was natural for me because I’m the fifth generation of cooks in my family. ● CHEF YOU MOST ADMIRE Paul Bocuse. ● TOP COLLECTOR’S ITEMS French popular art, for instance 19th-century barbotines, or slipcast pottery, Robj ceramics and the everyday objects found in bistros. ● WHAT WILL YOU EXPLORE IN SINGAPORE? Local life, markets and cuisine. ● ●

36

APRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

C L O C K W I S E F R O M FA R R I G H T : C O U R T E SY O F L A N G H A M H O T E L S ; C O U R T E SY O F A M A N R E S O R T S ; CO U RT ESY O F BA A N O O M ; CO U RT ESY O F H K M AGA Z I N E ; CO U RT ESY O F Z H AO CA R DS

STELLAR S STEL TELL LAR CHEF

Foodies, mark your calendars. In its 14th year, Singapore’s World Gourmet Summit (various venues, April 11–25; worldgourmetsummit.com; tickets from S$18) promises a gastronomic line-up to satisfy the most discriminating diners. A staple on Asia’s fine-dining scene, the event is a 15-day extravaganza of nonstop gourmet action, from food and wine tastings to cookery workshops and celebrity-chef dining sessions. Attendees can hobnob with Michelinstarred maestros—including France’s Michel Rostang, Germany’s Dieter Kaufmann and Hong Kong’s Lai Yau Tim—as well as acclaimed sommeliers, leading vintners and even some Singaporean culinary talents. They can also tuck into cuisine by three-Michelin-starred chef Bruno Ménard along with paired vintages at the inaugural Grandeur of Wine Gala Dinner, indulge in decadent creations crafted by renowned pâtissiers at an evening chocolate spread and feast on signature dishes by iconic chefs at intimate luncheons. Of course, they may need to say goodbye to their waistlines for a while... —L I A N G X I N Y I

CO U RT ESY O F WO R L D G O U R M E T S U M M I T ( 5 )

An Epicurean Affair

INSIDER GUIDES Asia’s booming cities can be daunting.

What better way to navigate them than with a local? If you don’t know anyone personally, guidebooks written by residents may be the next best thing. ● We Love Bangkok! (baanoom.com; Bt350), the English version of a Thai best-seller, is loaded with bona fide Bangkok experiences, from legendary late-night congee haunt Jok Sam Yan to the quirky Bangkok University Gallery—better known as BUG—which showcases cutting-edge works by up-and-coming Thai artists. ● For an alternative to Hong Kong’s urban hubbub, Historical Hong Kong Hikes (hk-magazine.com; HK$200) guides ramblers along the SAR’s many hiking trails, highlighting a host of historical landmarks: noteworthy stops include places where the Battle of Hong Kong was fought around the city’s main island, the Matilda Hospital on the Peak and the Trappist Monastery, a calm retreat on outlying Lantau. ● Aimed at non-Chinese speakers, Zhao Shanghai (zhaocards.com; RMB100) is a stack of 99 color-coded cards detailing Shanghai’s best sights, shopping spots, restaurants and dishes. Mainly useful for the city center, the cards have names and addresses in Chinese—perfect for hassle-free taxi rides.

—M O N S I C H A H O O N S U WA N

TECH

Tips on the Go Hopelessly lost and don’t speak the lingo? Langham Hotels (langhamhotels.com) comes to the rescue with its recently launched Langham Touch, an iPhone app that travelers can download for free on iTunes. Part phrasebook, part personal concierge, this voice-enabled app supplies survival phrases in Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai, as well as a wealth of insider advice, from Shanghai’s best galleries to Samui’s most authentic local dessert spots.

There’s also a city-guide section, plus an SMS service that sends you the address of your chosen destination in both English and the local language.— L A R A D AY

Eastern Retreat Amanresorts has finally arrived in London in the form of the Aman Spa at The Connaught (Carlos Place; 44/20-3147-7305; the-connaught.co.uk; doubles from £345), located in the basement of the imperious Connaught’s new west wing.

Interior designer Jaya Ibrahim has swathed the 500-square-meter space in a mix of moodily lit dark gray granite, Portland stone, oak, copper, bamboo and burnished pewter. Each of the five spacious treatment rooms features an en-suite changing area and steam room. All the better to indulge in the spa menu that’s draws from destinations where Amanresorts has an outpost; expect luxe red clay body wraps with Navajo herbs, Samadara technique facials and Thai herbal heat compresses. When you’re suitably refreshed, pop upstairs to the sleek David Collins–designed bar for a post-spa bubbly.— DAV E N W U

S PA S

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

.

C O M |A P R I L

201 0

37

| newsflash

Luxury fashion brand Shanghai Tang goes beyond mandarin collars and qipaos with the opening of the Shanghai Tang Café (Levels 2 & 3, 333 Huang Pi Nan Road, Xintiandi, near Tai Cang Road; 86-21/6377-3333; shanghaitang.com; dinner for two RMB450) in Xintiandi, Shanghai’s buzzing lifestyle district. The restaurant-bar’s interior, by American designer Jonathan Solomon, echoes the brand’s sartorial signatures: picture traditional Chinese fused with contemporary lines, harking back to the city’s resplendent 1930’s. Birdcage chandeliers float from the ceiling, bright silk in Shanghai Tang’s trademark hues punctuate black-lacquer furniture and octagonal artworks adorn the walls. On the menu, Jereme Leung, founding chef of the Whampoa Club, offers standout dishes like foie gras paired with hawthorn jelly and sorbet, crispy prawns with wasabi mayonnaise and pomegranate pearls, and roasted Mongolian-style lamb rack.—L . X .

CAFÉ

ALL ABOARD If you’ve ever dreamed of cruising on your own world-class yacht, but tragically lack the funds to finance one, it’s time to set sail for Hong Kong.

Australian-run ventures Hong Kong Yachting and Adelaide Cellar Door have teamed up to let passengers on board their ultra-high-tech V1 (852/2526-0151; hongkongyachting.com; cruises from HK$480 per person), a Volvo 60 racing yacht built for Volvo’s Round the World Ocean Race and one of only 19 such vessels in existence. Don’t worry if you don’t quite have your sea legs yet; a highly trained crew will make sure you stay afloat. Meantime, you’ll be fed, watered and even wined: don’t miss the twilight wine cruise, which lets you sample five boutique vintages from South Australia while taking in Hong Kong’s breathtaking skyline during the city’s nightly light show. See the website for schedules.—L . D .

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Arles in Beijing

CO U RT ESY O F T H R E E S H A D OWS P H OTO G RA P H Y A RT C E N T R E ( 2 )

China Chic

TREND

Tailored Treats Call it custom couture for the discerning hotel-snack palate. Thai boutique-villa outfit X2 Resorts (x2resorts.com), pronounced “Cross To,” has introduced the so-called Designer Mini Bar, catering to those who like to tailor every aspect of their travels. On check-in, guests select their preferred refreshments, head to their rooms, and voilà: a fridge chock-full of their favorite drinks and nibbles. So whether you’re into Perrier or pink-guava juice, Lindt orange-flavored dark chocolate or locally sourced snacks like sun-dried okra and tamarindand-peach toffees, you’re bound to find something to suit your taste buds.—L . D .

CRUISE

Paging all photography buffs: venerable French photo festival Les Rencontres d’Arles is landing in Asia for its fortieth birthday this year—specifically by way of Caochangdi, the northeastern Beijing suburb turned art district that boasts some of the Chinese capital’s most avant-garde art galleries. Running parallel to the European festival, the first annual Caochangdi Photospring (various venues; ccdphotospring.com; free entry) launches on April 17 with a packed opening-week calendar, featuring launch parties, talks, DJs, live music, slideshow projections, documentary-film screenings and portfolio reviews for China’s budding photographers.

Spearheaded by Beijing art spaces Thinking Hands and Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, China’s only venue dedicated to video and photography, the three-year Caochangdi–Arles partnership marks a great leap forward in a country where photography is rarely considered an art form. Caochangdi’s offerings—which span photojournalism to fiction and fantasy—should certainly quell naysayers: on show are the arresting,

ART

Works by French photographer Pierre Gonnord.

painterly portraits of Frenchman Pierre Gonnord, the edgy frames of Japan’s Araki Nobuyoshi and Daido Moriyama, the dark documentary works of Czech Josef Koudelka, an exhibition of Polaroids, and experimental imagery by rising Chinese talents Chi Peng and Han Lei, among others. As if that weren’t enough, leading artists like Ai Wei Wei, Li Jie and Wang Qingsong will be opening their studios to the public, demonstrating the uses of photography in their artistic practices.—L . D .

At One World Hotel, luxury can now be defined in at least 6 different ways.

We like to surprise our guests.

This year, visitors to our 5-star hotel will find our rooms a little different, and somehow, a little better.

F R O M L E F T : C O U R T E S Y O F H O N G K O N G YA C H T I N G ; C O U R T E S Y O F S H A N G H A I TA N G .

I L L U S T R AT E D BY WA S I N E E C H A N TA KO R N

insider

That’s because we’ve given our rooms a thoughtful upgrade with extras such as massage chairs, personalised coffee machines and bed-end stools, just to name a few. Quashing the belief that it’s impossible to overdo luxury, we present 6 categories of plush rooms to choose from, including the new Executive Deluxe Rooms and the supremely decadent Premier Suites.

With world-class restaurants, peerless hospitality and an adjacent 5 million sq. ft. shopping mall featuring a Rainforest, Secret Garden and Sky Mall as part of the One World experience, the added luxury should come as no surprise at all.

The BrandLaureate SMEs Chapter Awards 2009 Corporate Branding Best Brands in Hotel – Business

Cinnamon Coffee C ff House Malaysia Tourism Award 2008 - 2009 Innovative Restaurant Premier Award - International Restaurant

first avenue, bandar utama city centre, 47800 petaling jaya, selangor, malaysia. toll free domestic: 1300 88 7888 toll free international: 1800 88 7888 tel: 603 7681 1111 fax: 603 7681 1188 email: reservations@oneworldhotel.com.my website: www.oneworldhotel.com.my

| newsflash

Luxury fashion brand Shanghai Tang goes beyond mandarin collars and qipaos with the opening of the Shanghai Tang Café (Levels 2 & 3, 333 Huang Pi Nan Road, Xintiandi, near Tai Cang Road; 86-21/6377-3333; shanghaitang.com; dinner for two RMB450) in Xintiandi, Shanghai’s buzzing lifestyle district. The restaurant-bar’s interior, by American designer Jonathan Solomon, echoes the brand’s sartorial signatures: picture traditional Chinese fused with contemporary lines, harking back to the city’s resplendent 1930’s. Birdcage chandeliers float from the ceiling, bright silk in Shanghai Tang’s trademark hues punctuate black-lacquer furniture and octagonal artworks adorn the walls. On the menu, Jereme Leung, founding chef of the Whampoa Club, offers standout dishes like foie gras paired with hawthorn jelly and sorbet, crispy prawns with wasabi mayonnaise and pomegranate pearls, and roasted Mongolian-style lamb rack.—L . X .

CAFÉ

ALL ABOARD If you’ve ever dreamed of cruising on your own world-class yacht, but tragically lack the funds to finance one, it’s time to set sail for Hong Kong.

Australian-run ventures Hong Kong Yachting and Adelaide Cellar Door have teamed up to let passengers on board their ultra-high-tech V1 (852/2526-0151; hongkongyachting.com; cruises from HK$480 per person), a Volvo 60 racing yacht built for Volvo’s Round the World Ocean Race and one of only 19 such vessels in existence. Don’t worry if you don’t quite have your sea legs yet; a highly trained crew will make sure you stay afloat. Meantime, you’ll be fed, watered and even wined: don’t miss the twilight wine cruise, which lets you sample five boutique vintages from South Australia while taking in Hong Kong’s breathtaking skyline during the city’s nightly light show. See the website for schedules.—L . D .

38

APRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Arles in Beijing

CO U RT ESY O F T H R E E S H A D OWS P H OTO G RA P H Y A RT C E N T R E ( 2 )

China Chic

TREND

Tailored Treats Call it custom couture for the discerning hotel-snack palate. Thai boutique-villa outfit X2 Resorts (x2resorts.com), pronounced “Cross To,” has introduced the so-called Designer Mini Bar, catering to those who like to tailor every aspect of their travels. On check-in, guests select their preferred refreshments, head to their rooms, and voilà: a fridge chock-full of their favorite drinks and nibbles. So whether you’re into Perrier or pink-guava juice, Lindt orange-flavored dark chocolate or locally sourced snacks like sun-dried okra and tamarindand-peach toffees, you’re bound to find something to suit your taste buds.—L . D .

CRUISE

Paging all photography buffs: venerable French photo festival Les Rencontres d’Arles is landing in Asia for its fortieth birthday this year—specifically by way of Caochangdi, the northeastern Beijing suburb turned art district that boasts some of the Chinese capital’s most avant-garde art galleries. Running parallel to the European festival, the first annual Caochangdi Photospring (various venues; ccdphotospring.com; free entry) launches on April 17 with a packed opening-week calendar, featuring launch parties, talks, DJs, live music, slideshow projections, documentary-film screenings and portfolio reviews for China’s budding photographers.

Spearheaded by Beijing art spaces Thinking Hands and Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, China’s only venue dedicated to video and photography, the three-year Caochangdi–Arles partnership marks a great leap forward in a country where photography is rarely considered an art form. Caochangdi’s offerings—which span photojournalism to fiction and fantasy—should certainly quell naysayers: on show are the arresting,

ART

Works by French photographer Pierre Gonnord.

painterly portraits of Frenchman Pierre Gonnord, the edgy frames of Japan’s Araki Nobuyoshi and Daido Moriyama, the dark documentary works of Czech Josef Koudelka, an exhibition of Polaroids, and experimental imagery by rising Chinese talents Chi Peng and Han Lei, among others. As if that weren’t enough, leading artists like Ai Wei Wei, Li Jie and Wang Qingsong will be opening their studios to the public, demonstrating the uses of photography in their artistic practices.—L . D .

At One World Hotel, luxury can now be defined in at least 6 different ways.

We like to surprise our guests.

This year, visitors to our 5-star hotel will find our rooms a little different, and somehow, a little better.

F R O M L E F T : C O U R T E S Y O F H O N G K O N G YA C H T I N G ; C O U R T E S Y O F S H A N G H A I TA N G .

I L L U S T R AT E D BY WA S I N E E C H A N TA KO R N

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That’s because we’ve given our rooms a thoughtful upgrade with extras such as massage chairs, personalised coffee machines and bed-end stools, just to name a few. Quashing the belief that it’s impossible to overdo luxury, we present 6 categories of plush rooms to choose from, including the new Executive Deluxe Rooms and the supremely decadent Premier Suites.

With world-class restaurants, peerless hospitality and an adjacent 5 million sq. ft. shopping mall featuring a Rainforest, Secret Garden and Sky Mall as part of the One World experience, the added luxury should come as no surprise at all.

The BrandLaureate SMEs Chapter Awards 2009 Corporate Branding Best Brands in Hotel – Business

Cinnamon Coffee C ff House Malaysia Tourism Award 2008 - 2009 Innovative Restaurant Premier Award - International Restaurant

first avenue, bandar utama city centre, 47800 petaling jaya, selangor, malaysia. toll free domestic: 1300 88 7888 toll free international: 1800 88 7888 tel: 603 7681 1111 fax: 603 7681 1188 email: reservations@oneworldhotel.com.my website: www.oneworldhotel.com.my

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| newsflash

Madrid’s Calle del Pez In the city center, this once-gritty passage is becoming a nexus of Spain’s new urban style. By A N D R E W

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2 ZOMBIE Counting DJ’s and bartenders among its owners, this casual corner bar is open all day, helping Madrileños ease the transition from coffee to caipirinha. 7 Calle del Pez; 34/91-522-0326; drinks for two ¤12.

3 NON STOP SNEAKERS With the no-fuss charm of a warehouse sale, Non Stop is where locals come for an unparalleled selection of limited-edition sneakers by Adidas (above), Onitsuka Tiger and Nike, among others. 14 Calle del Pez; 34/91-523-2646.

STYLE

Royal Flush Whether it’s bonbons fit for a queen or princely tailoring, Buckingham Palace awards retailers with Royal Warrants. Here, three that also get T+L’s stamp of approval. Charbonnel et Walker (28 Old Bond St.; 44-20/7491-0939; charbonnel.co.uk), known for its dusted truffles, has supplied the palace since Mme. Charbonnel arrived from France in 1875. Gieves & Hawkes (1 Savile Row; 44-20/7434-2001; gievesandhawkes.com), a maker of suits, shirts and ties, outfits Charles and Philip, and Partridges (2-5 Duke of York Square; 44-20/7730-0651; partridges.co.uk) is the go-to grocery for staples of aristocratic life, from lemon shortbread to English Breakfast tea.— VA L E R I E S T I V E R S - I S A KOVA

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In her compact shop, German expat Marie Jennings nnings offers bold Margit Brandt silk dresses and vintage classics like 1980’s Givenchy, sourced from stylists across Europe. 14 Calle del Pez; 34/91-143-4728; lafille-madrid.com.

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4 LA MUCCA ng Standouts at the bustling restaurant and pizzeria include the classic tomato, mozzarella and basil, as well as the “perico” (pear and jamón ibérico). In warm weather, tables spill out onto the shaded plaza. 4 Plaza Carlos Cambronero; 34/91-521-0000; dinner for two ¤45.

APRIL 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

5 LA PEZERA Owners Cecilia Rius and Chavela Herrero lead a design team specializing in one-of-a-kind hats, tiaras and other accent pieces, such as floral fabric brooches, all arrayed in colorful displays along the walls. 31 Calle del Pez; 34/91-522-0051; lapezera.com.

BIKES ON BOARD Now you can pedal your way through the European countryside with Ama Waterways (amawaterways.com), which carries 30 bikes on each of its six European vessels (guests can ride the 32-kilometer Danube route from Melk to Dürnstein, in Austria). Uniworld River Cruises (uniworld.com) lets cyclists off on the verdant banks of the Seine near Rouen, France, while Tauck (tauck.com) allows passengers to take in a castle-filled route along the Rhine. And on Orient-Express’s Alouette (afloatinfrance.com), a guide leads a trip from the Canal du Midi to Carcassonne, home to an ancient CRUISE citadel.— M I C H E L L E B A R A N Cycling with Tauck on the Danube.

T O P H A L F : J AV I E R S A L A S ( 8 ) . B O T T O M , F R O M L E F T : C O U R T E S Y O F C H A R B O N N E L E T W A L K E R ; C O U R T E S Y O F TA U C K

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THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST ASIA

| newsflash

Next Great European Beach Resorts

DEPARTMENT OF CHIC Surprise! Europe’s classic department stores are leading a new generation of cool. By T I N A

BEACHE S

SHOP

Green peaks in the Central-Balkan National Park. Left: A golden eagle.

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Supermarket with a whimsical collection of tech toys, tableware and more by the likes of Zaha Hadid and Ettore Sottsass— all displayed in a sleek underground space designed by Armani store architects Claudio Silvestrin and Guiliana Salmaso.

Now that’s fashion-forward.

Au Naturel The Old World is exploring new frontiers as Europe’s PAN Parks, a highly regarded certification organization supported by the World Wildlife Fund, expands its reach. The latest addition is Estonia’s Soomaa National Park, where travelers can walk through fields of blue irises or visit a Finnish smoke sauna that floats on the Raudna River.

Other finds: Russia’s Paanajärvi National Park, perfect for a hike through unscathed boreal forests past lady’s-slipper orchids and wild reindeer; and Bulgaria’s Central-Balkan National Park, made up of almost 71,000 hectares preserved to protect brown bears, wolves and rare golden eagles. panparks.org.— K AT H R Y N O ’ S H E A - E VA N S

■ THE NEW CÔTE D’AZUR CORNWALL, ENGLAND A sun-starred crowd heads to Britain’s southwest coast for its golden sands and celebrity-chef-owned restaurants. Stay at the Scarlet Hotel (Tredragon Rd., Mawgan Porth; 44-1637/861-800; scarlethotel.co.uk; doubles from £180), an eco-lodge and spa where all 37 rooms have cliff-edge hot tubs. For local steamed mussels, head to BBC chef Rick Stein’s Cornish Arms pub (Churchtown, St. Merryn, Padstow; 44-1841/520-288; dinner for two £40).

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © DBAJURIN / DREAMSTIME.COM; © ROCSPROD / DREAMSTIME.COM; C O U R T E S Y O F VA L L E T TA S U I T E S

This season, Milanese brand 10 Corso Como commissioned artist Kris Ruhs to tap into Liberty’s textile archives for an edgy capsule collection of beachwear and accessories. • MILAN The century-old La Rinascente (3 Via Santa Radegonda; 39-02/ 88521) has unveiled a futuristic Design

ADVENTURE

42

Sand, Sleep and Sun Clockwise from above left: The island of Korcˇula, in Croatia; Rinsey Head, in Cornwall, England; a bedroom at Maison La Vallette.

Inside the restaurant at Printemps, with its Art Nouveau cupola. From right: The store's domed roof, in Paris’s Ninth Arrondissement; a look

by French label A.P.C., on the third floor.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P R I G H T : C O U R T E S Y O F M A R I E H E N N E C H A R T ( 3 ) ; P E T E R P A U N C H E V ; O R S O LY A H A A B E R G

There’s a “youthquake” afoot at these four shopping landmarks. • PARIS You could forgive Printemps (64 Blvd. Haussmann, Ninth Arr.; 33-1/42-82-50-00) if it had lost some of its fabled luster after 145 years.

But thanks to a €74 million renovation, the stained-glass Art Nouveau cupola of the grande dame of les grands magasins is gleaming again, while inside, you’ll now find France’s largest selection of shoes.

Best of all: avant-garde tastemaker Maria Luisa Poumaillou is Printemps’ first-ever fashion editor, and introduced a space for up-and-coming talents like Scottish designer Christopher Kane. Not to be outpaced, Printemps’ 116-year-old neighbor and rival, Galeries Lafayette (40 Blvd. Haussmann, Ninth Arr.; 33-1/42-8234-56), is showcasing female designers— Vanessa Bruno and Isabel Marant among them—as well as sustainable labels and contemporary art. • LONDON While its name is forever associated with oldfashioned floral prints, Victorian-era stalwart Liberty (Great Marlborough St.; 44-207/734-1234) is raising its design profile with an infusion of emerging talent.

ISAAC

■ THE NEW CAPRI VALLETTA, MALTA The UNESCO World Heritage site is attracting globe-trotters with updated hotels, cafés and wine bars. The Maison La Vallette (St. Patrick St.; 356/7948-8047; maisonlavallette.com; doubles from ¤83) has limestone walls and Alessi furnishings, while Caffé Cordina (244/5 Republic St.; 356/2123-4385; lunch for two ¤50) serves sweet treats like honey rings made with black-treacle syrup. ˇULA, CROATIA In a region ■ THE NEW SANTORINI KORC known for its wild Adriatic scenery and Venetian Renaissance architecture, travelers are flocking to Lešic´ Dimitri Palace (1—6 Don Pavla Pose; 385-20/715-560; lesic-dimitri.com; doubles from ¤320), housed in a historic bishop’s palace, with six individually designed suites. At the property’s bar, LD, sample Croatia’s renowned wines, including the citrusy Grk.—VA L E R I E W AT E R H O U S E

INDULGE YOURSELF

THE WORLD’S LEADING TRAVEL MAGAZINE www.TravelandLeisureAsia.com

insider

THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST ASIA

| newsflash

Next Great European Beach Resorts

DEPARTMENT OF CHIC Surprise! Europe’s classic department stores are leading a new generation of cool. By T I N A

BEACHE S

SHOP

Green peaks in the Central-Balkan National Park. Left: A golden eagle.

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Supermarket with a whimsical collection of tech toys, tableware and more by the likes of Zaha Hadid and Ettore Sottsass— all displayed in a sleek underground space designed by Armani store architects Claudio Silvestrin and Guiliana Salmaso.

Now that’s fashion-forward.

Au Naturel The Old World is exploring new frontiers as Europe’s PAN Parks, a highly regarded certification organization supported by the World Wildlife Fund, expands its reach. The latest addition is Estonia’s Soomaa National Park, where travelers can walk through fields of blue irises or visit a Finnish smoke sauna that floats on the Raudna River.

Other finds: Russia’s Paanajärvi National Park, perfect for a hike through unscathed boreal forests past lady’s-slipper orchids and wild reindeer; and Bulgaria’s Central-Balkan National Park, made up of almost 71,000 hectares preserved to protect brown bears, wolves and rare golden eagles. panparks.org.— K AT H R Y N O ’ S H E A - E VA N S

■ THE NEW CÔTE D’AZUR CORNWALL, ENGLAND A sun-starred crowd heads to Britain’s southwest coast for its golden sands and celebrity-chef-owned restaurants. Stay at the Scarlet Hotel (Tredragon Rd., Mawgan Porth; 44-1637/861-800; scarlethotel.co.uk; doubles from £180), an eco-lodge and spa where all 37 rooms have cliff-edge hot tubs. For local steamed mussels, head to BBC chef Rick Stein’s Cornish Arms pub (Churchtown, St. Merryn, Padstow; 44-1841/520-288; dinner for two £40).

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © DBAJURIN / DREAMSTIME.COM; © ROCSPROD / DREAMSTIME.COM; C O U R T E S Y O F VA L L E T TA S U I T E S

This season, Milanese brand 10 Corso Como commissioned artist Kris Ruhs to tap into Liberty’s textile archives for an edgy capsule collection of beachwear and accessories. • MILAN The century-old La Rinascente (3 Via Santa Radegonda; 39-02/ 88521) has unveiled a futuristic Design

ADVENTURE

42

Sand, Sleep and Sun Clockwise from above left: The island of Korcˇula, in Croatia; Rinsey Head, in Cornwall, England; a bedroom at Maison La Vallette.

Inside the restaurant at Printemps, with its Art Nouveau cupola. From right: The store's domed roof, in Paris’s Ninth Arrondissement; a look

by French label A.P.C., on the third floor.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P R I G H T : C O U R T E S Y O F M A R I E H E N N E C H A R T ( 3 ) ; P E T E R P A U N C H E V ; O R S O LY A H A A B E R G

There’s a “youthquake” afoot at these four shopping landmarks. • PARIS You could forgive Printemps (64 Blvd. Haussmann, Ninth Arr.; 33-1/42-82-50-00) if it had lost some of its fabled luster after 145 years.

But thanks to a €74 million renovation, the stained-glass Art Nouveau cupola of the grande dame of les grands magasins is gleaming again, while inside, you’ll now find France’s largest selection of shoes.

Best of all: avant-garde tastemaker Maria Luisa Poumaillou is Printemps’ first-ever fashion editor, and introduced a space for up-and-coming talents like Scottish designer Christopher Kane. Not to be outpaced, Printemps’ 116-year-old neighbor and rival, Galeries Lafayette (40 Blvd. Haussmann, Ninth Arr.; 33-1/42-8234-56), is showcasing female designers— Vanessa Bruno and Isabel Marant among them—as well as sustainable labels and contemporary art. • LONDON While its name is forever associated with oldfashioned floral prints, Victorian-era stalwart Liberty (Great Marlborough St.; 44-207/734-1234) is raising its design profile with an infusion of emerging talent.

ISAAC

■ THE NEW CAPRI VALLETTA, MALTA The UNESCO World Heritage site is attracting globe-trotters with updated hotels, cafés and wine bars. The Maison La Vallette (St. Patrick St.; 356/7948-8047; maisonlavallette.com; doubles from ¤83) has limestone walls and Alessi furnishings, while Caffé Cordina (244/5 Republic St.; 356/2123-4385; lunch for two ¤50) serves sweet treats like honey rings made with black-treacle syrup. ˇULA, CROATIA In a region ■ THE NEW SANTORINI KORC known for its wild Adriatic scenery and Venetian Renaissance architecture, travelers are flocking to Lešic´ Dimitri Palace (1—6 Don Pavla Pose; 385-20/715-560; lesic-dimitri.com; doubles from ¤320), housed in a historic bishop’s palace, with six individually designed suites. At the property’s bar, LD, sample Croatia’s renowned wines, including the citrusy Grk.—VA L E R I E W AT E R H O U S E

INDULGE YOURSELF

THE WORLD’S LEADING TRAVEL MAGAZINE www.TravelandLeisureAsia.com

| detour

STAY

EAT The elegant, open-air Rim Lae (inside Koh Tao Cabana; 66-77/456-504; dinner for two Bt800) occupies a prime position at the north end of Sairee Beach and offers an ocean view as well as surprisingly reasonably priced Thai specialties and seafood— the whole sea bass with chili sauce is superb. The restaurant is especially gorgeous at night, with illuminated trees and seaside boulders glowing with atmosphere. • For excellent, inexpensive Thai food minus the view, head to Krua Thai (no

THAILAND

Restful Retreat Clockwise from top: Gazing at Ko Tao’s views from a lofty boulder perch; poolside at Dusit Buncha, a perfect sunset spot; Bow Thong Resort’s comfortable cottages; relaxing on Sairee Beach at Bow Thong Resort.

telephone; lunch for two Bt400) in Sairee Village. • Right on the sand of Sairee Beach, King Crab (next door to Vibe Beach Bar; dinner for two Bt800) has an extensive seafood barbecue. Just point to the sea creature you desire: they’ll weigh it, grill it and toss in a baked potato. • Don’t miss Ali the Pancake Man, found most nights around 8 P.M. in front of the 7-Eleven in Sairee Village.

Not only does he serve up the platonic ideal of roti, but his knife-tossing, spatula-bopping hip-hop performance has been immortalized on YouTube.

Island Idyll. Once a secret among divers and backpackers, Ko Tao in the Gulf of Thailand has boomed in recent years. But it’s still a laid-back haven if you know where to look. By ERIC GOODMAN 44

APRIL 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

C LO C KW I S E F RO M R I G H T: J O H N S CA L L A H A N ; CO U RT ESY O F CO RA L G RA N D D I V E R S ( 2 ) ; CO U RT ESY O F D U S I T B U N C H A ; CO U RT ESY O F T H I PW I M A R N

For those looking to get their Open Water diving certification, Coral Grand Resort (66-77/456431; kohtaocoral.com; cottages from Bt3,200) is right on Sairee Beach, Ko Tao’s longest and most developed stretch of sand; it offers slightly worn cottages and a pool for diving exercises. • Next door is Bow Thong Resort (66-81/6444040; bowthongresort.com; doubles from Bt1,500), which has spacious beachfront cottages. • If you’re certified or don’t plan to dive, try Thipwimarn Resort (66-77/456409; thipwimarnresort.com; doubles from Bt2,350), perched high on the hill north of Sairee Beach; the new Romance Paradise rooms are a sybarite’s dream. • The island’s most recent opening, and its only solar-powered resort, is Dusit Buncha (66-81/538-7800; dusitbuncharesort.com; villas from Bt2,500); some of its roomy villas sit on boulders at the water’s edge.

• Paradise Zone at Ko Tao Resort (66-77/456-133; kotaoresort.com; doubles from Bt2,500) sits high above Chalok Baan Kao, a sheltered beach at the southern end of the island. Rooms #506 and #516 offer magnificent views from their balcony Jacuzzis.

DO

C L O C K W I S E F R O M FA R L E F T : C O U R T E SY O F B O W T H O N G R E S O R T ; J O H N S C A L L A H A N ; CO U RT ESY O F D U S I T B U N C H A ; CO U RT ESY O F BOW T H O N G R ES O RT

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With numerous sites and more than 40 dive shops competing for business, Ko Tao provides great bang for your scuba-diving buck. The standard price for a PADI Open Water certification course—comprising 3½ days of pool and classroom work as well as four ocean dives—is Bt9,800, while an Advanced Open Water course is Bt8,500.

Try Coral Grand Divers (coralgranddivers.com), an excellent, experienced organization that provides dive masters and course materials in 14 different languages, including English, Japanese and Korean; it also deals efficiently with high-season crowds by arriving early at morning dive sites. • The best diving is in April and May when crowds are slim, visibility approaches 30 meters and you’re most likely to encounter the gentle, plankton-eating whale sharks the island is famed for. The next best time to dive is from September to October, though divers may want to steer clear of

November to January, when visibility and water temperatures are at their lowest. • The most appealing dive sites are the South West and Chumphon Pinnacles: highlights include

huge schools of barracuda, yellow- and blue-striped fusiliers, brilliant soft and hard coral, giant (100-plus-kilo) potato grouper, blue-ringed angelfish, blue-spotted rays and meter-long Harlequin sweetlips.

Non-divers can opt to travel around the island by longtail boat, with a snorkeling stop on the less-visited eastern shore. ✚

Diversions Aplenty Clockwise from below: Open-water diving with Coral Grand Divers; dining at Dusit Buncha; kayaking in Ko Tao’s crystal waters; fasttrack to island bliss; Thipwimarn Resort’s luxe lodgings.

GUIDE TO KO TAO GETTING THERE The fastest route is a morning Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com) flight from Bangkok to Samui, then a two-hour afternoon boat ride, which will have you on the beach by 3 P.M. Songserm (songserm-expressboat.com) and Lomprayah (lomprayah.com) run fast boats that complete twice-daily loops around Samui, Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Chumphon.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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C O M | A P R I L 2 0 1 0

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| detour

STAY

EAT The elegant, open-air Rim Lae (inside Koh Tao Cabana; 66-77/456-504; dinner for two Bt800) occupies a prime position at the north end of Sairee Beach and offers an ocean view as well as surprisingly reasonably priced Thai specialties and seafood— the whole sea bass with chili sauce is superb. The restaurant is especially gorgeous at night, with illuminated trees and seaside boulders glowing with atmosphere. • For excellent, inexpensive Thai food minus the view, head to Krua Thai (no

THAILAND

Restful Retreat Clockwise from top: Gazing at Ko Tao’s views from a lofty boulder perch; poolside at Dusit Buncha, a perfect sunset spot; Bow Thong Resort’s comfortable cottages; relaxing on Sairee Beach at Bow Thong Resort.

telephone; lunch for two Bt400) in Sairee Village. • Right on the sand of Sairee Beach, King Crab (next door to Vibe Beach Bar; dinner for two Bt800) has an extensive seafood barbecue. Just point to the sea creature you desire: they’ll weigh it, grill it and toss in a baked potato. • Don’t miss Ali the Pancake Man, found most nights around 8 P.M. in front of the 7-Eleven in Sairee Village.

Not only does he serve up the platonic ideal of roti, but his knife-tossing, spatula-bopping hip-hop performance has been immortalized on YouTube.

Island Idyll. Once a secret among divers and backpackers, Ko Tao in the Gulf of Thailand has boomed in recent years. But it’s still a laid-back haven if you know where to look. By ERIC GOODMAN 44

APRIL 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

C LO C KW I S E F RO M R I G H T: J O H N S CA L L A H A N ; CO U RT ESY O F CO RA L G RA N D D I V E R S ( 2 ) ; CO U RT ESY O F D U S I T B U N C H A ; CO U RT ESY O F T H I PW I M A R N

For those looking to get their Open Water diving certification, Coral Grand Resort (66-77/456431; kohtaocoral.com; cottages from Bt3,200) is right on Sairee Beach, Ko Tao’s longest and most developed stretch of sand; it offers slightly worn cottages and a pool for diving exercises. • Next door is Bow Thong Resort (66-81/6444040; bowthongresort.com; doubles from Bt1,500), which has spacious beachfront cottages. • If you’re certified or don’t plan to dive, try Thipwimarn Resort (66-77/456409; thipwimarnresort.com; doubles from Bt2,350), perched high on the hill north of Sairee Beach; the new Romance Paradise rooms are a sybarite’s dream. • The island’s most recent opening, and its only solar-powered resort, is Dusit Buncha (66-81/538-7800; dusitbuncharesort.com; villas from Bt2,500); some of its roomy villas sit on boulders at the water’s edge.

• Paradise Zone at Ko Tao Resort (66-77/456-133; kotaoresort.com; doubles from Bt2,500) sits high above Chalok Baan Kao, a sheltered beach at the southern end of the island. Rooms #506 and #516 offer magnificent views from their balcony Jacuzzis.

DO

C L O C K W I S E F R O M FA R L E F T : C O U R T E SY O F B O W T H O N G R E S O R T ; J O H N S C A L L A H A N ; CO U RT ESY O F D U S I T B U N C H A ; CO U RT ESY O F BOW T H O N G R ES O RT

insider

With numerous sites and more than 40 dive shops competing for business, Ko Tao provides great bang for your scuba-diving buck. The standard price for a PADI Open Water certification course—comprising 3½ days of pool and classroom work as well as four ocean dives—is Bt9,800, while an Advanced Open Water course is Bt8,500.

Try Coral Grand Divers (coralgranddivers.com), an excellent, experienced organization that provides dive masters and course materials in 14 different languages, including English, Japanese and Korean; it also deals efficiently with high-season crowds by arriving early at morning dive sites. • The best diving is in April and May when crowds are slim, visibility approaches 30 meters and you’re most likely to encounter the gentle, plankton-eating whale sharks the island is famed for. The next best time to dive is from September to October, though divers may want to steer clear of

November to January, when visibility and water temperatures are at their lowest. • The most appealing dive sites are the South West and Chumphon Pinnacles: highlights include

huge schools of barracuda, yellow- and blue-striped fusiliers, brilliant soft and hard coral, giant (100-plus-kilo) potato grouper, blue-ringed angelfish, blue-spotted rays and meter-long Harlequin sweetlips.

Non-divers can opt to travel around the island by longtail boat, with a snorkeling stop on the less-visited eastern shore. ✚

Diversions Aplenty Clockwise from below: Open-water diving with Coral Grand Divers; dining at Dusit Buncha; kayaking in Ko Tao’s crystal waters; fasttrack to island bliss; Thipwimarn Resort’s luxe lodgings.

GUIDE TO KO TAO GETTING THERE The fastest route is a morning Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com) flight from Bangkok to Samui, then a two-hour afternoon boat ride, which will have you on the beach by 3 P.M. Songserm (songserm-expressboat.com) and Lomprayah (lomprayah.com) run fast boats that complete twice-daily loops around Samui, Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Chumphon.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| quick study Culinary ABC’s Clockwise from left: Malaysian cooking instructor Rohani Jelani; hoping the sauce doesn’t separate; prep work; Bayan Indah, Jelani’s resort cum cooking school.

MALAYSIA

Paradise Kitchen. Sign up for culinary classes at this tranquil boutique hideaway just outside Kuala Lumpur. By ROBYN ECKHARDT

F

OR NEARLY A DECADE, FOOD writer and consultant Rohani Jelani has been imparting her culinary secrets to Kuala Lumpur’s cooks. Now, gastronomically minded out-of-towners can get in on the action: after months of renovations, the Cordon Bleu–trained Jelani has unveiled her former home as Bayan Indah, a boutique guesthouse cum

46

culinary retreat set in a peaceful Malay kampung 25 minutes from downtown KL. “We don’t advertise,” says Jelani, “but somehow people find us.”

Of the four well-appointed rooms (all named after indigenous herbs), the Kantan suite is the one to book, with a private terrace and a soaking tub overlooking the garden. After checking in, most guests get down to some serious relaxation. Wander through the extensive tropical herb garden or snag a volume from Jelani’s extensive collection of cookbooks and food lit and kick back in one of the two open-air lounges.

As you would expect, food is a central theme. Bountiful breakfasts (your choice of Western or Asian) are followed, upon request, by lunch and dinner—usually home-style Asian dishes prepared to dietary specifications

by Jelani or one of her staff—while fresh fruit and home-baked cookies are always available.

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

For more ideas on culinary experiences in Asia, visit www.TravelandLeisureAsia.com

Half-day classes (from RM220) focus on everything from Spanish cuisine to Nyonya classics and are held four times a week in the well-equipped, breezy kitchen, finishing with a meal. It’s best to consult the schedule before signing up at rohanijelani.com. If you’re booking rooms with friends, arrange a special class on the cuisine of your choice. (A spacious seminar room in an adjacent building is also available.)

Guests aren’t required to take a cooking class, and some visitors never set foot in the kitchen. But Jelani’s not complaining: “I just want people to go home happy.” 3342 Kampung Palimbayan Indah, Sungei Pencala; 60-3/7729-0122; bayanindah.com; doubles from RM450. ✚

Photographed by DAVID HAGERMAN

insider

| eat

Eclectic Eats Clockwise from above: At Yumi, the décor is as memorable as the cuisine; the irresistible nachos at Casa Lika; Le Comptoir sits on Phnom Penh’s stylish Street 240.

Foreign Foods Clockwise from above: The bar at Fish; Yumi is designed as an izakaya; grilled-shrimp maki at the restaurant.

Global Flavors. From San Francisco–style burritos to CAMBODIA

Japanese-inspired tapas, cosmopolitan fare is transforming Phnom Penh’s culinary scene. By NAOMI LINDT CASA LIKA Mexican food may seem unrefined to some, but those who’ve grown up with the cuisine are exacting when it comes to the tanginess of a salsa, the flakiness of a tortilla or the precise seasoning of a fajita. So it is with American couple Annette Chan and Aaron Reed, originally from San Francisco, whose California-style mexicana recipes are spicing up Phnom Penh palates with Casa Lika. The

48

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

restaurant’s cozy décor features exposed-brick walls, wooden tables and colorful Diego Rivera–inspired paintings—it’s hard to believe the space was once a garage. As for the menu, it’s short but sweet, hitting all the essential notes with tacos (both soft and crispy), burritos, quesadillas, fajitas and chiles rellenos. Don’t miss the fish tacos, filled with battered white fish, cabbage and sour cream, and the blissfully decadent nachos,

piled high with melted cheese and refried beans. 16 Street 136; 855/12-429-542; dinner for two US$17.

LE COMPTOIR A taste of France comes to Street 240, Phnom Penh’s trendiest boutique street, with the arrival of café–restaurant Le Comptoir. This chichi bistro is the perfect spot for a leisurely déjeuner parisien at one of the outdoor, street-facing tables, or inside, Photographed by CHRISTOPHER WISE

where white walls and high ceilings are offset by lime-green accents. Baguette sandwiches come with classic fillings like jambon-beurre and chicken-mayo, while the design-your-own salads proffer ingredients such as blue cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked salmon and artichoke hearts. Look out for the weekly suggestions—the goat-cheeseand-honey pie and beef carpaccio are particularly good— conceived by talented Khmer chef Sophorn Ouch, who trained for 10 years in the Cambodian capital’s famed French restaurants La Résidence and Le Deauville.

25 Street 240; 855/17-936-177; lunch for two US$15.

FISH Given the abundance of seafood in the Cambodian diet, it was only a matter of time before someone dedicated an entire restaurant to all things aquatic.

Tom O’Connor, the Australian behind popular local tapas joint Metro, has brought his winning combination of stellar cuisine, cocktails, décor and service to Fish. The interior is equal parts playful and chic, with sand-colored walls, marineinspired abstract art and metal chandeliers reminiscent of shimmering schools of jellyfish.

The menu is similarly full of character, with sections divided under cheeky headings like “Fish

Something Out” and “Bigger Fish to Fry.” Dainty nibblers can savor small plates like the yellow-curry crab or the grilled salt-and-pepper squid, while those with a healthy appetite can gorge themselves on the house specialty: a platter of seabass, snapper or cod—either battered, crumbed or grilled—with a heaping stack of chips on the side. Corner of Street 108 and Sisowath Quay; 855/23-222-685; dinner for two US$20.

YUMI After spending a decade in London’s top kitchens, 27-year-old chef Caspar von Hoffmannsthal opened Yumi, » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| eat

Eclectic Eats Clockwise from above: At Yumi, the décor is as memorable as the cuisine; the irresistible nachos at Casa Lika; Le Comptoir sits on Phnom Penh’s stylish Street 240.

Foreign Foods Clockwise from above: The bar at Fish; Yumi is designed as an izakaya; grilled-shrimp maki at the restaurant.

Global Flavors. From San Francisco–style burritos to CAMBODIA

Japanese-inspired tapas, cosmopolitan fare is transforming Phnom Penh’s culinary scene. By NAOMI LINDT CASA LIKA Mexican food may seem unrefined to some, but those who’ve grown up with the cuisine are exacting when it comes to the tanginess of a salsa, the flakiness of a tortilla or the precise seasoning of a fajita. So it is with American couple Annette Chan and Aaron Reed, originally from San Francisco, whose California-style mexicana recipes are spicing up Phnom Penh palates with Casa Lika. The

48

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

restaurant’s cozy décor features exposed-brick walls, wooden tables and colorful Diego Rivera–inspired paintings—it’s hard to believe the space was once a garage. As for the menu, it’s short but sweet, hitting all the essential notes with tacos (both soft and crispy), burritos, quesadillas, fajitas and chiles rellenos. Don’t miss the fish tacos, filled with battered white fish, cabbage and sour cream, and the blissfully decadent nachos,

piled high with melted cheese and refried beans. 16 Street 136; 855/12-429-542; dinner for two US$17.

LE COMPTOIR A taste of France comes to Street 240, Phnom Penh’s trendiest boutique street, with the arrival of café–restaurant Le Comptoir. This chichi bistro is the perfect spot for a leisurely déjeuner parisien at one of the outdoor, street-facing tables, or inside, Photographed by CHRISTOPHER WISE

where white walls and high ceilings are offset by lime-green accents. Baguette sandwiches come with classic fillings like jambon-beurre and chicken-mayo, while the design-your-own salads proffer ingredients such as blue cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked salmon and artichoke hearts. Look out for the weekly suggestions—the goat-cheeseand-honey pie and beef carpaccio are particularly good— conceived by talented Khmer chef Sophorn Ouch, who trained for 10 years in the Cambodian capital’s famed French restaurants La Résidence and Le Deauville.

25 Street 240; 855/17-936-177; lunch for two US$15.

FISH Given the abundance of seafood in the Cambodian diet, it was only a matter of time before someone dedicated an entire restaurant to all things aquatic.

Tom O’Connor, the Australian behind popular local tapas joint Metro, has brought his winning combination of stellar cuisine, cocktails, décor and service to Fish. The interior is equal parts playful and chic, with sand-colored walls, marineinspired abstract art and metal chandeliers reminiscent of shimmering schools of jellyfish.

The menu is similarly full of character, with sections divided under cheeky headings like “Fish

Something Out” and “Bigger Fish to Fry.” Dainty nibblers can savor small plates like the yellow-curry crab or the grilled salt-and-pepper squid, while those with a healthy appetite can gorge themselves on the house specialty: a platter of seabass, snapper or cod—either battered, crumbed or grilled—with a heaping stack of chips on the side. Corner of Street 108 and Sisowath Quay; 855/23-222-685; dinner for two US$20.

YUMI After spending a decade in London’s top kitchens, 27-year-old chef Caspar von Hoffmannsthal opened Yumi, » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| eat

Chic Cuisine From left: A Japanese classic at Yumi; Yumi’s chef-owner Caspar von Hoffmannsthal; the welcoming interior of Le Comptoir.

a Japanese-inspired bar– restaurant that has taken Phnom Penh’s eating scene by storm.

Modeled on a Japanese izakaya— an upscale pub serving small, savory plates to accompany sake or beer—Yumi does outstanding takes on Japanese snacks like gyoza and yakitori in a striking contemporary-Asian setting designed by Beyond Interiors, Phnom Penh’s hippest interior-design firm. Diners can share small, artfully presented dishes like deep-fried calamari with chili dipping sauce and melt-in-your-mouth slow-cooked ribs, while seated either at the brushed-concrete bar, in an 50

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intimate four-person booth or on the terracotta-tiled outdoor terrace. Dessert lovers, take note: it’s practically a crime to skip the molten-chocolate pudding. 29a Street 288; 855/92-163-903; theyumi.com; dinner for two US$20.

MADELEINE’S One look at its pastel-pink walls, hot-pink silk lampshades and bubble-gum-pink menu, and it’s clear that Madeleine’s is a girl’s dream come true. That girl— now a woman—is French owner Karen Le Calvez, known to her friends as Madeleine. The Bordeaux-born chef learned to cook from her grandmother

and spent years catering private parties before finally opening her own eatery in Phnom Penh a year ago.

Nowadays she stirs homemade pumpkin–carrot–ginger soups, fills salads and sandwiches with organic greens, and bakes guilty pleasures like chocolate-chip cookies and carrot cakes topped with lime icing. Fittingly, the space is perfect for kids; there’s even a playroom stocked with crayons and coloring books. 172 Street 51; 855/12-988-432; lunch for two US$14. ✚

ARrIVED WANTING to GET BACK TO

NATURE.

DEpARTed NOT wanting

TO GO BACK

HOM E.

It’s true what they say: to find yourself sometimes you need to lose yourself.

In Australia they call this going ‘walkabout’. And with their pristine white sandy beaches, unique flora and fauna and untouched ancient national parks, it’s no wonder people are finding themselves here every single day.

Visit Australia.com to find out how you can go walkabout.

insider

| see it

Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. The world’s first public museum, an hour from London, has been transformed into a showplace worthy of its collections. PAUL LEVY pays a visit

O

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FROM TOP LEFT: © ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD; © GREG SMOLONSKI/PHOTOVIBE; © ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (2)

A technician installs the 1628 Portrait of Sir Dudley Carleton, by the Dutch painter Michiel van Mierevelt, at the newly renovated Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology in Oxford, England.

ROB JUDGES

U.K.

Multiple Impressions From far left: The restored Neoclassical façade; the main staircase in the new annex, which connects five floors of galleries; an Octopus pot, late Minoan period, from Crete; a 17th-century tile panel from Damascus.

XFORD IS A SECRETIVE

place. The university’s colleges turn inward, clustering around courtyards, unlike rival Cambridge, where some of the colleges spread along one bank of the Cam River. Until the queen opened its new building this past December, Oxford’s biggest secret of all was the Ashmolean Museum.

Though beloved by its few regular visitors, the Ashmolean had become a fusty dowager who kept many of her best treasures hidden away in packing cases.

The old girl hasn’t so much had a face-lift as a complete makeover—and not a minute too soon. The Ashmolean opened in 1683 as the world’s first public museum. It originated with a core group of natural history specimens that belonged to father-and-son gardeners, both named John Tradescant, who gave them to the antiquarian Elias Ashmole, who in turn presented the collection to the university in 1677.

London-based American architect Rick Mather won the competition to bring the Ashmolean into the 21st century.

He removed makeshift additions, built in the late 19th century as temporary exhibition spaces, that were gloomy as well as searingly hot in summer and freezing in winter. By replacing these with an atrium crisscrossed by bridges that link the new galleries and fuse the six-floor extension to the handsome 1845 Neoclassical structure by Charles Cockerell, Mather has magically suffused the whole place with natural light. Architectural miracles like this don’t come cheap: the renovation cost £61 million. Mather restored Cockerell’s grand entrance, doubled the display space, and capped it with a rooftop restaurant and terrace that has already become a popular meeting place for town and gown. A couple of Oxford lads, Ben and Hugo Warner, operate the Ashmolean Dining Room; they’ve got a terrific contemporary English menu, a wine list from around the world, and sweeping views of the city.

Though you could spend a week looking at the Ashmolean’s remarkable collections, you can see its

highlights comfortably in a day trip. Director Christopher Brown, who was responsible for the institution’s transformation, has unpacked the storage cases with his curators, uncovering such exciting objects as Lawrence of Arabia’s robes and the elaborately carved wood doors he brought back from Jidda. Elsewhere you’ll find the sole great Minoan trove in Britain, that of Arthur Evans, head of the Ashmolean from 1884 to 1908 and best known for his excavation of Knossos, in Crete, and discovery of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization. The contemporary-art galleries showcase a pair of paintings by British artist Howard Hodgkin, including a rare figurative picture, Tea Party in America, which was completed when he was 16; in the Moghul India room there is a selection of Rajput and Moghul miniatures collected by Hodgkin.

There’s the Rembrandt collection; 17th- and 18th-century Japanese porcelains; extraordinary displays of Islamic manuscripts, glass and Iznik tiles; the world’s largest group of Raphael drawings; Europe’s most important pre-dynastic Egyptian artifacts; and the best selection of contemporary Chinese art in the West. Overall, the Ashmolean’s reorganized galleries connect objects across time and cultures. Eastern antiquities are linked with Western classical art by a fine set of Gandaharan sculptures— Buddhas wearing togas. The world and its cultures can be seen as a whole.

Director Brown, along with architect Mather, has succeeded in creating a luminous setting for collections that can at last be fully appreciated. His recent acquisitions include a couple of Titians, no less—plus Ben and Hugo’s restaurant. The man knows what he’s doing. Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology, Beaumont St., Oxford; 44-1865/278-000; ashmolean.org. ✚ T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| see it

Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. The world’s first public museum, an hour from London, has been transformed into a showplace worthy of its collections. PAUL LEVY pays a visit

O

52

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

FROM TOP LEFT: © ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD; © GREG SMOLONSKI/PHOTOVIBE; © ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (2)

A technician installs the 1628 Portrait of Sir Dudley Carleton, by the Dutch painter Michiel van Mierevelt, at the newly renovated Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology in Oxford, England.

ROB JUDGES

U.K.

Multiple Impressions From far left: The restored Neoclassical façade; the main staircase in the new annex, which connects five floors of galleries; an Octopus pot, late Minoan period, from Crete; a 17th-century tile panel from Damascus.

XFORD IS A SECRETIVE

place. The university’s colleges turn inward, clustering around courtyards, unlike rival Cambridge, where some of the colleges spread along one bank of the Cam River. Until the queen opened its new building this past December, Oxford’s biggest secret of all was the Ashmolean Museum.

Though beloved by its few regular visitors, the Ashmolean had become a fusty dowager who kept many of her best treasures hidden away in packing cases.

The old girl hasn’t so much had a face-lift as a complete makeover—and not a minute too soon. The Ashmolean opened in 1683 as the world’s first public museum. It originated with a core group of natural history specimens that belonged to father-and-son gardeners, both named John Tradescant, who gave them to the antiquarian Elias Ashmole, who in turn presented the collection to the university in 1677.

London-based American architect Rick Mather won the competition to bring the Ashmolean into the 21st century.

He removed makeshift additions, built in the late 19th century as temporary exhibition spaces, that were gloomy as well as searingly hot in summer and freezing in winter. By replacing these with an atrium crisscrossed by bridges that link the new galleries and fuse the six-floor extension to the handsome 1845 Neoclassical structure by Charles Cockerell, Mather has magically suffused the whole place with natural light. Architectural miracles like this don’t come cheap: the renovation cost £61 million. Mather restored Cockerell’s grand entrance, doubled the display space, and capped it with a rooftop restaurant and terrace that has already become a popular meeting place for town and gown. A couple of Oxford lads, Ben and Hugo Warner, operate the Ashmolean Dining Room; they’ve got a terrific contemporary English menu, a wine list from around the world, and sweeping views of the city.

Though you could spend a week looking at the Ashmolean’s remarkable collections, you can see its

highlights comfortably in a day trip. Director Christopher Brown, who was responsible for the institution’s transformation, has unpacked the storage cases with his curators, uncovering such exciting objects as Lawrence of Arabia’s robes and the elaborately carved wood doors he brought back from Jidda. Elsewhere you’ll find the sole great Minoan trove in Britain, that of Arthur Evans, head of the Ashmolean from 1884 to 1908 and best known for his excavation of Knossos, in Crete, and discovery of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization. The contemporary-art galleries showcase a pair of paintings by British artist Howard Hodgkin, including a rare figurative picture, Tea Party in America, which was completed when he was 16; in the Moghul India room there is a selection of Rajput and Moghul miniatures collected by Hodgkin.

There’s the Rembrandt collection; 17th- and 18th-century Japanese porcelains; extraordinary displays of Islamic manuscripts, glass and Iznik tiles; the world’s largest group of Raphael drawings; Europe’s most important pre-dynastic Egyptian artifacts; and the best selection of contemporary Chinese art in the West. Overall, the Ashmolean’s reorganized galleries connect objects across time and cultures. Eastern antiquities are linked with Western classical art by a fine set of Gandaharan sculptures— Buddhas wearing togas. The world and its cultures can be seen as a whole.

Director Brown, along with architect Mather, has succeeded in creating a luminous setting for collections that can at last be fully appreciated. His recent acquisitions include a couple of Titians, no less—plus Ben and Hugo’s restaurant. The man knows what he’s doing. Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology, Beaumont St., Oxford; 44-1865/278-000; ashmolean.org. ✚ T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| 24 hours Javanese Gems From left: Recycled chic dominates the space at 365 Eco Bar; ark galerie is one of Jakarta’s best art spaces.

INDONESIA

Jakarta in a Day. From traditional markets to sophisticated restaurants, the capital offers distractions aplenty. By HERNANTO

■ SHOP Browse for books at the latest branch of (ak.’sa.ra), the city’s own high-brow book chain, at the newly renovated Plaza Indonesia Extension (Level 5, No. E2, Jln. MH. Thamrin Kav 28–30; 62-21/310-7711; aksara.com).

Afterwards, settle down with your purchases at the bookshop’s popular café, Canteen (62-21/315-6537; snacks for two Rp150,000), but be mindful of the time—lunchtime is usually hectic.

• Looking to refresh your wardrobe?

Head down to the new boutique by Indonesia’s most celebrated designer, Biyan Waanadmadja, Biyan (Ground 54

level, Pacific Place Mall, Jln. Jendral Sudirman Kav 52–53; 62-21/5797-3818; biyan.com), where his collections hang in crystal-adorned closets.

■ PLAY The equatorial heat can be brutal: stay cool at Blitzmegaplex’s Velvet Class (Pacific Place Mall, Level 6, Jln. Jendral Sudirman Kav 52–53; 62-21/5140-0800; tickets Rp200,000 per bed), where cineastes watch films reclining in their very own beds. • Revels don’t kick off until late in Jakarta, one of Southeast Asia’s most decadent party scenes. Start the evening with cocktails at the velvetand-glass–filled MO Bar at the freshly refurbished Mandarin Oriental (Jln. MH Thamrin; 62-21/2993-8888; drinks and snacks for two Rp550,000); the Oriental Mai Tai and Pimm’s Rangoon are particularly good. • Get your groove on at Domain Bar & Grill (Senayan City, Level B2, Jln. Asia Afrika; 62-21/72781641; drinks for two Rp300,000), a recently opened restaurant cum lounge cum bar, from the team behind Cork & Screw. This wood-clad haunt plays classic disco on Wednesdays and house

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music on Saturdays. • End the evening at 365 Eco Bar (6 Jln. Kemang Raya; 62-21/3192-4467; drinks for two Rp250,000), an appealingly oddball, graffiti-scrawled spot fashioned out of recycled shipping containers.

■ EAT Taste Indonesia’s best brews at Anomali Coffee (35 Jln. Senopati; 62-21/5292-0102; anomalicoffee.com; coffee for two Rp70,000), where beans are bought directly from farmers.

Aficionados can also take a range of coffee appreciation classes at this warehouse-like joint. • For something more substantial, Bibliotheque (Sampoerna Strategic Square, South Tower, ground floor, Jln. Jend. Sudirman Kav 45–46; 62-21/5795-6780; dinner for two Rp500,000) serves hearty Western fare—lamb shanks and duck confit—in a classic European library setting.

• Head to the fish market in Tanjung Priok port for a more local experience.

Buy your fish right off the boat and have it cooked at one of the many stalls that line the market—guaranteed you won’t find fresher fare. ✚

F RO M TO P L E F T: CO U RT ESY O F 365 ECO BA R ; CO U RT ESY O F A R K GA L E R I E

■ SEE Contemporary art in Indonesia has seriously taken off in recent years.

Catch the newest batch of rising stars at ark galerie (92 Jln.Senopati Raya, South Jakarta; 62-21/725-4934; arkgalerie.com).

Gallery goers will find edgy postmodern paintings, installations and other challenging mixed media art from illustrious names such as Eko Nugroho, Dewa Gede Ratayoga and Agustinus Kuswidananto.

neighborhood | insider

S

SHANGHAI’S XINTIANDI, CHINESE cities have been clambering to build carbon copies of the new–old entertainment area. In Chengdu, city authorities took a different approach, meticulously restoring a series of 18th-century lanes (the main ones are prosaically called “wide lane” and “narrow lane”) that served as garrisons for the Qing dynasty’s Manchurian officers and soldiers. Now, the neighborhood’s centuries-old, brick-and-wood abodes house boutiques, cafés, teahouses and restaurants, where an eclectic mix of young couples, baby-toting grannies and tourists mingle. ✚

Kuan Zhai Xiangzi, Chengdu. After an extensive facelift, a historic quarter is now a dining and entertainment hotspot in this western Chinese city.

By ROBYN ECKHARDT

INCE THE SUCCESS OF

SHOP

For splurgeworthy hand-crafted ceramics (most are signed by the artist) check in at 2 Tea and Pottery (No. 24 Kuan Xiangzi; no telephone). Tread carefully—laden shelves and the shop’s tight squeeze are a dangerous combination—and look for delicate porcelain bowls in pastel shades (RMB520) and rustic golden-hued clay tumblers (RMB360).

Sh

iye

Ku a

nX

ian

6

Zh

ai

Jie

1

gz

2

i

7

Xia

zi 5

3

ng

Jin

gX

ian

4

SHOP

Changshun Shang Jie

Xiatongren Lu

STAY

Its dorm rooms may draw backpackers but 1 Dragon Town’s (No. 26 Kuan Xiangzi; 86-28/8664-8408; suites from RMB280) suites are several stars above hostel-quality. Best are the two third-floor deluxe suites, which boast roomy bathrooms with separate tubs and showers, and shady terraces with romantic views of the tiled roofs. There’s Wi-Fi throughout and the reception staff is happy to assist with travel plans.

Chinese readers with an interest in the country’s cultural and architectural history should head for 3 Jian Shan Shu Yuan (No. 22 Kuan Xiangzi; 86-28/6592-5333), a cozy bookstore with an adjacent coffee garden stocking detailed maps of Kuan Xiangzi and traveler-oriented volumes on everything from old Chengdu to China’s 100 most beautiful gu zhen (old towns).

CHINA

gz

EAT

Feast on Chengdu xiaochi like xiaolong niurou (steamed beef coated wi with seasoned rice powder), hongyou shuijiao (dumplings in chili oil) and fiery dandan mian (noodles dressed in a Sichuan peppercorn–spiked sauce) at 6 Cha Ma Gu Dao (No. 27 Kuan Xiangzi; no telephone; xiaochi for two RMB40), then finish with a traditional sweet—tang you guozi, glutinous rice balls fried in brown sugar syrup and coated with sesame seeds—a few doors down at 7 Lao Chengdu (No. 25 Kuan Xiangzi; no telephone; RMB3).

Photographed by DAVID HAGERMAN

i

DRINK

Don’t let the name fool you— 5 My Coffee (No. 18, Zhai Xiangzi; 86-28/8663-6494; drinks for two RMB80), a stylish spot designed by Hong Kong’s Kenneth Ko, stocks a full bar. Snag a table out front for great people-watching or find a quiet nook inside the chinoiserie-meets-minimalist siheyuan, a compound of four houses arranged around a square interior courtyard. In the evenings, the friendly Filipino staff serenade guests— and draw a crowd of onlookers—with songs accompanied by acoustic guitar.

EAT

Its hostesses may sport fur-collared silk padded jackets in the Manchu style but the flavors at 4 Chengdu Yingxiang (No. 16 Zhai Xiangzi; 86-28/8624-5678; dinner for two RMB180) are solidly Sichuanese. Dark wood and silk upholstery set the stage for spicy starters like garlicky “husbandand-wife lung slices” and ban bairou, tissue-thin slices of pork bathed in soy sauce–chili oil dressing. Don’t miss the savory house version of mapo dofu. Meizi jiu, a not-too-sweet local wine made from green plums, makes the perfect accompaniment.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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| books Pistoia residents Domenico and Sabatino, butchers for more than five decades.

Italian Days. A filmmaker documents five years spent in Italy with 75 dramatic slice-of-life portraits. By SHANE MITCHELL

I

LIFE IN A TUSCAN TOWN, DOUGLAS GAYETON INVITES us to the fields, barns, butcher shops and dinner tables where he learned how to live and eat in the Tuscan countryside. Inspired by pre-Renaissance narrative paintings, the filmmaker stitched together dozens of evocative, large-format sepia photographs capturing scenes of daily rural life in Pistoia.

He then etched them with marginalia and centuries-old Tuscan proverbs pronounced proudly by his friends and neighbors: All or nothing; Everyone must know their place; Better to spend money at the butcher than the pharmacist. “When I began to understand the sayings,” he says, “I began to understand the culture.” His sumptuous chronicle leaves us hungry for more.

Welcome Books; welcomebooks.com; US$50. ✚

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N HIS BOOK SLOW:

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F R O M T O P : © D O U G L A S G AY E T O N F R O M S L O W : L I F E I N A T U S C A N T O W N B Y D O U G L A S G AY E T O N , W E L C O M E B O O K S , W W W.W E L C O M E B O O K S . C O M / S L O W. S T I L L L I F E B Y D AV I E S + S TA R R

ITALY

art | insider

Maximum Art. With all eyes on Indian artists lately, galleries have been popping up across South Mumbai.

TANVI CHHEDA explores five of the city’s best art spaces

INDIA

Ranjana Steinruecke at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke in Colaba.

Photographed by SEBASTIAN CORTÉS

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| art ■ GALERIE MIRCHANDANI + STEINRUECKE Established by mother–daughter duo Usha Mirchandani and Ranjana Steinruecke, this charming gallery located behind the Taj Mahal hotel has been fostering a small portfolio of young and mid-career artists for four years now. Among them are Abir Karmakar, who challenges notions of private and public with snapshot-like portraits of himself; Sosa Joseph, a painter whose canvases often depict coastal Kerala state; and Manish Nai, who works with jute and tracing paper.

Steinruecke, who previously ran a contemporary Indian art gallery in Berlin, resists the tendency of some international curators to focus on sociopolitical issues when it comes to India. “It doesn’t always have to be about an issue; it could be about the handling of the medium, the reaction from the viewer,” she says. 2 Sunny House, 16/18 Mereweather Rd., Colaba; 91-22/2202-3030; galeriems.com.

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■ PUNDOLE One of the city’s first galleries, this decades-old space near the Flora Fountain deals primarily in the works of modernists M. F. Husain, V. S. Gaitonde, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamsee, K. H. Ara, F. N. Souza and Krishen Khanna. Dadiba Pundole, whose father originally established the gallery, has been a consultant to Sotheby’s on modern and contemporary Indian art since 2005.

In recent years, the gallery has also started showing more contemporary works; the current show features photography by Bangalore-based Ravikumar Kashi. 369, Dr. Dadabhai Navroji Rd., Fort. 91-22/2284-1837; pundoleartgallery.in.

■ GALLERY MASKARA Housed in a cavernous former cotton warehouse, this space is dedicated to new forms of expression; a recent solo show by emerging artist Shine Shivan incorporated materials such as dried palm thorns and cow-dung cakes. “The idea is to look for voices that are being ignored or marginalized,” says owner cum curator Abhay Maskara, who also intends to feature artists from other parts of the world. On view now: Works by contemporary Indian artist, T. Venkanna, who’s also featured in “The Empire Strikes Back: Indian Art Today” show at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Warehouse on 3rd Pasta, 6/7, 3rd Pasta Lane, Colaba; 91-22/2202-3056; gallerymaskara.com. ✚

ART PIONEERS Located just outside Delhi, the nearly two-year-old Devi Art Foundation draws on the 7,000-piece private collection of founder Anupam Poddar and his mother, Lekha. Here, Anupam talks to T+L. THE MISSION “The Devi Art Foundation enables contemporary artists from the Indian subcontinent to present their works in an environment that does not emphasize commercial success or viability, and instead focuses on experimentation.”

THE COLLECTION “I’ve been collecting since I was 24. My collection comprises painting, sculpture, interactive installation, video and photography, and ranges from Indian folk and tribal to modernist [Ram Kumar, Gaitonde, Somnath Hore, Bhupen Kakkar] and contemporary artists [Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher, Sudarshan Shetty, Sushanta Mandal].”

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF “RESEMBLE REASSEMBLE,” THE CURRENT EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY PAKISTANI ART “This is the first time that works of 45 contemporary artists from Pakistan are being shown in India.

It challenges the preconceived notions of many viewers; most walk in presuming that the works will address issues of gender, hostility between India and Pakistan, or might be miniatures.

However, the exhibition takes the viewer to a different level of visual thinking. … Most of the works are honest, challenging and experimental.”

THE FUTURE “We hope to present a meaningful and exciting set of exhibitions, with a strong education and outreach program. We might also start working on a residency program for artists.” Sirpur House, Sector 44, Plot 39, Gurgaon; deviartfoundation.org.

TO P : CO U RT ESY O F P U N D O L E

Mumbai on Show From top: Ravikumar Kashi’s Engaging Buddha at Pundole; Shireen Raza at Chemould Prescott Road; Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal at Chatterjee & Lal; at the Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke.

■ CHEMOULD PRESCOTT ROAD Recently relocated to a 464-squaremeter space with high ceilings and arched windows, this pioneering gallery exhibits many of the giants of contemporary Indian art: Subodh Gupta, Atul Dodiya, Jitish Kallat and more. Founder Kekoo Gandhy ran a frame-manufacturing business in the 1940’s, and displayed then-unknown modern masters M. F. Husain and S. H. Raza in the window of his showroom. These days, his daughter Shireen curates shows, with a focus on emerging artists. Up this month are works by Nilima Sheikh, who has explored the topic of Kashmir through large scrolls adorned with imagery of the region’s landscape, as well as poetry.

Queens Mansion, 3rd floor, G. Talwatkar Marg, Fort; 91-22/2200-0211; gallerychemould.com.

18-square-meter space to its current location, a Victorian-era warehouse, in 2007. Owned by husband-and-wife team Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal, the gallery represents an impressive roster of emerging talent, including performance artist Nikhil Chopra (just back from a show at the New Museum along the Bowery in New York); Minam Apang, who works mainly with pen, ink and watercolor on paper; and Lahore-based Rashid Rana, Pakistan’s most influential contemporary artist. 01/18 Kamal Mansion, 1st floor, Arthur Bunder Rd., Colaba; 91-22/2202-3787; chatterjeeandlal.com.

Abhay Maskara at Gallery Maskara.

For more ideas on where to see art in Southeast Asia, visit www.TravelandLeisureAsia.com

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| art ■ GALERIE MIRCHANDANI + STEINRUECKE Established by mother–daughter duo Usha Mirchandani and Ranjana Steinruecke, this charming gallery located behind the Taj Mahal hotel has been fostering a small portfolio of young and mid-career artists for four years now. Among them are Abir Karmakar, who challenges notions of private and public with snapshot-like portraits of himself; Sosa Joseph, a painter whose canvases often depict coastal Kerala state; and Manish Nai, who works with jute and tracing paper.

Steinruecke, who previously ran a contemporary Indian art gallery in Berlin, resists the tendency of some international curators to focus on sociopolitical issues when it comes to India. “It doesn’t always have to be about an issue; it could be about the handling of the medium, the reaction from the viewer,” she says. 2 Sunny House, 16/18 Mereweather Rd., Colaba; 91-22/2202-3030; galeriems.com.

■ CHATTERJEE & LAL Proof of the city’s maturing art scene, this gallery moved from a humble 58

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■ PUNDOLE One of the city’s first galleries, this decades-old space near the Flora Fountain deals primarily in the works of modernists M. F. Husain, V. S. Gaitonde, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamsee, K. H. Ara, F. N. Souza and Krishen Khanna. Dadiba Pundole, whose father originally established the gallery, has been a consultant to Sotheby’s on modern and contemporary Indian art since 2005.

In recent years, the gallery has also started showing more contemporary works; the current show features photography by Bangalore-based Ravikumar Kashi. 369, Dr. Dadabhai Navroji Rd., Fort. 91-22/2284-1837; pundoleartgallery.in.

■ GALLERY MASKARA Housed in a cavernous former cotton warehouse, this space is dedicated to new forms of expression; a recent solo show by emerging artist Shine Shivan incorporated materials such as dried palm thorns and cow-dung cakes. “The idea is to look for voices that are being ignored or marginalized,” says owner cum curator Abhay Maskara, who also intends to feature artists from other parts of the world. On view now: Works by contemporary Indian artist, T. Venkanna, who’s also featured in “The Empire Strikes Back: Indian Art Today” show at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Warehouse on 3rd Pasta, 6/7, 3rd Pasta Lane, Colaba; 91-22/2202-3056; gallerymaskara.com. ✚

ART PIONEERS Located just outside Delhi, the nearly two-year-old Devi Art Foundation draws on the 7,000-piece private collection of founder Anupam Poddar and his mother, Lekha. Here, Anupam talks to T+L. THE MISSION “The Devi Art Foundation enables contemporary artists from the Indian subcontinent to present their works in an environment that does not emphasize commercial success or viability, and instead focuses on experimentation.”

THE COLLECTION “I’ve been collecting since I was 24. My collection comprises painting, sculpture, interactive installation, video and photography, and ranges from Indian folk and tribal to modernist [Ram Kumar, Gaitonde, Somnath Hore, Bhupen Kakkar] and contemporary artists [Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher, Sudarshan Shetty, Sushanta Mandal].”

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF “RESEMBLE REASSEMBLE,” THE CURRENT EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY PAKISTANI ART “This is the first time that works of 45 contemporary artists from Pakistan are being shown in India.

It challenges the preconceived notions of many viewers; most walk in presuming that the works will address issues of gender, hostility between India and Pakistan, or might be miniatures.

However, the exhibition takes the viewer to a different level of visual thinking. … Most of the works are honest, challenging and experimental.”

THE FUTURE “We hope to present a meaningful and exciting set of exhibitions, with a strong education and outreach program. We might also start working on a residency program for artists.” Sirpur House, Sector 44, Plot 39, Gurgaon; deviartfoundation.org.

TO P : CO U RT ESY O F P U N D O L E

Mumbai on Show From top: Ravikumar Kashi’s Engaging Buddha at Pundole; Shireen Raza at Chemould Prescott Road; Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal at Chatterjee & Lal; at the Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke.

■ CHEMOULD PRESCOTT ROAD Recently relocated to a 464-squaremeter space with high ceilings and arched windows, this pioneering gallery exhibits many of the giants of contemporary Indian art: Subodh Gupta, Atul Dodiya, Jitish Kallat and more. Founder Kekoo Gandhy ran a frame-manufacturing business in the 1940’s, and displayed then-unknown modern masters M. F. Husain and S. H. Raza in the window of his showroom. These days, his daughter Shireen curates shows, with a focus on emerging artists. Up this month are works by Nilima Sheikh, who has explored the topic of Kashmir through large scrolls adorned with imagery of the region’s landscape, as well as poetry.

Queens Mansion, 3rd floor, G. Talwatkar Marg, Fort; 91-22/2200-0211; gallerychemould.com.

18-square-meter space to its current location, a Victorian-era warehouse, in 2007. Owned by husband-and-wife team Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal, the gallery represents an impressive roster of emerging talent, including performance artist Nikhil Chopra (just back from a show at the New Museum along the Bowery in New York); Minam Apang, who works mainly with pen, ink and watercolor on paper; and Lahore-based Rashid Rana, Pakistan’s most influential contemporary artist. 01/18 Kamal Mansion, 1st floor, Arthur Bunder Rd., Colaba; 91-22/2202-3787; chatterjeeandlal.com.

Abhay Maskara at Gallery Maskara.

For more ideas on where to see art in Southeast Asia, visit www.TravelandLeisureAsia.com

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| classics

Cacao Masters Clockwise from below: La Maison des Maîtres Chocolatiers Belges; a sampling of the store’s chocolates; offerings from Al Nassma.

Sweet Spots. From Brussels to Dubai, chocolatiers are tapping local

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N BRUSSELS’S MAIN SQUARE, 10 master Belgian chocolate makers are showcased at La Maison des Maîtres Chocolatiers Belges (4 Grand Place; 32-2/888-6620; mmcb. be) boutique, where they host daily workshops to teach the secret ingredients of their country’s rich dark and white cocoa. • Parisian pastry chef and food stylist Jacques Genin (133 Rue de Turenne, Third Arr., Paris; 33-1/45-7729-01) infuses his bonbons with the essence of seasonal fruits in Marie Antoinette’s former 17th-century orangery, now a stone, brick and steel-beamed atelier by French architect Guillaume Leclercq. • Technology

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meets the sweet stuff at San Francisco’s Tcho (Pier 17; 1-415/981-0189; tcho.com), founded by a former NASA technologist and a chocolatier, with a cofounder of Wired magazine as its CEO. The company uses testers to perfect four dark blends (Chocolaty, Nutty, Fruity and Citrus) while temperature probes help monitor climate in South America to ensure their cocoa beans mature properly. • You’ll find camel’s-milk chocolate (that’s right, camel’s milk) with dates, spices and half the fat of your standard cow’s-milk variety at Dubai’s Al Nassma (Exit 26, Dubai-Al Ain Rd., Umm Nahad; 971-4/223-9289; al-nassma.com), located near the city center.

Chocolate lovers, rejoice.—C H R I S T I N E A J U D UA ✚

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : M A R I E H E N N E C H A R T ( 2 ) ; D AV I E S + S TA R R

culture for recipes and using creative crafting techniques (and a lot of love) to develop the highest-quality flavors. Here, our favorite new shops

INDULGE YOURSELF

Throughout Southeast Asia THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEADING TRAVEL MAGAZINE TO SUBSCRIBE, see our special offer on page 98. For more information e-mail info@travelandleisuresea.com Contact us at Circulation Department, Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Media Transasia (Thailand) Ltd., 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, 75/8 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Klong Toey Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

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INSETS FROM LEFT: NICK WELSH, COLLECTION CARTIER © CARTIER; AFP

An 18-karat-gold Panthère de Cartier ring with tsavorite and onyx. Insets, from left: Cartier’s orig original panther bro brooch, designed for the Duchess of Win Windsor in 1949; the duchess circ circa 1946.

FELINE GRACE With its panther motif originally designed for the Duchess of Windsor, this Cartier ring is an emblem of continental glamour. Photographed by DOUG ROSA

N 1949, CARTIER PRESENTED

Wallis Simpson, a.k.a. the Duchess of Windsor, with a specially designed piece of jewelry whose wild spirit matched her own: a white gold–and-platinum panther brooch, encrusted in diamonds and mounted on a 152.35-carat Kashmir sapphire cabochon. This spectacular accessory, inspired by Africa’s sleek felines, was worn by the duchess as she and her husband (the man who wouldn’t be king) pranced around the capitals of Europe. Now, over half a century later, café society has morphed into cappuccino society, the 525-passenger Airbus A380 has usurped the ocean liner, and the famous Panthère design has been rendered as an 18-karat-gold ring with tsavorite eyes and an onyx nose. It’s a tad more subtle than Her Grace’s legendary brooch, but Cartier’s charismatic cat maintains its seductive glow.—LY N N YA E G E R

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THE PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Antxón Gómez Pedro Almodóvar’s cinematic magic owes much to the visuals of his longtime art director and production designer Antxón Gómez, whose Almodóvar credits range from the current hit, Broken Embraces, to 1999’s All About My Mother, which was set in Barcelona. “This city is a mosaic,” he says. “Sun, art, design, history, food, with the backdrop of soft hills and the sea.” In the 1980’s, Gómez helped launch such iconic nightspots as the nowdefunct ZIG ZAG BAR, Barcelona’s first real design bar, and the legendary club OTTO ZUTZ (15 Carr. Lincoln; 34/93-238-0722; ottozutz.com; drinks for two ¤21). These days, he might also be spotted at the chic MON KEY CLUB at Hotel Omm (265 Carr. de Rosselló; 34/93-445-4000; drinks for two ¤22), dapper in clothes and accessories from the OUTPOST (281 Carr. Rosselló; 34/93-4577137) or MUNTANER 385 (385 Carr. Muntaner; 34/93-202-0001).

Among his favorite Barcelona attractions: rambles in the Gaudídesigned PARC GÜELL and tapas at the crowded counter of CAL PEP (8 Plaça de les Olles; 34/93-310-7961; lunch for two ¤65).

Photographed at Parc Güell.

Suit, shirt and belt by Ermenegildo Zegna.

BARCELONA

INSIDE OUT In Barcelona, a capital of Mediterranean culture, cool and incredible food, we asked nine plugged-in locals to tell us about their favorite restaurants, galleries, shops and more.

By ANYA VON BREMZEN Photographed by BILL PHELPS Styled by MIMI LOMBARDO

THE GALLERIST

Natalia Foguet Contemporary art dealer Natalia Foguet is a patriot of her neighborhood, Gràcia, where her eclectic GALERÍA SAFIA (9 Carr. Bruniquer; 34/93-213-8496) has been showing the work of emerging international artists for over a decade. “Gràcia has preserved a small-town vibe,” she says, and is full of pedestrian lanes and small plazas where old-world vermouth bodegas like VERMUTERÍA DEL TANO (17 Carr. Joan Blanques; 34/93-213-1058; drinks for two ¤11) coexist with boho-chic shops like the fashion boutique NAFTALINA (33 Carr. de la Perla; 34/93-237-2567). She also recommends the whimsical traditional toys at BATEAU LUNE (7 Plaça de la Virreina; 34/93-218-6907) and stylish haircuts at ANTHONY LLOBET SALON (19 Carr. Ros de Olano; 34/93-218-0448), staffed with multilingual, London-trained stylists.

Photographed at Galería Safia.

Jacket, sweater and pants by Marc Jacobs; socks, Falke; shoes, A.P.C.; watch, Swatch.

THE PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Antxón Gómez Pedro Almodóvar’s cinematic magic owes much to the visuals of his longtime art director and production designer Antxón Gómez, whose Almodóvar credits range from the current hit, Broken Embraces, to 1999’s All About My Mother, which was set in Barcelona. “This city is a mosaic,” he says. “Sun, art, design, history, food, with the backdrop of soft hills and the sea.” In the 1980’s, Gómez helped launch such iconic nightspots as the nowdefunct ZIG ZAG BAR, Barcelona’s first real design bar, and the legendary club OTTO ZUTZ (15 Carr. Lincoln; 34/93-238-0722; ottozutz.com; drinks for two ¤21). These days, he might also be spotted at the chic MON KEY CLUB at Hotel Omm (265 Carr. de Rosselló; 34/93-445-4000; drinks for two ¤22), dapper in clothes and accessories from the OUTPOST (281 Carr. Rosselló; 34/93-4577137) or MUNTANER 385 (385 Carr. Muntaner; 34/93-202-0001).

Among his favorite Barcelona attractions: rambles in the Gaudídesigned PARC GÜELL and tapas at the crowded counter of CAL PEP (8 Plaça de les Olles; 34/93-310-7961; lunch for two ¤65).

Photographed at Parc Güell.

Suit, shirt and belt by Ermenegildo Zegna.

BARCELONA

INSIDE OUT In Barcelona, a capital of Mediterranean culture, cool and incredible food, we asked nine plugged-in locals to tell us about their favorite restaurants, galleries, shops and more.

By ANYA VON BREMZEN Photographed by BILL PHELPS Styled by MIMI LOMBARDO

THE GALLERIST

Natalia Foguet Contemporary art dealer Natalia Foguet is a patriot of her neighborhood, Gràcia, where her eclectic GALERÍA SAFIA (9 Carr. Bruniquer; 34/93-213-8496) has been showing the work of emerging international artists for over a decade. “Gràcia has preserved a small-town vibe,” she says, and is full of pedestrian lanes and small plazas where old-world vermouth bodegas like VERMUTERÍA DEL TANO (17 Carr. Joan Blanques; 34/93-213-1058; drinks for two ¤11) coexist with boho-chic shops like the fashion boutique NAFTALINA (33 Carr. de la Perla; 34/93-237-2567). She also recommends the whimsical traditional toys at BATEAU LUNE (7 Plaça de la Virreina; 34/93-218-6907) and stylish haircuts at ANTHONY LLOBET SALON (19 Carr. Ros de Olano; 34/93-218-0448), staffed with multilingual, London-trained stylists.

Photographed at Galería Safia.

Jacket, sweater and pants by Marc Jacobs; socks, Falke; shoes, A.P.C.; watch, Swatch.

THE DIRECTOR

Pau Miró Thirty-five-year-old playwright and director Pau Miró is a rising star on Spain’s theater scene. Jirafas (the last installment of his Trilogía de lo Animal, a tragicomic trilogy with absurdist overtones) was performed at SALA BECKETT (55 Alegre de Dalt; 34/93-284-5312) and is set in the Raval neighborhood, which inspires his work with its “charged urban cocktail” of hipness and seediness. Miró often shares a leather booth at BAR RAVAL (19 Carr. Doctor Dou; no phone; drinks for two ¤13) with theater and film people, and says he loves the personal service at DISCOS CASTELLÓ (7 Carr. Tallers; 34/93-302-5946), part of “a disappearing breed” of truly independent music shops. He also recommends the stationery store PAPERAM (4 Carr. dels Àngels; 34/93-318-1890), “one of those shops that transport you back in time.”

Photographed at Sala Beckett.

Sweater by Hermès; T-shirt, Theory; jeans, Levi’s; sneakers, Converse.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Helena Garriga A Catalonia-born graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York City, Helena Garriga has worked for the likes of Moschino and Jean Paul Gaultier. Now she’s a curator of edibles, assembling the choicest local and international foodstuffs at her new shop, LA CUINA D’EN GARRIGA (308 Carr. Consell de Cent; 34/93-215-7215; lacuinadengarriga.com). The sweet–savory pan-con-tomate bonbons at La Cuina come from pastry artist Carles Mampel of BUBÓ (10 Carr. Caputxes; 34/93-268-7224); the buttery bread loaves studded with dried fruits and nuts are from FORN BALUARD (35 Carr. del Baluard; 34/93-221-1208). Garriga also loves the seafood and rice dishes at the neo-traditional EL SUQUET DE L’ALMIRALL (65 Passeig Don Joan Borbó; 34/93-221-6233; dinner for two ¤61) and the eclectic cuisine served around the communal table at the arty yet homey TAPIOLES 53 (53 Carr. de Tapioles; 34/93-329-2238; prix fixe dinner for two ¤77). Her pick for the best picnic spot? The saltwater swimming pool overlooking the Mediterranean at the new PARC DEL FÒRUM (2–4 Rambla Prim, Edificio Fòrum; 34/93-356-0612).

Photographed outside La Cuina d’en Garriga.

Jacket by Kaufman Franco; top, Banana Republic; jeans, J Brand; ring, Pomellato.

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THE DIRECTOR

Pau Miró Thirty-five-year-old playwright and director Pau Miró is a rising star on Spain’s theater scene. Jirafas (the last installment of his Trilogía de lo Animal, a tragicomic trilogy with absurdist overtones) was performed at SALA BECKETT (55 Alegre de Dalt; 34/93-284-5312) and is set in the Raval neighborhood, which inspires his work with its “charged urban cocktail” of hipness and seediness. Miró often shares a leather booth at BAR RAVAL (19 Carr. Doctor Dou; no phone; drinks for two ¤13) with theater and film people, and says he loves the personal service at DISCOS CASTELLÓ (7 Carr. Tallers; 34/93-302-5946), part of “a disappearing breed” of truly independent music shops. He also recommends the stationery store PAPERAM (4 Carr. dels Àngels; 34/93-318-1890), “one of those shops that transport you back in time.”

Photographed at Sala Beckett.

Sweater by Hermès; T-shirt, Theory; jeans, Levi’s; sneakers, Converse.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Helena Garriga A Catalonia-born graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York City, Helena Garriga has worked for the likes of Moschino and Jean Paul Gaultier. Now she’s a curator of edibles, assembling the choicest local and international foodstuffs at her new shop, LA CUINA D’EN GARRIGA (308 Carr. Consell de Cent; 34/93-215-7215; lacuinadengarriga.com). The sweet–savory pan-con-tomate bonbons at La Cuina come from pastry artist Carles Mampel of BUBÓ (10 Carr. Caputxes; 34/93-268-7224); the buttery bread loaves studded with dried fruits and nuts are from FORN BALUARD (35 Carr. del Baluard; 34/93-221-1208). Garriga also loves the seafood and rice dishes at the neo-traditional EL SUQUET DE L’ALMIRALL (65 Passeig Don Joan Borbó; 34/93-221-6233; dinner for two ¤61) and the eclectic cuisine served around the communal table at the arty yet homey TAPIOLES 53 (53 Carr. de Tapioles; 34/93-329-2238; prix fixe dinner for two ¤77). Her pick for the best picnic spot? The saltwater swimming pool overlooking the Mediterranean at the new PARC DEL FÒRUM (2–4 Rambla Prim, Edificio Fòrum; 34/93-356-0612).

Photographed outside La Cuina d’en Garriga.

Jacket by Kaufman Franco; top, Banana Republic; jeans, J Brand; ring, Pomellato.

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THE ILLUSTRATOR

Jordi Labanda It’s hard to go far in Barcelona — or anywhere in Spain — without encountering the work of illustrator Jordi Labanda, whose glamorous, retro-tinged images can be seen on everything from stationery and T-shirts to Adidas ads. Originally from Uruguay, the prolific 42-year-old artist and fashion designer has resided in Barcelona since he was three: “My life here is balanced and calm yet perfectly modern,” he says. When he’s not drawing or traveling, Labanda might visit the FUNDACIÓ JOAN MIRÓ museum (Parc de Montjuïc; 34/93-443-9470; fundaciomiro-bcn.org), admire the Modernist serenity of the PAVELLÓ MIES VAN DER ROHE (Avda. Marquès de Comilles; 34/93-423-4016) or stop for coffee at ELS QUATRE GATS (3 Carr. Montsió; 34/93-302-4140; coffee for two ¤9).

He also recommends the housewares at the high-concept EN LÍNEA BARCELONA (284 Carr. Còrsega; 34/93-415-1212) and the sharply edited couture collection at JEAN-PIERRE BUA (469 Avda. Diagonal; 34/93-439-7100). Labanda’s own products can be found at the emblematic design shop VINÇON (96 Passeig de Gràcia; 34/93-215-6050) and the CORTE INGLÉS department store (14 Plaça de Catalunya; 34/93-306-3800).

Photographed at Els Quatre Gats.

Coat, cardigan, shirt, trousers and tie by Louis Vuitton.

THE HOTEL GURU

Bel Natividad With an unbeatable location on the Passeig de Gràcia, the new 98-room MANDARIN ORIENTAL (38 Passeig de Gràcia; 34/93151-8888; doubles from ¤559) is the city’s most high-profile hotel opening in some time. The hotel’s communications director is Bel Natividad, a Barcelona native who has her finger on the city’s style pulse. For “one-of-a-kind, handmade” leather tops and pants, she recommends EDEN LUN (4 Ptge.

Camps Elisis; 34/93-487-5470), while COMPLEMENTOS CARMINA ROTGER (237 Carr. Balmes; 34/93-218-1987) is her source for earrings and necklaces. She loves strolling through the GALVANY MARKET (65 Carr. Santaló; mercatgalvany.com), where she picks up spinach-and-pine-nut coca (Catalan pizza) at the old-fashioned bakery FORN ROURA (Galvany Market, No. 208-211; 34/93-201-2049) and stocks up on cotton napkins of all colors and sizes at the MYDRAP stand (Carr. del Amigo, ext. stand No. 50; 34/66-914-6239).

Photographed at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona.

Jacket, skirt and sweater by Chanel; shoes, Sigerson Morrison Brown; earrings, Ippolita.

THE ILLUSTRATOR

Jordi Labanda It’s hard to go far in Barcelona — or anywhere in Spain — without encountering the work of illustrator Jordi Labanda, whose glamorous, retro-tinged images can be seen on everything from stationery and T-shirts to Adidas ads. Originally from Uruguay, the prolific 42-year-old artist and fashion designer has resided in Barcelona since he was three: “My life here is balanced and calm yet perfectly modern,” he says. When he’s not drawing or traveling, Labanda might visit the FUNDACIÓ JOAN MIRÓ museum (Parc de Montjuïc; 34/93-443-9470; fundaciomiro-bcn.org), admire the Modernist serenity of the PAVELLÓ MIES VAN DER ROHE (Avda. Marquès de Comilles; 34/93-423-4016) or stop for coffee at ELS QUATRE GATS (3 Carr. Montsió; 34/93-302-4140; coffee for two ¤9).

He also recommends the housewares at the high-concept EN LÍNEA BARCELONA (284 Carr. Còrsega; 34/93-415-1212) and the sharply edited couture collection at JEAN-PIERRE BUA (469 Avda. Diagonal; 34/93-439-7100). Labanda’s own products can be found at the emblematic design shop VINÇON (96 Passeig de Gràcia; 34/93-215-6050) and the CORTE INGLÉS department store (14 Plaça de Catalunya; 34/93-306-3800).

Photographed at Els Quatre Gats.

Coat, cardigan, shirt, trousers and tie by Louis Vuitton.

THE HOTEL GURU

Bel Natividad With an unbeatable location on the Passeig de Gràcia, the new 98-room MANDARIN ORIENTAL (38 Passeig de Gràcia; 34/93151-8888; doubles from ¤559) is the city’s most high-profile hotel opening in some time. The hotel’s communications director is Bel Natividad, a Barcelona native who has her finger on the city’s style pulse. For “one-of-a-kind, handmade” leather tops and pants, she recommends EDEN LUN (4 Ptge.

Camps Elisis; 34/93-487-5470), while COMPLEMENTOS CARMINA ROTGER (237 Carr. Balmes; 34/93-218-1987) is her source for earrings and necklaces. She loves strolling through the GALVANY MARKET (65 Carr. Santaló; mercatgalvany.com), where she picks up spinach-and-pine-nut coca (Catalan pizza) at the old-fashioned bakery FORN ROURA (Galvany Market, No. 208-211; 34/93-201-2049) and stocks up on cotton napkins of all colors and sizes at the MYDRAP stand (Carr. del Amigo, ext. stand No. 50; 34/66-914-6239).

Photographed at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona.

Jacket, skirt and sweater by Chanel; shoes, Sigerson Morrison Brown; earrings, Ippolita.

THE CHEFS

Sergio & Javier Torres THE ARCHITECT

Guida Ferrari Architect, jewelry designer, cultural events organizer — and a swing dancer “addicted to shoes” — the 25-year-old Guida Ferrari exemplifies Barcelona’s creative spirit.

Ferrari says she admires the BARCELONA CONTEMPORARY CULTURE CENTER (5 Carr. de

Montalegre; 34/93-412-3356) as much for its swaggering glass-clad façade as for the thought-provoking exhibitions inside, and adores Gaudí’s iconic CASA BATLLÓ (43 Passeig de Gràcia; 34/93-216-0306). On her shopping rounds, Ferrari checks out IGUAPOP GALLERY (15 Carr. Comerç; 34/93-3100735), an art gallery that doubles as a hip clothing shop; peruses the footwear at CASAS INTERNATIONAL (125 Rambla Canalete; 34/93-302-4598); buys architecture and design books at GALERÍA RAS (10 Carr.

Doctor Dou; 34/93-412-7199); and prowls CARRER VERDI, in the Gràcia neighborhood—“a one-street destination for young designers’ boutiques.”

Barcelona-born twin chefs Javier and Sergio Torres recently opened DOS CIELOS (ME Barcelona Hotel, 272-286 Pere IV; 34/93-367-2070; dinner for two ¤155) to instant critical raves for their inventive riffs on Catalan food. On their days off, the brothers often eat breakfast at the legendary PINOTXO counter (No. 466; 34/93-317-1731; breakfast for two ¤18) inside the BOQUERIA market (off La Rambla, at Plaça San Josep; 34/93-318-2584; boqueria.info). Run by another set of twin brothers, XEMEI (85 Passeig de la Exposició; 34/93-533-5140; dinner for two ¤81) is “a fun, funky Venetian spot with great music and fantastic squid-ink pasta.” For “renovated tradition,” it’s VIA VENETO (10 Carr. de Ganduxer; 34/93-200-7244; dinner for two ¤157), a grand classic helmed by an exciting young chef, Carles Tejedor; and for super-fresh tapas, especially seafood, it’s BAR MUT (192 Carr. de Pau Claris; 34/93-217-4338; tapas for two ¤51).

Photographed at Dos Cielos.

On both: T-shirts by Custo Barcelona; pants, Joe’s Jeans.

Photographed at Casa Batlló.

Coat by Peter Som; dress, Rebecca Taylor; pants, Joe’s Jeans; necklace, Susan Hanover Designs.

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THE CHEFS

Sergio & Javier Torres THE ARCHITECT

Guida Ferrari Architect, jewelry designer, cultural events organizer — and a swing dancer “addicted to shoes” — the 25-year-old Guida Ferrari exemplifies Barcelona’s creative spirit.

Ferrari says she admires the BARCELONA CONTEMPORARY CULTURE CENTER (5 Carr. de

Montalegre; 34/93-412-3356) as much for its swaggering glass-clad façade as for the thought-provoking exhibitions inside, and adores Gaudí’s iconic CASA BATLLÓ (43 Passeig de Gràcia; 34/93-216-0306). On her shopping rounds, Ferrari checks out IGUAPOP GALLERY (15 Carr. Comerç; 34/93-3100735), an art gallery that doubles as a hip clothing shop; peruses the footwear at CASAS INTERNATIONAL (125 Rambla Canalete; 34/93-302-4598); buys architecture and design books at GALERÍA RAS (10 Carr.

Doctor Dou; 34/93-412-7199); and prowls CARRER VERDI, in the Gràcia neighborhood—“a one-street destination for young designers’ boutiques.”

Barcelona-born twin chefs Javier and Sergio Torres recently opened DOS CIELOS (ME Barcelona Hotel, 272-286 Pere IV; 34/93-367-2070; dinner for two ¤155) to instant critical raves for their inventive riffs on Catalan food. On their days off, the brothers often eat breakfast at the legendary PINOTXO counter (No. 466; 34/93-317-1731; breakfast for two ¤18) inside the BOQUERIA market (off La Rambla, at Plaça San Josep; 34/93-318-2584; boqueria.info). Run by another set of twin brothers, XEMEI (85 Passeig de la Exposició; 34/93-533-5140; dinner for two ¤81) is “a fun, funky Venetian spot with great music and fantastic squid-ink pasta.” For “renovated tradition,” it’s VIA VENETO (10 Carr. de Ganduxer; 34/93-200-7244; dinner for two ¤157), a grand classic helmed by an exciting young chef, Carles Tejedor; and for super-fresh tapas, especially seafood, it’s BAR MUT (192 Carr. de Pau Claris; 34/93-217-4338; tapas for two ¤51).

Photographed at Dos Cielos.

On both: T-shirts by Custo Barcelona; pants, Joe’s Jeans.

Photographed at Casa Batlló.

Coat by Peter Som; dress, Rebecca Taylor; pants, Joe’s Jeans; necklace, Susan Hanover Designs.

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HONG KONG

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FRANCE

The dining room at chef Gilles Choukroun’s MBC, in Paris’s 17th Arrondissement.

France’s New Wave

Vive la liberté! Young French chefs are re-examining their ties to culinary history, the legacy of haute cuisine and the pursuit of self-expression. By ANYA VON BREMZEN. Photographed by JOHN KERNICK T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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Near Pont St.-Louis, in central Paris, left. Gazpacho of heirloom tomatoes at MBC, below.

French Revolution Clockwise from above: KGB chef William Ledeuil (left), with chef de cuisine Yariv Berreby, outside his Paris restaurant; a selection of cheekily named “zors d’oeuvres” at Kitchen Gallerie Bis; a 19th-century fountain in the Place de la République, in Arles.

A

FRANÇOIS SIMON, the influential restaurant critic for Le Figaro, told me that French gastronomy needed a “crisis” in order to reinvent its doddering identity. At the time I barely listened. Who cared about a lot of sauce-struck whisks trying to remaster the art of French cooking when the rest of Europe was so exciting?

Over the past decade, I had watched Spain flourish into a global food power as innovations sparked by El Bulli’s Ferran Adrià trickled down to more vernacular kitchens.

For stripped-down urban style and multicultural street food I headed to London. But lately I’ve been wondering about Simon’s words. After years of soul-searching and struggle, could a new wave be loosening the grip of haute cuisine (without turning France into an outpost of Adrià mimics)? Was a nouvelle nouvelle cuisine really being born out of the crisis? For answers, I planned a week in France to listen—and eat.

In Paris, I found the mood determined and hopeful among forward-thinking chefs and critics. Sure, barbarians

76

COUPLE OF YEARS AGO,

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

menace the gates (McDo at the Louvre—quelle horreur!). But for every Michelin all-star deserting his stove to oversee a franchise in Dubai, there are 10 top-trained converts to the low-key bistronomie movement. For each luxe five-figure dinner, there’s a cookout in a park staged by Le Fooding, the irreverent populist food guide bent on jolting the gastronomic status quo. In Gallic kitchens today, I was about to discover, freedom is the flavor du jour.

“A chef ’s essential right to express individuality on a plate!” declared another Parisian critic, Luc Dubanchet.

“That’s huge news in France after fifty years of homogenous dictatorship of haute cuisine.” Like the boys over at Le Fooding, the outspoken Dubanchet crusades against the establishment with Omnivore, which publishes the increasingly influential Carnet de Route Omnivore restaurant guide.

Many French food insiders I talked to stressed openness to other cultures as a new essential ingredient in the shift.

“The task of the next generation is to make cuisine personal—to embrace the globality of meanings,

Ledeuil is a scholar of Asian flavors, grafting them onto impeccably French, impeccably MODERN technique

references, generations and styles.” This came from Gilles Choukroun, the mediagenic chef of the new MBC restaurant, in Paris’s 17th Arrondissement. Founder and former president of Générations.C—yet another French food movement for change—the boyishly handsome Choukroun is doing his part at the cool gray-and-fuchsiaaccented MBC. Here, his sharp, streamlined menu—a bright-green pea velouté with a flourish of coconut and cloud of burrata cheese; a fabulous lamb-confit burger inflected with North African spices—exemplifies Esperanto bistro cooking for the 21st century.

Liberté, égalité…diversité? Yes, indeed: eclecticism now “rules in Parisian kitchens. The fresh greenmarket flavors at the new crowd-pleaser Frenchie are inspired in part by the chef ’s stint at New York’s Gramercy Tavern, while at

the petite Yam’Tcha they’re vaguely Chinese. At the mod art–filled KGB (a.k.a. Kitchen Galerie Bis) I joined a worldly crowd for chef William Ledeuil’s zingy “zors d’oeuvres”: miso-and-citrus-slicked lacquered mackerel and a gorgeous cappuccino of strawberries spiked with wasabi. Have I mentioned that Ledeuil is one of my favorite Parisian chefs, and an inspiration for pretty much every progressive French food movement? At his flagship Ze Kitchen Galerie (a few yards from KGB), dinner was a lesson on everything that still goes right with French high dining. Ledeuil is a scholar of Asian flavors, grafting them onto impeccably French, impeccably modern technique. The scallop tartare shot through with Kaffir lime and multicolored shavings of radish delivered a perfect fusion of style, spice and soul. And anyone who says high-minded French cooking is dead after tasting his panko-crusted foie-gras-and-rabbit croquettes, served alongside a fragrant Thai-flavored rabbit broth, should be condemned to stale frites and sticky demi-glace for the rest of his life. » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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Near Pont St.-Louis, in central Paris, left. Gazpacho of heirloom tomatoes at MBC, below.

French Revolution Clockwise from above: KGB chef William Ledeuil (left), with chef de cuisine Yariv Berreby, outside his Paris restaurant; a selection of cheekily named “zors d’oeuvres” at Kitchen Gallerie Bis; a 19th-century fountain in the Place de la République, in Arles.

A

FRANÇOIS SIMON, the influential restaurant critic for Le Figaro, told me that French gastronomy needed a “crisis” in order to reinvent its doddering identity. At the time I barely listened. Who cared about a lot of sauce-struck whisks trying to remaster the art of French cooking when the rest of Europe was so exciting?

Over the past decade, I had watched Spain flourish into a global food power as innovations sparked by El Bulli’s Ferran Adrià trickled down to more vernacular kitchens.

For stripped-down urban style and multicultural street food I headed to London. But lately I’ve been wondering about Simon’s words. After years of soul-searching and struggle, could a new wave be loosening the grip of haute cuisine (without turning France into an outpost of Adrià mimics)? Was a nouvelle nouvelle cuisine really being born out of the crisis? For answers, I planned a week in France to listen—and eat.

In Paris, I found the mood determined and hopeful among forward-thinking chefs and critics. Sure, barbarians

76

COUPLE OF YEARS AGO,

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

menace the gates (McDo at the Louvre—quelle horreur!). But for every Michelin all-star deserting his stove to oversee a franchise in Dubai, there are 10 top-trained converts to the low-key bistronomie movement. For each luxe five-figure dinner, there’s a cookout in a park staged by Le Fooding, the irreverent populist food guide bent on jolting the gastronomic status quo. In Gallic kitchens today, I was about to discover, freedom is the flavor du jour.

“A chef ’s essential right to express individuality on a plate!” declared another Parisian critic, Luc Dubanchet.

“That’s huge news in France after fifty years of homogenous dictatorship of haute cuisine.” Like the boys over at Le Fooding, the outspoken Dubanchet crusades against the establishment with Omnivore, which publishes the increasingly influential Carnet de Route Omnivore restaurant guide.

Many French food insiders I talked to stressed openness to other cultures as a new essential ingredient in the shift.

“The task of the next generation is to make cuisine personal—to embrace the globality of meanings,

Ledeuil is a scholar of Asian flavors, grafting them onto impeccably French, impeccably MODERN technique

references, generations and styles.” This came from Gilles Choukroun, the mediagenic chef of the new MBC restaurant, in Paris’s 17th Arrondissement. Founder and former president of Générations.C—yet another French food movement for change—the boyishly handsome Choukroun is doing his part at the cool gray-and-fuchsiaaccented MBC. Here, his sharp, streamlined menu—a bright-green pea velouté with a flourish of coconut and cloud of burrata cheese; a fabulous lamb-confit burger inflected with North African spices—exemplifies Esperanto bistro cooking for the 21st century.

Liberté, égalité…diversité? Yes, indeed: eclecticism now “rules in Parisian kitchens. The fresh greenmarket flavors at the new crowd-pleaser Frenchie are inspired in part by the chef ’s stint at New York’s Gramercy Tavern, while at

the petite Yam’Tcha they’re vaguely Chinese. At the mod art–filled KGB (a.k.a. Kitchen Galerie Bis) I joined a worldly crowd for chef William Ledeuil’s zingy “zors d’oeuvres”: miso-and-citrus-slicked lacquered mackerel and a gorgeous cappuccino of strawberries spiked with wasabi. Have I mentioned that Ledeuil is one of my favorite Parisian chefs, and an inspiration for pretty much every progressive French food movement? At his flagship Ze Kitchen Galerie (a few yards from KGB), dinner was a lesson on everything that still goes right with French high dining. Ledeuil is a scholar of Asian flavors, grafting them onto impeccably French, impeccably modern technique. The scallop tartare shot through with Kaffir lime and multicolored shavings of radish delivered a perfect fusion of style, spice and soul. And anyone who says high-minded French cooking is dead after tasting his panko-crusted foie-gras-and-rabbit croquettes, served alongside a fragrant Thai-flavored rabbit broth, should be condemned to stale frites and sticky demi-glace for the rest of his life. » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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New Classics Clockwise from above: Macaroni with girolle mushrooms at Ze Kitchen Galerie, William Ledeuil’s Paris flagship; Ledeuil in the restaurant’s kitchen; the dining room at Ze Kitchen Galerie.

Bright explosions of flavor are what shine at L’Atelier: ICY jolts of sugarless sorbets from vegetables at their seasonal height

78

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Who knows, perhaps there’s even hope for the Michelin Guide, the tyrannical restaurant bible widely criticized for its disconnectedness to modern restaurant culture. The 2009 France edition arrived with the usual clatter of scandals: charges that President Sarkozy’s patronage helped Le Bristol, in Paris, land its third star; boos for the inexplicable two macaroons to Gordon Ramsay au Trianon, the bad boy chef ’s white elephant in Versailles.

Still, with rare insight, the red book awarded a second star to L’Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel, a modest 35-seat restaurant in Arles with no written menu and a €50 lunchtime prix fixe. Rival Gault Millau had named Rabanel, the restaurant’s previously obscure fortysomething chef, its toque of the year in 2008. Remarkably, L’Atelier was France’s first certified-organic restaurant to be inducted into the pantheon. I couldn’t get to Arles, which is a 740-kilometer drive south from Paris, fast enough.

Tucked away in the center of town, L’Atelier has a casual urban vibe and a flat-screen monitor showcasing the action in the kitchen. Although Rabanel’s cooking evokes botanist chefs like Michel Bras, in Laguiole, and Basque genius Andoni Aduriz of Mugaritz, outside San Sebastián, he has a vision all his own. Call it techno-terroir—powered by his three-hectare biodynamic farm growing 100 types of heirloom fruits and vegetables.

Bright explosions of flavor are what shine here: icy jolts of sugarless sorbets from vegetables at their seasonal height; the hyper-Mediterraneanism of figs roasted in black olive oil. The daily menu might feature a faux yogurt of haricots cocos loaded with spongy bits of morel mushrooms, followed by a pintade (guinea fowl) baked in a salt crust. “I welcome progress in my kitchen,” he said, “but in the end I go back to the casserole!” How about the relationship young French chefs have been forging with Spain’s innovators? “Génial,” he approved. “But eventually we’ll find our own way.” In Rabanel’s case, he’s already there.

Next we headed west into Aquitaine, past plump hills and sunflowers and village shops crammed with Armagnac and foie gras. We were en route to the sleepy hamlet of Astaffort for a Gascon breakfast—for dinner!—at Une Auberge en Gascogne. The restaurant’s 38-year-old chef, Fabrice Biasiolo, had been recommended for his reinventions of regional flavors.

“Molecular, terroir… My food has been branded with all sorts of meaningless labels,” Biasiolo chuckled. “I call it

simply libre and ludique [playful].” Sure enough, the petit déjeuner turned out to be a trompe l’oeil, while the term auberge doesn’t quite capture the chic, modern feel of the dining room. The breakfast’s “tea” was a gauze sachet of dried, pulverized Bayonne ham, garlic, celery and burned bread, infusing a rich duck broth into which we dipped a tartine layered with a foie gras carpaccio. Orange juice: a glass of delicious citrus and spice-infused liquefied carrot.

Silky ham mousse spooned into an eggshell represented the oeuf à la cocotte. Playful indeed.

Biasiolo grew up nearby and worked briefly under Michel Bras. Over Armagnac he reflected on the situation in France: “Spanish chefs proved creativity has no limits. Us, we’re still burdened by tradition, authority, closure.” But like others, Biasiolo believes the next generation will set itself free “while keeping French flavors alive.”

“French flavors! Does it mean anything anymore?” The iconoclastic chef Thierry Marx wanted to elaborate when I met him the following day in Bordeaux, but a TV crew interrupted, impatient to film him. France’s answer to Spain’s Adrià, Marx helms the kitchen at Château Cordeillan-Bages, a two-starred restaurant in Pauillac owned

by Lynch-Bages winery. His reputation as both tireless innovator and spiritual leader of the region’s food renaissance lured me to the hotel’s sedate dining room.

A high-wire blend of opulence and edgy conceptualism, the meal strung together a succession of “wow” moments while upholding Establishment values. The “risotto,” truffled and moistened with oyster jus, was composed of crunchy soybean sprouts instead of rice. Marx’s signature “saucisson virtuel” called for the waiter to puncture a bubble of edible plastic so that warm bouillon oozed out onto the plate, miraculously transmogrifying the whole into something deliciously recognizable as earthy lentils and sausage.

I recalled the first thrill of eating such food more than a decade ago at El Bulli, which famously now is scheduled to close permanently in December 2011. Spanish experimental bravado has since settled into a more minimalist post-molecular style. But complacent Gallic taste buds, I figured, still needed shocking. I left hopeful that French haute cuisine would never be fusty again—and that was worth the hefty price of the dinner.

Marx, I later found out, grew up in a Polish-Jewish family in a proletarian Paris quartier, worked with the likes of Joël Robuchon, and spends lots of time in Japan. He was also a paratrooper in Lebanon and has a black belt in judo and a laboratory in Paris where he develops new dishes with scientists. Oh, and he’s about to launch a new Parisian venture: inexpensive, populist and devoted to global street food. Vive la révolution. ✚

Gallic Inspiration Above: Roasted fig on baba cake with verbena sorbet at JeanLuc Rabanel’s 35-seat L’Atelier, in Arles. Right: Rabanel outside his restaurant.

GUIDE TO FRENCH TABLES Château Cordeillan-Bages Route des Châteaux, Pauillac; 33-5/56-59-24-24; dinner for two ¤265.

Frenchie 5 Rue du Nil, Second Arr., Paris; 33-1/40-39-96-19; dinner for two ¤71.

KGB 25 Rue des Grands Augustins, Sixth Arr., Paris; 33-1/46-33-00-85; dinner for two ¤106.

L’Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel 7 Rue des Carmes, Arles; 33-4/ 90-91-07-69; lunch for two ¤96.

MBC Gilles Choukroun 4 Rue du Débarcadère, 17th Arr., Paris;

33-1/45-72-22-55; lunch for two ¤63.

Restaurant Bras Route de l’Aubrac, Laguiole; 33-5/65-5118-20; dinner for two ¤150.

Une Auberge en Gascogne 9 Faubourg Corné, Astaffort; 33-5/53-67-10-27; dinner for two ¤106.

Yam’Tcha 4 Rue Saval, First Arr., Paris; 33-1/44-58-10-10; dinner for two ¤116.

Ze Kitchen Galerie 4 Rue des Grand Augustins, Sixth Arr., Paris; 33-1/44-32-00-32; lunch for two ¤83.

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New Classics Clockwise from above: Macaroni with girolle mushrooms at Ze Kitchen Galerie, William Ledeuil’s Paris flagship; Ledeuil in the restaurant’s kitchen; the dining room at Ze Kitchen Galerie.

Bright explosions of flavor are what shine at L’Atelier: ICY jolts of sugarless sorbets from vegetables at their seasonal height

78

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Who knows, perhaps there’s even hope for the Michelin Guide, the tyrannical restaurant bible widely criticized for its disconnectedness to modern restaurant culture. The 2009 France edition arrived with the usual clatter of scandals: charges that President Sarkozy’s patronage helped Le Bristol, in Paris, land its third star; boos for the inexplicable two macaroons to Gordon Ramsay au Trianon, the bad boy chef ’s white elephant in Versailles.

Still, with rare insight, the red book awarded a second star to L’Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel, a modest 35-seat restaurant in Arles with no written menu and a €50 lunchtime prix fixe. Rival Gault Millau had named Rabanel, the restaurant’s previously obscure fortysomething chef, its toque of the year in 2008. Remarkably, L’Atelier was France’s first certified-organic restaurant to be inducted into the pantheon. I couldn’t get to Arles, which is a 740-kilometer drive south from Paris, fast enough.

Tucked away in the center of town, L’Atelier has a casual urban vibe and a flat-screen monitor showcasing the action in the kitchen. Although Rabanel’s cooking evokes botanist chefs like Michel Bras, in Laguiole, and Basque genius Andoni Aduriz of Mugaritz, outside San Sebastián, he has a vision all his own. Call it techno-terroir—powered by his three-hectare biodynamic farm growing 100 types of heirloom fruits and vegetables.

Bright explosions of flavor are what shine here: icy jolts of sugarless sorbets from vegetables at their seasonal height; the hyper-Mediterraneanism of figs roasted in black olive oil. The daily menu might feature a faux yogurt of haricots cocos loaded with spongy bits of morel mushrooms, followed by a pintade (guinea fowl) baked in a salt crust. “I welcome progress in my kitchen,” he said, “but in the end I go back to the casserole!” How about the relationship young French chefs have been forging with Spain’s innovators? “Génial,” he approved. “But eventually we’ll find our own way.” In Rabanel’s case, he’s already there.

Next we headed west into Aquitaine, past plump hills and sunflowers and village shops crammed with Armagnac and foie gras. We were en route to the sleepy hamlet of Astaffort for a Gascon breakfast—for dinner!—at Une Auberge en Gascogne. The restaurant’s 38-year-old chef, Fabrice Biasiolo, had been recommended for his reinventions of regional flavors.

“Molecular, terroir… My food has been branded with all sorts of meaningless labels,” Biasiolo chuckled. “I call it

simply libre and ludique [playful].” Sure enough, the petit déjeuner turned out to be a trompe l’oeil, while the term auberge doesn’t quite capture the chic, modern feel of the dining room. The breakfast’s “tea” was a gauze sachet of dried, pulverized Bayonne ham, garlic, celery and burned bread, infusing a rich duck broth into which we dipped a tartine layered with a foie gras carpaccio. Orange juice: a glass of delicious citrus and spice-infused liquefied carrot.

Silky ham mousse spooned into an eggshell represented the oeuf à la cocotte. Playful indeed.

Biasiolo grew up nearby and worked briefly under Michel Bras. Over Armagnac he reflected on the situation in France: “Spanish chefs proved creativity has no limits. Us, we’re still burdened by tradition, authority, closure.” But like others, Biasiolo believes the next generation will set itself free “while keeping French flavors alive.”

“French flavors! Does it mean anything anymore?” The iconoclastic chef Thierry Marx wanted to elaborate when I met him the following day in Bordeaux, but a TV crew interrupted, impatient to film him. France’s answer to Spain’s Adrià, Marx helms the kitchen at Château Cordeillan-Bages, a two-starred restaurant in Pauillac owned

by Lynch-Bages winery. His reputation as both tireless innovator and spiritual leader of the region’s food renaissance lured me to the hotel’s sedate dining room.

A high-wire blend of opulence and edgy conceptualism, the meal strung together a succession of “wow” moments while upholding Establishment values. The “risotto,” truffled and moistened with oyster jus, was composed of crunchy soybean sprouts instead of rice. Marx’s signature “saucisson virtuel” called for the waiter to puncture a bubble of edible plastic so that warm bouillon oozed out onto the plate, miraculously transmogrifying the whole into something deliciously recognizable as earthy lentils and sausage.

I recalled the first thrill of eating such food more than a decade ago at El Bulli, which famously now is scheduled to close permanently in December 2011. Spanish experimental bravado has since settled into a more minimalist post-molecular style. But complacent Gallic taste buds, I figured, still needed shocking. I left hopeful that French haute cuisine would never be fusty again—and that was worth the hefty price of the dinner.

Marx, I later found out, grew up in a Polish-Jewish family in a proletarian Paris quartier, worked with the likes of Joël Robuchon, and spends lots of time in Japan. He was also a paratrooper in Lebanon and has a black belt in judo and a laboratory in Paris where he develops new dishes with scientists. Oh, and he’s about to launch a new Parisian venture: inexpensive, populist and devoted to global street food. Vive la révolution. ✚

Gallic Inspiration Above: Roasted fig on baba cake with verbena sorbet at JeanLuc Rabanel’s 35-seat L’Atelier, in Arles. Right: Rabanel outside his restaurant.

GUIDE TO FRENCH TABLES Château Cordeillan-Bages Route des Châteaux, Pauillac; 33-5/56-59-24-24; dinner for two ¤265.

Frenchie 5 Rue du Nil, Second Arr., Paris; 33-1/40-39-96-19; dinner for two ¤71.

KGB 25 Rue des Grands Augustins, Sixth Arr., Paris; 33-1/46-33-00-85; dinner for two ¤106.

L’Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel 7 Rue des Carmes, Arles; 33-4/ 90-91-07-69; lunch for two ¤96.

MBC Gilles Choukroun 4 Rue du Débarcadère, 17th Arr., Paris;

33-1/45-72-22-55; lunch for two ¤63.

Restaurant Bras Route de l’Aubrac, Laguiole; 33-5/65-5118-20; dinner for two ¤150.

Une Auberge en Gascogne 9 Faubourg Corné, Astaffort; 33-5/53-67-10-27; dinner for two ¤106.

Yam’Tcha 4 Rue Saval, First Arr., Paris; 33-1/44-58-10-10; dinner for two ¤116.

Ze Kitchen Galerie 4 Rue des Grand Augustins, Sixth Arr., Paris; 33-1/44-32-00-32; lunch for two ¤83.

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INDONESIA

D

ARRARTE HANGS UP HIS MOBILE PHONE and accelerates his dented, late-model Isuzu pick-up past hip-high stone fencing and thatched lontar-palm shacks. We’re speeding down the white-earth roads of Nembrala, the tourist epicenter of little-known Rote Island, which sits just east of Timor in the Indonesian archipelago. Seems his guest, a hilarious, middle-aged Argentinean surfer, misjudged the road to Bo’a beach. We see the van straight away, its wheels swallowed by white powder. The guests are more difficult to spot, having abandoned the beast and ventured out onto one of the most beautiful beaches on earth.

Framed by a black granite bluff on one side, Bo’a’s two-fingers of sand curve south, hugging the coastline for several kilometers, looping like a rubber band around a series of six limestone and granite headlands, alternating between pink and white sand. The bay is glassy and striped turquoise in the shallows darkening into an oceanic azure once you’re further out. Narrow fishing boats flying blue sails carve the channel and ride the currents of the Savu Sea. Yeah, it’s good to get stuck sometimes.

I first experienced the rugged poetry of Rote six months earlier. What I found was an island on the edge of global perception, with a pot-holed highway, parched but hopeful orchards, spontaneous stone pile fencing, whitewashed A-frame churches and a foaming blast of blue sea crashing on Nembrala’s shores. That was when I first heard the whispers about longtime Bali expats who were slowly but surely buying up the beachfront. Over exquisite dinners of fresh seafood—Diego’s partner Maria Pinero happens to be a trained chef—figures were tossed about and I was astonished to hear that a plot of beachfront land cost as little as US$15,000.

IEGO

Paradise Island Clockwise from right: A blackcapped Lory on Rote; lontar palms tower over the island; blue skies and blue seas.

Rote’s

Second Wave

A far-flung Indonesian island proves to be the perfect, possibly permanent, escape for ADAM SKOLNICK. Now if he could only learn to surf. Photographed by JOHN CALLAHAN

I

1614, ROTE’S FOUR KINGS TRAVELED TO BATAVIA, present-day Java, to study religion and politics at the hands of Dutch colonists. They returned with a new Protestant fervor, began building churches and eventually conspired with the Dutch to conquer nearby West Timor.

The Rotenese were always gifted horsemen and warriors, which is why it should have come as no surprise when they eventually expelled the Dutch before World War II. »

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report

INDONESIA

D

ARRARTE HANGS UP HIS MOBILE PHONE and accelerates his dented, late-model Isuzu pick-up past hip-high stone fencing and thatched lontar-palm shacks. We’re speeding down the white-earth roads of Nembrala, the tourist epicenter of little-known Rote Island, which sits just east of Timor in the Indonesian archipelago. Seems his guest, a hilarious, middle-aged Argentinean surfer, misjudged the road to Bo’a beach. We see the van straight away, its wheels swallowed by white powder. The guests are more difficult to spot, having abandoned the beast and ventured out onto one of the most beautiful beaches on earth.

Framed by a black granite bluff on one side, Bo’a’s two-fingers of sand curve south, hugging the coastline for several kilometers, looping like a rubber band around a series of six limestone and granite headlands, alternating between pink and white sand. The bay is glassy and striped turquoise in the shallows darkening into an oceanic azure once you’re further out. Narrow fishing boats flying blue sails carve the channel and ride the currents of the Savu Sea. Yeah, it’s good to get stuck sometimes.

I first experienced the rugged poetry of Rote six months earlier. What I found was an island on the edge of global perception, with a pot-holed highway, parched but hopeful orchards, spontaneous stone pile fencing, whitewashed A-frame churches and a foaming blast of blue sea crashing on Nembrala’s shores. That was when I first heard the whispers about longtime Bali expats who were slowly but surely buying up the beachfront. Over exquisite dinners of fresh seafood—Diego’s partner Maria Pinero happens to be a trained chef—figures were tossed about and I was astonished to hear that a plot of beachfront land cost as little as US$15,000.

IEGO

Paradise Island Clockwise from right: A blackcapped Lory on Rote; lontar palms tower over the island; blue skies and blue seas.

Rote’s

Second Wave

A far-flung Indonesian island proves to be the perfect, possibly permanent, escape for ADAM SKOLNICK. Now if he could only learn to surf. Photographed by JOHN CALLAHAN

I

1614, ROTE’S FOUR KINGS TRAVELED TO BATAVIA, present-day Java, to study religion and politics at the hands of Dutch colonists. They returned with a new Protestant fervor, began building churches and eventually conspired with the Dutch to conquer nearby West Timor.

The Rotenese were always gifted horsemen and warriors, which is why it should have come as no surprise when they eventually expelled the Dutch before World War II. »

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report

Remote Rote Clockwise from top left: The island has a Christian past; the surf is what attracts visitors today; a remote stretch of beach; fishermen pass the day.

white coat of sand dusts my feet as I cross dainty etchings of tiny seabird toes visible in the wet sand.

The dream is still burning in my brain when Elias leads me to a second plot. This one is slightly smaller, across the road from the beach, and surrounded by a cluster of lontar palms, the tree that has sustained the Rotenese for generations. Rotenese use the leaves and wood to build homes and weave hats and sandals, but it’s the milky, proteinrich sap called nirah that is tapped from the crown of the lontar and that nourishes the islanders. As luck would have it, the landowner is tending a palm basket sloshing with nirah, dangling from a tree. I take a gulp and realize that it’s not nirah at all, but fermented laru, or wine. The three of us sip wine and talk business. The landowner, I’m promptly told, wants just US$10,000 for his property. Could paradise really come this cheap?

Later that night, over yet another of Maria’s amazing dinners—this one featuring fresh mackerel sashimi, fried calamari, roma tomatoes stuffed with white fish, boiled and buttered potatoes, and a green salad—Diego explains the hidden costs of investing in a dream like this. Title searches, lawyer fees to set up an Indonesian corporation so I could truly own my land and solar power all enter the equation.

We traverse a dry river bed, navigate coastal dunes, DODGE roaming goat herds and old men with coconuts slung over their shoulders

Then there’s construction. “You have to be patient and be prepared to follow up, but when it’s all done you could probably have a home on the beach for something like US$40,000,” he says.

After dinner I walk along Nembrala beach, stare skyward and see millions of stars, clouds of galaxies, clusters of other worlds. Waves pound in the distance. Colorful dugouts bob on inky midnight tides. “Living and building something in paradise isn’t always easy,” warns Diego, “but if you decide to do it you’ll get to live in a beautiful place that’s in the middle of the end of the world.” ✚

GUIDE TO ROTE Nemberala Beach Resort 62/813-3773-1851; nemberalabeachresort.com; from US$175 per person.

Afterwards, Rote remained almost completely isolated from the rest of Indonesia, let alone the West, until a former world surf champion, Felipe Pomar, 67, landed on Nembrala beach 23 years ago. The only surfer in the water, he’d regularly paddle out to six-meter waves alone. Pomar has returned to Nembrala every year since. In 2002, he met Diego who was working as a builder in Kauai and asked him to help build and manage the Malole Surf House, a surf lodge they now co-own.

“It took us three years to get it done,” says Diego. “Back in 2002 there was no phone coverage on the island, only a dodgy ferry from Kupang followed by a five-hour bus ride down a horrible road just to get here.” Which meant that building logistics and supply sourcing was extremely difficult.

“We had to pay our dues, but what kept me going was the surf. Anytime I got frustrated, I would just get in the water.”

Surf remains the island’s chief draw, and in the dry season 82

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international surfers descend in packs, but there is a new trend developing, as well. Diego calls it “the second wave.”

Non-surfers like me are starting to explore Rote and considering investing in a wild slice of paradise. To that end Diego links me up with Elias Faturraja. It is Elias who has helped Diego, Felipe and others purchase and lease tracts of land south of Nembrala. He leads me on an adventurous, off-road motorbike ride north of town. We traverse a dry river bed, navigate low-lying coastal dunes, dodge roaming goat herds and old men with coconuts slung over their shoulders before arriving on a plot of land backed by a coconut grove, where seaweed dries in the sun.

“This land is for sale,” says Elias. “There is no electric, but you can dig beneath the sand and build a foundation.” I take a good look at the wide beach right outside my imaginary front door and consider what it would be like to live here in sweet desolation. I stroll down to the water’s edge; a fine

WHAT TO DO Surfing Both resorts offer surfing and boat transfers to local reef breaks — some of which are 400 meters from shore. Bo’a Beach offers tremendous kite-surfing conditions when the winds kick up in August and September. When there are no waves at all, resort management organizes sport-fishing trips.

WHEN TO GO Nembrala is only accessible in the March–October dry season. In those months, the town is packed with surfers, but early and late in the season, you’ll be one of the few foreign faces around.

GETTING THERE Transnusa There are two 20-minute flights a week between Rote and Kupang, Timor.

62-380/822-555; Rp250,000.

Baharai Express The fast ferry departs Kupang at 8:30 A.M., docks at Ba’a on the north end of Rote, and returns at 11 A.M. Call your resort ahead of time to arrange the trip. Transfer from the dock or airport to Nembrala, Rp280,000; ferry Rp100,000.

WHERE TO STAY Malole Surf House 62/813-37767412; from US$75 per person, including meals.

Touring Rent a motorbike (Rp45,000–Rp90,000 per day) and drive south from Nembrala, past Bo’a. Look out for monkeys in the mangroves before you traverse the natural limestone bridge, and reach the village of Oeseli. Veer right on the dirt road there and you’ll find another superb beach with some good waves. There’s also a huge natural tidal lagoon that shelters local fishing boats and floods limestone bat caves.

Boni is about 15 kilometers north of Nembrala, and is one of the last villages on Rote where the traditional religion is still followed. Every Thursday is market day in the town. The best way to get here is to rent a motorbike in Nembrala.

Island Hopping Pulau Do’o is a flat spit of pale golden sand with terrific, though finicky surf. You can see it from Nembrala beach.

Further on is the stunning Pulau Ndao, which has more powdery white sand beaches, limestone bluffs, and a tidy, charming ikatweaving, lontar-tapping, fishing village home to nearly 600 people who speak their own indigenous dialect, bahasa Ndao.

There are some fantastic swimming beaches on the west and east coasts, and good, though inconsistent, surf off the southern point. Ndao is 10 kilometers west of Nembrala.

Both islands can be visited in a day on a charter boat (from Rp700,000, for a maximum of five people).

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report

Remote Rote Clockwise from top left: The island has a Christian past; the surf is what attracts visitors today; a remote stretch of beach; fishermen pass the day.

white coat of sand dusts my feet as I cross dainty etchings of tiny seabird toes visible in the wet sand.

The dream is still burning in my brain when Elias leads me to a second plot. This one is slightly smaller, across the road from the beach, and surrounded by a cluster of lontar palms, the tree that has sustained the Rotenese for generations. Rotenese use the leaves and wood to build homes and weave hats and sandals, but it’s the milky, proteinrich sap called nirah that is tapped from the crown of the lontar and that nourishes the islanders. As luck would have it, the landowner is tending a palm basket sloshing with nirah, dangling from a tree. I take a gulp and realize that it’s not nirah at all, but fermented laru, or wine. The three of us sip wine and talk business. The landowner, I’m promptly told, wants just US$10,000 for his property. Could paradise really come this cheap?

Later that night, over yet another of Maria’s amazing dinners—this one featuring fresh mackerel sashimi, fried calamari, roma tomatoes stuffed with white fish, boiled and buttered potatoes, and a green salad—Diego explains the hidden costs of investing in a dream like this. Title searches, lawyer fees to set up an Indonesian corporation so I could truly own my land and solar power all enter the equation.

We traverse a dry river bed, navigate coastal dunes, DODGE roaming goat herds and old men with coconuts slung over their shoulders

Then there’s construction. “You have to be patient and be prepared to follow up, but when it’s all done you could probably have a home on the beach for something like US$40,000,” he says.

After dinner I walk along Nembrala beach, stare skyward and see millions of stars, clouds of galaxies, clusters of other worlds. Waves pound in the distance. Colorful dugouts bob on inky midnight tides. “Living and building something in paradise isn’t always easy,” warns Diego, “but if you decide to do it you’ll get to live in a beautiful place that’s in the middle of the end of the world.” ✚

GUIDE TO ROTE Nemberala Beach Resort 62/813-3773-1851; nemberalabeachresort.com; from US$175 per person.

Afterwards, Rote remained almost completely isolated from the rest of Indonesia, let alone the West, until a former world surf champion, Felipe Pomar, 67, landed on Nembrala beach 23 years ago. The only surfer in the water, he’d regularly paddle out to six-meter waves alone. Pomar has returned to Nembrala every year since. In 2002, he met Diego who was working as a builder in Kauai and asked him to help build and manage the Malole Surf House, a surf lodge they now co-own.

“It took us three years to get it done,” says Diego. “Back in 2002 there was no phone coverage on the island, only a dodgy ferry from Kupang followed by a five-hour bus ride down a horrible road just to get here.” Which meant that building logistics and supply sourcing was extremely difficult.

“We had to pay our dues, but what kept me going was the surf. Anytime I got frustrated, I would just get in the water.”

Surf remains the island’s chief draw, and in the dry season 82

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

international surfers descend in packs, but there is a new trend developing, as well. Diego calls it “the second wave.”

Non-surfers like me are starting to explore Rote and considering investing in a wild slice of paradise. To that end Diego links me up with Elias Faturraja. It is Elias who has helped Diego, Felipe and others purchase and lease tracts of land south of Nembrala. He leads me on an adventurous, off-road motorbike ride north of town. We traverse a dry river bed, navigate low-lying coastal dunes, dodge roaming goat herds and old men with coconuts slung over their shoulders before arriving on a plot of land backed by a coconut grove, where seaweed dries in the sun.

“This land is for sale,” says Elias. “There is no electric, but you can dig beneath the sand and build a foundation.” I take a good look at the wide beach right outside my imaginary front door and consider what it would be like to live here in sweet desolation. I stroll down to the water’s edge; a fine

WHAT TO DO Surfing Both resorts offer surfing and boat transfers to local reef breaks — some of which are 400 meters from shore. Bo’a Beach offers tremendous kite-surfing conditions when the winds kick up in August and September. When there are no waves at all, resort management organizes sport-fishing trips.

WHEN TO GO Nembrala is only accessible in the March–October dry season. In those months, the town is packed with surfers, but early and late in the season, you’ll be one of the few foreign faces around.

GETTING THERE Transnusa There are two 20-minute flights a week between Rote and Kupang, Timor.

62-380/822-555; Rp250,000.

Baharai Express The fast ferry departs Kupang at 8:30 A.M., docks at Ba’a on the north end of Rote, and returns at 11 A.M. Call your resort ahead of time to arrange the trip. Transfer from the dock or airport to Nembrala, Rp280,000; ferry Rp100,000.

WHERE TO STAY Malole Surf House 62/813-37767412; from US$75 per person, including meals.

Touring Rent a motorbike (Rp45,000–Rp90,000 per day) and drive south from Nembrala, past Bo’a. Look out for monkeys in the mangroves before you traverse the natural limestone bridge, and reach the village of Oeseli. Veer right on the dirt road there and you’ll find another superb beach with some good waves. There’s also a huge natural tidal lagoon that shelters local fishing boats and floods limestone bat caves.

Boni is about 15 kilometers north of Nembrala, and is one of the last villages on Rote where the traditional religion is still followed. Every Thursday is market day in the town. The best way to get here is to rent a motorbike in Nembrala.

Island Hopping Pulau Do’o is a flat spit of pale golden sand with terrific, though finicky surf. You can see it from Nembrala beach.

Further on is the stunning Pulau Ndao, which has more powdery white sand beaches, limestone bluffs, and a tidy, charming ikatweaving, lontar-tapping, fishing village home to nearly 600 people who speak their own indigenous dialect, bahasa Ndao.

There are some fantastic swimming beaches on the west and east coasts, and good, though inconsistent, surf off the southern point. Ndao is 10 kilometers west of Nembrala.

Both islands can be visited in a day on a charter boat (from Rp700,000, for a maximum of five people).

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SPAIN

Madrid’s Moveable Feast There’s much more to eating in the Spanish capital than patatas bravas, which means it’s time to look at the city’s most talked-about venues. By JENNIFER CHEN. Photographed by MATÍAS COSTA

Restaurant La Terraza del Casino is good for a splurge.

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Cultural Kitchen From left: The mix of different cultures is in evidence at Diverxo; David Muñoz, the restaurant’s chef and owner, has toiled in both Asian and Western kitchens around Europe; one of his creations at the small, minimalist restaurant: an order of Galician red cow.

T

HIS STORY STARTS WITH A CONFESSION: THE Spanish are better at pig than any other people on the planet. That’s a serious admission from someone whose family comes from the world’s other great pork-obsessed nation, China. But Hong Kong char siu prodigies, Mexican al pastor savants, Kansas City pit whizzes—they’re all amateurs compared with the masters of cochinillo asado, morcilla, chorizo and, of course, jamón ibérico, the king of hams.

It’s a truth that dawned on me while I tucked into the roasted-pork course of the lunchtime degustation menu at La Terraza del Casino in Madrid, a fanciful space in white, gray and robin’s-egg blue. Served on a simple white plate, the dish seemed unassuming: a small block of bronzed meat served with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted garlic. The taste, though, belied its plain looks: spiced with a nutty depth and an incredible tenderness. If Paco Roncero, the kitchen’s creative talent, was throwing down a gauntlet by christening his dish “Iberian pork a la cantonesa,” I willingly surrendered a point: Spain 1, rest of the pork-eating world, 0.

Puzzlingly, Spain still seems to suffer from the image of being a culinary backwater—despite the hoopla in recent years over Ferran Adrià and molecular gastronomy. Not so long ago, friends who were planning a whirlwind honeymoon through France, Spain and Morocco spoke excitedly about their plan of attack in Bordeaux, but looked at me blankly when I reminisced about going on a tapeo, a tapas crawl, in Bilbao and a Fellini-esque scene at a bar in Seville that involved a dozen legs of ham, a few earthenware jars of olives and a cast of well-fed locals. Another friend, a self-admittedly obsessive foodie, delivered this damning verdict: “Lovely country, pity about the food.”

Madrid, in particular, seems to be the victim of such misguided conceptions about Iberian cuisine. A recent survey of a small sampling of the capital’s culinary offerings, however, happily dispelled all notions of soggy salads drenched in mayonnaise and deep-fried potatoes. A vanguard of young chefs is staking out new territory in Madrid, playing fast and loose with classics or mixing local traditions with those from farther afield. Think skate dusted with homemade XO powder concocted out of mojama, salt-cured tuna loin, and you get the picture. And while it’s easy to get distracted by the new, there’s still plenty to rediscover at Madrid’s tabernas, tapas bars and markets.

O

NE OF THE SPANISH CAPITAL’S MOST TALKED-ABOUT

restaurants, Diverxo is easy to miss. A frosted-glass door with its name written in old-school Chinese takeaway font and a glass case with a piece of paper announcing the set-menu options (“small,” “medium” and “large”) are the only hints of its locale in the working-class Tetuán neighborhood. Blink, and you’ll pass it. Like many a European center, Madrid has seen an influx of immigrants in recent years, and Tetuán is home to a mélange of Latinos, Africans and Asians. Wandering through the neighborhood, I pass by a Mexican café and mobile-phone shops selling international calling cards; a young Chinese boy strolls along the main drag of Calle Bravo Murillo, chomping on a churro.

If anything, these glimpses of Madrid’s ethnic diversity explain Diverxo’s obscure address. David Muñoz, the chef-owner, freely mixes Asian, Peruvian and Spanish flavors in his cooking, an approach that weds his experiences working in the kitchens of Madrid’s Viridiana and Chantarella as well as London’s Hakkasan and Nahm. » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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t+l journal | food

SPAIN

Madrid’s Moveable Feast There’s much more to eating in the Spanish capital than patatas bravas, which means it’s time to look at the city’s most talked-about venues. By JENNIFER CHEN. Photographed by MATÍAS COSTA

Restaurant La Terraza del Casino is good for a splurge.

84

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Cultural Kitchen From left: The mix of different cultures is in evidence at Diverxo; David Muñoz, the restaurant’s chef and owner, has toiled in both Asian and Western kitchens around Europe; one of his creations at the small, minimalist restaurant: an order of Galician red cow.

T

HIS STORY STARTS WITH A CONFESSION: THE Spanish are better at pig than any other people on the planet. That’s a serious admission from someone whose family comes from the world’s other great pork-obsessed nation, China. But Hong Kong char siu prodigies, Mexican al pastor savants, Kansas City pit whizzes—they’re all amateurs compared with the masters of cochinillo asado, morcilla, chorizo and, of course, jamón ibérico, the king of hams.

It’s a truth that dawned on me while I tucked into the roasted-pork course of the lunchtime degustation menu at La Terraza del Casino in Madrid, a fanciful space in white, gray and robin’s-egg blue. Served on a simple white plate, the dish seemed unassuming: a small block of bronzed meat served with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted garlic. The taste, though, belied its plain looks: spiced with a nutty depth and an incredible tenderness. If Paco Roncero, the kitchen’s creative talent, was throwing down a gauntlet by christening his dish “Iberian pork a la cantonesa,” I willingly surrendered a point: Spain 1, rest of the pork-eating world, 0.

Puzzlingly, Spain still seems to suffer from the image of being a culinary backwater—despite the hoopla in recent years over Ferran Adrià and molecular gastronomy. Not so long ago, friends who were planning a whirlwind honeymoon through France, Spain and Morocco spoke excitedly about their plan of attack in Bordeaux, but looked at me blankly when I reminisced about going on a tapeo, a tapas crawl, in Bilbao and a Fellini-esque scene at a bar in Seville that involved a dozen legs of ham, a few earthenware jars of olives and a cast of well-fed locals. Another friend, a self-admittedly obsessive foodie, delivered this damning verdict: “Lovely country, pity about the food.”

Madrid, in particular, seems to be the victim of such misguided conceptions about Iberian cuisine. A recent survey of a small sampling of the capital’s culinary offerings, however, happily dispelled all notions of soggy salads drenched in mayonnaise and deep-fried potatoes. A vanguard of young chefs is staking out new territory in Madrid, playing fast and loose with classics or mixing local traditions with those from farther afield. Think skate dusted with homemade XO powder concocted out of mojama, salt-cured tuna loin, and you get the picture. And while it’s easy to get distracted by the new, there’s still plenty to rediscover at Madrid’s tabernas, tapas bars and markets.

O

NE OF THE SPANISH CAPITAL’S MOST TALKED-ABOUT

restaurants, Diverxo is easy to miss. A frosted-glass door with its name written in old-school Chinese takeaway font and a glass case with a piece of paper announcing the set-menu options (“small,” “medium” and “large”) are the only hints of its locale in the working-class Tetuán neighborhood. Blink, and you’ll pass it. Like many a European center, Madrid has seen an influx of immigrants in recent years, and Tetuán is home to a mélange of Latinos, Africans and Asians. Wandering through the neighborhood, I pass by a Mexican café and mobile-phone shops selling international calling cards; a young Chinese boy strolls along the main drag of Calle Bravo Murillo, chomping on a churro.

If anything, these glimpses of Madrid’s ethnic diversity explain Diverxo’s obscure address. David Muñoz, the chef-owner, freely mixes Asian, Peruvian and Spanish flavors in his cooking, an approach that weds his experiences working in the kitchens of Madrid’s Viridiana and Chantarella as well as London’s Hakkasan and Nahm. » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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t+l journal | food squid arrives wrapped in a tapioca–rice flour skin flavored with squid ink, with a quivering piece of bone marrow. The aforementioned barbecued skate wing is accompanied with house-dried scallops that take on an almost caramelized taste.

Tom yam, flavored with ají panca and enoki mushrooms, comes in a bamboo container and is then poured into a bowl with langoustine, dried-langoustine powder and tiny pigeon-egg yolks. The Iberian pork belly and Galician beef are, of course, cooked to perfection, but by the time dessert arrives—a green-apple sorbet with white-chocolate mousse and Darjeeling foam studded with dried, spiced strawberries, coriander and dark chocolate—I’m longing to go back to that first mouthful of mussels.

Muñoz’s wife, Ángela, who runs the front of the house, carefully explains each of the courses as they’re served, and minds the brewing of teas. As our meal winds down, Muñoz emerges from the kitchen and greets each table. He tells us that he’s about to move to a new space. “It’s a bigger kitchen, but it’s in the same neighborhood with the same number of seats—20. We don’t want to get too big,” he replies.

Muñoz might be busy manipulating global flavors, but other young chefs are experimenting with Spanish standbys.

Estado Puro offers inventive takes on traditional tapas and striking looks: 1,000 white penitas, the elaborate combs that hold up mantillas, line the curved ceiling of the compact dining room filled with pinewood tables and red stools. The alfresco tables are crowded with long-limbed hipsters when we arrive for a bite at dusk, which in the summer means 9 P.M., so we opt instead for a perch by the window for an excellent view of the paseo, the ritual evening stroll.

With a name that translates as “pure state,” there’s minimal fuss to the food: patatas al ali oli are squares of fried

potatoes hollowed out and filled with aioli and trout roe, while deep-fried sticks of eggplant are married with a simple tomato sauce. “Tapas in Madrid was seen as something touristy. We wanted to take traditional tapas and make it more cosmopolitan, more sophisticated,” says Alfonso Castellanos, the thirty-something chef who oversees the cooking. Still, with Paco Roncero as the mastermind, the kitchen can’t resist retooling classics: “21st-century tortilla” arrives in a glass, a foamy soup of egg and potato with caramelized onion at the bottom. Traditionalists might bristle, but I finish it off, lickety-split.

The night’s just getting underway when we leave Estado Puro, as hungry locals and tourists spill in from the street.

Roncero and Castellanos are clearly onto something.

By contrast, Senzone, located in the Hospes hotel in the posh Salamanca neighborhood, is a subdued space in white-and-gray tones, with a peaceful courtyard where birds—rather than the lively hubbub of happy diners—can be heard. I come to try the food of Francisco Morales, a wunderkind who reputedly has a deft touch with »

Muñoz emerges and greets each table. He tells us about moving to a new space. ‘It’s a BIGGER kitchen with the same number of seats—20’

Experimental Edibles Clockwise from top left: The striking looks of Estado Puro; sous-chef Alfonso Castellanos at work; ham croquettes at the restaurant; Estado Puro’s distinct interior; when it’s time to order innovative takes on traditional Spanish fare; a dish of patatas bravas.

“The experience [at Hakkasan] was amazing. It was totally different for me to be in a Chinese kitchen, with chefs just using their woks—no pots and pans, just woks,” says the engaging young chef, who sold his apartment and car in order start his own restaurant two years ago. At first, his brand of food puzzled Madrileños. “In Mediterranean food, to have one dish that is sweet, sour and spicy all at once— you can’t find that,” explains Muñoz, adding that diners would routinely dump the shots of tea served with each course onto the food.

No such confusion is evident when I arrive at the petite, minimally decorated restaurant for lunch, which starts at the civilized time of 2 P.M., one Saturday. We opt for the “medium” set menu, and take in our fellow diners while nibbling on edamame sprinkled with black sesame and sea 86

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

salt, paired with a yellow ají sauce that gives off an addictive, slow heat. The patrons represent a cross-section of Madrid’s well-to-do: a family in pastel polo shirts who Muñoz greets warmly, a distinguished gray-haired couple wearing beautifully made shoes, a trendy youngish couple. Then our meal commences with an appetizer that’s sort of a mussels parfait served in a funnel-shaped dish and topped with a foamy, bread-crumb–spiked béchamel. Somewhere in there are salmon roe, kaffir lime, chili and chives—it’s a balancing act that works marvelously, each bite producing a different combination of the briny tang of the plump mussels, creaminess, citrus and heat. The rest of the meal at Diverxo makes me realize that good fusion food can, and does, exist.

Madrid might be landlocked, but there’s access to amazing seafood, which Muñoz expertly handles: succulent baby

Capital Cuisine From left: Inside the subdued but comfortable Senzone in Madrid’s posh Salamanca district; a dish of seaweed salad with grilled scallops and yuzu vinaigrette at the restaurant; chef Iván Saez at Senzone, one of Madrid’s restaurants offering distinctly modern touches.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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t+l journal | food squid arrives wrapped in a tapioca–rice flour skin flavored with squid ink, with a quivering piece of bone marrow. The aforementioned barbecued skate wing is accompanied with house-dried scallops that take on an almost caramelized taste.

Tom yam, flavored with ají panca and enoki mushrooms, comes in a bamboo container and is then poured into a bowl with langoustine, dried-langoustine powder and tiny pigeon-egg yolks. The Iberian pork belly and Galician beef are, of course, cooked to perfection, but by the time dessert arrives—a green-apple sorbet with white-chocolate mousse and Darjeeling foam studded with dried, spiced strawberries, coriander and dark chocolate—I’m longing to go back to that first mouthful of mussels.

Muñoz’s wife, Ángela, who runs the front of the house, carefully explains each of the courses as they’re served, and minds the brewing of teas. As our meal winds down, Muñoz emerges from the kitchen and greets each table. He tells us that he’s about to move to a new space. “It’s a bigger kitchen, but it’s in the same neighborhood with the same number of seats—20. We don’t want to get too big,” he replies.

Muñoz might be busy manipulating global flavors, but other young chefs are experimenting with Spanish standbys.

Estado Puro offers inventive takes on traditional tapas and striking looks: 1,000 white penitas, the elaborate combs that hold up mantillas, line the curved ceiling of the compact dining room filled with pinewood tables and red stools. The alfresco tables are crowded with long-limbed hipsters when we arrive for a bite at dusk, which in the summer means 9 P.M., so we opt instead for a perch by the window for an excellent view of the paseo, the ritual evening stroll.

With a name that translates as “pure state,” there’s minimal fuss to the food: patatas al ali oli are squares of fried

potatoes hollowed out and filled with aioli and trout roe, while deep-fried sticks of eggplant are married with a simple tomato sauce. “Tapas in Madrid was seen as something touristy. We wanted to take traditional tapas and make it more cosmopolitan, more sophisticated,” says Alfonso Castellanos, the thirty-something chef who oversees the cooking. Still, with Paco Roncero as the mastermind, the kitchen can’t resist retooling classics: “21st-century tortilla” arrives in a glass, a foamy soup of egg and potato with caramelized onion at the bottom. Traditionalists might bristle, but I finish it off, lickety-split.

The night’s just getting underway when we leave Estado Puro, as hungry locals and tourists spill in from the street.

Roncero and Castellanos are clearly onto something.

By contrast, Senzone, located in the Hospes hotel in the posh Salamanca neighborhood, is a subdued space in white-and-gray tones, with a peaceful courtyard where birds—rather than the lively hubbub of happy diners—can be heard. I come to try the food of Francisco Morales, a wunderkind who reputedly has a deft touch with »

Muñoz emerges and greets each table. He tells us about moving to a new space. ‘It’s a BIGGER kitchen with the same number of seats—20’

Experimental Edibles Clockwise from top left: The striking looks of Estado Puro; sous-chef Alfonso Castellanos at work; ham croquettes at the restaurant; Estado Puro’s distinct interior; when it’s time to order innovative takes on traditional Spanish fare; a dish of patatas bravas.

“The experience [at Hakkasan] was amazing. It was totally different for me to be in a Chinese kitchen, with chefs just using their woks—no pots and pans, just woks,” says the engaging young chef, who sold his apartment and car in order start his own restaurant two years ago. At first, his brand of food puzzled Madrileños. “In Mediterranean food, to have one dish that is sweet, sour and spicy all at once— you can’t find that,” explains Muñoz, adding that diners would routinely dump the shots of tea served with each course onto the food.

No such confusion is evident when I arrive at the petite, minimally decorated restaurant for lunch, which starts at the civilized time of 2 P.M., one Saturday. We opt for the “medium” set menu, and take in our fellow diners while nibbling on edamame sprinkled with black sesame and sea 86

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

salt, paired with a yellow ají sauce that gives off an addictive, slow heat. The patrons represent a cross-section of Madrid’s well-to-do: a family in pastel polo shirts who Muñoz greets warmly, a distinguished gray-haired couple wearing beautifully made shoes, a trendy youngish couple. Then our meal commences with an appetizer that’s sort of a mussels parfait served in a funnel-shaped dish and topped with a foamy, bread-crumb–spiked béchamel. Somewhere in there are salmon roe, kaffir lime, chili and chives—it’s a balancing act that works marvelously, each bite producing a different combination of the briny tang of the plump mussels, creaminess, citrus and heat. The rest of the meal at Diverxo makes me realize that good fusion food can, and does, exist.

Madrid might be landlocked, but there’s access to amazing seafood, which Muñoz expertly handles: succulent baby

Capital Cuisine From left: Inside the subdued but comfortable Senzone in Madrid’s posh Salamanca district; a dish of seaweed salad with grilled scallops and yuzu vinaigrette at the restaurant; chef Iván Saez at Senzone, one of Madrid’s restaurants offering distinctly modern touches.

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t+l journal | food

Fashionable Fusion From left: Chef Paco Roncero at La Terraza del Casino restaurant; an unfamiliar but delicious take on a dish of teriyaki mackerel; a private club in an Art Nouveau building, La Terraza del Casino is nothing if not extravagant in its interior design.

vegetables, unusual for a Spaniard. But he and his wife, Rut Cotroneo, a sommelier who’s a rising star in her own right, have decamped for Hotel Ferrero in Valencia. That probably explains the inconsistency in the kitchen: suckling pig with a ginger choucroute has a satisfyingly crisp layer of crackling, but the rice with squid carpaccio and morels topped with Iberian ham suffer from too much salt.

For all the talk about its transformation from a stately, somewhat stiff, capital to buzzing metropolis, there’s still a buttoned-up element to Madrid. But that’s part of its appeal, and nowhere exudes Bourbon propriety more than the Casino de Madrid, a private club housed in a grand Art Nouveau building on Calle Alcalá, with an extravagantly embellished double staircase, a 19th-century betting game that consists of wooden horses racing around a track, and a neo-Gothic library. It’s not where you’d expect to find La Terraza del Casino, a Michelin-starred restaurant that marries Adrià’s revolutionary cuisine with the aesthetics of ebullient Spanish designer Jaime Hayon.

An old-fashioned, wrought-iron elevator carries us up to the dining room, where rhombus-shaped mirrors, a checkered floor, porcelain birds and dainty dove-gray chairs give off an Alice in Wonderland air. And that feeling of falling further into the rabbit hole deepens as the meal progresses.

A lot of ink has been spilled about how Adrià and his disciples—including Roncero, who is Adriá’s right-hand man—explode our preconceptions about food by dismantling ingredients and reconstructing them in unfamiliar ways. But as with fusion, there’s good molecular gastronomy and there are the experiments that should have stayed in the kitchen. And then there’s stunning molecular gastronomy, of which Roncero is a practitioner.

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Or conjurer should I say? A sugared raspberry with a dab of wasabi shatters in my mouth to reveal a sweetness leavened by the fiery kick. A wobbly yolk-like sphere covered in crisp bread crumbs is the liquefied essence of ham croquette. Broad beans accompanying a serving of clam have also been pulverized and resurrected as more intense versions of themselves. Roncero tones down the trickery with the meat dishes; besides the unforgettable Iberian pork, a fork-tender pigeon is served with truffle cream and apple cassis. “We’re very focused on the ingredients,” he says. Still, there’s an appealing, science-project feel to orders like the lemon-and-thyme sorbet, which is made with liquid nitrogen tableside by a gloved server. By this point, I’ve lost track of the score on the pork-dining front. And I don’t care. ✚

GUIDE TO MADRID DINING

Tea at La Terraza del Casino

Diverxo Book well in advance.

Calle Pensamiento, 28; 34/915700-766; diverxo.com; lunch for two ¤120.

La Terraza del Casino This is the place to splurge. Calle Alcalá, 15; 34/91-521-8700; casinomadrid.es; lunch for two ¤240.

Estado Puro Local dishes with a twist. Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, 4; 34/91-330-2400; estadopuro. com; tapas for two ¤30.

Senzone Plaza de la Independencia, 3; 34/91-4322911; hospes.com; dinner for two with wine ¤180.

t+l journal

| the arts

Book Lover’s

London Thumbing through first editions and rare volumes, VERLYN KLINKENBORG finds there is no city for bibliophiles quite like London. Photographed by ADAM BROOMBERG and OLIVER CHANARIN

U.K.

love as a student of English literature. I tried to imagine the late-17th-century coffeehouses that doubled as book and pamphlet shops. In the book-ridden aisles of one shop or another, I half expected to bump into the 19th-century essayist Charles Lamb on the lookout, as always, for what he called “a kind-hearted play-book.” To walk into a London bookshop—and whole streets seemed to be made up of nothing but bookshops—was not so much to go back in time.

It was to stand in a place where the past casts up its riches like sea wrack on a tideswept beach.

Many of the shops I knew in the mid 1970’s have vanished, and perhaps just as well, for some of them looked as though they were about to combust, dust and paper bursting spontaneously into flames and sending great inky gouts of smoke into the sky. Sadly, their deaths were more mundane than that. Some expired of natural causes, their flyblown windows finally emptied of their time-bleached stock. Many died in the Great Consolidation—a kind of financial virus that has swept over publishing and bookselling in the past three decades. Still more will die in whatever we decide to call this current economic crisis. Some of the victims vanished unmourned and unregretted. But others, such as the recently shuttered Murder One Bookshop—a beloved store that sold mysteries and crime novels on Charing Cross Road, the street that used to be the very heart of London bookselling but is now a slightly depressing remainder of itself—left behind grieving, dismayed customers.

These days, of course, you can get any book—every book—delivered with a few clicks on your computer, including the cheapest copy of the latest book. And yet at the same time books are steadily slipping behind an electronic curtain, becoming iBook apps or drab, Kindled, digital versions of what Lamb once called “biblia a-biblia”—books which are not books, mere intangible shadows of their old, visceral selves. The touch and smell of a book well-bound and well-printed on well-made paper feels more than ever, a sensory experience increasingly lost to time, like the scent of a spermaceti candle. Soon we’ll forget what a tactile pleasure reading really was.

Despite all that, London is still a wonderful city for the archaic pleasure of shopping for actual books in an actual shop. Is it too much to claim that the English understand the very shop-ness of a shop better than Americans do? You can find plenty of wide spaces, orderly shelving, and an

inoffensive, supermarket blandness in the big London bookstores. But what I really crave in a good bookshop—and what London routinely delivers—is a touch of irregularity, a chaos that is partly disorder and partly the inner order of the proprietor’s mind. That, and the feeling that to be trapped in such a place—shuttered in by an ancestral, yellow coal-fog descending from the chimneys, the kind that hasn’t been seen since Prufrock days almost—would be something like paradise.

The reason we still go to good bookshops is also the reason we have a few friends over for dinner instead of inviting everyone. We like the selectness of select company, the likelihood of sharing common interests, the chance to make discoveries guided by minds and sensibilities we already trust.

It’s not too much to say that in London you can almost go to a bookshop the way you would go to a pub, if you were a Londoner—seeking a sense of kinship and identity.

You can, of course, make your way to the grand emporia, the three-ring circuses of bookselling— Waterstone’s in Hampstead or Piccadilly or Kensington High Street or, better yet, Foyles on Charing Cross Road. There you’ll at least have the pleasure of seeing your favorite authors refitted in English jackets, which somehow has the effect of making them seem unread all over again.

The antitheses to these omnibus stores are the single-subject shops scattered around the metropolis where you can align yourself politically, sexually, geographically, graphically and, of course, by genre and age group. Feeling charitable? Books for Amnesty International, in Hammersmith. Feeling socialist? Bookmarks, in Bloomsbury.

Merely leftist? Housmans, in King’s Cross. Feeling footloose—ready to hit the road? Daunt Books, of course, on Marylebone High Street, which tantalizes the reader by shelving its books by latitude and longitude. Well, not quite.

But that’s how it feels as you wander along the shelves, traveling from one corner of the globe to another. To me, the ultimate test of a bookstore is how many books I end up buying despite myself. I’m no longer the money borrower or the Ovid buyer I once was. When you’ve bought as many books as I have over the years—and moved them from house to house to house—you find that every new purchase has to justify itself. Every shop was a temptation. Two did me in.

The first was the London Review Bookshop, just around the corner from the British Museum in a neighborhood that was once home to a number of eccentric specialty »

The REASON we still go to good bookshops is also the reason we have a few friends over for dinner instead of inviting everyone

By the Books Left: Daunt Books, on Marylebone High Street, is perfect for those feeling footloose. Right: An image of poet laureate Sir John Betjeman hangs on the shelves at John Sandoe Books Ltd., the author’s favorite London bookshop.

S

OMEWHERE IN MY HOUSE, THERE’S A LEATHERbound Latin copy of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, purchased in London 35 years ago with money I borrowed from a Bryn Mawr College student who was disgusted to find I’d spent it on a book.

I can’t remember why I borrowed money from her. I can’t remember where I bought the Ovid. I can’t remember Latin.

But I do remember her disgust. It surprised me, because at the time—living a student’s life in London—I could think of

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no better use for a pound, even a girlfriend’s pound, than to spend it on a book.

Somehow a book bought in London was—and still is— different from a book bought anywhere else. Back then, I was a budding bibliophile, stuffed with the lore of making books. I pictured printer’s apprentices running from midnight garrets through the streets of 18th-century London with freshly scrawled sheets of foolscap ready to be set up in type—poems, essays, novels, the very works I had come to

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

.

C O M | A P R I L 2 0 1 0

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t+l journal

| the arts

Book Lover’s

London Thumbing through first editions and rare volumes, VERLYN KLINKENBORG finds there is no city for bibliophiles quite like London. Photographed by ADAM BROOMBERG and OLIVER CHANARIN

U.K.

love as a student of English literature. I tried to imagine the late-17th-century coffeehouses that doubled as book and pamphlet shops. In the book-ridden aisles of one shop or another, I half expected to bump into the 19th-century essayist Charles Lamb on the lookout, as always, for what he called “a kind-hearted play-book.” To walk into a London bookshop—and whole streets seemed to be made up of nothing but bookshops—was not so much to go back in time.

It was to stand in a place where the past casts up its riches like sea wrack on a tideswept beach.

Many of the shops I knew in the mid 1970’s have vanished, and perhaps just as well, for some of them looked as though they were about to combust, dust and paper bursting spontaneously into flames and sending great inky gouts of smoke into the sky. Sadly, their deaths were more mundane than that. Some expired of natural causes, their flyblown windows finally emptied of their time-bleached stock. Many died in the Great Consolidation—a kind of financial virus that has swept over publishing and bookselling in the past three decades. Still more will die in whatever we decide to call this current economic crisis. Some of the victims vanished unmourned and unregretted. But others, such as the recently shuttered Murder One Bookshop—a beloved store that sold mysteries and crime novels on Charing Cross Road, the street that used to be the very heart of London bookselling but is now a slightly depressing remainder of itself—left behind grieving, dismayed customers.

These days, of course, you can get any book—every book—delivered with a few clicks on your computer, including the cheapest copy of the latest book. And yet at the same time books are steadily slipping behind an electronic curtain, becoming iBook apps or drab, Kindled, digital versions of what Lamb once called “biblia a-biblia”—books which are not books, mere intangible shadows of their old, visceral selves. The touch and smell of a book well-bound and well-printed on well-made paper feels more than ever, a sensory experience increasingly lost to time, like the scent of a spermaceti candle. Soon we’ll forget what a tactile pleasure reading really was.

Despite all that, London is still a wonderful city for the archaic pleasure of shopping for actual books in an actual shop. Is it too much to claim that the English understand the very shop-ness of a shop better than Americans do? You can find plenty of wide spaces, orderly shelving, and an

inoffensive, supermarket blandness in the big London bookstores. But what I really crave in a good bookshop—and what London routinely delivers—is a touch of irregularity, a chaos that is partly disorder and partly the inner order of the proprietor’s mind. That, and the feeling that to be trapped in such a place—shuttered in by an ancestral, yellow coal-fog descending from the chimneys, the kind that hasn’t been seen since Prufrock days almost—would be something like paradise.

The reason we still go to good bookshops is also the reason we have a few friends over for dinner instead of inviting everyone. We like the selectness of select company, the likelihood of sharing common interests, the chance to make discoveries guided by minds and sensibilities we already trust.

It’s not too much to say that in London you can almost go to a bookshop the way you would go to a pub, if you were a Londoner—seeking a sense of kinship and identity.

You can, of course, make your way to the grand emporia, the three-ring circuses of bookselling— Waterstone’s in Hampstead or Piccadilly or Kensington High Street or, better yet, Foyles on Charing Cross Road. There you’ll at least have the pleasure of seeing your favorite authors refitted in English jackets, which somehow has the effect of making them seem unread all over again.

The antitheses to these omnibus stores are the single-subject shops scattered around the metropolis where you can align yourself politically, sexually, geographically, graphically and, of course, by genre and age group. Feeling charitable? Books for Amnesty International, in Hammersmith. Feeling socialist? Bookmarks, in Bloomsbury.

Merely leftist? Housmans, in King’s Cross. Feeling footloose—ready to hit the road? Daunt Books, of course, on Marylebone High Street, which tantalizes the reader by shelving its books by latitude and longitude. Well, not quite.

But that’s how it feels as you wander along the shelves, traveling from one corner of the globe to another. To me, the ultimate test of a bookstore is how many books I end up buying despite myself. I’m no longer the money borrower or the Ovid buyer I once was. When you’ve bought as many books as I have over the years—and moved them from house to house to house—you find that every new purchase has to justify itself. Every shop was a temptation. Two did me in.

The first was the London Review Bookshop, just around the corner from the British Museum in a neighborhood that was once home to a number of eccentric specialty »

The REASON we still go to good bookshops is also the reason we have a few friends over for dinner instead of inviting everyone

By the Books Left: Daunt Books, on Marylebone High Street, is perfect for those feeling footloose. Right: An image of poet laureate Sir John Betjeman hangs on the shelves at John Sandoe Books Ltd., the author’s favorite London bookshop.

S

OMEWHERE IN MY HOUSE, THERE’S A LEATHERbound Latin copy of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, purchased in London 35 years ago with money I borrowed from a Bryn Mawr College student who was disgusted to find I’d spent it on a book.

I can’t remember why I borrowed money from her. I can’t remember where I bought the Ovid. I can’t remember Latin.

But I do remember her disgust. It surprised me, because at the time—living a student’s life in London—I could think of

90

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no better use for a pound, even a girlfriend’s pound, than to spend it on a book.

Somehow a book bought in London was—and still is— different from a book bought anywhere else. Back then, I was a budding bibliophile, stuffed with the lore of making books. I pictured printer’s apprentices running from midnight garrets through the streets of 18th-century London with freshly scrawled sheets of foolscap ready to be set up in type—poems, essays, novels, the very works I had come to

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

.

C O M | A P R I L 2 0 1 0

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t+l journal

| the arts

I look at the crowded shelves and the specials and the staff favorites and—some days— I WONDER what it’s all for

Outside Bloomsbury’s London Review Bookshop.

booksellers. In some respects, the London Review Bookshop is a perfectly ordinary place, nothing especially dazzling or quaint about it. It sells books. It likes books. But it’s the kind of bookstore where you can almost hear the books arguing with each other, some trying the persuasion of calm logic, others getting up on their hind legs and shouting. It’s a shop that’s selling ideas in book form, and there’s a surprising but welcome seriousness in its inventory—a solicitousness about your curiosity and your intelligence.

But my favorite shop is John Sandoe Books Ltd., just off King’s Road—a vivacious shopping district—in Chelsea. In a sense, John Sandoe Books Ltd. looks like it belongs somewhere else in London, though perhaps not any actual London. There’s something uplifting and phosphorescent about the place, its windows and staircases crammed with books, one genre fading into the next, the occasional sense that the shelving here has been done by free association.

If the books at the London Review Bookshop belong to a debating society, the books at John Sandoe seem to belong to 92

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an extensive cousinage, a kinship of ink. It’s one of the few bookshops I’ve ever visited that made me feel I’d be happy reading any book on its shelves.

As I walked away from John Sandoe Books, shopping bag heavy in hand (Flann O’Brien at War and Vera Brittain to start with), I thought about the time I’d spent there. Since I became a writer—quite apart from my existence as reader—I’ve developed a strange ambivalence about bookstores. I look at the piles and the crowded shelves and the specials and the staff favorites, and—some days—I wonder what it’s all for. Why write another book to add to the subdued melee of bookselling? Who buys all these books? Who has time to read them all? Other days, the same store seems rich with wonders, and I remember why I’ve been reading all my life. John Sandoe Books Ltd. eased the ambivalence right out of me. It made me feel discerning and capacious as a reader. But it did something even stranger. It made me proud to be a writer. If I lived in London, I could have a bad day at work—sentences eroding, paragraphs falling apart, words evading my memory—and it would all be made better by a short walk among the titles at John Sandoe Books, where only a short walk is ever possible. The books would look up at me and smile, knowingly. ✚

GUIDE TO BOOK LOVER’S LONDON WHERE TO STAY Hazlitt’s Named for essayist William Hazlitt, the 30-room, character-laden hotel has antique furnishings and a well-stocked library. 6 Frith St.; 44-20/7434-1771; hazlittshotel. co.uk; doubles from £189.

BOOK SHOPS Bookmarks 1 Bloomsbury St.; 44-20/7637-1848; bookmarksbookshop.co.uk.

Books for Amnesty International 139B King St.; 44-20/8746-3172; amnesty.org.uk.

Daunt Books 83 Marylebone

High St.; 44-20/72242295; dauntbooks.co.uk.

Foyles 113-119 Charing Cross Rd.; 44-20/7437-5660; foyles.co.uk.

Housmans 5 Caledonian Rd.; 44-20/7837-4473; housmans.com.

John Sandoe Books Ltd. 10 Blacklands Terrace; 44-20/75899473; johnsandoe.com.

London Review Bookshop 14 Bury Place; 44-20/7269-9030; lrbshop.co.uk.

Waterstone’s 203-206 Piccadilly; 44-20/7851-2400; waterstones. com.

getaway | t+l journal

Berlin, Two Ways

GERMANY

Is it possible to spend a long weekend in a European City (including hotel) for the cost of a leisurely lunch? ADAM SACHS accepts the challenge and hits the ground running to find out. Photographed by CHRISTIAN KERBER TWO GLASSES OF RIESLING SEKT T

¤18

VS. LUNCH AT MANUFAKTUM BROT & BUTTER

Long Lunch: The bill for writer’s Michelinstarred lunch.

¤16

Long Weekend: The price of lunch (¤484, including tip) determines the budget for three days in the German capital.

BOTTLE OF WHITE WINE

¤48 BOTTLE OF SPARKLING WATER

VS.

TWO BERLIN WELCOME CARDS

¤44

¤8 VS. TWO ORDERS OF CURRYWURST MIT POMME FRITES, A BULLETEN CURRY, AND A BECK’S BEER AT CURRY 36

EIGHT-COURSE TASTING MENU FOR TWO

¤280

¤7

VS.

THREE NIGHTS AT HOTEL MICHELBERGER ¤168 + DRINKS AND SNACKS ¤25 + DINNER AT FRAROSA ¤40 + SOUVENIRS ¤7 + ADMISSION FOR TWO TO JEWISH MUSEUM AND KW ART MUSEUM ¤26

BOTTLE OF RED WINE

D AV I E S + S TA R R

VS.

¤130

¤266

TWO-COURSE LUNCH AT THE MICHELIN TWO-STARRED FISCHERS FRITZ ¤55 + TWO-COURSE DINNER + DRINKS + CLUB ENTRANCE AT COOKIES CREAM ¤75 + ONE PACKAGE OF FAKE CIGARETTES ¤1

¤131 T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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BURGERMEISTER, which is somewhat curious as the place itself is really a toilet. I don’t mean that disparagingly; I mean it is actually a 19th-century cast-iron public bathroom that’s been recommissioned as an Imbiss, or snack joint. Before leaving for Berlin, I’d asked local food critic Stefan Elfenbein for some suggestions.

He instructed me to find the “renovated restroom under the train station near your hotel.” I figured maybe some qualifying nuance had been lost in translation. But then, having dutifully walked past the floating disco and the barge spa, past the still-standing segments of the Wall and over the twin-spired neo-Gothic Oberbaum Bridge, we found this little spot under the U-Bahn tracks with a line out the door.

There are probably more romantic ways to cap off a long weekend in Europe than a pair of chili cheeseburgers in a cold converted bathroom in East Berlin, but my girlfriend, Evyn, and I couldn’t have been happier to be here. Happy because this was great late-night fare: big burgers, sloppy and slathered in an incendiary mystery sauce. And happy HERE ARE NO TOILETS AT

because the place seemed a very Berlin sort of reinvention: friendly, exuberant, odd and affordable. We were pleased, too, because we’d completed our mission and come in on our strict budget.

The project was simple: one city seen through two very different lenses. It would start with a meal, a very good (and very expensive) one. Not just any kind of meal, but the particular ritual, the culinary Kabuki, of a long, indulgent lunch in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Next, we’d take the receipt for lunch and see how and if we could survive and thrive in that same city for three days.

Essentially, this was a high-stakes version of a game I’d played tramping through Europe in college: Should we break the bank on a real dinner, even if it means a stiff second-class train seat for a bed that night? Travel is full of these trade-offs. Ours would be an exercise in extremes: Do the pleasures of culinary excess fade as quickly as the bubbles in a flute of Rheingau Riesling Sekt? Will the happy memories of eating burgers in a bathroom last as long as the hot sauce on our breath? Picking a city was the easy part.

Cheap Eats From top: A serving of currywurst; creative ingredients; head to Curry 36 for the beloved street food.

Pricey Palate Clockwise from above: Expertly composed contemporary cuisine at the Michelin-starred Facil; the restaurant’s hushed setting in Potsdamer Platz; its chef Michael Kempf.

94

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

The thrill of Berlin right now is that any- and everything is happening here—much of it new, some of it goofy, all of it inventive and fun. And often very cheap: Berlin is one of the most affordable European capitals. This is our tale of two cities in one.

THE LONG LUNCH FACIL RESTAURANT

T

HE RESTAURANT FACIL IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES YOU can’t stop yourself from describing as an “understated oasis,” even if you can’t imagine what an overstated oasis would look like. The lighting is low and kind, the service is nimble, and the bread plate has the sort of excellent butter you want to eat with a spoon and steal from other tables. The chef, Michael Kempf, works the palette as well as the palate: golden char roe topped with a luminous, deeply yellow sous vide egg yolk. These are colorful, attractive plates, all very good and well cooked and curated. The food is not vividly memorable but, rather like

the room itself, is expertly composed and easy to like. Which brought up the question: What’s an experience like this worth? It had been a bit more than four hours since the elevator delivered us to the fifth floor and the whisper-quiet automatic glass doors. For this time we lived within a polite bubble where all needs were guessed at and met by a battalion of waiters. We had that good butter on pretzely breads and ate pink Charolais beef and tender char from the Ammersee lake, in Upper Bavaria. A 2003 Yann Chave Hermitage (€32) was the kind of good where your eyes go very wide, in equal parts appreciation and alarm. That’s the thing about this type of experience: at €550 for two, you wouldn’t eat this way every day even if you could.

Restaurants like Facil are a retreat from the normal world, a soft-focus place where every bite is precision-engineered for maximum contentment. The money makes no sense unless you think of it as a day spa with wine pairings and petits fours. It was fun in our bubble, but then the glass doors reopened and we were back in the Berlin of Imbiss, bus rides and beer, in need of a nap. »

Facil is a retreat from the normal world, a soft-focus place where every bite is precision-ENGINEERED

Home Base From far left: A modest room at the Michelberger Hotel; instructions at the hotel; lounging in its well-stocked library.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

.

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T

| getaway

BURGERMEISTER, which is somewhat curious as the place itself is really a toilet. I don’t mean that disparagingly; I mean it is actually a 19th-century cast-iron public bathroom that’s been recommissioned as an Imbiss, or snack joint. Before leaving for Berlin, I’d asked local food critic Stefan Elfenbein for some suggestions.

He instructed me to find the “renovated restroom under the train station near your hotel.” I figured maybe some qualifying nuance had been lost in translation. But then, having dutifully walked past the floating disco and the barge spa, past the still-standing segments of the Wall and over the twin-spired neo-Gothic Oberbaum Bridge, we found this little spot under the U-Bahn tracks with a line out the door.

There are probably more romantic ways to cap off a long weekend in Europe than a pair of chili cheeseburgers in a cold converted bathroom in East Berlin, but my girlfriend, Evyn, and I couldn’t have been happier to be here. Happy because this was great late-night fare: big burgers, sloppy and slathered in an incendiary mystery sauce. And happy HERE ARE NO TOILETS AT

because the place seemed a very Berlin sort of reinvention: friendly, exuberant, odd and affordable. We were pleased, too, because we’d completed our mission and come in on our strict budget.

The project was simple: one city seen through two very different lenses. It would start with a meal, a very good (and very expensive) one. Not just any kind of meal, but the particular ritual, the culinary Kabuki, of a long, indulgent lunch in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Next, we’d take the receipt for lunch and see how and if we could survive and thrive in that same city for three days.

Essentially, this was a high-stakes version of a game I’d played tramping through Europe in college: Should we break the bank on a real dinner, even if it means a stiff second-class train seat for a bed that night? Travel is full of these trade-offs. Ours would be an exercise in extremes: Do the pleasures of culinary excess fade as quickly as the bubbles in a flute of Rheingau Riesling Sekt? Will the happy memories of eating burgers in a bathroom last as long as the hot sauce on our breath? Picking a city was the easy part.

Cheap Eats From top: A serving of currywurst; creative ingredients; head to Curry 36 for the beloved street food.

Pricey Palate Clockwise from above: Expertly composed contemporary cuisine at the Michelin-starred Facil; the restaurant’s hushed setting in Potsdamer Platz; its chef Michael Kempf.

94

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

The thrill of Berlin right now is that any- and everything is happening here—much of it new, some of it goofy, all of it inventive and fun. And often very cheap: Berlin is one of the most affordable European capitals. This is our tale of two cities in one.

THE LONG LUNCH FACIL RESTAURANT

T

HE RESTAURANT FACIL IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES YOU can’t stop yourself from describing as an “understated oasis,” even if you can’t imagine what an overstated oasis would look like. The lighting is low and kind, the service is nimble, and the bread plate has the sort of excellent butter you want to eat with a spoon and steal from other tables. The chef, Michael Kempf, works the palette as well as the palate: golden char roe topped with a luminous, deeply yellow sous vide egg yolk. These are colorful, attractive plates, all very good and well cooked and curated. The food is not vividly memorable but, rather like

the room itself, is expertly composed and easy to like. Which brought up the question: What’s an experience like this worth? It had been a bit more than four hours since the elevator delivered us to the fifth floor and the whisper-quiet automatic glass doors. For this time we lived within a polite bubble where all needs were guessed at and met by a battalion of waiters. We had that good butter on pretzely breads and ate pink Charolais beef and tender char from the Ammersee lake, in Upper Bavaria. A 2003 Yann Chave Hermitage (€32) was the kind of good where your eyes go very wide, in equal parts appreciation and alarm. That’s the thing about this type of experience: at €550 for two, you wouldn’t eat this way every day even if you could.

Restaurants like Facil are a retreat from the normal world, a soft-focus place where every bite is precision-engineered for maximum contentment. The money makes no sense unless you think of it as a day spa with wine pairings and petits fours. It was fun in our bubble, but then the glass doors reopened and we were back in the Berlin of Imbiss, bus rides and beer, in need of a nap. »

Facil is a retreat from the normal world, a soft-focus place where every bite is precision-ENGINEERED

Home Base From far left: A modest room at the Michelberger Hotel; instructions at the hotel; lounging in its well-stocked library.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

.

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t+l journal

| getaway

THE LONG WEEKEND THREE ACTION-PACKED DAYS IN BERLIN

A

NAP, YES—BUT WHERE TO SLEEP? HOTEL PRICES can seriously wreck a budget. So I was happy to find the Michelberger Hotel, which was all of two weeks old when I booked a “Cosy” room for a promotional rate of €57 a night.

Unlike a lot of self-consciously funky hotels around the world, the Michelberger is genuinely cool. And friendly and funny: hallway TV’s play a permanent loop of The Big Lebowski in German. Built in a refashioned factory on Warschauerstrasse in the east, the whole operation feels like a large-scale art-school project. There is free Wi-Fi and cheap coffee, and the library has wire bookshelves stuffed with travel guides and 1970’s German food magazines. The

world is full of hotels with “amenities” I don’t use and gilded lobbies I’d never sit in. Here, we had more than a bed—we had a home base.

To acclimate ourselves to the city we went directly to Curry 36, a famous currywurst Imbiss. For the uninitiated, this iconic Berlin street food—fried sausage topped with ketchup seasoned with curry powder—is a creation to behold. There is something beautifully, boldly bland to it, an altogether likable badness. For the price of two orders of currywurst with mayonnaise-topped fries our stomachs were convinced we’d really been to Berlin. And we never had to eat it again.

On a trip like this, there are two basic approaches. One is to pay close attention to costs; structure your day around train schedules and bus routes, museum opening times and lunch deals; make lists; plot your course. The other is to just go—walk, wander, see what you see and remember to get

out of the stores when the buying urge hits and to avoid expensive late-night taxi rides. We tried both, depending on our mood. Some days we planned well, hit our marks, saw the sights. The Berlin Welcome Cards we picked up at the airport got us around town on the U-Bahn and discounted admission to the Jewish Museum. We saw the city from the Reichstag (free), wandered Museum Island, watched experimental films at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art and checked out the cafés around Mitte. Other mornings we lazed about the hotel and approached emerging neighborhoods the way we felt we might if we lived there. We took the tram to the Mauerpark flea market in Prenzlauer Berg, near the site of the crumbling Wall. I bargained for a useless Telefunken radio, and we stopped into one of the café stalls alongside the market for shots of glühwein, mulled wine spiked with rum.

A

AMERICAN FRIEND LIVING IN BERLIN HAD recommended a “free soup kitchen for artists.” It was closed (and I wasn’t sure we’d qualify), so we tried another of her suggestions. Frarosa is a restaurant where you drink all you like and pay whatever you choose.

“You put two euros into the pig to begin,” the barman explained, pointing to a bank on the bar. “At the end, we have a talk and you pay what you think is fair for you and fair for us.” As you can imagine, it’s a popular policy. Fifteen tables quickly filled with a happy, loud but not loutish crowd.

The hearty pork fillet and the German wines were decent, but it was the self-serve novelty and charm of the place that won us over. How charming? When it was time to vote with our euros, we put down a somewhat arbitrary 40 euros and scurried out, hoping we’d been fair to all concerned.

N

The next day at lunch we reserved a table at Fischers Fritz, whose formal wood-paneled dining room is one of the grandest in the city and the only one with two Michelin stars.

Walking into the room you pass a rolling silver Christofle lobster press parked in the corner. It’s a message, like the giant wine glasses and the hum of service, a symbol of the haute cuisine and rarefied experience ahead. But the interesting thing is how you can enjoy these shiny emblems without the time and cost of the homard à la presse. We ordered two courses off the lunch menu for €30. For about a ninth of the price of our full-size meal at Facil, we got many of the trappings and pleasures—the really good butter, the quiet attentiveness and a happy hour or so in a nice room away from the crowds. At the end of the meal our server delivered a chocolate pre-dessert, even though we weren’t having actual dessert.

After lunch we headed out to Friedrichshain, a neighborhood in the east that feels a million kilometers away from Fischers Fritz and its surrounding posh hotels and cathedrals. Berlinomat sells mostly Berlin-sourced stuff: books, clothes, a cookie cutter shaped like the Fernsehturm (Berlin’s famous TV tower). For a souvenir, I chose a postcard that folds into a paper model of the Reichstag (€2).

On the way back to Planet Michelberger, we stopped at a little shop on the backstreets of Friedrichshain. There was a card with the motto arm aber sexy stamped in gold gothic lettering. “It means ‘poor but sexy,’ ” the shopgirl explained to me. “It’s a very Berlin idea.” Turns out you can get by on not very much in a place like Berlin. There’s a lot of city here for the price of a lunch. Sometimes quantity trumps quality and the most luxurious thing you can do in a place is to just show up. ✚

GUIDE TO BERLIN WHERE TO STAY Michelberger Hotel 39 Warschauerstrasse; 49-30/2977-8590; michelbergerhotel.com; doubles from ¤82.

GREAT VALUE

WHERE TO EAT Burgermeister 8 Oberbaumstrasse; dinner for two ¤9.

Affordable Berlin Clockwise from left: Frarosa’s pay-what-you-want policy makes the wine bar and restaurant a popular haunt; take the U-bahn rapid transit system to hop around the sprawling city instead of taxis, which are a great way to blow your budget; Der Ampelmann has become a symbol of East Berlin, where it was introduced in 1961.

96

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Cookies Cream Surely the coolest vegetarian restaurant in the world. 55 Behrenstrasse; 49-30/2749-2940; dinner for two plus club admission ¤65.

Curry 36 36 Mehringdamm; 49-30/251-7368; lunch for two ¤7.

Facil 3 Potsdamer Str.; 49-30/590-051-234; lunch for two

E40; eight-course set menu for two ¤285.

Fischers Fritz 49 Charlottenstrasse; 49-30/2033-6363; lunch for two ¤60.

Frarosa 40 Zionskirchstrasse; 49-30/6570-6756; dinner for two ¤40 (minimum suggested donation).

KaDeWe Iconic department store with giant food hall. 21—24 Tauentzienstrasse; 49-30/21210; light lunch for two at sausage stand ¤11.

Manufaktum Brot & Butter Gourmet food wing of well-edited store that sells German products.

4—5 Hardenbergstrasse; 49-30/ 2630-0346; lunch for two ¤11.

WHERE TO SHOP Berlinomat 89 Frankfurter Allee; 49-30/4208-1445; berlinomat.com.

Mauerpark Flohmarkt (Flea Market) 63—64 Bernauer Str.; 49-17/629-250-021; mauerpark markt.de; open daily 10:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. In’t Veld Artisanal chocolate shop. 26 Auguststrasse; 49-30/4862-3423; intveld.de.

de/welcomecard; ¤23 for a three-day pass.

Schoene Schreibwaren Cool paper store. 6 Niederbarnimstrasse; 49-17/681-006-670; schoeneschreibwaren.com.

Jewish Museum Berlin 9—14 Lindenstrasse; 49-30/2599-3300; jmberlin.de.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO Berlin Welcome Card Visitberlin.

KW Institute for Contemporary Art 69 Auguststrasse; 49-30/243-459; kw-berlin.de.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A

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t+l journal

| getaway

THE LONG WEEKEND THREE ACTION-PACKED DAYS IN BERLIN

A

NAP, YES—BUT WHERE TO SLEEP? HOTEL PRICES can seriously wreck a budget. So I was happy to find the Michelberger Hotel, which was all of two weeks old when I booked a “Cosy” room for a promotional rate of €57 a night.

Unlike a lot of self-consciously funky hotels around the world, the Michelberger is genuinely cool. And friendly and funny: hallway TV’s play a permanent loop of The Big Lebowski in German. Built in a refashioned factory on Warschauerstrasse in the east, the whole operation feels like a large-scale art-school project. There is free Wi-Fi and cheap coffee, and the library has wire bookshelves stuffed with travel guides and 1970’s German food magazines. The

world is full of hotels with “amenities” I don’t use and gilded lobbies I’d never sit in. Here, we had more than a bed—we had a home base.

To acclimate ourselves to the city we went directly to Curry 36, a famous currywurst Imbiss. For the uninitiated, this iconic Berlin street food—fried sausage topped with ketchup seasoned with curry powder—is a creation to behold. There is something beautifully, boldly bland to it, an altogether likable badness. For the price of two orders of currywurst with mayonnaise-topped fries our stomachs were convinced we’d really been to Berlin. And we never had to eat it again.

On a trip like this, there are two basic approaches. One is to pay close attention to costs; structure your day around train schedules and bus routes, museum opening times and lunch deals; make lists; plot your course. The other is to just go—walk, wander, see what you see and remember to get

out of the stores when the buying urge hits and to avoid expensive late-night taxi rides. We tried both, depending on our mood. Some days we planned well, hit our marks, saw the sights. The Berlin Welcome Cards we picked up at the airport got us around town on the U-Bahn and discounted admission to the Jewish Museum. We saw the city from the Reichstag (free), wandered Museum Island, watched experimental films at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art and checked out the cafés around Mitte. Other mornings we lazed about the hotel and approached emerging neighborhoods the way we felt we might if we lived there. We took the tram to the Mauerpark flea market in Prenzlauer Berg, near the site of the crumbling Wall. I bargained for a useless Telefunken radio, and we stopped into one of the café stalls alongside the market for shots of glühwein, mulled wine spiked with rum.

A

AMERICAN FRIEND LIVING IN BERLIN HAD recommended a “free soup kitchen for artists.” It was closed (and I wasn’t sure we’d qualify), so we tried another of her suggestions. Frarosa is a restaurant where you drink all you like and pay whatever you choose.

“You put two euros into the pig to begin,” the barman explained, pointing to a bank on the bar. “At the end, we have a talk and you pay what you think is fair for you and fair for us.” As you can imagine, it’s a popular policy. Fifteen tables quickly filled with a happy, loud but not loutish crowd.

The hearty pork fillet and the German wines were decent, but it was the self-serve novelty and charm of the place that won us over. How charming? When it was time to vote with our euros, we put down a somewhat arbitrary 40 euros and scurried out, hoping we’d been fair to all concerned.

N

The next day at lunch we reserved a table at Fischers Fritz, whose formal wood-paneled dining room is one of the grandest in the city and the only one with two Michelin stars.

Walking into the room you pass a rolling silver Christofle lobster press parked in the corner. It’s a message, like the giant wine glasses and the hum of service, a symbol of the haute cuisine and rarefied experience ahead. But the interesting thing is how you can enjoy these shiny emblems without the time and cost of the homard à la presse. We ordered two courses off the lunch menu for €30. For about a ninth of the price of our full-size meal at Facil, we got many of the trappings and pleasures—the really good butter, the quiet attentiveness and a happy hour or so in a nice room away from the crowds. At the end of the meal our server delivered a chocolate pre-dessert, even though we weren’t having actual dessert.

After lunch we headed out to Friedrichshain, a neighborhood in the east that feels a million kilometers away from Fischers Fritz and its surrounding posh hotels and cathedrals. Berlinomat sells mostly Berlin-sourced stuff: books, clothes, a cookie cutter shaped like the Fernsehturm (Berlin’s famous TV tower). For a souvenir, I chose a postcard that folds into a paper model of the Reichstag (€2).

On the way back to Planet Michelberger, we stopped at a little shop on the backstreets of Friedrichshain. There was a card with the motto arm aber sexy stamped in gold gothic lettering. “It means ‘poor but sexy,’ ” the shopgirl explained to me. “It’s a very Berlin idea.” Turns out you can get by on not very much in a place like Berlin. There’s a lot of city here for the price of a lunch. Sometimes quantity trumps quality and the most luxurious thing you can do in a place is to just show up. ✚

GUIDE TO BERLIN WHERE TO STAY Michelberger Hotel 39 Warschauerstrasse; 49-30/2977-8590; michelbergerhotel.com; doubles from ¤82.

GREAT VALUE

WHERE TO EAT Burgermeister 8 Oberbaumstrasse; dinner for two ¤9.

Affordable Berlin Clockwise from left: Frarosa’s pay-what-you-want policy makes the wine bar and restaurant a popular haunt; take the U-bahn rapid transit system to hop around the sprawling city instead of taxis, which are a great way to blow your budget; Der Ampelmann has become a symbol of East Berlin, where it was introduced in 1961.

96

A PRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

Cookies Cream Surely the coolest vegetarian restaurant in the world. 55 Behrenstrasse; 49-30/2749-2940; dinner for two plus club admission ¤65.

Curry 36 36 Mehringdamm; 49-30/251-7368; lunch for two ¤7.

Facil 3 Potsdamer Str.; 49-30/590-051-234; lunch for two

E40; eight-course set menu for two ¤285.

Fischers Fritz 49 Charlottenstrasse; 49-30/2033-6363; lunch for two ¤60.

Frarosa 40 Zionskirchstrasse; 49-30/6570-6756; dinner for two ¤40 (minimum suggested donation).

KaDeWe Iconic department store with giant food hall. 21—24 Tauentzienstrasse; 49-30/21210; light lunch for two at sausage stand ¤11.

Manufaktum Brot & Butter Gourmet food wing of well-edited store that sells German products.

4—5 Hardenbergstrasse; 49-30/ 2630-0346; lunch for two ¤11.

WHERE TO SHOP Berlinomat 89 Frankfurter Allee; 49-30/4208-1445; berlinomat.com.

Mauerpark Flohmarkt (Flea Market) 63—64 Bernauer Str.; 49-17/629-250-021; mauerpark markt.de; open daily 10:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. In’t Veld Artisanal chocolate shop. 26 Auguststrasse; 49-30/4862-3423; intveld.de.

de/welcomecard; ¤23 for a three-day pass.

Schoene Schreibwaren Cool paper store. 6 Niederbarnimstrasse; 49-17/681-006-670; schoeneschreibwaren.com.

Jewish Museum Berlin 9—14 Lindenstrasse; 49-30/2599-3300; jmberlin.de.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO Berlin Welcome Card Visitberlin.

KW Institute for Contemporary Art 69 Auguststrasse; 49-30/243-459; kw-berlin.de.

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Braving never-ending switchbacks and sizzling summer sun on the Bodrum Peninsula, castles, rugged beaches, sublime meze and a seaside hideaway where the living is

Peter Jon Lindberg encounters an abundance of Turkish delights: crumbling easy. Photographed by Cedric Angeles

I A waiter at the beach club at Maçakizi resort, in Türkbükü, on Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula. Opposite: the morning catch off the Mimoza dock.

MEAN, IF YOU’RE GOING to lounge around on throw pillows at a beach club, sipping chilled raki or rosé while being serenaded by seabirds and Cesári Évora, there’s arguably no finer place to do it.

And if, like any normal person, your holiday agenda is to sit still—lifting your head now and then to admire a passing sailboat, or the genetic spectacle of some raven-haired Central European heiress—you could hardly do better than the Bodrum Peninsula, a swath of rock, sand, cypress and cedar that reaches from Turkey’s southwest coast into the stained-glass blue of the Aegean. (“Bodrum” refers to the largest town and to the peninsula as a whole.)

Though the region has a wealth of historical and architectural heritage, the majority of its visitors—2.9 million of them a year, mostly Turks, Brits and other Europeans—come to relax on the beach, to relax somewhere near the beach or to relax at cliff-top resorts with stunning views of the beach.

They do not, in other words, come to spend their waking hours sweltering in a rented 4 x 4, driving every last dusty road in search of something more interesting than a beach. I, however, have a problem sitting still. Cursed with restless legs, I can never simply enjoy where I am, even if where I am is a splendid Aegean summer resort. (This drives my wife a little crazy, but she indulges me.) Europeans might be jaded by ancient ruins, Crusades-era castles and centuries-old fishing villages, but we didn’t fly all this way to lie on a beach.

Let others laze around sipping rosé: I wanted to see the real Bodrum. From »

103

Braving never-ending switchbacks and sizzling summer sun on the Bodrum Peninsula, castles, rugged beaches, sublime meze and a seaside hideaway where the living is

Peter Jon Lindberg encounters an abundance of Turkish delights: crumbling easy. Photographed by Cedric Angeles

I A waiter at the beach club at Maçakizi resort, in Türkbükü, on Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula. Opposite: the morning catch off the Mimoza dock.

MEAN, IF YOU’RE GOING to lounge around on throw pillows at a beach club, sipping chilled raki or rosé while being serenaded by seabirds and Cesári Évora, there’s arguably no finer place to do it.

And if, like any normal person, your holiday agenda is to sit still—lifting your head now and then to admire a passing sailboat, or the genetic spectacle of some raven-haired Central European heiress—you could hardly do better than the Bodrum Peninsula, a swath of rock, sand, cypress and cedar that reaches from Turkey’s southwest coast into the stained-glass blue of the Aegean. (“Bodrum” refers to the largest town and to the peninsula as a whole.)

Though the region has a wealth of historical and architectural heritage, the majority of its visitors—2.9 million of them a year, mostly Turks, Brits and other Europeans—come to relax on the beach, to relax somewhere near the beach or to relax at cliff-top resorts with stunning views of the beach.

They do not, in other words, come to spend their waking hours sweltering in a rented 4 x 4, driving every last dusty road in search of something more interesting than a beach. I, however, have a problem sitting still. Cursed with restless legs, I can never simply enjoy where I am, even if where I am is a splendid Aegean summer resort. (This drives my wife a little crazy, but she indulges me.) Europeans might be jaded by ancient ruins, Crusades-era castles and centuries-old fishing villages, but we didn’t fly all this way to lie on a beach.

Let others laze around sipping rosé: I wanted to see the real Bodrum. From »

103

A view of Bodrum town, left; Maçakizi staffer Ibrahim Aykut, right.

the moment we checked into our hotel—Maçakizi, in the north-coast town of Türkbükü, 30 minutes from Bodrum—I was ready to turn around and hit the road.

On a peninsula with its share of opulent villas and over-the-top resorts, Maçakizi (pronounced mahcha-kizuh) is a standout, the sexiest hotel in all of Bodrum. That it’s hardly a traditional hotel is one reason: it feels more like the shore-side estate of some globe-trotting Turkish family blessed with considerable wealth but also the good sense to keep things simple. The property unfolds along a hillside studded with olive trees, tangerine groves and bursts of bougainvillea.

Eighty-one guest rooms are minimally but tastefully furnished and swathed in creamy white, punctuated by the bold abstract canvases of Turkish painter Suat Akdemir. Balconies offer knockout views of Türkbükü Harbor.

In July and August that harbor fills up with yachts and impossibly tall sailing ships, their masts piercing the sky like minarets. All day and night, launches glide to and fro across the water, delivering their owners to shore. Many of them alight at Maçakizi, whose beach club is a landmark in Türkbükü: a series of wooden decks over the water, strewn with white cushions and pillows, shaded by sailcloth canopies and twig-roofed pavilions. The water is clear and generally calm, sheltered within a semiprivate cove. Most guests spend their daylight hours—and much of the evening—at the 104

beach. Every so often the muezzin’s call to prayer drifts across the water from the town mosque, a trebly counterpoint to the languid jazz playing at the bar.

Maçakizi is, in fact, owned by a globe-trotting Turkish family. Ayla Emiroglu, who moved here from Istanbul in 1977, runs the hotel with her son, Sahir Erozan, a former restaurateur who spent two decades in the power-dining rooms of Washington, D.C. At Maçakizi, the guest list alone is intriguing: Caroline Kennedy, Chelsea Clinton, Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have all vacationed here, along with the requisite Turkish music and film stars. During the summer, paparazzi float in Zodiacs just offshore, training telephoto lenses on Maçakizi’s decks.

While it’s definitely a scene in high season, Erozan does his best to keep the atmosphere refined, the crowd just this side of raucous. And the food—served on a breezy terrace just above the beach—is fabulous, particularly the lunch buffet, with its tantalizing array of Turkish kebabs and meze: flaky spinach börek, stuffed peppers spiked with cloves, and a smoky patlican salatasi (eggplant purée) that haunts me still.

But I couldn’t leave well enough alone. After a single day at the resort, I was anxious to explore. And so each morning—forgoing the beach club and that delectable lunch—my wife and I set out in the 4 x 4, armed with a stack of guidebooks and three useless maps. (More on those later.)

The Adaev Tower Hotel, a one-room villa in a 17th-century tower outside Ortakent, left; on the promenade fronting Türkbükü harbor, right.

We were, I think, the only guests who’d rented a car; most had arrived by boat, taxi or limousine. We were definitely the only guests who took our car back out each day, after a hasty sunrise breakfast. The valets didn’t know what to make of us.

“You want to go where?” Or, as one guest put it: “Why?” Everyone at Maçakizi seemed happy right where they were.

Too bad for them, for there’s plenty to see around the peninsula. The crumbling windmills and stone churches left

by Greek Orthodox settlers. The white-domed gumbets, or cisterns, that dot the parched terrain (and inspire the look of so many villa developments). The rustic villages, tumbling down steep hillsides to the sea, with their beguiling, inscrutable names—Gündog˘an! Akyarlar! Yalikavak! Not least, the Old Town of Bodrum itself, with its trellised pedestrian lanes and its 15th-century Castle of St. Peter towering over the harbor.

Though Europeans tend to treat the Bodrum Peninsula like St.-Tropez, in the more rugged corners it better recalls Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast: both share that moody, haunting beauty that attends any place where the long-dead outnumber the living. There were quotidian finds as well, mostly of the edible sort. On a commercial strip outside Bodrum town we stumbled upon a kebapci (kebab house) called Denizhan, and our favorite meal of the trip: skewers of spicy grilled lamb, brick-oven pide (Turkey’s improvement on pizza) and ethereal house-baked lavash bread. And at Bodrum’s Friday produce market, we were the only travelers in sight, ogling sunset-hued

zucchini blossoms, musk-scented melons and peaches plucked that morning, still dewy from the orchard.

What I’d not accounted for was the heat. We’d arrived in the vicious heart of July. That week the thermometer hit 40 degrees. Men slumped, like zombies, in café chairs, scarcely able to hoist their frappés. Dogs cowered in doorways, glassy-eyed and whimpering. In the sun-blasted courtyards of St. Peter’s Castle—where kids have carved their initials into cacti—we watched one of the resident peacocks trot right up to a Swedish tourist and fan its spectacular plumage in a vain attempt to cool itself. The Swede just stared blankly at the bird, too hot to bother snapping a photo.

And then there were the maps. At an Istanbul bookshop I’d purchased three Bodrum road maps, so intent was I on missing nothing. By the end of our trip I had torn the first and second to bits and crumpled the third into a tiny, unrecognizable ball. In hindsight, I see my rage was misplaced.

It had been my impression that the maps were crudely drawn and poorly labeled. I now realize that Bodrum was crudely drawn and poorly labeled. Street names are nonexistent, road signs a rarity. Endless switchbacks defy spatial logic. Thankfully, locals are willing to help. Driving in from the airport, we stopped to ask three men if they could point the way to Maçakizi. After some confusing back-andforth, one jumped into his car and led us the remaining 10 » 105

A view of Bodrum town, left; Maçakizi staffer Ibrahim Aykut, right.

the moment we checked into our hotel—Maçakizi, in the north-coast town of Türkbükü, 30 minutes from Bodrum—I was ready to turn around and hit the road.

On a peninsula with its share of opulent villas and over-the-top resorts, Maçakizi (pronounced mahcha-kizuh) is a standout, the sexiest hotel in all of Bodrum. That it’s hardly a traditional hotel is one reason: it feels more like the shore-side estate of some globe-trotting Turkish family blessed with considerable wealth but also the good sense to keep things simple. The property unfolds along a hillside studded with olive trees, tangerine groves and bursts of bougainvillea.

Eighty-one guest rooms are minimally but tastefully furnished and swathed in creamy white, punctuated by the bold abstract canvases of Turkish painter Suat Akdemir. Balconies offer knockout views of Türkbükü Harbor.

In July and August that harbor fills up with yachts and impossibly tall sailing ships, their masts piercing the sky like minarets. All day and night, launches glide to and fro across the water, delivering their owners to shore. Many of them alight at Maçakizi, whose beach club is a landmark in Türkbükü: a series of wooden decks over the water, strewn with white cushions and pillows, shaded by sailcloth canopies and twig-roofed pavilions. The water is clear and generally calm, sheltered within a semiprivate cove. Most guests spend their daylight hours—and much of the evening—at the 104

beach. Every so often the muezzin’s call to prayer drifts across the water from the town mosque, a trebly counterpoint to the languid jazz playing at the bar.

Maçakizi is, in fact, owned by a globe-trotting Turkish family. Ayla Emiroglu, who moved here from Istanbul in 1977, runs the hotel with her son, Sahir Erozan, a former restaurateur who spent two decades in the power-dining rooms of Washington, D.C. At Maçakizi, the guest list alone is intriguing: Caroline Kennedy, Chelsea Clinton, Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have all vacationed here, along with the requisite Turkish music and film stars. During the summer, paparazzi float in Zodiacs just offshore, training telephoto lenses on Maçakizi’s decks.

While it’s definitely a scene in high season, Erozan does his best to keep the atmosphere refined, the crowd just this side of raucous. And the food—served on a breezy terrace just above the beach—is fabulous, particularly the lunch buffet, with its tantalizing array of Turkish kebabs and meze: flaky spinach börek, stuffed peppers spiked with cloves, and a smoky patlican salatasi (eggplant purée) that haunts me still.

But I couldn’t leave well enough alone. After a single day at the resort, I was anxious to explore. And so each morning—forgoing the beach club and that delectable lunch—my wife and I set out in the 4 x 4, armed with a stack of guidebooks and three useless maps. (More on those later.)

The Adaev Tower Hotel, a one-room villa in a 17th-century tower outside Ortakent, left; on the promenade fronting Türkbükü harbor, right.

We were, I think, the only guests who’d rented a car; most had arrived by boat, taxi or limousine. We were definitely the only guests who took our car back out each day, after a hasty sunrise breakfast. The valets didn’t know what to make of us.

“You want to go where?” Or, as one guest put it: “Why?” Everyone at Maçakizi seemed happy right where they were.

Too bad for them, for there’s plenty to see around the peninsula. The crumbling windmills and stone churches left

by Greek Orthodox settlers. The white-domed gumbets, or cisterns, that dot the parched terrain (and inspire the look of so many villa developments). The rustic villages, tumbling down steep hillsides to the sea, with their beguiling, inscrutable names—Gündog˘an! Akyarlar! Yalikavak! Not least, the Old Town of Bodrum itself, with its trellised pedestrian lanes and its 15th-century Castle of St. Peter towering over the harbor.

Though Europeans tend to treat the Bodrum Peninsula like St.-Tropez, in the more rugged corners it better recalls Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast: both share that moody, haunting beauty that attends any place where the long-dead outnumber the living. There were quotidian finds as well, mostly of the edible sort. On a commercial strip outside Bodrum town we stumbled upon a kebapci (kebab house) called Denizhan, and our favorite meal of the trip: skewers of spicy grilled lamb, brick-oven pide (Turkey’s improvement on pizza) and ethereal house-baked lavash bread. And at Bodrum’s Friday produce market, we were the only travelers in sight, ogling sunset-hued

zucchini blossoms, musk-scented melons and peaches plucked that morning, still dewy from the orchard.

What I’d not accounted for was the heat. We’d arrived in the vicious heart of July. That week the thermometer hit 40 degrees. Men slumped, like zombies, in café chairs, scarcely able to hoist their frappés. Dogs cowered in doorways, glassy-eyed and whimpering. In the sun-blasted courtyards of St. Peter’s Castle—where kids have carved their initials into cacti—we watched one of the resident peacocks trot right up to a Swedish tourist and fan its spectacular plumage in a vain attempt to cool itself. The Swede just stared blankly at the bird, too hot to bother snapping a photo.

And then there were the maps. At an Istanbul bookshop I’d purchased three Bodrum road maps, so intent was I on missing nothing. By the end of our trip I had torn the first and second to bits and crumpled the third into a tiny, unrecognizable ball. In hindsight, I see my rage was misplaced.

It had been my impression that the maps were crudely drawn and poorly labeled. I now realize that Bodrum was crudely drawn and poorly labeled. Street names are nonexistent, road signs a rarity. Endless switchbacks defy spatial logic. Thankfully, locals are willing to help. Driving in from the airport, we stopped to ask three men if they could point the way to Maçakizi. After some confusing back-andforth, one jumped into his car and led us the remaining 10 » 105

kilometers to the hotel. “Hard to explain,” he said sheepishly, then waved good-bye.

So the heat and the maps put a damper on our explorations.

By 3 P.M. we’d usually turn back, exhausted, to Maçakizi, change into our swimsuits and hit the decks. Here, people had more sense. None of them had broken a sweat. For the beautiful Maçakizians, sightseeing was limited to ogling their own cartoonish bodies: an all-day parade of gazelle-like women and the men who love them, or at least pay for their drinks. The women change bikinis after every dip in the water—seven, eight times in an afternoon, each swimsuit with a corresponding (and wholly ineffective) cover-up.

Suffice it to say, I have trouble picturing Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg here. What does she wear? A long, black terry-cloth robe? Watching the gazelles and their consorts, we felt simultaneously over- and underdressed: overdressed in that our swimsuits had more surface area than a cocktail napkin; underdressed in that they weren’t encrusted with rhinestones. And my footwear turned out to be all wrong. I’d brought along Havaianas, but in Bodrum the most stylish men wear leather sandals—and the best, we were told, come from Ali Guven.

Guven is 69 years old and has made sandals in Bodrum for more than four decades. He has intense blue eyes and a shock of white hair and refers to himself in the third person. “Ali Guven works by hand,” he told us in halting English, displaying his long, shopworn fingers. “Ali Guven works very hard.” Guven is also semi-famous, having custom-made sandals for Mick Jagger, Sezen Aksu—the Madonna of Turkey—and Madonna.

When we visited his Old Town store he had a backlog of several hundred orders. He used to hire apprentices, but “they were impatient with Ali Guven.” Now the master works alone, surrounded by sandal parts and stacks of newsprint bearing the traced outlines of famous and not-so-famous feet. I might have ordered a pair if they didn’t cost US$600.

site. Emiroglu still lives above the resort, in a house with views of the once-sleepy bay that she, as much as anyone, helped put on the global map.

Erozan admits to misgivings about Bodrum’s explosion of development. All around the peninsula, hillsides are filling up with extravagant villa complexes (including one designed by Richard Meier), while formerly isolated coves are colonized by international resorts. “Sometimes I think we grow too much in this country,” Erozan says. “In Italy, the old things stay in place, like in a painting. But here we build so much that we’re losing the charm of what Bodrum was.”

Bodrum today is really two places, depending on when you visit. July and August bring the Arabian princes, Scandinavian swimwear models and assorted Eurotrash scenesters. Better to come in late spring or early fall, when the peninsula returns—somewhat—to its quieter, less pretentious self.

Or you could go at any time of year to Gümü¸slük (pronounced ga-moosh-luk), on the west coast. Since the 70’s, the village has drawn a hippie contingent; in the shops along the main drag, women with henna-dyed hair sell scented oils and evil-eye bracelets. The beach is lined with fish restaurants, from boisterous family joints to romantic, votive-lit spots with tables in the sand. A sign outside one of the latter, Mimoza, proclaims: WE ARE PROBABLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD. I’m not sure about that, but their calamari was sensational. A few hundred meters offshore is Tavsan Adan, a.k.a. Rabbit Island, which you can wade to at low tide to hike among the resident colony of wild bunnies. When the sun is high and the water clear, you can glimpse the remains of ancient Myndos—the Hellenic village that now lies submerged in the lagoon. You’d hardly notice if you didn’t know to look.

Sunset at Limon Café, in Gümüs¸lük village, top; seaside at Maçakizi, middle; Turkish meze at Mimoza Restaurant, in Gümüs¸lük village, bottom.

ashamed to say that it took us six days of driving all over the Bodrum Peninsula before we discovered that our favorite place was right next door: the pedestrian promenade that fronts Türkbükü Harbor, starting from just south of Maçakizi.

Why we didn’t venture here earlier is a source of great embarrassment. It turned out we could walk there in two minutes. The promenade traces a half-moon along the shore, winding around the many waterside restaurants, guesthouses, boutiques and nightclubs. The northern section, closer to Maçakizi, is trendier, louder and more international; farther south, the crowd and vibe grow more local. Here, Turkish music plays in the bars. Families stroll the waterfront until late in the evening, stopping at snack carts for roasted mussels, grilled corn and cups of tart, fresh-pressed mulberry juice.

And if you really want your mind blown, you’ll follow the path almost to the end, until you come upon the perpetual line outside Dogal Dondurma. I’m going to go out on a limb here and call this THE BEST ICE CREAM IN ALL OF TURKEY, because I simply can’t conceive of anything better. Dogal’s ever-shifting flavors include kavun (honeydew), visne (sour cherry), seftali (peach) and, best of all, mandalina, a sorbet made from tart Bodrum tangerines.

A walk along the harbor became our twice-daily routine— always ending at Dogal Dondurma to try some exotic new flavor, usually consumed on a pier with our feet dangling in the water. There was surely more to see, but here in Türkbükü we had all we needed: the sun warming our backs, the Aegean cooling our toes, and untold flavors of ice cream to taste. ✚ Peter Jon Lindberg is editor-at-large for Travel + Leisure (U.S.).

GUIDE TO BODRUM

In 1966, the year Guven set up shop, the town of Bodrum was a backwater of 5,100. It has grown around him in seeming correlation with his prices; the summer population now tops half a million. Sahir Erozan recalls a quieter time. When his mother arrived in 1977, “Bodrum was like a little Positano, or Key West in Hemingway’s day—full of bohemians, writers, painters,” he says. “You’d sit at a café and see Nureyev; at the other table, Mick Jagger.” In the shadow of Bodrum’s castle, Ayla Emiroglu opened a modest bed-and-breakfast, and called it Maçakizi—after her own nickname, Turkish for queen of spades. Over the years she upgraded and expanded the place, eventually relocating it to the north coast.

“There were no roads in Türkbükü at the time,” Erozan says. “If you wanted to build, you carried everything in from the sea.” In 2000, Maçakizi moved across the bay to its current

Speaking of things hiding in plain sight, I’m

September are lovely and relatively quiet. The summer months are busy and best avoided.

GETTING THERE From Istanbul, fly on Turkish Airlines to Milas–Bodrum Airport (one hour). Then rent a car or hire a taxi for the hour’s drive to Türkbükü.

WHEN TO GO The months of May, June and

WHERE TO STAY GREAT 4 Reasons VALUE Hotel & Bistro Simple but chic 20-room hotel set amid olive groves outside the charming village of Yalikavak. 2 Bakan Cad., Yalikavak; 90252/385-3212; 4reasonshotel. com; doubles from 144TRY. Maçakizi Kesire Mevkii, Türkbükü; 90-252/377-6272; macakizi.com; doubles from 418TRY; closed in April, re-opening in May.

WHERE TO EAT Çimentepe Boisterous seafood palace that comes alive after dark. Order the grilled octopus (izgara ahtapot) and excellent zucchini flower dolma (kabak cicegi dolmasi). Gerisalti Mevkii, Yalikavak; 90-252/385-4237; dinner for two 155TRY. Denizhan Unassuming kebapci with a delightful terrace out back.

The kebabs and lahmajun pide are both stellar. 275 Atatürk Bulvari, Konacik; 90-252/3537675; lunch for two 104TRY. Dogal Dondurma On the promenade, Turkbuku; 90252/ 363-9345; ice cream for two 5TRY. Limon Café Convivial, boho bar/

café beloved for its sunset views and cocktails. 1 Yali Mevkii, Gümüs¸lük; 90-252/394-4044; drinks for two 15TRY. Mimoza Booked up nightly by a sophisticated crowd. The fish is generally fantastic and priced accordingly. Yali Mevkii; Gümüs¸lük; 90-252/394-3139; dinner for two 186TRY. WHERE TO SHOP Ali Güven Sandalet 38 Çars¸i Mah., Bodrum; 90-252/313-2216.

Eski Sandik Boutique specializing in vintage handembroidered scarves and shawls, many from Iran. Yali Mevkii Atatürk Cad., 89/B Cami Sk., Türkbükü; 90-252/377-5497.

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kilometers to the hotel. “Hard to explain,” he said sheepishly, then waved good-bye.

So the heat and the maps put a damper on our explorations.

By 3 P.M. we’d usually turn back, exhausted, to Maçakizi, change into our swimsuits and hit the decks. Here, people had more sense. None of them had broken a sweat. For the beautiful Maçakizians, sightseeing was limited to ogling their own cartoonish bodies: an all-day parade of gazelle-like women and the men who love them, or at least pay for their drinks. The women change bikinis after every dip in the water—seven, eight times in an afternoon, each swimsuit with a corresponding (and wholly ineffective) cover-up.

Suffice it to say, I have trouble picturing Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg here. What does she wear? A long, black terry-cloth robe? Watching the gazelles and their consorts, we felt simultaneously over- and underdressed: overdressed in that our swimsuits had more surface area than a cocktail napkin; underdressed in that they weren’t encrusted with rhinestones. And my footwear turned out to be all wrong. I’d brought along Havaianas, but in Bodrum the most stylish men wear leather sandals—and the best, we were told, come from Ali Guven.

Guven is 69 years old and has made sandals in Bodrum for more than four decades. He has intense blue eyes and a shock of white hair and refers to himself in the third person. “Ali Guven works by hand,” he told us in halting English, displaying his long, shopworn fingers. “Ali Guven works very hard.” Guven is also semi-famous, having custom-made sandals for Mick Jagger, Sezen Aksu—the Madonna of Turkey—and Madonna.

When we visited his Old Town store he had a backlog of several hundred orders. He used to hire apprentices, but “they were impatient with Ali Guven.” Now the master works alone, surrounded by sandal parts and stacks of newsprint bearing the traced outlines of famous and not-so-famous feet. I might have ordered a pair if they didn’t cost US$600.

site. Emiroglu still lives above the resort, in a house with views of the once-sleepy bay that she, as much as anyone, helped put on the global map.

Erozan admits to misgivings about Bodrum’s explosion of development. All around the peninsula, hillsides are filling up with extravagant villa complexes (including one designed by Richard Meier), while formerly isolated coves are colonized by international resorts. “Sometimes I think we grow too much in this country,” Erozan says. “In Italy, the old things stay in place, like in a painting. But here we build so much that we’re losing the charm of what Bodrum was.”

Bodrum today is really two places, depending on when you visit. July and August bring the Arabian princes, Scandinavian swimwear models and assorted Eurotrash scenesters. Better to come in late spring or early fall, when the peninsula returns—somewhat—to its quieter, less pretentious self.

Or you could go at any time of year to Gümü¸slük (pronounced ga-moosh-luk), on the west coast. Since the 70’s, the village has drawn a hippie contingent; in the shops along the main drag, women with henna-dyed hair sell scented oils and evil-eye bracelets. The beach is lined with fish restaurants, from boisterous family joints to romantic, votive-lit spots with tables in the sand. A sign outside one of the latter, Mimoza, proclaims: WE ARE PROBABLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD. I’m not sure about that, but their calamari was sensational. A few hundred meters offshore is Tavsan Adan, a.k.a. Rabbit Island, which you can wade to at low tide to hike among the resident colony of wild bunnies. When the sun is high and the water clear, you can glimpse the remains of ancient Myndos—the Hellenic village that now lies submerged in the lagoon. You’d hardly notice if you didn’t know to look.

Sunset at Limon Café, in Gümüs¸lük village, top; seaside at Maçakizi, middle; Turkish meze at Mimoza Restaurant, in Gümüs¸lük village, bottom.

ashamed to say that it took us six days of driving all over the Bodrum Peninsula before we discovered that our favorite place was right next door: the pedestrian promenade that fronts Türkbükü Harbor, starting from just south of Maçakizi.

Why we didn’t venture here earlier is a source of great embarrassment. It turned out we could walk there in two minutes. The promenade traces a half-moon along the shore, winding around the many waterside restaurants, guesthouses, boutiques and nightclubs. The northern section, closer to Maçakizi, is trendier, louder and more international; farther south, the crowd and vibe grow more local. Here, Turkish music plays in the bars. Families stroll the waterfront until late in the evening, stopping at snack carts for roasted mussels, grilled corn and cups of tart, fresh-pressed mulberry juice.

And if you really want your mind blown, you’ll follow the path almost to the end, until you come upon the perpetual line outside Dogal Dondurma. I’m going to go out on a limb here and call this THE BEST ICE CREAM IN ALL OF TURKEY, because I simply can’t conceive of anything better. Dogal’s ever-shifting flavors include kavun (honeydew), visne (sour cherry), seftali (peach) and, best of all, mandalina, a sorbet made from tart Bodrum tangerines.

A walk along the harbor became our twice-daily routine— always ending at Dogal Dondurma to try some exotic new flavor, usually consumed on a pier with our feet dangling in the water. There was surely more to see, but here in Türkbükü we had all we needed: the sun warming our backs, the Aegean cooling our toes, and untold flavors of ice cream to taste. ✚ Peter Jon Lindberg is editor-at-large for Travel + Leisure (U.S.).

GUIDE TO BODRUM

In 1966, the year Guven set up shop, the town of Bodrum was a backwater of 5,100. It has grown around him in seeming correlation with his prices; the summer population now tops half a million. Sahir Erozan recalls a quieter time. When his mother arrived in 1977, “Bodrum was like a little Positano, or Key West in Hemingway’s day—full of bohemians, writers, painters,” he says. “You’d sit at a café and see Nureyev; at the other table, Mick Jagger.” In the shadow of Bodrum’s castle, Ayla Emiroglu opened a modest bed-and-breakfast, and called it Maçakizi—after her own nickname, Turkish for queen of spades. Over the years she upgraded and expanded the place, eventually relocating it to the north coast.

“There were no roads in Türkbükü at the time,” Erozan says. “If you wanted to build, you carried everything in from the sea.” In 2000, Maçakizi moved across the bay to its current

Speaking of things hiding in plain sight, I’m

September are lovely and relatively quiet. The summer months are busy and best avoided.

GETTING THERE From Istanbul, fly on Turkish Airlines to Milas–Bodrum Airport (one hour). Then rent a car or hire a taxi for the hour’s drive to Türkbükü.

WHEN TO GO The months of May, June and

WHERE TO STAY GREAT 4 Reasons VALUE Hotel & Bistro Simple but chic 20-room hotel set amid olive groves outside the charming village of Yalikavak. 2 Bakan Cad., Yalikavak; 90252/385-3212; 4reasonshotel. com; doubles from 144TRY. Maçakizi Kesire Mevkii, Türkbükü; 90-252/377-6272; macakizi.com; doubles from 418TRY; closed in April, re-opening in May.

WHERE TO EAT Çimentepe Boisterous seafood palace that comes alive after dark. Order the grilled octopus (izgara ahtapot) and excellent zucchini flower dolma (kabak cicegi dolmasi). Gerisalti Mevkii, Yalikavak; 90-252/385-4237; dinner for two 155TRY. Denizhan Unassuming kebapci with a delightful terrace out back.

The kebabs and lahmajun pide are both stellar. 275 Atatürk Bulvari, Konacik; 90-252/3537675; lunch for two 104TRY. Dogal Dondurma On the promenade, Turkbuku; 90252/ 363-9345; ice cream for two 5TRY. Limon Café Convivial, boho bar/

café beloved for its sunset views and cocktails. 1 Yali Mevkii, Gümüs¸lük; 90-252/394-4044; drinks for two 15TRY. Mimoza Booked up nightly by a sophisticated crowd. The fish is generally fantastic and priced accordingly. Yali Mevkii; Gümüs¸lük; 90-252/394-3139; dinner for two 186TRY. WHERE TO SHOP Ali Güven Sandalet 38 Çars¸i Mah., Bodrum; 90-252/313-2216.

Eski Sandik Boutique specializing in vintage handembroidered scarves and shawls, many from Iran. Yali Mevkii Atatürk Cad., 89/B Cami Sk., Türkbükü; 90-252/377-5497.

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Bohemian Revival

A few years ago Prague seemed to be in thrall of all things Western. These days, pioneers are reclaiming its traditions and channeling them into innovative hotels, restaurants and shops. By Maria Shollenbarger. Photographed by Monika Hoefler

The restored Czech Cubist interiors of the Grand Café Orient, in Old Town. Opposite: Touring Dlouhá street.

00

Bohemian Revival

A few years ago Prague seemed to be in thrall of all things Western. These days, pioneers are reclaiming its traditions and channeling them into innovative hotels, restaurants and shops. By Maria Shollenbarger. Photographed by Monika Hoefler

The restored Czech Cubist interiors of the Grand Café Orient, in Old Town. Opposite: Touring Dlouhá street.

00

Past meets present in Prague’s Old Town Square.

The cappuccino I'm drinking in Prague’s Grand Café is utterly mediocre, and that’s okay. This is because the point is really the setting, which is, by contrast, utterly impressive: the café is on the second floor of the House of the Black Madonna, originally constructed in 1912 as a department store by the Czech Cubist architect Josef Gocˇár and, as of 2003, home to Prague’s Museum of Czech Cubism, an architectural and design movement that emerged, flourished and faded away here in the course of about 15 years.

After being neglected for decades, the Orient was restored in spring 2005 to its original, rigorously angled splendor. Everything is a faithful replica of what once was: immense polishedbrass and silk-shaded lamps are suspended from the glossy, white-beamed ceiling; the ornate geometric woodwork surrounding the mirrored bar is finished to a high shine; the half-octagon banquettes flanking the tables are covered in a perfect reproduction of the original green-and-white upholstery. Once visited almost exclusively by scholars and aficionados of its architecture, today the café is a map-marked stop on many a hipster’s list and the tables around me are occupied by good-looking young locals and a smattering of travelers.

Barring their presence, the room is a near-perfect time capsule of a place that existed here, and only here, for little more than a decade almost a century ago.

Which is why the sub-par coffee’s not such a problem—considering that the promise of a good cup lies all around me at any number of Italian cafés or Starbucks-like chains in the city’s Old Town. But the loving restoration of the Grand Café Orient and, equally important, the warm reception it has received from Prague’s own citizens speak to something interesting: a renewed affection among Czechs for their own heritage and traditions, whether of Bohemia or of the 20th century.

And it is a new sensibility, a change from the city’s yearslong, full-throttle embrace of foreign cultures and far-flung influences—a preoccupation that was perhaps to be expected in a country whose borders were thrown open so abruptly in 1989. As travelers’ expectations—fed by the burgeoning 90’s phenomena of increasingly affordable airfares and the proliferation of Wallpaper* culture for growing numbers of self-styled jet-setters—grew to include the inalienable right to have, say, pitch-perfect northern Italian cuisine or an “it” bag (or a faultless cappuccino) no matter where on the planet they were touching down, so Prague developed by leaps and bounds to meet those expectations. Local entrepreneurs and canny foreigners alike were keen to invest in this new European capital that was evolving so promisingly. By 2001, the city offered cappuccinos in spades and even a few “it” bags and, for good measure, a beautiful new Four Seasons Hotel, set on the » 111

Past meets present in Prague’s Old Town Square.

The cappuccino I'm drinking in Prague’s Grand Café is utterly mediocre, and that’s okay. This is because the point is really the setting, which is, by contrast, utterly impressive: the café is on the second floor of the House of the Black Madonna, originally constructed in 1912 as a department store by the Czech Cubist architect Josef Gocˇár and, as of 2003, home to Prague’s Museum of Czech Cubism, an architectural and design movement that emerged, flourished and faded away here in the course of about 15 years.

After being neglected for decades, the Orient was restored in spring 2005 to its original, rigorously angled splendor. Everything is a faithful replica of what once was: immense polishedbrass and silk-shaded lamps are suspended from the glossy, white-beamed ceiling; the ornate geometric woodwork surrounding the mirrored bar is finished to a high shine; the half-octagon banquettes flanking the tables are covered in a perfect reproduction of the original green-and-white upholstery. Once visited almost exclusively by scholars and aficionados of its architecture, today the café is a map-marked stop on many a hipster’s list and the tables around me are occupied by good-looking young locals and a smattering of travelers.

Barring their presence, the room is a near-perfect time capsule of a place that existed here, and only here, for little more than a decade almost a century ago.

Which is why the sub-par coffee’s not such a problem—considering that the promise of a good cup lies all around me at any number of Italian cafés or Starbucks-like chains in the city’s Old Town. But the loving restoration of the Grand Café Orient and, equally important, the warm reception it has received from Prague’s own citizens speak to something interesting: a renewed affection among Czechs for their own heritage and traditions, whether of Bohemia or of the 20th century.

And it is a new sensibility, a change from the city’s yearslong, full-throttle embrace of foreign cultures and far-flung influences—a preoccupation that was perhaps to be expected in a country whose borders were thrown open so abruptly in 1989. As travelers’ expectations—fed by the burgeoning 90’s phenomena of increasingly affordable airfares and the proliferation of Wallpaper* culture for growing numbers of self-styled jet-setters—grew to include the inalienable right to have, say, pitch-perfect northern Italian cuisine or an “it” bag (or a faultless cappuccino) no matter where on the planet they were touching down, so Prague developed by leaps and bounds to meet those expectations. Local entrepreneurs and canny foreigners alike were keen to invest in this new European capital that was evolving so promisingly. By 2001, the city offered cappuccinos in spades and even a few “it” bags and, for good measure, a beautiful new Four Seasons Hotel, set on the » 111

Vltava River with the Michelin-starred Allegro restaurant (still the best in the city, serving that pitch-perfect northern Italian).

After watching their city achieve the trappings of globaldestination status, however, a handful of creative residents have begun mining Prague’s own traditions—of food, art, design, architecture—for inspiration. And they’ve been subtly but tangibly changing the look and feel of the city ever since.

One of the earliest to see the promise of Prague’s indigenous culture was Janek Jaros, who for almost a decade has been championing Czech Cubism from his downtown gallery Modernista. Set somewhat incongruously among the treacly gift boutiques and garnet sellers along Celetná, a popular tourist road in Old Town, Modernista is Prague’s original Czech design emporium. The fortysomething Jaros manufactures reproductions of furniture, kitchenware and porcelain by the best-known Czech Cubists, such as Vlatislav Hofman, Pavel Janák and Josef Gocˇár (of the House of the Black Madonna), and sources hard-to-find originals for a handful of prominent clients, among them London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. But it’s only in the past two to three years that his local clientele— relatively newly educated about and ready to invest in their own aesthetic traditions—has begun to grow. “Modernista has changed a lot in the last three years, and so has the market.

We’re going back to basics, working with locals and expatriates who live in Prague long term.”

Jaros recently collaborated with the designers of the Rocco Forte Collection’s 101-room Augustine hotel by helping to source products for its interiors. Housed in a 13th-century Augustinian monastery spread over seven buildings in the picturesque Malá Strana district, the hotel offered Olga Polizzi, the collection’s design director, a chance to delve into Prague’s design history. “What’s unique about the Czech Cubists is that they pushed the ideas of Picasso and Braque beyond what the movement in Western Europe was producing,” she says. “In Prague, Cubism became buildings, decorative objects, printing, textiles. It’s a very important—perhaps the most important—period in Czech art.”

Known for her work on Rome’s polished Hotel de Russie and the renovation of Rocco Forte’s London flagship, Brown’s, Polizzi committed herself to integrating local design traditions into the Augustine’s interiors. The results are a testament to how an international hotel brand can achieve an authentic sense of place in one property. Few European hotels can match the Augustine, with its still-active ecclesiastical libraries and 18th-century frescoes, for pedigree (the Mandarin Oriental, Prague, just blocks away from the Augustine and also housed in a former monastery, is one). Some of the textiles in the rooms are faithful reproductions of archival Cubist and Modernist designs; others are more playful interpretations of them. Hofman’s signature armchairs and dining chairs were purchased

in bulk from Jaros, so that most rooms have one (along with a selection of tomes and catalogues on Czech Cubist theory and objects). Porcelain pieces—vases, boxes, tea saucers—line bookshelves. A sinuous reclined chaise longue by another significant Czech Modernist, the Brno-born architect Adolf Loos—whose perfectly preserved Villa Müller in Prague’s green Stˇreˇsovice suburb is open to visitors—appears in some of the suites. All of this interacts dynamically with rough stone, pitched chestnut beams, somber portraits of saints and biblical scenes from the order’s private collections that Polizzi had restored and hung in the stairwells. The effect: two vernaculars sharing Czech DNA but separated by six-and-a-half centuries.

“The rigor of Cubism, of its aesthetic, lends itself well to this strict environment,” Polizzi says. “And they’re both quintessential parts of the city.”

Across the river on the edge of Old Town, just down the street from Jaros’s Modernista, an American expat named Karen Feldman is busy reinterpreting one of the city’s other great artistic traditions: hand-etched glassware and crystal.

Feldman left San Francisco for Prague in the early 90’s and soon developed a keen interest in, and collector’s eye for, topquality glass workmanship. In 1999, she founded Artˇel, which produces contemporary glassware hand-engraved by classically trained artisans (many descended from generations in the same trade). She started the business in the bedroom of her apartment; a decade later, her products—characterized by bold or abstracted interpretations of traditional motifs, and the occasional tongue-in-cheek one (swirling goldfish; underwater scenes, jellyfish and sea horses included)—are sold at Barneys in Tokyo and at Paul Smith in London and New York City. In the Artˇel boutique on Celetná, rows of symmetrical spotlighted alcoves are filled with highballs and flutes. Glass cases lining the walls hold tableware and jewelry, including charming gem-toned sunburst rings and pendants. There’s a deftly edited selection of vintage objects along with contemporary pieces produced by young Czech design entrepreneurs.

“There’s definitely new interest among many Czechs—particularly, perhaps obviously, younger ones—in their aesthetic history,” Feldman says. She talks of Velˇcovský, a provocateur and dandy, whose Qubus atelier, a warmly lit and cheery space behind massive iron-studded wooden doors, is a few blocks away. He similarly plays with traditional craft techniques made thought-provoking with healthy doses of irony. (Feldman quotes him as telling her he’s “selling up parts of his childhood” with his design output, which includes porcelain sculptures— a pair of rain boots; a bust of Lenin; a bowl in the shape of the old Czechoslovakia—embossed with the traditional Bohemian zwiebelmuster, or blue onion, pattern.)

She also cites Prague’s premier fashion designer, Klára Nademlýnská, who plays up her Paris training over any »

Design Republic Opposite, clockwise from top left: The Augustine hotel’s Tower Suite; a 1913 Czech-made chandelier at Kubista, a design store in the Museum of Czech Cubism; local fashion designer Klára Nademlýnská’s boutique; Janek Jaros in Modernista, his gallery on Celetná street; wrapping paper for sale at Kubista; coffee mousse with almond marzipan and licorice ice cream at the restaurant Céleste.

112

Vltava River with the Michelin-starred Allegro restaurant (still the best in the city, serving that pitch-perfect northern Italian).

After watching their city achieve the trappings of globaldestination status, however, a handful of creative residents have begun mining Prague’s own traditions—of food, art, design, architecture—for inspiration. And they’ve been subtly but tangibly changing the look and feel of the city ever since.

One of the earliest to see the promise of Prague’s indigenous culture was Janek Jaros, who for almost a decade has been championing Czech Cubism from his downtown gallery Modernista. Set somewhat incongruously among the treacly gift boutiques and garnet sellers along Celetná, a popular tourist road in Old Town, Modernista is Prague’s original Czech design emporium. The fortysomething Jaros manufactures reproductions of furniture, kitchenware and porcelain by the best-known Czech Cubists, such as Vlatislav Hofman, Pavel Janák and Josef Gocˇár (of the House of the Black Madonna), and sources hard-to-find originals for a handful of prominent clients, among them London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. But it’s only in the past two to three years that his local clientele— relatively newly educated about and ready to invest in their own aesthetic traditions—has begun to grow. “Modernista has changed a lot in the last three years, and so has the market.

We’re going back to basics, working with locals and expatriates who live in Prague long term.”

Jaros recently collaborated with the designers of the Rocco Forte Collection’s 101-room Augustine hotel by helping to source products for its interiors. Housed in a 13th-century Augustinian monastery spread over seven buildings in the picturesque Malá Strana district, the hotel offered Olga Polizzi, the collection’s design director, a chance to delve into Prague’s design history. “What’s unique about the Czech Cubists is that they pushed the ideas of Picasso and Braque beyond what the movement in Western Europe was producing,” she says. “In Prague, Cubism became buildings, decorative objects, printing, textiles. It’s a very important—perhaps the most important—period in Czech art.”

Known for her work on Rome’s polished Hotel de Russie and the renovation of Rocco Forte’s London flagship, Brown’s, Polizzi committed herself to integrating local design traditions into the Augustine’s interiors. The results are a testament to how an international hotel brand can achieve an authentic sense of place in one property. Few European hotels can match the Augustine, with its still-active ecclesiastical libraries and 18th-century frescoes, for pedigree (the Mandarin Oriental, Prague, just blocks away from the Augustine and also housed in a former monastery, is one). Some of the textiles in the rooms are faithful reproductions of archival Cubist and Modernist designs; others are more playful interpretations of them. Hofman’s signature armchairs and dining chairs were purchased

in bulk from Jaros, so that most rooms have one (along with a selection of tomes and catalogues on Czech Cubist theory and objects). Porcelain pieces—vases, boxes, tea saucers—line bookshelves. A sinuous reclined chaise longue by another significant Czech Modernist, the Brno-born architect Adolf Loos—whose perfectly preserved Villa Müller in Prague’s green Stˇreˇsovice suburb is open to visitors—appears in some of the suites. All of this interacts dynamically with rough stone, pitched chestnut beams, somber portraits of saints and biblical scenes from the order’s private collections that Polizzi had restored and hung in the stairwells. The effect: two vernaculars sharing Czech DNA but separated by six-and-a-half centuries.

“The rigor of Cubism, of its aesthetic, lends itself well to this strict environment,” Polizzi says. “And they’re both quintessential parts of the city.”

Across the river on the edge of Old Town, just down the street from Jaros’s Modernista, an American expat named Karen Feldman is busy reinterpreting one of the city’s other great artistic traditions: hand-etched glassware and crystal.

Feldman left San Francisco for Prague in the early 90’s and soon developed a keen interest in, and collector’s eye for, topquality glass workmanship. In 1999, she founded Artˇel, which produces contemporary glassware hand-engraved by classically trained artisans (many descended from generations in the same trade). She started the business in the bedroom of her apartment; a decade later, her products—characterized by bold or abstracted interpretations of traditional motifs, and the occasional tongue-in-cheek one (swirling goldfish; underwater scenes, jellyfish and sea horses included)—are sold at Barneys in Tokyo and at Paul Smith in London and New York City. In the Artˇel boutique on Celetná, rows of symmetrical spotlighted alcoves are filled with highballs and flutes. Glass cases lining the walls hold tableware and jewelry, including charming gem-toned sunburst rings and pendants. There’s a deftly edited selection of vintage objects along with contemporary pieces produced by young Czech design entrepreneurs.

“There’s definitely new interest among many Czechs—particularly, perhaps obviously, younger ones—in their aesthetic history,” Feldman says. She talks of Velˇcovský, a provocateur and dandy, whose Qubus atelier, a warmly lit and cheery space behind massive iron-studded wooden doors, is a few blocks away. He similarly plays with traditional craft techniques made thought-provoking with healthy doses of irony. (Feldman quotes him as telling her he’s “selling up parts of his childhood” with his design output, which includes porcelain sculptures— a pair of rain boots; a bust of Lenin; a bowl in the shape of the old Czechoslovakia—embossed with the traditional Bohemian zwiebelmuster, or blue onion, pattern.)

She also cites Prague’s premier fashion designer, Klára Nademlýnská, who plays up her Paris training over any »

Design Republic Opposite, clockwise from top left: The Augustine hotel’s Tower Suite; a 1913 Czech-made chandelier at Kubista, a design store in the Museum of Czech Cubism; local fashion designer Klára Nademlýnská’s boutique; Janek Jaros in Modernista, his gallery on Celetná street; wrapping paper for sale at Kubista; coffee mousse with almond marzipan and licorice ice cream at the restaurant Céleste.

112

Waiting for a tram in Wenceslas Square.

Below: A garden at The Augustine hotel.

An enfilade of grinning young sous-chefs are having

the time of their lives

Degustation chefs Dalibor Kˇrivánek, Josef Dolanský, Marek Šáda and Martin Štangl. Above: Smoked duck with orange glacé, beets and lamb's lettuce at La Degustation Bôheme Bourgeoise.

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professions of Bohemian inspiration, but in whose structured, uncomplicated designs one sees a flourish of peasant-style embroidery or a shape (a shepherd’s hood, for example) that speaks to a memory of some regional sartorial history.

Feldman takes me one night for a dining experience she says is a 21st-century Czech phenomenon that draws, as so much does these days, from the past. La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise was a revelation for Czechs as well as visitors to the city when it opened in Old Town three years ago. Executive chef and co-owner Oldrˇich Sahajdák assembled a nine-person team comprising some of Prague’s top internationally trained talent, poached from the city’s best restaurants (sous-chef Marek Šáda came from Kampa Park; chef du pâtissier Lukáš Pohl was at Café Savoy) and lured home from abroad (sommelier Kristýna Janiˇcková worked at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester in London). Their mandate: Revive and add a contemporary twist to the haute cuisine traditions of late-19th-century well-to-do Bohemia.

The seven-course meal we enjoy is filled with dumplings— pheasant dumplings are served with wild poultry soup and quail egg, and barley dumplings come alongside poached beef oyster blade. It’s also gratifyingly refined, with traditional sauces reinterpreted as essences (and, yes, foams) and spectacular, almost architectural presentation. Equally refined are the room itself, with its low, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and the open kitchen, tiled in black and white and squadroned by an enfilade of grinning young sous-chefs who look to be having the time of their lives.

When queried on Prague’s changing visual arts scene, Feldman and Jaros both urge a visit to Dox, the buzzy contemporary-arts center that opened in October 2008. One of the first exhibits in this sprawling 1920’s metal factory (redesigned by the contemporary Czech architect Ivan Kroupá) was the enorˇ erný. mous installation called Entropa, by Czech artist David C A 12-meter-high mosaic suspended on a pipe system, with steam whistles and moving parts, it’s a wild sort of map of the 27 EU member states: Romania is a Dracula-themed park; the Netherlands a flooded plain dotted with half-submerged mosques; Italy one enormous football pitch on which players run chaotically in all directions. It was commissioned to be exhibited at the European Council building in Brussels for the duration of the Czech presidency, but generated so much controversy that it was dismantled and sent back to Prague—to the mixed dismay and amusement of art-savvy Czechs, who ˇ erný, a selfcould have told any well-meaning Eurocrat that C styled enfant terrible and Prague celebrity, was not the guy for such a serious-minded job. (In the immediate aftermath of the Velvet Revolution, he painted a Soviet tank cotton-candy pink and affixed a huge raised middle finger atop it.) Postˇ erný admitted that the 27 artists he’d listed as controversy, C collaborators—one from each EU country—were all fictitious; the work was entirely his and that of two associates.

Entropa is provocative, and definitely Czech, and Dox couldn’t have gotten luckier to land such a piece within » 115

Waiting for a tram in Wenceslas Square.

Below: A garden at The Augustine hotel.

An enfilade of grinning young sous-chefs are having

the time of their lives

Degustation chefs Dalibor Kˇrivánek, Josef Dolanský, Marek Šáda and Martin Štangl. Above: Smoked duck with orange glacé, beets and lamb's lettuce at La Degustation Bôheme Bourgeoise.

114

professions of Bohemian inspiration, but in whose structured, uncomplicated designs one sees a flourish of peasant-style embroidery or a shape (a shepherd’s hood, for example) that speaks to a memory of some regional sartorial history.

Feldman takes me one night for a dining experience she says is a 21st-century Czech phenomenon that draws, as so much does these days, from the past. La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise was a revelation for Czechs as well as visitors to the city when it opened in Old Town three years ago. Executive chef and co-owner Oldrˇich Sahajdák assembled a nine-person team comprising some of Prague’s top internationally trained talent, poached from the city’s best restaurants (sous-chef Marek Šáda came from Kampa Park; chef du pâtissier Lukáš Pohl was at Café Savoy) and lured home from abroad (sommelier Kristýna Janiˇcková worked at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester in London). Their mandate: Revive and add a contemporary twist to the haute cuisine traditions of late-19th-century well-to-do Bohemia.

The seven-course meal we enjoy is filled with dumplings— pheasant dumplings are served with wild poultry soup and quail egg, and barley dumplings come alongside poached beef oyster blade. It’s also gratifyingly refined, with traditional sauces reinterpreted as essences (and, yes, foams) and spectacular, almost architectural presentation. Equally refined are the room itself, with its low, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and the open kitchen, tiled in black and white and squadroned by an enfilade of grinning young sous-chefs who look to be having the time of their lives.

When queried on Prague’s changing visual arts scene, Feldman and Jaros both urge a visit to Dox, the buzzy contemporary-arts center that opened in October 2008. One of the first exhibits in this sprawling 1920’s metal factory (redesigned by the contemporary Czech architect Ivan Kroupá) was the enorˇ erný. mous installation called Entropa, by Czech artist David C A 12-meter-high mosaic suspended on a pipe system, with steam whistles and moving parts, it’s a wild sort of map of the 27 EU member states: Romania is a Dracula-themed park; the Netherlands a flooded plain dotted with half-submerged mosques; Italy one enormous football pitch on which players run chaotically in all directions. It was commissioned to be exhibited at the European Council building in Brussels for the duration of the Czech presidency, but generated so much controversy that it was dismantled and sent back to Prague—to the mixed dismay and amusement of art-savvy Czechs, who ˇ erný, a selfcould have told any well-meaning Eurocrat that C styled enfant terrible and Prague celebrity, was not the guy for such a serious-minded job. (In the immediate aftermath of the Velvet Revolution, he painted a Soviet tank cotton-candy pink and affixed a huge raised middle finger atop it.) Postˇ erný admitted that the 27 artists he’d listed as controversy, C collaborators—one from each EU country—were all fictitious; the work was entirely his and that of two associates.

Entropa is provocative, and definitely Czech, and Dox couldn’t have gotten luckier to land such a piece within » 115

The museum is stunning, a world-class collection, months of opening, notes Leoš Válka, the gallery’s director. In a city of slightly twee costume, crystal and folk museums, the sprawling, multilevel Dox is a pioneer, not only because Válka chose to set it in Holešovice, a still-grimy grid of blocks to the north of the city that’s populated by students, immigrants and aspiring artists keen on the cheap rents. “The idea behind Dox is to place Czech artists in a world context, across the contemporary disciplines—visual art, architecture, new media, design,” Válka says. It’s a new format for the city, and one that potential supporters are still acclimating to. “We haven’t got the history of privately funded activities, of philanthropy, and the government’s still coming up to speed with how to manage its grants,” he explains. Nevertheless, he adds, “our timing’s been extremely good; people here have been traveling, they’ve gone and cultivated perspectives on art elsewhere in the world.”

They’re ready, in other words, to appreciate their own contemporary artists.

Feldman has also recommended a tour of the three-year-old Lobkowicz Palace Museum, which enjoys a rather more rarefied position in the Prague Castle complex. It was opened in 2007 by William Lobkowicz, a charming Boston native who also happens to be a prince by title of what was for five centuries Bohemia’s most powerful and wealthiest family. Its fortunes having been dispersed and its landholdings seized not once but twice, first by the Nazis, then the Communists (his grandfather, Maximilian, fled Czechoslovakia in 1948), they are

now being meticulously traced, gathered and catalogued by Lobkowicz and his wife, who have lived in Prague for 20 years.

The museum is stunning, a world-class collection lent intimate dimensions by its placement in the family’s residence (a late-Renaissance palace, overlooking castle vineyards and the rooftops of Malá Strana) and by a thoughtful audio tour written and presented by Lobkowicz himself. Masterpieces like Peter Brueghel the Elder’s Haymaking and two galleries hung with ancestral portraits by the likes of Velázquez are the marquee attractions. But equally captivating—to Lobkowicz as well as to visitors—are the smaller dramas, such as handscrawled sheaves of music from Beethoven’s Third Symphony, a jewel-like ladies’ salon with 200-year-old murals of exotic birds, and case after velvet-lined case of family porcelain, much of it painted in the same blue-onion pattern that Qubus’s Velˇcovský has twisted ever so slightly to his creative purposes.

Lobkowicz’s love for his adopted city is palpable, his investment in it total, and his perspective on it unique—that of both an outsider and a member of its most established society. This is likely why the view he takes of things is a long one: It’s great that there’s a renewed enthusiasm for the country’s own culture manifesting itself, he explains, but in the two decades he’s lived here, he wasn’t particularly worried about it disappearing— global onslaught or no. “Prague has always been a mosaic; it’s maintained an open-minded energy for a thousand years,” he says. “The city is never going to lose itself.” ✚

intimate by its placement in the family's residence

A view of the city from Prague Castle.

GUIDE TO PRAGUE hotel housed in a 1904 building.

3 Obecniho Domu; 420/224-222888; hotelkingscourt.cz; doubles from CZK5,350.

Mandarin Oriental 459/1 Nebovidská; 420/233-088-888; mandarinoriental.com; doubles from CZK7,441.

WHERE TO STAY The Augustine 12 Letenská; 420/266-112-233; theaugustine. com; doubles from CZK7,754 (US$344).

Four Seasons Hotel 2A/1098 Veleslavínova; 420/221-427-777; fourseasons.com; doubles from CZK9,656.

Hotel Kings Court 135-room

116

WHERE TO EAT Allegro 2A/1098 Veleslavínova; 420/221-427-000; fourseasons. com; prix fixe dinner for two CZK5,490.

Angel Prague’s best Southeast Asian food could compete anywhere in the world for freshness and execution. 7 Kolkovnˇe; 420/773-222-422; angel restaurant.cz; dinner for two CZK1,420.

Céleste Sleek new bar and restaurant in Frank Gehry’s Dancing Building. Tancici Dun, 80 Rašínovo Nábˇreží; 420/221984-160; celesterestaurant.cz; dinner for two CZK1,700.

La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise 18 Haštalská; 420/222-311-234; ladegustation. cz; prix fixe dinner for two CZK4,900.

Grand Café Orient 19 Ovocný; 420/224-224-240; grandcafe orient.cz; coffee and cake for two CZK190.

WHAT TO DO Artˇel Glass 29 Celetná; 420/ 224-815-085; artelglass.com.

House of the Black Madonna

(Museum of Czech Cubism) Don’t miss the excellent groundfloor design store Kubista.

19 Ovocný; 420/224-211-746; ngprague.cz.

Dox 34 Osadní; 420/774-145-434; doxprague.org.

Lobkowicz Palace Museum 3 Jirˇká, Prague Castle; 420/602595-998; lobkowiczpalace.cz.

Modernista 12 Celetná; 420/224241-300; modernista.cz.

Prague Castle Castle District; 420/224-372-422; hrad.cz.

Qubus 3 Rámová; 420/222-313151; qubus.cz.

Villa Müller 14 Hradním Vodojemem, Strešovicˇe; 420/224-312 -012; mullerovavila.cz.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E

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The museum is stunning, a world-class collection, months of opening, notes Leoš Válka, the gallery’s director. In a city of slightly twee costume, crystal and folk museums, the sprawling, multilevel Dox is a pioneer, not only because Válka chose to set it in Holešovice, a still-grimy grid of blocks to the north of the city that’s populated by students, immigrants and aspiring artists keen on the cheap rents. “The idea behind Dox is to place Czech artists in a world context, across the contemporary disciplines—visual art, architecture, new media, design,” Válka says. It’s a new format for the city, and one that potential supporters are still acclimating to. “We haven’t got the history of privately funded activities, of philanthropy, and the government’s still coming up to speed with how to manage its grants,” he explains. Nevertheless, he adds, “our timing’s been extremely good; people here have been traveling, they’ve gone and cultivated perspectives on art elsewhere in the world.”

They’re ready, in other words, to appreciate their own contemporary artists.

Feldman has also recommended a tour of the three-year-old Lobkowicz Palace Museum, which enjoys a rather more rarefied position in the Prague Castle complex. It was opened in 2007 by William Lobkowicz, a charming Boston native who also happens to be a prince by title of what was for five centuries Bohemia’s most powerful and wealthiest family. Its fortunes having been dispersed and its landholdings seized not once but twice, first by the Nazis, then the Communists (his grandfather, Maximilian, fled Czechoslovakia in 1948), they are

now being meticulously traced, gathered and catalogued by Lobkowicz and his wife, who have lived in Prague for 20 years.

The museum is stunning, a world-class collection lent intimate dimensions by its placement in the family’s residence (a late-Renaissance palace, overlooking castle vineyards and the rooftops of Malá Strana) and by a thoughtful audio tour written and presented by Lobkowicz himself. Masterpieces like Peter Brueghel the Elder’s Haymaking and two galleries hung with ancestral portraits by the likes of Velázquez are the marquee attractions. But equally captivating—to Lobkowicz as well as to visitors—are the smaller dramas, such as handscrawled sheaves of music from Beethoven’s Third Symphony, a jewel-like ladies’ salon with 200-year-old murals of exotic birds, and case after velvet-lined case of family porcelain, much of it painted in the same blue-onion pattern that Qubus’s Velˇcovský has twisted ever so slightly to his creative purposes.

Lobkowicz’s love for his adopted city is palpable, his investment in it total, and his perspective on it unique—that of both an outsider and a member of its most established society. This is likely why the view he takes of things is a long one: It’s great that there’s a renewed enthusiasm for the country’s own culture manifesting itself, he explains, but in the two decades he’s lived here, he wasn’t particularly worried about it disappearing— global onslaught or no. “Prague has always been a mosaic; it’s maintained an open-minded energy for a thousand years,” he says. “The city is never going to lose itself.” ✚

intimate by its placement in the family's residence

A view of the city from Prague Castle.

GUIDE TO PRAGUE hotel housed in a 1904 building.

3 Obecniho Domu; 420/224-222888; hotelkingscourt.cz; doubles from CZK5,350.

Mandarin Oriental 459/1 Nebovidská; 420/233-088-888; mandarinoriental.com; doubles from CZK7,441.

WHERE TO STAY The Augustine 12 Letenská; 420/266-112-233; theaugustine. com; doubles from CZK7,754 (US$344).

Four Seasons Hotel 2A/1098 Veleslavínova; 420/221-427-777; fourseasons.com; doubles from CZK9,656.

Hotel Kings Court 135-room

116

WHERE TO EAT Allegro 2A/1098 Veleslavínova; 420/221-427-000; fourseasons. com; prix fixe dinner for two CZK5,490.

Angel Prague’s best Southeast Asian food could compete anywhere in the world for freshness and execution. 7 Kolkovnˇe; 420/773-222-422; angel restaurant.cz; dinner for two CZK1,420.

Céleste Sleek new bar and restaurant in Frank Gehry’s Dancing Building. Tancici Dun, 80 Rašínovo Nábˇreží; 420/221984-160; celesterestaurant.cz; dinner for two CZK1,700.

La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise 18 Haštalská; 420/222-311-234; ladegustation. cz; prix fixe dinner for two CZK4,900.

Grand Café Orient 19 Ovocný; 420/224-224-240; grandcafe orient.cz; coffee and cake for two CZK190.

WHAT TO DO Artˇel Glass 29 Celetná; 420/ 224-815-085; artelglass.com.

House of the Black Madonna

(Museum of Czech Cubism) Don’t miss the excellent groundfloor design store Kubista.

19 Ovocný; 420/224-211-746; ngprague.cz.

Dox 34 Osadní; 420/774-145-434; doxprague.org.

Lobkowicz Palace Museum 3 Jirˇká, Prague Castle; 420/602595-998; lobkowiczpalace.cz.

Modernista 12 Celetná; 420/224241-300; modernista.cz.

Prague Castle Castle District; 420/224-372-422; hrad.cz.

Qubus 3 Rámová; 420/222-313151; qubus.cz.

Villa Müller 14 Hradním Vodojemem, Strešovicˇe; 420/224-312 -012; mullerovavila.cz.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E

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The Yorkshire Grey pub, on Langham Street in Fitzrovia.

LONDON’S NEXT GREAT

NEIGHBORHOOD

In the heart of the British capital, the artists’ haven of Fitzrovia is a tiny enclave that most Londoners would struggle to find on a map.

Mark Ellwood charts the new and classic spots—from restaurants and hotels to shops, and more. Photographed by Rebecca Lewis

The Yorkshire Grey pub, on Langham Street in Fitzrovia.

LONDON’S NEXT GREAT

NEIGHBORHOOD

In the heart of the British capital, the artists’ haven of Fitzrovia is a tiny enclave that most Londoners would struggle to find on a map.

Mark Ellwood charts the new and classic spots—from restaurants and hotels to shops, and more. Photographed by Rebecca Lewis

French’s Theatre Bookshop.

Right: Books on display.

The BT Tower, a Fitzrovia landmark.

J

ust north of Soho, near bustling Oxford Street, sits central London’s hidden neighborhood: Fitzrovia.

Home to louche, boho types in the late 19th century (the Pre-Raphaelites and Oscar Wilde lounged in its bars), Fitzrovia’s leafy streets are lined with Edwardianera apartments, Neoclassical mansions and onetime warehouses. It hasn’t always been so appealing: 30 years ago when my father, an artist, bought a printing works in a mews to convert into a studio, Fitzrovia had become a grubby, rundown area.

Vendors sold cars from the streets, fashion companies used warehouses for wholesale showrooms and the only landmark was the Transformers-like BT Tower, looming over it all. But in recent years, it has undergone an astonishing, if discreet, revival. Tired of the over-gentrified East End, gallery owners eyed Fitzrovia for its cheap rents and soaring spaces. New restaurants, bars and hotels soon followed.

Madonna even bought a building just north of Oxford Street for Kabbalah’s British headquarters. Here, the places to visit now.

120

HOTELS Though the area is mostly residential, there’s no shortage of great places to stay.

CHARLOTTE STREET HOTEL

Decorated like a chintz-filled country house that Bertie Wooster might share with Anya Hindmarch, this shabby-chic 52-room hotel is filled with art curated by its co-owner, interior designer and collector Kit Kemp—from Roger Cecil abstracts to a contemporary mural by Alexander Hollweg. Like other Firmdale properties, it’s known for its Sunday night film club, which combines dinner with a screening in the downstairs theater, complete with comfortable leather loungers. 15 Charlotte St.; 44-20/7806-2000; firmdale. com; doubles from £230.

THE LANGHAM The 380-room property (opened by the Prince of

Wales in 1865 and a current royal favorite) has just undergone a £82.5 million renovation designed to restore some of its storied grandeur. Ceilings were raised, flat-screen TV’s were added in all rooms, and a 15-meter underground pool was built in a former vault. Afternoon tea, British-style, is served daily in the Palm Court restaurant. Try the tomato-and-creamcheese sandwiches and the lemon posset cups. 1C Portland Place; 4420/7636-1000; langhamhotels.com; doubles from £235.

SANDERSON Once a sleek furniture company headquarters, the Sanderson became a hotel in 2000 under the guidance of Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck. The team preserved much of the building’s Midcentury charm while

adding signature touches (most notably the Daliesque red-lip sofa in the lobby).

Suka, the new Malaysian restaurant on site, was masterminded by New York’s Zak Pelaccio, and the hotel’s 29-square-meter guest rooms feel surprisingly large, with offbeat flourishes like a Starck-designed rug riffing on Voltaire’s handwriting. The hotel’s best amenity, though, is also a well-kept secret: the Japanese-style Courtyard Garden hidden in the center of the building like an urban oasis. It features a lounge with a wooden deck set amid restored 1960’s mosaics, rhododendrons, magnolias and even a man-made canal fi lled with white water lilies. 50 Berners St.; 4420/7300-1400; sandersonlondon.com; doubles from £235. »

121

French’s Theatre Bookshop.

Right: Books on display.

The BT Tower, a Fitzrovia landmark.

J

ust north of Soho, near bustling Oxford Street, sits central London’s hidden neighborhood: Fitzrovia.

Home to louche, boho types in the late 19th century (the Pre-Raphaelites and Oscar Wilde lounged in its bars), Fitzrovia’s leafy streets are lined with Edwardianera apartments, Neoclassical mansions and onetime warehouses. It hasn’t always been so appealing: 30 years ago when my father, an artist, bought a printing works in a mews to convert into a studio, Fitzrovia had become a grubby, rundown area.

Vendors sold cars from the streets, fashion companies used warehouses for wholesale showrooms and the only landmark was the Transformers-like BT Tower, looming over it all. But in recent years, it has undergone an astonishing, if discreet, revival. Tired of the over-gentrified East End, gallery owners eyed Fitzrovia for its cheap rents and soaring spaces. New restaurants, bars and hotels soon followed.

Madonna even bought a building just north of Oxford Street for Kabbalah’s British headquarters. Here, the places to visit now.

120

HOTELS Though the area is mostly residential, there’s no shortage of great places to stay.

CHARLOTTE STREET HOTEL

Decorated like a chintz-filled country house that Bertie Wooster might share with Anya Hindmarch, this shabby-chic 52-room hotel is filled with art curated by its co-owner, interior designer and collector Kit Kemp—from Roger Cecil abstracts to a contemporary mural by Alexander Hollweg. Like other Firmdale properties, it’s known for its Sunday night film club, which combines dinner with a screening in the downstairs theater, complete with comfortable leather loungers. 15 Charlotte St.; 44-20/7806-2000; firmdale. com; doubles from £230.

THE LANGHAM The 380-room property (opened by the Prince of

Wales in 1865 and a current royal favorite) has just undergone a £82.5 million renovation designed to restore some of its storied grandeur. Ceilings were raised, flat-screen TV’s were added in all rooms, and a 15-meter underground pool was built in a former vault. Afternoon tea, British-style, is served daily in the Palm Court restaurant. Try the tomato-and-creamcheese sandwiches and the lemon posset cups. 1C Portland Place; 4420/7636-1000; langhamhotels.com; doubles from £235.

SANDERSON Once a sleek furniture company headquarters, the Sanderson became a hotel in 2000 under the guidance of Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck. The team preserved much of the building’s Midcentury charm while

adding signature touches (most notably the Daliesque red-lip sofa in the lobby).

Suka, the new Malaysian restaurant on site, was masterminded by New York’s Zak Pelaccio, and the hotel’s 29-square-meter guest rooms feel surprisingly large, with offbeat flourishes like a Starck-designed rug riffing on Voltaire’s handwriting. The hotel’s best amenity, though, is also a well-kept secret: the Japanese-style Courtyard Garden hidden in the center of the building like an urban oasis. It features a lounge with a wooden deck set amid restored 1960’s mosaics, rhododendrons, magnolias and even a man-made canal fi lled with white water lilies. 50 Berners St.; 4420/7300-1400; sandersonlondon.com; doubles from £235. »

121

Artesian bar at The Langham hotel.

THE SCENE Fitzrovia is studded with pubs, including new bars that cater to recent arrivals from the media and art worlds.

BOURNE & HOLLINGSWORTH

Named after a defunct British department store where owner Mark Holdstock’s mother once sold gloves, this closet-size basement bar is part 1920’s speakeasy and part English tearoom—floral wallpaper and killer retro cocktails (try the gin fizz or one from the innovative drinks list served Prohibition-style in teacups). The place is known for its monthly events, such as a swing music–powered Forties Blitz Party and gentlemen’s etiquette classes on forgotten arts such as tie-knotting and martini-shaking. 28 Rathbone Place; 44-20/7636-8228; bourneandhollingsworth.com; drinks for two £14.

FITZROY TAVERN This classic pub is an

ode to the 18th-century aristocrat by the name of Charles Fitzroy, for whom the neighborhood is said to be named.

Until 1919 it was a café called the Hundred Marks, but once it morphed into a pub, it became the unofficial clubhouse of regulars such as Dylan Thomas, Nina Hamnett and George Orwell, an era now hanging on the walls in the form of prints and photos.

Today, it’s busiest on Thursday and Friday nights, though Sundays are great for a quiet pint. 16 Charlotte St.; 4420/7580-3714; drinks for two £5.

SHOCHU LOUNGE This low-lit, woodpaneled basement bar—designed by Japanese firm Super Potato—looks like a feudal Japanese ryokan reimagined by Star Trek set designers. It specializes in

the Asian spirit shochu: try it mixed with plum-infused vodka in a concoction called a Plum Plum. The bartender’s Wylie Dufresne–like wizardry is also on show with blends such as a Bellini with pear-and-green-tea purée and a Hallo Kitty that, among other ingredients, consists of rosewater, raspberries and lemon juice. 37 Charlotte St.; 4420/7580-6464; drinks for two £17.

YORKSHIRE GREY Mingle with locals at this Victorian-era Fitzrovia bar festooned with BBC-related memorabilia—a nod to its location, a few blocks from one of the broadcaster’s main studios. After work, the outside tables are fi lled with media and fashion types from nearby showrooms. 46 Langham St.; 44-20/7636-4788; drinks for two £6. »

RESTAURANTS From wallet-friendly lunches to late-night tapas, Fitzrovia’s dining spots run the gamut.

BENITO’S HAT BEST FOR LUNCH ON THE GO This new and exceedingly

affordable Tex-Mex restaurant is a favorite lunch place for local gallerinas thanks to the oversize burritos, made to order with chile-and-achiote braised chicken or grilled zucchini, chayote squash and peppers; all the chiles and tomatillos used are sourced directly from a local farm. 56 Goodge St.; 4420/7637-3732; lunch for two £10.

LANTANA BEST FOR RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE LOCALS This lovingly run café, tucked away on a quiet pedestrian side street, showcases the work of emerging photographers

like Anne-Caroline Morice and artists such as Kate Macleod. Check out the menu scrawled on the chalkboard in front—a recent one included the BERT (bacon, egg, rocket and tomato) sandwich and corn fritters with sliced avocado. 13 Charlotte Place; 44-20/76373347; lunch for two £17.

SALT YARD BEST DATE-NIGHT SPOT

An always-buzzing neighborhood tapas joint, this two-level restaurant is both rustic and romantic, decorated with deep red walls and wooden tables.

The kitchen dishes up homey plates such as confit of pork belly atop rosemary-infused cannellini beans or zucchini flowers stuffed with Monte Enebro cheese, deep fried and then

drizzled with honey. The well-priced wine list offers select bottles of reds and whites from both Italy and Spain. 54 Goodge St.; 44-20/7637-0657; dinner for two £64.

VILLANDRY BEST FOR GOURMET BROWSING This sprawling shop is London’s answer to Dean & DeLuca.

Head to the deli for coffee and croissants or to pick up a hamper for a picnic in nearby Regent’s Park. The restaurant serves hearty Frenchleaning food—the seasonal £32 threecourse prix fi xe, which might include steamed asparagus with hollandaise or chicken paillard with arugula, is a bargain. 170 Great Portland St.; 4420/7631-3131; dinner for two £64. »

SALT YARD DISHES UP HOMEY PLATES SUCH AS CONFIT OF PORK BELLY ATOP ROSEMARY-INFUSED CANNELLINI BEANS OR ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH CHEESE AND DEEP FRIED 122

Utensils hang above the tables at Villandry restaurant.

Left: Manager Dino Koletsas at Bourne & Hollingsworth.

Artesian bar at The Langham hotel.

THE SCENE Fitzrovia is studded with pubs, including new bars that cater to recent arrivals from the media and art worlds.

BOURNE & HOLLINGSWORTH

Named after a defunct British department store where owner Mark Holdstock’s mother once sold gloves, this closet-size basement bar is part 1920’s speakeasy and part English tearoom—floral wallpaper and killer retro cocktails (try the gin fizz or one from the innovative drinks list served Prohibition-style in teacups). The place is known for its monthly events, such as a swing music–powered Forties Blitz Party and gentlemen’s etiquette classes on forgotten arts such as tie-knotting and martini-shaking. 28 Rathbone Place; 44-20/7636-8228; bourneandhollingsworth.com; drinks for two £14.

FITZROY TAVERN This classic pub is an

ode to the 18th-century aristocrat by the name of Charles Fitzroy, for whom the neighborhood is said to be named.

Until 1919 it was a café called the Hundred Marks, but once it morphed into a pub, it became the unofficial clubhouse of regulars such as Dylan Thomas, Nina Hamnett and George Orwell, an era now hanging on the walls in the form of prints and photos.

Today, it’s busiest on Thursday and Friday nights, though Sundays are great for a quiet pint. 16 Charlotte St.; 4420/7580-3714; drinks for two £5.

SHOCHU LOUNGE This low-lit, woodpaneled basement bar—designed by Japanese firm Super Potato—looks like a feudal Japanese ryokan reimagined by Star Trek set designers. It specializes in

the Asian spirit shochu: try it mixed with plum-infused vodka in a concoction called a Plum Plum. The bartender’s Wylie Dufresne–like wizardry is also on show with blends such as a Bellini with pear-and-green-tea purée and a Hallo Kitty that, among other ingredients, consists of rosewater, raspberries and lemon juice. 37 Charlotte St.; 4420/7580-6464; drinks for two £17.

YORKSHIRE GREY Mingle with locals at this Victorian-era Fitzrovia bar festooned with BBC-related memorabilia—a nod to its location, a few blocks from one of the broadcaster’s main studios. After work, the outside tables are fi lled with media and fashion types from nearby showrooms. 46 Langham St.; 44-20/7636-4788; drinks for two £6. »

RESTAURANTS From wallet-friendly lunches to late-night tapas, Fitzrovia’s dining spots run the gamut.

BENITO’S HAT BEST FOR LUNCH ON THE GO This new and exceedingly

affordable Tex-Mex restaurant is a favorite lunch place for local gallerinas thanks to the oversize burritos, made to order with chile-and-achiote braised chicken or grilled zucchini, chayote squash and peppers; all the chiles and tomatillos used are sourced directly from a local farm. 56 Goodge St.; 4420/7637-3732; lunch for two £10.

LANTANA BEST FOR RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE LOCALS This lovingly run café, tucked away on a quiet pedestrian side street, showcases the work of emerging photographers

like Anne-Caroline Morice and artists such as Kate Macleod. Check out the menu scrawled on the chalkboard in front—a recent one included the BERT (bacon, egg, rocket and tomato) sandwich and corn fritters with sliced avocado. 13 Charlotte Place; 44-20/76373347; lunch for two £17.

SALT YARD BEST DATE-NIGHT SPOT

An always-buzzing neighborhood tapas joint, this two-level restaurant is both rustic and romantic, decorated with deep red walls and wooden tables.

The kitchen dishes up homey plates such as confit of pork belly atop rosemary-infused cannellini beans or zucchini flowers stuffed with Monte Enebro cheese, deep fried and then

drizzled with honey. The well-priced wine list offers select bottles of reds and whites from both Italy and Spain. 54 Goodge St.; 44-20/7637-0657; dinner for two £64.

VILLANDRY BEST FOR GOURMET BROWSING This sprawling shop is London’s answer to Dean & DeLuca.

Head to the deli for coffee and croissants or to pick up a hamper for a picnic in nearby Regent’s Park. The restaurant serves hearty Frenchleaning food—the seasonal £32 threecourse prix fi xe, which might include steamed asparagus with hollandaise or chicken paillard with arugula, is a bargain. 170 Great Portland St.; 4420/7631-3131; dinner for two £64. »

SALT YARD DISHES UP HOMEY PLATES SUCH AS CONFIT OF PORK BELLY ATOP ROSEMARY-INFUSED CANNELLINI BEANS OR ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH CHEESE AND DEEP FRIED 122

Utensils hang above the tables at Villandry restaurant.

Left: Manager Dino Koletsas at Bourne & Hollingsworth.

GALLERIES

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London socialite and gallerist Pilar Corrias—who helped start Haunch of Venison gallery, a branch of which recently opened in New York City— opened her namesake 353-squaremeter space to coincide with Frieze Art

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Gallerist Alison Jacques opened her first London space in a Mayfair town house in 2004, but three years later decamped to a roomier 335-squaremeter space in Fitzrovia. Jacques’s stable of artists blends the media-savvy and controversial (Ryan McGinley and Robert Mapplethorpe, whose estate she has managed since 1999) with pop culture favorites like Jack Pierson (known for his letter sculptures) and collage maestro Paul Morrison. 16-18 Berners St.; 44-20/7631-4720; alisonjacquesgallery.com.

LAZARIDES This brand-new five-floor spread opened last May in a Georgian town house that was once a brothel.

Fair in October 2008. Her roster includes Scottish conceptual artist Charles Avery and Berlin-based Keren Cytter, known for her narrative video installations. Through Miuccia Prada, a client, Corrias tapped Rem Koolhaas to reimagine a leather showroom as a gallery with 5-meter ceilings and moveable walls that accommodate monolithic artwork. 54 Eastcastle St.; 44-20/7323-7000; pilarcorrias.com.

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ALISON JACQUES GALLERY

The headline-grabbing gallery is run by Steve Lazarides, the onetime art director of London’s now-defunct SleazeNation magazine. He was the first person to print a poster by media-shy graffiti artist Banksy and helped make him a global phenomenon. Lazarides is also known for punk artists with a wicked wit, such as Jonathan Yeo, who makes detailed collage portraits of politicians using cutouts from vintage porn magazines. 11 Rathbone Place; 4420/7636-5443; lazinc.com.

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The arrival of top-flight galleries over the last few years sparked Fitzrovia’s renaissance.

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STUART SHAVE/MODERN ART

East End mainstay Stuart Shave moved to this 600-square-meter gallery in 2008. You’ll find works here by talent such as sculptor David Altmejd, Canada’s erstwhile Venice Biennale entry, and figurative painter Nigel Cooke. 23-25 Eastcastle St.; 44-20/7299-7950; modernart.net.

An installation by Patrick Tuttofuoco at Pilar Corrias Gallery. Left: Lamps at Heal’s, on Tottenham Court Road.

Opposite page: The Fitzroy Tavern, named after Charles Fitzroy, who developed the area in the 1790’s.

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LAZARIDES IS ALSO KNOWN FOR PUNK ARTISTS WITH A WICKED WIT, SUCH AS JONATHAN YEO, WHO MAKES COLLAGE PORTRAITS OF POLITICIANS USING CUTOUTS FROM VINTAGE PORN

SHOPPING Not surprisingly, most of Fitzrovia’s best shops cater to artists and designers.

ALEC TIRANTI BEST FOR SPOTTING ART-WORLD HEAVY HITTERS The

place to find creative supplies in Fitzrovia, Alec Tiranti has been selling every material imaginable—clay, wax, rubber, glazes—as well as hardware, from kilns to modeling tools, since 1895. Beginners can browse the hundreds of how-to books and videos.

27 Warren St.; 44-20/7380-0808; tiranti.co.uk.

FRENCH’S THEATRE BOOKSHOP BEST FOR DRAMA BUFFS Come to this London outpost of the iconic New York publisher to browse an encyclopedic selection of plays, both classic and contemporary. It’s also a clearinghouse

for underground theater events in the area—ask the knowledgeable staff or scan the poster-crammed notice board.

52 Fitzroy St.; 44-20/7255-4300; samuel french-london.co.uk; closed on Sundays.

HEAL’S BEST FOR DESIGN LOVERS

Celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, the stately Heal’s interiors store is a British institution for obvious reasons.

Climb the stairs and check out the socalled Heal’s cat, a sinewy 1925 sculpture by Chassagne peering from the mezzanine. The family began as bed makers, but in the mid-1890’s, under fourth-generation chairman and designer Sir Ambrose Heal, the store expanded its offerings. It’s still the perfect place for browsing when in search of the best in British design,

from glassware to throw pillows to fabrics. 196 Tottenham Court Rd.; 4420/7636-1666; heals.co.uk.

PAPERCHASE BEST FOR SNAZZY STATIONERY Though there are now branches of this paper mecca across London and the rest of the world, the triple-decker Fitzrovia spot was the original Paperchase store, catering to artists in the area since the 1970’s. On the first floor, check out a vast range of cards, Pop-arty boxes and one-of-a-kind printed gift wrap. Then move upstairs for professional supplies—paper in various weights, all manner of day planners, art materials of every description and dozens of types of pens. 213-215 Tottenham Court Rd.; 4420/7467-6200; paperchase.co.uk. ✚

125

GALLERIES

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London socialite and gallerist Pilar Corrias—who helped start Haunch of Venison gallery, a branch of which recently opened in New York City— opened her namesake 353-squaremeter space to coincide with Frieze Art

Y[

PILAR CORRIAS GALLERY

Z FbW

Gallerist Alison Jacques opened her first London space in a Mayfair town house in 2004, but three years later decamped to a roomier 335-squaremeter space in Fitzrovia. Jacques’s stable of artists blends the media-savvy and controversial (Ryan McGinley and Robert Mapplethorpe, whose estate she has managed since 1999) with pop culture favorites like Jack Pierson (known for his letter sculptures) and collage maestro Paul Morrison. 16-18 Berners St.; 44-20/7631-4720; alisonjacquesgallery.com.

LAZARIDES This brand-new five-floor spread opened last May in a Georgian town house that was once a brothel.

Fair in October 2008. Her roster includes Scottish conceptual artist Charles Avery and Berlin-based Keren Cytter, known for her narrative video installations. Through Miuccia Prada, a client, Corrias tapped Rem Koolhaas to reimagine a leather showroom as a gallery with 5-meter ceilings and moveable walls that accommodate monolithic artwork. 54 Eastcastle St.; 44-20/7323-7000; pilarcorrias.com.

bWd Fehj

ALISON JACQUES GALLERY

The headline-grabbing gallery is run by Steve Lazarides, the onetime art director of London’s now-defunct SleazeNation magazine. He was the first person to print a poster by media-shy graffiti artist Banksy and helped make him a global phenomenon. Lazarides is also known for punk artists with a wicked wit, such as Jonathan Yeo, who makes detailed collage portraits of politicians using cutouts from vintage porn magazines. 11 Rathbone Place; 4420/7636-5443; lazinc.com.

8BEECI8KHO

j$ h I Z$ m[ j H =e kh 9e c ^W j[d Jej

The arrival of top-flight galleries over the last few years sparked Fitzrovia’s renaissance.

N

HZ$ jed ;ki

j$ En\ehZ I

IE>E

STUART SHAVE/MODERN ART

East End mainstay Stuart Shave moved to this 600-square-meter gallery in 2008. You’ll find works here by talent such as sculptor David Altmejd, Canada’s erstwhile Venice Biennale entry, and figurative painter Nigel Cooke. 23-25 Eastcastle St.; 44-20/7299-7950; modernart.net.

An installation by Patrick Tuttofuoco at Pilar Corrias Gallery. Left: Lamps at Heal’s, on Tottenham Court Road.

Opposite page: The Fitzroy Tavern, named after Charles Fitzroy, who developed the area in the 1790’s.

BE D : E D &

&$)( ac

F_YYWZ_bbo 9_hYki

IJH7D:

J^Wc[i H_l[h

LAZARIDES IS ALSO KNOWN FOR PUNK ARTISTS WITH A WICKED WIT, SUCH AS JONATHAN YEO, WHO MAKES COLLAGE PORTRAITS OF POLITICIANS USING CUTOUTS FROM VINTAGE PORN

SHOPPING Not surprisingly, most of Fitzrovia’s best shops cater to artists and designers.

ALEC TIRANTI BEST FOR SPOTTING ART-WORLD HEAVY HITTERS The

place to find creative supplies in Fitzrovia, Alec Tiranti has been selling every material imaginable—clay, wax, rubber, glazes—as well as hardware, from kilns to modeling tools, since 1895. Beginners can browse the hundreds of how-to books and videos.

27 Warren St.; 44-20/7380-0808; tiranti.co.uk.

FRENCH’S THEATRE BOOKSHOP BEST FOR DRAMA BUFFS Come to this London outpost of the iconic New York publisher to browse an encyclopedic selection of plays, both classic and contemporary. It’s also a clearinghouse

for underground theater events in the area—ask the knowledgeable staff or scan the poster-crammed notice board.

52 Fitzroy St.; 44-20/7255-4300; samuel french-london.co.uk; closed on Sundays.

HEAL’S BEST FOR DESIGN LOVERS

Celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, the stately Heal’s interiors store is a British institution for obvious reasons.

Climb the stairs and check out the socalled Heal’s cat, a sinewy 1925 sculpture by Chassagne peering from the mezzanine. The family began as bed makers, but in the mid-1890’s, under fourth-generation chairman and designer Sir Ambrose Heal, the store expanded its offerings. It’s still the perfect place for browsing when in search of the best in British design,

from glassware to throw pillows to fabrics. 196 Tottenham Court Rd.; 4420/7636-1666; heals.co.uk.

PAPERCHASE BEST FOR SNAZZY STATIONERY Though there are now branches of this paper mecca across London and the rest of the world, the triple-decker Fitzrovia spot was the original Paperchase store, catering to artists in the area since the 1970’s. On the first floor, check out a vast range of cards, Pop-arty boxes and one-of-a-kind printed gift wrap. Then move upstairs for professional supplies—paper in various weights, all manner of day planners, art materials of every description and dozens of types of pens. 213-215 Tottenham Court Rd.; 4420/7467-6200; paperchase.co.uk. ✚

125

A FOOD LOVER’S

GUIDE TO

GENOA ON A QUEST FOR DELICIOUS ITALIAN SEAFOOD, BRUCE SCHOENFELD LOOKS TOWARDS THE LIGURIAN COAST, WHERE HE REELS IN DECADENT SQUID-INK RAVIOLI, HEARTY ROASTED BRANZINO AND MUCH MORE. PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID CICCONI

Frutti di mare at Antica Osteria di Vico Palla, in Genoa’s historic center.

127

A FOOD LOVER’S

GUIDE TO

GENOA ON A QUEST FOR DELICIOUS ITALIAN SEAFOOD, BRUCE SCHOENFELD LOOKS TOWARDS THE LIGURIAN COAST, WHERE HE REELS IN DECADENT SQUID-INK RAVIOLI, HEARTY ROASTED BRANZINO AND MUCH MORE. PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID CICCONI

Frutti di mare at Antica Osteria di Vico Palla, in Genoa’s historic center.

127

THE FISH WERE DENTICI, WHAT WE’D CALL SEA BREAM. SILVER-SCALED AND GLOSSY, WITH LIMPID, FULL-MOON EYES, THEY WERE FANNED OUT ON ICE LIKE A CROUPIER’S CARDS AND SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE WATER ABOUT, OH, THREE MINUTES BEFORE. I FOUND them remarkable, but the shoppers milling around the storefront market clearly didn’t regard them as anything special, and this I found even more remarkable.

I’d only just arrived back in Genoa after many years away, in the hope of reacquainting myself with a city that had once been a favorite haunt. As I zigzagged (the only way you can get anywhere in this city) toward lunch in the old port, a glimpse of those fish stopped me cold. They offered a vivid reminder of what I’d always loved most about Genoa, a city that surely ranks among Europe’s most underappreciated.

Once a fishing village, Genoa grew without plan or forethought across a series of hillsides. As a result, it feels unpredictable, as if something surprising—a mansion, a crevice, a Minotaur—could be hidden around the next corner. It dominated commerce in the upper Mediterranean for centuries and is renowned for flinging open its doors to anyone with the wherewithal to dock a boat. Yet it lacks the artistic heft of Florence, the stateliness of Turin and the Art Nouveau pizzazz of Verona, let alone the grandeur of Rome. It’s also absurdly difficult to traverse. Its roads meander down from the hills so hesitantly that you’d swear they were scared of the sea. The steep slopes often put what the map considers the next street over some 30 meters above your head, accessible by either a 45-minute walk or a helicopter. “The most winding and incoherent of cities, the most entangled topographical ravel in the world,” Henry James called it.

Nevertheless, James loved Genoa. So did Flaubert, and Joseph Conrad, who set part of his last novel there, and Wagner, who insisted that Paris and London “pale by comparison.” They loved the eclecticism of its architecture, the unexpected vistas from its hillsides. I’m certain, too, that they reveled in the cerebral conversation that one finds at meals and parties and even trips to the barber in Genoa, for the Genoese have an adoration of words and ideas that transcends the barriers of language. Theirs is a vital, energetic city with a constant bustle and hum; in a country full of dramatic ports with unique characters (Trieste, Venice, Naples and Palermo, to name a few), it’s the biggest and most important to the national economy.

But I hadn’t come to Genoa for commerce or culture. I’d 128

come for the seafood. Liguria stretches across the far western extension of Italy like a rubber galosh, thin and long and serving to insulate the rest of the region from the water. And though its historical contributions to gastronomy are the chickpea tarts called farinata, pandolce cakes, and—above all— pesto, the fish and shellfish off its coast are as varied and glorious as any in Italy. When I’m there, I never eat anything else. A far from exhaustive chronicle of dishes I’ve eaten there would include sardines, sea bass and snapper; the squid-like seppia, seppiola and seppiolina; migratory tuna and local prawns; mullet and bream; even fingernail-size bianchetti, which are somehow related to mackerel. They’ve been cooked in soups and stews, tossed with pasta, stuffed inside ravioli, laid across a crackling grill.

Walking toward lunch an hour after arriving, I found myself eager to revisit them all. I’d get to know one of my favorite cities all over again, one meal at a time.

IN THEORY, GENOA’S OLD PORT IS BECOMING GENTRIFIED, BUT IT still offers the atmospherics of a working waterfront out of a 1950’s movie, to the extent that Marlon Brando’s Terry Malloy seems likely to appear at any moment. Hidden off a blind alley, the Antica Osteria di Vico Palla looks like it hasn’t changed in a century, though its current incarnation dates back only 11 years. Wooden tables are set haphazardly under a low ceiling and a small chalkboard is propped on each to serve as the menu. (Written in the Ligurian dialect, it isn’t especially helpful.) The food is as simple as a folk song, but full of vibrant flavors; take for example the dense sardine soup bagnun di acciughe, which tastes like the classic Sicilian pasta con le sarde—pasta with a sardine sauce—except without the pasta.

There was an hour wait at the restaurant when I arrived, so I agreed to share a table with a heavy-eyed IT consultant who works Italy’s northern half. When I offered my theory on eating in Italy, that just about anywhere you are, you can eat as well as you would in the country’s renowned culinary capitals, he came to life. He gave me a superb rendition of that classic Italian gesture—palms upturned, head cocked, »

Coastal Idyll From top: Tableside service at Antica Osteria del Bai; Genoa’s busy Via XX Settembre; a view of the Ligurian Sea from the dining room.

129

THE FISH WERE DENTICI, WHAT WE’D CALL SEA BREAM. SILVER-SCALED AND GLOSSY, WITH LIMPID, FULL-MOON EYES, THEY WERE FANNED OUT ON ICE LIKE A CROUPIER’S CARDS AND SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE WATER ABOUT, OH, THREE MINUTES BEFORE. I FOUND them remarkable, but the shoppers milling around the storefront market clearly didn’t regard them as anything special, and this I found even more remarkable.

I’d only just arrived back in Genoa after many years away, in the hope of reacquainting myself with a city that had once been a favorite haunt. As I zigzagged (the only way you can get anywhere in this city) toward lunch in the old port, a glimpse of those fish stopped me cold. They offered a vivid reminder of what I’d always loved most about Genoa, a city that surely ranks among Europe’s most underappreciated.

Once a fishing village, Genoa grew without plan or forethought across a series of hillsides. As a result, it feels unpredictable, as if something surprising—a mansion, a crevice, a Minotaur—could be hidden around the next corner. It dominated commerce in the upper Mediterranean for centuries and is renowned for flinging open its doors to anyone with the wherewithal to dock a boat. Yet it lacks the artistic heft of Florence, the stateliness of Turin and the Art Nouveau pizzazz of Verona, let alone the grandeur of Rome. It’s also absurdly difficult to traverse. Its roads meander down from the hills so hesitantly that you’d swear they were scared of the sea. The steep slopes often put what the map considers the next street over some 30 meters above your head, accessible by either a 45-minute walk or a helicopter. “The most winding and incoherent of cities, the most entangled topographical ravel in the world,” Henry James called it.

Nevertheless, James loved Genoa. So did Flaubert, and Joseph Conrad, who set part of his last novel there, and Wagner, who insisted that Paris and London “pale by comparison.” They loved the eclecticism of its architecture, the unexpected vistas from its hillsides. I’m certain, too, that they reveled in the cerebral conversation that one finds at meals and parties and even trips to the barber in Genoa, for the Genoese have an adoration of words and ideas that transcends the barriers of language. Theirs is a vital, energetic city with a constant bustle and hum; in a country full of dramatic ports with unique characters (Trieste, Venice, Naples and Palermo, to name a few), it’s the biggest and most important to the national economy.

But I hadn’t come to Genoa for commerce or culture. I’d 128

come for the seafood. Liguria stretches across the far western extension of Italy like a rubber galosh, thin and long and serving to insulate the rest of the region from the water. And though its historical contributions to gastronomy are the chickpea tarts called farinata, pandolce cakes, and—above all— pesto, the fish and shellfish off its coast are as varied and glorious as any in Italy. When I’m there, I never eat anything else. A far from exhaustive chronicle of dishes I’ve eaten there would include sardines, sea bass and snapper; the squid-like seppia, seppiola and seppiolina; migratory tuna and local prawns; mullet and bream; even fingernail-size bianchetti, which are somehow related to mackerel. They’ve been cooked in soups and stews, tossed with pasta, stuffed inside ravioli, laid across a crackling grill.

Walking toward lunch an hour after arriving, I found myself eager to revisit them all. I’d get to know one of my favorite cities all over again, one meal at a time.

IN THEORY, GENOA’S OLD PORT IS BECOMING GENTRIFIED, BUT IT still offers the atmospherics of a working waterfront out of a 1950’s movie, to the extent that Marlon Brando’s Terry Malloy seems likely to appear at any moment. Hidden off a blind alley, the Antica Osteria di Vico Palla looks like it hasn’t changed in a century, though its current incarnation dates back only 11 years. Wooden tables are set haphazardly under a low ceiling and a small chalkboard is propped on each to serve as the menu. (Written in the Ligurian dialect, it isn’t especially helpful.) The food is as simple as a folk song, but full of vibrant flavors; take for example the dense sardine soup bagnun di acciughe, which tastes like the classic Sicilian pasta con le sarde—pasta with a sardine sauce—except without the pasta.

There was an hour wait at the restaurant when I arrived, so I agreed to share a table with a heavy-eyed IT consultant who works Italy’s northern half. When I offered my theory on eating in Italy, that just about anywhere you are, you can eat as well as you would in the country’s renowned culinary capitals, he came to life. He gave me a superb rendition of that classic Italian gesture—palms upturned, head cocked, »

Coastal Idyll From top: Tableside service at Antica Osteria del Bai; Genoa’s busy Via XX Settembre; a view of the Ligurian Sea from the dining room.

129

Genoa, as seen from the Belvedere L. Montaldo terrace, high above the city.

122

smile on only one side of the mouth—that means “not only did I already know that, but you’re perhaps the last person on earth to figure it out.” Then he stretched across the table to dip his bread into the pungent mushroom broth surrounding my ravioli di branzino—which were yellow on top (from egg yolks), black on the bottom (from squid ink) and stuffed with sea bass, while nodding as if he’d asked himself for permission. “As Italians, we understand that wherever we go, we’ll eat well,” he said. “But maybe better here than most places.”

I was staying at the Bentley Hotel, in the Carignano district, a retrofitted office building from the 1920’s that turned out to be the best hotel I’ve ever found in Genoa.

Sitting on my private terrace in the mornings, I plotted out my next meals before heading out to some distant part of the city on a walk.

Because of its topography, those hilltops and hillsides and valleys between, Genoa has evolved as a disparate collection of neighborhoods. Navigating from one part of the city to another is challenging even for natives, which means that many of these pockets and enclaves have little contact with one another. Every district has its own favorite restaurants, but everyone I spoke to agreed that Piazza Manin’s Il Genovino, which sits high above the city on some hill I would have never stumbled upon, was worth the journey.

What I discovered when I arrived for dinner was a shambolic restaurant with mismatched floors, stacks of wine guides and art books serving as decoration. It was busy but not crowded, and conversations seemed to be taking place between tables and even from room to room. My tagliolini al nero di seppia con ragù di seppia e pomodori—strands of thin black pasta served with slices of tender cuttlefish, half moons of diced tomatoes and basil—was so delicious, I wondered why Italian restaurants everywhere couldn’t create the same. The ricciola, a fish similar to pompano, was topped with wafer-thin potatoes soaked in olive oil, ringed by olives, then baked in a very hot oven. It tasted like someone’s grandmother made it, just after someone’s grandfather had returned from a day of deep-sea fishing.

As the meals passed, I noticed that every restaurant had a way of interpreting classic Genoese cuisine that was simultaneously elemental and original. Years before, I’d eaten at the Antica Osteria del Bai, a stone hut set directly on the water west of the city. It has been serving lunch and dinner in the same place for 210 years and Gianni Malagoli has owned it for 42 of them, but he recently ceded control of the cooking to his son-in-law, Marco Maistrello. When I visited the tiny kitchen this time, Malagoli explained that he serves only fish from the gulf, caught each morning. Then Maistrello brandished a still-twitching baby snapper as proof.

He’s especially proud of his tartares—labeled as such and not as the trendier crudo—and I understood why after tasting a bold-flavored snapper with orange zest and dried tomato.

But the dish I’ll remember was the hand-cut farfalle tossed with chunks of snapper and delicate stewed eggplant. Earthy and autumnal, it somehow smelled like chestnuts and tasted like a turkey’s stuffing.

Beside me sat nearly a dozen men (and one woman) vociferously enjoying their meal. They turned out to be execs from the Genoese football team Sampdoria, taking their habitual game-day lunch, eating four courses and drinking expensive wine. Genoese being Genoese, and football being a conversational lubricant around the world, we inevitably fell into a deep discussion.

The uneducated migrants who came from Sicily and the bottom of the peninsular boot after World War II in search of work didn’t have the means to support the Genoa Cricket & Football Club, a staid, dignified organization created by an Englishman in the 19th century. But in this postwar amalgamation of two existing teams, Sampierdarenese and

THE RICCIOLA WAS TOPPED WITH THIN POTATOES SOAKED IN OLIVE OIL, THEN BAKED IN AN OVEN. IT TASTED LIKE SOMEONE’S GRANDMOTHER MADE IT, AFTER GRANDFATHER HAD RETURNED FROM A LONG DAY OF FISHING Andrea Doria, the new working class found a Genoese institution to embrace as its own. Those sociological lines have blurred somewhat over the years, but Sampdoria remains as unpretentious and authentically Genoese as that farfalle with snapper. By the time I left the restaurant, I’d become fast friends with the club’s directors and had been extended an invitation to the game that night.

Sitting near midfield in a sea of Sampdoria supporters, I reveled in not just team spirit but in the campanilismo that leads every Italian to value his own region, his own city, his own neighborhood, even his own side of the street above anywhere else. It was an early-round match in the panEuropean UEFA Cup, and Genoa routed the visiting Lithuanians as we sang incomprehensible songs in some dialect of a dialect. Swept along by the enthusiasm, I abandoned my dinner plans. We ended up eating a late supper around the corner from the stadium at a nameless trattoria, a glorified sports bar. My bowl of pasta pomodoro would have been the highlight of the menu at the best Italian restaurant in most American cities. »

131

Genoa, as seen from the Belvedere L. Montaldo terrace, high above the city.

122

smile on only one side of the mouth—that means “not only did I already know that, but you’re perhaps the last person on earth to figure it out.” Then he stretched across the table to dip his bread into the pungent mushroom broth surrounding my ravioli di branzino—which were yellow on top (from egg yolks), black on the bottom (from squid ink) and stuffed with sea bass, while nodding as if he’d asked himself for permission. “As Italians, we understand that wherever we go, we’ll eat well,” he said. “But maybe better here than most places.”

I was staying at the Bentley Hotel, in the Carignano district, a retrofitted office building from the 1920’s that turned out to be the best hotel I’ve ever found in Genoa.

Sitting on my private terrace in the mornings, I plotted out my next meals before heading out to some distant part of the city on a walk.

Because of its topography, those hilltops and hillsides and valleys between, Genoa has evolved as a disparate collection of neighborhoods. Navigating from one part of the city to another is challenging even for natives, which means that many of these pockets and enclaves have little contact with one another. Every district has its own favorite restaurants, but everyone I spoke to agreed that Piazza Manin’s Il Genovino, which sits high above the city on some hill I would have never stumbled upon, was worth the journey.

What I discovered when I arrived for dinner was a shambolic restaurant with mismatched floors, stacks of wine guides and art books serving as decoration. It was busy but not crowded, and conversations seemed to be taking place between tables and even from room to room. My tagliolini al nero di seppia con ragù di seppia e pomodori—strands of thin black pasta served with slices of tender cuttlefish, half moons of diced tomatoes and basil—was so delicious, I wondered why Italian restaurants everywhere couldn’t create the same. The ricciola, a fish similar to pompano, was topped with wafer-thin potatoes soaked in olive oil, ringed by olives, then baked in a very hot oven. It tasted like someone’s grandmother made it, just after someone’s grandfather had returned from a day of deep-sea fishing.

As the meals passed, I noticed that every restaurant had a way of interpreting classic Genoese cuisine that was simultaneously elemental and original. Years before, I’d eaten at the Antica Osteria del Bai, a stone hut set directly on the water west of the city. It has been serving lunch and dinner in the same place for 210 years and Gianni Malagoli has owned it for 42 of them, but he recently ceded control of the cooking to his son-in-law, Marco Maistrello. When I visited the tiny kitchen this time, Malagoli explained that he serves only fish from the gulf, caught each morning. Then Maistrello brandished a still-twitching baby snapper as proof.

He’s especially proud of his tartares—labeled as such and not as the trendier crudo—and I understood why after tasting a bold-flavored snapper with orange zest and dried tomato.

But the dish I’ll remember was the hand-cut farfalle tossed with chunks of snapper and delicate stewed eggplant. Earthy and autumnal, it somehow smelled like chestnuts and tasted like a turkey’s stuffing.

Beside me sat nearly a dozen men (and one woman) vociferously enjoying their meal. They turned out to be execs from the Genoese football team Sampdoria, taking their habitual game-day lunch, eating four courses and drinking expensive wine. Genoese being Genoese, and football being a conversational lubricant around the world, we inevitably fell into a deep discussion.

The uneducated migrants who came from Sicily and the bottom of the peninsular boot after World War II in search of work didn’t have the means to support the Genoa Cricket & Football Club, a staid, dignified organization created by an Englishman in the 19th century. But in this postwar amalgamation of two existing teams, Sampierdarenese and

THE RICCIOLA WAS TOPPED WITH THIN POTATOES SOAKED IN OLIVE OIL, THEN BAKED IN AN OVEN. IT TASTED LIKE SOMEONE’S GRANDMOTHER MADE IT, AFTER GRANDFATHER HAD RETURNED FROM A LONG DAY OF FISHING Andrea Doria, the new working class found a Genoese institution to embrace as its own. Those sociological lines have blurred somewhat over the years, but Sampdoria remains as unpretentious and authentically Genoese as that farfalle with snapper. By the time I left the restaurant, I’d become fast friends with the club’s directors and had been extended an invitation to the game that night.

Sitting near midfield in a sea of Sampdoria supporters, I reveled in not just team spirit but in the campanilismo that leads every Italian to value his own region, his own city, his own neighborhood, even his own side of the street above anywhere else. It was an early-round match in the panEuropean UEFA Cup, and Genoa routed the visiting Lithuanians as we sang incomprehensible songs in some dialect of a dialect. Swept along by the enthusiasm, I abandoned my dinner plans. We ended up eating a late supper around the corner from the stadium at a nameless trattoria, a glorified sports bar. My bowl of pasta pomodoro would have been the highlight of the menu at the best Italian restaurant in most American cities. »

131

I BEGAN THE NEXT MORNING WITH A VISIT TO THE CARAVAGGIOS

The restaurant’s cappon magro, a Ligurian dish with branzino, shrimp, mussels and salsa verde, above. Opposite: Sampling dessert wine and biscotti outside Vico Palla.

LIGURIAN WINE TIPS

Claudio Vio U Grottu A focused and floral Pigato from a tiny producer. It’s a hard-to-find bottling but worth looking for. The mouthfeel is Burgundian, but the minerality is pure Liguria.

Terre Bianche Arcana Rosso This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and the indigenous Rossese could almost pass for a wine from the Tuscan coast. Not for pairing with fish, but rather a hearty pasta or stew.

132

GUIDE TO GENOA N

SWITZERLAND Milan

FRANCE

Genoa

Ad Rome

ria

ITALY rr

0

an

WHERE TO STAY Bentley Hotel Rooms here are spacious, the staff superb.

If you can help it, don’t stay anywhere else. 4 Via Corsica; 39-010/531-5111; thi.it; doubles from ¤149.

GREAT VALUE

Venice

te

The 2005 edition of this crisp white may be the finest wine ever made in the region, and the 2006 isn’t far behind. It tastes like an apricot crème brûlée.

Bruce Schoenfeld is the wine and spirits editor at Travel + Leisure (U.S.).

tic

Se

a

di

Bruna Riviera Ligure di Ponente Pigato U Baccan

I sat down before a heavy silver plate, and a distracted waiter in a red bow tie snatched it away without a word. I contemplated leaving, but almost immediately—before I’d even ordered—an amusebouche arrived. It was a bite-size anchovy, fried and unadorned, and after that one bite I forgot all about the porthole and the painting and the bow tie; rarely have I had a mouthful of fish so impeccably prepared. Later, I had a glistening yellow heap of spaghetti, sprinkled with tuna roe, studded with the obscure garinella (which in English is the equally obscure “latchet”), and resting in a muddy-red broth that made for perhaps the single finest dish of my visit. I could have left then and been overjoyed, but in Genoese restaurants, more is usually even better. So I stayed for my roasted branzino, thickly sliced and served skin-up with diced potatoes, small olives and fresh dill. A triumph of local ingredients, it couldn’t have existed anywhere that was not just on the sea, but this sea, mare nostrum, in Genoa. ✚

Me

Italy makes some of the most famous wines in the world — bold, flavorful reds such as Barolo, Brunello and Chianti. None of them come from Liguria. But that doesn’t mean the local products aren’t delicious, especially the whites. Ligurian wines are typically light and refreshing and are a great complement to seafood. Here, three to look out for.

at the Palazzo Bianco gallery, on Via Garibaldi. Then I set out to find Luca Collami, who is renowned as Genoa’s most innovative chef, though I couldn’t help thinking that was like being called the most innovative bartender at the Harvard Club. Still, Collami did once offer a tasting menu titled “25 Tastes from Raw to Cooked” that supposedly took four hours to eat. He’d retired that concept, but his Ristorante Baldin, in a suburb near the airport, felt more urbane than anything in the city center.

As soon as I arrived, someone swept away my coat and someone else immediately led me to a table and handed me a glass of wine. The tablecloth before me was a luminescent goldenrod, the floor a gleaming dark wood and the deep lush tones of Chopin, I think, or Brahms, filled the room. It felt like an exclusive club.

My server confirmed that the “25 Tastes” menu was no longer available, but he did offer four others. The one I chose included wine pairings and an astonishing range of fish dishes. Sugarello—a kind of mackerel—was served raw with basil oil, chopped olive and red pepper, a construction that would have belonged at a new-wave sushi bar. It could hardly have been less like the equally delicious steamed zucchini flower stuffed with heavily anchovied stockfish that came later. Even better was a potato gnocchi with seppiolini that had the dark, intense flavor of pan juices and caramelized onions: cuttlefish for liver lovers.

Why, I wondered, is such transcendent food not valued out in the wider world? Why are there no Genoese restaurants we’ve heard about at home, and cooking schools that attract hundreds of Americans and television chefs making pilgrimages here? Driving back from Baldin, I tried to list cities in which I could eat indisputably better over the course of a few days and came up with exactly none. Paris? At the highest end, sure, but for thousands of euros. New York?

Over a month, without question, but I’d match it meal for meal with Genoa over a long weekend. Bologna? Well, yes, but it has a far weightier cuisine, one I’d have a difficult time enjoying for more than a few meals in succession. If it was Genoa’s lot to stay in the shadows, I was in on the secret.

That night, I headed off to eat the last meal of my visit at La Bitta nella Pergola, which had Genoa’s only Michelin star (it has since been renamed A Due Passi dal Mare). Michelin commendations aren’t necessarily a good sign in Italy, where the French guidebook tends to bestow honors on what seem like parodies of high-end restaurants, fussy establishments with starched linens and sommeliers bearing tastevins. When I walked through the door, my heart sank, for La Bitta has a nautical theme, that last refuge of nondescript fish houses and chowder barns around the world. A grand painting of a naval battle was hanging on a wall, as if to herald the restaurant’s inevitable mediocrity. The door to the kitchen even had a porthole.

ea

nS ea

122 km

GETTING THERE If you can brave the vertiginous landings at Genoa’s Cristoforo Colombo Airport, fly directly to the city. A more comfortable option is to fly directly to Milan’s Malpensa Airport, hire a car and then drive the 120 kilometers from there.

WHEN TO GO Genoa has northern Italy’s mildest winters, but the city is at its loveliest between April and June, before the nearby resorts of Cinque Terre and Portofino fill up and rental cars clog the roads.

WHERE TO EAT A Due Passi dal Mare 52R Via Casaregis; 39-010/588543; dinner for two ¤63.

Antica Osteria del Bai 12 Via Quarto; 39-010/387478; lunch or dinner for two ¤102.

Antica Osteria di Vico Palla 15R Vico Palla; 39010/246-6575; lunch for two ¤73.

Il Genovino 3 Via alla Stazione per Casale; 39010/831-1362; dinner for two ¤42.

Ristorante Baldin 20R Sestri Ponente, Piazza Tazzoli; 39-010/653-1400; lunch or dinner for two ¤94.

125

I BEGAN THE NEXT MORNING WITH A VISIT TO THE CARAVAGGIOS

The restaurant’s cappon magro, a Ligurian dish with branzino, shrimp, mussels and salsa verde, above. Opposite: Sampling dessert wine and biscotti outside Vico Palla.

LIGURIAN WINE TIPS

Claudio Vio U Grottu A focused and floral Pigato from a tiny producer. It’s a hard-to-find bottling but worth looking for. The mouthfeel is Burgundian, but the minerality is pure Liguria.

Terre Bianche Arcana Rosso This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and the indigenous Rossese could almost pass for a wine from the Tuscan coast. Not for pairing with fish, but rather a hearty pasta or stew.

132

GUIDE TO GENOA N

SWITZERLAND Milan

FRANCE

Genoa

Ad Rome

ria

ITALY rr

0

an

WHERE TO STAY Bentley Hotel Rooms here are spacious, the staff superb.

If you can help it, don’t stay anywhere else. 4 Via Corsica; 39-010/531-5111; thi.it; doubles from ¤149.

GREAT VALUE

Venice

te

The 2005 edition of this crisp white may be the finest wine ever made in the region, and the 2006 isn’t far behind. It tastes like an apricot crème brûlée.

Bruce Schoenfeld is the wine and spirits editor at Travel + Leisure (U.S.).

tic

Se

a

di

Bruna Riviera Ligure di Ponente Pigato U Baccan

I sat down before a heavy silver plate, and a distracted waiter in a red bow tie snatched it away without a word. I contemplated leaving, but almost immediately—before I’d even ordered—an amusebouche arrived. It was a bite-size anchovy, fried and unadorned, and after that one bite I forgot all about the porthole and the painting and the bow tie; rarely have I had a mouthful of fish so impeccably prepared. Later, I had a glistening yellow heap of spaghetti, sprinkled with tuna roe, studded with the obscure garinella (which in English is the equally obscure “latchet”), and resting in a muddy-red broth that made for perhaps the single finest dish of my visit. I could have left then and been overjoyed, but in Genoese restaurants, more is usually even better. So I stayed for my roasted branzino, thickly sliced and served skin-up with diced potatoes, small olives and fresh dill. A triumph of local ingredients, it couldn’t have existed anywhere that was not just on the sea, but this sea, mare nostrum, in Genoa. ✚

Me

Italy makes some of the most famous wines in the world — bold, flavorful reds such as Barolo, Brunello and Chianti. None of them come from Liguria. But that doesn’t mean the local products aren’t delicious, especially the whites. Ligurian wines are typically light and refreshing and are a great complement to seafood. Here, three to look out for.

at the Palazzo Bianco gallery, on Via Garibaldi. Then I set out to find Luca Collami, who is renowned as Genoa’s most innovative chef, though I couldn’t help thinking that was like being called the most innovative bartender at the Harvard Club. Still, Collami did once offer a tasting menu titled “25 Tastes from Raw to Cooked” that supposedly took four hours to eat. He’d retired that concept, but his Ristorante Baldin, in a suburb near the airport, felt more urbane than anything in the city center.

As soon as I arrived, someone swept away my coat and someone else immediately led me to a table and handed me a glass of wine. The tablecloth before me was a luminescent goldenrod, the floor a gleaming dark wood and the deep lush tones of Chopin, I think, or Brahms, filled the room. It felt like an exclusive club.

My server confirmed that the “25 Tastes” menu was no longer available, but he did offer four others. The one I chose included wine pairings and an astonishing range of fish dishes. Sugarello—a kind of mackerel—was served raw with basil oil, chopped olive and red pepper, a construction that would have belonged at a new-wave sushi bar. It could hardly have been less like the equally delicious steamed zucchini flower stuffed with heavily anchovied stockfish that came later. Even better was a potato gnocchi with seppiolini that had the dark, intense flavor of pan juices and caramelized onions: cuttlefish for liver lovers.

Why, I wondered, is such transcendent food not valued out in the wider world? Why are there no Genoese restaurants we’ve heard about at home, and cooking schools that attract hundreds of Americans and television chefs making pilgrimages here? Driving back from Baldin, I tried to list cities in which I could eat indisputably better over the course of a few days and came up with exactly none. Paris? At the highest end, sure, but for thousands of euros. New York?

Over a month, without question, but I’d match it meal for meal with Genoa over a long weekend. Bologna? Well, yes, but it has a far weightier cuisine, one I’d have a difficult time enjoying for more than a few meals in succession. If it was Genoa’s lot to stay in the shadows, I was in on the secret.

That night, I headed off to eat the last meal of my visit at La Bitta nella Pergola, which had Genoa’s only Michelin star (it has since been renamed A Due Passi dal Mare). Michelin commendations aren’t necessarily a good sign in Italy, where the French guidebook tends to bestow honors on what seem like parodies of high-end restaurants, fussy establishments with starched linens and sommeliers bearing tastevins. When I walked through the door, my heart sank, for La Bitta has a nautical theme, that last refuge of nondescript fish houses and chowder barns around the world. A grand painting of a naval battle was hanging on a wall, as if to herald the restaurant’s inevitable mediocrity. The door to the kitchen even had a porthole.

ea

nS ea

122 km

GETTING THERE If you can brave the vertiginous landings at Genoa’s Cristoforo Colombo Airport, fly directly to the city. A more comfortable option is to fly directly to Milan’s Malpensa Airport, hire a car and then drive the 120 kilometers from there.

WHEN TO GO Genoa has northern Italy’s mildest winters, but the city is at its loveliest between April and June, before the nearby resorts of Cinque Terre and Portofino fill up and rental cars clog the roads.

WHERE TO EAT A Due Passi dal Mare 52R Via Casaregis; 39-010/588543; dinner for two ¤63.

Antica Osteria del Bai 12 Via Quarto; 39-010/387478; lunch or dinner for two ¤102.

Antica Osteria di Vico Palla 15R Vico Palla; 39010/246-6575; lunch for two ¤73.

Il Genovino 3 Via alla Stazione per Casale; 39010/831-1362; dinner for two ¤42.

Ristorante Baldin 20R Sestri Ponente, Piazza Tazzoli; 39-010/653-1400; lunch or dinner for two ¤94.

125

25

Undiscovered

Villages

BOLGHERI

The Viale dei Cipressi, a five-kilometer road flanked by 2,540 cypress trees (the only vegetation local buffalo don’t eat), leads straight into Bolgheri, which is set amid the vineyards of southern Tuscany’s Maremma. There’s more to this village than just the dramatic arrival, however.

Stop in at Caffé della Posta, on the main

TO GET THERE Bolgheri is a 64-kilometer drive south from Pisa. WHERE TO STAY Relais Sant’Elena (Via Campo di Sasso; 39-0586/671071; relaissantelena.it; doubles from ¤140).

WHERE TO EAT Chefs Omar Barsacchi and

Gionata d’Alessi serve Tuscan–Maremman cuisine (ravioli stuffed with pappa al pomodoro) at Osteria Magona (2/3 Piazza Ugo; 390565/762-173; dinner for two ¤117). For wine, try Caffé della Posta (1/A Largo Nonna Lucia; 39-0565/762-024; drinks for two ¤10). LOCAL TAKE The town’s mayor, Fabio Tinti, loves the area’s Casentino wool overcoats, found at Arte e Moda (50 Via V. Emanuele; 39-0565/ 763-694).

»

Sa ra h Ka nt row itz . R E P O R T E D BY Gini Alha d eff, Sy l v i e Bi g a r, A nya vo n B rem zen , Li sa C h en g , Ken C h owd er, Dav i d Fa r l ey, Erin Florio, Eleni Ga g e, R ic ha rd Go o d a le, Alice Go rd o n, Ca tes by H o l m es, N a t h a l i e J o rd i , A l exa n d ra M a rs h a l l , Ra l p h M a r t i n , S h a n e M i tch el l , Leif Pettersen, Ad a m Sa c hs , Ma r ia S ho lle nba rg e r, Va le r ie St i vers- I sa kova , Sa ra h Sto r m s, O l i ver St ra n d , Step h en Wh i t l o ck A N D J o h n Wo g a n .

E D I T E D BY

134

square, to try one of Bolgheri’s reds: first produced in the 1980’s, these wines now rival French Bordeaux. In nearby Bibbona, eight kilometers southeast, you’ll find the Relais Sant’Elena, a 15-room estate with canopy beds, stone fireplaces and pastamaking classes. POPULATION 1,000 HOW

THIS SPREAD: PIA ULIN

1

ITALY

F R O M FA R L E F T : C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R ; M Y R I A M R O E H R I ; M A R T I N M O R R E L L . O P P O S I T E : C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R

T+L went in search of Europe’s authentic, accessible and—best of all—untouristed towns. Here, our short list of secret spots that deliver true charm without the crowds.

BOLGHERI, LA PINETA Staufen im Breisgau, a medieval town near the Rhine Valley in southern Germany.

Opposite from far left: The Alfred Schladerer eau-de-vie distillery, in Staufen; Cantal cheese, sold in a village market just outside Chassignolles; the beach at Elies Hotel, in Kardamili, Greece.

25

Undiscovered

Villages

BOLGHERI

The Viale dei Cipressi, a five-kilometer road flanked by 2,540 cypress trees (the only vegetation local buffalo don’t eat), leads straight into Bolgheri, which is set amid the vineyards of southern Tuscany’s Maremma. There’s more to this village than just the dramatic arrival, however.

Stop in at Caffé della Posta, on the main

TO GET THERE Bolgheri is a 64-kilometer drive south from Pisa. WHERE TO STAY Relais Sant’Elena (Via Campo di Sasso; 39-0586/671071; relaissantelena.it; doubles from ¤140).

WHERE TO EAT Chefs Omar Barsacchi and

Gionata d’Alessi serve Tuscan–Maremman cuisine (ravioli stuffed with pappa al pomodoro) at Osteria Magona (2/3 Piazza Ugo; 390565/762-173; dinner for two ¤117). For wine, try Caffé della Posta (1/A Largo Nonna Lucia; 39-0565/762-024; drinks for two ¤10). LOCAL TAKE The town’s mayor, Fabio Tinti, loves the area’s Casentino wool overcoats, found at Arte e Moda (50 Via V. Emanuele; 39-0565/ 763-694).

»

Sa ra h Ka nt row itz . R E P O R T E D BY Gini Alha d eff, Sy l v i e Bi g a r, A nya vo n B rem zen , Li sa C h en g , Ken C h owd er, Dav i d Fa r l ey, Erin Florio, Eleni Ga g e, R ic ha rd Go o d a le, Alice Go rd o n, Ca tes by H o l m es, N a t h a l i e J o rd i , A l exa n d ra M a rs h a l l , Ra l p h M a r t i n , S h a n e M i tch el l , Leif Pettersen, Ad a m Sa c hs , Ma r ia S ho lle nba rg e r, Va le r ie St i vers- I sa kova , Sa ra h Sto r m s, O l i ver St ra n d , Step h en Wh i t l o ck A N D J o h n Wo g a n .

E D I T E D BY

134

square, to try one of Bolgheri’s reds: first produced in the 1980’s, these wines now rival French Bordeaux. In nearby Bibbona, eight kilometers southeast, you’ll find the Relais Sant’Elena, a 15-room estate with canopy beds, stone fireplaces and pastamaking classes. POPULATION 1,000 HOW

THIS SPREAD: PIA ULIN

1

ITALY

F R O M FA R L E F T : C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R ; M Y R I A M R O E H R I ; M A R T I N M O R R E L L . O P P O S I T E : C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R

T+L went in search of Europe’s authentic, accessible and—best of all—untouristed towns. Here, our short list of secret spots that deliver true charm without the crowds.

BOLGHERI, LA PINETA Staufen im Breisgau, a medieval town near the Rhine Valley in southern Germany.

Opposite from far left: The Alfred Schladerer eau-de-vie distillery, in Staufen; Cantal cheese, sold in a village market just outside Chassignolles; the beach at Elies Hotel, in Kardamili, Greece.

UNDISCOVERED

EUROPEAN VILLAGES

Hellnar

Koguva

Plios

POPULATION 1,760 HOW TO GET THERE Trains depart London’s Liverpool St. Station several times daily for Stowmarket, 22 kilometers away. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ The contemporary Great House Hotel (Market Place; 44178/724-7431; greathouse.co.uk; doubles from £90) is in Lavenham’s town center. The Great House Restaurant (dinner for two £64), with its gastropub take on English fare, is one of Suffolk’s finest. Buxhall Coach House (Buxhall Vale, Buxhall, Stowmarket; 44-207/307-2797; chicretreats.com; doubles from £200), has two bedrooms, a fireplace and a large kitchen.

Arild Tisvildeleje Terschelling

Roundstone

Lavenham St. Mawes

Staufen im Breisgau

Slavonice

Hall in Tirol Giornico St.-Geniès Viscri Chassignolles Norcia Getaria Bolgheri Kotor Ullastret Marvão

5ENGLAND

Folégandros Kardamili

2

ITALY NORCIA

In this eastern Umbrian citadel, artisanal culinary traditions endure. Pecorino cheese is aged for two years, trained dogs sniff out black truffles in the woodlands and honey is sourced from the red wildflowers that bloom in the plains. But it’s the cinghiale that takes pride of place. Throughout the centro storico, the scent of spiced wild-boar salumi carries from the norcineria (delis) into the traffic-free roads. Step past the prosciutti hanging in storefronts to find shopkeepers curing cuts of the pork with methods perfected over 800 years. POPULATION 5,000 HOW TO GET THERE Norcia is 111 kilometers northeast of Rome. WHERE TO STAY $ The 24-room Palazzo Seneca (12 Via Cesare Battisti; 390743/817-434; palazzoseneca.com; doubles from ¤124), set in a 16th-century palace.

WHERE TO EAT Il Granaro del Monte (24 Corso Sertorio; 39-0743/ 816-513; dinner for two ¤51), for plates of black-truffle strangozzi pasta.

LOCAL TAKE Fabrizio Marini, director of a local food shop, recommends visiting during the Black Truffle Festival, in February and March.

3

GERMANY

STAUFEN IM BREISGAU This enclave on the edge of the Black Forest, in southern Germany, is the ideal 136

ST. MAWES

destination for a wine weekend. From Strasbourg, you’ll pass hills covered with terraced vineyards; the statue of a fat, naked Bacchus signals that you’ve arrived at the tiny downtown. Main Street’s pastel houses lead to the market place, which is crowned by the Town Hall, with a gothic inscription relating local history back to 770 on the façade. Join the businessmen in pinstripes at the outdoor wine bar, though a word to overindulgers: legend has it that any reveler who falls into one of the (sparkling-clean) irrigation ditches that run through town is destined to marry a local. POPULATION 7,739 HOW TO GET THERE Staufen is 75 minutes by car from Strasbourg. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Hotel-Gasthof Kreuz-Post (65 Hauptstrasse; 49-76/339-5320; kreuz-post-staufen.de; doubles from ¤100; dinner for two ¤88) has five rooms in patterned fabrics. Try duck breast, savory mushroom crêpes and blood-sausage risotto at its restaurant. LOCAL TAKE Pick up a bottle of cherry or plum eau-de-vie at the Alfred Schladerer distillery (1 Alfred-Schladerer-Platz; 49-76/338-320; schladerer.de), run by fifthgeneration vintner Heiner Ulmann.

4ENGLAND LAVENHAM

Lavenham, in Suffolk, may just be the prettiest town in England. It boasts more than 300 heritage houses and its high street is lined with the kind of bric-a-brac shops and $

As fishing villages go, the whitewashed cottages and tidy tearooms of St. Mawes, in southern Cornwall, feel like a stage set. In this quiet backwater, fishermen sell their catch on a quay, and in the evenings, you will find them drinking Cornish-brewed Betty Stogs ale while playing snooker at the St. Mawes Billiards & Social Club. Visitors settle into the upper deck at Hotel Tresanton for posh Pimm’s Cup cocktails with the seafaring crowd. POPULATION 2,500 HOW TO GET THERE St. Mawes is a five-hour drive

southwest of London. WHERE TO STAY Hotel Tresanton (27 Lower Castle Rd.; 44-132/6270055; tresanton.com; doubles from £240) overlooks the cove and has a boat for exploring Falmouth Bay. WHERE TO EAT The ploughman’s lunch at Café Chandlers (44-132/6270998; lunch for two £17) is a must; save room for a raisin-studded scone. LOCAL TAKE Go to Waterside Gallery (21 Marine Parade; 44132/627-0136) for sculptor Kevan Hopson’s birdshaped driftwood carvings.

6SCOTLAND ABERDOUR

The train from Edinburgh stops at a Victorian station next to a riot of neatly planted flowers in a hidden glen in the shadow of a medieval castle. Aberdour is not car-friendly, but why should it be when anything you would want to see is in town and connected by well-kept walkways? In August, this hamlet serves as a tranquil base for visiting the Edinburgh International Festival, but for the rest of the year, it is a »

Great Value icons denote a hotel with a rack rate of €160 or less.

Heading toward the main square in Bolgheri, Italy. Clockwise from right: Chefs Gionata d’Alessi and Omar Barsacchi, of Bolgheri’s Osteria Magona; en route to Staufen im Breisgau; patio dining beneath olive trees at Elies in Greece.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T : D AV I D C I C C O N I ( 2 ) ; C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R ; M A R T I N M O R R E L L . O P P O S I T E : M A P B Y R O D I C A P R AT O

Aberdour

teahouses (serving scones and clotted cream) that are on the endangered list throughout rural England—and all but extinct in glossier reaches, such as the Cotswolds and West Dorset. Sarah Townsend, former owner of the superchic Palazzo Terranova, in Umbria, was so charmed by the region that she just opened a small inn in nearby Buxhall.

HOTEL ELENA, BOLGHERI, ITALY

UNDISCOVERED

EUROPEAN VILLAGES

Hellnar

Koguva

Plios

POPULATION 1,760 HOW TO GET THERE Trains depart London’s Liverpool St. Station several times daily for Stowmarket, 22 kilometers away. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ The contemporary Great House Hotel (Market Place; 44178/724-7431; greathouse.co.uk; doubles from £90) is in Lavenham’s town center. The Great House Restaurant (dinner for two £64), with its gastropub take on English fare, is one of Suffolk’s finest. Buxhall Coach House (Buxhall Vale, Buxhall, Stowmarket; 44-207/307-2797; chicretreats.com; doubles from £200), has two bedrooms, a fireplace and a large kitchen.

Arild Tisvildeleje Terschelling

Roundstone

Lavenham St. Mawes

Staufen im Breisgau

Slavonice

Hall in Tirol Giornico St.-Geniès Viscri Chassignolles Norcia Getaria Bolgheri Kotor Ullastret Marvão

5ENGLAND

Folégandros Kardamili

2

ITALY NORCIA

In this eastern Umbrian citadel, artisanal culinary traditions endure. Pecorino cheese is aged for two years, trained dogs sniff out black truffles in the woodlands and honey is sourced from the red wildflowers that bloom in the plains. But it’s the cinghiale that takes pride of place. Throughout the centro storico, the scent of spiced wild-boar salumi carries from the norcineria (delis) into the traffic-free roads. Step past the prosciutti hanging in storefronts to find shopkeepers curing cuts of the pork with methods perfected over 800 years. POPULATION 5,000 HOW TO GET THERE Norcia is 111 kilometers northeast of Rome. WHERE TO STAY $ The 24-room Palazzo Seneca (12 Via Cesare Battisti; 390743/817-434; palazzoseneca.com; doubles from ¤124), set in a 16th-century palace.

WHERE TO EAT Il Granaro del Monte (24 Corso Sertorio; 39-0743/ 816-513; dinner for two ¤51), for plates of black-truffle strangozzi pasta.

LOCAL TAKE Fabrizio Marini, director of a local food shop, recommends visiting during the Black Truffle Festival, in February and March.

3

GERMANY

STAUFEN IM BREISGAU This enclave on the edge of the Black Forest, in southern Germany, is the ideal 136

ST. MAWES

destination for a wine weekend. From Strasbourg, you’ll pass hills covered with terraced vineyards; the statue of a fat, naked Bacchus signals that you’ve arrived at the tiny downtown. Main Street’s pastel houses lead to the market place, which is crowned by the Town Hall, with a gothic inscription relating local history back to 770 on the façade. Join the businessmen in pinstripes at the outdoor wine bar, though a word to overindulgers: legend has it that any reveler who falls into one of the (sparkling-clean) irrigation ditches that run through town is destined to marry a local. POPULATION 7,739 HOW TO GET THERE Staufen is 75 minutes by car from Strasbourg. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Hotel-Gasthof Kreuz-Post (65 Hauptstrasse; 49-76/339-5320; kreuz-post-staufen.de; doubles from ¤100; dinner for two ¤88) has five rooms in patterned fabrics. Try duck breast, savory mushroom crêpes and blood-sausage risotto at its restaurant. LOCAL TAKE Pick up a bottle of cherry or plum eau-de-vie at the Alfred Schladerer distillery (1 Alfred-Schladerer-Platz; 49-76/338-320; schladerer.de), run by fifthgeneration vintner Heiner Ulmann.

4ENGLAND LAVENHAM

Lavenham, in Suffolk, may just be the prettiest town in England. It boasts more than 300 heritage houses and its high street is lined with the kind of bric-a-brac shops and $

As fishing villages go, the whitewashed cottages and tidy tearooms of St. Mawes, in southern Cornwall, feel like a stage set. In this quiet backwater, fishermen sell their catch on a quay, and in the evenings, you will find them drinking Cornish-brewed Betty Stogs ale while playing snooker at the St. Mawes Billiards & Social Club. Visitors settle into the upper deck at Hotel Tresanton for posh Pimm’s Cup cocktails with the seafaring crowd. POPULATION 2,500 HOW TO GET THERE St. Mawes is a five-hour drive

southwest of London. WHERE TO STAY Hotel Tresanton (27 Lower Castle Rd.; 44-132/6270055; tresanton.com; doubles from £240) overlooks the cove and has a boat for exploring Falmouth Bay. WHERE TO EAT The ploughman’s lunch at Café Chandlers (44-132/6270998; lunch for two £17) is a must; save room for a raisin-studded scone. LOCAL TAKE Go to Waterside Gallery (21 Marine Parade; 44132/627-0136) for sculptor Kevan Hopson’s birdshaped driftwood carvings.

6SCOTLAND ABERDOUR

The train from Edinburgh stops at a Victorian station next to a riot of neatly planted flowers in a hidden glen in the shadow of a medieval castle. Aberdour is not car-friendly, but why should it be when anything you would want to see is in town and connected by well-kept walkways? In August, this hamlet serves as a tranquil base for visiting the Edinburgh International Festival, but for the rest of the year, it is a »

Great Value icons denote a hotel with a rack rate of €160 or less.

Heading toward the main square in Bolgheri, Italy. Clockwise from right: Chefs Gionata d’Alessi and Omar Barsacchi, of Bolgheri’s Osteria Magona; en route to Staufen im Breisgau; patio dining beneath olive trees at Elies in Greece.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T : D AV I D C I C C O N I ( 2 ) ; C H R I S T I A N K E R B E R ; M A R T I N M O R R E L L . O P P O S I T E : M A P B Y R O D I C A P R AT O

Aberdour

teahouses (serving scones and clotted cream) that are on the endangered list throughout rural England—and all but extinct in glossier reaches, such as the Cotswolds and West Dorset. Sarah Townsend, former owner of the superchic Palazzo Terranova, in Umbria, was so charmed by the region that she just opened a small inn in nearby Buxhall.

HOTEL ELENA, BOLGHERI, ITALY

1,680 HOW TO GET THERE Aberdour is 30 minutes by train from Edinburgh. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ The Woodside Hotel (76 High St.; 44-138/386-0328; thewoodsidehotel.co.uk; doubles from £70; dinner for two £31) offers rooms decorated in individual tartans. The bar, whose paneling came from a 19th-century passenger ship, serves local Highland beef.

7IRELAND

ROUNDSTONE

No blackberries could taste better than the ones picked along the winding lanes of Roundstone. But even the berry-averse will find reasons to love this 19th-century fishing village. Climb Errisbeg Hill for a clear view of Connemara National Park’s Twelve Bens: a mountain range rising over a vast peat bog. In case of rain—always in Ireland’s cards— head to Malachy Kearns’s shop, which sells handmade bodhran (Irish drums), or dry off by the fire at O’Dowds bar with a “kit” (a pint of Guinness and a shot of Irish whiskey). POPULATION 239 HOW TO

GET THERE From Galway, it’s a 123-kilometer

drive. WHERE TO STAY Family-run Cashel

138

House Hotel (353-95/31001; cashel-househotel.com; doubles from ¤235), on 20 hectares, is just a few kilometers east of Roundstone. WHERE TO EAT Join anglers in the bar at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel (Recess; 353-95/31006) or at O’Dowds (Main St.; 35395/35809; drinks for two ¤10).

8FRANCE

CHASSIGNOLLES

Three years ago Harry Lester (formerly chef and owner of London’s Anchor & Hope gastropub) and his partner, Ali Johnson, set their sights on France’s Auvergne and bought a thirties-era stone inn in tiny Chassignolles. The village, popular with Marseilles’ elite in the 1950’s, promises dormant green volcanoes and winding streams assumed to have healing qualities.

At the restored auberge, guests look out toward the 12th-century Romanesque church and Lester leads pig butchery classes, luring ever more city slickers to the countryside. POPULATION 86 HOW TO GET THERE Chassignolles is halfway between Clermont-Ferrand and Le Puy-enVelay. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ At the Auberge de Chassignolles (Le Bourg; 334/71-76-32-36; aubergedechassignolles.com; doubles from ¤45; dinner for two ¤24), white rooms are decorated with French antiques. At its restaurant, specialties from Auvergne like pounti (a pork, Swiss-chard and prune tartine)

GREECE KARDAMILI

If you’ve heard murmurs that the jagged mountains and white-sand beaches of the Mani region are worth the trip from Athens, you’re not alone. Starwood is about to finish the new 765-room Costa Navarino resort and has committed to operating an observatory and tourism office dedicated to sustaining the village’s community and seafront.

For a more traditional experience, order authentic Greek salads and moussaka at Lela’s Taverna before spending the evening at the Elies Hotel’s outdoor patio overlooking the Gulf of Messenia. POPULATION 400 HOW

9

FRANCE ST.-GENIÈS

The Périgord, in the Dordogne, is home to two of France’s most coveted delicacies: foie gras and truffles. On market days in the tiny village of St.-Geniès, two hours east of Bordeaux, shoppers tote wicker baskets to the town square, where apron-clad vendors hawk pommes salardaises (potatoes sautéed in duck fat and garlic) and saucissons rolled in herbs. It was here that owner Pierre Chaminade transformed a crumbling castle into a four-room chambres d’hôtes and restaurant and hired a chef who trained under Alain Ducasse. In a dimly lit tavern, you’ll feast on house-made duck confit, caramelized pork belly roasted on an open rotisserie and gâteau aux noix, a fluffy butter cake sprinkled with walnuts. POPULATION

TO GET THERE Drive three hours south of

Athens to the Mani. WHERE TO STAY $ Elies Hotel (30-27210/73140; elies hotel.gr; doubles from ¤100) has 24 rooms and maisonettes set within olive groves. On the hillside, Notos Hotel (30-27210/73730; notoshotel.gr; doubles from ¤95) has 14 simple apartments with views of Ritsa Beach. WHERE TO EAT Lela’s Taverna (30-27210/73541; dinner for two ¤41), for Greek home-cooking.

987 HOW TO GET THERE Take the A89 from Bordeaux. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Built to withstand wartime assaults, the 13th-century Château de St.-Geniès (Le Bourg; 33-5/53-2833-77; restaurantduchateau.com; doubles from ¤158; dinner for two ¤88) has thick stone walls and antiques-filled rooms. LOCAL TAKE A bike ride in the countryside is the best way to work off the region’s famous foie gras, according to Chaminade.

12SWITZERLAND GIORNICO

The charm of Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton of southern Switzerland, is the not-quite-here, not-quite-there, lost-in-time feel of the place. To fully appreciate it, drive north 56 kilometers from the popular lake resort towns of Ascona and Locarno and find the turnoff for Giornico, a stone relic of 14th-century Europe hiding off the main road. Descend into the valley and arrive at a trickling little river crossed by two arching stone bridges. The family-run restaurants of the region are called grotte.

The best, Grotto dei due Ponti, serves dishes like spezzatino (meat ragoût) with polenta and tart local Merlot. POPULATION 889 HOW TO

10 GREECE

FOLÉGANDROS

There’s no mistaking it, this tranquil spot in the Cyclades has nothing in common with neighboring Santorini: no building stands above two stories, no cruise ships pull into port, and there are no boutiques or fancy restaurants. Instead, on this remote island in the Aegean, waves crash on pebbled beaches, goats scurry up the hills and an old wooden windmill twists in the salty breeze.

It’s a delightfully quiet escape. POPULATION

700 HOW TO GET THERE Fly to Santorini or take a ferry or a hydrofoil from Piraeus, just outside Athens. WHERE TO STAY $ There’s a nautical theme at Anemomilos Apartments (30-22860/41309; anemomilosapartments. com; studios from ¤110), on a cliff with easy access to the village of Hora. Anemi Hotel (3022860/41610; anemihotels.com; doubles from ¤220) is a modern newcomer with cube-shaped rooms near Karavostasi port. WHERE TO EAT Irini’s (Ano Meria; 30-22860/41235; dinner for two ¤41), a grocery that turns into a restaurant at night, is the place for a home-cooked meal.

FROM TOP: MARTIN MORRELL; MYRIAM ROEHRI

working village with a general store, four cozy pubs and even a shop dedicated to Wiccan supplies, situated provocatively equidistant from the Churches of Scotland and England. POPULATION

11

and tarte aux cèpes are often on the menu, which changes daily. LOCAL TAKE Try the 90-minute walk to Durbiat, a smaller village with a crumbling castle. The chefs at the auberge will pack up a picnic basket.

MYRIAM ROEHRI

Looking toward Chassignolles’ town square, in France’s Auvergne region.

Opposite from top: In Kardamili’s town center; in the garden at the eight-room Auberge de Chassignolles.

GET THERE From the lake resorts, drive north 50 minutes on the A13 and N2. WHERE TO STAY There are no hotels in Giornico, so stay in nearby Ascona at the pink Hotel Giardino (10 Via Segnale; 41-91/785-8888; giardino.ch; doubles from CHF365). WHERE TO EAT Grotto dei due Ponti (Zona Isola; 41-91/864-2030; dinner for two CHF48) has a shaded terrace.

13SPAIN

GETARIA

Were it not for San Sebastián, just 24 kilometers away, this Basque harborside village might have become Spain’s Next Great Getaway. Instead, the port is known solely for its seafood—baby squid and turbot pulled from the Bay of Biscay and

then grilled a la plancha. Prime dining is Saturday and Sunday lunch, when locals fill asadores dressed in creamy summer-weight cashmere (those in white-soled shoes arrived by boat) for that distinctly Spanish indulgence: a leisurely multicourse meal paired with bottles of white Rioja. POPULATION 2,600 HOW TO GET THERE Getaria is west of San Sebastián. WHERE TO STAY $ Saiaz Getaria (25 H. Roke Deuna; 34/94-314-0143; saiazgetaria.com; doubles from ¤109), with four-poster beds and views of Gaztetape Beach. WHERE TO EAT Reserve a table at Restaurante Elkano (2 Herrerieta; 34/94-3140024; lunch for two ¤117), one of the most celebrated asadores in Spain.

14 SPAIN

ULLASTRET

Spain’s Baix Empordà region is chock-full of authentic towns, but local foodies have a favorite destination: Ullastret, home to El Fort, a restaurant and hotel run by Lola Puig and her husband, Ferran Frigola. They have transformed the restaurant Puig’s parents ran for many years into a Slow Food temple. Her menus feature biodynamic vegetables and organic goat; a specialty is black rice with shrimp from nearby Palamós, covered in squid ink. From the lantern-lit terrace, diners look out onto the wheat fields and the Mediterranean just to the east.

POPULATION 230 HOW TO GET THERE Ullas-

tret is 130 kilometers northeast of Barcelona and 32 kilometers east of Girona. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Hotel El Fort (2 Presó; 34/97275-7773; hotelelfort.com; doubles from ¤100, including breakfast; dinner for two ¤80) has four airy, affordable apartments and includes a breakfast of country bread with tomato. LOCAL TAKE Puig thinks the best view of the region is from the air, seeing the sun rise above Iberian ruins from a hot-air balloon (Globus Empordà; 34/62-084-6742; ¤160 per person).

15PORTUGAL MARVÃO

There are dramatic mountainside forts, and then there is Marvão. Located in southeastern Portugal, this town is centered around a Moorish castle that was Christianized in the 13th century. The stone complex, now laid open to the elements in a kind of tumbledown glory, sits atop a hill, dominating the red-tile-roofed houses and convents that spill out onto curving streets to the east. POPULATION 159 HOW TO GET THERE By car from

Lisbon. WHERE TO STAY $ Pousada Santa Maria (7 Rua 24 de Janeiro; 351/245-993-201; pousadas.pt; doubles from ¤90), a simple 31room hotel and restaurant constructed from a

foundry and two 13th-century houses. WHERE TO EAT Fill up on goat casserole at the Varanda

do Alentejo lunch counter (1 Praça do Pelhourinho; 351/245-993-272; lunch for two ¤20).

16 THE NETHERLANDS TERSCHELLING

Though just 140-odd kilometers from Amsterdam and northeast of Vlieland (nicknamed “Vli-biza”), the 29-kilometerlong island of Terschelling remains a haven for travelers craving tranquil stretches of sand. Here, gabled 19th-century villas and clapboard houses are illuminated by the »

1,680 HOW TO GET THERE Aberdour is 30 minutes by train from Edinburgh. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ The Woodside Hotel (76 High St.; 44-138/386-0328; thewoodsidehotel.co.uk; doubles from £70; dinner for two £31) offers rooms decorated in individual tartans. The bar, whose paneling came from a 19th-century passenger ship, serves local Highland beef.

7IRELAND

ROUNDSTONE

No blackberries could taste better than the ones picked along the winding lanes of Roundstone. But even the berry-averse will find reasons to love this 19th-century fishing village. Climb Errisbeg Hill for a clear view of Connemara National Park’s Twelve Bens: a mountain range rising over a vast peat bog. In case of rain—always in Ireland’s cards— head to Malachy Kearns’s shop, which sells handmade bodhran (Irish drums), or dry off by the fire at O’Dowds bar with a “kit” (a pint of Guinness and a shot of Irish whiskey). POPULATION 239 HOW TO

GET THERE From Galway, it’s a 123-kilometer

drive. WHERE TO STAY Family-run Cashel

138

House Hotel (353-95/31001; cashel-househotel.com; doubles from ¤235), on 20 hectares, is just a few kilometers east of Roundstone. WHERE TO EAT Join anglers in the bar at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel (Recess; 353-95/31006) or at O’Dowds (Main St.; 35395/35809; drinks for two ¤10).

8FRANCE

CHASSIGNOLLES

Three years ago Harry Lester (formerly chef and owner of London’s Anchor & Hope gastropub) and his partner, Ali Johnson, set their sights on France’s Auvergne and bought a thirties-era stone inn in tiny Chassignolles. The village, popular with Marseilles’ elite in the 1950’s, promises dormant green volcanoes and winding streams assumed to have healing qualities.

At the restored auberge, guests look out toward the 12th-century Romanesque church and Lester leads pig butchery classes, luring ever more city slickers to the countryside. POPULATION 86 HOW TO GET THERE Chassignolles is halfway between Clermont-Ferrand and Le Puy-enVelay. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ At the Auberge de Chassignolles (Le Bourg; 334/71-76-32-36; aubergedechassignolles.com; doubles from ¤45; dinner for two ¤24), white rooms are decorated with French antiques. At its restaurant, specialties from Auvergne like pounti (a pork, Swiss-chard and prune tartine)

GREECE KARDAMILI

If you’ve heard murmurs that the jagged mountains and white-sand beaches of the Mani region are worth the trip from Athens, you’re not alone. Starwood is about to finish the new 765-room Costa Navarino resort and has committed to operating an observatory and tourism office dedicated to sustaining the village’s community and seafront.

For a more traditional experience, order authentic Greek salads and moussaka at Lela’s Taverna before spending the evening at the Elies Hotel’s outdoor patio overlooking the Gulf of Messenia. POPULATION 400 HOW

9

FRANCE ST.-GENIÈS

The Périgord, in the Dordogne, is home to two of France’s most coveted delicacies: foie gras and truffles. On market days in the tiny village of St.-Geniès, two hours east of Bordeaux, shoppers tote wicker baskets to the town square, where apron-clad vendors hawk pommes salardaises (potatoes sautéed in duck fat and garlic) and saucissons rolled in herbs. It was here that owner Pierre Chaminade transformed a crumbling castle into a four-room chambres d’hôtes and restaurant and hired a chef who trained under Alain Ducasse. In a dimly lit tavern, you’ll feast on house-made duck confit, caramelized pork belly roasted on an open rotisserie and gâteau aux noix, a fluffy butter cake sprinkled with walnuts. POPULATION

TO GET THERE Drive three hours south of

Athens to the Mani. WHERE TO STAY $ Elies Hotel (30-27210/73140; elies hotel.gr; doubles from ¤100) has 24 rooms and maisonettes set within olive groves. On the hillside, Notos Hotel (30-27210/73730; notoshotel.gr; doubles from ¤95) has 14 simple apartments with views of Ritsa Beach. WHERE TO EAT Lela’s Taverna (30-27210/73541; dinner for two ¤41), for Greek home-cooking.

987 HOW TO GET THERE Take the A89 from Bordeaux. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Built to withstand wartime assaults, the 13th-century Château de St.-Geniès (Le Bourg; 33-5/53-2833-77; restaurantduchateau.com; doubles from ¤158; dinner for two ¤88) has thick stone walls and antiques-filled rooms. LOCAL TAKE A bike ride in the countryside is the best way to work off the region’s famous foie gras, according to Chaminade.

12SWITZERLAND GIORNICO

The charm of Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton of southern Switzerland, is the not-quite-here, not-quite-there, lost-in-time feel of the place. To fully appreciate it, drive north 56 kilometers from the popular lake resort towns of Ascona and Locarno and find the turnoff for Giornico, a stone relic of 14th-century Europe hiding off the main road. Descend into the valley and arrive at a trickling little river crossed by two arching stone bridges. The family-run restaurants of the region are called grotte.

The best, Grotto dei due Ponti, serves dishes like spezzatino (meat ragoût) with polenta and tart local Merlot. POPULATION 889 HOW TO

10 GREECE

FOLÉGANDROS

There’s no mistaking it, this tranquil spot in the Cyclades has nothing in common with neighboring Santorini: no building stands above two stories, no cruise ships pull into port, and there are no boutiques or fancy restaurants. Instead, on this remote island in the Aegean, waves crash on pebbled beaches, goats scurry up the hills and an old wooden windmill twists in the salty breeze.

It’s a delightfully quiet escape. POPULATION

700 HOW TO GET THERE Fly to Santorini or take a ferry or a hydrofoil from Piraeus, just outside Athens. WHERE TO STAY $ There’s a nautical theme at Anemomilos Apartments (30-22860/41309; anemomilosapartments. com; studios from ¤110), on a cliff with easy access to the village of Hora. Anemi Hotel (3022860/41610; anemihotels.com; doubles from ¤220) is a modern newcomer with cube-shaped rooms near Karavostasi port. WHERE TO EAT Irini’s (Ano Meria; 30-22860/41235; dinner for two ¤41), a grocery that turns into a restaurant at night, is the place for a home-cooked meal.

FROM TOP: MARTIN MORRELL; MYRIAM ROEHRI

working village with a general store, four cozy pubs and even a shop dedicated to Wiccan supplies, situated provocatively equidistant from the Churches of Scotland and England. POPULATION

11

and tarte aux cèpes are often on the menu, which changes daily. LOCAL TAKE Try the 90-minute walk to Durbiat, a smaller village with a crumbling castle. The chefs at the auberge will pack up a picnic basket.

MYRIAM ROEHRI

Looking toward Chassignolles’ town square, in France’s Auvergne region.

Opposite from top: In Kardamili’s town center; in the garden at the eight-room Auberge de Chassignolles.

GET THERE From the lake resorts, drive north 50 minutes on the A13 and N2. WHERE TO STAY There are no hotels in Giornico, so stay in nearby Ascona at the pink Hotel Giardino (10 Via Segnale; 41-91/785-8888; giardino.ch; doubles from CHF365). WHERE TO EAT Grotto dei due Ponti (Zona Isola; 41-91/864-2030; dinner for two CHF48) has a shaded terrace.

13SPAIN

GETARIA

Were it not for San Sebastián, just 24 kilometers away, this Basque harborside village might have become Spain’s Next Great Getaway. Instead, the port is known solely for its seafood—baby squid and turbot pulled from the Bay of Biscay and

then grilled a la plancha. Prime dining is Saturday and Sunday lunch, when locals fill asadores dressed in creamy summer-weight cashmere (those in white-soled shoes arrived by boat) for that distinctly Spanish indulgence: a leisurely multicourse meal paired with bottles of white Rioja. POPULATION 2,600 HOW TO GET THERE Getaria is west of San Sebastián. WHERE TO STAY $ Saiaz Getaria (25 H. Roke Deuna; 34/94-314-0143; saiazgetaria.com; doubles from ¤109), with four-poster beds and views of Gaztetape Beach. WHERE TO EAT Reserve a table at Restaurante Elkano (2 Herrerieta; 34/94-3140024; lunch for two ¤117), one of the most celebrated asadores in Spain.

14 SPAIN

ULLASTRET

Spain’s Baix Empordà region is chock-full of authentic towns, but local foodies have a favorite destination: Ullastret, home to El Fort, a restaurant and hotel run by Lola Puig and her husband, Ferran Frigola. They have transformed the restaurant Puig’s parents ran for many years into a Slow Food temple. Her menus feature biodynamic vegetables and organic goat; a specialty is black rice with shrimp from nearby Palamós, covered in squid ink. From the lantern-lit terrace, diners look out onto the wheat fields and the Mediterranean just to the east.

POPULATION 230 HOW TO GET THERE Ullas-

tret is 130 kilometers northeast of Barcelona and 32 kilometers east of Girona. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Hotel El Fort (2 Presó; 34/97275-7773; hotelelfort.com; doubles from ¤100, including breakfast; dinner for two ¤80) has four airy, affordable apartments and includes a breakfast of country bread with tomato. LOCAL TAKE Puig thinks the best view of the region is from the air, seeing the sun rise above Iberian ruins from a hot-air balloon (Globus Empordà; 34/62-084-6742; ¤160 per person).

15PORTUGAL MARVÃO

There are dramatic mountainside forts, and then there is Marvão. Located in southeastern Portugal, this town is centered around a Moorish castle that was Christianized in the 13th century. The stone complex, now laid open to the elements in a kind of tumbledown glory, sits atop a hill, dominating the red-tile-roofed houses and convents that spill out onto curving streets to the east. POPULATION 159 HOW TO GET THERE By car from

Lisbon. WHERE TO STAY $ Pousada Santa Maria (7 Rua 24 de Janeiro; 351/245-993-201; pousadas.pt; doubles from ¤90), a simple 31room hotel and restaurant constructed from a

foundry and two 13th-century houses. WHERE TO EAT Fill up on goat casserole at the Varanda

do Alentejo lunch counter (1 Praça do Pelhourinho; 351/245-993-272; lunch for two ¤20).

16 THE NETHERLANDS TERSCHELLING

Though just 140-odd kilometers from Amsterdam and northeast of Vlieland (nicknamed “Vli-biza”), the 29-kilometerlong island of Terschelling remains a haven for travelers craving tranquil stretches of sand. Here, gabled 19th-century villas and clapboard houses are illuminated by the »

woodlands. The journey is well worth it: on the shore of the Kattegat Strait is a quiet village with thatched-roof cottages along sand dunes beside the sea. For those who think that Denmark doesn’t deliver a memorable beach escape, a visit to this sunny enclave will surely change your mind. POPULATION 1,847 HOW TO GET

to preserving the environment. Houses and farms in Hellnar, located at the far end of a peninsula facing the 1,400-meter Snaefellsjökull glacier, are heated by eco-friendly hydroelectric power, and Hotel Hellnar was the first hospitality venture in the country to be certified by Green Globe, the international sustainability certification system. POPULA-

THERE Take the S-train north from Copenhagen, changing at Hillerød. WHERE TO STAY $ The 24-room Tisvildeleje Strandhotel (75 Hovedgaden; 45/4870-7119; strand-hotel.dk; doubles from DKK895) is owned by Danish ballet dancer Alexander Kolpin. WHERE TO EAT Bio Bistro (38 Hovedgaden; 45/4870-9900; lunch for two DKK218), a café and theater known to stream live opera from Milan’s La Scala.

LOCAL TAKE Atelier Witt (1A Ellemosevej, Ramløse; 45/2720-1865), the gallery for Danish painter Peter Witt’s Impressionistic landscapes, is a favorite of Tisvildeleje Strandhotel’s manager, Lone Mikkelsen.

TION 8 HOW TO GET THERE Fly into Keflavík International Airport and drive 31/2 hours to Hellnar. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Hotel Hellnar (Snaefellsbaer; 011-354/4356820; hellnar.is; doubles from ISK26,800) or Hotel Budir (Snaefellsnes; 011-354/435-6700; budir.is; doubles from ISK27,000; dinner for two ISK13,800), a luxury property on a farmstead that serves salt-fish brandade and cod confit.

LOCAL TAKE In summer, you’ll find Gudrun Bergmann, owner of Hotel Hellnar, on the top of the glacier with Snjofell Tours (snjofell.is; from ISK9,585 per person).

Brandaris lighthouse—the oldest surviving lighthouse in the Netherlands (built in 1594).

When dusk falls locals sit up late at bistros drinking Jupiler beer and toasting their good fortune. POPULATION 4,702 HOW TO GET THERE Ferries depart daily from Harlingen

and Vlieland. WHERE TO STAY The threeroom Wellness Hotel Caracol (7 Molenstraat; 31-562/443-694; caracol.nl; doubles from ¤100), with slick interiors, is just a block away from the harbor. WHERE TO EAT De Grië (4 Badweg; 31-562/449-090; dinner for two ¤61) serves oysters on the water.

17

DENMARK TISVILDELEJE

Riding the train from Copenhagen to Tisvildeleje is like taking an 80-minute tour of every corner of Denmark—past suburbs, verdant countryside and forested

140

Though there’s plenty of natural beauty in Arild, a fishing village on a peninsula in southwest Sweden, the town’s most notable site is actually man-made. In 1980 the artist Lars Vilks began nailing together driftwood and lumber in a cove at the bottom of a hillside; he even declared the place an independent country called Ladonia. After police tried to dismantle the work, artists Christo and Joseph Beuys stepped in to protect the installation. Today the exhibit is the Scandinavian version of Los Angeles’s Watts Towers. The maze of 100-meter aboveground tunnels and 15-meter-high climbing towers feels like an alternate— albeit somewhat unsturdy—universe.

POPULATION 537 HOW TO GET THERE The

trip is a two-hour drive plus a ferry ride from Copenhagen. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ The 17th-century Hotel Rusthållargården (1 Utsikten; 46-42/346-530; rusthallargarden.com; doubles from SEK995; dinner for two SEK757) has a restaurant that serves egg cake with lingonberries.

19ICELAND HELLNAR

While the remnants of the fishing sheds built

by Hellnar’s 11th-century settlers may suggest that this town hasn’t changed since the Vikings arrived, it is, in some ways, the most contemporary village in Iceland.

The handful of residents—all of them smallboat fishermen share a serious commitment

22

ESTONIA KOGUVA

In this Estonian island hamlet—once a Swedish feudal territory—the local trades of fishing and shepherding have left the surrounding wilds untouched by large-scale agricultural development. Visitors can still catch glimpses of wild goats, fox, deer, moose and—in spring—migrating swans; or head to the 20-meter Üügu Cliff to ogle 23 species of orchids. POPULATION 20 HOW TO

REPUBLIC 20 CZECH SLAVONICE

GET THERE Ferries depart on the hour from

During 41 years of Communist rule, Slavonice, halfway between Prague and Vienna, was too close to the Iron Curtain for the government’s comfort. But since the Velvet Revolution in 1989, this off-the-radar hamlet—composed of two town squares and burgher houses painted with Renaissance-era graffiti of biblical scenes—has attracted artists from Prague looking for refuge. We’re not betting that this village will become a mini Berlin, but British-born architect John Lifton’s Slavonice Institute, a center for art and progressive thought, may put it on the art-world map yet. POPULATION 2,700

Virtsu for Kuivastu, on Muhu Island. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT The 24-room Pädaste Man-

or (011-372/454-8800; padaste.ee; doubles from EEK2,975, including breakfast) has the island’s finest Nordic restaurant. Order quail with smoked-onion cream, apple compote and Swiss chard. LOCAL TAKE In July, Nautse village hosts a jazz festival (nordicsounds.ee).

23

RUSSIA PLIOS

When Russian oligarchs head to the country, they go to Plios, on the banks of the Volga. Since 1999 Alexey Shevtsov, a tycoon turned hotelier, and his wife, Natalia, have been converting the town’s buildings into dacha-style guesthouses. Thankfully Plios hasn’t lost its Slavic appeal: the scent of woodsmoke wafts from stoves and men hawk Volga bream. POPULATION 2,500 HOW TO GET THERE Hire a car service from

your hotel in Moscow for the four-hour drive northeast. WHERE TO STAY $ Shevtsov’s hotel group runs the rustic-moderne Fortecia Rus Hotel (7-493/394-3434; plios.ru; doubles from RUB2,500; houses from RUB6,100). WHERE TO EAT Try Russian dishes such as roast duck with cabbage at Yacht Club (43 Sovietskaya Nab.; 7-493/394-3744; dinner for two RUB2,395). LOCAL TAKE Shevtsov browses 19th-century antiques at Stariy Dachnik (33 Sovietskaya Nab.; 7-493/394-3420).

24

ROMANIA VISCRI

pear trees were replanted, the lone blacksmith has a new shop, and a new road along the pastel-colored brick houses and farms provides visitors a glimpse into the authentic Saxon way of life. POPULATION 450 HOW TO GET THERE Drive four hours southeast from

Bucharest. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Try the MET Guesthouse, with a 200-year-old Saxon bed, a cabinet with a pullout mattress (63 Viscri; 40-754/212-372; mihaieminescutrust.org; ROL105 per person, all-inclusive).

25MONTENEGRO KOTOR

In the fall, a mist settles into the hills surrounding the bay of Kotor, so thick you can hardly see the blood-orange trees in front of you. That hasn’t stopped the tide of wealthy Europeans: British expats are selling real estate, Russians are buying farmhouses in the hills and the dark-haired, green-eyed people of the black mountains have opened restaurants to introduce visitors to the tastes of Montenegrin stewed meat. Beaches are not yet overrun, but this wild side of the Dalmatian Coast won’t stay undeveloped for long.

POPULATION 23,413 HOW TO GET THERE

This Saxon village got a lucky break when it became the beneficiary of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, a nonprofit devoted to protecting the heritage of Transylvania’s country towns. In Viscri, that means the church and its 12th-century cemetery is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Indigenous

Kotor is 80 kilometers from Podgorica, the capital. WHERE TO STAY $ Palazzo Radomiri (Dobrota; 382-32/333-172; palazzoradomiri. com; doubles from ¤60, including breakfast) was built from Croatian stone. WHERE TO EAT Stari Mlini (Ljuta; 382-32/333-555; dinner for two ¤85), on a mountain stream. ✚

HOW TO GET THERE Slavonice is a two-hour drive south of Prague. WHERE TO STAY $ Spare interiors were designed by artists at Besídka (522 Horni Namesti; 420/384-493293; besidka.cz; doubles from CZK990).

WHERE TO EAT Alfa (482 Namesti Miru; 420/384-493-261; dinner for two CZK378) serves goulash and dumplings in a late-Gothic building. LOCAL TAKE Jan Bohac, Besídka’s owner, recommends visiting the village’s 12th-century tunnels (podzemi.shslavonice.cz).

21AUSTRIA

HALL IN TIROL

Take a 10-minute commuter train from Innsbruck straight into what feels like the Middle Ages. Hall in Tirol, established in 1303, has remained unusually intact thanks to the medieval embankment and the area’s wealth from salt mining and minting.

MYRIAM ROEHRI

ARILD

POPULATION 11,492 HOW TO GET THERE Hall in Tirol is a 20-minute drive from Innsbruck.

WHERE TO STAY $ Schlosshotel Goldener Engl (5 Unterer Stadtplatz; 43-5223/54621; goldener-engl.at; doubles from ¤160) balances stately grandeur with Alpine kitsch.

WHERE TO EAT Pipistrello (15 Agramgasse; 43-699/1220-9191; drinks for two ¤7), a wineand-schnapps bar.

MARTIN MORRELL (2)

18SWEDEN

(Ample cash flow meant that the buildings were constructed from the finest materials.)

But the allure comes from the surroundings: the Alps, with hiking and ski trails galore.

The 12th-century Romanesque church in Chassignolles’ square. Opposite from top: Kardamili, with the Gulf of Messenia in the distance; inside the town’s whitewashed Notos Hotel.

woodlands. The journey is well worth it: on the shore of the Kattegat Strait is a quiet village with thatched-roof cottages along sand dunes beside the sea. For those who think that Denmark doesn’t deliver a memorable beach escape, a visit to this sunny enclave will surely change your mind. POPULATION 1,847 HOW TO GET

to preserving the environment. Houses and farms in Hellnar, located at the far end of a peninsula facing the 1,400-meter Snaefellsjökull glacier, are heated by eco-friendly hydroelectric power, and Hotel Hellnar was the first hospitality venture in the country to be certified by Green Globe, the international sustainability certification system. POPULA-

THERE Take the S-train north from Copenhagen, changing at Hillerød. WHERE TO STAY $ The 24-room Tisvildeleje Strandhotel (75 Hovedgaden; 45/4870-7119; strand-hotel.dk; doubles from DKK895) is owned by Danish ballet dancer Alexander Kolpin. WHERE TO EAT Bio Bistro (38 Hovedgaden; 45/4870-9900; lunch for two DKK218), a café and theater known to stream live opera from Milan’s La Scala.

LOCAL TAKE Atelier Witt (1A Ellemosevej, Ramløse; 45/2720-1865), the gallery for Danish painter Peter Witt’s Impressionistic landscapes, is a favorite of Tisvildeleje Strandhotel’s manager, Lone Mikkelsen.

TION 8 HOW TO GET THERE Fly into Keflavík International Airport and drive 31/2 hours to Hellnar. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Hotel Hellnar (Snaefellsbaer; 011-354/4356820; hellnar.is; doubles from ISK26,800) or Hotel Budir (Snaefellsnes; 011-354/435-6700; budir.is; doubles from ISK27,000; dinner for two ISK13,800), a luxury property on a farmstead that serves salt-fish brandade and cod confit.

LOCAL TAKE In summer, you’ll find Gudrun Bergmann, owner of Hotel Hellnar, on the top of the glacier with Snjofell Tours (snjofell.is; from ISK9,585 per person).

Brandaris lighthouse—the oldest surviving lighthouse in the Netherlands (built in 1594).

When dusk falls locals sit up late at bistros drinking Jupiler beer and toasting their good fortune. POPULATION 4,702 HOW TO GET THERE Ferries depart daily from Harlingen

and Vlieland. WHERE TO STAY The threeroom Wellness Hotel Caracol (7 Molenstraat; 31-562/443-694; caracol.nl; doubles from ¤100), with slick interiors, is just a block away from the harbor. WHERE TO EAT De Grië (4 Badweg; 31-562/449-090; dinner for two ¤61) serves oysters on the water.

17

DENMARK TISVILDELEJE

Riding the train from Copenhagen to Tisvildeleje is like taking an 80-minute tour of every corner of Denmark—past suburbs, verdant countryside and forested

140

Though there’s plenty of natural beauty in Arild, a fishing village on a peninsula in southwest Sweden, the town’s most notable site is actually man-made. In 1980 the artist Lars Vilks began nailing together driftwood and lumber in a cove at the bottom of a hillside; he even declared the place an independent country called Ladonia. After police tried to dismantle the work, artists Christo and Joseph Beuys stepped in to protect the installation. Today the exhibit is the Scandinavian version of Los Angeles’s Watts Towers. The maze of 100-meter aboveground tunnels and 15-meter-high climbing towers feels like an alternate— albeit somewhat unsturdy—universe.

POPULATION 537 HOW TO GET THERE The

trip is a two-hour drive plus a ferry ride from Copenhagen. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ The 17th-century Hotel Rusthållargården (1 Utsikten; 46-42/346-530; rusthallargarden.com; doubles from SEK995; dinner for two SEK757) has a restaurant that serves egg cake with lingonberries.

19ICELAND HELLNAR

While the remnants of the fishing sheds built

by Hellnar’s 11th-century settlers may suggest that this town hasn’t changed since the Vikings arrived, it is, in some ways, the most contemporary village in Iceland.

The handful of residents—all of them smallboat fishermen share a serious commitment

22

ESTONIA KOGUVA

In this Estonian island hamlet—once a Swedish feudal territory—the local trades of fishing and shepherding have left the surrounding wilds untouched by large-scale agricultural development. Visitors can still catch glimpses of wild goats, fox, deer, moose and—in spring—migrating swans; or head to the 20-meter Üügu Cliff to ogle 23 species of orchids. POPULATION 20 HOW TO

REPUBLIC 20 CZECH SLAVONICE

GET THERE Ferries depart on the hour from

During 41 years of Communist rule, Slavonice, halfway between Prague and Vienna, was too close to the Iron Curtain for the government’s comfort. But since the Velvet Revolution in 1989, this off-the-radar hamlet—composed of two town squares and burgher houses painted with Renaissance-era graffiti of biblical scenes—has attracted artists from Prague looking for refuge. We’re not betting that this village will become a mini Berlin, but British-born architect John Lifton’s Slavonice Institute, a center for art and progressive thought, may put it on the art-world map yet. POPULATION 2,700

Virtsu for Kuivastu, on Muhu Island. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT The 24-room Pädaste Man-

or (011-372/454-8800; padaste.ee; doubles from EEK2,975, including breakfast) has the island’s finest Nordic restaurant. Order quail with smoked-onion cream, apple compote and Swiss chard. LOCAL TAKE In July, Nautse village hosts a jazz festival (nordicsounds.ee).

23

RUSSIA PLIOS

When Russian oligarchs head to the country, they go to Plios, on the banks of the Volga. Since 1999 Alexey Shevtsov, a tycoon turned hotelier, and his wife, Natalia, have been converting the town’s buildings into dacha-style guesthouses. Thankfully Plios hasn’t lost its Slavic appeal: the scent of woodsmoke wafts from stoves and men hawk Volga bream. POPULATION 2,500 HOW TO GET THERE Hire a car service from

your hotel in Moscow for the four-hour drive northeast. WHERE TO STAY $ Shevtsov’s hotel group runs the rustic-moderne Fortecia Rus Hotel (7-493/394-3434; plios.ru; doubles from RUB2,500; houses from RUB6,100). WHERE TO EAT Try Russian dishes such as roast duck with cabbage at Yacht Club (43 Sovietskaya Nab.; 7-493/394-3744; dinner for two RUB2,395). LOCAL TAKE Shevtsov browses 19th-century antiques at Stariy Dachnik (33 Sovietskaya Nab.; 7-493/394-3420).

24

ROMANIA VISCRI

pear trees were replanted, the lone blacksmith has a new shop, and a new road along the pastel-colored brick houses and farms provides visitors a glimpse into the authentic Saxon way of life. POPULATION 450 HOW TO GET THERE Drive four hours southeast from

Bucharest. WHERE TO STAY AND EAT $ Try the MET Guesthouse, with a 200-year-old Saxon bed, a cabinet with a pullout mattress (63 Viscri; 40-754/212-372; mihaieminescutrust.org; ROL105 per person, all-inclusive).

25MONTENEGRO KOTOR

In the fall, a mist settles into the hills surrounding the bay of Kotor, so thick you can hardly see the blood-orange trees in front of you. That hasn’t stopped the tide of wealthy Europeans: British expats are selling real estate, Russians are buying farmhouses in the hills and the dark-haired, green-eyed people of the black mountains have opened restaurants to introduce visitors to the tastes of Montenegrin stewed meat. Beaches are not yet overrun, but this wild side of the Dalmatian Coast won’t stay undeveloped for long.

POPULATION 23,413 HOW TO GET THERE

This Saxon village got a lucky break when it became the beneficiary of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, a nonprofit devoted to protecting the heritage of Transylvania’s country towns. In Viscri, that means the church and its 12th-century cemetery is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Indigenous

Kotor is 80 kilometers from Podgorica, the capital. WHERE TO STAY $ Palazzo Radomiri (Dobrota; 382-32/333-172; palazzoradomiri. com; doubles from ¤60, including breakfast) was built from Croatian stone. WHERE TO EAT Stari Mlini (Ljuta; 382-32/333-555; dinner for two ¤85), on a mountain stream. ✚

HOW TO GET THERE Slavonice is a two-hour drive south of Prague. WHERE TO STAY $ Spare interiors were designed by artists at Besídka (522 Horni Namesti; 420/384-493293; besidka.cz; doubles from CZK990).

WHERE TO EAT Alfa (482 Namesti Miru; 420/384-493-261; dinner for two CZK378) serves goulash and dumplings in a late-Gothic building. LOCAL TAKE Jan Bohac, Besídka’s owner, recommends visiting the village’s 12th-century tunnels (podzemi.shslavonice.cz).

21AUSTRIA

HALL IN TIROL

Take a 10-minute commuter train from Innsbruck straight into what feels like the Middle Ages. Hall in Tirol, established in 1303, has remained unusually intact thanks to the medieval embankment and the area’s wealth from salt mining and minting.

MYRIAM ROEHRI

ARILD

POPULATION 11,492 HOW TO GET THERE Hall in Tirol is a 20-minute drive from Innsbruck.

WHERE TO STAY $ Schlosshotel Goldener Engl (5 Unterer Stadtplatz; 43-5223/54621; goldener-engl.at; doubles from ¤160) balances stately grandeur with Alpine kitsch.

WHERE TO EAT Pipistrello (15 Agramgasse; 43-699/1220-9191; drinks for two ¤7), a wineand-schnapps bar.

MARTIN MORRELL (2)

18SWEDEN

(Ample cash flow meant that the buildings were constructed from the finest materials.)

But the allure comes from the surroundings: the Alps, with hiking and ski trails galore.

The 12th-century Romanesque church in Chassignolles’ square. Opposite from top: Kardamili, with the Gulf of Messenia in the distance; inside the town’s whitewashed Notos Hotel.

(My Favorite Place) The Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy. Left: Emily Mortimer.

ITALY MORTIMER’S TRAVEL TIPS

W

HEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE ALWAYS TRAVELED TO A RAMBLING FARMHOUSE in Tuscany. My dad [John Mortimer] was obsessed with Italy—in fact, he wrote a book called Summer’s Lease inspired by renting the house all those years. But within a few days of being there, we’d all be going a little stir-crazy, and we’d need to make an excursion to Siena, about 20 minutes away. Everyone would go, and we’d park in the nearby football stadium since driving is not allowed in the city center. In more recent years, even when my dad was in a wheelchair, he always insisted on a pilgrimage to see the Renaissance fresco of an equestrian painted by Simone Martini in the town hall, or Palazzo Pubblico, in Siena’s main square.

Off we’d go, walking down quiet streets with tall buildings on either side, until suddenly we were in this incredible setting—not a square, exactly, but a large, sloping, asymmetrical expanse with the Palazzo Pubblico on one side and a row of cafés on the other, where you can have an exorbitantly expensive Campari and orange juice. My family has visited the Piazza del Campo for generations, and I have such strong memories of my father there.

The place remains beautiful and unchanged; it’s always filled with hundreds of pigeons. I have photographs of myself as a child feeding those pigeons, and now I also have photos of my son feeding them. The piazza has been meaningful to me all through my life. ✚

Emily Mortimer stars in Martin Scorsese’s new film, Shutter Island.

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APRI L 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

TUSCAN VILLA RENTALS “Try Communicart [39055/233-6920; communicart. it], an agency that represents 40 estates around Siena.”

ANOTHER ITALIAN ART GEM “Sardinia’s Museo Nivola [Orani; museonivola.it] exhibits Abstract Expressionist sculptures by my husband’s grandfather Costantino Nivola.”

MOST ROMANTIC DESTINATION “Essaouira, Morocco, looks like the French Riviera in the 19th century. Stay at Villa Maroc [10 Rue Abdellah Ben Yassine; 212-524/47-31-47; villa-maroc. com; doubles from ¤94].”

A TASTE OF RUSSIA “I lived in Moscow and love Russian dumplings with sour cream. The best are at Tatiana [3152 Brighton Sixth St.; 1-718/891-5151; dinner for two US$70], on New York City’s Brighton Beach.”

F R O M L E F T A F P/G E T T Y; © E D O B R I C / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

English silver-screen actress Emily Mortimer tells DANI SHAPIRO why family tradition keeps her coming back to Siena’s Piazza del Campo

MUST-EAT IN SIENA “Homemade Malfatti pasta at Osteria Le Logge [33 Via del Porrione; 39-0577/48013; lunch for two ¤75].”