January 2008

TRAVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA

JANUARY 2008

Singapore • Hong Kong • Thailand • Indonesia • Malaysia • Vietnam • Macau • Philippines • Burma • Cambodia • Brunei • Laos

The making of modern Macau 10 fashion tips for a perfect fit

travelandleisuresea.com SINGAPORE SG$6.90 ● MACAU MOP40 ● HONG KONG HK $39 THAILAND THB160 ● INDONESIA IDR45,000 ● MALAYSIA MYR15 PHILIPPINES PHP220 ● VIETNAM VND80,000 ● BURMA MMK32 CAMBODIA KHR20,000 ● BRUNEI BND6.90 ● LAOS LAK48,000

FROM SOHO TO NOHO

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Hong Kong’s coolest hotspot

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JANUARY 20 08

CAMBODIA THAILAND INDONESIA SINGAPORE MALAYSIA ...AND MORE

(Destinations)01.08 Hokkaido 110

Brooklyn 130

California 34, 60

Phnom Penh 118

Indonesia 22, 24, 75

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

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Issue Index Kuala Lumpur 24, 38 Macau 92 Manila 54 Melaka 51 Penang 64 Phnom Penh 118 Phuket 24, 40 Singapore 36, 38, 40, 46, 62, 74 Vientiane 47

Vietnam 24, 74

California 34, 60 Hawaii 56 New York 58 Yucatan, Mexico 89

ASIA Hokkaido 110 Osaka 24 Tokyo 59

EUROPE Moscow 57 Paris 44

THE AMERICAS Brooklyn, New York 130

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

(SGD)

(HKD)

(BT)

(RP)

1.44

7.78

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16,030

(MOP)

(P)

(MMK)

8

41.5

6.42

(KHR)

3,960

(BND)

(LAK)

1.44

9,425

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

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

SOUTHEAST ASIA Bali 41 Bandung, Indonesia 50 Bangkok 22, 38, 41, 52, 74 Doi Inthanon, Thailand 83 Hong Kong 24, 34, 36, 38, 74, 100, 142 Indonesia 22, 24, 75 Ko Hai, Ko Muk, Thailand 42

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(Contents)01.08

> 110 The winter landscapes of Japan’s Hokkaido.

100 SoHo to NoHo A place where restaurants and bars buzz nightly, while art and fashion play against the worn and faded backdrop of old Hong Kong. By DAVID WONG. Photographed by GRAHAM UDEN. GUIDE AND MAP 102 12

110 The End of the Earth On Japan’s remotest island, IAN BURUMA encounters a culture still steeped in the ways of the frontier. Photographed by TETSUYA MIURA. GUIDE 117

118 Phnom Penh’s New Vibe Cambodia’s tranquil capital is being speedily transformed into a hot new travel destination, and the number of visitors to

J A N UA RY 2 0 0 8| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

the city is soaring. By RON GLUCKMAN. Photographed

by DAVID PAUL MORRIS. GUIDE AND MAP 129

130 Brooklyn Bound You can take Manhattan—PETER JON LINDBERG finds a refreshing attitude and energy in the Borough of Kings. Photographed by HUGH STEWART and DAVID NICOLAS. GUIDE 140

T E T S U YA M I U R A

99–130 Features

(Contents)01.08

JANUARY 2008

The making of modern Macau 10 fashion tips for a perfect fit

FROM SOHO TO NOHO

travelandleisuresea.com SINGAPORE SG$6.90 ● MACAU MOP40 ● HONG KONG HK $39 THAILAND THB160 ● INDONESIA IDR45,000 ● MALAYSIA MYR15 PHILIPPINES PHP220 ● VIETNAM VND80,000 ● BURMA MMK32 CAMBODIA KHR20,000 ● BRUNEI BND6.90 ● LAOS LAK48,000

Departments 16 20 22 24 27 142

Editor’s Note Contributors Ask T+L Best Deals Strategies My Favorite Place

*

Hong Kong’s coolest hotspot

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CAMBODIA THAILAND INDONESIA SINGAPORE MALAYSIA ...AND MORE

Cover > 60 52 Sourcebook > 44

Bangkok’s design talent in the spotlight.

BY JEREMY SNOWDEN

On the streets of Hong Kong.

Photographed by Timon Wehrli/ Red Dog. Styled by Kampol Likitkanjanakul. Makeup and hair

by Denise Toms. Model: Natasha Wilson/Model Genesis. Dress by Shanghai Tang.

54 Walk

56 Five Ways

Unveiling the spectacular beauty of Hawaii’s Kauai. BY BRIAN BERUSCH 57 Address Book

Insider advice from top concierges in New York, Moscow and Tokyo.

BY MICHAEL ENDELMAN 60 Shopping

33–62 Insider 34 NewsFlash

Asia’s organic restaurants, high style in Hong Kong and more.

40 Check-in

Special experiences on offer from hotels. BY SANA BUTLER 42 Escape

Two Thai islands offer beauty and seclusion. BY KEN CHOWDER 44 Eat

Food and art on the same plate in Paris. BY MARCELLE CLEMENTS 46 Walk This Block

A Singapore side street paved in style.

BY LEISA TYLER 47 The Expert

A local’s lowdown on what’s hot in Vientiane. BY JENNIFER CHEN 50 Detour

The charm of laid-back Bandung.

BY JOE COCHRANE 51 Preservation

In Melaka, a colonial gem is saved and renovated. BY JENNIFER CHEN 14

Top shops in California’s Napa and Sonoma regions. BY JAMIE GROSS 62 Room Report

A deluxe property with a personal touch in Singapore. BY HUI FANG

63–72 Stylish Traveler

75–92 T+L Journal 75 Asian Scene

Indonesian art is becoming part of the big picture. BY JASON TEDJASUKMANA 80 Cruising

Ply the seven seas on a round-theworld cruise. BY JEFF WISE 83 Adventure

Get high on Doi Inthanon in Thailand’s north. BY DENIS GRAY > 75

63 Best Buy

The key to style from Shanghai Tang.

BY FAH SAKHARET 64 Fashion

Five perfect looks from Penang.

72 Shopping

Finding the right tailor in Asia.

BY KAY JOHNSON 86 Reflections > 64

When it comes to low-impact travel, less is more. BY ALEX SHOUMATOFF 89 Dispatch

The vacation home of a drug lord is now a luxury eco-inn.

BY MARK HEALY 92 Special Report

Macau gambles on its future— big time. BY KARRIE JACOBS

C L O C K W I S E F R O M FA R L E F T : J E A N - M A R I E D E L M O R A L ; A N G I E C A O ; A H M A D D E N Y S A L M A N ; M I T C H E L L N G U Y E N M C C O R M A C K

Exploring Imelda Marcos’s grand architectural legacy. BY FLOYD WHALEY

(Editor’s Note) 01.08

T

ravel in Southeast Asia is booming, and with that boom comes

redevelopment, reinvention and rediscovery. Such is the case with Phnom Penh (“Phnom Penh’s New Vibe,” page 118), where bars, bistros and boutique hotels have recently sprung up—with more to come. At the same time, refugees from Cambodia’s bloody past are returning to share in the prosperity. Not all the news is good, though: concern has been raised about the impending destruction of much of the city’s architectural heritage. Unfortunately, this is often the case. But responsible development is essential for an area to flourish while retaining its character as tourist numbers mushroom. At the same time, responsible tourism that is managed in terms of its impact on the environment and communities—the fates of which are intertwined—can be a real boon to a destination, with muchneeded money flowing back into local economies. I feel strongly about sustainable tourism; you’ll see this topic cropping up in future issues of T+L Southeast Asia.

Of course, some places are constantly reinventing themselves while retaining much of their unique charm. Take, for example, Hong Kong, where the area around Hollywood Road has undergone a radical transformation in recent years,

from a maze of dark backstreets and alleys to a hip hangout (“SoHo to NoHo,” page 100). I hope that our guide to the area inspires your next trip to this most cosmopolitan of metropolises, as it will mine.

Not a city person? Well, there’s no better time than Thailand’s cool season for a trek up the Kingdom’s highest peak, Doi Inthanon (“Spirit in the Sky,” page 83).

And if you’re yearning for some seasonal snow and ice this month, our lavish feature on Hokkaido in Japan (“The End of the Earth,” page 110) is certain to chill

E-MAIL T+L Send your letters to

tleditor@mediatransasia.com and let us know your thoughts on recent stories or new places to visit in Southeast Asia. Letters chosen may be edited for clarity and space.

16

desperate cannibals. Enjoy!—MATT LEPPARD 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.

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TRAVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA VOL. 2, ISSUE 1 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.

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(Contributors) 01.08

hen Jason Tedjasukmana and Ahmad Deny Salman delved into the Indonesian art world for “In the Picture” (page 75), they were struck by the buzz surrounding local artists. “All of the gallery owners are very hopeful that Indonesian contemporary art will break into the international scene,” says Salman. The American-born Tedjasukmana, who is a budding collector himself, urges art mavens to buy now, before prices start ballooning.

“This is a great time to jump into the market as there is something for all tastes and budgets. Great works can be had for reasonable prices if you’re willing to do the legwork,” he says. Tedjasukmana is TIME’s correspondent in Indonesia. Salman has been published in The New York Times and Marie Claire.

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Kay Johnson is a Hanoi-based journalist who mostly

writes for TIME and has lived in Asia for 10 years.

Writing about tailoring tips in “The Perfect Fit” (page 72) allowed her to share the lessons she’s learned from a decade of tailoring triumphs and failures. “Having clothes made just for you is a lost art in most countries,” she says. “It can end in disaster, but I like the feeling of creativity to design my own styles instead of being at the mercy of mass production.”

To writer Ian Buruma, Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, is unlike any other part of the nation (“The End of the Earth,” page 110). “It has a New World feel—you won’t find the country’s ancient Buddhist temples there,” he says. Buruma, a contributing editor for T+L, is a Henry Luce Professor at Bard College, New York. His latest book is Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance (Penguin).

Ron Gluckman has been visiting Cambodia since

the early 1990’s, when gunfire was common nightly in Phnom Penh. So he’s happy to cover a different kind of explosion in the capital for “Phnom Penh’s New Vibe” (page 118), where he has been based since 2005. “This is easily one of Asia’s most under-rated cities,” says the American journalist who has been living in Asia since 1990. He contributes to T+L, The Wall Street Journal, Popular Science and Geo.

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L E F T CO LU M N , F RO M TO P : A H M A D D E N Y SA L M A N ; CO U RT ESY O F JAS O N T E DJAS U K M A N A ; CO U RT ESY O F J I WA FOTO. R I G H T C O L U M N , F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F G R A H A M U D E N ; C O U R T E S Y O F K AY J O H N S O N ; C O U R T E S Y O F I A N B U R U M A ; C O U R T E S Y O F R O N G L U C K M A N

Indonesia’s Art Beat From top: Statues at Nadi Gallery; Tedjasukmana; Salman.

British photographer Graham Uden has been based in Hong Kong since 1992, but he’s always on the road.

It was a treat, then, to shoot “SoHo to NoHo” (page 100) at home. “It’s such an interesting and constantly evolving area of Hong Kong,” he says. “Unfortunately, like so many historical and interesting areas of Hong Kong, the government is already planning to redevelop most of it.” His work has appeared in Marie Claire, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Wallpaper.

IF I WANTED TO TRAVEL OVERLAND ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA, WHICH WOULD BE THE MOST LOGICAL PLACE TO START FROM AND WHY? —ANNE HYLAND, BANGKOK

A:

Most travelers choose Bangkok as a base for overland trips in Southeast Asia because of inexpensive flights and general convenience. From here, head north, then east into Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and back to Bangkok before shifting south to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

Alternatively, starting from either Bali or Hanoi will limit the need to backtrack, but that tactic presents problems such as the high cost of one-way tickets. Find an airline that flies to both these places and book in advance. Either way, make sure to pack plenty of patience and good humor, keep your schedule open, and give yourself lots of time.

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What is the best way to get from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport into the city?

—PAUL WONG, SYDNEY

Decline offers from the army of taxi touts in the arrivals hall, head outside and you will find taxi ranks at either end of the terminal building. It’ll cost around Bt350 (including a Bt50 surcharge, tollway fees and metered fare) for a trip into the city center.

Airport Express buses leave every 15 to 20 minutes from 5 A.M. to midnight, also from outside the arrivals hall.

There are four routes to various city destinations and the fare is Bt150. The fast and efficient airport limousine service is recommended. There are booths in the arrivals hall. It costs Bt1,000, and the vehicles are modern and clean. The construction of a 28.6kilometer high-speed rail link— connecting to the city’s SkyTrain and MRT subway services—is expected to be finished early this year.

assessment of the building’s damage.

Has the ceiling buckled? Are there major cracks along the wall? If the answer is yes, get out quickly because the building could collapse during the aftershocks (don’t take the elevator).

Once outside, remember to steer clear of buildings, trees and telephone wires.

And given Indonesia’s unfortunate history with tsunamis, if your hotel is on the beach, head for higher ground.

Are there any Asian airlines offering carbon emissions offset programs to address global warming? And are such programs effective?

—WESLEY HSU, BANGKOK

According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the aviation industry pumps out 2 percent of global CO2 emissions (compared to 5 percent from the cement industry). Though the total figures don’t seem high, for individuals, flying is one of the most carbon-emitting activities you can engage in. A number of airlines in the United States and Europe have If I’m traveling in Indonesia and launched voluntary “carbon offset” find myself in a hotel during an earthquake, what should I do? programs, whereby you can calculate how much carbon you’re emitting —ALEXANDRA SMITH, HONG KONG during a flight and buy carbon Dr. Wong Wing Tak, a seismologist at credits—the money from which goes the Hong Kong Observatory, says if into environmental programs. It is too you’re inside and a quake hits, drop to early to tell if these programs are the floor and take cover (preferably effective. As of press time, in Asia, only duck under a desk and grab onto its legs), or stand flat against an inside Cathay Pacific, Dragon Airlines and wall—avoid windows and doors. “You Malaysian Airlines are planning to can’t outrun an earthquake and it’s very announce carbon offset plans. But if dangerous to try,” he cautions. After the you’re still keen to fly green, Australian main tremor and before the aftershocks airlines JetStar, Virgin Blue and Qantas hit, Wong suggests making a quick offer carbon offset options. ✚

✉

E-MAIL T+L SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO TLEDITOR @ MEDIATRANSASIA.COM. QUESTIONS CHOSEN FOR PUBLICATION MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY AND SPACE .

J A N UA RY 2 0 0 8| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

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

Q:

(Ask T+L)01.08

(Best Deals) 01.08

The Indigo Pearl in Phuket.

Beat the post-holiday blues by taking a break. Here are a few great ideas ■ INDONESIA Business in Style package at the Alila Jakarta (6221/231-6008; www.alilahotels.com). What’s Included Two nights’ accommodation; round-trip airport transfer; 20 percent discount for selected treatments at the hotel’s spa; and a 10 percent discount on meals at the hotel’s restaurants. Cost US$180, double, through December 28. Savings Up to 40 percent.

Introductory offer at the Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali (60-3/2783-1000; www.spavillage.com). What’s Included One night free for every night booked (minimum stay of two nights); three daily meals; and one daily spa treatment per person. Cost US$400, double, through March 31. Savings Up to 50 percent.

■ THAILAND Explorer package at the Indigo Pearl in Phuket (6676/327-006 or 66-76/327-015; www.indigo-pearl.com).

What’s Included Choice of two activities, including a 60-minute massage, fishing, Thai cooking class, sea canoeing, Thai kickboxing class, yoga class or snorkeling excursion to Phi Phi or Ko Kai islands.

Cost US$674, three nights, double, US$1,262, seven nights, double, through April 1 (not applicable from January 1–11).

Savings Up to 51 percent.

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■ VIETNAM Caravelle Signature package at Ho Chi Minh City’s Caravelle Hotel (84-8/823-4999; www. caravellehotel.com). What’s Included Evening cocktails; unlimited Internet use at the business lounge; use of a private conference room for one hour daily; and daily fruit basket and newspaper.

Cost US$235, double, through April 20.

Savings Up to 41 percent.

■ HONG KONG Festive Holiday Getaway package at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (852/3196-8888; www.fourseasons.com). What’s Included Two nights’ accommodation; HK$390 to HK$500 credit per night for food, beverages, spa treatments and other services available at the hotel; and special offers and gifts from stores at the nearby IFC Mall. Cost HK$3,090, double, through February 10. Savings 26 percent.

■ JAPAN Everyday Escape package at The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka (81-6/6343-7000; www.ritzcarlton.com).

What’s Included Reduced room rates for weekday stays and daily breakfast. Cost Y37,000, double, Sunday to Thursday, through March 31.

Savings Up to 46 percent.

J A N UA RY 2 0 0 8| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

MALAYSIA Practice your swing with the Weekday Golf Challenge package at The Saujana Kuala Lumpur (603/7843-1234; www. thesaujanahotel.com. my). For US$635, double, you’ll get two nights’ accommodation; one massage; one round of golf, including buggy and caddy; and lunch at the Golfer’s Terrace, all for a savings of 50 percent. Available through March 31 (not applicable March 20–23). Ask for the T+L exclusive.

The Saujana’s golf course.

F RO M TO P : CO U RT ESY O F I N D I G O P E A R L ; T H E SAUJA N A KUA L A LU M P U R

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(Strategies) 01.08 Photography101 For many travelers, snapping pictures is as essential as carrying a passport. Here are six tips from professional photographers that will have you taking great photographs on your next trip. PLUS: The best easy-to-use cameras and hands-on workshops around the globe.

Edited by JENNIFER V. COLE and JENNIFER CHEN

V TIP 1: CATCH PEOPLE IN MOTION

“I was photographing in Yunnan province in China where these monks were streaming out of a monastery hall and into a courtyard.

To capture their movement, I slowed the camera speed down and shot this monk whirling around me.”— L U K E D U G G L E B Y A native of York, England, Duggleby has been based in Bangkok for four years.

His work has appeared in The Sunday Times Magazine, ESPN Magazine and GEO.

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TIP 2: TRY LOW LIGHT

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: HOW TO POINT AND SHOOT Howard Goldstein, vice president of the Center for Digital Imaging in New York (www. cdiny.com), shares 10 tips for capturing the best photos with your digital camera.

V

AS K A N E XP E RT

“This picture was taken during a storm in Bangkok—camera on a tripod with a 30-second exposure. The long exposure gives you a lot more detail of the scenery ... At the same time your chances of capturing a flash of lightning increase the longer your exposure is.”

— J O S E F P O L L E RO S S Bangkok-based Polleross hails from Austria. His work has been published in The New York Times, Stern, Paris Match and TIME.

O Take a lot of pictures — digital is free. Often the best image is the one you didn’t plan for.

O Carry an extra battery and your charger with you; the LCD screens of digital cameras use a lot of battery power. If traveling to other countries, you may need a plug adapter, not a converter, to recharge.

O Avoid using red-eye reduction; it gives your subject time to squint, and it often doesn’t work.

Before you buy, try out the camera in a store.

The sales staff will be able to walk you through the features — it’s a free one-on-one tutorial.

O

O Use the highest resolution possible. You can always make smaller-size files, but you compromise image quality when you try to enlarge low-resolution pictures.

O Switch to macro mode (a close-up setting for small images, usually depicted by a flower on your camera) when zooming in.

O Back up images from your memory cards; external hard drives and photo-sharing websites are great options for storing your favorite photos.

O Use a sharpening filter (built into programs like Adobe Photoshop and Elements) to enhance image details when you work with them on your computer. Digital images always need some sharpening to look their best.

Set your ISO (the measure of the film’s sensitivity to light) to a higher setting when taking pictures in low light.

V

O

O Once you’ve mastered the automatic features of your camera, don’t be afraid to experiment with the manual exposure to set the lens opening and shutter speed (you can get dramatic results by playing with focus and light).

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TIP 3: GET UP CLOSE

“After asking permission, I try to create an intimacy and closeness with my subject. The first seconds are always the most spontaneous— sometimes the person is uncomfortable or tense—but after a few frames, he will usually regain composure and relax. All of these emotions come through in the image.”— F R É D É R I C L AG R A N G E Born in France, Lagrange is one of T+L’s inveterate contributors. Between trips to Mongolia (where he took this photo), Bhutan and Patagonia, he resides in New York.

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photography 101| strategies

V

TIP 4: PAY ATTENTION TO SCALE

“In my photograph of the Bayon temple in Cambodia, I used scale in three ways: first, by aiming the camera down, I brought out the size of the stone head.

Second, by shooting from above, the elements from the foreground to the background were spread out across the image. Finally, I had a person in the scene.”— J O C K M O N TG O M E RY Jock Montgomery, originally from the United States, has been based in Kathmandu and Bangkok for the past 24 years. His work has appeared in National Geographic Adventure, Outside and TIME Asia.

TIP 5: FIND AN UNUSUAL VANTAGE POINT

“This photograph was taken from a pedestrian bridge looking down Des Voeux Road in Hong Kong. The higher vantage point allows a view of the tramway and pedestrians as well as giving a more dramatic perspective down the canyon-like street.”—C H R I S TO P H E R W I S E American photographer Wise once ran his own graphic design agency in New York City, but his life changed course after a month-long holiday in Vietnam. A resident of Bangkok, he has shot for T+L, Gourmet and Men’s Vogue.

V V TIP 6: LOOK FOR HUMOR

“Without the boy taking a picture of his mother it would have been a beautiful shot of Railey Beach in Krabi. But the young photographer snapping away adds humor.

It’s actually my wife and son. They like to take pictures. It was not a set-up shot.”

— J O S E F P O L L E RO S S

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

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T+L Camera Guide

CAMERA

SPECS

SUMMARY

Beautifully designed point-and-shoot that also has manual settings; the easiest of the group to use with one hand; special eBay mode for taking auction-site photos

Short battery life (about 200 still images); no optical viewfinder, so you have to use the LCD screen to frame the photo (which can be hard in bright sunshine); tiny buttons

So small and handy, you’ll reach for this camera again and again; works well indoors and out; easy to use right out of the box

10.1 mp; 3x optical, 2x digital zoom; 3” LCD screen; 155 g. www.sony. com; US$350

Big 3-inch screen makes it easy to look at photos with a group of people; excellent Carl Zeiss lens ensures sharp pictures in bright light — for example, on a day at the beach

Screen takes up most of the back, so Sony put most of the buttons on it (beware of messy fingerprints); no optical viewfinder; a little slow indoors and in low light

This point-and-shoot is compact and convenient. With 25 megabytes of internal memory, you don’t need a memory card to get started

7.1 mp; 3x optical, 5x digital zoom; 2.5” LCD screen; 155 g. www. olympus.com; US$380

Incredibly rugged: water-, freeze-, crush-, and shockproof; has a built-in nanometer for recording diving depths; lens remains flush with the body when turned on, making it very streamlined

Smaller screen than other ultracompacts; no optical viewfinder — a problem on bright, sunny days

When they say waterand shockproof, they mean it! This is the total road warrior’s camera — perfect for that trip to Mount Kilimanjaro or for tackling the rapids on the Nantahala River

7.1 mp; 5x optical, 4x digital zoom; 2.5” LCD screen; 125 g. www.kodak. com; US$350

Having two lenses means this camera can go from zoomedin detail shots to unbelievably wide ones; sharp colors; nifty panorama capability enables you to merge three shots; great for groups, parties, and landscapes; inexpensive

No optical viewfinder; some distortion on the edges of images when lens is used at its widest

Easyshare lives up to its name, with by far the best “getting started” instructions of all the cameras tested; great for vistas and panoramas, such as sunsets at Angkor Wat

10.2 mp; 4x optical zoom with 33 mm focal length; 2.8” LCD screen; 185 g. www.panasonic. com; US$500

This 10-megapixel camera has more power than most pointand-shoots. Lots of manual functions allow photo buffs to override automatic settings

No optical viewfinder; delayed action, especially in low light; costs a little more than many point-and-shoots

A logical step up from an ultracompact, this camera is packed with professional-level features but still fits into a pocket

ULTRACOMPACT Sony Cybershot DSC-N2

RUGGED Olympus Stylus 770 SW

WIDE-ANGLE Kodak Easyshare V705

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CONS

7.2 mp; 3x optical zoom; 2.8” LCD screen; 127 g. exilim.casio.com; US$300 STYLISH Casio Exilim EX-S770

ALL-AROUND Panasonic Lumix LX2

PROS

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D AV I E S + S TA R R

How do you choose the digital camera that’s right for you? T+L put nearly 30 models to the test. Below are our picks of the ideal cameras, from the fuss-free ultracompact to the professionallevel DSLR and a retro-inspired classic. Happy shooting!

photography 101| strategies

CAMERA

SPECS

PROS

6.1 mp; 3x optical zoom; 2.5” LCD screen; 453 g. www. nikon.com; US$600

An affordable introduction to digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras; switching from auto to manual is very easy; logical interface; vivid colors; bright screen for viewing photos

Though compact for a DSLR, this camera will not fit into any pocket; only 6.1 megapixels means poorer image quality than others in its category

Ideal for someone who wants to graduate from point-and-shoot to DSLR; shares lenses with the Nikon D200 if you want to upgrade eventually to a more serious camera

8.2 mp; 10–600 mm lens length; 2.5” LCD screen; 1.2 kg. www.canon. com; US$4,000

Every click and button on this behemoth is thoughtfully placed for those who make their living taking pictures and can’t afford to miss a shot. Convenient vertical grip with an extra shutter button

Weighing more than a kilogram and priced at US$4,000, this model is not for the weekend photographer; lenses (US$200–US$4,000) and camera body (US$4,000) come separately as well

A pleasure to test, this camera is worth the splurge for those who want some serious power and speed. It was easily the fastest one we tested

10.3 mp; 35 mm lens length; 2.5” LCD screen; 544 g. www.leica. com; US$4,800

This understated, quiet camera will appeal to those who learned 35 mm photography and are slow to get on the digital bandwagon

The price. Turns out you pay a lot for the vintage feel and fewer features; must know basics of photography to use; no auto focus; non-zooming lens; rangefinder takes some getting used to

It’s back to the future with this retro-inspired digital camera. The M8 lives up to Leica’s excellent reputation among photographers — and its cult following.

Try it out at a camera shop before buying

ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR Nikon D40

PRO-LEVEL DSLR Canon EOS 1D Mark II N

UPDATED CLASSIC Leica M8

CONS

SUMMARY

PHOTO EXPEDITIONS AND TOURS

D AV I E S + S TA R R

According to legendary photographer Ansel Adams, “You don’t take a photograph; you make it.”

These globe-spanning expeditions and workshops can teach you how to make your best pictures.

INDIA London-based outfit Gecko Workshops (www. geckoworkshops.co.uk; from £1,950) offers numerous tours for shutterbugs in India, from the lushly tropical southern state of Kerala to the austere Himalayan foothills of Ladakh in the country’s north. Travelers can pick programs of varying intensity; the leisurely paced tours usually run for 12 days and include yoga classes while

more avid amateurs can sign up for the year-long course.

PARIS Travelers are familiar with famous Parisian landmarks; Carole Deviller’s Adventure Photo Expeditions (www. adventurephotoexpeditions. com; from US$2,650, per person, double) presents the city in a new light. Deviller leads participants on a nine-day tour of the city’s unusual or overlooked sights, such as the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Roman Arènes de Lutèce and Islamic architecture in the Latin Quarter.

CHINA Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris takes participants on a 19-day

journey through western China (www.photosafaris.com; US$7,945 per person, double; departs on September 8, 2008).

Guided by outdoor photographer James Martin, the group explores majestic Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, glaciers and mountains in remote areas of Yunnan province and Tibet. A major highlight of the journey is a visit to Mount Everest Base Camp.

GRAND CANYON Along the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Off the Beaten Path (www. offthebeatenpath.com; from US$80) leads a three-hour excursion, taking participants to Desert View and Grandview Point — the best locations for

capturing sunrise and sunset photos of the canyon. Twice a day, an hour before dawn and an hour before dusk, a tour leaves from the National Geographic Visitor Center in Tusayan. Group leaders will provide water, hats and hiking poles — though not cameras.

VIETNAM California-based photographer Michael Matlach (www. michaelmatlach.com; US$4,671 per person, double) leads a 14day trip to Vietnam every year.

Starting in Ho Chi Minh City, the tour stops at some of the country’s most famously picturesque spots such as Halong Bay, Sapa and Hoi An. Each day ends with a review of participants’ shots.

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

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INDULGE YOURSELF

JANUARY 2008

The making of modern Macau 10 fashion tips for a perfect fit

travelandleisuresea.com SINGAPORE SG$6.90 ● MACAU MOP40 ● HONG KONG HK $39 THAILAND THB160 ● INDONESIA IDR45,000 ● MALAYSIA MYR15 PHILIPPINES PHP220 ● VIETNAM VND80,000 ● BURMA MMK32 CAMBODIA KHR20,000 ● BRUNEI BND6.90 ● LAOS LAK48,000

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Vibrant Vientiane.

An expert’s smart address book to the Laotian capital <(page 47)

Singapore’s chicest street.

Your guide to the best spots on Haji Lane <(page 46)

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: LEISA TYLER; CHRISTOPHER WISE; JASON MICHAEL LANG; SINARTUS SOSRODJOJO; JEAN-MARIE DEL MORAL

Culinary arts: five great museum restaurants in Paris (page 44) >

Perfect paradise: kick back on two unspoiled Thai islands <(page 42)

+

• Head for the hills in West Java • Organic food in Southeast Asia • California’s wine country

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

| newsflash

Superflat Jellyfish Eyes 1 (right) and Superflat Jellyfish Eyes 2 (© 2003 Takashi Murakami).

Japan’s Pop Master

Calling all manga and anime fans. Takashi Murakami is frequently called Japan’s answer to Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons and just about any famous artist who freely mixes pop culture with art. Somehow, those comparisons fail to capture just how big Murakami is in his homeland—or how much he’s blurred the lines between art and commerce. The founder of the Superflat art movement, Murakami is essentially a one-man industry, churning out books, postcards and plush dolls of his whimsical characters. He’s even designed a wildly popular line of handbags and accessories for Louis Vuitton, featuring a rainbow-colored—and Mr. DOB, artist Takashi Murakami’s most famous character, left (© 2001 much copied—logo. If there were any remaining Takashi Murakami). doubts about the art establishment’s acceptance of his work and ethos, the Murakami retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles (The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, Los Angeles; 152 North Central Ave.; 1-213/621-1741), which ends February 11, should put them to rest.

The exhibition contains more than 90 paintings, sculptures, installations and films

by Murakami. True to his embrace of commerce, a shop stocked with Murakami’s Louis Vuitton bags is located smack in the middle of the show.

ART

Forget redchecked tablecloths and candles stuffed into empty Chianti bottles.

Hong Kong’s newest Italian eatery, Spasso (4th floor, No. 403, Ocean Centre, Harbour City; 852/27308027, dinner for two HK$870), pays as much attention to the décor as to the food. It also has the setting to beat: sweeping views of Victoria Harbor from its 214-square-meter terrace. Spasso’s food is nothing to sniff at either, with offerings such as pillowy ravioli stuffed with Wagyu beef cheeks and doused in a Barolo-infused sauce.

ULTIMATE ALFRESCO

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E AT

Spasso’s dining room. Above: Harborside dining on the terrace.

F RO M TO P : CO U RT E SY O F G A L E R I E E M M A N U E L P E R ROT I N , PA R I S A N D M I A M I ; CO U RT E SY O F J E N N I F E R C H E N ; CO U RT E SY O F S PA S S O

insider

insider

| newsflash

ART ON THE MENU

Moody interiors at the Majestic Bar.

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FA S H I O N

Designer Alan Chan. Top right: Chan’s scarves.

Bottom right: Barney Cheng.

High Style in Hong Kong With Shanghai and Beijing quickly emerging as centers of creativity in Asia, the Hong Kong Design Centre (www.hkdesigncentre.org) —a government-funded, not-for-profit organization that promotes local design—thought it was time that the world be reminded of the city’s treasure trove of talented fashion, furniture and industrial designers. So last year, it paired 10 prominent Hong Kong–bred designers, including Vivienne Tam and Barney Cheng, with 10 international design houses such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Alessi and Georg Jensen, and tasked them with creating goods that capture Hong Kong’s unique mix of Chinese traditions and modern-day urban grit. The fruits of these collaborations—under the banner Creation 9707 (in a nod to the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to mainland China)—were unveiled last December and limited editions are on sale now in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as selected cities in Europe and Japan.

Anita Tsang, the director of Creation 9707, says the project’s mission was more than accomplished: “These designs capture the essence of Chinese culture, but they’re also very contemporary and worldly, which I think is very Hong Kong.” We personally covet graphic designer Alan Chan’s striking scarves for Ferragamo, Lo Kai-yin’s lushly patterned shawl for Shanghai Tang and Kan Tai-keung’s elegant tableware for Royal Copenhagen. For those drawn to more concept-driven design, consider architect Gary Chang’s project with Alessi: a suitcase that contains rooms (bedroom, bathroom—you get the idea) done in miniature—a tongue-incheek allusion to Hong Kong’s notoriously cramped living quarters.

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L E F T CO LU M N : CO U RT ESY O F T H E M A J EST I C BA R. R I G H T CO LU M N : CO U RT ESY O F T H E H O N G KO N G D ES I G N C E N T R E ( 4 )

Plenty of bars in Singapore tout their slick design and creative cocktails, but the Majestic Bar (41 Bukit Pasoh Rd.; 65/65348800) is probably the only one that can boast avant-garde art installations. Located in an 80-year-old shophouse, the bar’s pink façade belies its otherworldly interiors, which were inspired by a ficus tree that had sprouted in the back.

The tree is gone, but in its place is a stunning, one-of-a-kind space.

Lest you forget you’re in a bar, order one of the signature drinks, like the Kampong Glam, a concoction of dark rum, advocaat AFTER and banana.

DARK

insider

| newsflash

TREND

Green Grazing

Mezza9, Singapore This long-time favorite now offers organic options.

With an emphasis on seasonality, the menu— which features grass-fed Australian beef and European vegetables— changes up to four times a week. Save room for dessert: the homemade organic ice cream nearly steals the show. The Grand Hyatt Singapore; 10 Scotts Rd.; 65/6738-1234; www. restaurants.singapore.hyatt.com.

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Organic Dining in Asia Clockwise from top: Inside Bangkok’s Tamarind Café; stacks of goodness at Tamarind; Mezza9’s salad with free-range eggs.

ThreeSixty, Hong Kong Opened in 2006, ThreeSixty is a 2,140square-meter food lover’s paradise that includes a grocery store and a library focusing on books about health. The store’s centerpiece is a food hall where diners can choose from a dizzying array of earth-friendly fare from brick-oven pizzas to sushi.

The Landmark; 12–16 Des Voeux Rd.; 852/21114488; www.threesixtyhk.com.

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Still Waters, Kuala Lumpur This fusion restaurant in one of the city’s most stylish hotels began adding locally sourced ingredients to its menu more than two years ago.

Executive Chef Izzat Lee says he developed a taste for organic food while working in Switzerland.

“It tastes more natural, like it should taste,” he says. Hotel Maya; 138 Jln. Ampang; 60-3/2711-8866; www.hotelmaya.com.my.

Tamarind Café, Bangkok Meatless and proud of it, this serene, airy spot amid the hustle and bustle of Sukhumvit Road devotes an entire page of its expansive menu to organic offerings. It also doubles as a gallery showcasing contemporary art, so you can nourish your soul as well as your body.

27/1 Soi 20, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/663-7421; www. tamarind-cafe.com.

—J E N N I F E R C H E N

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F T A M A R I N D CAFÉ ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F M E Z Z A 9

Wary of eating pesticide- and hormonelaced food? You’re not alone. Organic food is finally seeping into the mainstream in Asia. Fueled by rising alarm about food safety and the environment, green markets devoted to selling chemical-free meat and produce are cropping up all over the region.

Restaurants are also starting to embrace the back-to-the-land philosophy, albeit slowly. “The transition is starting to happen (in Asia) ... but there’s still this perception that organic means health food rather than something that simply tastes really, really good,” says Tony Chettle, the founder of Bunalun, a highend organic food purveyor in Singapore’s Holland Village. Here are some of the best places in Asia to dine on food that is kind to the earth and yourself. Note: these eateries dish up sophistication along with their healthy cuisine.

insider | check-in

Beyond Room Service. Weary of wine tastings and cooking classes? These four Southeast Asian hotels go the distance to offer their guests special experiences that are worth getting excited about. By SANA BUTLER ■ THE MARINA MANDARIN, SINGAPORE The Experience Meet an artist inside the comfort of your hotel. The Marina Mandarin Singapore is the first and only five-star hotel in Southeast Asia to offer an artist-inresidence program aimed at supporting Asian artistic talent.

The Lowdown For six months, the hotel provides the resident a studio on the fourth floor (across from check-in, 40

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near the row of shops) to showcase his or her work. Guests are encouraged to wander in and observe the creative process first-hand during certain weekday and weekend afternoons.

“Several guests sit for hours to watch me draw,” says Joshua Yang, one of the past residents. Guests enjoy discussing art in an informal space, without aficionado intimidation, says Yang, whose artwork includes looping lines drawn with black ink on plain

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white paper. “I’ve had someone ask me how many pens I use [in my art],” he adds. The answer? Three. 6 Raffles Blvd., Marina Sq.; 65/6845-1000; www. marina-mandarin.com.sg; doubles from US$345; artist interaction is free.

■ JW MARRIOTT PHUKET RESORT & SPA, THAILAND The Experience To help keep its youngest guests busy and entertained, the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E SY O F J W M A R R I O T T P H U K E T R E S O R T & S PA ; I N T E R C O N T I N E N TA L B A L I R E S O R T; T H E M A R I N A M A N D A R I N S I N G A P O R E

Holiday Memories Clockwise from left: Circus training at the JW Marriott Phuket; artist Joshua Yang at work in The Marina Mandarin Singapore; the InterContinental Bali Resort.

F RO M TO P : CO U RT E SY O F J W M A R R I OT T P H U K E T R E S O RT & S PA ( 2 ) ; T H E P E N I N S U L A BA N G KO K

launched in 2006 a circus training program for children run by a real circus crew from the United States.

The Lowdown Open to children between the ages of four and 12, the daily program consists of one hour of training in the morning between 10 A.M. and 11 A.M. Junior can sign up to learn essential big-top skills such as trapeze swinging, tumbling, clowning, juggling and forming a human pyramid. Class size is determined by the trainer, but no one is ever turned away. Advance booking is required.

There are also daily rehearsals in the afternoon for two to three hours in preparation for a grand finale performed for parents held on Friday nights. Any child who has taken lessons for three consecutive days can take part in the show. Moo 3, Mai Khao, Talang; 66-76/338-000; www.jwmarriottphuket. com; doubles from US$242; classes from US$26 an hour per child.

■ INTERCONTINENTAL BALI RESORT, INDONESIA The Experience Cultural performances are run-of-the-mill in Bali’s hotel scene. But at the InterContinental Bali Resort, you can be the performer—rather than just the spectator—thanks to a raft of lessons devoted to the island’s vibrant cultural traditions.

The Lowdown Want to learn how to move your hips with the sinuous grace of a Balinese dancer? Then try your hand at ancient dance moves Monday and Saturday afternoons between 2 P.M. and 3 P.M. and absorb step-by-step instructions on how to flutter your fingertips like a butterfly. Other favorite classes include semedi, or Balinese meditation, on Saturday mornings at 8 A.M. and bayu suci, a mix of Balinese self-defense

and tai chi that’s taught every Sunday and Thursday morning. Confirm the day before with the concierge. 45 Jln. Uluwatu, Jimbaran Bay, Denpasar; 62361/701-888; www.bali.intercontinental. com; doubles from US$131; all lessons are free.

■ THE PENINSULA BANGKOK The Experience Any chef worth his mettle will tell you that presentation is as important as what’s on the plate.

Break away from the pack of Martha Stewart acolytes and learn how to decorate your table Thai-style at The Peninsula Bangkok.

The Lowdown The Peninsula Academy offers a cornucopia of lessons focused on Thai culture, including vegetable and fruit carving, an ancient art once practiced by women of the royal household, and flower arranging. Learn how to transform watermelons into roses and onions into chrysanthemums. Or don an apron, grab some pruning shears and have a go at fresh flowers from Bangkok’s famous Pak Khlong Talat flower market at the academy’s halfday flower-arranging class. 333 Charoennakorn Rd., Bangkok; 66-2/8612888; www.bangkok.peninsula.com; doubles from US$280; fruit and vegetable carving US$100 per person for three hours; flower arranging US$130 per person. ✚

The reception area of the spa at the JW Marriott Phuket.

Learning in Paradise Above: The JW Marriott Phuket's pool. Left: A staff member arranging flowers at The Peninsula Bangkok.

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insider | escape

Spice Islands. Looking for an affordable getaway? Ko Hai and Ko Muk, two tiny islands in the Andaman Sea, offer secluded coves, private beaches and a coastline filled with marine life. By KEN CHOWDER ■ WHERE TO STAY Ko Hai, also known as Ko Ngai, has no roads, no addresses, no stores and no ATM’s, but it does have four worthy resort-hotels right on the warm sand. The most tasteful are basic—the rooms have airconditioning, small refrigerators and bathrooms whose showers are open to the sky. Spend a night at Coco Cottage (66-7/522-4387; www.cococottage.com; doubles from US$46 ) in an eco-friendly wooden bungalow or at Thapwarin Resort (667/521-8153; www.thapwarin.com; doubles from US$70), where interior walls of woven rattan, vertically striped bamboo exteriors and coconut roofs (like shaggy toupees) give an immediate frisson of aesthetic pleasure. Koh Hai Fantasy Resort (66-2/316-3577; www.kohhai.com; doubles from US$58) has a maze of cottages with small

gardens and ponds (occasionally loud with frogs), a candlelit spa, a large tiled swimming pool, with an adjacent snack bar, and a staff that coordinates numerous boat and scuba trips. Another option is the larger Koh Ngai Resort (66-7/520-6924; www.kohngairesort.com; doubles from US$44), with modern cottages on the beach and older apartments in contemporary wooden Thai houses, plus a patently perfect crescent cove of beach, though it is a bit isolated (a 20-minute walk to the other resorts) . On Ko Muk, a more remote island 30 minutes away by boat, the Koh Mook Sivalai (6689/723-3355; www.komooksivalai.com; doubles from US$190) sits on a long spit of beach; rooms have clean lines, glass doors and beds that look out over the azure sea.

THAILAND

Tropical Twist A long-tail boat arrives at Ko Hai. Clockwise from left: The restaurant at Sivalai Hotel, on Ko Muk; the day’s trips at Thapwarin Resort, on Ko Hai; the spa at Thapwarin Resort; the view from Pak Meng pier.

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✈

GETTING THERE From Bangkok, take a 90-minute flight on Nok Air to Trang; from there, a van service makes the 45-minute journey to Pak Meng pier, where hotel staff picks up guests for the 20-minute speedboat trip to the beach. Hotels can also arrange transportation from Krabi, where flights from Bangkok arrive daily.

Photographed by JASON MICHAEL LANG

Beach Views Left: Rain forest lines the coast at Had Farang, on Ko Muk. Below: One of Thapwarin Resort’s eight beachfront bungalows.

■ WHERE TO EAT Food-wise, Thailand is

the Italy of Asia: the possibility of getting bad Thai food on Ko Hai is genuinely unlikely.

The only stand-alone restaurant on the island is a funky and nameless barbecued-fish spot a few minutes’ walk north on the beach from Koh Hai Fantasy Resort. It’s a must, however, as it offers crusted whole snapper (of the-onethat-got-away size). Pair the shockingly hot small Thai chilis with a cold Singha beer. At Koh Ngai Resort, choose the creamy massaman curry with cinnamon and cardamom. Order the country’s ubiquitous som tam (a salad of shredded green papaya, carrots, peanuts and baby shrimp, zinging with strongguy chili-lime dressing) at Koh Hai Fantasy, then let the staff grill up whatever they’ve caught that day—it could be barracuda.

scuba trip in deep water with Rainbow Divers (www.rainbow-diver.com; full-day trips from US$33) to spot sea tortoises, whale sharks and sea horses. After a morning in the Andaman, opt for a Thai massage under the palms at Thapwarin Resort. Later, try to spot a longbilled hornbill (hint: look toward the coconut palm trees around the swimming pool of Koh Ngai Resort). But the best option may be to do nothing at all: find a place on the beach and relish the vista of islands—their vertical rock cliffs like limestone candles pop straight out of the sea.

DON’T MISS Save time for a daylong side trip; snorkeling excursions to Ko Rok (an hour away by speedboat) can be arranged at any of the resorts. There, crystalclear waters contain pink, blue and green coral gardens teeming with wildlife: longfin bannerfish, black and white clown fish (just like Nemo) with neonyellow stripes, parrot fish clothed in a spectrum of garish electric colors, and emperor angelfish with painted lips. Picnic on beaches with sand as white and powdery as sugar, while 1.5-meterlong monitor lizards with sharp-ridged tails lumber about, hoping for a handout.

■ WHAT TO DO The beach is the biggest attraction on Ko Hai, as the island and the sea beyond are protected by the government (the 215-square-kilometer region is a national marine park and is home to more than 100 species of coral fish). Reefs ring the island, which makes for astonishing snorkeling: an excursion on a long-tailed boat to Emerald Cave on Ko Muk is mandatory. Swim through the 80-meter-long cave (really a tunnel), plunge briefly into primal darkness, and emerge, suddenly reborn, on a perfect small sandy beach surrounded by impressive cliffs sprouting jungle vegetation. Arrange a full-day T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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insider | eat

Art and Entrées Clockwise from far left: Les Ombres chef Arno Busquet; the Belle Epoque dining room at the Musée d’Orsay; king crab in tom yum at Le Georges at the Centre Pompidou; Le Georges’s dining room, designed

by Jakob + MacFarlane.

FRANCE

Paris Museum Restaurants. Art is on the plate at five top spots where the views are as fine as the food and you can keep the security guards up late. By MARCELLE CLEMENTS MUSÉE DU QUAI BRANLY Poised like a giant wood-and-metal tortoise on the roof of Paris’s newest museum, Les Ombres (27 Quai Branly, Seventh Arr.; 33-1/47-53-68-00; dinner for two US$190), is about as related to an old-fashioned museum cafeteria as the International Space Station is to a splitlevel ranch. Architect Jean Nouvel named it for the shadows (les ombres) cast by the Eiffel Tower, which looms extravagantly close. And although the usual vehement Parisian arguments have broken out over the museum’s radical architecture and approach to exhibitions, the new restaurant is a 44

sensational success. Chef Arno Busquet spent more than a decade with Joël Robuchon before opening Les Ombres. His ingenious cuisine samples Oceania, Asia and the Americas, but “fusion” seems a banal way to describe such felicitous encounters as Angus beef roasted with Chinese truffles, a lemongrass-infused mullet served with steamed seaweed, or apricots and wild thyme roasted in honey. Lunch will cost you less, but a late dinner is spectacle time: starting at 10 P.M., the Eiffel Tower twinkles for the first 10 minutes of every hour—apparently just for you.

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MUSÉE D’ORSAY There is no more sumptuous Belle Époque dining room in all of Paris than the restaurant of the Musée d’Orsay (1 Rue de Bellechasse, Seventh Arr.; 33-1/45-49-42-33; lunch for two US$40), overlooking the Seine and the Right Bank. The frescoed ceiling alone is worth the visit. You can imagine Marcel Proust and his friends sitting here (when it was the ballroom of the hotel adjoining the Orsay train station), gossiping about the rebels not yet known as the Impressionists, whose work now hangs in the museum. The recently renovated kitchen specializes Photographed by JEAN-MARIE DEL MORAL

Paris Oeuvres Clockwise from left: Tokyo Eat, at the Palais de Tokyo; the Musée d’Orsay entrance; monkfish with a coriander vinaigrette at Les Ombres; a Tokyo Eat waiter; the Eiffel Tower as seen from Les Ombres at the Musée du Quai Branly.

in simplified versions of traditional cuisine—grilled sea bream fillet or duck-and-peach supreme served with gratin dauphinois. The two-course prix fixe lunch is a bargain at only US$20.

PALAIS DE TOKYO The glam-funk fashion-and-designcrowd mecca Tokyo Eat (13 Ave. du Président-Wilson, 16th Arr.; 33-1/47-2000-29; dinner for two US$136) flaunts the zanier side of French style—as befits Paris’s most avant-garde museum. The big noisy dining room is lit by huge pink spheres flashing in time to the booming music. Forget quiet

conversation and focus on food that gets away with being self-consciously outré, as in a minestrone of sardines.

The service careens between imaginatively rude and downright friendly. Visit the huge Deco terrace if you need a new favorite place to while away an hour or so.

CENTRE POMPIDOU A bubble-encased escalator rising up the façade of the great arts complex lets you off at the roof and a dazzling 360degree view. The other visual feast here is the vast, playful restaurant Le Georges (Place Georges Pompidou, Fourth

Arr.; 33-1/44-78-47-99; dinner for two US$191), designed by Jakob + MacFarlane and long frequented by the art world beau monde. The staff is rumored to be chosen for their looks (waitresses in tiny dresses carry order pads in saucy little shoulder bags; winsome waiters wear well-cut suits and ties). Undulating aluminum interior structures (amoebas or molars, depending on your mood) lead to both the kitchen and the coat check. Fans of new wave cuisine will love such dishes as le tigre qui pleure (grilled beef strips marinated in Asian spices), and crab and mushroom mille-feuilles. Or come for a drink at sunset, when the rooftop shines golden, and everyone and everything looks enchanting.

MUSÉE DU LOUVRE Café Marly is scene-ier, with its coveted tables overlooking the majestic Richelieu courtyard and the Pei pyramid, but Le Grand Louvre (34 Quai du Louvre, First Arr.; 33-1/40-20-53-41; dinner for two US$136), below the pyramid, remains cushy and quiet. It serves reliable, expensive haute cuisine with contemporary touches: foie gras with orange marmalade; loin of lamb roasted in a tea-and-cumin infusion.

On Sunday mornings, chef Yves Pinard offers an elaborate ambigu—the 18th-century French predecessor of the English brunch. ✚

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| walk this block

Singapore. Tucked inside the Kampong Glam neighborhood, Haji Lane might seem like an unassuming place at first glance.

But don’t be fooled. This side street has become one of the city’s most happening spots. Story and photographs by LEISA TYLER 2. Altazzag

Take a retail break at Altazzag (24 Haji Lane; 65/6295-5024; lunch for two S$30), a no-frills Egyptian café that serves up tasty (though a little greasy) shawarma, shish kebabs, ful madames (Egyptian bean salad), tzatziki and hummus.

Iced lemon tea is the perfect accompaniment to this classic Middle Eastern fare.

1. Pluck

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et re St t ah or ee ss tr Bu tS ca et us re M St ab e Ar an ji L Ha

Festooned in 19th-century toile wallpaper, Pluck (31–33 Haji Lane; 65/6396-4048) embraces all things vintage. On sale are brightly colored retro fabrics from the 1960’s and 70’s, handmade Victorian wallpaper and Art Deco brooches. Beware: prices can be steep. Shoppers can also indulge at the in-house ice cream parlor.

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Soon Lee (56 Haji Lane; 65/6297-0198) stocks a mix of eclectic clothes—from avantgarde to demure—handpicked by owners Sharon Cher and Tay Wei-loong on their trips to Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Wander upstairs and gaze out of the window for some prime people-watching.

ad Ro ch a Be

4. Salad

6. Café Le Caire

Pass away the afternoon in pashastyle at Café Le Caire (39 Arab Street; 65/6292-0979; www. cafelecaire.com), where you can nibble baklava between sips of Turkish coffee. The truly indolent can recline on the cushions inside this establishment (which has an entrance on Haji Lane), order a shisha pipe filled with fruit-flavored tobacco and watch life go by.

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5. Know It Nothing

Gentlemen, step behind the doors of Know It Nothing (51 Haji Lane; 65/6392-5475; www.knowitnothing.com) and peruse Eugene Yeo and Suraj Melwani’s post-industrial space (think unpolished concrete and exposed wooden beams) for street-smart labels such as Julian Red from Sweden, and Perks and Mini from Australia.

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Despite its name, Salad (25–27 Haji Lane; 65/6299-5805) isn’t exactly awash in the color green. In fact, this boutique focuses on household items in primarily two shades: black and white. Pick up some paisleyprint cushion covers or, for the more whimsical, stone statues of yogis performing various poses.

the expert | insider

Viva Vientiane. Often overlooked, the Laotian capital has plenty of charming boutiques and restaurants. Textile designer Carol Cassidy reveals to JENNIFER CHEN her favorite spots HEN CAROL CASSIDY—a Connecticut-born weaver—arrived in Laos in 1989, few people outside of the country were aware of its ancient traditions of elaborate handwoven silks. Originally tasked by the United Nations to help spark international interest in Laotian silk textiles, Cassidy quickly realized the potential of this traditional art form and the country’s incredibly skilled weavers, and later launched her own workshop and store, Lao Textiles (Th. Norkeokoummarn; 856-21/212-123; www.laotextiles. com). Focusing on high-quality fabrics

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that riff on traditional motifs, she now works closely with some of the world’s top architects and interior decorators. Her museum-worthy handicrafts are also sold in upscale stores such as ABC Carpet & Home and Barney’s, both in New York City.

Here is her guide to the best shops, restaurants and attractions that Vientiane has to offer.

■ TEXTILE TIPS

Other than her own shop, Cassidy recommends Vientiane’s largest market, the sprawling Talat Sao (Th.

LAOS

Lan Xang), also known as the Morning Market, where row upon row of stalls are stuffed with fabrics. “It’s this whole collage of textures and colors,” she enthuses. “And it’s just a lot of fun.” For those looking for a calmer setting, it’s worth seeking out local weaver Taykeo Sayuavongkhamdy’s eponymous Taykeo Gallery (Unit 10, 236, near 103 Hospital in Ban Saphanthongkang; 85621/314-031) for its naturally dyed traditional textiles. Takyeo, who is from southern Laos, also stocks antique textiles collected from her home village and elsewhere. Long-established »

Woven Traditions Clockwise from right: American textile designer Carol Cassidy, with one of her weavers; the colonial house that’s home to Cassidy’s shop, Lao Textiles; some of the colorful offerings at Lao Textiles.

Photographed by CHRISTOPHER WISE

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| the expert

Silk Treasures Above: A textile stall at Talat Sao. Left: A chair at Mandalay Furniture.

Phaeng Mai (117 Th. Nongbouathong; 856-20/540-105 or 856-20/243-121; www.silk-phaengmai.laopdr.com) is a good option for contemporary woven silks.

■ STYLISH FURNISHINGS If you’re willing to arrange and pay for shipping, Vientiane offers some great furniture buys. You’ll find exquisitely elegant pieces at Mandalay Furniture (011/1 Th. Francois Nginn; 856-21/218736; www.mandalao.com). The shop is run by Frenchwoman Marie Elene Boute, who combines Laotian designs with classic European styles.

■ HOME SWEET HOME When it comes to homeware, Cassidy sends guests to Canadian Sandra Yuck’s store, Caruso Home Craft (No. 8, Ban Phiavath; 856-21/223-644; www. carusolao.com). The store stocks unusual but striking salad bowls and other household items carved out of exotic hardwoods found locally, such as black-and-white ebony.

■ FASHION OASIS “Clothes shopping is a bit hard in Vientiane. There aren’t that many 48

choices,” Cassidy concedes. That said, she relies on French-educated designer Isabelle Souvanlasy at Tamarind (Th. Manthourad; 856-21/243-564) for her minimalist, Asian-influenced styles, usually fashioned out of airy linens and sumptuous silks.

■ BEST ROOMS Accommodation in Vientiane has come a long way from backpacker guesthouses. Cassidy suggests the centrally located Chantapanya Hotel (138 Th. Norkeokoummarn; 856-21/244284 or 856-21/241-451; www. chanthapanyahotel.com; doubles from US$35), which offers comfortable, tastefully decorated rooms and modern amenities at reasonable prices. If you’re after opulence, head straight for the stylish Settha Palace (6 Th. Pangkham; 856-21/217-581-2; www.setthapalace. com; doubles from US$98). Built in 1932, the hotel was restored to its former glory nearly a decade ago, and it still has the plushest rooms on offer.

■ SIGHT WORTH SEEING Behind Wat In Paeng—one of

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Vientiane’s numerous Buddhist temples—is the T’Shop Lai Galerie (111 Th. In Paeng; 856-21/241-352), which has recently turned its rooftop terrace into a center aimed at raising awareness of the plight of Laos’s elephants. (Laos was once known as the Land of a Million Elephants. Today, the elephant population has dwindled to around 2,000, according to scientists.) Called the La Maison de l’Elephant, the center also features a café and shop—all proceeds from which go toward elephant conservation programs.

■ COFFEE CORNER Though not as well known as Vietnamese coffee, Laotian beans produce a heady, aromatic brew.

Cassidy drops into Maison du Café (70 Th. Pangkham; 856-21/214-781) to sample some of the local brew. Just north of Nam Phu Fountain Square, this spot lacks in atmosphere but it’s earned the loyalty of European expats for its strong coffee concoctions.

Another favorite, the stylish JoMa Bakery Café (Th. Setthathirat, near Nam

Phu Fountain Square; 856-21/215-265) also does scrumptious sandwiches.

■ LUNCHING IN LAOS Makphet (Th. Setthathhirat, in front of Wat In Paeng; 856-21/260-587; lunch for two US$18) serves its version of East-meetsWest cuisine. “The cooking also brings French flavor and flair to traditional Lao dishes,” says Cassidy, “there’s nothing like it here.” Not only is the food delicious, but you’re also eating for a good cause. Run by Friends International, an NGO that works with street children, the restaurant, which opened in November 2006, also serves as a vocational school, training homeless teenagers in the kitchen and the dining room. Le Silapa (17/1 Th. Sihom; 856-21/219-698), which is owned by two childhood friends from Québec, Canada, offers a lunchtime prix fixe option for US$7.50. Still hungry? Nip into Le Banneton (Th. Norkeokoummarn; 856-21/217-321) for its French pastries and art exhibitions.

■ LA DOLCE VITA When it comes to fine dining, L’Opera (856-21/215-099), located right off Nam Phu Fountain Square, is your best bet. Run by a Roman, Pino Peruzzi, and a Milanese, Giancarlo Pozzoli, this

local institution has been dishing up homemade pastas and other Italian specialties for 15 years.

■ DRINKING IN THE SUNSET There’s no better way to end a day of sightseeing than sipping sunset drinks on the banks of the mighty Mekong.

The place to be is Mekong Deck (Th. Fa Ngum Quay; 856-21/263-226) in the center of town. “It’s right on the river; there’s basically nothing between you and the Mekong,” Cassidy explains.

■ RURAL RESPITES Though it’s still a far cry from the frenetic pace of Bangkok or Hong Kong, Vientiane is becoming increasingly busy, says Cassidy.

Fortunately, getting to the peaceful countryside is quite easy. One retreat is Ban Pako (856-30/525-7937; www. banpako.com; doubles from US$5), an eco-lodge situated along the Nam Ngum River, about 50 kilometers east of Vientiane. The lodge’s location is actually an archaeological site, and excavations have unearthed artifacts dating back two millennia. Guests can hike in the surrounding jungle and bamboo forests, visit nearby villages, swim in the river or just kick back. ✚

A waitress carrying a latte at JoMa Bakery Café.

Vientiane Scene Clockwise from right: Bundles of silk thread at Talat Sao, the city’s morning market; outside Le Silapa; sunset by the river at Mekong Deck.

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| detour

Javanese Jewel. Once the capital of Dutch-controlled

■ WHERE TO STAY GETTING THERE Take the spectacular, threehour train ride from Jakarta (US$12 for executive class) through the rolling hills and rice paddies of West Java to Bandung.

From the centrally located train station, take a taxi or, better yet, a horse-drawn carriage to your hotel.

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More than 100 years old, the Savoy Homann Hotel (112 Jln. Asia Afrika; 62-22/423-2244; www.savoyhomann-hotel.com; doubles from US$67) is Bandung’s bestknown hotel, particularly for its Art Deco décor. A walk through the lobby is like passing through time. Want something secluded?

Try the SanGria Resort & Spa (Jln. Hortikultura, Lembang; 62-22/278-8777; www. sangriaresortspa.com; doubles from US$55), located just 30 minutes from downtown Bandung in the garden town of Lembang. This getaway offers hiking and horseback riding, to name just a few activities. Or you can lounge by the pool.

■ WHERE TO EAT Bandung is a great place to try traditional dishes from the Sundanese, the indigenous ethnic group of West Java. Distinct from other Indonesian food traditions, Sundanese cuisine uses an oldfashioned charcoal grill and spices native to the region. There are food stalls on the south side of the train station, but Rumah Makan Sari Indah (103–107 Jln. Jen Sudirman) is a more upscale option. The Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers (390 Jln. Ir. H. Junda; 62-22/250-0303; dinner buffet US$15), located on a hillside overlooking Bandung, has one of the best buffet dinners in town, with a variety of Javanese and Asian choices.

■ WHAT TO DO If you want to experience local flavor, the town’s performing arts center, Rumentang Siang (1 Jln. Baranangsiang; 62-22/423-3562), holds performances of traditional Indonesian dance and theater, usually on weekends. The city has no shortage of shopping, mostly along Jalan Merdeka, one of the main thoroughfares. For a dose of fresh air, visitors can organize hikes during the day through the lush green hills and tea plantations that surround the town. Cozy up in the evenings at some of the lively pubs that line Jalan Braga, including the North Sea Bar (82 Jln Braga; 62-22/4208904), which is popular among local expatriates. ✚

Verdant Views From left: A glimpse outside of the train from Jakarta to Bandung; local horse carriage driver, Abah Mumuh, with his trusty companion Arjun; the garden at the Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers.

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Photographed by SINARTUS SOSRODJOJO

C O U R T E SY O F S H E R AT O N B A N D U N G H O T E L & T O W E R S

Indonesia, Bandung has maintained its charm and slower pace.

That might explain why the throngs from Jakarta flock here to escape the rat race. By JOE COCHRANE

preservation | insider

Malaysian Memories Clockwise from right: The Majestic's old and new wings; the spa's verandah; a guest room; the bar.

MALAYSIA

Malacca Redux. After years of neglect, a faded villa in a centuriesold port in Malaysia gets a five-star makeover. By JENNIFER CHEN n Asia, most developers’ attitudes toward historic preservation can be summed up in three words: tear it down. But Mark Yeoh, the president of YTL Hotels—a small Malaysian chain of luxury resorts—is taking a radically different approach. A self-professed enthusiast of old buildings, Yeoh was reading a newspaper while on a flight to London two years ago when a small article caught his eye. A fight was brewing between the Melaka state government and local preservation activists over the fate of the Majestic Hotel, a gracious, circa 1930’s villa in the port of Melaka (once called Malacca) that been left to rot for more than a decade. The government wanted to raze it and build a hospital in its place—a move the local heritage

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trust was resisting. Yeoh was intrigued, especially by a passing mention that the hotel had been owned by the Lims, a family of hoteliers who once ran the storied namesake Majestic Hotel (W. Somerset Maugham wrote about it) by Kuala Lumpur’s railway station.

Yeoh—whose company is planning to restore the Majestic in Kuala Lumpur—felt compelled to save the villa. “I never even knew of its existence, and they were about to tear it down. So I contacted the state government as soon as I could,” he says.

More than two years and nearly US$10 million later, the Majestic Malacca will be reopening its doors in the middle of January, with much of its original structure intact and newly agleam. Guests, however, won’t be able

to stay in the villa, which now houses the hotel’s reception, restaurant and bar. Instead, guest rooms and the hotel’s deluxe spa are located in a separate, 10-story building in the back.

Purists can rest easy, though: the new wing was designed to match the villa’s colonial style, and the rooms abound with period detail such as black-andwhite marble tiles in the bathrooms, antique trunks and four-poster beds.

The project has also inspired Yeoh to introduce a new line of hotels—YTL Classic Hotels—which he envisions will be an exclusive collection of historic properties. “Someone already owns the Raffles,” he laments, “but I’m always on the look out.” 188 Jln. Bunga Raya; 60-3/2783-1000; www.majesticmalacca. com; doubles from US$200.

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| sourcebook

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1 MATINA AMANITA Jewelry designer Matina Sukhahuta is one of the three sisters behind Sretsis, the cult fashion label popular with Hollywood starlets. Matina’s striking baubles are equal parts wit and whimsy. Sretsis; 2nd floor, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd.; 66-2/6561125; www.matinaamanita.com.

THAILAND

2 Mini-dress with galaxy pattern, Bt3,990

1 Cocktail rings, Bt12,000 to Bt20,000

3 Bathtub incense holder, Bt355

2 THE ODDYSSEE Fashion designer Prin Prinssachakul started his career in textile design, which shows in the imaginative prints and richly textured fabrics he uses. The Oddyssee; 3rd floor, Siam Center, 989 Rama 1 Rd.; 66-2/658-1173.

3 JIA LI These miniature hand-painted bathtubs were inspired by entrepreneur Jidapa Varanate’s travels abroad and fondness for all things vintage. Playground!; 818 Soi 55, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-7888.

4 OLIVIA DIAMONDS Diamonds are a designer’s best friend.

That’s jewelry maker Orawan Ingkhasit’s personal motto, though she also favors sapphires, rubies and other precious gems.

Among her fans are Chinese star Zhang Zhiyi. Olivia Diamonds; 2nd floor, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd.; 66-2/656-1375.

4 Fruit bracelet with sapphires, Bt30,000 5 Tea light holder, Bt270

5 ROOM INTERIOR PRODUCTS Pioneers in the Bangkok design scene, the team at Room Interior Products finds inspiration from an eclectic range of sources: from the Swinging Sixties to Victorian England. Room Interior Products; No. 417, 4th floor, Siam Discovery Center, 989 Rama 1 Rd; 66-2/658-0410; www. roominteriorproducts.com.

Made in Thailand. There’s a lot more to souvenirs in Thailand than kitschy sequined elephant pillowcases and baggy kickboxing shorts.

Here are some local up-and-coming fashion and design labels that are worth checking out. By JEREMY SNOWDEN 52

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Photographed by SITTIPUN CHAITERDSIRI

6 TAKE A LUXE Graphic designer Narttawat Thampipit wanted to steer his family’s screen-printing business toward a more contemporary direction. The result: floor and table lamps with black-and-white optical illusions.

Manga by Playground!; 1st floor, Central World Plaza, 999/9 Rama 1 Rd.; 662/613-1177.

6 Screen-printed table lamp, Bt8,900

7 EVERY DAY LIFE ELEMENTS Founded by a brother-sister designing duo, Every Day Life Elements creates riotously colorful hats and totes out of canvas and other durable fabrics. Zen Department Store; 5th floor, Central World Plaza, 999/9 Rama 1 Rd.; 66-2/100 9999; www.everydaylifeelements.com.

8 TAXIDERMY Photographer Namkarng Parivudhiphongs began making her leather accessories in bright, eyepopping colors when artist friends asked her to create portfolios for them.

Playground!; 818 Soi 55, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-7888.

9 T-RA Up-and-coming designer T-ra Chantasawasdee specializes in classy women’s wear and accessories that display superior workmanship and playful, unexpected details—such as this bag’s origami-like shape. T-Ra; No. 109, 1st floor, All Seasons Place, 87/2 Wireless Rd.; 66-2/654-3277.

10 ENLEVER SES VÊTEMENTS Born in Bangkok and raised in New York, menswear designer Suparerk Bhasaputra favors high-tech fabrics from Japan and precise tailoring. Think Commes des Garçons, but with a lighter touch.

Enlever ses vêtements; 116/10, Soi 23, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/640-8088; www.enleversesvetements.com.

7 Woman’s hat, Bt1,090

8 Leather business card wallets, Bt445

10 Men’s off-white dress shirt, Bt3,000 Jacquard jacket, Bt10,000 Jacquard trousers, Bt5,700

9 Canvas tote, Bt6,990 T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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| walk

Walking in Imelda’s Shoes.

PHILIPPINES

Detached from the overcrowded streets of Manila is a stunning architectural legacy of the country’s most famous first lady—a place one local tour guide delights in showing visitors.

By FLOYD WHALEY

Built to Last Clockwise from top left: A staircase inside the CCP Main Building; the façade of the Coconut Palace; tour guide Celdran regales a group with tales of historic Manila; Filipino architect Leandro Locsin’s floating concrete structure.

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nside the main building of the Cultural Center of the Philippines—a fading but still stately relic of 1960’s Manila—tour guide Carlos Celdran gathers a group of tourists and students around a bay window that looks out onto the surrounding oceanside complex. “This,” he says with mock grandeur, “is the world that Imelda built.”

“Imelda” is, of course, Imelda Marcos— the former beauty queen turned first lady and, quite possibly, the world’s most famous shoe fetishist. During her husband’s 20-year reign, Imelda led an infamously extravagant lifestyle. When she wasn’t amassing more than a thousand pairs of shoes or tossing off one-liners like, “Win or lose, we go shopping after the election,” Imelda built— specifically, big, important buildings that projected her ambitions. Among her most famous projects was the Cultural Center of the Philippines, or CCP—an impressive complex of theaters. And it’s where Celdran, a Manila native who conducts walking tours in a city that is notoriously inhospitable to pedestrians, starts his “Living La Vida Imelda!” walk—a twohour stroll through Imelda-commissioned architecture built in the 1960’s and 70’s.

The tour is just one of several offered by Celdran, who’s been running his Walk This Way outfit for five years. Though well aware of the city’s reputation as a concrete jungle, Celdran, a rotund, animated raconteur, enthuses wholeheartedly about his hometown. “If you want to change the way Manila looks, change the way you look at Manila,” he exhorts.

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TESA CELDRAN; RICK MEASHAM; TESA CELDRAN

As a long-time Manila resident, I am skeptical. But standing at that window of the main building of the CCP, I feel my opinions shifting. The area where the complex sits is made up of 21 hectares of land reclaimed from Manila Bay. Wide, empty avenues—rarely seen in this congested city—run through it. The architecture is built on a grand scale; these buildings were meant to be monuments. It’s like stepping back into the heady days of the 1970’s, before the Philippines fell into the upheaval that swept Marcos from power.

Wandering through the CCP Main Building, which today houses four theaters, an ethnography museum, galleries and a library, we learn that it was designed by the fabled Filipino architect Leandro Locsin, best known for fashioning concrete monoliths that seem to float. World-famous dance and theater troupes, such as the Kirov Ballet, performed here.

Our next stop is the Folk Arts Theater, just a short walk from the CCP Main Building. Back in 1974, Imelda ordered Locsin to finish the nearly 8,500-seat theater in just 77 days. The reason for the rush? The Philippines had been chosen to stage that year’s Miss Universe contest—a first for a developing country and a personal coup for Imelda.

Here, Celdran reaches his full narrative powers. Knowing that the pageant would place her country on the world stage, Imelda spared no expense on the theater.

But at the last minute, a typhoon struck and devastated the surrounding landscape. With obvious relish, Celdran details how Imelda

ordered the grass to be painted green and pieces of white tissue paper to be put into the trees to give the appearance of blossoming flowers.

“How many of these stories are myth and how many are true?” Celdran asks rhetorically. He then prompts us to our next destination with a brisk “Walk this way!”

We find ourselves at the Coconut Palace, which marked the beginning of the end of the Marcos era. By the time the palace was built in the early 1980’s, Filipinos were starting to chafe against the regime’s repressiveness and profligacy. To recreate the atmosphere of those days, Celdran hauls out a portable stereo and blasts Filipino protest music popular at the time.

Legend has it that the palace— constructed in honor of Pope John Paul II’s visit to the Philippines in 1981—was inspired by a visit Imelda had made to the provinces. The first lady had been disappointed that the homes in these poverty-stricken regions were humble. So, she ordered a palace made entirely of native Philippine materials—to show that local structures could be beautiful.

Not everyone approved, notably Pope John Paul II. He declined to stay at the palace, deeming it too showy, especially given the Philippines’ endemic poverty.

Thankfully, all was not lost, Celdran confides, and the building did play host to the likes of actor George Hamilton and actress Brooke Shields. “Brooke Shields was A-List back then,” Celdran notes. Walk This Way Tours; 63-2/484-4945 or 63-920/9092021; celdrantours.blogspot.com.

Baroque splendor abounds inside the Coconut Palace.

Celdran recounts the Coconut Palace’s origins.

Chandeliers in the foyer of the CCP Main Building.

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ways

Kauai Discovered. Take in the sea cliffs, pastures and HAWAII

rain-forested valleys of this tropical isle. By BRIAN BERUSCH Kayakers on the Huleia River.

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Go on a guided hike through Kokee State Park (1-808/335-9975; www. kokee.org), which borders 1,093-meter-deep Waimea Canyon, and see why its twisting dales and rock formations inspired Mark Twain to call it the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. For a more subdued encounter with nature, try Allerton Gardens (1-808/742-2623; www.ntbg.org), with 40 sea-cliff hectares and 268 species of rare native plants.

With Outfitters Kauai (1-888/7429887; www.outfitterskauai.com; US$98 per person), you’ll be river kayaking through mangroves en route to hidden swimming holes. End the day with a covered wagon ride across landscapes you may recognize from Jurassic Park.

The 2.4-hectare Kahuna Valley (1-808/822-4268; www.kahunavalley.org; doubles from US$159) retreat draws healing masters from around the globe to teach Qigong, Taoism, Reiki and Hawaiian Kahuna healing. At the spa, choose from hot-stone therapy, deeptissue massage or a starlit watsu session with mineral-rich waters from the nearby Makaleha Mountains.

Kiahuna Plantation & The Beach Bungalows (1-800/367-5004; www.

kiahunaplantation.com; doubles from US$260) has plenty of room for family fun; its 14 oceanfront hectares are ideal for picnics and pickup croquet games.

4 ADVENTURE It’s impossible to drive the roadless, 18-kilometer Napali Coast; instead, take in the dramatic 914meter oceanfront cliffs from the sea. Since 1980, Capt. Andy’s Sailing Sailing along the Napali Coast.

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(1-808/335-6833; www. napali.com; US$129 per person for five hours) has been navigating Napali’s waters— home to humpback whales, spinner dolphins and sea turtles. On the North Shore, test your adrenaline threshold on horseback treks, Zodiac boat rides and ziplining at the Princeville Resort (1-808/826-9644; www.princevillehotelhawaii.com; doubles from US$565).

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3 LUXURY

Lodgings at Kahuna Valley.

Specializing in lavish private house rentals on the North Shore, Pure Kauai (1-866/457-7873; www.purekauai.com; four nights from US$3,200 per person, double) is all about pampering. Your dedicated concierge will arrange everything from a beachfront luau to sunrise yoga or private surf lessons. The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (1-808/742-1234; kauai.hyatt.com; doubles from US$430) unveils a 1,858-square-meter addition to its Polynesian-inspired Anara Spa—book an open-air hale for a lomilomi rubdown.

The Grand Hyatt’s pool.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F O U T F I T T E R S K A U A I ; C O U R T E S Y O F K A H U N A VA L L E Y ; C O U R T E S Y O F G R A N D H YAT T K A U A I R E S O R T & S P A ; C O U R T E S Y O F C A P T. A N D Y ’ S S A I L I N G A D V E N T U R E S

5 FAMILY

2 WELLNESS

address book | insider

Tips from Top Concierges. Three hotel service pros, from New York, Moscow and Tokyo, share their advice, tools of the trade and best-kept secrets. By MICHAEL ENDELMAN MOSCOW MUST-SEE MUSEUM “Everyone wants to visit the Pushkin Museum or the Tretyakov Gallery, but people tend to overlook the Moscow Museum of Modern Art (25 Ul. Petrovka; 7-495/694-2890). It’s never crowded and it has excellent Russian paintings from avant-gardists like Ivan Puni and Vladimir Baranov-Rossiné. There’s a spacious courtyard filled with some modern sculptures, which is a nice contrast to the 18th-century building.”

BELUGA FOR LESS “For caviar shopping, I send guests to Dorogomilovsky Market (10 Ul. Mozhaysky, Khamovniki), a massive food market about 20 minutes from the center of town. The quality of the caviar is quite good and you can actually taste it before they put it in the tin. The prices are fantastic, about US$120 for a pound of beluga.”

GREAT VALUE

HOTTEST TABLE “Nedalny Vostok (15 Tverskoi Bul.; 7-495/694-0641; dinner for two US$160), which means ‘not-far-East,’ opened in January 2007. The room is slick and modern, but warm. The menu focuses on Russian-Asian fusion food; there’s an open stainlesssteel kitchen and an aquarium filled with giant crabs— their specialty. And it’s not fancy; the Russian crowd will be wearing designer jeans with jackets.”

BEYOND BORSCHT “For reasonably priced authentic ethnic food, try Uzbekistan (29/14 Ul. Neglinnaya; 7-495/623-0585; dinner for two US$80). They serve Uzbek, Arab and Chinese food in an ornate, Oriental-style space that looks like a Persian palace.”

F R A N K H E R F O R T/ B R A I N S T O R M M A N A G E M E N T

GREAT VALUE

Michael Hopf, Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow BACKGROUND Trained in

Berlin, St. Moritz and other cities throughout Europe, German native Hopf uses demanding service standards and a never-say-never outlook to help guests get the best out of Moscow.

Mother Russia Clockwise from top: Hopf; Uzbekistan restaurant; inside Dorogomilovsky Market; a statue in front of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art; salmon caviar at Dorogomilovsky Market.

VODKA SOURCE “A lot of the nightclubs have something called ‘face control,’ where they will only let you in if you are attractive or have tons of money. One place that is easier to get into and less expensive is Vodka Bar (18B Ul. Lva Tolstogo; 7-495/246-9669; cocktails for two US$20). They have an incredible selection.”

HARDEST DAY YET “Two Russian clients came in and wanted to go to the World Cup semifinal in Germany—the next day. It was a mad rush, but in the end, they spent about US$6,500 for tickets and another US$20,000 for the plane. Sometimes price is no object—it’s just about getting it done.” » 57

insider

| address book Maria Trejo-McDonald, RitzCarlton New York, Central Park BACKGROUND After more than two decades in

Manhattan, Trejo-McDonald, a model turned ballet dancer turned concierge, is agile at steering guests toward unique Gotham experiences.

NEW YORK MUST-SEE MUSEUM “A lesser-known stop on Museum Mile is the Neue Galerie (1048 Fifth Ave.; 1-212/628-6200), a Beaux-Arts mansion fi lled with Austrian paintings. They recently acquired a US$135 million Klimt ... Afterward, you can have Austrianstyle strudel at Café Sabarsky downstairs.”

HOTTEST TABLE “The toughest restaurant to get into is the Waverly Inn (16 Bank St.; 1-212/243-7900; dinner for two US$80). It’s a reinvention of a neighborhood spot, but Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter is a co-owner, and the place is very highmaintenance ... Sure, our guests enjoy the food, but they’re more excited about being surrounded by an Alist crowd.”

Only in New York From top: TrejoMcDonald; a salesperson at Rebecca Taylor; musicians at the Sunday brunch at Camaje; dumplings at Dim Sum Go Go.

DIM SUM DEAL “It can be a challenge to find a place in Chinatown that has a decent atmosphere but is still authentic. One that manages to do all that is Dim Sum Go Go (5 E. Broadway; 1212/732-0797; lunch for two US$40). The interior is modern and bright, and everything, from the roast pork buns to the shrimp rolls, is fresh and yummy.”

GREAT VALUE

TOP SHOP “To the experienced shopper who has done Madison Avenue and all the big department stores, I say, ‘Go to Nolita.’ I particularly like Rebecca Taylor (260 Mott St.; 1-212/966-0406). Her dresses are feminine yet edgy, sophisticated yet whimsical.”

GET YOUR FILL “A really reasonable, charming Village experience that I love is Camaje (85 MacDougal St.; 1-212/673-8184; dinner for two US$70), a tiny FrenchAmerican bistro.”

DESIGNERS AT A DISCOUNT “Gabay’s Outlet (225 First Ave.; 1-212/254-3180), in the East Village, carries overstock from department stores like Bergdorf Goodman. Soiffer Haskin (317 W. 33rd St.; www.soifferhaskin.com) is a showroom that puts on sample sales for brands like Paul Stuart and Loro Piana; for the schedule, look on their website.”

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J ESS I CA S C H WA RTZ B E RG

GREAT VALUE

TOKYO SUSHI FROM THE SOURCE “Get to the Tsukiji fish market by 5:30 A.M. to see the massive tuna auction, then have breakfast at the 150year-old Sushi Bun (No. 8, 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku; 813/3541-3860; breakfast for two US$45), where a meal will cost you a fraction of what you’d spend in the Ginza district. Their menu changes daily, but the dish that they are most famous for is anago (sea eel). Do as locals do and have a beer or a sake with your sushi breakfast.”

GREAT VALUE

ESCAPE THE CHAOS “Tokyo is quieter than other large cities. Still, the sheer number of cars, trains and people can be exhausting. That’s why I love the peaceful and often overlooked Asakura Sculpture Hall (7-18-10 Yanaka, Taito-ku; 81-3/3821-4549), the former house and studio of Fumio Asakura. The outside is stark, black and modern, but inside there are traditional tatami-mat rooms filled with mother-of-pearl–inlaid lacquer tables, and the brushes and chisels Asakura used to make his sculptures. Explore the elegant wooden walkways around the inner water garden.”

Adam Chapin, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo BACKGROUND A former

Japanese studies major, then a guest services officer at the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, Chapin was recruited for his fluency in Japanese and understanding of local customs.

Tokyo Uncovered Clockwise from top: Chapin; outside Sushi Bun; tonkatsu (pork) soup from Jangara Ramen; a stroll in the Daikanyama district; the exterior of Asakura Sculpture Hall.

GO UNDERGROUND “Taxis are really expensive, but the subway system is not as difficult to navigate as people think. The maps seem overwhelming, but there are English signs in every station. That said, don’t use the subway before 9 A.M. Rush hour in Tokyo is crazy.”

GREAT VALUE

SHOP LOCALLY “Savvy guests don’t want to go to the stores they can see in any city. For smaller boutiques and cool Japanese clothing lines I send them to the Daikanyama district, near Shibuya. Everyone loves the designs of Tsumori Chisato (11-1-1F Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/5728-3225). She used to work for Issey Miyake, but Chisato’s clothes are much more feminine, with bright colors and intricate patterns.”

T E T S U YA M I U R A

RAMEN 101 “I recommend Jangara Ramen (1-7-7 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku; 81-3/3281-0701; lunch for two US$25) because this chain has menus in English but isn’t touristy. Ramen is all about the toppings: bamboo shoots, fish eggs and pork slices. And why do the Japanese slurp their noodles loudly? It’s not rude—it’s supposed to enhance the flavor.”

BUZZ ALERT “Japan is an incubator for unusual trends. One of the latest is the Maid Café, several of which have popped up all over the Akihabara district.

These are just cafés, except all the waitresses are dressed up like French maids!” ✚ T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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CALIFORNIA

Beyond the Vineyard Clockwise from top: Lime Stone, a kitchen and interiors shop; a Carlo Marchiori handpainted dish from Ca'Toga Galleria D'Arte; furniture and tabletop items on display at Martin, a design showroom.

Napa and Sonoma Style. T+L scoured northern California’s famed wine country to find one-of-a-kind boutiques and charming small-town stores. From Calistoga to Healdsburg, these eight spots are definitely worth a visit. By JAMIE GROSS NAPA VALLEY CALISTOGA THE SHOP Nearly everything at Ca’Toga Galleria D’Arte (1206 Cedar St.; 1-707/942-3900) is hand-painted by the prominent trompe l’oeil artist Carlo Marchiori: the folding screens, the ceramic plates— even the barrel-vaulted ceiling, done Michelangelo-style with a celestial mural. T+L TIP Marchiori lives up the road, in a Palladian villa whose seven rooms are covered in frescoes. The shop can arrange a visit (US$25 per person; May–October).

THE SHOP The region’s best source for

small-scale artisanal wines, Enoteca Wine Shop (1348-B Lincoln Ave.;

1-707/942-1117), also carries hard-to60

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fi nd producers that the proprietress, Margaux Singleton, calls unobtainia.

Be sure to check out the glass cases in the back, dedicated to rare 100-point wines, so rated by industry experts like Robert Parker. T+L TIP Singleton is an expert on the area and she’s happy to plot you out a customized tasting tour, gratis.

ST. HELENA THE SHOP Interior designer Erin Martin spotlights an eclectic collection of furniture and objets d’art from around the globe in the loft-like Martin (1350 Main St.; 1707/967-8787). A recent visit turned up Moroccan stools made of recycled tires, and vintage leather wrestling mats from Russia (“perfect headboards,” she says).

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T+L TIP Add your name to Martin’s

mailing list for coveted invitations to her private warehouse sales (usually in May and October), where pieces are sold at or below cost.

THE SHOP With white-gloved shopgirls standing behind the counter and a glittering chandelier dangling from the ceiling, Woodhouse Chocolate (1367 Main St.; 1-800/966-3468) resembles a fine jewelry shop—and for good reason. Master chocolatier Tracy Anderson’s handmade confections, in exotic flavors like passion fruit and Thai ginger, are edible gems. T+L TIP Ask for a peek at the kitchen, where Belgian machinery whirrs and delicate truffles float down conveyor belts.

Photographed by ANGIE CAO

Wine Country Taste Clockwise from top left: Offerings at M Clothing; Être Sonoma; truffles from Woodhouse Chocolate; a wine sold at the Enoteca Wine Shop; ballet slippers from Flats.

THE SHOP Owner Jan Niemi designed more than 200 variations of the ballet slipper for her tiny boutique Flats (1232 Spring St.; 1-707/967-0480). An avid traveler who splits her time between California and Italy, Niemi has her shoes handmade in Tuscany (“Chanelquality,” the shop manager notes).

T+L TIP Call to find out when Niemi will return from one of her many scouting trips; her souvenirs (Italian jewelry, Indian printed fabrics) are often for sale at the store.

SONOMA COUNTY HEALDSBERG THE SHOP Lisa Palmer, wife of star chef Charlie Palmer, opened Lime Stone (315 Healdsburg Ave.; 1-707/433-3080) next

to her husband’s Dry Creek Kitchen restaurant in early 2006. In addition to avant-garde pieces (chandeliers made from wine barrels, buffalo-horn bowls), you’ll find basics such as the custom steak knives and table linens used in Palmer’s 10 restaurants. T+L TIP Stock up on shatterproof German titaniumcrystal wineglasses—they’re as good as Reidel, at a fraction of the price.

THE SHOP Marty Murphy has lived all

over the world, and her international sensibility informs the aesthetic of M Clothing (381 Healdsburg Ave.; 1707/431-8738), which specializes in ethnic-inspired pieces by West Coast designers such as Rozae Nichols and Turk + Taylor. T+L TIP Call ahead and

tell Murphy what you’re looking for.

She’ll prepare a fitting room full of selections.

SONOMA THE SHOP In a restored 1880’s bungalow off Sonoma’s main drag, Être Sonoma (156 E. Napa St.; 1707/939-2700) stocks a sophisticated mix of cult items, from wallets by Comme des Garçons to Anichini 450thread-count hotel linens. Around the corner, sister store Être Beauté (408 First St. E.; 1-707/939-7010), a small apothecary, has perfumes by Serge Lutens and Parfums Delrae.

T+L TIP Être Sonoma displays a limited selection of European antiques. For more, ask to see a catalogue of the complete collection. ✚

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insider | room

report

OVERVIEW Naumi— Singapore’s newest boutique property—aims to entice travelers in search of something other than a cookiecutter five-star hotel experience. From the outside, you’ll be excused for mistaking the 40-suite establishment as a giant piece of installation art. Metal structures adorned with green creepers flank the building’s façade. Once inside, the lobby bar’s floral motif is complemented by a fragrant ginger and lime scent that permeates the entire hotel. 41 Seah St.; 65/6403-6000; www. naumihotel.com; doubles from S$390.

Luxury in Miniature. Raising the

SINGAPORE

ROOMS Though predictably decorated in soothing neutral tones, Naumi’s rooms abound with an array of thoughtful elements: double-glazed windows that keep the street noise out; wooden shutters (only in certain rooms) that you can close for instant privacy with just a press of a button; and plush kingsized beds with 300-thread-count sheets in every room. We also happily noted extras such as yoga mats, huge plasma televisions and stand-alone bathtubs (except in the premium rooms).

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AMENITIES All rooms come with great perks: iPod docks, ergonomic chairs, IP telephones, espresso machines and toiletries from cult Australian brand Aesop. The luxury suites boast wine chillers and showers that double up as steam rooms. You can rent the video game console of choice: X-Box 360, PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii. Downstairs, guests can tuck into a hearty organic breakfast, while upstairs, they can drink in the view of the Raffles Hotel, Esplanade and Singapore Flyer (the city’s answer to the London Eye) from the 15-meter rooftop pool.

CO U RT ESY O F N AU M I H OT E L

stakes in Singapore’s boutique hotel scene, Naumi Hotel promises to deliver all the comfort of an exclusive resort, but with a personal touch. By HUI FANG

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StylishTraveler

The keys to cool This Shanghai Tang keychain playfully brings together classic Chinese icons.

By FAH SAKHARET. Photographed by SITTIPUN CHAITERDSIRI

aunched in 1994, Shanghai Tang staked its claim as a purveyor of luxury goods with its signature Mandarin-collared jackets cut from colorful, thick silks. Although it is renowned for taking traditional Chinese clothing and giving it an upmarket twist, what most impresses is how this Hong Kong–based brand interprets timeless Chinese motifs with just the right amount of playful irreverence. Current examples of this light touch include a wine-stopper topped with a pagoda, Chinese knots gracing a pair of cuff links and bug-eyed goldfish swimming across a robin’s egg–blue teapot. This silver-plated keychain has dangling from it classic and modern-day Chinese icons: the Communist red star, the character for “double happiness” and the qipao (the quintessential Chinese dress with a high collar). For a trinket that packs in this much symbolism, it’s a steal at US$80. In Shanghai Tang stores throughout Asia; www.shanghaitang.com.

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Printed silk dress and necklace, Marni; bracelets and ring, M.C.L.; shoes, Valentino.

Chiffon shirt and skirt, Louis Vuitton; pearl necklace, Chanel; shoes, Valentino.

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Cotton knitted top with ďŹ&#x201A;oral-printed silk skirt, Prada; necklace, Chanel; sandals, Tango.

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Cotton mini-dress, Kloset; shoes, Louis Vuitton; bracelets, M.C.L.; leather clutch bag, Hermès.

Hair and Makeup: Teerayut Chunon. Model: Liane Siebenhaar at Red. With thanks to the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang, Malaysia.

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PHOTO CREDIT TK

Slug:Location (Stylish Traveler)

Satin top and wool trousers, Kloset; bracelet, M.C.L.

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A Perfect Match

Having a few bespoke garments sewn up is a popular way to take home holiday memories. Yet many travelers ďŹ nd the tailoring experience more frustrating than itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth. KAY JOHNSON reveals the secrets to getting the best out of your tailor. Illustrated by WASINEE CHANTAKORN

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Some women have romantic fantasies of finding the perfect man. Me? I dream of the perfect tailor. After all, those of us who live in Asia know that the experience of tailoring is actually a lot like falling in love. Consider the similarities.

When you find a new tailor, you are full of hope. You feel the tailor can magically anticipate all your needs. You dream about your future together, full of fitted jackets and frocks that hang just right. And as in new love, you think to yourself: “This time, it will be different.” Fast-forward a few weeks and you find yourself crying over a pile of misshapen garments, wondering what possibly could have gone wrong. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Knowledge is power, and following a few simple rules (which apply to both men and women) can go a long way toward achieving true tailoring satisfaction next time you’re getting custom-made clothes.

1

Know what you’re looking for. “The most common mistake clients make is going to a tailor without knowing exactly what they want,” says Ngo Thai Uyen, an awardwinning Ho Chi Minh City designer who has sold to Western chains including J. Jill. And if you don’t know what you want, how can any tailor? Before you begin, make a plan and think specifics: “I want a couple of nice-looking blouses and trousers for work” puts you at the mercy of a tailor. A more workable plan: “I want two jewel-neck silk blouses like this one that I love and two pairs of dark-colored trousers in a cotton blend with some stretch.”

2

Spend time together. You can’t hurry tailoring.

Simmone Fairhead, founder of Hanoi’s Contraband Designs, believes rushed jobs are the single-biggest mistake among tailoring newcomers. “Many tailors say they can finish something overnight, but if you’re flying out the next day you’re more likely to be disappointed,” Fairhead says.

Insist on at least two days and ask the tailor to pre-wash the fabric to prevent shrinkage later. Fairhead recommends allowing time for at least two fittings. That means giving the tailor at least three days from start to finish, although four or five days is better.

3

KNOW YOUR OWN NEEDS.

Most people have a go-to blouse, skirt or shirt they pull out when they want to feel confident. Study that garment closely and look for the features that flatter your figure. For instance, V-necks or sweetheartnecks look good on full-busted women.

If in doubt, go for clean, simple lines.

4

HAVE ROLE MODELS.

Bring that favorite garment with you to show your tailor. While not strictly necessary, a sample allows your tailor to study the fabric and the cut herself. A model also allows you to analyze any problems in fittings.

Doesn’t fit quite the same? Hold up the new garment seam-to-seam with your model and see if it’s cut bigger or smaller in certain places.

5

Are your lifestyles compatible? Fairhead says many women fall in love with Asian designs like the flowing, Vietnamese ao dai only to realize later that they don’t have any occasion to wear it. So think about your real life first; then you can splurge on one or two experimental garments for fun.

6

Insist on the right stuff. Selecting the right fabric can make or break your outfit. If you have a model, study the fabric closely—is it lightweight or thick? Does it have some stretch? How does it drape? Is your new fabric similar enough? If you’re working from a photo, ask your tailor. Some danger points for women: Linen wrinkles unattractively in fitted trousers, satin silk shows bulges around the hips (better for shirts than dresses) and taffeta silk is too stiff for most everything but jackets (and never, ever for trousers, unless your name is Kate Moss). Cotton-silk blends or linen mixed with cotton often drape better and wrinkle less than 100-percent silk or linen. Cottons with Lycra are available but be careful—ask your tailor whether it will drape well or cling to any bulges you’d rather downplay. » T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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7

HAVE A TRIAL RELATIONSHIP. It’s easy to

go overboard and order five of the same shirt (one for every workday!), but doing so risks wasting money on five garments that don’t work.

Better to have one sample made and, if you like it, copy it later. This is especially true for people considering an expensive fabric; get the fit right in a cheaper fabric first.

8

Discuss your problems and work them out. One common fitting issue is the shoulders, says Uyen.

When faced with a large bustline or broader chest, tailors in Asia often overcompensate by making a garment too big in the shoulders—so look there first. Fairhead says the point of the sleeve should hang just at the point of your shoulder and the armhole should be deep enough to allow free movement. Also, examine the seams for straightness and finish—double stitching will make it last longer—and check whether the linings in jackets and skirts are too tight. With trousers, a common mistake is in the rise. Check if it’s too long or too short.

9

Be realistic. Expecting perfection in any relationship is perilous.

Fairhead says she’s learned to expect a success rate of around 70 percent even with the most gifted tailor. Adjusting your expectations may not be romantic—but it can also save you a lot of heartache. Once you let go of the fantasy, you can actually enjoy the experience more.

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TOP TAILORS AROUND SOUTHEAST ASIA Narin Couture, Bangkok In a neighborhood filled with cut-rate tailors, this store stands out with its tasteful, classic clothes for men and women. 180 Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/662-6648.

Victor York, Singapore Emphatically English, this Savile Row-inspired shop prides itself on beautifully cut suits and shirts made from quality European fabrics. 40B Boat Quay; 65/6220-5908.

Linva Tailors, Hong Kong Remember Maggie Cheung in In the Mood for Love? Stop by this classic shop for a show-stopping cheongsam. 38 Cochrane St.; 852/2544-2456.

A-Dong Silk, Hoi An Hoi An is renowned for the quality of its tailoring.

Though pricier, this longrunning establishment consistently gets raves.

40 Le Loi St.; 84-510/863170—J.C.

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DON’T GIVE UP.

As with a lot of relationships, it’s easy to blame yourself when things go wrong with a tailor. After all, like true love, good tailoring takes patience, time—and work. So, if a garment has gone seriously awry, don’t despair. Instead, chalk it up to experience, pick yourself up and try again.

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T+L Journal Collector Deddy Kusuma in front of a painting by Rudi Mantofani. Inset: An exhibit at Nadi Gallery.

INDONESIA

In the Picture Asian contemporary art is red hot, but if you don’t want to spend a fortune on a painting by a Chinese artist, consider Indonesia’s emerging art scene—before you’re priced out, reports JASON TEDJASUKMANA. Photographed by AHMAD DENY SALMAN CRUISING 80 ADVENTURE 83 REFLECTIONS 86 DISPATCH 89

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scene

Jakarta’s Art Beat Above: Outside Nadi Gallery.

Right: Nadi Gallery’s owner, Biantoro Santosa (right), and curator Enin Suprianto in front of a mural by Edy Hara.

foremost experts on modern Indonesian art and an avid collector for 25 years, was asked recently to select the best examples from his unrivaled collection of local artists for an upcoming book, he didn’t choose Indonesia’s acknowledged masters such as Affandi and Hendra Gunawan from the last century.

Instead, he submitted a list consisting mostly of painters in their 30’s who he believes are breaking new artistic ground for the country—if not the world.

“The young generation is producing works that are some of the best in Asia,” explains Dr. Oei, who displays some of his more than 1,500 modern Indonesian paintings at a private museum in his hometown of Magelang in central Java. “The prices of Indonesian paintings may be less, but not the quality.”

That may not be the case for much longer. Collecting art has long been a favorite pastime for the rich and powerful, but from Beijing to Boston, contemporary art in recent years has become a status symbol, intellectual badge and high-return investment all rolled into one for the world’s newest millionaires. With

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contemporary Chinese art already fetching millions of dollars at auctions in London and New York (alongside works by James Rosenquist, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol, no less), curators and investors have been prowling around other parts of Asia, looking for the next big thing.

Though Vietnam and India are attracting interest—and handsome sums—those in the know say they’re placing their bets on Indonesia. “Indonesian art is now creating a lot of buzz like Chinese art was five years ago,” says Jasmine Prasetio of Sotheby’s in Singapore. “Furthermore, the number of bidders has increased significantly and many from the West are also taking a look.”

Why Indonesia when there is so much talent in the region?

Explanations vary as much as the painters’ styles, but the city of Yogyakarta in central Java may hold part of the answer.

Located near the ninth-century Buddhist temple compound of Borobudur, the city is home to more than 200 educational institutions, lending it a bohemian atmosphere that encourages creative foment. Consequently, dozens of artists, like internationally acclaimed Balinese painters Putu Sutawijaya and I Nyoman Masriadi, have settled down in Yogyakarta. “Yogya is a conducive place for artists because there is lots of stimulation and it is cheap to live here,” says Nindityo Adipurnomo, co-founder of the Cemeti Art House, the city’s premier art space and community center.

The city also has a long tradition of welcoming artists, craftsmen and makers of traditional textiles like batik.

“Artists have a special place here and [this city] allows them to live from their art, which would be more difficult in a city like Jakarta,” explains Farah Wardani, director of the Indonesian Visual Arts Archive in Yogyakarta.

These days, though, Yogyakarta no longer has the sole claim as Indonesia’s art capital. Jakarta’s art scene is also on

a tear, with young dealers Oei Hong Djien with a painting by Galam Zulkifli. now jumping into the game.

The latest and one of the hottest additions to the scene is Ark Galerie in South Jakarta. Opened in April 2007, the gallery saw its first two shows sell out— before they even went on view to the public. The two owners, both in their 20’s, have added a sushi bar and café in the space, which attracts dozens of young visitors every weekend.

Another possible reason why contemporary Indonesian art has flourished is that it has an appreciative audience that’s willing to pay for it—a rarity elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where many people tend to cling to the traditional notion that art should be representational. Some Bangkok gallery owners speak longingly of Indonesia’s homegrown collectors of cutting-edge, experimental art.

One thing that people in the art world can agree on is that there is something extraordinary about the young Indonesian artists who are taking the market by storm. Take, for instance, the Kelompok Jendela, or Window Group—a collective of five Yogyakarta-based artists originally from Padang in West Sumatra, whose work is now highly sought after in the international market. Though each of the artists in this group has an individual style, they tend to veer toward austere abstract canvases and installations that slyly »

Abstract Expressionism Above: Yani Mariani Sastranegara’s sculptures at Edwin’s Gallery.

Left: Inside Ark Galerie.

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scene

Guide to Galleries Where to see Indonesia’s best new artists and buy their work: Ark Galerie 92 Jln. Senopati Raya, Jakarta; 62-21/725-4934.

Nadi Gallery Blok G3, No. 4–5, Jln. Kembang Indah III, Jakarta; 62-21/581-8129.

Koong Gallery 1st floor, No. 64–66, Dharmawangsa Square, Jln. Dharmawangsa, Jakarta; 62-816/932-770.

Ide Global Art Gallery 3rd floor, 91 Jln. Kemang Raya, Jakarta; 62- 21/719-8080.

Edwin’s Gallery 21 Jln. Kemang Raya, Jakarta; 6221/719-4721.

Langgeng Gallery 8B Jln. Cempaka, Magelang; 62293/313-338.

The Collection of Dr. Oei Hong Djien (by appointment only) 74 Jln. Diponegoro, Magelang; 62-293/362-444.

Cemeti Art House 41 Jln D.I. Panjaitan, Yogyakarta; 62274/371-015. jakARTa kolektors Check www.jakartakolektors.com.

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Art Insiders Clockwise from top: Ide Global Art Gallery; Herman Wihardjo (right), Ide Global Art Gallery’s owner, and curator Anton Larenz; paintings by Rudi Mantofani at Edwin’s Gallery; Jason Gunawan, one of the owners of Ark Galerie.

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comment on modern society. “In Indonesian art, I see much more than I do in new art from China,” says John McGlynn, who organizes monthly exhibitions of Indonesian art at his home in central Jakarta for a group called jakARTa kolektors. “They [the Chinese] seem to be painting for the collectors and not themselves.”

Whatever it is that distinguishes Indonesia’s latest crop of talented artists, it’s gaining them a lot of attention beyond the country’s shores. Works by the Jendela artists are climbing exponentially from sale to sale at Christie’s and Sotheby’s in Singapore and Hong Kong, some by as much as six-fold in just one year. “Every couple years there are new great artists emerging here,” says Francois Grossas, the French-born head of investment services at the International Finance Corporation and a serious collector of Indonesian art for nine years. “People think the same thing that happened in China could happen in Indonesia.”

And with more money from China, Taiwan and Australia chasing a limited number of works by Indonesia’s rising stars such as like Rudi Mantofani, Eko Nugroho, Handiwirman Sahputra, Agus Suwage and Yunizar, six-figure prices for artists barely out of art school are no longer unusual.

The artists themselves are at a loss to explain the phenomenon. “It is a gift that people like our work,” says Mantofani, 33, who cites Cy Twombly, Rene Magritte and Antoni Tapies as influences. “It wasn’t always like that.”

Indeed, Oei recalls a time not long ago when the Jendela

Edwin Rahardjo, left, owner of Edwin’s Gallery, in front of a painting by Sugiyo Dwiarso.

HIGHER AND HIGHER Indonesian art is affordable, but prices are rising. In May 2007, Christie’s saw three new records: ■ A Rudi Mantonfani work sold for nearly US$30,000, 160 percent more than the last highest price paid at Christie’s for his work in November 2006.

■ A piece by Yunizar sold for nearly US$60,000, around 600 percent more than the last highest price paid at Christie’s for one of his works in May 2006.

■ A Handiwirman Sahputra painting sold for just over US$62,400, 470 percent more than the last highest price paid at Christie’s for one of his works in November 2006.

artists used to come to him in the hopes of getting any kind of payment for their artwork. “Getting one of their paintings now is hopeless,” he adds.

Yet Mantofani, who helped found the Jendela group back in 1996, and other artists say they are not falling for the current hype. “The wind is blowing in our direction but we have to know how to harness it,” says the painter. “We don’t just want to be seen as affordable compared to Chinese art.”

That, in fact, is a real risk and one that collectors of Indonesian art warn of routinely. “This is temporary euphoria,” says Deddy Irianto, founder of the Magelangbased Langgeng Gallery. “Only some of these artists are going to make it really big on an international level.”

McGlynn, whose past five shows have nearly all sold out, warns of a bubble that could burst. This is especially because Indonesian art tends to go straight to the market without passing through the institutions that lend a legitimacy and imprimatur to artists in the West, where museums, collectors and dealers set the standard. There is no contemporary art museum in Indonesia and the discipline of art history is not even taught at universities here. “One of the reasons Indonesian painters do not command the same prices as, say, their Chinese contemporaries is due to the absence of art criticism,” explains Jim Supangkat, a freelance curator in Jakarta. “Without proper discourse it will be hard for collectors to know into what context their work falls and how to properly assign a price.”

The Indonesian pattern could, in fact, harm the country’s budding art scene. An artist’s fate depends entirely on whether he or she is in favor with a group of dealers, which is still relatively small compared to the constellation of gallery owners, curators and dealers in the West. The situation, say some, means only a select few have become the ultimate tastemakers in the market. “It’s all about instinct and I hope that people are buying because they feel a connection to the art and not just because they are hoping it will appreciate,” says Deddy Kusuma, a top collector in Jakarta.

For the moment, both seem to be occurring, with the bigtime dealers in Indonesia falling in love with gifted young artists such as Ay Tjoe Christine, Jumadi Alfi and Budi Kustarto, just to name a few, but also enjoying strong returns on their investments.

Still, passion, originality and talent are essential to an artist’s longevity, as one of the country’s old masters will attest. “I’m just releasing what is inside and trying to communicate it to others,” says Djoko Pekik, a living legend at 70. The Yogyakarta-based painter has dozens of his works hanging in a gallery in his home that would fetch tens of thousands of U.S. dollars—if he wanted to sell them. “If the art market wants to appreciate us, that’s fine, but if not, I don’t really care,” he says. That kind of attitude might not be what investors want to hear. But it’s one that will help secure contemporary Indonesian art a place in the international art market in the long run. ✚ T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A

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t+l journal | cruising

Want to hop all over the map without ever having to repack? JEFF WISE finds out what it’s like to go around the world in 80 days (or more). Illustrated by CHESLEY MCLAREN

Sea the World HE FLORIDA SUNSHINE STREAMS ACROSS the teak-planked balcony outside the living room as Mary and Laszlo Rendas—surrounded by a small cadre of valises and garment cases— settle into their new quarters. For the next 105 days, the 34-square-meter Verandah Suite will be their floating home-away-from-home, as Holland America’s Prinsendam sails through its annual world cruise to South America, Africa, India and the Mediterranean. For Mary and Laszlo, it will be an epic adventure, but not a novel one: they’ve taken the same type of trip every year for the past 22 years. “We’re hooked!” Mary says.

They’re not alone. Though around-the-world cruises are the most lavish trips marketed by the travel industry, running up to US$500,000 per couple, the cruise lines can barely keep up with requests for them. Fifteen years ago, only one company offered world itineraries; today, five do. In 2007, total capacity nearly doubled, as Cunard added the Queen Mary 2 to its world-cruising fleet, Holland

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America shifted its circumnavigating cruise to a larger ship, and Silversea jumped on the bandwagon with its 382passenger Silver Shadow. Even so, demand is sufficiently brisk that top-end cabins for these sailings are in short supply. “We’re already booking cruises that depart more than a year from now,” says Eric Maryanov, owner of AllTravel, an agency in Los Angeles. “And we can’t always confirm the cabin that a client wants.”

This heyday of the ultra-long cruise has been fertilized by an extravagance of two essential factors: free time and disposable cash. “The oldest boomers are turning 60,” says Andrew Poulton, Regent Seven Seas’ director of marketing. “They’re getting to that phase of their life where they have more time and money.” They’ve matured in an age of increasing international sophistication and curiosity, but they’re not at a time in their lives when they’re looking to endure great physical rigors

in their pursuit of new experiences.

Aging boomers aren’t the only customers, though. “More than 25 percent of our guests taking world cruises are under 60, and the number is increasing,” says Mimi Weisband, a vice president of Crystal Cruises.

That’s good news for the cruise lines, because once a passenger ascends to the ranks of world cruisers, he tends to stay there—Holland America reports that 50 percent of its world cruisers are repeat customers. The global voyage appeals to those who want to

Fifteen years ago, only one company offered world cruises; today, five do

see a lot of the world with a minimum of effort. Passengers can pack in a huge range of destinations in a single trip, with far fewer hassles and for much less money than if they had to negotiate an endless string of airlines, hotels and restaurants on their own. The experience is almost infinitely customizable, with cruises offering a smorgasbord of shipboard programs and land excursions. And anyone hankering for a more autonomous experience can simply get off, explore independently for a few days and then rejoin the ship at its next port of call. In fact, that’s encouraged.

Nomenclature notwithstanding, world cruises don’t necessarily go all the way around the world. The route the Rendases will follow on the 105-day “Circle of the Sun” itinerary aboard the Prinsendam, for example, will turn left at India, taking them home via the Mediterranean instead of eastward via the Pacific. (Trips can also be broken into shorter segments and purchased individually.) Whatever their specific itinerary, however, they tend to follow certain parameters: they always leave in the first half of January, to take advantage of the most favorable weather in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They cross the equator at least twice and usually cover more than 48,000 kilometers and 30 to 45 ports in between. As a rule, the ships are among the most lavish of a company’s fleet and command the highest level of service and amenities.

And the journeys are all very, very long, lasting from 80 to 126 days.

Thanks to this luxury of time, a world cruise takes on a rhythm different from that of a shorter voyage. The ship spends more days at sea, making long blue-water passages of up to a week in length. “On shorter cruises, everyone’s trying to drain every moment. People are rah-rah,” says Barbara Burr, a cruise enthusiast who runs a Long Island real estate and construction business with her husband, Carl. »

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2009 World Cruises Berths on cruises are often fully booked up to six months in advance.

É CRYSTAL CRUISES

Crystal Serenity Los Angeles to London, 108 days, departs January 20. 1-800/8041500; www.crystalcruises.com; from US$49,800 per person, double.

É CUNARD

Queen Elizabeth 2 Round-trip from Southampton, 106 days, departs January 6. 1-800/7286273; www.cunard.com; from US$21,586 per person, double.

Queen Victoria/Queen Mary 2 Round-trip from New York, 105 days, departs January 13. From US$20,004 per person, double.

É HOLLAND AMERICA

Amsterdam Round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, 114 days, departs January 4.

1-800/426-0327; www. hollandamerica.com; from US$22,349 per person, double.

“On a world voyage, you go at a slower pace. You have more time to enjoy things.”

And because they’re in a relatively safe environment, surrounded by the same roster of friends and well-known staff members, many passengers feel free to indulge in a more glamorous version of their usual selves.

Women bring furs, evening gowns and jewelry normally consigned to safe-deposit boxes. Some couples, reportedly, bring so much stuff that they book a second cabin just to store it all.

On a day-to-day basis, though, living aboard a world-cruising ship is getting more and more like living ashore. “It’s a change in mind-set,” Maryanov says. “You’re not out of communication or missing life’s major events just because you’re on a cruise.” That’s making the whole business a lot more attractive for the burgeoning number of younger, working-age passengers, many of whom still need to keep in touch with projects back home. “We have a family business, investing in and managing real estate,” says Dianne Schoolfield, a Florida real estate investor who sailed aboard Crystal in 2006 with her husband, Wayne. “We had our laptop computer and a printer with us. We were able to stay in touch with the office almost

É REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES Seven Seas Voyager San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, 115 nights, departs January 6.

1-877/505-5370; www.rssc.com/ worldcruise; from US$100,665 per person, double.

É SILVERSEA CRUISES

Silver Shadow Round Trip from Fort Lauderdale , 110 days, departs January 16.

1-877/760-9052; www.silversea.com; from US$62,400 per person, double.

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every day.” Plenty of world passengers are like Schoolfield, using the ship as a second home. “It’s a lifestyle purchase,” Maryanov explains. “Instead of spending the winter in Florida, they winter on board a cruise ship.

They come back each season to the crew and the friends that they met during previous trips. That’s why there’s a loyalty.”

Even devout world cruisers like a little variety, so the plotting of itineraries is designed to take advantage of special events.

The Prinsendam timed its arrival off the coast of Turkey in spring 2006 to coincide with a total solar eclipse. During last year’s sailing, Crystal Serenity stopped in Rio during Carnival. The sailing route, too, has to be more interesting. Last year, Regent Seven Seas’ Mariner made a first-ever stop at Maputo, in Mozambique; Silversea made maiden calls at Pitcairn Island, Robinson Crusoe Island and Easter Island. Upon reaching these distant ports, the ships may stay for several days, to let guests explore in depth, or even arrange land-based overnight excursions. On Crystal’s 2006 world cruise, passengers took side trips to explore Uluru in Australia, Victoria Falls in southern Africa and the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, among other places.

Although it may seem to some that embarking on a lengthy cruise is too much of a good thing—a means to checking off different destinations like options on a luxury car—consuming travel on this scale somehow still feels more, well, fulfilling than accumulating wine bottles or stuffing new acquisitions into a four-car garage.

Back aboard the Prinsendam, Mary Rendas is finishing up her unpacking and getting ready to track down all the friends she hasn’t seen in the past eight months. “We’ve become like a close-knit family,” she says.

“It’s wonderful to see everyone, and catch up on news, and relive old memories. It’s like a homecoming.”

Jeff Wise is a T+L contributing editor.

adventure | t+l journal A path winds up the side of Doi Inthanon.

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HEY SAY HIS SPIRIT will

protect the forest and the animals of Doi Inthanon,” remarks our guide—her palms gracefully pressed together in reverence—as we stand in front of a Buddhist stupa atop Thailand’s highest mountain. Around and below us spreads a scene more Alpine or Himalayan than tropical Thailand: a forest of pines streaked by a haunting mist, stark rocky outcrops brightened by spots of clinging moss, and visitors bundled in sweaters and jackets against a noontime temperature of 14 degrees. The stupa is a shrine holding the ashes of King Inthawichayanon, one the last kings of Chiang Mai and leader of the Lannathai of Northern Thailand. Inthawichayanon— after whom this mountain is named—was an environmental visionary, who realized the mountain formed a vital watershed, and he sought to conserve it. When he died in 1897, his daughter Princess Dararasmi carried out the king’s wish that his remains be placed at its summit.

“Do you think the king would be pleased if he returned here »

Spirit in the Sky

THAILAND

With a Lanna king as its guardian—and protected by national park status—Thailand’s highest mountain remains blessed with grandiose beauty, as DENIS GRAY finds while trekking with a Karen guide on Doi Inthanon.

Photographed by MATTHIEU PALEY

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t+l journal | adventure Mountain High Left: A wide variey of flora can be found on Doi Inthanon. Below: Campers taking it easy. Right: The summit shrine of King Inthawichayanon.

We eat breakfast to the accompanying piercing howls of a gibbon far off in the forest

today?’’ I ask our small tour group as we drive down from the 2,565-meter peak of Doi Inthanon to a roadside trailhead that abruptly vanishes into an enticing forest—the place from where we are about to begin our two-day trek.

Led by our young guide, Nongnut “Nut” Klaithin—who grew up on a farm near the Thai border with Laos before becoming a tourist guide in Chiang Mai—our party slips into the narrow trail to a secreted valley and follows the Mae Klang stream as it cascades down several dramatic waterfalls. Along the way, sunlight fi lters through overhanging trees to dapple the dancing, silvery water.

Crossing a precariously strung bamboo bridge, we find ourselves within a natural amphitheater at the foot of one of the falls: a jungle Neverland of soaring trees draped with vines and a torrent of water tumbling into foaming pools below.

Doi Inthanon—70 kilometers from the Northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai—has become a major attraction for nature lovers, bird-watchers and trekkers.

Those who simply want to boast that they’ve been to the “Top of Thailand” make up the majority of visitors to the national park. But this is hardly a grand feat, since tourist buses regularly travel the wide asphalt road that snakes up the slopes of the mountain to the perpetually cool summit.

The real thrill, sweat and escape comes to those who take to the many narrow trails carved from the mountain that crisscross this 482-square-kilometer national park and spend 84

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time at hill-tribe villages within the reserve. We are to stay overnight at Mae Klang Luang, a hillside home to some 240 Karen hill-tribe people. It is late afternoon when we arrive and most of the village is laboring in the fields, leaving the place to snoozing pigs, water buffalo and a few elderly villagers. Our Karen hosts for the night are Po Dee and her husband Cho Lu Ku, a farming couple who live on a hilltop above the village. They have opened one of their two stilted dwellings to clients of Nut’s travel agency, ActiveThailand.

Po Dee is a veritable whirlwind. Dressed in an embroidered traditional red skirt and purple blouse, and blessed with a smile that refuses to go away, the 44-year-old rushes about the place feeding pigs, chopping vegetables, obsessively sweeping floors, and leaping up and down stairs wielding heavy buckets of water. Fittingly, we dub Po Dee the “Karen Superwoman.”

That night, after a tasty dinner of potato curry, mixed vegetables, an omelet and fruit, eaten by candlelight (the village is without power), Po Dee—her enthusiasm unabated—tells us how much life has improved in recent years. In the past, she recalls, her four children were needed at home to help with the chores. Now all the kids are in faroff Bangkok, either working or at school.

The next morning, we eat breakfast to the accompanying piercing howls of a gibbon far off in the forest. Cho Lu Ku is to be our guide for the day. Like a number of villagers on Doi Inthanon, Cho Lu Ku and Po Dee earn extra cash by

Forest Retreat Above: Streaks of sunlight spear through the forest canopy, adding a mystical feel. Left: A Karen who lives on the mountain.

opening their doors to trekkers and acting as trail guides. He says the Bt100 a night per person they get from overnight lodgers helps keep their children in school and provides some daily necessities.

“It’s just a short walk uphill,’’ Cho Lu Ku announces before we set off. Perhaps for a hardy Karen it is, but it takes us nearly two hours of hard slog to reach the highest ridge line. But once there, we are rewarded with a panoramic sweep of richly forested slopes and rooftops of houses in some of the dozen villages within the park’s boundaries.

Those living on Doi Inthanon after it became a national park in 1972 were allowed to stay on the mountain and given assistance through development projects. Farming methods were improved and the fields of opium poppies— traditionally cultivated by hill tribes on the mountain—were replaced by cash crops. Tourism also helped bolster incomes and the lives of villagers improved. Now, more than 10,000 hill-tribe people live on Doi Inthanon; chiefly the Hmong— an ethnic group known to be industrious and commercially

minded—and the more passive Karen, who are bound to their fields and retain a peaceful co-existence with nature.

Although eco-tourism has in part stemmed the decline in recent years, Doi Inthanon’s once profuse wildlife is sadly depleted. In a nature center near the summit, silhouettes of animals that roamed the park 400 years ago, 40 years ago and today are displayed on a wall. In the past four decades poachers, mostly from outside the park, have decimated populations of tigers, leopards, elephants, bears and other species. However, Doi Inthanon still remains one of the best bird-watching sites in Thailand. Within the park, 386 bird species have been confirmed, including such rarities as the scaly-sided merganser and Japanese thrush.

We rest on the ledge of the ridge, looking out across uplands and valleys toward the summit of Doi Inthanon, teasingly veiled by clinging clouds. Up there is the shrine of King Inthawichayanon. We hope that his spirit can indeed protect this beautiful mountain’s remaining wonders, and maybe even restore those that have been lost. ✚

GUIDE TO DOI INTHANON WHEN TO GO The finest views are on offer in November and December. Keep in mind that from June to October monsoon rains can make trekking uncomfortable.

GETTING THERE Doi Inthanon is about two hours by bus from Chiang Mai. WHERE TO STAY Bungalows and tents can be rented.

Contact the Royal Forestry Dept.

61 Phanon Yothin Rd., Bangkok; 66-2/562-0760; www.dnp.go.th.

TREKKING ActiveThailand 420/3 Chang Klan Rd., Chiang Mai; www.activethailand. com; two-day treks from Bt5,100.

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t+l journal | reflections

Traveling Light When it comes to the things we carry with us—and the impact we have on the places we visit—less is more. ALEX SHOUMATOFF makes the case. Illustrated by BARRY BLITT of Russian naturalists and explorers, it’s not surprising that I’ve ended up making my living by traveling to the world’s kamchatki, as Russians call faraway places—remote, inaccessible corners of the planet like the Amazon, Madagascar and Tibet—and writing about them. I learned at an early age to travel light: my dad was a mountain climber, and in the late 1950’s and early 60’s, he took my brother and me up some serious routes in the Alps and the Tetons. We had to carry

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ESCENDING FROM A LONG LINE

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our own equipment, so naturally we kept it to a minimum.

Traveling light—literally and figuratively—is a habit that has served me well over the years.

During a nine-month stint in the Amazon rain forest in 1975–76, I lugged my gear in a canvas duffel bag, using the strap as a tumpline the way the Indians did. The bag, which also accompanied me to the Congo rain forest in 1982, where I spent two months running around with Pygmies, contained a hammock, a mosquito net, a poncho to put over them in case it rained in the night and my extra

clothes. If you’re traveling deep into a rain forest, there are two crucial things to have with you: a bottle of rubbing alcohol, which cleanses insect bites and reduces the urge to scratch them, and some powerful antibiotics in case you come down with a bad infection in the middle of nowhere.

They can make the difference between a sweaty night and dying.

I took a sidebag with secret compartments that no security check or customs search ever discovered (it and the duffel bag are both from Eastern Mountain Sports) for my valuables, passport, notebooks, small cheap camera and tape recorder, field guides to the birds and mammals, and background material on the country I was going to be casing. I tried hard not to look like a tourist (although of course that is what I was) and to blend in with the locals, to live and move with them. This is not easy in Africa, where you arrive in a village and are swarmed by kids screaming “Mzungu, mzungu! ” (“White guy, white guy!”).

On all of my trips it’s been the chance encounters, the experiences I didn’t plan for, which were most informative, sometimes even transformative. When I fi rst started going to New Delhi, in 1990, I stayed at the Oberoi, one of the most exquisitely palatial hotels on earth. But after a dozen visits, I discovered a small, cozy hostelry in Pajar Ganj, the seething quarter near the railroad station, called Lal’s Haveli. A room there with a ceiling fan, air-conditioning, hot shower and TV with remote is US$10 a night, and you’re in the thick of India. Breakfast was on the roof. I’d watch the sun come up and the city come to life and have long discussions with my fellow guests, a Nepali horse trader, perhaps, or a textile importer from Nigeria.

In the 1980’s, I started writing stories that entailed meeting the presidents of the countries whose indigenous forest people I had been hanging out with (most of them didn’t even know they had a president). Government ministers in Africa and South America are sharp dressers, so I had to look the part; to carry my dark suits and dress shirts and cap-toed oxfords, I switched to a suitcase. I schlepped the same black hard-shell Delco around for 15 years or so, until it was all scratched up and plastered with stickers and remnants of tape. The more beat-up it got, the less I had to worry about anybody making off with it. I also took along a small, cheap guitar to break the ice and jam with the locals and to pass the inevitable downtime—

like sitting on a platform in Lahore for four hours waiting for the train to come.

The arrival in the 1990’s of fast-drying, wrinkle-proof clothing, made of nylon, polypropylene, capilene and other synthetics, caused a major downsizing of my travel kit. It was no longer necessary to bring a suitcase, even if I was going to meet the president. I bought a suit and shirt, as well as a safari jacket with sleeves that unzipped and a million pockets, and long pants with zippable legs.

Whichever outfit I’m not wearing fits into a small bicyclists’ backpack, so I can carry it on the plane, along with my diminutive six-string Yamaha Guitalele, which I switched to after 9/11, when the gate agents started to insist that I check my guitar. Layered with long johns and a sweater, this expedition outfit is good up to 5,500 meters, as I discovered in the Peruvian Andes last September.

So I have the art of traveling light down pretty well, just as my dad did by the time he was my age. He’d started with 22-kilo packs, but in his later years was taking off for the Pamirs or the Caucasus with a pack no bigger than mine. The more you travel, the less, you realize, you have to take.

Traveling light— literally and figuratively—is a habit that has served me well over the years

UT TRAVELING LIGHT doesn’t mean just reducing your baggage. It means reducing your footprint or, rather, footprints: your carbon footprint, your ecological footprint, your footprint on the local culture.

Most of your carbon footprint comes from the planes you take. A liter of combusted airplane fuel produces up to 100 times more greenhouse gases than a liter of gasoline. You can take consolation from the fact that if all of the passengers on the plane drove to the destination in their cars, their collective footprint would be greater, but still, airplanes account for something like 2 percent of the total anthropogenic (human) contribution to the rising temperatures that are wreaking havoc on the planet’s ecology and weather systems.

Driving is not an option, of course, if you are crossing an ocean, which I’ve done hundreds of times. I would never have gotten to all those amazing places if it weren’t for the airplane. I met my wife of 17 years on the October 11, 1987, Air Ethiopia fl ight from Entebbe to Rome. We had both changed our fl ights at the last minute, and if I hadn’t been kicked out of my seat by the Ugandan minister of youth, culture and sports, and plunked myself down beside her, our three boys »

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The way you travel, as an individual, does matter, especially when you multiply your footprint with 1.1 billion others would not have come into this world. Our family’s destiny is entwined with the passenger airplane, going back to the 1920’s, when my father was the business manager of fellow émigré Igor Sikorsky’s aircraft company, which was developing the Pan American Clipper Ship.

There may not be much you can do about the airplane-emissions component of your footprint in motion, but once you arrive, there are plenty of ways to make yourself a more responsible traveler.

With the advent of ecotourism, numerous companies and operators are now sensitive to their environments, and they are the ones you should be booking. Are the local people getting anything out of my visit? Is it helping to preserve or to erode the local ecosystem and culture? These are the questions I think we should be asking.

In the late 1970’s, I was hired as the expedition leader of the fi rst adventure cruise up the Amazon.

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main river in Zodiac rafts. One morning we came upon some Tikuna Indians who had had little contact with the outside world and who sold us an extraordinary picture of forest animals, painted on an 20-by-25-centimeter canvas of bark cloth.

Fifteen years later, at the gift shop in Harvard’s Peabody Museum, I found a stack of “Tikuna bark-cloth paintings.” Their work had become worthless, kitschy tourist crap. Tourism can turn traditional cultures into ersatz replicas of themselves—look at the way the Hopi’s sacred kachina dolls are now sold as souvenirs.

But of course, tourism can also do good. The Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center, in the Peruvian Amazon, is completely staffed by local Indians. Jack’s Camp in Botswana offers “dignified tourism” among the Bushmen. The Masai of Shompole Group Ranch, in Kenya, are partners in the conservation business with the white Kenyan who built a luxurious eco-lodge in the hills above them, which they own 30 percent of and staff. They don’t kill the lions anymore, because they know that a live lion is worth US$20,000 in tourist dollars, and the money flowing into the community has brought running water to every hut while helping them to maintain their culture.

For the traveler who can’t be bothered with all these niggling little green do’s and don’ts, I offer the following South American folktale (which I got from Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Prize–winning founder of Kenya’s Greenbelt Movement and a powerful and courageous woman): There is a terrible forest fi re. All the animals are fleeing the conflagration except Hummingbird, who is flying back and forth, scooping up little slivers of water from a spring and dumping them on the flames. “What do you think you’re doing, stupid little bird?” the other animals ask derisively, and Hummingbird says, “I’m doing what I can.”

That’s what we all have to do at this critical juncture. The way you travel, as an individual, absolutely does matter, especially when you multiply your footprint by the 1.1 billion others who are expected to be in circulation by 2010. So let’s all tread as lightly as we possibly can. ✚ Alex Shoumatoff is a T+L contributing editor.

dispatch | t+l journal

MEXICO

Villa Escobar In Tulum, the vacation home of the world’s most notorious drug lord is now a luxury ecoinn—if only the walls could talk. By MARK HEALY. Photographed by MORGAN & OWENS

YOGA CLASS HAS BROKEN OUT in Pablo Escobar’s living room. The sounds of deep, mindful breathing drift through the spacious foyer like a mild ocean breeze, while strength and serenity go toe-to-toe beneath the thatched palapa roof. At a newly tiled counter down the hall, a blender whirs, smashing mango, ginger and wheatgrass for the heaving, sweaty guests prostrating themselves on the floor. A few choice pieces of driftwood have been casually assembled on the living-room landing, and Tibetan prayer flags hang from the ceiling. Somewhere someone is dozing off while having her feet rubbed.

Pablo would have hated this.

The pair of grand three-story beach houses that command an impressive stretch of sand a few kilometers south of Tulum’s primary drag of eco-lodges, restaurants and beachfront palapas are now known as Casa Magna I and II. Their current occupant— Melissa Perlman—an American who owns and operates Amansala, a self-described “ecochic spa” nearby, has renovated the properties, which are believed to have been built by the drug kingpin in the mid 1980’s. It is unclear whether Pablo Escobar, the Colombian cocaine trafficker who was responsible for moving more of that seductive white powder than just about any other individual ever, got around to naming the houses or even »

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Laid Back Above: The beach at Casa Magna. Top: The public-access beach below Mayan ruins.

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if their construction was complete when he was gunned down near his home in Medellín, Colombia, in 1993. It is also not entirely clear if Escobar actually owned them at all—it’s a connection the house’s American owner isn’t eager to scrutinize—but the big white beach houses seem to fit squarely into the excesses of Escobar’s lifestyle: what suits an 80’s drug lord better than a pair of grand stucco houses on a secluded Caribbean beach?

Rising between a dense, vibrant jungle and the as-yetuntrampled sweet spot of the Mexican Caribbean, it is hard to imagine a more desirable location in the Yucatán.

Casa Magna has the largest and, by most accounts, sturdiest structures in Tulum, where low-key palapas and quaintly hippie rent-a-hammocks are only now giving way to smallish resorts, spas and a few boutique hotels; the southernmost section of Tulum’s only coastal road, which includes the stretch in front of Casa Magna, was been paved for less than a year. It’s also hard to imagine a more luxurious roof to put over the heads of you and your 20 closest friends for a week’s vacation.

Certainly that’s what Pablo would have had in mind. (He owned as many as 19 homes in Medellín alone and threw famously lavish and lengthy parties.) In the larger of the Tulum houses, there are no fewer than five master bedrooms, each with a private terrace, a massive poured-concrete tub and ocean views. The common rooms on the first floor were made for elaborate spreads, expressions of excessive opulence and decadence, fitting a host who once ranked on the Forbes list of billionaires and who was wanted by some of the world’s most persistent law-enforcement agencies. The living rooms were large, and with their long, open staircases and mezzanine balconies, made for spectators. A room now filled with soft sectional couches, candles and Chinese lanterns was once a private dance floor.

It’s easy to picture Pablo here with his cohorts and lieutenants, and the telenovela stars and pop singers he coaxed to his beach house. You can imagine the drugs and bad music, the uneasy tug of respect by intimidation, the whiff of sexual slavery and riches acquired beyond the pale. It doesn’t fully jibe with the health and tranquility offered by the new management, but then isn’t Pablo’s connection, however tenuous, also part of the appeal? The source of all this luxury doesn’t coincide with mere fame—as if it had been the getaway of Merv Griffin or Lionel Richie—but genuine, fearsome notoriety. It’s not merely the home of some anonymous rich man, but a legendary outlaw. While Perlman stresses that the opulence of Casa Magna is balanced by “that bohemian-chic thing,” she understands the power of Pablo. “The history of it just

It is easy to picture Pablo here with his cohorts and the lieutenants, the telenovela stars and pop singers he coaxed to his beach house Clean Living From top: Casa Magna’s eastern terrace; a belly-dancing class in the yoga studio; a suite in Villa I.

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dispatch | t+l journal adds to that.” Indeed, for every colonial mid-Atlantic inn that claims to have provided shelter to General Washington, there’s a ranch that was raided by Jesse James. I’ve drunk shots at a hotel bar where Butch Cassidy supposedly carved his name after robbing the Telluride bank, and fed quarters into a jukebox at a Long Island motel where the Rolling Stones stayed while recording Black and Blue. And what trip to New York’s Sparks Steak House is complete without noting that Gambino mob boss Paul Castellano was gunned down on the street outside?

Gangsters’ life expectancies may be short, but they do know how to live while they’re still living. Vacationing in Escobar’s villa comes with a lifestyle seal of approval, an endorsement by a man who had no budget to stick to and who knew no limits. The man who had everything built these houses, chose this stretch of land. The appeal—and the irony—is just how well-suited the place has turned out to be for its reincarnation as a small resort hotel. The secluded location. The slightly decadent ambiance. The grandiosity, the thick, bullet-proof walls. The privacy and quiet, the amazing views—or are those lookout turrets? Come to think of it, might there not be an essential correspondence between the life of crime and the lap of luxury?

What is clear is that the government documents Perlman received when they finalized the lease described the villas as “narco-trafficking seizures,” but, she adds, “We get mixed stories.” And though the Casa Magna website strikes a note of certainty—“Originally built by the Colombian Pablo Escobar”—Perlman concedes that the history is a bit murky.

It’s true that the houses share some curious features: a tunnel that runs the 100 or so meters between the two structures and an unusual roof. While a bit too narrow to act as a reliable heliport, it offers many natural lookouts and one could imagine it being patrolled by armed guards on the alert for federales traveling by sea or plowing their Jeeps down the jungle road. U.S. authorities, however, seem to have no knowledge of the properties.

Mark Bowden, whose Killing Pablo is the definitive book on Escobar, has no knowledge of the drug lord owning any Mexican property, though he acknowledges that it would certainly have fit his character. “I know Pablo was given to excesses,” Bowden says, “and building himself grand homes was something he enjoyed.”

Some locals, however, are happy to provide alternative theories. They say that they were built not for Escobar but by Escobar, as an expression of gratitude toward then president of Mexico, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, who looked the other way as Escobar’s smuggling operation deployed speedboats offshore. Others believe that the homes were indeed built by drug dealers, but none that went by the name Escobar. They were criminals of lower profile and less renown. But perhaps it’s better not to mention that theory, because believing that, well, that would just ruin everything.

Sights and Tastes Top: Tulum’s famous Mayan ruins atop a rocky outcrop.

Right: Fish tacos at Casa Magna.

GUIDE TO CASA MAGNA WHEN TO GO Several major airlines fly directly from the United States to Cancún Airport, about a 90-minute drive from Tulum.

WHERE TO STAY Casa Magna Km 9.5, Carr. TulumBoca Paila; 52-998/185-7430; www. amansala.com; US$1,842 per person for six nights, including meals, two massages, yoga and an excursion to the Tulum ruins.

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H Before and After Above: The Hotel Lisboa casino, overlooking the construction site of the Grand Lisboa, with the Macau Tower in the background. Left: The finished product: the completed Grand Lisboa at night. Below: Inside the Venetian Resort.

OW CAN YOU BE nostalgic about a

place that you’ve only just gotten to know? This is the question I keep asking myself during a lunch in Macau, the former Portuguese colony that is now a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. I’m on one of Macau’s two islands, Coloane, in a splendid Macanese café on the Largo Eduardo Marques, a square paved in characteristic swirling patterns of black and white cobblestones. Nga Tim Café features open-air dining under an awning expediently constructed around a couple of giant banyan trees, and the whole setup is tucked away behind a Mediterranean colonnade painted creamy yellow, the signature hue of Portuguese colonial architecture here. A friend and »

Gambling on the Future MACAU

D AV I D H A R T U N G ( 2 ) ; F A H S A K H A R E T

In Macau—fast on its way to becoming the Las Vegas of Asia—spectacular, over-the-top casinos are rising amid surprisingly well-preserved colonial sites.

KARRIE JACOBS reports

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I sit messily devouring jumbo crab and drinking Vinho Verde, the refreshing young Portuguese wine. Perhaps the nostalgia is a direct result of the Vinho Verde, but I prefer to think it’s a product of what I know about Macau’s immediate future.

My field trip is actually my third quick visit in the space of three weeks. I’ve been staying in China’s bigger, betterknown SAR, Hong Kong, an hour away by high-speed ferry. And on my two previous expeditions, I spent time with the developers that are determined to transform this once quiet cluster of peninsula and two islands, where the Pearl River Delta meets the South China Sea, into “Asia’s Las Vegas.”

Coloane Village, like many sections of this outpost established by Portuguese traders in 1557 and handed back to China in 1999, is an intriguing fusion of European and Asian cultures. It follows the contours of the harbor, with the vivid red Tam Kung Temple (a Taoist shrine to the god of the seafarers) at one extreme, shops selling a curious array of dried salted fish at the other and, somewhere in the middle, Lord Stow’s Bakery, home of exceptional egg tarts. But when I look past the fishing pier at the far end of the harbor, I can see the cluster of cranes that marks the Cotai Strip, which has been hailed by its developer, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, as “the biggest tourism project in world history.”

OTAI IS A COINAGE FOR the 1 kilometer sliver of

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reclaimed swampland that connects Coloane to Taipa, the next island over. If there’s no traffic, it’s a swift five-minute drive from the Macau airport and roughly the same distance from the border from Zhuhai, China. The concept—which supposedly came to Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson in a dream—is simple: “We want to replicate the Vegas strip,” explains Medardo “Mikki” Estrada, the Sands Corporation’s director of Cotai design, “but with a more disciplined approach.” Estrada’s office on Macau’s peninsula overlooks the posh 15,500-square-meter gold glass–clad Sands casino that the company opened in 2004 on Avenida da Amizade (Friendship Avenue), a wide boulevard lined with vintage 1960’s and 70’s casinos that tourism boosters sometimes refer to as “the new Macau Strip.”

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Far East Vegas Above: The artificial volcano at Fisherman’s Wharf. Left: The promenade at the wharf. Opposite, top: Senado Square, in the center of Macau.

Below: The Casino Lisboa.

Estrada uses a laser pointer to walk me through a wallmounted plan of the Cotai Strip’s eight development sites.

The flagship of the development is a new version of the Las Vegas Venetian Casino Resort, opened in August last year.

The Venetian complex alone features 55,750 square meters of gaming—the largest in the world, and home to 870 gaming tables and more than 3,400 slot machines; a 15,000seat sports arena; 111,500 square meters of convention and exhibition space; the largest pillarless ballroom in Asia; catering facilities to provide a five-course banquet for 15,000 guests; a 27.5-meter-tall “wow space” (casinospeak for “spectacle”) involving tall, curving escalators; a rooftop 18hole putting course ringed by lavish VIP suites; and a wave pool. A Cirque de Soleil franchise will open early this year.

One of the facility’s three indoor canals has dragon boats instead of gondolas.

A model of the Cotai scheme, kept in a special media

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Gambling has been one of Macau’s attractions since the mid 19th century

room adjacent to the Sands casino, suggests that the strip will be lined with extreme architecture of the sort that controversial Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas might favor, but it’s more likely that the development will favor the established forms of Las Vegas–inspired design. The Venetian, of course, looks Venice by way of Nevada, and other casinos on the strip, many built by the Sands, and hotels managed by the Four Seasons and Shangri-La, will be “Portuguese-contemporary-colonial” or “Tibetan-feel” or “Tuscany-maybe.” More avant-garde, perhaps, will be the City of Dreams, a complex to be constructed by Melco—a company run by Lawrence Ho, son of local mogul Stanley Ho. Phase one is targeted for opening by March 2009, and will also include a 366-room Hard Rock Hotel and the 295 all-suite Crown Towers Hotel.

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LTHOUGH THE CURRENT FLOOD of international

gaming money is a new development, gambling has been one of Macau’s attractions since the mid 19th century.

As Hong Kong grew into a booming trading post, Macau, a backwater run by a lesser colonial power, faded. But after World War II, its reputation for casinos (and related vices)

grew. In his book Thrilling Cities, James Bond author Ian Fleming wrote of an evening he spent in the early 1960’s at what was then Macau’s premier nightspot: “The Central Hotel is not precisely a hotel. It is a nine-story skyscraper, by far the largest building in Macau … The higher up in the building you go, the more beautiful and expensive are the girls, the higher the stakes at the gambling tables, and the better the music.”

There is still a Central Hotel, but it is now a seedy two-star lodging. In the 1970’s, the action shifted to Stanley Ho’s Hotel Lisboa, a complex marked by a round, neon-covered tower topped with what appears to be a giant roulette wheel.

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report Wynn Macau

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Casinos, shopping centers, hotels and more casinos—here are the city’s new developments: planned, under construction or recently built

The Venetian Resort

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HINK EXCESS AND YOU’VE GOT IT. It is an old-style

Chinese casino, smoky and full of men mainly, gambling with a quiet intensity, the low rollers playing a dice game called big/small, and the players in roped-off VIP rooms focusing on Bond’s game, baccarat. The girls, expensive and not-so-expensive, reputedly hang out in the lower-level arcade. The Lisboa, Macau’s premier tourist draw until the Sands opened its doors, has been superseded by the Grand Lisboa, a 44-story tower shaped like a Las Vegas chorus girl’s headdress that Stanley Ho has almost completed. Its casino opened in February 2007, while the hotel tower will be completed in the first quarter of this year.

From 1961 until 2002—the years when he had a monopoly on gaming—Macau was Stanley Ho’s town. He and some of his 17 children (from four wives) and his various companies and subsidiaries still own 16 Macau casinos, plus the high-speed ferries and terminal, part of the airport, and the landmark Macau tower. In 2002, the Macau government decided to offer opportunities to several other casino operators, including Las Vegas’s Sands and Steve

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Wynn, as well as the Hong Kong–based Galaxy. The Nevada operators brought with them the newfound respectability and over-the-top showmanship that they had used to reinvent the Las Vegas strip in the 1990’s.

In September 2006, Wynn Resorts opened its casino and 600-room hotel across Avenida da Amizade from the Lisboa. It’s bronzed-glass wedge is much like the new Wynn Las Vegas, but surrounded by a two-story liner of faux Portuguese-colonial architecture. Grant Bowie, president and general manager of Wynn Resorts Macau insists, “We are not creating a new Las Vegas in Macau. What we’re creating is a new Macau.” Steve Wynn is, in relative terms, a sensitive casino developer. The faux-Portuguese element, Bowie tells me, gives the building “a level of sympathy and harmony.”

Personally, I don’t mind Wynn’s semi-Modernist tower; my real problem is with the pseudo-Portuguese trim. In fact, it was in Bowie’s office that I experienced my first twinge of nostalgia. Macau is a wonderfully complex, very real place with a rich, 450-year history, which is quickly being overrun

C L O C K W I S E F R O M B O T T O M L E F T : FA H S A K H A R E T ; C O U R T E SY O F M G M M I R A G E ; C O U R T E SY O F P O N T E 1 6 ; FA H S A K H A R E T ; C O U R T E SY O F T H E W Y N N M A C A U ; C O U R T E SY O F T H E S A N D S M A C A O ; A N D R E W R O WAT

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THE NEW MACAU

by the purveyors of faux places and fake history. Granted, the historic core of Macau’s peninsula, named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, is home to a remarkable collection of meticulously restored Catholic churches, houses and public buildings, plus a handful of Chinese temples.

There is the iconic St. Paul’s Church, now just a stone façade, and St. Dominic’s, a 16th-century church with a genuinely ethereal sanctuary and a bell tower housing an impressive multistory display of sacred art. Senado Square, the center of non-gambling life in Macau, has perhaps been gussied up a bit too much, but it genuinely feels like a lost corner of Europe.

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OR ME, THE REAL PLEASURE in Macau is in roaming the

backstreets, stumbling on enclaves of antique houses— some restored and others crumbling—or the hilltop Guia Fortress, a 19th-century lighthouse abutting a 17th-century fresco-decorated chapel. That this all still exists can be attributed to a massive preservation effort begun by the Portuguese before the hand over, something that the English in Hong Kong never thought to do. Sadly, the UNESCO designation has not proven to be as big a draw as expected, and the heritage tourists are a mere trickle compared with the gamblers.

In 2003, a year before the Sands opened its doors, China changed its tourism policy and, for the first time, allowed individuals to travel unescorted across the border to Macau.

In the 12 months to July 2007, well over half of Macau’s 24.6 million visitors came from the mainland. The government is predicting 40 million visitors a year by the end of the decade. The general assumption here is that Chinese tourists, besides having a keen interest in gambling, are suckers for themed attractions. Much of the development in Macau is elaborate stagecraft, intended to lure the masses from Zhuhai and beyond. After all, there are 1.3 billion

potential tourists and gamblers just across Macau’s inner harbor. After lunch and a stop at the beguiling 19th-century Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, in central Macau, I make my way to Fisherman’s Wharf, 121,000 square meters of waterfront shopping mall, developed, in part, by Stanley Ho. As the afternoon light fades, I blend into mob of tourists and locals and meander past gift shops and restaurants set in fragments of ancient Rome, South Beach Miami, New Orleans, Amsterdam and Lisbon, and wind up standing in front of a Tang Dynasty gate. Fisherman’s Wharf also boasts a fake volcano, like the one at the Mirage in Las Vegas, except this one houses a roller coaster and a Victorian-style hotel. I walk back to the Macau–Hong Kong ferry terminal, halfbelieving Fisherman’s Wharf was conjured up not by Ho but by some French theorist eager to prove a point about simulation and the Society of the Spectacle.

Change happens so fast in Macau that it makes my head spin. There is no telling what will occur when the planned bridge linking Macau, Zhuhai and Hong Kong is completed (2010 is the optimistic projection). Dozens of casinos have debuted or are scheduled to along the old “new Macau strip,” including the Wynn, the Galaxy and the Grand Lisboa. The MGM Grand (developed in partnership with Ho’s daughter, Pansy), opened late last year. The 1,005room Grand Hyatt Macau hotel is scheduled to open in September 2009. And then there is a development (in which Ho has a controlling interest) called Ponte 16. Another mixed-use spectacle zone, this one designed by Jon Jerde— known for, among other things, his work on Wynn’s Bellagio—is “rich in the spirit of European-urban hubs.” It opened in late 2007.

I guess it can be argued that casinos are the 21st-century answer to cathedrals. But I find that I am nostalgic for the old Macau … Macau as it used to be, back in the final weeks of 2006.

GUIDE TO MACAU

M A P B Y AYA D S I N A W I

WHEN TO GO October, November and December are the best months to visit subtropical Macau, when the weather is cool and relatively dry. Think twice about going in September, when typhoon season is at its peak.

GETTING THERE There are several airlines servicing Macau from other Asian cities, including regional budget carriers such as Viva Macau, Air Macau, AirAsia and Tiger Airways. Most major airlines have flights to Hong Kong from cities in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.

From Hong Kong, take a ferry to Macau (or a helicopter — a much speedier alternative).

WHERE TO STAY Wynn Macau Rua Cidade de Sintra NAPE;

853/986-9966; www.wynnmacau.com; doubles from US$230.

an all-important historic monument near Senado Square.

Hotel Lisboa 2–4 Avda. de Lisboa; 853/28883888; www.hotelisboa.com; doubles from US$110.

Mandarin Oriental 956–1110 Avda. da Amizade; 853/793-3261; www. mandarinoriental.com; doubles from US$283.

Crown Macau (the hotel is known as Crown Towers but it is contained within the Crown Macau complex) Avenida de Kwong Tung; 853/2886-8888; www.crown-macau.com; doubles from US$293.

WHAT TO DO St. Paul’s Church The original façade is all that’s left of the derelict 17th-century church, J A N UA RY 2 0 0 8| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M

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THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AND MANHATTAN. PHOTOGRAPHED BY HUGH STEWART

100 A new buzz in old HONG KONG 110 HOKKAIDO: wild winter landscapes 118 Capital pleasures in PHNOM PENH 130 BROOKLYN with attitude and energy 99

Where restaurants and bars buzz nightly, while art and fashion play against the worn, faded backdrop of old Hong Kong. By DAVID WONG. Photographed by GRAHAM UDEN

Traditional Chinese lanterns at Chow Kee Lantern Store on Staunton Street.

OHO, AND ITS COME-LATELY NEIGHBOR NoHo, have established themselves as hip alternatives to nearby Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong’s premier dining and entertainment area. What is drawing many to SoHo/NoHo, and away from its more famous and predictable rival, are its contrasts. It is an area where bars, high-end restaurants and art galleries share narrow streets and alleyways with the mottled shopfronts of some of the oldest businesses in Hong Kong. Print houses, clanging metal shops, tiny factories turning out coffins and cardboard boxes, and purveyors of Chinese knickknacks sit side-byside places like bricolage62—where designer-clad girls sip rainbow-colored cocktails—and Joyce Is Not Here, where incense from a nearby Taoist temple invades while patrons sit bathed in blue neon listening to soulful jazz.

SoHo (a neat, truncated acronym for South of Hollywood Road) defines an area of Hong Kong that clambers up a steep incline from the city’s Central District to the Mid-Levels, while cleverly alluding to more famous namesakes in New York and London. (NoHo works to the same rule, as in North of Hollywood Road.) Its transformation from a no-name area of stepped streets, dank alleyways and grimy tenements to an enclave of bars, clubs and restaurants can be put down to the strangest of reasons: an escalator.

The Central–Mid-Levels Escalator and Travelway (or more simply “the Escalator”) rides 800 meters from low-lying Central to Conduit Road in the Mid-Levels. Its purpose when built in the mid 1990’s was to unclog traffic on the roads that wind up from Central to the Mid-Levels by offering commuters a less troublesome way to and from work. It did the trick and, along the way, slowly transformed a neighborhood. »

WHERE TO SHOP The Green Lantern 72 Peel St.; 852/2526-0277.

Homeless 29-31 Gough St.; 852/2581-1880.

Phoebe’s Designer Bakery 25 Aberdeen St; 852/28158866.

Rock Candy Premium designer jewelry at its most bling and ostentatious.

The giant diamond spinning in the window front must be seen to be believed. 1 Elgin St.; 852/2549-1018.

Spy Henry Lau 21 Staunton St.; 852/2317-6928.

Amandarling Women's fashions. 32 Lyndhurst Terrace; 852/2116-0248.

WA S I N E E C H A N TA KO R N

S

WHEN TO GO May to August in Hong Kong is hot and wet, alternating between sunny and overcast, with very high humidity.

December to February can get quite cold occasionally, but rarely drops below 10 degrees.

The best time of year is between September and December when both the temperature and humidity drop.

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SoHo/NoHo Vibe Clockwise from above left: A giant insect looms above the shopfront of home furnishings store Homeless; the cutesy art of Hong Kong artist Carrie Chau Wun Ying features at Homeless; indoors and outdoors at Stauntonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar + Cafe, one of the area's favorite haunts; decked in the lastest fashions from outlet Amandarling.

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THE ENERGY SPILLS OUT OF PACKED

RESTAURANTS ONTO THE STREETS

Contemporary Spanish tapas comes with an Asian influence at Boca bar and restaurant.

Above: Cheekay Chow, owner of the designer cake shop and bakery, Phoebe’s. Opposite, top: Opening night for mainland artist Zhou Siwei’s exhibition at 82 Republic. Below: A familiar face draped across the front of the People’s Republic of Culinary.

The Escalator has exits on the streets it intersects, allowing people to jump on and off en route. A few years back, a handful of entrepreneurs saw the potential of an area with a daily captive audience of passersby.

“The beauty of SoHo in the early days was that rents were cheap,” says Dan F, owner of nightclub Yumla, which lies on the now-blurry border of SoHo and Lan Kwai Fong. “This meant that the bars and restaurants could offer more personalized entertainment. Because rents weren’t so steep, you didn’t have to worry as much about creating something with mass appeal like in Lan Kwai Fong.”

I have spent years exploring Hong Kong’s nightlife scene and grown tired of over-priced drinks, cheesy cover bands and the high-roller meat-market crowd. So Yumla is an epiphany. Its design is inspired by the cantina scene in Star Wars, and compared with most bars in Hong Kong, it’s about as alien.

Finally, I am hearing music that doesn’t make me cringe with a crowd that isn’t clad in suits or rugby shirts.

SoHo’s bar scene buzzes constantly and while weekdays are busy, weekends are positively heaving. The epicenter is at the junction of Staunton Street and the Escalator, on the pavement outside Staunton’s Wine Bar + Cafe. There’s nothing pretentious going on here; the bar’s décor is clean and simple, and crowds gather every night to enjoy the lively scene. The place serves good food, but most people are happy just to come and drink. Crowds spill from the bar onto the pavement and steps by the roadside serve as impromptu barstools, while a rusty mailbox is a good place to rest your pint.

A little further down Staunton Street, the Feather Boa is hidden behind cracked wooden doors and thick curtains. From the outside this unsigned bar looks like an abandoned warehouse, but once those doors open, glimmering lamps and gilded antique furniture make you feel as though you’ve stumbled upon a well-kept secret—even though the place is almost always packed.

A lot of SoHo’s bars double as restaurants, with as many people standing in and around doorways as sitting at tables. The Havana Bar & Grill exemplifies this seamless restaurant/bar blend, with Latin rhythms echoing as a young cosmopolitan crowd sips mojitos beneath Art Deco columns, while an open balcony upstairs ensures diners don’t miss any of the action on the street.

Restaurants in SoHo/NoHo leave no culinary stone unturned. Tucked on the steep bank of Graham Street and noticeable by its softly lit archway entrance, Le Tire Bouchon offers classic French cuisine with an emphasis on authenticity and simplicity. The restaurant forgoes the gaudy (which many of Hong Kong’s French restaurants fall victim to), for an understated elegance, which has helped it become one of the best-loved French eateries in the city.

Walking along Staunton, Peel and Elgin streets on any night, I feel the palpable energy spilling out of packed restaurants onto the streets aglow beneath the neon signs.

The Thai restaurant, Chedi, serves up sizzling spring rolls and sliced pork neck, while customers enjoy a great people-watching spot, as human traffic churns off the Escalator onto Elgin Street. Or you can turn your back on the nightlifers and soak in the warm colors and relaxed tones. Despite its highprofile location, Chedi’s prices are reasonable and you can get a table.

My curiosity is piqued by Sichuan restaurant Shui Hu Ju. From the outside, it looks like the set of an old kung fu movie. Peering through the cracks of the wooden doorway, the silhouette of a stone Buddha image is about all you can make out in the small, darkened room. Inside, the food matches the captivating mood, as dish after dish of Sichuan specialties like spicy crab and deep-fried black chicken are placed on tables, almost too artistic to devour. » 106

Browsing for fashions at Amandarling.

WHAT TO DO Arch Angel Galleries With multiple adjacent stores for each of its specialties, this huge outlet runs the gamut, from authentic antiques and Chinese sculptures to contemporary artworks. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and doesn’t object to browsing. 58 Hollywood Rd.; 852/2851-6882.

82 Republic A contemporary art space with selections handpicked from art schools in China and around the world. The gallery has a network of young artists and offers them a channel to showcase their creations and share ideas. 62A Peel St.; 852/3521-0300.

Man Mo Temple/Cat Street Giant incense coils hang from the ceiling inside the 150-yearold Man Mo Temple, offering food for the spirits. There’s also an English-speaking fortuneteller. Across the road, Cat Street — once famous as a haven for the criminal underworld — has outlets selling Chinese brica-brac and antiques, both authentic and fake. Intersection of Hollywood Rd. and Ladder St./ Upper Lascar Row.

Dishes and Décor Clockwise from above left: Seared rare tuna, artichokes, asparagus and frisée, topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, at Cecconi’s Cantina; the rustic interior at Craftsteak; a tangle of tubing and lights hang from the timber ceiling at Olive Restaurant & Bar; stone and brick feature prominently at Wildfire Italian restaurant.

Gough Street has a refined Continental The staff says the restaurant is often primenu and tables set up outside for al fresco vately booked by Hong Kong celebrities, dining. The two-story bistro has skillfully who don’t mind paying for the whole restransformed its original shopfront into taurant for a table or two. what resembles a small Mediterranean The area is less frantic during the day beach house, with snow-white walls of when most of the bars take a break, while rough stone lit by hanging amber lamps. restaurants offer affordable lunches.

The feeling here is more intimate; patrons Fashion designers like Henry Lau, one of are diners more than drinkers. I find it the city’s hottest up-and-comers, have hard not be drawn in to it all. picked up on the vibe with an interest in Across the street, a giant insect sculpspecialized, artistic offerings rather than ture looms above designer outlet Homebanal High Street wares. I step into his less, where you’ll find concept furnishings store, Spy, and feel a part of the scene as and lighting in a gallery setting. It is disI browse rock star menswear amid glitplaying works by local artist Carrie Chau tering nightclub décor.

Wun Ying, whose art lands somewhere Around the corner at The Green Lanbetween cutesy Chinese manga and eerie tern, it feels more like a chilled-out lounge Options Above: Stone and timber children’s book illustrations. No matter than a furniture store. This Asian empo- Dining contrasts at Bizou restaurant. Opposite, top: Diners bathed in blue neon inside how you swing it, this just isn’t the kind of rium, run by Irish expatriate Olive DunJoyce Is Not Here. Below: Down-home street you normally find in Hong Kong. don, balances oriental inspiration with black-and-white photographs adorn the walls at Craftsteak.

“There’s a lot of exciting things happening European aesthetics—classic Asian furon Gough Street,” says Cheekay Chow, niture ornately carved and drenched in bright pinks and greens—with an air of modern simplicity and who set up Phoebe’s—a designer bakery filled with towering quiet confidence. “One of the things that’s good about this polka dot and cartoonlike striped cakes—at the top end of the area is that even though you get so many international people, NoHo about a year ago. “There’s a lot of elderly people living whether they’re living here or not, when you walk around it’s in the area ... lots of young expats as well. There’s also a lot of not all thumping music,” she tells me as we chat on a quiet young Chinese people around, so it’s a really good mix.”

With dollar signs blazing in the eyes of property developers, afternoon, while a few curious customers stroll in and out of the store. “It’s very serene, it’s very calm. The restaurants have there’s a good chance that SoHo/NoHo could go the way of a great atmosphere and super value, and a lot of the people in Lan Kwai Fong, with astronomical rents effectively ruining fringe businesses. But Chow is optimistic that the area will be them are genuinely very friendly.”

Nearby NoHo has the atmosphere of SoHo in its early days, able to hold onto its identity a little longer. “There’s a lot of old with an almost bohemian energy bubbling through its narrow, businesses and older people in the area. These things take time. quiet streets. The small open-front restaurant, Lot 10, on I think it will stay the same for a while.” ✚

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK Hop off the Escalator at Staunton Street and follow it until it loops around to become Elgin Street. From here, the restaurants are packed very tightly together.

emphasizes simplicity and flavor.

47 Elgin St.; 852/2525-9944.

wood-fired stone oven. 21 Elgin St.; 852/2810-0670.

in an refined setting. 32 Elgin St.; 852/2521 1608.

People's Republic of Culinary New wave Chinese cuisine presented with attitude and sass.

37 Staunton St.; 852 2975-9788.

Craftsteak Choice meat cuts charbroiled to order in stylish surroundings. 29 Elgin St.; 852/2526-0999.

Lot 10 Bar & Restaurant 34 Gough St.; 852/2813-6812.

Cecconi’s Cantina Traditional Italian using quality ingredients; an impressive wine list. 43 Elgin St.; 852/2147-5500.

bricolage62 62 Hollywood Rd.; 852/2542-1991.

Boca Spanish tapas bar. 65 Peel St.; 852/2548-1717.

Le Tire Bouchon 45A Graham St.; 852/2523-5459.

Feather Boa 38 Staunton St.; 852/2857-2586.

Shui Hu Ju 68 Peel St.; 852/2869-6927.

Havana Bar & Grill 35 Elgin St.; 852/2545-9966.

Makumba African bar with a stage for singers and drummers to freestyle. 48-52A Peel St.; 852/2522-0544.

Wildfire Casual Italian fare, with pastas and pizzas baked in a

Olive Restaurant & Bar Greek and Middle Eastern food

Staunton’s Wine Bar + Cafe 10-12 Staunton St.; 852/2973-6611.

Chedi 8 Elgin St.; 852/2868-4445.

Enoteca on Elgin An intimate Mediterranean setting with a menu that

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Yumla 79 Wyndham St.; 852/2147-2382.

Joyce Is Not Here 38-44 Peel St.; 852/2851-2999.

IT’S A REALLY GOOD MIX OF PEOPLE

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Sakhalin spruces line a road leading to the small town of Abashiri, on the northern coast of Hokkaido.

the end of the earth On Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remotest island, IAN BURUMA encounters a culture still steeped in the ways of the frontier. Photographed by TETSUYA MIURA

island, is called Shiretoko, which means “the end of the earth” in the language of the Ainu, an indigenous people who have barely survived more than a century of Japanese rule. Relatively few humans live in this wild, bleak, windy place, where brown bears still roam and sea eagles glide over the water in search of prey. The first Japanese to settle in Hokkaido—some of them worthy idealists, others desperadoes looking for a new start—came as a buffer against Russia in the 19th century (from the end of the earth in midwinter, across frozen seas, you can easily make out the rocky shore of Kunashiri, an island administered by Russia but still claimed by Japan). Hokkaido is the country’s least densely populated island (83,000 square kilometers with 5.63 million inhabitants), Japan’s version of the Wild West. The wide-open spaces, the pioneer spirit, the cattle ranches and the lingering presence of an indigenous tribe make Hokkaido seem romantic to many Japanese. It is a place where people from a highly stratified society come to reinvent themselves.

Precisely for this reason I was not very interested in Hokkaido during my student days in Tokyo. Back then, in the 1970’s, I was keener to find “the real Japan”—the temples of Nara and Kyoto, the snowbound villages of Akita and Aomori, the historic cities of Kyushu. What little I knew about Hokkaido was from my favorite yakuza (gangster) movie series, Abashiri Bangaichi (Abashiri Address Unlisted), starring Ken Takakura as a noble yakuza incarcerated in the famous Abashiri Prison, which takes its name from its location, a small town on Hokkaido’s northern coast. (In most episodes, the hero emerges from the prison to start another adventure, often ending up back where he came from.) From 1890 to 1984, Abashiri, facing north on the Sea of Okhotsk, was the involuntary home of the most hardened criminals in Japan. There is still a prison in Abashiri, but the original one, relocated to the other side of town, is now a museum.

Morbid curiosity, then, and the prospect of meeting a family friend of my wife’s—a bear hunter and beekeeper named Mitsutaka Hanada, who has lived in northern Hokkaido for the past 30 years—were reasons to explore Japan’s last frontier. We decided to begin in Abashiri, as there was one more reason that I was drawn to this isolated little prison town. Some years before, an American friend of mine had met a Japanese jazz lover who owned a tiny bar in Abashiri. Japan, like England, is rich in monomaniacs: this man was fanatical about jazz and about the saxophone player, Art Pepper, in particular. Pictures of Pepper covered the walls of his bar; he listened to little but Pepper’s music. One day, he wrote Pepper a fan letter, saying that his greatest dream was to hear his idol play in Abashiri. Pepper, the story goes, was so touched that he agreed to come.

We flew from Tokyo to Memanbetsu, the airport nearest to Abashiri, early one January, when all of Hokkaido was blanketed in snow. Friends in Tokyo had 200 112

Snow Views Opposite: The lobby of the Windsor Hotel, with Lake Toya in the distance. Below: A snowy street in Abashiri.

M A P BY S T E V E S TA N K I E W I C Z

The northeastern tip of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost

warned us that many roads on the island might be closed. Winter is perhaps the most spectacular, but not the easiest, time to travel in northern Japan. But Hanadasan had reassured us that he had all the requisite equipment to deal with any weather problem. He was waiting for us at the airport, a wiry, compact man in his 60’s with a friendly smile.

Hanada-san is, in many respects, a typical man of Hokkaido. Born on the main island of Honshu and a veteran of several trades, he went north to start a new life.

“I have nomadic blood in my veins,” he told us. As a young man, he joined the air force, hoping to become a fighter ace. But he failed to make the grade and instead spent some time hunting wild boar near Kyoto. Soon, however, he came to feel that the Japanese mainland was too tame, too settled, too urbanized. It was on the wilder shores of Hokkaido that he found his home.

Our first stop was the Abashiri Prison Museum, which was, quite frankly, a disappointment, except for the bathhouse, where wax models of prisoners with full-body tattoos were splashing imaginary water on their backs, and the delicious, fresh, hot ginger-and-sake drink that we were offered in the reception room.

Somehow, without Ken Takakura emerging from its gate, the prison lacked » 113

the dangerous glamour of the movies. However, the lunch at Sushi Yasu to which we were treated by Hanada-san and Yaeko, his wife, more than made up for the letdown. Hokkaido is renowned for its fish, but this place was spectacular. We ate such delicacies as crab spawn, raw oysters wrapped in hoba leaves, cod roe and the most succulent prawns’ heads. It was the kind of establishment where knowledge of Japanese is essential and an acquaintance with the chef quite helpful.

Hanada-san told us how he always stopped at this restaurant on his return from travels with his honeybees, which he transports from Japan’s southernmost major island, Kyushu, to northern Hokkaido, following the warm seasons, making honey from a variety of flowers.

“Here, you must try this,” Hanada-san said, as a frothy white substance was set in front of me. “Cod’s sperm.

Delicious.” I asked the sushi chef if he had ever heard of Art Pepper’s live performance in Abashiri. It seemed to ring a bell, but he had to ask his wife. She called an acquaintance in the area. And, yes, it turned out that my friend had not been mistaken. Pepper had performed in Abashiri, but it wasn’t entirely clear where this legendary event had taken place.

Apart from a Japanese recording of the concert, there appears to be no other evidence of it. Pepper died in 1982, a year after he played in Abashiri.

We were to spend our first night a bit east of Abashiri, in Rausu, a fishing village on the Sea of Okhotsk. Yaeko switched on the radio as we drove through the wedding-cake landscape of snowed-under fields, white birches, and pine trees dripping with ice and snow. We listened to a Viennese waltz by Johann Strauss. Hanada-san told us that we wouldn’t see any bears at this time of year. They were all asleep. But in the warmer seasons, he said, hikers are advised to wear bells around their necks; startled bears can be especially dangerous.

He also described how the Ainu used to hunt. First, they shot the bear with arrows dipped in poisoned rice paste. Then the swiftest young men would charge after the wounded beast while tearing off bits of their clothing as markers for the others to follow. When the bear was too exhausted to go on, the men would close in for the kill.

We put up for the night in a Japanese inn. It was minus 26 degrees outside. After soaking in a wooden bath of sulfurous water from the nearby hot spring, we changed into our evening kimonos and sat on the tatami floor of the Hanadas’ room around a table laden with dishes. Over venison, pickled squid, crabs, raw scallops, grilled flounder and a variety of vegetables in a miso sauce, Hanada-san told us about other delicacies awaiting us in Hokkaido. One specialty of this northern region is raw sea lion. (We tried it later: it has the

consistency of liver and the taste of seaweed.) As we washed down the flounder with some excellent claret, Hanada-san continued to fill us in on Hokkaido lore. I especially liked the story about a sea captain who was trapped in the ice with two of his sailors and survived by eating them. Quite how they came to their grisly end was never made clear. At the time, people decided not to probe into this too deeply. But the captain kept the collarbone of one of the sailors as a kind of talisman to ward off disasters.

Contrary to the gloomy predictions of our friends in Tokyo, the roads in Hokkaido were perfectly passable even in midwinter. Our goal for the second night was to travel about 160 kilometers inland to a famous hot-spring resort on Lake Akan, surrounded by active volcanoes. On the way, we passed through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world: frozen lakes and geysers spouting jets of scalding yellow water over the snow; rare whooper swans landing on Lake Kussharo like miniature Concordes; red-crested Japanese cranes (they used to be served to the Emperor, as his culinary royal prerogative) dancing for prospective mates in the wetlands of Lake Akan; and the majestic volcano O-Akan looming in the deep blue sky outside our hotel window.

The best thing about the hotel was the baths, steaming outside on a freezing roof with views of the Akan mountains.

There is no sensual pleasure quite like slipping into hot spring water in the open air at night, watching the stars after a good meal and warm sake. The saddest thing about the Lake Akan resort was the phony Ainu village filled with souvenir shops, where descendants of this once proud people were selling trinkets and crude woodcarvings of bears and fish. It could have been worse: we might have been subjected to Ainu dances put on for the tourists or to a posed photo with men and women in traditional dress. Hanada-san explained that people with Ainu blood—there are few, if any, pure-blooded Ainu left—are desperate now to marry mainstream Japanese; anything to escape the humiliations of a long-discriminatedagainst, and now folkloric, people.

Our last night on the northern coast was spent in a large resort hotel in Saromako. It was the middle of the week, and we felt strangely alone padding around the empty restaurant in our kimonos and slippers. Just as we were about to tuck into a plate of pickled mackerel, we heard an out-of-tune violin playing gypsy melodies. A tall, thin musician with a beaky nose and a drooping mustache, dressed in an extraordinary pink frock coat with silver glitter, hovered uncomfortably close to our solitary table. He was Mr. Kondratzky, from Warsaw, another who had embarked on a second start near the end of the earth. “I don’t like it much »

Hokkaido delicacies include crab spawn, cod roe and oysters wrapped in hoba leaves 114

Cold Comfort Clockwise from left: Whooper swans on Lake Kussharo, on the northeast side of the island; a waiter at the Spanish bar, La Concha, in Hakodate; birches in Shiretoko National Park, also in the northeast; a guest room at the Windsor.

115

Nakano-shima island, in Lake Toya on southwestern Hokkaido, seen from the Windsor Hotel.

here,” he said, with a look of infinite sadness, “but I don’t like most places in the world any better.”

We said good-bye to Yaeko and Hanada-san at the nearby station of Engaru, where we boarded the train to Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido, known chiefly for its fine university, its ice sculptures in the winter and its excellent noodle restaurants. Sapporo noodles (ramen), introduced by Japanese war veterans returning from China in the 1940’s, are famous all over Japan. There is even a kind of noodle theme park, Republic of Sapporo Ramen, on the top floor of the Bic Camera building, next to the railway station. Different kinds of ramen from all over Hokkaido are displayed in 1950’s settings, complete with 1950’s music and 50’s costumes.

It is kitschy, but the ramen lives up to its reputation.

Sapporo has a vaguely Scandinavian feel: stark, modern and clean. One of its most famous historic characters was an American, a man named William Smith Clark. Clark was president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College when he came to Sapporo in 1876 to teach at the new Sapporo Agricultural College, later to become Hokkaido University. A pompous figure, Clark taught his Japanese students scientific subjects, but also Christian principles. Before he left Japan, in 116

1877, he spoke the now legendary words, known to most Japanese schoolchildren today, that helped define the modernizing Meiji era: “Boys, be ambitious!”

The man who told us all about William Smith Clark was a professor emeritus of English at Hokkaido University, William “Willie” Jones. We were in a bar on top of the JR Tower Hotel, over the train station, watching the snowflakes smudge the neon lights outside the large windows. He cut an amiably eccentric figure in wintry Sapporo, this mustachioed Englishman who bore more than a faint resemblance to James Hilton’s Mr. Chips in his brown tweed jacket, crimson tie, sensible walking shoes and bicycle light worn round his neck like a magical jewel.

Perhaps, like Mr. Kondratzky, or indeed Hanada-san, too, Willie had come to Hokkaido a few decades ago for another start in life. After spending 17 years as an English teacher at a private school in Shropshire, he’d decided that he needed a change. Neither an experienced traveler nor an expert in anything Japanese, he left England with a light heart. When a schoolboy took his hand to guide him to the gates of his new university, he felt that “given such trust, I would be all right here. I knew that this is where I would spend the rest of my

life.” Willie took a rather skeptical view of the Clark legend.

He told us how he once observed a Japanese student fall on his knees to pray to the bronze bust of Clark on the university campus. “It’s quite easy to become a god in Japan,” he explained. Clark may be remembered by the Japanese as the great white father who showed the way to modernity, but according to Willie, Clark was a greedy man who craved money and fame. Willie was not sure that the ambition he instilled in generations of Japanese students was quite as highminded as he pretended. In any event, Hokkaido University is now a hotbed of evangelical Christians.

We plowed through the snowdrifts the next morning to see Clark’s bust for ourselves before setting off for our final destination: Hakodate, the southern port city where most Japanese pioneers in the mid 19th century first landed. The city lies on a peninsula at the foot of Mount Hakodate. It has more late ninth-century architecture, in the beautifully hybrid colonial style, than anywhere else in Japan. Perhaps the most stylish building is the old government house, made of wood painted yellow and light gray. It features a spacious ballroom that was sometimes used as a courtroom. But the highlight, for me, was the cypress-wood toilet constructed especially for the crown prince when he visited Hakodate in the 1910’s.

The royal smells were disguised by cedar leaves, and his stool was carefully scrutinized by his personal physician, before being disposed of.

Japanese tourists come to Hakodate for the exotically “foreign” atmosphere, the superb fish restaurants and the historic interest. For about six months, from 1868 to 1869, Hakodate was the capital of the independent Republic of Ezo, founded by idealistic rebels against the new Meiji government. The insurgency in Hokkaido was led by a remarkable man in his 30’s named Takeaki Enomoto. He had studied naval warfare and maritime law in Nagasaki and the

Netherlands before hijacking a navy steamship in 1868 and making for Hakodate with about 2,500 like-minded men. He was the republic’s first and only president.

You can still see the ramparts of the Goryokaku Fort, where Enomoto and his men fought a hopeless battle against a far bigger force of government troops. Even though the rebellion failed, the talents of Enomoto were so manifest that the imperial government of Japan soon pardoned him. Just over 20 years later, he served the Meiji emperor as foreign minister.

Goryokaku Park has a hideous concrete observation tower filled with pictures and busts of Enomoto—as well as a vast array of soda machines and fast-food noodle shops. When we entered, a young woman in a yellow and blue twinset, cream stockings, high-heeled shoes, white gloves and a white hat made a perfect 45-degree bow, pointed one gloved hand to the sky, and told us in a well-trained falsetto that it was time to board the elevator. Once inside, she lowered her hand and began reeling off the things we would see at the top. When we arrived, there came another 45-degree bow and a gloved hand pointed to the door.

She is what is known in Japan as an elevator girl. Every movement, every utterance of these women is as stylized as those of a Kabuki actor. I saw a poster on the wall of the Goryokaku Tower that celebrated the winner of a contest for the “number-one elevator girl” in Japan.

The elevator girls take pride in coming as close as is humanly possible to acting like perfect machines. They are a curious reminder of another side to Japan, a conformist side that provokes in some Japanese the spirit of rebellion, of seeking out new territory, of reveling in space and freedom.

Who is to say which is “the real Japan”? Rebellion and conformity are in equal evidence. You have to see both to catch the spirit of this country, and especially of its northernmost island. ✚

GUIDE TO HOKKAIDO WHEN TO GO Though June to early September is usually considered the best time to visit Hokkaido, its raw, untamed beauty can be most fully appreciated in winter, when temperatures rarely go above minus 1 degrees and snow and freezing conditions prevail. For itineraries and more information, consult the Japan National Tourist Office (www.jnto.go.jp).

Tokyo. Other cities in Hokkaido also have airports. Check with the above carriers for connections from Tokyo.

Akanko Onsen, 81-154/673-050; www. hinanoza.com; doubles from US$485, including breakfast and dinner.

LAKE TOYA

GETTING AROUND Driving in winter can be tricky. The good news: major highways are kept passable, and most rental cars have snow tires and chains. Japan Railways (www. japanrail.com) connects travelers to numerous locations on the island.

The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa Full-service resort, with skiing in winter and golf in summer. Shimizu; 800/7458883 or 81-142/731-111; www.windsorhotels.co.jp; doubles from US$290.

HOW TO GET THERE

WHERE TO STAY

Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport (www. new-chitose-airport.co.jp) is Hokkaido’s largest and is served by flights from Tokyo and other Asian destinations, including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul. Japan Airlines (www.jal.co.jp) and All Nippon (www.ana.co.jp) offer the most connections to Sapporo from

HAKODATE

SAPPORO

Wakamatsu Ryokan Luxury ryokan, or traditional inn, with top-notch spa.

1-2-27 Yunokawa-cho; 81-138/592-171; doubles from US$485, including breakfast and dinner.

Hotel Monterey Edelhof Large city hotel with small but serviceable rooms. N2 W1; 81-112/427-111; doubles from US$145.

Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza 2-8-1

ABASHIRI Sushi Yasu S5 W2; 81-152/434-121; dinner for two US$60.

SAPPORO Ramen Yokocho More than 15 noodle shops. S5 W3; dinner for two US$12.

21 Club Arthur Hotel, USS10 W6; 81115/611-000; dinner for two US$180.

RAUSU Rausu Dai-ichi Hotel Yunosawamachi, Rausu-cho; 81-153/872-259; doubles from US$50.

LAKE AKAN

WHERE TO EAT

SAROMAKO Hotel Route Inn Grantia Saromako 812 Toppushi; 81-158/722-211; doubles from US$60.

WHAT TO DO ABASHIRI Abashiri Prison Museum 1-1 Yobito; 81-152/452-411; www.kangoku.jp.

HAKODATE Government Old Branch Office 12-18 Motomachi; 81-138/273-333. Goryokaku Fort 44-1 Goryokaku-cho; 81-138/512-864.

SAPPORO Hokkaido University Kita-ku; 81-11/ 716-2111.

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BOUTIQUES AND BISTROS BLEND WITH REVAMPED FRENCH MANSIONS AND A FAIRYTALE PALACE, TRANSFORMING THE CAPITAL INTO A HOT NEW TRAVEL SPOT.

BY RON GLUCKMAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID PAUL MORRIS

PHNOM PENH’S ENH S NEW VIBE 118

A waiter at Phnom Penhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous watering hole, the FCC.

The FCC is only one force

F

ROM THE BALCONY OF THE FCC in Phnom Penh, you can sit under slow-swirling ceiling fans, sip cappuccinos or fine red wine and view fishing boats floating along the Tonle Sap River. Balloon vendors stroll the riverfront promenade directly below, and the damp air drips with the scent of grilled meat and baguettes stuffed with pâté from bicycle-mounted kitchens, parked before white-shuttered French mansions. One easily feels propelled back to the heyday of Indochine.

Visitors to Cambodia’s sleepy capital city have felt the same allure and savored it from the same spot. With its expansive menu and open-air terraces, the FCC, or Foreign Correspondent’s Club (not a press club, but rather Phnom Penh’s landmark watering hole), is ticked for a visit on most tourist itineraries.

Any manager would be pleased, but the smile on Anthony Alderson’s face has added luster. That’s because for years he has soaked up the same serene scene, often by himself. Alderson moved here from Hong Kong in 1992, among the early entrepreneurs who came to serve workers in the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission. In the long years afterwards, he touted Cambodia as Asia’s next sure-fire destination. But something— be it kidnappings or coups—always held the country back.

His lonely days are gone and Phnom Penh is on the tourist map. From a barstool overlooking the lazy Tonle Sap, Alderson’s view up the riverfront Sisowath Quay takes in lots of scaffolding; lovely old colonial mansions are being refurbished at a brisk pace. Long an investment wasteland, Cambodia is Asia’s new tiger economy, roaring to double-digit growth rates.

“Cambodia is booming, no question about that,” says Alderson, whose FCC group has expanded up country to Siem Reap and neighboring Vietnam. Now, it’s ratcheting up investments in Phnom Penh, where it recently acquired a century-old building adjacent to the FCC for expansion plans. Down the block, its popular Spanish tapas bar, Pacharan, serves packed houses inside another lavishly restored heritage building. Fresco Café, on the ground floor under the FCC, recently added a second outlet. In December, Alderson opened The Quay, a small, stylish hotel right on the river.

The FCC is only one force in a headlong rush among food and beverage establishments. The Shop, Java Café, Deli and Garden Café have all added outlets in recent months. At The Pavilion—Phnom Penh’s first boutique hotel—guests tap laptops around a tranquil garden swimming pool, but owner Alexis de Suremain is frantic. He’s opening three new boutique inns all before celebrating The Pavilion’s first anniversary. “Phnom Penh has taken off and the growth is going to be explosive for years to come,” Alderson predicts. “This time, it’s for real.” »

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of food and

in a headlong rush

Capital Pleasures Clockwise from left: A cyclo driver waits for a fare; colonial elegance at the Pacharan restaurant; cuisine at the FCC; FCC operations director Anthony Alderson; the terrace at the FCC; a Cambodian ďŹ&#x201A;ag ďŹ&#x201A;utters outside a temple; green peppercorn scallops at Malis restaurant.

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Poolside at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal.

Above: The Le Royalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lobby.

Greet and Eat Clockwise from left: A stylish table setting at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal; the rooftop bar at the Topaz restaurant; shopping at a Phnom Penh market; casual dining at the Anise Hotel; greetings from the doorman at the Le Royal.

Such swagger appears sensible when one departs the FCC to stroll up the riverfront, where stylish spas and silk shops are nudging aside the pizza parlors, Internet cafés and CD shops serving backpackers, who for many years comprised most of Cambodia’s few tourists.

Phnom Penh’s new vibe than Café Metro. An upscale bistro serving fusion fare (pepper seared tuna, fish skewers, Peking duck pancakes), its bar has a backdrop that shifts color continually. Not so the waitresses, who wear only black, like those in a Robert Palmer video. Locals love the martinis. Best of all is the crowd: a vibrant mix from around the globe, along with young Cambodians, their hair thick with gel.

Such places and clientele didn’t exist in Phnom Penh two years ago, testimony to its reinvention. “An edgy destination,” says Manash, a 26-year-old Londoner, during a recent martini-soaked night at the Metro. “You really feel like an adventurer here.” Even old-timers are agog at the rapid evolution of the entertainment scene.

“A year or two ago, you just didn’t see any of these people,”

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confides Tom O’Connor, owner of the Metro, himself an adventurer who came to Cambodia in 1999 after a stint running a bar in Burma. “Phnom Penh has definitely reached a turning point. I cannot believe how quickly it’s taken off.

Everything is moving forward—and fast.”

Indeed, it was not that long ago when options in Phnom Penh were very limited: happy hour at the FCC or the Elephant Bar at Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Diplomats and expatriates—mainly aid workers who maintain a big presence in one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries—sustained a handful of smart cafés in a scene dominated by French bistros and simple Cambodian kitchens (though there was also a Russian restaurant and North Korean noodle bar). The best of the lot, The Shop and Java Café, remain popular hangouts.

But now, entrepreneurial ambitions have expanded along with Cambodia’s economy, especially over the past year.

Dining options now range from Lebanese and Latin restaurants to Italian eateries like Le Duo, soaked in Sicilian authenticity, from its lavish wine list to the accented welcome by owner Luigi Savarino, who not only greets every guest personally, but details recipes and suggests choices. » 123

The ďŹ rst shopping mall opened in 2

City Sights Clockwise from left: Schoolchildren alongside the Tonle Sap River; a suite at the RafďŹ&#x201A;es Hotel Le Royal; a lotus pond at the Grand Palace; a monk treads a brickpaved footpath; the Happy Painting Gallery sells original work of celebrated local artist Stef Bright; adding the final touches to a street painting; delivering bananas on a motorbike.

its tallest buildings (six stories).

2005, giving Cambodia one of After dinner, the crowd bounces from the Metro upriver to Pontoon, a lounge bar with huge couches on an old wooden boat and barge; or the cigar bar at Topaz, the hottest table in town. It’s run by the same group that spiced the local culinary scene with Malis, which serves modern Cambodian fare in a palace-like setting. Then there’s Rubies on Street 240—a wine bar run by an ex-MTV producer.

This may resemble the party scene in any small city, but it’s a quantum leap for Phnom Penh, which only got its first supermarket this century. The first shopping mall opened in 2005, giving Cambodia one of its tallest buildings (six stories) and first escalator. ATM’s arrived only three years ago. Now, multistory towers are sprouting around the city.

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LUGGISH DEVELOPMENT LEFT Phnom Penh one of the best-preserved capitals in Asia. Wat Phnom—a temple atop the only hill in an otherwise pancake-flat city—is a perfect place to start a tour. You climb the hill in the company of scores of monkeys. At the top, an orchestra produces spiritual sounds on gamelan-like Cambodian instruments.

Looking over turrets of the fairytale palace poking through the jungle-draped skyline, it’s easy to imagine that Phnom Penh has changed little in a century. To be sure, the comparison can seem strained. Many buildings haven’t been cleaned in decades. Poverty is overwhelming, along with pestering beggars, particularly on the riverfront. Yet, for all the problems, Phnom Penh offers views of Asia that disappeared decades ago in other places.

Despite local gripes about increasing traffic, the city remains slow paced and easy to get around, on foot or by motorbike.

A nifty treat is touring lazily by cyclo (a bicycle rickshaw) through neighborhoods of old French villas surrounded by thickets of frangipani. The area around the Royal Palace and majestic Royal Museum is especially evocative; its austere walls off-limits to traffic, creating vast, empty corridors reminiscent of Beijing’s ethereal Forbidden City. From the park fountain fronting the palace, not a soul passes save for the occasional orange-robed monks.

A lack of tourist traffic has long been Phnom Penh’s allure, although this is changing fast. Until Angelina Jolie put Cambodia on the map with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and »

ATM’s arrived only three years ago

Around Town Clockwise from left: The Romdeng restaurant; one of the city’s many temples; browsing at the Russian Market; an oversized cappuccino served at the FCC; outdoor dining in the evening.

her adoption antics, most people likely equated the country with genocide, if they gave Cambodia any thought at all. An estimated 1.7 million people, nearly a quarter of the population, perished during the 1975–79 rule of the Khmer Rouge.

Fighting raged in the ensuing decades and anarchy gripped the country even after the UN spent US$10 billion in hope of disarming all the factions and rebuilding society. Safety concerns scared off tourists, particularly after a number were kidnapped in the 1990’s. Gunfire was still common around Phnom Penh when I first visited in 1993.

Back then, Cambodia hosted fewer than 50,000 visitors a year. Last year, visitors are likely to have topped 2 million. Yet, most of them bypass Phnom Penh, flying directly to Siem Reap to visit the magnificent temples of ancient Angkor.

“In the old days, people flew to Siem Reap and didn’t even bother with Phnom Penh, which, frankly, was a dump,” says Riaz Mahmood, area general manager for Raffles Hotels & Resorts, which runs the historic Le Royal. “But the tide began turning in early 2006,” he says happily. “And it’s just continued to grow and grow.”

Rooms were in short supply last year, long before high sea126

son, as group tours began rolling into town. Tourists swarmed the Central Market, an amazing 1930’s Art Deco showpiece; and shopped for bargains at chaotic Russian Market, where AK-47’s sold beside bales of marijuana only a decade ago.

Normally the capital remains quiet until the end of the rainy season, marked by the huge Water Festival, which celebrates the remarkable reversal in the flow of the Tonle Sap River. Swelled by rains, water drains from the Mekong River into Cambodia, filling Tonle Sap Lake—the largest in Southeast Asia. As the rains subside, the river flow reverses, draining the massive lake.

“This is our best year by far,” notes Mahmood, whose hotel is steeped in the smell of lemongrass and Old World charm.

When the Khmer Rouge rolled into the city, the Le Royal was where diplomats and the foreign press took refuge, as depicted in The Killing Fields. With its checkerboard tiles and silklantern lights, the impeccably landscaped property conjures up colonial bliss. The Elephant Bar is packed on Friday evenings. Mahmood notes that occupancy at his hotel has doubled over the last three years. “I’m extremely positive about Phnom Penh. The government is fixing the place up.” »

Slug:Location (T+L Journal)

A long-tail boat on the Tonle Sap River. Below: Cyclo drivers catch some shade and sleep between shifts.

MO NT H 2007| T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E . C O M

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The green strip in front of the hotel has been replanted with flowers and joggers pass young lovers on park benches.

Around the city, many public spaces have been reinvigorated.

In November last year, enormous crowds cheered the reopening of the Independence Monument—a huge, flamboyant Khmer pagoda designed by Vann Molyvann, the driving force behind the celebrated Modernist style that flourished here in the 1960’s.

Human rights groups condemn land grabs by developers in private deals with a regime widely criticized for corruption. Many historic buildings around town face the wrecking ball. “There is no preservation program,” laments Stefanie Irmer, of Khmer Architecture Tours, which tries to raise awareness of local architecture with guided tours.

“What is left is remarkable,” she says, “but so much of it is in danger.” Mahmood adds: “Now is the time to see Phnom Penh. In five years, it won’t be the same.”

Yet, much of the change is for the better, and not only for visitors. Encouraged by the economy, former refugees are returning, bringing with them a new sense of style.

Kethana Dunnet left in the 1960’s, long before Cambodia’s Golden Age melted under the living nightmare of the Khmer Rouge. She studied in New Zealand, then worked for Air New Zealand, where she met husband Bruce. In the 1990’s, while based in Singapore, she began revisiting her homeland.

Five years ago, they moved back and opened Sugar Palm.

Adorned with silk fabrics and antiques, the renovated shophouse’s homey feel makes it a standout among the spas, bars and boutiques on Street 240—not surprising, since it’s also the Dunnet home. It also features fabulous home-style cooking, the kind visitors in earlier years might have missed. “My husband and I ate in many restaurants after we moved to Cambodia,” she recalls, “but not like I remember from growing up in the 1960’s.”

Blame, again, falls on the Khmer Rouge and the insistent fighting that followed. Restaurants and schools had been destroyed; food supplies devastated. Cambodian cuisine is often lumped together with Thai, understandable since many restaurants served it to early visitors, knowing they were familiar with Thailand. Both feature galangal and limes, but Cambodian food tends to be more sour than spicy. And practically all dishes feature prahok, a fermented fish paste.

Nobody has done more to restore respectability to Cambodian cuisine than Luu Meng. Head chef at the Sunway Hotel while still in his early 20’s, he opened Malis (Cambodian for jasmine) in late 2005, shaking up the local scene with his modern take on traditional dishes like mango and dried fish, pepper crab (wok-fired and spiced with chili

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OT ALL PROGRESS IS PRAISEWORTHY.

and peppercorn) and marvelous deserts (jasmine ice cream in sweet watermelon soup).

“The easy thing was to copy other places,” Meng says. “I wanted to do something new and original.” He has since opened a string of restaurants—Anise (Asian fusion), Bai Thong (Thai) and Topaz (fine French dining)—most in partnership with Group TAM, an investment company in Cambodia. The latest is Café Sentiment, a three-story coffeehouse on busy Monivong Boulevard. Forget Starbucks.

Meng plans a homegrown chain of perhaps 20 outlets within a few years. “This whole town is moving. All of Phnom Penh is open for business,” he says.

Indeed, Malis is packed nightly, as the capital’s dealmakers retreat to private rooms, or recline on black couches at a sleek bar overlooking a lotus pond. Most of the crowd is Cambodian, proving what Meng set out to show: that locals are ready for new levels of service and style.

But what about the average citizen, subsisting on less than US$1 per day? No place better illustrates the trickle-down effect of tourism than Romdeng, where you can satisfy your hunger without shortchanging your conscience. Run by the charity Friends, this is its second restaurant staffed entirely by street kids. Friends, the first, became a favorite of aid workers with its wholesome menu and bohemian décor. Romdeng, on Street 278, is more upscale, but with the same menu.

‘Cambodia is booming, no 128

GUIDE TO PHNOM PENH GETTING THERE There are daily flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore with the major carriers.

Discount airline AirAsia has daily flights from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Visas are required, but you can get them on arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport for US$20.

WHEN TO GO The ideal time to visit is the dry season, particularly November through February, when breezes cool the evenings.

Temperatures peak in April; May and June can be hot and sticky.

The rainy season follows and lasts through October.

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Café Metro.

Head chef Sok Chhong recommends specialties like spicy beef soup with morning glory, fresh pomelo salad with shrimp, topped with coconut and squid in fresh green peppers (from Kampot, once a world-famous pepper area in Cambodia). Romdeng also features another local delight: tarantula. Locals favor crispy spiders, but the Romdeng version, like all dishes, is subtlety seasoned (in lime juice) and artfully presented.

Friends houses and trains homeless street children—so far, 800 of them—rescuing many from the local sex industry.

Chhong came from the countryside to seek work in the capital, but wound up homeless along the river. Now, he’s not only Phnom Penh’s youngest chef at 24, but he will soon have his own cookbook: From Spiders to Water Lilies—Creative Cambodian Food with Friends.

“Cooking saved my life,” he says. “Someday, I hope to have my own restaurant.”

Unlike in the turbulent past, in Phnom Penh nowadays, everything seems possible. “There is just so much creativity here,” notes the Metro’s O’Connor. “Since we opened, there have been so many places putting in that extra effort to add style, to be modern.” Soon, he knows, the Metro won’t be the hottest pub in town. It’s only natural. Like the flow of the Tonle Sap River, one senses that the tide has finally turned for Phnom Penh. ✚

WHERE TO STAY Raffles Hotel Le Royal 92 Rukhak Vithei Daun Penh; 85523/981-888; www.phnompenh. raffles.com; doubles from US$290.

The Pavilion No. 227, Street 19; 855-23/222-280; www.pavilioncambodia.com; doubles from US$50.

Amanjaya Spacious suites furnished with Cambodian antiques, with river or Royal Palace views. 1 Sisowath Quay; 855-23/219-579; www.amanjaya. com; doubles from US$115.

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK Malis 136 Norodom Blvd.; 85523/221-022.

Romdeng No. 21, Street 278; 855/9221-9565.

Topaz Long-time French favorite, with a cigar bar and great wine cellar. 182 Norodom Blvd.; 85523/221-622.

Pacharan Authentic bodega in a colonial building, with an open-air kitchen and brass bar. Spanish sounds and sweeping river views.

389 E1 Sisowath Quay; 85523/224-394.

Sugar Palm No. 19, Street 240; 855-23/220-956.

Le Duo No. 17, Street 228; 85512/342-921.

FCC (Foreign Correspondent’s Club) 363 Sisowath Quay; 85523/724-014.

Café Metro Corner of Sisowath Quay and Street 148; 855-23/217517.

Rubies Warm hosts and a great wine list give this cozy bar a loyal following. Corner of Street 19 and Street 240; 855/9231-9769.

Pontoon Riverbank at Street 108; 855-12/572-880.

WHERE TO SHOP Russian Market Streets 450 and 163.

Couleurs D’Asie High-quality silk, original home furnishings and a wide selection of local crafts in one of the top boutiques on hip Street 240. No. 33, Street 240; 855-23/221-075.

Lotus Pond Silk, statues and custom furniture among the stone-carving shops. No. 57, Street 178; 855-23/426-782.

WHAT TO SEE National Museum Housing a huge collection of Angkorian artifacts, the rust-red museum dates to the 1920’s and is a showpiece of royal architecture with an incredible interior courtyard. Corner of Street 178 and Street 13; 855-23/211-753.

Wat Phnom Corner of Street 96 and Norodom Blvd.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum This school became the Khmer Rouge’s main torture center, where thousands were sent and only a few survived. Stark pictures of the victims make for a moving memorial. Corner of Street 113 and Street 350; 855-23/216-045.

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Trees line Clinton Street, which runs through Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens.

Opposite: Franck Alexandre, the manager of Bar Tabac, in Cobble Hill.

Brooklyn

H U G H S T E W A R T. O P P O S I T E : D A V I D N I C O L A S

You can take Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;PETER JON LINDBERG finds attitude, energy and a refreshing counterpoint to that other borough right in his own backyard.

Photographed by HUGH STEWART and DAVID NICOLAS

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HEN I FIRST MOVED

to New York—that is, to Manhattan— in my early 20’s, I had only the vaguest conception of Brooklyn. There was Welcome Back, Kotter, I guess. Alvy Singer, growing up under the Cyclone in Annie Hall.

Moonstruck and The Warriors. Tony Manero—Travolta again—strutting through Bay Ridge in Saturday Night Fever.

Egg creams, Ralph Kramden. And the Dodgers, the Dodgers, always with the Dodgers.

Beyond that, not much. I knew friends who’d grown up there, but hardly anyone who’d stayed. Brooklyn was a place people left (Woody Allen, Mr. Kotter, the Dodgers).

Manhattan was where people hoped to arrive. In the received wisdom of NYC, Brooklyn was the Old Country, and the East River a vast, roiling Atlantic.

It’s said that one in seven Americans can trace roots back through Brooklyn. I can’t, but I live here now. I came seven years ago, for the quiet, a bigger apartment and the novelty of open sky. I also came with the resignation of someone 132

forced into the motel down the highway when every hotel in town is sold out. It wasn’t an entirely happy move. Those early days in Carroll Gardens felt like exile ... and Manhattan was right over there, taunting me, taunting all 2.5 million of us.

I spent a lot of time plotting how to get back. Manhattan ... it takes a while to get over a girl like that. I compared every new experience to what it was like “in the city.” If Manhattan was the Sun, Carroll Gardens seemed a farflung, semi-inhabitable planet. Taxi drivers agreed. Utter the B-word, and they’d practically hiss. “Hey, I’m not happy about it, either,” I’d snap.

You can guess where this is going. At some point during that first spring, something clicked—and I began falling for Brooklyn. Maybe it was the sudden blooming of a rosebush beside my steps one morning. But I’d wager it was the old Polish greengrocer who, when I asked about fresh mint, plucked me three sprigs from his window box. “Anytime you need, just take,” he said. “Is for everybody.”

Finally, I was seeing Brooklyn for what it was, not just what it wasn’t. I still went to Manhattan—for work, New York Knicks basketball games, dental appointments. But weekends I spent east of the river, uncovering the mysteries of Williamsburg, Fort Greene and Brighton Beach. It wasn’t all spearmint and roses. If I was slow to embrace »

H U G H ST E WA RT ( 3 )

The Wonder Wheel, as seen from the Coney Island boardwalk. Left: Teenagers on Smith Street, in Cobble Hill.

A Hasidic resident of Williamsburg.

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Friends from London, San Francisco and even TriBeCa are eager to discover BROOKLYN. They want in like Tony Manero wanted out

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spades, as well as those curious trees. Now friends from London, San Francisco and even Manhattan’s TriBeCa neighborhood are eager to discover this “Brooklyn” everyone’s talking about. They want in like Tony Manero wanted out. Brooklyn’s renaissance is far enough along that the novelty angle is finally, blessedly moot, so restaurant critics and fashion editors no longer add “And it’s in Brooklyn!” as a parent might say “And she’s only a toddler!”

I admit the borough’s new cachet comes as some vindication. And, sure, I love braised squid and fancy cocktails as much as the next yuppie arriviste. But I wonder if curious visitors aren’t coming with misplaced expectations. If someone told you Brooklyn is “the next Manhattan,” they got it dead wrong. Brooklyn is nothing like Manhattan. Brooklyn looks and feels and is like no place else.

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to know about Brooklyn is that it is huge: New York’s most populous borough, home to nearly a third of its citizens. An independent Brooklyn would be the nation’s fourth-largest city. Brooklyn is a vast metropolis blessed and cursed to lie 500 meters from Manhattan. The second thing you need to know about Brooklyn is that it is small. Big in breadth and attitude, but intimate in the height of its buildings, the modesty of its storefronts, the compactness of its communities.

Defined by the front steps, the bodega, the bocce or basketball court, Brooklyn has an enduring neighborhood-ness.

Brooklyn has a singular ecology, sustaining a great variety of quirky or exotic things (and people) that have little or no place in Manhattan, nor in many other American cities.

Things like bocce courts, lemonade stands and pick-yourown herb planters. Stickball games and ice cream trucks.

Taquerias (diners selling burritos and tacos) with screened porches, bistros with dogwood-shrouded patios, Russian beer gardens, Georgian supper clubs. The city’s only South African restaurant, its only aquarium, its only carnival-style freak show. Rock concerts staged in a Polish community center where old ladies sell stoned kids pierogi (Slavic dumplings). An industrial canal that now attracts intrepid kayakers. And, throughout the borough, an incredible range of architecture, from Park Slope’s Italianate brownstones to the 19th-century carriage houses of Clinton Hill.

With relatively ample space and some creative ways of using it, Brooklyn offers plenty of room for exception.

Consider the five following examples, each of which could only exist here. » HE FIRST THING YOU NEED

O P P O S I T E T O P : H U G H S T E W A R T ( 2 ) . B E L O W : D AV I D N I C O L A S ( 2 )

Brooklyn, Brooklyn was also slow to embrace me. Every morning I repaired to the corner café for a macchiato. The owner was a gruff Calabrian named Tony. (Everyone in Brooklyn is named Tony, unless he’s Tov or Tung or Tolya or Tariq.) I only knew his name because regulars always walked in shouting “To-NAY!” Backs would be slapped, greetings exchanged.

Me, Tony scarcely acknowledged. Eventually he’d fix me with a look you might give a bug in your salad and say “Whattayavin.” No matter that my order was always the same. Each day I hoped against hope for a “Hey, guy! The usual?” But always the same ignominy: “Whattayavin.”

Finally, manna from heaven. I walked in. Tony tilted his chin. Managed a little smile. Said, “Howyadoin.” I blurted out, “Fine, fine, excellent in fact!”—then savored my macchiato as never before.

In Manhattan, you become a New Yorker within four hours of picking up your keys. No matter where you’re from, the city takes you in. Across the river, membership comes harder. Through movies and postcards and songs, Manhattan has always belonged to the world. Brooklyn always belonged to Brooklynites. Well, surprise. In case you haven’t heard, Brooklyn has become a byword for cool, the epitomic localboy-makes-good—suddenly, Brooklyn belongs to everyone.

It’s easy to say when a thing ends, harder to know when it begins. Most locals date the fall of the old Brooklyn to 1957, when you-know-who decamped for Los Angeles. (We can refer to the years since as “A.D.”: After Dodgers.) But other pillars were vanishing, too—manufacturing, shipping, the white middle-class—and the borough struggled through the second half of the century. When did the “new” Brooklyn emerge? Was it in the 1990’s, when artists transformed Williamsburg into the city’s creative hub? Was it in 2003, when Zagat named the Grocery—a tiny room in Carroll Gardens—the seventh-best restaurant in NYC? Or a year earlier, when Time Out New York ran a cover headlined “Manhattan: The New Brooklyn?” Whenever and however it happened, the Borough of Kings is back. (Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.)

It never really went away, of course. Manhattanites always made pilgrimages to Grimaldi’s and Peter Luger, to Coney Island and the Botanic Garden (see “Guide to Brooklyn,” page 139). But they came seeking humble, Brooklyn-y things: pizza, steak, roller-coasters, trees. They didn’t expect a salad of braised squid and pea shoots, or a stylish cocktail bar or a killer music scene. Today, they’ll find all these in

Hanging out at Brooklyn Social. Clockwise from left: Local history at the bar; home accessories at Bark, on Atlantic Avenue; hip basics at Bird, in Cobble Hill.

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The Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan, as seen from Dumbo. Opposite: Good vibes at the Good Fork, in Red Hook; anchovy, chili and buffalo mozzarella pizza at Frannyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, in Prospect Heights.

H U G H S T E W A R T. O P P O S I T E D A V I D N I C O L A S ( 2 ) .

BROOKLYN has become a byword for COOLâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and suddenly, it belongs to everyone

{CASE STUDY NO. 1}: THE WORLD IN 189 SQUARE KILOMETERS I write about travel for a living, so really, there’s no other place for me to live. Close to 100 ethnic groups are represented in Brooklyn, among them 935,000 immigrants. Some years ago, my wife and I got a car—a car! In New York City!—and began exploring Brooklyn as we would Miami or Los Angeles: on wheels.

Now we spend weekends traversing what might as well be other hemispheres. You want Saigon? Sunset Park will do.

Dakar? Fort Greene. Damascus? Atlantic Avenue. Krakow?

Bedford Avenue. Kingston? East Flatbush.

Then there are the French, who have been flocking to Boerum Hill and Fort Greene, lured by cheaper rents and an unrushed, Continental pace. Smith Street is now lined with francophone hangouts such as Robin des Bois, Provence en Boîte and Bar Tabac. Every July the latter hosts an epic Bastille Day bacchanal, when the surrounding streets are filled with sand for an all-day pétanque tournament.

Gratuitous cultural stereotypes? We’ve got them too. {CASE STUDY NO. 2}: DI FARA PIZZA AND BROOKLYN CUISINE Brooklyn is especially renowned for its restaurants. Media darlings like Applewood, the Good Fork and Al Di Là share a distinct Brooklyn sensibility. All are disarmingly personal, defined by the whims of the chef,

who usually owns the place. A DIY aesthetic prevails, from the handwritten menus to the house-cured salumi. Creativity reigns, but pretense is banished.

Di Fara, a 45-year-old pizzeria in workaday Midwood, may not appear to have much in common with the above, but in a way it was a template for all that followed. It’s chefrun (when owner Domenico DeMarco is sick, Di Fara shuts down), homespun (no LCD screens, just an ancient brass cash register), and reliant on, er, local produce (oregano and basil plants spilling over the windowsill). The kitchen is a model of inefficiency: DeMarco makes every pizza himself.

Instead of prepping ingredients in advance, he’ll grate just enough mozzarella and Grana Padana for a single pie, shreds only a few leaves of basil at a time. Making one pizza takes, oh, about seven hours. Which is why no one in Manhattan makes pizza half as good. {CASE STUDY NO. 3}: BROOKLYN SOCIAL With its pressed-tin ceiling and faded Deco mirrors, this Carroll Gardens bar is an uncanny simulacrum of an ItalianAmerican men’s club. That’s because for 70-odd years it was one: the Società Riposto, whose tuxedo-clad members gaze out ghostlike from framed photos on the wall. They’ve been supplanted by the neighborhood’s new guard—guys in publishing, dolls in ad sales. Clientele aside, the joint seems »

unchanged. Dino’s singing “Buona Sera” on the juke.

Ceiling fans stir the air while the bartender—that’s Ivan, in his apron and tie—stirs drinks. Ironic appropriation?

Affectionate homage? Whatever it is, Brooklyn Social works.

Of course it wouldn’t mean jack if the drinks weren’t so good. Note the planter of fresh rosemary, which will go nicely with your vodka-and-limoncello, and the bottle of Michter’s rye, the proper base for a Manhattan. Except here they call it a Brooklyn. {CASE STUDY NO. 4}: THE FUTURE PERFECT & WILLIAMSBURG’S DESIGN SCENE Just one L-train stop from the East Village, Williamsburg has long been siphoning hipsters out of Lower Manhattan, sucking them up through subway tubes into a relative vacuum of unexploited space. That was the original premise, anyway. By now Williamsburg is so coveted that struggling artists are fleeing for Red Hook, Bushwick or (gasp) Queens. In their stead has come a new monied class, funky enough to dig the edgy vibe while throwing down $750K for a condo.

Still, the myth endures, and some of the reality.

Williamsburg remains a creative bastion, and if fewer artists actually keep their studios here, there is an array of galleries and shops dedicated to exhibiting and selling their work.

One store, the Future Perfect, has emerged as the de facto HQ for the borough’s thriving furniture and design scene.

Nearly all of its stock comes from Brooklyn-based firms. The unifying thread, if one exists, is a sense of humor: take Jason Miller’s ceramic-antler chandeliers and his seemingly “dusty” coffee table, clever riffs on suburban motifs; Elodie Blanchard’s graceful vases composed of rubber bands; or Tobias Wong’s “I F*ck for G*cci” wallpaper. {CASE STUDY NO. 5}: THE RED HOOK WATERFRONT There’s a spot on the edge of New York Harbor that encapsulates everything that once defined the city and no longer does. From the mid 19th to the mid 20th century, Red Hook—a 1.5-kilometer promontory jutting off Brooklyn’s western shore—was among the nation’s busiest ports. After the 1950’s, much of its maritime trade and population disappeared. Yet the peculiar light, ambience and iconography remain. It’s still one of the most atmospheric corners of New York.

Clamber onto the mossy rocks where the city meets the surf and take it all in: the briny air, the squawking of gulls, the tugboats under an epic sky. To the left is the Verrazano Narrows bridge; to the right, the Statue of Liberty. Standing along Red Hook’s piers, you’re suddenly reminded that New York was built here for a reason. How easily one can forget this in the inland parts of the city.

Step back from the water and look around: here are three antique trolley cars rusting on a patch of grass. (Trolley cars once ran everywhere in Brooklyn, whose residents were 138

known as trolley dodgers—hence the baseball team.) Here are the Beard Street Warehouses, built in 1869 of sandstone and schist. The storerooms were once piled high with hemp and tobacco, cocoa and coffee—you can still find beans wedged between the floorboards. Today, the tenants include a glassblowing studio, a parachute-design firm and the costume shop for Blue Man Group.

And here is the abandoned Revere Sugar Plant, a jumble of chutes and conveyor belts recalling a Rube Goldberg contraption. Soon it, too, will be gone, replaced by the world’s largest IKEA. Such is the way of things now, as Red Hook is (re)discovered by pioneering home- and business-owners, plucky tourists, and, especially, developers. Across from the Beard Street Warehouses is the new Fairway supermarket, a 4,800square-meter epicurean temple, drawing shoppers from as far away as ... Manhattan. Ten blocks north is the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, opened in April 2006 as the new port of call for Princess, Carnival and Cunard ships, including the Queen Mary 2. Amid the gritty longshoremen’s haunts that once defined Red Hook are now several acclaimed restaurants, a chic wine bar, live-music clubs, art galleries and a guitar shop–cum–coffeehouse.

And so with Brooklyn’s newfound trendiness has come the inevitable: a shocking rise in housing costs, a development boom and battles over how (and how much) the borough should evolve. There’s hardly a hectare of Brooklyn that isn’t at stake in one turf war or another. Even here in Red Hook, preservationists are objecting to IKEA’s proposal to pave over a historic ship-repair dock and put up—cue Joni Mitchell—a parking lot.

The fiercest battle, however, centers on Atlantic Yards, a US$4.2-billion development that would bring 16 residential and commercial towers and a Frank Gehry–designed basketball arena to the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, already one of the most congested intersections in the city. Atlantic Yards would place a significant strain on mass transit and knot up some 60 intersections in gridlock. It would also supply 2,250 subsidized apartments for low- and middle-income residents, create thousands of jobs and relocate the New Jersey Nets basketball team to a legendarily jilted sports town that’s gone five decades without a bigleague team.

Yet Atlantic Yards seems grotesquely proportioned, the proverbial bazooka-on-a-quail-hunt. If approved, it will be the biggest and costliest development in Brooklyn’s history.

Will it happen anyway? Right now it seems inevitable. If so, I’ll certainly be rooting for the Brooklyn Nets—especially when they play the (Manhattan) Knicks. Might even attend a game, if I can actually get to the arena. But in the back of my mind, I’ll be counting the days until summer, when I can sit on my steps, sipping 25-cent lemonade, watching the kids play stickball. ✚

Inside interior design and fashion outlet Bark, in Boerum Hill. Left: David and Laura Shea, the owners of Applewood, in Park Slope.

GUI DE TO BROOK LYN WHERE TO EAT & DRINK AL DI LÀ Unimpeachably authentic northern Italian (braised rabbit, stewed tripe), served in your Nonna’s homey parlor.

You’ll wait an hour for a table, then be grateful you did. 248 Fifth Ave., Park Slope; 1-718/ 783-4565; www.aldilatrattoria. com; dinner for two US$60.

H U G H ST E WA RT ( 2 )

ALMA Casual, ever-popular spot serving nouvelle Mexican with a side of wow: the view of Manhattan from the covered rooftop is breathtaking.

187 Columbia St., Columbia Waterfront District; 1-718/6435400; www.almarestaurant. com; dinner for two US$65.

APPLEWOOD A folksy, hearth-warmed room sets the scene for farm-fresh cooking at this creative momand-pop op (literally — the owners’ child is usually in

the house). 501 11th St., Park Slope; 1-718/768-2044; www. applewoodny.com; dinner for two US$75.

BEAST Brooklyn’s most inventive tapas bar, where the wild things are on the walls (an odd mythological-monsters theme) and the plates (short ribs braised in Guinness, a pickled fennel–and-feta salad). 638 Bergen St., Prospect Heights; 1-718/399-6855; dinner for two US$40.

BLUE RIBBON BROOKLYN Roomier, friendlier and better than the acclaimed SoHo original, with a superb raw bar and a comically diverse menu of American comfort food (fried chicken, Caesar salad, a pupu platter). A branch of the great Blue Ribbon Sushi (1-718/840-0408) is next door at No. 278. 280 Fifth Ave., Park Slope; 1-718/840-0404; www.

blueribbonrestaurants.com; dinner for two US$60.

BROOKLYN ICE CREAM FACTORY The obsessives at BICF make only eight basic flavors (hey, remember plain old chocolate and vanilla?) — but take the time to get each exactly right.

Bonus: Grimaldi’s Pizzeria (1-718/858-4300) with its coaloven pies is waiting just steps away. Fulton Ferry Landing Pier, Dumbo; 1-718/246-3963.

DI FARA PIZZA It’s everything I promise it is … I promise. Don’t come expecting silverware. Or speed. 1424 Ave. J, Midwood; 1-718/258-1367; whole pizzas from US$15.

DRESSLER The latest from the owner of Williamsburg’s beloved Dumont, this gorgeous bistro goes one better, with bold flavors (striped bass

with chorizo, broccoli rabe and cockles) and equally forceful design (Baroquestyle chandeliers, ornately filigreed dark-wood paneling).

149 Broadway, Williamsburg; 1-718/384-6343; www. dresslernyc.com; dinner for two US$60.

FRANKIES 457 SPUNTINO Brick walls, plain wood tables, sultry lighting and the occasional Hollywood star (Kate Hudson, Liv Tyler, Leo DiCaprio) set the rustic-yeturbane vibe at CG’s hippest restaurant. It helps to have great food, from delectable greens to knockout salumi to a perfect cavatelli with sausage and sage butter. 457 Court St., Carroll Gardens; 1-718/4030033; www.frankiesspuntino. com; dinner for two US$65.

FRANNY’S Yes, the brick oven–fired pizza is fabulous (try the clams

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chili, and parsley combo).

But the secret weapon is the carefully sourced produce, like the delicate pea shoots served with braised squid, and an unassuming salad laced with powerful herbs.

295 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Heights; 1-718/230-0221; www. frannysbrooklyn.com; dinner for two US$50.

THE GOOD FORK It’s Korean-meetsFrench-bistro food (crispy sweetbreads; steak with kimchi, rice and a fried egg) at this tiny, low-key room on Red Hook’s burgeoning foodie strip. 391 Van Brunt St., Red Hook; 1-718/643-6636; www. goodfork.com; dinner for two US$60.

THE GROCERY There’s no flash or attitude at this 30-seat, husband-andwife-owned jewel in Smith Street’s crown — just assured, inspired, greenmarket-based cooking that would fetch twice these prices in Manhattan. 288 Smith St., Carroll Gardens; 1718/596-3335; dinner for two US$90.

JACQUES TORRES CHOCOLATE French expat Torres is New York’s best and most imaginative chocolate maker; this tiny shop attached to his waterfront factory sells — or, rather, exhibits? — his artful creations. 66 Water St., Dumbo; 1-718/875-9772; www. mrchocolate.com.

MARLOW & SONS Bracing Malpeques, hearty fish stew and ethereal Spanish tortillas are highlights at this

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funky oyster bar/tapas joint/ épicerie (there’s a shop in front selling featured ingredients).

81 Broadway, Williamsburg; 1-718/384-1441; www. marlowandsons.com; dinner for two US$55.

THE ORCHARD The city’s finest fruit selection, bar none (it’s certainly the most expensive). Stop in before the obligatory visit to Di Fara, around the corner.

1367 Coney Island Ave., Midwood; 1-718/377-1799; www. orchardfruit.com.

PETER LUGER Everyone knows Luger’s has the best straight-ahead porterhouse in NYC, but did you know about the fantastic burger served only at lunch?

Now you do. 178 Broadway, Williamsburg; 1-718/387-7400; www.peterluger.com; dinner for two US$110.

ST. HELEN CAFÉ Impeccable lattes are the lure at this handsome, intimate café. Sip one next to the carp pond in the backyard garden.

150 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg; 1-718/302-1197.

SETTE ENOTECA E CUCINA An alluring, vine-fringed patio, a reasonably priced wine list and earthy Italian cooking (like a great pappardelle with oxtail) make this a local favorite in the Slope — Steve Buscemi’s here every week. 207 Seventh Ave., Park Slope; 1-718/499-7767; dinner for two US$80.

TANOREEN Dinner way out in Bay Ridge?

Sign us up, if we’re having Rawia Bishara’s revelatory Middle Eastern food (tender

BARBÈS Speaking of the French: This unerringly hip, Gallic-owned live-music club runs the gamut from washboard swing and Reinhardt-style guitar jazz to quwwali and klezmer. 376 Ninth St., Park Slope; 1-718/965-9177; www.barbesbrooklyn.com.

BAR TABAC The liveliest of several bistrocum-watering holes jostling for lead position in Brooklyn’s burgeoning Little Paris (actually, the funky feel is more like Little Marseilles). 128 Smith St., Cobble Hill; 1-718/923-0918.

BROOKLYN SOCIAL Packed to the pressed-tin ceiling on weekend nights, agreeably lively most others.

335 Smith St., Carroll Gardens; 1-718/858-7758.

LARRY LAWRENCE Prettiest bar in the borough?

Could be. The atmosphere recalls an outsized Finnish sauna, with acres of glowing pine and a glass-enclosed deck (except that isn’t steam, it’s cigarette smoke: the deck is one of NYC’s few remaining smoking areas).

The crowd, most nights, is just as attractive. 295 Grand St., Williamsburg; 1-718/218-7866; www.larrylawrencebar.com.

PRIMORSKI Funniest club in the borough?

Definitely. This glitzy, schmaltzy, Russian–Georgian supper club hosts a nightly bacchanal replete with dinner, disco balls, drinking (a lot of drinking) and supremely cheesy live music that’s hardly changed since the place opened in 1981. 282 Brighton Beach Ave., Brighton Beach; 1-718/8913111; www.primorski.net.

ZEBULON Some of the city’s hottest jazz and Afrobeat is performed every night — free — in this sultry, low-lit lounge, tucked in beside a motorcycle-

repair shop. Look out for the explosive funk of Amayo’s Fu-Arkest-Ra (featuring the lead singer of the great Antibalas) and Malian talkingdrum master Baye Kouyate, who tends bar here on his off nights. 258 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg; 1-718/218-6934; www.zebuloncafeconcert.com.

WHERE TO SHOP BIRD Impeccably curated women’s clothing boutique offering onestop shopping for hipsters.

Stock ranges from denim by Australian cult label Sass & Bide to fancy frocks by NYC’s Philip Lim. 430 Seventh Ave., Park Slope; 1-718/768-4940; also at 220 Smith St., Cobble Hill; www.shopbird.com.

BROOKLYN FLAT An outpost for whimsical, funky design. Ceramic saltand-pepper shakers in the shape of chicken feet share space with silk-screened pillows by a local graphic artist. 150 Ainslie St., Williamsburg; 1-718/302-2138; www.brooklynflat.com.

BUTTER An airy showcase for top fashion names such as Dries van Noten and Rick Owens.

The shoe selection alone inspires many a pilgrimage from Manhattan. Also: the Butter Outlet (103 Bond St., Boerum Hill; 1-718/260-9033).

389 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill; 1-718/260-9033.

DARR A stuffed grizzly bear?

Buddhist devotional statuary?

Vintage card-catalog drawers?

Antique maps? All are under one roof. 369 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill; 1-718/797-9733; www.shopdarr.com.

THE FUTURE PERFECT If you hit only one design shop, make it this one. 115 N. Sixth St., Williamsburg; 1-718/599-6278; www.thefutureperfect.com.

OTTE Once you get past the staff’s haughty (decidedly nonBrooklyn) attitude, you’ll find racks upon racks of flirty Vanessa Bruno, Ulla Johnson and See by Chloé designs. 132 N. Fifth St., Williamsburg; 1718/302-3007.

M A P BY S T E V E S TA N K I E W I C Z . O P P O S I T E : H U G H S T E WA R T

braised lamb, garlicky stewed eggplant, luscious zahtartopped flatbread), which puts her competition in Manhattan to shame. 7704 Third Ave., Bay Ridge; 1-718/748-5600; www.tanoreen.com; dinner for two US$55.

Alfresco dining at Frankies 457 Spuntino, on Court Street, in Carroll Gardens.

(My Favorite Place)

Big Views Above: Hong Kong’s glittering skyline. Right: The Yan Toh Heen restaurant.

In Hong Kong, Alain Ducasse, the only chef to have been awarded three Michelin stars in three different countries, sits down with PAUL EHRLICH for some table talk OW TO SELECT JUST ONE place in a city with so many options? Hong Kong lives for food, whether sitting at table in a sophisticated venue or enjoying local cuisine from a dai pai dong (small street-side eatery). I find the choices endless.

This has a lot to do with Hong Kong being at the crossroads of several culinary traditions: from the mainland, with its diverse regional cuisines, to its close Asian neighbors—and even faraway Europe.

For exciting culinary contrasts, I have two favorite restaurants. Yan Toh Heen, in the InterContinental Hotel, has magnificent Cantonese cuisine. Not even the view from the dining room can distract me from what’s served on the carved-jade plates. Dramatically

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different is the very local Tien Heung Lau. Founded in the 1950’s, it’s in bustling Tsim Sha Tsui. The restaurant specializes in Hangzhou cuisine, which is very similar to Shanghainese cuisine, but slightly lighter in taste. A speciality is a Shanghainese seasonal dish, hairy crab.

The ones at Tien Heung come from a lake west of Shanghai called the Alain Ducasse.

Yangcheng. They migrate for breeding to the Yellow River in the fall, which is the catching season.

The dish owes its special taste to the quality of the coral. To bring a special touch to the rich flavor, the crab is served with very acidic vinegar and a grate of ginger. The entire crab is presented and then cut up. It’s best enjoyed with an excellent Chinese rice wine.

T O P : © K A R I N WA N G / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C O U R T E SY O F T H E I N T E R C O N T I N E N TA L H O T E L , H O N G KO N G ; C O U R T E SY O F A L A I N D U C A S S E

HONG KONG