Winter 2023

UPSCALE

w i n t er 2 0 2 3

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Experience The Difference www.upscalelivingmag.com

CONTENT AUTOMOBILE 10 Ferrari 296 GTB, Soul Stirrer 13 Top Luxury Cars of 2022 JETS 28 Top Luxury Jets of 2022 JEWELRY 32 Finding Joy in Creation - BegÜm Kiroglu 20 Mrs. Toolip and her Island Collection FASHION 35 Men’s Fashion - Loro Piana 2023 Collection TIMEPIECES 36 Top 5 Watches of 2022

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PROFILE 38 A Collaboration between Méditions and Lilian Daddi, The Mamma Collection 44 Delivering A Trusted Vision, Jen Dallas HOME + DECOR 46 Home Gadgets TRAVEL 48 The Vintners Resort, A slice of Tuscany in Santa Rosa 52 What’s New! - Cashel Palace Hotel; Chateau Louise de la Valliere; Gondwana Game Reserve Eco Camp, Hotel Barriere Fouget’s New York, Madarin Oriental Palace Luzern, Montage Los Cabos, Raffles Doha 62 Rome, The Ultimate Destination 78 The Land of the Vikings, The Kingdom of Norway 80 A City Break In, Helsinki 84 The Very Best of Botswana

GADGETS 61 Sports Gadgets for the Fitness Guru 100 Great Gadgets for your Home CULINARY 90 Press, An Exquisite Dining Experience 94 Single Thread Farm-Restaurant-Inn, An Exquisite 3-Star Michelin Restaurant HOTEL REVIEWS 70 Nomad London Hotel 72 One Hundred Shoreditch London Hotel 74 The Westin London City Hotel 82 London’s Nobu Portman Square Hotel WINES + SPIRITS 98 The Best English Gins to Try in 2023

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Copyright 2023 Upscale Living Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of Upscale Living Magazine and ALP Publishing Inc. The Publisher will be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. The Publisher accept no liability for the accuracy of statements made by advertisers. Ads in this publication are not intended as an offer where prohibited by state laws. www.upscalelivingmag.com

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AUTOMOBILES

FERRARI 296 GTB Soul-Stirrer

| BY SOMNATH CHATTERJEE

E

lectrification is perhaps both an enemy or a blessing in disguise for the supercar. Blessing because it uncorks even more potential to quench our insatiable appetite for speed and performance while its lack of emotion is perhaps a glaring disadvantage. But for supercars, a combination of both a petrol engine and an electric motor can yield a favorable outcome. Years back we saw how hybrid power was used for hyper cars but now it has reached a mainstream threshold with electrification being an inevitable fate for all the noisy supercars that we have come to love.

That said, if you can have the noise and the silence is something that Ferrari has best managed with its SF80 and now, the 296 GTB. The 296 GTB happens to the core pillars of Ferrari’s model range and the mid-engined Berlinetta is perhaps the most faithful to the values that this Italian brand is all about. While the Purosangue hogs the limelight along with various specials, the 296 GTB must be the shining light for the Maranello power house. It is all good news though as a detailed drive in the 296 GTB showed how potent the ‘baby Ferrari’ has become.

Compared to the F8 Tributo or the 488, the race of evolution is stronger this time with a shift from V8 to a twin-turbocharged V6 albeit with an electric motor lending a helping hand. The V6 might have been on the iconic Dino, but it is officially the first time seen on a Ferrari. Total power when combined is north of 800 horses and a simple dab at the throttle is enough to see it reach 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds.

However, we went beyond numbers with the 296 GTB and wanted to discover its real personality and whether it feels like a proper Ferrari. Fortunately, it does albeit beneath the veneer of technology. The engine is a packaging masterpiece being much smaller and which revs with nearly the same urgency like a

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V12. It also manages to replicate that soundtrack which is so important for any Ferrari. There are plenty of drive modes and various configurations to choose from while you also start off in electric mode in total silence.

Hence, at first it is the silence not the noise that impresses you since the days of noisy supercars are coming to an end with cities abhorring them. You can run on electric power for some time and waking up the neighbors is no longer a supercar staple from now on.

That said, it is not as if the 296 GTB is another EV as this is just another facet with the engine waking up with the usual Ferrari pomp and glamour. Hence, the 296 GTB feels fast and revs the way you’d want a Ferrari to when you are in the mood while elsewhere you can amble on the turbocharged torque which is readily available.

It feels playful, the 296 GTB while offering astonishing grip with so much power being presented to the driver. The steering is light and follows on the recent Ferrari’s but is extremely responsive along with a precise amount of feedback. It is the hefty, richly layered steering of old supercars but isn’t aloof too.

The short wheelbase brings in flexibility and you end up enjoying it like it is a much smaller sports car.

Hence, the 296 GTB feels like a ballet dancer and has the purity along with the emotion which you expect from a supercar but wrapped up with all the benefits of technology. It is hugely comfortable and easy to drive but also fast and engaging when you want it to. Unlike 1000hp plus hyper cars, speed is not the only thing that the 296 GTB is all about as it merges technology and supercar emotion unlike any other. It is perhaps the best Ferrari right now.

AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

Top Luxury Cars of 2022 | BY somnath chatterjee

2022 saw a paradigm shift in terms of how luxury cars are perceived or even made. Sustainability and electric mobility are the ethos by which car makers are charting the next course of automotive luxury. These days it is beyond the conventional realms of performance or even using traditional materials as the luxury car must play a different role. Here then are the top luxury cars of 2022 13 | UPSCALELIVINGMAG.COM | WINTER 2023

AUTOMOBILES

FERRARI PUROSANGUE

A big V12 in a new Ferrari is always a reason to celebrate but this time, the powertrain has not been the topic of discussion but the styling. It is a large Ferrari with four doors including rear-hinged ones while the cabin too pays equal importance to rear passengers.

This is a Ferrari that is not just about the driver you see. It is an SUV but not in the way anyone imagined a Ferrari to be and the Purosangue holds its own by being completely different. The massive V12 is just an icing on the top of a delectable recipe.

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AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

GENESIS G90

Genesis as a luxury brand has moved from strength to strength and its G90 is a bonafide S-Class rival with a refreshing take on luxury. Whether be it the small touches, or the design, or the quality, the G90 is an intriguing luxury car which impresses from the word go. The silky-smooth powertrains further make the G90 a compelling luxury express with panache. The swoopy silhouette also lends itself a different design identity while standing out from the crowd in this fiercely competitive sector.

It is about pared back luxury and does not champion technology while having features which are seen on a Rolls-Royce Phantom!

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AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE

An electric car closely mirrors the values that Rolls-Royce also champions hence; it was about time that this luxury brand entered the EV space. The Spectre is their answer and it is a proper Rolls-Royce albeit within an electric canvas which carefully embeds their company ethos. The styling is extravagant while the materials being used are lavish but this is also a dynamic Rolls-Royce with being a luxury coupe unlike any other.

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AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

CADILLAC LYRIQ

Cadillac entering the electric sphere means the luxury brand is going back to its roots while embracing the newage electric car design ethos. It is a swoopy crossover with a lavishly trimmed interior along with a larger battery pack.

The crisp design language isn’t as brash as its bigger SUVs but sleek nevertheless. The best bit is its pricing which makes it brilliant value for the money and gives Cadillac a competitive hold within the premium EV crossover space.

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AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

BMW I7

The 7-Series has always been the sporty luxury sedan but the new generation model expands its horizons with an electric version which fits in with the vibe of a luxury car. Design wise, the new i7 is bold like every new BMW and wears its new slim light design rather confidently. The rest of the shape is traditional BMW and it is a vast luxury car. The interior is even more impressive with new materials and a distinct luxury lounge atmosphere with new materials on offer along with a simplified look.

Of course, the vast rear screen is the main talking point here like a moving theatre on wheels. The electric version has a large battery pack and has enough range to justify being a competent alternative to its gas-powered siblings.

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AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

LUCID AIR GRAND TOURING

Tesla does not hold the fort in terms of fast EVs but Lucid has added a sprinkling of luxury as well with the Lucid Air showing how EV luxury is done. The classy styling is retrained while the interior, despite being touch screen heavy, reeks of class. However, it also packs in a huge amount of performance with the usual EV theatrics albeit being more of a refined express of sorts. It is a new kind of pared back EV luxury.

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AUTOMOBILES

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AUTOMOBILES

RANGE ROVER SPORT

The new generation Range Rover Sport builds on the foundation of its bigger Range Rover sibling along with a sleeker design language. The simple yet purposeful design removes the clutter from the previous version while the interior is nearly as luxurious as the flagship Range Rover while getting a raft of new technology-oriented features. It is also a luxury car that is also happy going off-road.

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AUTOMOBILES

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JETS

TOPLUXURY JETS OF 2022 | BY SOMNATH CHATTERJEE

The private jet segment will see a huge amount of growth in the years to come with the opening of new markets and demand for private aviation increasing.

Business jets these days are seen as a necessity with increasing business travel along with short haul flights. Business jets are also now safer along with having added technology plus luxury. Here are our favorite private jets of 2022.

HONDAJET ELITE S The HondaJet Elite S remains a light aircraft with the performance of a much larger one while also being improved with a spacious cabin. It can now fly higher while being much quieter. Amongst its class, it is having the best performance and can also fly the farthest. This light business jet also uses less fuel compared to its predecessor while having a luxurious 5-seater cabin with executive tables plus other technology features.

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GULFSTREAM G800 The Gulfstream G800 is one of the longest-range jets in the business and can fly for 8,000 nm (14,816 km) at Mach 0.85. Flying at Mach 0.90, the G800’s range is 7,000 nm (12,964 km). Power comes courtesy of the twin powerful Rolls-Royce engines. The G800 can seat up-to 19 passengers while having many luxury amenities in the cabin. The G800 builds on the G650ER and remains one of the strongest buys in its class.

JETS

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 3500 This business jet combines a spacious cabin and performance with sustainability. It is the first super mid-size jet with an Environmental Product Declaration, and the first business jet to achieve a carbon neutral flight test program. It also offers high-quality, sustainable cabin material options. The jet has Honeywell HTF7350 engines and can climb up to 43,000 feet along with having a 3,400 nm nonstop range.

DASSAULT FALCON 10X Another long-range aircraft brimming with technology and luxury with Dassault upping the ante with the Falcon 10X. This aircraft aims to compete with the likes of Bombardier and Gulfstream while having a top speed of Mach .925 and range of 7,500 nautical miles.

One of the highlights of the spacious cabin is a stand-up shower. The new engines are quieter and deliver better range. Although a distance from the market launch, we want to keep this jet on our radar.

CIRRUS G2+ VISION The light aircraft gets some updates including better takeoff performance along with more range. In terms of sheer value for money, it offers a much lower operating cost for a business jet and is single-pilot certified. Further additions include more connected features, a more flexible cabin with more space and added safety equipment. The single engine motor is also more environmentally friendly with better efficiency.

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JEWELRY

FINDING JOY IN CREATION

BEGÜM

KIROGLU

| BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

B

egüm Khan’s creations reflect founder Begüm Kiroglu's love of travel and her world of fantasy.

The designer has always dreamed of creating timeless pieces with a touch of the glamour of yesteryear for the lifestyle of the contemporary woman - the antiques of the future.

Begüm’s jewelry can be classified as unique pieces of art that pose challenges in terms of composition and craftsmanship. It reinterprets the lush and splendid influences of Ottoman culture with a touch of modernity.

The Made in Istanbul label is very important for the brand and the aim is to keep the craftsmanship in Istanbul, where the company’s headquarters and production facilities are located.

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Merging with the high-quality craftsmanship, Begüm’s creations are whimsical and surprising.

Long royal robes, rich embroidery, colorful feathers, sparkling tiaras and sumptuously unfurled jewelry add to the brand’s splendor. Begüm’s obsession with natural curiosities and unusual beauty blossomed during her childhood. As she finds joy in creation, she has always been attracted to making beautiful things. Strong, different, self-confident - feminine.

Begüm understands and praises the power of women in her creations. Her goal is to make women feel confident and beautiful enough to face the world. | begumkhan.com

JEWELRY

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FASHION

MEN 2023 FASHION Loro Piana 2023 Collection

KNITTED INLAY SCARF VIRGIN WOOL Ultra soft and cozy Wish® wool scarf. The English rib texture is enhanced with a jacquard construction, creating a unique range of colors and tones. Finished with a deerskin logo label. $695.00 (photo courtesy of Loro Piana) | us.loropiana.com LORO PIANA ICER JACKET CASHMERE This Iconic ski jacket crafted from cashmere fabric treated with Storm System® for a waterproof, wind-resistant finish is perfect to wear in both the mountains and the city. It is part of the C.O.L.D. line: outerwear pieces specifically designed for winter weather, featuring special technical solutions for the padding. $5,150.00. (Image courtesy of Loro Piana) | us.loropiana.com

OPEN WINTERY WALK CHUKKA BOOTS SUEDE These sportswear style boots have a waterrepellent treatment and sheepskin interior featuring a patented, hidden elastic opening under the specially designed tongue, guaranteeing a snug, comfortable fit. Their lightly padded, rib-knit cashmere trim is inspired by classic Loro Piana outerwear. $1,325.00 (photo courtesy of Loro Piana) | us.loropiana.com

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TIMEPIECES

TOP 5 Watches of 2022 | BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

Timepieces get more exceptional every year, becoming collector’s items. Upscale Living magazine showcases the Top Five watches for 2022.

THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY ANGELUS CHRONODATE One of the sleeper hits of the Geneva watch fairs at its launch, the Angelus Chronodate has only grown in renown since its debut in 2022. The Angelus Chronodato ranks among the most coveted vintage watches of all time, so for Angelus, the reissue and update of the beloved model was undertaken with great care. On the 80th anniversary of the first Chronodato, Angelus revealed a sleek and sporty new Chronodate chronograph model that honors its namesake predecessor with vintage inspired dial styling yet carries on the brand’s reputation for innovation with a sporty, modular titanium and carbon composite case and industry first glass-effect PVD dials.

THE ARNOLD & SON PERPETUAL MOON ECLIPSE 2022 marked a major milestone for Arnold & Son, as the brand revealed its first-ever timepiece created specifically with women in mind: the Perpetual Moon Eclipse 38 I. More than just a pretty face, the 38mm white gold, diamond, and sapphire-set moonphase timepiece features a new movement that is the smallest in the brand’s collection yet capable of a 90-hour power reserve – and accurate up to 122 years. It features a highly creative lace-like pierced dial of blue aventurine crystal, offering tantalizing glimpses of the large moon disc below. The starry sky is crafted of mother-of-pearl and hand-painted constellations, while the two lunar discs are crafted of ruthenium crystals.

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TIMEPIECES

SILICON VALLEY LUXURY JEWELER STEPHEN SILVER’S WATCH PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUIS ERARD AND ALAIN SILBERSTEIN In 2022, Silicon Valley’s most innovative timepiece salon – Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry – revealed a watch design partnership with Swiss brand Louis Erard and renowned designer Alain Silberstein. The ‘triple signed’ collaboration also marked the Silicon Valley jeweler’s first-ever house watch design, with select watches bearing the company’s logo on the crystal case back. Since the Silvers opened their timepiece salon in 2014, the Menlo Park-based company has established an impressive record of discovering up-and-coming independent watch brands like Louis Erard. Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry was the first North American retailer to carry the award-winning brand. The collaboration included Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein for Stephen Silver La Semaine watches – known among watch collector circles as the “Smiley”, and a limited number of diptych box sets containing both Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein for Stephen Silver Le Régulateur and La Semaine watches. These limited-edition watches offer the quintessential Alain Silberstein design elements, with his signature use of elementary forms and primary colors. Jared Silver also worked with Louis Erard to develop an iridescent blue sapphire-inspired minute track exclusively for this limited edition, inspired by the many exceptional sapphire gemstones in the Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry collection.

NIMANYCLUB NFT WATCHES With its launch in 2022, NIMANYCLUB clocked several significant firsts as a watchmaker specialized in the metaverse.

NIMANYCLUB was the first luxury watch brand to specialize in minting plug-and-play NFT watches that could also be burned and traded for a true physical watch product, the twin of its digital counterpart. As part of the launch of NIMANYCLUB NFT watches, NYC based Founder and watch industry veteran Nima Behnoud launched an NFT watch lottery with a comprehensive roadmap and pioneered a significant technical breakthrough in the NFT space with a new patent-pending burn and trade mechanism developed in partnership with Layer.

THE KROSS STUDIO BOBA FETT TOURBILLON Kross Studio and Lucasfilm Ltd. joined forces last year to celebrate Star Wars Day 2022 in epic style with the launch of the Boba Fett Tourbillon. The timepiece took inspiration from the Star Wars galaxy’s most famous Bounty Hunter. The centerpiece of the limited-edition wristwatch featured a tiny CNC machined replica of Boba Fett’s starship atop the tourbillon cage. The timepiece comes accompanied by a larger, freestanding replica ship and watch display by EFX, also inspired by Boba Fett’s famed starship.

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PROFILE

A Collaboration between Méditions and Lilian Daddi

The MAMMA COLLECTION | BY JAMES ESSEX

H

ow can an artist transform our perception of furniture? It seems a dull topic. But this was exactly the question that was running through Jean-Pascal Morvidoni’s mind as he contemplated who might be able to help him develop a totally new genre of home design.

Owner of the Méditions art gallery in Paris, France, Morvidoni is a third-generation marble maker and manager of Marbreies de la Siene.

He has both an eye for contemporary design and an enthusiasm for fascinating and beautiful stonework. Much of his time now is spent away from marble work and instead, he focuses on promoting talented young artists and the work that they create.

Influenced by graffiti and American abstract paintings of Joan Mitchell, Cy Twombly, and Hans Hartung, Daddi founded for himself a reputation for pushing both artistic and technical boundaries. Together Morvidini and Daddi were the perfect pair to revolutionize how we view our own personal furniture.

When asked about his latest creations for Méditions and how he came to formulate such beautiful pieces, Daddi said, “I always really studied the sky. One day I discovered this magnificent spectacle—Mammatus clouds. These inspired me to create like never before.”

His passion is finding those rare, avant-garde creators that are pushing the limits of conventional stonework. This desire to work with the best led Morvidoni to partner with famed artist Lilian Daddi on a new project for his art studio.

From the creation of its novel furniture designs to the total originality of its name, the Mamma collection truly does reveal the dispassionate and disruptive psyche of today’s modern melding of art, design, and culture. Inspired by those rare and illusive Mammatus clouds, Daddi takes his skill, as well as Méditions reputation to new heights of luxury.

Daddi is an interesting character in his own right. A graduate of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the school of architecture in Clermont Ferrant, Daddi has worked as an art and design director with several agencies before opening his own design firm in Paris. Here he truly flourished and devoted himself entirely to his work, pushing the boundaries of art and functionality.

The Mamma collection was also inspired

by Daddi’s mother. Italian by birth, Signora Daddi’s softness and generosity are present in the formation of her son’s stonework and the power it holds over you when one is in its presence. After a series of preparatory sketches and paintings, Daddi worked with Carrara marble to develop his new collection. Within the unique collection, you will find many of

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today’s modern staples. Consoles, pedestals, tables, stools, and even shelves all make up the everyday furniture that has been transformed

by Daddi’s hands.

But it isn’t just original designs that set this furniture apart. No, the really amazing thing about these pieces is their practicality and the stories they tell. Durable, yet light. Inspired by the evanescence of their inspiration, each piece tells its own unique narrative. In some it is a tale of how the earth meets the sky, in others, it is sensual and organic. They succeed in being both functional and exuberant.

This development of the material forms one of the foundations of Méditions. For Morvidoni, marble quarries are a field of expression open to all aesthetic demands, as well as to the most unique uses. The Mamma collection also offers a range of lamps for tables, walls, and ceiling suspension—as well as ceramic vases created from other natural materials. The various pieces of Daddi’s collection have been limited to twelve reproductions and any lover of luxury would be lucky to have just in their home.

Morvidoni is currently working on developing an M éditions showroom in Miami, Florida. If you’re interested in learning more we highly recommend you visit the Méditions website. 

PROFILE

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HOMES + INTERIORS

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HOMES + INTERIORS

ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE IN PERFECT BALANCE | BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

W

hen Cheetah Plains owner Japie van Niekerk went in search of a retreat for himself and his son, his quest led him to what is now regarded as one of the top Eco and luxury lodges in South Africa.

location was too good not to share. Opening up Cheetah Plains to guests as a commercial lodge while maintaining the invigorating sense of being in the remoteness of the bush is something that Japie wanted to maintain and is felt when one is privileged to stay here.

It all started with a phone call. The moment a landowner reached out to Japie one Saturday evening to say he was considering selling two of his tracks of land, the die was cast. Property in the bush is a rarity, so without hesitation, Japie flew up the following day to assess the position.

A private and accomplished pilot, he maneuvered his aircraft over the plains, and his bird’s eye view of surging seasonal rivers and old Tamboti trees dotted along the escarpment further inspired his decision to acquire this rare combination of isolation and dense natural wilderness. Situated in the remote, relatively unknown and greatly unexplored north-eastern corner of Sabi Sand Private Nature Reserve, Japie didn’t have to sleep on it; he decided there and then that this property was destined to be his.

He was committed to create a new style of safari offering that has never been done before; for guests to be completely immersed albeit with a total sense of privacy. Traditional bush architecture was reconsidered and a structural departure from communal spaces, in essence complementing nature without interference. This steered the construction of three full self-contained, exclusive-use villas, which includes every single conceivable comfort imaginable, from the softest cotton bedding, electronic blinds and mosquito net to a state-of-the-art toilet.

That same day, he cemented the deal, becoming the proud owner of a sought-after piece of wilderness. Initially, Japie would only invite close friends and family, but as time progressed, he realized the incredible

Inspired by the challenge of fashioning a lodge in Sabi Sand, architect Stefan Antoni met with Japie to flesh out what would work in this pristine piece of wilderness. This resulted in ARRCC being appointed as custodians of the full project – architecture, interior architecture and interior décor, at the end of the day delivering a truly ready-to-operate solution. Specializing in residential, hospitality and leisure projects, 41 | UPSCALELIVINGMAG.COM | WINTER 2023

HOMES + INTERIORS

ARRCC works closely with their clients, distilling and transforming briefs that exceed original expectations.

Creating life-enhancing spaces that represent both client and location through a sophisticated methodology in design, they have established a style dedicated to detail and substance.

Setting a new benchmark for the industry, they are leaders in designing elegant structures and interiors that are modern, luxurious and seductive while remaining understated and timeless.

Cheetah Plains is ultra-contemporary Afro-minimalism, where straight planes meet extensive landscapes and angular edged topography. Suspended beams stretch weightlessly through the length of buildings. Blurring the lines between simple pure elements and organic form, the architectural vision was to unite with the wild from within; that there should be no limit, no disconnection. The focus is on elegant and beautiful spaces with a seamless flow of textures between interiors and exteriors. The outcome is distinctively African and sublimely innovative, merging essential solitude with the force of nature unbroken.

Three villas are inspired by illustrious cats of the reserve, and seemingly float over a landscape unscathed by man. Shielded by age-old

trees, each villa has its own character, incorporating subtle differences in location and concept. Karula, Mapogo and Mvula each house a substantial private dining area, several indoor and outdoor areas, an outdoor boma, swimming pool and large chilled wine room. All have four satellite suites that feel like a private studio sheltered in the bush.

Staying at Karula, one is struck by the harmonious interplay with nature and luxury. Named after an inimitable leopard, the rosetted beauty lives on in the finishes that are noticeably more feminine, featuring lighter, creamier tones. A perfect equilibrium between strength and poise, the lavishness and added softness pay homage to Karula’s splendor.

A passionate art collector and curator, Japie has ensured that each villa houses the most striking art, showcasing Africa’s artistic talent whilst sharing these visionary creations in the Cheetah Plains collection with guests from all over the world. They include the likes of Conor McCreedy, Angus Taylor, Arend Eloff, Bambolwami Sibiya, Gail Catlin, Galia Gluckman, Gert Potgieter, Greatjoy Ndlovu, Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef, Lionel Smit, Loyiso Mkize, Malcolm Solomon, Andy Coppes Martin, Olantunji Sanusi, Solomon Omogboye, William Kentridge, Cecil Skotnes and Vladimir Tretchikoff.

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Part of the space includes a temperature-controlled wine gallery with purely South African wines, perfect for each meal course, an entertainment lounge with plush seating, and a dining room with a spectacular Pierre Cronje table forming a focal point. The chandelier above the table is really striking and handcrafted by Martin Doller. Upon entering the plains villa, one is struck by the magnitude of the space, complemented by the big gallery design and the flow of space from inside to outside.

An exciting addition to Cheetah Plains opened in December 2022 – a magnificent luxury boutique. Named after the owner’s wife Shari, the stunning space encompasses limited edition collections of custom-made items, the finest quality jewelry, accessories, books and art for serious aficionados.

In all aspects of his life, Japie doesn’t shy away from hard work and dedication. Forever pushing limits, striving to exceed excellence and accepting nothing less than extraordinary. Which is why Cheetah Plains surpasses superiority in every sense of the word.

For more information, visit www.cheetahplains. com

PROFILE

Delivering A Trusted Vision

JEN DALLAS | BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

Finding her career path early in life has ensured that interior designer Jen Dallas loves what she does, delivering a trusted vision to her clients.

Jen, tell us a bit about yourself.

I have lived in LA for over 20 years and am originally from Chicago. I am an interior designer and have my own studio, Jen Dallas Interiors. We mainly do residential work from remodeling a home to ground up construction.

I love what I do and am grateful I found my career path early in my life. My studio recently ventured into product design and launched Maple Jude & Co., a lifestyle shop for the home. We have our own line of textiles and ceramic tiles. We are going to launch our own wallpaper line in the Spring of 2023. I also recently launched my first lighting collection, which is very exciting!

Did you have an influence in your youth that shaped your career path?

My parents were both very encouraging of being creative and thinking outside the box.

I was brought up being around a lot of artists and creative people. Being a child of the 70s was such an amazing time to be a kid. I took so many art classes and had amazing teachers that always encouraged my creativity too.

When did you start your firm, Jen Dallas Interiors?

I started my interior design studio in 2008, a year after my son was born. I always say he was my good luck charm that pushed me to do it. I had always dreamed of my own business. Being a new mom, I started it so I could have more to be with my son and have never looked back.

What and who inspires you?

I am inspired by good design. Anything from a toaster to a design of a car to the colors of a flower. For a creative person, we see inspiration everywhere. I love going to people’s homes. I find it fascinating to see how people live and what collections they have and what story their homes tell me. I am inspired by how vintage, and antiques can add character to a home.

It will instantly add a layer that a new home needs to allow it to feel livable and comfortable.

That inspires me.

Do you have a signature style when it comes to interior design for clients?

I find that my own style is edited and clean. I always pay special attention to the architecture and how that follows into the interior. I have classical training and love that to melt into a modern sensibility. I love functional spaces that are beautiful and inspire the people that live there.

When working with clients, how do you persuade them to see your vision without it coming across like it’s your idea?

I try to convey my vision in such a way that it assists my clients to see it. I am old school and still sketch my ideas out for clients. When my clients get excited about the ideas and even start to own the ideas as their own, then I have done a good job.

What are / have been the biggest challenges in your career?

I don’t think of life like that; challenges are just things to move through and figure out how to shift so things work out better. When you face a challenge, it just means something isn’t work-

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ing out as well as it could, and life takes over to make it better for everyone involved.

Important lessons along the way?

Being selective in the jobs I choose to do. Not trying to be everything to everyone. Staying strong in my abilities and choosing clients that I can serve and be proud of what we accomplish together.

The favorite part of your job?

Sharing my vision with my client who trusts me to deliver it. When we are installing it and they see the vision we have discussed for months or even sometimes years and get excited about the final product.

Talk us through a timeless interior design style.

Timeless is a comfort and a confidence that a home or a room conveys when it completed the architecture perfectly. It is a use of color that feels fresh and doesn’t overtake the room or home. The materials used from the flooring, molding selections, counter tops, tile and fabrics are quality and are made to test time.

For me, timeless design is when one room flows into the other flawlessly and is married with the architecture. Where it feels like it has always been that way and will still look good years from now.

Is there a right and wrong when it comes to decorating? Please explain.

There are rules that work when decorating, and scale is very important in that application. Scale and proportion are a huge consideration when designing spaces. I love when a room feels to scale and not overdone. Positive and negative

PROFILE

spaces are pivotal when it comes to interiors.

An area with nothing (negative space) is as important as placing pieces. It is a balance and when it is wrong, you feel it immediately. Lighting is an imperative consideration when decorating, whether it is natural daylight or lamping, and places a huge impact on our spaces.

How does one keep things modern / timeless without breaking the bank?

Keeping things simple is the best way to not break the bank. Way too many designs do too much. Every wall and every floor don’t have to have a “WOW” factor. Give space to the “WOW” and you will find that the wow you do give the home stands out even more.

Do you believe in repurposing dated pieces or should one simply shop for new ones?

I like to repurpose. I love vintage and antiques. I love it when a client has something that is sentimental to them, and we can repurpose it in such a way that makes it work within our new design. I have a client right now that had to take down his 1920’s bungalow, but we saved molding from his original home and even a build-in cabinet from his original home. We are retrofitting it to work at the top of the stairs and painting it white to fit into his new more modern home. Every time he sees it, he connects to his old home that he loved for 30 years. Yes, I am huge on repurposing!

Have there been projects you have declined? If yes, why?

I have declined projects. There have been a few that I should have declined, and I learned from each of those experiences.

I have been doing this for a long time and have learned who I am as a designer and who are the best clients for me. I interview my projects as much as they are interviewing me.

I want to know that I have served my client and am doing an amazing job for them. If something feels off or I know I am not the right person I will decline. My priority in doing the work I do is to serve my clients 100% and if I can’t do that then I want them to find someone that can. If it is wrong for me, it is wrong for them too.

What do you do for fun?

I love spending time with my son. We like to travel and have adventures together. I love nature and the beach. I am a foodie and love scoping out new eateries. I can also be found at the flea market on most weekends.

Any exciting plans on the horizon?

I just was offered a rug deal and will be designing rugs! I am also working on my own furniture collection due out late 2023. Besides that, we are excited to have some new projects in the studio including designing our first winery.

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GADGETS

HOME Gadgets

BARISIEUR TEA & COFFEE ALARM CLOCK BY JOY RE-SOLVE Wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee or tea on your bedside table with the Barisieur Tea & Coffee Alarm Clock ($445.00).

This award-winning personal bedside barista is stylish and functional and allows all to wake up gently to the wonderful aroma of perfect pour over coffee.

| JARONE ASHKENAZI Sometimes the house needs a bit of sprucing up... from items to entertain, clean, host and more, there are a multitude of gadgets for your home that you can choose from. Here are some of them.

DEEBOT X1 PLUS The DEEBOT X1 PLUS ($1,149) is a part of ECOVACS’ new, premium product line, the X1 Family, and is one of the most advanced home cleaning machines ever created. The X1 PLUS offers an all-in-one, automated solution with powerful vacuuming and mopping, unmatched navigation and object avoidance technologies HOTEL DOGGY’S OUTDOOR AND INDOOR BED CHAISE & FEEDER Hotel Doggy brings stylish functionality to the lives of dogs and their owners, which is evident in its premium product, The Outdoor and Indoor Bed Chaise & Feeder ($599). Its sleek and stylish design is builtto-last as it is water and UV resistant and ideal to be used either as an outdoor and indoor chaise.

SAMSUNG’S’ 55” CLASS S95B OLED 4K SMART TV Combining best-in-class QLED technology with an OLED panel, the 65” Samsung OLED 4K Smart TV ($1,799.99) expands the dynamic range beyond what is possible in HD. The contrast is virtually limitless thanks to its 8.3 million specially engineered self-illuminating pixels (ultra-fast switching tiny lights) which present true blacks and high-peak brightness levels.

OAK AUTO TILT CANTILEVER UMBRELLA Designed to provide you with trouble-free shade on your patio or backyard, BLUU’s Oak Auto Tilt Cantilever Umbrella ($919) is an ideal gift for the outdoor entertainer. bluu.com

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GREENWORKS: 24V DELUXE BRUSHLESS CORDLESS STICK VACUUM The intelligent Greenworks: 24V Deluxe Brushless Cordless Stick Vacuum ($399.99) can be purchased through Costco where members can get an exclusive value package bundle and extended warranty.

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TRAVEL

THE VINTNERS RESORT A SLICE OF TUSCANY IN SANTA ROSA | BY TRACY ELLEN BEARD

The Vintners Resort, located in Santa Rosa, California, rests in the heart of Sonoma County’s wine country. Although the resort is just minutes off Highway 101, the moment you pass through the entrance, it feels like you’ve stepped into a lovely village in Tuscany. The resort features three exciting dining options: John Ash & Co., River Vine, and The Front Room Bar & Lounge. There is plenty to do: play a little bocce ball, relax in the spa, meander the immaculate grounds, discover hidden statues and fountains, or wander the pathways and appreciate the climbing ivy at this upscale property that boasts an old-world vibe. This lush oasis is perfect for a solo retreat, romantic getaway, or girls’ weekend.

walk before the day gets too hot. The trail entrance is behind the Fontana wedding pavilion.

THE ACCOMMODATIONS

The Vi La Vita Spa offers a full spa menu, a fitness room, a relaxation lounge, an indoor caldarium with a heated soaking pool, and an adults-only outdoor swimming pool.

The changing rooms for both men and women feature steam rooms, robes, and sandals.

Suites and rooms are well appointed, come in different sizes, and have various amenities. My room featured a California king-sized bed, a fireplace, a spacious bathroom, complimentary Wi-Fi, and an exquisite balcony with a decorative iron rod balustrade complete with two comfy chairs and a table. Each morning I curled up in the chair near the fireplace. As soon as the previous night’s darkness dissipated, I sat on the balcony with a blanket, sipped my morning coffee, and watched the fog lift off the vineyard while the morning sun warmed my face.

THE PROPERTY A one-mile trail weaves through the vineyard and is perfect for a morning

The Vintners Resort is a Green Property, awarded the Environmentalist Level in the California Green Lodging Program by the State of California’s Department of General Services. The property met all seven of the program’s criteria: waste minimization, reuse/recycling, energy efficiency, conservation and management, waste management, freshwater resource management, hazardous materials management, and environmentally and socially sensitive purchasing policies.

THE SPA

I opted for the 120-minute Island Retreat Massage. Arriving early, which rarely happens, I had the opportunity to lounge in the heated soaking pool in the caldarium. The staff at the check-in desk offered me a glass of bubbles that I graciously accepted, an excellent way to begin a spa treatment.

The masseuse used coconut milk and honey body butter for my massage. I love the smell of coconut; it reminds me of lying on a beach in the tropics.

Already relaxed from my soak in the tub, the deep tissue massage removed any remaining tension my body held. The masseuse used a matching scented oil for the scalp massage portion of this treatment. I forget how much stress I hold in my head, and I don’t always have the luxury of time to deal with my hair after such a glorious treatment. After a soothing yet revitalizing massage, I headed to the showers to wash the oil from my hair and make myself presentable for the rest of the day.

THE GARDENS & GROUNDS EXPERIENCE With 92 acres of vineyards and carefully landscaped gardens and grounds, the Vintners Resort’s grounds and garden manager, Chris Connell, and his staff have created a Tuscan paradise. Resort guests can freely roam the gardens or book a guided tour.

My friend, Judy, who lives nearby, joined me for a tour with Chris.

Chris explained that his seasonal vegetable rotation leads to the most significant yield of herbs, flowers, and produce. Chef Schmidt uses the bounty from the garden in the three resort restaurants: John Ash & Co., River Vine, and The Front Room Bar & Lounge.

Chris said, “We want to grow interesting food. It is fun to watch guests taste things in the garden and then go inside and enjoy Chef Schmidt’s preparation of the ingredients. And vice versa, the same guests often en-

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TRAVEL

joy something in the restaurant and realize how much they love something like the figs. Then they come out to the garden and pick from one of our 72 fig trees.”

the tasting menu. The four-course menu was reasonably priced, as were the savory wine pairings. Annie, our server and sommelier for the evening, was exceptional.

Chris hopes to inspire people to eat locally and support their local farms. He and his crew plant seasonally, and this past summer he raised several varieties of tomatoes, beans, and lettuce that we sampled during our tour.

Many of the ingredients used in our dinners were grown in the gardens on the resort’s property. We dined on mixed garden lettuce with grilled peaches, pistachios, and goat cheese. The herbed potato gnocchi were tasty, and I loved the Angus beef. The dessert, hibiscus buttermilk panna cotta with strawberries and Meyer lemon crumble, was delectable.

We had a variety of savory small plates: grilled fish tacos with handmade tortillas, chipotle salsa and slaw, hummus and pita bread with olives, and truffle Parmesan fries with roasted garlic aioli. Everything was scrumptious, and we finished the dining experience with a mini key lime pie with a graham cracker crust— yum! Happy hour can be lively, and it’s best to arrive early any day between 3 pm to 5 pm.

THE DAYTIME DINING OPTION

THE VINTNERS RESORT

Breakfast, lunch, and brunch are available at River Vine restaurant. This venue is open from 7:30 am to 2 pm each day. You can sit inside the stylishly decorated restaurant or on the patio underneath the umbrellas. Views from the terrace include the Fontana Wedding Pavilion and the stunning vineyards.

There is so much to see and do in Sonoma County wine country. Book a stay at the Vintners Resort, a slice of paradise in Santa Rosa. Relax on your balcony, walk the grounds, indulge in a spa treatment, and enjoy a cocktail in the bar at the end of the day. This resort is perfect for an extended vacation or a quick weekend getaway.

THE FINE DINING RESTAURANT Executive Chef Thomas Schmidt orchestrates every aspect of the culinary scene at the Vintners Resort. Chef Schmidt has an intuitive understanding of complementary flavors, textures, and colors, and his herbs, flowers, and produce could not be more “locally” grown than on the resort grounds. John Ash & Co. is the fine dining restaurant onsite and offers an a la carte menu with food and wine and a delicious tasting menu with paired wines. Dine inside the beautifully decorated restaurant or outside on the patio and tented lawn. The restaurant opens at 5 pm on Wednesday through Sunday.

Chef Schmidt’s culinary journey began at age eight in the kitchen with his mother when he assisted her in preparing the family meal for eight people. He studied culinary arts at Contra Costa College and then took the helm as executive chef at a restaurant in Woodside, California. Chef Schmidt spent time in Europe working at Topaz in Germany to further his skills. He increased his experience and expanded his repertoire of culinary dishes by adding German, French, and Italian cuisines.

Judy joined me for dinner, and we opted for

I enjoyed breakfast one morning on the patio.

A hot cup of coffee, orange juice, bacon, eggs Benedict with smashed avocado, oven-dried tomatoes, and a Meyer lemon hollandaise served with Cajun-spiced potatoes was a fabulous way to begin the morning.

THE COZY BAR The Front Room Bar & Lounge is open daily from 3 pm to 9 pm. The bar is adjacent to John Ash & Co. and is a popular gathering place for locals and guests of Vintners Resort. This bar is a fabulous place for people to unwind together and enjoy one of the best happy hours in town.

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The Front Room offers small plates in a warm and inviting setting. One afternoon my friend, Alyson, joined me for a drink and dinner.

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WHAT’S NEW “Bringing you the finest places around the world is what we love to do here at Upscale Living magazine. In keeping with this tradition, we are focusing on introducing you to new kids on the block or accommodation establishments with a re-looked lease on life.

Grab your travel diary as you want to get to these places as soon as possible!”

| BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

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CASHEL PALACE HOTEL TIPPERARY, IRELAND

Located in the heart of Ireland’s County Tipperary, the five-star Cashel Palace Hotel epitomizes the finest of Irish hospitality. Set within a magnificent Palladian manor built in 1732, the landmark address has been meticulously restored by conservation architects to create a truly desirable destination hotel offering 42 unique bedrooms including 8 opulent suites.

tial, each room draws on the heritage of this great house, celebrating history and championing modern comforts. You will find everything you could possibly need for an indulgent and memorable country escape.

Steeped in history, this former Archbishop’s grand country house became a hotel in the early 1960s and hosted many famous visitors and friends alike.

Once home to the Archbishops of Cashel, Cashel Palace sits at the foot of the Rock of Cashel, a dramatic limestone outcrop featuring the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. With a private pathway to this historic site, the gardens, spa, and many bedrooms offer impressive views of this astonishing attraction.

Optimally located between town and countryside, decadent rooms and suites are impeccably designed for rest and relaxation, while the gardens offer three tranquil acres of rolling lawns, ancient trees, and modern landscaping.

Deeply luxurious and pala-

A proud Relais & Chateaux member, Cashel Palace’s dining offering is exceptional in every sense, and the hotel also has two atmospheric bars. With a deep connection to the Golden Vale, the rich pastures that surround the hotel, Director of Culinary, Stephen Hayes serves

exquisite modern Irish cooking utilizing a seasonal menu sourcing from the freshest local produce.

The Bishop’s Buttery offers formal dining, with casual dining, outdoor dining, and afternoon tea all served across an array of beautiful settings.

Today, Cashel Palace’s lower ground floor proudly houses the original Guinness Bar. True to their aspirations of excellence, Cashel Palace has followed the best practices in construction, restoration, sourcing, and energy to ensure the blueprint for sustainability stands up to the highest scrutiny. They have embraced the Relais & Chateaux manifesto of making ‘the world a better place through cuisine and hospitality,’ following an ethos that is better for the environment and their guests.

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CHÂTEAU LOUISE DE LA VALLIÈRE LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE

Fancy a truly regal stay at a historical château-hotel in the heart of France’s ‘Valley of Kings’? A new gem in the Relais & Châteaux collection, Château Louise de La Vallière is a hotel offering 5-star services and a gastronomic restaurant, nestled within a forest in the heart of Touraine, one of France’s loveliest provinces and near the royal town of Amboise.

This 16th-century château served as the first holiday residence of the young Louise, future Duchess of La Vallière and the Sun King’s great love.

A few centuries later, thanks to the passion of its current owner, Mira Grebenstein, this wonder of the Renaissance has regained all its original splendor and nobility.

This exceptional hotel offers guests a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in French history. This experience is

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possible through the singular vision of its interior designer Jacques Garcia.

The hotel has twenty rooms and suites, a gourmet restaurant, and a spa will each offer an incomparable setting for an exceptional stay. The staff, entirely dedicated to surpassing travelers’ needs, is in period dress and recreates the historical era’s rituals and customs. An atmosphere of elegance and refinement reigns throughout the hotel, with its period furnishings, paintings, tapestries, and objets d’art expertly assembled from France’s most prestigious auction houses.

The gourmet restaurant will prolong this exceptional experience. Named after the legendary comedy by Molière, Louis XIV’s preferred playwright, L’Amphitryon becomes the theatre of lavish and delicious multi-course meals. The décor and table settings, inspired by

the pomp and pageantry of the 17th and 18th centuries, exalt an enchanting ambience illuminated by flickering candles in the evening and when bathed by subdued sunlight during the day.

During the warmer months, meals are served on the terrace, boasting a splendid panoramic view of the Brenne River Valley. Chef Maxime Lesobre pays tribute to the past by faithfully reproducing Grand Siècle dishes. A subtle culinary poem which is worthy of France’s most resplendent and Europe’s most refined monarch.

Travelers will discover a menu faithful to this period and spirit, lending center stage to roasted meats, poultry and fish, and vegetables then savored at court—asparagus, skirrets, black salsify—not to mention the most delicate desserts—darioles, benoiles and sorbets.

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GONDWANA GAME RESERVE ECO CAMP MOSSEL BAY, SOUTH AFRICA

The award winning Gondwana Private Game Reserve is a beehive of activity following the re-launch of its beloved Eco Camp experience.

New and improved, Eco Camp offers the same off-the-grid, hands on safari experience, with expanded and upgraded facilities to provide more communal spaces and all-weather comfort year-round with thatch roofs. The addition of a new bar near the pool will be a cool spot to sip a G&T in an open-air space under thatch.

The entire camp runs on solar power, sources its water sustainably from a nearby perennial spring and is a plastic free zone.

Gondwana Private Game Reserve is situated in what is arguably the Western Cape’s most breathtaking scenery, and Eco Camp is remotely nestled within the folds of the

Reserve’s undulating, Fynbos-adorned landscape. Guests have been blown away to find the luxurious lodge hidden in this gorgeous valley deep in the Reserve.

Two nights off the grid at Eco Camp feels like a week’s holiday recharging the batteries. Guests are able to enjoy a one-of-a-kind Cape Safari experience while rolling up their sleeves to get involved in the Reserve’s conservation work. These activities include elephant dung sample analysis, checking leopard stealth cameras, doing water censuses, partaking in game counting and helping eradicate the game reserve of alien invasive plants, which is a great workout!

endangered flora and fauna.

The Eco Camp guests help to collect important data to guide the Reserve’s management plan.

Eco Camp is an intimate and exclusive experience with only seven bedroom tents set on raised platforms each with a private bathroom and covered deck area. A wooden walkway over the riverbed links the accommodation to two new thatched recreational tents which house the lounge, dining, and bar areas with a nearby pool and hammock relaxation area.

Gondwana Private Game Reserve is a conservation-centric organization with extraordinary resource and passion dedicated to protecting its 55 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | WINTER 2023

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HOTEL BARRIÈRE FOUGUET’S NEW YORK TRIBECA, NEW YORK

A joint venture between the iconic French brand Groupe Barrière and Caspi Development, the imposing Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York opened in Tribeca at the end of September 2022. Located at 456 Greenwich Street, the property brings a new level of sophistication to the bustling streets of New York.

Budnizki. “Our design reflects the unique spirit of the Barriere brand whilst feeling relevant and local to the Greenwich neighborhood balancing an elegant Parisian aesthetic with the energy and style of Tribeca,” says Martin Budnizki.

The hotel is designed by the internationally acclaimed Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, led by interior designer and architect Martin Brudnizki and blends the modern industrialism of Tribeca and the elegant classism of Paris, which is shone through the property’s Art-Deco inspiration.

The guest rooms and suites feature Art Deco-inspired furniture, European Style Chandeliers, and the property’s own toile de jouy wallpaper - designed by Schumacher Hospitality, fashioning an experience unique to the property.

The hotel’s crown jewel is Le Grand Appartement Terrasse, an expansive two-story suite located on the 7th and 8th floors of the hotel.

Brudnizki pays homage to the brand’s Parisian roots through the hotel’s molding, use of elegant fabrics, and the lavender-centric color scheme seen throughout the hotel. Martin

The Presidential Suite features unique colors showcasing soft greens, blues, and golds, departing from the primary scheme used throughout the hotel. The suite comprises

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two and a half bathrooms, entertaining and dining areas, an executive office, a master suite with a private terrace, a king-size bedroom, and three private balconies on the hotel’s east and west. The suite’s interior features glossier finishes, antiqued mirrors, plush fabrics, a massive chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling murals of exotic gardens and landscapes line the stairwell and entry walls.

Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York features two French inspired dining destinations, Fouquet’s New York and Par Ici Café. The property will also feature wellness offerings, including Spa Diane Barrière and a fitness center by DOGPOUND, a luxury training gym in 2016. Fouquet’s New York serves as the New York outpost for Groupe Barrière’s iconic French brasserie Fouquet’s.

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MANDARIN ORIENTAL PALACE LUZERN LUZERN, SWITZERLAND

Ideally located on the shores of Lake Lucerne, with breathtaking views over the Swiss Alps, Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern provides contemporary elegance, legendary service and the finest Swiss hospitality in the city’s beautifully restored Belle Époque landmark. The building presents 136 elegant and contemporary rooms and suites, most of which have private balconies or terraces.

Set to become an epicurean destination, the hotel features a wide range of culinary offerings from MOzern Brasserie & Bar for all-day dining, afternoon tea and innovative cocktails; al-fresco dining on the lake terrace at Quai 10; contemporary French haute cuisine at Colonnade and traditional six-seat Japanese restaurant in omakase style dining.

An expansive wellness and fitness area provide well-being

opportunities for guests, while SPA Bellefontaine creates a serene and rejuvenating sanctuary with unrivaled treatments.

Private and professional events can benefit from the creative settings of four unique rooms, including Salon Alpine with original décor elements from the hotel’s historic past. The hotel underwent an extensive and elaborate renovation, overseen by local architects who have preserved the building’s rich history and heritage while delivering a contemporary design inspired by the beauty of the surrounding Swiss landscapes.

Redefining service and experience for the perfect event, Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern’s lakefront setting with four stylishly appointed function rooms make it ideal for meetings, weddings, private parties and unforgettable social events. Offering stunning Lake

Lucerne and garden views, the charming Edelweiss Ballroom is flooded with abundant natural light and benefits from advanced technology. Encompassing elements from the Belle Epoque era, the historic gem, Salon Alpine, is the perfect venue for intimate boardroom meetings to lavish cocktail receptions.

Dramatically positioned overlooking the shores of Lake Lucerne, the hotel is a stone’s throw from the charming old town and with spectacular views over the Swiss Alps. Set to usher in an era of contemporary elegance and legendary service, the hotel, which is a member of the prestigious Swiss Deluxe Hotels organization, is poised to become Lucerne’s most exclusive venue.

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MONTAGE LOS CABOS CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Montage Los Cabos, the premier beachfront resort overlooking the Santa Maria Bay, debuts a new collection of accommodations with private pools, as well as a new Twin Dolphin I Yacht, a custom 56 ft. yacht made in partnership with VanDutch. Blending natural beauty with authentic Mexican culture, Montage Los Cabos is an idyllic sanctuary perched upon the premier beachfront in the destination.

Curated to provide best-in-class privacy, families, friends, and couples alike can enjoy a dip in the tranquil waters or opt to bask in the warm, Mexican weather, with coastal views of Baja without disruption.

Newly upgraded, 36 of the resort’s rooms, ranging from studio to three-bedroom suites, will now feature their own private pools, honoring the resort’s tradition of indoor-outdoor living.

Impeccably designed, this sleek and contemporary vessel combines style with performance and provides an extraordinary experience for up to ten guests.

Adding to the suites’ current patio and lawn areas, this accommodation will provide access to an increasingly luxe oceanfront living experience.

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In addition to the resort’s long list of excursions and grand experiences, the resort’s brandnew Twin Dolphin I Yacht offers access to a cruise experience like never before.

On the foredeck, sunbathing and lounging areas are available, while the cockpit offers minimalistic designed dining spaces.

Guests are invited to embark on Montage Los Cabos’

VanDutch yacht, a modern vessel suitable for large parties equipped with a slew of unique, luxury accommodations. With three available tour options, that range from four to six hours in length, the resort is now delivering a round-trip exploration opportunity with sights of Los Cabos’ coastal desert landmarks and sea life.

Meeting the needs of adventure seekers, snorkeling and swimming endeavors in the Pacific Ocean waters will be available via the automated hydraulic swim platform. Recreation aplenty, there is also no limit to leisure while on board. This yachting experience is made complete with unmatched onboard service, in addition to a customized bar, wine, and appetizer selections, making VanDutch the ultimate pampering hotspot.

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RAFFLES DOHA DOHA, QATAR

The ultra-luxury Raffles Doha opened for guests on January 1st, 2023, just in time for patrons to kick off their shoes and celebrate the New Year! Housed within Katara Towers, guests can expect exemplary service as is the norm with Raffles Hotels.

For more than a century, Raffles as welcomed seekers of rich experiences and collectors of intangible treasures. Today, that heritage proudly lives on in Raffles Doha, Qatar’s most exquisite hotel, an icon of uncommon artistry and pioneering sustainability in the Lusall Marina District. Come and discover the new global standard in luxury hospitality.

Raffles Doha has elevated and redefined innovative hospitality for the well-traveled. This ultra-luxurious hotel along the Lusall Marina Promenade never ceases to mesmerize,

surprise and inspire all who enter. An opulent 132-key ultra-luxury property and Qatar’s only all-suite hotel, offers an awe-inspiring suite experience and décor, paired with views of the Doha skyline. Each suite experience is enhanced with personalized butler service, and bespoke amenities including an exclusive scent from Frederic Malle, a gallery wall with a collection of curated books, and an in-suite boutique.

Featuring the marvelous Katara Hall, a dazzling space at the heart of the hotel, it will set new aspirations for lavish events, with 22-meter-high ceilings, making it the largest ballroom with daylight in the country. The hotel also has advanced beauty & well-being offers with nine spa & fitness suites, each equipped with its own state-of-the-art treatment rooms and some offering private outdoor terraces and

plunge pools.

The Raffles Spa Doha combines the time-honored wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine, Moroccan hammam techniques, and top-of-the-line Swiss skincare goods and tools to create an ultra-personalized spa treatment for each guest.

Inspired by the cuisine of Piedmont, Italy, Alba, one of four dining concepts from Raffles Doha, serves as the first overseas outpost for the celebrated three-Michelin-starred chef Enrico Crippa. The restaurant promises only the finest dishes made from luxurious ingredients sourced from around the world, including the tartufo bianco d’Alba, one of the rarest and most sought-after truffles in the world.

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GADGETS

SPORTS Gadgets

THE ALLEGRO® 2 REFORMER The Allegro® 2 Reformer ($3,045 with no legs and $3,340 with legs) is the most widely used and popular reformer in the world. It incorporates a minimalist, sophisticated design with increased functionality, making it ideal for the discerning buyer who wants stylish equipment in their workout area. (credit: Balanced Body)

| JARONE ASHKENAZI

If you are looking for a wide array of delightful and useful sport or outdoor ideas for you, look no further.

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Rome | BY ADAM JACOT

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T

urn your back on the Trevi Fountain, toss a coin over your left shoulder and make a wish. So custom has it and seven years later my ‘guarantee of a return to Rome’ has happened!

For me Rome is somewhere, like Florence and Venice, to test and train yourself to look, look and look again at all the detail and refinery, to sharpen the eye and make discoveries. Indeed the sheer splendor of ‘The Eternal City’ on every visit makes me uplifted being both

spiritually and visually enriched. It’s a city full of fountains, obelisks, columns and, further afield, aqueducts, of deep russet-colored buildings and hilly climbs or narrow descents down cobbled streets with ‘sampietrini’ paving stones perhaps the most typical.

I came to stay at Hotel Hassler (www.hotelhasslerroma.com/en with rooms starting from €572 per night on B+B basis). Set above the Spanish Steps, it was made famous by the film ‘Roman Holiday’, starring Audrey Hepburn

(who stayed here in the San Pietro Suite) and Gregory Peck. It’s within walking distance of luxury boutiques such as Valentino, Prada and Bulgari. The white-hatted doorman summoned me into what instantly felt like one of Rome’s most prestigious hotels. Beneath a gorgeous Murano chandelier, through distinctive stain glass windows, on veined marble and beside potted ferns was the lacquered mahogany concierge and reception: all reflecting the timeless class of a bygone era. As for the rooms and for the best views choose one that’s 63 | UPSCALELIVINGMAG.COM | WINTER 2023

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street-facing on the upper floors. Mine had the plushest of linens and the yellow marble and mosaic stretched to my bathroom well-stocked with the hotel’s own Amorvero products.

with avocado, lettuce, secret sauce and tempura prawns. It’s popular with locals which is always a good sign.

Here I dined at Imàgo, the top floor restaurant with its Doric pillars and star-spangled ceiling and which comes with strict jacket-wearing formality. Try and book a corner table as it’s all about the panoramic view over the city’s monuments and cupolas. Particularly delicious were the scallops, pumpkin flowers, almonds and sour cream. A “stairway to heaven” was the hotel’s fitting strapline.

Over the bridge St Peter’s has at every angle something on which to linger. I loved her imposing and impressive colonnade mounted with statues of devout saints as though in communion with each other on a higher level.

St Peter’s, as part of the Vatican, is a vast and humbling spectacle that reflects its commanding position at the epicenter of Catholicism. It’s where so many Catholics come to connect, to rejoice and feel blessed.

Crowds flock to the fountains: to Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps and, of course, the Trevi Fountain. They’re best seen at night when even more romantic with their illuminated backdrops and without the distraction of other buildings. What a visual feast awaited me across Rome with her architecture, sculpture and painting and although in the galleries its Caravaggio these days who draws the greatest number of artistic pilgrims, for me Borromini and Bernini carry the soul of Rome.

Here I was drawn in particular to the amazing chart of the papal succession going right back to St. Peter himself, the façade’s twelve bold Corinthian pillars, the glory Michelangelo’s La Pieta now safe from marauders within its glass case and the statue of St Peter worn down from the human kissing out of sheer reverence. It all felt impersonal amongst this vastness but by imagining a full congregation of many thousands I could sense what reverence would come from what resonance.

Indeed the Borghese Gardens were the perfect start to my trip awakened and refreshed amid the morning sun and air amongst the chirping birds in full song and glory, as I walked along stunning pine avenues past statues of ancient philosophers and joggers and workmen preparing for ‘fashion week’ with hastily erected shiny silver marquees and green carpets. I savored every moment of the Galleria Borghese where Bernini’s statues reign supreme.

A five-minute walk from St Peter’s is Follie restaurant at Villa Agrippina Hotel (https:// www.melia.com/en/hotels/italy/rome/villa-agrippina-gran-melia) which opened only last month, on the original site of the villa of Agrippina, wife of Emperor Claudius. Follie has a classic yet contemporary look with its parquet floor offset by white walls, dark wooden lattice screens and vibrant palm fronds. Beneath the signature low-lit spidery chandeliers were a selection of artistic books (in keeping with the Gran Meliá hotel chain’s brand) and, to round off the discreet and erudite vibe, the sound of Bossa Nova music. It’s only open at night when my tasting menu was an option beside the standard menu. The pairing wines were intelligently selected to accompany both my marinated egg with Lapsang Souchong tea, roasted hazelnuts and potato purée (my favorite course) and my smoked lamb with raspberries and oyster emulsion. “Not ordinary fine dining” stated the menu and the claim was justified.

Downhill I went through the Piazza del Populo to La Terrazza Locarno restaurant (www.hotellocarno.com/it) which is located in the ‘Artist’s District’ where Piazza dei Popolo meets the Via del Corso, and a former favorite of Fellini once a neighbor. Set in a courtyard with ‘kentia’ palm fronds and birds twittering as in a Moroccan riad it trades as a bar-cum-restaurant, on its message of “anytime, anywhere” and felt very homely being part of a former house and now a hotel named after its original Swiss owners. Up above are two liberating roof gardens one serving only champagne the other with pomegranate and lemon trees. Indoors is Bar Locarno decorated in Liberty and Art Nouveau style with original Tiffany lights and playing 1920s music. Here I had the most enjoyable and delicious lunch consisting of aged beef Tataki, soy and sake alongside a raw salmon roll

I awoke to the sound of the city’s church bells tolling charmingly out of sync and note.

Churches are an invitation to perceive the divine and the Baroque facades are convincingly beckoning and arresting in their extravagance. The thread of Bernini’s sensitivity and

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grace leads across the city from the altar in St. Peter’s to the folds in the skin of the ‘Rape of Lucretia’ in the Galleria Borghese to the even more touching ‘Saint Teresa in Ecstasy’ in Santa Maria Vittoria (NB there are an amazing number of churches in Rome dedicated to Santa Maria). What a stunning image the last one is of utter surrender, showing the saint in an almost erotic swoon before an angel beneath golden rays of celestial light.

Across the road from the Quirinal Palace is the former king’s courtier’s villa. So discreet and intimate is the Villa Spalletti Trivelli (www. villaspalletti.it/en/) that I failed to spot the old-fashioned doorbell. Here I had lunch in the garden under one of the two gazebos separated by the spongiest of grass and smoothest of clipped box shrubs, beside lemon trees and scented jasmine and fenced in by a tall, ancient laurel hedge. You have to book to eat here and to sense the private home and traditional lifestyle of an aristocratic family who own Pomario, its Umbria vineyard and whose organic Batticoda wine paired well with their classical Roman dishes that I could typically have enjoyed at home namely: ‘saltimbocca’ (slices of veal, ham and sage) and ‘bresaola olio e limone’ (dried beef with olive oil and lemon).

Fabulously yesteryear this “family meal” as the menu has it.

I loved the fact that Romans are forever clearly on show as they play out their daily dramas.

Exuberant, bold and egoistic as immaculately-dressed policemen delivering instructions or as garrulous shopkeepers with their arms raised high in exaggerated gesticulation. The ego has to be acknowledged. The uniform helps to get them into character. Any simple procedure would negate the drama. A flat refusal is really an invitation to a negotiation. And there’s always a wonderful interplay and juxtaposition of nuns, ice cream shops, children irreverently kicking a football against a church wall and vespas zooming past restaurant tables spilling out onto streets.

Just off the bottom of Via del Corso is Le Terrazze, the rooftop restaurant of Singer Palace Hotel (https://singerpalacehotel.com/ rooftop-restaurant/). Surrounded by elegance and luxury I looked down upon rooftops, monuments and churches. Pre-prandial sofas presaged the restaurant proper. Upstairs meanwhile is Jim’s Bar with its open-air terrace with a lemon tree. Le Terrazze’s neutral décor was

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super confident as I sat on my green corded chair under my umbrella tent and its heater, amongst a youngish crowd of couples keen for their treat. I loved my vegetable gazpacho, my small tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (thick spaghetti) and my turbot and spinach. “Each recipe has got its own origin and seasonality. We present you the colors and perfumes of our Italy” stated the menu and what they presented was unquestionably a veritable gift.

beside potted plants and overlooking vibrant pine trees. It’s one long spacious gallery punctuated with ancient lanterns and where the Italian waiters were so immaculate with their bow ties and colored jackets denoting their hierarchy and so attentive with their placement of cutlery and use of the table crumber. My shrimps cocktail followed by tenderloin with green pepper sauce was delicious after a morning of site-seeing. A perfect restorative indulgence.

For your time in Rome I can offer three tips. Taxis don’t tend to stop and even the taxi stations aren’t quite where they state. Instead they incur their call out charge and the one-way streets allow for quite a detour. They also disconcertingly consult google even for well-known sites and streets.

There is no ‘skip the line’ at St Peter’s though there is for the Vatican Museum which sadly is an unholy scrum as cramped and crowded pilgrims suffer the disrespectful elbowing and noise within the Sistine chapel.

The DK Eye Witness Travel Guide is as good as any guidebook but for a general scholarly companion I recommend ‘Blue Guide’s Rome’.

As for the Ancient Roman Empire I was drawn inevitably to its Forum, Colosseum and Pantheon. The many modeled reconstructions of Rome set on her famous seven hills helped me sense all that power and majesty.

SPQR, the Latin acronym for the ‘Senate and People of Rome’ has become synonymous with Rome herself, appearing as it does carved, embossed and stenciled on many a lamp-post, manhole and public fountain. I even walked along the Via Appia Antica. It’s the old, deadstraight road leaving the city. Every cobble while hard to traverse evoked the vital historical conduit via Ostia the port to her empire overseas as the walk led me soon into countryside and many miles beyond.

By going into so many churches I ended up witnessing a funeral where the widow greeted and was hugged by her congregation as well as a wedding involving the bride climbing 124 steps up the holy staircase (‘scala santa’) to Santa Maria in Aracoeli. At least she wasn’t on her knees which legend has it you have to climb reciting the ‘de profundis’ to receive a ‘miracle’ from the Madonna and usually performed by spinsters looking for a husband. Thankfully no need in her case.

I came for lunch at Ristorante Roof Garden of the hotel Forum (www.ristoranteroofgardenforum.it/en/). Beneath the ‘American Bar’ and beside the campanile of a former convent it’s perched proudly over the Roman ruins of the Forum and the rear of Vittoriano. Here I caught both the sun and the wind, on a marble floor,

Next to Hotel Eden (www.dorchestercollection.com/en/rome/hotel-eden/) with rooms start from €640) where I stayed. Set between the Borghese Gardens and Via Veneto on a quiet, leafy, hilly street in one of Rome’s most exclusive areas and with an art deco canopy above the doors Hotel Eden shares the same hotel chain with London’s ‘The Dorchester’ and Los Angeles’s ‘Hotel Bel-Air’ and ‘The Beverley Hills Hotel’. Inside, above a wide marble floor and beneath stunning golden coffers on the ceiling and beside gorgeous golden candelabra, was the old-fashioned concierge with wooden pigeonholes and a carved marble reception. Beside my unbelievably comfortable bed were the freshest of flowers, the thickest of green and gold curtains, and all

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reflected in the shiniest of metallic mirrored wardrobes.

Here I dined at Il Giardino, more informal I thought than La Terrazza.

My salad of baby spinach, avocado, walnuts and tofu with beef ribs with green beans and roast potatoes and of course tiramisu was paired respectively with Sodale Cotarella red, Vintage Tunina white and Cannellino pudding wine locally from Lazio (Villa Simone winery 2016).

Outside and beside an espalier on its pink wall of jasmine and olive trees I looked out over the gardens and cypress trees of the Villa Medici playground adjoining the Borghese Gardens to witness a shooting star over the fully exposed frontage of St Peter’s. A divine intervention for a divine evening.

The pièce de resistance was the 5th floor staircase to the restaurant which is studded with beautifully framed and personally signed copies of black and white photographs of the hotel’s celebrity guests. It has attracted many of the world’s greatest and best and includes Bergman, Hemingway, Fellini, Pope Francis, Hoffmann, Mandela, Thatcher, Brando, McCartney, the two President Bushes, Pavarotti, Nicholson, Madonna, Connery and DiCaprio. Some roll call for some hotel.

On the final evening I went back to throw another coin into the Trevi fountain to encourage my return to ‘The Eternal City’ or ‘Caput Mundi’ (the Capital of the World). I presume to go back whenever but soon.

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HOTEL

| Review |

NoMad London | BY ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

You can’t miss it! It’s bang opposite The Royal Opera House, one of London’s most iconic sites, and it complements it perfectly in both its beauty and construct. For this is Europe’s first NoMad hotel (www.thenomadhotel.com) with rooms from £455, which opened to great acclaim in the spring of 2021.

It’s in a great location not just for opera and ballet buffs but for London’s theatregoers generally and for shoppers it’s ideally close to all the boutiques of Covent Garden with its Market and Piazza. From the outside it has all the Portland-stone and Neo-Classical façade you might associate with its former role as one of the city’s top magistrate’s courts but on entry I became instantly immersed in a dark, moody private club.

The lobby has a central chandelier like a massive cone-shaped diamond and a goldleaf panelled reception desk. Throughout is a healthy mix of modern and traditional artwork and I loved the broad balcony rails from which to peer down upon the restaurant below. The textures are velvets and leathers, marble and dark wood and it has an intimate luxury boutique feel with a dramatic twist in keeping with its theatrical vicinity and historic function.

The hotel is home to the Bow Street Police Museum with it former cells and on the other side are private rooms used for events with their numerous stunning chandeliers and other glass foliage lighting. Here transformed with cloud murals is the historic Magistrates’ Court where British celebrities Oscar Wilde, Emmeline Pankhurst, Vivienne Westwood, John Gielgud and the Kray Twins were tried.

There’s a wonderful three-room library exclusively for guests to sit in their leather chairs and enjoy its own bar and snacks amongst the low-lit well-stocked wooden bookshelves arranged into subjects that include theatre, dance and opera and the cities New York and London. A refreshingly true place of reading as opposed to the usual coffee-table book scenario and confident enough to include paperbacks.

I entered my room with a sense of excitement as the eclectic artwork and décor made me want to touch and explore further. From mine (the Magistrates’ Suite) I was lucky enough to look directly across at the Grecian magnificence of the Royal Opera House. My room had a parquet floor with which all of the ninety-one rooms are individually decorated as well as the Italian features of a decorative fireplace and Murano chandeliers. There was also an old-fashioned telephone and a lacquered console acting as a minibar beside a bold picture displaying the ‘intuitional movement’ of artist Caroline Denervaud whose work is commissioned throughout the hotel. My small marble bathroom with its gold basin sparkled from its mosaic tiles and there was the added luxury of a warm Toto loo-seat.

Down the twisting staircase I descended into the hotel’s centerpiece: the NoMad Restaurant (aka The Atrium). It resembles a Moroccan riad with two tiers of columns giving this immense room its style, space and character. Indeed the layout is truly multi-cultured with large lanterns part-Japanese, part-Moroccan housed under a vast greenhouse roof. At night it’s dark enough to hide the color scheme allowing a whole new ambiance and experience at breakfast.

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For, drenched in light and aided by the reflecting mirrors, its two central rows of chartreuse banquettes across the marble tables from the pink-cushioned chairs came into full bloom referencing respectively the dripping, draping plants and the building’s brickwork. There’s both a wonderful elliptically-shaped, pre-prandial bar and even ‘The Fireplace’, a snug enclave with a gorgeous central marble table and enveloped in ornate hand-made wallpaper.

Here I tucked into some delicious caviar with griddled potato bread, some baby artichokes fried with mint and pistachio, followed by my Cornish sea bass served whole with sesame, cucumber salad and padron peppers. I added some Maitake mushrooms (meaning dancing mushroom in Japanese) grilled with Calabrian chilli and horseradish, some carrots, smoked with Greek yogurt and Vadouvan spices and some potato rösti (that originate from Switzerland) that came with aioli and pecorino cheese.

As for the part-diner, part-bar called Side Hustle there’s a lively, buzzy vibe serving Mexican food and mezcal cocktails amongst a modern mix of urban art on the walls. There’s also a den-like basement bar called Common Decency that opens WedSat 6pm-12am.

The smiling, joyful staff are smart-casually and it’s a hotel clearly aimed at adults of every persuasion: the theatregoer, the shopper … even the nomad!

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HOTEL

| Review |

One Hundred Shoreditch, A London Hotel | BY ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

One Hundred Shoreditch, being both the name of the hotel and its address, is located on the main thoroughfare of a neighbourhood that’s evolved from its recent hip and trendy past to embrace a new and smarter feel. You can still meander along the many alleys and backstreets, and for a truly urban experience it’s highly reminiscent of New York’s Meat Packing District. In walking distance are Broadway Market and the Columbia Road flower market, the Bengali restaurants of Brick Lane and the hip cafés, clubs and galleries of Hoxton and Spitalfields.

One Hundred Shoreditch has a cool, simple façade that stands out from above the street with its oriel windows. But it’s from within that the story unfolds. For the entrance is uber-cool with wooden totem sculptures made from local fallen trees as though referencing the urban jungle that is Shoreditch. There’s cork wall panelling and tactile sculptural artwork. Cushioned armchairs and sofas, house plants and a long communal wooden table comprise the adjoining co-working space and throughout there are modern touches and splashes of colour. There’s even a stylish coffee shop within and on hand.

The 258 rooms, be they lofts or studios, all have a neutral tone. Some come with either a Juliet balcony or a row of oriel windows from which to watch the world below go

by. A carafe is there to refill from the water fountains on each floor to embrace our eco world. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling tapestries, wool carpets, paper lights and jute rugs. Natural shaped vases carry sprigs of eucalyptus and the duvets are fresh, bouncy and inviting on beds set upon a plinth to give a sense of floating. The rooms exude a calmness and comfort that takes one successfully away from the frenzy of the outside world.

The hotel has six restaurants and bars: each with their own vibe. On the ground floor Goddard & Gibbs is the huge, airy, golden-lit and all-day restaurant. It’s suggestive of childhood trips to the seaside with its deposits of rock, with its frames of golden sand and with, as its centrepiece, a giant yellow rock sculpture representing nature at play. It specialises in ‘locally and sustainably sourced seafood’ inspired by England’s fishing villages and coastal towns. So on the menu are Dorset crab and Cornish mackerel. The restaurant, whose prices are inexpensive by London standards, has its own entrance to the street with The Hatch offering takeaway seafood.

In the hotel’s fundaments is The Seed Library: a dimly-lit, snug intimate underground lounge-style bar with spot-lit niches perfect for that late night cocktail and where on Fridays and Saturdays there are late-night DJ sets.

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The rooftop by contrast with the golden ground floor is breezy and celestial, all ‘sunset’ pink and ‘foliage’ green. Brand new, from mid-May 2022, its bar and terrace run along the whole frontage affording panoramic views over East London and the City. Amongst the marble tables and tiles and rosy lamps nature asserts herself with plants drooping down from the ceiling and cacti in their shapely gourds springing up from the floor. It’s an idyll ideal for that necessary sense of space as is the neighbouring One Hundred Room which feels like a greenhouse with its floor-to-ceiling glass and which looks dramatically out across London’s skyline.

This latest of hip East London hang-outs is also a haven of tranquillity and the service at the reception is fresh and present. First impressions do count. | onehundredshoreditch.com

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HOTEL

| Review |

The Westin London City | BY ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

At last it’s arrived. Having opened last November, The Westin London City is the first in the UK of the Westin Hotels & Resorts brand (part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of brands).Situated north of the Thames and bang in the center of The City (London’s financial district) this hotel is close to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Tate Modern, three iconic attractions as well as both Leadenhall and Borough Markets. By crossing the nearby bridge to the South Bank you can see London’s modern skyscrapers with wonderful nicknames such as The Gherkin, The Walkie Talkie, The Cheese Grater and The Shard. The hotel’s well served by City Airport and perfect for those in transit along with the business and meetings market.

The site overlooks the river Thames beside Queenhithe Dock, the oldest in London and where mudlarkers actively seek their treasure. Consisting of two buildings that span a road the hotel is connected by a bridge which, as the spine of the hotel, contains the lobby, the restaurant and four floors of rooms from which to watch the world, or more specifically the City of London, drive by.

The lobby (‘The Haven’) is open and airy with a triple-height ceiling from which hang impressive nebular or undulant art pieces. Opposite is ‘The Refuge’ with a warming fire and all the elegant furnishings come in organic flowing shapes which, along with a live wall of foliage, deliberate-

ly reference nature’s imperfections. With wenge wooden curvilinear corridors, the circles of carpeted areas and low-lighting also echo nature. It’s all about form and shape and there’s a calming palette of natural colors in the functional and contemporary décor.

Of the 222 rooms, separated by corridors with earthy, green carpets, I recommend one with a river view. There are powerful showers, plush oversized pillows and chunky Egyptian cotton towels and robes as well as bedside lavender balm to encourage sleep. I am relaxing just writing about it. Indeed the lighting while sophisticated is part of the effortless technology on hand: neither oversensitive nor over-complicated nor flooded with options like some hotels.

A circular rug offsets the straight dimensions and a pleasingly rounded headboard gives both a cosiness and a softness to the room.

Located on the main floor, straddling the road, amongst a great combination of matt gold, green foliage, marble tables and dark wenge wood is the all-day Mosaic Restaurant. Unlike most hotels you can order either a half or full portion. Two of us opted for five delicious and light half portions from the ‘Eat Well Menu’ and for the breakfast there’s even fresh papaya and mango.

‘Hithe + Seek’ is a third-floor bar with panoramic views across the river. It’s decorated

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sumptuously in grey, green and gold and the floors are inlaid with carpet giving it a stylish, organic and funky twist.

The wellness rooms all feel fresh and inviting. The generous length of the indoor pool, a rarity in London, is built above the remains of a bathhouse. It’s spanking new and super-clean, serene and not too chlorinated. The gymnasium has all the latest equipment, the ballroom doubles up as a vast conference room and there’s even a lounge offering complimentary snacks.

Known as ‘Heavenly Spa’ this chrome-pillared temple of marble is the epicenter of the hotel’s focus on wellness. For here is true silence liberated from the internet and from business and where the signature massage was exceptional offering a nurturing tailor-made choice between ‘gratitude’, ‘hope’ and ‘love’ in which all your needs are taken care of. It’s very impressive in every sense.

In contrast to the frenzy and chaos outside, the hotel brand espouses wellness within and guests can keep to their exercise regimes or else be guided by staff on runs conducted by the hotel’s own running concierge. They practice what they preach! www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lonwithe-westin-london-city/ Rooms from $410 or £309 per room per night

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A Mini-Break Mesmerizing MUNICH | BY REBECCA UNDERWOOD Photos Courtesy of München Tourismus

M

unich, the captivating capital of Bavaria, the largest German state, is located on the river Isar to the north of the Bavarian Alps, and continues to attract tens of millions of visitors every year, all of whom are sure to be enchanted by its fascinating folk lore and charming traditions.

It is thought that Munich was founded in 1158 when the Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, Guelph Henry, built a toll bridge across the river Isar, which was the main thoroughfare for the old salt route. Munich was granted city status in 1175 and when Otto Wittelsbach I became Duke of Bavaria, the city was handed over to the Bishop of Freising until 1240 when Otto Wittelsbach II took control. In 1255, when the Duchy of Bavaria divided; Munich became the ducal residence of upper Bavaria. In 1314, Duke Louis IV, of the Wittlebach dynasty, became King of Germany and in 1328, when he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor, he granted Munich the salt monopoly securing the city’s financial position. In 1506, when Bavaria was reunited, Munich emerged as its capital.

Today, Munich offers visitors the opportunity to experience the old and the new; a mixture of modern architecture, such as the Allianz Arena, famous for its exterior of color changing inflated ETFE plastic panels, and historic churches in the center of the city, such as the Peterskirche, built during the Romanesque period in the 12th century, and the Frauenkirche Cathedral, constructed in 1468; its twin towers topped with onion shaped domes are Munich’s best known landmark. Many visitors are keen to see a popular, yet disturbing attraction, which is said to be Satan’s footprint embedded in the church floor.

For a taste of Bavarian hospitality I visited the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl. The history of the inn dates back to 1589 when Duke Wilhelm V founded a royal brewery; a few paces away from

today’s site. In 1828 King Ludwig I declared by decree that the royal beer hall would be open to the public and he remains the toast of the town.

I headed for the Bräustüberl on the first floor and savored the wonderful atmosphere as the strains of the brass band playing on the ground floor enticed the diners to sing, dance and be merry and I didn’t take much persuading. The menu features a wide choice of Bavarian dishes, including the most succulent roast pork with crackling, served with homemade gravy and a fat potato dumpling and of course a glass of Hofbräu beer was absolutely essential for raising my glass to King Ludwig I. After such a sumptuous feast and much merriment I was looking forward to an extended period of relaxation followed by a deep slumber.

For the ideal place to stay in the heart of the city and a stone’s throw from the alluring designer boutiques on Maximillianstrasse, the Mandarin Oriental, located on Neuturmstrasse, offers guests the highest level of service and comfort.

This beautiful Neo-Renaissance property, built in 1880, was once Munich’s opera house. The lavish rooms and suites are stylishly furnished with comfortable beds, spacious marbled bathrooms with under floor heating, and luxuries include a Bang and Olufsen television and a complimentary mini bar, should guests fancy a late night tipple. Hotel facilities include a fitness center with state-of-the-art cardiovascular and weight training equipment. However, I prefer to take things easy, and headed for the Mahjong Roof Garden to take a few leisurely laps in the outdoor heated swimming pool and I then selected a seat at the open-air bar, ordered a delicious cocktail and admired the stunning views. Feeling a little peckish after my exertions I didn’t need to go far for a magnificent dining experience.

Nobu Matsuhisa’s in-house restaurant offers a new style of Japanese-Peruvian cuisine and it is

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exceptional. Signature dishes include the Black Cod and Yellow fin Tuna Sashimi with jalapeños and, served alongside a glass of Nobu the Sake, with its clear and complex floral notes; it is of course an unforgettable dish.

If you prefer to dine ‘al fresco’, head for the Brenner on Maximillianstrasse. This very popular restaurant features an open grill, where a frenzy of chefs prepares a fine menu. I savored the mouth-watering entrecote of blank Angus rind and treated myself to a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon Montello e Colli Asolani 2012.

For a more casual affair and a taste of Italy, visit Bar Centrale on Ledererstrasse. This buzzing restaurant is very popular with Munich’s Italian community and those ‘in the know’. The homemade pasta is first class and you won’t find a frothier cappuccino.

Munich is ideal for those who like to take a leisurely stroll around the city seeking out the local attractions such as Marienplatz in the city center, the site of the stunning neo-Gothic New Town Hall. I paused awhile and admired the striking façade of the world famous carillon, which features eye catching gargoyles, imposing statues and a fierce looking dragon scurrying up the towering turrets. During the summer months the glockenspiel entertains the crowds at 11am and 12pm and also at 5pm from March to October. 43 bells and 32 life sized figures depict the story of Duke Wilhelm V’s marriage to Renata of Lorraine.

For a taste of Munich’s cultural heritage, I made my way to the Residenz Museum, a sprawling complex of buildings, which was home to the ruling Wittelsbach family from 1508 until the early twentieth century. I feasted my eyes on the glittering treasures including exquisite collections of china, silver and miniatures. There is also a fine collection of paintings and bronze

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sculptures dating back to the 16th century. Other exhibits include beautiful tapestries, furniture, candelabras and sparkling chandeliers.

For a spot of lunch I visited Brasserie OskarMaria at the Literaturhaus on Salvatorplatz. Tables are situated on the ground level or first floor. I decided to dine ‘al fresco’ and indulge in a spot of ‘people watching’. The service is excellent and the ox tartar, served with a fried quail’s egg is scrumptious.

Be sure to sample a glass or two of the 2009 Montessue Isola dei Nuraghi and savor the moment.

For a real taste of Bavarian hospitality visit Munich, it’s a city full of charm and you’ll be mesmerized.

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The Land of the Vikings The Kingdom of Norway | BY REBECCA UNDERWOOD Photos Courtesy of Visit Norway

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he opportunity to catch a glimpse of the overwhelming kaleidoscope of the shimmering Northern Lights hovering over the skies of the United Kingdom during the Equinox and Solstice in March/April and September/October always causes quite a stir. The fortunate audience gathers around and gazes into the skies in awe at the splendor of a spectacular display like no other. Northern Norway provides the real stage for the show stopping performance of aurora borealis, capturing the imagination and enthralling the spectator.

For those of us seeking tranquility and solitude, Nyksund, a fishing village in the Vesteralen Islands is the place to escape the relentless pace of hectic lives. In the summer months, Nyksund is rather lively, attracting nature lovers, walkers, bird lovers and ardent fans of fishing and sailing.

Between the autumn equinox and spring equinox darkness embraces the deserted village. For travelers who yearn for adventure, December and January are the perfect months to set off on an exploration.

As visitors make their way northwest, where sightings of the Northern Lights are more frequent, it is noticeable that the only light is provided by a glorious moon and a carpet of glittering stars. Although some may feel a tad uncomfortable in thermal snow suits and cumbersome boots and perhaps be a little concerned as to the reliability of torch batteries, most will soon adapt and delight in the surroundings.

Of course Mother Nature does not guarantee that she will perform her extravaganza but of course the longer visitors stay, the more opportunity. For those who are patient and time is not of the essence, the reward may be an eruption of luminous green light with hues of pink and violet dancing in the twinkling sapphire skies.

For another exhilarating and adventurous ex-

perience, I visited Alta, the largest town in the county of Finnmark, and there I embarked on a snowmobile safari. Driving my own vehicle I explored the stunning scenery and the vast mountain plains. The UNESCO protected rock carvings, dating back over 2000 years, are not to be missed, and I also wandered around the museum, where fascinating examples of rock art from the World Heritage site in Hjemmeluft are displayed.

The ideal place to stay for the weary explorer has to be the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta. The interior and exterior of the property is made of snow and ice and is simply breathtaking in its beauty. As I entered the reindeer fur covered door and strolled along the corridor I discovered a bar, a chapel, and a gallery. There are 30 bedrooms, all carved from ice and reflecting the unique splendor of the surroundings. Imagine a deep slumber in a bed covered in soft reindeer fur as you snuggle down, embraced by the comfort of your sleeping bag. Warm bathrooms are housed in a wooden building adjacent to the hotel and are connected to a sauna and an inviting hot tub area. On my way back I stopped at the hotel bar for a tipple of ‘ice’; a glass of bright blue vodka, which by the way, is the only drink served, and it’s sure to warm the chilliest of guests.

After a hearty breakfast of hot porridge I made my way to the Sápmi Culture Park, keen to encounter the Sami, northern Norway’s indigenous people. With a rich culture that stretches back over 11,000 years, the Sami are known for their reindeer herding and ice fishing skills and their absolute respect for nature. In the winter months visitors can get a real insight into the Sami way of life and embark on a sleigh ride pulled along by reindeer. Gliding over the snow at a leisurely pace, passengers are welcome to snuggle down into the warmth of fur blankets as

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the spectacular scenery unfolds. Majestic fjords, mighty mountains and the overwhelming beauty of Norway are simply unforgettable.

When planning your itinerary, consider visiting Oslo first, as it is always easier to travel to distant areas from the capital and of course you can make sure that you are well fed, watered and rested before your journey really begins.

The ideal place to stay, and centrally located on Holbergsgate, the Radisson Blue Scandinavia Hotel hits the spot. The property is within walking distance to excellent public transport links and the city’s major attractions including the Oslo fjord.

Accommodations are soundproof and options include the junior suite, measuring 42m2. Features include contemporary furnishings, a king size bed swathed in fresh, white linens and plump pillows and a sofa bed. A comfy, fluffy bathrobe and slippers ensured my morning was relaxing and the in-room Nespresso machine provided a piping hot caffeine supply.

Facilities include a fitness center with an indoor pool and for a spot of lunch or dinner the hotel’s 26 North Restaurant and Social Club features a wide selection of creative dishes focusing on local Nordic ingredients.

Oslo city center is compact and easy to investigate with many attractions within walking distance to each other. I visited the Nobel Peace Centre, which promotes interest in the resolution of war and conflict. Be sure to take a wander around the National Gallery, which displays Norway’s vast collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings. Paintings by Cezanne and Manet and of course Edvard Munch’s haunting masterpiece, The Scream, draw the crowds, and a stroll around the Museum of Decorative Arts and

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Design, is the place to admire inspiring exhibits and a vast selection of literature and journals.

And for those of us fascinated by the Viking Age, the Viking Ship Museum provides an intriguing glimpse into Norway’s sea faring tradition and when Viking raids on French and British coastal areas were a frequent occurrence.

After such an adventurous day you will no doubt be considering your dining options. I recommend Statholdergaarden, which is included in the Michelin Guide and offers the most deliciously succulent fresh fish dishes served in elegant surroundings. After your sumptuous feast you will then have to decide whether to take a leisurely stroll back to your hotel or head for one of the numerous cafes and bars where you can sample a cocktail or two, or if you prefer a pint of ale, try the Oslo Mikrobryggeri, a pub with its own brewery, a lively atmosphere and a great place to chat with the locals. Dog sledding in Alta courtesy Ismaele Tortella.

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A City Break in HELSINKI | BY REBECCA UNDERWOOD

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or those considering a short break and undecided as to where to go, Helsinki, only three hours from London by air, offers visitors an intriguing insight into Finnish history and culture. For sea lovers this charming city appears to be surrounded by water and Helsinki harbor is its heart beat. Located on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea, Helsinki, founded by Sweden’s King Gustav I in 1550, was a thriving hub for trade. Alas, in 1710 the land succumbed to the ravages of the plague and the majority of the population perished.

The Finns were confident that the city’s fortunes would change in 1748 when the fortress of Sveaborg, now known as Suomenlinna, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, was constructed to resist Russia’s policy of expansionism. It was not to be, as in 1808, during the Finnish war and the siege of Sveborg, the fortress surrendered to Russian forces, which resulted in the occupation of Finland.

At the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853 the Anglo-French fleet shelled the coastal towns and fortifications and the fortress was severely damaged. Restoration works were carried out after the war and later during WW1 the fortress played a significant role in ‘Emperor Peter the Great’s naval defenses’ to protect Saint Petersburg. In 1917, after the Russian revolution, Finland gained independence.

Today, Helsinki is a modern cosmopolitan city with wide expanses of green spaces where locals and visitors gather, sitting with picnics in the Nordic sunshine. The most popular spot for ‘al fresco’ dining is of course Suomenlinna. I boarded the ferry at Helsinki harbor; the sailing takes only fifteen minutes. This little piece of heaven is the perfect spot to sample the local cabbage rolls, salmon chowder and Baltic herring accompanied by a glass or two of Sahti; delicious traditional ale flavored with juniper berries.

For a glimpse into Finland’s seafaring history, I

visited the Maritime Museum of Finland. The main exhibition ‘North Star, Southern Cross’ presents a fascinating look into the development of navigational instruments and the hardship suffered by seafarers of the past. I also wandered around the ‘Fateful Svensksund’, an exhibition which presents the opportunity to explore details of the largest ever naval battle in the Baltic Sea. This exhibition also reveals the tale of the fortress city built following the conflict.

For another glimpse into the past, I made my way to the Seurasaari Open Air Museum, founded in 1909. Visitors are welcome to wander around 87 separate buildings and view examples of 18th and 19th century traditional Finnish houses and farmsteads. Local guides, wearing traditional garb, enthral the spectators with Finnish folk dancing and demonstrate the intricacies of local crafts such as spinning and fine embroidery.

Another popular site to visit is the Temppeliaukio Church, known as the Rock Church. Designed by architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and completed in 1969, it was quarried out of bedrock and features natural stone walls and a stunning copper tread ceiling.

It is, quite simply, magnificent.

For a spectacular arts extravaganza, make a note in your diary for next year’s Helsinki Festival, which ran, this year, from 12 August to 4 September. It is one of the city’s most popular events and features classical and world music, circus performers, dancing, theatre performances and a program for children. One of the highlights is the ‘Night of the Arts’ which this year was held on August 18 and the city transforms into a stage. Performers set up in unusual places and venues and throw open their doors to visitors late into the night. Two other events that were held in Finland this year were the World Championship Mobile Phone Throwing and it is very tempting to join in, particularly if your phone rings at the time! Also, the hilarious

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World Championship Wife Carrying attracts the crowds. So, be sure to check and see if there are any festivals and events to be held during your stay.

Weary travelers seeking a little pampering should head for the Hotel Kämp, located on Pohjoisesplanadi, in the center of the city. The property was built in 1887 and caused quite a furore as it was the first hotel to have an elevator.

Some years later, and much to the disapproval of the locals, the building was transformed into offices but in 1999 it was reinstated as a hotel.

Accommodations are sumptuously furnished, spacious and comfortable. I decided to splash out and opted for a Kämp suite with a separate living room and bedroom. The features reflect the hotel’s heritage and it is impressive. I took advantage of the private terrace in the evenings and sipped on a chilled glass of wine whilst admiring the view of the charming courtyard.

After a deep slumber, I made my way to the gym, which features the latest aerobic and muscle fitness equipment. After a strenuous workout, I headed for the spa and treated myself to a rejuvenating eucalyptus fragrance grotto steam sauna.

Having worked up an appetite, I didn’t need to venture far. The hotel’s Brasserie Kamp features its own bakery and when the aromas are wafting out of the ovens diners are instantly persuaded to sample the deliciously fresh cakes, pies and bread. In the summer months the restaurant tables spill out along the esplanade and the tasty lunch menu offers some real treats such as the succulent half lobster gratinated with Manchego cheese and saffron and I confess that I succumbed to temptation and indulged in the dark chocolate mousse.

To work off those calories, I took a leisurely stroll around the central downtown area and paused awhile to admire the neoclassical style of the architecture around me. I visited Helsinki’s

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cathedral, which was completed in 1852 and features four small domes, which emphasize the connection to Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in St Petersburg, and the zinc statues of the twelve apostles at the corners and apexes of the roofline. I wandered around the Design District, where jewelery makers, contemporary design shops, antique shops, fashion boutiques, art galleries and showrooms all demand attention and I was easily persuaded to part with more than a few Euros.

For those of us who love nature, a visit to Nuuksio National Park, only 30 minutes from Helsinki, is a must. Established in 1994, the park extends over an area of spectacular forests and tranquil lakes and you may just spot an otter or two. Many endangered species including the Siberian flying squirrel, the European nightjar and the woodlark are known to reside in the park. Look out for Nordic moose and deer and for bird lovers, you may spot eagles, ospreys and owls. Visitors might even see tracks made by bears and wolves, known to prowl around the area.  81 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | WINTER 2023

HOTEL

| Review |

London’s Nobu Portman Square | BY ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

Set in London’s West End, with rooms starting from $380 a night, Nobu Portman Square (www.london-portman.nobuhotels. com) is conveniently close to Selfridges, the well-known department store and ten minutes away from Hyde Park. With the Wallace Collection and Wigmore Hall very near for cultured types, the hotel is in area of Marylebone that has developed of late with its boutiques in the High Street and happening places such as Chiltern Firehouse and Trishna.

had a modern and luxurious king-size bed dominating a minimalist, Zen-style décor of Japanese design comprising of natural fabrics, pure, clean lines and light wood. The doors slide in true Japanese fashion and beside the pictures of curlicues done in their calligraphic vernacular there was an inviting kyūsu tea set.

My bathroom had a marble flooring, a deep indulgent tub, a kimono dressing- gown and, of course, a Toto toilet. All was neutral, simple and highly tranquil.

With daylight in the foyer the contrast upstairs is one of darkness in Nobu Restaurant. To enter this long gallery of a room, with its open kitchen, its canteen layout and its sushi counter there are sensual textures of elements such as rain at play on glass and mist and patterns on dark wenge wood. The lanterns are at low-level beneath a ceiling of lattice screens and the colors of dark leather banquettes and yellow ochre or grey chairs are reassuringly grounding.

It opened with a huge new glass façade in winter 2020 as the 13th hotel in the Nobu brand, co-owned by Robert De Niro. Inside the staff hover in kimono-sleeved dresses or black polo necks. The foyer is light, spacious and airy with its stunning silver spiral kinetic sculpture stretching 16 feet and suspended from the ceiling. Very much the signature item as it rotates above a display of gorgeous green glass vases.

Along the left-hand ‘tower’ side of the building is ‘The White Box’an experimential gallery space used for artist residencies while in the right ‘tower’ I entered one of the three treatment rooms at the Wellness Centre to benefit hugely from my Portman Signature Fusion. Created by Mauli Rituals it comprised a head-to-toe treatment as well as a combination of ancient Ayurvedic and other massage techniques. It was intended to get to the deepest parts of my body and began with a ritual involving Ayurvedic oil being poured over me and then some hot stones laid across my back before a touch of acupressure and finally some bamboo rolling massage. All rounded off by a facial to make me glow and a final release of some muscle tension leaving me feeling light and, yes, complete and at ease. Very impressive it was in every sense and, relaxed as I surely was, I was able fully to appreciate my green tea served almost ritually, certainly ceremoniously, with the weight of the pot and the handle-free cup drawing my attention to the joy of the experience. All very grounding.

And the outstanding food is Nobu’s trademark ‘Nobu Style’ familiar to all Nobu menus globally. Generous portions and fantastic presentation as irregular-shaped bowls carry food served with an eclectic mix of shapes in the parcels of sushi, of textures in the threeday marinated and miso-glazed black cod and of colors in the deliciously chewy mochi ice creams. I lucked out further with my beef Toban Yaki which arrived sizzling to the table perfectly cooked as medium rare.

Using light and glass, both The Lounge and Nobu Bar on the ground floor are very classy and elegant with their contemporary green and aubergine furniture and their glass tables with fish-scaled patterns and a glut of textural concepts that include a backdrop of black and gold geometric lines. It all felt very balanced with their masculine and feminine shapes, their straight edges softened by circles and curves.

Of the 250 or more guest rooms most have balconies and all have floor-to-ceiling windows through which the light floods. Mine

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On a Sunday autumnal night, with a wonderful mixture of nationalities and age groups, it was near to its capacity of 200 diners which, for those who know London, is saying something. Quite something for quite a restaurant in quite a hotel.

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WILDERNESS JAO

WILDERNESS MOMBO

THE VERY BEST OF

BOTSWANA | BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

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WILDERNESS VUMBURA PLAINS

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heir dedication to conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife has put Wilderness firmly on the map for those guests who seek to experience an authentic safari. Founded in 1983 by visionaries Colin Bell and Chris McIntyre, for the past four decades, they have set up over sixty camps in the most far-flung corners of seven African countries, making them leaders in the world of sustainable conservation tourism.

When an invitation arrives to visit three Wilderness camps in the striking African country of Botswana, there is not a moment’s hesitation on my part. My journey commences on a Saturday morning at Cape Town International Airport, where I will be flying directly to Maun Airport with South Africa’s most consistent on-time airline, Airlink. The beautiful Embraer 135 regional jet sporting its new livery is parked on the tarmac, ready to take to the African skies, connecting excited safarigoers to this amazing gem destination. Once we are airborne, the friendly flight attendant offers a choice of beverages and a delicious meal. Landing ahead of schedule, everyone is eager to get to their lodge as Maun is the getaway to the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the Okavango Delta.

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WILDERNESS VUMBURA PLAINS Situated in the Vumbura Plains Wilderness Area in the northern part of the Okavango Delta, Wilderness Vumbura Plains is divided into two camps – Vumbura Plains North and Vumbura Plains South. I am welcomed at the Northern camp by front-of house manager OT, who has kindly arranged for a quick snack following my late arrival before linking up with field guide Willie for my late afternoon game drive. Completely famished, the freshly prepared sandwich, cheese puffs, braised pineapple and chocolate muffins have never tasted this good. We meet up with Willie, who proceeds to find a coalition of three male lions having a nap. Behind them, a red lechwe is bounding through the watery channel, hopeful that the lions will have no interest in pursuing him through this squelchy terrain.

Following an extensive refurbishment of both the interiors and exteriors by Reflecting Africa, Wilderness Vumbura Plains reopened in April 2022 with a wonderfully refreshed look. Incorporating elements from the environment with the use of blues and greens in the suites infuse a sense of being amongst the Delta waters. The eye-catching changes in the suites of enlarged underwater photographs by Andrea Crawford adorn the sliding wardrobe doors and newly installed bathroom divider, adding to the feeling of immersion in the watery wonderland of the Okavango.

After a great night’s sleep, I make my way to the main area where breakfast is enjoyed before departing on our game drive. Guests have the choice to either dine prior to heading out or

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opt for a packed breakfast in the field. Willie proceeds in a northerly direction through mopane woodland, intent on showcasing an array of species that inhabit this wildlife-rich concession. He has discovered leopard footprints and when we see her, she is making her way straight towards us. She is absolutely gorgeous and eventually settles on a cooling patch of mud.

Out on the open plains, three young male lions are on the lookout to take respite in a shielded spot, finding shade against the heat of the day on the side of a termite mound.

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WILDERNESS JAO Set amongst fringed islands and tall palm trees, Wilderness Jao is an architectural marvel constructed in a remote part of the Okavango Delta. Conceptualized by high-end architectural design firm Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the lodge underwent a complete rebuild in 2019 and even features a museum with artefacts taking guests on a historical journey of the area and its owners. With a fresh and contemporary approach to Wilderness Jao’s sense of adventure, Silvio and Lesley created a feeling of the unexpected around every corner.

bath, inside and outside shower, a lounge area, plunge pool and a daybed for those occasional siestas. From every angle, there is a view over the channel that runs in front of the camp, ensuring that the ever-present red lechwe and impalas never veer far off, and neither do the buffalo. Birding in this part of the Delta is a twitchers paradise; you hardly have to leave camp but if you do, the bridge to the other side of the marsh can be renamed Kingfisher Bridge – with the regular occurrence of Pied Kingfishers and Woodland Kingfishers, even Striped Kingfishers.

My suite is a haven of tranquility, complete with a dreamy bedroom and my bed draped in a charcoal mosquito net at night. The open-plan suite also houses a bathroom with

Field guide Cruise briefs me that we will be visiting Hunda Island in search of predatory creatures. We spot so many species en route – a black-winged stilt, a black-winged kite, Meyer’s

parrots, a swamp boubou, a black crake, and a juvenile African Fish Eagle seated adjacent to a large pond, waiting to catch its next meal. As we drive back towards camp, the light catches the unique structure that is known as ‘The Nest’ – a unique bird nest-style pool gazebo on the edge of the surrounding water.

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WILDERNESS MOMBO Arriving at Wilderness Mombo, situated in the north-east corner of Chief ’s Island in the Moremi Game Reserve, one is struck by the attention to detail and the brilliant juxtaposition between the lodge and the landscape.

General manager Michelle ushers me through to the dining area, where a team of chefs have prepared a delicious lunch of tender beef fillet and a side order of the most delectable French fries, concluded with melt-in-your-mouth vanilla ice cream.

Interiors are by Artichoke Interior Design, with exteriors by Nick Plewman Architects.

The eight suites are in prime position for astounding vistas over grassy floodplains, and it’s not an uncommon sight to see wildlife edging closer to camp. A surprise visitor one evening in front of my suite startled me

somewhat - a lone elephant making his way to the main area after dark, and all I could make out was his bulky outline, and the crackling of dry leaves underneath his feet.

Affectionately referred to as ‘The Place of Plenty’, Wilderness Mombo is revered for exceptional wildlife sightings, and field guide Ollie is at hand to see what he can find. Speaking in his native language to one of the other guides, the anticipation is palpable as we turn the corner and find them – a pack of African Wild Dogs during our late afternoon game drive. There are seven pups and six adults, and the pups are pleading for food, very vocally with loads of yelping amongst the youngsters. A highlight for me is when a young female leopard is found on my last morning, sleeping soundly on the branches of a large jackalberry tree. She opens

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her eyes momentarily to survey the annoying alarm call made by tree squirrels, oblivious to the fact that she’s the cause of the alarm.

For more information, visit www.wildernessdestinations.com **Views expressed are the author’s own.

How To Get There Airlink is a privately-owned, independent premier regional airline offering the widest route network and connectivity to more than 45 destinations in 13 countries in Southern Africa and St Helena Island, with direct scheduled flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Maun. Book direct on www.flyairlink.com, the FlyAirlink app or your favorite travel agent.

CULINARY

PRESS

AN EXQUISITE DINING EXPERIENCE | BY TRACY ELLEN BEARD

It is no secret that exceptional wine and decadent farm-to-table dining abound in Napa Valley, California.

PRESS, located in St. Helena, is one of the top dining destinations in the Valley. Executive Chef Philip Tessier is an award-winning chef, author, coach, and visionary. He shines at the helm of PRESS as one of Napa Valley’s top chefs.

THE BOCUSE D’OR COMPETITION Chef Tessier is famed as the first American chef to stand on the podium at the Biennial Bocuse d’Or competition in Lyon, France. He received the silver medal in 2015 and then coached the U.S. team, led by Chef Mathew Peters, to victory in 2017 when they brought home the gold medal. The Bocuse d’Or competition, held every two years, is renowned as the most arduous culinary competition in the world.

Twenty-four countries are chosen to compete; each team comprises one chef and one junior chef to assist.

and engaging, and the wine pairings selected by Vincent Morrow, PRESS’s wine director, sublime. At PRESS, Vincent manages one of the world’s largest collections of Napa Valley wines.

When dining at PRESS, visitors can order a la carte or the tasting menu. Of course, I opted for the tasting menu paired with wines. The summer menu, filled with delicious gifts from the sea, fruits and vegetables in season, and delectable offerings from the mainland was proportioned just right, not too much and not too little.

Although everything I ate would receive an eight or above on my rating scale for presentation and taste, and I do not often give out nines or tens, a few dishes stood out from the rest. The Ricotta Gnudi wrapped in squash blossoms with a Parmesan consommé was light and intriguing. The consommé, prepared with Parmesan rinds and tomato broth, was a simple dish yet had a lovely complexity with various flavors and textures. The Desante “old vines” 2019 white field blend paired fabulously with the gnudi.

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The Alaskan Halibut was cooked perfectly, and wild ramps, creamed corn, and Benton’s bacon made terrific accents to the dish. The fish was flakey, and the sweetness of the corn and the airy basil foam was delightful.

As a student of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, graduate Chef Tessier has cooked in some of the finest restaurants in France, New York, and California. After working in legendary restaurants like Le Moulin de Mougins, Thomas Keller’s Per Se, Bouchon, and The French Laundry, Chef Tessier now creates his culinary delights at PRESS.

Although many of the courses were from the sea, the savory beef dish was well received. The American Wagyu Ribeye Cap with saucisson (sausage) in brioche, summer beans, pastrami beef tongue, and morel mushroom hollandaise was divine. The Kristof Anderson “Pella” Rutherford 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect pairing for the ribeye.

DINNER AT PRESS

My favorite dessert course—yes, there were a few—was the Peaches and Cream. The puree of peaches was intense, and the cream and rice pudding were rich and decadent. This luscious

I recently had the privilege to dine at PRESS. The food was spectacular, the staff professional

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dish paired incredibly with the Melka “mekerra” Knights Valley 2014 Late Harvest Muscadelle. After an incredible evening of decadent dining and fun conversation with the staff, I had a few questions for Chef Tessier.

THE INTERVIEW What does refined simplicity mean to you?

To me, refined simplicity means we add a layer of technique and precision to our execution without being pretentious. Our Ricotta Gnudi is an excellent example. We use a classic Italian technique, executed flawlessly, and finish with a simple wrapping of squash blossoms that make them beautiful yet simple.

Do you have a signature dish?

Our Ricotta Gnudi and Truffle Glazed Chicken are two of our signature dishes.

You worked with and studied under these talented chefs: Roger Verge, Eric Ripert, and Thomas Keller. What one or two things did you learn from each one’s tutelage?

Roger Verge was a shorter stage, only three months, but I got a view into the style and mentality of his cuisine and the first vantage point of an ingredient-driven restaurant.

Eric Ripert was about clean flavors, presentation simplicity, and service efficiency. Le Bernardin is an incredible restaurant that is highly organized and rhythmic in its flow.

I spent over a decade working for Chef Keller.

It’s hard to understand the influence of working for him and with him, his zeal for perfection, the thoughtfulness behind every decision, and the constant work of evolving and growing as an individual.

Considering what you learned from the above chefs, what did you bring to PRESS,

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Philip Tessier

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and where has your talent and creativity taken you on the PRESS menu?

What is the most fantastic dish you have ever created?

PRESS is a blend of my experiences and the aspects mentioned above. We are a larger restaurant and must be efficient and organized but also push the finesse and execution level to a higher level each day. We work with multiple local farmers and growers who inspire our menu on a hyper-seasonal basis.

I am still searching for that one.

How do you feel about working toward a Michelin star at PRESS? For me, it isn’t about working for a Michelin star; it is more about pursuing our passion and goals of creating a memorable guest experience. A Michelin star should simply be the result of that effort.

Tell me about the most memorable dish you have ever had, who made it, and where you had it.

That is always a difficult question, so I’ll give you three answers: Fresh tortillas in Mexico as a 12-yearold at a house where we were staying was my first exposure to culture and cuisine and how transformative it can be.

As a 20-year-old cook sitting on the patio of Ducasse’s Louix XV in Monaco and experiencing 3-star cuisine for the first time, I found the halibut dish to be stunning.

The corn husk meringue dessert at Cosme’s in New York was perfection.

What pairing have you and Vincent put together that blew your mind?

The Stony Hill Chardonnay with our Ricotta Gnudi was memorable.

What is the most incredible pairing you have ever had, and where did you have it?

How would you describe your most triumphant moment?

I had goosebumps at Bocuse d’Or in 2015 and 2017. Those moments were worth every bit of hard work and sacrifice.

How often does your menu change?

We are in a constant state of evolution.

We usually change several dishes a month with more significant changes 4-5 times a year.

Do you have any trouble sourcing ingredients, and, if so, how do you handle it?

Not really, although we’ve had to expand our group of purveyors for certain things. We source most ingredients locally and through a few key purveyors with whom we have established long relationships, making it much easier for us.

Dining room by John Troxell

What makes PRESS unique in your mind?

PRESS is approachable yet offers a refined culinary experience with a high level of service. Our commitment to service sets us apart from so many others!

What do you want diners to say when they leave PRESS? That the experience was memorable.

You can’t put a price on your memories!

Book an Exquisite Dining Experience Chef Tessier and his staff work diligently to ensure guests dining at PRESS enjoy an unforgettable experience. Make sure to book a reservation for the next time you visit Napa Valley. 

I still remember a Hermitage paired with pork belly and apricots at Gramercy Tavern.

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John Troxell gnudi

CULINARY

SINGLE THREAD FARM-RESTAURANT-INN AN EXQUISITE 3-STAR MICHELIN RESTAURANT | BY TRACY ELLEN BEARD

C

hef/Owner Kyle Connaughton and his wife Katina take wine-country cuisine to the next level. Kyle and Katina were high school sweethearts in Los Angeles, and later they spent years living in Japan. They have incorporated many Japanese touches into SingleThread, including artisanal products, dishes, and food. The cuisine at SingleThread is farm-driven and seasonally inspired.

Chef Kyle and Katina opened the restaurant in December 2016. By 2017 SingleThread was already renowned in the culinary industry and received four stars from the San Francisco Chronicle and a James Beard Foundation Restaurant Design Award. SingleThread is the first and only restaurant in Sonoma County to receive three Michelin stars and was named #37 at the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards in October 2021.

CHEF KYLE’S STORY As a young boy, around eight or nine, Chef Kyle fell in love with Japanese cuisine. His father worked in Japan frequently, and the family often traveled there to visit. His parents hosted several Japanese exchange students during his youth, and he couldn’t help but fall in love with the cuisine and the culture.

Chef Kyle began his culinary career in high school where he worked as an apprentice at one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in Southern California. He attended the Southern California School of Culinary Arts after this experience to obtain an education in classical and modern cuisine. He later expanded his knowledge by working in renowned kitchens in Los Angeles, including Spago Beverly Hills, Lucques, AOC, and the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel.

To pursue his love of Japanese cuisine, Chef Kyle attended the California Sushi Academy and Sushi Chef Institute which led him to internships in several Japanese kitchens in Los Angeles and Western Japan. After stints cooking in other illustrious restaurants and serving

as a consulting culinary educator at the Culinary Institute of America, he and Katina began their adventure together at SingleThread.

KATINA AND THE FARM Katina is responsible for the high-quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers at SingleThread Farms.

She oversees the farm, a 24-acre garden, the beehives, and the chickens. The restaurant uses approximately one-third of the farm production.

Katina grows 22 varieties of tomatoes. Her attention to detail and ability to distinguish the slight nuances between the varieties is phenomenal. Chef Kyle uses these varieties in many of his dishes in the summer when they are at their peak.

The Michelin Guide recognized the efforts of Katina and her team, and SingleThread was honored with a Green Star Award in October 2020. The Green Star Award is given to recognize outstanding individuals or organizations that have made remarkable achievements in preventing, preparing for, and responding to environmental emergencies. The 2020 was the first time Michelin awarded restaurants in the United States for their efforts in sustainability.

AN INCREDIBLE DINING EXPERIENCE I recently dined at SingleThread with Ken, a long-time family friend. My expectations were high, which can be risky, yet they were exceeded on every level. SingleThread boasts three different 10-course menu options: vegetarian, pescatarian, and omnivore. Wine pairings are available with each option, and I highly recommend including these pairings as part of your dining experience.

Ken and I began the evening with a glass of bubbles in the rooftop garden. Spending time in the garden—equipped with a firepit, well-designed heat lamps, well-appointed couches and chairs, and stylish tables—is the

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perfect start to dinner at SingleThread.

Inn guests have the most access to this one-ofa-kind rooftop space. They can have breakfast on the rooftop instead of in their rooms and enjoy the area at their leisure. Diners at the restaurant are welcome to reserve time on the roof for up to 30 minutes before their scheduled dinner reservation.

The rooftop garden boasts herbs, fruit trees, flowers, and a greenhouse, and each summer the greenhouse is used to dry seaweed that Chef Kyle uses in the restaurant. Katina assisted in designing the rooftop garden.

After sipping on a decadent glass of bubbles on the rooftop, we took the elevator back to the main floor to watch the culinary team work their magic in the kitchen. Just inside the restaurant entrance, there is a viewing window where guests can watch the staff plate the chef ’s exquisite dishes.

Chef Kyle takes Japanese cuisine to new heights. The wine pairings were subline, and the dining experience was a compilation of mouthwatering flavors, delectable textures, and artful presentations.

PIECES OF EDIBLE ART FROM THE TABLE DISPLAY We arrived at our table to discover a stunning centerpiece composed of greenery, flowers, and single-bite dishes. After being seated, our sommelier brought out the first pour for the tasting menu, a glass of 2012 Dom Pérignon Champagne. Ken and I made a toast and then sat back to sip the decadent bubbles and ponder the trajectory of our upcoming extraordinary culinary journey.

Our dinner began with offerings from the centerpiece. The sweet water oyster topped with Zee Boy Green tomato ice was light, refreshing, and tasted of the sea. Next was a bowl of cucumber gazpacho thickened with almonds and a pastry shell filled with duck liver

CULINARY

SingleThread Exterior photo courtesy of Garrett Rowland

duck liver parfait in a pastry shell with radish and an Albion strawberry from the garden. Photo by Tracy Ellen Beard

Pattypan squash filled with Japanese A5 wagyu beef tartare. Photo by Tracy Ellen Beard.

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CULINARY

parfait, radish, and an Albion strawberry from the garden. This strawberry is celebrated at SingleThread as it was the first variety grown on the farm.

The yellow pattypan squash, designed as finger food, was filled with Japanese A5 wagyu tartare, and the skewered wagyu top sirloin with Japanese eggplant was another tasty treat. These were my favorite small-bite dishes from the centerpiece; each was exciting and different.

THE TEN+ COURSE DINNER After we finished the dozen or so hot and cold single bites from the table display, we began the ten-course dinner. Although each course was delicious and perfectly paired with wine or sake, find my favorites below.

One of our first delicious wines was a 2020 Rootdown, Riesling, R2, from Cole Ranch, Mendocino. The winemaker began crafting wine at the age of 19. This riesling was a nod to an Austrian/Alsatian-style dry riesling, and it paired deliciously with the Usuzukuri Madai, a light dish of zucchini, olive oil, and squash blossom. Another exceptional dish, the Nodoguro, followed it.

The Nodoguro comprised a black throat seaperch known as “Rosy Seabass” or “Akamutsu.”

This fish is highly sought after and caught along the coast of the Sea of Japan. The fish was served with three preparations of corn: a corn mochi cake, corn dashi velouté (potage), and torched corn. Spinach, basil, and Jimmy Nardello peppers, a sweet, thin-skinned Italian frying pepper, accompanied the seabass, and a small sprig of flowering sea asparagus ornamented the dish.

The next wine was a lovely Arnaud Lambert 2018 Clos de la Ru, Brézé, Saumur from the Loire Valley, France. This wine was light and bright with the perfect amount of acidity.

I loved the Sungold Tomato dish made with Dry Creek peaches, yuba, and thyme. The sorbet of sungold tomato sat on top of a peach gel and cucamelons, little balls that look like baby watermelons, and crème fraîche filled the bottom of the glass. Sweet and tender tiny tomatoes surrounded the dish. The sorbet was spectacular, the peach gel added sweetness, and the crème fraîche added a creamy texture. A warm sake, Ninki, Uka

Black Label, Junmai Daiginjo, from Fukushima, Japan, was paired with this delightful cold dish.

Moving into some of the heartier fares, the Duclair Duck course with mulberry, walnuts, and smoked beets was decadent. The 2015 small vines, Pinot Noir, TBH from the Sonoma Coast, paired deliciously with the medium rare duck. This wine, made in the Burgundian style, was made with grapes grown in small clusters that provided exceptional flavor.

The Koshihikari Rice Shime consisted of shredded short rib, sourdough Negi cream, and green peppercorns. On the side was a rice cracker with pickled eggplant. Another favorite course was the Sonoma Plums. A black sesame tuille accompanied the plum sorbet and fresh plums.

To complete this luxurious dining experience, Ken and I savored an assortment of single-bite sweets. The sommelier chose a 2010 Chateau d Yquem Sauternes to pair with the sweet treats. The dessert selection included: mini brûléed fig tarts, a white chocolate egg with blackberry and yuzu juice, a Kasu (Japanese sake used to give dishes a lightly sweet yet savory flavor) custard with mixed berries, and a monaka (Japanese cookie) with apricot and cinnamon.

Kyle and Katina. Photo courtesy of Eva Kolenko

THE INN AT SINGLETHREAD The SingleThread Inn boasts five rooms on the property. Guests at the Inn enjoy stunning furnishings by AvroKo and numerous other abundant amenities, including fresh flowers and an elaborate breakfast in their rooms or at the rooftop garden.

A MAGICAL EVENING AT SINGLETHREAD The entire staff at SingleThread was professional and warm, and the restaurant was beautiful and serene with incredible energy emanating from the open kitchen. The rooftop experience was Zen, and the food was not only delectable and distinctive but also each course was a masterpiece of culinary art.

If you are looking for somewhere special to dine, SingleThread is the place to go.

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Nodoguro with mochi, basil, and corn dashi veloute.

Photo by Tracy Ellen Beard

WINE + SPIRITS

THE BEST

ENGLISH GINS TO TRY IN 2023

We’ve compiled a few of the best English Gins to try in 2023. Here is what we’ve come up with.

| BY KEVIN PILLEY

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WINE + SPIRITS

TRUFFLE GIN A walk through the meadows around Cambridge inspired William and Lucy Lowe to create gins that capture the taste of the English Seasons. From Three Seasons Gin, they moved on to Truffle Gin made with Alba truffles from Piedmont, Italy, and Anty Gin made from sixty-two red wood ants. Nettles, avens, and a lot of British and Nordic know-how.

TERLINGHAM The family-run coastal vineyard has launched Terlingham Bacchus Dry Gin made with English wine produced from its naturally farmed land, grapes grown from the same chalk seam as the Champagne region, and botanicals from the family home in Folkestone The gin claimed a Gold medal at The Spirits Business Spring Tasting Competition 2022.

The business on the North Downs is run by three sisters, Jackie, Caroline, and Ashleigh, alongside their parents, Lorna and Graham.

GOODWOOD ESTATE LEVIN DOWN Sussex’s historic 11000-acre stately home and sporting estate’s new gin uses English wild juniper and aromatic gorse flower from the local nature reserve. Levin Down, derived from ‘Leave-Alone-Hill’, is an ancient hill located north of Goodwood Racecourse and Goodwood House. The gin won London Dry Gold and Contemporary Gold at The Gin Masters 2022 blind tasting from over 500 entries. The Duke of Richmond and Gordon have been closely involved in the creation of the gin which reflects the estate’s organic farming heritage and gives a proud sense of terroir. Goodwood Home Farm is one of the largest lowland organic farms in Europe. www.Goodwood.com/goodwood-gin BURGH ISLAND The iconic Art Deco hotel off Devon’s coastline, working with the North Point Distillery.

Has just brought out this gin blended with 17 different botanicals including the island’s Rosa Rugosa and Gorse stemming from Burgh Island.

CHELSEA PENSIONERS GIN Made in collaboration with the Royal Chelsea Hospital which was founded by King Charles 11 in 1682. A Pensioner, or In-Pensioner, is a resident of the retirement home and nursing home for former members of the British Army, both male, and female (since 2009).

GIN WALA GIN Another London gin is Gin Wala Gin which is made by the owner of an Indian restaurant in Pinner, North London, and uses ingredients from his mother’s chai tea recipe.

LALELAND ARTISAN, MARMALADE GIN Run by husband and wife team Geoff and Mary Monkman, this multiple Great Taste award-winning artisan food and drink company make preserves, chutneys, and fruit syrups under the name Cumbrian Delights, a range of soft drinks and cordials as Mawson’s Traditional Drinks as well as a range of Gin, Vodka, Rum and Whisky made at the Herdwick Distillery on the outskirts of Kendal in the Lake District.

HENLEY GIN There are three Henley Gins to choose from, all small-batch, single-shot, artisan sipping gins and each bottle is hand-filled, hand-labeled, hand-numbered, and sealed. Jacob Wilson is one of the youngest distillers in the country. The distillery is based in a restored threshing barn. www.thehenleydistillery.co.uk CANTIUM Amongst its botanicals, Cantium hand-crafted boasts cobnuts. It comes in flasks and other receptacles to keep liquids warm are the top item requested by homeless charities. Cantium supports Warming Up The Homeless by donating new and unwanted used flasks. The world’s first gin in a reusable flask bottle is available in ‘Primo’ a contemporary London Dry gin and ‘Rubesco’ pink gin, enhanced with strawberries and raspberries.

The word Cantium itself is the Roman word for Kent and its logo is inspired by a mosaic tile found at Lullingston Roman Villa, a few miles from Cantium HQ. Many of the Kentish botanicals are locally sourced from in and around Sevenoaks, including lavender from Castle Farm in Eynsford. The founders. Kevin and Katie Andrews started distilling in their garage in West Malling near Folkestone. www. cantiumgin.com

rage elements, including kumquat, lavender, hawthorn, beer hops, and hemp.

Says MD Phil Simpson who also runs the Lancaster Brewery: “Firecracker is an explosive gin, big, stormy, and complex, with bold earthy notes of evergreen, a zing of citrus, exotic spices and freshly sawn timber.” https:// lancasterspirits.co.uk YORK GIN York’s most famous celebrity is the iconic “deliciously unsquared”, “Don’t tap it, whack it!”, “Smash it to pieces, love it to bits” Terry’s Orange Chocolate.

The iconic segmented chocolate was first made in York in 1932. Now it is made in Strasbourg. York Gin Chocolate & Orange is made at the city’s only distillery, only two miles from the old chocolate factory.

AGNES ARBER GIN Named after a botanist and philosopher who in 1948 became the first woman to receive the Gold medal of the Linnean Society, a world-famous institution dedicated to the study of natural history.

SNAPES POINT SLOE GIN South Devon’s Salcombe Distillery- one of the world’s only ones accessible by boat - is a leader in the hyper-premium gin sector with its Voyager Sries, Start Point, and Rose Sainte Marie. This new small batch, of cask-aged gin, uses local honey, Dartmoor water, damsons, and sloes hand-picked from the nearby coastal footpaths overlooking the Kingsbridge Estuary. The head distiller is Jason Nickels.

WIMBLEDON GARDEN GIN They have been brewing long before they started playing tennis in Wimbledon. Today’s Wimbledon brewery is on the site of Merton Abbey which brewed its own in the Middle Ages. Derek Prentice is the master brewer, distiller and ginmeister. 

FIRECRACKER GIN The Lancaster Spirit Company’s North West distillery’s first small batch offering expresses the profiles of seventeen botanicals including three strains of European juniper and entou99 | UPSCALELIVINGMAG.COM | WINTER 2023

GADGETS

Great Gadgets

ADVAR FROM MEZE AUDIO Delivering powerful and life-like sound wherever you may be, ADVAR ($699) is a high-end, portable, wired in-ear monitor earphone. Offering a mesmerizing listening experience from 10hZ to 30kHz, they pair well with any device and are precisely tuned to provide a warm and dynamic presentation true to Meze Audio’s signature sound. (credit: Meze Audio)

| JARONE ASHKENAZI

With the ever-evolving tech landscape, shopping for the best tech sometimes can be hard as people always want the latest and greatest gadgets. So, when shopping for the techie in your life, here are seven great gifts that are perfect for your gizmo-loving loved ones.

GRAVASTAR’S MARS PRO Combining sci-fi design with rich audio for an immersive listening experience, Mars Pro ($229.95-$349.95) is a Bluetooth 5.0 speaker. Available in black, white, yellow and three special edition colors, this dual speaker system is both a piece of art while also providing an explosive, immersive sound. (credit GravaStar) THE FREESTYLE Samsung’s The Freestyle ($799.99) is an all-in-one portable video entertainment system which allows you to point, play and enjoy a big screen experience, anywhere. From wall to ceiling, its flexible stand allows users to adjust the angle by up to 180-degrees in a few easy clicks – simply find the perfect viewing angle, point, and play. Samsung.com

WRISTCAM The Wristcam ($299, Original Edition in Noir or Gray, $399, Limited Edition) is compatible with watchOS 7 and greater and captures moments completely handsfree.

Wristcam produces 1080p video and 4K HD photo and best of all it has an all-day battery and is waterproof. Wristcam even allows for video calling functionality directly from your Apple Watch - no iPhone necessary – and its newest feature Wristcam Protect broadcasts live video to emergency contacts and uploaded instantly to the cloud simply by using a trigger word via Siri.

LOCKLY VISION ELITE Lockly Vision Elite ($499.99) is the next-gen video smart lock and camera doorbell ensuring that every home is completely secure.

The award-winning deadbolt video smart lock allows you to view all visitors from head to toe and its HD optics with night vision lets you view up to 15 feet distance. (credit: Lockly)

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LUMINANCE RED’S ACNE TREATMENT DEVICE The brand-new Acne Treatment Device ($349) is a FDA cleared, class II medical device that can heal acne within just 24 hours. (credit: Luminance RED)