Opulent Living Magazine no 8

Opulent Living

Opulent Living SOUT H E R N A F R I CA + INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS

Lifestyle www.opulentliving.co.za

Luxury

views

Dream Destinations

Wine

THE COFFEE-TABLE MAGAZINE FOR THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE | EDITION 8 | NOMINAL CHARGE R180

ISLANDS Seychelles South Africa HIGHlife fashion Namibia Travel YACHTS Culinary Arts CARS

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Mozambique fashion Mauritius

Luxury Lifestyle Private Jets Interviews Seyche Jewellery Wine Dream Destinations

Africa ART

YACHTS

CARS

Watches

fashion ISLANDS

indulgence

Interviews

CARS

HIGHlife

DESIG

Travel

golf

Style

South Africa

T H E C O F F E E -TAB L E MAGAZ I N E F O R T H E F I N E R T H I NG S I N L I F E

indulgence

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Botswana

E DI T I O N N O 8

www.polo.co.za (+27) 011- 258 -7600

Introducing Winter 2013...

POLO SANDTON, ROSEBANK, EASTGATE, MENLYN, CAVENDISH, V&A WATERFRONT

Opulent Living Welcome

‘A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.’ Nelson Mandela

Barbara Lenhard (Publisher) and Florian Gast (Editorial and Creative Director)

PHOTOGRAPH: MICHAEL EDWARDS

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elcome to edition 8 of our coffee-table magazine. Once again, our pages have been put together with so much passion that we feel honoured to present them to you.

Our style section is bigger and better than ever, we have interviewed an icon of the Southern African hospitality industry, and we’ve gathered together some of the country’s most passionate winemakers for one of our exclusive Opulent Living photography features.

At the heart of the magazine though, are some dream destinations in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

From bush lodges with magical outdoor showers through seaside resorts that sit on turquoise lagoons to chic city hotels,

we’ve rounded up luxury escapes with the special touches that we know discerning travellers will appreciate. Our greatest joy is introducing these unique and special places to you, our readers.

We are often told that our articles are ‘different’ – and we love to hear that, as we want to bring you something truly remarkable! It’s why we choose the features in our Style section with such care and enthusiasm. We want to present content for people who love the finer things in life – the core of our brand and we want our articles to be good reads that inspire you.

We were certainly inspired by our interview with Sol Kerzner, the man who not only changed the face of fivestar travel in Southern Africa, but has developed leading destinations – such as the Atlantis and One&Only resorts – around the world. Even before moving to South Africa, when we still lived in Germany, we aspired to meet him. So you can imagine how excited we were when Mr Kerzner agreed to be interviewed early this year and we met him in his beautiful Cape Town home. We’re proud to bring you a personal portrait of one of the great visionaries of the travel industry in ‘The man with the Midas touch’.

We also had a great deal of fun shooting ‘Legends of the Vine’, which showcases nine leading South African winemakers.

The photo feature is presented by Diners Club SA who, since 1981, have celebrated the country’s top wines in their annual Winemaker of the Year Award and, since 2001, also in the Young Winemaker of

the Year Award. The team at Diners Club are so passionate about these awards that we couldn’t help but be drawn in, and so the idea was born to introduce past award winners and reveal their passion for both wine and life. We know you’ll love the results of the photo shoot as much as we do, so – as we did with our wonderful chefs’ photo feature in edition 6 – we’re also selling limited-edition art prints of the portraits in a bigger size.

You can find them on our website at www.opulentliving.co.za.

Of course, we also work hard (we believe if you work hard, you can play hard) and we’ll be bringing you Opulent Living Book Volume 2 this year as well. It’s due to be published in September, so keep an eye out for it. If you want to pre-order the new book, or get the beautiful plumcoloured Volume 1, then please email us and we’ll be delighted to courier it to you.

It truly is an elegant coffee-table book for all those who love the finer things in life.

Finally, an exclusive magazine – which you cannot purchase but will only find at well-selected partners – cannot be financed without advertising. We truly have some of the best brand alliances, built on trust and professionalism, and we’d like to thank all our advertising partners for their continued support and ongoing business. We’re proud to present their premier brands in a publication that you can trust to deliver only the best.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition.

Carpe diem!

Barbara & Florian

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Contributors

Imprint

The enquiring minds that shaped our features an advertising studio in Johannesburg before following his passion for portraiture, fashion and travel documentary. Now based in Cape Town, he shot our ‘Legends of the Vine’ feature and says if the wines are anything like their winemakers, they’ll be interesting drinking.

Jocelyn Warrington is a writer with 20 years’ experience in print and online media. She’s worked on numerous South African glossies and contributes to the Sunday Times (SA) and

The Telegraph (UK) newspapers. An avid runner,

Publisher: Barbara Lenhard barbara@opulentliving.co.za Editorial & Creative Director: Florian Gast florian@opulentliving.co.za Managing Editor: Michelle Snaddon Features Editor: Jocelyn Warrington Copy Editor: Anne Duncan Designers: Joanna Orr, Charmaine Taylor Contributors: Sebastian Bartlett, Jane Broughton, Pippa de Bruyn, Keri Harvey, Kit Heathcock, Richard Holmes, Caroline Hurry, Ken Kessler, Bridget McNulty, Annelize Visser, Sam Woulidge For advertising and sales please contact sales@opulentliving.co.za

she writes about the Laureus World Sports Awards in ‘Champions of Change’.

A Cape Town-based freelance journalist with an insatiable appetite for travel, Richard Holmes is as happy in a cottage in the Cederberg as he is exploring the bright lights of Las Vegas.

Wherever he is, the day‘s sure to end with a glass of good shiraz, so he was a perfect choice to interview our award-winning winemakers.

Annelize Visser is a magazine features director and researched our story on the origins of perfume. She has personally witnessed the hand-harvesting of jasmine for Chanel No 5 in Grasse, and wears the iconic fragrance, which she once found waiting on her pillow in a Nice hotel… albeit sparingly.

Ken Kessler is a lover of all things vintage and

Newspace Publishing CC Cape Town, South Africa www.newspace.co.za, info@newspace.co.za Issue no. 8: published in May 2013 Issue no. 9: to be published November 2013 Issue no. 10: to be published May 2014 Distribution: throughout South Africa and internationally via preferred partners · in first and business class on selected airlines · in exclusive lounges, showrooms and boutique stores · nationwide via direct mail · internationally via selected distributors Circulation: 30 000 – abc certified Nominal charge: R180 Printed in South Africa by Tandym, Cape Town www.opulentliving.co.za www.facebook.com/opulentliving @liveopulent www.youtube.com/user/opulentliving

collects chronographs, hard-boiled detective novels and film noir DVDs. He has written four books on luxury hi-fi and is an expert on collectible retro boy’s toys. He took great delight in delving into the gadgetry of 007 for our feature on the watches of James Bond.

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Opulent Living magazine is published by Newspace Publishing CC. Copyright Newspace Publishing CC. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from Newspace Publishing or the authors. The publishers are not responsible for any unsolicited material. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Newspace Publishing or the editors.

Harry the hippo

COVER IMAGES (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): WILDERNESS COLLECTION, CONSTANCE HALAVELI, GRAFF DIAMONDS, BIRKENHEAD HOUSE, FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM. THIS PAGE (ANNELIZE VISSER): GERDA GENIS/ELLE

Michael Edwards, a stills photographer, had

Contents

Cape View Clifton · A relaxed view

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Constance Halaveli · A hidden trove of treasures in an atoll of azure blue

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The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa · Everything of the best

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Abu Camp · It’s all about the elephants

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Mowani Mountain Camp · A place of God in an ancient mountain wilderness

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SOL KERZNER INTERVIEW · THE MAN WITH THE MIDAS TOUCH

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Le Touessrok · Indian Ocean jewel

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Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa · Part of the inner circle

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The Outpost · Perched on the edge of the world

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Polana Serena Hotel · Grandeur for a new age

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SPECIAL PHOTO FEATURE · LEGENDS OF THE VINE

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Onguma The Fort · A stronghold of luxury amid vast savannah plains

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The Oyster Box · Beside the seaside

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Introducing the luxurious new GL. The new Mercedes-Benz GL, standard with the most safety features in its class.

Now with the innovative new Crosswind Stabilisation feature as well as Collision Prevention Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Intelligent Nightview and Attention Assist, the new Mercedes-Benz GL is the ultimate combination of luxury and safety. For more information, go to www.mercedes-benz.co.za/gl-class

A Daimler Brand

Vehicle specifications may vary for the South African market.

Jewellery

Opulent Living Style Art in rolling motion · Classic car collectors show off their vintage motors

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The Ardmore attraction · A South African ceramics studio elevates craft to art

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Agent of influence · James Bond watches have become desirable collector’s items

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Champions for change · Laureus unites sportsmen committed to working for good

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The ultimate catch · For game fishermen, the blue marlin is the definitive prize

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The alchemy of scent · The history of perfume from the Himbas to Chanel

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DESIGN

Opulent finds · Indulgent buys 138

Luxury Private Jets

Private Jets

YACHTS HIGHlife

fashion 8

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HIGHlife

CARS

Watches

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Contents

Desroches Island · The ultimate beach retreat

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Birkenhead House · Laid-back luxury on the ocean’s edge

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Essque Zalu Zanzibar · Unwind in blissful seclusion

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The Michelangelo · A classic Renaissance palace in the heart of the city

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St Regis Mauritius · Paradise found

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Opulent Events · Stylesetters and newsmakers

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A relaxed view Cape View Clifton · South Africa There’s nothing quite like waking to an unmistakably salty scent of dawn and the gentle swish of waves rolling onto the Cape’s most glamorous beaches below. Cocooned in the privacy of Cape View’s extraordinarily spacious suites, it makes for a blissful start to the day. Known for creating a home-away-from-home for guests, breakfast here is almost a family affair, with a global mix of travellers enjoying the languid vibe that soon draws everyone out onto the pool deck, only to be mesmerised by the ever-changing sea views and the spectacular peaks of the Twelve Apostles.

n CAPE VIEW CLIFTON

The recently refurbished property is the passion of a mother-daughter team, Frith and Jess

Clifton, Cape Town, SA

Latimer, who wanted to create a relaxed boutique hotel with the comfort and simplicity of a

Telephone: +27 (0)21 438 8748

private residence. Every suite is sea-facing and opens onto a private balcony overlooking Clifton

Email: reservations@capeviewclifton.co.za

beach. To the right, off the living area, is a shaded hillside garden retreat – a rarity in this part of

Website: www.capeviewclifton.co.za

Cape Town where sheer cliffs meet the sea below.

All five deluxe or junior suites and two fully equipped two- and three-bedroomed family suites are decorated in a soothing mix of subtle shades, ranging from white and pebble grey to soft with original artwork and photography that depicts the story of Africa, alongside black-andwhite botanicals. ‘The old images of the Mozambique coastline are our favourites,’ says Jess, ‘but we also wanted to invite guests to enjoy a taste of local flora and fauna, without being stereotypically ethnic.’ And knowing how the atmosphere of a hotel can set the tone for your travels, there are no ‘rules’ here – quite possibly the reason why this discreet seaside hideaway is a closely guarded secret by those in the know.

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Michelle Snaddon

PHOTOGRAPHS: CAPE VIEW CLIFTON

teal, with zingy citrus and pistachio accents. Contemporary colonial styling is complemented

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Constance Halaveli ∙ Maldives

A hidden trove of treasures in an atoll of azure blue

With seaplane transfers, waving palms and spacious suites that all but walk on water, not many destinations scream ‘jet set’ quite like the Maldives.

This necklace of paradise islands – coral atolls surrounded by impossibly blue seas – offers up some of the most stylish getaways the Indian Ocean has to offer. Yet in an archipelago overflowing with island luxury, there are few hideaways that quite match up to the remarkable Constance Halaveli.

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The main pool spills onto the manicured beach just steps from the calm turquoise waters of the coral-fringed lagoon.

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here is no place on earth quite like the Maldives. An island paradise – a hidden treasure, if you will – that’s hidden just far enough from the prying eyes of mass tourism to offer an exclusive taste of tropical escapism. A treasure that comes with smiling hosts ready to grant your every wish; a secret trove of five-star luxury served up in inimitable Maldivian style.

And inimitable is certainly the word. The Maldives does island luxury like nowhere else on earth, and Constance Halaveli is one of the most well-appointed resorts on offer. It begins from the moment your seaplane floats to a stop in a whirl of spray. Warm towels, scented with a hint of spice and lavender, are offered. A gentle hand helps you step from plane to jetty. Perhaps a cocktail? Your luggage disappears, as if by magic.

For eyes tired from long-haul travel, the island is a balm. White coral sands fringe a whisper of land embraced by palm trees.

Porters and hostesses waft by in white, and the only sound – apart from your long, deep exhale – is the waves rustling against the sand. The plane starts up and takes off, carrying away your cares.

Robinson Crusoe, eat your heart out.

But the comforts of Constance Halaveli are something poor Mr Crusoe could only have dreamed of.

From the island, a boardwalk shaped like the bow of the archipelago’s traditional dhoni fishing boats stretches out for nearly a kilometre, making it the longest in the Maldives. From both sides, 57 remarkable Water Villas sprout from the gently weathered wood like the coconuts on the island’s waving palms.

Each villa offers an incredible 100 square metres of space, with a private entrance hall leading into the spacious master bedroom and expansive bathroom, both of which front onto a large private terrace. Decorated in a rich island motif, the feel is both relaxed and upmarket; warm wood echoes the sailing boats that have plied these waters for centuries, while bright splashes of aquamarine reflect the seas beyond the threshold.

Wooden floors roll out onto private

terraces where sun loungers and umbrellas provide shade from the warm equatorial sun. A private plunge pool sparkles here too; perhaps the ultimate pool with a view, where the waters blend with the ocean into a unending watery horizon. From the deck, steps lead straight into the ocean, allowing you to waft from sea to plunge pool to invigorating shower without leaving the privacy of your Villa.

The Villas may stand with their toes in the Indian Ocean but, typical of the Constance style and attention to detail, they come with no shortage of modern conveniences. Each is air-conditioned, with complimentary Wi-Fi and a satellite television system. Alongside the bar fridge, a private wine cooler is stocked with the likes of Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve and wines from South Africa’s acclaimed Waterford estate for you to toast your arrival in paradise.

The luxury continues in a similar vein in the Beach Villas, which offer different layouts for both families and couples seeking privacy. Private plunge pools and outside showers, coupled with a private access to the island’s pristine beach, see these land-based Villas perennially popular with repeat visitors to Constance Halaveli. In a private corner of the island, the Presidential Beach Villa luxuriates over 700 square metres, offering an unbeatable taste of island exclusivity.

As opulent as the accommodation may be, you may well find yourself spending just as much time away from your Villa as ensconced within it. While island holidays can certainly be about lazing in the sun from sunrise to sunset, they most certainly don’t have to be. Constance Halaveli offers an impressive array of activities to tempt and entertain you throughout the day.

Perhaps most iconic is the scuba diving to be had in and around the resort. The reefs, walls and passes of the archipelago are famous across the globe for offering world-class diving, not least for the manta rays that congregate here. As you’d expect, the dive centre at Halaveli is slick and professional, with state-

The stylish Water Villas (top and left) stand with their feet in the ocean, offering a seamless flow to the warm, tropical water.

Land-based Beach Villas (above) boast opulent outdoor bathrooms in a lush private garden.

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Water Villas fan out from the jetty that stretches almost a kilometre into the lagoon, making it the longest in the Maldives.

A stylish lounge offers guests the chance to enjoy a welcome drink before and after check-in.

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of-the-art equipment and engaging, knowledgeable dive masters.

If you’re not a diver, sailing cruises, dolphin safaris, visits to local villages and traditional fishing are all on offer, alongside a range of complimentary activities that include windsurfing, sailing and kayaking. The expansive resort pool is just metres from the beach, offering panoramic ocean views from the line of sun loungers.

On dry land there are plenty of options too, including a full-size tennis court – Roger Federer chose to holiday and train here – beach volleyball and a fully equipped gymnasium complete with personal trainer.

A few steps from the gym is the wellequipped Kuda Club that can take care of young islanders while their parents enjoy some much needed R&R. Open for children from four to 11 years of age, the kids’ club offers entertaining and stimulating activities both indoors and out, with the highly trained team of supervisors helping young travellers discover island delights that range from building sand castles on the beach to mapping the tropical stars.

And you’ll want to schedule in some

‘me-time’ on Halaveli: the stylish Le Spa de Constance offers both double and single treatment rooms, each with stellar sea views. Alongside traditional massage and facial treatments utilising bespoke products from Valmont, there are dedicated facilities for both Thai massage and Ayurvedic treatments. A steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi complete the opportunities for blissful relaxation.

Healthy indulgence extends to the remarkable bars and restaurants that are fanned out across Halaveli.

The informal Jahaz restaurant and bar is the spot for splendid buffet breakfasts, while come lunchtime you’ll find an exciting à la carte menu of Asianinspired dishes. A few steps away on the beachfront, the intimate Meeru beach grill offers open-air seafood barbecues under tropical stars.

Perhaps the most striking restaurant, however, hovers above the crystalclear waters off the wooden boardwalk.

Beneath the pillars holding up Jing restaurant and bar, black-tipped reef sharks hunt in the shallows as laid-back electronica provides the soundtrack for what must surely be the sexiest sundowner spot on the planet.

Jing (below and right) offers impressive modern-Asian cuisine using fresh local produce, while Le Spa de Constance (bottom) will massage away all memories of city-stress.

Constance Halaveli

PHOTOGRAPHS: CONSTANCE HOTELS & RESORTS

Alifu Alifu Atoll, near Malé , MALDIVES Telephone: +27 (0)11 678 1682 or +230 402 2777 Email: resa@constancehotels.com Website: www.halaveli.com

While the cocktails are impressive, it’s vinophiles that will find themselves in heaven: Halaveli boasts the largest wine collection in the Maldives, with more than 15 000 bottles from 800 labels split between two cellars, and a team of sommeliers on hand to help you select the perfect vintage.

The modern-Asian styling of the bar blends into the adjoining restaurant, where a team of chefs fuse Asian flavours with local produce to offer an

upmarket dining experience – paired, of course, with the planet’s finest wines – just metres from the ocean.

The sea resonates throughout your stay at Constance Halaveli; from the fresh produce on the menu to the vistas that astound you at every turn, the memorable diving to the gentle rustle of waves on land. In the far-flung watery wonderland of the Maldives, Halaveli is certainly a treasure worth seeking out.  Sebastian Bartlett

Five-star Halaveli is one of two Constance resorts in the Maldives. The island is a 20-minute scenic seaplane flight or a one-and-a-quarter-hour exhilarating speedboat ride from the international airport in Malé, which has frequent connections to both Europe and Africa via hubs in the Middle East.

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The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa ∙ South Africa

Everything of the best

Where the mountains meet the sea on the Cape Peninsula’s beautiful Atlantic coastline, you’ll find The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. This award-winning establishment combines its magical location – just a short drive from cosmopolitan Cape Town – with lavish interiors, mouthwatering cuisine and impeccable service to offer guests a simply unforgettable holiday.

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Unwind with a pampering treatment in the tranquil spa (top) or relax next to the mountainside swimming pools. Then end the day with sundowners on the balcony of The Leopard Bar (above) and a superb meal at Azure restaurant (middle left), where chef Henrico Grobbelaar puts a gourmet spin on fresh local ingredients.

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hat makes The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa such a fabulous destination is that guests don’t have to choose between a mountain retreat or a seaside escape – they get both, with a large serving of luxury on top.

Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the 12 mountain peaks for which its named, this luxury hotel is all about showing guests the very best that Cape Town has to offer. Here you’ll find not only picture-postcard views but also superb food and wine, a world-class spa, stunning interiors and – most importantly – friendly staff offering impeccable service. It really is no surprise that The Twelve Apostles was voted number one hotel in Africa at the Condé Nast Traveler 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards.

If you want to experience the best this award-winning hotel has to offer, it doesn’t get any better than the luxurious

Presidential Suite, where sea and mountain views form a magnificent backdrop. The suite covers 151 square metres and, in addition to a spacious bedroom and en suite bathroom, incorporates a plush sitting room, eight-seater dining area, study and additional bathroom. Here you’ll find special touches – such as personally embroidered hotel gowns – to lift your stay above the ordinary. There’s also a butler on hand to take care of every little holiday detail.

The private wraparound terrace is the ideal spot to watch the sun dip into the ocean – while enjoying a bottle of perfectly chilled bubbly and the complimentary canapés that are served at sunset every evening. Then there’s the breakfast picnic on your first morning and the midnight feast on your last night – all part of what makes a stay here so special.

It’s not just the Presidential Suite that makes guests feel like celebrities – each

PHOTOGRAPHS: RED CARNATION HOTELS

and every guest is given the five-star treatment, and that includes small pets and children. All kinds of complimentary extras are thrown in for children, including a welcome backpack, a basket of toys in the room, milk and cookies on turndown, special meals and plenty of entertainment to keep them occupied while you relax.

And what better way to relax than in the tranquil Twelve Apostles Spa, one of only three Leading Spas of the World in South Africa. Lie back and unwind in the tranquillity lounge, hydrotherapy bath, flotation pool or Rasul chamber – or indulge in a fabulous B|Africa treatment in one of seven blissfully comfortable treatment rooms. There are also two treatment gazebos on the mountainside, where you can enjoy a massage surrounded by the beauty of the Cape’s unique floral kingdom.

The food offerings, too, are as memorable as the outlook over the Atlantic. The breakfast buffet at Azure is quite famous throughout the city, offering not only the usual full English spread but also unlimited oysters and sparkling wine. Lunches and dinners are equally mouthwatering, with award-winning executive chef Henrico Grobbelaar (a member of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs) serving up modern French dishes with a delicious South African twist. With the expert help of the sommelier, you can also sample a selection of fine wines to ensure you get just the bottle you want to accompany your meal.

Of course, you may not need dinner after tucking into the hotel’s legendary Tea by the Sea, an afternoon offering of homemade delights in the beautifully appointed Conservatory. Included in this array is owner Bea Tollman’s wellloved cheesecake – its recipe tested to ‘near perfection’ over the past decade and now published in her latest book, My Life in Food. In fact, many of the other signature delicacies on offer are from Bea’s recipe collection, as it was she who started the tradition of afternoon tea at The Twelve Apostles and its sister establishments in the Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Homemade scones with

The hotel’s glamorous rooms are all individually decorated and offer views over either the ocean or the mountainside. One-bedroomed suites incorporate a separate lounge and bedroom and are perfect for families travelling with young children.

clotted cream, Ferrero Rocher chocolate spheres and delicate fresh strawberry and crème patisserie tartlets are just some of the delights whipped up by the hotel’s pastry chef. They’re paired with a pot of the finest South African tea and a view of the sparkling blue ocean to ensure a memorable afternoon.

Certainly, The Twelve Apostles offers all the ingredients for an unforgettable holiday, whether it’s a scenic helicopter tour from the hotel’s private helipad or having a delicious picnic packed – to be enjoyed in blissful solitude on the slopes of the mountain. No wonder the hotel is a favourite of exclusive wedding parties, who love the effortless combination of a romantic location and superb service Business travellers, too, will tell you that staying here is a delight: after all, where better to meet associates than over a delicious lunch served with an ocean view? n Bridget McNulty

The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa

Camps Bay, Cape Town, SA Telephone: +27 (0)21 437 9000 Email: bookta@12apostles.co.za Website: www.12apostleshotel.com

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CGraphix OL04/13

Even at the very top there’s still something left to conquer.

A place on your priority list, for instance.

The new Cayenne Turbo S.

Fuel consumption in l/100 km: city 15.8 • highway 8.4 • combined 11.5 • CO2 emissions: 270 g/km • Power: 405 kW (550 hp) • Torque: 750 Nm • 0 - 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds

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Porsche Centre Johannesburg Tel: 011 540 5000

Porsche Centre Cape Town Tel: 021 555 6800

Porsche Centre Umhlanga Tel: 031 514 3000

Abu Camp ∙ Botswana

It’s all about the elephants At Abu Camp, part of a vast private concession within the pristine wilderness of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, guests have the unique opportunity to become part of an African elephant herd – though with all the creature comforts of luxury accommodation, fine dining and first-class service.

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lephant boma, Abu Camp, 10pm: A thunderstorm lashes across the Okavango Delta as Shirheni, one of Abu’s magnificent elephants, moves about in the throes of labour. She makes not a sound as her back legs bend low to the ground and the baby emerges in one fluid movement.

Still covered in remnants of the amniotic sac, the elephant calf – encouraged

by Shirheni – struggles to her feet.

It’s a slippery challenge in the wet

environment but soon she’s nuzzling and suckling her mother.

Jagged flashes of lightning illuminate each moment as six other elephants rumble through the night, their intense low-frequency sounds spreading the glad tidings across the wilderness.

Elephant boma, 5am: The clouds have fled. Those privileged to be in camp to witness the birth find the infant pachyderm curled up next to Abu, her six-year-old brother. Both are now

fast asleep after the excitement of the previous night.

Getting around is a jumbo effort for such a tiny baby so her first attempt to leave the boma is short-lived. After just six steps she stumbles and has a 20-minute nap. Then Shirheni gently wakes her and with the help of Cathy, the herd matriarch, nudges the baby out the gates, across the dry river bed, through a few muddy puddles and into the green bush.

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Twilight calls for drinks around the waterhole (right) and the chance to learn more about elephant behaviour, as handlers take the herd back to their boma after an afternoon’s elephant-back safari.

The spacious guest suites marry romance and safari chic.

While elephants are the star attraction, leopard and other Big Five animals are also sighted in the surrounding bush.

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The calf’s legs quiver and frequently give in but, each time they do, one of the other elephants lifts the little newcomer back on her feet again. They stroke her with their trunks, never letting her out of their sight. Who can witness such a sight and not feel humbled and awed?

Here at Abu Camp in the Okavango Delta, in a pristine pocket of riverine forest in a vast private reserve of 180 000 hectares, elephant conservation is the raison d’etre. The six-suite camp is part of the exclusive portfolio of ecotourism specialists Wilderness Collection and, as the company explains, these largest of land mammals are a keystone species on whose conservation the existence of many other aspects of biodiversity depends.

While in some parts of Africa elephant numbers are declining rapidly as a result of ivory poaching, here in Botswana herds are thriving. But burgeoning populations come with their own problems, and

Abu’s elephant programme partners with forward-thinking research institutions to find sustainable management practices.

Shortly after arriving at Abu, you are introduced to the herd. It’s one of the only camps in Africa that allows you to get personal with these sentient beings.

You walk with them and talk to them. You observe activities such as mud bathing, training and veterinary care. You learn about their history, their behavioural patterns, their complex dentistry and incredible intelligence. Elephants are capable of intense emotions and have memories that are better than ours. To spend time with them, as the calves play and interact with the matriarch and other herd members, is one of life’s greatest thrills.

You also experience the surrounding bush from the back of an elephant. You get so much closer to wildlife, ambling across the delta as impala, kudu and waterbuck eye you from a distance and

eagles ride the thermals overhead. The elephants’ silent gait holds a seductive rhythm broken only by the sound of a tree or shrub being uprooted.

Guests who come to Abu never want to leave. Why would they? Six high, wide and airy ‘tents’ (luxury wooden structures with canvas sides) offer panoramic views over this lush African wilderness. Inside, there’s a vast bed draped in hand-sewn linen that wouldn’t look out of place in a sultan’s seraglio, an en suite bathroom complete with indoor and outdoor showers, a comfortable seating area and a stylish writing desk. Outside, there’s an elevated wooden deck sculpted around the large fig and jackalberry trees that shade the camp.

The main buildings that encompass the guest lounge and dining area are a similar blend of tiered decking, sweeping canvas and poles and, like the suites, provide a sense of oneness with nature.

Their décor captures the local vernacular

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Sunsets at Abu Elephant Camp set fire to the sky in a riot of colour. Dinners are sometimes eaten outdoors where soft glowing paraffin lamps promise an unforgettable evening.

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and an array of premium spirits and single-malt whiskies complete the fine dining experience.

Ultimately, though, it’s the intangible things at Abu that entice visitors from around the world. It’s watching the sun rise over the elephant boma as the herd sways in anticipation of their morning trek. It’s the smell of wild sage and tawny grasses at sunset. It’s happening upon a journey of giraffe as you ride through the bush on the back of an elephant. It’s sharing the passion of the herd handlers for their precious pachyderms. And it’s the spiritual shift that spending time with these astounding animals brings.

In the words of one guest: ‘Abu Camp is a gift from the Okavango Delta that keeps on giving long after you reclaim your luggage. It will live forever in your memory for all the right reasons, fill your conversations, and tempt you back to witness the next chapter in a remarkable story.’ n Caroline Hurry

Abu Camp

Okavango Delta, BOTSWANA Telephone: +27 (0)11 807 1800, +27 (0)21 702 7500 Email: enquiry@wildernesscollection.com Website: www.abucamp.com Part of the exclusive Wilderness Collection, Abu Camp is reached via a 30-minute charter flight from Maun.

PHOTOGRAPHS: WILDERNESS COLLECTION

with hand-woven linens, seagrass chairs and hand-hewn wooden sculptures.

For a lazy day at camp, there’s a secluded swimming pool, or a cosy library where you can lose yourself in a collection of African literature and field guides.

There’s also a small communication area if you need to make contact with the outside world.

Those seeking the ultimate immersion into the world of the African elephant can choose to sleep out under the stars, in Abu’s Star Bed overlooking the elephant boma. Here, raised high above the ground, their contented rumblings lull you to sleep beneath a canopy of stars. What better way to experience the wild magic of Mother Nature?

Just because you’re in the Okavango Delta doesn’t mean you need compromise on food. Abu Camp’s chefs provide creative cuisine of the highest standard, usually served al fresco out on the deck.

Fine wines from the extensive cellar

Mowani Mountain Camp ∙ Namibia

A place of God in an ancient mountain wilderness Namibia’s vast rock desert of Damaraland is a ruggedly beautiful region of prehistoric water courses and open grassland interspersed with massive granite koppies and deep gorges. Here desert-adapted game range freely and ancient Bushmen art can be seen in abundance. In this arid wilderness, Mowani Mountain Camp nestles discreetly between giant boulders, a decadent offering under domed thatch that is designed to blend into the evocative surroundings.

The pool area perches on a granite outcrop and, from its elevated position, gives far-reaching views. Three luxury suites provide the ultimate private retreat.

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here are few places on earth where the scenery is so dramatic, so surreal and otherworldly that gazing upon it is pure natural theatre.

The scale of the rock boulders that surround Mowani Mountain Camp, in the Twyfelfontein Conservancy in Namibia’s rugged Damaraland, lend a Lilliputian air to the lodge, which blends discreetly into the arid environment. As the word ‘mowani’ suggests, this truly is ‘the place of God’. It’s a slice of enchantment in a rock garden for giants.

Designed and built 12 years ago by owner André Louw, Mowani Mountain Camp’s inspiration is all African. ‘I saw a small picture of a traditional African village

T

with its buildings clustered together and built from natural materials,’ says André, ‘and I knew immediately that that was what I wanted for the lodge.’

Mowani was built by local hands and using natural materials sourced from the area. Which is why its 15 thatched suites – including three private luxury suites, all completely rebuilt in 2012 - fit seamlessly into their natural surroundings.

The high domed, beehive roofs echo the generous curves of giant boulders and at the same time provide cool refuge from the heat of the surrounding desert.

Canvas walls roll up by day to enable communion with nature and a breeze to blow through. Interiors, designed by

Monique Ferreira-Louw, are plush and comfortable, adorned in natural materials in burnt earth tones. Leather, wicker and wood are a unifying thread throughout.

Early morning is idyllic in Damaraland.

The first light of the day bathes the rocks in honey hues and gives the landscape an air of earthy magic. The air is cool and after a cup of steaming coffee, it’s time to head out on the game drive vehicle in search of elusive and rare desert rhino and elephant.

Desert elephant are particularly adapted to live in the extreme conditions of Damaraland, so much so that they are leaner with smaller bodies and longer legs.

Another adaption is that they actually dig

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Subtle, earthy colours and natural materials predominate in the thatched suites, where canvas sides fold down to create an open-air sanctuary with uninterrupted views.

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for water in the dry riverbeds of the area.

With Mowani located between the Ugab and Huab rivers, there is a good chance of spotting these unique beasts. ‘We have an 80% success rate finding the desert elephants,’ says ranger Athan Gawiseb, who leads drives along a sand track deep into the mountains in search of a herd. It’s awe-inspiring when nine come into view, ambling along a dry riverbed seemingly without a care in their world. One with unusually long legs gives the vehicle a cursory glance as they walk right past.

‘The desert rhinos are a little more difficult to find,’ says Athan. ‘They are shy and elusive by nature – and they are good at hiding in plain sight.’

Whether or not you are lucky enough to see desert elephant or rhino, there is something both soothing and energising about driving in silence through the stillness of the early morning, absorbing the exquisite beauty of a landscape that appears too breathtaking to be real. Keep

PHOTOGRAPHS: MOWANI MOUNTAIN CAMP

The area’s amazing geological formations are the focus throughout the lodge, where the buildings cluster together among the rocks in imitation of a traditional African village.

an eye out, too, for the endemic Damara dik-dik, the tiniest of all antelope.

Back at the lodge, there’s a delicious hot breakfast to be savoured before a quick swim in the enticing pool carved out of natural rock. Then it’s time to head for the theatre. Feet up on your private deck, watching the changing light bounce across the tantalising landscape of Damaraland is better than any Hollywood movie, and far more relaxing.

If you can tear yourself away from the view, then an afternoon outing to the ancient Bushmen rock engravings at Twyfelfontein is well worth the effort.

This rocky outcrop was declared a World Heritage Site in 2007 and contains literally thousands of these rare historical engravings, as well as example of rock paintings and stone artefacts.

Many of the people who helped to build Mowani still work at the lodge – like Ruben Mangenda, who was mixed cement and is now an assistant manager. ‘Mowani is a

cultural investment in Damaraland,’ says André. ‘We worked with the local chief to put the project together and he now also benefits from the lodge. When our 30-year lease expires, the lodge will revert entirely to the community.’ It’s a goodwill gesture to the chief of this vast wilderness area, where there are no fences yet plenty of good neighbours.

In Damaraland, wildlife it truly untamed and local people live in harmony with the land and all that inhabit it. At Mowani, the ethos is the same. The lodge treads lightly, is unobtrusive yet deeply luxurious, in a landscape that is the most ancient on earth.

Sitting on soft cushions on top of the giant boulder behind the lodge, sipping cool sundowners, it’s impossible not be captivated by the dramatic vistas of this arid wilderness. Mowani’s surreal beauty and rareness should certainly be experienced at least once in this lifetime. n Keri Harvey

Mowani Mountain Camp

Twyfelfontein, Damaraland, NAMIBIA Telephone: +264 (0)61 232 009 Email: mowani@visionsofafrica.com.na Website: www.mowani.com Mowani and its sister lodge, Camp Kipwe, are both an easy four-anda-half hour’s drive from Windhoek.

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THE MAN WITH THE MIDAS TOUCH Sol Kerzner, the founding chairman of the Kerzner International group of luxury resorts, is a visionary with an eye for detail and an imagination that turns everything he touches to gold.

The young Sol Kerzner was a junior partner in a Johannesburg accounting firm before leaving for Durban, where he opened his first five-star hotel in Umhlanga Rocks.

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Across four continents, Sol Kerzner’s rays encompass a Byzantine maze of private and public companies, stock exchange-listed assets, shareholdings and directorships.

If you want to know more about the so-called Sun King’s business acumen, his phenomenal financial successes or commercial dealings, you don’t need to look far. A quick search on the internet delivers more on the worldfamous South African leisure and gambling tycoon than you could ever read.

If you’re looking for anecdotes, mention Kerzner’s name at any upper-crust South African dinner party and someone (or indeed everyone) will have an I-know-thisfor-a-fact story about his larger-than-life personality, his breathtaking excesses, his unbelievable daring.

So what do you ask when given the opportunity to interview the great man himself, when sitting at the oversized dining-room table in his Hout Bay estate, surrounded by magnificent views and even more magnificent works of art? You don’t.

Instead, you listen. And you count yourself lucky that the man who single-handedly redefined the scope and scale of luxury world travel is in a reflective mood.

This is a man who, some 50 years ago, dreamt of building a hotel unlike anything yet seen in South Africa, a premier destination resort by true global standards. This, despite the fact that his only experience of hospitality had been the ad-hoc managing of a small hotel owned by his parents in what was then the province of Natal, on South Africa’s tropical eastern coast.

Even though he was made a junior partner in a highly regarded Johannesburg accounting firm at just 25, Kerzner knew he would not pursue a career in number crunching. Instead, aged 27, he acquired the lease to another hotel in the back streets of the city of Durban.

‘Within a few weeks I’d opened a nightclub.

It became the hotspot of Durban,’ he recalls.

The young man who grew up on the rough streets of Troyeville in Johannesburg, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants and the youngest of four children, had his sights firmly set on creating the first five-star hotel in the country.

As its location, he chose Umhlanga Rocks, which was then an underdeveloped site north of Durban, an area with little apparent tourist appeal. With a willing investor, a lot of courage and a little luck (the casino magnate believes

PHOTOGRAPHS: FLORIAN GAST/OPULENT LIVING, KERZNER INTERNATIONAL

Interview by Barbara Lenhard and Sam Woulidge · Written by Sam Woulidge

PHOTOGRAPHS: MANTIS GROUP

PHOTOGRAPHS: FLORIAN GAST/OPULENT LIVING, KERZNER INTERNATIONAL

Boxing has always been a passion for the hotel magnate.

He says he was far more interested in the sport than in his studies as a teenager.

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matches and is seen here with South African heavyweights Gerrie Coetzee and Knallie Knoetze (above). His resorts have also been closely associated with the Miss World beauty pageant. He’s pictured with Miss South Africa Tatum Keshwar and Miss World Ksenia Sukhinova in Cape Town in December 2009 (right).

“ „ I’d never been abroad before,

I’d never actually experienced overseas hotels – I’d just seen brochures – but, by the time

we put the bulldozers in the

ground, I knew that I wanted do

something a lot better than what

I’d experienced in South Africa.

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that sometimes luck serves just as well as determination), Kerzner started building what would eventually become the luxurious Beverly Hills Hotel.

‘I remember one [newspaper] article calling me “a mad kid”, saying the project was too expensive, the hotel too luxurious for South Africa,’ he says. ‘But I was confident. I’d never been abroad before, I’d never actually experienced overseas hotels – I’d just seen brochures – but, by the time we put the bulldozers in the ground, I knew that I wanted do something a lot better than what I’d experienced in South Africa.

‘I’d seen pictures of Miami Beach and I realised that I needed to go for myself. So I got on a plane and flew there, and, in one day, I saw the whole of Miami. I was up until 2am driving in a cab to every hotel and, by morning, I said, “Well, I’ve seen it all, so I’m off to the pool“.‘ And on the fateful day that president John F Kennedy was assassinated, Kerzner flew back to South Africa. He was 28 years old, he’d spent a grand total of two days in America, and he knew he was going to build the most luxurious hotel South Africa had ever seen.

He would go on to carve out a career for himself as South Africa’s most successful (and wealthiest) hotelier.

The Beverly Hills was followed by the Elangeni Hotel overlooking Durban’s beachfront, and the Beacon Isle Hotel in Plettenberg Bay on South Africa’s magnificent Garden Route.

Soon after, Kerzner would turn a desolate

strip of land within the borders of the apartheid-era ‘independent homeland’ of Bophuthatswana into a flamboyant fantasy world called Sun City, and then open the magnificently opulent Palace of the Lost City on the same site a few years later.

He would resurrect the mythical city of Atlantis in The Bahamas, where the design of his Paradise Island resort incorporates the world’s largest open-air marine habitat, and he’d follow this up with the award-winning One&Only Resorts in The Bahamas, Mexico, Mauritius, The Maldives, South Africa and Dubai, where everyone who is anyone aspires to spend a night.

It’s a far cry from the staid world of chartered accounting, not to mention the streets of Troyeville. When asked what drove him to succeed, Kerzner’s answer is poignant and honest. ‘Growing up in a rough neighbourhood instils in you an energy to succeed. I think that’s partially it. But I also think part of it is luck of the draw.

‘I wasn’t really a very good student – I was far more interested in boxing, a sport I took up to protect myself from the kids who picked on me. I would tell my family (and it used to make my dad mad) that I was going to be a motorcar mechanic. As it turns out, I would have been a terrible mechanic because I’m not mechanically inclined at all. But I never thought that university was something I could make a go of, never mind achieve anything else. In the last two years of school, my father, who was a smart man, took me out of high

PHOTOGRAPHS: GALLO IMAGES/FOTO24/EDREA CLOETE, GALLO IMAGES/RAPPORT ARCHIVES

Kerzner has hosted top boxing

PHOTOGRAPHS: GALLO IMAGES/FOTO24/EDREA CLOETE, GALLO IMAGES/RAPPORT ARCHIVES

school and put me into a college where I had to work hard. The headmaster there was first class and he gave me a bit of confidence.

But, still, I had no idea what I wanted to do after school, so I thought I’d go to university and do accountancy because then I could work during the day and go to lectures in the evening. So, I became an article clerk and studied at night. And I kept on boxing.’

Accountancy and boxing have both stood Kerzner in good stead. Attention to detail, respect for money and the fearlessness of a fighter are important qualities to have when you put yourself at the forefront of one of the most ruthless industries there is – the business of global entertainment. And while the hotels and resorts will continue to flourish and luxury will continue to be redefined, it is revealing that the one story Kerzner chooses to tell is wholly unrelated to the world of comfortable beds and good meals. It involves a boxing match, a prime minister and a blow to the established regime…

In 1979, the World Boxing Association’s heavyweight title fight took place in South Africa between local hero Gerrie Coetzee and African-American ‘Big’ John Tate at Loftus Versfeld, a rugby stadium in the country’s executive capital, Pretoria, and a temple to the favourite sport of Afrikaner nationalists.

It was a fight orchestrated by Sol Kerzner; a fight that he, unlike Gerrie Coetzee, won.

‘It was the biggest live audience of all time.

And it was of historical significance because the concession the apartheid government of Prime Minister PW Botha had to make in order to secure the fight in South Africa was to open the stadium to all South Africans, to all races, forever.’

‘Not just for the day?’ I ask, incredulous of the enormity of these negotiations; negotiations which would mean removing certain apartheid laws forever. ‘No,’ Kerzner replies, grinning wickedly. ‘For always. And for all stadiums. You, see, they wanted it that badly.

It was so hard for the government to accept these demands that the terms were only finalised a few weeks before the fight. But from that day, 20 October 1979, the stadiums of South Africa were opened to everyone.

Forever. And so I sat next to PW Botha and his wife Elize and we watched the match, along with 82 000 fellow South Africans.’

Years later, Sol Kerzner would be approached

by Nelson Mandela to play a part in unifying the country once more. ‘Our history is very simple. Everybody was aware that through Sun City I was very close to Lucas Mangope [leader of the then Bophuthatswana] and I also happened to be very friendly with Mangosuthu Buthelezi, head of the Inkatha Freedom Party [formerly one of South Africa’s prominent political parties] with its predominantly Zulu following.

‘Mandela wanted to unite everyone and so he reached out to me to talk to the people that I knew to see if I could help get everyone comfortable with the idea of a united South Africa. That was weeks after he was released. Our first meeting was at my home in Johannesburg and he came to have dinner.

That’s how we became great friends.’

But my favourite Sol story is the one he tells of the time he flew international golfing legend Gary Player down to Sun City to show him where he wanted to build a golf course. ‘I said to him, “Okay Gary, we’re building the hotel here, and we are going to build the lake in the valley and then we’re going to build the golf course all around here.” He was excited and he

HE’S HAD DARING AND A LITTLE LUCK

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student – I was far more

interested in boxing, a sport I

took up to protect myself from

the kids who picked on me. I

never thought that university

was something I could make a go of, never mind achieve anything else.

Sol Kerzner (below right) and South African golfing legend Gary Player, who designed the golf courses at Kerzner’s Sun City resort and at One&Only Saint Géran in Mauritius.

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asked me, “So when do you think you’re going to open?” That was in November 1978 and I told him, “We’ll be open for Christmas.” And then Gary bent down, picked up a handful of cow dung that lay on this rural tract of land and he threw it at me, laughing and saying “You’re full of shit!“.‘ Kerzner laughs loudly, happily, at the memory.

And you get the feeling that, while he has worked hard, he has also played hard; that his is a life well lived.

Indeed, the man has many friends. He consorts with politicians, chieftains, pop stars and beauty queens. He has partied with Frank Sinatra and been entertained at the Vatican.

But those closest to him are his family and his few true confidants.

He has travelled widely but he still regards South Africa as home. He bought a private plane because he grew tired of the long-haul flights, but he refuses to wear jewellery, not even a watch. He goes to the gym because he believes in staying healthy and wears tracksuit pants and a white T-shirt with the confidence of a man at ease with himself. But he remains private and in control. He reveals only what he wants to reveal.

However, it is in his answers to questions seemingly impersonal, that he is perhaps most revealing. ‘If you could choose three people who have made the biggest impression on you, who would they be?’ I ask.

His answer is quick, definite. Nelson Mandela.

Enough said. Pope John Paul II. ‘Because speaking to him was almost like speaking to God. There was such energy in this man and his eyes were so penetrating. I felt humbled in his presence.’ And, finally, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. ‘I met with him the day after he joined President Clinton at Camp David. He’d also met the Pope, had flown around the world dealing with the complex issues surrounding the Israeli-Arab crisis and our meeting was scheduled for 2pm. At five past two he walked in and came straight over to me, shook my hand and his first words were, “Mr Kerzner, I’m so sorry I’m a few minutes late”.’

What does this reveal about Sol Kerzner? That he is a man who believes in his country, in his god, and in respect for other people’s time.

These are good values, and you can tell a lot about a man by the things he values.

A LIFE LIVED TO THE FULL 23 August 1935: Solomon Kerzner is born to Lithuanian immigrants in Troyeville, Johannesburg, the youngest of four children.

1958: Graduates as a chartered accountant from the University of the Witwatersrand and joins one of Joburg’s largest accountancy firms.

1962: Takes over the running of his family’s Durban hotel and kicks of his career in hospitality by buying the Astra Hotel in Durban.

1964: Builds the Beverly Hills, South Africa’s first five-star hotel, in Umhlanga, north of Durban. Soon afterwards, builds the 450-room Elangeni Hotel on Durban’s beachfront.

1969: In partnership with South African Breweries, establishes the chain of Southern Sun Hotels, which by 1983 operates 30 luxury hotels with more than 7 000 rooms.

1970: Marries Shirley Bestbier after his first marriage, to Maureen Adler, with whom he has three children, ends.

1975: Opens his first hotel outside South Africa, Le Saint Géran in Mauritius.

1979: Develops Sun City, the most ambitious resort project in Africa. Over the next 10 years, builds four hotels, a lake, two Gary Playerdesigned golf courses and an entertainment centre with a 6 000-seat indoor arena.

1980: Marries Anneline Kriel, Miss South Africa and Miss World 1974. They are divorced five years later.

1992: Becomes the first non-American to be admitted to the US Gaming Hall of Fame.

1994: Purchases the bankrupt Paradise Island Resort in The Bahamas, which results in Atlantis, Paradise Island – a 2 300-room resort that includes the Caribbean’s biggest casino.

1996: Opens the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut in the USA. 2000: Marries Heather Murphy, 35, at Atlantis, Paradise Island and gains two stepchildren.

2002: Launches One&Only Resorts, which will go on to operate seven award-winning properties in The Bahamas, Mauritius, Mexico, The Maldives, South Africa and Dubai.

2006: His son, Howard (Butch) Kerzner, dies at age 42 in a helicopter crash.

2007: Expands Atlantis, Paradise Island with new hotels The Cove and The Reef, adding 1 100 new rooms to the property, as well as 21 retail outlets and celebrity-chef restaurants.

2008: Extends the Atlantis brand globally with the development of Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, a US$1.5 billion, 1 500-room, water-themed resort on The Palm Jumeirah.

2009: One&Only Cape Town opens, signalling Kerzner’s re-entry into the SA market. Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort opens in Morocco.

2010: Is awarded an honorary British knighthood for his contribution to business and community in The Bahamas.

2012: One&Only Sanya, the first One&Only resort in China is announced.

2013: One&Only Montengro, the first One&Only resort in Europe is announced.

PHOTOGRAPH: GALLO IMAGES/RAPPORT ARCHIVES

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Le Touessrok ∙ Mauritius

Indian Ocean jewel

Sprawled over an archipelago of islands stretching into tranquil Trou d’Eau Douce Bay on the beautiful east coast of Mauritius, the multi-award-winning Le Touessrok resort is a slice of palm-fringed paradise dedicated to fine food and blissful languor – with butlers and instant gratification everywhere.

Unsurpassed service and a luxury ethos make it the connoisseur’s playground, favoured by those who uncompromisingly demand the finer things in life. But there’s a caveat: once you check in, you may never want to leave.

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There’s a menu to suit every mood at Le Touessrok, from sophisticated Indian dishes at Safran, through the freshest seafood served at the water’s edge, to the eight open kitchens serving up nine regional cuisines over three levels at the excellent Three-Nine-Eight.

T

he best thing about Le Touessrok is not that you can see all the way across the bay to Ilot Mangénie from your bed. It’s not about smoked salmon and Champagne for breakfast on a slice of white sand where palm trees hold sway; nor being whisked over watery hues of blue to a private island for the best rum cocktails this side of a pirate’s Yo Ho Ho. No, the best thing about Le Touessrok is the staff and their can-do attitude. From beach attendants who clean the sand off your sunglasses with rose-scented sprays to waiters who row five-course dinners to couples on candle-lit rafts, every whim is indulged.

Adventure seekers can windsurf, parasail, scuba dive, fish or snorkel. Those who like to swing a five-iron will find Bernhard Langer’s 18-hole, par 72, magnum opus a veritable fairway to heaven. Accessible via an exhilarating five-minute boat ride

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from the resort, the 6 476-metre course on Île aux Cerfs snakes along shimmering shores. To play there is to hit through 38 hectares of a botanical garden with nine lakes and glittering blue ocean views.

For those too lazy to peel themselves off their recliners, Le Touessrok offers thatched retreats on a pristine beach where discreet waiters start like hounds to the hare when you raise your flag.

‘Another cocktail, Madam?’

So close to the ocean it’s virtually wading in the surf, the resort has 200 rooms, suites and villas that meander around the crooked coastline. The 132 modern, splitlevel suites – perched over basalt rocks or on small sandy coves – offer cool quartzite floors and wooden shutters.

Wallow in your funky egg-shaped bath before lying sunny-side-up on your private balcony overlooking the ocean.

By day, immerse yourself in a good book while you soak up a few rays next to one

PHOTOGRAPHS: LE TOUESSROK

of three dazzling pools amid fragrant frangipani blossoms. By night, smiling performers dance Sega, gyrating their toned midriffs to a pulsing beat.

Under the watchful eye of executive chef Barnaby Jones, who runs the main Three-Nine-Eight restaurant, the food is top notch. With three bars and six restaurants, you’re spoilt for choice.

Barlen’s on Frangipani Island, with its under lighting and water-filled glasssealed moat is gastro-architecture with a sea view. Think contemporary cuisine with a modern Asian twist in startersized portions. Pan-seared scallops served on shredded palm hearts and tuna tartar were epicurean bliss.

Ilot Mangénie offers grilled lobster at Crusoe’s, but the hot favourite among the cognoscenti is Safran, presided over by Ramesh Bundi, a master of the tandoori oven. His open-sided, palmthatched place overlooks Hibiscus Bay and the limpid Indian Ocean beyond. A warm cinnamon-scented breeze whispers through the palm trees, soft lights glint off the burnished copper of the ovens and the atmosphere feels as intimate as a kiss.

Not many Indian restaurants feature sea bass, scallops or salmon, but Ramesh transforms base ingredients into a fusion of culinary alchemy. Such acts of cultural larceny – ‘committed with love,’ he insists – inspire evangelical fervour in guests who fly in from far and wide.

Hollywood A-listers, royalty and assorted moguls opt for one of Le Touessrok’s three villas, each with its own pool, garden, terrace, private beach and individual access. Sir Richard Branson, Prince Andrew, Princesses Stephanie and Caroline are all former guests.

The junior suites are no slouch in the sybaritic stakes, either. Perched over a glittering ribbon of sea, they quote freely from the lap of luxury with a butler to unpack your clothes and teach you how to work your espresso machine – as well as take care of every request, from restaurant bookings to personalised excursions.

Since your wish is their command, get yours to book you a two-hour, fourhanded Ylang-Ylang body massage at the

In the ocean-facing Junior Suites, the style is informal and contemporary. Guests enjoy a 24-hour personalised butler service, secluded terraces, iPod docking stations, plasma TVs and luxurious bathrooms complete with sculptural, egg-shaped baths.

Givenchy spa, a mecca of contemporary French elegance with its pitched roof, light gold stucco walls and open architecture.

Choose from an array of rejuvenating treatments, such as body scrubs with fine sea salt, pampering facials and pedicures to get your toes beach-happy.

The spa also combines exercises, such as yoga, with the Fitness Centre next door and offers suggestions on nutrition, beauty and health.

Best of all is the ancient banyan tree that guards the entrance to the resort – its hanging branches festooned with glowing lanterns – promising fecundity and plenty to all who venture within.

Here, at this member of Leading Hotels of the World, levels of luxury are exalted even by Mauritian standards, children of all ages are well cared for and all is as it should be. The only thing Le Touessrok will leave you wanting is more. n Caroline Hurry

Le Touessrok

Trou d’Eau Douce, MAURITIUS Le Touessrok is represented in South Africa by World Leisure Holidays.

Telephone: +27 (0)11 285 2500 or 0860 954 954 Email: res@wlh.co.za Website: www.wlh.co.za

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Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa ∙ South Africa

Part of the inner circle Sandwiched between mountain and sea on South Africa’s majestic Garden Route, the Hyatt Regency Oubaai is the pleasure-seeker’s treasure trove, the businessman’s godsend and item number one on every golf lover’s bucket list.

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t is said that in Oubaai, the sun dominates the circle of life. Rising in the morning and turning mist to vapour, it colours the landscape as it charts its course across the sky. And it is here, as surely as dawn fades to dusk, that the magnificent denizens of the deep, the endangered Southern Right Whales, make their annual pilgrimage, choosing the protected bays that dimple this stretch of pristine shoreline as the nurseries for their

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calves. From the whale-viewing deck that overlooks the mighty Indian Ocean at one of South Africa’s most beautiful luxury hotels, guests have the ultimate vantage point for watching these lolling giants, hearing the extraordinary language spoken from their blowholes and then tasting on their lips the salty spray of that ancient conversation.

The hotel in question is the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa. Its unique

location, just eight kilometres from George Airport, in an area renowned for its virgin beaches, indigenous forests and native wetlands, affords visitors the opportunity to reconnect with nature without forgoing the indulgences of a five-star sojourn.

The hotel’s unrivalled position at the foot of the majestic Outeniqua Mountains on the Garden Route is matched only by the exceptional levels of service and worldclass amenities available to its guests.

The elegant lobby (top) features work by leading local artists. The distinctive ballroom and its stylish contemporary foyer (above) provide a wonderful space for wedding celebrations.

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Havens for the peaceful slumber of sporting kings and beauty queens, each of the 100 stylish rooms and suites is equipped with the latest in communication and entertainment technology and features a bathroom with a glass-encased rain shower and spacious tub. Exclusive Regency Club accommodation provides an extra level of service and a host of benefits, including private check-in, concierge assistance and boardroom access.

Capitalising on its unique position in this ecologically rich landscape, the Oubaai Golf Course is ranked among the world’s best. The first Ernie Els signature course in South Africa, it boasts a traditional links layout with veld grasses lining the lush fairways and a breathtaking 180-degree ocean view. The course measures 6 516 metres from the pro tees, which is uniquely long for a coastal course, and, with five par 3s and five par 5s, guarantees a thrilling game for those willing to take it on.

PHOTOGRAPHS: HYATT REGENCY OUBAAI GOLF RESORT & SPA

The hotel is built to maximise its outlook over both the Indian Ocean and the Outeniqua Mountains.

Cucina (top left) serves breakfast and lunch in front of floor-to-ceiling windows, and the presidential suite (left) captialises on its corner site with wraparound glass.

Hard work on the greens is duly rewarded with lunch at The Clubhouse, where al fresco dining is par for the course, or, should the weather gods not play fair, a well-earned fireside drink in the lounge.

Needless to say, the clubhouse offers the full spectrum of facilities, from locker rooms to a Pro Shop. And it takes little to entice enthusiasts to visit the new Mercedes-Benz Southern Africa Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, also situated within the resort’s grounds, which pays tribute to the giants of the sport.

Hearty appetites are also expertly catered to at the resort’s other dining venues, be it for fresh, perfectly presented sushi at the Waterside Grill or a relaxed Mediterranean-flavoured lunch at Cucina.

Fine food and wine-pairing dinners, noholds-barred Sunday lunches and Little Chefs kids’ cooking classes all add to the Hyatt’s gastronomic offering, while the hotel’s convivial Waterside Bar, with its

tailor-made cocktail and snack menu, takes care of more thirst-quenching requirements. For an afternoon cup of Earl Grey with a wedge of Victoria sponge, or a post-prandial cognac and cigar, the Brandy Lounge is a sybaritic delight.

However, hedonistic pleasures don’t come finer than those offered at the Hyatt’s award-winning Freesia Spa, where seven treatment suites provide a sanctuary for enjoying an authentically African journey of the senses. Harnessing the age-old restorative qualities of traditional herbs, oils and balms, the Freesia philosophy is one of energising, calming and nourishing to preserve a sense of wellbeing.

And so, by gathering the indigenous lifegiving elements that feed body, mind and spirit, it – like everything at Hyatt Regency Oubaai – celebrates the vital life of the sun, the gentle vapour rising off the ocean and the lush abundance of the verdant earth… the circle of life. n Jocelyn Warrington

Hyatt Regency Oubaai

Herolds Bay, near George, Garden Route, SA Telephone: +27 (0)44 851 1234 Email: oubaai.regency@hyatt.com Website: www.oubaai.regency.hyatt.com

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The Outpost ∙ South Africa

Perched on the edge of the world Set high on a hill overlooking the wildest and most remote part of the Kruger National Park, The Outpost’s 12 stand-alone luxury suites seem to blend into their surrounds. Below stretches the lush floodplain of the Luvuvhu River, offering guests a near-nature experience like no other. It’s a region of unique geology and great biodiversity with some of Africa’s most ancient baobabs and a pistachio-green fever-tree forest, making it a twitcher’s paradise with an impressive list of specials.

The Makuleke Contractual Park (also known as The Pafuri Triangle) is famous for its elephant herds in winter, which come to drink from the Luvuvhu River.

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pace. So much, you feel like soaring. Cantilevered off a hill above a vast riverine plain, you are suspended above an endless sprawl of lush tangled wilderness, dwarfed by towering clouds in Africa’s huge blue heaven or, at night, a velvet canopy dense with a million stars.

This is The Outpost — one of only three concessions in the 23 600-hectare Makuleke Contractual Park, a lush triangle wedged between the Luvuvhu and Limpopo Rivers, on South Africa’s borders with Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and part of the 2.5 million hectares of the Kruger National Park. For most visitors, this exclusivity – the privilege

S

of finding yourself adrift in a huge tract of untouched nature – is priceless.

In fact, bush lovers have long divided the Kruger into distinct regions: firsttimers looking to chase the Big 5 tend to congregate in the relatively developed and busier southern and central areas, where large animal populations attract similarly soaring tourist numbers. But real bush enthusiasts – those who are rejuvenated by the unique serenity of being in a primal, human-free landscape, with fewer roads and vehicles – head north, to explore Makuleke’s remarkable geological and natural heritage.

With lush, tropical riverine vegetation, open savannah, mopane woodlands, fever

trees, acacia thickets and some of southern Africa’s largest baobab specimens, it’s no surprise Makuleke is such a drawcard for bush enthusiasts. Add that it has some 350-odd bird species – including those rarely seen elsewhere, such as Pel’s fishing owl, African crowned eagle, black-throated wattle-eye, racket-tailed roller, orange-winged pytilia and crested guineafowl – and you’ll understand why it’s considered so very special.

One of the reasons for the outstanding birding in the area is that Makuleke was declared a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2007 and its 31 flood pans hold water until late in the dry season, acting as a welcome refuge for migratory water birds.

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Dinner is served under the stars, on the deck next to the pool. The menu draws its inspiration from the lodge’s African surrounds and features the best local produce.

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That’s not to say that wildlife sightings in the area are not exhilarating. Also known as The Pafuri Triangle, Makuleke is the only part of the Kruger National Park with a truly tropical ecology. It’s said to boast the highest biodiversity of any part of the park, with more than 75 percent of Kruger’s species occurring in just one percent of its surface area.

Though game viewing can be slower, seeing predators in this landscape is thrilling. Who can forget breakfast served in the fever-tree forest near the confluence of the two rivers, home to a large population of hippos and crocs? Or spotting a leopard stalking nyala near the riverbank, or lion asleep in the shade of a baobab? Sundowners overlooking the Lanner Gorge, eagles soaring overhead, is equally spectacular.

In wonderful contrast to the utter wildness of Makuleke is the luxury of The Outpost. Spend your days in the sun by the pool, or retire to your award-winning

suite for an in-room massage, a soak in your oval tub, or just to lie back and gaze over the lush Luvuvhu floodplain.

With 12 freestanding suites, located along a 500-metre teak boardwalk, you are assured of total privacy. Suite 12 is a honeymooner’s favourite as it’s furthest from the reception areas and also commands a wider view further down the untouched valley below.

Conceived as modern ‘caves’, the striking stand-alone suites were designed along simple, clean lines.

They combine light and unobtrusive elements of steel and concrete so that they blend into and preserve the beauty of the surrounding wilderness. These thoroughly contemporary spaces seem to literally ‘grow’ out from the rock face, with absolutely nothing but retractable canvas screens between you and the jawdropping 180-degree views.

To complement the powerful architecture, the interiors are dressed in a suitably

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A black-tie charity dinner, prepared by 14 award-winning South African chefs working with 7 top sommeliers, and featuring an auction of 7 original works by internationally acclaimed artists.

Charity gala with 14 top chefs, 7 sommeliers and 7 great artists!

The chefs team up in pairs to create individual menus for groups of only 36 people each! Choose your favourite chef duo for the evening: • Margot Janse (The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français) & David Higgs (Five Hundred at the Saxon) • Bertus Basson (Overture Restaurant at Hidden Valley) & Peter Tempelhoff (The Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort) • Rudi Liebenberg (Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson Hotel) & Christiaan Campbell (Delaire Graff) • Jackie Cameron (Hartford House) & Reuben Riffel (Reuben’s) • Darren Badenhorst (Grande Provence) & Chris Erasmus (Pierneef à La Motte) • Chantel Dartnall (Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient) & Harald Bresselschmidt (Aubergine) • Marthinus Ferreira (DW Eleven-13) & George Jardine (Jordan Restaurant) Proceeds from ticket sales and the art auction go to two established charities that support underprivileged children: MAD - Make a Difference and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa.

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XPERIENCES

PHOTOGRAPHS: SEASONS IN AFRICA

The Outpost’s 12 suites showcase cutting-edge contemporary design.

They’re fronted by state-of-the-art retractable screens that open to give guests uninterrupted views.

pared-down contemporary aesthetic with colours that are deliberately unlike those in most safari lodges.

Each terrace has an inviting daybed, and an indoor lounge and bedroom with a king-size bed swaddled in netting. (And yes, the inevitable need to celebrate is met with an in-room minibar.) Cooled by a sophisticated air-flow system and designed to minimise energy usage with each of the suites thoughtfully oriented to the sun, it’s one of the most comfortable, near-nature safari experiences, especially in the sultry heat of summer.

The open-to-the-elements design is extended into the bathrooms. Each has a capacious tub and a shower offering the same mesmerising views of raptors floating over the plains, and starspangled skies at night. Small wonder that they are regularly feted as one of the top bathing experiences in all of Africa.

The Outpost is also justifiably proud of its engagement with the local community,

from which virtually the entire staff complement is sourced. The Makuleke clan were, in fact, the first to win a Kruger land claim and their decision to develop it for tourism (with game management contracted to the national park) is living proof of how sustainable tourism can benefit both local communities and nature conservation.

Having been involved from the outset in building its reputation, the Makuleke work hard to ensure that guests enjoy high standards of comfort, great cuisine and a superb wine selection (including a Sauvignon Blanc personally handcrafted by the owner), despite the remoteness of the location.

In essence, staying here is simply an experience like no other. In the words of one thankful reviewer, The Outpost provides a very special space – one in which you feel closer to nature, closer to your partner, closer to heaven. n Pippa de Bruyn

The Outpost

Makuleke Contractual Park, northern Kruger National Park, Limpopo, SA Telephone: +27 (0)11 327 3920 Email: reservations@theoutpost.co.za Website: www.seasonsinafrica.com Transfer by road from Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa or Polokwane airports or book a charter flight to the concession.

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There’s a strong Moorish influence in the beautifully tiled Maisha Spa, where a large pool fills the tranquil central courtyard.

Polana Serena Hotel ∙ Mozambique

Grandeur for a new age Built in the heyday of colonial splendour, with echoes of the Jazz Age still resonating in its graceful rooms, the refurbished Polana Serena offers sweeping Indian Ocean vistas, tranquil gardens and modern-day comforts, ushering in a new golden age for this historical Maputo hotel.

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he vibrant notes of a jazz quartet drift enticingly over the still waters of the wide pool. Here, leisurely sipping a tropical cocktail while gazing out at the starlit panorama of the Indian Ocean, your eye is drawn to the graceful facade of the Polana Serena Hotel. Its proportions are unchanged since the glory days of the 1920s, when it was the most glamorous hotel in Africa – the playground of the

rich and famous from across the globe.

Now, in the bustling boomtown that is 21st-century Maputo, this Grande Dame of Africa is enjoying a new lease on life.

It has undergone extensive restoration and refurbishment in recent years and is once more an oasis of grandeur and tranquillity in the Mozambican capital.

The stories that the marble-floored lobby and Polana bar could tell if only they could talk: stories of bright

young things of the 1920s enjoying the latest architecture of world-famous architect Sir Herbert Baker, 1930s playboys dropping in from yachts and cruise liners, World War II spies from both sides relaxed enough to exchange courteous greetings in the safety of neutral Portuguese territory, royal visits post-war, then the upheaval of civil war in the 1970s, with intrepid international journalists its new clientele. In the teens

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Fine-dining Delagoa serves up French cuisine showcasing the freshest local ingredients. Outside, terraced gardens descend to the main hotel pool, which overlooks the Indian Ocean.

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of a new century, political stability and Mozambique’s economic upswing have restored the demand for five-star luxury in Maputo and the Polana has risen to the challenge of redefining the Belle Époque for a new age.

Waking up to the sensuous swish of silk as fingers brush the bed hangings behind the delicately carved mahogany tracery of the bed head and canopy, it’s evident that the refurbishment has enhanced the best of the hotel’s original colonial grandeur. Vintage furnishings that echo Mozambique’s Indo-Portuguese heritage and classic Penhaligon’s products in the bathrooms have a feel of a luxurious bygone age – only belied by the modern amenities of television and Wi-Fi. Drawing back the embroidered curtains to greet a splendid sunrise over Maputo Bay, where passing dhows are silhouetted against the glittering sea, the grand scale of the hotel is evident in the expansive terraces and gardens descending to the magnificent pool area, all enjoying the same mesmerising views.

Whispers of history are still to be found as you wander the wide corridors, climb the sweeping staircase or descend in the original 1920s wrought-iron caged lift to the marble lobby. Stroll into the grand ballroom hung with elaborate chandeliers and you can imagine dancing the night away in the glamorous days of the Jazz Age. And it’s still a venue for glorious parties, hosting wedding celebrations as well as top events and conferences for business guests.

A new jewel in the Polana crown is the Maisha Spa. Set in its own secluded gardens, it’s a delightfully peaceful retreat for relaxing and rebalancing with blissful pampering. A tiled courtyard of intricate Moorish architecture encloses an outdoor pool surrounded by treatment rooms. Holistic massages restore serenity, whether you choose the aromatherapy or hot-stone options, or one of the dedicated Ayurvedic treatments. A whole menu of enticing wraps, facials, manicures and pedicures is on offer, using either the renowned Elemis range of skin therapies or

PHOTOGRAPHS: THE POLANA SERENA HOTEL

Built in 1922, the Polana Serena has a rich heritage as a world-class elite hotel. Recent refurbishments have celebrated its historical grandeur while bringing it thoroughly up to date with modern comforts and conveniences.

signature handmade blends of natural flower oils and herbs. A whole morning can be whiled away here between steam room, sauna and pool, relaxing at the juice bar or visiting the hair salon.

More energetic guests can swim laps in the heated 18-metre-long indoor pool, work out in the large gym and cardio studio featuring the latest state-of-theart equipment, or take classes in dance, kickboxing, yoga or tai chi in the aerobic studio next door.

Maputo is renowned for its seafood, in particular for its peri-peri prawns, and no visit would be complete without a feast of Mozambican flavours. At the Delagoa restaurant, enjoy fine-dining in an Art Deco ambience steeped in history.

Savour grilled lobster or even barracuda from the menu, a feast of classic French cuisine that enhances the freshest local ingredients. The more informal Varanda buffet restaurant overlooks the beautiful pool terrace. It’s open all day, starting

with lavish breakfasts that encompass everything from smoothies to bacon and eggs any which way, Asian congee and tasty Mozambican specialities. Live music at the Saturday seafood buffets conjures up a mood reminiscent of a more elegant age, as the fans whirr overhead and stars twinkle above the Indian Ocean. For thoroughly modern indulgence, sushi at the Aquarius bar by the pool might be just that touch of casual sophistication you’re after and is a rarity in Mozambique despite the abundance of freshly caught fish.

A real touch of 21st-century Belle Époque is to be experienced at the weekly openair classic movie show by the pool; what could beat watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s under the stars in this glorious old world setting, as you sip at a cocktail and feast on tapas or sushi? An oasis of graceful living in a frenetic modern city, the true spirit of the Polana lives on. n Kit Heathcock

Polana Serena Hotel

Maputo, MOZAMBIQUE Telephone: +258 21 241 700 Email: reservations@serena.co.mz Website: www.serenahotels.com Part of the exclusive Serena Hotels Group, the Polana Serena is situated in the heart of Maputo and is a 15-minute drive from the international airport.

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LEGENDS OF THE VINE Photographs by Michael Edwards Text by Richard Holmes

Award-winning South African winemakers share their passion for wine and life in this exclusive Opulent Living photo feature.

presented by

WALTER FINLAYSON Winemaker of the Year 1981 Blaauwklippen Zinfandel 1980

If there is one winemaker who dominated South African wine’s resurgence in the 1980s, it’s Walter Finlayson. When the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award launched in 1981, he took home the inaugural trophy with a Zinfandel from Blaauwklippen. The following year he repeated the feat with a Cabernet Sauvignon from the same Stellenbosch estate. Never one to rest on his laurels, Finlayson moved on to establish the renowned Simonsberg estate Glen Carlou, before selling up to establish another family estate at Edgebaston. Today, with the Edgebaston cellar in the hands of his son David, Walter – a keen fisherman who has worked streams from New Zealand to Canada – has plenty of time to cast a fly in search of wily trout. Closer to home, it’s the streams of the Du Toitskloof, not far from the vines of Edgebaston, that feel the flick and curl of this winemaker’s cast.

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GÜNTER BRÖZEL Winemaker of the Year 1985 Nederburg Gewürztraminer 1985

1969 was an important year. Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the first 747 jumbo jet took flight, and Günter Brözel crafted South Africa’s first Noble Late Harvest wine, the legendary Edelkeur. As cellar master at Nederburg for 33 years until 1989, Brözel is a pioneering winemaker credited with establishing the Paarl estate as a tour de force in the world of wine. He has twice won the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award, and was the first South African to be awarded the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s International Winemaker of the Year Award.

Now retired, Brözel spends his days perfecting a craft of a different sort: woodwork. It’s a hobby that started 65 years ago as an apprentice cooper. ‘I’ve made barriques by the hundreds!’ he jokes.

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ANRI & BEYERS TRUTER Winemaker of the Year 1987 Kanonkop Pinotage 1985 Young Winemaker of the Year 2012 Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2010

After 23 years crafting the famed South African varietal at Stellenbosch estate Kanonkop, the king of Pinotage set up shop on land owned by six generations of the Truter family and Beyerskloof was born. In his long winemaking career, Beyers has won almost every Pinotage award on offer, both at home and abroad. No surprise it was a Pinotage that bagged him his Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award in 1987. And true to the Truter roots, son Anri is nipping at his heels; winning the 2012 Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year Award with the estate’s flagship Diesel Pinotage. Co-operation between the two is balanced by competition on the golf course, where father and son indulge another shared passion. ‘Anri’s a much better golfer than me,’ admits Beyers, who plays off a 17 handicap.

‘It’s fine. I can handle myself on the course and – importantly – I know when it’s time to pick up my ball!’

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RONELL WIID Winemaker of the Year 1999 Hazendal Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 In the long history of the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award, Ronell Wild was the first – and to date, the only – female winemaker to have bagged the coveted prize. After honing her winemaking skills at Boschendal she moved to Hazendal in 1998. A stellar blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from her first vintage earned her the Diners Club crown the very next year. With two teenage sons and a large cellar to keep track of, Wild chooses to recharge in her downtime by diving between the pages of a good book, with the likes of Philip Pullman and thriller writer John le Carré her top choices. ‘I usually read books from cover to cover… sometimes until four in the morning,’ laughs Wild, who says she envies artists and writers who begin with a blank canvas. ‘Winemakers start with very good grapes that come in from the vineyards, and it’s our responsibility to ensure they realise their full potential.’

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PIETER FERREIRA Winemaker of the Year 2004 Graham Beck Brut Blanc de Blancs 1999

Along with making world-class Champagnestyle bubblies, Ferreira is as famous for diving into a Winelands pond in celebration of being named Diners Club Winemaker of the Year in 2004. ‘It was a dare, and luckily I didn’t know about the crocodile farm next door!’ he laughs.

Nudged into winemaking by wine pioneer Jan ‘Boland’ Coetzee, Ferreira fell in love with bubbly after working with Franschhoek’s Achim von Arnim, and at the legendary French cellars of Mumm and Moët & Chandon. In 2002, a piece of France followed him to his Franschhoek home in the form of an iconic Citroen 2CV ‘deux chevaux’, shipped into South Africa with, fittingly, a container of French barriques destined for the estate. Recently, with his Méthode Cap Classique perfected, ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira has shifted his focus to Syrah, which he says thrives in the warm climate and limestone soils of the Breede River Valley, home to the Robertson estate of Graham Beck Wines, where he is cellarmaster.

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GOTTFRIED MOCKE Winemaker of the Year 2006 Chamonix Reserve Chardonnay 2005

A member of the highly respected Cape Winemakers Guild, Gottfried Mocke worked in cellars from the Rheingau to Oregon before studying viticulture and oenology at the famed Weinsberg, the oldest wine academy in Germany. In 2001 he returned to South Africa – where he grew up – and took over as winemaker at Chamonix in Franschhoek, a cellar he still calls ‘the office’. Since then, Mocke has lovingly developed these dry-land vineyards set high on the slopes of Mont Rochelle to create, among others, Chamonix’s award-winning Burgundy-style Chardonnay.

For weekend ‘board meetings’, he throws his surfboard into the car and heads for his favourite secret breaks up and down the West Coast. ‘It’s such a great means of experiencing nature in a different way,’ says Mocke, who has been surfing since his school days.

‘Sometimes you paddle out and there won’t be any swell at all, but it’s still just a great way to relax.’

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MARC KENT Winemaker of the Year 2006 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2005

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the Franschhoek Valley, Boekenhoutskloof traces its history back over two centuries, but only stepped into the Winelands limelight thanks to a major restoration and replanting programme begun in the mid 1990s.

Overseeing that rejuvenation was Marc Kent, a graduate of the famed Elsenburg College who took the reins as winemaker and established the estate as arguably the finest Syrah producer in the country. ‘With good vineyard selection we can largely remove the vagaries of vintage in the Western Cape,’ claims the humble vintner. ‘In 18 years we’ve only had two really challenging vintages… our climate’s quite temperate so we know what to expect, and can work around it.’ Despite overseeing a farm hemmed in by mountains, Kent spends a good deal of time on the waters of Hermanus Lagoon and Theewaterskloof Dam, sailing dinghies with his young sons. For the cellarmaster, sailing entails working with what nature throws at you… much the same as making wine.

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BARTHO EKSTEEN Winemaker of the Year 2010 Hermanuspietersfontein 2009 Sauvignon Blanc no 5

The Sultan of Savvy, The Sage of Sauvignon or Monsieur Sauvignon Blanc – these are just a few of the monikers the country’s top wine judges and writers have given Bartho Eksteen, a man who can trace his vinous heritage back over three centuries. While his forebears have long farmed in the traditional vignerons of the Cape Winelands, it’s in the cool-climate region surrounding Walker Bay that Eksteen – a member of the respected Cape Winemakers Guild – has found the perfect terroir to craft his world-class Sauvignon Blancs. That terroir, with the cool Atlantic Ocean just kilometres from the vines, also allows Eksteen to indulge his other passion: snorkelling and free-diving for crayfish and alikreukel in the kelp beds off nearby Vermont, Onrus and Sandbaai.

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LEGENDS OF THE VINE SALUTING AWARD-WINNING WINEMAKERS

With a pedigree stretching back over three decades, the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award raises a glass to the country’s most accomplished winemakers, honouring the talent and dedication of those who spend long hours in the cellar to hone their craft.

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In the world of winemaking, heritage counts.

The lineage of vines and vineyards are plotted like branches on a family tree, and the nuances of vintages past are interwoven into the fabric of an estate as tightly as the wood grain of the French barrels that lie maturing in the cellar.

The future of a wine is inexorably linked to the vintages that have come before it. Each year’s bottling is a building block for both the cellar and winemaker; a single step to shape the wines that will follow in the long years after the last drops of the current vintage have been swilled, sipped and savoured.

Those same principles apply to what is without doubt the most prestigious award the South African wine industry has to offer: the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award, where the men and women behind South Africa’s globally-acclaimed wines are recognised for their skill and passion in the cellar. Each year, the winner of the coveted Award is celebrated for raising the bar for the entire industry, laying the foundation for greater things in future years. ‘The thing that distinguishes the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year is its prestige and history,’ says Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof, the 2007 award winner.

‘The list of winners is hugely impressive, and anybody who I regard highly is on that list. I must say I feel very proud.’

Although winemakers submit a wine in the year’s chosen category – 2012 called for Dessert Wines (Unfortified) – it’s an award unique in South Africa for celebrating the maker, rather than the wine. And Kent is right: the list of past winners reads like a roll call of South Africa’s most lauded and loved winemakers: Carl Schultz, Günter Brözel, Sydney Back, Pieter Ferreira, Jeff Grier, Nicky Krone, Walter Finlayson, Danie de Wet, André Bruwer… But, while the winemakers are given a rare moment in the limelight, Dave Hughes,

chairman of the Diners Club judging panel, is quick to remind you that ‘it all revolves around the wine. In the end the reason one person gets the Award is because they have made a bloody good wine. In fact, winemakers will sometimes make a wine specifically with a view to entering the Awards.’

And Hughes is a man who knows a thing or two about the wine business. In his long and varied career he has added winemaker, distiller, author and auctioneer to his list of accomplishments. In between, he has been made Honorary Cape Wine Master, founded the prestigious Cape Wine Academy, been granted the Freedom of the City of London, and been inducted as a life member of the International Wine and Food Society. He has, perhaps most importantly, also been a wine judge both at home and abroad, integrally involved with the respected International Wine & Spirit Competition since its inception nearly 40 years ago.

As the most sought-after award on the Winelands calendar, it’s not surprising that each year Hughes assembles a respected panel of judges to taste the submitted wines and decide which of the country’s winemakers should be honoured. In 2012, the judges included leading wine writer – and winemaker himself – Neil Pendock; wine buyer and professional taster Carrie Adams; Nomonde Kubheka, judge at the SAA Wine Awards; Margaret Fry, lecturer at the Cape Wine Academy; and Colin Frith, Honorary Cape Wine Master and a specialist in assessing dessert wines.

‘We try to move the panel around so that we have fresh people on it each year,’ explains Hughes. ‘We also try to split the panel into people from the Highveld and the Cape, a split between male and female, and a split between black and white. And when we

Visit the Opulent Living website www.opulentliving.co.za for an entertaining behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot, additional images of the winemakers and fun out-takes from the shoot, the signed art prints for purchase in our Opulent Living Gallery.

Top winemakers, all previous

have an overseas expert on the panel – we try to ensure that he or she is an expert in the particular category for that year.’ In 2012, that international perspective came from Australian Neil McGuigan – the 2011 International Winemaker of the Year and an expert in dessert wines.

Importantly, the judging process also follows the international best practice of ‘blind’ tastings, where judges do not know the estate or winemaker involved in the wine being

assessed. ‘At the time we’re judging we have absolutely no idea who made the wine in the glass, so there’s absolutely no influence from the winemaker. Only when we have arrived at what we think is the best wine do we learn who made it,’ explains Hughes.

And, just as vineyard blocks that show potential are earmarked for special attention, so too winemakers making waves early on in their careers deserve to be recognised. With that principle in mind, the Diners Club Young

winners of the prestigious Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award, shared their passions beyond the vine for this unusual portrait series.

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LEGENDS OF THE VINE SALUTING AWARD-WINNING WINEMAKERS

DINERS CLUB WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR 2012: Razvan Macici, Nederburg 2011: Johan Jordaan, Spier 2010: Bartho Eksteen, Hermanuspietersfontein 2009: Coenie Snyman, Rust en Vrede 2008: (competition declared invalid) 2007: Marc Kent, Boekenhoutskloof 2006: Gottfried Mocke, Chamonix 2005: Carl Schultz, Hartenberg 2004: Pieter Ferreira, Graham Beck 2003: John Loubser, Steenberg 2002: Danie De Waal, De Waal 2001: Teddy Hall, Kanu 2000: Paul de Villiers, Landskroon 1999: Ronell Wiid, Hazendal 1998: Danie Malan, Allesverloren 1997: Jeff Grier, Villiera 1996: Gyles Webb, Thelema 1995: Nicky Krone, Twee Jonge Gezellen 1994: Gyles Webb, Thelema 1993: Danie de Wet, De Wetshof 1992: Jean Daneel, Buitenverwagting 1991: Wilhelm Linde, Nuy 1990: André Bruwer, Bon Courage 1989: Peter Finlayson, Hamilton Russell 1988: Wilhelm Linde, Nuy 1987: Beyers Truter, Kanonkop 1986: Sidney Back, Backsberg 1985: Günter Brözel, Nederburg 1984: M Rossouw, Eersterivier 1983: Günter Brözel, Nederburg 1982: Walter Finlayson, Blaauwklippen 1981: Walter Finlayson, Blaauwklippen DINERS CLUB YOUNG WINEMAKERS 2012: Anri Truter, Beyerskloof 2011: Matthew van Heerden, Uva Mira 2010: RJ Botha, Nitida 2009: Clayton Reabow, Môreson 2008: Ossie Sauermann, La Vigne 2007: Ruth Penfold, Steenberg 2006: Francois Agenbag, Mountain Ridge 2005: Johan Kruger, Sterhuis 2004: Johan Nesenberend, Darling Cellars 2003: Ivy du Toit, Jason Hill 2002: Boela Gerber, Groot Constantia 2001: Henri Swiegers, Slanghoek

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Winemaker of the Year Award came into being as a means of honouring winemakers under the age of 30.

In 2012, the list of nominees included Charles Williams from De Toren Private Cellar, Nico Grobler from Eikendal and Peter de Wet from De Wetshof Estate; the last no doubt hoping to follow in his father Danie’s formidable footsteps. In the end, it was the wine from another father-and-son act that caught the judges’ attention: Anri Truter of Beyerskloof, who bagged top honours with his Diesel Pinotage 2010. ‘It‘s quite a complex, full-bodied wine with great balance, but it also reflects the serious side of the variety,’ explains Anri, who jokes that, with father Beyers, the winemaker at Kanonkop for 23 years and later at family estate Beyerskloof, ‘I had Pinotage over my porridge from day one!’

The prizes, on top of the accolade, are no less impressive: last year the Young Winemaker Award carried with it a cheque for R25 000, while the 2012 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year received two air tickets to a wineproducing country, and a cheque to the tune of a cool R50 000. ‘There’s no other competition in South Africa, and few in the world, that have a prize quite like that,’ exclaims Hughes.

‘And what’s interesting about 2012 is that the

Noble Late Harvest that scored top in the very first round of tasting was the one that came out tops in the end.’

That wine was from the skilled hands of Nederburg’s Razvan Macici, who traces his winemaking heritage back three generations to his grandfather’s farm in Romania. And Razvan is without doubt a worthy winner of the Award in the very first year that the category called for unfortified dessert wines. Back in 1969, Nederburg, under the stewardship of the legendary Günter Brözel, was the first estate to offer a Noble Late Harvest, the Edelkeur, and ever since the landmark Paarl estate has been renowned for producing some of the world’s finest dessert wines. Once again, heritage counts, and the fine wines that have graced the cellar in the past echo through to the present-day.

The 17th-century English scientist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, perhaps somewhat humbly, said it best: ‘If I have seen further it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.’ I’d venture the same could be said for the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Awards. In celebrating our titans of terroir today, it allows future generations to be inspired – and see further – into the bright future awaiting South African wine.

CREAM OF THE CROP Diners Club has long been synonymous with the exclusive benefits enjoyed by global travellers, who value bespoke service and absolute convenience. Cardholders enjoy access to a unique Concierge Service, the Diners Club Wine Society as well as the signature Connoisseur’s Club. Now an exclusive new card offering from Diners Club – Privé – promises to elevate the fortunate few to new levels of ease and convenience. Privé cardholders receive personal attention from the dedicated Diners Club

Privé manager, and have access to exclusive Privé concierge services that can assist with anything from anniversary flowers to helicopter transfers. Privé cardholders also receive access to more than 450 airport lounges across the globe, improved mileage benefits, worldwide concierge services through Diners Club International Global Privileges, online invoicing, global cash withdrawals and a complimentary add-on card. Access is by invitation only. For more information, visit prive.dinersclub.co.za.

Onguma The Fort ∙ Namibia

A stronghold of luxury amid vast savannah plains Namibia’s Etosha National Park is one of the great wildlife sanctuaries of Africa.

To visit Onguma The Fort, in a private reserve on its eastern edge, is to be surrounded by untamed wilderness stretching to every horizon. Here you can experience the finest southern African offerings in tandem: a unique and deeply decadent safari lodge offering unparalleled game and bird viewing.

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nguma means ‘the place you don’t want to leave’ – and when you experience the beauty and splendour of The Fort, you’ll appreciate the name. Set on the edge of chalky-white Fisher’s Pan, The Fort is surrounded by wildlife, wide horizons and a sense of timeless antiquity.

A herd of regal gemsbok walks slowly past and soaks up the last rays of the sun before it paints the sky crimson.

All around, the bush is quiet, with a stillness that soothes the soul. It is here, in the 34 000-hectare Onguma Private Game Reserve, on the eastern edge of Namibia’s vast Etosha National Park, that The Fort appears to emerge from

the surrounding earth in the colours of natural sand. It’s classically north African in its traditional Kasbahinspired design, yet sits comfortably in its setting of southern African savannah and bushveld.

Echoing the iconic German forts of nearby Namutoni and Okaukuejo, Onguma The Fort anchors the area with its imposing presence. Co-owner André Louw, says: ‘Etosha is vast, so I wanted a substantial lodge to stand on the edge of the pan. I was inspired by the scale and design of traditional buildings in Morocco, particularly in Marrakesh.’

The Fort was designed by André and Stellenbosch-based architect Johann

Slee and built from natural materials, mostly sourced locally. Local hands also crafted the extensive collection of towers and secret chambers that epitomise the dramatic building. ‘I wanted the building to emerge from the earth,’ says André, ‘so the walls are raw and earthy and stone was cut on site during construction.’

He adds that some of the local Haikum Bushmen who built The Fort still work at the lodge today.

A fusion of chic safari and organic Africa, The Fort’s décor seamlessly reflects its surroundings. Earth tones of brown and slate complement the white of the pan, while splashes of green symbolise the bush refreshed after rain.

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Onguma The Fort comprises 12 stand-alone suites, each with a fireplace and a private viewing deck. The surrounding plains, dotted with camel thorn trees, afford magnificent sunset views.

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It’s outside-inside living at this elegant lodge, with the 12 sumptuous suites all opening up completely to the surrounding environment. Cushioned loungers lie on private wooden decks, solid rough-cut bed bases, raw stone fireplaces and intricate cut-metal light shades adorn the interiors to showcase signature décor elements of Africa north and south. Recent refurbishments and styling were expertly done by Monique Ferreira-Louw.

At the heart of the main Fort building is a courtyard of calm with a cool swimming pool for hot Namibian days.

Here a variety of enticing cocktails are served to guests seated on chairs in the water, which ensures a memorable and unique experience. Once inside The Fort, guests are completely private and cocooned from the surrounding wilderness. The opulent Sultan’s Suite resides in this central Fort building,

and game watching into the distance is possible from its elevated tower.

Game drives into the adjoining Etosha National Park, one of the largest game parks in Africa, are offered daily. The private Onguma reserve, meanwhile, affords guests the unique opportunity to enjoy night drives and interpretive bush walks in this vast wilderness area.

Wildlife sightings by day and night are prolific and enchanting. With lion, elephant, rhino and leopard resident at Onguma, plus a wide selection of plains game, guests are assured of a top wildlife experience. More than 30 different mammal species and 300 different bird species can be seen in Etosha – including unique black-faced impala - and if you stay for a few days, you are guaranteed to see many of the species here, even if you game watch exclusively from the luxury surrounds of the lodge.

Back in the embrace of The Fort,

Onguma The Fort

Onguma Private Game Reserve, Etosha National Park, NAMIBIA Telephone: +264 (0)61 237 055 Email: reservations@onguma.com Website: www.onguma.com

PHOTOGRAPHS: ONGUMA THE FORT

The Fort is one of five unique lodges in Onguma Private Game Reserve, which adjoins Etosha. Other lodges include the Bush Camp, Tented Camp, Tree Top Camp and Etosha Aoba. The reserve has a private landing strip for those who wish to charter a flight to the area.

decadent dinners are served by robed waiters and evenings are softly lit by oil lamps. It’s pure romance coupled with sumptuous cuisine with a distinct Pan African influence. Of course the finest and freshest Namibian ingredients are used, with Namibian beef fillet and Atlantic butterfish being timeless favourites. There are also tastes from north Africa though, to ensure the everchanging menu offers guests tastes from the entire continent.

‘I built the lodge for anyone who may appreciate it,’ adds André. ‘I was inspired by the surroundings, the space and the earth.’ And it is his wish for all guests to The Fort to experience that same sense of deep connection to Africa. The feeling of being close to earth and part of antiquity. Of the surreal vastness and sheer wonder that is Etosha. For here, time is abundant and Africa is just as it always has been. n Keri Harvey

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The Oyster Box ∙ South Africa

Beside the seaside The Oyster Box in Umhlanga, on the tropical Indian Ocean coast north of Durban, has all the benefits of a carefree bucket-and-spade beach holiday coupled with the thoroughly grown-up pleasures of this much-loved landmark hotel.

The five-star hotel is set just behind Umhlanga’s famous lighthouse and gives direct access to the resort town’s beautiful beaches.

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The private cinema screens a varied selection of classic, comedy, adventure, drama and foreign films, accompanied by popcorn, ice cream and milkshakes. Pizza making in The Ocean Terrace provides fun entertainment for children.

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he Oyster Box, originally opened in 1947, was for decades the grande dame of luxury seaside hotels in KwaZulu-Natal. After a rigorous threeyear rebuild, it reopened in 2009 as part of the Red Carnation Hotels collection, and is once again the luxury choice north of Durban – being voted among the Top 20 Leisure Hotels in Africa, the Middle East and Indian Ocean Islands in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers Awards 2012 Situated on the edge of the Indian Ocean in holiday-spirited Umhlanga Rocks, The Oyster Box has lost none of its old-world charm despite its glamorously updated looks. The décor is lavish, layered and supremely comfortable. Handcrafted tiles and other original decorative elements were retained, and a new contemporary art collection – over 80 paintings hang throughout the hotel – showcases the talent of young and emerging KwaZuluNatal artists. The original staircase, featuring inlaid tiles between each step, was also carefully restored.

For its many regulars, The Oyster Box conjures nostalgic memories of romantic proposals, honeymoons and family holidays. Whether checking in for one blissful night or a longer, more relaxed stay, this much-loved hotel is both elegantly formal and comfortably familiar. Secure and private, it is tucked away in a cul de sac, backed by tropical gardens, while in front it’s all about uninterrupted sea views.

The Umhlanga lighthouse in front of the main pool deck is a historical landmark, and a few steps away sandy coves and rock pools beg to be explored.

It’s an obvious option for a honeymoon or romantic liaison – and, of course, an unforgettable wedding. A romantic Victorian-style gazebo in the garden is perfect for an outside ceremony, while the all-white Pearl Room, with mirrored walls and exquisite hand-blown crystal Venetian chandeliers, accommodates an elegant reception for 120 guests.

The Oyster Box is equally suited to relaxed family holidays. ‘Parent friendly’ rather than ‘kid friendly’, a wealth of activities and facilities ensures the entire family feels thoroughly spoilt. On arrival,

children receive a backpack filled with essential holiday items and an armband entitling them to surprise treats, including toffee apples, milkshakes, ice cream and candy floss. Given that it’s on the beach, umbrellas, beach bags, bat-and-ball sets and suntan lotion are all readily available from reception. Pets are welcome, but young animal lovers can also lavish their attention on Skabenga (‘vagabond’ in Zulu), the resident cat who is usually to be found snoozing or grooming on his favourite sofa in the lobby.

Business travellers, too, will love the mix of function rooms available for meetings and conferences – and the high levels of discreet, personal service on offer. Best of all, working dads can bring the rest of the family along for a fun seaside break.

Meticulous attention to detail and quality design extends to the 86 rooms and suites, all richly layered in pattern, texture and colour, and with beautiful sea or garden views. In signature Red Carnation style, rooms are decorated from top to bottom in a single bold colour, such as yellow, blue or green. The effect is dramatic and enveloping, creating seaside sanctuaries enhanced by the ever-present background sound of waves crashing on the shore.

Five sea-facing family suites are geared exclusively to parents travelling with young children. Each has a master bedroom plus a second bedroom – four with bunk beds and one a loft room with two single beds. Children under 12 stay for free in the family suites.

Set apart from the main hotel, there are also four garden villas that can be converted into two-bedroom suites by linking them with the villa lofts above them. Here, a private plunge pool, terrace and lounge more than compensate for the lack of sea views.

The presidential suite and an adjoining classic room accommodate a family of four in spacious splendour and include a heated infinity pool, fully equipped kitchen and 24-hour butler service.

Satellite TV, a CD/DVD player and Wi-Fi come standard, and kids will appreciate the fresh popcorn delivered to the room along with a DVD of choice.

Indulge in oysters and Champagne at the sophisticated Oyster Bar (top left), sit down to fresh seafood in the fine dining Grill Room (left) or sample one of Durban’s famous curries at The Ocean Terrace (above and top).

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Deluxe Suites provide guests with luxurious bedrooms and separate lounge areas, as well as a private terrace. The Turkishstyle hammam is a popular feature of the tranquil spa.

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Book lovers can make themselves at home in the cosy, wood-panelled clock library, where the quiet tick-tock of the impressive collection of antique clocks is the only sound that disturbs the peace of this private guests-only sanctuary.

Guests also have exclusive access to the in-house movie theatre – a great choice to keep teens entertained while mom and dad linger over dinner or a nightcap.

The private cinema experience includes sinking into a plush, black leather seat, enjoying state-of-the-art surround sound, and indulging in homemade treats such as ice cream, milkshakes, popcorn or candy.

For sundowners, the Lighthouse Bar has a sexy ambience and a terrace overlooking the sea, while the tiny Chukka Bar off the lobby is ideal for a cigar and an intimate chat. The venue of choice for most visitors, though, is the celebrated Oyster Bar. With live music every night, top Champagnes from the hotel’s extensive cellar and decadent plates of oysters, freshly picked

from the hotel’s own oyster beds, it’s certainly the sophisticated option.

The Ocean Terrace is perfect for family meals, offering casual all-day dining with an authentic Tandoori oven and thinbased gourmet pizzas from a wood-fired oven. But it’s the famous curry buffet that attracts the most attention in this relaxed restaurant. Incorporating freshly ground spices and fresh herbs, the likes of Lamb Vindaloo and Durban’s famous chicken and prawn curry are accompanied by homemade pickles, chutneys, raitas and sambals, and naan breads, poppadoms and roti freshly prepared by the engaging chefs. It’s a feast for all the senses with delightful service to match.

The crisp navy blue-and-white Grill Room is fine dining at its best with a menu of retro classics from crayfish and prawn cocktail to seafood platters and oldfashioned dinner dances on weekends.

Children-focused menus are available in The Ocean Terrace but qualified babysitters

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bulthaup The essence of form and function.

bulthaup b3 The universal bulthaup b3 design system offers everything you could wish for from a complete kitchen: unusually versatile solutions for the equipment of the perfect kitchen, but also for functional and aesthetic modifications to rooms that go way beyond the kitchen workspace.

To re-think space and be truly innovative, you don’t just need in-depth expertise and uncompromising design, quality and craftsmanship. Everything we do at bulthaup is based on the lasting values that drive us to go the extra mile, to think outside the box – the values of passion and consistency. bulthaup is proud of its history and builds on the traditions and values of previous generations of the family. After all, there is no future without a past.

bulthaup b1 bulthaup b1 means room-height architecture, proportional coherence, seamless design and flowing transitions from surfaces to edges. The deliberately minimalist appearance facilitates a matchlessly perfect design, allowing the typical features to make the difference: bulthaup b1 is sleek, harmonious and aesthetically perfect. It is clear from each plan that this is a bulthaup product. And true to the motto as little as possible and as much as necessary.

Living Kitchens (Pty) Ltd Media Quarter Cnr. Somerset Road & De Smidt Street De Waterkant, Cape Town, 8005 Tel. +27 (0)21 419 5445 info@bulthaup.co.za www.livingkitchens.co.za

bulthaup b2 Based on the philosophical origins of every living space – the fire and water point – bulthaup has developed bulthaup b2, an open and mobile kitchen that can be added to and put together to suit the individual. It embodies the “kitchen workshop” in its original interpretation – in a unique combination of workbench, tool cabinet and appliance cabinet.

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Hold a romantic wedding ceremony in the Victorian-style garden gazebo and an elegant reception in the all-white Pearl Room.

are on hand to free up parents too, should they choose to dine alone. Kids between the ages of four and 12 years have access to a supervised children’s playroom with a range of activities including Xbox, PlayStation, DVDs and board games.

With children happily occupied, there’s time for parents to retreat to the spa, a calm, cool sanctuary with six treatment rooms tucked away in the gardens. The emphasis is on hydrotherapy, Zulu and

The Oyster Box

PHOTOGRAPHS: RED CARNATION HOTELS

Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal, SA Telephone: +27 (0)31 514 5000 Email: reservations@oysterbox.co.za Website: www.oysterboxhotel.com

Ayurvedic healing rituals and the focal point is the hammam, an exquisitely tiled, authentic Turkish steam bath that is both deeply relaxing and detoxifying.

A tailor-made spa package is the ultimate indulgence, but a one-hour hot lava shell massage will quickly restore body, mind and soul. For the energetic, there is also a fully equipped Technogym.

After a late breakfast, lunch may be overlooked in favour of afternoon tea in the Palm Court, an indoor courtyard

inspired by the hotel’s original colonial architecture with vaulted ceilings, chandeliers purchased from the Savoy in London and, of course, exquisite potted palms. The tea table is laden with cream scones, delicate pastries, elaborate cakes, finger sandwiches and dainty savouries.

With colonial paddle fans wafting to and fro and live piano music enhancing the relaxed ambience, it’s an ideal venue for a family reunion or special occasion. n Jane Broughton

The Oyster Box is part of Red Carnation Hotels, an award-winning collection of 13 family-run boutique hotels located in some of the world’s most popular destinations. The hotel is a 15-minute drive north of the Durban city centre and is easily accessible from King Shaka International Airport.

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Desroches Island ∙ Seychelles

The ultimate beach retreat Voted one of the world’s Top 10 Remote Travel Destinations by Forbes magazine, the beautiful resort on the small Seychelles island of Desroches attracts those looking for the priceless luxury of peace and total privacy.

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bout 65 million years ago, the giant supercontinent of Gondwanaland broke up and an archipelago of 115 islands – the mountain peaks of this ancient landmass – came to rest in 1.4 million square kilometres of Indian Ocean. Despite this cataclysmic birth, the Seychelles is an unparalleled haven of golden sunsets and silver fish glinting in sapphire seas.

In this tropical paradise, Desroches

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Island raises heaven to the seventh level.

Situated 230 kilometres southeast of the country’s largest island, Mahé, it can be reached only by small plane. It’s so remote that Hollywood stars, heads of state and royalty love to hang out in its secluded surrounds. It’s certainly a favourite of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – at the end of their stay, Prince William told the islanders (population 50) that it was his and Kate’s ‘best holiday ever’.

The lush island – just 6.2 by 1.5 kilometres, with a coral atoll protecting its pristine 14.5-kilometre sandy white coastline – incorporates a choice of luxurious hideaways for both couples and families.

These range from one-bedroomed retreats to three-, four- and five-bedroomed villas, each with an infinity pool and private beach. For the finest A-list experience, there’s the Madame Zabre Spa Retreat, with three pools – one adjoining

Serene, minimalistic design allows a sense of flow between the cool interiors and the lush tropical outdoors.

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each bedroom – outdoor showers, large entertaining areas and a dedicated team of chefs, butlers and ‘spa angels’.

Famous for its multi-hued coral outcrops, Desroches Island’s protection from commercial and spear fishing has ensured a breathtaking variety of marine life. With 16 classified dive sites and vast virgin reefs to explore, diving and snorkelling here is like swimming in an aquarium of colourful specimens.

The fresh sea air will work up an appetite that a lightly seared fillet of the local wahoo fish, partnered with a chilled Chardonnay, will perfectly assuage. Have your butler serve your gourmet meals at your villa or under an umbrella on your secluded beach, where you can eat, drink and frolic en deshabille to your heart’s content. If you do crave company, you can cycle off to the restaurant for lunch or dinner, or to a small bar that serves cocktails and super smoothies.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SEASONS IN AFRICA

The 6.2-kilometre-long island is blanketed in palm trees and surrounded by pristine white sands and azure waters. Villas take full advantage of the views and, after a leisurely stroll along the beach, you can sit down to a private picnic lunch catered by the restaurant.

With all boat traffic monitored, no unwelcome visitors can intrude. Forget roaring speedboats or buzzing jet skis.

Here kayaks and windsurfers make for silent but spirited sailing. Schedule a trip to the well-stocked waters of the Amirantes to fish for marlin or plumb the mysterious labyrinths of caves and columns at the Desroches Drop-Off with a professional scuba instructor.

The best way to explore the island’s interior is by bicycle. All guests, including children, get one to use during their stay.

If you can’t be bothered to locate the well-equipped gym, then work off all that scrumptious cuisine by pedalling along sun-dappled jungle paths where tropical birds chatter in the indigenous forest. The restaurant can prepare a lunch hamper for you and your entourage to picnic at any spot you choose. Bright red Madagascar fody birds will clear any remaining crumbs and you can

befriend the giant tortoises, the island’s oldest inhabitants.

If you’re travelling en famille, let the Kid’s Haven keep the children occupied with fun activities for all ages, including conservation walks, tortoise feeding, snorkelling and kayaking.

Meanwhile you can treat yourself to a blissful warm shell massage – at your villa or at the Escape Spa. Or dip into a book next to your infinity pool, where hibiscus flowers add pink accents to a luminous green gecko sunning itself nearby. Then succumb to Desroches Island’s soporific spell from behind the netting of the daybed on your veranda.

Part of the magic of this enchanted island is that everything winds down as gently as it begins. Light sea breezes temper the heat and the swift shutter of Equatorial nightfall allows no twilight. Such splendid isolation spells total relaxation. n Caroline Hurry

Desroches Island

Amirantes Archipelago, SEYCHELLES Telephone: +27 (0)21 418 3581 Email: bookings@desroches-island.com Website: www.desroches-island.com Desroches is a 40-minute flight from the international airport on Mahé.

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Image courtesy of Graff Diamonds, London: Multishape sapphire and diamond scroll motif necklace (sapphires 156.60cts, diamonds 101.96cts) and cushion-cut sapphire (19.99ct) ring featuring trilliant-cut diamond shoulders from Graff Diamonds, all POA.

Style is form and design. It’s quality

and craftsmanship. But most of all it

has confidence and flair. This section

celebrates its finest renditions.

Opulent Living Style

Art in rolling motion Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris celebrated The Art of the Automobile in 2011 with an exhibition of 17 vehicles from Ralph Lauren’s extensive classic-car collection.

Classic-car collectors are driven by a passion for that marriage of fine design and machine genius – the rare automobile.

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or most of us, a car is a utilitarian concept; little more than a means of reaching point B from point A. And more often than not, it’s something we worry about more than we celebrate.

Will it break down on the long drive up the Garden Route? When is it next due for a service? How can those tyres be worn through already? By and large a grudge purchase seen as a means to an end, there are few of us who feel any sort of profound love for our vehicles.

But then, there is another breed of driver. Those who see in the flowing lines and chromed detailing works of art, who are mesmerised by the exquisite craftsmanship of a hand-stitched leather steering wheel, and who keenly follow the evolution of design from the Model T to the McLaren F1. For these lovers of classic cars, an automobile is far, far more than the sum of its parts.

‘I’ve always seen cars as art. Moving art,’ says celebrated American fashion designer and entrepreneur Ralph Lauren in Speed, Style and Beauty, a book tracing his remarkable collection of classic cars and their impact on his philosophy of design. ‘While friends of mine were into

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paintings, I somehow felt that the real beauty of owning a rare and magnificently designed car was the fact that you can use it. You can look at it, enjoy its visual qualities, as with a painting, but you can also get inside and drive it – which means both enjoying the drive itself and going somewhere with it.’

Lauren is celebrated as one of the world’s most discerning collectors of classic cars, with an eye for both form and function, and the private collection garaged on his New York estate reads like a who’s who of European auto design in the 20th century: Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Porsche, Ferrari… the list goes on.

‘How these cars are put together, the purposefulness with which they were created, in every detail – the engine, the mechanics, the outside ornamentation, the design of the wheels, the whole spirit – is very, very exciting,’ says Lauren. ‘And on top of that you have the men who created these cars, Mr Porsche, Mr Bugatti, Mr Ferrari, and their backgrounds, their heritages, their fascinating histories, their reasons for driving and building these cars – I find it all very stimulating.’

In 2011, Lauren was gracious enough

PHOTOGRAPH: PIERRE-OLIVIER DESCHAMPS

by Richard Holmes

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PHOTOGRAPH: PIERRE-OLIVIER DESCHAMPS

Art in rolling motion

Show stopper: The Ferrari 375 Plus

COLLECTOR’S CORNER Dauphin Collection Hersbruck, Germany www.dauphinspeedevent.de Franschhoek Motor Museum L’Ormarins Wine Estate, Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa www.fmm.co.za

to share some of his ‘stimulating’ masterpieces with the wider world when he lent 17 of his most prized vehicles to the exhibition The Art of the Automobile, Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection, which showed at Les Arts Décoratifs museum in Paris. Of course it wasn’t the first time classic cars had ended up in a museum – New York’s iconic Museum of Modern Art has three in its collection, including a Jaguar E-type and the super-rare Cisitalia, which is widely referred to as a ‘rolling sculpture’. But what made Lauren’s collection unique was that the museum’s curator, Rodolphe Rapetti, personally selected each vehicle to specifically showcase the evolution of the European automobile.

The 1933 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix was one that made the journey to Paris. Long hailed as the most attractive – and indeed, the last – of Ettore Bugatti’s Grand Prix

designs, this gem of Lauren’s collection raced in the 1934 Belgian Grand Prix. The 1938 Bugatti 57S(C) Atlantic was equally head turning, with the distinctive ‘spine seam’ part of the design by Jean Bugatti, Ettore’s son. Then there was the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, the model in which James Dean met his end, and the 1957 Jaguar XKSS, one of just 16 ever built.

But the stars of the Lauren collection are undoubtedly those with a Cavallino Rampante on the bonnet. The black prancing stallion that makes fiery red Ferraris so instantly recognisable grace cars from Lauren’s prized F250 Testa Rossa through to the quintessentially Italian look of the F250 Grand Tourer.

Only 36 of the latter ever rolled off the production line.

While Lauren collects his classic cars to celebrate the grace and beauty of the form, another major US collector has

The Museum of Modern Art New York, USA www.moma.org Ralph Lauren Car Show Les Arts Décoratifs museum, Paris, France www.ralphlaurencarcollection.com Simeone Automotive Museum Philadelphia, USA www.simeonemuseum.org

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PHOTOGRAPHS: FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM, RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION

Jay Leno’s Garage www.jaylenosgarage.com No public visits, but an extensive image and video collection online

PHOTOGRAPHS: FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM, RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION

Collector’s dream: the 1936 Maserati 6CM (left), the

more spirited intentions in mind. ‘The first race was conceived when the second car was built,’ is the guiding principle – and the welcome sign – behind the Simeone Automotive Museum in Pennsylvania, which celebrates the evolution of the racing car.

The museum houses the private collection of Dr Frederick Simeone, one of the United States’s celebrated collectors of rare and significant sports cars. Preferring spokes and badges to stocks and bonds, he has assembled a remarkable collection of more than 60 vehicles, each with a notable racing pedigree.

Stand-outs include the 1936 Bugatti ‘Tank’, which won the Le Mans race in 1937, and the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900, winner of the 1938 Mille Miglia, a 1 000mile race through Italy. There are Hudson Roadsters, Mercedes Benz Gull-wings and Fords that have run rings around Nascar, but the wreaths above the bonnet are less important than celebrating the spirit of competition and evolution.

Simeone and Lauren are far from alone when it comes to owning remarkable collections of classic cars, though. The Sultan of Brunei and Ken Lingenfelter – a US collector who made his fortune in real estate – are both famed for their collections of eye-wateringly expensive cars, but it’s popular celebrities like Tim Allen, Rowan Atkinson and Nick Mason that tend to dominate more of the headlines, and not always for the right reasons either. Atkinson, for instance, notoriously wrapped his McLaren F1 around a tree in 2011, causing R12-million worth of damage.

Bugatti 57 S(C) Atlantic 1938 (above) and the 1928 Bugatti Type 35B (below).

Of those regularly gracing the front pages with their bevy of motoring beauties, Jay Leno is far and away the most notable.

Leno’s California garage is rumoured to house more than 100 rare and classic cars, all of which regularly get a turn on the road with Leno at the wheel.

Unlike most other collectors, though, Leno has a magpie fascination with all things automotive, throwing everything from a steam-driven Doble to vintage Buicks and Chevrolets alongside the quirky three-wheeled Shotwell in to his collection. As with most avid – and wellheeled – collectors, there is no shortage of Ferraris, Bugattis and Bentleys either.

While Leno’s pockets are undoubtedly

deep, even moderately wealthy Americans are getting revved up for the classics.

Keith McCormick, who has traded classic cars out of Palm Springs, California since 1985, brushes off any talk of recession, claiming that business has boomed by 40 percent in the past few years: ‘It is not desperate selling that has caused the growth. This is about “baby-boomers” spending their savings on a dream car while they are still healthy. But of course at the other end of the scale there are also really wealthy people who will buy a classic car just to have it in the garage and admire it,’ says McCormick. ‘I also have a customer from South Africa who has bought nine cars as investments. Over

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PHOTOGRAPHS: PIERRE-OLIVIER DESCHAMPS, FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM

PHOTOGRAPHS: PIERRE-OLIVIER DESCHAMPS, FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM

Art in rolling motion

Rolling sculptures: The 1938 Bugatti 57 S(C) Atlantic (left), the

the years we’ve sold seven for a profit and shipped two to his homes here in the USA.’ There is perhaps an irony in Americans fawning over the highest expressions of European automobile design, but a German family is carefully ensuring that Europe equally celebrates its engineering heritage. Friedrich W. Dauphin made his fortune in the decidedly unglamorous production of office furniture, and initially dabbled in collecting historic firearms. That was until his wife famously told him to ‘collect something that interests the whole family,’ after which he set his sights – and formidable chequebook – on classic cars.

Three decades on, the remarkable Dauphin Collection stretches to more than 160 cars and 240 motorcycles housed in an 18 000-square-metre hall near Nürmburg, where a Bugatti Atlantic and Mercedes Gull-wing greet visitors at the entrance. Ferraris, of course, take pride of place here, too, perhaps because of the accidental nature in which Dauphin acquired his first pair. Walking through the streets of the Swiss town of Bern, ‘in a courtyard, I saw some beautiful, old cars,’ Friedrich told The Atlantic Times. ‘I talked to the owner and bought the cars that same evening. Not exactly to my wife’s delight, who was waiting for me in the hotel, not suspecting a thing!’

That sort of impulsive passion is typical of classic car collectors, and over his 27 years in the business McCormick has dealt with both the beloved and the bizarre of the classic car world. He’s auctioned off the white Ford Bronco that OJ Simpson famously fled from the police in – ‘it was

1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK (top)

only worth US$7 000, but it sold for over US$100 000!’ – as well as a number of cars once owned by Elvis Presley. The Rolls Royce owned by Edward VIII, who infamously abdicated to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson, is another eminent set of wheels that has passed through McCormick’s hands, alongside a limousine – complete with flush toilet – that belonged to eccentric entrepreneur

appreciating asset, buyers will simply fall in love with an automobile at first sight.

‘In our November sale last year we had two people bidding on a replica of the DeLorean featured in the film Back to the Future,’ recalls McCormick with a chuckle.

Howard Hughes. ‘Celebrity cars attract a lot of money instantly, but the value drops off very quickly,’ warns McCormick.

‘They’re great investments, though, if you want to flip them promptly.’

But just as often, rather than coldly calculating its investment value as an

‘The car was only worth US$20 000, but two buyers got into a bidding war and it eventually went for $45 000!’

‘They are pieces of “rolling art” and craftsmanship that need to be preserved,’ adds Craig Jackson of Arizona-based Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. ‘A

and the McLaren F1 (below).

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Art in rolling motion

Moving through history: Ralph Lauren’s 1958 Ferrari

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perhaps the planet’s most famous classic car dealer, and curator of the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California – says for many it’s all about the chase. ‘I’m looking for something other than the everyday classic car… I want the last, the first, the prototype. And I want it pure,’ said Williams in a recent interview.

Hailing the classic automobile as the perfect union of art and machine, Williams, like Lauren, approaches classic cars in the same way an art historian would a fine sculpture – as consummate works of decorative art for the modern age. For these collectors, the sleekly curved chrome and steel of these timeless dream machines conjures the glamour of the 1930s, the opulent ease of the 1950s and the charged excitement of the 1980s, and represent the ultimate marriage of speed, style and beauty.

250 Testa Rossa (above) and Johann Rupert’s 1911 Lorraine Dietrich tourer on display at the Franschhoek Motor Museum (below).

PHOTOGRAPHS: FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM, RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION

collector’s preference is as unique as they are and we’re seeing that across the board at our auctions – classics, muscle cars, sports cars… all are gaining speed.’

‘Most often collectors buy these cars simply because they love them,’ agrees Norman Frost of Frost Brothers, classic car dealers based in Knysna on South Africa’s scenic Garden Route. ‘Obviously we try to guide customers towards cars that are going to appreciate in value, like the MG, Triumph, Jaguar and pre-war vintage vehicles, but most collectors buy for the love of it.’

While Frost Brothers trades mostly in vehicles below R500 000, one astute collector in South Africa’s Winelands is known to spend a little more on his passion. Tucked between vineyards and pastures, the Franschhoek Motor Museum on L’Ormarins Wine Estate is home to one of the world’s largest private collections of classic cars. With millions of dollars worth of vehicles in his private collection, Johann Rupert, Chairman of luxury-goods company Richemont, is one of the few South Africans with the means to acquire almost anything with four wheels, and he counts a Ferrari Enzo and McLaren F1 amongst his prized automobiles. At the other end of the scale, he is also the owner of the first-ever Model T Ford to drive in South Africa.

Rupert’s full collection stretches to more than 220 vehicles, although only 80 are on display at any one time, each carefully arranged in four de-humidified exhibition spaces on the scenic Winelands estate.

What’s next to join the collection? Only Rupert will know, but Don Williams –

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The Ardmore attraction Finer pieces, featuring work by the studio’s most talented artists, form part of a Masterworks collection, and have become valuable collectibles.

Presented to the Queen and on display in the White House, Ardmore has elevated the craft of ceramics to a fine art.

by Jocelyn Warrington

T

he meteoric rise of the Ardmore ceramic studio, from the moment its creators Fée Halsted and Bonnie Ntshalintshali jointly won the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Award in 1990, to its global reach today, in high-end stores, homes, hotels, embassies, palaces and museums, from Australia to Zurich, is one of South Africa’s most legendary success stories.

Populated by a riotous array of handsculpted animals, birds and quirky blooms, the meticulously detailed vases, urns, bowls, plates and tureens that are produced from a humble studio in the heart of the picturesque KwaZulu-Natal Midlands have become coveted pieces of fine art prized by collectors around the world. Ardmore ceramics were featured at both the Korean and Istanbul biennales and are included in the Museum of Arts and Design’s permanent exhibition in New York as well as the Museum of Cultures in Basel, Switzerland.

An heir to the Coca-Cola fortune has collected over 700 pieces and reportedly rates the South African ceramics in the same league as Lalique, Royal Doulton and Moorcraft.

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A vase by Ardmore’s celebrated late artist Wonderboy Nxumalo fetched a record R200 000 at a Sotheby’s auction in Johannesburg in 2008. Ardmore even features in The Pot Book, an anthology of ceramic vessels produced by British ceramicist Edmund de Waal. De Waal sets Ardmore among the most venerated ceramics in the world – Ming porcelain, Syrian pottery, Wedgwood china and The Martin Brothers stoneware.

In 1985, artist Fée Halsted, armed with an honours degree in Fine Arts and teaching experience from a local technical college, began working with her housekeeper’s daughter Bonnie Ntshalintshali, who, because of polio, was prevented from working on the Ardmore farm, in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal where they lived.

Together the two women developed the characteristic Ardmore sculptural style – an unashamedly vivacious iconography renowned for its joyful use of colour and distinctive modelling of flora and fauna, combining the functional with the decorative – and were the first ceramic artists ever to win South Africa’s pre-eminent artistic award.

The Ardmore attraction

Exuberant displays of local flora and fauna are a strong theme, as illustrated by this colourful Leopard Tureen.

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Striking animal-shaped milk jugs and teapots, combining the

Their success drew in many of Ntshalintshali’s family and friends who wanted to earn a living by throwing, modelling and painting ceramics. Since then, Ardmore has grown substantially, and there are currently 42 painters, 24 sculptors and two throwers working at the studio (now located near the city of Pietermaritzburg).

The artists are all self-employed, but work within the supportive community environment of the studio, where they are provided with training, mentorship, materials, tools and a guaranteed market for the pieces they produce. The artistic process is a collaborative one in which several artists are involved in bringing each exuberant ceramic artwork to life.

The fantasy of the Ardmore world and the sheer fun of the original designs quickly attracted the art world. Specialist sales were held at Christie’s of London and Sotheby’s in Johannesburg and museums from Sweden to Kuala Lumpur clamoured to acquire choice pieces of the idiosyncratic ceramic art. Collectors quickly recognised the investment potential of these functional vessels adorned with enchanting leopards, zebras, giraffes, hyenas and monkeys, all bursting to life from an abundance of luxuriant exotic foliage.

Over the years, Ardmore’s artists have raked in numerous awards and exhibited widely in South Africa and around the world, the works now featured in various leading global galleries. Fans include actress Helen Mirren, singer Eric Clapton and soprano Sarah Brightman. Ardmore’s biggest collector, a New York-based

businessman, recently acquired sculptor Petros Gumbi’s ‘Abundance’ – originally created for the COP17 climate change conference in Durban – for an undisclosed ‘record sum’. In South Africa, Ardmore is regarded as a national treasure, and has been presented as state gifts to everyone from Bill Clinton and Jacques Chirac to the princess of Japan, and auction house Christie’s refers to the works as ‘modernday collectibles’.

Yet, despite the runaway success of her business enterprise, Halsted insists that Ardmore is more than a commercial undertaking. ‘We are not simply a factory churning out one teapot or candlestick after another,’ she says. ‘We champion the individual over the brand and each piece has a much deeper underlying content – the story of that artist’s culture,

decorative with the functional, are a speciality of the studio.

his viewpoint and his daily struggles, particularly with the tragedy that the Aids pandemic has brought into peoples’ lives.

So, while necessity may originally have forced Bonny and I to produce curios to sell to tourists visiting the Drakensberg, alongside these more utilitarian pieces we have the fine artworks of our most talented artists, what we call the Masterworks, and these are what the galleries and auction houses and collectors deem worthy of collecting, cherishing, passing on.’

This commitment to artistic expression is what defines Ardmore as a studio and as a community, and its creations as works of

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The Ardmore attraction

The distinctive pieces are sold the world over. These two, part

fine art, claims Fraser Conlon, director of Amaridian, a New York Gallery specialising in contemporary African arts and design.

‘Bonnie’s tragic death as a result of HIV/ Aids in 1999 marked a turning point for Ardmore,’ he says. ‘Fée recognised that the studio was suffering terribly from a disease that the artists knew very little about. It was ravishing their community, family and fellow artists. Rather than attempting a Western method of explanation, she decided that the most effective way to discuss the disease (which, at that time, was a culturally forbidden topic) was to engage the artists creatively. Through their art, a dialogue began which, over time, allowed them to channel their fears and lack of understanding into a creative outlet. As this “ceramic discussion”

unfolded, it contributed to a generation of some of the strongest work ever to come out of the studio.’

Yet, even as Ardmore perseveres, it is not short on humour and happiness. Fresh combinations of whimsy fused with Zulu folklore continue to fascinate. ‘One cannot look at an Ardmore piece without smiling, and it is this that captivates audiences the world over,’ says Conlon.

It is this, too, that separates craft from art and has resulted in these individualistic ceramics commanding phenomenal global recognition… and even more phenomenal price tags. Because, while at first glance Ardmore impresses with its virtuoso combination of sculpture and painting, get to know the story behind each work and its philosophy strikes even deeper.

of a Travellers of Africa series, were auctioned in Stockholm.

SEE & BUY Ardmore artworks are available throughout the world at various galleries and fine art retailers, as well as reputable auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Christie’s.

Ardmore Ceramic Art, Caversham Road, Lidgetton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, www.ardmoreceramics.co.za International collections American Folk Art Museum, New York, www.folkartmuseum.org Ford Foundation, New York, www.fordfoundation.org Museum of Arts and Design, New York, www.madmuseum.org Museum of Cultures, Basel, Switzerland, www.mkb.ch South African collections Tatham Art Gallery, Pietermaritzburg, www.tatham.org.za Durban Art Gallery, www.durban.gov.za Carnegie Art Gallery, Newcastle, www.carnegie-art.co.za The Pretoria Art Museum, www.pretoriaartmuseum.co.za Johannesburg Art Gallery, www.joburgculture.co.za Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg, www.standardbankarts.com Absa Art Gallery, Johannesburg, www.absa.co.za Telkom Art Gallery, Johannesburg, www.telkom.co.za

The Crocodile Platter was sculpted

by Victor Shabalala and painted by Rosemary Mazibuko.

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South African National Gallery, Cape Town, www.iziko.org.za Webber Wentzel Collection, Cape Town, www.webberwentzel.com

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Agent of influence 007 endorsement means big business for brands such as Omega, who supplied the Seamaster Aqua Terra that Daniel Craig wears in Skyfall.

The distinctive wristwatches worn by the ever-stylish James Bond have become seriously desirable collector‘s items.

by Ken Kessler

A

brush with fame has the power to transform the ordinary into the desirable. It’s a truth universally acknowledged by manufacturers of aspirational goods, from cars to designer cocktails, who know the value of promoting a luxury brand through a celebrity ambassador.

And no celebrity has enjoyed quite the same long-term, cross-cultural devotion as the world’s most famous spy, James Bond – who hasn’t lost an ounce of savoir-faire in 50 years on the big screen.

He may be fictional, but Bond changed the fortune of Aston Martin when he first drove the DB5 in his third screen outing, Goldfinger. Ever since that 1964 success, clever marketers have tried to capture a little of the 007 magic by associating their product with MI6’s most iconic agent.

So what is it that makes Bond such a powerful brand ambassador? Undoubtedly, the desire to ‘emulate’ is key to the 007 appeal. Women want to be with Bond and men just want to be Bond. The ease with which he saunters from embassy to Q Branch, private jet to war zone and back to French Riviera luxury is the definition of cool. His charm is a mix of authority,

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insouciance and cynicism. In essence, he is the ultimate citizen of the world, a cross between Phileas Fogg, Doc Savage and David Niven. He’s the epitome of the seasoned globetrotter, the British gent and – political correctness be damned – the pre-feminist male. He’s a confident, competent, ultra-masculine hero – who also happens to be a bit of a rake.

A crucial part of his appeal is his impeccable taste, as evinced by the items he chooses for himself (as opposed to those he receives from Q). There’s the lovingly restored Bentley he drove in Ian Fleming’s novels, the Sobranie tobacco he buys in Old Bond Street, the addition of a half measure of Kina Lillet to complete his signature Vesper martini.

Such is Bond’s appeal that he has given rise to the longest-running franchise in film history – and has turned brands into highly coveted signifiers of discernment.

Aston Martin cars, Brioni suits and John Lobb shoes have always been symbols of luxury, so it’s no surprise to find them associated with Fleming’s fictional hero.

But what wristwatch would our diplomat and man-about-town wear? Something expensive and dressy? A Patek Philippe

Omega capitalises on its James Bond appearances by launching a limited-edition watch to coincide with each new film.

The Skyfall Seamaster Planet Ocean has 007 at the 7 o’clock position while the Casino Royale Seamaster Professional features a red 007 counterweight on the second hand.

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Calatrava perhaps, or a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso? No, our super secret agent chose function over fashion and, when he first stepped out into the streets of London, in Fleming’s 1952 Casino Royale, it was with a Rolex on his wrist.

While Rolex’s phenomenal success is in no way attributable to the fact that James Bond favoured the Swiss-manufactured timepieces, it’s certainly done it no harm.

On the contrary, the fact that Rolex has never capitalised on its unofficial association with brand Bond, refusing to financially benefit from the hero’s endorsement of the company’s products, has only added to the watchmaker’s inimitable distinctiveness.

In the early films, Sean Connery’s Bond sported a Rolex Submariner beneath the sleeve of his tuxedo – long before Audmars Piguet’s Royal Oak and Patek Philippe’s Nautilus gave sport watches licence to be worn with dinner jackets. The on-screen Bond has since gone on to wear different timepieces as other brands have looked to capitalise on the 007 magic. However, the fact remains that, in his literary origins, Britain’s favourite secret agent, like his creator Ian Fleming, favoured a Rolex.

Amazingly, Ian Fleming’s personal wristwatch still exists, its authenticity assured by a number of photographs that show the naval intelligence officer turned author wearing a Rolex Explorer. Not to be confused with the Explorer II, which shows a second time zone, the Explorer is a model of horological purity, a simple automatic with a ‘Mercedes’ hand and numerals at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, a stainless steel case and a link bracelet. Its legibility

is peerless and it has an air of the military – despite being the by-product of watches used by civilians attempting to scale Mount Everest. It was, and remains, all that Bond requires: an instrument with which to tell the time.

Fleming never stated in his books precisely which model Bond wore so, when filmmakers first immortalised his hero a decade later, they chose to equip him with the then-current Rolex Submariner.

It’s the Submariner 6538A, without the protective guards on either side of the winding crown, that’s become known as the James Bond Rolex.

In 2009, however, noted James Bond watch authority, Dell Deaton identified what many purists now accept as the original 007 wristwatch: Fleming’s own Rolex Explorer, authenticated by the author’s stepdaughter. Identified as a Ref. 1016, it’s certainly a classic Explorer – but it was only introduced in the late 50s or early 60s. Deaton himself believes Fleming acquired the watch in 1961. So what was Fleming’s inspiration a decade earlier?

As Fleming never went into details, it’s a debate without resolution. It may simply have been the Rolex Oyster Perpetual of the day.

However, for most Bond fans, the majority of whom have never read the books, the classic Bond watch is determined by when they were first exposed to 007’s on-screen charms. In 51 years, the British secret agent has been associated primarily with three brands. For those who first watched Sean Connery as 007, the Rolex Submariner is vintage Bond. For fans of Roger Moore, the digital Seiko he wore in Octopussy is

Agent of influence

Even Bond girls are getting in on the horological action.

the classic Bond timepiece. Those who’ve been introduced to Bond through Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, know him for his Omega Seamaster.

The personal taste of Bond – and watch – enthusiasts will forever inspire heated debates about which of these watches is closest to Bond’s character.

In choosing Bond’s timepiece, Eon Productions has been motivated by a number of aims, not least of them 007’s credibility as a suave naval commander and international spy. In the early films, producer Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli stuck close to the original novels and – because Rolex was disinclined to supply 007 with a timepiece – provided his own Rolex Submariner on a black crocodile strap.

These Submariners are now preceded by Bond’s name – and command sky-high prices at auction. A well-maintained model can fetch US$50 000 or more.

The move to Seiko came at a time when digital watches were on the ascent, and 007 had to move with the times – though these late 70s and early 80s models are less cherished by watch enthusiasts.

The shift to Omega in 1995 was a controversial decision, although it had a principled impetus rather than a financial incentive. Lindy Hemming, the costume designer for the first three Pierce Brosnan films, grew up in a naval family where the men all wore Omegas. She felt the Swiss brand’s strong association with the British and American military services, as well as its slick European styling, was more appropriate for the sophisticated Commander Bond. Omega were more than happy to pay for the association and

the Omega Seamaster made its debut in GoldenEye. Since then, every Bond film has featured Omega watches.

Of course, a Bond watch is never just a watch. From Geiger counters to circular saws, Q’s ‘modifications’ have both saved Bond’s skin and added to the on-screen humour. Who can forget Bond unzipping a woman’s dress with a little help from his magnetised wristwatch?

As clever as the gadgets fitted to the mechanical Rolexes, the electronics aspect of the Seikos freed Q Branch to devise even more outlandish functions.

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) featured Roger Moore wearing the Seiko 0674, which printed messages on a built-in ticker-tape printer. For Your Eyes Only (1981) featured a Seiko H357 analogue/ digital display watch with a scrolling LED message bar, presaging functions on mobile phones two decades later. It also had a built-in satellite phone to receive calls direct from MI6, not too dissimilar from today’s smart watches with their smartphone technology. The Seiko G757 TV watch in 1983’s Octopussy contained a homing device and a microphone monitor used to track down the plot’s allimportant Fabergé egg.

Now these one-off ‘prop’ watches are sought-after film memorabilia, commanding eye-watering prices.

Even timepieces without gadgets fetch exorbitant amounts if they’ve actually appeared on screen. At the Omegamania auction in April 2007, the Omega Seamaster Professional worn by Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies sold for 82 000 Swiss Francs. The same auction

Skyfall heroine, French actress Bérénice Marlohe was unveiled as a brand ambassador for Omega soon after the film premiered in late 2012.

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Agent of influence

The Omega Seamaster has been synonymous with Commander Bond since 1995’s GoldenEye.

THE 007 WATCH COLLECTION

Dr. No (1962): Rolex Submariner From Russia with Love (1963): Rolex Submariner Goldfinger (1964): Rolex Submariner 6538A Thunderball (1965): Rolex Submariner, Breitling Top Time (with Geiger counter) You Only Live Twice (1967): unidentified On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969): Rolex Submariner Diamonds are Forever (1971): unidentified Live and Let Die (1973): Hamilton Pulsar P2 2900, Rolex Submariner (with magnet and buzz saw) The Man with the Golden Gun (1974): Rolex Submariner The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): Seiko 0674LC (with ticker tape printer) Moonraker (1979): Seiko For Your Eyes Only (1981): Seiko H357 (with satellite phone)

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Springfield fans and other audiophiles, enthusiasts who covet a James Bond Submariner have to bid against some of the most fervent, deep-pocketed watch collectors of them all: hard-core Rolex devotees. In auction, he will bid with as much fire as the most committed Bondee.

And this drives up the prices.

If you can’t get your hands on one of the increasingly rare early Rolex Explorers, the exceptionally hard-to-find Seiko digital watches or the actual Omega Seamasters worn by Bond, you could bid for one of the other watches that have made brief appearances – such as the Breitling Top Time (still under £1 500), the Hamilton Pulsar and the TAG-Heuer of The Living Daylights (1987). And then, of course, there are the watches worn by the Bond villains... although their values are, at best, shaky, and not entirely stirring.

Octopussy (1983): Seiko G757 Sports 100 (with homing device) A View to a Kill (1985): Seiko The Living Daylights (1987): TAG-Heuer License to Kill (1989): Rolex Submariner GoldenEye (1995): Omega Seamaster Professional Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Omega Seamaster Professional (with detonator) The World Is Not Enough (1999): Omega Seamaster Professional (with piton wire) Die Another Day (2002): Omega Seamaster Professional (with detonator and laser cutter) Casino Royale (2006): Omega Seamaster Professional Co-axial and Seamaster Planet Ocean Quantum of Solace (2008): Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Skyfall (2012): Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean and Seamaster Aqua Terra ‘Blue Dial’ Certain films did not feature the watches prominently enough to be identified with great accuracy. Those missing remain a mystery to inspire collectors.

PHOTOGRAPHS: OMEGA

saw the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and still covered in dirt from the scene in which it appeared, fetch over US$250 000.

Such is the collector’s appeal of Bond watches, that Omega produces a limitededition timepiece with every new film.

Yes, it’s an opportunistic tie-in, and the limited-editions are often not that similar to the watch worn in the film – but they sell, and will no doubt continue to do so.

The Limited Edition James Bond Seamaster released for Casino Royale featured a red ‘007’ emblazoned on the seconds-hand counterweight and was clearly unlike that worn by Daniel Craig in the film. Despite this, all 10 007 were sold.

Of course, just as 007 enthusiasts who covet the rare soundtrack LP of the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale have to bid against soundtrack collectors, Dusty

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Champions for change Nelson Mandela opened the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards, held at the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo in May 2000.

Behind the glitz and glamour of the Laureus World Sports Awards are top-tier achievers committed to working for good.

‘S

port has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.’ So said Nelson Mandela at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony held in Monaco in May 2000… words that could be used to sum up the whole Laureus Sport for Good philosophy, a concept that is as brilliant and daunting as it is simple: to use sport as a tool for global social change.

South African-born chairman of Richemont International, Johann Rupert, had the idea to create a world sports award event unlike anything that existed at the time – an ‘Oscars for sport’, if you will. In 1998, Rupert mandated Iain Banner, then Sponsorship Director at Richemont, to develop the idea.

‘During the process we realised that the awards would be a lot stronger with the addition of an Academy, a select group of sporting legends who would act as flag bearers for Laureus and form the voting electorate for deciding the award winners,’ explains Banner, who would go on to become CEO of Laureus and is today a trustee of Laureus South Africa. ‘The

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fact that this would be an awards process in which sportsmen judged sportsmen, in which the prize was essentially the ultimate accolade for an athlete – the recognition of his peers – is what would put Laureus in a league of its own.’

The first sportsmen Rupert and Banner approached were Springbok rugby legend Morné du Plessis and Olympic gold-medalist and four-time decathlon world-record holder Francis Morgan Ayodélé ‘Daley’ Thompson. Banner recalls an intense heart-to-heart conducted on a park bench with Du Plessis about the challenges of pulling off Laureus and building the Academy.

‘It was a tough sell asking the athletes to contribute their names, likenesses and images for no financial gain,’ recalls Banner. ‘Sportsmen of this calibre were already so successful. However, the one thing they all had in common was a strong belief in the transformative power of sport. And so we came up with the idea of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a vehicle through which these top-tier achievers could donate their services and fundraising efforts to charitable sporting causes around the world.’

PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVE CANNON /ALLSPORT, COMPOSED BY OPULENT LIVING

by Jocelyn Warrington

PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVE CANNON /ALLSPORT, OPULENT LIVING

Champions for change

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The Laureus Academy is chaired by former track and field Olympic medalist Edwin Moses (right).

Actress Eva Longoria (below) announces the 2013 World Sportswomen of the Year Award.

Richemont, had agreed to fund Laureus on a yearly basis.

Banner remembers the morning clearly: ‘At 9am, 30 of the world’s most accomplished sporting heroes parked their individual egos at the door of the boardroom and came in with the collective mission of harnessing the power of sport to the advantage of all. After reading the Laureus constitution and securing agreement from all those gathered that any surplus funds generated from the Awards programme would be used to benefit the Sport for Good Foundation, Johann got up and left the room. Five minutes later, at 10.30, he came back in with Nelson Mandela by his side. It was one of those spine-tingling moments, the kind you never forget.’

Banner recounts how he was given the honour of introducing each of the assembled sporting giants to the iconic

civil rights leader, once an accomplished amateur heavyweight boxer himself: ‘After greeting each one and blessing the Foundation, he turned to them all as a group and declared: “You are my kings and queens and it would be a privilege just to polish your shoes”.’

The build-up to the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards gala, which was held on the 25th of that month, saw a dazzling array of sports, fashion and Hollywood luminaries descend on Monte Carlo. The poolside kick-off party, dubbed ‘the most important get-together of the decade’, was attended by A-listers of the highest pedigree, from designer Karl Lagerfeld and photographers Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon, to U2’s Bono and actor Sylvester Stallone.

The Awards themselves were hosted by Jeff Bridges, Ashley Judd and Dylan McDermott, with Bon Jovi as musical

PHOTOGRAPHS: IAN WALTON/GETTY IMAGES FOR LAUREUS, ANDREW REDINGTON/GETTY IMAGES

Golfing greats Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus were next to join, and so, with a handful of the sporting world’s leading heavyweights on board, the momentum picked up and, by early 2000, a 43-strong Academy of the world’s highest achieving sportspeople had been assembled to form what Banner refers to as ‘the beating heart of Laureus’. Chaired by Olympic track and field medalist Edwin Moses, it included tennis champion Boris Becker, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, basketball player Michael Jordan, West Indian cricketer Viv Richards and Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, among others.

As many as 30 of these original Academy members travelled to Monaco in May of that year for the organisation’s founding meeting, which was convened at Monte Carlo’s famous Hôtel de Paris and chaired

by Rupert and Dr Dieter Zetsche, now CEO of Daimler, which, together with

PHOTOGRAPHS: IAN WALTON/GETTY IMAGES FOR LAUREUS, ANDREW REDINGTON/GETTY IMAGES

Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman hosted the 2013 Laureus Awards Ceremony, which was held at the Theatro Municipal Do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in March.

guest and Prince Albert of Monaco as official host. Laureus Patron Nelson Mandela presented the very first Lifetime Achievement Laureus statuette – designed

by Cartier – to Brazilian footballer, Pelé.

Today, The Laureus World Sports Awards is recognised as the greatest televised sporting awards show in the world, and it continues to be supported way beyond the sporting arena, with international celebrities from the worlds of entertainment and business drawn to both the glamour of the events that surround it – from sailing with America’s Cup skippers to bidding wars for a chance

to play a few rounds with tennis superstar John McEnroe – as much as the noble work of its patrons.

Hollywood stars like Morgan Freeman, who hosted this year’s event at the Theatro

Municipal Do Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, and Eva Longoria, whose figure-hugging John Galliano gown stole the red-carpet show, help boost the public’s interest, which in turn, serves the philanthropic undertaking of the organisation, the Sport for Good Foundation, or what Banner calls ‘the soul of Laureus’.

Sure there are trophies and designer dresses and flashing cameras, and the Academy members are part of a very exclusive club of champions, elected there solely by those who have already earned their places, but, says Edwin Moses, there is more to it. ‘The members are all driven by the desire to give something back and a condition of membership is that they commit to visiting the Foundation’s global projects, using their profiles to raise awareness of sport at a grassroots level and becoming role models to the next generation of sportsmen and -women.

As chairman of Laureus, I sometimes feel like I’m the captain of the greatest sports’ team in world.’

Like Banner, Moses refers to Mandela’s speech at the inaugural Awards ceremony in May 2000: ‘Sport “speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair”. Those words spoken to us by that great man, they galvanised us, I tell you. They gave us our mission and out of that came the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which has helped over one-and-a-half million young people around the world.’

Aside from the door it opens for sporting giants to help those less fortunate, or the undeniable cachet of receiving an award,

THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE Elected by peer vote, the Laureus Academy is a unique association of 46 sporting legends: Alberto Tomba (Italian): Alpine skiing Alexey Nemov (Russian): Gymnastics Bill Shoemaker (American, dec): Horseracing Bobby Charlton (English): Football Boris Becker (German): Tennis Cathy Freeman (Australian): Athletics Daley Thompson (English): Athletics Dan Marino (American): American Football David Douillet (French): Judo Dawn Fraser (Australian): Swimming Deng Yaping (Chinese): Table tennis Edwin Moses (American): Athletics Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazilian): Formula One Franz Beckenbauer (German): Football Franz Klammer (Austrian): Downhill skiing Gary Player (South African): Golf Giacomo Agostini (Italian): Motorcycling Hugo Porta (Argentinean): Rugby Ian Botham (English): Cricket Ilie Nastase (Romanian): Tennis Jack Nicklaus (American): Golf Kapil Dev (Indian): Cricket Katarina Witt (German): Ice skating Kip Keino (Kenyan): Athletics Marcel Desailly (French): Football Marcus Allen (American): American Football Mark Spitz (American): Swimming Martina Navratilova (Czech): Tennis Marvelous Marvin Hagler (American): Boxing Michael Johnson (American): Athletics Mick Doohan (Australian): Motorcycling Miguel Indurain (Spanish): Cycling Mika Hakkinen (Finnish): Formula One Mike Horn (South African): Adventure Monica Seles (Serbian): Tennis Morné du Plessis (South African): Rugby Nadia Comaneci (Romanian): Gymnastics Nawal El Moutawakel (Moroccan): Athletics Peter Blake (New Zealander, dec): Sailing Robby Naish (American): Kiteboarding, windsurfing Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealander): Rugby Sebastian Coe (English): Athletics Sergey Bubka (Ukrainian): Athletics Severiano Ballesteros (Spanish, dec): Golf Steve Redgrave (English): Rowing Steve Waugh (Australian): Cricket Tanni Grey-Thompson (Welsh): Wheelchair racing Tony Hawk (American): Skateboarding Vivian Richards (Antiguan): Cricket

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Champions for change

Jamaican sprinter and Olympic gold-medalist Usain Bolt poses with the Cartier-designed trophy for 2013 Laureus World

Laureus also brings together like-minded individuals who, despite their similar passions and achievements, might not necessarily have had the chance to ever become acquainted.

Banner tells the classic story of the time he was tasked with job of persuading Ukrainian pole vaulting champion Sergey Bubka, the first man to clear six metres and the only man ever to clear 6.10 metres, to join the Academy. ‘I was granted a small window of time with him in the car.

During my “sales pitch”, I mentioned that Ivan Lendl was an Academy member and he immediately confessed that the former tennis great had been his childhood hero.

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So I took out my phone and I called Ivan and then I put Sergey on the line to him.

Needless, to say, when he handed back my phone, he was convinced.’

Moses, too, refers to the Laureus Awards as ‘a crucible of like-minded sporting genius’. ‘At a football game played at this year’s event in Rio de Janeiro, I found myself casually chatting away about shoot-outs and penalty kicks with Vicente del Bosque, manager of world champions Spain, and World Cup legends Sir Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer.’

In addition to that elite group of core Academy members, Laureus has extended it charitable efforts from six sports-based

community projects in four cities at its start to more than 140 projects in 34 countries around the world today. Local chapters of the organisation, such as The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Trust South Africa, which is chaired by Morné de Plessis and was the first Foundation to be launched globally (in October 2002), and their associated Ambassadors, ensure Laureus continues to harness the socially redemptive power of sport. And, while the Awards Ceremony remains the biggest single day on the Laureus social calendar, it is the continued commitment of the Academy members, those sporting heroes who are willing to give something back to society, that constitutes the organisation’s backbone.

‘As a sportsman, when you taste the exhilaration and sheer joy that comes with high-level competition, you think there can’t be anything to match it,’ says Moses, ‘but having seen the good work Laureus does around the world, and experiencing the pride and pleasure of being part of it, I have to say, that feeling comes pretty close.’

PHOTOGRAPH: MARC SEROTA/GETTY IMAGES FOR LAUREUS

Sportsman of the Year.

The ultimate Open Air for Generations catch The blue marlin is a pelagic fish rarely found in ocean waters less than 100 metres deep. Females can weigh more than 900kg, while males only reach around 170kg.

For deep-sea fishermen chasing the definitive prize, the rewards don’t get greater than the legendary blue marlin.

by Richard Holmes

I

t was a humble fisherman who gave Ernest Hemingway his Nobel Prize for Literature. Not literally, perhaps, but Hemingway’s iconic novella The Old Man and the Sea – the tale of an elderly fisherman, Santiago, fighting an enormous blue marlin – captured the world’s imagination and hooked Hemingway a Pulitzer Prize together with that coveted Nobel.

A classic narrative of man battling nature, with neither emerging the clear winner, it’s impossible to read Hemingway’s text without feeling the sting of salt in the old man’s weathered hands, the catch of breath as a fin breaks the surface, the sunlight glinting into tired eyes, and the relentless tug of the indomitable marlin on the line. Hemingway spent many years living in Cuba, fishing the waters of the warm Gulf Stream in his boat Pilar, and it’s fitting that it was the hard-fighting marlin that defined his Cuban experiences… and the literary works that followed.

For most fishermen, deep-sea game fishing is the pinnacle of the piscatorial world, and while enthusiasts will happily troll for swift wahoo and curious

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dorado, it’s marlin that are considered the ultimate test of a fisherman’s mettle.

It’s a fish guaranteed to give the hardest fight; an epic tussle that can last for hours, exhausting both fighter and fish.

It’s no surprise Hemingway chose it as Santiago’s legendary foe.

The marlin’s status as the world’s premier game fish is also due to its widespread distribution: the species is found throughout the tropical and temperate waters of the world, with black (Makaira indica), striped (Tetrapturus audax) and the Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara) highly sought after by game fishermen looking to land and – importantly – release their prized catch.

Happily, Africa boasts some of the finest marlin-fishing waters on the planet. For Hemingway, who hunted and adventured his way across much of the world, the great ocean currents were ‘the last wild country left’ and, while the Mozambique Channel may be a world away from the Gulf Stream waters where he trolled for marlin, the seemingly endless expanse of African waters would have felt more than a little familiar to the gruff American wordsmith.

The ultimate catch

SAVING OUR SEAS Hemingway may have revelled in Spanish bull fighting, East African hunting safaris and marlin fishing in the Gulf Stream, but today’s big-game fishermen keep one eye firmly on the future and the vast majority of respectable charter operators follow environmental guidelines recommended by worldwide industry associations.

That begins with following a policy of catchand-release, particularly when it comes to marlin. Best practice in the recreational gamefishing industry dictates that marlin should only be killed if injured or too exhausted to be revived, an outcome a skilled skipper should manage to avoid. Before release, marlins are usually tagged under the auspices of The Billfish Foundation (www.billfish.org), a US-based group that ‘works worldwide to advance the conservation of billfish and associated species to improve the health of oceans and economies.’

In African waters, tagging also takes place in partnership with Durban’s Oceanographic Research Institute (www.seaworld.org.za/ori), which has tagged and released more than 1 400 Marlin over the past 30 years.

Many responsible operators are also members of the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA, www.igfa.org), a not-for-profit organisation focused on the conservation of game fish worldwide, and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling. IGFA was also instrumental in lobbying for the Billfish Conservation Act of 2011 in the United States, prohibiting the commercial sale of billfish, including marlin, in the USA. On a lighter note, the World Grander Club (worldgranderclub.com) celebrates the fishermen and professional captains that have landed – and, hopefully, safely released – marlin weighing in over 1 000 pounds.

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Cast away in the Atlantic, the islands of Cape Verde and Ascension are renowned for their marlin fishing, but are so farflung that only the most dedicated fishermen will journey there. Closer to the coast of West Africa, the tiny twoisland Republic of São Tomé and Principe offers some of the world’s richest marlin grounds, although its under-developed tourism infrastructure has limited the destination’s appeal to all but the most hardened fishermen. A similar situation exists in Angola and the Ivory Coast; both countries whose enormous potential for marlin fishing are stymied by inadequate development.

But, if the west coast of Africa is failing to tap into a lucrative marlin fishing market, the opposite applies on the east coast of the continent, with islands like the Seychelles, Mauritius and Rodrigues

drawing fishermen from far and wide.

On the mainland, it’s Kenya’s iconic Watamu resort, Hemingway’s, that tops the ratings, tapping into the legacy of the sport’s most famous acolyte.

‘It’s hard to beat the services of Hemingway’s Resort [and] the high degree of repeat bookings attest to this,’ says Kerry-Ann Baptista from South African-based specialist tour operator Sportfish Africa. ‘For marlin and sailfish in quantity, the Kenyan coast is where it’s at. However, most Kenyan marlin are striped, and therefore small; normally around 70 kilograms.”

The warm Indian Ocean waters off Watamu are also famous for offering up the sought-after ‘Grand Slam’: where a fisherman or boat lands all three species of marlin –black, striped and blue – on the same day.

Fishing enthusiasts hire purpose-built offshore vessels and roller-guided rods sporting

But if Kenya boasts quantity, the waters of Mozambique are all about quality, with the shallow channels around the Bazaruto Archipelago providing some of the most promising waters for landing the fabled ‘grander’: a marlin weighing over 1 000 pounds or 450 kilograms.

Just as important as the ‘where’ is the ‘when’, with Marlin fishing focused on specific seasons depending on destination. In the Seychelles, where fish are largely found in the deep channels around the Amirante Islands, Marlin is best fished from October through to March, while the BomBom resort on Principe sees a short burst of frenetic fishing activity in July and August.

On the east coast, the Kenyan season peaks in February and March, while Bazaruto is at its most productive from November through to January.

‘Bazaruto is a top-class destination, probably only second in the world to Cairns in Australia,’ says Duarte Rato, an experienced marlin-fishing captain who has fished worldwide and skippered charters in the region for over a decade, offering dedicated marlin excursions from the luxurious Indigo Bay Island Resort and Spa. ‘With open ocean to the east and deep, fast-flowing channels, sea-grass meadows and intertidal flats to the west, plus to coral reef and sandyshore ecosystems, the diversity of fish life is enormous,’ says Rato.

It’s this diversity of marine life that makes the waters off Bazaruto teem with fish, and it remains the only place in Africa to produce ‘grander’ black marlin. Unlike the pelagic blue marlin

that live and feed in deep offshore waters, Makaira indica prefer to hunt on shallower inshore reefs, and juveniles here can be hooked in depths of as little as 20 metres.

Bazaruto also has a rich fishing history stretching back to the 1950s, when a local entrepreneur built a hotel on the island of Santa Carolina; known today as Paradise Island. Hemingway would have fitted right into the rough and tumble mix of characters who trolled the waters in their simple wooden boats.

Among those pioneers was Ralph Hulett, Bazaruto’s very own Santiago, who, on 28 October 1960, landed Africa’s first ‘grander’ after an epic eight-hour battle.

In those days the oceans were a free for all, with Marlins hauled ashore and sold off for their meat and limited thought given to the ocean’s finite resources.

Today, times have changed and marlin fishing – as the pinnacle of the sport – is rapidly becoming one of the most sustainable corners of the leisure fishing industry. ‘In Mozambique billfish [of which marlin are a member] are treated as a trophy species and a licence needs to be obtained beforehand,’ explains Rato. ‘But, as with so much in Africa, the legislation is there, but there are no means to control it. Fortunately a large number of the private charter operators and resorts have a tag-and-release policy for billfish. At Indigo Bay we have a 100 percent tag-and-release policy.’

Surprisingly, in South African waters the regulations are even more lax.

‘All you need is a standard fishing licence from the Post Office,’ says Mike

lever-drag reels to bag the legendary fish, whose size and power have inspired stamp designs around the world.

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The ultimate catch

Fighting chairs keep sports fishermen safe as they battle the Holy Grail trophy in

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a lovely irony in the fact that a story of loss bagged Hemingway the greatest prize of his life. As Santiago fatalistically sees the loss of his great marlin as part of the ebb and flow of life on the sea, so fishermen the world over would no doubt do the same.

Sometimes the fish are biting and other times… well, there will always be another day out on the deep blue sea.

what’s considered the pinnacle of game fishing.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK

Laubscher from Blue Water Charters, who offers marlin fishing trips out of Durban harbour. ‘However, catchand-release is becoming a big trend, especially with marlin fishing where we are largely dealing with a well-educated and upmarket clientele who understand how important it is.’

Laubscher offers 8-, 12- and 18-hour charters on his fully-equipped 32-foot Silverton Sport Fisher; a far cry from Santiago’s wooden skiff that was all but swamped by his catch.

Today marlin fishermen can rely on altogether more glamorous surrounds in pursuit of their quarry. Twin-engine dual-hulled boats offer safe and stable fishing platforms, fighting chairs keep fishermen safely tethered to the boat, while gunwales gleam with roller-guided rods sporting lever-drag Shimano and Penn International reels.

Yet despite the state-of-the-art rods and reels, a colourful array of lures and baits, and some of the most skilled marlin skippers in the industry, you still can’t replace that one invaluable piece of fishing equipment: patience.

‘People can’t expect to go out for a few hours and catch a marlin… a good rule of thumb is one marlin for every three charters,’ warns Laubscher. ‘Depending on the currents or the conditions on the day, I’ll decide if we go for the blue or the black, but the blue marlin is the Holy Grail; they give the hardest fight.’

It is a blue marlin that Santiago brings home in The Old Man and the Sea, although ultimately the fisherman loses out to the ocean. But there is perhaps

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The alchemy of scent The Himba of northern Namibia have used perfume for millennia, incorporating it into rituals as an offering to the gods.

Conceived in heaven, born in Africa… the history of perfume is a tale of sweet-smelling seduction that’s as old as humanity.

by Annelize Visser

A

frican Aromatics founder Sophia Shuttleworth recalls receiving a gift of dry powder from Opuwa, a small town deep in northern Namibia. Being a perfumer, she smelt it. It was, she writes, ‘a complex blend of citrus and floral, combined with powdery sweet notes. Something in it reminded me of bitter orange.’ Among the base notes, she thought she could detect Omumbiri, a member of the frankincense and myrrh family.

The perfume – for that is what it was – had been made by Himba women, and to Shuttleworth it seemed the seal on her thesis that the accepted history of perfume is too short. It should begin far earlier than a mere four millennia ago, and far further south than Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia – in southern Africa, where archaeologists have located the birthplace of mankind.

If she is correct – if the history of perfumery is indeed ‘as old as the history of humanity’ – then it is perfectly probable that the very earliest incense was not lit in China or Egypt but in the Kalahari Desert, and that the first aromatic smoke that swirled up to placate

the gods did not smell of cinnamon or sandalwood, but of buchu. Thankfully, though, it is only the first chapter of the history of perfume that Shuttleworth wants rewritten, because the rest is such a rollicking tale of seduction, conquest and, yes, vanity, that we wouldn’t have it told any other way.

The word perfume is derived from the Latin ‘per fumum’, meaning ‘through smoke’. It starts, very properly, as a fragrant gift to the gods – in ancient Egypt, making it was the exclusive province of priests – but it soon becomes something employed by queens to seduce emperors.

First and most famous to fall for Cleopatra’s scented charms was Julius Caesar; next, she wooed the younger and handsomer Mark Anthony, arriving for their first date in a fragranced barge of which Shakespeare said the purple sails were ‘so perfumed that the winds were lovesick with them’. Cinnamon, cardamom, saffron and iris root were Mark Anthony’s olfactory undoing: he not only presented his lover with the entire Turkish Mediterranean coast along with other bits of real estate, he also helped her kill her last remaining sibling,

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PHOTOGRAPHS: CHANEL, LALIQUE

PHOTOGRAPHS: CHANEL, LALIQUE

The alchemy of scent

the rest having already been dispatched by the sweet-smelling queen.

The use of perfume next spread to Greece and Rome, with love and murder not far behind. The mad emperor Nero literally showered guests with perfume at the orgies hosted by him and his second wife Poppea, and at her funeral Nero burnt an entire year’s supply of cassia, presumably to assuage his guilt over stomping her to death in a drunken fit.

Rome fell, and power shifted to northern Europe where, some time during the 14th century, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary ordered the first bespoke perfume. The fragrance, which historians speculate contained rosemary and thyme along with a splash of brandy, was such a hit that it allegedly made the king of Poland propose to her, even though she was already 70.

Don’t tell the Parisians, but up until this time, Venice was considered the world’s perfume capital. However, when the French discovered perfume they took to it with such abandon that, like with so many other things, you’d almost swear they invented it. Louis XV was such a fancier his court became known as ‘le court parfumee’ (the perfumed court). And it didn’t matter which side of the revolution you were on: after the monarchy was abolished (and a scent called Parfum de Guillotine enjoyed fleeting popularity), Napoleon got through 60 bottles of cologne per month and his wife Josephine used even more.

Until now liquid perfumes were contained in phials, ampoules and pearshaped bottles of transparent glass. Solid perfumes were carried in a pomander,

Chanel No 5 became utterly covetable when Marilyn Monroe (left) claimed that all she wore to bed was ‘five drops of Chanel No 5’. Andy Warhol also immortalised the top-selling scent when he created nine silk screens of the iconic bottle (opposite).

Highly sought after, too, are limited-edition flacons.

The 2011 Envol and 2008 Shéhérazade (above) are some of the works of art released annually

by French perfume and crystal specialists, Lalique.

a perforated metal ball also considered handy for warding off pestilence. The 18th century saw the start of collaborations between perfumers and glass factories like those of Baccarat and Lalique, paving the way for a new perfume era, persisting today, in which packaging became almost as important as the scent itself.

A key breakthrough in the 19th century came not from a perfumer but a gastronome, a man so famous for eating that he has had a cheese, a ring mould and a cake named after him. Perfume legend has it that the classic atomizer was invented by Jean Anthelme Brillat-

Savarin, something for which it may be necessary to suspended disbelief, since the famous epicure was dead several decades before the atomizer revolutionised the way perfume was applied.

There is, however, little doubt that the collaboration of couturier and perfumer was a French invention, or that it changed our perception of perfume forever. A fashion designer called Paul Poiret did it first, in 1911, but, just like the corsetless dress, also his idea, Coco Chanel did (and marketed) it better. Launched in 1919, Chanel No 5 remains one of the world’s iconic fragrances, with a bottle sold

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The alchemy of scent

perfumers such as Tammy Frazer have become bywords for luxury, as have Lalique’s Crystal bottles, such as the 2010 Cascade (above).

every 30 seconds. Among the top classic fragrances for women its only rivals are L’air Du Temps by Nina Ricci (1948), Joy by Jean Patou (1929), Miss Dior by Christian Dior (1947) and Shalimar by Guerlain (1925).

Although it is still made with rose and jasmine hand-harvested in the fields of Grasse where Chanel first met her perfumer, Russian émigré Ernest Beaux, it was science that made this perfume so extraordinary, and science that continues to shape the history of fragrance. Beaux’s genius rested on an organic compound called aldehyde which, as Victoria

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Robinson writes for suite101.com, made the perfume ‘shimmer and sparkle’.

Influenced no doubt by the emergence of abstract art in the early 20th century, Robinson writes, Beaux created history’s first ‘abstract’ fragrance.

Michael Bywater, reviewing a perfume history exhibition at Harrods for The Independent in 2010, calls perfumery itself ‘a magical and erotic art’ but acknowledges that the molecules of which this art is composed are increasingly likely to emanate from laboratories rather than nature. European Union regulations designed both to protect vulnerable species like the civet (source of the musk so adored by Josephine Bonaparte that her detractors called her ‘musk fool’) and protect consumers from potential irritants, mean that your perfume now consists predominantly of so-called ‘aromachemicals’.

These are molecules that please, but do they heal, and would they placate the gods?

Local perfumer Tammy Frazer, heading up a small perfume house in Cape Town, not all that far from where Shuttleworth contends perfume was born, does things differently. The granddaughter of Graham Wulff, creator of Oil of Olay, she uses no synthetic molecules or chemicals, working instead with a palette of rare absolutes, concretes and resins, essential oils, petals, woods, roots and zests.

‘Luxury is not about fashion or purchases bought on a whim. It is about longevity, she says. ‘It is about cherishing, nurturing workmanship, beauty, traditions – and it is about appreciation.’

To which the gods may say amen.

SCENT OF A WOMAN When Guerlain created Shalimar in 1921, the scent of a single flower still announced the arrival of a ‘respectable’ woman: a hint of musk or jasmine, on the other hand, was the prelude to an entirely more adventurous evening, suggesting that a courtesan might be on her way. But that did not deter Jacques Guerlain, the French perfume dynasty’s third master perfumer and the author of Guerlain’s most iconic fragrances. He mixed bergamot, lemon, jasmine, rose, iris, tonka bean and vanilla to produce a heady scent, later adding a rare midnight-blue stopper to wow visitors to the 1925 Decorative Arts exhibition in Paris, and located his creation within an epic love story that anticipated an enduring tradition of storytelling perfumes.

His inspiration? A garden, built for the favourite wife of the emperor Shah Jahan, whose broken heart after she died would later find expression in the Taj Mahal. Shalimar had, however, been the emperor’s first ‘temple of love’, and there’s no question that Jacques Guerlain, in what is widely considered the first Oriental perfume Paris produced, captured all the sensual longing of the Mughal emperor for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. So much so that, back in the 1920s, society (and propriety) dictated that the three things no respectable woman was to do was ‘smoke, dance the tango and wear Shalimar’.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAR LESLIE, LALIQUE, GUERLAIN

Bespoke scents (below) by

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w FLORAL TRIBUTE: Vacheron Constantin watches n The Métiers d’ Art Florilège watches by Vacheron Constantin feature exquisite floral dials inspired by the delicate illustrations in the 18th-century botanical masterpiece, The Temple of Flora. Hand-crafted using the decorative arts of guillochage and cloisonné enamelling, the White Lily, Queen and China Limodoron dials glow with light and vibrant colour. Each is available in a limited numbered series of 20 pieces and features an 18-carat white-gold case, white-gold leaf-shaped hands, a bezel set with 64 diamonds, a transparent sapphire crystal caseback and a strap of alligator leather.

www.vacheron-constantin.com

CRUISE CONTROL: Garia golf cart n Billed as ‘the sports car of

SUITABLY CHILLED: Gaggenau wine cooler n The Gaggenau RW404 wine

golf carts’, the Garia Roadster

climate cabinet is perfect for

makes for a stylish cruise to

connoisseurs who are short on

the 18th hole – and is spacious

storage space. The unit is just

enough to haul a foursome and

60cm wide and fits under a

their golf bags comfortably. Built

standard kitchen counter to offer

in the Finnish factory that also

restaurant-grade wine storage in

makes Porsche, it offers strong

small spaces. The stainless-steel

performance and swift handling –

cabinet has a lockable glass door

not to mention an elegant design,

and offers two independently

leather seats and chrome wheels.

controlled climate zones, each

www.garia.com

featuring precision electronic regulation that ensures constant

MULTI-FACETED: Diamond sideboard n This limited-edition piece by decorative furniture makers Boca do Loba is sculpted to resemble a faceted gem. The interior and feet are in gold leaf, while the exterior comes in either a highgloss amethyst or emerald finish. www.bocadolobo.com

CLASSIC VERSACE: Medusa tableware n The Medusa dinner service, designed by Gianni Versace for the Rosenthal meets Versace collection, translates the flamboyant style of the late Italian fashion designer into opulent tableware. The design is an ornate blend of classical motifs in red, gold and black – with the Versace emblem, the head of Medusa, taking centre stage. www.rosenthal.de

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temperatures of between 5°C and 20°C. Solid pull-out bottle racks in beech and aluminium can hold up to 41 bottles. www.gaggenau.com

Opulent Living finds

CUSTOM-MADE: Leica X2 à la carte n Leica has introduced an à la carte option for those who love the retro styling of its X2 digital compact camera. With custom engraving and a real leather trim in a colour of your choice, you can make a personal statement. www.leica-camera.com

FINELY CRAFTED: Silver by Aston Martin n Iconic sports car brand Aston Martin has collaborated with London’s finest silversmiths to produce the exclusive Silver by Aston Martin collection. The hand-crafted range by Grant MacDonald celebrates the very best in contemporary British design and includes everything from cuff links to tableware and model cars. This elegant Centrepiece Bowl is sterling silver lined with 24-carat gold.

www.grantmacdonald.com

COLOURFUL TIMES: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona n Rolex has unveiled a luxury

aged to perfection: 40-year-old single malt n Bunnahabhain has released

model of its legendary Cosmograph

a rare 40-year-old single malt

Daytona, first launched in 1963.

scotch whisky. It’s limited to just

The watch has a case and strap of

750 individually numbered and

18-carat yellow and white gold, a

hand-signed bottles that feature

bezel set with a rainbow of sapphires

a label that shows off the proud

and hour markers adorned with www.rolex.com diamonds.

history of the Islay distillery. www.bunnahabhain.com

LOCAL LEATHER: Lorenzi bags n Renzo Caon trained as an artisan in Italy in the late 1950s before moving to Johannesburg to launch Lorenzi, a handbag and accessories label that specialises in fine leather and even finer craftsmanship. The well-known local brand celebrated 50 years in 2012 and continues to produce a wide range of elegant designs in high-quality calf leather and exotic ostrich, buffalo and snake skins. As well as handbags and clutches in a rainbow of fashionable hues, it also offers a diverse collection of wallets and purses.

www.lorenzi.co.za

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BOTTLED POWER: Bentley for Men Intense n The British car maker is now bottling the essence of its luxury motors. Its spicy oriental fragrance has notes of fine wood and leather, and comes in an elegant bottle that features the iconic Bentley knurling on the stopper. www.bentleymotors.com

PURE SCENTS: Kiehl’s Aromatic Blends n New to Kiehl’s are Aromatic that each feature a fragrance,

CONVERTIBLE STYLE: Porsche Design Twin Bag n Porsche Design has launched its first luxury women’s handbag

body cleanser and skin softening

range. Handcrafted in Florence, the stylish Twin Bag is made from the

body lotion. The naturally derived

finest vegetable-tanned leather and enhanced with high-quality metal

scents include Nashi Blossom &

fittings. It’s a simple, classic rectangle with clever straps that play on

Pink Grapefruit, Orange Flower

the notion of the convertible. Wear the straps long and you‘ve got a

& Lychee and Fig Leaf & Sage.

sporty shoulder bag for everyday use; wear them short and you‘ve got

Blends, four indulgent collections

www.kiehls.com

an elegant handbag for the evening.

www.porsche-design.com

ECO-FRIENDLY RIDE: Moveo electric scooter n Antro, a Hungarian non-profit organisation, has developed a nifty city runaround for eco-conscious urbanites. The Moveo folding electric scooter weighs 25kg, has a top speed of 45 km/h and a battery range of 35km per charge – which takes one hour from empty. When not being driven, it folds up and can be pulled along like a suitcase. www.solo-duo.hu

TAGGED FOR TRAVEL: Louis Vuitton key holder n Luxury brand Louis Vuitton pays tribute to its travel heritage in this beautiful Illustré Groom Key Holder. The tag features the brand‘s trademark Monogram

A CUT ABOVE: Gold hand-rolled cigar gift set n The Black Tie Box Set from London Cut Cigars makes a glittering gift

Canvas on one side and plain

for cigar connoisseurs. It comprises 20 fine Dominican cigars that have

be personalised with the owner‘s

each been meticulously hand-rolled in a Connecticut shade wrapper

initials. The gold ring is engraved

and 24-carat edible gold. The Box Set also includes a custom cigar

with the Louis Vuitton signature.

www.londoncutcigars.com

www.louisvuitton.com

cutter and black glass-top humidor.

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leather on the reverse, which can

THE ORIGINAL - THE LUGGAGE WITH THE GROOVES In 1950, RIMOWA issued the first suitcase with the unmistakable grooves. Since then, it has evolved into a cult object in its own right. To this day, the original RIMOWA luggage has lost none of its fascination. It remains the luggage of choice for all those who seek the extraordinary - including models Allessandra Ambrosio and Johannes Huebl.

RIMOWA shop-in-shop Cellini Sandton

www.riwoma.com

w HIGHER CALLING: Vertu Ti smartphone n Luxury British cell phone manufacturer Vertu has launched the Vertu Ti, a 3.7-inch device with Android 4.0. Light but super tough, the stylish phone is made from brushed titanium and has a real leather trim. www.vertu.com

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TASTES: Rolling Stones whisky n To celebrate 50 years of the

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 n Mercedes-Benz has launched a limited-edition six-wheel-drive

legendary British rock group,

vehicle for the toughest of terrains. Derived from the G-wagon developed

Japanese distiller Suntory has

for the Australian army, it’s powered by an AMG engine that delivers

released The Rolling Stones 50th

536 horsepower to a front-drive system and a rear twin-drive train. It

Anniversary Whisky. The limited-

features a seven-speed automatic gear box, five differential locks and a

edition blended malt comes in a

tyre-pressure control system. Inside, there’s every luxury with four heated

crystal bottle featuring the band’s

seats, leather trimmings, a state-of-the-art dashboard and a load area

iconic lips-and-tongue logo.

finished in solid bamboo.

www.mercedes-benz.com

www.suntory.com

RUNNING FREE: Mores Petitpierre push bike n Designed in collaboration with a child ergotherapist, the Petitpierre

by German company Mores is the ultimate kids push bicycle. Stylish and ergodynamic, it’s the lightest on the market, weighing in at just 600 grams thanks to the latest in carbon-fibre technology. There are no sharp edges or protruding nuts and bolts to hurt beginner riders, and LED lights have been integrated into the saddle and handlebar for safer after-dark travelling. The bike won the 2013 Universal Design Award Germany and is available in black/yellow, white and rosé.

SPARKLING SERVICE: The Enchanting Tree n Dutch designer Tord Boontje

A DROP OF BEAUTY: Chivas 18 by Pininfarina n Premier Scotch whisky brand

has designed The Enchanting Tree

Chivas Regal has teamed up with

champagne service for Perrier-Jouët

Italian car designer Pininfarina to

Cuvée Belle Epoque. Inspired by

create a stylish limited-edition gift

the Art Nouveau anemones on the

set. The aerodynamic metallic case

famous Champagne label, the tree

houses a bottle of Chivas 18 and

blossoms with flowers – and flutes. www.perrier-jouet.com

two glasses in an oak inlay.

www.mores-design.com

www.chivasregal18.com

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Birkenhead House ∙ South Africa

Laid back luxury on the ocean’s edge This seaside getaway perched on a cliff above Walker Bay, near the popular Western Cape coastal town of Hermanus, takes beachfront living to a whole new level. With eclectic, quirky interiors that encompass the best of contemporary beach-house chic and menus that offer the finest fusion fare, it’s everything you’d expect of a five-star boutique hotel – and more. For what really sets it apart is the relaxed, easygoing ambience that allows guests to set their own ideal holiday pace.

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F

rom the minute guests step over the threshold of Birkenhead House, the holiday begins. The hotel’s clifftop position offers sweeping views over Walker Bay – and these set the scene for what is truly an extraordinary getaway. There’s more to it, of course, than just a superb location – although it’s hard to top sipping an ice-cold cocktail next to an infinity pool that gives way to the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

What makes this hotel extra special is the care and attention that staff put into every moment of every stay.

There are no schedules here. Breakfast is served when you decide you’re hungry; lunch materialises when you’re ready for it; and you’re only called in to your four-course dinner after you’ve had your fill of sundowners. These are served either in the light-filled lounge or on the deck at the edge of the ocean – unless you’d prefer to sip them privately, on the wraparound verandah that fronts most guest rooms. All drinks and meals are included in your stay at Birkenhead House – and this allows the rhythm of the day to be set, not by mealtimes, but by mood. This is hospitality at its finest: relaxed and easygoing but with a superb level of service that tends to every need.

It’s little wonder the hotel is a venue of choice for couples looking for an intimate wedding, or a memorable honeymoon.

The accommodation, too, raises the

bar when it comes to comfort and contemporary chic. Each of the 11 suites is individually decorated, and there’s a wonderful sense of quirky originality in the lavish bedrooms and spacious ensuite bathrooms. Thoughtful touches abound, from the complimentary snack platter with nuts, nougat and artisan chocolate, through the freshly brewed cappuccinos delivered to your door, to the abundance of fluffy towels provided for swimmers. For those who want to brave the ocean waves, the beach is never more than a few steps away – one of the reasons the child-friendly Birkenhead Villa, next door to the hotel, is so popular with families.

In spring, Birkenhead House offers some of the finest whale watching, as these giants of the sea come into the shallower waters of Walker Bay to mate and calve.

In summer, the hotel opens up to the outdoors in true beach-house style, while in winter it’s a cosy haven of log fires and twinkling candles.

And then there’s the food. A world-class fusion experience with every mouthful, Birkenhead House offers an exciting, varied menu that combines modern African flavours and traditional French techniques with a sprinkle of Asian and Italian influences. Cape seafood is a speciality, as is fresh, seasonal produce.

So you’ll find the delicate flavours of Asian-style prawns set alongside a salad

Named for the British troop ship that sank in Walker Bay in 1852, Birkenhead House enjoys an enviable location on a rocky outcrop that offers wraparound ocean and mountain views.

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The hotel’s superb location and relaxed, can-do service ethos make it a popular venue for intimate weddings, which are held on the spectacular deck. Wedding parties are offered exclusive use of the house, or of the house and villa, and can incorporate a maximum of 120 guests.

The food (above) is a taste adventure through worldclass fusion cuisine, with an emphasis on local ingredients and unusual flavour combinations.

Southern Right Whales (right) are a common sight in Walker Bay in late winter and spring.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: BIRKENHEAD HOUSE

Quirky individual touches and arresting artwork characterise the beautifully furnished suites, which are all equipped with airconditioning, digital TV and DVD players, Wi-Fi internet connectivity and a complimentary minibar.

of grilled pear, feta, charcuterie and caramelised almond on a bed of peppery rocket and watercress. The emphasis is on unusual but superb flavour combinations. Think pan-fried squid on linguine with a coconut curry sauce, or fresh yellowtail on herb and lemon zest basmati with a red-pepper relish. The springbok carpaccio with rocket, truffle oil and deep-fried capers is particularly memorable. No matter what your menu choice, the result is a taste adventure, to be enjoyed under the stars overlooking the ocean, in the glass-fronted dining area or in the privacy of your suite. Like everything else at Birkenhead House, the dining experience is crafted to suit guests’ every need – and to exceed their every expectation.

The menu of activities available is just as exciting. Guests looking for high adventure will find it shark cage diving,

sea kayaking or horse riding. Then there are the many trails along the beach and up the mountain, and the deep-sea fishing and boat excursions around Dyer Island.

Those wanting to experience the Cape’s famous wines will find Walker Bay’s top estates a short drive away, while there’s cheese and local beer to be sampled in nearby Stanford. And then there’s the spa – offering a pampering range of massage, aromatherapy and reflexology treatments whenever the mood strikes.

But it’s not the location, the food or the activities that guests will remember for years to come. It’s the wonderful ambience. Here luxury and relaxed living combine with a touch of whimsy, homemade cakes are served for tea, and friendly staff are ready to do anything they can to ensure your holiday flows as seamlessly as the ocean waves beneath your window. n Bridget McNulty

Birkenhead House

Hermanus, Western Cape, SA Telephone: +27 (0)28 314 8000 Email: info@birkenheadhouse.com Website: www.birkenheadhouse.com, www.theroyalportfolio.com

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A traditional pitched Makuti thatched roof is a key feature of the resort buildings, which are spread out in lush tropical gardens that give way to a tidal beach and the sparkling Indian Ocean.

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Essque Zalu Zanzibar ∙ Tanzania

Unwind in blissful seclusion Island magic unfolds serenely at this exceptional Zanzibar destination, where luxury is redefined by personalised service, attention to detail and endless space. It’s the perfect beachfront resort in which to relax, unwind and restore the soul.

aves gently lap, sea birds cry as the sun slips away in a blaze of glory and a fleet of dhows glides silently by on the high tide: the tranquil sound track to an evening cocktail at the jetty bar of Essque Zalu Zanzibar is soothing and magical. Tasty canapés complement a perfectly mixed daiquiri, a warm tropical breeze stirs and lights begin to twinkle across the water among the dramatic thatched roofs of the main buildings.

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Situated on a quiet stretch of Zanzibar’s coral-fringed northeast coast, Essque Zalu is a new five-star destination carefully designed to relax, refresh and restore. The architect has achieved a Zen-like harmony with the natural and traditional island environment, so that the lasting impression is one of space: soaring volumes and wide expanses both inside and out – giving the spirit room to breathe.

Except, on arrival, the perfect marriage of architecture and location immediately

takes your breath away. Everywhere you look, there’s another stunning detail: the gently curving walls of the lobby, the intricate casuarina rafters high overhead and, outside, the entrancing split-level infinity pool that leads the eye ever onwards through shades of cyan to the turquoise of the ocean and on to the limitless horizon.

Well spaced, intimate groups of loungers by the pool are inviting, but the long wooden walkway leading out to the

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Chic minimalism prevails in communal guest spaces, such as the striking Baobab bar (top left).

Outside, there’s plenty of space to soak up the sun – around the large infinity pool overlooked by the 40-metre-high thatched roofs of the main buildings (opposite top), on the striking wooden jetty extending over the ocean (opposite below) or on the private deck of one of the nine villas (top right).

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inspired jetty beckons. Here, poised high over the shallow lagoon and embraced by the ebb and flow of the ocean, is a cleverly constructed space that incorporates a comfortable bar, the Jetty restaurant, several lounging areas and a wooden staircase that allows you to climb down and swim at high tide.

Guided by a personal ‘navigator’, guests are led straight to a cool welcome drink in their suite or villa, bypassing the formality of check-in paperwork.

Personalised service and impeccable attention to detail are two key concepts here, and your navigator ensures that every individual request is fulfilled.

Set in lush gardens, the 40 thatched suites are an exercise in stylish simplicity.

Locally crafted furniture and artwork imbue the minimalist spaces with a warm and welcoming African ambience, and there are plenty of little luxuries to add that special touch, including luxurious Asprey products in the large bathrooms.

Families and friends travelling together can spread out in one of the nine villas, each with three or four en suite bedrooms, and enjoy their own private deck and pool, as well as a private massage room, lounge and kitchen.

After sundowners on the jetty, dinner is a voyage of culinary excellence. Tuna sashimi, lightly spiced prawn broth, perfectly cooked steaks – every dish uses the freshest of ingredients prepared to order with sensitivity and flair.

At the Market Kitchen, you can choose between three varied set menus – innovative international, vegetarian and traditional Swahili – each offering four courses. And if you yearn for something which doesn’t happen to be listed, all you have to do is ask.

Upstairs, with a view over the ocean, there’s A la carte, a fine-dining restaurant where you can savour the innovative ‘Signature Plate’ or tuck into char-grilled prime South African beef steak.

The beach here is tidal. It’s totally covered at high tide, with waves lapping against the coral rocks fringing the shore and guests able to swim from the jetty.

This brings the advantage of a genuine privacy and seclusion, unspoilt by the hustle and bustle of so many Zanzibar beaches. At low tide, the water recedes into the distance, inviting a meandering stroll among rock pools to discover jewel-like star fish, a visit to the nearby turtle sanctuary, or a gentle walk along

the uncovered sands to the village and beach of nearby Nungwi.

Active adventurers can go scuba-diving or parasailing, tour the island, visit Stone Town or take an evening cruise in a dhow. Dedicated sybarites have no need to leave the premises at all: they can lounge by the pool enjoying fruit kebabs and mocktails offered with a warm smile by attentive staff, stroll over to the jetty for a light lunch of Arabic-inspired mezze and grilled barracuda, then dream away

the afternoon in a hammock or browse the on-site art gallery.

Of course a full body massage at the Africology Retreat at Zalu spa is not to be missed. Using organic Africology products, every knot is skilfully soothed and kneaded, and inner balance restored.

All in all, Essque Zalu has created the perfect recipe for the ultimate re-energising getaway, so that guests leave in a blissful state, vowing to return as soon as possible. n Kit Heathcock

Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Zanzibar, TANZANIA Telephone: +255 778 683 960 Email: sales@essquehotels.com Website: www.essquehotels.com

PHOTOGRAPHS: ESSQUE ZALU ZANZIBAR

The flagship property of Essque Hotels, Zalu Zanzibar is a five-star resort situated on Zanzibar’s northeast coast.

It‘s a one-hour drive from Stone Town and the island‘s main port and airport. Flights are available from main East African hubs, such as Nairobi, Mombasa or Dar es Salaam.

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The Michelangelo ∙ South Africa

A classic Renaissance palace in the heart of the city Soaring arches, lavish brocades and marble floors reminiscent of a Renaissance Medici palace may be a surprising find in the thoroughly modern business and leisure hub of Sandton in Johannesburg but, blended with the contemporary comforts and exceptional service of The Michelangelo on Nelson Mandela Square, they create an unmistakable recipe for success.

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T

he grandeur of the Italian Renaissance finds its modern counterpart in The Michelangelo in Johannesburg’s Sandton. Overlooking Nelson Mandela Square, where sidewalk cafés spread out over the paving from graceful arcades reminiscent of an Italian piazza, the five-star Michelangelo – a member of Leading Hotels of the world – offers a cocoon of world-class hospitality in a setting of old-world elegance.

Business travellers return time after time to The Michelangelo. A major drawcard is its central location, a short walk from both the Gautrain station and the Sandton Convention Centre. Then there’s the wide variety of restaurants

and shops to be found in the glamorous Sandton City mall on its doorstep, and the freedom to walk everywhere in a reassuringly secure environment. Despite all its grandeur, regular visitors recognise in The Michelangelo a home from home, where the staff is welcoming, the service excellent and the surroundings designed for comfort as well as elegance, with none of the cold, impersonal minimalism typical of so many business hotels.

The dramatic atrium is lined with soaring arches, rising six storeys to a glass roof that bathes the interior in glorious daylight. It has the imposing presence of a Renaissance cathedral and is the heart of the hotel. All the public areas lead off

it, and walkways to guest rooms look out over the space, so that there is always a sense of openness and light. Centre stage on the marble-tiled floor, beside a large koi pond, is the circular cocktail bar with its decorative wrought-iron dome. Viewed from the glass-walled lift, the atrium has the feel of a stage set where an opera is about to unfold.

Space is the ultimate luxury when you are travelling and here The Michelangelo comes up trumps. There are 218 superior or deluxe rooms – as well as 24 suites and two presidential suites – and all are large, with a comfortable sofa and chairs grouped next to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Vaulted ceilings, pillars and a

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Space is a key feature of The Michelangelo, from the large dining and lounge area in the Premier suite to the lavish guest bathrooms.

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split-level floor in the Deluxe rooms add to the classic Italian feel, as do the darkwood headboard, the gilded picture frames and the lavish brocades. Comfortable king-sized beds have been upgraded with enticing crisp, white, 300-thread-count linens that contrast beautifully with the rich fabrics of the furnishings. The sense of old-world grandeur intensifies in the marble bathrooms, with their large showers, separate baths and double basins. It is almost a surprise to find the modern adjuncts of complimentary internet and satellite TV, as well as 24hour room service, as you unwind after an international flight.

A session at The Michelangelo Spa is guaranteed to relieve any residual tension, specifically the Tranquillity package, two hours of blissful pampering that sets you up for the rest of your day, whether you have to dive straight into work, or plan to shop in Sandton’s best boutiques.

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNER, YEAR AFTER YEAR‌ Since their release in 2010, BUNNAHABHAIN UN-CHILLFILTERED Scotch whiskies have already won an impressive number of awards to add to their existing collection.

By not chillfiltering our whisky, you will be able to appreciate the full depth of flavours, aromas, colour and character that make Bunnahabhain a consistently award-winning single malt.

International Wine & Spirits Competition

International Spirits Challenge

San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Scotch Whisky Masters

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BUNNAHABHIAN OPULENT LIVING.indd 1

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PHOTOGRAPHS: LEGACY HOTELS & RESORTS GROUP

Both the dramatic six-storey-high atrium at the core of the hotel and the indoor swimming pool area have glass roofs that flood their interiors with natural light.

The comprehensive conference service means that business travellers can accomplish much of their work without having to leave the hotel. Whether it is cocktails for 350 or a full conference for 160 in the impressive circular L’Incontro function room, or a focus meeting in one of the Il Paviglione boardrooms, the packages are fully catered and serviced. The nearby Gautrain station makes it a convenient location, and there is ample parking too. A business centre and secretarial services are available and the Il Ritrovo lounge with its all-day menu is perfect for more informal meetings over a light lunch.

To wind down, visit the well-equipped gym, or have a relaxing dip in the circular heated swimming pool – gazing up at the sky through the huge glass cupola.

The flair and sense of adventure of Executive Chef, Rob Creaser, are evident on the menu at Piccolo Mondo, The Michelangelo’s elegant restaurant. While

much-loved contemporary interpretations of traditional Italian dishes keep their place, Rob’s love for fresh ingredients, simplicity and creativity shines through in dishes such as the deconstructed Caprese salad and the honey mustard hot smoked salmon, dramatically brought to the table under a glass dome with smoke still swirling. Regular gourmet evenings are held to delight the epicure, and restaurant manager, Jeff Lopes, one of only five certified sommeliers in South Africa, plans an exciting wine programme.

What makes The Michelangelo really special however, is the service offered

by General Manager Roberto Rosa’s first-class team. Friendly, smiling, wellinformed and efficient, all the staff go out of their way to attend to your every need, so that whether you are staying on business or for pleasure, you are sure to have an unforgettable stay. n Kit Heathcock

The Michelangelo

Sandton, Johannesburg, SA Telephone: +27 (0)11 282 7000 Email: michelangelo@legacyhotels.com Website: www.themichelangelo.co.za The Michelangelo is the flagship of the Legacy Hotels & Resorts Group.

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St Regis Mauritius ∙ Mauritius

Paradise found The new St Regis Mauritius boasts an exclusive location on the unspoilt Le Morne peninsula overlooking an idyllic turquoise lagoon. From private kitesurfing lessons to multicultural gourmet dining, snappy service is the common thread at this glamorous beach retreat.

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he Indian Ocean’s most popular island is awash with luxurious resorts, all known for charming service, increasingly sophisticated dining and regularly refashioned interiors.

Setting new standards in exclusivity, guest experiences and in-room comfort has become a tall order, but the opening in late 2012 of the St Regis Mauritius – a debut for the brand in the Indian Ocean – seems to be shaking things up on the island’s beautiful southwest coast.

It’s hard to imagine the bar being raised any higher, but St Regis is a formidable luxury brand known the world over for its refined, heel-clicking service culture. At

the 172-room St Regis Mauritius, butler service is the norm and anticipating the needs of every guest and personalising every experience is the aim. No other resort of this size on the island offers the same choice of restaurants and dining experiences, whether it’s fine dining at a private chef’s table or an informal snack innovatively plated and served under a palm tree on the beach. Other services include the Kite Flyers kids club, run by trained kindergarten teachers, and a 24-hour fitness club to complement the St Regis Iridium Spa. Sandwiched between the dramatic Le Morne Brabant peak – a UNESCO world

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The resort offers an exceptional selection of dining experiences, from Tandoori specialities at Simply India (right) and Thai, Malay and Vietnamese dishes at the Floating Market (below left) to decadent bar snacks at 1904 Bar (below right) and fresh seafood at The Boathouse Bar & Grill (bottom).

heritage site since 2008 – and a clear, calm lagoon that shelters the peninsula’s long sandy beach from the open ocean, St Regis Mauritius enjoys a perfect location.

The less trammelled southwest coast is characterised by atmospheric villages, sheltered bays and spectacular sunsets – and is the ideal choice for those who don’t want to share their slice of paradise with too many others.

Resembling a historical estate set on the beach rather than a new beach resort, design inspiration was drawn from the island’s multicultural heritage – specifically French and British colonial influences from the 19th century.

At the hotel’s heart is a colonial-style manor reminiscent of a grand Victorianera sugar baron’s mansion. It offers a

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private residential experience including seven Manor House Suites, a fully stocked library, a private cinema, Le Manoir Dining Room for French-Mauritian specialities, the old-style 1904 Bar and Simply India, a restaurant by Michelin-starred Indian celebrity chef Atul Kochhar. Furniture and artefacts throughout feel like handpicked treasures and all reflect aspects of the island’s history while conveying a sense of understated luxury and style.

Moving away from the manor, the hotel grounds resemble a beautifully landscaped estate densely planted with tropical trees and flowering plants that attract amazing birdlife. The boathouse (the place to sign up for watersports and boat-based activities) and an enormous free-form swimming pool are situated close to the informal

Boathouse Bar and Grill. St Tropez meets laid-back island style right on the beach with a menu that leans towards fresh seafood, exotic cocktails showcasing the island’s famous rum, and dancing to a resident DJ under the stars.

The remaining two restaurants are Asian and both sought after for special-occasion dinners. Surrounded by water, the Floating Market is inspired by a vibrant Southeast Asian bazaar with a trendy, modern interior built as a series of intimate, interleading pagodas for romantic, al fresco dining. Artfully plated dishes reflect Thai, Vietnamese and Malay ingredients; their flavours and textures complemented by spot-on wine picks by an experienced sommelier. Desserts are a must – as light as they are pretty. Next door, Atsuko is focused on Japanese cuisine with a menu that celebrates classic favourites, the freshest sashimi and inspired vegetarian creations in a calm, serene setting.

On arrival at the St Regis, there’s no such thing as a formal check in. A butler whisks you away in a golf cart to one of a handful of private pavilions – a satellite reception desk, if you like – each dedicated exclusively to a group of rooms and suites housed in small, doublestorey residential blocks along the beach.

Your personal butler is there to facilitate

bookings at the various restaurants, the spa and the boathouse – he’s essentially the person who takes care of maximising your holiday fun. He may offer to unpack for you, will whisk away clothes that need to be ironed, replenish the mini bar, show you how to work the Illy espresso machine, and ensure that the bathroom is always stocked with the St Regis Remede bath and body products.

There are rooms and suites of various sizes to suit honeymooners, families and those craving privacy, including a fourbedroomed private villa. The 24 Beachfront Junior suites are a clever compromise between a room and a suite with spacious bathrooms, a walk-in dressing room and a sizeable veranda or balcony that effectively doubles your living space and provides an indoor-outdoor flow between beach and bedroom. So comfortable and well equipped are these junior suites, it’s tempting to do little else than relax in the sun and order room service. But the ocean beckons, not to mention the spa.

The 2000-square-metre Iridium Spa is a sanctuary for indulging in the grown-up pleasures of me-time and self improvement. On entering the standalone spa building, the first impression is of a thoroughly sophisticated, uncluttered salon dedicated to the serious business

Deluxe Rooms include a spacious bathroom, spectacular ocean views and a large outdoor living area.

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of the ‘body beautiful’ – with its sleek interiors, it would not look out of place on a fashionable avenue in New York.

A palette of ethereal, iridescent colours reflects the spa’s name, suggesting the light-refracting qualities of rainbows and ephemeral beauty of butterfly wings.

Stretching over two floors, linked by an exquisite marble staircase, Iridium Spa features 12 treatment suites (two are extra-spacious double rooms designed for couples), exclusive-use hydrotherapy facilities, a nail bar and hair salon, and a men’s grooming salon. Instead of booking a specific treatment, guests book increments of time, freeing them up to decide on what they need once they’ve met with their therapist.

From anti-ageing Valmont facials to Bella Lucce body perfecting rituals, anything on the menu can be tailored to suit the individual and the available time. One of the signature treatments is a hot guava and coconut milk body ritual, which fills two hours and makes use of organic Bella Lucce products, rich in antioxidants.

It’s a full body exfoliation followed by a hydrating mask and deep massage.

The Valmont facials come in express

(30 minutes), complete (one hour) and intensive (one and a half hour) formats, leaving time for a one-on-one gym workout, yoga practice or tennis lesson.

Known as the ‘pearl of the Indian Ocean’, Le Morne has a reputation for being a kitesurfing hotspot and attracts enthusiasts from all over the world thanks to thrilling surf spots like ‘One Eye’.

The world’s first Club Mistral Prestige kitesurfing club is located on the beach at the St Regis, offering expert tuition and insider tips from dedicated kitesurfing instructors. Designer-white speedboats are on standby to transfer guests from the boathouse on the beach to the best spot in the lagoon for water skiing and wake-boarding, snorkelling and diving, to take a swim in the clear deep water, or simply enjoy a dramatic perspective back towards the shore and the towering mountain peak of Le Morne.

While it’s hard not to be smitten by the attention to detail and the formidable service culture, the easy proximity to the sea and dazzling views are what ultimately encapsulate the thrill of checking into this luxurious home from home.  Jane Broughton

Sandwiched between the turquoise waters of a coralfringed lagoon and the island’s iconic Le Morne Brabant Mountain, St Regis Mauritius offers a tranquil beachfront setting that is hard to beat.

St Regis Mauritius

Le Morne Peninsula, MAURITIUS Telephone: +230 403 9000 Email: stregismauritius@stregis.com Website: www.stregismauritius.com

PHOTOGRAPHS: ST REGIS MAURITIUS

St Regis Mauritius is located on the southwest tip of Mauritius. Guests can arrive in chauffeur-driven luxury from either Mauritius International Airport or the capital city of Port Louis in just forty minutes.

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Since 1964, Seeff has consistently achieved some of the highest prices in South African real estate.

With more than 14% growth for the group overall during the past 12 months in what has been some of the toughest economic times in history, Seeff is surely doing it right.

We are an international property group with close to 200 branches and over

Samuel Seeff - Chairman

1000 agents in Southern Africa. We are one of the biggest real estate advertisers in the country and have an award-winning web presence and more than 36 000 properties listed on www.seeff.com. Our in-house training academy (Services SETA accredited) ensures that our new and existing agents receive the highest levels of training.

Just think what we can do with the marketing of your home.

Call 08610 SEEFF.

www.seeff.com | smart move

This stylish contemporary home on an exclusive golf estate offers a good location, privacy and security. Plus it features a sophisticated homeautomation system.

Modern art 492 Eagle Canyon, Randburg, Johannesburg Set on a coveted stand in the exclusive guarded community of Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, this architectural stunner combines glass, steel and concrete for a contemporary executive lifestyle.

Walls of glass provide seamless indoor-outdoor flow and the open-plan ground level features a dining room, TV lounge and chill-out zone with fireplace and bar, all of which lead effortlessly to the entertainment deck where a sparkling pool beckons. The chef’s kitchen, meanwhile, is equipped with top-of-the-range fittings and appliances and includes both a scullery and pantry.

Three luxurious bedrooms, all en suite and opening onto private balconies, occupy the first floor. The spacious master suite is serviced by an ultra-modern bathroom with spa bath and double shower and encompasses a dressing room as well. From the balcony, the suite offers jaw-dropping views of the immaculate greens. In the basement, a wine cellar, expansive hobby room and luxurious guest suite round out an attractive package. n For more information contact Chris Liebenberg: +27 (0)74 117 4971 chrisl@seeff.com

Stylish screed floors and bespoke paint techniques add further aesthetic appeal while sophisticated Smart Home technology provides all-inclusive home automation, centralised vacuum systems, air conditioning, underfloor heating, solar geysers, CCTV and an integrated sound system. Secure

SEEFF RANDBURG

parking in a fully automated double garage, plus ample guest parking, sweeten the deal.

Telephone: +27 (0)11 476 3536

For discerning buyers who rate location, privacy, security and good design as top priorities, Eagle

Asking price: R13.995 million

Canyon Golf Estate ticks all the boxes, and many more.

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Natural selection Zimbali Coastal Resort, KwaZulu-Natal Designed with exceptional attention to detail and boasting materials of a quality rarely seen, this extraordinary home is a tour de force of superior craftsmanship and architectural genius.

On arrival, vignettes of the world-class Zimbali golf course glimpsed from the entrance courtyard – an ingenious transition zone between the home’s exterior and interior access points and a signature feature of the authentic Balinese architectural style – lure visitors down an expansive staircase, past the soothing sounds of falling water to a solid-wood front door. Beyond this, expansive living areas reveal riveting vistas that take in the estate’s manicured greens and the surrounding conservation area, as well as an unforgettable Indian Ocean backdrop. From this elevated site, the vast patio and wooden deck that adjoin the house seem almost to disappear into the horizon.

As a natural complement to the home’s exterior dry-stacked stone walls, large slabs of solid granite are used underfoot throughout the ground floor, their charcoal hue echoing that of the gourmet kitchen, which features a spacious central workstation with stone worktops and a top-drawer gas hob. Floor-to-ceiling glass-and-aluminium sliding doors completely open up this level of the house to its spectacular setting, flawlessly integrating the indoor and outdoor living spaces. A room on the northern side of the lower level, purpose built with double-volume ceilings to fully exploit the incredible views, provides the perfect venue for entertaining guests.

n For more information contact

A handsome floating timber staircase leads the way to the first floor, where granite floors give

Andreas Wassenaar: +27 (0)82 837 9094

way to solid oak. Three of the four bedrooms located on this level have an ocean aspect and boast built-in cupboards and en suite bathrooms. In the master bathroom, a designer tub offers the ultimate vantage point for savouring the unsurpassed views. Here, wood-panelled walls and

andreasw@seeff.com Sally Edlmann: +27 (0)79 773 6431 sally.edlmann@seeff.com SEEFF DOLPHIN COAST

sleek modern vanities are testament to the superior levels of attention given to every detail in this

Telephone: +27 (0)32 586 0170

thoroughly contemporary yet enduringly timeless home.

Asking price: R13,95 million

Ocean views and seamless indoor-outdoor living are a key feature of this contemporary Cape Town home.

Room to gather 17 Shanklin Crescent, Camps Bay, Cape Town Hugging the slopes of Table Mountain, this impeccably designed north-facing villa offers a degree of luxury seldom encountered. Surrounded by the hardy mountain scrub that is indigenous to this region of South Africa, and constructed to the very highest architectural standards, the house is purpose built to satisfy every need of the consummate entertainer, as a spacious wraparound deck and generously sized swimming pool stylishly attest.

With sea-fronting walls comprising expansive sheets of glass, and every window framing vistas of ocean, cliff and crag, the property has been designed to unashamedly flaunt its far-reaching views. A large family lounge, as well as three other reception rooms, provide space aplenty for the gathering of family and friends, while a separate bar and walk-in wine cellar further encourage sociability. A guest suite, separate staff quarters and back-up generator are an additional bonus for prospective hosts, while the infinitely functional outdoor terraced areas are built beneath cover in order to facilitate al fresco dining whatever the weather. There are also four garages, plus an off-street bay – all a boon in this popular tourist hub where parking is at a premium. n For more information contact

While there’s no denying that the home is best suited to the boundless chatter and unbridled

Rochelle Serman: +27 (0)72 239 4449

laughter that are the province of every well-executed celebration, the need for privacy has in

serman@seeff.com Pola Jocum +27 (0)83 261 0116 jocum@seeff.com

no way been neglected. Four luxurious bedrooms, all featuring no-expense-spared fittings and finishes, are complemented by a sumptuous master suite complete with his and hers dressing

SEEFF CAMPS BAY

rooms. Five bathrooms and a study, as well as state-of-the art security, round out this sophisticated

Telephone: +27 (0)21 438 1055

offering, where high society meets sublime sanctuary in the heart of one of Cape Town’s oldest

Asking price: R24 million

and most illustrious seaside suburbs.

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A vision of the future Pentagon, Nettleton Road, Clifton, Cape Town This luxury Stefan Antoni-designed villa is located on the country’s most expensive street and has

n For sales information contact

been built to deliver on five key aspects: a desirable address; unparalleled sea and mountain views;

Lance Cohen: +27 (0)82 416 6103

groundbreaking contemporary design; deluxe finishes; and superior privacy and security.

lance@seeff.com

Constructed over four levels, each serviced by an elevator, the property is wholly glass-encased, with double-volume living spaces throughout and broad terraces that appear as if suspended above the ocean. The double-storey entrance hall together with a manager’s apartment, master

For luxury short-term rentals contact Lior Witz: +27 (0)71 585 5510 lior.witz@seeff.com SEEFF SEA POINT

suite with spacious bedroom, dressing room, en suite bathroom and private office, plus a 10-seater

Telephone: +27 (0)21 434 9175

cinema and gymnasium occupy the ground level. On the first floor are a lounge and three en suite

Asking price: R105 million

bedrooms, all of which open to the terrace. The level above offers three more lounges, a dining room, an Italian marble bar and a state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen. Glass doors open to a heated rim-flow swimming pool and Zen garden. The mezzanine bedroom suite boasts a dressing room and bathroom with large American walnut louvres opening the area to the floor beneath it. Finally, the five-car garage, which is large enough to house a boat, occupies the lower level.

Fronted by a hallmark Stefan Antoni ‘floating’ arch, the home is a beacon of bespoke design.

It is fully automated, with remote-controlled blinds, LED lighting and multimedia and satellite television throughout, and features the latest underfloor heating and cooling technology, as well as top-of-the-range infrared and camera security technology. Designer furnishings are featured throughout, all of which are being offered as part of the covetable package.

n For more information contact SA: Faye du Preez +27 (0)72 650 7123 Mauritius: Theo Pietersen +230 919 3200 seeff.mauritius@intnet.mu SEEFF GRAND BAIE Tel: +230 263 2192 Asking price: from R4.5 million

Best of both worlds La Baie townhouses, Azuri, Mauritius Designed to provide intimacy while still maintaining a foothold in the vibrant local community, the townhouses of La Baie reinvent the essentials of sophisticated seaside life.

Located in Azuri, a luxury oceanfront lifestyle village on the northeastern coast of Mauritius, and one of the most secure property investment opportunities on the island, the townhouses are defined as contemporary homes with an alluring tropical feel and introduce a meaningful new way of living in an island destination setting. With an emphasis on merging modern design with the traditional Mauritian indoor-outdoor lifestyle, each of the five La Baie properties, which are due for completion at the end of 2013, offers three spacious bedrooms, all en suite and with views of landscaped gardens and azure Indian Ocean waters.

In keeping with their natural setting, the townhouses have been constructed using local materials and, inside, a casual decorating aesthetic combines with eclectic detailing. In the living and openplan kitchen areas, double-volume ceilings allow for the flow of fresh sea breezes, providing the cross-ventilation so essential in the humid tropics, while the strategic use of gauzy muslin and other diaphanous fabrics further enhances the cooling effect. Pale floors and furnishings in neutral shades of white and black, russet and taupe, accented with a splash of turquoise, sea green or burnt orange, are also wholly in keeping with a modern island lifestyle.

The contemporary residences feature double-volume, glass-

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With beachfront access and views of shimmering lagoon, the townhouses are clustered around manicured communal gardens that feature swimming pools, secure parking and boat moorings.

fronted living areas that open

Built to international standards and with world-class amenities, La Baie presents the unique

up to shimmering ocean views.

opportunity to own an oceanfront piece of island paradise just 25 kilometres from the capital city.

Opulent Living

Appreciating asset Opaline residences, Azuri, Mauritius A true Mauritian oceanfront lifestyle village, Azuri was conceived to satisfy the demands of the

n For more information contact

modern world by way of a unique formula for contemporary island living. Although the property

SA: Faye du Preez +27 (0)72 650 7123

development, which will be completed by January 2014, is situated in the heart of a protected

Mauritius: Theo Pietersen +230 919 3200

marine environment on the unspoilt northeast coast of Mauritius, its location still fulfils the dayto-day priorities of schooling, shopping, leisure and security.

Situated near the lifestyle village’s bustling market square, Opaline – or ‘the residences on the green’ – comprises 23 apartments, all with balconies or terraces, as well as five luxurious townhouses set in their own private gardens. Located in landscaped tropical grounds complete with plunge pool and deck area, and with dedicated parking and direct access to the beach, plus unrivalled mountain and lagoon views, each four-bedroomed luxury home is styled on the classic lines and subdued palette of the modern plantation decorative genre. The residential offering also includes access to the Centara Grand Azuri Resort & Spa, an award-winning five-star boutique hotel situated within the development, together with use of the boat club and marine facilities, plus an array of land- and water-based activities and membership at the neighbouring Bernard Langer-designed golf course. Sold under the Integrated Residence Scheme (IRS), the purchase of a home in Opaline entitles a foreign buyer and his or her dependent family to reside on the island for the duration of their property ownership, as well as to benefit from a 15 percent flat tax rate.

It’s a solid investment that comes with the added benefit of a chance to live the dream!

Set in the Azuri oceanfront lifestyle village, which incorporates a lagoon, mangrove forest and river, Opaline offers contemporary living – Mauritian island style.

seeff.mauritius@intnet.mu SEEFF GRAND BAIE Tel: +230 263 2192 Asking price: from R4.5 million

Belle of the ball Retail giant Woolworths hosted a lavish French ball in Cape Town in March, drawing together a stylish array of guests for a night of music and dancing – and the chance to bid for some fabulous prizes.

W

ith décor fit for a queen, the Marie Antoinette-themed 2013 Woolworths Charity Ball kicked off with plenty of French flair at The Lookout in Granger Bay. The glamorous event aims to raise money for the Woolworths Trust, which supports food security, education and orphaned and vulnerable children charities.

Guests were treated to a three-course meal and entertainment from popular girl group, 3 Tons of Fun, who specialise in well-loved pop, African and show tunes.

French band Ooh La La and jazz vocalist Lindiwe Maxola helped transport all present to the city of love, while popular

Kfm breakfast DJ Ryan O’Connor proved a humorous Master of Ceremonies.

The real fun, however, kicked off with ballroom dancing displays and a ‘So you think you can dance’ competition.

A more serious business was the charity auction, conducted by leading auctioneer Ariella Kuper, which raised nearly R1 million. Guests bid for a total of 12 lots, including a Rovos Rail trip to Victoria Falls and a holiday to Bali. The most coveted item was a signed Nelson Mandela lithograph, which sold for R300 000.

The evening closed with an electric show from musicians Good Luck and plenty of late-night snacks for the peckish.

03

[01] Lucille and Kennett Sinclaire. [02] A captive crowd follows the bidding.

[03] Ayanda Mhlongo, Hanneke Farrand, Claire Morrissey, Esti Brand, Laurence Helman and Lizel Blignaut. [04] Florian Gast and Barbara Lenhard.

[05] Woolworths CEO Ian Moir, Jodi Moir, Gila Carrol and Sam Ahmed.

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[06] Master of Ceremonies, Ryan O’Connor. [07] Jill and Shaun De Jager. [08] Reinette Geldenhuis.

[09] Guests watch the ballroom dancing. [10] Claudice Culverwell and Glen Pohlmann. [11] Monique and Pieter Nienaber. [12] Lavish table settings supported the Marie Antoinette theme. [13] Auctioneer Ariella Kuper and Debby Zuanni holding the Nelson Mandela lithograph that sold for R300 000.

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An Opulent Cape Town launch Opulent Living Book Volume 1, the much-anticipated travel anthology from the publishers of Opulent Living Magazine, was launched with aplomb at the V&A Waterfront’s Cape Grace hotel on 19 December.

T

he champagne flowed as Opulent Living’s Barbara Lenhard and Florian Gast proudly presented their first coffee-table book to travel luminaries, journalists, partners and friends at the Cape Grace hotel. The stylish cocktail party, presented by MercedesBenz, gave guests their first glimpse of the opulent travel anthology, which features more than 60 breathtaking lodges, exquisite resorts and fabulous hotels – all on 296 beautifully designed pages in a large-format hardcover book encased in a luxurious plum-coloured dust jacket.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa, was guest of honour at the Cape Town launch.

Other luminaries included Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Roland Herrmann, and MasterChef South Africa judge Peter Goffe-Wood.

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…and a Johannesburg encore After a successful Cape Town launch, the beautiful large-format book was unveiled to a Johannesburg audience in the lavish Villa One at the Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas & Spa on 20 December.

I

n a second elegant event presented

by Mercedes-Benz, Opulent Living Book Volume 1 was revealed to Johannesburg guests a day later. Speaking at the launch, publisher Barbara Lenhard said: ‘We’re so proud to have had MercedesBenz as a partner for the launch events, as both our brands stand for design, elegance and the highest quality.’ As with the Cape Town event, guests were spoiled with a lucky dip of prizes, including a weekend at the beautiful Fairmont Zimbali resort.

Opulent Living Book Volume 1 is available at selected retailers in South Africa and from www.opulentliving.co.za.

Johannesburg guest of honour was CEO of South African Tourism, Thulani Nzima. Also in attendance was Martin Zimmermann, CEO of MercedesBenz South Africa, and Julian Katz, Director of Sales and Marketing at Fairmont Zimbali.

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A match of high fashion The South African leg of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Masters 2013 saw local celebrities and fashionistas gather at Val de Vie in the Cape Winelands in February for a day of sporting glamour.

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t was all about the fashion when South Africa’s champagne crowd gathered for the most glamorous polo event on the annual social calendar.

The outdoor soiree, held at the beautiful Val de Vie estate near Paarl and hosted

by Vivid Luxury, is one of only five international polo tournaments sponsored

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by Veuve Clicquot, and pulls a stylish mix of invitation-only guests. As well as the polo match and the traditional stomping of the divots on the playing field at half time, guests were treated to a display of couture from the country’s top designers, including a fashion show of the latest collection from Jenni Button.

[01] Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Lee-Anne Summers.

[02] Warrick Gautier, Natalie Becker, Peta Eggierth-Symes and Andrew Hart Adler.

[03] Barbara Lenhard and Vicky Pappadopoulos.

[04] Adetunji Omotola and Anina Malherbe. [05] Bentley showed its latest model and Veuve Clicquot poured plenty of champagne. [06] Valerie Ayena and Ronny Chambers.

[07] Hendrik Vermeulen, Rachael Luesse and JD MeyerVermeulen. [08] Leigh van den Berg. [09] Elrico Bellingham and Ritza Janse van Rensburg.

Opulent Living

Opulent Living SOUT H E R N A F R I CA + INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS

Lifestyle www.opulentliving.co.za

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