DOTWNews September 2015 issue

September 2015

BRATiSlAvA

Slovakia's fairy-tale city

VIP at

san sebastián inteRnational Film Festival

Rio de JaneiRo an insideR's guide

Tokyo

Where and what to eat

Art deco the timeless bund Ancient teAhouses

shanghai tRadition in tRansition NEW-SEASON WATCHES

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dazzling JEWElS

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SUPERYACHTS

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lUXURY CaRS

111 Pudong Road (S), Pudong, Shanghai 200120 China | Telephone 9888 2082 (21) 86+ | mandarinoriental.com/shanghai

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

September 2015

ON THE COVER

52 Made in Mexico The creative pioneers behind Mexico City’s revival 60 Wildlife spectacular Witness the wildlife spectacular in Kenya’s Masai Mara 68 A revolutionary feast Gastronomy in Lima, Peru’s culinary capital 76 Tradition in transition Ancient yet contemporary, the modern megacity of Shanghai 88 24 hours in Bratislava Wine, dine and explore Slovakia’s fairy-tale city 90 Spa Arabia Exclusive spas and luxurious treatments in the GCC 112 An insider’s guide to Rio de Janeiro Exclusive tips on Brazil’s legendary coastal hotspot

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Party like a VIP in one of the Living Room Bar’s exclusive – and wildly hip – nooks at W Mexico City

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Contents

contents

september 2015

In the news

24 Europe

Rooftop bars in Lisbon; a film-fused stay at Mandarin Oriental, Prague; a Van Gogh experience in Amsterdam

26 Middle East & Africa Luxury Ethopian mountain lodge; ArtBahrain news; a meditation retreat in Oman

32 Asia & Oceania Sustainable luxury in Sri Lanka; Cordis, Hong Kong launch; river cruise in Burma

36 Americas California road tripping; Silversea Grand Expeditions; Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday celebrations in Miami

40 Debut Hot hotels, chic boutiques and exclusive new resorts

42 Diary This month’s pick of sporting, cultural and artistic events

44 VIP Mingle with the stars at San Sebastián International Film Festival

46 Interview Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando

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spend It 134 Escape

The best one-of-a-kind travel experiences money can buy from bespoke luxury surfing holidays to art weekends in the Algarve

136 Essentials This month’s pick of accessories to stay chic on your travels

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140 Suite dreams A night at the Bentley Suite at St. Regis Istanbul

142 Ignition Road testing the Lotus Evora S Sports Racer

146 On the road Ferrari’s 488 Spider; Rolls-Royce Wraith “Inspired by Music”; Morgan Plus 4

150 Set sail Ester III by Lürssen; PI Super Yachts’ Dragonship 25; Almavida by Solaris

154 Out of this world A James Bond-themed getaway to Jamaica

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Join us every Friday, 12.30pm - 4.30pm, for a sharing brunch with classic Belgian cuisine and upbeat entertainment with some 1920s flair.

‘Prohibition’ package AED 295 (soft beverages) ‘Jazz Hands’ package AED 395 (full beverage package) For reservations please telephone 04 372 2323 Café Belge, The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC facebook.com/cafebelgedifc

Contents

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Gourmet 116 Restaurant news Global gourmet happenings this month

118 Taste of... Tokyo Where and what to eat in Japan’s culinary heart

122 Gourmet journey A chef’s guide to the best foodie experiences in Warsaw

124 Chef’s table Chef Tom Aikens talks fine casual and his new launch in Dubai

128 Spirit of travel The must-sees along Normandy’s famed Cider Route

130 Reservation A table at Bloom in the Park in Malmö, Sweden

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news

hoT eVenTS, new hoTeLS And gLobAL JeT SeTTerS

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room with A view grand hotel Tremezzo’s new rooftop suites might just be the best place to take in Italian Lake Como’s scenery

24 40 42 44 46

Luxury travel news from around the world This month’s best new hotels A guide to the top events in September VIP at San Sebastián International Film Festival Interview: Merrill J. Fernando

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destinations

T h e w o r l d ’ s m o s T d e s i r a b l e l o c aT i o n s

at home in the wild Yo u n g m a s a i f r o m communities in Kenya’s masai mara are among the guides leading visitors on thrilling safari expeditions

Photo: Getty images

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The creatives behind mexico city’s revival on safari in Kenya’s masai mara Gourmet feasting in lima, Peru Tradition and modernity in shanghai 24 hours in bratislava a guide to the best spas in the Gcc an insider’s guide to rio de Janeiro

d e s t i n at i o n s M e X i C o C i t y

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d e s t i n at i o n s M e X i C o C i t y

Made in

MEXICO An army of creatives has transformed Mexico City into a capital of gastronomy and design, writes Chadner Navarro dotwnews.com september 2015

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d e s t i n at i o n s M e X i C o C i t y Pujol is known for creating unforgettable Mexican dishes that marry ancient and contemporary techniques and ingredients (pictured here, below and opposite bottom) The welcome desk at W Mexico City (previous page)

F

or a long time it was only beaches and ancient pyramids that drew travellers to Mexico. But now a global audience is being seduced by its modern capital city, made up of grand boulevards, sizzling street-food stalls and passionate citizens. A visit to Mexico City can be an assault on the senses, but a city with 22 million inhabitants isn’t about subtlety or quiet. Yet, Mexico City – or D.F. (for Distrito Federal) as locals call it – remains among the country’s most stable and safest areas. The city has grown into a cultural icon where creativity and innovation thrive. It’s as inspiring as it is stupefying, and it all starts with the cuisine.

The bold flavours of Mexico are not an unknown entity. But if you’re thinking that the taco or the burrito represents the peak of the cuisine – think again. Mexico City is the ultimate playground for chefs looking to add to the long legacy of the national fare, with restaurants like Enrique Olvera’s Pujol (Francisco Petrarca 254, Polanco; +52 55 5545 3507; www.pujol.com.mx) making the upper reaches of the annual World’s 50 Best rankings. Coming in at 16th place, the highest for a Mexican kitchen, securing a table in Olvera’s chic Polanco dining room is something you need to plan well in advance. But once your turn finally comes, prepare to be delighted by

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some of the most inventive Mexican dishes you’ll ever have the pleasure of devouring.

Olvera is known for the unexpected, where modern-day ingredients are confidently paired with unusual ancient Mexican flourishes. One of his most popular dishes is the elotitos tatemados starter, which is served in a gourd-like bowl that when opened unleashes a fragrant smoke. Inside, lightly charred skewered baby corn is given a flavour punch with a coffee-and-chilli mayo, and finished with a dusting of chicatanas – flying ants from Oaxaca. Insects have always played a major role in pre-Hispanic Mexican cooking. Here, Olvera uses it to add a kick to the dish.

If you insist on eating tacos – do it at Pujol.

One of Olvera’s signatures, taco de langosta features succulent lobster flavoured with beans and sausage from Valladolid, a city in Mexico’s Yucatan, and set atop a green tortilla. Olvera likens his obsession for authenticity to the passion of sushi master Jiro Ono, the owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a three-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. “Like Jiro dreams of sushi in his restaurant in Japan, we dream of having perfect tortillas to make authentic tacos here in Mexico,” he says.

It’s not only Olvera that’s lighting up the local food scene in Mexico City. Mikel Alonso’s

D e s t i n at i o n s M e X i C o C i t y

Subdued décor and natural, muted colours in Pujol’s dining room let the spotlight remain on the creative fare

“mexico city is the ultimate playground for chefs looking to add to the long legacy of the national fare” Biko (Presidente Masaryk 407, Polanco; +52 55 5282 2064, www.biko.com.mx), awarded the 37th spot on this year’s World’s 50 Best, is being championed for a menu that cleverly marries Basque and Mexican cuisine with dishes that are as whimsical as they are flavourful. Despite the seemingly disparate culinary combination, plates that come out of this kitchen, which Alonso shares with his partners Bruno Oteiza and Gerard Bellver, are all about subtle fusion; it turns out the culinary profiles of Mexico and the Basque Country, where Alonso and Oteiza are both from, combine beautifully. “We are looking for the best of both worlds,” Alonso explains. “Our reality is that today, we are from both sides, and we don’t want to choose between them.”

Another dish, a preparation of grilled corn with some cheese and quelite, an indigenous wild grass, is according to Alonso, inspired by Oaxaca, another food-obsessed region in southern Mexico.

Others are more difficult to describe, like the whimsical foie gras candyfloss and the chiffon-like milk origami, both of which are so uniquely Biko.

For fashion, Lago DF (Emilio Castelar 209, Polanco; +52 55 6550 2059; www.lagodf.com) has only been around since February, but it’s already become a cult favourite among the city’s elite for locally crafted clothing, accessories

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Wildlife

spectacular Imagine the thundering of a million hooves resounding on East Africa’s great plains. Wildebeest and zebra in their masses, stalked by predators as buzzards squawk and tussle overhead.

Steven Bond witnesses the world’s most incredible wildlife spectacle reaching a crescendo in Kenya’s Masai Mara

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he most truly fascinating thing about the animal kingdom, a s i d e fro m t h e a n i m a l s themselves, is the sheer brilliance of the nomenclature.

If Disney’s The Lion King taught us anything, it’s that a pride of lions is aptly named. Majestically maned and devoid of insecurity, an alpha male and his harem brazenly embody the term. One wonders if “a dazzle” was coined at the height of 1980s fashion, when zebra print was très en vogue. It’s certain to say that when you see the monochrome mammals in their many hundreds, it’s a dazzling effect. A crash of rhino seems sound. A coalition of cheetah is somewhat anthropomorphic but a bask of crocodiles is on point – after all, that’s how they spend their time.

A tower of giraffe is spot on; a bloat of hippo is rather endearing. And a lounge of lizards? I couldn’t make this stuff up.

nature’s smorgasbord

The Mara River crossing is fraught with difficulty as crocodiles lie in wait for panicked and confused individuals

Photos: beverly Joubert

Without a doubt, there’s one collective noun that stands out as a bit of a clanger. An implausibility of wildebeest is misleading and embarrassingly ill thought through. Until humans encroach further onto the plains or find an innovative way to screw up the ecosystem, East Africa’s great migration is a permanent fixture on Mother Nature’s calendar and the 1.5 million wildebeest that take part are about as implausible as finding pasta in Rome or clouds in London.

The vast numbers of wildebeest that sojourn between the Serengeti National Park and the Masai Mara are accompanied by 200,000 or so zebras, along with smaller herds of Grant’s gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, impala and eland. “It’s like Christmas for cats,” I’m told after alighting from my Safarilink connection from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. I’m grateful the local felines are satiated, since my ride – a soft-top Land Cruiser with no sides – seems tantamount to dousing myself with barbecue sauce, though my guide Duncan, a member of the area’s largest Masai clan who grew up on the outskirts of the reserve, reassures me: “They grew up around cars. They don’t bother us and we don’t bother them.”

It’s a short drive to the lodge, but there’s time for an involuntary sharp intake of breath (the first of many) before arriving to unpack and freshen up. For me, that moment comes when I spy my first (albeit diminutive) dazzle of zebras. Staring stoically back at me as they tear out tufts of the savannah’s coarse grass, they periodically windmill their tails, a futile attempt to keep flies at bay.

It’s not long until the next sighting of warthogs bursting through the long grass and waddling away again at the sight (or possibly the smell) of me.

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d e s t i n at i o n s k e n ya A cheetah stretches atop a termite mound, which the fast-paced felines often use to scan the savannah for their next meal

Zebra and wildebeest graze on the vast Mara plains (previous page)

“The beauTy of The experience is Tied To The simpliciTy of seeing someThing real; someThing Truly visceral ThaT would conTinue regardless of any human presence�

Around 12,000 eland join the annual migration along with greater numbers of wildebeest and zebra

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Photos: Beverly Joubert

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D e s t i n at i o n s k e n ya

the algarve

“They give us space To do our Thing each day, so we give The space back each nighT”

tenteD luxury My destination is an entirely atypical hotel experience, and one that unabashedly continues the reserve’s antipathy toward all things door and handle. “Welcome to Mara Toto,” exclaims Duncan, with a brightness that implies I’m the first guest to set foot there. Amid sprawling thickets, the cluster of five luxury tents, complete with staff quarters, a dining marquee, hammocks and picnic areas, is hemmed in by a stream and mature foliage, and guests are vastly outnumbered by beaming, attentive staff.

Animals have just as much freedom to wander through the camp, says Stella, the camp’s manager and general go-to matriarch. There are no walls, fencing, nor wire. “How we share the land is simple: They give us space to do our thing each day, so we give the space back each night,” she says.

“The grass is long and there’s food everywhere so they really have no reason to come near right now,” she adds, as a leopardess begins to croon somewhere nearby.

Despite the assurance of safety, I’m escorted around the camp at night by a resident Masai, signalling with a flashlight whenever I wish to exit. Inside my spacious tent, the vintage aesthetic borders on steampunk with period luggage containers, ornate metal plumbing fixtures and soft wooden beams underfoot. The most memorable feature is easily the faux bucket shower: an overhead container fed by a pipe that sprinkles directly through the floorboards and irrigates the area – all part of the site’s eco-design.

There are just five lavishly appointed tents in the camp (top left) Make like a cat (top right) and take a mid-safari siesta You can view animals directly from your abode (bottom left) Watch out for vervet monkeys while you floss within your canvas bathroom (bottom right) Mara Toto Camp (all) is the little sister of Mara Plains Camp – a fitting name as “toto” means “baby” in Swahili

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The safari outings are as thorough as they are magnificent, and you can expect to be greeted with a potent coffee at 5.30am ahead of a 6am departure to hunt some herds. Talk of Cecil the lion lingers, but the only shooting taking place here is with the lodge’s own Canon 50D camera and 400-mm zoom lens, available for guests to use at no extra charge.

Having escorted professional photographers for years, I discover Duncan is a budding pro, offering tips on cycling through aperture, ISO and shutter speed settings which I put into practice to snap a trifecta of adolescent cheetah feasting on a fresh kill. The young cats pant heavily, their necks matted with blood as they catch their breath over what was once a Thomson’s gazelle. Over

the next 24 hours – in a Land Cruiser mercifully loaded with picnic supplies and a fridge stacked with local brews – I’m treated to innumerable sublime sightings: an alpha impala with his heavily pregnant harem; nine lionesses tucking into a buffalo carcass; a river teeming with crocs and hippo; and a giraffe bowing his head before the impossibly orange dusk skyline.

The twice-daily expeditions are interjected with a bountiful lunch at the lodge served on elegantly dressed tables. The resident chef is adept at dealing with demanding guests, with ingredients arriving from Nairobi on a regular basis. Specialist diets are no cause for concern and neither are the portions, a melee of international influences with a healthy dose of Kenyan cuisine, such as the national staple nyama choma (roasted meat).

Despite the culinary spoiling at Mara Toto Camp (and nearby “big sister” camp Mara Plains Camp), when it comes to roaming around the park, there are scarcely any distinguishing factors for a “luxury experience”. One of the beauties of a safari is the sense of equality. All visitors are able to experience the same landscape and the same animals, and the expertise of guides that work in alliance with one another. Drivers demonstrate a deep camaraderie and a clear cooperation to track down the most interesting sightings of the day. Day one saw us tipped off about the aforementioned leopard and her cubs by a supposedly rival firm. But the drivers don’t see it that way. This is their home turf and it’s about giving every visitor the best possible spectacle of carnage, stealth and survival.

The herds have many rivers to cross (top) but the croc-lined Mara is easily the most treacherous Seen and herd: Elephants trundle past vehicles without paying passengers any mind (left) Graze expectations: Wildebeest are innumerable throughout the great migration season (right)

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photos: Beverly Joubert

shut up and drive

D e s t i n at i o n s k e n ya

Untamed impalas: A harem of pregnant ungulates surveys every angle for potential predators (top left) A zebra mows the savannah as dusk sets in (top right) The best view in the park belongs to the giraffe (left) – unless you opt for a balloon safari at dawn In repose: A lioness conserves her energy until it’s time to get her fill (above)

“Drivers Demonstrate a Deep camaraDerie anD a clear cooperation to track Down the most interesting sightings of the Day”

photos: steven Bond

a cinematic spectacle Earlier this summer, Jurassic World captivated audiences and destroyed box office records with the central plot revolving around the idea that the park’s patrons needed newer, bigger monsters to gawp at. Of course, the film’s take on commercialism was enjoyably cynical, and though there are certain similarities between the fictional and factual parks, on safari there is simply no need for novelty. Despite the seemingly cruel “circle of life” routine playing out before my eyes, the authenticity is remarkable and the wow factor is relentless – no maniacal science required.

Both the dawn and dusk drives offer the chance to see mammals on the move, not fatigued by the midday sun. They roam freely between Kenya’s Mara and the Serengeti in Tanzania, without passports or visa application forms. The Masai

too, according to Duncan, traverse between the two nations unchecked. “No one in their right mind is going to approach a Masai following his animals to ask him for paperwork. They go where they please.”

Unlike Jurassic World, the safari experience isn’t necessarily going to get better – nor does it need to. There will be no genetically modified super-lions, no theme parks and certainly no petting zoos, but any addendum would be pure folly. The beauty of the experience is tied to the simplicity of seeing something real; something truly visceral that would continue regardless of any human presence.

The wider travel experience will, however, improve as Kenya pledges new railways and 10,000 kilometres of new and improved roads, new luxury hotels and a push to attract visitors beyond the parks, with golf, beaches and adventure tourism

activities. Kenya Tourism Board now has a bloated budget, six times what it had over the previous year, vying to fly in more affluent travellers with Kenya Airways’ marvellous Business Class service.

But the animals pay no mind. They are the nation’s VIPs, protected and beloved, and with visitor numbers controlled and restricted the circle of life is conserved indefinitely. I defy you to spend any number of days in the Mara and not be impacted beyond the carnal level. Toto said it best when they sang it 33 years ago: “It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you.” I’d like to think they had Kenya in mind.

stay

mara toto camp +27 87 354 6591 www.greatplainsconservation.com dotwnews.com september 2015

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d e s t i n at i o n s L i M a

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D e s t i n at i o n s L i M a

A REVOLUTIONARY

FEAST A gastronomic revolution has swept across the Peruvian landscape transforming Lima into Latin America’s hottest foodie city, writes Joe Mortimer

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d e s t i n at i o n s s H a n G H a i

TRAdITION IN TRANSITION

From the contemporary art scene, historic Bund waterfront and leafy French Concession neighbourhood, Sarah Freeman explores the many faces of Shanghai, discovering art-deco treasures and tea ceremonies along the way Words and Photography: sarah Freeman

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d e s t i n at i o n s s H a n G H a i

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t a n d i n g o n S h a n g h a i’s famous Bund, taking in the city’s sweep of grand, 1930s’ heritage buildings in one direction and Pudong’s cinematic skyline in the other, it’s difficult to imagine the city’s handsome waterfront as a once-muddy towpath for boats along the Huangpu River.

This mushrooming metropolis was a humble fishing village before the first Opium War of 1842, which opened up the city to the rest of the world. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, the Bund became the financial and political nucleus of China’s international community, and by the 1920s, it had become the most prosperous city in all of eastern Asia. More European than Chinese in character, the four-kilometre-long Bund, which translates to “embankment”, merges gothic, baroque, Romanesque, classical and renaissance architectural styles with standout colonialera buildings, including the former British Consulate, Customs House and the iconic Peace Hotel.

The 1930s saw the city’s first golden era – a place of smoky jazz clubs, artdeco decadence and fashionable parties.

Reminders of Shanghai’s bygone age are ever-present – from the treasure trove of art-deco delights at PEI Mansion Hotel and vintage-themed cafés playing Old Shanghai music, to the Peace Hotel’s afternoon-tea dances accompanied by a live jazz band, all of which recall a time when the city was considered to be the Paris of the East.

The city’s architectural heritage is quite something – in addition to its ample portfolio of art-deco buildings, you can find Buddhist temples, shikumen housing and of course, a few neck-craning skyscrapers that have led to Shanghai’s identity as one of the world’s most vertiginous cities. But there’s not a skyscraper in sight in the leafy French Concession neighbourhood, which contains the city’s highest concentration of colonial mansions and townhouses, many of which have been converted into historic open houses and finedining restaurants. Twelve at Hengshan, A Luxury Collection Hotel makes a great base to explore this charismatic neighbourhood, home to the trendy Tianzifang area, tranquil Fuxing Park and a plethora of teahouses, all just a stone’s throw from 50 Moganshan Road – the city’s former textile-district-turnedcontemporary-art epicentre.

In a city of nearly 24 million people, it may come as a surprise to hear that there are plenty of places to escape the crowds and immerse yourself in some traditional culture, from the Jing’an Buddist temple to the city’s sprawling Yuyuan Gardens. And with ceremony still very much part of day-today life in Shanghai, taking refuge in one of the city’s 3,000 tearooms is a ritual that shouldn’t be missed.

One thing is for certain – there is no sign of this great metropolis slowing down anytime soon. With the recent completion of the Shanghai Tower, the world’s second-tallest building, the city’s famed and futuristic skyline is on course to keep evolving.

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d e s t i n at i o n s s H a n G H a i

teMPLe tiMe Surrounded by towering office buildings and luxurious shopping centres, Jing’an Temple (1686 Nanjing West Rd., Jing’an; +86 21 6256 6366) – which translates to peace and tranquillity – offers quiet meditation time away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai’s downtown. The oldest shrine in the city, the Buddhist temple was constructed more than 1,000 years before Shanghai was even a city. As a sentiment of good luck, devotees carry clusters of burning paper and joss sticks, and bow in front of the main shrine.

HeaRt deCo Art-deco enthusiasts are in for a treat at Shanghai’s PEI Mansion Hotel (170 Nanyang Rd., JingAn; +86 21 6289 7878; www.peimansionhotel.com) – one of the city’s most historically important buildings. The private residence of the celebrated Pei family some 80 years ago, today this boutique hotel is the embodiment of Shanghai’s 1930s heyday. It may be hidden away, but it’s worth seeking out to admire the original art-deco features, which include carved marble, a spiralling dragon staircase, glass roof, striking chandeliers and a wrought-iron elevator (opposite, top left).

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RetaiL tHeRaPY The epitome of luxury and white-glove service, The Peninsula Shanghai (32 Zhongshan East 1st Rd., Huangpu; +86 21 2327 2888) gets points for location (sitting pretty at the top of the celebrated Bund), art-deco good looks and retail credentials.

The heritage building’s Peninsula Arcade is as close to hotel-retail heaven as you can get, with luxury-brand boutiques spanning two storeys, including Chanel (above) and Graff (below), which can be accessed through a dedicated street entrance.

tHe WRitinG’s on tHe WaLL Located on the banks of Suzhou Creek, 50 Moganshan Road is the epicentre of Shanghai’s booming art scene. Much smaller than its Beijing equivalent, 798, the thriving artists’ quarters and former textile district is pocket-sized and ideal to explore in an afternoon. Dip in and out of working art studios, contemporary art galleries and quirky cafés, and stroll the neighbouring lanes for a street-art fix.

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S pa a r a b i a

Hammam time The baSicS of ThiS cenTurieS-old TradiTion remain unchanged, buT modern luxurieS Take iT To a whole new – and indulgenT – realm

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arving out some bath time – perhaps even a whole day – for leisure, relaxation and to pamper the skin may sound like a decidedly modern concept, but the sybaritic ancient Greeks and Romans were well ahead of us when they began indulging in regular trips to thermae baths more than 2,000 years ago. Here, bathers induced sweat by moving through progressively hotter rooms before being massaged with oils and receiving a thorough skin scrubbing.

But if it was the Roman Empire that started the bathing ritual, it was the Ottoman Empire that perfected it in the form of the hammam. Dishing out funds to create lavishly constructed and richly decorated hammams – some of which are still in use today in Istanbul – these public baths were open to the community from sunrise to sundown. Supplied with wooden clogs to prevent slipping and a soft cotton wrap, guests would first head to a warm

much of the hammam ritual – steamy rooms to melt stress and skin-renewing scrubbing atop smooth marble – has remained unchanged into the 21st century room for relaxation, then a hot room to encourage perspiration, before entering a steam and massage room. Lying on marble slabs, a masseuse vigorously massaged and scrubbed the bather with a rough mitt and foaming soap to remove dead cells and reveal glowing, healthy skin. After a rinse, it was off to a cooling room – which doubled as an important centre for socialising. In the men’s room, news and gossip was exchanged alongside business meetings and philosophical debates; women gathered in their own room to nibble on sweets, listen to music or even keep an eye out for potential daughter-in-laws.

While its use as a hotspot for social gatherings died out after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, much of the hammam ritual – steamy rooms to melt stress and skin-renewing scrubbing atop smooth marble – has remained unchanged into the 21st century. And around North Africa and the Middle East, from Dubai to Muscat, opulent hammams with state-of-the-art amenities continue welcome modern hedonists. Today’s version of the the indulgent bathing treatment leaves no stone unturned, and includes massage oils infused with precious elements like gold and diamond, clay scrubs from far-flung locales and steam rooms scented with exotic aromas.

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S pa a r a b i a

Anantara Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa

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spatacular five-star spas in the GCC may – quite literally – spoil you for ChoiCe, thouGh the standout treatments aim to spoil you rotten

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he GCC is awash in superlatives, which may or may not always be worth the fuss, but if there’s one situation where having the most luxurious, spoiling and state-ofthe-art experience can’t be a bad thing – it’s in the spa.

And in this case, the GCC proffers up world-class pampering that can make even the most indulgent holidaymaker weak in the knees.

No treatment has been left unexplored and spa-goers can rest assured that no matter what experience they’re looking for they’re likely to experience not just one, but a mix of top-tier characteristics that are pulled off at once with finesse.

Some destinations marry a dash of local lure with traditional Arabian Peninsula-inspired décor while ensuring guests receive the very best from international therapists who are experts in modern European and Asian treatments. Others delve into age-old regional luxuries, like rich oud fragrances and golden scrubs, as sleek and modish surroundings brim with advanced products tried and tested to bring out the best in mind and body.

Even without an extensive treatment booked for yourself, a visit to many of the GCC’s spas is well worth setting time aside for.

Playgrounds of pampering, at times spanning thousands of square metres, a whole world awaits outside of the private therapy rooms with sensory hydrothermal experiences, Himalayan salt rooms, ice igloos, fragrant steam rooms and vitality pools.

Get ready to relax and refresh, because there are few places better equipped to provide your ultimate spa escape than the GCC.

the spa – bliss at the address doWntoWn dubai With a distinct urban atmosphere, Bliss Spa takes its sensory pleasures seriously – there’s even a music menu to peruse while you sip a lemon mint drink prior to your treatment. Adding to the urban vibe, all relaxation areas and 11 treatment rooms (including a private couple’s suite), have floor-to-ceiling windows with Downtown and Dubai Mall fountain views. The insider’s tip? Time your spa treatment so it concludes at sunset, allowing you to sip herbal tea or a freshly-squeezed juice while watching the changing hues reflect on the Burj Khalifa. must try: Red Flower Hammam; 90 minutes; AED 655 (US $181) Inspired by a traditional Turkish or Moroccan hammam, all that’s missing is a marble slab in this thorough (and thoroughly relaxing) treatment, which uses products from the natural, botanical Red Flower range. Starting with a zingy lemon and coffee scrub, the skin is sloughed off to prepare for a deeply nourishing jasmine and rose ghassoul clay body mask. In order to maximise the mask’s results, it’s necessary to lie wrapped in plastic sheeting and towels for several minutes, though you will be unbothered by the squishy sensation thanks to a dreamy head massage. After a shower, a lavish application of tangerine and fig butter body cream is massaged into the skin, leaving all rough patches but a distant memory.

13th floor, The Address Downtown Dubai, UAE; +971 4 436 8755; ww.theaddress.com

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DowN-home

Cooking

after making his mark on french cuisine, michelinstarred chef Tom Aikens looked east to open restaurants in Istanbul and hong Kong. Now, ahead of launching family-inspired Pots, Pans & boards this month in Dubai, he reveals his ultimate foodie city, thoughts on the next big dining-out trend and what he likes to cook when on holiday in Provence Interview: Laurel Munshower

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With restaurants in the UK, Istanbul and Hong Kong, what made you choose Dubai for the location of your newest concept?

Since one of the first British chefs, Gary Rhodes, came to Dubai a number of years ago, a lot more chefs have arrived from across the world, and over this time the quality of produce being grown and flown in has definitely improved and become a lot more consistent. With that, I think the people who are now coming to Dubai are expecting a much better quality of food and service. So all of that has resulted in a high calibre of chefs and concepts, making Dubai a really exciting place to come and not only have – obviously a holiday – but also to eat in terms of different restaurants and concepts.

You say Pots, Pans & Boards is inspired by home-cooking nostalgia. Can you share some of that nostalgia with us?

I grew up in the Norfolk countryside and my mother was a very good home cook as well as keen on teaching us how to prepare food at an early age.

We did a lot of growing our own vegetables, and we prepared and cooked them, and it was very much simple family meals that we all would create together. And she preferred cooking everything in one pot, reasoning that if everything was cooked together it’s going to taste a lot nicer than having it in separate pots, so everything – be it chicken, or beef, or lamb – was cooked in one pot with vegetables from the garden. So that’s really what I remember from my childhood: cooking things and having it passed around the table in a proper, sit-down family lunch or dinner.

Was this home-cooking atmosphere a part of what inspired you to become a chef?

It started it. I was very lucky to be able to grow vegetables in the garden and get schooled in preparation by my mother. And my father had an importing/exporting business in wine so we spent a lot of family holidays travelling around France with him, going to different vineyards. I guess experiencing my father’s wine business and my mother’s cooking ended up manifesting my eventual career.

Many Michelin-starred chefs work for decades to achieve their first star. When you were awarded your second by the age of 26, how did that affect you?

It definitely added to the pressure. It was a highlight in terms of getting it at a young age and it definitely gave me an impetus in terms of doing more restaurants. The team that I had at that time was really only small and considering the size and what we accomplished, it was an amazing effort from everyone.

“I think the biggest movement in dining is the casual, informal side, which is what Pots, Pans & Boards is all about” You’ve done a lot of work creating innovative French fare – what is it about this cuisine that draws you?

I think the main the reason is that I worked, from the age of 18, mainly in French restaurants in London – I would say, at that time, it was the only sort of restaurant that was of a consistent, high standard. And I’ve had this love affair with French cooking and French restaurants, and going to France as well, so I definitely picked up the French style of cooking more than anything else.

What gets your attention when you’re not in the kitchen?

I have two daughters who are one-and-a-half and three-and-a-half so I spend as much time as I can with them. They’re at this fun age of learning a lot, so it’s the most important thing to me. Outside of that, I like to keep myself fit, so I do a lot of running and going to the gym to take my mind away.

Are you hoping that your daughters show an interest in cooking?

The oldest actually is already. She loves nothing better than helping out in the kitchen and she likes making gingerbread men. It’s one of her passions at the moment; she’s got a real bee in her bonnet about it.

Are there any food trends that you are finding particularly exciting at the moment?

I think the biggest movement in dining is the casual, informal side, which is what Pots, Pans & Boards is all about. In Dubai, I think that restaurants are very much geared towards the mid-to-high-end and my new concept is focused on being a casual family place in terms of dining out. I think that’s going to be the biggest sort of growth in the restaurant market, for sure.

Where is your favourite foodie destination?

I’ve been in London since I was 18 and I think it’s the foodie capital of the world. Although I live there, I still find it an exciting city in terms of the food that’s available, from fast food to casual to fine dining. And the length and With a restaurant in Istanbul, and now one in Dubai, do you breadth of the cuisines on offer – Chinese to Japanese to Indian to Korean, see yourself experimenting with Arabic cuisine? you name it, it’s there. I think it has the most diverse mix of food; I don’t I think the way that I generally work is that I always try to do something think that there’s any other city that can beat it. But I love going to other that is of the country in terms of cuisine or spices or herbs. I think it’s cities and enjoying their own local cuisines – Hong Kong is an outstanding important to embrace the concoction of different methods and use the local place to go and eat out but it’s all about trying really local cooking. I’ve had ingredients that are lying about. The restaurant’s customers appreciate that some exceptional meals there – very simple, local food. you’re going the extra length to learn the local fare and produce, and as a chef it’s nice to carry on learning about other cuisines.

As we speak you’ve just arrived in Provence for a holiday. What are you looking forward to dining on while there?

I very much like going to the local markets and seeing what’s in season – you’ve always got amazing fruits and things, like peaches, nectarines and little plums. They also do very good chickens here, so I will probably do a roast chicken at some point. There’s nothing better than a nice roast chicken at a family get-together.

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Calvados SpiRiT of...

Take the Cider Route through Normandy’s Pays d’Auge region, home to cider-producing apple orchards, fabulous cheeses and delicious apple brandy Words: Heidi fuller-Love

one of pays d’Auge’s half-timbered cottages

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F

amed for its orchards producing cider and calvados, half of France’s apples are produced in Normandy, where fertile soils and temperate climate create the perfect conditions for cider apples that are chosen for their flavour and high juice yield. From delicate blossoms to blooming fruit, apples even inspired French artists like Magritte and Cézanne, who often painted in this picturesque region.

Legend has it that Basque sailors brought apple wine to Normandy in the sixth century, but the region’s low-alcohol cider, made from apples (and sometimes pears) was made fashionable by French royals, including Sun King Louis XIV, who was said to have liked it almost as much as champagne.

In the mid-16th century, Gilles de Gouberville, the son of a local lord, distilled cider to create Normandy’s first apple brandy, which only gained its definitive name after the French Revolution, when this region at the heart of the Pays d’Auge was renamed Calvados.

Awarded an appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) in 1942, calvados is made with pressed, filtered cider that is put through an alembic, or double-distillation copper still, and aged from two to 25 years. When it is young, calvados is ripe with fresh apple and pear aromas, acquiring golden or mahogany tones and a much smoother finish as it ages.

During World War II, many orchards were destroyed by intense bombardments along the Normandy coastline, where tourists now flock to visit the D-Day beaches. In order

The Apple and Cider Eco-Museum in Normandy

to conserve their savoir faire, local farmers buried their precious barrels of calvados, digging them up after the war, and offering liberating Allied troops their first taste of the region’s punch-packing apple brandy.

To sample the nuances of the drink, the circular 40-km Route du Cidre (Cider Route) winds its way through historic towns and pretty hamlets like Cambremer, with its ancient, wooden-beamed houses and small cafés where you should stop and order French-staple café calva (coffee served with a shot of calvados), or Beuvron-en-Auge, with its flower-lined streets, tiny shops and a cider festival in August.

With the course signposted by red-cheeked apples, the farms en route sell Pays d’Auge cider, which was awarded an AOC in 1996.

Sold from roadside stalls, cool barns or farm cellars, you can chose from doux, a mild, semisweet cider with around 1.5 percent alcohol, or brut, which is dry with around 4.5 percent alcohol. Both ciders are delicious when paired with traditional, fluffy light crêpes or nuttyflavoured buckwheat galettes stuffed with smoked salmon, andouilette sausages and a variety of other fillings.

Most farms and breweries also serve calvados aged in oak barrels, and pommeau, a sweet aperitif made from a combination of calvados and apple juice that earned its very own AOC in 1991. This little-known aperitif is excellent served with melon or foie gras, but also pairs well with camembert, the famous French cheese that also originates from this gastronomy-blessed region.

G O U R M E T S P I R I T O F T R AV E L

FOUR WAYS TO EXPERIENCE THE CIDER ROUTE

Oak barrels in a calvados distillery

POSH POMME DRINKS The Calvados Dupont distillery is a 74-acre estate just outside the pretty village of Victot-Pontfol, where the Dupont family have been making apple-based beverages for four generations. The Dupont distillery produces and excellent range of pommeau, cider and calvados, but they are also experimenting to produce new beverages, including a unique triple-fermented cider made with bitter apples, which is almost like apple beer. For a smoother, sweeter finish, you should also try their Calvados Cream – a rich, velvety liquor, with a caramel after-burn that complements a good meal. The Dupont estate offers free distillery tours year round, but it’s worth joining one of their hour-long guided tours to learn a great deal more about production methods.

PRICE: €8 (US $9) for an hour-long guided tour TEL: +33 2 3163 2424 WWW.CALVADOS-DUPONT.COM

APPLES AND ORCHARDS Another must-stop is the Calvados Pierre Huet distillery – set in an absurdly picturesque, half-timbered manor house surrounded by orchards – that has been run by the Huet family since 1865. During the 45-minute guided tour you’ll visit cool, low-roofed cider cellars packed to the rafters with must-scented oak barrels and see gleaming stills with copper streamers and coolers for the concoction of calvados. After the visit, head for the small farm shop for a crisp and refreshing cider tasting session, and sample a range of calvados, including the dark and earthy 30-year-old Cordon. Next door, Les Jardins du Pays d’Auge is listed as one of the most remarkable gardens in Calvados, and includes a small eco-museum and crêperie where you can enjoy a snack with a glass of cider from the distillery next door.

PRICE: Free TEL: +33 2 3163 0109 WWW.CALVADOS-HUET.COM WWW.LESJARDINSDUPAYSDAUGE.COM

CIDERS AND CHEESE A small hamlet at the heart of Pays d’Auge, Livarot is home to one of Normandy’s best-loved cheeses. The eponymous, unpasteurised cow’s milk cheese has a textured yellow rind and smooth, nutty flavour. Run

by Fromagerie Graindorge since 1910, this working farm is the best place to sample the region’s famed fermented-milk product, along with a hearty glass of home-brewed cider. The visit includes an audio presentation explaining how the cheese is produced, and leads through well-lit galleries showing the different stages of fabrication. At the end of the visit there is a tasting session where you can try a range of Livarot cheeses, along with unique creations like Aimeuh-moi, a smooth cow’s cheese with a thin, white crust and a subtle, creamy finish.

“WHEN IT IS YOUNG, CALVADOS IS RIPE WITH FRESH APPLE AND PEAR AROMAS, ACQUIRING GOLDEN OR MAHOGANY TONES AND A MUCH SMOOTHER FINISH AS IT AGES”

PRICE: Farm visits are free TEL: +33 2 3148 2010 WWW.GRAINDORGE.FR

HAMLETS AND HEARTY FOOD One of the most beautiful villages in France, most of the houses in Beuvron-en-Auge are built in Normandy’s famed half-timbered style.

Radiating out from a central square, the village streets are decked with flowers and lined with shops selling antiques, plants, and local art and craftwork. There is also a central market and a small park surrounded by cafés where you can sit and watch the world go by as you sip a café calva.

In the centre of the square, Le Pavé d’Auge is an atmospheric restaurant set in one of the hamlet’s half-timbered buildings owned by the same family for more than three decades. Renowned for their sapid local specialties, try the succulent foie gras served in a cider marinade and the apple pie tarte Tatin, glazed with a calvados cream.

PRICE: Midday menus at Le Pavé d’Auge from €40 (US $44) TEL: +33 2 3179 2671 WWW.PAVEDAUGE.COM

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spend it motoring

the new Lamborghini Huracán Lp 610-4 is where fast and furious meets fun, but with a price tag upwards of $240,000, it’s not for everyone – so who’s it for?

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