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Weekly
Editor’s LEttEr
editor@ openskiesmagazine. com
Paris is one of the most storied – and visited – cities in the world, which makes it all the sweeter when you come across one of its hidden gems; a place so old and remarkable that it’s hard not to wonder how you missed it. Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is the biggest antiques market in the world and a treasure trove of vintage goodness. Further south, we check out what Casablanca has to offer and discover a city with a vibrant present, as well as a remarkable past. Heard the one about Mumbai’s jazz age? Us neither. Luckily, you can learn all about a musical era that saw some of the world’s jazz greats descend on the city. Elsewhere we discover if it is possible to live forever, and meet some of the people who are pushing the human body as far as it can go. We also feature a set of stunning photographs of the Arabian purebred horse. Enjoy the issue.
Emirates takes care to ensure that all facts published herein are correct. In the event of any inaccuracy please contact the editor. Any opinion expressed is the honest belief of the author based on all available facts. comments and facts should not be relied upon by the reader in taking commercial, legal, financial or other decisions. Articles are by their nature general and specialist advice should always be consulted before any actions are taken. Media One Tower, Dubai Media city PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Telephone: (+971 4) 427 3000 Fax: (+971 4) 428 2261 Email: emirates@motivate.ae
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Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai, UAE
edItor-In-ChIef Obaid humaid Al Tayer ManagIng partner & group edItor In ChIef Ian Fairservice edItorIal dIreCtor Gina Johnson • gina@motivate.ae group edItor Mark Evans • marke@motivate.ae edItor Conor Purcell • conor@motivate.ae deputy edItor Gareth Rees • gareth@motivate.ae desIgner Roui Francisco • rom@motivate.ae edItorIal assIstant Londresa Flores • londresa@motivate.ae head of produCtIon S Sunil Kumar senIor produCtIon Manager c Sudhakar general Manager, group sales Anthony Milne • anthony@motivate.ae dIgItal developMent Manager Helen Cotton • helenc@motivate.ae group sales Manager Jaya Balakrishnan • jaya@motivate.ae sales Manager Rameshwar Nepali deputy sales Manager Amar Kamath edItorIal Consultants for eMIrates: edItor Jonathan hill arabIC edItor: hatem Omar deputy edItor: Andy grant WebsIte • emirates.com ContrIbutors Zoe christodoulides, christos Theodorides, Kash, Louis Pattison, Noah Davis, Jamie Knights, JM cantarero, Paddy Smith, Sorrel Moseley-Williams, Emma hodson, Marta Zaraska, Naresh Fernandes, Ian Taylor, Tariq Dajani Cover IMage: Tariq Dajani InternatIonal MedIa representatIves: AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND Okeeffe Media, Kevin O’ Keeffe; Tel + 61 89 447 2734, okeeffekev@bigpond.com.au, BENELUXM.P.S. Benelux; Francesco Sutton; Tel +322 720 9799, Fax +322 725 1522, francesco.sutton@mps-adv.com chINA Publicitas Advertising; Tel +86 10 5879 5885 FRANcE Intermedia Europe Ltd, Fiona Lockie, Katie Allen, Laura Renault; Tel +33 15 534 9550, Fax +33 15 534 9549, administration@intermedia. europe.com gERMANy IMV International Media Service gmbh, Wolfgang Jäger; Tel +49 89 54 590 738, Fax +49 89 54 590 769, wolfgang.jager@iqm.de hONg KONg/MALAySIA/ThAILAND Sonney Media Networks, hemant Sonney; Tel +852 27 230 373, Fax +852 27 391 815, hemant@sonneymedia.com INDIA Media Star, Ravi Lalwani; Tel +91 22 4220 2103, Fax +91 22 2283 9619, ravi@mediastar.co.in ITALy IMM Italia Lucia colucci; Tel +39 023 653 4433, Fax +39 029 998 1376, lucia.colucci@fastwebnet.it JAPAN Tandemz Inc.; Tel + 81 3 3541 4166, Fax +81 3 3541 4748, all@tandeminc.com NEThERLANDS gIO Media, giovanni Angiolini; Tel +31 6 2223 8420, giovanni@gio-media.nl SOUTh AFRIcA Ndure, Dale Isaac; Tel +27 84 701 2479, dale@ndure.co.za SPAIN IMM International, Nicolas Devos; Tel +331 40 1300 30, n.devos@imm-international.com TURKEy Media Ltd.; Tel: +90 212 275 51 52, mediamarketingtr@medialtd.com.tr UK Spafax Inflight Media, Nick hopkins, Arnold green; Tel +44 207 906 2001, Fax +44 207 906 2022, nhopkins@spafax. com USA Totem Brand Stories, Brigitte Baron, Marina chetner; Tel +212 896 3846, Fax +212 896 3848, brigitte.baron@ rtotembrandstories.com
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True luxury is
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The Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet is a nighttime accessory engineered to help improve your quality of sleep. Our customers report benefits from falling asleep faster, to sleeping more deeply, and waking up more refreshed.
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contents / july 2013
51
Turkish delight at the Blue Mosque
38 30
We preview this month’s best music festivals
31
The London producer with an Indian heritage, Kash reveals his top tunes
A peek inside one of the best hotel rooms in Prague
40
One of Dubai’s oldest fish restaurants – in the shadow of the Burj Al Arab
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52
We examine the rise and fall of the text message
54
A subterranean salsa club in the heart of Buenos Aires
contents / july 2013
60
A stroll through the largest antiques market in the world
70
A look back at Mumbai’s jazz age
Front (29) Calendar Skypod The Question/The Grid Consume Room Local Knowledge
30 31 34 37 38 40
BLD Mapped Place Column Store
Main (59) The Antiques of Paris Bombay’s Golden Age of Jazz Arabian Horses
45 46 51 52 54
news (87) 60 70 78
News Green Route Map
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89 92 98
CONFIDENCE IN ANY LANGUAGE. Carat Weight 1.53
Color Grade E
Clarity Grade VS1
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Natural Diamond Not Synthetic
Wherever you go, a GIA report means assurance of diamond quality. Before you buy, look for confirmation from the world’s foremost gem authority and creator of the 4Cs. Learn more at www.4cs.gia.edu
THE UNIVERSAL STANDARD BY WHICH GEMS ARE JUDGED.
contributors Paddy smith
Paddy Smith has been a journalist for 15 years, covering the technology beat since 2006. He is currently Online Editor for Stuff and lives in London surrounded by books and gadgets.
Kash
Trained in North Indian classical music, this Londonbased singer and producer fuses the sound of his native Lahore with an edgy British sound. Definitely one to watch.
ian taylor
Men’s Health Comissioning Editor, Ian has written about everything from the myotatic crunch to visceral fat. He has even given up potatoes in the name of science.
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Open skies / july 2013
marta zarasKa
A Canadian freelance writer published in the Washington Post, Newsweek and National Geographic Traveler. She has visited more than 70 countries and lived in five of them. She currently resides in France.
tariq dajani
A widely travelled English photographer who has worked as both a commercial and art photographer. Now living in a remote farm in southern Spain, his work retains a curiosity and a technical brilliance.
Shopping at Qatar Duty Free is a pleasant and relaxing experience. As the second largest Duty Free operations in the region, we are committed to offering you good service and value for money. A key part of its strategy is to offer something for every passenger profile and to make Duty Free shopping a memorable experience. With a wide selection of the world’s finest brands, enticing promotions, and exciting raffles, shopping at Qatar Duty Free is your destination of choice.
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FRONT 31 SKYPOD
London-based producer Kash reveals his favourite tracks
Northern Light From Casablanca with love as we check out this Moroccan gem
(46)
OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013
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DUBAI
SYDNEY
A hidden gem serving the best seafood in the city
An insider’s guide to the city’s best restaurants
j u ly
CALENDAR
july 26 to 28
midi FesTival
easily one of our favourite summer festivals, midi has it all: a beautiful setting in the medieval hill town of hyeres, some of the coolest leftfield acts in the world (The horrors, Peter hook & The Light) and three great venues – a racetrack, arts centre and beach. oh, and did we mention the scenery? This is one of the most chilled, and most fun, festivals anywhere in europe. miDi-feSTivaL.com
July 18 to 21
FIB Benicàssim
Ah Benicàssim, let us count the ways we love you. Is it the laid-back dress code? The great weather? The friendly, up-for-it crowd? The always excellent line-up? It’s all of the above, as well as the amazing atmosphere that has seen it grow in popularity since its debut in 1995. Being right on the beach doesn’t hurt either. This year’s line-up includes The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, Dizzee Rascal and Azealia Banks. See you on the sand. fiBerfiB.com
July 19 to august 4
Verbier Festival july 12 to 14
T in The Park
When T in the Park began in 1994 the headliners included Blur, oasis and crash Test Dummies, which gives you an idea of how long it’s been entertaining Scottish partygoers. Big name bands aren’t the only constant: it’s usually raining, which gives the festival a messy vibe. This year the names are as big as ever, with rihanna, The Killers, mumford and Sons and The Script all taking part. Don’t forget the wellingtons.
Altogether more refined than your typical summer festival, this event sees more than 60 classical music concerts take place over 17 days. Verbier is the winter playground of the rich and famous, and this festival provides the area’s biggest draw during the quieter summer months. A must for classical fans.
TinTheParK.com
verBierfeSTivaL.com
Place
The Big Blue page 55 30
Open skies / july 2013
SKYPOD
London-based producer Kash reveals his favourite tracks
1.
2.
3.
M.I.A. XR2
Rufus Wainwright Peach Trees
Lauryn Hill Ex-Factor
This is probably my favourite M.I.A. track, because her vocal delivery is so effortless and laid-back – very different to all her other songs. No bass line, which is unique for a dance song, but the wordplay and storytelling is immense.
Wainwright at his best. The light bossa nova percussion adds to the song’s sense of romance.
Lauryn Hill is my favourite female singer of all time. Her riffs are so intricate, they’re almost Eastern. I love how the chords shift between light and dark, happy and sad.
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4.
Prince I Wanna Be Your Lover I first heard this track while getting my hair cut at the barbers, and had to ask him to stop so I could find out what the song was. It’s one of Prince’s earliest tracks and is quite different to the rest of his catalogue. The funk solo at the end is the best part.
5.
SĂŠbastien Tellier Look From his 2008 album Sexuality. The chords are stunning, effortlessly beautiful. His vocal is restrained but speaks volumes.
J u ly
CALENDAR
6.
Kraftwerk Trans-Europe Express Kraftwerk still sound current and futuristic. The riff from this song has been sampled a million times but the original still has the magic. What they do is so simple, yet so brilliant.
7.
July 10 to July 16
New York Philharmonic The Philharmonic goes green, kicking off the free summer outdoor concert series with a performance in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Alan Gilbert leads the ensemble through an exciting programme of Respighi and Tchaikovsky. These events attract serious classical music fans and those who want to relax in the (relatively) cool summer evenings. Bring a picnic and soak up the good vibes. prospectpark.org
Alanis Morissette Head Over Feet Jagged Little Pill was one of the first albums I owned as a child. Teenage angst cured. This is the prettiest song off the record to me.
Casablanca
Northern star page 50
8.
Daft Punk Voyager Just check out that bass line. Enough said.
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THE QUESTION
WHY DO ATM MACHINES RETURN THE CARD SO SLOWLY? When an ATM machine returns your card, it often seems to take an age, particularly compared with when you insert it. This is intentional, and the ‘jitter’ is to reduce the chances of your card being skimmed. Skimmers are after your PIN number and the data on the card’s magnetic strip. They can then replicate your card, use your PIN and withdraw money from your account. The jitter makes it hard for a hidden camera to read the magnetic strip, and while not foolproof, is the first line of defence for ATM manufacturers against the skimmers. The first ATM machine was installed in New York in 1939, by the City Bank of New York. While not the same as the modern ATM machine, it accepted coin, cash and cheque deposits, but did not dispense any money. Things have come a long way since then, with there currently being one ATM machine for every 3,000 people on the planet. While the number of skimming incidents is not known, we are sure that when it comes to keeping your card safe, the jitter is well worth the trouble.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
THE GRID We are looking forward to The Arrangement, a mixedmedia exhibition by Amir H Fallah that sees a modern twist given to the traditional Dutch/ Flemish floral still-life painting. Held at The Third Line until July 30th, the exhibition is a new take on a classic style, and well worth a visit. thethirdline.com
A time for reflection and family, Ramadan will take place during the month of July this year. Beginning on July 10th, Ramadan is the perfect time to take stock, catch up with family and friends, and give thanks for the year’s successes. wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan
This 130-strong selection of works acquired for the Louvre Abu Dhabi is worth making the journey for. Works from some of the 20th century’s big-hitters, including Mondrian, Magritte and Picasso, sit alongside classic Indian miniatures and historical and religious treasures. saadiyatculturaldistrict.ae
There is no better place to cool off this month than at Wild Wadi. Its 30 rides include the aptly named Jumeirah Sceirah and Tantrum Alley, and the park manages to mix family-friendly rides with genuine eye-popping adrenaline rushes. jumeirah.com
consume book
album
Turing’s compuTer George Dyson
elecTric Pet Shop Boys
Given the recent controversy surrounding our digital lives and what is and is not public property, this book on the history of the computer is rather timely. It focuses on two men: Cambridge mathematician Alan Turing and the Hungarian-born American polymath John von Neumann. Both men, on either side of the Atlantic, developed the foundations for the modern computer. Dyson’s book illustrates the way that military necessity paved the way for the modern smartphone, and how human ego played as important a role as technology. It is a somewhat sprawling affair but contains enough nuggets of insight – and revealing anecdotes – to make it worth a read.
It’s easy to forget just how influential this London duo are, but Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are one of the most successful UK bands in history, having sold more than 50 million records worldwide. Despite the pair churning out the hits for more than 30 years, their 12th studio album, Electric, looks set to win over a new generation of followers. Expect plenty of synths, whistle-worthy tunes and intelligent lyrics.
film
The wolverine
It seems that every film made these days is a prequel, a sequel, or features a superhero of some sort. The Wolverine is part of the ever-expanding X-Men franchise (this is the sixth instalment) in which Logan/Wolverine (played by a muscle-bound Hugh Jackman) travels to Japan, where he fights a number of samurai-wielding bad guys (and girls), all of whom seem plucked from the pages of a manga comic. The plot is paper thin, and despite Jackman’s sterling efforts to the give the role some gravitas, this is throwaway entertainment – but hey, what else were you expecting?
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Open skies / JUly 2013
the Room
TexT: MarK evanS // www.FOurSeaSOnS.cOM/prague
rOOM 703
The FOur SeaSOnS, prague
Pull out your ‘must-have’ list for any good hotel stay, and the checklist will no doubt include the usual standards of location, access to major attractions, views and friendly staff, and that’s before you even get to the room itself. The Four Seasons Prague manages to tick all those boxes and then some. Housed on the banks of the River Vltava, replete with sweeping views across the city – majestic, while a horribly overused term when it comes to vistas, is the only word to describe it. The Charles Bridge, one of Prague’s more iconic landmarks, is the proverbial stone’s throw away, and the old town is within easy walking distance. Prague is often overrun with tourists during the high season, but a stroll around the old town will demonstrate why: baroque and neo-renaissance architecture dots the cobbled streets, and countless taverns and cafes offer a respite from the crowds. Rooms come equipped with the standard Four Seasons comfort, with nice touches of classic design, including (in our room) a crystal chandelier. Ask for a room overlooking the river – while views into the old town are quaint, that river view really does take some beating.
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Open skies / july 2013
INTERNET SPEED: 6MB (free) PILLOWS: Four BED SIzE: King iPOD DOCK: Yes CLUB SANDWICH DELIVERY TIME: 16 mins COMPLIMENTARY SNACKS: Fresh fruit TOILETRY BRAND: L’Occitane DAILY NEWSPAPER: The Four Seasons magazine TV CHANNELS: 8 VIEW: 5/5 RATE: $1,560
LOCAL KNOwLEDGE
Catch of the day THIRTY YEARS AFTER IT FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS, HUMBLE UMM SUQEIM FISH SHACK, BU QTAIR RESTAURANT, IS DOING MORE BUSINESS THAN EVER Words by Gareth Rees / Images by Roui Francisco
Dinner Time / Tourists and expats tuck into their evening meals
I
t’s a Sunday at 6.15pm, and across Dubai hundreds of restaurants are about to do some of the worst business they will do all week. Many people have over-exerted both their stomachs and their finances at the weekend, and after eight hours in the office, the last thing they want to do is visit a restaurant. But, just off Jumeirah Beach Road, near Umm Suqeim Beach in Dubai, there is already a queue forming outside a small Portacabin which sits in a dusty lot beside a couple of trees,
sandwiched between a dilapidated shack and a makeshift arrangement of metal rods, netting and tarpaulins, which covers several seemingly unfinished wooden boats. The sign, in Arabic and English, reads Bu Qtair Restaurant. “There were always lots of people here in the evening,” says Peter Samir Ibrahim, a Canadian citizen born in Egypt and currently working in Dubai. “I first visited five or so years ago, and now I visit a couple of times a month.” It’s Ibrahim’s birthday, and he is standing at the end of a queue of a dozen regulars, who know that the
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Open skies / july 2013
earlier you arrive, the better the fish you will have to choose from. He is with his son, Amir, and has a baking tray, which will be used to carry two fish home to his family for his birthday feast. “It’s a different crowd now. Right back at the start, you and I wouldn’t have been here, it would have been mainly Keralan expats eating Keralan food. Gradually it’s become more touristic. I don’t see any Keralans here anymore.” There are no Indians at all, aside from the staff, but, amongst the diners already seated on the red, blue, yellow, green and blue plastic
stools at the white plastic tables strewn across the patch of grey sand in front of the restaurant, there is a table of Chinese tourists, another of British holidaymakers, a smattering of Filipinos, a huge American with a big smile collecting a takeaway and an African man in a claret robe. The previous Thursday lunchtime at 2.30pm, as the staff was preparing to close for the afternoon – Bu Qtair opens daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 11.30pm – it was a different story. Half a dozen customers, all Indian men in formal shirts and shoes – office workers on their lunch breaks – were perched on stools at half a dozen faux marble tables, which seemed to have been constructed from old kitchen countertops. Each of them were enjoying the same meal: a small bowl of yellow coconut curry, paratha and a tiny fish, rubbed with spices and fried until its skin was black. “I’ve been coming here since 2003, and I visit about twice a month for lunch,” said Tonmoy Barooa, a FedEx employee originally from Assam, India. “If I’m in the area, I always make an effort to come here. It’s simple food. It’s poor man’s food, but it’s worth the effort.” Details about Bu Qtair’s history are not easy to come by, but the man who runs the restaurant, Moosa Hydrose, has worked there from day one. Hydrose is an Indian man of average height, roughly 55 years old, who during our visit was dressed in the Bu Qtair uniform of white jacket and trousers – the staff could pass for hospital orderlies – and who sported rectangular spectacles, a brush moustache and a furrowed brow. “His sponsor lives in the villa next door,” explained a Coca-Cola delivery man who kindly agreed to translate for Hydrose. “He owns Bu Qtair, but Moosa has been running it for 30 years.”
Hydrose seemed suspicious of questions, and was a man of very few words, but his closed lips briefly broke into a big smile, revealing a mouth full of front teeth, before he went back to dealing with his soft-drinks delivery, which is a relatively recent addition to the Bu Qtair offering, according to the Coca-Cola employee. The most distinctive change to Bu Qtair’s operation during Hydrose’s 30-year tenure has come in the last five years, according to Barooa. “As recently as four years back, the fishermen used to be right in front of the restaurant,” he said. “Their shacks were right on the
They never used To have Tiles on The walls or have air condiTioning or wooden Tables, buT The changes have come very gradually
CatCh of the day / A bowl of yellow coconut curry and a fish rubbed with spices
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Open skies / july 2013
beach, and the staff from the restaurant would walk over the road and buy the fish straight from the fishermen. Now it’s become a bit more commercial. They must be getting the fish from elsewhere now.” Meredith Tuqan, an Australian expat and Bu Qtair regular for several years, suggested that the restaurant now catches its own fish. “My understanding is that the owner of the restaurant also owns the fishing boats next door, which supply the fish,” she said. “That’s what I’ve been told by the floor manager.” Back to Sunday evening, and as Ibrahim and Amir move inside the restaurant, one step closer to their birthday dinner, Ibrahim also comments on how little Bu Qtair has changed. “When I first visited, there were no solid buildings around here, and the fishermen’s quarters were all around,” he says. “There never used to be tiles on the walls, they never had air conditioning, and the tables used to be wooden, but it didn’t all change overnight. It was a gradual process.” Coverage in the local media, a Twitter account (@buqtair) set up by diehard fans, and a five-minute
There was more flavour in The food when i sTarTed coming here; iT has evolved To accomodaTe differenT TasTes segment on chef turned writer and TV personality Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations travel show, has led to the restaurant becoming more popular with tourists, and Ibrahim believes the changing clientele has had an effect on Bu Qtair’s cuisine. “The food had more flavour back when I first started coming here,” he says. “It has evolved to accom-
modate different people’s tastes. It’s not as spicy anymore.” Finally, standing in front of the counter, Ibrahim and Hydrose come face to face through the service hatch. Hydrose takes the orders himself, standing behind the small window, scales, a pile of fish that looks as though it has just been spilled from a net, and a smaller mound of shrimp, already lathered in Bu Qtair’s much talked about spice, which may or may not be a blend of cumin, black pepper, turmeric and chilli, according to one of the waiters. The fish of the day is shaari, a sustainable local species, but it’s
unlikely that Hydrose is making an ethical stand. “It’s usually shaari,” says Ibrahim. “But they sometimes have [the overfished] hammour and other species.” With Ibrahim’s two fish, priced at $29, a figure Hydrose barks without even thinking about using the scales, on their journey to the large, bubbling, spitting pan of oil at the rear of the kitchen, we order one medium-size shaari and a quarter kilo of shrimp ($11). Our purchase is loaded on a tin tray and then shipped to one of the half a dozen chefs situated behind Hydrose. Outside, we sit with Ibrahim and 10 or eleven others, watching the Chinese tourists, the African in the claret robe, the British holidaymakers and a party of Filipinos enjoy their food. “It usually takes a while,” says Ibrahim. “But it’s even busier than this at the weekend. We never come at the weekend.” The wait doesn’t seem to bother anyone, though, and Anna Deloso, a Filipino expat who has visited Bu Qtair seven or eight times, has some idea why. “As far as I know, this is the only place where you can have fresh fish like this. There is nothing fancy about it,” she says. Finally, our names are called at the kitchen window, a table appears for us and we sit on our red plastic stool to enjoy a deliciously meaty shaari, its skin crisp and coated in a mildly spicy sauce, a dozen plump, firm prawns fried to a crunch and coated in the same subtle spice as the fish, a small bowl of yellow coconut curry, a plate of paratha and another of roughly sliced raw red onion. Simple but fresh, the same mantra Bu Qtair has lived by for three decades. 4D Street, behind Dubai London Clinic, near Umm Sequim Beach, Umm Sequeim, Dubai
counter culture / A cook hands a dish out to a waiter
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Open skies / july 2013
BLD
Matthew McCool, head chef at Altitude Restaurant, shares his favourite Sydney food haunts
B
Breakfast There is no better place in Sydney to have breakfast than at Bondi Beach’s Le Paris-Go Café. You get the busyness of hipsters and backpackers on the street and the sea breeze. I live in North Bondi, so it’s just a short stroll down to the best coffee and French toast in the area. Grab a bench outside, so you’re in the thick of it, and watch everyone go by. What I also love about this place is that there is no cut-off for breakfast (hard to find in Sydney), so you can walk in at 2pm after a big night out, or a morning surf, and still get your eggs hot and your coffee strong. Le Paris – Go Café 38 Hall Street Bondi Beach Sydney 2026 Tel: +61 (2) 91306753 truelocal.com.au
L
LunCh
Dinner Chinatown in Sydney is probably just like Chinatown in every other city in the world, but you must visit the Golden Century Restaurant for lunch or dinner – it is a Sydney icon. Tanks of fresh fish, crab and lobster line the entrance, where you are met with smiles from the friendly staff. I have a long list of must-try dishes, but the best are fresh pippies (a type of clam) with XO sauce and salt and pepper snow crab washed down with a cold glass of Singha beer. After a big meal, stroll down through the shops, as they are open quite late and there is always a great buzz on the street.
This is a must-see destination for fresh produce, authentic Italian treats and an amazing lunch. Fratelli Fresh in Waterloo (one of numerous Sydney locations) is basically an Italian warehouse haven in Sydney’s suburbia. As you Golden Century walk in through the car park, 393-399 Sussex Street you are greeted by rows of Haymarket wooden crates filled with NSW 2000, fresh fruit and vegetables. Tel: +61 (2) 92123901 goldencentury.com.au Upstairs, you’ll find dried Italian pasta, chocolates, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pasta sauces. Café Sopra is at the back of the second level and feels like a classic Café Sopra at Fratelli Fresh Trattoria with fresh salads, 7 Danks Street pastas and heavenly polenta Waterloo Sydney 2017 chips with Gorgonzola Tel: +61 (2) 96993161 cheese sauce. fratellifresh.com.au
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INTeRvIeW: JAmIe KNIGHTS // ImAGe (GoLDeN CeNTuRy): PeTeR SoLLNeR
D
mapped
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Sour Jdid
Medina
Bourgogne Ouest Gautier
Ain Diab
Maârif
Foncere Ben Slimane Gironde Horloge
Maârif Extension
Habbous
Casablanca Hotels 1. Villa Blanca 33.601294,-7.660372
Restaurants 5. Le TriBeCa 33.584957,-7.631461
Bars 9. Le Pilotis Tahiti Beach 33.596798,-7.673634
Galleries 13. Villa des Arts 33.586324,-7.6293
2. Hotel & Spa Le Doge Casablanca 33.592797,-7.623417
6. Le Cabestan 33.608247,-7.655389
10. La Bodega 33.595305,-7.611791
14. Galerie de L’aimance 33.598427,-7.61486
In a city red petit taxis, beachfront cafés,de buzzing nightlife and Art vibrant city of 3. Artof Palace & Spa 7. Le Rouget L’Isle 11. La SuiteDeco architecture, the 15. Galerie Shart 33.5928,-7.623088 33.587078,-7.636775 33.533333,-7.583333 Casablanca could easily be mistaken for Miami or Barcelona at 33.590415,-7.62884 first glance. Although not as traditional, and therefore often overshadowed by nearby onArtthe move 4. Le Royal Mansour Meridien 8. BasmaneRabat or Marrakech, Casablanca 12. L’Etoile du Plazaepitomises Morocco 16. Loft Gallery 33.591202,-7.643289 33.59698,-7.614309 33.591886,-7.678714 and stands out as one of the most modern, forward-thinking, commercial and economic hubs33.592887,-7.643570 in North Africa. Hg2.com
HOTELS
01. Villa Blanca 02. Hotel & Spa Le Doge Casablanca 03. Art Palace & Spa 04. Le Royal Mansour Meridien
RESTAuRAnTS 05. Le TriBeCa 06. Le Cabestan 07. Sala 08. Le Rouget de L’Isle
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BARS / CLuBS
09. Le Pilotis Tahiti Beach Club 10. La Bodega 11. La Suite 12. L’Etoile du Plaza
Open skies / july 2013
GALLERIES
13. Villa des Arts 14. Galerie de L’aimance 15. Galerie Shart 16. Loft Art Gallery
HOTELS
01 Villa Blanca Located in the lively beachfront suburb of Ain Diab, the stylish Via Blanca is an ideal choice for partygoers. Those looking to take advantage of the spectacular sea views on offer need only look out of their bedroom window or, alternatively, visit the hotel’s luxurious Skybar roof terrace. 02
Hotel & Spa Le Doge Casablanca Luxury and design come together at the Hotel Le Doge, where each of the sixteen rooms in this charming vintage townhouse are dedicated to a major figure of the 1930s. Choose from, amongst others, Ernest Hemmingway, Coco Chanel and Jean Cocteau. 03 Art Palace & Spa Located in Downtown Casablanca near the old Medina and Hassan II Mosque, the Art Palace & Spa reflects its historic location with striking aesthetics. Suites have names instead of numbers – each designed to reflect a particular historical figure.
rESTauranTS 05 Le TriBeCa Already immensely popular with both locals and tourists, the recently opened Le TriBeCa restaurant serves up an innovative yet wholesome menu amidst a superbly rustic and intimate atmosphere, highlighted by impeccable service and creative flair. 06 Le Cabestan Somewhat of a local institution, Le Cabestan really might be the last word when it comes to fine dining in Casablanca as it consistently delights both the eyes and the taste buds with its stunning ocean views and sublime seafood menu.
07 Le Rouget de L’Isle In what can only be described as a secret garden, the idyllic surroundings at Le Rouget de L’Isle provide the perfect setting in which to sample diverse, creative and delicious French fare. 08 Basmane Amidst traditional arabesque music and dancing, candlelight illuminates the ornate features and exquisite mosaics at this haven of Moroccan cuisine, where a sense of occasion permeates every visit to Basmane.
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04
Le Royal Mansour Méridien A monolith of understated elegance and comfort, Le Royal Mansour Méridien offers traditional Moroccan features combined with a modern, sleek finish, perfectly located just a few minutes from Casablanca’s most visited historical sights.
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GallErIEs 13 Villa des Arts Committed to the promotion of contemporary arts whilst retaining their reference to Moroccan culture and heritage, the Villa des Arts gallery is housed within a beautiful Art Deco building near the Parc de la Ligue Arabe.
15 Galerie Shart In a bid to promote the Moroccan art scene, Galerie Shart hosts five to six solo exhibitions every year for recognised as well as upand-coming artists, where creativity, inspiration and craftsmanship are the only criteria necessary.
14 Galerie de L’aimance Located in the historic centre of Casablanca within a stunning two-storey mansion, the Galerie de L’aimance provides the meeting place for art and photography, and emerging photographers and the public.
16 Finale Art File Set in the heart of Casablanca’s Golden Triangle, this whitewashed industrial style space, run by two enterprising sisters, showcases the very best of Moroccan contemporary art alongside work by international artists.
bars / clubs
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09 Le Pilotis Tahiti Beach Club The dramatic waterfront location of Le Pilotis Tahiti Beach Club is the ideal backdrop for a decadent evening of French and Moroccan wine appreciation with Casablanca’s bright and beautiful clientele.
11 La Suite La Suite, with its two separate bars – one of which is devoted solely to the mojito – is the place to go for a sophisticated night on the town in Casablanca, where you’ll be treated to a truly dizzying list of expertly created cocktails.
10 La Bodega With a wining combination of tapas, live and loud music and an even livelier crowd of Casablanca’s finest, La Bodega is the place to go to let your hair down in the city. Its basement bar takes the party right through to the early hours.
12 L’Etoile du Plaza With a happy ‘hour’ that in fact lasts for two and a half, it’s easy to see why the crowds regularly flock to L’Etoile du Plaza. Relax with friends, listen to live bands and soak up the distinctly Moroccan atmosphere and décor.
NorTh STArS / A Najia Mehadji piece at Galerie Shart and La Bodega (below)
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Photo: JM.Cantarero
place
Sultan Ahmed Mosque / Istanbul Dark clouds hover over Istanbul’s Sultan ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque due to the blue tiles that line its interior. It was finished in 1619, built during the rule of ahmed 1. one of its most distinctive features is its six minarets, something that was controversial at the time (four minarets is the norm) but is now accepted. the mosque can hold more than 10,000 worshippers.
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COLUMN
THE END OF THE TEXT MESSAGE The text message was the mobile phone industry’s $120 billion a year cash cow. But the SMS is on its last legs, thanks to new technology Words by Paddy Smith / Illustration by Roui Francisco
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E
ach year, eight trillion text messages are sent around the world. It’s a medium that has overtaken the phone call as our most popular means of communication. Filipinos are the most prolific texters, sending an average of 27 messages each per day. The phenomenon has bred its own economical language (known as txt spk) and can be used to donate to charity, buy a parking ticket or vote in televised polls. Sending a message is now the second most likely reason you will reach for your mobile phone (the first is to check the time).
So why are the phone networks are start-ups (WhatsApp has a staff – which are projected to generate of around 35 people at its Califormore than $120 billion nian base), bigger from the Short Mesplayers are getting Whatsapp sage Service (SMS) this their ducks in a row. year – getting nervous claims it has Both WeChat and about their favourite WhatsApp have more than cash cow? an estimated 300 300 million By the end of last million users apiece, year, we had started to a fact not lost on users, all send more messages Facebook, which in With a staff over the mobile April launched Chat internet than via SMS, Heads in an effort of just 35 and the number of to persuade its 600 over-the-top messages million mobile users (as they’re known) is set not to stray from the to double this year to 41 fold. Google is also said billion per day (but not per Filipino, to be preparing its own messaging one hopes). Services such as Whatapp, while Apple introduced sApp, Viber, WeChat and Line allow iMessage in 2011. BlackBerry has messages to be sent worldwide for updated its PIN-based Messenger free and add the ability to include to include rich media. rich media (that’s pictures, video Mark Zuckerberg’s social netand audio to you). It’s a win-win work has every right to feel nervous situation for everyone… bar about the newcomers: social media the networks. trends are edging towards smaller It’s a sad state of affairs for groups and away from the open-enSMS, too, which celebrated its 20th ded broadcasting that has seen the birthday in December. The first text stratospheric rise of Facebook and message, sent by software program- Twitter. The latter has closed out mer Neil Papworth to Vodafone’s tweets sent to individuals, so they Richard Jarvis on December 3rd, only appear in the feeds of people 1992, said “Merry Christmas” who know both parties. Facebook (Jarvis was at a Yuletide party). A will hope Chat Heads can anchor its year later Nokia’s entire GSM range success in the changing tide. was dialled into the technology, The short-term prospects for although it would take a while for SMS are still rosy in emerging marthe trend to catch on. Even by 1995, kets, where smartphones capable we averaged less than half a text per of running over-the-top messaging month per user. Service providers apps remain beyond the reach of were hesitant about trumpeting the large swathes of the population. But service, with many limiting the abil- make no mistake, the importance ity to send texts to other networks. of the mobile internet in those But by 2000, we were dutifully territories will soon devour any sending a text a day (on average). It hope of keeping traditional texting was the start of a beautiful relation- in the foreground. As hardware costs ship worthy of a Filipino ballad. drop and uptake grows, the same Sadly for the Vodafones of this trend that has gripped the West will world, the trend towards overpermeate to poorer countries. the-top messaging is snowballing Texting isn’t dying. It’s just movirreversibly. Although the upstarts ing house. What was once conveyed
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by your network will in future be handled by a server connected to the internet. The next chapter is the migration of the telephone call to over-the-top services. And the same principles that have thrust the likes of WhatsApp into the messaging spotlight will still apply. Viber, which launched in 2010, can already mine your contact details and tell you which of your friends are using the service. Without the need for a PIN code, personal handle or email address, it will let you call those people – for free – over the internet. If the networks are worried about the fallout from texting today, then their fears should extend to telephony tomorrow, when all of our exchanges will take place via the mobile web. Faster over-theair data technologies such as 4G, twinned with deep and intuitive integration into our existing tech lives, spell the end for the traditional phone call. But that’s a story for another day. So it’s with a colon and an opening parenthesis that we bid farewell to our thumbs’ favourite hobby. When all that are left are rich media apps that allow our friends to group ‘text’ us with pictures and videos, we may yet pine for the simplicity of the humble SMS. Remember when you could only write 160 characters in a message? The first time you received an emoticon? Predictive text? The T9 dictionary? The labour of love that was text art (pictures made from characters)? Sending your mum a text intended for your girl/boyfriend? We could reminisce all day, but let’s not. Because in the words of one French network, the future’s bright. Just maybe not for them. Paddy Smith is editor of stuff.tv
store
La Viruta Words by Sorrel Moseley-Williams / Images by Emma Hodson
I
n Buenos Aires, everyone has the potential to be a tango partner. Later this evening, the follicly and vertically challenged cook who slapped your lunchtime steak onto a sizzling grill might guide you effortlessly across the wooden floorboards of a tango club. Perhaps the sales assistant who carefully wrapped up your leather gifts might slink into the dance hall, waiting for a discreet nod from an anonymous partner who will lead her to the salon’s heart
for the brief duration of a tanda (group of songs). Meanwhile, that quartet of gentlemen sharing a bottle of Malbec at a corner table are lifelong friends from high school who religiously go dancing every Wednesday night. A musical genre awarded UNESCO cultural heritage status in 2003, tango is the dance that has crossed social classes, travelled across borders, scandalised European high society and has no age limits. More than that, it’s an all-encompassing lifestyle, if you’ll
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allow tango to consume you. And what better place to live, love and breathe it than in Buenos Aires? Although the birthplace of this sensual dance is disputed between Argentina and neighbouring Uruguay across the River Plate, Buenos Aires is home to a notinsignificant 140 milongas (dance halls and clubs), that’s around three per neighbourhood in the Argentine capital. It was also home to the genre’s first heart throb, legendary crooner and lyricist Carlos Gardel, who died in a 1935
eclectic / La Viruta attracts everyone from elderly couples to young singles
plane crash at the peak of his career in Medellín, Colombia. Tango is like oxygen – it’s everywhere. From street art covering an abandoned building to caricatures of famous tangueros sporting fedoras in restaurant windows and specialist shoe designers, you can hear it inappropriately blaring from the speakers of a sportswear store, or being gently hummed by an elderly lady on the subway, dreaming of dances gone by. If you look for tango, you will find her.
Milongas take place every night of the week, attracting addicts and aficionados in search of the perfect partner, perhaps in all senses of the word. Forget the tourist traps offering pricey dinner shows, a local milonga is the best place to watch blood, sweat and passion flow as a band plays live – often a trio comprising piano, violin and bandoneón, performing classics such as La cumparsita (1917) and Mi Buenos Aires querido (1934) for a whirling, kicking audience.
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There are dance clubs to suit all tastes and levels, from dilapidated belle-époque cafés serving up English-style high tea downtown to former grain silos in Almagro, where Gardel used to live (his former home is now a museum). But in Palermo, these days, better known as the life and soul of the Buenos Aires party scene, is a hidden gem. Entering the Armenian Cultural Centre, which serves up a mean mezze on the first floor, head down into the basement to unearth one of the city’s most popular milongas.
entranced / The dark and dingy basement setting gives La Viruta an accessible air
Suitably dark, and a little bit dingy, it’s a mixed crowd at La Viruta: an elegant suited-and-tango-booted Argentine pensioner confidently leads a much younger partner to manipulate her every step and kick, while a pair of suitably melancholic Brazilian girlfriends wait for that special nod before one of them taps her way to the dance floor. Here, Argentines and expats gather to reach a mutual musical understanding, while a dynamic duo of experience and etiquette is paramount to the continuation of this special world, currently undergoing a second golden age in terms of popularity. It takes two to tango, naturally. Of course it’s no easy task to become an accomplished a dancer, which is why instruction is essential. A tanguero’s night at La Viruta kicks off with a lesson at around 7pm, to brush up on basic steps such as el ocho or nail brand-new ones. Fresh blood is welcomed, even if you’re wearing the wrong kind of shoes, and once school is out, the reasonably
priced 40-peso class ticket gives you access to general dance practice for the rest of the evening. Do, however, be mindful of seat, table and dancing etiquette – tango has a language of its own, so if you’re a man in doubt about when and how to ask a woman to dance, defer to a teacher; and curb your enthusiasm – the first and last tandas are strictly for those whose partnership crosses over into the outside world. With its flashing lights, expansive dance-floor and silky voiced DJ, there’s an element of school disco for tango-obsessed grown-ups about La Viruta. Despite this, the ambiance is friendly and inclusive, which is vitally important if both feet are of the left variety. If you’d rather sit out a tanda, sit back and enjoy the very real show unfolding before you, as pros dance with amateurs, the salon becomes backed with pairs of bodies moving as one and there’s a strange sense of equality as couples change partners; it’s perfect eye-candy for a tangophile
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that also offers a genuine insight into the tanguero lifestyle. La Viruta also teaches salsa dancing and rock ‘n roll, so don’t be surprised when the DJ throws some Little Richard or Ruben Bladés into the mix to keep the practice session on its toes. A dance school, a ballroom, a live music venue and a regular haunt for friends to meet, La viruta is also a restaurant. Cooking up homemade pasta and pizza, among other dishes, the kitchen is open until 3.30am, should all that fancy footwork build up an appetite for a second dinner. Failing that, freshly baked pastries start to appear at dawn; if you didn’t know it before, Buenos Aires is a city of night owls. Perhaps the only person at this milonga who doesn’t know how to tango is Lorena, one of the waitresses. “Classes are always on when I’m working,” she says rather wistfully, “and so I never have a chance to go.” Armenia 1366, Buenos Aires, Argentina +54 1148324105 lavirutatango.com
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paris
bombay
Discover one of Europe’s largest antiques markets
Equine Beauty Tariq Dajani’s stunning shots of Arabian horses
(p78) Open skies / MAY 2013
A trip back in time to when jazz ruled Bombay
TRAVEL
Paris for Time Travellers Probably Napoleon’s Neighbour’s Chair, ¤20,000
Marta Zaraska travels back in time to the largest antiques market in the world, Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen, and discovers Paris as you have never seen it
A fez hat from 1909, ¤300
A teapot, ¤500
A 19th century painting, ¤1,000
Someone’s Trousers, ¤150
1980’s Ladder, ¤150
M
arché aux puces de Saint-Ouen, the biggest antique market on the planet: 3,000 stalls, 11 miles of winding, narrow alleys. The atmosphere is a mix of Harry Potter and chic Parisian. For sale – anything you might wish to buy (or almost anything). From ornate 18th century armchairs and enormous crystal chandeliers to 100-year-old wine glasses, World War II light switches, stuffed hedgehogs and even human skulls. Don’t look for Marché de Saint-Ouen on a typical tourist map of Paris. It’s not by the Eiffel Tower, nowhere close to the Louvre nor the Notre-Dame Cathedral. An Open Tour bus won’t take you there. But this outsideness is a part of the market’s history, and a big part of its charm. It seems a bit lost: geographically, and in time. It is in Paris and not in Paris: Lying outside of the Boulevard Péripherique, the city’s permanently clogged ring, it’s located officially in a town called Saint-Ouen. But it is Paris, the locals tell me, the true Paris, in many ways more real than the one you’ll see around the Louvre. With the myriad of products from 18th and 19th centuries, from the 1920s and ‘30s and ‘40s, the Saint-Ouen flea market seems like a glimpse into the past (and that is why it probably appealed to Woody Allen, who filmed here parts of his Midnight in Paris – a movie about being lost while travelling in time). Yet the Marché is ultra-modern, too. Not just because credit cards are widely accepted. It’s the outer layer of the Marché that is so “now”: Buzzing with life, noisy with beeping gadgets, the ever-growing marketplace (or shall I say – a bazaar, a souk?) where recent immigrants sell and buy. Many tourists seem a bit dazzled when they step out of the last station of metro line 4, arriving from the poise of downtown
Paris into the hustle and bustle of Porte de Clignancourt, the gateway to Saint-Ouen. Suddenly, it seems, they are in the middle of Casablanca or Tunis. You won’t hear much French around Porte de Clignancourt. It’s Arabic that rules here, with a touch of Senegalese Wolof and Bambara of Mali. But don’t turn back, you are almost there. Just pass under the concrete slab of the Boulevard Péripherique and you are in Marché de SaintOuen, the birthplace of flea markets of the world. Yes, it was here, in Saint-Ouen, that the expression ‘flea market’ was born. Back in the 19th century, the story goes, one of the local workers exclaimed looking at the sea of stalls: “Oh my! That is a market of fleas!” At first the name was associated with clothes sold by local ragpickers, fleas included. But by 1900 it was commonly used by Parisians to describe the area around Porte de Clignancourt. From Paris the expression ‘marché aux puces’ (flea market) spread out into the world and into other languages, from English and German to Polish and Russian. Yet the history of the market goes much deeper into the past (although no one really knows how deep). What historians do know, is that in 1635 Cardinal Richelieu forbade the business of picking up and resale of used products in the centre of Paris to promote the manufacture of everything new, forcing the used-goods merchants to the outskirts of the city. By 1870s ragpickers and junk sellers installed themselves in Saint-Ouen. Officially the market dates back to 1885 – it was then that the town of Saint-Ouen brought electricity and water to the place, reorganised the stalls and enabled the merchants to rent wooden stands. It tamed the place a bit. When in 1908 the metro station opened, Parisians started to see the Saint-Ouen flea market as a weekend attraction – and they
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still do. Just come on a Saturday or a Sunday and you will see crowds of them, elegantly dressed, walking their coiffed dogs, searching the stands for something to buy. It’s a warm, cloudless day when I visit Marché de Saint-Ouen – the colours are vivid, the air full of scents. In Marché Malassis (one of the 15 semi-separate markets that together make up Marché de SaintOuen) I meet Jean-Pierre Hirel, a painter, a local. His bright, bold paintings lure the shoppers to stop and observe as he works. Monsieur Hirel was born in Saint Ouen, yet the place was different in the past, he says, more unruly and chaotic. Less clean, too. You could buy truly weird things back then. There was a stall, he recounts, selling human teeth. It was popular with Parisians who had gaps in their smiles – just buy an incisor or a molar and you have yourself an implant. But the market is still full of all things weird, in a true Harry Potter spirit. I can’t find any teeth for sale, but I do come across a human skull. It’s displayed on a shelf of a boutique called Aux Lys de France. “Is that for sale?” I ask the shopkeeper. “Sure, why not?” he replies, and explains that it’s a ritually embalmed skull of a victim of Dayak head-hunters of Borneo. But there is more: stuffed animals (anything from stuffed hedgehogs and squirrels to stuffed tigers), 19th century dolls’ eyes sold by the bucketfull, giant scorpions and snakes pre-
The market is located in the true Paris, or so the locals say, more real than the one around the Louvre
MARKET FORCE / The antique market sells a huge range of goods and attracts locals and tourists
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SOCIAL HOUR / Pascal Sarazin and his fellow shop keepers eating lunch outside their stalls served in jars, even mid-20th century syringes (supposedly unused). Anything a wizard could need to make a potion, it seems. If you do like unusual things, but aren’t much into skulls and stuffed hedgehogs, Marché de Saint-Ouen still can offer you plenty. A jacket like no other, peut-être? Just head to a store run by Sofiane Boukhari, a thin, thirty-something Frenchman, who looks like a character from the Belle Époque novel. Monsieur Boukhari searches for old clothes around Europe, repairs them, upgrades them, and sells them in his tiny Saint-Ouen boutique. But it’s not your usual 1970s and ‘80s vintage. These clothes are truly old – think 19th century, early 20th. Classic wool pants, linen coats, sturdy hunting jackets. “It’s all about the textiles,” Boukhari tells me. “The quality of clothes now...it’s just not the same. These were made to last.” On his
website Boukhari advertises that his clothes should appeal to those “who don’t want to follow the fashion.” These vests and suits are simple, solid. “Atemporal,” he says. Maybe it is this feeling of stepping out of time, a feeling of permanence, that lures shoppers to Boukhari’s store, and to SaintOuen in general? If you wear a 19th century suit, if you smoke a 1920s pipe, if you drink from a 100-year
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old glass – it can give you a sense of belonging, of being rooted in history, in the world. It can make you feel just a tiny bit less mortal. What attracts many to SaintOuen, the shopkeepers tell me, are the stories stained and scratched into the surfaces of things. “New furniture? It’s just so... new,” says a red-haired antiquarian selling 1950s and ‘60s furniture. She says the word “new” as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. What new things lack, she explains, is history. There is not much story to an IKEA shelf (sorry, IKEA). It doesn’t tickle your imagination the way a 19th century shelf can. You look at all these stains and scratches and they make you wonder: what has been dropped on this coffee table and why? Whose vigorous writing has left letter-shaped ridges on this desk? Such stains and scratches and imagined stories enable antique
There is an embalmed human skull for sale, a victim of Dayak headhunters in Borneo, as well as stuffed tigers
MASTER AT WORK / Sofiane Boukhari outside his store where he sells repaired vintage clothing
lovers to live, in a way, more lives than just one, as the history of that 18th century chair or that 1920s hat, becomes theirs. It’s because of such stories why Chantal Dagommer, an owner of a boutique specialising in vintage clothes and lace, doesn’t bleach her products snow-white. If you do that, you rob the lacy handkerchiefs and collars of their history. Madame Dagommer is an elegant lady – with her gently waving hair she looks like a time-traveller from the past. The 1920s, perhaps? The products she sells are stunning. I’m not much of a lace-lover myself, or at least I wasn’t before I stepped into Madame Dagommer’s tiny boutique. Because here on offer is lace like nothing I’ve seen before. These are pieces of art, some dating back to the 18th century, proofs of skill and patience of women of the past. No wonder museums and wedding-gown designers from across the world shop for lace at Madame Dagommer’s store. But it’s not just the lace. Here you can also buy a truly unique dress. Maybe a frilly one from the times of Empress Sissi? Or a silk flapper gown from the 1920s? It’s guaranteed you won’t bump into someone sporting the same outfit, not in Paris, not in Miami, not in Dubai. There is also another side to the Marché, a fancy one: Boutiques with spotless glass doors that lead into air conditioned interiors full
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The laces are like pieces of art, like nothing I have seen before; some date back to the 18th century of luxurious antiques and creative modern designs. Expensive boutiques. Take one called Glustin where you can purchase a 19th century table for 24 people (mahogany wood, inlays of marble and gold) for 60,000 Euros. Or Galerie Sécula with its stunning chandeliers. Price? Jean-Pierre Sécula, the owner, doesn’t want to tell me. Not for an article. Disclosing the price in print, like in a Wal-Mart catalogue, would make the products appear too ordinary. It’s not the only time I encounter such attitude in Saint-Ouen. It’s as if money is a dirty word, and the price something to disclose only in hushed tones. It’s the products that matter, the shopkeepers say, the quality, the uniqueness, the history. But money? Bah! French people don’t like talking about money. It’s noon, lunch hour in Marché de Saint Ouen. Storekeepers pull out their antique chairs and tables into the alleys, set them with crystal glasses and fine cutlery, pour wine, crack baguettes. “Why is the Marché great?” Pascal Sarazin, an antiquary, repeats my question. “That’s why it’s great,” he points to the fellow shopkeepers at his table, to the home-made food. “It’s this conviviality, this true Parisian spirit,” he says and raises a glass of red wine in a toast. To the Marché. Meanwhile the shoppers steer into the market’s plentiful restaurants and cafés. For the ambiance
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(and great, buttery escargots), head to Chez Louisette. This traditional French restaurant dates back to the 1930s and once you pull open the doors you may think you’ve stepped into the past. Old photos line the walls, hearty aromas fill the air, and on a tiny stage an Edith Piaf look-a-like sings Edith Piaf songs. It just doesn’t get any more cliché French than that. Or, if all the tables in Chez Louisette are taken, try Le Picolo. Founded in 1919 it’s the oldest café of the market. The food isn’t special, but the atmosphere is. Here you can meet tattooed biker types, hipster types, middle aged members of the French middle class, American tourists, a few dogs. It’s loud in here, cheerful. Almost each chair is different (that Marché’s diversity again), and wine is cheaper than water. It’s a place where you want to linger, just sit back and watch the world go by. It fits the climate of the market perfectly. In a way, the Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen is a metaphor of Paris, and of France. Still traditional at its core, elegant and a tad snobbish, old, but also cheerful and full of joie de vivre. And on its edges, it’s diverse and slightly exotic. The market is alive, changing, expanding – it has always been that way. That, too, is part of its charm. Marta Zaraska is a writer and photographer based in Paris
MUSIC
BOMBAY’S
JAZZ AGE
to reveal Naresh Fernandes takes a trip back in time sic scene the days when jazz took over the Bombay mu
I
n 1951, all of India was transfixed by a film entitled Albela (Besotted), the story of a ne’er-do-well with dreams of making it big on the stage. The film was an unlikely hit. The hero was played by a pudgy actor named Bhagwan, who usually played comic parts and didn’t exactly cut the most dashing figure on screen. But in his debut in a lead role, he turned out to be a personable chap and the audiences took a shine to him. More than Albela’s melodramatic plotline, however, it was the music that had India transfixed. The soundtrack featured swinging clarinets, searing saxophones and the pulsating rhythms of jazz.
One song sequence actually featured a close-up of the trumpet player who had arranged the music. He went by the unlikely name of Chic Chocolate (though his parents, who hailed from the Portuguese colony of Goa, had christened him Antonio Xavier Vaz). In the 1940s and 1950s, Chic and his band, the Music Makers, were everywhere: at the luxurious Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai), at Hakman’s Hotel in the hill resort of Mussourie and on All India Radio. In addition to his trumpet playing, Chic – whose name was pronounced Chick – also sang in a gravely voice and was known as India’s Louis Armstrong. In fact, he wore his hair and
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IMAGES COPYRIGHT: WWW.TAJMAHALFOXTROT.COM
SWING KINGS / The trumpet player Crickett Smith spent just under a decade at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay
chose his clothes to enhance his resemblance to his New Orleans idol. The appearance of Chic Chocolate and the Music Makers in Albela was unusual, but the use of big band rhythms and instruments was quite common in Hindi films by the late 1950s. For at least a decade, jazz had been an essential element in the musical collage of Indian movies. To find out how jazz found its way to Bollywood though, you’d need to travel back in time a couple of decades – to the ballroom of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay, in 1935. On the stage is Leon Abbey, a violinist from Minnesota and his band. Leon Abbey caused a sensation when he came to Bombay because he led, to use the racist description prevalent at that time, the first “all negro band” ever to play in India. Creating musical history in distant lands seemed to rank high on Abbey’s list of priorities. In 1927 he’d taken his band on the road to Brazil and Uruguay, giving audiences in Rio, São Paulo and Montevideo their first taste of hot jazz straight from the source. When Abbey set sail for India from Venice on September 11, 1935, the group he’d assembled had an immaculate pedigree. Emile Christian, the trombone and bass player, had been a member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, which in 1917 had become the first jazz band to be recorded. On drums was Ollie Tines, who had toured Scandinavia with the great Louis Armstrong in 1933. Abbey and his musicians landed in a city that was rising to its feet after the global economic depression that started with the Wall Street crash of 1929. Buildings were coming up everywhere in Bombay, many of them in the new Art Deco style that had come to characterise the jazz age around the world. The city came to be littered with so many examples of Art Deco architecture, the style could almost have been created in Bombay. That’s
exactly what one of the protagonists in Salman Rushdie’s The Ground Beneath Her Feet would later declare: “I actually grew up believing Art Deco to be a Bombay style, a local invention, its name derived, in all probability, from the imperative of the verb ‘to see.’ Art dekho. Lo and behold art.” As India marched towards political freedom, Art Deco, like jazz, seemed to express the optimism of the moment. Coincidently, India’s first generation of native architects trained in Western traditions was coming of age. “Progressive-minded and eager to express themselves as being part of the modern world, the buildings they designed became the first to employ reinforced concrete frame structures and smooth stucco-clad facades,” said Navin Ramani, author of a lavishly illustrated book entitled Bombay Art Deco Architecture: A Visual Journey (1930 – 1953). These architects “borrowed imagery from the new age, incorporating nautical details of the steamship lines, aerodynamic designs of the car, train and aeroplane, influences of Egyptian and Classical art, tropical imagery and the glamour of Hollywood films”, Ramani noted in an email interview. In the 1930s, as jazz became popular around the world, it was only natural that it would find its way to Bombay. As a port city and the largest city in the British empire, Bombay had sought out the latest trends from around the world since the 1860s, when the city made its fortunes trading cotton. Opera companies from Italy were regularly visiting Bombay in the second part of the nineteenth century. In 1922, classical music had sunk such deep roots, locals were proficient enough to form the Bombay Symphony and Chamber Orchestra. All over the colonial world, luxury hotels served as a place where local elites were served up a taste of culture from the metro-
The first jazz bands were forced to slow down their speed from a Paris tempo to a more sedate rhythm politan centres of the West. Just like Sheppard’s in Cairo and Raffles in Singapore, the Taj in Bombay prided itself on giving Bombay society the opportunity to savour the latest trends from around the world. Its menus reflected the current culinary fashion and the hotel had also taken it upon itself to showcase the cultural phenomena of the moment. It had established a permanent Taj Mahal Orchestra in 1907. As hot music, as jazz was then being called, became a global craze, the management of the Taj made sure
that its patrons would be the first to have the opportunity to dance to it. Though Bombay’s upper classes welcomed the chance to foxtrot to the music that had caught the fancy of their counterparts in many other parts of the world, they complained that the change was too rapid. “His style was so new when Leon first played for us that many of the diehards insisted on simpler tunes and popular numbers,” the Times of India reported. Abbey’s boys were forced to make some adjustments. “Their quicksteps have slowed from Paris speed – the fastest in all the dancing world – to Bombay speed,” the newspaper added. “They have toned down their ‘hotting’ to meet the less sophisticated taste of Bombay.” But the Times seemed to approve of Abbey. The band “is teaching us in Bombay what rhythm means”, it wrote. Abbey seemed amused by the controversy. One old-timer recalled him chuckling: “First they swore at my music, then they swore by my music.”
COVER VERSION / Chic modelled himself on Louis Armstrong
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MEMORIES / Flyers and records from the glory days of the Bombay jazz scene Abbey’s visit opened the floodgates. His band left the Taj at the end of the 1935 season because of that old complaint: they found the heat and humidity difficult to take. But they were replaced by a band led by an American trumpet player named Cricket Smith. Smith “was a character,” one of his sidemen recalled. “He signed his contract for a fixed amount of money and two Coronas a day, so every day, the manager would have to bring him his cigars.” The most famous member of this outfit was a jovial piano player, Teddy Weatherford, who had won great acclaim in the US for his forceful style, which approached melody almost like a trumpet player would. Weatherford was a large man with an arm-span so wide he was known as ‘The Seagull.’ “Teddy would play for hours without a break,” his bass player said. “Even with drinks, he would continue one-handed. He had tremendous hands.” Weatherford would end up staying in India for about a decade, marrying an Indian woman and making more than 70 recordings. He and his friends wouldn’t only play tunes they knew from America. They started to write music when they were in India, with titles such as Taj Mahal Foxtrot. These African-American musicians, who found refuge in Bombay from the apartheid they faced in the US, played a vital role in creating a jazz culture in India. Though Indian musicians had been playing jazz since the mid-1920s, they had learned to play the music by reading scores and by listening to records. Having these great African-American musicians in town completely energised the scene. By 1937, the band at the Taj had both Indians and African-Amer-
icans and, shortly after, Indians were also leading bands at the Taj. Both Cricket Smith and Teddy Weatherford recruited Indian musicians to play in their bands and taught them how to play jazz the American way. “Jazz gave us freedom of expression,” explained the Goan trumpet player Frank Fernand, who played in the Teddy Weatherford band at the Taj. “You played jazz the way you feel – morning you play different, evening you play different.” In a decade, a musicians’ organisation would list more than 60 jazz orchestras in Bombay, starting with the Al-
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exandra band and ending with the Zoroastrian Symphonians. Among the hottest bands was the one led by Chic Chocolate. No one’s quite sure how he got his nickname. His wife, Martha, suggested that it was a contraction of his mother’s term of endearment for him – Chico, little one. His son Erwell, a drummer, thought that it was the residue of archaic 1940s slang. “When he was playing a really hot passage, the other musicians would say, ‘That’s really chick, man,’” Erwell said. Either way, it’s clear that by the mid-1940s – after stints in Rangoon and Mussourie – Chic was “in a class by himself ”, a review in the Evening News of India insisted. Another newspaper article from the time describes Chic Chocolate’s outfit as “Bombay’s top-flight band.” By the time he was leading an 11-piece band at the Taj, Chic and his family were living in an apartment in the southern Bombay
Partition saw a glut of swing musicians arrive in Bombay – and competition for the hotel jobs got much fiercer neighbourhood of Colaba. The flat had one bedroom, but two pianos – Chic couldn’t resist the urge to buy a second after he found an instrument on sale for just Rs200. The home was always filled with music: if his five children weren’t practising their scales, the Garrad record changer was dropping down a stack of records by Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and by Chic’s idol, Louis Armstrong. Chic took his Armstrong impersonations seriously. “He’d watched
movies like High Society, Hello Dolly and Five Pennies and tried to copy Louis Armstrong’s playing and singing as closely as possible,” his daughter Ursula recalled. “He followed his every move.” Before gigs, he’d instruct Martha to pack his case with at least half-a-dozen white handkerchiefs so that he could mop his brow in true Armstrong style. But it wasn’t all fun and games in Bombay at the end of the 1940s, especially if you were a jazz musician. Partition had brought tens of thousands of refugees to Bombay. Among them were scores of swing musicians who had made their living playing the cantonments and hill stations in parts of Punjab, which had suddenly become Pakistan. In Bombay, there was suddenly a lot of competition for musicians’ jobs. Besides, Prohibition – a Gandhian ideal – had gradually been introduced, so hotels were losing business and couldn’t seem to find the money to hire bands. THE IN CROWD / Chic Chocolate and his Music Makers at the Bristol Grill in Bombay
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But most of all, jazz musicians were uncertain if the new India had a place for them culturally. Everywhere, there was a suspicion of cultural forms that were considered colonial hangovers, and jazz was among them. That’s when the movies came to the rescue. Quite by coincidence, technological developments in that period allowed sound in films to become more sophisticated. Until 1931, Indian films had been silent, and in the early years of the talkies, as they were called, the music was recorded by only a small group of musicians. But to effectively convey the drama unfolding on the screen, film soundtracks actually needed large orchestras all playing together to emphasise the urgency of a car chase, to highlight the suspense of an impending murder or to serenade a sweetly developing romance. Here, there was a problem. Indian music is melodic – the main performer plays a single melodic
BIG SWINGERS / Music composer C Ramchandra was instrumental in bringing swing to Bollywood in the 1940s line and everyone else reiterates that line. On screen, it sounds very thin. But Western music is harmonic – the musicians in a band or orchestra play notes of related pitches, which is what makes the group sound large and effective. Most of the composers of Hindi film scores, who are known in India as music directors, were trained in Hindustani music. They had a great talent for creating memorable melodies. But to be translated into effective screen music, these melodies had to be harmonised to be played by a large orchestra. That is where the jazz musicians came in. Many of them, like Chic Chocolate and Frank Fernand, were Goan and had received their musical training in the Western classical tradition, in schools that had been set up by the Portuguese – who continued to rule Goa up until 1961. These Goan musicians were among the few groups in India who knew about harmony. So the composers of film music began to hire these musicians as assistants to help them with their scores. It was the Goan arranger’s instinct to make the soundtracks swing and score blue notes. In addition, the majority of the musicians in Hindi film orchestras were recruited from swing bands. While sitars, tablas and other Indian instruments were often the
The first group of men to score the Bollywood sound tracks in the 1930s had come from a jazz music background lead instruments on the songs, the bulk of the instruments in the orchestras were clarinets, trumpets and violins – instruments that were needed to provide harmony. Soon, the orchestras in the film studios weren’t looking very different from the bands playing at the Taj. Chic Chocolate was among those who bridged the chasm between ballroom stage and the silver screen, playing sessions in film recording studios in the day and filling the hotel dance floors at night. He seemed to have boundless energy, playing this double life for more than two decades. He was still playing at the Taj in 1964, when he woke up his children at dawn one day, and drove them to the hotel. They were lined up outside the lift. After a few minutes, Louis Arm-
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strong, their father’s hero, emerged in a cloud of suitcases and sidemen. He greeted the children affectionately and departed for the airport, headed to yet another stop on his long world tour. All these years later, none of them is sure whether India’s Louis Armstrong actually had a conversation with the man he’d admired for so long. The rise of the movies, while good for the musicians’ finances, was less positive for the jazz scene. Although some managed to balance performances in the dance halls with sessions work, fans complained that the most talented musicians were spending too much time in the studios. By the end of the 1960s, it did not matter. Rock and roll was the next big thing and jazz, at least as a live option, was finished. Today, the live jazz bands of the 1930s are just a memory. There are no regular jazz venues and a hotel tax ensures no live bands are playing the likes of the Taj Palace. Musicians occasionally get together to play jazz concerts but there are no full time jazz musicians. These days only the memories remain, but thanks to the likes of Chic Chocolate, how sweet those memories are. Naresh Fernandes is a writer based in Mumbai
(eq uu s)
Tariq Dajani’s new book captures the beauty of the arabian purebred
For as far back as I can remember I have been fascinated by horses. Not necessarily riding for sport or pleasure – although I have ridden since I was young – but by the nature of the animal itself. As any horse lover will know, the Arabian is a breed apart, renowned for its strength, intelligence and beauty.
My aim was to photograph something of the horse’s character and personality. I wasn’t interested in the standard ‘show’ type of picture that one often sees of Arabian horses, where the photographer has no connection with or proper focus on the animal. I wanted to go deeper than just photographing the appearance of the horse in front of mE.
The purebred Arabian is regarded as one of the oldest pure breeds of horse that hasn’t been crossed with other breeds in the world. The purity of the Arabian can probably be attributed to three main reasons: the geographical and political isolation of Arabia for a considerable period of time, the pride and ferocity of the bedu of Arabia in protecting the purity of their carefully maintained strains, and the appearance of Islam, which encouraged its new warrior-defenders to be well mounted in battle. There are many quotes from the Prophet Mohammed that pay tribute to the Arabian steed as a supreme battle horse. The Arabian horse is renowned for its physical strength, speed and endurance, its gracefulness and beauty, and its intelligence and charisma.
Horses, like people, are individual creatures and have individual personalities. No two behave in the same way. Each ‘sitter’ for me was a personality to learn a little bit about. I couldn’t know how each horse might behave in advance. If the horse that was led out was quite fiery, then I expected to photograph something a bit more lively than a calm, introspective demeanour.
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)
Asil: Photographic Studies of the Purebred Arabian Horse is out on medina publishing now
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BRIEFING
French Flair
Emirates opens a new luxury lounge in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
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REAL GOOD
GREEN FOOD
ROUTE MAP
Emirates signs shirt sponsorship deal with Real Madrid
JFK Airport to convert leftover food into compost
Discover the world as connected by Emirates
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NEWS
world of emirates’ shirt spoNsorships
New routes for emirates a380
EmiratEs will opEratE its flagship
rEal madrid has partnered with Emirates, signing a new shirt sponsorship deal with the airline. The agreement between the world’s most successful football club and one of the world’s fastest growing airlines will see the ‘Fly Emirates’ logo appear on the front of the team’s training and match kits until the end of the 2017/2018 season. New York Cosmos FC also recently signed a sponsorship deal with Emirates, as the team prepares for its comeback season in the North American Soccer League. These are the latest in a long line of successful shirt
sponsorship deals for Emirates, and they reinforce the airline’s commitment to supporting sporting excellence. Emirates is proud to sponsor shirts across the globe, including some of the world’s most successful football clubs, such as Arsenal Football Club, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Hamburger SV. Emirates is also an official FIFA partner, official sponsor and official airline of the Asian Football Confederation and official sponsor and airline of Saudi Arabia’s Zain Saudi Professional League until 2015.
Perfect timing Don’t miss your next Emirates flight. Make sure you get to your boarding gate on time. Boarding starts 45 minutes before your flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If you report late we will not be able to accept you for travel. Thank you for your cooperation.
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Airbus A380 aircraft on two new routes by January 2014. Continuing its mission to connect the world through its Dubai hub, the airline will upgrade existing routes to Los Angeles and Zurich following increased passenger demand. Emirates will connect Dubai and Los Angeles, its longest route by distance, with its A380 aircraft. The daily flights will allow passengers to connect to destinations across the western USA. The flights will replace the current Boeing 777-300 ER service from December 2, 2013. Emirates will also operate two A380 flights per day between Dubai and Zurich from January 1, 2014, giving passengers the opportunity to experience Emirates’ award-winning service on board its flagship aircraft. The A380 boasts features such as 14 First Class Private Suites, an Onboard Lounge and two Onboard Shower Spas for premium passengers and high speed Wi-Fi. Emirates is the largest A380 operator in the world, with 35 A380s in its fleet and 55 on order.
New luxury louNge for Paris Charles de gaulle
wi-fi iN the sky Stay connected throughout your
flight with Emirates’ OnAir Wi-Fi system. Whether it’s for business or leisure, OnAir allows you to email, tweet and surf the web from your smartphone or tablet. You can also connect to mobile data using GPRS or EDGE on many flights. Your cabin crew will let you know if OnAir is available on board your flight. OnAir is available on Emirates A380 flights and selected Boeing B777 flights. Prices start from just US$2.75 for smartphones and from only US$7.50 for tablets.
PariS charleS de gaulle Airport is now home to the newly
redesigned Emirates lounge. With its central location, the 926square-metre luxury refurbishment provides a welcoming area for all Emirates First Class and Business Class passengers, as well as Platinum and Gold members of Emirates Skywards – the airline’s frequent-flyer programme. The Dh17.6 million transformation allows passengers to enjoy a choice of formal or relaxed seating, shower facilities, a dining area, a complimentary hot and cold gourmet buffet and an extensive beverage service, including an excellent French wine selection. Emirates currently operates 32 weekly flights to France, including 20 weekly flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle, a daily flight to Nice and five times weekly service to Lyon.
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green
KEy prioritiEs For iata: saFEty, EFFiCiEnCy and harmonisation the internatiOnal air
China EastErn pilots nEw EnvironmEntal initiativEs One Of China’s largest airlines, China Eastern, has introduced a number of environmental initiatives in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint and encourage more efficient and economical flying. The airline has tested a new biofuel and purchased aircraft fitted with specialised wing tips. China Eastern recently piloted its first test flight using a biofuel blend
produced in China. The product, China Jet Biofuel-1, is a hybrid of used cooking oil and palm oil, and it was used to power the 85-minute Airbus A320 flight from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The company has also taken delivery of an Airbus A320 aircraft fitted with Sharklet wing tips, specially designed to reduce fuel consumption.
From Food to FErtilisEr a new partnership between
New York-based airline Jet Blue, Air Ventures and Royal Waste Services will see food leftovers at John F. Kennedy International Airport turned into compost. In an effort to promote sustainability, the scheme will take food waste from selected restaurants in JFK Terminal 5 – including Jamba Juice and Dunkin Donuts – to be composted to create fertiliser for use on local farms. As part of Jet Blue’s on-going campaign for a healthier planet,
Transport Association (IATA) Operations Committee has set out its key priorities for the coming years at its conference in Vienna. In order to curb inefficiency and waste and to promote sustainable growth, the IATA announced that attention should be focused on air traffic management capacity and efficiency improvement and harmonising safety regulations. Initiatives were set out in an action plan that included continued investment and return from upgrades in on-board communications, navigation and surveillance technology and modernisation and investment in crew training. The plan also outlined suggestions to further evolve the concept of utilising cloud technology in the virtual air traffic control centre.
compostable food scraps will be disposed of in waste bins by Air Ventures’ restaurants before being collected and composted by Royal Waste Services. The programme aims to reduce the amount of solid waste that would normally end up at landfill, in order to produce a product that will contribute towards the local economy.
3 hours
70%
1 recycled bottle could save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours
amount of energy saved in the production of recycled paper compared with making it from raw materials
(source: recyclingguide.org.uk)
(source: recyclingguide.org.uk)
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ALSO IN
JEDDAH
|
RIYADH
|
DAMMAM
COMFORT
Comfort
in the air
to help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you to enjoy your journey and time on board with emirates today.
smart traveller
Before Your JourneY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or
drink plenty of water
if you suffer from a respiratory or
rehYDrAte With WAter or Juices frequentlY.
cardiovascular condition.
Drink teA AnD coffee in moDerAtion.
Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications? Get a good night’s rest before
travel lightly
the flight.
cArrY onlY the essentiAl items thAt You
Eat lightly and sensibly.
Will neeD During Your flight.
At the Airport Allow yourself plenty of timefor check-in.
wear glasses
Avoid carrying heavy bags through
cABin Air is Drier thAn normAl therefore
the airport and onto the flight
sWAp Your contAct lenses for glAsses.
as this can place the body under considerable stress. Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.
use skin moisturiser
During the flight
ApplY A gooD quAlitY moisturiser to ensure Your skin Doesn’t DrY out.
Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent. Babies and young passengers may
keep moving
suffer more acutely with popping
exercise Your loWer legs AnD cAlf
ears, therefore consider providing
muscles. this encourAges BlooD floW.
a dummy. Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently. Avoid sleeping for long periods in
make yourself comfortable
the same position.
loosen clothing, remove JAcket AnD AvoiD
When You Arrive
AnYthing pressing AgAinst Your BoDY.
Try some light exercise or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.
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Open skies / july 2013
VISA & STATS
Guide
CABIN CREW WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE COMPLETING THE FORMS
TO US CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION FORMS Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs and immigration forms will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle free as possible.
IMMIGRATION FORM TO CHANGE From 30th April to May 21st, the paper IMMIGRATION FORM I-94 (Arrival/ Departure Record) will be gradually phased out.
THE FORMS WILL BE PHASED OUT AS FOLLOWS:
Passengers who previously needed the I-94 will be provided with a Customs and Border Protection admission stamp on their travel document. This will act as an Arrival Record. The phase out process will happen gradually over the month of May and depends on your destination.
MAY 14: Flights to San Francisco TUS, Seattle and Los Angeles
The following dates and destinations mark the start of the new process, when paper forms will no longer be required:
MAY 07: Flights to New York & Houston
MAY 21: Flights to all remaining destinations After May 22nd it will no longer be necessary for passengers to fill out paper forms on their arrival in the United States by air. On exiting the United States at any time, passengers issued a paper I-94 should surrender it upon departure.
CUSTOMS DECLARATION FORM All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a CUSTOMS DECLARATION FORM. If you are travelling as a family this should be
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OPEN SKIES / JULY 2013
completed by one member only. The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.
ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR TRAVEL AUTHORISATION (ESTA)
If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme, You must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure. ESTA FACTS:
Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending. A successful ESTA application is valid for two years, however this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport. APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.CBP.GOV/ESTA NATIONALITIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE VISA WAIVER*:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom** * SUBJECT TO CHANGE ** ONLY BRITISH CITIZENS QUALIFY UNDER THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAMME.
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ROUTE MAP
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Europe
+1hrs
+2hrs
St. Petersburg
Stockholm
+4hrs
Gothenburg Glasgow
Moscow
Copenhagen
Newcastle Dublin Manchester Birmingham GMT 0 hrs London
Amsterdam
Hamburg
+3hrs
Warsaw Dusseldorf
(Heathrow & Gatwick)
Liege Frankfurt
Prague
Paris Zurich Geneva
Lyon
To New York City
Munich
Vienna
Venice
Milan Nice
Rome
Lisbon
GMT +1hrs
+1hrs
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OPEN SKIES / JULY 2013
+2hrs
ai
Istanbul
ub
Barcelona Madrid
D To
Zaragoza 0 hrs
+2hrs
WHERE ARE YOU GOING? TELL US OR UPLOAD A PIC AT FACEBOOK.COM/OPENSKIESMAGAZINE TWITTER.COM/OPENSKIESMAG
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FLEET
The Fleet
OUR FLEET CONTAINS 202 PLANES MADE UP OF 192 PASSENGER PLANES AND 10 CARGO PLANES
BOEING 777-300ER Number of Aircraft: 89 Capacity: 354-442 Range: 14,594km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 64.8m
BOEING 777-300 Number of Aircraft: 12 Capacity: 364 Range: 11,029km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 60.9m
BOEING 777-200LR Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 266 Range: 17,446km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m
BOEING 777-200 Number of Aircraft: 9 Capacity: 274-346 Range: 9,649km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 60.9m
BOEING 777F Number of Aircraft: 8 Range: 9,260km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m
FOR MORE INFORMATION: WWW.EMIRATES.COM/OURFLEET
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AIRBUS A380-800 Number of Aircraft: 35 Capacity: 489-5 17 Range: 15,000km Length: 72.7m Wingspan: 79.8m
AIRBUS A340-500 Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 258 Range: 16,050km Length: 67.9m Wingspan: 63.4m
AIRBUS A340-300 Number of Aircraft: 7 Capacity: 267 Range: 13,350km Length: 63.6m Wingspan: 60.3m
AIRBUS A330-200 Number of Aircraft: 23 Capacity: 237-278 Range: 12,200km Length: 58.8m Wingspan: 60.3m
BOEING 747-400ERF Number of Aircraft: 2 Range:9,204km Length: 70.6m Wingspan: 64.4m
AIRCRAFT NUMBERS AS OF 31/07/2013
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T S U G AU N
ext month we take one of the most iconic trips in the world: the Trans-Siberian Express across Russia. It is one of the great train journeys, and we chronicle what it means to cross this vast country in 2013. Elsewhere, we profile one of the most interesting characters in chess, the charismatic Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, and figure out just where the sport, mired in controversy, is headed. The London Tube is 150 years old this year, and we examine the love-hate relationship Londoners have with this transport behemoth. We also pay a visit to one of the most interesting gyms in Dubai and meet the Detroit-born owner who is changing how the city works out. See you next month.
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