LM Summer 2019

LUXURY LUXURY MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2019

O U R S TO R E S

AKRIS . ALEX ANDER Mc QUEEN

ALICE + OLIVIA . BALENCIAGA . BANDIER

BERETTA GALLERY . BRUNELLO CUCINELLI

CAROLINA HERRER A . CARTIER . CELINE

CHANEL . CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

CHRISTOFLE . DIOR . ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

ESCADA . ETRO . FENDI . FR AME

HARRY WINSTON . HERMÈS

JAMES PERSE . JIMMY CHOO

LE LABO . LELA ROSE . LORO PIANA

MARKET . R AG & BONE . R ALPH LAUREN

ST. JOHN . THEORY . TOM FORD

TORY BURCH . VALENTINO

VERONICA BEARD . VINCE . WILLIAM NOBLE

PARTIAL LISTING

TaxFree Shopping Refund for International Visitors Complimentar y Valet Parking and Personal Shopping Gift Cards Available | Courtesy Car Ser vice to and from Highland Park Village 47 Highland Park Village

hpvillage.com

FENDI

OUR PILOT SW UNG RIGHT… We were soaring over Alaska’s pristine forests and mountains, the helicopter skimming the treetops, when it emerged: Hubbard Glacier.

The countless angles refracted the sunlight like a beautifully cut jewel.

Our guide told us it’s the largest, calving glacier in North America.

We actually saw — and even heard — a giant iceberg break off!

START YOUR JOURNEY AT RSSC.COM/LUXURYCARD CALL 1.844.4REGENT (1.844.473.4368) OR CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR EXCLUSIVELY FOR LUXURY CARD MEMBERS - Receive a $250 Shipboard Credit Per Suite

EV ERY

LU XURY I NCLUD ED

DEPARTMENTS

Issue 20

THE FRONT PAGES What’s What | 18

From art, culture, and design to hotels, adventure, and travel.

AUTOS Crossing Over | 24

Automotive aficionados are embracing the almighty sport ute.

WATCHES Black Reign | 34

All-black timepieces have a refined ruggedness that works for any type of adventure.

JEWELRY Imprints in the Sand | 42 Turquoise is turning the tide with atypical settings.

NATURE Vanishing Act | 50 Desert Beat

62

Scientists have sounded the alarm that many of the world’s coral reefs are dead or dying.

FASHION Desert Beat | 62

Dress to the rhythm of summer.

ADVENTURE Scramble Through the Southern Alps | 90 Scramble Through the Southern Alps

90

8

Summer 2019

A week-long rally on an off-road motorbike in New Zealand.

GETAWAYS Surfing Safari | 98

Where the locals go to catch a wave in Portugal, Argentina, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, and New York.

PERFECTLY REFLECTING A NAME OF LEGEND

www.astonmartinresidences.com AMResidencesMiami

Developed by G&G Business Developments LLC SALES CENTRE 300 BISCAYNE BOULEVARD WAY, MIAMI, FL

+1.305.573.7333

Riverwalk East Developments, LLC, a Florida limited liability company is the owner of the property on which the Condominium is to be constructed and the seller of the units in the Condominium and is for purposes of the Florida Condominium Act the “developer” of the Condominium (“Developer”). Developer has engaged G & G Business Developments, LLC. (“G & G”) to assist with the development and marketing of the Condominium and its units and Developer has a limited right to use the trademarked names and logos of G & G. Any and all statements, disclosures and/or representations relating to the Condominium shall be deemed made by Developer and not by G & G and you agree to look solely to Developer (and not to G & G and/or any of its affiliates) with respect to any and all matters relating to the development and/or marketing of the Condominium and with respect to the sales of units in the Condominium. All images and designs depicted herein are artist’s conceptual renderings, which are based upon preliminary development plans, and are subject to change without notice in the manner provided in the offering documents. All such materials are not to scale and are shown solely for illustrative purpose. For New York Purchasers only, the complete offering terms also require reference to that certain CPS-12 Application available from the Offeror under file number CP18-0005.

ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. Conway+Partners

DEPARTMENTS Cliff Hangers

174

TECH Strokes of Genius | 134

Improve your golf game with revolutionary high-tech clubs, training aids, performance-driven apparel, and advanced distancereading devices.

WHAT’S HOT Summer Camp | 142

Escape to the woods for a camping adventure that gives new meaning to “roughing it.”

ONE PLACE, TWO WAYS Bermuda and Québec | 158

From conscious conservation and laid-back adventure to places on the hill and by the river.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Cliff Hangers | 174

Architecturally daring homes built on dramatic precipices.

FURNISHINGS From Natural Selection to Jungle Love to Explorers’ Club | 186

The planet’s well-being, lush environs, and new products inspired by perilous journeys of discovery.

ARTIST PROFILE Taking Aim | 192

Cover artist Kenneth Noland.

REAL ESTATE Where the Living Is Easy | 202

Effortless ownership at resort communities.

What’s Next

206

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THE LAST PAGES What’s Next | 206

Restaurants, bars, and shopping.

Move Classique Collection with Gigi Hadid

ME S S IKA.COM # DiamondAddiction

FEATURES Turn Up the Volume | 86 Music festivals have been upgraded to first class.

Untethered | 110

Free diving is a sport that pushes the body’s limits to the edge.

Catch Me If You Can | 114

Sport fishing for marlin and sailfish has become more sophisticated than ever.

Tidal Shift | 120

Today’s most eco-conscious superyachts are also among the most design-driven.

Cabin Fever | 148

Private aviation’s top providers are in a race to lure customers with cabins designed to make every plane feel like home.

Turn Up the Volume

The New Caribbean | 162

Five places left unscathed from hurricanes Maria and Irma.

86

Untethered

110

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Summer 2019

Tidal Shift

120

EP IC X C H RONO B U G AT T I To celebrate its long-term partnership with Bugatti, and the high-performance sports car maker's 110th anniversary, Jacob & Co. has introduced the Epic X Bugatti Édition LimitÊe 110 Ans. This elegant and sporty bicompax chronograph symbolizes both brands' passion for pushing the limits of what is mechanically possible. This new timepiece sports the colors of the French flag and the Bugatti emblem and comes in a high-tech forged carbon case, a first for the Epic X collection.

N e w Yo r k

48 East 57 Street, New York, New York +1.212.719.5887

F o u r S e a s o n s H o t e l D e s B e r g u e s G e n e v a 33, Quai des Bergues, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland +41 22 316 00 96 jacobandco.com

K

enneth Noland (1924–2010) is one of the most

cover, consists of dozens of horizontal bands of

celebrated American abstract painters from

varying widths and colors that cover a canvas more

the postwar period. Part of the generation that

than 7 feet tall and 15 feet long. It was completed

followed the Abstract Expressionists, he made color

in 1967 and is now in the collection of the Whitney

his main concern. In the 1950s and 1960s he painted

Museum of American Art in New York, where it is

a series of simple graphic compositions: concentric

currently on display. The title of the picture suggests

circles known as targets, iconic V-shaped designs like

sunrise, but the eye-dazzling impression that the

chevrons, and horizontal bands of stripes, varying

painting makes is less of a landscape at dawn than a

the layouts and palettes to explore the effects he

streamlined pattern of almost mechanical clarity, one

could achieve. The compositions served mainly as

that anticipates the digital age.

vehicles for his experiments with color.

LUXURY MAGAZINE’s profile of Kenneth Noland begins on page 192.

New Day, his stripe painting reproduced on the 14

Summer 2019

Jason Edward Kaufman

ON THE COVER

BEAUTY MEETS COMFORT & FIT

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LUXURY MAGAZINE Produced exclusively for Luxury Card members.

PUBLISHED BY LUXURY CARD PUBLISHER Audrey Arnold audrey@luxurymagazine.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Deborah Frank

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jorge S. Arango Bailey Stone Barnard Chris Brinlee Jr. Alexandra Cheney Robert Cocuzzo Mark Hacking Jason Edward Kaufman David Keith Evan McGlinn Irene Rawlings Kathryn Romeyn Ted Alan Stedman Shaun Tolson Frank Vizard Shivani Vorah Molly Winans Nora Zelevansky

All contents of LUXURY MAGAZINE are the intellectual property of Black Card Mag LLC and Black Card LLC d/b/a Luxury Card (“Publisher”) and/or the respective photographers, writers, artists, and advertising agencies; are protected by copyright and trademark laws; and may not be reproduced, republished, distributed, transmitted, displayed, broadcast or otherwise exploited in any manner without the express written permission of the copyright and trademark owners. (c) 2018 Black Card Mag LLC and Black Card LLC d/b/a Luxury Card. All rights reserved.

Views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher, which makes reasonable efforts to verify its content. Publisher expressly disclaims and does not assume responsibility for the validity of any claims or statements made, including content errors, omissions, or infringing content. Advertisements and offers are the responsibility of the individual advertising entities, and do not constitute a legal offer by Publisher. Publisher is not responsible for price fluctuations. Prices are based on those accurate at press time. Please consult with a Luxury Card Concierge for current prices.

Natural beauty.

Summer tranquility. Perfect harmony.

Summer is a magical time to experience the luxurious Montage Palmetto Bluff resort located in the heart of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Embark on kayaking and paddleboard adventures on the scenic May River. Enjoy blissful bike rides beneath the emerald canopies of ancient live oaks. Conclude your day of southern summer fun with a rejuvenating facial at our luxurious spa, or satisfy your sweet tooth fireside with delicious s’mores. When you choose to spend your summer in the Lowcountry, you can fill your days with an almost endless variety of summer experiences as big as our setting sun.

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B E V E R LY H I L L S | D E E R VA L L E Y | K A PA L U A B AY | L A G U N A B E A C H PA L M E T T O B L U F F | L O S C A B O S

•What’s WHAT•

Art, Culture & Design

All across Germany, centenary celebrations for the incredibly influential Bauhaus movement are taking place—with one of the standouts being the new $31 million Bauhaus Museum in Dessau (above).

The art school moved to Dessau from Weimar in 1925; by 1933, Nazis had closed it completely. bauhaus100.com

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Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature is the most comprehensive US exhibition about the impressionist in more than 20 years, showing more than 125 paintings (below) that span his career and capture fleeting moments of light and shadow on haystacks, poplars, and, of course, water lilies. Denver Art Museum. October 21, 2019–February 2, 2020. denverartmuseum.org

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Summer 2019

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Prado, Madrid spotlights the work of a pair of female artists who defied the odds to become highly sought-after portraitists: Sofonisba Anguissola (circa 1535–1625), who was King Philip II of Spain’s court painter (below), and Lavinia Fontana (1552–1614), considered the first professional female artist. A Tale of Two Women Painters. October 22, 2019– February 2, 2020. museodelprado.es w

The massive Venice Biennale art show features the newest and most provocative contemporary art. This year’s expo will be augmented by a colossal exhibit in the Arsenale shipyard and armories complex and curated by the director of London’s Hayward Gallery. Through November 24. labiennale.org Metamorphosis is the theme for the 2019 edition of Burning Man, the annual libertarian arts and music festival held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Last year, the weeklong gathering attracted close to 80,000 attendants—a far cry from the 80 or so people who went to the first summer solstice bonfire party in 1986. Beginning August 25. tickets.burningman.org

Mid-20th-century street photographer Garry Winogrand used a Leica M4 and black-and-white film to make many of his bold, now-iconic images.

The Brooklyn Museum is showing the first-ever exhibition dedicated to his color photography (right). Garry Winogrand: Color. Through December 8. brooklynmuseum.org

Based on Susan Sontag’s 1964 influential essay “Notes on Camp,” the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute is showing Camp: Notes on Fashion. Expect un-serious and over-the-top, totally extravagant fashions, including some worn in the royal courts of Louis XIV and Louis XV and the glossy get-ups of contemporary drag queens. Through September 8. metmuseum.org

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Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top: jahre bauhaus/Areih Sharon/Klassik Stiftung Weimar/Stephen Consemuller; Museo del Prado; Brooklyn Museum/Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco; Denver Art Museum

THE FRONT PAGES

NEW YORK CITY LAS VEGAS BOSTON BACK BAY BOSTON SEAPORT PHILADELPHIA HOUSTON DALLAS FORT WORTH PLANO DENVER CHARLOTTE WASHINGTON, DC ORLANDO ATLANTA SAN DIEGO LOS ANGELES

D E L F R I S C O S . C O M

Marriott announces Homes & Villas

by Marriott International, over 2,000 highly curated homes in 100 destinations throughout the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. For example: a four-bedroom cottage on six private acres in California’s wine country; an oceanfront villa in Anguilla with private beach and personal butler; a fully staffed 18th-century Irish castle (above) with private lake for boating and fishing. homesandvillasbymarriott.com

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West Hollywood’s Hotel 850 (built to house railroad workers 100 years ago) has been rebooted as a sunny hideaway.

Each Rita Konig–designed room is different—some are sea grass green and some vanilla-dipped. A rooftop deck with an outdoor fireplace (below) offers hazy views of DTLA. From $275/night, includes continental breakfast; number850.com

In the center of Victoria’s dockside artsand-design district, Rosewood Hong Kong towers an impressive 65 stories to house 322 guest rooms and 91 suites set among well-tended gardens of oversize bonsai and fanciful topiary. A jazz-age bar serves vintage spirits; within the walk-in humidor find rare cigars from around the globe. From $548/night; rosewoodhotels.com

One of few remaining Gilded Age mansions in the Berkshires, Blantyre (below) looks and feels like the country estate of an indulgent uncle with an excellent chef, world-class wine cellar, and North America’s only Dom Pérignon Champagne Salon. The Lenox, Massachusetts, mainstay reopened last May following major renovations. Upgrade to the original Manor House, Carriage House, or one of the elegantly updated cottages.

From $1,025; blantyre.com

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Adjacent to the Parrish Art Museum in the Long Island hamlet of Water Mill, the 13room, Japanese- and Scandinavian-inspired Shou Sugi Ban House (below) offers restorative three-, four-, or six-night stays that include sound baths, Reiki, meditation, yoga, walks on the beach, and veggie-based meals. $4,650/three nights, all-inclusive; shousugibanhouse.com

The vision of American conservation philanthropist Louis Bacon, Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge in Chiriqui Province, Panama, keeps just nine casitas for access to its private, 14-island archipelago. Explore the area with private guides who facilitate experiences like diving with sharks and fishing the pristine waters. From $2,000/ person, all-inclusive; islassecas.com

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Designed by the eponymous fitness brand, Equinox Hotel in NYC’s Hudson Yards integrates wellness with luxury. Guest rooms, including beds with a COCO-MAT mattress, have been designed to optimize sleep.

The hotel has a 27,000-square-foot spa (with multiple pools, cryotherapy chambers, and an infrared spa) and a 60,000-square-foot gym. From $700/ night; hudsonyardsnewyork.com

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Enjoy an elevated beach experience— literally. The Jersey Shore’s new 54-room Asbury Ocean Club Hotel occupies the fourth floor of the posh residential Asbury Ocean Club. Huge windows overlook expansive terraces with views of the Atlantic or sweeping sand-dune gardens. Lounge on deep sofas and sunken beds by the pool; enjoy the services of a dedicated butler at the beach. From $200; asburyoceanclub.com

Courtesy Images, From Top: Homes & Villas by Marriott International; Shou Sugi Ban House/Fredrika Stjarne; Hotel 850/Laure Joliet; Blantyre/Scott Barrow. Opposite Page, Courtesy Images From Top: Rosewood/Ryan Forbes; Beverly Hills Hotel; Casa Maria Luigia/Callo Albanese e Sueo

Hotels

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On 3,500 wild acres near Park City, Utah, The Lodge at Blue Sky, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, facilitates a range of excursions such as sunrise horseback rides (followed by a campfire breakfast), fly fishing, and mountain biking. While recovering, sip local High West Distillery whiskey (Utah’s first legal hooch since 1870). From $700/night; aubergeresorts.com Well-sited to overlook some of the Dolomites’ grandest peaks, the just-opened Adler Lodge Ritten is rustic and remote— reachable only by a single, limited-access road. Rooms and social spaces are pure and unfussy. Three saunas—two deep in the forest. From $269/person/day, all-inclusive; adler-resorts.com

Glamorous and fun, Rosewood Miramar Beach (above) in Montecito is billionaire L.A. developer Rick Caruso’s first hotel: 161 eye-catching guest rooms, suites, and bungalows on 16 leafy acres. Make the rounds among an open-air beach bar and seven restaurants. From $800/night; rosewoodhotels.com Inspired by JFK and Jackie’s White House years, TWA Hotel at JFK Airport opens with 512 ultra-quiet guest rooms.

Furnished with Eero Saarinen–designed mid-century modern furniture, vintage rotary phones, and terrazzo-tiled bathrooms with Hollywood-style vanities.

Watch planes arrive from the rooftop infinity pool. Eat dinner (based on historic TWA menus) at Jean-Georges’ Paris Café.

From $249; twahotel.com

RENOVATION RECAP

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After a top-to-toe transformation, Santa Monica’s secluded Oceana debuts 70 suites with ocean views decorated in Southern California–chic beachy colors and spotlighting the work of Los Angeles artists. The members-only restaurant sources hyper-local ingredients from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. The lush courtyard (with a pool and lounge) was designed by in-demand Hamptons landscape architect Perry Guillot.

Guided yoga on the beach. From $525; hoteloceanasantamonica.com

Outside Modena, Italy, the 12-room, 200-year-old Casa Maria Luigia (named after chef Massimo Bottura’s mother) features pastel-tiled baths (below), an eat-in kitchen for breakfast, and a music-listening room (Bottura collects vintage LPs).

Dinner is served in Casa delle Carrozze, the repurposed carriage house, and guests can dine at chef Bottura’s 12-table, threeMichelin-star Osteria Francescana. From $500/night; casamarialuigia.com

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The Beverly Hills Hotel has been restoring its legendary bungalows (far right), favored by Hollywood royalty for retreats and trysts.

Recently unveiled: bungalows that were favorites of Marilyn Monroe (Number 1—Dom Pérignon, Chanel-scented bath amenities) and Howard Hughes (Number 3—exotic woods, mysterious, and moody).

Bungalow 9, inspired by Charlie Chaplin, debuts in July. Bungalows from $2,900; dorchestercollection.com Devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, Le Sereno St. Barth’s reveals a complete makeover—rebuilt modernist bungalows, a new spa and fitness center, and a reimagined restaurant that extends to the water’s edge. From $850; serenohotels.com

• Belmond Cadogan Hotel, London opens following a four-year, $48 million renovation. Each of the 54 rooms has exclusive access to private gardens and tennis courts on the historic 93-acre Cadogan Estate in the heart of Chelsea. Marble bathrooms. Fresh flowers everywhere. From $600; belmond.com The Wauwinet, Nantucket underwent a top-to-bottom renovation— just in time for summer sailing, swimming, playing tennis, and having picnics on the beach. A pre-arrival concierge sets up everything from bicycle rentals to difficult-to-snag restaurant reservations. From $195; wauwinet.com w

Summer 2019

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Adventure & Travel

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F-50 catamarans in action: New York City, June 21–22; Cowes (UK), August 10–11; and Marseille (for the finals), September 20–22. The league has launched an app for spectators to watch the races on their smartphones in real time. sailGP.com According to legend, golf evolved as an 18-hole game because a bottle of Scotch contains 18 shots. The Whisky & Iron package at The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links on Scotland’s famed island of Islay combines single malts and rounds of golf on a links course where golfers have been teeing off since 1891. $1,615/three nights, including Scottish breakfasts; campbellgrayhotels.com

• from the moon, “Houston, the Eagle has landed.” To celebrate this historic anniversary, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston partners with the Johnson Space Center for an out-of-thisworld package (above): a private guided tour of the space center, lunch with an astronaut, and more. $10,000/three days of VIP treatment; thepostoakhotel.com

Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills launches cultural-and-culinary package Night of the Arts, which includes a corner suite, dinner at Jean-Georges Beverly Hills, and a chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phantom to an evening performance at the dramatic Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

From $1,170/night; waldorfastoria.com The eyes of the world were on Texas 50 years ago when Neil Armstrong reported

Are Everest or K2 on the bucket list?

Spend 10 days arranged by operator Remote Lands aerial gallivanting through the Himalayas by hopping from peak to peak via helicopter accompanied by experienced Sherpa guides. Nights in high-altitude lodges (with Wi-Fi). From $35,000/person; remotelands.com

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In the new global sailing league SailGP (below), six national teams compete in short-format, inshore stadium racing to win a cool $1 million. See the supercharged

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The Artist in Residence Program at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina showcases the work of Hawaiian artists like Eduardo Bolioli, who began his career in Honolulu painting surfboards for pro surfers. Now, local flora, sea creatures, and people inhabit his richly colorful works.

Book a specialty suite for four nights to get a $1,500 credit toward an art purchase.

Suites from $5,530/night; fourseasons.com Jackie O and Ari sailed the Aegean aboard their 325-foot yacht Christina. Now you and 33 of your closest friends can too— aboard the meticulously restored and rechristened Christina O. All the original glam remains intact, including opulent lapis fireplaces, marble baths, and the Steinway where Maria Callas and Frank Sinatra performed. The crew of 38 includes a Michelin-starred chef. From $626,500/ week; yachtcharterfleet.com u

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Summer 2019

Courtesy Images, From Top: To’ak Chocolate; Space Center Houston; SailGP/Bob Martin

To’ak, the world’s most expensive chocolate ($270/50g bar), partners with Brown & Hudson to offer a choco-centric trip to Ecuador. Heart of Darkness: Chocolate’s Untold Story. “It is like a wine trip to Bordeaux or a whisky trip to Scotland,” says Jerry Toth, To’ak’s founder. Twelve guests travel by private jet from Quito to virgin cloud forests, the To’ak cacao plantation, and a swank retreat on the Pacific where an Alain Ducasse alum helms the restaurant.

Chocolate tastings daily (above). $25,000/ person/six nights; brownandhudson.com

Opening this summer at California’s Ojai Valley Inn, The Farmhouse at Ojai will host the resort’s elaborate culinary events such as a family-style lunch with Ruth Reichl; a multi-course pasta dinner by Nancy Silverton and Evan Funke; a meatcentric dinner by Tuscan butcher Dario Cecchini; as well as winemaker dinners, tastings, signings, and garden parties. ojaivalleyinn.com

33°30′50.0″N 117°44′52.7″W

AUTOS

Porsche Cayenne Coupe

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Summer 2019

Courtesy Porsche/Rossen Gargolov

G N I S S O R C

T

he surging popularity of crossovers and SUVs has sparked fear in the hearts of many car enthusiasts who claim that utility vehicles are too big, too tall, too heavy, and simply not fun enough. But the truth is, the latest models offer comparable performance, comfort, and sheer seat-of-the-pants pleasure when judged against similarly priced coupes, sedans, and wagons.

Here, a cool collection of luxury utilities that offer plenty of bang for the buck. w

R E V O

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Summer 2019

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S T C A E TH COMP B U S

When battling the cutand-thrust of rush-hour traffic in a large urban center, there’s nothing quite like a subcompact crossover that’s exceptionally nimble, has excellent visibility, decent acceleration, and generous ground clearance to cruise over a surprise pothole or two. Another key criterion: a small footprint to better squeeze into and out of tight parking spaces. Facing off against a flotilla of passive-aggressive drivers in Barcelona, the Volvo XC40 (from $33,700; volvo.com), the smallest of the current fleet of Volvo utilities, proved it has all of these qualities and more.

Two versions are available, both powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The XC40 T4 is the front-wheel drive model with 187 hp, while the T5 engine develops 248 hp and sends it to all four wheels. The Volvo is not fast, but it’s fun— the steering is light but welcome during city-sized commutes and those tight parking scenarios. Above all, the XC40 has a distinctly cool vibe. The exterior is more ruggedly handsome than the typical subcompact crossover and the interior features some smart ergonomics, as well as ecologically friendly materials. Long story short, the Volvo XC40 is a small utility that’s big in terms of desirability.

An even newer entry in the subcompact crossover segment, the Lexus UX 250h ($34,000; lexus.com) is aimed squarely at the same city dwellers in search of utility and a luxury badge.

The only model in the crossover segment with a hybrid powertrain, the UX 250h shares technology with the Toyota Prius. Under the hood, a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder connects to a hybrid drive system and a continuously variable transmission.

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Summer 2019

It’s not the speediest of powertrains, but it does create classleading fuel efficiency. Driving the UX around Seattle’s city limits and across Puget Sound, a distinct calm takes effect—while it’s not whisper-quiet like the more expensive models in the Lexus lineup, it feels stable, composed, and comfortable for such a small vehicle. The UX comes standard with the Lexus Safety System+, a comprehensive suite of advanced driver aids that also helps reduce the stress of driving. Lastly, it seems to be aimed squarely at those who drive only when they need to, keeping their personal carbon footprint to a minimum. It’s perhaps not the vehicle to brag about to others, but it just may be the crossover that makes driving a thing of beauty.

For the high-performance set, the BMW X2 M35i ($46,450; bmwusa.com) blurs the line between luxury crossover and hot hatch. It’s also powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder; in this case, though, the result is an eye-opening 302 hp, a boost of 74 markers over the base X2 xDrive28i. But the engine is just part of what makes the X2 M35i such a compelling proposition. Of course, there’s the city-ready size, as well as a solid platform that produces sports car–like handling. Allwheel drive is standard, as is a limited-slip front differential, and steering and braking packages from the tuning gurus at the M division. When not racing against the clock, the more relaxed comfort mode triggers softer steering and suspension settings, and more frugally minded gear changes from the 8-speed automatic transmission. The X2 M35i gives up some road trip–worthy passenger and cargo space compared to its competitors, but it gains back ground in a hurry through driving pleasure alone. w

Courtesy Volvo. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Lexus/Jessica Lynn Walker; BMW

Volvo XC40

Lexus UX 250h

BMW X2 M35i

Summer 2019

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S E T H C T A P

M O C

Moving up in terms of size and sheer flashiness are a pair of compact crossovers worth more than a passing glance: the Lincoln Corsair (from $35,945; lincoln.com) and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque (from $42,650; landroverusa.com).

Quietly and confidently, Lincoln has been upping its crossover game at a furious rate. First, the all-new Navigator, introduced in 2017, is a large SUV capable of competing with the very best in the world. (Yes, it’s true.) Then, there’s the Nautilus (a beautiful design to replace the outgoing MKX), the Aviator (nominally replacing the MKT), and now the Corsair (pushing the MKC off into the sunset). When parent company Ford announced it was all but eliminating cars in favor of crossovers and SUVs, it created a shockwave across the automotive landscape. But this fantastic luxury foursome now makes this decision seem like an exceedingly safe bet—and it’s breathed new life into the Lincoln brand.

The latest and smallest of the new range, the forthcoming Corsair promises to lead with the brand’s strength: exterior design. Inside, the passenger cabin sees an increase in comfort with more sound-deadening measures, higher-grade materials, and plenty of onboard technology. Drivers interested in experiencing the Lincoln touch will have the choice of two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines.

The second-generation Range Rover Evoque is a worthy sequel to the original, one of the most popular Range Rovers ever produced. If anything, the all-new Evoque is an even more stylish ride—no easy feat considering the original was a genuine design icon. Also, while it’s the smallest and least

Lincoln Corsair

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expensive of Range Rovers, the Evoque upholds the brand attributes, through and through. Available now, the choices begin with the P250 powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and the P300 with the same engine but tuned for more performance. The latter is also a mild hybrid: A 48-volt battery pack set under the floor stores energy captured during deceleration and redeploys it, primarily to help with fuel efficiency.

Cruising along the smooth autoroutes and secondary roads of Greece, traveling from the outskirts of Athens to the Peloponnese, the wind was gusting strongly, which only served to highlight the stability and quietness of the Evoque.

At various points along the way, detours off the pavement tested the vehicle’s off-road capabilities, which proved infallible through shallow rivers, along rocky goat trails, up a treacherous mountain road, and across a rail bridge that spanned the Corinth Canal. Regardless of the challenge, the vehicle remained implacable, easily finding traction and grip when neither seemed possible.

The Evoque comes equipped with the latest Land Rover Terrain Response 2 system, which automatically selects the correct mode according to the conditions or allows the driver to choose one of five different modes. Hill Descent Control and All-Terrain Progress Control systems are also standard, as is driveline disconnect, which sends engine torque to the front wheels exclusively to help save fuel. The passenger cabin is luxurious in a minimalist way, and there’s ample technology and connectivity to make the road (or the off-road) as comfortable as possible. For anyone seeking a crossover with equal parts style and capability, the Range Rover Evoque is a safe bet.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Audi Q8

Courtesy Audi. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Left: Lincoln/Tyler Gourley; Land Rover

E H T PES

U O C

As luxury crossovers and SUVs began to gain in popularity, it followed that manufacturers would start to offer a variety of different body styles. Everything from boxy two- or four-door crossovers, SUVs that resembled tall wagons, and even a few crossover convertibles have been built. But the newest craze is the crossover coupe, a focused effort to bring even more style and performance to this burgeoning segment. Two new crossover coupes worth more than a mention are the Audi Q8 ($67,400; audi.com) and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe (from $75,300; porsche.com).

The Audi Q8 is, simply, a gorgeous vehicle that stands up exceedingly well compared to any other Audi—or any other luxury vehicle for that matter. The dynamic silhouette is matched by a sumptuous, high-tech interior that shines a spotlight on the brand’s virtual cockpit instrument panel and two more screens housed in the center console. The lower of these two screens is, effectively, a writing tablet to enter navigation information and the like. It’s slick, to say the least.

Mechanically, the Q8 is formidable. The vehicle rides on a platform shared with the Lamborghini Urus and is

wider, shorter, and lower to the ground than the other big Audi SUV, the Q7. The ride and handling are impressive.

The vehicle’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 develops a supersmooth 335 hp and delivers that power through the Quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. A mild-hybrid system recoups kinetic energy and extends the efficiency of the Q8’s start/stop system.

From its debut way back in 2002, the Porsche Cayenne has been a king of the hill in terms of high-performance SUVs. Now, that prodigious performance combines with super-sleek style in the Cayenne Coupe. Three versions are coming: the base model with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6; the S Coupe with a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6; and the Turbo Coupe, which features a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8.

The last boasts 541 hp, accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, and has a terminal velocity of 177 mph. Each has an adaptive rear spoiler that automatically deploys at speeds above 56 mph to create increased stability and sharper handling. To further emphasize that this is a highperformance vehicle, three lightweight sports packages are available, all of which include a full carbon-fiber roof. w

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E H T ER

P U S

T R O P S

As the first SUV from an Italian automobile maker known for its distinctive-looking sports cars since the rare truck-like LM002 (produced between 1986 and 1993), the Lamborghini Urus ($200,000; lamborghini .com) occupies a special slot among modern utes. Any doubts about compromises in performance are quickly erased as the Urus rockets down the Thermal Club race track in Palm Springs, California, to a stable cruising speed of 125 mph. Top speed is 190 mph but it’s the 3.6 seconds to 60 mph from a standing start that’s the most telling. It’s the fastest SUV ever built thanks to a V-8 twin-turbo engine that delivers 650 hp.

The nearby desert offers an off-roading opportunity that the Urus handles with aplomb. Equipped with active torque vectoring via a rear differential, the Urus is quick, agile, and easy to steer even when the sandy ground is shifting under the wheels. Three off-road modes are available: Terra (off-road), Sabbia (sand), and Neve (snow). All three raise the suspension to clear potential obstacles like melon-size boulders. The other three “Tamburo” driving modes—Strada, Sport, and Corsa— govern the 8-speed gearbox and conversely lower the chassis for better aerodynamics. Strada is at the quiet, daily-driving end of the spectrum while the track-oriented Corsa produces an appropriately bullish roar. A specially designed exhaust system varies the engine sound with changes in speed. A nice touch is the red flap over the start/stop button that mimics the launch control button found on track-minded sports cars.

The interior is well-appointed, as would be expected. But it’s the roominess that comes from applying sports car mathematics to a sport utility vehicle that impresses. While SUVs typically have high seating positions that can make a driver feel like he is floating in space, Lamborghini reversed course by lowering the seats to be closer to the Urus’ center of gravity, while also approximating the sight lines and seat dimensions of the brand’s Huracan supercar. The rear seats, in particular, are a revelation.

“The rear bench is lower compared to the front bench,” notes Lamborghini chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani, “which allows a passenger who is 6-foot-2 to sit comfortably.” All told, there is room for the starting five of a basketball team.

With a price tag that climbs toward $240,000 fully loaded, the Urus is for those sports car enthusiasts who some days need to be in a roomier vehicle but still require racing performance.

Next up, an ST-X version—25 percent lighter than the street legal model and equipped with a steel roll cage and fire suppression system—will be the first Lamborghini to compete in both —Frank Vizard racetrack and off-road events in 2020. w

30 Summer 2019

Courtesy Lamborghini/Michael Shaeffer

It’s the fastest SUV ever built thanks to a V-8 twin-turbo engine that delivers 650 horsepower.

Lamborghini Urus

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E C I H R T CT

ELE

In the 1950s, Sir William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar Cars, Ltd., came up with the sales slogan “Grace, space, pace” to describe their cars. Fast forward to current times and that slogan still describes the Jaguar I-PACE ($69,500; jaguarusa.com), the first all-electric SUV from a European manufacturer.

With 394 hp generated from its twin-electric motors, one at each axle, and 516 ft lbs of torque, the I-PACE handles the “pace” part of the equation with the lithe rapidity expected of a Jaguar. The sprint to 60 mph comes up in a scant 4.5 seconds, not bad for a vehicle that weighs almost 2.5 tons.

Top speed is electronically limited to 124 mph. The SUV runs on rear drive up to 30 mph; after that, the all-wheel drive system takes over.

A few laps around the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve racetrack in Portimão, Portugal, confirms the graceful handling expected of a Jaguar. On pavement, whether on a track or public roads, the optional self-leveling air suspension and adaptive damping features keep the car stable, even under hard cornering. The lower center of gravity, aided by the battery pack under the passenger compartment, allows for quicker turn-in and better balance.

Off road, the I-PACE surprises with its capabilities. The vehicle can raise itself by 2 inches to allow for more ground clearance. With the massive torque available, steep dirt trails are easily handled; engine braking makes descents much calmer. In the event a river crossing comes up, the I-PACE can handle up to 20 inches of water.

Inside, the clubby interiors of yesterday give way to a modern setup, with three screens to provide car, navigation,

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and HVAC information. Discreet touches of wood veneer, however, keep the Jaguar traditions alive. Optional sport seats, heated and cooled up front, keep passengers comfortable and locked in place during hard driving. Overall the “space” aspect of Lyons’ philosophy is well handled. By pushing the wheels to the corners of the vehicle, the passenger compartment is set forward, creating more space for occupants and luggage.

The exterior shows the “grace” for which Jaguar is famous.

The rounded grille and cat-eye headlamps showcase the shortened nose, while the raised rear helps with aerodynamics.

The boxy look, resembling a jungle cat crouching, landed this year’s World Car Design of the Year award.

Jaguar did not stint on the electric side of the equation either: The I-PACE is a front-runner in the chase to catch Tesla.

With a range of 234 miles, it can achieve 80 percent of full battery charge in 85 minutes when hooked up to a 50-kilowatt charging station. The regenerative braking system recaptures electrical energy on deceleration, enabling a drive around town without touching the brakes.

This admirable level of engineering has powered the I-PACE to another pair of awards from the World Car Awards jury: World Green Car and overall World Car of the Year. The Jaguar is also the first production EV to have its own race series, the I-PACE eTROPHY, an undercard to the FIA Formula E championship.

With looks that blend Jaguar’s long-standing reputation for stylish vehicles, and an all-electric powertrain and suspension setup that provide excellent speed and handling both on and off-road, the new I-PACE gives “grace, space, pace” a powerful jolt of energy. u —David Keith

Courtesy Jaguar

Jaguar I-PACE

INTRODUCING OUR NEW PXG 0211 CAST IRONS. (They just might be the finest cast irons ever made.)

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WATCHES

BLACK REIGN ALL-BLACK TIMEPIECES HAVE A REFINED RUGGEDNESS THAT WORKS FOR ANY TYPE OF ADVENTURE. Photography TERU ONISHI Market Editor PAUL FREDERICK

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OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch “Dark Side of the Moon,” $12,000; omegawatches.com

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GIRARD-PERREGAUX Neo Bridges Earth to Sky, $26,800; wempe.com

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ZENITH Defy El Primero 21, $12,200; zenithwatches.com

TAG HEUER Carrera Heuer 02, $7,700; tagheuer.com

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CARL F. BUCHERER Patravi TravelTec, $14,500; carl-f-bucherer.com

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CHANEL WATCHES J12, $5,700; chanel.com

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BELL & ROSS BR 03-92 Phantom Ceramic, $3,800; bellross.com

HUBLOT Classic Fusion Black Magic, $9,400; hublot.com

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ULYSSE NARDIN Freak X, $21,000; ulysse-nardin.com

PORSCHE DESIGN Monobloc Actuator 24H-Chronotimer, $7,250; porsche-design.us

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JEWELRY

BELPERRON Tonneau necklace with turquoise and diamonds, $138,500; belperron.com

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IMPRINTS IN THE SAND TURQUOISE IS TURNING

THE TIDE WITH MODERN SETTINGS THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL. Photography TERU ONISHI Market Editor PAUL FREDERICK

Summer 2019 43

TIFFANY & CO. SchlumbergerÂŽ Hedges and Row earclips in platinum and gold with turquoise and diamonds, price upon request; tiffany.com

44 Summer 2019

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS PerlĂŠe bracelet, $21,500, and ring, $9,900, in white gold with turquoise and diamonds; vancleefarpels.com

Summer 2019 45

ETHO MARIA Necklace in white gold with turquoise and blue topaz, $10,600; neimanmarcus.com

OSCAR HEYMAN Ring in platinum with turquoise and diamonds, $35,000; oscarheyman.com

DE GRISOGONO Gocce ring in white gold with turquoise and diamonds, $49,900; degrisogono.com 46 Summer 2019

L.RAPHAEL beauty spa invites you to share special moments with your beloved ones and enjoy a unique and relaxing experience.

Day Spa - Anti Aging - Exclusive Skin Care - Aesthetic Slimming - Hair Dresser.

L.RAPHAEL AT THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW YORK - 57 EAST 57TH STREET - NEW YORK, NY 10022 - 212 350 6420 W W W.L- RAPHAEL.COM

PICCHIOTTI Xpandableâ„¢ bracelet in rose and white gold with turquoise and diamonds, $26,800; Bergdorf Goodman, 212.872.2579

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SOME PLACES YOU VISIT, OTHERS YOU KEEP.

DOES YOUR PORTFOLIO INCLUDE PRISTINE WHITE SANDS AND A BRILLIANT BLUE SEA?

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R O YA L B L U E G O L F

RACQUET CLUB

E S PA

S E N S E ®, A R O S E W O O D S PA

These materials do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy to residents of any jurisdiction where prior qualification is required unless the Developer has previously met such qualifications and no marketing or sales literature will be knowingly forwarded to or disseminated in such jurisdictions. Offers may only be presented and/or accepted at the sales center for Baha Mar. Any offering or programs contained herein are void where prohibited by law. Any purchase of a Residence should be for personal use and enjoyment and should be without reliance upon any Brand identification or potential for future profit, rental income, economic or tax advantages. Baha Mar is not owned, offered, marketed, sold, constructed or developed by Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, L.L.C. (“Rosewood”), sbe Hotel Management, LLC (“sbe”) or any of their affiliates (collectively, the “Brands”) and the Brands do not make any representations, warranties or guarantees whatsoever with respect to the Residences, Baha Mar or any part thereof. There exists no joint venture, joint enterprise, partnership, ownership, agency relationship, broker relationship or similar relationship between the Developer and Rosewood or sbe as to the Residences or the development, offering, marketing, sale or solicitation of Residences. The Developer’s use of the names of the Brands (Rosewood, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, sbe and SLS) is pursuant to limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable and non-sublicensable licenses from the Brands (the “Licenses”). The Licenses may be terminated or may expire without renewal and without the consent of, the Association or any owner of a Unit at the Condominium, in which case neither the Residences nor any part of Baha Mar will be identified as branded project affiliated with such Brand. Ownership privileges are limited, on an as-available basis and subject to change. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF DEVELOPER. Prices are subject to change without notice. For correct representations, please refer to the Purchase and Sales Agreement used for the purpose of acquiring a Residence in Baha Mar. All illustrations and depictions are artist renderings used to depict lifestyle only and are not intended to be scenes from or within Baha Mar.* All references to timeframes and dates are estimates and are subject to change based on the Developer’s plans as well as the occurrence of any circumstances that are outside of the Developer’s control**. Actual improvements may be subject to change and views may not be available from all Residences. Future development can limit or eliminate views from a particular Residence. Illustrations of the interior of the Residences may depict options and upgrades and may not be representative of standard fixtures, furniture or features and may not be available***. Any description of furnishings or fixtures is intended to be illustrative of the quality of furnishings and fixtures to be provided in the Residences and is not intended to display what will be available in the actual Residences. Notice to New York Residents: The complete offering terms are set forth in the New York Offering Plans, as amended, for Luxury Residences and Hotel at Baha Mar and Lifestyle Residences and Hotel at Baha Mar available from the Sponsor. (File Nos. CP13-0215 and CP13-0216. Sponsor: CTF BM Operations Ltd., One Baha Mar Blvd., Nassau, The Bahamas.) ****Copyright © CTF BM Operations Ltd. 2019 - All rights reserved.

NATURE

Vanishing Act

Scientists have sounded the alarm that many of the world’s coral reefs are dead or dying. While some healthy reefs still exist, the future is ominous.

by Ted Alan Stedman

50 Summer 2019

Brandon Cole

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in the Pacific Ocean

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I

t’s news to no one that Earth’s coral reefs are in peril.

Last year, headlines ricocheted around the world when a scientific report concluded that half of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef had died since 2016, following a period of warmer waters that caused the reef to suffer unprecedented, back-to-back bleaching events. And the most recent news only confirms the dire assessments.

The latest study, published in March 2019 by the scientific journal Nature, confirms that the consecutive bleaching events led to a massive collapse in the number of new corals. The decline—by 89 percent— puts into question the overall survivability of the coral reef ecosystem. “Dead corals don’t make babies,” says Professor Terry Hughes, lead author for the study and director of coral reef studies at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. “We saw bleaching due to global heating in two consecutive summers, which killed half the corals.” Corals can recover from a single bleaching event, but repeated periods of warm water amount to a death sentence, says Hughes. “The gap between one event and the next is critical for coral recovery, which takes a decade to occur.”

Individually, corals are tiny polyps that live in colonies and cumulatively build up limestone skeletons. Those structures link with others in the colony to become reefs.

A rise in ocean temperatures can trigger the bleaching response, in which heat-stressed corals turn white as they eject the symbiotic algae living inside their tissues that provide their host’s energy supply. If conditions aren’t reversed, prolonged bleaching results in coral death.

The first global bleaching event was recorded in 1998 during a strong El Niño. A second mass bleaching occurred in 2010 and a third, which lasted from 2014 to 2017, severely damaged about 70 percent of the world’s reefs. By virtually all scientific accounts, human activity is the culprit. For the past 250 years, the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation of carbon-absorbing forests have artificially raised the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

When Earth’s radiated heat is trapped by the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, land and sea temperatures rise.

A United Nations–backed study published in 2017 predicted that within the century, annual severe bleaching will affect 99 percent of the nearly 1,000 species of hard corals on Earth. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned last year that tropical reefs could decline by 70 to 90 percent if the oceans experience an average global rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius from preindustrial temperatures (the upper limit of which is the goal of the Paris Climate Accord). At 2 degrees Celsius warming, more than 99 percent of the reefs could be lost.

The impending disaster for corals has become code red, and their loss has far-reaching implications. Corals support an estimated 25 percent of all marine species and are relied upon by more than 1 million species of plants and animals on land and sea. The decision to live in a world with or without coral is upon us, and scientists stress that the time to act is now. From Australia to Florida, New Caledonia to Hawaii, here’s the latest on the state of our coral reefs and what can be done to help.

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The decision to live in a world with or without coral is upon us, and scientists stress that the time to act is now.

Great Barrier Reef

Australia

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned as the crown jewel of all coral reefs. It ranks as the world’s largest living structure, lacing Australia’s eastern coast like a 1,400-mile shimmering necklace. Comprised of nearly 3,000 individual reefs, the system is rich in biodiversity with some 400 species of coral, 3,000 shellfish species, and 1,625 types of fish. Until recently, there was consensus that the size and diversity of the Great Barrier Reef made the sprawling reef bleach-proof.

But as ocean temperatures have spiked, the Great Barrier Reef has now become exhibit A for the global predicaments facing coral reefs. Alarms first went off after a 2014 report by the Government of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park showed the GBR experienced a 50-percent decline in coral during the prior 27 years. In ensuing years, the situation has worsened.

Hughes took part in a 2016 aerial survey, documenting

From Left: Brandon Cole; Kyodo via AP Images; Jurgen Freund/NPL

Clockwise from top: Hardy Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsunday Islands; photographer Jürgen Freund taking photos of coral bleaching in the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, March 2017; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeastern coast of Australia, December 2017.

over 500 individual reefs in the GBR’s northern section. “We used to think the Great Barrier Reef was too big to fail—until now,” he says. “Almost without exception, every reef we flew across showed consistently high levels of bleaching. We flew 4,000 kilometers (about 2,500 crisscrossed miles) in the most pristine parts of the reef and saw only four reefs that had no bleaching.” In the past three years, the full 900 miles of the reef system have experienced severe bleaching. Hughes’ latest findings published in Nature paint an even bleaker assessment. “The areas of the reef that have lost the most corals had the greatest declines in replenishment,” he says.

Bleached corals can recover, but the study’s scientists fear that up to 50 percent of the affected coral has been destroyed and could take decades to recover. Mark Eakin, a coral reef scientist with National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch program, points to climate change as the main culprit and cites a blitz of global bleaching events occurring in 1998, 2010, and a consecutive period from 2014 to 2017. “[There were] huge marine heat waves that hit the Southern Hemisphere. In 2016, the GBR lost about 29 percent of its corals, and in 2017, another 22 percent,” he says, adding that climate change has increased water temperatures around the world. “You add that to climate change events like El Niños and La Niñas, and the high temperatures are causing the corals to bleach and die.”

Australia’s government has pledged nearly $380 million to save the GBR, but scientists remain skeptical. Short of reversing the global greenhouse gases responsible for climate change, the crown jewel of the world’s coral reefs will almost certainly be dethroned. w

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Florida Reef Tract

Florida

When Hurricane Irma buzz-sawed the Florida Keys in 2017, scientists were woeful about the already-perilous condition of its coral reefs. In the aftermath of one of America’s costliest storms ($50 billion), an assessment team from The Nature Conservancy converged at points along Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a corridor containing the only living barrier reef in the continental United States.

“It was crucial to get a fast yet detailed assessment of reef condition,” explains Jennifer Stein, The Nature Conservancy’s chief scientist on the research team. “Under normal circum­ stances, coral reefs can recover from hurricanes, but the Florida Tract reef was already stressed from bleaching and disease,” she says. “Irma was a record-setting Category 4 hurricane, packing winds up to 130 mph when its eye crossed the Florida Keys. Given these factors, we had no idea what to expect.”

The damage was severe, especially at the southern end of the Keys where the wind and wave action were strongest.

“It looked like a battlefield,” recalls Stein. Fragments of coral littered the seabed. Ten-foot-tall reef spurs were fractured and overturned. Huge areas of the reef had been reduced to rubble “as if there had been an earthquake,” she describes.

The storm’s devastation was but the latest saga for the 360-mile Florida Reef Tract, the world’s third-largest barrier

reef. A decade ago, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection issued a report revealing a 44 percent decline in coral cover from 1996 to 2005, largely due to massive coastal developments, stresses from unsustainable population growth such as wastewater outfalls, marine pollution, and the smothering of reefs by sediments. Just last year, scientists added climate change to the dire equation by reporting that less than 10 percent of the coral were alive. The further decay was traced to back-to-back bleaching events caused by increased ocean temperatures.

Beyond the ecological consequences, the loss of coral reefs poses greater coastal damage from storms that will likely increase in severity and frequency as global temperatures rise. Corals reduce the risk of flooding during storms and contribute to protecting the shoreline, affirms NOAA. Adds Michael Beck, lead marine scientist with The Nature Conservancy, “It’s incredibly important to recognize that these coral reefs are our first line of defense, and when we degrade them, we put ourselves at much greater risk.”

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From Top: National Geographic Image Collection/Alamy; Barry Brown (2). Opposite, From Top: Bill Harrigan/BluePlanetArchive; National Geographic Magazines/Getty; Michael Patrick O’Neill

Clockwise from top: Coral reefs and sand flats off the north coast of Jamaica; Boulder Star Coral in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, at the latter stage of bleaching; the same coral in the normal to beginning stages. Opposite, counterclockwise from top: Smooth Brain Coral in the Florida Keys; Brain Coral off Juno Beach, Florida, suffering from White Plague, a disease ravaging the Western Atlantic; a lighthouse in the Keys.

Jamaica About 50 percent of the Caribbean’s coral has disappeared since the 1960s, and just 16 percent remains healthy, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The UN agency that assists developing countries in implementing environmental policies and practices predicts that Caribbean coral reefs could face extinction within 20 years if population growth, pollution, invasive species, global warming, and overfishing are not curtailed.

At the center of this coral catastrophe sits Jamaica. The Caribbean’s third-largest island is surrounded by 479 square miles of coral reefs, many of which have been at the tipping point from overfishing, pollution, and natural storm disasters.

By 2005, 34 percent of Jamaica’s coral reefs had become bleached from rising sea temperatures and grew precariously fragile. Later that year Hurricane Katrina ravaged the reefs further, affecting more than a third of the island’s corals already stressed and weakened by repeated blows from hurricanes Allen (1980), Gilbert (1988), and Ivan (2004).

Despite the adversities, Jamaica’s reefs have proved some­ what resilient and are showing signs of improvements. While climate change and the resulting ocean acidification caused by increased carbon dioxide continue to pose major, longterm threats, a comprehensive analysis by 90 experts point to tourism, pollution, and, in particular, overfishing as the greatest challenges. In the “Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970–2012” study, overfishing of reef “grazers” such as the colorful parrotfish are adding to the collapse of coral reefs. In areas where populations of parrotfish, along with long-spine sea urchins, have declined, coral reefs have suffered considerably.

“Sea urchins and parrotfish are coral guardians,” explains Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation.

“These species are grazers and are fundamental in keeping algae in check. Excessive algae growth occurs without these animals feeding on algae, and corals weaken and die or become susceptible to other influences.” As algae moves in, diseases flourish while corals become smothered and succumb from lack of clear, nutrient- and oxygen-rich waters, Nedimyer says.

To date, Jamaicans’ fondness for parrotfish has brought the species to the brink of extinction. Without meaningful fishing regulations and enforcement, the loss of natural guardians will only exacerbate the demise of Jamaica’s once-unspoiled coral reefs. w

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Hikkaduwa Marine National Park

HELPING HANDS A private Florida community partners with an NGO to help restore local reefs.

In the shallow waters off Key Largo, Florida, lies a startling site: a whimsical underwater faux forest resembling Christmas trees decked with dangling ornaments swaying in the Gulf Coast current. The trees, in fact, are made of PVC pipe, the ornaments are fragments of coral, and the forest itself is known as the Carysfort Coral Tree Nursery—a total coral reef restoration initiative, the first of its kind.

The Florida Keys have seen drastic die-offs in coral cover in recent years, experiencing a 90-percent decline since the 1970s. In 2015, the private Key Largo community of Ocean Reef Club (oceanreef .com) partnered with the Coral Restoration Foundation, or CRF, (coralrestoration.org) to fully restore Carysfort Reef off Key Largo.

The nursery’s trees currently hold more than 6,000 individual coral colonies, suspending them above the smothering sands and debris that can impede young coral growth. When the corals reach a specific size, the CFR team and volunteers harvest the coral fragments and secure them to designated reef patches with a two-part marine epoxy.

Since 2015, Ocean Reef Club has committed $1 million to enable 30,000 corals to be propagated and outplanted to Carysfort Reef. The partnership estimates a full-scale restoration of the reef by 2020, with hopes that other similar reef projects will follow.

“North Carysfort Reef is an ideal site for a full restoration based on numerous factors,” says Jessica Levy, CRF program manager. “Our goal is to demonstrate a best-in-class example for international reef restoration efforts. Our partnership with Ocean Reef Club is proof that concentrated efforts are making a positive difference for this critical habitat.”

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Sri Lanka

Hugging the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, Hikkaduwa Marine National Park was established in 1985 as a sanctuary to protect flamboyant reefs that were among the healthiest in the Indian Ocean. The protected designation helped sprout scores of diving shops and instructors offering the opportunity to snorkel or scuba dive Hikkaduwa’s thriving reefs, which drew thousands of visitors.

Yet protected National Park status couldn’t offset the impacts from climate change. During the region’s coral bleaching episode in 1998, Hikkaduwa’s reefs began their slow death march. “The coral reefs were bleached in 1998, along with the other impacts in the Indian Ocean, due to El Niño,” explains Dr. Arjan Rajasuriya, coordinator for the country’s International Union for Conservation of Nature. Local waters rose by as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit, which in turn reduced the numbers of live coral from 47 percent to 13 percent.

Corals often recover with cooler water temperatures, but 20 years since the devastating mass coral bleaching from El Niño, Rajasuriya says additional pressures are mounting. “There are other negative impacts, particularly the filling of the area with sand,” he says. The coral-smothering sand is the unintentional result of the addition of a southern breakwater built to protect a nearby harbor after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. The breakwater has shifted inshore currents, causing the 251-acre Hikkaduwa reef area to become inundated with accumulating sand. “As a result, recovery is very slow and only certain species are able to tolerate that kind of sedimentation or sand accumulation,” Rajasuriya says.

Coral scientists say that 30 to 40 percent of a reef system needs to be restored to become self-sustaining. In the case of Hikkaduwa, there have been attempts by a team from the University of Colombo to transplant live corals to accelerate the recovery. The reintroduced corals grew successfully at first, but a tube worm colony took hold and destroyed the newly hatched coral polyps. Another invasive species, the black sponge, also killed off the new corals. In the end, the research team was unable to successfully re-grow Hikkaduwa’s corals.

Even with mitigation of the breakwater’s sand and control of invasive species, Hikkaduwa’s once-famous coral gardens face an ominous future. “It will take at least 15 to 20 years for the destroyed corals to come back, but only if bleaching occurrences do not take place repeatedly.”

From Top: Tobias Bernhard/Getty; Courtesy Chasing Coral. Opposite, From Top: Courtesy Coral Restoration Foundation/Alex Neufled; Danilovi/Getty; Levente Bodo/Alamy

From top: Hard coral above and below water in New Caledonia; filming the coral bleaching in New Caledonia.

Opposite from top left: The restoration of Carysfort Reef is the first of its kind; a green sea turtle on Hikkaduwa reef; aerial view of the reefs.

New Caledonia Barrier Reef Located 1,200 miles east from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the 930-mile New Caledonian barrier reef is the longest continuous barrier reef in the world. Historically, its centuries-old reefs teemed with upward of 8,500 marine species, placing it among Earth’s top biodiversity hot spots. In 2008, the French overseas territory became listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site largely due to its reef diversity and associated ecosystems.

The South Pacific archipelago was also lauded for its auspicious ability to rebound from what NOAA calls the “worst ever” global coral bleaching events in 2016 related to El Niño weather patterns. During the heat wave, surface sea temperatures throughout the equatorial Pacific rose 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit higher than normal. “All it takes for coral to bleach is the water being 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal,” says Fanny Houlbrecque of France’s Institution for Development Research. “Most corals do best in water temperatures between 73- and 84-degrees Fahrenheit.”

Unlike bleached corals in the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia reefs have recovered in the two years afterward.

But scientists are becoming increasingly alarmed at additional threats to coral health that include agriculture runoff, destruction of mangrove forests, and, particularly, nickel mining.

New Caledonia has the largest-known nickel deposits in the world, which generate roughly 90 percent of the region’s foreign exchange. The impacts of the nickel mining industry have been devastating as open-pit mines have led to deforestation and habitat destruction. Mining effluent has caused the siltation and destruction of streams and offshore coral reef areas. The loss of mangroves (which help retain

sediment from reaching offshore) has resulted in reefs being buried under several feet of silt.

New Caledonia’s government increasingly passes new legislation to maintain the balance of environmental conservation measures and the mining industry; a team of mine inspectors was created to ensure pollution abatement measures were upheld. But in the recent James Cook University (Australia) scientific report “Coral Health on Reefs Near Mining Sites in New Caledonia,” researchers conclude that mining continues to lead to coral death from sedimentation, disease, and algae overgrowth.

“You can’t grow back a 500-year-old coral in 15 years,” says NOAA’s Eakin. “In many cases, it’s like you’ve killed the giant redwoods.” w

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Hawaii Until 1983 widespread coral bleaching events were unheard of—and certainly not happening in Hawaii. Pockets of bleached corals had been documented around the globe, but never on a large scale. As initial indications of climate change took hold in the early ’80s, scientists began to formulate calculations looking at the cause-andeffect relationship of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity and rising ocean temperatures.

A decade later, Hawaii found itself in the climatic crosshairs. “Here in Hawaii, we only had a bleaching event in 1996, and then the corals recovered,” recalls Ku’ulei Rodgers, a researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii. “Unlike many places in the world, we were doing very well until 2014.”

Spanning more than 1,200 miles in the Central Pacific, Hawaiian coral reefs account for about 85 percent of all coral reefs in the United States, with 410,000 acres of living reef in the main islands alone. Sometimes referred to as the “Rainforests of the Sea,” the system has more than 7,000 known species of marine plants and animals, and because o of marine life that can be found only on Hawaii’s reefs.

But it turns out that Hawaii’s isolation wasn’t enough to forestall the effects of mounting climate change on a global level. In 2014, the coral reefs bleached again, followed by another widespread bleaching episode in 2015—the year NOAA declared the third-ever global bleaching event.

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That year the elevated sea temperatures bleached 47 percent of corals at Oahu’s Hanauma Bay, known as a snorkeling paradise the world over. Researchers later concluded that 10 percent of the bay’s coral died after permanently expelling the symbiotic algae. NOAA has since reported that 56 percent of the Big Island’s coral, 44 percent of Maui’s western reefs, and 32 percent of Oahu’s reefs were bleached and stressed between 2014 and 2015.

In a one-two punch for Hawaii’s coral, new findings show that rising sea temperatures may be only part of the problem. Just this year, researchers from the Ocean Tipping Points project published a new study that analyzed 10 years of data examining how sedimentation, development, and fishing affect Hawaii’s coral reefs. “When we jumped into the water in west Hawaii, over half the coral reef was dead,” says Lisa Wedding, lead author on the Stanford University report.

Understanding that local human activity is playing a role in the demise of Hawaii’s coral is the bad news no one wants to hear, but that knowledge will shape future efforts and policy, says Joey Lecky, co-author of the study and analyst for NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.

“These findings will allow us to take a big step forward in understanding how corals are impacted by both human activities and by environmental stressors.”

From Top Christophe Mason-Parker/BluePlanetArchive; Jakub Gojda/Alamy. Opposite, From Top: Benja Iglesis (2); Photo Resource Hawaii/Alamy

From top: A reef with stony coral at Baie Ternay Marine National Park, Mahe, Seychelles; divers in the Seychelles.

Opposite from top: Bleaching before and after in the Molokini midreef area; Oahu’s Hanauma Bay, a popular marine life conservation area teeming with fish and coral reefs.

Seychelles The island nation of the Seychelles conjures dreamy images of idyllic tropical splendor. White-sand beaches, distinctive granite shores, perfectly arching palms, and tourmaline waters are ever-present backdrops for the 115-island archipelago off East Africa in the Indian Ocean. However, the picture-perfect paradise is experiencing a relentless environmental battle.

Up to 97 percent of the Seychelles coral reefs died after the catastrophic bleaching event in 1998, causing many reefs around the islands to collapse into rubble fields.

In 2016 another enormous bleaching event hammered the islands and eliminated the recoveries made during the intervening years. While some of the Seychelles’ bleached corals continue to live, they do so precariously and without the symbiotic algae that gives corals their colorful hues and critical food source. It’s anybody’s guess whether these weakened, disease-prone, fragile corals will survive future episodes of ocean temperature spikes.

The Seychelles government has sprung into action as it tries to protect its reefs, which are seen as lucrative enticements for travelers who visit the Seychelles, especially to snorkel and scuba dive. This year the government embarked on an innovative program where it exchanged a portion of its sovereign debt for investment in marine protection areas.

In one high-profile case, The Nature Conservancy and environmentalist-actor Leonardo DiCaprio teamed up to purchase $22 million in debt owed to various countries in exchange for the creation of two reserves around two critical

ecosystems. Meanwhile, conservationists have implemented a number of coral reef restoration projects spread throughout the archipelago.

Nature Seychelles, a local NGO, began the country’s first scientific coral restoration program nine years ago and has since propagated over 45,000 coral fragments for transplanting to damaged reefs. The country’s National Parks Authority, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, and other entities have become involved with coral nurseries as well, as the collective emergency has become imminent.

In light of global warming and the likelihood of continued bleaching events, Nature Seychelles is attempting to identify and grow “super corals” that demonstrated resistance to the 2016 bleaching event. “Restoration is really only a tool to try and help the reef to recover faster,” says Chloé Pozas, a project leader with Nature Seychelles, “especially because coral bleaching is projected to happen annually to 2050.” w

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DIVE IN

Pristine coral reefs are increasingly rare.

See them now.

RED SEA, EGYPT

Where parched Egyptian sands slide into the Red Sea lies an implausible marine paradise of Technicolor corals and upward of 1,000 fish species. “Many don’t realize how large the Red Sea is and how much marine diversity exists in it,” explains Wayne Brown, CEO of Aggressor Adventures of global liveaboard vessels used by divers and snorkelers. Aboard the Red Sea Aggressor I, the Brothers/ Daedalus/Elphinstone itinerary offers proof that pristine coral reefs with over 150 coral species can exist in unimaginable places. “The big standouts are the Brothers reefs—two small islands sitting in the middle of the Red Sea where pinnacle reefs are smothered with

extravagant coral surrounded by zillions of colorful reef fish,” says Brown. “Guests are astounded at the florid underwater tapestry seemingly at odds with the region’s arid desert. It’s one of the sunniest places on the planet, so the corals and their tiny guests thrive on an abundance of solar energy.”

Details: Multiple dates throughout 2019– 2020; 20 guests; departs from Port Ghalib, Egypt. From $2,400/person; aggressor.com

TUBBATAHA, PHILIPPINES

Isolated in the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reef National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site visited by divers who want to experience the best coral reefs of the 7,000-island

Philippines archipelago. “Due to the reef ’s remote location and limited, three-month window of accessibility, corals there are as undisturbed and as extravagant as you’ll find anywhere,” says Yvette Lee, marketing manager for Discovery Fleet, which specializes in organizing regional dive trips on its two liveaboards, Discovery Palawan and Discovery Adventure. Guarded zealously 24/7 year-round by marine rangers that are the only inhabitants, Tubbataha consists of two massive atolls and a smaller reef totaling 375 square miles, with plunging 300-foot perpendicular walls, extensive lagoons, and two coral islands. Scientists have documented 360 coral species and over

Clockwise from top left: An enormous Napolean wrasse fish in the Red Sea; a massive reef in the Red Sea; Raja Ampat, Indonesia; healthy coral; cave diving in the Solomon Islands; fluorescent coral at night; swimming with a whale shark at Tubbataha; a dive boat at Tubbataha.

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From Top: Damien Mauric (2); KWMacWilliams (2). Opposite, From Top: Alexis Rosenfeld; Scott Johnson; Alex Mustard/NPL; Greg Lecoeur

600 fish species. “Every dive you’ll see walls of corals and resident fish that are so colorful it almost doesn’t seem real,” says Lee. Details: June 12–19/14–21, 2019 (2020 schedule TBD); 26/32 guests; departs from Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Philippines. From $2,325/person, plus $275 transit/park fees; discoveryfleet.com

SOLOMON ISLANDS

In the middle of the fabled Coral Triangle, these islands lie in a region of the Western Pacific recognized as the undisputed center of marine biodiversity. That includes enormous coral gardens of every hue, precipitous plunging walls, and seascapes of incredible visibility where sharks, mantas, pilot whales, and tiny pygmy seahorses are as common as they are extraordinary. “The Solomons are still considered remote and don’t see many visitors,” explains Renske Lauterbach, marketing assistant with Master Liveaboards, which owns and operates the Solomons PNG Master. Says Lauterbach of the Diving Solomon Islands itinerary, “The areas we visit are filled with innumerable unspoiled hard and soft corals. Of course, fish large and small—from whale sharks to tiny ghost pipefish—come with the show.”

Details: Multiple dates throughout 2019– 2020; 20 guests; departs from Honiara (Guadalcanal), Solomon Islands. From $2,950/person; masterliveaboards.com

untouched islands, cays, and shoals, the waters flaunt at least 1,300 fish species, 13 marine mammals, five species of sea turtles, and a whopping 75 percent of all known coral species. “Most marine biology records are established here—the reefs swarm with so many fish that they block the sunlight,” says Luigi Russo, managing director for the boutique liveaboard Arenui. On the Greater Raja Ampat itinerary, passengers of the ship—a luxurious, classic Indonesian wooden sailing vessel—might see up to 465 coral species during 11- and 13-night voyages.

“The only problem with Raja Ampat is that guests say they become forever spoiled by near-perfect conditions,” says Russo.

Details: The season begins November 20, 2019 (check for additional dates/availability); 16 guests; departs Sorong (West Papua), Indonesia. From $6,930/person; thearenui.com u

RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA

Off the northwest tip of Indonesia’s West Papua province, the sprawling Raja Ampat archipelago boasts the world’s richest biodiversity. Scattered among 1,500 virtually Summer 2019

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DESERT

BEAT

DRESS TO THE RHYTHM OF SUMMER IN FLOUNCY

SILHOUETTES, BACKLESS CUTOUTS, AND CLASSIC DENIM.

Photography JACK GUY Styling MARCO RODRIGUEZ

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FASHION Her: THEORY denim jacket, $395, and shell, $295; theory.com MOUSSY jeans, $350; moussy-global.com JOHN HARDY earrings, $595, and bracelet, $795; johnhardy.com ELECTRIC sunglasses, $175; electriccalifornia.com Him: LEVI’S shirt, $88; levi.com THEORY jeans, $298; theory.com BULOVA watch, $575; bulova.com MOSCOT sunglasses, $300; moscot.com MOKE electric mini, $18,000; mokeamerica.com

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ZIMMERMAN dress, $895; zimmerman.com MOUSSY boots, $200; moussy-global.com JOHNNY WAS necklace, $200; johnnywas.com NICK FOUQUET hat, $1,375; nickfouquet.com

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FRAME shirt, $85; frame.com SOLID & STRIPED shorts, $98; solidandstriped.com CONVERSE shoes, $50; converse.com PARMIGIANI FLEURIER watch, $26,000; parmigianifleurier.com ELECTRIC sunglasses, $220; electriccalifornia.com

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JONATHAN SIMKHAI dress, $795; jonathansimkhai.com CONVERSE shoes, $50; converse.com VERSACE earrings, $325; versace.com JOHNNY WAS rings, $150–$595; johnnywas.com RAY-BAN sunglasses, $155; ray-ban.com

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SIR THE LABEL romper, $280; sirthelabel.com JOHNNY WAS bracelet, $70; johnnywas.com

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SIR THE LABEL dress, price upon request; sirthelabel.com JOHN HARDY earrings, $1,195, and bracelet, $650; johnhardy.com

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ZEGNA shirt, price upon request; zegna.com FRAME jeans, $195; frame.com RADO watch, $2,000; rado.com

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ZIMMERMAN top, $595, and skirt, $850; zimmerman.com JOHN HARDY earrings, $595; johnhardy.com

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Turn

Up the

Volume Music festivals have been upgraded to first class.

by Alexandra Cheney

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PYMCA/UIG/Bridgeman Images

O

nce a mecca for spring breakers and free spirits camping out in their cars and indulging in bad food and cheap alcohol, music festivals worldwide have evolved into business and cultural juggernauts. Global fashion houses, art institutions, top-shelf spirits brands, and automobile makers all clamber to create meaningful partnerships in an attempt to woo CEOs, jet-setters, and tastemakers. Festival impresarios tailor backstage moments and erect exclusive accommodations in an effort to seduce those looking for a more luxe experience.

Here, five multiday events that feature infallible musicians, cool vibes, and must-do experiences.

Glastonbury Festival

Somerset, England

Every six years “Glasto” takes a fallow year. Last year, Worthy Farm, a working dairy farm in the southwestern English countryside—which doubles as the event site—rested from the strain of 175,000 mud-caked, Hunter-boot-wearing festival-goers. So the excitement for the 2019 fiveday festival, with acts like Janelle Monáe, British MC Stormzy, and Kylie Minogue, is at fever pitch.

Glastonbury began on September 19, 1970, the day after Jimi Hendrix died. The price fell from £1 to free up until 2000, when too many people crashed and the District Council required the installation of an impenetrable fence and proper tickets, now complete with passport photos. There hasn’t been a Glasto in recent memory where rain hasn’t been on the set list; must-have accessories include classic waxed jackets and “waterproofs,” like the glossy PVC pants model Kate Moss made famous in 2007.

Next Performance: June 26–30, 2019; glastonburyfestivals.co.uk Notable Moments: Stevie Wonder sang happy 40th birthday to the festival in 2010; Blur reunited in 2009 after a lengthy hiatus; and in an unusual move, rockabilly blues artist Johnny Cash headlined in 1994. w Summer 2019

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Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Indio, California

Next Performance: April 10–12, 2020, April 17–19, 2020; coachella.com Notable Moments: Beyoncé became the first female African-American headliner in 2018; Tupac’s hologram joined Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg onstage in 2012; Tool upstaged Madonna in 2006; The White Stripes outplayed the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2003.

KAABOO Cayman GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS Described by its founders as a “curated, two-day sound voyage,” KAABOO Cayman mixes music, cocktails, cuisine, comedy, and contemporary art. Two alternating stages with a plethora of live art installations between them mean there’s not much downtime once the festival begins each day, although finding a toes-in-the-sand minute to watch the sun set into the Caribbean Sea is an excellent idea. The Chainsmokers, Zedd, and Duran Duran headlined the first-ever KAABOO Cayman, which took place on the northern end of Seven Mile Beach. A series of packages with names like Silver Thatch and Royal Palm offer up private beachfront oases with mixology classes and tie-dye activations, as well as VIP areas at the dual stages. Local food options like shrimp and conch ceviche as well as braised beef tacos present options aplenty, and live chef demonstrations from the likes of Michelle Bernstein and Michael Mina offer welcome respite from the Cayman sun.

Next Performance: September 13–15, 2019, in Del Mar, California; kaaboodelmar.com Notable Moments: Bryan Adams ended his set with an exclusively phone-lit rendition of “All for Love;” KAABOO investor Sir Richard Branson hopped onstage during Flo Rida’s performance; Salt-N-Pepa celebrated their 30th year of making music.

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Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top Left: Coachella Music Festival/Julian Bajsel; Festival International de Jazz de Montréal/Benoit Rousseau; Ondalinda x Careyes/Nicholas K Hess (2); Kaaboo Cayman

Set over two sequential three-day weekends, Coachella mixes headliners with rising talent, global acts, and relative unknowns— this year in the form of Ariana Grande, Virgil Abloh, Calypso Rose, and Alice Merton. Flower crowns and something fringed are decades-long mainstays within the Empire Polo Club lawns. What began as a desert-forward look, “festival style” is now a curatorial and bankable season on the fashion calendar. Designers like Rebecca Minkoff, Mara Hoffman, and even Levi’s create limitededition drops timed to the music-and-arts soiree, now in its 20th year. Considering the leading hotels are in Palm Springs, some 25 miles away, festival organizers collaborate with Valley Music Travel (valleymusictravel.com) to create fully furnished and airconditioned shikar-style safari tents and yurts on-site, complete with concierge services. Worth noting: Coachella grossed $114.6 million over six days in 2017.

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal Montreal, Canada Situated in downtown’s Quartier des Spectacles, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal holds the Guinness World Record for largest jazz festival in the world. Over 10 days, more than 500 concerts span 20 stages throughout Québec’s largest city. The event has grown to include reggae, some electronica, and world music in addition to blues and jazz. Although an occasional tux and tails punctuates performances on the main stage, in 2017 the favored—and lasting—style statement came in the form of food: Concert-goers consumed 5,500 pounds of poutine, a dish

of french fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy.

In its 40th edition, the festival will feature Norah Jones, alt-J, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Buddy Guy, and Melody Gardot. Last year featured Charlotte Gainsbourg (who also performed at Coachella this year); Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite; and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

Next Performance: June 27–July 6, 2019; montrealjazzfest.com Notable Moments: The 2016 pairing of Erykah Badu and Wynton Marsalis; up-and-comer Woodkid opened the festival with a free 100,000plus concert in 2014; the Cab Calloway Orchestra’s legendary 1991 set.

Ondalinda x Careyes Jalisco, Mexico Framed by the sapphire blue of the Pacific Ocean, Ondalinda x Careyes takes place at Careyes, an expansive and architecturally daring beachfront resort. Founded in 2016, the music and arts festival focuses on a different region and peoples of Mexico each year, from Oaxaca to the Huicholes and Purépecha tribe. Its founders prefer not to repeat DJs, which means those at the turntables are the newest and hottest, like Bedouin and YokoO. Only 600 tickets are available and the annual event includes access to themed dinners, open-bar nighttime dance parties, and a daytime beach club—think Burning Man but with temescals and fresh açaí bars. A nonprofit runs the event, which means a portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Mexican people chosen that year.

Next Performance: November 6–10, 2019; ondalindaxcareyes.com Notable Moments: Guy Laliberté, co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, DJ’ed a set in 2017, the same year that the Mayan Warrior Art Car (from Burning Man fame) found its way to Careyes. u Summer 2019 89

ADVENTURE

scram·ble

verb • make one’s way quickly or awkwardly up a steep slope or over rough ground. noun • a difficult or hurried clamber up or over something.

A week-long rally on an off-road motorbike through New Zealand’s rugged South Island offers more than dramatic landscapes and stunning scenery—it’s a bucket-list adventure on a path less traveled. w

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SCRAMBLE THROUGH THE

Sout hern

PHOTOGRAPHED AND WRITTEN BY CHRIS BRINLEE JR.

HOKITIKA

LAKE IANTHE (CAMPING) FRANZ JOSEF

ARTHURS PASS

CHRISTCHURCH ECO VILLA

CAMERON FLAT (CAMPING)

CAMP GLENORCHY

WANAKA VALLEY VIEWS GLAMPING

QUEENSTOWN

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As the sun falls behind the ocean, its golden light fades to blue over the mountainous landscape. High in the hills against the darkening sky, white glaciers cast a remarkable glow until starlight overtakes the view. The scene is merely the icing after a day of sweet solitude, following sweeping curves and open roads by motorcycle through steep valleys, enchanted forests, and coastal plains.

On day five of a self-guided, eight-day adventure tour around New Zealand’s Southern Alps, a campsite materializes along the shores of a tranquil lake. The multiday riding trip has been mentally and physically exhausting, yet camping here is a deliberate choice. One of the world’s premier adventure lodges is just up the road, tempting the weary with deep-soaking tubs and private chef services.

While distances on maps in this country seem short, getting anywhere takes a long time because of the twisty roads, slow speed limits, and summer caravans of RVs that are difficult to pass. Then, even the most well-planned, well-paced route will run into changeable weather because New Zealand, for all its dramatic beauty, will inevitably throw a curveball.

Former pro dirt biker and actor Gunner Wright describes these Alpine spoils as the opportunity to “ride all of the best terrain in the United States: rolling hills, coastal seascapes, twisty backroads, rural farmland, and urban scenes—but in the period of a week.” That makes sense given that California alone is twice the size of the entire country. Another bonus: Day rides can be linked by unique, often luxurious accommodations. Campgrounds and fivestar lodges included, each place operates under the pretense of sustainable practices and enables travelers to develop an intrinsic connection to their natural surroundings.

A logical starting point for the Southern Alps scramble is Christchurch, located on South Island midway up the east coast. New Zealand Motorcycle Rentals & Tours (nzbike.com) outfits customers with adventure bikes like the Honda Africa Twin ($140/day), which was just reintroduced after a 13-year hiatus. With a 998 cc engine that revs up to 94 hp, the bike was designed specifically for exploring on and offroad—a requirement for the journey ahead. The size and seat height of any adventure bike can be a lot to handle, but this one especially delivers the comfort needed for an extended ride.

Says Wright, “Do proper research on the bike that you will ride beforehand, so that you are familiar with its controls and characteristics before taking delivery. You may have to adjust your riding style and route depending on the type of bike and its tires.” Wright recommends wearing proper riding gear and packing light while also being prepared for variable weather conditions. Summertime temperatures can soar as quickly as they drop, so it’s not uncommon to experience chilling rain or snow.

From the bike shop, head to Bowenvale Park, the city’s highest point with sweeping views of Christchurch, the bay, and the snowcapped mountains ahead. From there, suburbs quickly transition to farmland and then to the Rakaia Gorge Bridge over turquoisecolored waters, foreshadowing what’s to come. Rejoin the coast at Timaru (stop for lunch) and finish the day’s 180-mile ride at Valley Views Glamping (valleyviews.co.nz).

Hosts Patrick and Amber Tyrrell show guests to geodesic domes, situated as the place’s name suggests. Within each one, beds are piled high with down duvets and wool blankets. Familystyle meals in the communal lodge come alongside quality conversations. Patrick, a South African, and Amber, a Kiwi, met in Israel while backpacking around the world before settling down where Amber was raised. w

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Former pro dirt biker Gunner Wright rides a Honda Africa Twin while likening the route to the best terrain in the United States compressed into a manageable weeklong tour.

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STUNNING TERRAIN ABOUNDS: From running the Great Walks trail network and a geodesic room at Valley Views Glamping to crystal blue rivers and narrow mountain passes.

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Inspired by a safari experience in Patrick’s native country, the Tyrrells built with sustainably sourced materials, recycle studiously, and source food locally (the eggs come from down the road, where they’re hatched by free-range chickens at Amber’s brother’s farm). Outdoor baths among the trees are heated each night before guests retreat to their planetarium-like rooms.

From there, it’s a 142-mile ride to Queenstown through the vast, rolling hills of Central Otago and Danseys Pass, where an unsealed road tests riding skills for the reward of climbing through sub-alpine forests and past the tree line to glimpse expansive views. Find lunch in the historic mining town of Clyde and continue through Kawarau Gorge. The highway here winds in sharp turns along the river of the same name, which is the most voluminous, commercially rafted waterway in New Zealand.

Stop in Queenstown, nicknamed the “adventure capital of the world” for its bevy of extreme sports outfitters. Stay at one of several lakefront, world-class hotels, including Matakauri (robertsonlodges.com); Eichardt’s Private Hotel (eichardts.com); and QT Queenstown (qthotelsandresorts.com), where restaurant Bazaar is known for its interactive and theatrical displays of international cuisines.

The next morning is an early one; take a sunrise ride to the Routeburn Track. The hike, among the most dramatic and accessible sections of New Zealand’s Great Walks trail network, begins in the enchanting Beech Forest, which quickly gives way to valley views before a high-alpine scape dotted with tarns. Routeburn Falls lies about six miles in and, if there is time, hikers continue to Harris Saddle—the highest point of the track—for a panoramic outlook over the nearby Darran Mountains (featured in the helicopter chase scene for Mission Impossible: Fallout). By nightfall, return to your bike and ride to the nearby settlement of Glenorchy.

Visitors might recognize the scenery around Camp Glenorchy (theheadwaters.co.nz), opened in 2018 by an American couple from Seattle and situated where Isengard was filmed for Lord of the Rings. Well-manicured grounds and creatively decorated private cabins and bunk rooms are arranged around centralized common areas and are comfortable, but nothing fancy. A shared kitchen, dining room, and outdoor fire pit foster the welcoming, community feel of the place, which boasts the country’s first Net Zero Energy accommodations (using as much electricity as they generate through solar farming). The innovative building designs, which use 50 percent less water and energy than similar facilities, are displayed in each room to educate guests.

The next day requires backtracking to Queenstown and then following the Crown Range Road over the saddle of the same name—one of New Zealand’s highest. Continue into the Cardrona Valley where the roads are windy and, if you can find an opening free from traffic, the riding is bliss. Follow that highway down into Wanaka, Queenstown’s less-busy sister city, and stop for lunch along the lake. Spend a night at Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet (wharekealodge.com), Wanaka’s most decadent stay, or continue riding for another hour to Cameron Flat where the simple campsite has been dubbed “the Five-Billion-Star Hotel.”

Shake off the fatigue after setting up the tent for a 30-minute sunset hike to the Blue Pools to witness the gorgeous effects of water passing through a canyon for thousands of years. Sunrise from Cameron Flat is as good as it gets, so soak it in while packing up camp and then hitting the pavement.

In the first hour of the ride, cross Haast Pass, the Southern Alps’ continental divide.

Herein lies the journey’s just desserts. New Zealand’s West Coast is known for its rugged remoteness, its dramatic relief, glaciers that stretch nearly from summit to sea, and its numerous beaches. Trees and shrubs grow closer together here and everything is green due to the high amount of average rainfall that the area receives. Slow down to take in the views at Bruce Bay (where the tide breaks into the highway) and continue into Fox Glacier township. The guide service of the same name facilitates a closer look at the ice, which is rapidly receding and will soon disappear.

For the last night, choose between Te Waonui Forest Retreat (tewaonui.co.nz) in Franz Josef Glacier and Lake Ianthe Campgrounds (westcoast.co.nz) another hour’s ride up the road. Lakefront sites make the water tempting for a quick dip. When the sun rises, the homestretch over Arthur’s Pass awaits and Christchurch is a mere two hours away. The pass is the highest (3,018 feet) of only three roads crossing the Southern Alps. As such, it’s no surprise that riding it is par for the course on this tour. The Great Alpine Highway turns quickly inland while tracing a feeder river to the Tasman Sea. The landscape changes from delta and West Coast bush to steep foothills covered in beeches, and, before long, riding over the impressively constructed Otira Viaduct allows for safe passage through a series of volatile and dangerous gorges and high mountain slopes. To delay the inevitable, stop to hike Castle Hill where dramatic rock formations touch the sky and dozens of paragliders float down to earth as the sun sets on the horizon. w

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GEAR UP 1. Portuguese company Nexx has been making premium motorcycle helmets since 2001; thanks to a partnership with Rev’It, the lids are more easily available and accessible in the United States. The Nexx X-Wed 2 Hill End features a lightweight yet adaptable design that can be configured for dual sport, dirt, or street use by easily swapping out parts. To further increase its versatility, customizable padding is included; and it also has a builtin sun shield that can be flipped down with a switch—convenient for varying weather conditions. From $480; nexx-helmets.com 2. Created specifically for adventure riding by the British motorcycle gear company, the Rev’It Sand 3 jacket ($500), trousers ($360), and gloves ($110) provide excellent rider protection and ventilation in warmer climates, but with removable, three-layer waterproof and insulated liners for cold or wet climates. That versatility is perfect for summer touring in New Zealand, as it can be hot and sunny, then cold and rainy while crossing mountain passes. revitsport.com 3. Former design director at The North Face Kevin Murray created Velomacchi to craft gear made specifically for rugged and high-speed travel on motorcycles. Every feature and detail on the Velomacchi Speedway 40L Backpack ($300) and 50L Hybrid Duffel ($280) has been carefully considered; the result is a set of stylish bags that will keep your stuff dry in a downpour and protected if you go down in a fall.

The self-articulating, quick-release Speedway suspension system keeps the weight secure and perfectly distributed whether wearing a T-shirt or full adventure jacket. velomacchi.com 4. The key to a great night’s sleep outside has everything to do with the gear you use. The Big Agnes Copper Spur Platinum 2 Tent ($600), Pluton UL 40˚ Sleeping Bag ($350), and Insulated Axl Air Sleeping Pad ($180) together weigh just over 4 pounds; you’ll be hard-pressed to find a lighter, more compact, and better-designed kit, especially when space comes at a premium on a motorcycle trip. bigagnes.com 5. The Honda Africa Twin has been reintroduced after a 13-year hiatus and is arguably one of the most exciting adventure bikes available. With a 998 cc engine producing 94 hp, nearly 9 inches of suspension in both the front and rear, and a protective windscreen, the motorcycle is equally adept at tackling highway miles and backroads, and it’s a comfortable ride. From $13,600; powersports.honda.com 6. This waterproof adventure touring boot was designed to excel and protect in the most rugged conditions. The Alpinestars Toucan GTX features an innovative, flexible ankle protection system that provides all-day comfort and doesn’t hinder shifting or brake usage. Its two-buckle closure system makes the shoes easy to pull off after a long day of riding. $500; alpinestars.com.

7. The simplified time indicator on the Favre-Leuba Harpoon dive watch uses a single hand and accompanying dial to display minutes and hours. While the time readout takes some getting used to, it makes total sense once you do— allowing you to focus on the dedicated task at hand. The automatic FL301 movement, based on the Sellita SW200 caliber, ensures that it keeps running as long as you do. $4,750; favre-leuba.com 8. Few jackets that look this good have the technical credence to protect you from the elements in a storm. Though not fully waterproof like a Gore-Tex jacket, the AETHER Pinnacle Jacket 2.0 will keep you dry in anything short of a rain torrent. Made from a lined, stretchy, three-layer softshell blend, the jacket moves like you do without giving the appearance that you just stepped off a Winter Olympics podium. $450; aetherapparel.com u 96

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GETAWAYS

Surfing Safari W

ith 372,000 miles of coastline in the world, sometimes Mother Nature delights with a flawless left-hand point break or a consistent, rolling A-frame. The well-documented, glistening shores of California, Australia, South Africa, Hawaii, and Indonesia, to name a few, have

popularized surf travel and draw bigger crowds each year. As the demand for accessible, rideable waves increases, surfers seek good swells at less publicized—and surprisingly unexpected—spots like these. w

by Alexandra Cheney

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Courtesy Surfers Lodge Peniche/Tobias Ilsanker

The secret surf spot in Portugal is Peniche, about 60 miles northwest of Lisbon.

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PORTUGAL THE SURF SPOT: Peniche Powdery-soft sand lines the swooping bays and lolls at the foot of the algae-encrusted headlands of Peniche, one of the country’s largest traditional fishing ports and a seashell-colored town of 30,000 people. Located roughly 60 miles northwest of Lisbon, Peniche and its neighboring municipalities, Consolação and Baleal, boast more than a dozen diverse, multidirectional breaks: There’s always somewhere to paddle out that’s less than a 10-minute drive. Supertubos, a hollow, punchy wave, hosts the Rip Curl Pro, and Middles, a softer A-frame in the center of Baleal Bay, can be thrown badly by the wind. The saline content of the water mixed with briny seaweed occasionally leaves surfers with the subtle taste of cucumber on their skin.

Eager to capitalize on the influx of surfers, Peniche residents have opened hotels and surf schools aplenty. Wife-and-husband duo Annie Graham and John Malmqvist run Surfers Lodge Peniche (surferslodgepeniche.com), where the jewel of the Bali Suite is a natural, Balinese lava stone tub and the Beatles Suite comes with a private deck.

Head downstairs to the surf school, a meticulously organized basement filled with wetsuit cleaning tubs, private equipment storage, and an ample variety of house surfboards. Graham and Malmqvist installed a dehumidifier to expedite the wetsuit drying process as well as a rain shower to rinse off any persistent sand. The hotel hosts rooftop jam concerts, weekly yoga classes, and several activities to punctuate surf sessions.

WHERE TO LAND: Lisbon It’s worth fending off the jet lag for a few days in the capital city. Recently opened, The One Palácio da Anunciada (hotelstheone.com) occupies a former 16th-century palace and features 83 rooms and suites, not to mention a private rooftop garden and infinity pool. Stumble upon a former chapel façade tucked almost furtively into one of the hallways; or stand, mouth agape, in the Condes da Ericeira Restaurant admiring the dusty, hand-painted, three-dimensional ceiling frescoes in pink, blue, white, and gold.

Walk toward Alfama for a caffeine stop at Comoba, where everything from the small-batch coffee to artisanal matcha comes in local, handmade ceramic cups. Stop into jeweler Tania Gil’s workshop.

Nearly plucked from the sea, sterling silver creations by Gil were made from molds using ocean-sourced urchins, starfish, and shells that allow for the most intricate details to be replicated. Entry is granted solely via a secret door knock at Foxtrot, an art nouveau watering hole that vaunts a clipboard’s worth of drinks like its namesake, a vodka-forward cocktail made with crème de banana and passion fruit juice. w

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Courtesy Images, Counter-Clockwise from Top: Surfers Lodge Peniche/Tobias Ilsanker (3); Surfers Lodge Peniche/Luis Silva Campos. Opposite, From Top: Courtesy The One Palacio/Roger Mendez; Vasili/Agefotostock

An aerial view of Baleal with its diverse breaks and surfer scenes. Below right: The living room at Surfers Lodge Peniche. Opposite: Pool view at The One PalĂĄcio da Anunciada; BelĂŠm Tower, Lisbon.

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THE SURF SPOT: Mar del Plata Wide swaths of sandy beach are punctuated by manmade, stacked jetties, Mar Del Plata’s marina, and giant slabs of slick, rocky bluffs. Echoed underwater, the changing landscape makes both sand- and rockbottomed breaks like Playa Grande, Bahia Faro, and Cabo Corrientes. There’s even a Playa Waikiki, named courtesy of its likeness to the original in Hawaii.

Interestingly, swells here are generated purely by winds off the Atlantic coast. The handful or so of local surf spots are highly exposed (versus being located in narrow bays or coves), meaning wind direction and size can greatly change the waves—say, from mushy whitewash to hollow barrels. Headquartered in the sand, Kikiwai Surf Club offers lessons and surf academies. Along with a smattering of local boardbuilding companies like Xtorsion and Birdband, the club has helped grow the surf scene, which now hosts several contests including a longboard classic.

Reserve the Presidential Suite at Hotel Costa Galana (hotelcostagalana.com). From the 15th-floor corner suite, check the swell from the private balcony and enjoy breakfast overlooking Playa Grande. Floorto-ceiling sliding glass doors allow ocean breezes to waft through the kitchen, living space, and bedroom.

Loosen up with a private yoga Nidra class or relax in the spa hammam.

WHERE TO LAND: Buenos Aires With its broad boulevards, chic fashion scene, and diverse, albeit trendy neighborhoods, this capital city is known as “the Paris of South America.” Artisans from the country’s different provinces sell their wares (blankets, rugs, pottery, and more) at Facon, an old house in the Palermo Viejo neighborhood. Allot plenty of time to explore Aux Charpentiers, an oldfashioned store that’s been reworking the traditional clothes of Argentine farmworkers into ready-to-wear garments since 1888. Floreria Atlántico, No. 14 on the 2018 World’s 50 Best Bars list, is hidden beneath a modest flower shop. Order the house specialty gin and tonic but beware: the amount of both gins and tonics, including house-made blends, is voluminous.

It’s no coincidence that Argentine Patricia O’Shea and her husband, British record producer Tom Rixton, named their 20-room hotel Home (homebuenosaires .com). Nothing about this boldly designed space feels impersonal. Book one of the duo of suites: Garden includes a small plunge pool and rooftop terrace; Poolside has its own wood-burning outdoor fireplace.

In an effort to personalize service, Home publishes its own curated, biannual city guide with places, spaces, and personal tips. w

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Courtesy Images, Counter-Clockwise from Top Left: Turismo Mar del Plata (3); Hotel Costa Galana; Home Hotel/Gustavo Sosa Pinilla; Aux Charpentiers

ARGENTINA

Clockwise from above: Home Hotel & Restaurant; the Presidential Suite at Hotel Costa Galana; El Torreón del Monje, a beach club and restaurant in Mar del Plata; surfing Mar del Plata; the city’s symbolic sea wolf sculpture; traditional clothing at Aux Charpentiers.

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Courtesy Rosewood Hong Kong. Opposite, Clockwise From Top Right: Courtesy Tai O Heritage Hotel; Edward Wong/South China Morning Post via Getty Images; Courtesy Rosewood Hong Kong; Dave Stamboulis/Alamy; GerryRousseau/Alamy; imageBROKER/Alamy

HONG KONG THE SURF SPOT: Lantau Island The largest of Hong Kong’s land masses, Lantau Island rests at the mouth of the Pearl River. Accessible from downtown Hong Kong via a series of motorways and several ferries, the isle hosts Hong Kong’s Disneyland Resort as well as Tian Tan Buddha, a 111-foot-tall hilltop statue. Beyond the attractions lies a mountainous interior and a coastline filled with pristine beaches. Oatmeal-colored sands lead to green, palm tree–filled jungles at Cheung Sha, a punchy beach break that enlivens during summertime south swells. Known as the autonomous territory’s longest beach, there’s room to seek out a solitary peak thanks to a headland that splits the upper and

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lower sections. Greatly affected by both tides and swell and thus a little persnickety, Pui O to the north is the original surf spot on the island and popular with beginners thanks to its rolling, calm waves.

A half-hour drive to the western side lands surfers at Tai O, a fishing village first populated in the Ming Dynasty. Housed in a nine-room, former 1900s marine police station, Tai O Heritage Hotel (taioheritagehotel.com) received the UNESCO Award of Merit for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2013 after an extensive, property-wide renovation.

Embracing its bricolage-filled history, the colonialstyle architecture also features a Chinese tiled roof, wooden casement windows, and granite steps. Select

Clockwise from left: Rosewood Hong Kong on Tsim Sha Tsui’s Victoria Dockside; Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island; the Tai O Heritage Hotel; the private F11 Foto Museum; the Kowloon Peak View King room at Rosewood Hong Kong; an alcohol infusion at J. Boroski; a surfer at Upper Cheung Sha beach.

either The Commissioner or Sea Horse suite, both of which supply working fireplaces, two full marble bathrooms, and exquisite oceanic vistas; the perfect perch to spot Chinese white dolphins.

WHERE TO LAND: Hong Kong While the quotidian Symphony of Lights performance in Victoria Harbour may steal the spotlight at twilight, the private F11 Foto Museum in Happy Valley is an afternoon of visual delight. Owner Douglas So’s impressive collection of vintage Leica cameras is bested only by his keen ability to curate rotating exhibitions suited to occupy his three-story Art Deco building. Request Haku’s sushi bar, a front-row seat

for head chef Agustin Balbi’s culinary artistry. Imagine a perfectly balanced, weightless Hokkaido uni, eggplant, and brioche pairing. Then have a nightcap at J. Boroski, a bespoke bar that asks patrons to list favored flavor profiles and constructs each cocktail uniquely.

Whether or not a pickup game sounds appealing, head north to the Choi Hung basketball court in Kowloon.

Located on the rooftop of a parking garage in one of Hong Kong’s oldest housing developments, the court is surrounded by colorful skyscrapers—urban-planningturned-industrial-design art at its finest. Stay locally at the new Rosewood Hong Kong (rosewoodhotels.com), a 413room hotel that occupies 27 floors and overlooks Tsim Sha Tsui’s Victoria Dockside. w

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THE SURF SPOT: Outer Reefs Parroting the coastline, the outer reef runs from the east to westernmost tip of Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve (ritzcarlton.com) on the north coast of Puerto Rico. The cavernous Puerto Rican trench amplifies the seasonal North Atlantic storms and low-pressure systems that ignite north swells from October to March. Accessible solely by boat or Jet Ski, the dozen reef breaks are rarely crowded.

Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve partners with a local family water sports management company called Goodwinds for surf instruction and boat guides. The tropical, turquoise waters rarely require a wetsuit, but be advised, open ocean swells retain more power and speed than those surfed directly off the beach. Goodwinds offers a tow-in option, alleviating the need to paddle into waves too large or too fast to otherwise catch. If guests prefer a more local experience, Los Tubos to the west and La Ocho to the east are the two closest options.

Don’t be overly concerned about any residual sand; the Ritz-Carlton Reserve encourages an ethos of barefoot elegance across its 1,400 acres (see page 170, “They’re Back!”).

From top: The outer reef running along Dorado Beach’s coastline; pool cabanas look out toward the ocean at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve; the Lagoon View Mediterranean Suite at O:live in Condado; the boutique hotel’s rooftop bar.

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WHERE TO LAND: San Juan A year and a half after Hurricane Maria all but devastated the US territory, the capital city, San Juan, is burgeoning after many businesses relocated or rebuilt. Locally owned establishments like La Bombonera and Luca survived. The former freshly bakes sweet, puffy buns that are often transformed into grilled ham-and-cheese sandwiches, which should certainly be topped with powdered sugar.

For shopping, the Scandinavian-designed Luca stocks island-made artisan jewelry, women’s clothing, and items for the home. Fashionable shade from the Puerto Rican sun can be found at Olé, a hat emporium that fits and customizes Panama hats.

Behold the walls of impeccably organized straw hats and rows of ribbons in every shade of the rainbow.

Slide into the watermelon mojito at Santaella, the brainchild of Puerto Rican–raised chef José Santaella, a protégé of Eric Ripert and Ferran Adrià.

Book the Lagoon View Mediterranean Suite at O:live Boutique Hotel (oliveboutiquehotel .com) in Condado and enjoy its sweeping private terrace, the ideal setting for an afternoon siesta or sundowner. A beachfront guesthouse run by Puerto Rican couple Loisse Herger and Fernando Davila, O:live mixes Puerto Rican touches like the welcome coquito, a traditional cocktail with Puerto Rican rum and coconut milk, with a European Provençal design aesthetic. At the rooftop pool, find views of Laguna del Condado as well as downtown San Jose, a pastiche of brightly colored houses set upon narrow, winding streets.

Courtesy Images, From Top: Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (2); Small Luxury Hotels of the World (2). Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Sweet Bocas Resort (2)

PUERTO RICO

d n u o r g y a Pl k a e r B

Sweet Bocas Villa

F

ew places on earth cater to both the surfing virgin and professional wave rider with the quality bounty of riches of Bocas del Toro, Panama, an archipelago short on actual wealth yet blessed with outsized natural beauty and spirit. Unsurprisingly, eco-tourism and surfing are the main revenue sources of the town’s tourism industry.

There are breaks for all: soft, newbie-friendly points; hollow, barreling reefs; and beaches throwing up pro-level curls of aquamarine Caribbean Sea—a rare mix. Not to mention the verdant landscape is something out of a tropical fever dream. “Due to the sensitivity of surfers I cannot name the secret locations, but I can attest to being on a raw, beautiful, white-sand beach with only five surfers, a few local kids, and perfect waves peeling in clear, blue tropical water,” says surf guru Terry Simms, a California-based private guide who coaches clients with a methodology based on connection and trust. To him, these are some of the planet’s most epic waves. The holygrail kicker: Most are nearly empty.

It’s a place made even more attractive by the fact it’s bereft of large hotels and generic luxury resorts. Instead, there’s Sweet Bocas (sweetbocaspanama.com), a swank, 20,000-square-foot, 7-bedroom overwater villa made entirely of local teak, set on a private 15-acre island that’s available solely for all-inclusive buyouts. It’s one of Simms’ choice destinations for his international private retreats. His presence is thanks to a close common friend of Sweet Bocas owner Annick Belanger, who calls the place she built her fantasy “a surfer’s playground.”

“This is an exclusive, calming environment that allows my clients the opportunity to be in the present, which allows me to connect on a higher level, enriching the whole experience,” Simms says of the dream

venue where he embraces inclusivity and caters to a range of abilities—challenging for most instructors. “No two surfers are alike, so I teach everyone with a personal approach so I can help exploit what they do best, not try and fix what they do wrong or can’t do.”

If all this sounds appealing, it is. A Simms

retreat at Sweet Bocas (for up to 12) must be booked well in advance. But if you get him, expect the art of surfing to come into focus.

“What I teach is a culmination of many generations and many years of experience dating back a century to surfing’s roots, with Duke Kahanamoku, the father of surfing,” says Simms, whose own lessons embrace the foundational pig-dog stance—a position creating a low center of gravity—and “‘throwing stone,’ the act of compressing and extending, giving the rider a propulsion created by gravity.”

Days with Simms stretch from sunrise to sunset, when conditions allow. He teaches lessons in assessing wind, tide, swell size, direction, and intervals—all critical to surfing on one’s own. “The structure in wave riding is there is no structure,” he says, instead hyping adaptability and second-by-second evaluation. There are no soft-top boards to be found, only custom shapes that Simms feels breed confidence and in turn, safety and top-level results. It’s a well-rounded program comprising surf sessions followed by video analysis back at the villa, ultra-personalized cross-training like balance drills or freeboarding behind a boat, and healthy, hearty meals.

Creative and divine menus cater specifically to the group’s needs and energy levels, with ingredients sourced as locally as it gets. Hyper-talented Ecuadorian Executive Chef Wilmo Ordoñez pulls veggies from the island’s permaculture farm and catches octopus in the mangrove roots beneath the boardwalk. Each meal is served on a unique, vibrant set of dishes from Belanger’s collection, on the wide teak deck, under the lakeside garden pergola dripping with bloom-laden vines or in a dining room bearing handmade global goods that make the spacious villa exquisite.

Surf guru Terry Simms

Options abound beyond surf: bat cave explorations, fishing, snorkeling, free diving, yoga, and shaman healing. Or one can simply conk out on a secluded beach for a restorative nap under deep-emerald palms. There are also chances to engage with indigenous kids through the local nonprofit partner Give & Surf, which empowers and supports education opportunities for hundreds.

It’s all the extra somethings that keep surfers returning to Sweet Bocas’ private, transparent waters. There’s a floating pontoon for candlelit after-dark cruising around an island in the freshwater lake (and for yoga), which boasts the latest hang, a Moroccan-style Casbah glinting with dozens of handcrafted lamps. It’s a superb place to come down from the high of a day’s epic waves, on deep sofas over an herbal cocktail or around the junglevine fire pits fashioned by a French artist.

Says Belanger, “Surfers love the eclectic nomadic vibe.”

All-inclusive weeklong surf retreats with Terry Simms (up to 12 people) from $125,000. w —Kathryn Romeyn Summer 2019 107

From top: Surfers at Rockaway Beach; surfboards on the A train en route to the Rockaways; the triplex Jewel Suite at the Lotte New York Palace.

THE SURF SPOT: The Rockaways Within New York City’s five boroughs, it’s possible to find most anything, waves included. The forefather of surfing, Olympic athlete Duke Kahanamoku, made landfall from Hawaii in 1912 for one of the first surfing demonstrations in America, where Queens meets the Atlantic Ocean at the Rockaways. A 45-minute drive, hour-long ferry trip, or an A-train subway ride from Manhattan (locals with surfboards on the subway feels almost surreal), the Rockaways run along a skinny peninsula adjacent to Long Beach. A handful of beach breaks line the finger-shaped landmass, from the short but fast rides of 30th and 39th streets westward to Beach 90th Street, where some old pier pilings peek out of the lineup on lower tides, creating an extra degree of difficulty. At its southernmost tip sits Breezy Point. Given the right swell, the sandbar proffers some rousing lefts.

To score more than mushy wind swell, surfers yearn for the tropical depressions and hurricane pluses of the shoulder season. The big eastern swells arrive just as the tourists—and summer—depart. The mossy umber water of the Atlantic Ocean, courtesy of the abundant nearby river mouths, ponds, lakes, and wetlands, glows when the wind blows offshore and up the face of the wave. Make no mistake, these swells pack a punch, thundering onto the gritty sand. Check out Locals Surf School on Beach 69th Street, which attracts tourists and residents alike with a robust offering ranging from camps and private lessons to hot showers and humidity-controlled wetsuit and board storage.

WHERE TO LAND: Manhattan The sheer number of lodging and dining options throughout the five boroughs of New York City is dizzying. In Manhattan, a hidden gem sits atop the Lotte New York Palace (lottenypalace.com) in the form of the 5,000-square-foot Jewel Suite. Designed in collaboration with jewelry designer Martin Katz, the Art Deco–esque triplex stuns. Its outdoor terrace includes a stone spa and inside, there’s a wood-burning fireplace, mirrored mantle, and two-story crystal chandelier.

The hotel sits close, but not annoyingly so, to Grand Central and two of the Hampton Jitney stops. Behind an unsuspecting door on its mezzanine is Rarities, the Henry Villard–inspired, invitation-only lounge. Booking the Jewel Suite grants guests admittance, as well as an overture to sample its goods, like pre-Prohibition spirits and private cellar wines.

Visit José Andrés’ Mercado Little Spain in the freshly opened mall at Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in American history. Andrés’ duo of full-service restaurants, Mar and Leña, now accept limited reservations.

Opt for the latter, which translates to wood in English and specializes in Spanish dishes prepared over embers, like suckling pig and lamb. Head downtown to AIRE Ancient Baths in Tribeca for a thermal soak, exfoliation, and massage to relax those paddled-out arms. Set in a restored textile factory the subterranean pools, which range from hot, warm, cold, and ice, as well as the candlelit rooms, the aromatherapy Laconicum steam room, and saltwater Flotarium encourage deep relaxation and an escape from the city’s bustle.

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From Top: Stefano Lemon/LUZ/Redux; Sam Hodgson/The New York Times​/Redux; Courtesy Lotte New York Palace/Bruce Buck. Opposite, Clockwise From Top: Courtesy American Wave Machines/Josh Bernard/Brent Reilly; Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images; Courtesy Adventure Parc Snowdonia; Thomas Ebert/laif/Redux

NEW YORK

No Swell Hunting Required C

hasing fickle, sometimes starkly different-than-forecasted swells around the world has long been an exhausting but thrilling wave-riding rite of passage. As both the sport and lifestyle of surfing rise in popularity, however, the proliferation of purpose-built wave pools offer a convenient and controlled alternative.

One-offs like Sunway Lagoon in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Wadi Adventure in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; and Siam Park in Tenerife, Canary Islands host surfers during specific times of day or at pools within their larger water parks. Meanwhile companies like Wavegarden, Kelly Slater Wave Co., and American Wave Machines continue to spend tens of millions of dollars creating technology that mimics conditions made by Mother Nature. New landlocked venues guarantee shreddable waves, again, and again, and again.

Eisbachwelle, Munich To slow the flow of water from the Isar River through Munich’s English Garden, German engineers submerged concrete blocks across the roughly 50-foot-wide canal.

While they achieved a gentle stream, they also created a fast, whitewashed-gushing rapid in what some call a rare engineering oversight. Eisbachwelle, or “ice creek,” is a standing, knee-to-waist-high wave located underneath the dual-arched stone bridge of Prinzregentenstrasse. Surfers first attempted riding Eisbach, as it’s called, in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until 2010 that river surfing became legal in Germany. Underneath willow and chestnut trees, surfers from around the world line its shores, position their boards, and attempt to jump directly onto the perpetual wave. Although accidental, Eisbach is a decades-long experiment that proves a surfable, man-made wave is possible.

Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch, Lemoore, California When its namesake owner released a video in December 2015 showing what can be deemed the finest point break in the Golden State, the surfing world did a double take.

The centerpiece of Kelly Slater Wave Company’s 11-acre Surf Ranch, 100 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, is a 2,100foot man-made lake with a caboose-like trio of sequential train cars that sit on a raised track of truck tires. Named The Vehicle, the machinery shuttles a 100-ton, 150-footlong iron blade back and forth, creating waves that run both north and south.

Precise bathymetry and the exact shape and

BSR Cable Park Surf Ranch

Adventure Parc Snowdonia

Eisbachwelle topography of the bottom of the wave pool also influence the quality of the wave, which is still closed to the public. Surf Ranch is invite-only. kswaveco.com Adventure Parc Snowdonia, Dolgarrog, Wales As if in a crowded ocean lineup, 45 to 140 people at any given time will be catching green-gray surf in the Surf Snowdonia lagoon. Waves form in eight areas within the lagoon thanks to Wavegarden, a Spanish engineering company that manufactured the wave generator and built the pool. Each zone creates a distinct wave, from soft whitewater to a peeling point break. Fabricated out of galvanized steel, a central pier, wave foil, and generator bifurcate, the lagoon becomes a mirrored set of unwavering breaks every 2 minutes. wavegarden.com

BSR Cable Park, Waco, Texas Currently the sole pool using PerfectSwell, a technology patented by Solana Beach, California–based American Wave Machines, the Surf Resort at BSR Cable Park distinguishes among three wave types (beginner, intermediate, and expert) to be booked by the hour. The barrel and specialty settings like the wedgy Freak Peak and combination wave AirLink can only be switched on for private bookings.

It’s worth noting that BSR Surf Resort reopened in March following a nearly sixmonth voluntary closure after a 29-year-old New Jersey man who surfed the park last September died from a brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. BSR Surf Resort since installed a new filtration system, a deeper pool, and the capability for some larger waves. perfectswellsurf.com —Alexandra Cheney u Summer 2019 109

Untethered Free diving is a sport that pushes the body’s limits to the edge—and helps those brave enough to try it find an inner calmness and a new relationship with the sea.

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n 1949 Italian spearfisher Raimondo Bucher boasted he could dive down 100 feet on a single breath. Scientists at the time believed that the pressure involved in free diving to that depth would rupture a diver’s lungs. So Bucher bet fellow diver Ennio Falco 50,000 lira that he could do it.

In full scuba gear Falco dove 100 feet, and watched as Bucher swam down, unaided, to win the bet and overcome hundreds of years of fake science. The modern sport of free diving was born and by 1976, free diver Jacques Mayol became the first man to break the 330-foot dive mark.

There are now eight official sub-disciplines of the sport. The more extreme versions use weighted sleds, allowing divers to go deeper on a single breath than most submarines. The more common discipline, called constant weight, involves following a guide rope down with the help of fins, a small amount of diving weight, and a mask. The current US record holder, Daniel Koval, reached a depth of 102 meters (335 feet) on a single breath.

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Koval teaches a two-day course at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina that delves into the intricacies of constant weight free diving: from the physiology of the sport to the secrets of tapping the mammalian dive reflex (how the human body avoids drowning).

For most people, training to hold their breath for two to five minutes is mental, not physical. Human lung capacity contains about a third of the available oxygen in the body, while the rest occupies the bloodstream and muscles. In training, free divers learn how to first “breathe up”—taking deep, slow inhales, with even slower exhales (think yoga breathing), to fill the lungs and bloodstream with oxygen. Divers take a series of these deep breaths right before going under. The longer or deeper they intend to go, the more breaths they do.

Certification as a free diver requires reaching 20 meters, or 66 feet, on a single breath.

In Koval’s course, the infinity-edge pool at the Four Seasons

Courtesy Daniel Koval

by David Keith

accommodates static apnea practice, when divers breathe up while holding on to the edge of a pool. Then, they put their faces down in the water and try to hold their breath. Every 30 seconds, Koval gives a tap on the back to check that they’re still conscious. To go deep, free divers must disregard the warning bells firing off in their heads.

Most of the body’s physiological reactions to breath-holding are not due to a lack of oxygen (remember, there’s plenty of that floating around the body). Instead, the brain screams about the buildup of carbon dioxide and the fact that there is air just above. The convulsions that come on like strong hiccups will pass after about a minute, so the key to pushing through is tapping into an inner calmness called the mammalian dive reflex (see page 112, “Hold It!”). Once that kicks in, holding one’s breath longer is far easier than imagined.

Graduating from the pool to the Four Seasons lagoon means taking to deeper, calm waters and a sandy bottom—a safe space for making practice dives. The technique of the dive

itself is pretty simple: After breathing up, swimmers must keep their heads straight to remain as streamlined as possible, hold their arms at their sides, and kick straight down into a classic surface dive. Since the beach cove is only 10 feet deep, the bottom is reached pretty quickly.

To wrap up instruction on day one, Koval teaches participants to clear their ears. In scuba, a constant flow of air clears the buildup of air pressure in the ear canal when divers pinch their noses and forcefully breathe out. This is called the Valsalva technique. Free divers use the Frenzel maneuver, where they pinch their noses, close the back of their throats, and make the sound of the letter “K.” If done properly, quickly, and frequently during a free dive, the pressure will easily clear.

The itinerary on day two is straightforward: dive; stay alive.

Koval and his partner, Kristin Kuba, take clients to the Mahi wreck, a freighter that sunk off the coast of Oahu. The shallow part of the Mahi, which teems with ocean life, is just below 66 feet. On the way out, Koval tells stories about sharks. w

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Hold It! The science behind free diving.

Free diver Kristin Kuba going deep.

Apex predator sharks, as in oceanic whitetips, measure up to 15 feet long and are on the short list of dangerous fish. They have a binary view of the world: Everything is either predator or prey. If it’s prey, they eat it. If it’s another predator, they leave it alone—so the key for divers is to show the shark they’re another predator. While holding their breath.

According to Koval, who has tested the technique, the way to do this is to swim at the shark with arms extended outward to look like another predator. In theory, the shark will back down. At the wreck, Koval drops a 66-foot line tied to a buoy. His students hold the buoy as they breathe up and try to forget about sharks. They look down through the blue water at the wreck, trying to calm their minds and bodies as they load oxygen. When ready, they do a surface dive and kick their way along the line to 66 feet. If they reach that depth, they are a certified free diver.

The new popularity of free diving and novelty of packages like the one

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at the Four Seasons have brought to light a practice that has been around for generations. The Bajau people of Indonesia have been free diving for so long that their bodies have undergone genetic adaptations, including increased spleen size. Female pearl divers in Japan hold their breath for up to two minutes, swimming down to depths of 30 feet to collect pearl oysters, as they have been doing for hundreds of years. Alexander the Great used free divers as early as 332 BC to enhance his navy.

Learning the techniques and safety issues of a free diver opens up a new relationship with the sea—one that’s no longer tied to the surface by a snorkel or burdened with tanks, weights, or decompression issues. For recreational divers, achieving a maximum depth is not necessarily the goal. Instead, with most marine life living less than 50 feet under, divers confidently hold their breath while peacefully exploring new underwater worlds—as more than just an observer.

thletes like Daniel Koval harness the body’s natural ability to maximize oxygen usage. Staying underwater is limited by the amount of oxygen inside the body when it is submerged, and only when the brain is starved of oxygen is there trouble. Deprived for too long, the brain shuts down. (That’s also known as death.)

As scientists determined how free divers stayed alive underwater for minutes at a time, they discovered an anomaly: When they calculated the amount of oxygen in divers’ lungs and compared it to what they thought a diver needed to survive underwater, the numbers didn’t match. Somehow, the divers were getting by with far less oxygen, for much longer, than scientists thought possible.

How could this happen? They were not accounting for the divers’ instinctive reactions, created and honed through natural selection.

The mammalian dive reflex, present in all mammals, is triggered when you put your face in water.

When the nose fills with liquid and the neuro-receptors along the face and jaw sense water, the body goes into a series of changes designed to optimize oxygen usage. First, the heart rate slows. Instead of causing a dangerous drop in blood pressure, the body compensates by shunting blood from the skin and extremities into the core and brain. This keeps oxygenated blood flowing into and around critical organs, the brain, and the central nervous system. In addition, the spleen pumps extra red blood cells, allowing more oxygen to be distributed throughout the body.

An added effect of shifting blood flow is the hardening of the lungs with more blood, which prevents them from rupturing.

At 33 feet, lungs are squeezed to half their normal size; at 100 feet, they measure one quarter of their normal size. Whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, and all aquatic mammals share this reflex, as do humans.

Courtesy Daniel Koval. Opposite, Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top: Four Seasons Resort/Christian Horan; Four Seasons Resort/Don Riddle; Suunto; Cetma; Double K (3)

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Where to Go Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina This tropical paradise boasts multiple pools, including one for adults only, a shallow protected beach cove, world-class restaurants such as Mina’s Fish House, which features line-to-table local seafood, or Noe, for fine Italian cuisine. Book record-holding free diver Daniel Koval’s two-day course, which includes classroom sessions, pool and lagoon training, and a boat trip to a dive certification site. Koval and his partner train, monitor, and photograph clients’ certification dives. fourseasons.com; deepfreediving.com

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Papagayo The Four Seasons in Papagayo recently completed a $35 million renovation encompassing an eco-friendly interpretation of Costa Rica’s “pura vida” lifestyle. Poolside cabanas, private villas with plunge pools, and stylish suites provide a sense of timeless tropical elegance with modern conveniences.

In partnership with the Papagayo Explorers Club, the resort offers surfing, windsurfing, and free diving trips to local reefs in new, opulent speedboats. Refreshments, towels, sunscreen, and all equipment are included. fourseasons.com; peninsulapapagayo.com

Gear Up

A free diving mask differs from a standard diving mask by having a much lower air volume, which in turn makes it easier to equalize. Similarly, a free diving snorkel has no gadgets or extras, so it’s more streamlined.

The Double K Jaguar mask ($59) is one of the lowest-volume masks available. Add the Double K’s Max-Up snorkel ($59). divingkk.net

A proper wetsuit will help control buoyancy on descent and ascent, and keep the body warm as the heart rate slows to conserve oxygen. Proper fit is essential; have Double K build a custom wetsuit to your measurements. From $500; divingkk.net

Free diving fins are designed to be more efficient than scuba fins, for lower oxygen consumption as you swim down and back up. Cetma’s Mantra CWT Competition carbon-fiber fins provide maximum propulsion with minimal effort. From $500; freediving.cetmacomposites.it

For proper time and depth measurement, the watch-size Suunto D5 dive computer tracks a diver’s numbers and doesn’t look too geeky to wear above water.

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Evan McGlinn

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Catch Me If You Can Sport fishing for marlin and sailfish has become more sophisticated than ever.

With satellite boats strategically placed and yachts acting as the motherships, tournaments have turned into scenes from Battlestar Galactica.

by Evan McGlinn

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all, tanned, and sporting polarized sunglasses, Brooks Smith strides past dozens of multimillion-dollar billfishing boats docked at the packed marina in Los Sueños, Costa Rica. Catchy names like Big Oh, Reel Pushy, Morgasm, and Pelagic Magic are painted in elaborate designs on the transoms of the docked vessels. Soon this place will be empty and all these ships will be trolling the calm, warm waters of the Pacific to compete in one of the most famous billfish tournaments in the world—The Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown.

It’s early, 6:15 a.m., and the sun is just starting to hit the spotless stainless steel and glass of the fleet, giving the marina a magical glow. At the end of the dock, Smith bangs a quick left and steps aboard his 60-foot Bayliss yacht with the name Uno Mas airbrushed across the back. As he sits down in the sleek, teak stateroom (accessed through a push-button, air-powered sliding door), his crack team of deck hands have already released the lines. Uno Mas eases out of her slip, one step in an almost automatic routine Smith performs more than 100 days a year.

Smith checks the large flat-screen TV in the cabin on the ship’s starboard side. In bright colors, it shows detailed satellite images of the Costa Rican coast complete with current movements, plankton, and water temperatures. He and his team of anglers, friends from Savannah and Cape May whom he has known for years, discuss their game plan.

They decide to venture out 50 miles from the coast—the farthest allowed under tournament rules—where they believe conditions look right for hooking into sailfish and hopefully, a prized blue marlin. w

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From Top: Jessica Haydahl; Evan McGlinn (4)

Fishing at this level does not come cheap and the sport has changed quite a bit since the days of Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey. Back in the 1920s and ’30s, macho men caught billfish in small boats, sometimes landing huge fish using just a handheld line and fishing their baits hundreds of feet deep.

Today, the sport is as macho as ever (though there are many tournaments with a female division as well), but it’s less about muscles and more about the size of your bank balance. Last year, a 510-pound black marlin on the final day of the Cabo San Lucas Bisbee’s Black and Blue Billfish Tournament was worth a whopping $3 million. But that’s just a drop in the bucket.

Elite billfish anglers like Smith and his competitors spend millions of dollars to build bigger, faster boats and outfit them with high-tech gizmos like the full-circle color sonar Furuno CSH-8L Mark-2 (furuno.com).

The $80,000 unit can cost tens of thousands to install, but it’s deadly accurate and can spot a fish within 800 feet of the boat, as well as small baitfish that marlin and sailfish dine on.

“The radar is so advanced,” says Marlin magazine Editor-in-Chief Sam White, “that a captain can spot one or two birds feeding on fish 8 to 10 miles away.”

There are advantageous ways to spend money off the boat too. From a small office in West Melbourne, Florida, a company called ROFFS (roffs.com) provides custom NOAA and NASA satellite analysis starting at $60. The analysis provides and explains to the anglers the best spots to fish on any given day. “It is a big ocean, and you don’t want to waste your time, fuel, and money searching for fish and guessing where the best conditions are,” says ROFFS President Matt Upton, who processes over 19,000 requests a year and has helped set six International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world records, two United States records, one Bahamas record, one Gulf of Mexico record, and 27 state records.

Upton’s team of five fisheries and satellite oceanographers looks at a variety of factors, including sea surface temperatures, bottom structure, weed lines, water mass boundaries, and ocean color chlorophyll indicators to get a precise picture of where the fish will be.

“Greener water is an indicator of more plankton and surface life,” says

Clockwise from top: At dawn, an armada of ships sets out 50 miles or more offshore to catch billfish; costing about $1,000 each, large billfish rods need to carry hundreds of yards of line; colorful teasers on the port and starboard side attract the billfish to the surface; rigged baits of ballyhoo; a sailfish jumps off the starboard bow of the Uno Mas, which caught over 12 billfish in one day during a practice round.

The Fab Five The top billfish tournaments around the world where anglers can win big money.

White Marlin Open Ocean City, Maryland August 5–9, 2019 whitemarlinopen.com

Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament Manteo, North Carolina August 13–16, 2019 pcbgt.com

The MidAtlantic

Cape May, New Jersey August 18–23, 2019 themidatlantic.com

Bisbee’s Black and Blue Cabo San Lucas, Mexico October 23–25, 2019 bisbees.com

Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown Los Sueños, Costa Rica Leg 1: January 15–18, 2020 Leg 2: February 26–29, 2020 Leg 3: March 25–28, 2020 lossuenostournaments.com

Upton. “Bluer water indicates less plankton and clearer water, but certain fish like different waters. For instance, most marlin like clear, blue water, while other species thrive just as well in greener water.”

While technology has advanced above water, down below, Smith’s prey has stayed the same for millions of years.

When man wasn’t even standing upright, billfish hunted the earth’s waters. The great blue marlin (the world all-tackle record off Kona, Hawaii, stands at 1,376 pounds) cruise the surface at around 1 to 3 knots, preferring water temperature in the range of 75 to 81 degrees—the sort of water found in Los Sueños.

Blue marlin can dive more than 2,000 feet down to stuff themselves on squid before rocketing back to the surface.

Known to swim extraordinary distances, a marlin tagged near Puerto Rico popped up 120 days later offshore of Angola, Africa, 4,776 miles away.

Immortalized by authors such as Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, they have long captured the imagination of fishermen appreciating what these fish can do and what it takes to capture one. Writes author Philip Caputo in “The Ahab Complex,” published in The Key West Reader, the marlin “can defend themselves against anything that swims,” adding that their only natural enemy, the mako shark, loses a fight most of the time and that “a marlin’s bill has pierced 22 inches of solid wood.”

To pursue such a prize, the human enemy goes to great lengths, and with better success than the mako. A suitable billfish boat is essential, and no other craft in this elite group of sport fishermen is more widely known for pushing the tech envelope than Jaruco—a 90-foot Jarrett Bay Boatworks (jarrettbay.com) model owned by angler Ralph de la Torre. The Boston-based CEO of Steward Health Care Systems LLC named it after the town where his parents were born in Cuba. “It’s probably the most advanced sport fishing boat in the world,” says Randy Ramsey, president of Jarrett Bay. “The engineering of the boat alone costs $5 million. It was a challenging process.”

Three years in the making, almost everything on Jaruco, including the stringers, the bulkhead, and the water and fuel tanks are made of carbon fiber.

Even Jaruco’s six toilets are carbon fiber.

“If you have ever worked on one around your house, you know that porcelain is w

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pretty darn heavy,” laughs Ramsey, whose company is based in Beaufort, North Carolina. Stainless steel is the standard material on other boats for the shaft that runs from the engine to the propeller. On Jaruco, a drive shaft made of titanium saves 1,700 pounds in weight. The end result is a boat that is nimbler and weighs 40,000 pounds less than a typical 90-footer.

Jaruco can cruise at 45 knots—as fast as a 65-footer, says Ramsey. While a typical 90-foot Jarrett Bay would cost anywhere from $10 million to $12 million, de la Torre’s Jaruco costs about $22 million.

For Ramsey, the technological innovations are thrilling and “we incorporate a lot of those innovations into the new boats that we are building.”

Smith, who favors custom boat designs, currently owns three sport fishing boats—all called Uno Mas. He has his 60-foot Bayliss based full time in Costa Rica and he owns another 68-foot Bayliss and a 77-foot Willis.

Having multiple boats makes it a lot easier to fish competitively around the world and ensures that “we don’t have to move a boat thousands of miles in just a few days,” says Smith. “It’s also less wear and tear on the boats.”

In Los Sueños, Smith taunts marlin at the surface by pulling blue and pink rubber squid behind the boat to entice the fish to bite. Four to five anglers are in the back of the boat armed with reels carrying over 600 yards of braid backing and 25-pound test monofilament connected to modern Alutecnos reels costing upward of $1,000 each. The anglers fish with dead ballyhoo (rigged to swim naturally as if alive), which the marlin and sailfish love to nibble on.

When a billfish bites, the anglers must have a subtle touch to hook them. Captains only fish with anglers who have mastered the art of these techniques in order to win tournaments.

Over the course of the tournament, Smith never touched a rod. He navigated his 60-foot Bayliss armed with an oldfashioned, handheld counter like an usher at a movie theater. He would click it every bite whether the fish was caught or missed.

Smith assures that you don’t really need any of the bells and whistles to be successful in billfishing. In the end, he says, “you don’t have to be a pro to be successful.

It’s not like golf.” After three days of fishing, the crew of Uno Mas won Leg 3 of the Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown with 40 sailfish (100 points each) and two blue marlin (500 points each). All fish were released back into the Pacific. And the team banked $70,000 in prize money.

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Above: Brooks Smith’s Uno Mas is one of three boats he owns for sport fishing tournaments, along with a Heesen mothership (top right); an elite billfishing boat will carry dozens of rods and reels, like this one (left) for One&Only Palmilla charters. Opposite, bottom left: Safely sheltered from the strong undertow and currents, the beach at the One&Only in Cabo San Lucas is one of the few where it is safe to swim; the lounge at the One&Only (right).

The Mothership Megayachts are giving sport fishing teams who can afford them a major advantage. While not many people have three fishing boats to post at different strategic locations around the world, even fewer have a megayacht at their disposal.

From Top: Courtesy Heesen Yachts/Dick Holthuis; Evan McGlinn (2). Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Los Sueños Resort and Marina; One&OnlyPalmilla/Cool Baja

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rooks Smith’s 180-foot Vida from Heesen Yachts was delivered in April, after he tweaked the design a bit and opted for a bigger master stateroom, his-and-her baths, and a large hatch forward to fit Jet Skis and other water toys. Smith says, “I’ll take the Heesen to Bermuda for the month of July and anchor it in Hamilton where it will be my home away from home. Bermuda in July is where you can catch the grander blue marlin, the largest of all billfish.” At typical tournaments, you might see one or two megayachts. In Bermuda, expect to see five or six.

Anglers with access to a mothership like Vida not only have a cushy place to call their own in remote locations, they also have a way to economically fuel their boats in foreign countries. Smith’s Heesen can carry 27,000 gallons of diesel fuel. That’s enough to make it from Florida to Bermuda and use his yacht as a floating gas station for his fishing boat during tournaments. Then duty-free fuel can be purchased upon departure at very competitive prices.

The current wait for a 180-foot Heesen is a year and prices start at $48 million before customization. heesenyachts.com

Reel Luxury The One&Only Palmilla is a sport fisherman’s dream.

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f you have a fishing boat anchored in Fort Lauderdale or Shinnecock, it’s expensive and a long way through the Panama Canal to get it to Cabo San Lucas, where massive amounts of marlin and sailfish make the Sea of Cortez one of the best fishing destinations in the world. But why bother?

The One&Only Palmilla can

arrange an expert captain and fishing boat during your stay for catching marlin, sailfish, dorado, and maybe even the rare roosterfish—and facilitate a proper recovery regimen between day trips.

Located on 250 oceanfront acres, the bright, white colonial buildings house oversize accommodations and five restaurants, including Seared

by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, where the signature dish is

A5 wagyu beef. There is also Suviche for expertly prepared sushi overseen by Kazuki Takubo. A native of Ichihara, Japan, he worked for Michelinstarred Toshikatsu Aoki for more than 15 years.

The water around Cabo San Lucas can be treacherous, thanks to rocks and the strong undertow, but One&Only Palmilla is known for having one of the few calm, swimmable beaches in the area

and is great for snorkeling, paddleboarding, and kayaking.

Large oceanfront suites feature private infinity pools, and the largest, Villa Cortez, is a 10,500-square-foot traditional Mexican hacienda with four bedrooms right on the beach and a 12-seat cinema—the perfect spot to watch GoPro footage of your personal fishing tourney after a day on the water. oneandonlyresorts.com u Summer 2019 119

TIDAL SHIFT TODAY’S MOST ECO-CONSCIOUS SUPERYACHTS ARE ALSO AMONG THE MOST DESIGN-DRIVEN AND VISUALLY STUNNING, HELPING COMPEL A NEW GENERATION OF YACHT BUYERS TO GO GREEN.

by Bailey Stone Barnard

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Courtesy Oceanco/Francisco Martinez

The 350-foot Black Pearl, built by Oceanco, is currently the world’s second-largest sailing yacht and touted as the most advanced.

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he superyacht industry continues to strive for greater fuel efficiency, with recent examples sipping as few as 14 gallons of fuel per operation hour—which can hardly be considered eco-friendly but is nonetheless a massive reduction compared to what was possible just a decade ago. And while many leading builders and a new generation of yacht buyers are hyper-focused on reducing their carbon footprint, so-called “green” superyachts represent a fraction of the industry’s annual output. But many yachts in this elite and rarified class are also redefining yacht design far beyond green technologies. In addition to hybrid propulsion and other ecominded features, these harbingers of the sea deliver forward-thinking naval architecture, striking silhouettes, expansive onboard spaces, and tasteful interiors. Such design-driven elements, paired with efficient operation, are making current and prospective yacht owners green with envy—and helping to propel the industry toward a more ecoconscious horizon.

Nobiskrug

Sailing Yacht A hough it is the world’s largest private sailing yacht, the Nobiskrug-built vessel called simply Sailing Yacht A looks more like a gargantuan piece of floating modern art than a ship. At 469 feet, it is indeed superlative in terms of size, but it also breaks barriers for its design, helmed inside and out by the luminary Philippe Starck. Yachting fans may recognize this distinctive styling as well as the ship’s name: Both are apparent on the 2008-launched Motor Yacht A, also designed by Starck. (The Russian industrialist Andrey Melnichenko reportedly commissioned both vessels.)

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The carbon-fiber masts of the Sailing Yacht A house its massive sails, which serve to improve the efficiency of the diesel-electric hybrid.

Opposite: Its ground-breaking design includes drop-down balconies and hidden machinery.

Starck’s exterior lines for Sailing Yacht A are like nothing else in the industry. Sloping upward from bow to stern, the three stepped tiers of its superstructure are elegant and uninterrupted. The German shipyard was able to completely hide all the superyacht’s machinery—like radar, communications towers, and tender cranes, which are external and unsightly on most yachts—within A’s hull and superstructure, which contain eight decks and a staggering interior volume of approximately 12,600 GT. With all that space, the yacht is able to accommodate 20 guests and 54 crew.

Nearly invisible windows in the hull and superstructure further contribute to the visual mystique created by the yacht’s exterior lines.

Sailing Yacht A’s carbon-fiber masts, the tallest of which stands 328 feet above the water line, are the tallest and most heavily loaded freestanding composite structures in the world, according to the shipyard. The massive sails, however, are not the ship’s primary means of propulsion. Nobiskrug says that Sailing Yacht A is a “sail-assisted motor yacht,” meaning that the sails serve to help improve the efficiency of the yacht’s diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system.

Most other details of this ground-breaking design remain unknown, per the owner’s mandate for privacy, but the shipyard has released some of its highlight features. Those include several drop-down balconies, a touch-and-go helipad at the bow, multiple internal elevators and spiral staircases, and an underwater observation pod molded into the yacht’s keel. nobiskrug.com

Courtesy Nobiskrug/Josip Baresic. Opposite: Courtesy Nobiskrug/Peter Seyfferth

Oceanco

Black Pearl mong the shipyards making the biggest splash in the eco arena is Oceanco. Last March, the Dutch builder delivered what it touts as the world’s most advanced sailing yacht.

The 350-foot Black Pearl (currently the world’s second-largest sailing yacht) is defined by its advanced DynaRig sailing system, developed nearly three decades ago for venture capitalist Tom Perkins’ iconic yacht Maltese Falcon. The system, developed by Dykstra Naval Architects and not widely used due to its high implementation cost, can set or furl more than 30,000 square feet of sails across

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three carbon-fiber masts at the touch of a button. This automated process takes all of 7 minutes.

Of course, a sailing yacht is inherently fuel-efficient, but Black Pearl takes it several steps further. Pitch propellers regenerate the ship’s high-capacity battery bank, which feeds electricity to onboard systems to completely eliminate the need for external power. Another system recovers would-be-wasted heat from the ship’s generators and converts it into electricity, and a hybrid propulsion system kicks in when diesel-generated power is required.

While these hidden features are what make Black Pearl an eco-innovation, the yacht’s external characteristics make it memorable. The steel hull and aluminum

superstructure, with lines penned by design legends Ken Freivokh and Nuvolari Lenard, lend the tri-deck yacht an unmistakable look. The superstructure sweeps upward from the main deck aft to the raised pilothouse, creating space for large, unbroken banks of full-height windows. Expansive teak decks, with simple but elegant cushioned seating areas, a hot tub on the mid deck, and a large pool on the main deck, create an uncluttered bird’s-eye view—which is one of the only angles available of the ship.

As with many Oceanco yachts, the owner of Black Pearl (reportedly the Russian natural-gas tycoon Oleg Burlakov) is exceedingly private and has not allowed any photography of the interiors. oceancoyacht.com w

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Wider

Cecilia he 165-foot model from Italy’s Wider Yachts has been the ecoenvy of the yachting industry since the project was announced in 2014. Delivered late last summer, the first example of the Wider 165, christened Cecilia, is the newest addition to the Wider brand, which has positioned itself as a frontrunner in hybrid propulsion since the modern yachting pioneer Tilli Antonelli launched the company in 2012. Cecilia’s innovations enable cutting-edge performance: The hybrid propulsion system burns as little as 22 gallons of fuel per hour when cruising at 10 knots for a range of 4,500 nautical miles; the 544 kWh battery can keep the yacht’s systems powered overnight with no noise, vibration, or exhaust; and the yacht can cruise at 5 knots for 6 hours in zero-emission mode, which draws solely from battery power.

But perhaps more exciting than Cecilia’s green technologies are the yacht’s design details. As is the case with other Wider models, Cecilia features several drop-down platforms to make the yacht (ahem) wider. At the stern, the rear bulwark flips open to expose a water-level beach club to the swim platform aft, while patios portside and starboard fold down from the hull to further open this area to the ocean air and expand the deck space to more than 1,000 square feet. Forward on the main deck, small balconies fold down from the hull to expand the owner’s suite portside (creating an open-air breakfast patio) and the onboard gym starboard (creating a sunny platform for yoga or exercise equipment).

Inside, Cecilia is an exposé of tasteful design restraint accented with pops of color. Contrasting the beiges, grays, and whites of materials like sanded oak, Roman travertine stone, and white Italian marble are saffron-colored throw pillows and rich, natural-toned leathers used for the wall panels in the stairwells. The subdued interior design creates a sense of serenity to complement the yacht’s silent and vibration-free operation. wider-yachts.com

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Heesen built the 164-foot Home with an innovative hull that reduces drag 15 to 20 percent more easily. Opposite: Drop-down platforms from all sides expand the living space on Cecilia.

Heesen

Courtesy Heesen/Jeff Brown. Opposite: Courtesy Wider Yachts (2)

Home he design approach for this yacht is just as much about ecoconsciousness and aesthetics as it is about a feeling. From its hybrid propulsion and innovative fastdisplacement hull to its relaxed interior, the Dutch shipyard Heesen built the 164-foot Home to feel like exactly that— a home.

A key goal for the yacht’s design was to minimize noise and vibration to ensure the utmost onboard comfort. Cruising at 9 knots in hybrid mode—which draws propulsion power solely from the electric motors and ancillary power for onboard systems from the ship’s generators— results in just 46 decibels of noise. That

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is roughly equivalent to the sound of a light rain, while vibration in hybrid mode is virtually imperceptible. The recipient of multiple awards for its green operation, Home burns just 18 gallons of fuel per hour in hybrid mode. This reduced fuel consumption is partially the result of the yacht’s innovative hull form, devised

by Van Oossanen Naval Architects to achieve a drag-reducing plane 15 to 20 percent more easily than traditional hulls are able to. This hull shape also creates a more stable and comfortable ride at the yacht’s cruising speed of 16 knots.

This sense of comfort extends to Home’s deck spaces and interiors, which are open and uncluttered. For example, the large swim platform leads up a wide central staircase to the spacious

main deck, which welcomes guests into a saloon that feels like an expansive beachfront living room. Like the rest of the interior, the main saloon is flooded with natural light through floor-toceiling windows. The yacht’s interior designer, Cristiano Gatto, furthers the sense of brightness through the use of 14 shades of white for the walls and décor. Contrasting these softer tones are brushed dark woods and rich leathers, which help ground the aesthetic.

Throughout the yacht, playful touches—like angular stripes of polished steel and the outdoor bar on the sundeck that glows in different shades of color— stimulate the senses to remind guests that this exceedingly comfortable home on water is also for fun. heesenyachts.com

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Dynamiq

1 of 7

hanks to the German carmaker’s subsidiary Porsche Design, the company’s iconic branding now appears on countless products, some more luxurious than others. But Studio F. A. Porsche—formerly called Porsche Design Studio, which the carmaker’s namesake founder, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, formed in 1972—is somewhat more discerning about the projects to which it lends the Porsche brand.

Undoubtedly the most ambitious project from Studio F. A. Porsche is the Dynamiq GTT 115 yacht. The first example of the 115-foot yacht, christened 1 of 7 (as the Italian shipyard Dynamiq will only build seven) is a showpiece for Porsche’s styling in a maritime application.

The yacht’s sharp exterior lines and contoured edges recall those of a Porsche 911 sports car, while its 3,400-nautical-mile range while cruising at 10 knots justifies its Gran Turismo Transatlantic designate and honors Porsche’s legendary touring vehicles.

Additional Porsche references include the Rhodium Silver livery borrowed from the carmaker’s paint job lineup and the scoops sweeping up from the aft portion of the hull structure that reference the air intakes on the Porsche Targa.

Inside, the yacht very much has the feel of a gentleman racer. Replete with dark leathers, Macassar Ebony, and Sahara Noir marble, its saloons and cabins feature a decidedly masculine aesthetic, complemented by houndstooth carpeting and accents in carbon fiber and stainless steel.

Dynamiq purchased furnishings and décor specifically for this yacht from the Italian design firm Minotti, which adds an Italian minimalist flair to the interior and a welcome contrast to the naval architecture’s German precision.

As with Porsche cars, the yacht achieves a few feats of engineering, namely those of hybrid propulsion. It pairs diesel engines with two 20 kW electric motors, which enable it to cruise at 5.5 knots in total silence. When cruising at 9 knots, the yacht burns just 14 gallons of fuel per hour, making it one of the industry’s most efficient vessels. bedynamiq.com

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The Dynamiq GTT 115 yacht, christened 1 of 7, exemplifies Porsche styling in maritime form. Opposite: The Bravo Eugenia has a deceptively thin exterior shape because of its length.

Oceanco

Bravo Eugenia ate last year, Oceanco delivered what is likely the most fuelefficient motor yacht longer than a football field. The Dutch shipyard says that the 357-foot Bravo Eugenia—reportedly delivered to Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys football team—is unlike any yacht it has ever built. Oceanco has remained quiet on many of the technical details but says that the yacht’s advanced hybrid propulsion system incorporates significant battery capabilities, which likely results in an extended range and an ability to cruise silently under power of electric motors. The builder has disclosed that the hybrid propulsion system offers multiple operation modes that allow the Bravo Eugenia to “adventure autonomously” across the globe.

A clear differentiator for this yacht compared to the rest of the Oceanco fleet is its remarkable hull design.

Helping to reduce the power demands of the engines, Bravo Eugenia’s hull has an especially slender shape and a wavecutting bow, both of which help improve fuel efficiency. Working with Lateral Naval Architects, the Dutch shipyard set out to create an elongated, dragreducing hull form similar to that of a sailing yacht. But because of the yacht’s length, the exterior shape is deceptively thin: The yacht’s beam is actually 53 feet at its widest point, creating ample room for the interior layout. Oceanco freed up additional space by keeping the belowdecks engine room to a single tier.

As a result, the onboard amenities are significant. In addition to accommodations for 20 guests and 29 crew (who can board and deboard the yacht via helipads on the foredeck and main deck aft), Bravo Eugenia also features a large forward tender garage; a wellness center with sauna, steam room, and massage parlor; and a sizable beach club with a gym on the lower deck at the stern. Just above the beach club, on the enormous main deck aft, is a full-size swimming pool with a back wall made of glass, a pristine vantage point from which to take in the view of the yacht’s wake trailing into the distance. oceancoyacht.com w

Courtesy Oceanco/Charl van Rooy. Opposite: Courtesy Dynamiq/David Churchill

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SEA CHANGE THE PRESTIGIOUS SUPERYACHT AWARDS CEREMONY HELD DURING THE MONACO YACHT SHOW HONORS THE INDUSTRY’S LATEST, MOST INCREDIBLE DESIGNS AND THE INNOVATORS BEHIND THEM. THESE FOUR TRENDSETTERS WERE EXALTED AT LAST YEAR’S SHOW, WHICH TAKES PLACE ANNUALLY IN SEPTEMBER. DAR

THE GLASS CEILING

The 295-foot motor yacht DAR, built by Dutch custom superyacht builder Oceanco, was honored with two awards at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show: Best Exterior Design and Finest New Superyacht. The exterior styling by DeBasto Design showcases the latest advances in glass technology and a unique sense of contrast with the dark glass and white balconies. DAR features a superstructure completely finished in reflective glass, which was all glued to the structure without the use of mechanical fasteners—a process requiring extreme precision.

Naturally, this glass gives owners privacy from the outside; from the inside, this allows for stunning panoramic views. Nearly 4,300 square feet of glass was used in DAR’s superstructure. “While one can certainly appreciate the grandeur of DAR from afar, the large scale of this yacht is not truly evident until you are close up,” says Luiz DeBasto, exterior designer. “Once onboard there is a strong sense of flow and well-being.”

The yacht is not available for charter, but you can find comparable yachts in our charter guide on page 132.

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FLYING SOLO Solo

The 236-foot superyacht Solo by Tankoa Yachts in Italy not only turned heads upon her debut at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show, but she also garnered top honors for her environmentally sound construction in compliance with the standards issued by Italian classification company RINA. The superyacht, weighing in at 1,120 tons, is incredibly fuel-efficient, even with a range of 7,000 nautical miles when traveling at 10 knots per hour (on the top end, she can reach 17.5 knots). Aspects of the yacht designed with eco-friendly standards in mind are the HUG soot burners on the three generators, the Eco Spray SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) of the main engines, and a carbon dioxide monitoring system allowing the captain to establish the optimum speed for reducing emissions.

Solo accommodates 12 guests in six cabins, including a spacious private owner’s apartment, with 180-degree sea views, overhead skylights, access to two outdoor terraces, shaded sun pads, and a glass-walled Jacuzzi. The owner may arrive to a helideck, sufficient for most twinturbine helicopters, and the aft deck offers an 18-foot swimming pool, as well as sofas and a pop-up television screen to transform the space into an outdoor cinema area. A beach club, gym, and spa zone are key features for the guest experience.

Charter Solo through Northrop & Johnson from $675,000 per week; northropandjohnson.com

THE INSIDE STORY

The 290-foot motor yacht Illusion Plus by Pride Mega Yachts of China won the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show Interior Design award. With her 50.5-foot beam, she offers an impressive interior volume and design highlighted with fine woods, natural stone, and premium metals. An abundance of natural light shines through floor-toceiling windows and two VIP suites with open-space bathrooms feel more like a downtown loft than the cloistered quarters of a ship. The owner’s stateroom opens onto a private outdoor deck and features his-and-her baths, a dressing room, and an office. The Ocean Lounge on the lower deck connects guests to the seascape and enables them to relax in a tranquil spa, while the main deck lounge/cinema brings guests together for social gatherings. Discussion and relaxation take place in the Panorama Lounge. Here guests have access to the sundeck and Wheel House, which controls Rolls-Royce engines, generators, and stabilizers.

This yacht is available for sale for $145 million; pridemegayachts.com Illusion Plus

Courtesy Images, From Top: Pride Mega Yacht; Royal Huisman/Breedmedia. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Oceanco/ Franscisco Martinez; Tankoa Yachts/Blue iProd

FAST AND FURIOUS

The 190-foot sailing yacht Ngoni, built

by Royal Huisman Shipyard of the Netherlands, was widely recognized in 2018, winning the Best Interior and Best Sail (130 feet or longer) at the International Superyacht Society Awards; the Judges’ Commendation for Sail (over 160 feet) at the World Superyacht Awards; and Best Naval Architecture and Best Exterior Styling for Sailing Yachts at the Design and Innovation Awards. The owner sought a bold, minimalist design that combines performance, handling, and seaworthiness. The powerful carbon rig incorporates a 9,182-square-foot square-top mainsail and continuous carbon shrouds from deck to masthead (a 70 percent weight reduction over more conventional rigging). Flush hatches with continuous planking on the teak foredeck conceal a large tender, crane, spa pool, and sail locker. Helm stations aft of the cockpit area were designed ergonomically as well as artfully, so the helmsman can see all the way to the bow.

Ngoni

Ngoni is privately owned and not currently available for charter. w

—Molly Winans Summer 2019 129

Q&A

YACHTING’S LEANER LOOKS DESIGN TRENDS AREN’T JUST FOR LANDLUBBERS. A NEW GENERATION’S TASTES ARE RESHAPING YACHT INTERIORS. in a way that addresses that brief.

And we’re still working with clients who are later in years and have a different, slightly more conventional perception of what luxury stands for.

ROLLAND: It’s a very conservative industry and for good reason. On yachts, you can’t change very much. You have a logical spine that you cannot alter. We are expanding on the model of a very small yacht; we’re not trying to put an apartment into a yacht. It’s a real mathematical game.

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he lifestyle choices, ecological awareness, and contemporary aesthetics of a younger generation of yacht buyers are changing the décor on luxury boats. We sat down with three world-famous yacht designers—Guillaume Rolland, principal and yacht design director of Liaigre; architect Achille Salvagni; and Jim Dixon, director of yachts and aviation at Winch—to talk about how they are rethinking the way they outfit modern pleasure craft.

Q: Obviously, every design brief depends on the client and differs accordingly. But generally speaking, what is most obvious about the new interior aesthetic?

SALVAGNI: What has changed is the approach to what you associate with the luxury experience.

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The new aesthetic is more connected to nature. It’s very clean, calm, sophisticated—still exclusive, but not overdone.

The new wealthy generation understands that what their father thought of as luxury is different from what they desire.

Luxury is not any longer gold, expensive rare woods, and precious materials.

ROLLAND: We do a beautiful interior in a classic way, but clean it up. A cornice used to be a crown molding that unified the room with a single line. But you can do the same thing with a shadow gap. Using less and less materials is definitely the path.

The last yacht we delivered was

all teak and white with a few touches of dark woods.

DIXON: The swing in the barometer of the market you’re talking about is less relevant to Winch. We are launching five yachts this year and they couldn’t be more different. One is modern, but classically proportioned. The interiors are “young classical,” ornate but not heavy. Our owners are getting a bit younger, and their appreciation of what luxury means is definitely changing.

Q: There also seems to be a shift away from approaching yacht interiors like a residential job—revealing the hull more, for example, rather than using straight angles and walls to make it something more rectilinear.

DIXON: Again, it depends on the brief. One art collector’s yacht is extremely residential in feel, primarily because it is their main residence, so it’s designed

SALVAGNI: I have never transformed any yacht into a floating penthouse filled with antiques and furniture. A yacht is closer to a spaceship or an airplane than a house. You cannot create an interior without connecting it to the setting. The yacht has no roots at all. It moves.

You can’t connect it to anything in particular. You have to connect to the DNA of the object itself.

That’s why I never use square angles. That’s not related to the sense of movement.

Q: How is that reflected in the choice of furnishings and the feel of the spaces?

ROLLAND: You have a grammar and lexicon of a particular subject. If you have no context, it’s just a table with four legs. Furniture can be too big or too small. Ours is a millimetric precision.

SALVAGNI: I use soft shapes that look organic, as if they are shaped by the wind. The volumes create themselves naturally.

When you have the opportunity to create a bespoke project, it does not make sense to fill it with furniture and objects that are designed by someone else or readily available on the market.

I’m an architect and I need to

Clockwise from opposite: The classic yet modernized interior of Cloudbreak by Liaigre; the top-deck lounge on Endeavour features the signature soft shapes and round edges of Achille Salvagni’s designs; New Secret shows off Winch’s sophisticated artistry. such a complexity of technology onboard. To switch on a light or TV, you had to call someone from the crew to help you. Now switches are discreet, however, you can easily find them.

Courtesy Images, From Top: Achille Salvagni/Paolo Pegrinani; Winch Design/Michal Baginski. Opposite: Courtesy Liaigre

shape space rather than decorate with a painting or furnishings.

Also, I rarely select pieces from the land and put them on a boat because the proportions don’t work. The height of regular furniture doesn’t work when compared to the low ceiling of a boat. Some pieces can act as a reference to residential comfort, which is still a necessity. But the best way is always to mix elements; for example, bespoke pieces with a few interesting 20th-century pieces.

DIXON: What we absolutely hold dear is our attention to detail and to injecting a spirit that identifies the project— whether that’s a use of a particular material or an artwork we help develop.

Q: What are some of the influences that are changing the younger generation’s sense of luxury?

DIXON: They’re more ecologically aware. There’s not so much plastic on board. Most clients are very particular about not using synthetic materials that are harmful to the environment.

And they want to make sure they’re not mining things out of the ground that have taken centuries to grow.

SALVAGNI: They’d rather save rare species of woods and stones and instead use ones that are beautiful and luxurious, but not endangered. Exoticism in luxury is not attractive to millennials.

ROLLAND: The newer generation is more aware of the message they are sending into the world. Yachts have gotten smaller; 50 to 90 meters will be the norm. Instead of a 15-person crew, you need 10.

DIXON: There are plenty of very large yachts being built if you look at the data. But there are also plenty of 70-meter boats.

The majority of deliveries is between 65 and 70 meters.

Q: Has the usage of the yacht also changed?

ROLLAND: It used to be more about a show of status and money. But it has melted more into a pleasure boat for family use. It has to do with a feeling of well-being more than taste.

People want to bring home what they experience in a hotel— saunas, spas, even hairdressers.

You’re creating your own rules, so you have no limit.

DIXON: Clients want water toys, health and wellness facilities, more spaces devoted to a Zen mindfulness.

Q: What about the trend in so-called “explorer yachts”?

Is that on the rise, and how does it affect the design?

DIXON: People want to get to places beyond the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, to the far corners of the world.

The design has to be about looking— observation rooms, open sundecks that become viewing platforms, a greater connection between interior and exterior spaces.

ROLLAND: In terms of the interior-exterior relation, it is disappearing. There is a clear request to have fewer raised thresholds, and the least number of steps possible between the

cockpit and the main saloon.

Clients also say, ‘We want you to design furniture for both the interior and exterior as one holistic approach.’ And it influences the palette when you know you’re spending three weeks in Greenland or Alaska.

You want a cozy interior. It’s like when you return from skiing; you want to be in a ski chalet, not an all-white interior.

Q: Any last thoughts?

SALVAGNI: Design has become interdisciplinary.

With the web there has been a wider range of options, which has dramatically changed the scenario. What could be attractive in the fashion world can be used in other areas of design. We no longer consider it outside of one kind of design or another. Our field has to be updated with the same clever, sharp approach you would use in any other luxury experience. The rules are the same.

ROLLAND: I see no particular connection to fashion, except in the love for craftsmanship.

With globalization, doing things quicker and cheaper, it’s one of the last disciplines in which we can keep craftsmanship alive.

It’s one reason luxury is still very strong. w —Jorge S. Arango

SALVAGNI: It is no longer about volume and dimension and making an impression; instead, it’s about the experience.

The trend is to be a little more practical. There are pantries in the kitchen where you can prepare your own cappuccino and enjoy that experience instead of ringing a bell and having it brought to you. Also, 20 years ago there was Summer 2019 131

FOR SAILING THE MEDITERRANEAN Launched just two years ago, the 135-foot traditional schooner-style Satori (left) is the first private yacht to be managed and run as a boutique hotel. “It’s an extension of our hotel in Tuscany, Borgo Santo Pietro,” says owner and founder Claus Thottrup, “and features our highly trained service staff.” That staff includes chefs from the hotel group’s two Michelin-starred restaurants, Meo Modo and Florence’s La Bottega del Buon Caffé.

Designed and commissioned by Thottrup and his wife, Jeanette, Satori was built to today’s specifications and standards, but exudes classic charm with its mahogany and teak craftsmanship. It can accommodate 10 guests and a seven-member crew, and offers every water activity imaginable, plus a cinema under the stars and spa treatments using the brand’s organic skincare line made on its farm.

From $110,000/week; borgosantopietro.com

CHOICE CHARTERS A QUICK GUIDE TO BOOKING A SUPERYACHT.

Burgess Yachts Worldwide yacht charter and sale brokerage since 1975, Burgess’s bookings include the large motor yacht shown (top right) for sailing in the South Pacific and New Zealand; burgessyachts.com Camper and Nicholsons Began as a shipbuilder in 1782 and added chartering to its offerings in the 1950s; camperandnicholsons.com 132 Summer 2019

Fraser Launched as a yacht brokerage in 1947, Fraser charters, sells, manages, and builds luxury yachts; fraseryachts.com

Northrop & Johnson Luxury yacht sales and charters since 1949 with an experienced management team; northropandjohnson.com Oceanco Custom builder of motor and sailing yachts such as the awardwinning DAR, with an in-house yachting sales and charter brokerage; oceancoyacht.com Y.CO Yacht sales or charters that include exclusive luxury brand partnerships; y.co

FOR LESS CHARTERED WATERS Naya Traveler specializes in a “curated approach” to travel, providing immersive cultural experiences in destinations as varied as Antarctica, Peru, and Morocco. Among the company’s offerings are custom, private yacht charters in Myanmar in the Mergui Archipelago (shown right).

Just across from the Thai border and sparsely populated, the archipelago of nearly 800 islands remains one of the world’s few unspoiled destinations. A seven-day journey on a crewed sailing yacht offers access to islands with mangrove forests, snorkeling reefs, beautiful bays and beaches, a Buddhist monastery, and idyllic anchorages for enjoying sundowners, meals onboard, and tranquility. Clients may choose a catamaran, ketch, or cutter, ranging from 51 to 85 feet long. From $15,000/week; nayatraveler.com u —Molly Winans

Courtesy Images, From Top: Satori/Stuart Pearce; Burgess/Quin Bisset; Naya Traveler

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hen choosing a yachting charter, consider the differences between the experience aboard a sailing yacht and a motor yacht. Sailing yachts “heel” or lean in the wind under way, which delights some passengers but not all, whereas motor yachts act more as spacious villas afloat. The determined destination could be bustling or remote. Docking along the French Riviera in peak summer season will be distinct from, say, an Alaskan expedition. Crew members can wear formal uniforms or dress casually, yet be ready to serve you and create the onboard experience you seek. Amenities can include Jet Skis or tenders; chefs and gourmet meal plans; cinema lounges; and spa treatments.

Superyacht charters begin at $150,000 per week and run into the millions; you may also find sophisticated charters on yachts under 80 feet long for less than $50,000. Clients pay up front for yacht charter vacations, so obtaining insurance is smart. Expect additional costs, including meals, libations, fuel, and communications expenses, to run 25 percent higher than the cost of the yacht.

MODERN LUXE CROSS CROSS CLASSIC CLASSIC CENTURY® SPRING 2019

DOES FORM FOLLOW FUNCTION? OR DOES FUNCTION DRIVE FORM? WHATEVER YOUR POINT OF VIEW, CLASSIC CENTURY DELIVERS. GENERATIONS LATER, PASSIONATE FANS REMAIN LOYAL TO THE ICONIC SILHOUETTE, WHILE TRENDSETTERS APPRECIATE ITS AUTHENTICITY. COOL COMES FULL CIRCLE. AVAILABLE AT SPECIALTY RETAILERS AND CROSS.COM

TECH

2019 GOLF GEAR GUIDE

STROKES OF

GENIUS FROM REVOLUTIONARY HIGH-TECH CLUBS AND TRAINING AIDS TO PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN APPAREL AND ADVANCED DISTANCE-READING DEVICES, THE LATEST EQUIPMENT PROVES THE INDUSTRY IS AS FORWARD-THINKING AS EVER.

by Shaun Tolson

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DRIVERS

Always the most tantalizing club in a golfer’s bag, there’s never a shortage of new drivers released each season. These three stand out for being the most cutting-edge.

Thousands of virtual simulations and prototypes came before the Callaway Epic Flash. Conventional driver design is symmetrical, where the clubface is thickest in the center and thinnest at the perimeter—until Callaway proved that to be an inefficient design. Utilizing artificial intelligence, the company’s team of engineers programmed a computer to understand how the geometry of a clubface affects ball speeds and durability. This optimized solution for maximum ball speed “is not very predictable with all these ripples and waves,” explains Evan Gibbs, Callaway Golf ’s director of R&D for woods. “It looks very different than any face we’ve ever seen, but it’s very effective.” The club is also manufactured differently—the face is first forged, then machined into shape, and finally laser-welded onto the body. “The architecture is so complex,” Gibbs says, “that if you used traditional casting methods, some of the features would get washed out.” $530; callawaygolf.com

Kevin Murray. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Callaway Golf; Lynx Golf; Cobra Golf

Not only does the Lynx Prowler VT deliver adjustable lofts, but it does so in a revolutionary way that took the brand almost a decade to perfect. A traditional adjustable driver utilizes a changeable mechanism in the hosel that unavoidably changes a club’s lie and face angles. The Prowler VT features interchangeable faceplates that prevent those unwanted secondary changes. The weight that is saved by eliminating that hosel mechanism is then repositioned (with the faceplate screws) around the perimeter of the club, increasing the club’s moment of inertia (MOI).

At least 25 different faceplates are available, ranging from 8 to 12 degrees of loft, some with close- or open-face angle configurations to deliver a fade or draw bias. $525; lynxgolfusa.com

Driver design is a tug-of-war between aerodynamics and a low center of gravity (CG), which is crucial for performance, as it allows for the most efficient transfer of energy from the club to the ball during the swing. The Cobra King F9 proves there’s a way to achieve both. By creating a CNC precision-milled driver face that is five times more precise than hand-polishing—and through the development of a carbon fiber–wrapped crown design that reduces the clubhead’s total weight by an additional 10 grams—Cobra’s engineers have built adjustable weight into the sole of the club, which pulls the center of gravity down, even as the crown was raised to be more aerodynamic. The end result is faster club speed and greater precision. $450; cobragolf.com w

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DRIVING IRONS

During the golden years of Palmer, Player, and Nicklaus, only the world’s best could think about putting a 1- or 2-iron in their bags; however, thanks to a resurgence in popularity and advancements in club technology and design, a mid-handicapper can now find success swinging the club that was once seemingly reserved for the Golden Bear.

The wide sole of the Srixon Z U85 is on full display when positioned in a player’s bag. Just the sight of it inspires confidence, suggesting that the club is easy to hit—and it is— yet that width is not completely concealed when a golfer looks down at the club in his or her hands. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it’s something to embrace, especially when the club is an 18-degree 2-iron. Constructed from soft carbon steel, the model features a hollow-body (like a hybrid) that allows the club’s CG to be positioned lower and farther away from the clubface, which creates higher-launching ball flights. $200; srixon.com

Simply put, there’s a lot of muscle in the Lynx Prowler VT Stinger’s muscle-back design. Most golfers will require a bit of time adjusting to the sight of that bulbous back end, but the piercing ball flights of their shots will be certain to help with the adjustment. Available only in right-handed configurations and only with 16 degrees of loft, the Prowler VT Stinger features a hollow clubhead design that is thicker around the periphery than in the center. That added thickness—and weight—around the perimeter of the club reduces sidespin and improves distance on off-center shots. $129; lynxgolfusa.com

Unlike the Srixon Z U85, the characteristics attributable to the PXG 0311 X Gen2 (the second-generation PXG driving iron) are impressive but largely hidden from view. An inner cavity injected with a proprietary, synthetic material features a cutout perimeter that increases the functional area of the clubface by 15 percent. That synthetic material has also been engineered to more efficiently transfer energy at impact, which increases ball speeds. A clubface only 1.5 millimeters thick and a tapered heel-to-toe design on the back of the club allow more weight to be positioned near the toe for greater stability and more forgiveness. $400; pxg.com

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Available in three lofts—17, 20, and 23 degrees—the Ping G410 Crossover utility iron is equipped with a 30-gram tungsten weight in the toe, which increases the club’s MOI and makes it almost as forgiving as a hybrid. Enhanced by a thin steel face, it produces similar distances when compared to an identically lofted G410 hybrid; however, unlike a hybrid, the crossover’s streamlined body and thin topline will appeal more to players who like the shot-making capabilities— and the classic aesthetic—of a traditional iron. $248; ping.com

PUTTERS

No club is used more during a round, yet the flat stick never garners the attention that it deserves.

These new, spotlight-worthy options are fresh to market and made to lower scores.

Courtesy Images From Top: Sacks Parente; Bloodline Golf; T Squared Putters. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Srixon; Lynx Golf; PXG; Ping

Mallet-style putters have long trumped timeless, streamlined shapes by offering the average golfer more stability and better results thanks to higher MOI. Sacks Parente Golf Company, through its new Series 39 putters, has found a way to engineer a symmetrical, heel-mounted blade with an ultra-low balance point. Sacks Parente achieves this through custom grips and carbonfiber shafts that weigh less than 35 grams; stainless steel heads equipped with face inserts made from a lightweight, proprietary alloy; and more than 120 grams of high-density tungsten set into the heel and toe of the clubhead, which drastically reduces the putter’s inclination to twist or deflect during the putting stroke. $600; sacksparente.com

Thanks to its thin, tapered, carbon-fiber shaft and a thin rubber wrap that replaces a traditional grip, this putter from Bloodline Golf has a balance point set only an inch or so above the clubhead. That made it possible for Bloodline’s engineers to design the putter to stand on its own, so players can align themselves to putt, then step back and view the putter’s positioning from behind to confirm that it’s pointing where they want it to. Best of all, the putter conforms to the rules of golf. $500; bloodline.golf

When 17-year-old Tony Tuber became fascinated with putters, he discovered that his father’s manufacturing business, which machines surgical and dental instruments, could create putters with tolerances that were on par with coveted, limited-edition models. T Squared Putters makes each club by hand in upstate New York from US stainless steel and offers custom options such as Teflon inserts and personalized engraving and painting. The company can also treat its metals with a proprietary thermal chemical diffusion for a matte-black finish that is resistant to wear. From $400; tsquaredputters.com w

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AGAINST THE GRAIN

Almost a decade ago, ECCO revolutionized the golf shoe industry with the release of its spikeless, hybrid Golf Street model. The style has since become as prominent—if not more so—than traditional spiked soles. The new ECCO BIOM G3 Golf Shoes are a reimagined, spiked variant of the Biom Hybrid 3 GTX, which serves as a reminder that classic golf spikes are not obsolete. The shoe features a stretchable and soft double-layer neoprene collar and a yak-leather upper bonded to the outsole in a proprietary way, which makes the shoe flexible, durable, and lightweight. $250; eccousa.com

Can a driver that offers no adjustability be cutting edge and compete with drivers that do? Made of a layer of DuPont Kevlar sandwiched between carbon fiber, the crown of the new Wilson Staff D7 Driver neutralizes vibration and produces a sharp, crisp sound. The clubhead was stripped of nearly 25 grams of weight; that mass was reintroduced through internal weights strategically positioned forward in the 9-degree model (designed for players with fast swing speeds); in the middle for the 10.5-degree model (for moderate-tofast swing speeds), and farther back and toward the heel in the 13-degree model (for slower swing speeds). $300; wilson.com

FOR THE BRAND LOYALIST

Once golfers find a brand they like—be it for irons, wedges, or woods—many remain loyal. The following new clubs all represent the best of their respective brands.

Titleist TS2 and TS3 drivers feature a titanium crown that is 20 percent thinner than the brand’s previous 917 models, as well as a clubface that is lighter than those older models thanks to a variablethickness design. Each driver is equipped with the brand’s SureFit hosel, a feature made up of 16 independent loft and lie settings, which assure a precise fitting experience. Choose the TS2 for a high-launching, low-spinning club with a fixed center of gravity thanks to an unmovable weight positioned at the rear of the sole. TS3 is a mid-launch, low-spin option that offers an adjustable weight system to calibrate for draw or fade biases. $500; titleist.com

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According to Tom Olsavsky, Cobra Golf ’s vice president of research and design, gameimprovement irons have historically forced golfers to choose between forgiveness and maximum distance. The new Cobra Speedback Irons deliver on both fronts thanks to a steel belt that wraps around the back of the iron and increases MOI by as much as 10 percent in long irons. A combined 33 grams of tungsten was added to the toe and heel in the 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-irons. “That’s driving the CG down,” Olsavsky says, “so you’re getting quick-launching and steep-landing shots with great distance.” $800; cobragolf.com

Master wedge craftsman Bob Vokey expands on his most current SM7 design, which repositions the center of gravity relative to each wedge’s loft, with a new color— the limited-edition Slate Blue wedges.

He has also made the Vokey SM7 Raw line and Hand Ground program available to the general public, offering the same custom-grinding work that many Tour players request. “How many opportunities does the average player have to get up and down?” Vokey asks. The answer is a lot. “Being fit for the proper wedge with the right grind, it can help them,” he says. “The short game is an art, and wedges are the paintbrushes.” $195; vokey.com

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top: ECCO; Wilson; Cobra Golf; Vokey; Titleist. Opposite, Courtesy Images Clockwise From Top: GolfLogix; Blast Motion; Galvin Green; Breakthrough Golf Technology; Galvin Green; Under Armour; IOFIT Shoes

Although trends fuel the golf equipment industry, some of the greatest additions don’t necessarily play within the rules.

GAME IMPROVEMENT

From smartphone apps and training aids to aftermarket shafts and performance-focused apparel, these tools will elevate your game.

The GolfLogix app, designed as a digital caddie, utilizes proprietary 3-D mapping of greens on more than 13,000 courses (all measured to within a centimeter in accuracy) and diagrams the correct line to make a putt, displaying the putt’s total distance, elevation change, break, and optimal aim point. “This is like having an extremely experienced caddie with you every time you play,” says Pete Charleston, the company’s president and co-founder. “It removes any indecision about the putt that you have to hit.” $50/year; golflogix.com

The Under Armour Eyewear collection of Tuned Golf lenses features a custom rose-colored tint with blue coating, which filters light to better reveal the detailed undulations of a course (specifically on the green). The lenses are also fit into the brand’s fashionable and sporty frames, which allow golfers to enjoy better performance without sacrificing personal style. From $100; underarmour.com

Many training aids measure where and how golfers exert pressure through their feet during the swing, but golfers can’t realistically bring those pressure mats onto the course.

IOFIT Smart Shoes, however, are equipped with pressure-sensor technology in the midsole and, through a Bluetooth connection to the shoe’s app, can track a player’s balance, weight shift, and centerof-pressure pattern, all in real time. $270; iofitshoes.com

To use the Blast Motion training aid, attach its motion capture sensor to the butt of a club and measure key metrics: For full swing, the sensor measures backswing time, downswing time, clubhead speed, and tempo; for putting, it measures 11 metrics including rotation change and impact stroke speed.

Originally engineered for putting and full swings, the system will soon be able to measure the abbreviated swings that make up much of the short game too. $150; blastmotion.com

When Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, Galvin Green attire can make all the difference.

From thermal, skintight base layers that provide optimum warmth to outer shell layers made from proprietary synthetic materials that are soft and stretchy, breathable, windproof, and water-repellent, the line of golf clothing provides a layering solution that can handle any weather scenario. Even the brand’s cold-weather golf gloves stand out for their exceptional quality and warmth. What’s so great about playing in cold weather, you ask?

The answer: never feeling the cold. From $60; galvingreen.com

Breakthrough Golf Technology, a new venture helmed by Barney Adams, founder of Adams Golf, has created the Stability shaft, which delivers the putter face squarer at impact so putts stay more on line. The product features a low-density aluminum insert to reinforce flexural rigidity and a versatile aluminum connector, all encompassed by an eight-layer wrap of carbon fiber with a no-taper design to reduce torsional rotation. Expect improved accuracy, feel, and the ability to consistently control distance. $200; breakthroughgolftech.com w

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UNDER THE RADAR

Golf’s major club manufacturers predictably steal the spotlight while lesser-known brands are measuring up for quality and innovation.

Built for players with slow to moderate swing speeds, the XXIO Prime Driver features a graphite shaft accented by carbon fiber. Its lower weight (36 grams), longer length (46.5 inches), and softer tip make it easier for golfers to keep the clubface square at impact.

Its titanium clubface is also thinner and stronger than previous models, which increases a shot’s ball speed. Accomplished players with fast swing speeds will likely find it difficult to feel where the clubface is pointing during the swing (and at impact), which is why the XXIO Prime is ideally suited for those looking for a little more distance and focused only on hitting it straight off the tee. $850; xxiousa.com

The large, open square grooves on the Indi Golf StingRay Wedge maximize spin and, although they are illegal in tournament play, makes casual rounds more fun. For competition, the Southern California–based company created the StingRay TT wedge with conforming grooves, which they assert increase spin by 20 percent over most other wedges on the market. Both wedges feature Indi Golf ’s proprietary ScoopBack design to create maximum forgiveness by moving mass higher in the face and toward the toe. $160; indigolfclubs.com

RANGEFINDERS

Accurate to within a third of a yard from distances as far 300 yards away, the TecTecTec ULT-X can also capture distances of larger items, like hazards, as far as 1,000 yards away. Like the market’s other major players, this rangefinder offers target-locking technology (conveyed via vibration) and has the ability to calculate changes in elevation through an optional slope setting.

That it’s priced hundreds of dollars less than its competition is only due to the French manufacturer’s commitment to selling directly to consumers. $250; us.tectectec.com

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The hybrid design of the Voice Caddie SL1 utilizes both laser and GPS technology. The GPS addition is important, as it allows users to view hole layouts on a color LCD screen just below the viewfinder.

Those layouts provide general yardages to the front, middle, and back of greens, as well as offering a color-coded map of the green’s undulation, spotlighting the highest, middle, and lowest points on the putting surface. $500; voicecaddie.com

The waterproof and fog-proof Nikon Coolshot Pro can deliver accurate readings from 8 to 1,200 yards away in less than half a second. ID (incline/decline) technology displays both the actual distance and the slopeadjusted distance, which over time can condition golfers to better approximate those differences without the device’s assistance (a necessary skill when playing in tournaments). And rather than feeling a vibration, users see a green-lit circle around the flag to confirm that the laser is locked on the appropriate target. $450; nikonsportoptics.com u

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top Left: XXIO; Indi Golf; Nikon; Voice Caddie; TecTecTec

Laser-aided rangefinders stand in for yardage books, distance-marked sprinkler heads, and knowledgeable caddies of yore.

Our members return each year as faithfully as the tides.

Situated on 2,500 acres of unspoiled paradise, Ocean Reef provides a long list of unsurpassed amenities to its Members including a 175-slip marina, two 18-hole golf courses, tennis facilities, state-of-the-art medical center, K-8 school, private airport and more.

There are only two ways to experience Ocean Reef Club’s Unique Way of Life – as a guest of a member or through the pages of Living magazine. Visit OceanReefClubMagazine.com or call 305.367.5921 to request your complimentary copy.

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SUMMER CAMP ESCAPE TO THE WOODS FOR A CAMPING ADVENTURE THAT GIVES NEW MEANING TO “ROUGHING IT.” Photography ANDREW YEE Styling HEIDI MEEK

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eaving civilization doesn’t mean accommodations have to be uncivilized. The Airstream Nest, the iconic RV company’s newest travel trailer, contains everything you need to retreat to the great outdoors in comfort. Despite its compact size (16 feet, 7 inches from end to end), the Nest features an airy living space for two and offers two different floor-plan options: a fixed bed or a dinette that converts into a sleeping area. The lightweight fiberglass exterior is a bold move away from Airstream’s gleaming past, but the rounded edges still evoke the metal bullet styling for which the company is famous. Inside, soft neutral colors create a welcoming vibe, and the LED lights, controlled by Bluetooth, enable lighting levels and colors to be adjusted via smartphone. Panoramic windows eliminate any potential claustrophobia, while blackout curtains form a cocoon of privacy. Stain-resistant seats are comfortably covered in Spradling Dolce vinyl, while the handcrafted cabinets are covered in an easy-to-clean white laminate with plenty of storage compartments available.

Reversible throw pillows, body pillows, and bedspread are included. A propane two-burner stove, refrigerator, freezer, and microwave make up the compact kitchen. In addition to the handheld shower head and built-in soap and shampoo dispensers, there’s an exterior shower for the more adventurous. An integral roof-mounted air-conditioning and heater unit keeps the interior temperature comfortable in all types of climates, and the power-operated exterior shade, with LED lighting, provides a cool spot to sit outside while

communing with nature. Pre-installed wiring makes it easy to connect solar panels for staying off the grid a bit longer. The Nest’s 3,400-pound weight means certain mid-size SUVs with a tow package can pull it. Gas, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors come standard and the Nest boasts a TRA “Emerald Status” green certification, the highest available.

For setting up camp out in the open, Snow Peak, an innovative camping equipment company from Japan, offers the most stylish, highly designed yet ruggedly durable gear available. Its modern Classic Kettle, with locking spout cover and a hanging loop for heating over a fire, makes 1.8 quarts of morning coffee in high-quality Japanese stainless steel that’s easy to clean. For dinner, the Al Dente Cook Set, with two stainless steel pots, two lids, and a strainer, makes it easy to create campfire pasta dishes. The Iron Grill Table is a versatile cooking system that can stand at varying heights from 12 to 33 inches. Its base unit includes an aluminum frame that features adjustable stainless steel legs and space for four inserts: a single- or double-burner unit, a griddle, worktable panels, and even single or double BBQ boxes. Finish it off with storage or cutting-board inserts, including half- or full-size bamboo boards. Optional tables provide more prep and eating areas, and can connect to the Iron Grill Table or stand on their own.

If an open flame is preferred, the Pack and Carry Fireplace Kit delivers. This folding fireplace comes with a grill attachment, a fireplace base, and a carrying case. No more digging required: After dinner, pull off the grill, load up a few logs, and toast marshmallows for dessert by the portable stainless steel fire pit.

—David Keith

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THE NORTH FACE shirt, $70; thenorthface.com ACNE STUDIOS T-shirt, $160; acnestudios.com PATAGONIA pants, $79; patagonia.com BIRKENSTOCK sandals, $135; birkenstock.com ROLEX watch, $8,200; rolex.com AIRSTREAM NEST $45,900; airstream.com SNOW PEAK Classic Kettle, $100, Al Dente Cook Set, $110, Iron Grill Table 4 Unit Set, $230, and Pack and Carry Fireplace Kit, $320; snowpeak.com

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FAHERTY shirt, $98; fahertybrand.com JAMES PERSE pants, $245; jamesperse.com STANCE socks, $28; stance.com RH Textured Merino Wool throw, $520, and pillows, from $200, in Oatmeal; restorationhardware.com

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YELLOWSTONE’S BACKYARD More than 4 million people visit Yellowstone National Park annually, putting up with endless crowds and traffic jams. So take your Airstream Nest to Eastern Idaho near the Montana border for a quiet, crowdless route outside the park and explore the tall waterfalls, thick woods, high peaks, and historic ranches along this scenic byway that ends near the Wyoming border. Here, a few noteworthy stops.

ISLAND PARK, IDAHO

Johnny Sack Cabin Johnny Sack paid the US Forest Service $4.15 a year to live on the headwaters of Henry’s Fork.

He carved his squat cabin by hand, including pipe stand and bed frame sized to suit his short stature.

He hovered just under 5 feet tall. Watch your head while touring the place. www.co.fremont.id.us Sawtell Peak Drive the steep (but paved) road to Sawtell Peak and see the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from 9,866 feet up. Look down on Montana and Idaho and all the way to Wyoming on clear days. If the view doesn’t stop you, the wildflowers will.

Harriman State Park Owned by Union Pacific Railroad investors until 1977, the park served as a cattle ranch and private retreat for the Harriman and Guggenheim families until the late 1970s. The state’s park system was created when the families granted public access to their once-private retreat. Tour living quarters and other outbuildings on foot, by bike, or by horse.

Classic cars and other old equipment are still in the multi-stall garage. parksandrecreation.idaho.gov Mesa Falls There’s nothing mellow about the rush of this waterfall dropping the height of a 10-story building and crashing through the canyon. It’s beyond impressive and you’ll hear its thunder before you see its shower. Hike the boardwalk to stand over Upper Mesa’s display, and make sure to stop at Lower Mesa too. fs.usda.gov

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ST. ANTHONY, IDAHO

The Dunes For the best beach sand you’ll ever stick your toes in this far from the ocean, don’t miss the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, which cover more than 10,000 acres with granules of white quartz shifting from 10 to 400 feet tall. If you like motoring in sand, this is the place.

DRIGGS, IDAHO

Grand Targhee Resort The chair lift offers access to a fantastic ski season in winter, but in summer, it operates for mountain bikes. The resort is in Wyoming, but the access road is in Idaho. Catch a ride up then peddle down the backside of Grand Teton National Park. grandtarghee.com

IDAHO-WYOMING BORDER

The Tetons If you prefer hiking to biking, there’s a pile of trail miles in the Teton Range. From Teton Valley, Idaho, enter the Jedediah Smith Wilderness.

Cross into Wyoming while exploring meadows, mountains, and a wind cave if your legs go that far.

ASHTON and SWAN VALLEY, IDAHO

Henry’s Fork and South Fork Bait fishing is allowed, but you’ll find fly fishing suits Idaho water just fine. These Forks eventually meet to create the main channel of the Snake River. Before they do, fishing potential is outstanding. Both stretches are world-famous for prolific bug hatches and hungry trout. Drift boat guide service is available on both rivers.

—Kris Millgate

Located in the Missouri Ozark Mountains overlooking Table Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lodge offers inviting accommodations, spectacular restaurants and unparalleled nature attractions. Featuring four golf courses by the world’s top designers, an 18,000 square-foot spa, expansive shooting facility and so much more, Big Cedar Lodge is the ideal destination. Call or visit the website to plan your getaway today.

Ranked the #1 Resort in the Midwest for 3 Consecutive Years – Travel and Leisure Magazine

877.267.6259 | BIGCEDAR.COM

CABIN FEVER Amid economic tailwinds and unprecedented demand, private aviation’s top providers are in a race to lure customers into new jets with cabins designed to make every plane feel like home.

by Bailey Stone Barnard

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his is the most exciting time in private aviation in recent memory. Citing a strong economy for big business and subsequent enormous demand for private air travel, leading flight service providers continue to make multibillion-dollar investments in new aircraft. The goal of this aviation arms race is to attract corporate and private travelers into their programs with the most cutting-edge new jets featuring the latest avionics, best performance statistics, and most desirable comforts like flat floors and low-cabin altitudes.

As those planes enter service and join the fleets of industry leaders—including NetJets, Flexjet, and VistaJet—the levels of safety, reliability, and service are soaring to new heights. But the most noticeable perk of these new aircraft is the sense customers get every time they step on board.

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“Safety and service remain the top priorities far above everything else,” says Patrick Gallagher, EVP of sales and marketing for NetJets. “But you have to keep in mind that our customers turn right at the top of the steps. We’re trying to provide a smart alternative to owning your own jet, so a consistent cabin experience is absolutely critical. We want you to feel like this is your aircraft and not one that you’ve rented for the day.”

Fractional aircraft ownership has always presented a cost-effective alternative to owning an entire business jet, but today’s private aviation consumers want to feel like every jet they fly is their jet and so a consistent cabin experience is a big draw. Even smaller fractional providers, like Nicholas Air, which owns and operates a fleet of nearly two dozen aircraft, have made considerable investments in customizing the experience. By building personal w

Courtesy FlexJet

Nicholas Air type of jet here

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relationships between passengers and crew and giving aircraft matching paint jobs, these companies provide fractional shareholders the sense of owning the plane, even when they utilize multiple aircraft types. Nicholas Air and larger industry leaders like NetJets are making greater efforts than ever to deliver that experience, with the help of a new generation of business jets equipped with cabins designed to make travelers feel at home, regardless of the mission or aircraft model.

“Our customers are actually looking for more luxury,” says Megan Wolf, chief operations officer of Flexjet, the second-largest fractional provider behind NetJets. “So, we wanted to make an investment in the quality of the interior products, like something you might outfit your own jet with. Customers want every flight to feel like an experience that’s tailored to them.”

To give customers that experience, both NetJets and Flexjet have made huge investments in new aircraft. In 2012, NetJets ordered $2.5 billion worth of new jets from Bombardier and Cessna.

To date, the company has taken delivery of 300 of those aircraft, with 60 more scheduled to enter its fleet this year. Late last year, NetJets announced plans to continue its fleet expansion with Cessna by ordering an additional 175 Citation Longitude super-midsize jets and 150 Hemisphere large-cabin jets worth nearly $10 million. Meanwhile, Flexjet, which says it has the industry’s youngest fleet, has anted up with orders for 40 Challenger 350 super-midsize jets from Bombardier, worth more than $1 billion, as well as 50 planes from Gulfstream worth $2.5 billion. At press time, Flexjet was reportedly in talks with Gulfstream to add another billion dollars’ worth of jets to that purchase. The company

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Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Bottom Left: FlexJet (3); VistaJet

Clockwise from bottom left: Flexjet’s Challenger 350 and Global Express Art Deco cabins; the Cosmos interior of the Flexjet G650; VistaJet’s homey accents.

also continues adding Embraer Phenom 300 and Legacy 450 midsize jets to its fleet as part of a 2015 order. Flexjet is also the only provider currently betting on breaking the sound barrier: It has ordered 20 of Aerion’s AS2 supersonic business jets, currently in development and scheduled for flight in 2023.

Another fleet to consider is that of VistaJet, which offers global private flight solutions and has an increasing US presence, which it furthered last fall with the purchase of XOJET, a leading on-demand services platform in North America. VistaJet’s membership-based model presents an alternative to fractional ownership, granting access to an entire fleet while paying only for the hours you fly. And while both NetJets and Flexjet offer non-ownership solutions, the Bombardier aircraft in VistaJet’s fleet are on par with those in its competitors’ fractional fleets. Back in 2012, VistaJet ordered nearly $8 billion worth of Bombardier jets to advance its fleet globally, and founder and chairman Thomas Flohr will take delivery of his first Bombardier Global 7500 large-cabin, ultralong-range jet later this year.

As all three companies continue taking delivery of these new planes, they retire their more dated aircraft, which is a major benefit to today’s private jet travelers. In the early days of fractional ownership 40-plus years ago, jets in these programs were treated almost like time-share properties, where a group of people each owned a share in the jet and split the cost of ownership. However, when one shareholder was using the plane, the other shareholders were forced to access other jets in the fleet, which was managed by a company like NetJets. Those aircraft were owned by different sets of fractional shareholders and were often dated with cabins of

varying designs. Whenever a passenger stepped on a plane, they felt like they were a guest rather than an owner.

Since then, NetJets and other service providers have made strides to develop fleet consistency. NetJets says that it has offered a degree of consistency across its aircraft types (midsize, largecabin, and so on) since the beginning, but for it, Flexjet, and VistaJet, the new and forthcoming aircraft take cabin consistency to new levels.

“When you board one of our airplanes, the Wi-Fi name is actually your aircraft’s Wi-Fi,” says NetJets’ Gallagher, who goes on to note that the new cabins, with subtle differences, have the same leathers, carpeting, headliners, and even arrangement. “We want you to board that aircraft and know where your favorite snacks are and exactly which drawer the Diet Coke is kept in.”

NetJets designs its cabins to be virtually identical, regardless of aircraft model, with colors and materials that are calming and neutral, which many travelers appreciate. VistaJet takes a similar approach to cabin consistency.

But Flexjet has taken a decidedly

different tack. “Flying private should be something special,” says Flexjet’s Wolf.

“It should be an experience. It shouldn’t feel the same as getting on board a commercial aircraft.”

To that end, Flexjet created the LXi collection of cabin designs for its Red Label program, which launched in 2015. Flexjet’s approach to fractional ownership, Red Label provides crews that are dedicated to specific aircraft; the company says it is the only provider offering dedicated crews. All of its Red Label aircraft feature LXi cabins and the company is constantly evolving those designs. The LXi cabins—for light, midsize, and large aircraft from Embraer, Bombardier, and Gulfstream—employ richer materials and cabin designs that, according to Wolf, its clients might also use in their home, cars, or yachts. Indeed, the LXi interiors feel more like the inside of a Rolls-Royce than an aircraft cabin.

“We set out to create a unique experience for our owners that you can only get from owning your own jet,” says Wolf. “For some owners, it just isn’t feasible to own, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want that same level of luxury.” w

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From top: NetJets’ Global 6000 cabin offers uncluttered comfort; the galley of Flexjet’s highly designed G450 Santa Fe. Opposite: Gulfstream’s design options.

NetJets

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hether a seven-passenger jet or a 14-passenger jet, NetJets treats the cabins for all of its aircraft the same in order to create a high level of consistency for travelers.

“We don’t determine cabin design based on the aircraft size or cost,” says Candy Dudik, NetJets’ director of cabin configuration. “We treat our Phenoms the same way that we treat our Globals, so that no matter which aircraft you’re on, you get the same details and experience.”

The NetJets cabins feature lightcolored, neutral tones with clean and uncluttered layouts, all designed for the utmost comfort. Pairing light leathers and headliners with surfaces in dark sapele veneer creates a calming effect, which is what NetJets passengers are looking for.

The company communicates extensively with customers to understand how they use each model and how to best design each cabin zone, whether they are used for business, reading, resting, or enjoying onboard music and movies. To ensure consistency, Dudik and the NetJets design team even source leathers from the same European farm—all its leathers are byproducts of the beef industry—and trees for its veneers from the same forest.

“We choose every inch of leather and carpeting so they have the same softness from one aircraft to the next,” she says.

“And all our leathers come from cows that are treated very well, so you don’t see imperfections in the leather.”

Similarly, NetJets uses different cuts of the same sapele trees for its veneers in different aircraft. The Global 6000 receives a flat cut that shows more of the heart of the tree for larger surfaces, whereas the Phenom 300 receives a finer quarter cut for the smaller applications in that model.

“We’re very, very picky,” says Dudik.

“So when you walk on the aircraft in the morning to go to a meeting, and then a different aircraft comes to pick you up in the afternoon, it always feels like your aircraft.”

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Flexjet

Courtesy Images, From Top: Gulfstream Aerospace Corp./Mathew Courtney. Opposite: Courtesy NetJets (2)

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ic Michaels, Flexjet’s director of global intelligence and the designer behind its LXi cabin collection, says that in the early 2000s, a standardized look and feel across a provider’s fleet was a point of differentiation. However, that resulted in what he calls “greige syndrome.”

“Interiors that were in some boring variant of gray or beige,” explains Michaels. “We saw this as a great opportunity to offer a higher touch, with features never before seen in the fractional private jet industry.”

Rather than employing a strictly uniform look, Flexjet’s LXi cabin collection comprises various themes— such as Art Deco, Pewter, and Santa Fe— based on the singular vision of creating cabins that feel much more personalized.

This design-minded approach results in details that make each cabin feel like that of a one-off custom jet, while still maintaining a consistent feel across the Flexjet fleet. Michaels and Flexjet’s in-house design team work closely with each aircraft manufacturer to source premium leathers, wood veneers, and textiles from around the globe.

The materials and color palettes of each interior may vary, but the seating configuration and amenities are the same across each aircraft type, which helps each jet feel like a Flexjet aircraft.

Such nuances as two-tone leather seats, baseball stitching, customized wool and silk carpeting patterns, embossed plating, and inlaid wood veneers truly differentiate Flexjet’s fractional fleet. For example, the Orionthemed cabin of Flexjet’s newly delivered Gulfstream G650 uses a light and airy color palette for the cabin walls and headliner, balanced with darker-toned Brazilian ziricote and ebony veneers, almond-colored plating, and wool and silk carpeting. The flowing design of the carpet and the natural wood grain of the veneers give the G650 cabin an organic feel—and a fairly stark contrast to the neutral “greige” interiors found in many private jets.

“Greige is easy because it’s easier to maintain and easier to clean, because everyone has it and so somebody always has the parts,” says Megan Wolf, Flexjet’s chief operations officer. “But we didn’t want to do what was easy. We wanted to do something special.”

Sky’s the Limit

A jet is rarely an impulse buy. The decision requires

respect, consideration, passion, and a major investment—the latter being financial, of course, but also aesthetic and emotional. Gulfstream has responded to the challenges its clients face during the buying process with a portfolio of showrooms offering an immersive experience they can relish, both by stretching their creativity and instilling confidence that the final product will be the perfect, bespoke expression of their aesthetic dreams.

Expansive showrooms have opened in exclusive locations in major cities, including London, Long Beach, Dallas, Vienna, and, most recently, Manhattan. “All of our sales and design centers are designed uniquely for the context of the locale,” says Tray Crow, director, interior design at Gulfstream. The Manhattan sales office, in an Upper East Side high-rise with views of Central Park, is sophisticated and chic in a very metropolitan New York sort of way. Predominantly white to minimize distractions to the personal creative process, it is far from sterile thanks to a textural mix in fabrics, finishes, and surfaces that bring warmth to its contemporary mood.

“We designed the space deliberately to create a serene, calm setting in which clients can focus on the design of their Gulfstream cabin,” explains Crow. “To that end, our samples remain obscured within custom cabinetry that we can open to show vignettes of samples chosen from our initial design conversations. We also wanted the physical space to reflect the flow of those conversations—the doors of the conference room open directly onto the showroom, for example, following the natural progression of our design visits with clients.”

Like the Gulfstream aircraft, the showroom is state-of-the-art. “We use technology and wanted to incorporate that seamlessly and pleasingly into the design,” observes Crow. “Clients can swap out interior and exterior design selections on a 20-foot-tall power wall with real-time digital configuration tools, and they can do so on contemporary seating upholstered in the type of fine European leather that can be chosen for the furniture on the aircraft. The table in the conference room is covered in a white marble with beautiful veining that can be chosen for surfaces in the aircraft. These subtle touches surprise and delight without interfering with the customer experience.” gulfstream.com w —Jorge S. Arango Summer 2019 153

VistaJet he designs of VistaJet’s cabins are just as much about the experience as they are about ergonomics and refined materials. The company, with global operations based in Malta, owns its roaming fleet of 70-plus aircraft, making it one of the largest private flight providers in the world.

The aircraft in its fleet—Bombardier Challenger and Global models— are identically branded inside and out. Cream-colored seats, cabin walls, and headlines contrast dark carpeting, tables, and paneling, with polished-aluminum accents. And with Italian-leather seats, cashmere blankets, hypoallergenic feather duvets, Egyptian-cotton bed linens, and Christofle tableware, the cabins ensure a “home away from home” environment for all passengers.

Clockwise from above: VistaJet cabins feature hypoallergenic feather duvets and Egyptiancotton bed linens; a map of Nantucket; a view of the shoreline from above.

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VistaJet helps differentiate its cabins by adding some finer touches to the experience. The company’s fleet has a signature fragrance from New York perfumer Le Labo and its aircraft include a curated library of books from the 83-year-old London bookstore Heywood Hill. VistaJet’s goal with these subtle details is to deliver a luxurious experience beyond design and materials.

“We believe the ultimate luxury for our members is creating an environment that complements their full travel needs,” says VistaJet Chief Commercial Officer Ian Moore, who notes that its flight attendants are specially trained in spirits, wine, and other aspects of hospitality. Private dining selections were created in partnership with some of the

world’s most renowned chefs and restaurants. VistaJet also offers programs specifically tailored for children and pets, as many of its members travel with both, in addition to curating experiences beyond the cabin. The company has developed special travel packages that include global tours for wine lovers, art collectors, and sports fans.

“While many people think that designing the interior of a jet should be inspired by the ultimate luxury, we invest in the cabin experience,” says Moore. “A VistaJet cabin is a comfortable home away from home for our passengers.”

A Pilot’s Life for Me On Nantucket Island, the typical commuter car for the C-suite is an atypical aircraft.

Come Fourth of July weekend, the rinkydink airport on Nantucket Island boasts the second-busiest runway in all of New England. Up to 120 planes take off and land every hour. The tarmac transforms into a makeshift showroom, with some of the hottest private jets on the market lining the blacktop, many of which were landed by their owners.

As one of the most affluent resort communities in the world, Nantucket maintains a bustling private jet cadre.

But compared to the rest of the aviation world, its formidable ranks of private pilots go against overall trends. In the last 30 years, the number of FAA-certified private pilots has plummeted by 55 percent. This mirrors an alarming crisis in the commercial airline industry where pilot shortage has resulted in bankrupting some airlines. Studies show that airlines will be short 15,000 pilots by 2026. So, while flying your own plane might seem like a luxury, there may just come a day when it becomes a necessity.

On Nantucket, Cape Air has been forced to bring so-called “Gray Gull” pilots out of retirement to meet the evergrowing demand for flights to the island.

While most owners employ on-call pilots, some take matters into their own hands and fly the planes themselves. This is no small feat given Nantucket’s notoriously extreme flying conditions—blinding fog, gusting winds, pelting rain, and even ice.

From Top: Historic Map Works LLC/Getty Images; Courtesy VistaJet. Opposite: Joaquin Ossorio-Castillo/Alamy

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Why not just go ahead and hand the controls over to a professional?

“Honestly, I think I just watched Top Gun too many times,” laughs businessman Henry Helgeson. “I knew at a young age that I needed to find a way to fly.” The founder and CEO of Cayan, a payment technology company, Helgeson got his wings in college and has since flown everything from a singleengine Cessna 182 to his company’s business jet on transatlantic voyages.

“Nobody is ever content with the plane they have,” Helgeson says. “After sitting in it for a couple thousand hours, you always find a reason to think it’s too slow or not cool enough.” Now Helgeson commutes back and forth to the island four times a week aboard his Beechcraft Baron G58, a million-dollar, twin-engine aircraft that packs power and luxury.

“I think a lot of pilots get into flying for the adventure,” Helgeson says. In his earlier days, he owned high-performance jet fighters like the Aero L39, which looks more equipped for landing on aircraft carriers than beachside runways. However, after losing an engine on takeoff at Nantucket Memorial Airport, Helgeson was forced to execute an emergency landing with his wife in the passenger seat. “We were met by a bunch of nice guys in silver suits and flashing lights,” he deadpans. “After that, my wife decided she didn’t share the same sense of adventure as me.” Helgeson agreed to trade in his toys for a more practical set of wings.

There are other pilots landing on Nantucket, however, who just can’t shake the draw of high-powered military planes. As the

founder, president, and CEO of McKenna Associates, a consulting firm that advises Fortune 500 companies, Andrew McKenna takes this to truly historic extremes.

McKenna flies to Nantucket from his office in Arlington, Virginia, aboard a mintcondition, World War II–era P-51 Mustang.

“It’s kind of like driving a monster truck to work,” he says. With only around 130 still in existence, McKenna’s P-51 screams through the sky at a blistering 505 miles per hour.

“The saying with these airplanes is that you are the keeper of the keys,” McKenna says. “Take the history, try and carry it for as long as you can, and when you can’t do it any longer, hand the keys over to someone who will respect it.” McKenna flies his P-51 as a member of the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation, a highly elite demo team that performs air shows around the world to commemorate the historic air power of the United States. McKenna is one of only 18 civilians to ever be admitted by the Heritage Flight in the last 20 years. “As a landscaper’s kid from Malvern, I get to go fly a World War II airplane in honor of the men and women who protected us,” he says. “I really enjoy being able to give back to the airmen.”

But flying a World War II–era plane back and forth to Nantucket isn’t the most practical option for his wife and two children. So McKenna recently added to his air fleet with a Daher TBM 930, the world’s fastest certified single-engine turboprop plane. “It’s like my taxi cab right now,” he says. “It’s my get-up-and-go airplane.

It’s really fast, goes really high, and it’s economical.” While it might not draw the

crowds like his P-51 Mustang, the $4 million TBM 930 creates quite a buzz around Nantucket’s aviation watercooler.

But it’s not just high-powered CEOs piloting their own planes on and off Nantucket. Steve Cheney owns a booming building company on the island and has been flying for nearly a decade. “Living on the island, my plane is my ticket to freedom,” Cheney says. “No lines, no traffic—you just go.” Cheney had the same attitude when it came to becoming a pilot. He purchased his first plane, an Archer, before he was even able to fly it. With the help of a retired airline pilot, Cheney learned to fly his Archer through the most extreme weather in the aviation world. “When you’re learning to fly, it’s like drinking from a fire hydrant,” he says.

“There’s so many things coming at you, and none of them are familiar to you.”

After getting his pilot’s license and flying 100 hours in his Archer, Cheney upgraded to the Cirrus SR22, which he describes as the best-selling single-engine plane on the market. “They took an airplane and a Porsche, morphed them together, and then added the safety of a ballistic parachute,” Cheney says. “So if all else fails, you have a 2,600-square-foot chute to deliver you safely back to earth.” He and his wife hop into his Cirrus every other week to go shopping in New York City, visit family in Florida, or just get away to Newport. Most recently, after bringing a newborn baby into the world, Cheney upgraded from his Cirrus to a Piper Mirage, which is pressurized, more comfortable, and capable for covering longer —Robert Cocuzzo distances. w Summer 2019 155

Nicholas Air

Nicholas Air Citation Latitude features a stand-up cabin with an elegant interior and large windows for an even more spacious feel.

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icholas Air offers a boutique experience compared to private aviation’s larger providers. The company, which was founded in 1997 and remains family-run, owns and operates a fleet of some two dozen aircraft, ranging from the tried-and-true eight-seat Pilatus PC-12 turboprop to the industry-leading Citation Latitude midsize jet, with new offerings on the way.

Catering specifically to each passenger’s needs, Nicholas Air goes to great lengths to personalize the travel experience for its jet card, lease, and fractionalownership programs. For its fractional program, called Jet Share, the company says that it limits the number of shareholders for each aircraft, which helps ensure that the crew and Nicholas Air’s service team build personal relationships with owners, who quickly become intimately familiar with the aircraft and cabin experience.

Additionally, because Nicholas Air keeps its fleet in operation for no more than five years, each aircraft features the latest technologies, amenities, and design elements. Wi-Fi, a low cabin altitude, and a flat floor are among the benefits for the Citation Latitude. Nicholas Air also works with its members to customize the cabins according to owner preferences over time by adding amenities and adjusting layouts. Nicholas Air gives every jet in the fleet the same livery—a black-and-red paint job on the tail sweeping down to a racing stripe running along the fuselage—to help shareowners feel like each plane is their plane. nicholasair.com u

From Top: Courtesy Nicholas Air (2)

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ONE PLACE, TWO WAYS

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Conscious Conservation THIS 21-SQUARE-MILE ISLAND IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC IS A HAVEN FOR ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION EFFORTS. 1. Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo One of the world’s oldest aquariums, it’s situated on 7 acres in Flatts Village and features a 140,000-gallon tank with live corals and large predatory fish. Its mission focuses on conservation projects and research programs that include rescuing injured marine turtles and harbor seals. bamz.org 2. Trunk Island, Harrington Sound Part of the Bermuda Zoological Society, this major restoration project is a living classroom showcasing the area’s varied natural habitats. Hike around the island for a closeup look at the fauna, snorkel above sea grass beds, or spend some time with its resident beekeeper, Spencer Field. Put on a beekeeper’s suit and taste fresh honey, still warm from inside the hive. bamz.org 3. Natura Spa: Prospero’s Cave An underground lake in a 500,000-year-old cave is the setting for indulgent spa treatments beneath massive stalactites. Take a rejuvenating swim in the crystal clear waters of the lake or dive in to one of the 30-foot-deep cave pools for a real adrenaline rush. Weekly cave tours sans treatment can also be booked. Massages from $165; grottobay.com

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4. Hawkins Island, Great Sound This former British POW camp from the early 1900s—ruins can still be seen—is now a private island retreat. Book the entire island for up to 16 guests in the Main Villa and Guard House, with food and beverages included, plus all water sports equipment; or use it as a venue for a special celebration with up to 200 close friends, including full event planning and catering by premier curators Dasfete. hawkins.bm; dasfete.com 5. Della Valle Sandals Choose your style and get measured by Vincenzo Della Valle and team, who create a special pair while you wait with a glass of prosecco in hand. Pick heel height, sole style, and strap color. From $145; dvsandals.com 6. STAY: Rosedon Hotel Now a Relais & Châteaux property, the newly renovated colonial mansion in the heart of Hamilton has 40 individually decorated rooms, each with a view of the property’s secluded tropical gardens. Classic British high tea is served daily, the pool is heated year-round, and the pink sands of Elbow Beach are nearby. From $380; rosedon.com

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top Left: Bermuda Tourism Authority; Trunk Island; Natura Spa: Prospero’s Cave; Rosedon Hotel a Relais & Châteaux property; Della Valle; Hawkins Island

BERMUDA

Clockwise From Top Left: Panther Media GmbH/Alamy; Courtesy Bermuda Railway Trail; Courtesy Hamilton Princess Photos/Chandelier; Courtesy The Residence at the Loren; Courtesy The Rosewood Hotel/Ken Hayden; Courtesy Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy

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Laid-Back Adventure AS A BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY, THE ISLAND OFFERS MUCH MORE THAN ITS LEGENDARY HOSPITALITY. 1. Sea Turtle Exploration For something out of the ordinary, book this excursion through the Winnow app. As co-founder, Allison Swan, says, “We try to find things you can’t Google.” A private boat ride takes you to the best place to snorkel with these gentle green creatures. You’ll be surprised by how hard it is to keep up with them. $465 for 4 hours; 1-6 people (snorkeling gear included). winnow.life 2. Bermuda Railway Trail Built on the abandoned railway path, the trail runs from one end of the island to the other. At 18 miles long, it has entrances located at a number of historic points along the way and provides views of the island’s floral landscapes, idyllic ponds, and stunning coastline. Hike, run, or rent e-bikes to cover more ground.

3. Hamilton Princess Art While Fairmont’s Hamilton Princess & Beach Club may be the oldest hotel on the island, its art collection is one of the most contemporary—and worth a viewing. Stroll through a stunning assemblage of modern art, including works from Damien Hirst, Ai WeiWei, Banksy, and Jeff Koons. There’s even museumquality art in the fitness center. Guided tours with the hotel’s curator are available every Saturday. thehamiltonprincess.com

4. Eat Like a Local A not-to-be-missed food adventure is the classic fried fish sandwich on raisin bread with cole slaw and a side of fries at Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy. Each sandwich is loaded with tartar sauce and, if you’re brave enough, hot sauce. Order carefully; it’s more than enough for two. St. Monica’s Road, North Shore Village; 441.295.3965 5. Drink Like a Local Following a recent renovation, Tucker’s Bar at the Rosewood Hotel is now dedicated to enlightening patrons about the history of the island’s signature spirit. Try any of the classic rum cocktails or join a tasting session. For custom-crafted drinks in town, seek out Yours Truly, a speakeasy tucked away at 2 Chancery Lane.

House-made syrups, infused liquors, and mixologists with whimsical creativity. rosewoodhotels.com; yourstruly.bm 6. STAY: The Residence at the Loren Built as the hotel owner’s private home, the waterfront mansion features stunning views of Bermuda’s coastline from each of the seven bedrooms, a separate staff cottage for the full-time butler, a private beach, tennis court, and pool, along with a fitness center and media room. Plus, access to all of the Loren’s first-class amenities. From $15,000/night; thelorenhotel.com w —David Keith Summer 2019 159

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On the Hill THIS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE OFFERS CANADIAN CULTURE, DINING, AND SHOPPING AT ITS BEST. 1. Musée National des Beaux-Arts Arrange a private tour to experience the museum’s collections of more than 40,000 works of Québec art, dating from the 1700s to today. The 3-year-old Pierre Lassonde Pavilion, designed by Canadian firm Provencher_Roy, is a wonder in and of itself. The Charles Baillairgé Pavilion, housed in the old Québec City Jail, contains the modern art collection. mnbaq.org

4. Musique Chez Sonny If it’s vinyl you crave, there is no better shop in North America for hard-to-find specialty albums in excellent condition that start at $10. Run by an old rocker who doesn’t believe in websites, you can find it at 664 Rue Saint-Jean. Down the street, stop in at Snack Bar Saint-Jean for classic poutine—french fries with fresh cheese curds covered in homemade gravy. snackbarsaintjean.com

2. Le Saint-Amour Tucked away on a side street, Le Saint-Amour’s à la carte menu changes seasonally, relying on local ingredients. One constant is the foie gras with its own section on the menu and the option to add it to almost any entrée. Game is a specialty, featuring lamb, caribou, and squab. Service and food presentation are top-notch, as is the expansive wine list. saint-amour.com

5. GoHelico Get a bird’s-eye view of the city and surrounding areas with a helicopter tour. The company’s state-of-the-art facility features a hangar with the latest heli models and a chic restaurant and bar for drinks and bites after the flight. Tours from 15 to 60 minutes, from $150; gohelico.com

3. Rue Saint-Jean Five consecutive blocks of this street in the SaintJean-Baptiste neighborhood feature an array of stores that span nearly the course of the city’s history—from the old-time deli and gourmet grocery Épicerie J.A. Moisan to the Érico chocolate museum and factory to the not one but four locally owned bookshops.

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6. STAY: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac An iconic landmark and focal point for the city since its opening in 1893, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac offers luxury suites, a first-rate spa, a health club, and an indoor swimming pool with outside lounge area, plus four restaurants. 1608 Wine & Cheese Bar is the place to be at sunset for expansive views of the river. From $173; fairmont.com

Clockwise From Top Left: Courtesy Musee National des Beaux-Arts/Bruce Damonte; dbimages/Alamy; James Hackland/Alamy; Courtesy Fairmont Le Château Frontenac; Courtesy GoHelico/Ludovic Gauthier; marieclaudelemay/istock

QUÉBEC CITY

Clockwise From Top Left: Courtesy Aquarium du Québec; Courtesy Laurie Raphael; Alberto Biscaro/Masterfile; Courtesy Auberge St. Antoine; Courtesy Strom Spa; Courtesy Ile d’Orleans

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By the River THE OLD PORT AREA IS A POPULAR CRUISE DESTINATION AND OFFERS AN ARRAY OF WATERFRONT ACTIVITIES. 1. Aquarium du Québec More than 10,000 marine animals live here, including polar bears, seals, and walruses. Purchase the Keeper for a Day package and work with staff to feed and care for its full-time residents. Stop by the invertebrates for a serene view of the jellyfish collection. sepaq.com 2. Laurie Raphaël Chef Daniel Vézina offers a modern take on cuisine with themed dinners of seven and 11 courses. Dishes might include shrimp ceviche and striped bass escabeche with sea urchin and fresh vegetables; wild salmon with oyster and caviar; or venison. From $110; laurieraphael.com 3. Corridor du Littoral Take this 30-mile scenic bike route along the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River to Montmorency Falls, a spectacular waterfall that’s higher than Niagara. Start at the Marché du Vieux-Port, or Old Port Market, and if you work up an appetite, don’t miss Café Du Monde, a traditional Québécois bistro next to the cruise ship terminal offering river views and classics, such as French onion soup with three cheeses or Gaspesian chowder made with local fish. lecafedumonde.com

4. Île d’Orléans A single bridge, suitable for cycling, driving, or walking, connects this quaint island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River to the mainland. Roughly twice the size of Manhattan, it’s home to a number of artisanal farms. Visit Confiturerie Tigidou (tigidou.ca), a true farm-to-jar shop for delectable jams and syrups. Blackcurrant farm Cassis Monna & Filles (cassismonna.com) is the perfect lunch spot. Try their cassis liquor and poutine with a cassis-infused gravy.

5. Strøm Nordic Spa This super-sleek spa on the banks of the St. Lawrence offers massage treatments, thermotherapy, whirlpools, steams rooms, and saunas, with lockers, bathrobes, and towels supplied. The restaurant features Scandinavian cuisine and a family brunch some Sundays. stromspa.com 6. STAY: Auberge Saint-Antoine Built on the site of an old warehouse, this Relais & Chateaux hotel offers old-world charm with modern accoutrements. Its popular restaurant, Chez Muffy, features innovative bistro cuisine using produce from its farm on Île d’Orléans.

Book the Captain Suite for a beautifully restored set of rooms reminiscent of a shipboard cabin. From $180; saint-antoine.com u —D.K. Summer 2019 161

Caribbean

Not only did Maria and Irma cause significant damage in Puerto Rico, the BVI, St. Martin, and surrounding islands, the 2017 hurricane season disrupted generations-long travel patterns as sunseekers sought alternatives to their favorite beach destinations. Five places left unscathed—Grenada, Canouan, Ambergris Cay, St. Kitts, and Nevis—have seen a real surge after the storm and are quickly becoming the haute spots of the moment.

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Courtesy Park Hyatt St. Kitts/Michael Stavaridis. Opposite, From Top: Courtesy Dive Grenada/Orlando K. Romain; Michael Runkel/ Agefotostock

The New

From above: Ring of Children at the Underwater Sculpture Park in Grenada; the historic charm of Nevis. Opposite: the Rampart Pool at Park Hyatt, St. Kitts.

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Natural Beauty

GRENADA WEST INDIES Lush, hilly terrain full of blooming bougainvillea, rainforests, and waterfalls color this volcanic island, fringed by more than 40 beaches and water as clear as glass. In the late 17th century, the French took control, followed by the British in 1783. Nicknamed the Spice Island for its robust production of nutmeg and mace, Grenada became an independent nation in 1974 with an official language of English, though locals often converse in Creole.

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Also on the southern coast, the eight-bedroom Mediterranean-style Solamente Villa was designed by the renowned Mexican architect Manuel Mestre on 100 feet of private beach. The house comes with a 100-foot-long infinity pool; a Technogym-outfitted workout space with two Peloton bikes; a spa; a tennis court; and extensive outdoor spaces, including two large palapas and a private dock with a motorboat.

Among the 15-person staff are three chefs, a trainer, five housekeepers, a security guard, and drivers for two SUVs. From $25,000/night, all-inclusive; solamentevilla.com The 80-acre Calivigny Island is a 10-minute boat ride from the mainland. This secluded hideaway can accommodate up to 40 people among its 3 cottages, 2 villas, 100,000-square-foot 10-bedroom French Colonial–inspired manse, and contemporary 9-bedroom beachfront spread. Amenities are endless with three beaches, two pools (including one with a swim-up bar), a nautical-themed tree house, tennis

and volleyball courts, and access to a catamaran, two Jet Skis, four kayaks, and four paddleboards. The owners bought the undeveloped island in 2000 and built the estate from scratch. They’ve rented it out to their friends, and friends of friends, for years and will open it up to most anyone willing to pay their asking price. $132,000/night, all-inclusive with a staff of more than 65. calivigny-island.com

Courtesy Images, From Top: Calivigny; Calabash; Solamente/Alex Guzman; Silversands/Magda Biernat. Opposite, Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Left: Grenada Tourism Authority/Dietmar Denger; Savor the Spice; True Blue Bay Boutique Resort

MAIN STAYS Opened in December, the sleek, modern Silversands (silversandsgrenada.com) graces the 2-mile-long Grand Anse Beach—a stunning stretch of powdery sand. Egyptian tech billionaire Naguib Sawiris first came to Grenada in 2012 to visit a friend with a vacation home there and says that the island’s beauty and the warmth of its people lingered with him long after he left. “Grenada had it all: gorgeous beaches, mountains, fantastic food, and welcoming locals,” he says.

“The only thing missing was a topcaliber hotel.” So Sawiris built one with 43 generously sized rooms and 9 multibedroom villas in a chic, white aesthetic.

With an emphasis on large outdoor spaces, the property’s centerpiece is a 330-foot-long infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The spa is a retreat in itself with a hammam, ice cave, and poolside cabanas. Book beachside yoga classes or choose from a long menu of treatments, such as a body scrub made of local coconuts or an energy-balancing massage with essential oils. The laid-back Grenadian Grill serves local dishes like pan-seared lionfish and the fine-dining Asiatique focuses on refined yet fiery Asian-influenced cuisine. From $800, including airport transfers and daily breakfast; silversandsgrenada.com

While not as luxurious and far older (it first opened in the 1960s), Relais & Châteaux’s Calabash, on the island’s southern coast, has 30 rooms decorated in clean, white tones. Its beach club (completely renovated last year) is the see-and-be-seen spot for a lunch of casual fare like tacos, pastas, and salads.

From $525; calabashhotel.com

Clockwise from far left: The sleek new Silversands hotel; the secluded Calivigny Island; a waterfall on Grenada; a selection of island spices; cracked cocoa beans; the Mediterraneanstyle Solamente Villa; the requisite hammock at Calabash on the island’s southern coast.

DIVERSIONS It’s easy to pass a week here without getting bored, even for restless travelers who like packed days. Grenada is a diver’s paradise, for one, with more than 50 dive sites, such as Fisherman’s Wharf on the island’s southern coast, where the parade of marine life in and around the reef includes large moray eels, nurse sharks, sea turtles, and schools of colorful fish. Visit some of the 15 waterfalls, like the three-level Concord Falls, for a swim or a scenic stroll. Hikes range from an hourlong trek up the more than 2,300-foot-tall Mount Qua Qua to view some of the island’s best panoramas, to a strenuous three-hour adventure at the remote Tufton Hall Waterfall (find swimming holes and warm sulfur springs along the way). Sweet Grenada Tours (sweetgrenadatours.com) offers privately guided hikes.

In the island’s capital and biggest town Saint George’s, look for colonial homes and other historic buildings on the harbor. Tour the Grenada National Museum, housed in a former prison and full of artifacts dating back to the time when Arawaks lived there.

Grenada’s volcanic ash nourishes its fertile soil and a bounty of mixed lettuces, zucchini, herbs, peppers, and heirloom tomatoes whose taste rival those found in Italy and France. Silversands arranges tours of the farms that supply its produce. T’s Eco Garden is one. Owner and farmer Theresa Marryshow and her fellow female farmers cook dishes like their famous split pea and kale soup for guests, who have included Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

Savor the Spice (grenadaculinarytour .com), meanwhile, offers four different food excursions that show off the destination’s multicultural cuisine. One option is a street food tour in Saint George’s and another is a cooking class in a private home or local restaurant. The island also grows cocoa trees and has a thriving bean-to-bark chocolate industry. Travelers can learn more about the process and taste different percentages of dark chocolate by checking out the several cocoa farms, such as the more than 300-yearold Belmont Estate (belmontestate.net), a working plantation with a dairy that turns out the creamiest goat cheese.

Of course, Grenada’s biggest allure is the beaches. Grand Anse Beach, lined with lively restaurants and bars, including the one at Silversands, is the buzziest of them all while Menere Point and Pink Gin are ideal for a quieter scene. In what is a refreshing change from the usual story of vacation beach locales, they’re mostly free of vendors who aggressively hawk unappealing souvenirs. A true escape indeed and a largely unknown one at that—for now, at least. w —Shivani Vorah

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Above: The pool and beach at Mandarin Oriental, Canouan. Below right: A lounge at Four Seasons Resort Nevis. Opposite from top: The private beach at Ambergris Cay; the lobby at Golden Rock Inn; the pool at Montpelier Plantation & Beach.

CANOUAN ISLAND SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES A 15-minute plane ride from Grenada and St. Lucia and 45 minutes from Barbados, Canouan is generating excitement from a new crowd of wellheeled jet-setters. Having weathered economic booms and busts in decades past, the 5-square-mile speck of verdant green, jagged mountains is due. The $250 million Glossy Bay Marina backed by billionaire Dermot Desmond (behind Sandy Lane resort in Barbados) opened in 2017 with berths for 120 yachts and a marina plaza built out for restaurants, bars, and boutiques. Desmond’s new Sandy Lane Yacht Club & Residences debuted 20 private homes and the finedining boîte Foxy Jack’s. There are hotel development rumors flying with names as significant as Aman and the runway has been extended to accommodate larger private jets. The Caribbean’s largest living coral barrier reef is just offshore and the turtles (Canouan means “turtle island” in Arawakan) wander all over the island, from the paved, winding roads to the rugged hillsides.

MAIN STAYS In 2016, Mandarin Oriental, Canouan took over the beach resort formerly known as Pink Sands Club, Canouan. The place was just a year old, built as the chic younger sister of Barbados’ famous Sandy Lane resort. An intimate property on Godhal Beach, the sweeping stretch of white sand on the northeastern shore, the resort has just 26 colonial-style rooms, the smallest of which is a one-bedroom, 1,226-squarefoot ocean-view suite. There are also 11 villas, a large infinity pool, and a water sports center with complimentary catamarans and kayaks. Among the four restaurant options is Asianne, which serves cuisine from around Asia, including spicy tandoori king prawns via India, and Tides Bar + Grill, serving a lineup of American classics with a Caribbean flair; think chowder made with the locally caught fish of the day. The spa has 10 suites nestled in the hills, and it’s hard not to fall asleep mid-massage as the ocean breeze and sound of crashing waves stream in from the open windows. The resort lies within the larger 1,200-acre Grenadines Estate, where hotel companies Rosewood and Raffles have managed and left the same resort, now operated as residential villas. The gated property also boasts an 18-hole Tom Fazio–designed golf course, two beaches with clubs, and four more restaurants. From $1,300; mandarinoriental.com —S.V.

Quiet Zone

MAIN STAYS By far the most full-service property on this tiny 36-square-mile island, Four Seasons Resort Nevis reopened NEVIS Take a 6-minute ferry ride across the Narrows in 2010 after major repairs from from St. Kitts’ for a quieter escape next door Hurricane Omar in 2008. In 2018, the resort underwent its first major on its sleepier sister, a positive or negative renovation since opening in 1991 with trait depending on whom you ask—a a complete guest room redesign and Nevisian or a Kittitian. Regardless, there’s plenty to experience. For adventurers, a hike enhancements to restaurants, the lobby, and other public areas. Among up 3,232-foot-tall Nevis Peak is ambitious but worth it for the views. There are monkey 189 rooms are over 50 villa rentals, a spa, a championship golf course, 3 tours to join, turtles to protect, sugar pools, 10 tennis courts with 3 different plantations to visit, dive sites to explore, and healing volcanic hot springs in which to surfaces, and a new pier for arrivals by boat. From $475; fourseasons.com soak. A lesser-traveled, idyllic cove called Lovers Beach is often deserted, save one The boutique Montpelier Plantation set of visitors. And Nevisians insist that no trip is complete without a visit to Sunshine’s & Beach hotel—on 60 lush acres including an original 18th-century Beach Bar & Grill for fresh seafood, jerk sugar plantation—remains known for chicken, and its Killer Bee rum punch. its escapist vibe. “Many of our guests Others say a dinner at Oasis in the Gardens who return year after year tell us what Restaurant at the Botanical Gardens is a they enjoy most is its peacefulness,” must. “We have no traffic lights, no highsays owner Muffin Hoffman. “Goats, rise buildings, no huge cruise ships, no big commercialization,” says Mac Kee France, a sheep, wild donkeys, and monkeys still roam freely. And no one makes a native and the director of guest services at better rum punch than our bartender the Four Seasons Resort Nevis.

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Kaddy.” Hoffman’s family took over in 2002, renovating from top to bottom and adding villa suites. Each of the 16 bungalow rooms and three suites has a private terrace. Fitness weeks— with complimentary yoga and Pilates classes—draw regular visitors and a private beach is close by. From $235; montpeliernevis.com At Paradise Beach villas, visitors stay in two-, three-, and four-bedroom private

Courtesy Images, From Top: Mandarin Oriental, Canouan; Four Seasons Nevis/Don Riddle. Opposite, Courtesy Images, From Top: Turks & Caicos Collection; Mr & Mrs Smith; Montpelier Plantation & Beach

Time to Shine

Desert Island Escape

homes with vaulted ceilings, whitewashed walls, private pools, and patios, plus a concierge to help plan excursions. Some have direct beach access and others sit among tropical gardens. From $1,500; paradisebeachnevis.com Golden Rock Inn, comprising a centuries-old plantation house and bright cottages, is set among exotic gardens on 100 acres. New York artists Helen and Brice Marden own the hotel, which was designed by architect Ed Tuttle. From $350; goldenrocknevis.com —Nora Zelevansky

AMBERGRIS CAY TURKS AND CAICOS You don’t go to Ambergris Cay to be seen. You go there to disappear.

And in this unrelenting day and age, is there any greater luxury?

This new, ultra-exclusive private island resort—reached only via a 20-minute flight from Turks and Caicos Providenciales (or “Provo” to locals) on the property’s private plane—offers a more authentic desert island experience than most. The destination is unspoiled in the true sense of the word.

Ambergris Cay cold-opened—as a top-tier all-inclusive—in December 2018. And, in its nascent stage, the place evokes something wild and untamed: dust blows up from unpaved coral limestone roads; guests are given lanterns for nighttime walks since paths are rarely lit; prehistoriclooking lizards lumber from beneath brittle shrubs. (In fact, the rock iguana population is being studied by the Institute for Conservation Research at the San Diego Zoo, as is the entire biodiverse island.)

Perhaps most significantly, quiet abounds on a level one rarely experiences in even the most remote locations—no boats coast past, no music hums in the distance, tame turquoise water stretches as far as the eye can see. One need only wade knee-deep into the crystalclear ocean—for which this area is known—to see a stingray or turtle glide sedately past. And, while the hotel does manage a smattering of private homes on the island (with owners who demand discretion), the residences are few and far between and rarely inhabited.

Still, Gilligan never had it so good: Dutch designer Nicole van Schouwenberg conceived the 10 glass-walled 1-bedroom villas that line the shore with unobstructed views and are identical except for variations in color scheme. Vaulted ceilings lend an airy vibe.

Below, the aesthetic is modernist and sleek but not cold, with white and light woods and eclectic pops of color like a pair of orange signs pointing to Ibiza and Monaco and an indoor iridescent gold mosaic shower. (Each high-tech villa has an outdoor shower and private soaking pool too, as well as abounding succulents.) The furniture is mostly custom-created by in-house furniture maker Erik Kor, but the accessories—from Moroccan pom-pom throws to bright Mexican string chairs—are sourced around the world.

A private butler is assigned to each villa. Here, visitors are welcome to order off a menu, of course, but are also encouraged to request whatever comes to mind, any flight of fancy. “As long as it’s not illegal or immoral, we do everything for you,” explains hotel manager, Marcia Rodriguez.

Guests feel a sense of unbridled freedom as they drive (almost offroad) their individual golf carts around the property from the restaurant (helmed by Malaysian chef Ooi Swee Toon, Grand Cayman’s “chef of the year” in 2015) to the distant Club House for water sports and a kid’s club.

At the spa, guests are entitled to first-rate 30-minute rubdowns each day in modalities from classic Swedish to Balinese candle massage.

The most standout experience is probably the Desert Island Excursion, which includes a short boat ride to the adjacent uninhabited island, Small Ambergris Cay, where a picnic lunch and cocktails are served on an impossibly beautiful sandbar dotted by perfect conch shells (with resident conchs still inside). One feels so transported, as if in far-flung paradises like Mauritius or Bora Bora, that it’s difficult to remember this is the Caribbean, only a short direct flight from New York City.

Lolling in loungers outside their villas, looking out over the endless teal water, guests might find themselves musing over a classic conundrum: If you were marooned on a desert island, what would you bring? Food, water, and a personal butler, of course. From $2,000/person, —N.Z. all-inclusive; ambergriscay.com w

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Sweet Spot

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From top: Christophe Harbour is home to a superyacht marina; the quaint town of St. Kitts; a lounge area at the Park Hyatt; Belle Mont Farm on Kittitian Hill.

Darby. “We can do more than tie up your boat and fuel you; we can take care of any need that you have.”

Boats docked in the naturally protected cove, or “hurricane hole,” are watched over not only by 24-hour security but also by an experienced ex-superyacht captain, who Darby hired to run the show.

With more than 800 linear feet of bulkhead, Christophe Harbour can accommodate vessels up to 300-foot max LOA. Private Christophe Harbour Club membership requires a $20,000 onetime fee and $2,500 in annual dues.

Berths range from $1.875 million to $3.1 million. Stern-side berths and a wellplaced gate ensure privacy for notable visitors, such as billionaire businessman Les Wexner, who recently stopped by.

Alongside Kempadoo, Darby and St. Kitts’ other new architects seem to have the best interest and authenticity of the special island in mind. “We have self-imposed our own regulations,” says Darby, who is set on responsible, controlled development. “If you look out 20 years from now in the rear-view mirror, hopefully you’ll see something that was built over time, with care and real value.”

Darby has considered every hospitality angle, including Yu Lounge, an airportadjacent FOB space for guests flying commercial or private.

In Christophe Harbour’s Marina Village, evocative of a grand colonial estate, visitors can peruse shops, an art gallery, an outdoor outfitter boutique, a gourmet grocery store, and a coffee kiosk. At the sleek, private Pavilion Beach Club at the gated community Sandy Bank Bay, visitors can now dip—just feet from the Caribbean Sea—in an infinity pool surrounded by white lounges and thatched pods, while sipping cabana bar cocktails. Chef Barnaby Jones, who brings Aman pedigree and a love of foraged, local ingredients, serves modern Caribbean hook-to-table fare exclusively to members for breakfast and lunch, and welcomes the public for dinner.

The consciously rustic dockside bar, Salt Plage, incorporates artisanal elements such as fresh-pressed juices into its craft cocktails. Real estate offerings range from turnkey cottages to custom estates—30 of which are already available for rent when members are elsewhere. A golf course is up next.

“We’ve been selling the dream for a long time, and the reality is here now,” says Darby. “Hopefully, we’ve done it in a way that will inspire people to bring similar quality, good development practices here.” Plans for the island’s first Ritz-Carlton and Six Senses properties were announced for 2021. Clearly, an era of quiet glamour is just beginning here.

Courtesy Images, From Top: Christophe Harbour Marina; Belle Mont Farm (2); Park Hyatt St. Kitts

ST. KITTS For centuries, sugar—not tourism—ruled on St. Kitts. This small Leeward Island in the Lesser Antilles had been an anomaly with its black-sand beaches, rainforests populated by vervet monkeys, and an economy solidly supported by sugarcane plantations. As the first of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by the French and British, respectively, St. Kitts—and volcanic sister island Nevis—didn’t have much need for beach hotels. Then, in 2005, the government halted sugar production. Suddenly this self-contained spot with unspoiled rolling green peaks and turquoise water was ripe for development—of a certain kind.

The federation of St. Kitts and Nevis made a strategic decision to attract a high-end clientele. It established a citizen-by-investment program, and in the subsequent caravan of wealthy foreign investors was superyacht enthusiast Charles P. “Buddy” Darby III. Darby, former partner in the development company behind South Carolina’s Kiawah Island, bought 2,500 acres of coastal land and in 2008 began development of the private resort community and superyacht marina. For many reasons, St. Kitts would be the perfect yacht club destination. First, the population had long been known for their welcoming, proud, and gentile attitude. The island is home to several universities and well-preserved historical destinations including UNESCO World Heritage Site Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. The setting checks the boxes in terms of beauty, beaches, and activities—from water sports to zip-lining—and has the potential for infrastructure on par with upscale islands like St. Barts and Antigua. Still, when Darby arrived, the canvas was blank.

“When we got down here, there was hardly any development,” he recalls.

“That was the good and the bad news.”

Today, Darby’s bets seem to be paying off, with stunning white megaboats docked at Christophe Harbour (christopheharbour.com). The marina accommodates 24 superyachts and plans for expansion during the next phase are on the drawing table. “As a superyacht owner and boater myself, I know what it takes to manage a superyacht,” says

MAIN STAYS The island’s first luxury-branded beachfront resort, Park Hyatt St. Kitts, opened its doors in November 2017, just two months after hurricanes Irma and Maria touched down, missing St. Kitts and Nevis completely. The resort’s 126 airy rooms, including 48 suites and a lavish Presidential Villa, overlook Nevis Peak, often topped with fog as in some enchanted fortress. Set off the Narrows (the channel between St. Kitts and Nevis), the atmosphere is at once intimate and fully realized, decadent and unostentatious. Ceilings are high and white shiplap is pervasive. At the adult pool, dramatic stone arches were modeled after the island’s historic fort.

From $500; parkhyatt.com

The pièce de résistance at the Park Hyatt is the standalone Miraval Life in Balance Spa—the brand’s first in this part of the world—with nine wellappointed treatment rooms spread throughout a vast indoor/outdoor facility. A maze of open-air walkways leads to relaxation areas surrounded by tropical foliage, dressing areas with saunas, and steams and soaks.

Services range from floating Vasudhara Thai massage to a lavish Sojourn of Indulgence experience including a signature massage, facial, manicure/ pedicure, and spa lunch. Just outside, sound meditations and yoga classes are led in a reproduced sugar mill, wide and echoing at the bottom and narrowing to an open top. Practitioners can look up through the circle to the Caribbean sky. miravalresorts.com

Before the Park Hyatt, there was Belle

Mont Farm on Kittitian Hill. Opened in 2014, the hotel and surrounding vacation home community sit among 400 acres of organic farmland at the bottom of Mt. Liamuiga. Billed as a farm-to-table hotel, Belle Mont Farm encompasses 40 rooms, including 33 guest houses, 6 villas, and a large farmhouse with a dramatic, 100-foot-long infinity pool that juts out toward the ocean like an offering. Accommodations have sprawling views of the water and lush forests—sometimes through open French doors—and amenities from rain showers to pulldown screens and projectors for movie watching. The aesthetic, realized by famed resort architect Bill Bensley, is at once innately Caribbean as well as modern, with navy blues, gingerbread trims, and bentwood furniture that mirrors the voluptuous landscape. Within the larger, $600 million holistic destination Kittitian Hill, guests can access a wellness center, Irie Fields sustainable golf course, and a working farm. Focused on sustainable living, Kittitian Hill is on a mission for the cultural, economic, social, and ecological greater good. Founder and social entrepreneur Valmiki Kempadoo—who specifically chose St. Kitts for its anemic tourism industry—strives to benefit both locals and travelers by engaging Kittitian artists and artisans. Four on-site dining experiences, and one off-site beach restaurant, source from the surrounding farmland, forest, and sea, working with conscious local community farms and fisheries. During their visit, guests can snorkel at Dieppe Bay reef, work the land, or source fruit with a forager.

—N.Z. From $250; kittitianhill.com w

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Two iconic properties rise from the ashes of devastation in Puerto Rico even better than before.

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria landed on Puerto Rico, packing winds with sustained speeds of more than 150 mph. A few days later, in the aftermath, much of the island was a wasteland. The power grid was destroyed, millions of people were left homeless, buildings were flattened, and many industries, including tourism, were wiped out. Long known as an idyllic vacation spot, most of Puerto Rico’s hotels were shuttered, some never to reopen.

Fast forward to today. Puerto Rico is in the midst of a recovery. Local businesses have become less dependent on imports, agriculture is surpassing pre-Maria output, and hotels are back in business.

With more than $120 million invested in upgrades and post-storm repairs, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort and Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve are once again pampering guests with unparalleled service and amenities.

ST. REGIS BAHIA BEACH RESORT Set on 483 acres, 90 percent of which was decimated, the once-green jungle landscape of St. Regis Bahia Beach was replanted with mature trees, lush plants, orchids, and pops of red and burgundy that have brought the property back to life with more personality and warmth.

As a former coconut plantation, the focal

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point of the resort is the Casa Grande, or the “Big House,” with its grand veranda and a massive front door that perfectly aligns with a floor-to-ceiling picture window welcoming guests with a stunning view across the great lawn down to the ocean. It’s part of the extensive $60 million restoration that includes every guest room and suite; the seaside pool and esplanade; and the new, exclusive St. Regis–brand Iridium Spa. Casa Grande was entirely redone with a living room–style check-in and a lighter color palette that complements rather than competes with the surrounding nature. Bright shades of white and light

Courtesy St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort (3). Opposite: Courtesy Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (2)

They’re Back!

blues replace the heavy dark wood tones in what was once a library but now acts as an open meeting place for drinks, tapas, and a more casual lobby bar with its captivating mural, The Long Awaited Voyage, by Puerto Rican artist Arnaldo Roche Rabell. The mural survived the storm but needed some restoration, so Rabell took it back, fixed it, and rehung it on the wall. A new fine dining restaurant, Paros, on the second floor, serves contemporary Greek cuisine, spotlighting fresh seafood, Mediterranean flavors, and sweeping views of the property. At night, fire pits totally transform the plantation estate setting into a romantic tropical island home.

In fact, the entire resort has a very private, residential feel with its 139 spacious, butler-serviced rooms and suites set in garden apartment–style structures built below the tree line. An additional $30 million expansion of 60 oceanfront rooms is planned, boasting the same modern aesthetic and serene color palette of the refurbished rooms, as well as an $85 million condominium development with expansive beachfront terraces that will have outdoor bars and kitchens. Being located on a cove, with no local access, the property features 2 miles of secluded, swimmable beach with the softest sand that’s raked every morning. The renovations along this stretch feature an outdoor pizza oven poolside and the Beach Shak, a beachside bar offering smoothies and local bites.

As part of the Bahia Beach Resort Golf Club community, St. Regis guests have full access to its beach club, which offers more dining options, an adults-only pool, and a new water sports collaboration for surfing, stand-up paddling, and sailing, to name a few. These activities add to the already extensive list of things to do on this Gold-certified Audubon Signature Sanctuary of 64 acres of lakes and rivers.

Environmentalism is the sole of Bahia, and the St. Regis has a biologist and an environmentalist on-site to make sure it is adhering to regulations and to offer interested guests an opportunity to learn more about the nearby Espíritu Santo River through kayak tours and more. The property is also working in collaboration with Bahia Beach and its nonprofit organization, Alma de Bahia, on volunteer initiatives and activities that give back to the community and assist those who were impacted by the hurricane. From $599; stregis.com

From top: The 1,400-acre Dorado Beach resort; the main entrance to the historical Su Casa villa.

Opposite from top: The pool at St. Regis Bahia Beach; Casa Grande at dusk; the living room in the Governor’s Suite.

DORADO BEACH, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE Five hundred thousand new plants, with more being added every day, have restored the natural beauty of this 1,400acre tropical haven, once the estate of Laurance Rockefeller, who developed it in 1958. “We had almost no devastation in the building structure,” explains Jose Enrique Pedreira, Dorado Beach’s marketing manager, “but all landscaping was destroyed. We were closed because Puerto Rico was closed.”

When Federico Stubbe, one of the largest developers of upscale communities and high-profile projects on his native island, created the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in 2012, he kept the architecture of the old hotel. “Rockefeller developed a master plan that is still working,” he says. “We have adapted that, honored it. We kept the outside but built it with a much more contemporary concept.

This is about the tropics and living in a park; it is about how humans interact with nature. We lost a lot of canopies.

Everything drowned, all the vegetation and flora. We spent one year bringing this place back.”

Some minimal damage occurred to the 115 beachfront rooms and suites.

“We had a lot of water intrusion under the doors,” explains Stubbe. “Things got wet. But it was all five years old by that time, and we are constantly changing and updating.” All guest rooms were refreshed with a brighter color palette, modernized furnishings, and king-size beds in place of queens—enhancing the already exquisite floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, outdoor shower gardens, deep soaking tubs, and private infinityedge plunge pools.

The showpiece of the property, however, is the redesigned five-bedroom villa and historical estate, Su Casa.

Renowned design firm Champalimaud has reimagined the two-story, 8,000-square-foot, 1920s Spanishstyle hacienda, which now features an open-concept floor plan and modern amenities like a spa treatment room and a media room with three large TV screens, in addition to custom-designed pieces juxtaposed with original antiques from the earliest owners and artwork from local artists. At $25,000 a night in the winter high season (prices start from $12,000 in summer), Su Casa can accommodate 12 people comfortably and offers all the amenities and services of the main hotel, but with a private chef, a personal golf cart, private beach, and soon-to-be-introduced experience packages. It does not, however, have a traditional kitchen for guests to access,

so those looking for a more live-in stay should consider booking one of the 29 private residences in the rental program.

The modern white homes with metal and wood interiors offer two to five bedrooms, plus a private pool.

The accommodations, though, are not the only part of the resort that has been updated. The former José Andrés restaurant, Mi Casa, is now COA, a totally redesigned steakhouse with a winetasting room and more indoor/outdoor dining spaces. The Asian-style Positivo Sandbar now features an omakase and ceviche bar.

“After Maria, one thing I got everyone to do is to think of this hotel like theater,” says Stubbe. “Puerto Ricans are happy people; the staff shows you their pride.

It’s not about square feet, it’s about how you feel when you are in that space. We can be a great alternative to Florida.”

From $1,099; ritzcarlton.com u —D.K.

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Explore the inspiration for Amy Kehoe’s own kitchen remodel at dacor.com.

Authenticity.

AND ALLURE .

Amy Kehoe x The Heritage Collection “ O F T E N , W H AT G I V E S A N O B J E C T AU T H E N T I C I T Y I S T H E O N E W H O I S B E H I N D T H E O B J E C T— I T S M A K E R —A N D I T S F I N I S H , I T S TO U C H . A N A U T H E N T I C P I E C E I S N ’ T “ O F T H E M O M E N T ” O R TO O C O N T R I V E D. I T ’ S S I M P LY S O M E T H I N G YO U N E V E R T I R E O F. ”

- AMY KEHOE Interior Designer/Co-Founder Nickey Kehoe

N E W YO R K | C H I CAG O | LO S A N G E L E S Opening Winter 2018/19

174 Summer 2019 Courtesy Fougeron Architecture/Joe Fletcher

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

CLIFF HANGERS HOMES BUILT ON DRAMATIC PRECIPICES GIVE NEW MEANING TO THE PHRASE “LIVING ON THE EDGE.”

by Jorge S. Arango

Fall House cantilevers over a bluff in Big Sur, California

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1. BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA Courtesy Fougeron Architecture/Joe Fletcher (4)

Architecture & Interior Design: Fougeron Architecture, fougeron.com Square Feet: 3,800 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 3.5 Altitude: 250 feet To capture the power of the California landscape, architect Anne Fougeron followed the contour of the topography. Cantilevering over the bluff, the appropriately named Fall House appears from certain angles as if a swift slide into the Pacific Ocean is

imminent. “The overall design strategy is one of embedding the building into the land, creating a structure that is inseparable from its context,” she says. Aware of the site’s accessibility challenges, Fougeron chose materials with what she calls optimal life

cycle costs. “Long-lasting and easily maintained materials like copper,

concrete, steel, and glass constitute the majority of the design,” she says.

To balance the dizzying sense of flying off a cliff, she chose warm, embracing materials for the interiors like mahogany (which complements the warmth of the exterior copper) and a rich palette for the furnishings. w

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It’s hard to visually compete with the rugged coast of Granada. But when asked to build a home on a spot in the Costa Aguilera area of Salobreña, where the craggy land drops precipitously toward the sea at 42 degrees, Jaime Bartolomé

and Pablo Gil Martínez rose to the challenge. “It took six months to design,” says Martínez, who explains that they cut

into the hillside so that “the construction took place on an excavated platform way above the road level.” The architects drew on the region’s rich artisan traditions to create everything, including the interior furnishings—made by hand

using centuries-old techniques. The undulating roof of handmade and hand-placed tiles are likened

to the scales of a dragon when seen from land but waves when seen from the water, and recall the idiosyncratic work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí.

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Courtesy Gil Bartolome ADW/Jesus Granada (3). Opposite: Matteo Piazza (4)

2. SALOBREÑA, SPAIN

Architecture & Interior Design: GilBartolome Architects, gilbartolome.com Square Feet: 2,260 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 2 Altitude: 150 feet

3. POSITANO, ITALY

Architecture & Interior Design: Lazzarini Pickering Architetti, lazzarinipickering.com Square Feet: 3,230 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 5 Altitude: 525 feet

“The Amalfi Coast’s architectural traditions were influenced by the Arab occupation around 800 to 1000 AD, in particular the use of glazed tiles,” observes architect Carl Pickering. “We always interpret local traditions and crafts in a

contemporary way.” Ergo the band of some 3,000 tiles, dating from 1700 to 1890, that

travels around the double-height living room and open dining/kitchen area, morphing into table surfaces here, a runner there, a soffit for pendants over the dining counter, and an

overhang accommodating a “flying sofa.” It’s a graphic element that feels dramatic against the bougainvillea-like colors of the pillows strewn across Edra red sectional seating that, in turn, channels a 1960s–70s hippie chic. It’s also a radical contrast to the pristine plaster exterior.

One moves from the psychedelic palette to the pool—occupying the footprint of an old

cistern—and then to two turquoise-tile lounging platforms with magnificent views of the Li Galli islands and beyond. w

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180 Summer 2019 Courtesy Images, Clockwise from Top Left: OOAK Architects/Ã…ke Eson Lindman (2); OOAK Architects/Yorgos Kordakis (4)

4. KARPATHOS, GREECE

Architecture & Interior Design: OOAK Architects, ooakarchitects.com Square Feet: 2,160 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 3 Altitude: 100 feet

Dwarfed by the sand-colored cliffs surrounding it, this low, rectangular structure appears to be floating. “The porous rock and

characteristically sparse, bushy vegetation on which it is built take a long time to

regenerate once destroyed,” says architect Maria Papafigou. “So, besides the delicate digging of the foundation, another challenge was to make the formwork for the

concrete touch the ground as little as possible.” That formwork supports two-thirds of the home, creating a hovering effect as if it had been set down as gently as

possible. This in turn lightened the amount of concrete and local stone used. “The

landscape and building are perceived as two distinct elements that together create

a new entity, much the way a perfect shell merges with a rock over time and gradually becomes part of the formation, ” explains Papafigou. w

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5. MAUI, HAWAII

Architecture: Olson Kundig, olsonkundig.com Interior Design: Sage Interior Design, sageinteriordesign.com Square Feet: 4,500 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 5 Altitude: 100 feet Some houses boastfully command the promontories on which they are built. But the

owners of this house on Kalaepiha Point preferred a lifestyle approach that took a page

from one of their favorite pastimes: surfing. “The house was intended to expand

the concept of a traditional surfing hut,” says design principal Tom Kundig,

speaking of the makeshift shelters lashed together with wood and thatch. Comparisons, however, end there. Each building in this luxurious ramble of rammed-earth structures is topped by a corrugated metal, double-pitched hip roof like those popularized

by Charles William Dickey in the 1920s and ’30s, which reflected a unique feature

of Hawaiian indigenous architecture. Garage-style glass walls convert buildings into pavilions within seconds. In keeping with the owners’ low-key spirit, adds Kundig, “The home was sited 100 feet from the drop-off so that it cannot be seen from the water or the road.”

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Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Bottom Right: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architecture/Greg Richardson (3); MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architecture/James Brittain. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: Olsen Kundig Architects/Benjamin Benschneider (2); Olsen Kundig Architects/Simon Watson.

6. NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

Architecture: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, mlsarchitects.ca Interior Design: Client with MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Square Feet: 3,360 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 4 Altitude: 30 feet

“There’s a real dramatic experience to this house that evokes a sense of vertigo,” says architect Brian MacKay-Lyons. While the Two Hulls house

doesn’t perch on what we’d technically call a cliff, the illusion is effective (and you’d certainly get badly banged up if you fell from a balcony). The cantilevered sections

of two structures that are, essentially, large bridge trusses, shoot out over the beach,

making occupants feel like they’re floating in midair. “The cantilever is pragmatic,” says MacKay-Lyons, explaining the 200-year wave study his firm used to determine how

close they could build to water’s edge without a tidal surge “taking out the foundation” in this harsh region that experiences 265 freeze-thaw cycles a year. The home was

featured in the recent monograph The Work of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects: Economy as Ethic (Thames & Hudson). w

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Courtesy SARCO Architects/Andres Garcia Lachner (3)

7. PENINSULA PAPAGAYO, COSTA RICA

Architecture & Interior Design: Sarco Architects, sarcoarchitects.com Square Feet: 5,920 (13,885 with terraces) Bedrooms: 6 Baths: 8 Altitude: 135–150 feet (lower terraces to green roofs) More lots available: peninsulapapagayorealty.com Architect Roderick Anderson admires the way Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House in

Connecticut blurred lines between inside and outside. So, with Casa Magayon, he says,

“I wanted to design a house that flows with the natural terrain and maximizes the views of the water and the connection to the jungle.”

So he built a series of interconnected glass-sheathed modules laid right into the dense vegetation that are a model of energy efficiency. Unused modules can be shut down

when the couple visits alone and the outdoor corridors between them do not require

air conditioning. Wide overhangs shade outdoor spaces, and the narrow widths of the

modules allow air circulation and further reduce cooling needs. A green roof improves thermal insulation and provides a space for taking in jaw-dropping views. Most

thrilling, though, is the deck that juts out over the vertical drop. Says Anderson, “It’s a lookout where you feel like you’re in the air and completely one with nature.” u

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FURNISHINGS

NATURAL SELECTION Nowadays, almost anything we use to comfortably furnish our homes can be made in a way that considers the planet’s well-being and, by extension, our own.

by Jorge S. Arango Italian regenerated leather company Rudi developed a material called Tecnocuoio for the yachting and hospitality industry in the 1990s. It’s made from 65-percent genuine leather castoffs, 18-percent natural latex, and other natural materials. Tecnocuoio just resurfaced at Paris’ Maison et Objet show as a line of leather baskets by luxury goods company Giobagnara, now owner of the Rudi brand. From $178; rudisrl.com

The Penna sconces and two sizes of pendant lights commemorate Cerno’s 10th anniversary, mixing brass, leather, and domestically sourced walnut with a simple oil finish. All excess material is recycled or repurposed. Available in natural and dark stain. $650–$1,950; cernogroup.com

Guatemalans use native caro caro wood to build sea-going vessels.

Sobremesa recycles plank ends that would normally be thrown away and commissions local artisans to craft them into beautiful cutting boards in various sizes and shapes. From $28; greenheartshop.org

Eileen Fisher’s “Waste No More” initiative encourages more conscious consumption by using recycled garments—donated or purchased back from consumers—that are then transformed into works of art by the project’s creative director, Sigi Ahl. From $4,500; wastenomore.com

Antwerp-based Vanessa Yuan and Joris Vanbriel, founders of sustainable children’s furniture company ecoBirdy, conducted a twoyear study on recycling plastic toys before developing their line from the resulting material. They have also developed a plastic recycling curriculum for children in Europe. From $140; ecobirdy.com 186 Summer 2019

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top: Ethnicraft; Native Trails; Teasdale Design Studio; Umage; ETEL; Minarc/Art Gray. Opposite, Clockwise From Top: Cerno; Sobremesa; Eileen Fisher; ecoBirdy/Arne Jennard; Rudi

The raised pattern on furniture brand Ethnicraft’s aptly named Graphic Sideboard is made of scrap wood. For something considered castoff, the material imparts an energetic sense of dynamism on the cabinet facing. Available in three- and four-door versions. $2,590–$3,050; ethnicraft.com

Minarc, an environmentally innovative design firm based in Santa Monica, California, developed mnmMOD: woodfree building panels made of recyclable EPS foam insulation and recycled steel.

The result? A 40 percent greater energy efficiency rate with almost zero waste.

From $30/square foot; mnmmod.com

Jute fiber and cement conspire to create eco-friendly NativeStone, which is then used to form Native Trails’ line of resilient, low-maintenance sinks, tubs, and mirrors in four finishes: ash, slate, pearl, and earth. $7,890–$9,190 for 62-inch to 72-inch tubs, respectively; nativetrailshome.com

Hudson Valley, New York, artist Brad Teasdale fuses concrete to unique pieces of driftwood sourced along rivers and other local bodies of water to create his dramatic yet down-to-earth Mermaid benches. From $5,000; teasdaledesignstudio.com

Brazilian firm ETEL recently partnered with The Invisible Collection to offer a selection of Brazilian modernist masterworks, including this lounge armchair, reinterpreted from José Zanine Caldas’ original design, to celebrate the centenary of his birth. All ETEL’s Amazonian woods are FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council). $4,270; theinvisiblecollection.com

Eos Up, a wall and ceiling light developed by Umage (which translates loosely to “going the extra mile” in Danish) uses goose feathers recycled from the food industry. Designed by Soren Ravn Christensen, it comes in two sizes, 15.7 inches and 27.6 inches. $199–$399; umage.com w

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Julie Neill’s leafy Dumaine Medium Pierced Chandelier for Visual Comfort (through Circa Lighting) adds panache to a commonly found foliage of steamy verdant climes.

Almost 34 inches high and 42 inches around, the fixture makes a statement. Available in antiqued burnished brass or polished nickel. $2,209; circalighting.com

JUNGLE LOVE Lush, primal, and alive, wild environs provide great aesthetic inspiration for the home. These furnishings bring rainforest chic indoors while sidestepping the usually cliché tropical trappings.

Nanimarquina was committed to creating outdoor rugs that looked and felt as luxurious as the company’s wool and cotton versions. Tres Texture, made of PET, is one of the four resulting hand-loomed designs, perfect for the humid conditions of the jungle. From $1,690; nanimarquina.com

The Nailah chair from Artesia has an elegant form covered in a mix of black, dark brown, and natural rattan weave coated with clear lacquer.

The piece comes with white cushions. From $1,050; artesiacollections.com

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Photographer Gray Malin’s series Gray Malin at the Parker was the inspiration for his first collection of kids’ furniture with Cloth & Co. The pieces, which include this ottoman, are available through One Kings Lane. $425; onekingslane.com

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top: Moooi; Artel; Coleccion Alexandra; Atmosphere d’Arganeraie; Baker Furniture; Natural Curiosities. Opposite, Clockwise From Top: Visual Comfort; Nanimarquina; Cloth&Co; Artesia

ARTĚL Cabinet of Curiosities double old-fashioned glasses are handmade by Czech artisans. Six natural history–themed motifs are meticulously engraved to celebrate the European tradition of “cabinets of curiosities.”

Available in smoked glass or clear glass with gold or platinum accents. $205–$400 (each, respectively); artelglass.com

Spanish furniture company Colección Alexandra celebrates Valencian fashion designer Francis Montesinos’ 50th anniversary by creating a limited-edition piece pairing Montesinos’ The Queens of the South and Spanish Garden fabrics from his spring/summer 2018 collection with the firm’s Traveler bar cabinet and high cocktail cabinet, created by Jacobo Ventura. $13,992; coleccionalexandra.com

The new Extinct Animals collection of fabrics, wall coverings, artwork, and carpets from Moooi includes The Menagerie of Extinct Animals, inspired by archival illustrations of extinct species.

With its typical wit, Moooi couldn’t resist the fancifully altered animals (a zebra’s hide is part plaid). Available in four colorways. To the trade; moooi.com

These Icarus Collection artworks from Natural Curiosities use feathers dipped in various colors to create lush textural cascades hanging from a goldleafed dowel. Various framing options available. $3,895; naturalcuriosities.com

When Baker Furniture pairs its metal Kowloon Arm Chair, a modern interpretation of classic bamboo dinner seating, with its new Dazzle Camo—a luxe twist on the deceptive military coverup in tonal cut and uncut velvet—the result is decidedly glamorous. $2,128 chair; fabric to the trade; bakerfurniture.com

The architects at Essaouira, Morocco– based Atmosphère Arganeraie have been making spectacular sinks from naturally felled eucalyptus trees for various projects. Now they are available through their store, Ar de Vivre. From $5,400 (single sink); ardevivre.com w

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EXPLORERS’ CLUB Saluting the fearlessness of those who braved perilous conditions to discover something new are products inspired by their journeys and the navigation aids they used to get there.

Compartmentalized and collapsible, campaign furniture was an ingenious outgrowth of European military escapades, and also used in many a hazardous expedition. Such designs provided creative inspiration for Michel Ferrand’s solid oak 395 coffee table. From $2,990; michel-ferrand.com

Stars were the world’s first nighttime navigation tool.

Ancient explorers would be amazed by Orion’s GiantView BT-100 binocular telescope, the design of which offers increased magnification capability and higher contrast than previous designs. $1,550 (mount and tripod package $600 extra); telescope.com

Real World Globes are created mainly for educational purposes, so they are incredibly and precisely detailed. The new Seafloor Magnetic Anomaly globe helps enhance the understanding of plate tectonics and seafloor spreading. $288; realworldglobes.com

Lotus Belle’s Lotus Mahal tent provides up to 700 square feet of pitched floor space and plenty of exotic flair to set a scene or furnish a proper bivouac. $8,500; lotusbelle.com British colonial cantonments in India offered creature comforts with compartmentalized, collapsible campaign furniture made by England’s fabled furniture companies. New Delhi–based J & R Guram reproduces some of the Raj’s most memorable and finest pieces, including this cane-sided Landour chair. $600–$700; jandrguram.com 190 Summer 2019

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top: John Yarema; Panerai; Bellavia; Puiforcat. Opposite, Clockwise From Top Right: Orion; Real World Globes; Lotus Belle; J&R Guram; Michel Ferrand

Among the exquisite floor inlays executed by master craftsman John Yarema are compasses, maps, and other exploration motifs, which he’s custom designed for countless yachts as well as projects like S.C. Johnson’s Fortaleza Hall in Racine, Wisconsin. Pricing varies; johnyarema.com

TIME TO GO It would take a tempestuous sea to overturn Puiforcat’s Orfèvre-Sommelier, glassware that fuses glass with a stable silver- or gold-plated metal base. The design is a collaboration between famed sommelier Enrico Bernardo and London designer Michael Anastassiades. $40–$6,560; puiforcat.com

Palermo, Italy–based Bellavia, known for its fine embroidered goods, launched The NapKing to showcase its colorful, digitally printed designs, including this Atlas square tablecloth, which measures 86 by 86 inches. From $200; thenapking.com

Panerai pioneered submersible watches for the Royal Italian Navy back in 1916. Three new limited-edition timepieces celebrate that expertise by pairing an optional adventure with purchase.

The Marina Militare Carbotech (limited edition of 33) gets you a training session with La Spezia, the diving and commando force of the Italian Navy.

The Mike Horn Edition (just 19 available) pairs buyers with Horn, the world’s greatest living explorer, on a trip to learn about the Arctic ice floes.

Shown is the Guillaume Néry Edition (13 available at press time), which grants owners a ticket to explore the oceans of French Polynesia with the free-diving world champion. From $40,000 (watch and adventure), from $19,400 (watch only); panerai.com u

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ARTIST PROFILE

TAKING AIM

A bright spot among America’s postwar painters, KENNETH NOLAND composed spare geometric designs to explore the interplay and impact of color.

by Jason Edward Kaufman

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Wild Indigo, 1967. Acrylic on canvas; 89 x 207 inches.

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Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Charles Clifton Fund, 1972 (1972:5)© The Kenneth Noland Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Image courtesy Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

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THE BACKDROP

When Noland entered the scene in the 1950s, abstract art was only a few decades old. In the 1910s and 1920s, a handful of European and Russian artists—Kazimir Malevich, Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, and others—made the first paintings devoid of people, places, and things, the subjects that artists had depicted for centuries. This radical departure had scientific and spiritual underpinnings and a utopian edge. Abstract artists saw their work as an exploration of perception, a revolutionary way to conceive and construct space, a means of unlocking hidden dimensions of nature and the cosmos, and even as a universal language. By the mid-century, representational art was passé and “non-objective” abstraction prevailed.

Then, in the aftermath of World War II, American artists sought to distinguish their native art from European traditions.

That effort coalesced in the work of Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, and others who became known as the Abstract Expressionists. They made large-scale action paintings that reveled in demonstrative brushwork, and color-field paintings composed of expanses of flat color. Their work was touted as an expression of America’s unbounded freedom, a stark contrast with the socialist realism dictated by Fascist and Communist regimes.

Unlike the intimacy of European easel painting, including the modernism of Pablo Picasso and the School of Paris, the new American painting was heroic in size, spontaneous in execution, and romantic in content, tinged with anxiety and violence reflecting the experiences of war and the tensions of the Atomic Age. Noland emerged in this context, just as the United States came to dominate the world art stage and New York replaced Paris as the center of the avant-garde.

FRONT AND CENTER

As a student, Noland emulated the Abstract Expressionists, but guided by Greenberg, his generation took abstraction in new directions. He embarked on a series of almost 200 target paintings featuring concentric rings centered on unpainted canvases. Most, like Greenberg’s Gift, are square in format and measure at least 6 x 6 feet. Some have only a few rings and others eight or more;

Opposite: Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1964 (K1964:6). © The Kenneth Noland Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Image courtesy Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

I

n 1963, Vogue published a photograph of the Manhattan apartment of influential art critic Clement Greenberg.

Hanging above his desk, where he would see it every time he looked up from writing, was a large painting of concentric circles. At the time, Greenberg was the Svengali of contemporary art, arguing that to be truly modern, artists must reject representation entirely and pare down the medium to its essence, avoiding figurative drawing and references to the outside world. He envisioned an art formed only from the most basic elements of painting itself: color on a flat surface.

In the late 1940s, Greenberg championed Jackson Pollock’s abstract drip paintings, and in the 1950s he advised painters to advance even further toward his ideal of painterly purity. His acolyte Kenneth Noland (1924–2010), who made the circles hanging above Greenberg’s desk, heard the critic’s words like marching orders. “I would take suggestions from Clem very seriously,” he said, “more seriously than from anyone else …

I’m grateful for it. I’ll take anything I can get that will help my art.” Noland expressed his gratitude by giving the 1961–62 painting—originally titled Clem’s Gift—to Greenberg, who loaned it to important exhibitions (always crediting a “private collection” to conceal his ownership). In turn, the powerful critic’s support contributed significantly to Noland’s critical and commercial success, helping to make him one of the more highly regarded American abstract artists of the second half of the 20th century.

His pictures are in top museums in the United States and in Europe, and major works command multimillion-dollar prices.

His auction record is $3.5 million, set at Sotheby’s New York this past May, for the 1960 painting Blue, a 5-square-foot image of red, white, and blue rings around a black core on a sapphire field. A 1958 painting, roughly the same size and subject matter, had previously sold for $3.37 million. Other late 1950s targets, as the series is known, have brought around $2 million.

Smaller versions sell in the mid-six figures, and pieces from another series known as chevrons also have topped $1 million.

Later works command lower sums—a green and blue target from 1999 sold for $325,000 in 2019—and works on paper might bring $2,000–$10,000.

Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1976 (K1976:4.31).Fred W. McDarrah (American, 1926-2007). © Estate of Fred W. McDarrah. Image courtesy Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

Left: Kenneth Noland, New York 4/10, 1963, 1963. Gelatin silver print; 8 x 10 inches. Opposite: Yellow Half, 1963. Acrylic resin paint on canvas; 70 x 70 inches.

each has a solid color often separated from the next by a channel of raw canvas. The first targets had textured paint surfaces and their outer rings were surrounded by a loosely painted penumbra that gave them a solar aspect, as though they were spinning and giving off heat. Variations in the early 1960s took on a more machine-made character, with the rings crisply delineated in skins of evenly applied pigment.

Noland’s next series, the chevrons, consisted of parallel V shapes that extend downward from the top of the canvas, their

arms of uniform width and each in a different solid color. He modified the series by placing the chevrons asymmetrically on the canvas, making them feel less locked into the frame. In the mid1960s he started a series of diamond-shaped canvases, followed by stripe paintings composed of horizontal bands of varying widths and colors that stretch across the canvas. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Noland made polygonal canvases segmented into hard-edged areas of flat color or covered with linear grids that look like plaid and seem inspired by Mondrian. w

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Noland was not alone in zeroing in on simple compositions. Jasper Johns first painted targets in 1955, and Frank Stella painted monochrome parallel stripes in 1959. Soon French artist Daniel Buren made stripes his signature motif. But more than composition, color was Noland’s main concern. He opted for simple graphic motifs because the viewer could take them in all at once and focus mainly on the chromatic arrangement.

“I was trying to neutralize the layout, the shape, the composition,” he explained in 1977.“ I wanted to make color the generating force.” His palette ranged from subtle harmonies to jarring contrasts, and produced correspondingly diverse visual experiences.

The late critic Hilton Kramer praised Noland’s “sensibility for color … his ability to come up, again and again, with fresh and striking combinations that both capture and sustain our attention, and provide the requisite pleasures …. He is unquestionably a master.”

Karen Wilkin, author of a Noland monograph, considers him “one of the great colorists of the 20th century.”

“His art was from start to finish an art of color, part of a long tradition that dates in the modern era to Impressionism, runs through Cézanne and Matisse, into the twentieth century, to Morris Louis, and Helen Frankenthaler,” she said.

BIG PICTURE

Top: Sarah’s Reach, 1964.

Acrylic on canvas; 93 3/4 x 91 5/8 inches. Bottom: Day, 1964.

Acrylic resin on canvas; 69 3/4 x 69 3/4 inches. Opposite: In the Garden, 1952. Oil on hardboard, 19 1/2 x 30 inches.

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Noland was born in 1924 in Asheville, North Carolina, far from the center of the art world. His father was a physician and Sunday painter, and his mother an amateur pianist who helped manage a local jazz club. By his teens Noland was dabbling with his father’s paints, inspired by Monets he had seen at the National Gallery of Art. In 1942 he was drafted and served as a glider pilot and cryptographer in the Air Force, stationed mainly stateside, but toward the end of the war in Egypt and Turkey.

After the war, the GI Bill, which funded education for returning soldiers, allowed him to study at Black Mountain College, an interdisciplinary liberal arts school a short drive from his home (two of his four brothers also attended) where he received a crash course in modern art. The school’s director Josef Albers, who had taught at the Bauhaus design school in Germany, advanced a theory of the “interaction of colors,” and Noland’s art professor, abstract painter Ilya Bolotowsky, introduced him to the work of Mondrian. Noland made paintings inspired by Paul Klee, another Bauhaus artist and modern art theorist.

But his later exploration of color relations through nested geometric forms is clearly indebted to Albers, whose signature series Homage to the Square began in 1950 and performed the same function in compositions of squares within squares.

After two years at Black Mountain (1946–48), Noland spent a year in Paris studying with the Russian Cubist sculptor Ossip Zadkine and then settled in Washington, D.C., to teach at the Institute of Contemporary Art (1949– 1951), Catholic University (1951–60), and at the Washington Workshop Center of the Arts (1952–56)—a night school

Top: Smithsonian American Art Museum; museum purchase from the Vincent Melzac Collection through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition. Bottom: Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Charles W. Millard III in memory of Gordon M. Smith, 1997 (1997:8). © The Kenneth Noland Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Image courtesy Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Opposite: The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Acquired 1952 Art © Estate of Kenneth Noland/ Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.

BETWEEN THE LINES

where he developed a friendship with Morris Louis, another second-generation Abstract Expressionist. In 1953, Greenberg, whom Noland had met in 1950 during a summer session at Black Mountain, brought Noland and Louis to the New York studio of Helen Frankenthaler. She was making Pollock-inspired pictures by pouring thinned paint onto canvas laid on the floor.

Noland and Louis took up the approach and experimented with staining canvas. Together they bought rolls of cotton duck from a sailing supplier and large batches of liquid Bocour Magna, a newly invented plastic-based acrylic that could be liquefied and manipulated more readily than oil paint. Louis poured pigment onto tilted canvases forming rivulets of colored “veils,” and Noland used brushes, rollers, or sponges to evenly apply paint to geometric forms.

MAKING A NAME

Greenberg curated Noland into a 1954 gallery show; two years later the Museum of Modern Art included him in the traveling exhibition Young American Painters; and in 1957 he had his first solo show at New York’s Tibor de Nagy Gallery. In 1964 Greenberg

again boosted Noland’s career, presenting him alongside Louis, Frankenthaler, Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella, Jack Bush, and Jules Olitski in Post-Painterly Abstraction, a traveling show organized at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that helped establish the Color Field movement. Noland and Louis were recognized as leading figures in what would be known as the Washington Color School that also included Gene Davis, Anne Truitt, Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, and others.

Noland’s work was soon included in group shows at the Tate Gallery in London, the American pavilion at the 1964 Venice Biennale (along with Louis, Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg, who won the Biennale’s grand prize), as well as the landmark 1969 Metropolitan Museum exhibition New York Painting and Sculpture: 1940–1970. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s he appeared regularly in Whitney Annual and Biennial exhibitions, the Corcoran Biennial of Contemporary American Painting, the Carnegie International, and Documenta. In 1977 the Guggenheim organized a traveling retrospective, and he went on to have oneartist shows in Mexico City; Bilbao, Spain; Houston; Liverpool, England; and Youngstown, Ohio. w

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CHANGING TASTES

Noland’s heyday was relatively short-lived. By the 1970s interest turned from Abstract Expressionism and color-field painting to Minimalism, Conceptualism, and Pop Art. Though Noland’s reductive images are, like those of Stella, seen today as precursors to Minimalism, some critics considered his works soulless illustrations of Greenberg’s formalist theory. And their popularity among collectors led the same works to be denigrated as empty tokens of good taste. Time magazine in 1965 referred to colorfield paintings as “avant-garde tapestries,” and in 1970 the critic Brian O’Doherty called them “the ultimate capitalist art.”

Noland’s mural-sized stripe paintings—some 7 feet tall and 20-odd feet long—were likened to slick products geared to corporate types. Discussing the striped works in his 1972 book Other Criteria, art historian Leo Steinberg referred to them as “principles of efficiency, speed, and machine-tooled precision which, in the imagination to which they appeal, tend to associate

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themselves with the output of industry more than of art.”

Many people still find Noland’s formulations overly simple and somewhat cold, but others appreciate their sleek design and color dynamics or treat them as mandala-like objects for meditative contemplation. Art historian Mollie Berger relates the targets to ideas espoused by psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich. Noland saw a Reichian therapist from 1950 on, and later said Reich had been the most important influence on his life. Berger explains that Reich believed that organic matter is imbued with an energy called orgone, whose free flow through the body is requisite for physical, mental, and sexual health. Orgone flow could be blocked by “character armor” that individuals create in response to trauma.

Berger posits that Noland’s targets—which resemble diagrams in Reich’s books—may symbolize the Reichian practice of selfcentering, with the circles representing armor that breaks down in the ragged-edged rings to allow the individual to reconnect with the energy circulating in the world.

This page: Acquired 1960; Art © Estate of Kenneth Noland/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY. Paintings, 1434, American. Opposite: Gift of the Joseph H. Hirshhorn Foundation, 1966 Photo Credit: Photography by Lee Stalsworth. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

AT THE HEART

For all the heady theory underlying his work, the consensus among those who knew him was that Noland was humble and down-to-earth. “His talk was without any pretension, devoid of ‘art speak,’” recalled the British sculptor Anthony Caro, who described his friend as “modest and self-deprecating [with] an infectious sense of humor and fun,” as well as an affection for jazz, especially Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk. According to one of his assistants, Noland was easygoing in public but driven in the studio. “He really was an artist 12 hours a day, seven days a week, even into his 80s,” he said.

He married four times, the first in 1950 to Cornelia Langer, daughter of a North Dakota Senator and a student of sculptor David Smith. They had three children including Cady Noland, a well-known sculptor and installation artist. Marriages to psychologist Stephanie Gordon and art historian Peggy Schiffer, with whom he had a son, both ended in divorce. In 1994 he married Paige Rense, editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest, with whom he shared his final years.

In 1961 he moved to Manhattan. After his friend Louis’ death in 1962, he purchased a farm from the estate of poet Robert Frost in South Shaftsbury, Vermont. For decades he divided his time between Lower Manhattan and Vermont, where he became close

to painter Jules Olitski and British sculptor Anthony Caro, who were teaching at nearby Bennington College. In the 1980s and ’90s he spent much of his time at the farm, using two former dairy barns as a painting studio and workshop for papermaking, an interest in his later decades. He had set up his own shop called Gully Paper in North Hoosick, New York, collaborated with paper makers in Barcelona and Japan, and then brought his equipment to the farm and taught papermaking at Bennington College. In 2002 he and Rense put the farm up for sale, sent the papermaking gear to a Vermont art center, and relocated to the coastal town of Port Clyde, Maine, where he died of kidney cancer in 2010 at the age of 85. The new owners converted the farm into a bed-andbreakfast called Taraden, and returned the papermaking setup to the barn where they operate a workshop.

Late in life, Noland revisited his targets, rendering the circles in softer hues, with more painterly texture and transparency, and on colored backgrounds. He titled the series Mysteries, and perhaps the delicacy and meditative quality betrays a spiritual longing. “I like to think of painting without subject matter as music without words,” he said in 1988. “It affects our innermost being as space, spaces, air.” To the end he believed that abstraction had a future.

“It’s a fertile field that we barely have explored,” he said in 1994, “and young artists will return to it. I’m certain.” w

Opposite: Beginning, 1966. Magna on canvas; 90 x 95 7/8 inches. Left: April, 1960. Acrylic on canvas; 16 x 16 inches.

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Left to right: Morris Louis, Gamma Delta, 1959-1960; Frank Stella, Gran Cairo, 1962; Miriam Schapiro, Jigsaw, 1969; Alvin Loving, Septehedron 34, 1970; Bob Thompson, Triumph of Bacchus, 1964.

Jason Edward Kaufman

SPILLING OVER: PAINTING COLOR IN THE 1960S AT THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART IN NEW YORK CITY, THROUGH AUGUST 2019

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A

survey of paintings from the museum’s permanent collection showcases Noland’s milieu, a time when artists, influenced by formalist abstraction, emphasized color as a primary means of expression. The 18 works, all dating between 1959 and 1972, feature bright, saturated colors, often bounded by sharply delineated contours. The brilliance, smoothness, and chromatic variety of the fields of color was made possible in part by the introduction of plastic-based acrylic paint, which could be brushed or poured to coat the canvas, or diluted and soaked into the fibers. Results ranged from misty atmospheric fields (Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Gilliam, Morris Louis, Robert Reed) to geometric abstractions ( Josef Albers, Marcia Hafif, Carmen Herrera, Ellsworth Kelly, Alvin Loving, Kenneth Noland, Frank Stella) and eye-dazzling Op Art (Richard Anuszkiewicz). In addition to formal and perceptual explorations, the show includes expressionistic figure work in which artists of the period deployed color sometimes to question chromatic associations with race and gender (Emma Amos, Frank Bowling, Alex Katz, Miriam Schapiro, Bob Thompson, Kay WalkingStick). Also on view at the museum is the Whitney Biennial 2019 (through September 22), a survey of paintings, sculptures, performances, and films by 75 artists and collectives. whitney.org u

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REAL ESTATE

WHERE THE LIVING IS EASY

EFFORTLESS OWNERSHIP HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAIN REQUIREMENT FOR ANY SECOND OR THIRD HOME, BUT TODAY’S BUYERS ARE ALSO EXPECTING THE ADDED VALUE OF CAREFULLY CURATED EXPERIENCES. by Irene Rawlings

H

otel companies have been quick to respond to the demand for branded residences by creating mini stays, where homeowners have access to the coveted services in their wheelhouse: daily housekeeping, laundry, in-residence dining, and 24-hour concierge. Additional amenities—fitness centers featuring the latest cardio and strength training equipment, a signature spa with massage and treatment rooms, yoga and Pilates spaces, theater and performance studios, even pet grooming services—sweeten the deal.

“The branded residences sector has been experiencing rapid growth since 2000 and will continue to grow exponentially in the United States, and especially in Asia,” says Adelina Wong Ettelson, global head of residences marketing, Mandarin Oriental. “It is a natural extension of a hotel brand, offering luxury lifestyle, assurance of quality, proven operational management, and the cachet of a globally renown and well-respected hotel brand. It gives the owner the comfort and permanence of home but with the full service and amenities of a five-star hotel. With a strong pipeline of Residences in development, we will double our residential units in the next five years.”

Four Seasons, one of the pioneers (1985) in resort residences, is also experiencing meteoric growth. “There has been nearly $8 billion in Four Seasons Private Residences sold globally with a five-year pipeline of 30 new projects valued at an estimated $10 billion,” says Paul White, president of Four Seasons Residential. It currently operates 41 branded Private Residence properties around the world—including four standalone residential projects in Los Angeles, Marrakech, London’s Mayfair, and, most recently, San Francisco’s Mission District. Additional openings in 2019 include Bengaluru (India’s Silicon Valley), Montreal’s Golden Square Mile, and One Dalton (the tallest new building in New England), as well as properties on the beach in Cabo, overlooking the river in Bangkok, among the vines in Napa Valley, and on chic Avenida Nações Unidas in São Paulo.

Here, seven oases from Four Seasons, Rosewood, Mandarin Oriental, and others available now.

202 Summer 2019

Baha Mar Residences, Bahamas Two iconic hotel brands within the $4.2 billion development Baha Mar—Rosewood Baha Mar and SLS Baha Mar—created these ocean-facing, one- to eightbedroom residences overlooking turquoise Bahamian waters.

Owners and guests gain access to signature resort experiences, including complimentary golf at the par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature course, VIP shopping at international luxury retailers like Cartier and Tiffany, private access to Baha Mar’s secluded private island just off beautiful Cable Beach, and access to the resorts’ 213-foot superyacht. Rosewood residences from $995,000; SLS residences from $850,000; bahamar.com

Rosewood, Baha Mar

Andaz Turks & Caicos Residences Grace Bay Hyatt’s first residential resort has kicked off sales. The oceanfront property opening in 2020 spans 5.5 acres, providing an Andaz-level of hospitality for its real estate offerings on the archipelago’s famed Grace Bay Beach. From $975,000 (one-bedroom) to $5.2 million (penthouse); andaz.com The Residences Mandarin Oriental Boca Raton, Florida Now under construction are 92 residences with views of the ocean, golf course, and city.

Amenities include a rooftop pool with ocean-view cabanas and membership at Via Mizner Golf & City Club. Cross a sky bridge to access the hotel’s spa and restaurants. From $2 million; moresidencesbocaraton.com Six Senses Kaplankaya Residences, Bodrum, Turkey Bodrum (sandy beaches and vibrant nightlife) is an emerging destination for high-networth sunseekers. Located across the bay from Bodrum, environmentally friendly Kaplankaya sits on a hillside overlooking the deep-blue Aegean. Designed to blend into the landscape, three- to sevenbedroom villas give owners access to Six Senses wellness facilities.

From $1.8 million; sixsenses.com Tucker’s Point, Bermuda This 240-acre master-planned resort community is anchored by the ultra-luxe Rosewood Bermuda. A driver picks up top-

Courtesy Images, From Top: Four Seasons Resort; Rosewood/Durston Saylor. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: The Lodge at Kukui’ula; Montage Residences Palmetto Bluff

Four Seasons, Costa Rica

Four Seasons Private Residences Prieta Bay at Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Within a 1,400-acre private resort community, this enclave of 20 wholly owned oceanfront properties adjacent to the Four Seasons resort is nearly complete.

For one fee, homeowners and guests may opt in to an allinclusive program for access to all of the resort’s facilities: unlimited spa treatments, rounds of golf, all food and beverages (including a fully stocked in-home bar), and a private butler. “From the second a guest touches down to the moment they take off, their every wish is made a reality,” says Chef Concierge Patricia Rodriguez.

Residences from $3.9 million; allinclusive program from $17,000/ night; fourseasons.com

Snake River Sporting Club Jackson Hole, Wyoming Prospective buyers stay in rustic-chic one-bedroom “tiny” homes, spending their days fishing, playing tennis, taking in a round of golf on the Tom Weiskopf championship course, and horseback riding in the 3.4-million-acre Bridger-Teton National Forest. From $1.4 million; snakeriversportingclub.com

The Lodge at Kukui’ula, Kauai

tier members from the airport.

Perks on property range from the famous pink-sand beach with full restaurant service to priority tee times at the 18hole golf course and access to a dedicated concierge. Deeded partial-ownership residences and residential homesites are some of the last undeveloped parcels of land on the island. From $800,000/homesite; tuckerspoint.com

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY FROM OPULENT TENTS TO DESIGNER-FURNISHED HOMES, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS CREATE UNIQUE TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS TO EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF PLACE BEFORE THEY SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE.

Montage Residences Palmetto Bluff Bluffton, South Carolina Prospective homeowners experience legendary Southern hospitality in two- to fivebedroom residences while taking lagoon cruises, fishing, and enjoying daily housekeeping, bike rides, and a golf cart for use during their stay. From $1.4 million, furnished; palmettobluff.com

The Lodge at Kukui’ula Kauai, Hawaii Stay in island-style cottages with complete access to activities: traditional Hawaiian canoeing, hiking the Kalalau Trail, and booking signature treatments in the 18,000-square-foot spa.

From $2.4 million (villas) to $4.2 million (ocean-front homesites); thelodgeatkukuiula.com Mountainside at Northstar Lake Tahoe, California Architecturally stunning “tiny houses” with panoramic views allow buyers a sneak peek into modern mountain lifestyle and access to all outdoor experiences. From $2.2 million; mountainsidenorthstar.com Four Seasons Caye Chapel Belize Equipped with glamping tents, prospective owners can experience the island before anything is actually built (opens in 2021).

A full staff creates a complete itinerary for interested buyers to glimpse the lifestyle they would be buying into. The experience includes a private boat captain and chef. Residences from $2 million; fourseasons.com

Montage Residences Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina

Pendry Residences Park City Park City, Utah Prospective buyers are invited for a day of guided skiing, hosted by a member of the US Olympic ski team. Ski-in, lift-out resort and residences opening winter 2021. Studios from $395,000, fully furnished; penthouses $3.65 million, fully furnished; pendryresidencesparkcity.com u Summer 2019 203

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Restaurants

Point Grace Resort, the idyllic 35-suite (and growing) spot in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, is in the midst of a resort-wide renovation. Get a sense of the redesign via the recently unveiled Grace’s Cottage, featuring a new bar and lounge, Frenchinspired menu, and Bisazza glass-tile mosaic wall (above). Dine under the stars on conch chowder and jerk-spiced shrimp over spinach with a mango chutney. Total decadence: the grilled salmon topped with crab and hollandaise sauce. Pair with a carefully curated selection of Robert Parker–rated wine. pointgrace.com

Wild Ink (above), in New York’s Hudson Yards, has a mellow yet energetic vibe— part Asian bamboo, part Western industrial.

Exotic cocktail ingredients such as Thai whiskey and sesame-infused gin continue the East-meets-West theme. Must-try small plates: mapo tofu dumplings; shrimp and bacon siu mai; seared diver scallops paired with chunks of lardo and Indianstyle curried lentils. Large plates are perfectly seasoned, like the 20-ounce ribeye for two from Creekstone Farms. Leave room for the rich, homemade ice cream. wildinknyc.com 206 Summer 2019

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Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris launches pop-up Japanese restaurant Matsuhisa Niwa (below), an intimate, eight-seat dining experience in a Zen-like garden setting. Crafted with the collaboration of legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa, the sevencourse omakase menu is complemented by Maison Ruinart’s Champagnes. A must if you’re in Paris this summer. leroyalmonceau.com

Mott 32 in the Palazzo at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas brings refined Hong Kong cooking to the city’s already phenomenal gastronomic scene. Come here for the Peking duck, which is applewoodroasted, bursting with flavor, and sliced and served tableside with see-through thin steamed pancakes and an earthy hoisin sauce. Make a separate reservation for the dim sum as to not miss the soft-boiled, one-bite quail egg tucked inside a pork siu mai and topped with a speck of black truffle. mott32.com Chef Stephanie Izard ate her way through Lima, Cusco, and Arequipa and called it “research.” The result: her fourth restaurant—Peruvian-inspired Cabra Cevicheria atop Chicago’s Hoxton Hotel.

Request a spot at the six-seat bar to watch food prep—mouth-tingling ceviches and Japanese-Peruvian tiradito (like sashimi but with Peruvian sauces). The showstopper: a whole snapper cooked in Japanese-style curry. cabrachicago.com

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Audrey at the Hammer (right) inside the Los Angeles Hammer Museum is both artistic and dramatic.

Standout elements: Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo’s signature tiles and the multitude of lanterns suspended overhead. Regulars rave about chef Lisa Giffen’s Morro Bay black cod and mussels in a wipe-your-platedelicious saffron broth. The turmericroasted chicken is another crowd favorite. A nice selection of by-theglass wines from small producers, including Nortico Rosé from Minho, Portugal. audreyatthehammer.com

Neighborhood restaurant Small Town in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood specializes in the unexpected, including chicken liver mousse with strawberry preserves and pickled rhubarb on toast; sea bass with littleneck clams and green garlic aioli; and fried cabbage topped with bleu cheese and peppery buffalo sauce. But this place also understands the importance of putting fresh rolls—hot from the oven and still in the pan—on the table. Biodynamic wines from small, interesting wineries. smalltown.la

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Courtesy Images, From Top: Grace’s Cottage; Le Royal Monceau/Romeo Balancourt; Wild Ink/Evan Sung; Audrey at The Hammer/Sean Ryan Pierce. Opposite, Courtesy Images From Top: The Fleur Room/Michael Kleinberg for Moxy Chelsea; RedFarm; Whiskey Thief/Lauren Rubinstein

Chef Bill Greene’s Charlotte, North Carolina, restaurant Peppervine serves flavor-forward small plates like beef cheek with truffle vinaigrette, lamb belly with kimchi porridge, and rabbit confit with mint pistou. Large plates can be a North Carolina flounder with bacon and ciderbraised cabbage or Berkshire pork with mushroom bread pudding. Request a booth with a window into the kitchen. peppervine.com Sometimes there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a stack of pancakes. Pancake Social, a 120-seat restaurant and coffeehouse in Atlanta, serves flapjacks, blintzes, and sourdough waffles all day, as well as homemade cinnamon buns, scones, and banana bread. Bartenders make mimosas and brunch cocktails as well as artisanal coffees. pancakesocial.com Mama Chang, the much-anticipated Fairfax, Virginia, outpost from chef and restaurateur Peter Chang and his wife, pastry chef Lisa Chang, celebrates the recipes and homestyle cooking of his grandmother and mother. Try Hunan and Hubei dishes like tea-braised pork belly stew and grandma’s savory fish ball soup. Lisa’s sesame shaobing are small masterpieces—ultralight and flaky. Scallion bubble pancakes (a favorite at Chang’s other D.C.-area restaurants) are also on the menu. mamachangva.com Chef Matt McCallister sources ingredients from local farmers and ranchers for Dallas’ Homewood, which focuses on dishes with vibrant taste combinations. Steelhead trout with nasturtium chile sauce is cooked over embers, as are the heirloom beets.

The stinging nettle and smoked leek farfalle comes with ridiculously tasty pork meatballs. homewooddallas.com

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Bars

The Fleur Room, New York City Atop the tony Moxy NYC Chelsea hotel, New York’s highest rooftop nightclub (above) has break-the-budget good looks including floral-and-velvet seating, sparkling glass chandeliers, and a massive vintage disco ball. Floor-to-ceiling windows retract, transforming the space into an open-air veranda with big city views. DJs at night.

Great cosmos and bar bites from the hotel’s new Italian restaurant, Feroce Caffé. moxyhotels.marriott.com

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RedFarm, London Come to this redgingham and green plants restaurant for the super-inventive dim sum like shrimpstuffed crispy chicken and Pac-Man shrimp dumplings. Stay for chic cocktails (below) at Toots n Hoots, the attic speakeasy, where the signature drinks include the Spotted Wood. Muddled cardamom seeds, cognac, pineapple juice, agave, and Angostura bitters, shaken to a froth, then poured into chilled glasses. redfarmldn.com w

Brandon’s On La Brea, Los Angeles This mid-century modern cocktail bar is hidden in the way back of 6th & La Brea Brewery & Restaurant. Craft beer, one-off cocktails (smoked, tinctured, or zested), and amaro flights. Vinyl records supply the tunes. brandonsonlabrea.com Whiskey Thief, Chattanooga, Tennessee As you’d expect, this bar (left) features a deep list of whiskeys, including 25-year Laphroaig and 18-year Kurayoshi, but also knockouts from producers like Willett Family Estate in Bardstown, Kentucky. A wedge salad, smoked wings, and smoky pimento cheese are on the menu and, if you’re in a mood for something sweet, try the Southern classic buttermilk pie. whiskeythief chattanooga.com

Lizzie King’s Parlor, Brooklyn No wonder everyone comes to this amiable little spot.

Craft beers from well-known, small-batch brewers; wines from upstate; brawny cocktails; and crowd-pleasing food (butterfried burgers, smoked beef kielbasa, pork chorizo sandwich). Local musicians on Tuesday evenings. lizziekings.com

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Summer 2019 207

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workings can stop it from functioning.

The makers of Phoozy revolutionized smartphone protection when they introduced their Thermal Capsules two years ago, and they are doing it again with new laptop and iPad Capsules launching in June. Adapted from spacesuit technology, the UltraSkin shell of the pouch preserves battery life and basically makes your device sink-proof, shatter-proof, and extreme temperature–proof, whether it’s boiling or freezing. From $50. phoozy.com

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As any outdoor adventurist who must continually stay connected knows, protecting electronic equipment from the elements can be frustrating. A hot sun can fry a device, and sand and water in its inner

208 Summer 2019

Built on the remote Scottish island of Islay in 1881 and still using the original 19thcentury equipment, Bruichladdich crafts distinguished, award-winning single malts.

New release Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 is distilled from local spring water and Bere barley from the nearby Dunlossit Estate. $90; bruichladdich.com

On the ground floor of New York City’s Chelsea Market, Blackbarn carries contemporary tableware, hand-loomed linens, handmade chocolates, and other finds from small artisans—based locally and in Morocco, Bali, and Spain. Owners Mark and Kristen Zeff (he’s a dynamic interior designer) and chef John Doherty (he helmed the kitchen at Waldorf Astoria) combine their expertise to source unusual finds. www.blackbarnshop.com

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When you’re camping or just don’t want to brew an entire pot, select instant coffees from small roasters around the country like San Francisco’s Sudden Coffee (suddencoffee.com); Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Swift Cup Coffee (swiftcupcoffee.com); or Bend, Oregon’s Voilà (voila.coffee) (right). Clean-tasting and exceptionally drinkable.

Creamy chocolates and colorful bonbons from Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate are freshly made in an open-kitchen chocolate workshop in midtown Manhattan, next door to two-Michelin-star restaurant Gabriel Kreuther. Available in store and online. kreutherchocolate.com

Not your father’s vacation-snapshot camera, the Hasselblad X1D is the first-of-its-kind compact, mirrorless, medium-format digital camera with an easy-to-navigate menu. $9,000 (extra lenses range from $2,700 to $4,500); hasselblad.com

The swimwear brand Haight founded in 2015 by Rio de Janeiro–based designer Marcella Franklin opened its first brickand-mortar, Haight Store (above), inside a stunning brutalist-modern building in the Rio neighborhood of Leblon. In addition to sophisticated swimsuits in high-quality fabrics, find urban-chic clothes from designers like Handred and Egrey, chunky jewelry from Vanda Jacintho, and sleek leather bags from Escudero & Co. The new building alone is worth a visit. haight.com.br

Food & Drink

Regiis Ova (“Royal Egg” in Latin) is the new caviar company founded by chef Thomas Keller and Shaoching Bishop (former CEO of Sterling Caviar and Tsar Nicoulai Caviar). $120 for 30g of California white sturgeon caviar; $145 for 30g of Russian Ossetra; regiisova.com

Make an appointment at Aroma360 (below) in Miami’s Design District for a scenting experience. Sniff essential oil blends like orange blossom, jasmine, Soku lime, and spicy nutmeg. When you find a favorite (or work with a specialist to create a custom scent), take it home as candles, soap bars, and mini-diffusers. aroma360.com

In its 90-year history, the Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired Arizona Biltmore has hosted everyone from heads of state to the Rat Pack. It celebrates this milestone anniversary by launching a private-label Champagne. Sip while enjoying an exclusive day trip to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. $60/bottle; arizonabiltmore.com

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The turreted limestone Castle & Key opened as a distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky—the epicenter of bourbon—in 1887. The building stood empty for over 40 years until last fall, when it reopened following extensive renovations. Duck into the 20-seat speakeasy to taste (and purchase) small-batch bourbon, vodka (from a whiskey-inspired blend of corn, rye, and barley), and dry gin (made with Kentuckygrown botanicals). castleandkey.com u —I.R.

Courtesy Images, Clockwise From Top Left: Haight/Fran Parente; Voila; Aroma360/Luccia Lowenthal

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