VIE Magazine June 2017

UP, UP & AWAY!

ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA

June 2017

THE

VOYAGER

ISSUE

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COASTAL LUXURY LIFE IItt was was aa pleasure pleasure to to represent represent both both Sellers Sellers

and and Buyers Buyers this this past past year year on on their their sales sales and and purchases purchasesof ofsome someexceptional exceptionaland andexquisite exquisite beach beachproperties propertiesthat thatdefine definethe thearchitectural architectural beauty beauty and and coastal coastal elements elements of of our our area. area.

IfIf you you have have interest interest in in selling selling your your beach beach property propertythis thisseason, season,IIwould wouldbe beso sodelighted delighted to to hear hear from from you. you.

–Erin –Erin Oden Oden

FOR FOR MORE MORE DETAILS DETAILS ON ON THIS THIS EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE SALES SALES REAL REAL ESTATE ESTATE OFFERINGS, OFFERINGS, PLEASE PLEASE CONTACT CONTACT ERIN ERIN DIRECTLY DIRECTLY AT AT 850.502.1220 850.502.1220

CALL CALLERIN ERINODEN ODEN

850.502.1220 850.502.1220

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SOLD SOLDBY BYERIN: ERIN:$200 $200MILLION MILLION IN INRESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIALSALES SALES TOP TOP1% 1%OF OFECAR ECARREALTORS REALTORS

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Unique Residences That Well Define Our Coastal Area

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CALL CALL ERIN ERIN ODEN ODEN DIRECTLY DIRECTLY AT AT 850.502.1220 850.502.1220

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A P PA R E L ,

J E W E L R Y,

H O M E

AC C E S S O R I E S ,

A LY S S H O P P E .CO M

A N D

G I F T S

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Hello, World We believe exploration leads to inspiration. Whether it’s on the coast of Northwest Florida or in any of the other enchanted destinations our global network of affiliate offices call home, we’re uniquely positioned to help explore all your possibilities. So to the world we say, hello. We have you covered.

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In this issue On the Cover

Soaring to the skies, hot-air balloons of all shapes and sizes are on display each year during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. The festival’s origins trace back to 1971 when brothers Sid and Bill Cutter rented a

48

ACE OF STAYS

IF YOU’RE HEADED TO THE BIG EASY, STAY IN STYLE WHEN YOU BOOK A ROOM AT THE ACE HOTEL NEW ORLEANS.

hot-air balloon for their mother’s birthday party and accidentally took it on a highflying adventure the next day. This year’s Fiesta takes place October 7–15. Learn more in “Up, Up, and Away” on page 100 and get tickets at BalloonFiesta.com.

PHOTO BY DEAN FIKAR

FEATURE 100 Up, Up, and Away

LE MONDE 25 26 A New Lease on Life: Alaqua Animal

88 Pachyderm Picassos in Thailand 94 An Insignificant Adventurer

LA MAISON 107

29 A Collective Consciousness Emerges:

108 A Modernist Legacy: Documentary Honors the Work of New Orleans Architect

C’EST LA VIE CURATED COLLECTION: THE VOYAGER 32 VOYAGER 37 38 What’s in a Name? The Big Easy’s Rite of Passage

TheIdeaBoutique.com info@theideaboutique.com

Beauty of Bonaire

Refuge Expands The Voice for the Silent Is Heard

PUBLISHED BY

84 Underwater Wonderland: Behold the

48 Ace of the South: Art Deco Meets Hipster Chic in NOLA’s Warehouse District

114 A Bold Retreat Overlooking the Lazy Mississippi River

LA VITALITÉ 123 124 Sparks of Connection: Living Well at Somerby Santa Rosa Beach 128 Shifting Gears: A Southern Road Trip to Wellness

54 The Sweet Side of New Orleans

L’AMOUR

62 Off the Beaten Track in Ancient Egypt

136 Love in Paris

70 Coming Home: Portugal Shines from

LA SCÈNE 140

Coastline to Castle

78 The Rebirth of Berlin

AU REVOIR! 145 V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 13

CREATIVE TEAM FOUNDER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com

FOUNDER / PUBLISHER GERALD BURWELL Gerald@VIEmagazine.com

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR JORDAN STAGGS Jordan@VIEmagazine.com

CHIEF COPY EDITOR MARGARET STEVENSON CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MARA CL ARK, NICHOL AS GRUNDY, STEVE L ARESE, LIZZIE LOCKER, TORI PHELPS, ANNE W. SCHULTZ, JANET THOMAS, SUSAN VALLEE, JANICE LUTZ WEISMAN, MARIANA ZECHINI

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTOR TRACEY THOMAS Tracey@VIEmagazine.com

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR LUCY MASHBURN FILMMAKER AMANDA CROWLEY GRAPHIC DESIGNER RINN GARL ANGER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS BENNIE BOS, SARA ESSEX BRADLEY, KOBBY DAGAN, COLLEEN DUFFLEY, DEAN FIK AR, NICK FOX, MARIIA GOLOVIANKO, NICHOL AS GRUNDY, SHANTI HESSE, ANTON IVANOV, TANWA K ANK ANG, BRENNA KNEISS, STEVE L ARESE, DENNIS LOMONACO, RICHARD NOWITZ, ANGELINA PEACE, ROMONA ROBBINS, JOSEPH SOHM, DAWN CHAPMAN WHITT Y, BEYOND MY KEN, GRAPHIA, GTS PRODUCTIONS, SONJA PHOTOGRAPHY, TINSELTOWN, TOFUMA X

ADVERTISING, SALES, AND MARKETING DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR MEGHN HILL BRANCH OFFICE MANAGER – IRELAND SHARON DUANE MARKETING MANAGER AMANDA CROWLEY CREATIVE STYLIST SUVA ANG-MENDOZA BRAND AMBASSADORS LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com MARY JANE KIRBY MaryJane@VIEmagazine.com

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER TIM DUTROW DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR SHANNON QUINL AN

VIE is a registered trademark. All contents herein are Copyright © 2008–2016 Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated (Publisher). All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. VIE is a lifestyle magazine and is published six times annually on a bimonthly schedule. The opinions herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. The Publisher and its advertisers will not be held responsible for any errors found in this publication. The Publisher is not liable for the accuracy of statements made by its advertisers. Ads that appear in this publication are not intended as offers where prohibited by state law. The Publisher is not responsible for photography or artwork submitted by freelance or outside contributors. The Publisher reserves the right to publish any letter addressed to the editor or the Publisher. VIE is a paid publication. Subscription rates: Printed magazine – One-year $29.95; Two-year $54.95. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.VIEmagazine.com.

14 | J UNE 2017

Editor’s Note

WHEREVER THE WIND TAKES YOU

W

ouldn’t it be great if getting home from a trip abroad were as simple as clicking your ruby slippers together three times and repeating, “There’s no place like home”—and presto—you’re home? There have been so many times I’ve wished it could be that easy, but that only worked for Dorothy.

Travel is full of adventure and enlightenment, but it can be fraught with stress caused by any number of things: delayed flights, bad weather, grouchy fellow passengers, failing systems, or just incompetence in general. That kind of stress can try the patience of the most seasoned traveler—and patience is a prerequisite to embarking on any journey. As much as I love the whole process of planning my trip and then reaching my destination, I loathe packing. And to make it worse, my poor dog really hates it when the dread suitcase appears from behind that closet door. She paces anxiously, wondering if she’s going with me. She has even tried to climb in on some occasions. I start missing her even before I walk out the door. It’s a heartrending dilemma!

Travel, whether for business or pleasure, is a customary part of my life. I have been uprooted so much lately that I am beginning to crave the mundane routines of home: grocery shopping, cooking, exercising regularly, and even doing laundry.

There are seasons in everyone’s life and, right now, I’d just like to ground myself. But this isn’t in the cards because, after a decade of storytelling, I’m in the midst of preparing to launch VIE onto a national platform. Starting with this issue, we are now a monthly publication. A national media tour of meet-and-greets in Birmingham, Boston, Charleston, Miami, Nashville, and New Orleans, as well as trips to Ireland and New York City, are currently in the works.

What I find when I’m at home is that a simple routine can help keep me centered, even if the errand is as unexciting as picking up my dry cleaning. A grateful heart is mine—whether I’m traveling or at home—and I think that’s why traveling can be so important. It teaches patience and gratitude while we learn to live in this world of high intensity and stress. After all, the twenty-first-century lifestyle is, well, fast!

the beautiful image of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on our cover makes me smile, and our feature article, “Up, Up, and Away,” by Steve Larese is a must-read! A travel spotlight on New Orleans, “What’s in a Name: The Big Easy’s Rite of Passage,” written by managing editor Jordan Staggs, is a comprehensive travel guide to one of the most fascinating cities in our country.

Take a ride and discover the world’s biggest hot-air balloon event in our Voyager feature, “Up, Up, and Away.”

Photo by Bennie Bos.

This issue is filled with intrigue, wonder, travel, and interesting stories, so fly up and away with us— even if it’s from the comfort of home!

Travel allows me the privilege of experiencing new adventures while collecting a treasure chest full of memories. It also makes me grateful for returning home with a rekindled energy for mundane routines. I will admit, too, that the energy and focus that traveling requires at times causes a strong yearning within me for the comfort of my own bed.

To Life!

A thrill runs through me when I see hot-air balloons in the sky, as they look so liberating and a little scary, which satisfies my inner adrenaline junkie. That is why

—Lisa Marie Founder/Editor-In-Chief V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 15

expect th e u n expecte d.

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The Creatives We collaborate with talented photographers, writers, and other creatives on a regular basis, and we’re continually inspired by how they pour their hearts and souls into their crafts. In this issue’s Creatives, we decided to showcase some of our VIE team members! Follow them on Instagram and don’t forget to check out our account, @viemagazine.

FOR OUR ANNUAL VOYAGER ISSUE, WE ASKED THE CREATIVES, “WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL EXCURSION SO FAR?”

GERALD BURWELL Founder / Publisher @thehairofmylife

One of my most memorable trips was to Egypt.

At the time, I was seventeen and had my sights on architecture schools. The ancient region has some of the most significant architectural artifacts on earth, including the world-famous Pyramids of Giza. Some say that, even with our current knowledge base and modern technology, it would be an almost impossible feat to replicate the pyramids today. It was impressive traveling the Nile, as millennia of history rest on her banks. The Nile was the lifeline to a magnificent and robust culture that was the world’s epicenter more than five thousand years ago. The trip forever opened my eyes to what great things man can accomplish and to the societal importance of architecture—the art of creating spaces for the purpose of relating man to his surrounding environment.

LISA BURWELL Founder / Editor-in-Chief @lisamburwell

Confucius once said, “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” Those who have mastered this teaching can find Zen no matter where they are— traveling or not. But, like many people, I find traveling to be an invigorating way to “see what’s out there.” Trip preparation is part of the exhilaration, as there seems to be a heightened state of mind for weeks prior to vacationing. My favorite place to travel is Paris—the city where my husband and I honeymooned. We walked together for eightplus hours each day, took in all her magnificent beauty, dined by candlelight, sauntered along the Champs-Élysées and the river Seine, picnicked on the grass beneath the Eiffel Tower, went window-shopping at Louis Vuitton, visited the Paris Opera—and fell in love even more!

18 | J UNE 2017

part of the 435-mile Deutsche Märchenstrasse, or German Fairy Tale Route. Our tour guide, Sir Dietrich, was dressed as a knight, and stops included the Seven Dwarfs’ mine in Bad Wildungen, lunch at Rapunzel’s castle (Trendelburg), a night’s stay at Sleeping Beauty’s castle (Sababurg), a walk in the Reinhardswald, and a visit to Kassel, where Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm lived and worked for over thirty years. The full route includes much more and is worth a go for any lover of fairy tales!

JORDAN STAGGS

TRACEY THOMAS Art Director @misstraceyleigh

My favorite place is near and dear to my heart and it’s also where I was born: Cape Town, South Africa. Experiencing the spectacular views on the monumental Table Mountain, the gorgeous Chapman’s Peak Drive, and the Chapmans Peak Beach Hotel for a plate of the best fried calamari are musts, as are seeing the beautiful views of the beach sunset and enjoying a swanky dinner on the patio of Paranga in Camps Bay. But my most favorite experience was eight years ago, when I took a sunset cruise from the waterfront around Table Bay with my family. It was such a happy time and one of the last special moments spent with my grandmother. I will always cherish that day and my time spent in Cape Town.

Managing Editor @jojomonster12

I think my fascination with fairy tales could be thanks to Disney movies and my grandmother, who has a large collection of Tom Clark gnome sculptures and a print of Edward Robert Hughes’s Midsummer Eve, in which a young girl, presumably Shakespeare’s Hermia, stumbles upon a celebration of fairies in a forest. That’s why I’d have to say my favorite travel experience was exploring a small

SOME SAY THAT, EVEN WITH OUR CURRENT KNOWLEDGE BASE AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY, IT WOULD BE AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FEAT TO REPLICATE THE PYRAMIDS TODAY.

and walking around Nashville, Tennessee.

It was a quick road trip around part of the United States—with the added adventure of outracing a storm—and I’ll never forget experiencing it with the people I love most.

school in Virginia gave me ample opportunities to visit, but my favorite trip was exploring the city with my husband one spring. We both love learning about the past and decided to venture through the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum, and one that everyone should see— the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. To share enthusiasm for the same things as your partner is wonderful. We have both fallen in love with D.C., and hopefully one day we’ll have a chance to go back.

LUCY MASHBURN

STAYING IN MY GRANDPARENTS’ COTTAGE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE INSTILLED IN ME A DEEP LOVE OF IRELAND AND AN UNSHAKABLE CURIOSITY TO EXPLORE THE WORLD.

MEGHN HILL Digital Marketing Director @megtothehen

My favorite trip was taking my husband (then boyfriend) to my hometown of Reedsport, Oregon.

There’s nothing like going back to your roots and sharing them with the person you love. I showed him all my old hangouts: Smith River Falls and the Oregon Dunes, where I spent many summers; Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, where seeing an elk always makes your day; Sea Lion Caves, where my dad took me as a little girl; and Undersea Gardens in Newport that seemed so grand in the eyes of an eight-year-old. The most memorable moment was driving to Crater Lake. There was snow in July and, since my husband is from Florida, he had never driven in the mountains.

A little terrifying, but the views were worth it!

Assistant Art Director @lucymashburn

I had a great opportunity to study art history abroad in Rome, Italy, one summer when I was in college.

As students with local Italian professors, we had our own personal tour guides and translators with private access to galleries and museums not open to tourists. I loved being there for a full month, because it gave me the chance to explore the city on a deeper level and indulge in local activities and customs (and lots of gelato).

The architecture and all the details—from the exquisite doors to the crumbling ruins—provided design inspiration that I still pull from today. My sketchbook is my most treasured souvenir from this adventure; it contains my favorite memories and observations in the form of watercolor and ink!

SUVA ANG-MENDOZA Creative Stylist @aug_valentine

Although I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around Europe, my favorite travel excursion was something simpler: my family’s move from the Midwest to Florida. We were racing against the clock and a wild winter storm, but we managed to make a fun field trip out of it, stopping at Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield, Illinois, visiting Superman in Metropolis, Illinois (yes, it exists), shopping in Birmingham, Alabama,

RINN GARLANGER Graphic Designer @rinney_the_pooh

I’ve always felt connected to Washington, D.C. Whether it was the memorials or the vast number of museums, something just pulled me there. Going to

AMANDA CROWLEY Film Curator @amandacrowley15

For this self-diagnosed travel addict, picking a favorite excursion is harder than keeping my suitcase under fifty pounds! The summer I turned fifteen, I spent two weeks with my grandparents in Ireland.

My grandmother taught me about my heritage and introduced me to the place where she spent part of her youth. One of my favorite days of the trip was particularly warm and sunny—for summer in Ireland, that is—so we walked along Lettergesh Beach and took pictures on the rocks that jut into the Atlantic. When the wild salt air became too much, we went to the local pub for dinner and trad music. Staying in my grandparents’ cottage in the countryside instilled in me a deep love of Ireland and an unshakable curiosity to explore the world.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 19

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La conversation

HELLO! HOW ARE YOU? WE LOVE TO COMMUNICATE AND INTERACT WITH OUR READERS! AND WE LOVE IT EVEN MORE WHEN THEY PROUDLY SHARE THEIR STORIES AND POSE WITH VIE FOR A CLOSE-UP! THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: SHARING, LOVING, AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. WE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU!

@lovinglifetothefullest Good times representing @viemagazine at @seasideschoolofficial #seasidehalfmarathon expo! #runseasidefl #taylorallenproperties #porathlaw @epic_photo_co

@rbgirlsgetaway Such a lovely morning with the co-authors of @saintsofoldflorida and Lisa Burwell, the editor of @viemagazine. #krewedurosemary #rosemarybeach #rosemarybeachgirlsgetaway #rbfoundation #rosemarybeachfoundation

@emerilorg Flashback to last year’s amazing fundraising weekend in New Orleans! Thank you @viemagazine for the beautiful spread. Visit VIEmagazine.com to read the recap. #emerilorg #flashbackfriday #emerilbbb16 #emerilcdv16

@misstraceyleigh Add a little glamor to your Monday. Love this iconic Queen B vase from @lovestarloves featured in @viemagazine. #glamorous #viemagazine #lovestars #empoweringwomen #unapologetic #love #beyonce #queenbey

@themarinamorgan Thank you so much @viemagazine for the feature & BEAUTIFUL write up! #lymedisease #awareness #nevergiveup #inspire viemagazine.com/paralyzed-by-marinamorgan-brings-awareness-to-lyme-disease

LET’S TALK! Send VIE your comments and photos on our social media channels or by e-mailing us at info@viemagazine. We’d love to hear your thoughts. They could end up in the next La conversation!

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Le monde

Le monde GOES ROUND AND ROUND

Commonly called the tree of life, the baobab tree is native to the African savanna and gets its bulbous trunk shape from the vast amount of water it soaks up each rainy season. Baobab trees grow in over thirty African nations and can live to be five thousand years old. These massive plants benefit rural communities, providing water and fruit, rope from the bark, nutrition from the leaves, and cosmetic oils from the seeds.

Locals carry wood through the Avenue of the Baobabs in western Madagascar off the African coast.

Photo by Romona Robbins.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 25

Le monde

A New Lease on Life Alaqua Animal Refuge Expands

By Susan Vallee

When Laurie Hood, founder of Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport, Florida, first envisioned a sanctuary for animals in need, she didn’t give much thought to flood zones; she just worked with what she had and decided to put the rest in God’s hands.

I

t all started in 2007, when Hood became increasingly aware of a need for a no-kill animal shelter in Northwest Florida, particularly in Walton County, where thousands of animals were euthanized every year simply because of lack of space in local shelters. “The last straw” for Hood came after an especially grueling visit to a shelter where she met nearly a hundred dogs whose days were quite literally numbered. The shelter informed Hood that representatives of rescues or other animal shelters could take animals scheduled for euthanasia for free, and Alaqua Animal Refuge was born. Hood rescued thirty-eight animals the very next day, sheltering them in the barn on her property.

Of course, the veterinary bills and supply costs of running an animal shelter quickly began to pile up, and people began calling and bringing more animals (of all kinds) when they learned about the county’s first no-kill shelter. More room and more funds were crucial to keeping Hood’s dream alive.

She began writing grant proposals and planning

26 | J UNE 2017

Alaqua Animal Refuge founder Laurie Hood with Loverboy, one of the refuge’s former residents.

Photo by Dawn Chapman Whitty.

fund-raisers, and she has seen a massive outpouring of support and generosity over the past decade. Alaqua now houses 250 animals at any given time and has rehomed over fifteen thousand animals since its inception. The cost to run the refuge is over $80,000 per month.

Hood’s constant fund-raising efforts generally focus on providing food and medical care to the animals that call Alaqua home, but in the past few years she has shifted gears to envision the future of the refuge. As Alaqua grew and the number of animals increased from a few dogs and cats to neglected and abused horses, birds, abandoned fawns, hogs, cattle, and other farm animals, the reality and logistics involved in hurricane evacuations added urgency to finding a location farther from the shores of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Over the years, Hood worked with fellow philanthropist M.C. Davis, who opened the nearby E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center to amplify environmental education and appreciation of the outdoors for children. Last year, Davis bequeathed Alaqua with eighty-five acres near the center. With the help of donor funding, Hood was able to increase that acreage to one hundred.

“From the very beginning, I wanted a place that would be different than traditional animal shelters,” Hood says. “I wanted a place where happy animals would be surrounded by a pristine environment, making it peaceful to adopt and volunteer. I wanted a place where animals of all sizes, shapes, and kinds could heal and be provided shelter, safety, and a second chance of life.”

To make her vision a reality, Hood sat down with her “dream team” of architects and planners from Santa Rosa Beach, Florida: Mark Schnell of Schnell Urban Design, Tony Vallee of Anthony J. Vallee Architect, LLC, and Marianne Khoury-Vogt of Khoury Vogt Architects. Together they created a master plan for

“I wanted a place where animals of all sizes, shapes, and kinds could heal and be provided shelter, safety, and a second chance of life.” a new refuge that includes a medical clinic, a horse arena, adoption buildings, a restaurant, a chapel, cottages, large open pastures for animals to roam, and a system of nature trails that circle the property.

The cottages will provide a place for veterinary interns to stay while learning valuable skills. They will also be open to guests for weekend seminars.

An important outreach of Alaqua Animal Refuge has become its assistance with animal cruelty cases.

Unfortunately, Florida ranks as one of the states with the highest number of reported animal abuse cases, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Hood travels throughout the year to testify and assist law enforcement in many cases.

At the new facility, she plans to bring those efforts directly to the refuge by offering educational seminars and hands-on study of cruelty cases for police officers so they can learn how to process their own cases more effectively and efficiently.

A recent puppy mill rescue highlighted both the need for further training and the need to change the way Florida handles animal rescue and abuse cases. Insufficient legislation and local shelter laws led to over a hundred rescued dogs being taken to an overflow shelter that does not document the evidence that law enforcement needs to establish animal abuse charges. After a frustrating five-day waiting period at the overflow shelter, the remaining rescue animals (those that had not died or been adopted) were released to Alaqua. Within that short time frame, the majority of the dogs became sick with flu-like symptoms and parvovirus and then infected other rescued animals at Alaqua.

The waiting period also weakened the abuse case against the puppy mill. “Now they (the defense) can argue injuries happened at that shelter and not while the puppies were in their care,” Hood says. “These animals came from a horrific place. We should have been able to get them medical attention right away.”

While she works with volunteers to craft language for a bill to make overflow shelters unnecessary, Hood is thankful that she can turn to the plans for the expanded Alaqua Animal Refuge and focus on all the additional animals that she will be able to help in the future.

In planning the new facility, Hood met one of her personal idols, zoologist Jim Fowler, a former host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. The two brainstormed and collaborated heavily on the plans for the shelter’s wildlife area. Hood also spoke with Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, as well as renowned animal scientist Dr. Temple Grandin, who aided in Hood’s hopes to incorporate equine therapy and children’s programs into Alaqua’s repertoire.

“At our refuge, these animals will find solitude and loving hands to care for them,” Hood says. “It is a place where school children come out and call each

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For the animals who pass through our gates, Alaqua Animal Refuge becomes what can only be described as ‘heaven on earth.’” animal by name, and they leave with a desire to be a voice for the animals at our facility. For the animals who pass through our gates, Alaqua Animal Refuge becomes what can only be described as ‘heaven on earth.’ A place to call home, loving hands to care for them, and a hope for a better future—those are all things that we provide for each animal that comes to our facility.”

Photo by Dawn Chapman Whitty.

As Hood continues to raise funds for Alaqua Animal Refuge—a shining example for the world—she is also helping to make progress in the areas of education, legislation, and enforcement. You, too, can help by donating funds or volunteering to help craft a bill for a streamlined animal rescue process. Please go to www.Alaqua.org/how-to-help/donate-now.

A Collective Consciousness Emerges

The Voice of the Silent Is Heard

By Lisa M. Burwell Photography courtesy of the Humane Society of the United States

A revolution is under way and Wayne Pacelle is leading the charge. This well-spoken, charismatic man with movie-star good looks is a passionate protector of animal rights and a force to be reckoned with. As president and chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for the past thirteen years, he is the general and this is his battlefield, so don’t get in his way—he isn’t afraid of a fight.

I

briefly met Wayne on April 9, 2016, at the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center in Freeport, Florida, for an invitation-only event hosted by the beloved Alaqua Animal Refuge and its founder, Laurie Hood.

Wayne was the guest speaker to a standing-room-only group of Laurie’s supporters and animal rights activists. Alaqua celebrates its ten-year anniversary this year, and what Laurie has accomplished in that time is astounding. Both Laurie and Wayne are down-to-earth people with virtue and goodness running through their veins.

The day following his Alaqua speech, I met with Wayne for a one-on-one interview.

His authenticity and passion was impressive. For Wayne, the role as CEO of HSUS is not a job—it is a war against cruelty to animals. With a staff of a thousand animal rights advocates under his command, he leads the nation’s largest animal care provider and protector. Wayne shared that he had an internal fortitude and dedication to advocate for animal rights with an intensity that only a person on a mission can muster. “I get emotional nourishment seeing other people join the cause. What Laurie Hood has done with Alaqua is outstanding,” he said fervently. Wayne further stated that if he’s done anything right, it has been to take his message mainstream while simultaneously driving so many parallel initiatives.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and author of The Bond and The Humane Economy: How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals

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“I make my life a protest on animal cruelty. I really value farmers who care and adhere to the principles of good farming, which includes humans connecting to animals.”

Pacelle’s latest book, The Humane Economy, offers an in-depth look at animal exploitation in capitalist society and how innovators similar to Laurie Hood of Alaqua Animal Refuge and the team at E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center in Northwest Florida can use the marketplace to promote animal welfare instead.

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An intense schedule like Wayne’s is not for the faint of heart. He is constantly traveling for media interviews, lobbying efforts, touring of inhumane facilities, and speaking engagements across the country. All of this requires immense stamina.

When he mentioned that he was being interviewed by Oprah at her home the following week, it struck me how privileged our community was to have a person of his caliber come to speak about something so important. “My mission is to raise awareness of what HSUS stands for and to get people involved on any level they can,” said Wayne. The organization combats large-scale cruelties such as puppy mills, animal fighting, factory farming, seal slaughter, horse cruelty, and captive hunts, as well as the negative impacts of international wildlife trade. As the ambassador of this cause, Wayne has been named Executive of the Year by the NonProfit Times. He has used the power of the pen as the author of the New York Times bestseller The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them

and the blog A Humane Nation, which is published each weekday, and he is a contributor to noteworthy newspapers and magazines.

Wayne’s most recent book, The Humane Economy: How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals, sets forth the premise that changing a collective consciousness in advocating for animal rights is only the first line of defense to bring about change, and that information and technology are leading transformative changes to that end. In his book, he describes how a revolution in American business and public policy is changing forever how we treat animals and conduct commerce. “We are now a society that recognizes that cruelty to animals is wrong. Innovation is going to offer new opportunities to act on our beliefs, and we, as a society, will eat better as a result,” said Wayne.

The book was lauded by John Mackey, co-CEO and founder of Whole Foods Market; Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, United Nations Messenger of Peace, and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute; and Jack Welch, founder of Jack Welch Management.

Since his teenage years, Wayne has felt a strong connection to animals and he is clearly carrying out his destiny in this world. “I make my life a protest on animal cruelty,” he said. “I really value farmers who care and adhere to the principles of good farming, which includes humans connecting to animals.” This is really the foundational premise of his captivating book: that humans and animals are connected and we should be good stewards over them, not their captors. In 2016, SeaWorld stopped its orca-breeding program and began negotiations with the HSUS with a pledge to rescue and rehabilitate distressed marine animals. SeaWorld has also begun advocating against whaling, seal hunting, and the senseless killing of sharks for their fins. The 2013 documentary Blackfish led a groundswell of public outcry and is credited, along with HSUS, for raising awareness to evoke the change. SeaWorld’s decision to change their business model sets an example to other animal-attraction businesses, and shows the importance of listening to their customers as well as their consciences when it comes to animal welfare.

On the flipside, Ringling Bros. announced last year that it was phasing out its elephant acts in traveling circuses due to customers’ concerns for animal welfare. The growing customer pressure and costly legal battles with animal rights activists have ultimately caused the 146-year-old circus to close in May of this year—another milestone on the battlefront. Walmart recently joined other major food retailers, including Costco, McDonald’s, and Target, in a pledge to buy eggs from suppliers that allow hens to move around freely instead of inhumanely packing them into crowded cages on large-scale factory farms. This mind-set is the crux of his book, which lays the premise that businesses who do right by animals will soar, and those who don’t will face hardships.

Animal protection is one of the great social movements of our time, and visionaries and businesses alike are offering solutions to show us the way forward. “I get great joy when I see corporate reform enacted or see animals being rescued from dire circumstances. I throw myself into the change,” Wayne continued. As a vegan for thirty-one years, he is excited to see innovative plant-based food alternative

“I get great joy when I see corporate reform enacted or see animals being rescued from dire circumstances.

I throw myself into the change.”

companies like Hampton Creek and Beyond Meat, who with twelve billionaires among its investors is one of the world’s fastest-growing food start-up companies.

Petco and PetSmart have turned the pet store model upside down by favoring shelter dogs instead of buying from puppy mill suppliers.

Wayne Pacelle’s powerful and tireless voice is a lion’s roar for animals who cannot speak. He champions for them with visionaries, politicians, lobbyists, consumers, and influential CEOs alike. But not all are keen to his cause. Wayne is disrupting the status quo and making people think about how things can be done differently and how everyone can be better off because of it. “They don’t have a voice, and I am their voice.”

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THE VOYAGER

This year, ditch the routine vacation and indulge in new and spectacular adventures that you didn’t even know existed. For both the nomad at heart and the beginner traveler, we have a list of items that will take your trip to new heights!

Whether you’re voyaging by land, sea, or air, become a savvy globetrotter and say “C’est la vie!” to these top Voyager picks.

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Jungle Walk

Tory Burch Floral Clara Pump $600 modaoperandi.com 32 | J UNE 2017

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All Packed Up

Grace Large Box $2,495 markcross.com

Just in Time

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Suunto Kailash travel watch with GPS in Copper $850 suunto.com

Turn around, Bright Eyes

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Thierry Lasry Butterscotchy Sunglasses in Tokyo Tortoise and Gold $525 thierrylasry.com

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Say It and Spray It

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Globe Trotter Travel Spray Case $105 twistedlily.com

Live on the Wedge

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Embroidered Suede Platform Espadrille $695 gucci.com

Nailed It

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Czech & Speake Gold Manicure Set ÂŁ450 czechandspeakefragrance.com

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Carry On

Lilith Leather Top Handle Bag $3,500 gucci.com V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 33

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Happy Camper

Marchi Mobile Palazzo Superior marchi-mobile.com

If the Shoe Fits

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Jimmy Choo Foxley PythonTextured Denim Tassel Loafer $650 neimanmarcus.com

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Stow Away

The First Class Leather Tech Case £375 stowlondon.co.uk

Flying High

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Etihad Airways First Apartment Cabin etihad.com

Just Roll with It

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Large Rolling Duffle Bag $2,295 jwhulmeco.com

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To the Moon and Back Moonlight Bikini Top and Fisherman Pants johannaortiz.com

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T H E M O S T C R E AT I V E C U L I N A RY E X P E R I E N C E O N 3 0 A Open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30 pm • Happy Hour 5:30–6:30 pm 8 5 0 - 2 1 3 - 5 7 0 0

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SEE THE WORLD

TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Cruise down South and experience the history, culture, and flavor of New Orleans in this issue’s Voyager department.

In 1354, Moroccan scholar Muhammad Ibn Battuta recounted from memory his many experiences from decades of travel across nearly all of Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, Eastern Europe, and North Africa. The full title of his memoir translates to A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling, but it is more commonly known as The Travels, and includes the famous quote “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” Without voyagers like Battuta, one can imagine that the world of storytelling would be a dull one indeed.

Model Taylor Hamby travels down US Route 50 in rural Nevada, dubbed the Loneliest Road in America.

Photo by Romona Robbins.

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WHAT'S IN A NAME? TH E B IG

RIT E OF

PA S S AG E

BY JORDAN STAGGS

D

riving into New Orleans, Louisiana, you might gawk at the bayous and marshes, especially if you haven’t seen land like it before. Crossing over Lake Pontchartrain from the north or the east feels like it takes ages, but that’s just an entrée into the way time works in the Deep South; everything seems to happen at a slower pace, and you seem to remember it for a longer time after you’ve left.

New Orleans’s famous French Quarter is constantly alive with music and other entertainment for locals and tourists alike.

Photo by GTS Productions.

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Established in 1718 by French colonists and named for Philippe II, the Duke of Orléans, the city sprawls across the mighty Mississippi River and comprises several unique districts. By far its most famous today is the French Quarter, known for its historic architecture, balconies perfect for people-watching, and, of course, parties on Bourbon Street. But taking a trip to the Big Easy—a rather apocryphal nickname often attributed to Times-Picayune gossip columnist Betty Guillaud in the 1970s—can encompass so much

more than booze and beignets. Guillaud’s moniker for the city is said to represent how easygoing the lifestyle is there, and locals tend to agree. Rules were made to be broken in New Orleans, and spending a lazy afternoon on the porch or balcony sipping sweet tea (or something stronger) is a rite of passage.

Art is everywhere, weirdness is celebrated, and once many people arrive, they never want to leave—some don’t even leave after they’re gone, if the ghost stories are to be believed. This is an exploration of the land of many nicknames, but it barely scratches the surface of its wonders, as you must discover them for yourself.

Also known as the Crescent City, thanks to its shape hugging a bend of the Mississippi on one side and Lake Pontchartrain on the other, New Orleans is easily walkable. Public transportation for longer jaunts isn’t hard to come by, so it’s advisable to take advantage of your hotel’s valet services and ditch the car during your stay so you can keep your eyes peeled and enjoy the sights of the city. And if you haven’t

visited since before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina leveled New Orleans in 2005, things will look a little different. The aftermath still visible on the city’s outskirts is a sobering reminder that the Big Easy hasn’t always had it easy; but the rebuilding process brought with it improvements, great works of art and literature, and a sense of community among locals who love their home. Most of them are glad to share it with visitors, quirks and all.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME The Warehouse and Central Business Districts have boomed with luxury accommodations in the past decade or so, but the highest of class is still found at the Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel gem that has stood on a full block south of Canal Street since 1893. Its 504 guest rooms—from the deluxe room options all the way up to the presidential suites—boast regal decor with all the modern amenities. In true New Orleans fashion, the Sazerac Bar on the Roosevelt’s lobby level offers signature cocktails in a jazzy atmosphere and is a great place to stop by for a drink, even if you’re not staying in the hotel. Likewise, Domenica has delicious dishes with “casual Italian” flair, including fresh pizzas and pasta, with a nicely curated wine list. The rooftop bar (for guests only) is the perfect spot to sip drinks poolside in a Mediterranean-style oasis, while Teddy’s Cafe is your go-to lobby stop for coffee, a quick breakfast, and sweets.

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n the northeastern edge of the Warehouse District, the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery exudes a trendier, more rustic vibe in an 1854 building that originally served as a chandlery (warehouse) for the Port of New Orleans. Its spacious rooms include exposed brick walls and midcentury-modern-style furnishings, and the coffee bar, art gallery, and library make hanging out in the common areas enjoyable. The hotel’s Compère Lapin is open to the public and was named 2016 Restaurant of the Year by the Times-Picayune.

If you’re looking for that slow Southern style, try booking a bed-and-breakfast, many of which are found in the most scenic parts of New Orleans, mostly in the Garden District. This sector of the city lends itself perfectly to morning strolls, lunch at sidewalk cafés, and art hunting. Saint Charles Avenue is noted for its walking tour of historic Colonial, Victorian, and Greek Revival homes. The various architectural styles

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The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery's spacious rooms include exposed brick walls and mid-century modernstyle furnishings.

hark back to the 1850s, when the Garden District was being settled by successful entrepreneurs of the day.

The famous Saint Charles Streetcar is worth a ride and makes getting to and from the Garden District a breeze.

While the Big Easy has a myriad of hotel accommodations to fit your needs and budget, planning a stay doesn’t have to mean going the traditional route.

Rental websites such as Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO have countless options for houses, condos, townhomes, and rooms available for your stay. Live it up in a French Quarter loft or enjoy nature near the Audubon Park—the choices are endless.

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE Now popularly known in the Internet age as Nola or NOLA (derived from New Orleans, LA), the city has more to see and do than could ever be possible in one trip—which is just as well because you’ll surely want to come back for more.

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For nature lovers, the Audubon Nature Institute encompasses ten parks and museums throughout New Orleans dedicated to all things conservation. Its largest, Audubon Park, is located at the western end of Saint Charles Avenue just south of the prestigious Tulane University campus. The park’s nearly 350 acres include nature and jogging trails; recreation areas for golf, tennis, baseball and softball, and soccer; playgrounds; riding stables; and picnic areas. It’s also home to the Audubon Zoo, with an array of local and exotic animals. For those who don’t mind butterflies and creepy crawlers, travel back over to the French Quarter for the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, or to Riverwalk to see the bright colors and natural beauty under the sea at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Audubon Park is also home to the Tree of Life, a gnarled and sprawling live oak that’s estimated to be anywhere from a hundred to five hundred years old and seems to represent the old-world spirit and unwavering strength of the city.

Other renowned museums in the city include the New Orleans Museum of Art (located at City Park), which contains an impressive collection of paintings, sculpture, photography, and other crafts from around the world. Take a stroll through the outdoor sculpture garden and enjoy the park’s lakes and live oaks.

For a full look at all the museum has to offer—exhibitions rotating throughout the year, as well lectures and workshops—visit NOMA.org.

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL Even richer than its World War II history is the Crescent City’s place in the Civil Rights Movement. As a principal port of America and a huge producer of cotton and sugar, New Orleans was also home to the largest slave market in the domestic slave trade. Conversely, it also held the largest population of free people of color, the majority of whom had arrived in the city after the Haitian Revolution and were educated, middle-class citizens. Many free people of color from New Orleans, mostly former slaves, fought in the Civil War and protested the Union’s poor treatment of people in the city throughout the war and before Reconstruction. In 1872, P. B. S. Pinchback became the first mixed-race governor of Louisiana and the first person of African descent to hold the title of governor in an American state.

Opposite: The trendy lobby at the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery includes seating areas, books on local history and art, a souvenir vending machine, and the Tout La bar offering beverages, pastries, and coffee.

Below: The whimsical Ashley Longshore studio is located on Magazine Street, the city’s best district for art gallery browsing.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Longshore.

Traveling through the Garden District from Audubon Park demands a trip down Magazine Street, NOLA’s unofficial artists’ haven. Antique shops, galleries, boutiques, and thrift stores line the street, and it’s easy to walk the length and find something for everyone.

From the studio of zany, pop culture–famous Ashley Longshore to New Orleans–centric mosaics and tile work at Derby Pottery, there’s a plethora of galleries and shops to browse, not to mention the Magazine Street Art Market, open Fridays and Saturdays and full of locally made goods. Health and beauty are also big draws on the street, with yoga studios aplenty and a large Lush Cosmetics boutique located on the corner of Magazine and Ninth.

On Magazine’s northeastern end, you’ll find the National WWII Museum, formerly known as the D-Day Museum. As the home of Higgins Industries, New Orleans played a significant part in America’s World War II effort. The company’s Eureka boat design was used by the U.S. Navy, and its more popular Higgins boat was the amphibious design used

by American troops during the invasion of Normandy, France, on D-day, June 6, 1944. The museum is listed as one of the best in the world by TripAdvisor and includes educational exhibits, memorials, live stage shows, the 4-D Beyond All Boundaries cinematic experience, and more.

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From huge concerts from the world’s top performers to nightly entertainment in every corner and cranny of town, live music is never hard to find. The biggest event of the year (besides Mardi Gras), the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, is ten days of music from local and national acts in every genre.

The event, held at the Fair Grounds Race Course, draws around 450,000 attendees each year over the course of the festival.

T

he fight for civil rights continued strongly throughout the passing of Jim Crow laws and segregation, as even free people of color before the Civil War were stripped of their rights to vote and other civil liberties. As the battle for equality continued across the United States throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, New Orleans remained a key player in advancements of people of color. Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old girl from the city’s Ninth Ward, became the first child of color to attend a previously all-white school in the South in 1960.

in the city’s Tremé neighborhood, the country’s oldest and largest pre–Civil War community of free people of color.

The New Orleans African American Museum of Art, Culture and History is dedicated to preserving and promoting the African American cultural heritage in the city and gives walking tours, events, and exhibits

Since the melding of African, European, and Caribbean cultures produced the exciting improvisation-heavy jazz genre in the early 1900s, the music scene in the Big Easy hasn’t slowed down one bit.

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LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL They say music is the universal language, and New Orleans might be the best example of how different languages and cultures can fuse to create something entirely new. This brings us to yet another nickname for the city, and one most people have probably heard—the Birthplace of Jazz.

They say music is the universal language, and New Orleans might be the best example of how different languages and cultures can fuse to create something entirely new.

Although Bourbon Street might be more famous— or perhaps infamous—it’s Frenchmen Street where music lovers should venture for a quintessential NOLA experience. Located in the artistic Marigny neighborhood, the street is lined on both sides with bars, lounges, and clubs, while a vibrant art and craft market showcases local creators. The Spotted Cat, Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, and the Maison have traditional and modern jazz acts along with delicious local fare, while d.b.a. has presented such greats as Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Buffett, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards, among many others.

The Saint Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square, built in 1720, is the oldest cathedral in North America.

Jackson Square is one of New Orleans’s most popular tourist destinations for entertainment, souvenirs, and the famous Café du Monde beignets.

Photo by Richard Nowitz, New Orleans CVB. Opposite left: Live music, especially jazz, abounds in the Big Easy.

Head to Frenchmen Street for some of the best music and nightclubs.

Photo by Joseph Sohm.

Opposite right: The French Quarter showcases some of the city’s most iconic architecture.

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he Dragon’s Den is Frenchmen’s go-to spot for the most eclectic music lineup, often drawing a young crowd with dubstep and electronic dance music acts such as Skrillex, but bringing a lot to the table with everything from burlesque to jazz, reggae, and rock. For outdoor entertainment, enjoy the fountains and patio at Rare Form, or catch a street performance—on busy nights, you might see anything from lone musicians all the way up to a marching brass band. After a long night, duck into Dat Dog for pub fares such as hot dogs, Philly cheesesteaks, and fries with just about every topping imaginable, even famous New Orleans étouffée.

BON APPÉTIT If Dat Dog doesn’t make your mouth water, stay tuned, because New Orleans is also known as one of the country’s best destinations for dining. With bigname chefs like Emeril Lagasse and a slew of James Beard Award winners, including Donald Link, Alon Shaya, and Susan Spicer, NOLA has become a place where Southern flavors meet fine dining and has kept true to its roots with Cajun and Creole cooking around every corner.

The Garden District is home to coffee shops galore, but for lunch, tuck in at District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew. on Magazine Street. Their claim to fame is oversized homemade donuts in about twenty flavors made daily: cookies ’n’ cream, coffee cake, raspberry champagne, peanut butter pistachio, and many more. Delicious sliders, breakfast sandwiches (on donuts), waffle fries, and draft beers round out the menu at this trendy stop.

Just a block from Lush on Magazine Street, find something sweet to eat at Sucré, where you can’t go wrong with French macarons in a variety of flavors and bright colors. For dinner, snag a reservation at La Petite Grocery, which fuses French style with Louisiana flavor in a quaint cottage-style setting on the corner of Magazine and General Pershing Streets. Just down the street, Shaya, James Beard– honored chef Alon Shaya’s blue-and-white oasis, offers modern Israeli cuisine.

Venturing downtown means stopping in at Mother’s for a po’boy, the beloved NOLA sandwich specialty that pairs perfectly with a bowl of jambalaya. On 44 | J UNE 2017

Another of the Crescent City’s main attractions is the food! Enjoy the best of everything from gourmet sweets at Sucré (above) to delicious seafood at La Petite Grocery.

Photo by Sara Essex Bradley.

Above photo by Romona Robbins.

busy weekends, it’s not unusual to see a line out the door and stretching down Poydras Street.

Meanwhile, the Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter is much more expansive than guests might guess from its hole-in-the-wall facade. It has a courtyard for NOLA-style al fresco dining and all the city favorites: seafood or chicken andouille gumbo, po’boys, shrimp or crawfish remoulade, red beans and rice, and much more.

For a unique dinner stop with an artistic twist, venture farther into the French Quarter to Mona Lisa, an Italian trattoria where customers can gleefully admire various renditions and parodies of the famous Da Vinci painting and even try their hands at creating one. (The best are selected as new decor.)

Food-centric events happen year-round throughout NOLA, making it a foodie’s dream. From the Boudin, Bourbon and Beer fund-raiser for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival and Tales of the Cocktail, there’s an event

La Petite Grocery fuses French style with Louisiana flavor in a quaint cottagestyle setting.

Enjoy happy hour with a Cassius Club cocktail at La Petite Grocery on Magazine Street.

Photo by Sara Essex Bradley.

honoring just about every type of food and drink.

Check out a full calendar at NewOrleansOnline.com.

TOURIST TRADITIONS Of course, some people just want to hit those iconic tourist spots, and it is recommended during your first trip to the Big Easy to visit at least a few. After walking down Canal Street or taking the streetcar, head to Riverwalk for views of the Mississippi and some historic markers along the way.

Shopping and souvenirs are sprinkled throughout the French Quarter, especially near Jackson Square. Artists and performers often line the park there, touting paintings of New Orleans sites and celebrity caricatures.

You’re sure to hear a trumpet or drums, and if you fancy a palm or tarot reading, have a seat and see what your future may hold (for a small fee, of course). Voodoo shops lie tucked beside T-shirt and souvenir shot glass vendors, antique stores, and more. Stroll along and enjoy the view of the Saint Louis Cathedral.

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must-do is visiting Café du Monde just south of Jackson Square, where you can have a seat or wait in the to-go line for café au lait and fluffy, powdered-sugar-soaked beignets.

For a tour of the city by water, hop aboard the steamboat Natchez for a jazz brunch cruise or the dinner cruise at 7:00 p.m. The boat’s live music hall, expansive decks, and gift shop make it an excellent spot for relaxing, enjoying some NOLA jazz, and finding the perfect souvenir.

The month of February in the Big Easy is a spectacle all its own. Gearing up for Mardi Gras means parties and parades, galas and balls, and beads. Lots of beads.

The annual Fat Tuesday celebration is a bucket-list item not for the faint of heart, as you’d better come prepared to party—and, of course, you never know what you’ll see. Although there is some contention about where the annual festival really started (yes,

we’re looking at you, Mobile, Alabama), there’s no doubt that New Orleans is America’s most popular Mardi Gras city.

WHO DAT NATION Perhaps a lesser-known NOLA nickname among the general population is the Who Dat Nation, thanks to the city’s first NFL team, the New Orleans Saints.

Since the team’s Super Bowl win in 2010, the phrase “Who dat?” (short for “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?”) has cropped up more and more— T-shirts and other Saints fan merchandise can be found throughout the city emblazoned with the team’s golden fleur-de-lis logo. Check out the schedule and see a game in the famous Mercedes-Benz Superdome during the NFL season.

“Who dat?” is short for “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?”

Other major sporting events in the Superdome include the annual Allstate Sugar Bowl each January.

This NCAA college football game is a huge draw to fans, especially those of the Southeastern Conference.

Runners can find an unlikely haven in New Orleans, with big races each year including the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon, which winds throughout downtown and the French Quarter with live bands set up every mile or two, and the Crescent City Classic, one of the oldest annual tenkilometer races in the country. The Crescent City race series includes year-round events that can be found online at CCC10kcom.

A CITY BY ANY OTHER NAME One last New Orleans nickname, which harks back to the Big Easy sentiment, is the City that Care Forgot. Though it could be misconstrued, this tagline is a testament to how many people have visited NOLA and forgotten their cares, truly losing their woes in the sounds of a brass band or the taste of a fine bourbon. Though it may be the land of many nicknames, there’s only one name that matters to those who love the city most: home.

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ACE SOUTH of the

ART DECO MEETS HIPSTER CHIC IN NOLA’S WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

By Jordan Staggs Photography courtesy of Ace Hotel New Orleans

In the growing world of carefully curated experiences, Ace Hotel has perfected the art. The trendy chain has properties across the United States, including locations in New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago, to name a few, and has expanded its offerings to London and Panama City, Panama, since its inception in 1999. Ace’s latest luxury digs opened last year in the New Orleans Warehouse District, just steps from all the excitement of the city— but tucked far enough away from the action to create an oasis for those looking to relax after a busy day (or a long night).

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ce Hotel New Orleans opened in March 2016 with 234 guest rooms, fine dining, a rooftop bar and pool, a coffee shop, and, in true New Orleans fashion, its own live music venue. The art deco building, within walking distance of the city’s famed French Quarter, was once a department store but now houses Ace Hotel’s simple yet refined persona. The guest rooms come in many shapes and sizes, including suites, but all feature beautiful hand-painted armoires, midcentury-style Smeg refrigerators, custom bedding, and luxury bath products by Rudy’s and Pearl+. The decor was carefully selected by New York–based design firm Roman and Williams, known for its modern yet functional approach. Many rooms come equipped with Martin acoustic guitars, turntables, and a vinyl collection, allowing guests to get a taste of the city’s famous music scene before they even step out the door.

The chic and comfortable lobby at Ace Hotel New Orleans, adjacent to Stumptown Coffee Roasters, is a perfect spot to relax and enjoy your morning.

In the lobby is a music scene all its own, as no Ace Hotel in the Big Easy could possibly be complete without a performance venue. Three Keys offers almost nightly entertainment, from jazz to soul to disco and even the spoken word. Shows are open to the public and most are free with an RSVP, so be sure to check out the offerings during your stay.

Three Keys’ checkered dance floor is steps from the supple leather furnishings and low ambient lighting of the Lobby Bar, where craft cocktails, wine, and beer are available.

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Continuing its curation of quintessential New Orleans experiences, Ace Hotel delivers when it comes to dining. Its crown jewel—or perhaps shining star—is Josephine Estelle. Memphis natives and James Beard–nominated chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman fuse Italian favorites with Southern culture in this beautiful art deco–inspired dining room and bar, open for all three meals, plus weekend brunch and happy hour. Reservations are recommended for dinner and are worth it—try starting out with the charcuterie board or Poole’s beets (or both!), then enjoy any of the pasta dishes “to nourish” your appetite, and choose from several simple but classic mains such as the pompano, the pork chop, or the ribeye. As you feast beneath the palm-leaf mosaics and the Edison bulbs that evoke the feel of a Jazz Age lounge, sip signature cocktails with appropriate names like the Things Remembered (sparkling wine, cranberry, rosemary, and orange), the Tailored Fit (vodka, cinnamon, satsuma, and sparkling Riesling), the Creole Apothecary (rye, Peychaud’s Aperitivo, ginger, and lemon), and more.

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Many rooms come equipped with Martin acoustic guitars, turntables, and a vinyl collection, allowing guests to get a taste of the city’s famous music scene before they even step out the door.

For another spectacular brunch option, late-night cocktails, dinner, or fresh oysters, head just down the block to Seaworthy, Ace’s casual hideaway with an extensive bar menu, a nautical theme, and a charming courtyard perfect for enjoying mimosas or Bloody Marys on the weekend.

Above: A laid-back gathering place by day, the Lobby Bar and Three Keys music venue make the Ace a superb hot spot by night.

Alto is Ace Hotel’s exclusive rooftop bar, serving up cool drinks and fresh bites from the five-star chefs at Josephine Estelle downstairs.

After brunch, visit Ace Hotel’s “neighbors,” three uniquely curated shopping experiences, each featuring New Orleans–based artists and brands. Defend New Orleans (DNO) offers a collection of branded merchandise such as T-shirts, caps, and accessories like tote bags and collectible enameled pins, plus music and artwork from locals. Sales from DNO often support local nonprofits, are used to host artistic events, or go toward production of new creative content in the community. Next door, Freda describes itself as a collection of “makers” from Louisiana, Texas, and beyond coming together to form “a high desert gem of a lifestyle boutique.”

Its assortment of goodies is interesting enough to keep shoppers occupied for an extended length of time for such a small space, as they sift through handcrafted jewelry, apparel and accessories, artwork, books, vinyl records, apothecary items, and more. The original Freda was founded in tiny Marfa, Texas, by accessories designer Susannah Lipsey, who brought her unique style to Ace—and New Orleans—last year; she has already made a splash creating headbands and other whimsical pieces

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Although you won’t want to leave Ace Hotel’s gorgeous interiors and friendly staff behind, rest assured that upon checkout, you’ll find yourself planning your next trip to New Orleans. perfect for Mardi Gras. Last but not least, stop in at Friend for contemporary menswear and accessories, plus books, artwork, music, and other lifestyle products. If Freda is the desert hippie who wandered into the big city, Friend is her laid-back yet street-savvy big brother who’s always down to check out the new band performing at Three Keys or the new art installation over on Magazine Street. Be sure to pop into all three unique shops during your stay to find the best souvenirs and gifts for friends at home.

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Back at the hotel, a leisurely afternoon of strolling through the Garden District searching through shops and art galleries can be punctuated with a rest at Alto, Ace’s ultimate happy hour oasis and rooftop garden. Lounge near the pool and enjoy views of the Big Easy while you sip craft cocktails and savor a seasonal menu of small bites curated by Chefs Ticer and Hudman. (The hotel also has 24/7 room service, in case you’re wondering.) Or grab a pick-me-up at an Ace staple, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which opened at the hotel’s Portland location in 2007 and has been a guest favorite ever since.

Above and left: Midcentury-modern furnishings, handpainted armoires, guitars, vinyl collections, and hip loft-style vibes make your guest room at Ace Hotel a true home away from home.

Opposite: Retailers Friend, Freda, and Defend New Orleans (DNO) partner with Ace Hotel New Orleans next door to bring shoppers a unique selection of products, many of them made locally.

Although you won’t want to leave Ace Hotel’s gorgeous interiors and friendly staff behind, rest assured that upon checkout, you’ll find yourself planning your next trip to New Orleans—or perhaps to one of the hotel chain’s other nine locations—for another carefully crafted stay.

ACEHOTEL.COM/NEWORLEANS

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the sweet side of

By Tori Phelps Illustrations b y Luc y Ma shb urn

The city may have invented jazz and, yes, throws one heck of a party every year for Mardi Gras. But some of New Orleans’s most important contributions have been to the field of desserts. NOLA knows sugar, y’all.

And these are some top spots to get your fix.

Comme c’est sucré!

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café du monde 800 Decatur Street Beignets are technically an all-day food rather than a dessert.

But these doughnut cousins make the list because they’re synonymous with New Orleans. The iconic Café Du Monde serves them up hot—along with lots of napkins for your inevitable powdered-sugar mustache.

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b r e n n a n ’s 417 Royal Street When butter, booze, and bananas meet fire, good things happen. Specifically, bananas Foster happens. And there’s no better place to get it than Brennan’s, whose original restaurant on Bourbon Street debuted the dessert in the early 1950s.

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debbie does doberge 1179 Annunciation Street Birthday candles in New Orleans sit on top of a doberge cake (pronounced “doh-bash” or “doh-bearj”).

This Big Easy original features thin layers of cake separated by pudding or custard. Though a standard doberge is chocolate or lemon, Debbie Does Doberge’s menu has a staggering number of flavor combos.

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bon ton café 401 Magazine Street Bread pudding is a dessert-menu staple around the country. But the New Orleans French bread, which most restaurants use as a base, is what separates it from its peers. Bon Ton Café’s Cajun bread pudding with whiskey sauce is a legend in this city, and you need to taste why.

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OFF THE BEATEN

TRACK IN ANCIENT EGYPT Story and photography by Nicholas Grundy

Reaching the top of an enormous sand dune, my travel companion Khalil and I were treated to an amazing view out across towering rock formations between the Black and White Deserts.

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the horizon. Bathed in the warm morning glow were gypt is truly timeless. Whether you’re a photographer, an the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel, perched on adventurer, a history buff, or a budding archaeologist, it’s the the banks of Lake Nasser. Long shadows stretched dream destination with something for everyone. On my trip, I across the ground, cast by the soaring statues of broke away from the norm by journeying, for the most part, alone. While most Ramesses II and his Queen Nefertari. I grabbed a visitors immediately link up with a tour group, I grabbed my camera gear from quick snack and raced back to the airstrip, meeting the baggage carousel and found my way to Cairo’s upmarket Zamalek district. the northbound plane to Luxor with only minutes The affluent agglomeration of high-rises sits atop the northern half of Gezira to spare; slightly later and I’d have been making an Island, surrounded by the Nile on all sides. Fortunately, I was not entirely by my epic ten-hour bus journey. The scorched orange lonesome at first, as my friend Khalil awaited my arrival. He is an American expat earth zoomed beneath the wing beside me as the who was living in Cairo for twelve months, and his fluent Arabic would prove aircraft hurtled down the runway and up into wispy invaluable during my two-week journey. white clouds wafting through azure skies.

Khalil’s penthouse commanded views across nighttime Cairo, lights flickering faintly as I dozed off after a long flight. Blazing through the window the next The scorched orange earth morning, the sun prompted a visit straight to the famed Pyramids of Giza.

Although absolutely stunning in proportion, more surprising was their proximity zoomed beneath the wing to Cairo’s western suburbs. Evading the tourist hordes on the first of many beside me as the aircraft occasions, I hailed a taxi to whisk us southward. Our driver stopped beneath the hurtled down the runway. lesser-visited Red Pyramid, his car dwarfed by the towering tomb. Donning my headlamp, we clambered cautiously down into the very center—a tight descent not for the fainthearted! Next, we visited Pharaoh Djoser’s Step Pyramid further Situated on the east bank of the Nile halfway between on at Saqqara. Retiring from a busy day, we plunked ourselves into the plush seating Cairo and Abu Simbel, the ancient city once known of Sequoia, an exclusive restaurant jutting out into the Nile. Here we rubbed as Thebes is home to two magnificent temples. The shoulders with Zamalek’s social elite, sipping cocktails as sailboats fluttered past. sprawling Luxor Temple complex is characterized by towering columns and halls, while Karnak is home to After another day of sightseeing at Saladin’s Citadel and the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, awe-inspiring obelisks, erected by Queen Hatshepsut it was back to the airport. With Khalil suddenly required in Cairo, I was offiand still piercing the heavens some 3,500 years later. cially flying solo for the next week. This daunting realization necessitated a crash While immensely impressive to say the least, the temcourse in Arabic as a light aircraft ferried me south across the desert; this would ples are far from the only attraction here. Catching provide me enough bartering and navigation skills to survive. Touching down in a lift on a traditional felucca sailboat, I crossed the darkness only miles from the Sudanese border, orange daylight soon peeked over Nile to find my guesthouse a literal stone’s throw

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Voyager from yet another massive antiquity, Medinet Habu, the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III. Its vaulted halls are reminiscent of an Indiana Jones movie. While any treasure was looted long ago, I found it ironic that the guard entrusted with the temple’s care was fast asleep when I visited. Creeping up with camera in hand, I crouched down and took a quick snap without disturbing his slumber in the slightest. Devoid of any tour groups, the maze of passageways and chambers within were mine to explore with only my trusty headlamp to guide me.

Dots of light flickered into life in the distance as local goatherds arose and lit their morning campfires.

The Pyramid of Djoser is an unusual stepped pyramid located south of Cairo at Saqqara.

Hastily wolfing down breakfast the next morning, I rushed off into the pitch blackness to photograph the remaining sites at dawn. Ascending the western hills offers the perfect 360-degree vantage point. Dots of light flickered into life in the distance as local goatherds arose and lit their morning campfires. From out of nowhere appeared a robed Bedouin man, a shotgun dangling lightly from the fingertips of his left hand. “Salaam alaikum,” I uttered, in the hopes of a friendly response. The man smiled, my Arabic obviously passing the test. He nodded and replied in kind. And with that, he disappeared back into the fog. Out of breath,

I stumbled atop a ridgeline to be greeted with a phenomenal sight: the tour groups across the river had taken to the skies in eleven hot air balloons, the gleaming sun behind them making them an even dozen orbs. A better way perhaps to take in the view—without working up such a sweat!

With the balloons drifting gently on the breeze overhead, I descended into a compact valley to enter the necropolis of Deir el-Medina. Here one finds the unexpected miniature pyramid of Sennedjem, caretaker of the site’s royal tombs. Pushing through the clouds, the sun bathed the surrounding slopes in shafts of amber light. Higher up, a multitude of cave tombs also emerged from the darkness. Bats shot out as I entered one of the caverns. Breathing in the stale air, I felt for a brief moment like a real-life tomb raider. A steep track led out of the ravine and up to an incredible lookout, providing panoramic vistas over the funerary shrine of Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s renowned female pharaohs. My boots dislodged crumbs of earth that trickled down the cliffs. Below, clusters of tourists busily darted about, resembling colonies of ants, and behind the escarpment lay the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of Egypt’s ancient leaders. Descending the rocky outcrop, I discovered yet another modern-day Egyptian snoozing peacefully. A member of the local tourist police, likewise charged with protecting relics, he sat passed out inside his guardhouse, his arms jutting out into the burning midday sun. This time, however, I barely managed to hide my camera before my presence was discovered.

Pushing through the clouds, the sun bathed the surrounding slopes in shafts of amber light.

Higher up, a multitude of cave tombs also emerged from the darkness.

Returning to Cairo by train was a real test of my limited language skills. Luckily, neither I nor my luggage got lost in translation, and I was met

by Khalil beneath the ornate ceiling of Ramses Station. He had arranged a jaunt for us through the sprawling western deserts. With our guide, Omar,

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Voyager at the wheel, our off-road SUV tore down empty desert highways before veering off across the sand.

Unbeknownst to me, my two companions planned to head well off the beaten track. The engine revved like mad as we shot up an almost vertical sand dune, our backs pressed into our seats like astronauts at liftoff. Until that moment, I thought I’d seen photos of every famous site in Egypt. But, after we crested the dunes, I stared out at wonders the likes of which I’d never seen before.

The engine revved like mad as we shot up an almost vertical sand dune, our backs pressed into our seats like astronauts at liftoff.

Below us stood looming rock formations looking like the halls of Luxor’s temples fading into the distant haze. Winding down through these natural behemoths, we rolled across the Black Desert, a region littered with basalt rock. Past the jet-black outcrops, we entered the contrasting White Desert, where bleached limestone pokes up through the shifting sands. We sat down and reflected on an extraordinary day of discovery, making camp for the night among the area’s chalky, sculpted rock features.

Meanwhile, Omar whirled into life, lighting a fire to boil up some tea before unwrapping blocks of halvah, a local sweet delicacy. With the sun setting across the vast flatness, thousands of stars began shimmering above.

The sun’s arrival at Karnak Temple casts a striking shadow from one of the towering obelisks.

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As we returned to the bustling metropolis of Cairo, it was difficult to imagine we’d been surrounded by such stillness only the day before. On my last evening in Egypt we ventured up to Khalil’s rooftop for the final sunset. A breathtaking sight unfolded westward as the pyramids came into view at the city’s edge, juxtaposed against apartment buildings peppered with satellite dishes. For one last time, a flaming sun dipped below the horizon and the stars emerged overhead. Gazing skyward, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia already, grateful for this rare opportunity to catch up with an old friend while photographing a land of golden hues.

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COMING HOME Portugal Shines from Coastline to Castle

By Mariana Zechini

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Life is what we make of it. Travel is the traveler. What we see isn’t what we see but what we are. — Fernando Pessoa There is a word in Portuguese that doesn’t directly translate into any other language. The word is saudade and it represents a feeling of longing and melancholy. Author A. F. G. Bell described it best as an “indolent dreaming wistfulness.” Saudade is the feeling I experience constantly for the country I consider my second home. Located on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is best known for its wine and fishing industries and, most recently, for winning the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

The coastal country and its various islands offer almost every type of terrain for every type of traveler, from the mountains of the north to the rocky, sunkissed beaches of the Algarve, to the green pastures of the Azores. It is a country with a diverse history—it spent the first millennia under Roman and Muslim rule, spearheaded maritime exploration during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and experienced harsh dictatorship within the last hundred years. Even so, the resilience of the Portuguese is obvious, and any visitor will notice a country that has never stopped moving forward while still honoring the past.

Right: The beach at Figueira da Foz with typical Portuguese buildings in the background.

Photo by Mariia Golovianko.

Opposite: Boats on the turquoise waters at Ponta da Piedade in Portugal’s Algarve region

from college. Ultimately, my grandparents decided to move back to Portugal, where they retired in a small beachside town called Figueira da Foz. Since then, almost every summer, my family travels to Portugal to enjoy the one time of year we can all be together. It was, and continues to be, an important part of our lives and my own identity.

Figueira da Foz is the most popular beach in the district of Coimbra, located in central Portugal. Natives flock there during the summer months, filling the three-kilometer stretch of sand with bright beach towels, umbrellas, and the ever-present soccer balls. This beach, nicknamed Rainha das Praias (the Queen of Beaches), was once important to the town as a major deep-sea fishing port.

Portugal’s success in the fishing industry throughout history is highly visible in Figueira. The old village of Buarcos, considered a suburb of Figueira, boasts many traditional fishing huts and seafood restaurants along the shorefront that showcase typical Portuguese cuisine, including bacalhau, or dried, salted cod. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Figueira thrived on its expanding cod and shipbuilding industries, and in the 1920s and ’30s, it grew even more as a resort town.

While the Queen of Beaches reigns over her seaside city in many ways, by far the most exciting time to visit is during the Festa de São João (Festival of Saint John the Baptist). Saint John is celebrated all over the world in the Christian faith

Traveling to Portugal is like coming home. Since before I can even remember, my mother has been toting my brother and me back and forth across the Atlantic to visit my grandparents and a wealth of extended family. My grandfather is from the rural town of Carvalhais and my grandmother is from nearby Bizorreiro de Lavos, both located in central Portugal near the coast. In 1953, after many years of dictatorship left the country in poor condition, my grandparents, who were engaged at the time, got married and left Portugal for Venezuela, where they started a successful Portuguese furniture company and a family. My mother and my uncle both moved to the United States as adults—my uncle to attend Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, and my mother to practice English after she graduated

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Voyager for baptizing Jesus, but in Portugal his feast day is celebrated mostly in the northern half of the country, with the most famous celebration taking place in Porto. The multiday festival culminates in the city’s downtown area, where there are food trucks, live concerts, and a pop-up carnival to entertain the people of Figueira all night. It is tradition to stay up with friends and family, enjoying the nightlife of the city, and at dawn, head to the beach and jump in the ocean for a banho santo (holy bath), which symbolizes the baptism of Christ by Saint John. Each year, after exiting the Atlantic drenched and shaking from the cold, I can’t help but feel reenergized and awakened, a tiny part of something much bigger than myself.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from my travels, it is that the most profound and defining moments of self-reflection occur in places that remind me how small just one person is in the grand scheme of the world.

Figueira hosts other celebrations, such as a three-day electronic music festival on the beach, art and film festivals, races and other sporting events, food festivals that showcase local chefs, and various parades for religious holidays. As quaint and relaxing as this city may seem, it comes alive in summer, showcasing the passion of the Portuguese people.

Two hours south of Figueira da Foz is the bustling capital of Lisbon. Nicknamed the City of Seven Hills (Cidade de Sete Colinas), it is Portugal’s largest city and boasts a myriad of historical and cultural sites. At the heart of the city, where Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods are located, one feels transported back in time.

Walking up the winding maze of cobblestoned streets of the Alfama district, the only neighborhood to survive the 1755 earthquake, one will find an array of shops selling traditional Portuguese sweets, cork and ceramic items (for which the Portuguese are famous), and wine—lots of wine. Musicians line the streets and shop entrances playing fado, the traditional Portuguese music that beautifully captures the meaning of saudade.

On one of Lisbon’s highest hills is Saint George’s Castle (Castelo de São Jorge), a Moorish castle and fortress dating to the tenth century. From o castelo, one has a commanding view over Lisbon, from the bustling tourist districts of Baixa and Chiado to the bright red Ponte 25 de Abril (April 25th Bridge), which crosses the Tagus River and could be easily mistaken for the Golden Gate Bridge. If there

My trip to Lisbon last summer was extra special, since Portugal made history by winning the 2016 UEFA European Championship, a title that they came close to grabbing in 2004 when they hosted the tournament but lost to Greece. To give you an idea about how passionate my family is about Portuguese soccer: it is tradition to meet and watch every single Portugal game with about fifteen of my relatives crowded in one tiny living room. It is also very common for my grandmother to go to church for the entire ninety minutes of the game and pray for a victory. I was very young, but I remember exactly where I was during that final game in 2004 and the crushing moments that followed when Portugal’s dreams fell just slightly out of reach. Even after Portugal had lost the final game, people filled the streets of Figueira to celebrate.

In the midst of one of the saddest moments in Portuguese soccer history, people still demonstrated how proud they were.

Surrounded by whitewashed houses, small villages, and vineyards aplenty, the Douro captivates visitors in taste as well as beauty.

Belém Tower on the Tagus River is one of Lisbon’s most famous and beautiful sites.

is one thing I’ve learned from my travels, it is that the most profound and defining moments of selfreflection occur in places that remind me how small just one person is in the grand scheme of the world.

Sitting atop São Jorge Hill while admiring the view is one of the best ways to remember this.

On the other side of the city is the historic neighborhood of Belém, famous for its Portuguese late Gothic architecture as seen at the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower. Across the street from the Jerónimos Monastery is the famous Pastéis de Belém, a bakery built in 1837 that serves Portugal’s most beloved pastry: the pastel de Belém. Imitators of the egg tart pastry are found throughout the country and referred to as pastel de nata, but the true version is found here, where bakers use an ancient recipe from the Jerónimos Monastery; only a few people in the entire world know the full recipe. Every time I visit Lisbon, I make it a priority to sit down at the café and enjoy a pastel de Belém and a shot of espresso.

Fast-forward twelve years, and I found myself in Lisbon for the UEFA Euro 2016 championship game. When I saw they would be heading to the finals, I spent a large amount of money to travel from Málaga, Spain, where I was visiting some friends, to Lisbon to watch the game with my family and thousands of other people in Alameda Park. There our team was again at the final game, although this time it had been a more tumultuous road to the top. When the final whistle was blown declaring a Portugal victory, the entire crowd stood up simultaneously and cheered. I was so happy that I started to cry. I hugged strangers who, in those seconds, weren’t exactly strangers. Lisbon lit up that night in a fantastic display of fireworks, dancing, and revelry that I will never forget—a perfect reminder of the unwavering faith of the Portuguese for their team and their country.

Portugal’s most famous export (other than Cristiano Ronaldo) is wine from various regions around the country. My favorite is the Douro Valley, where landscaped mountains caress the winding Douro River, which carves a maze throughout the region. Surrounded by whitewashed houses, small villages, and vineyards aplenty, the Douro captivates visitors in taste as well as beauty. Here, humans get back to their roots—figuratively and literally. As my friend Tomas pointed out after studying bioinformatics in school, he knew so much, yet he did not know how to “plant a potato” to feed himself. He went back to school and now works for one of the best wineries in the Douro. Tourists can sample everything from dry reds to sweet port at one of the many quintas) and then travel upriver to Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal. Porto also boasts a great wine scene, and visitors can sample port, a fortified dessert wine named for the region where it is made. The São Bento train station is covered in painted azulejo tiles that V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 73

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depict the country’s history. Porto’s bridges played an integral role in its industrial growth, and the city is a popular starting point for Portuguese pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The city is also home to one of the country’s oldest bookstores, where author J.K. Rowling drew some inspiration for her Harry Potter series.

Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world belong to southern Portugal’s Algarve region. The most popular is Lagos, where rocky cliffs line the coast, hugging hidden beaches and hiding grottos begging to be explored. During the busy summer months, it is filled with tourists swimming, canoeing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. If one is willing to venture outside the city walls, the authenticity of southern Portugal awaits, and natives love sharing this part of their country with foreigners.

I believe Andrew Zimmern said it best when he described travel as “transformative.” One thing I have noticed in my lifetime of traveling to Portugal is that I’m always a little bit different upon returning to the States, thanks to my experiences abroad. I think if you don’t come back just a little bit changed, you’ve done it wrong.

Portugal is a feast for the senses for those willing to travel to the lesser-known but up-and-coming destinations. It is a place where one can explore a wide range of landscapes and historic sites, from the rocky cliffs of the Algarve to monuments dedicated to its explorers and Neolithic dolmens peppering the Estremadura.

One can taste its most treasured delicacy and have a direct connection to the people living there over five hundred years ago, or taste the literal fruits of winemakers’ labor in the grape-lined mountains of the Douro. It’s a place that offers listeners the sound of heartbreaking fado music and the elated cheers from fútbol fans celebrating their favorite teams. And best of all, it is a place where one can shake the hands of some of the kindest people in the world who are ready and willing to share their culture, history, and home.

There is a phrase in Portuguese: Não é adeus, é ate já.

It translates to “It’s not good-bye, it’s see you later.” For me, it’s a promise. For me, it means I will never say good-bye to Portugal. It will always be “See you later.”

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Mariana Zechini is a graduate student of anthropology at the University of West Florida. She loves travel, photography, and writing about her experiences abroad

Left: The Alfama district of Lisbon is a maze of narrow streets, colorful rooftops, history, and culture.

Above: This is my family and me on our first day in Figueira da Foz in 2012, a special trip because it was the first time some new additions to our family (a brotherin-law, an aunt, and a cousin) got to experience Portugal.

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VOYAGER

June 2017

ISSUE

Voyager

The TV Tower, or Fernsehturm, clearly dominates Berlin’s skyline. Its sphere resembles a massive disco ball to many of the city’s electronic music enthusiasts.

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BE R LIN

by Nichol as Grundy

For three years the iconic TV Tower served as a guiding light to my home at the time—Berlin. Completed in 1969, the giant pillar of concrete topped with a silver ball and slender antenna is a testament to the Cold War. Soviet-backed East Germany deliberately built the Sputnik-inspired obelisk in Berlin’s center, visible to all of West Berlin behind the infamous wall. Known locally as the Fernsehturm, the tallest structure in Germany is now a symbol of the fastestgrowing tourist destination in Europe. Having overtaken Rome on the list of most visited European cities, the German capital’s thirty million tourists in 2015 edged the city closer to the top position.

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Left: The looming radar domes of the former NSA listening station Teufelsberg (Devil’s Mountain).

Photo by Shanti Hesse.

Below: The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall and perhaps the largest open-air art display in the world. In 2009, its murals were refurbished for the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the wall.

Photo by graphia.

B

efore checking out Berlin’s sights, it helps to understand some of its complicated history. Gazing down from the TV Tower’s observation deck, sightseers can follow the River Spree as it bisects the metropolis, leading eastward to the largest remaining section of the Berlin Wall.

While almost exactly 99 percent of the wall is gone today, a one-mile section remains at the East Side Gallery. The original stretch is now blanketed in murals and has become the world’s largest open-air art display. Separating the hip inner-city districts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, the wall once followed the river northwest back to the central Mitte district. Here one can walk through the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, painstakingly reconstructed inside the Pergamon, one of five world-renowned museums on the famed Museum Island. Outside, visitors can trace their fingers along the building’s facade, feeling pockmarks left behind after World War II. Next door is the massive Berliner Dom (the Berlin Cathedral), rebuilt in all its grandeur in the 1970s.

Following the wall westward to the other end of Mitte will treat history buffs to an impressive sight, the Brandenburg Gate. Wandering past the legendary opulence of the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, it is hard to believe that, in 1945, this entire area was a jagged mass of rubble. The volume of debris was so staggering that Berlin’s post-war “rubble women” carted away enough to create a number of 250-foot-tall artificial hills around the mostly flat landscape.

One not-so-innocuous man-made mound is found deep in the former West Berlin. Atop Teufelsberg (literally “Devil’s Mountain”) sits an abandoned NSA listening station. Forbidden until recent years, guests can now freely visit the site where a multitude of American intelligence officers once surveilled the East from their bastion deep behind the Iron Curtain. Today, the fabric covering the massive golf ball–like radar domes flaps in the wind and graffiti abounds.

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Descending the slopes and heading back toward the TV Tower leads to the center of former West Berlin.

Both then and now, the area has been synonymous with the glitz and glamour brought about by Western consumerism. West Berliners flocked to the Kaufhaus des Westens department store and availed themselves of a treasure trove of posh goods. Today, the grand boulevard Kurfürstendamm, known colloquially as Ku’damm, is home to a multitude of high-end designer stores and boutiques. High-rises boast penthouse nightclubs and bars harking back to the heyday of Berlin’s hedonistic jazz scene in the 1930s. The city is united again, yet for twenty-eight years, those in the East were denied such luxuries.

Almost immediately after World War II, a rift developed between the Allied powers and the Soviets.

From 1948 until 1949, a land and water blockade was imposed on West Berlin. During this time, the U.S. Air Force made use of Berlin Tempelhof Airport and carried out the famed airlift to sustain the more than two million inhabitants. Though the airport closed in 2008, it reopened two years later as the city’s largest public park. It’s not often you can cycle or rollerblade at full speed down an open runway as locals picnic beside landing strips.

After the war, a far more nefarious strategy came into play. Between 1961 and 1989, the Berlin Wall completely cut off friends and families from opposite sides.

According to socialist East Germany, the impenetrable obstacle was necessary to keep capitalist ideals away from their citizens. In actuality, the barricade was hastily erected to halt the mass migration of East Germans and East Berliners across the border and into the West. The hundred-mile fortification completely encircled West Berlin, creating an island of capitalism inside a vast sea of socialism.

Today, the city’s two halves have been reunited for almost exactly as long as they were divided. Quite surprising are the differences apparent between East and West. Not only have dialects diverged and persisted, but satellite images reveal the East’s streetlights haven’t changed in more than twenty-five years. Astronaut Chris Hadfield recently brought attention to his photograph depicting this phenomenon. His snap from the International Space Station revealed the contrast of the orange glow of East Berlin’s original sodium vapor lamps and the West’s fluorescent bulbs with their white luminance. Unfortunately, the former East is still playing economic catch-up. As West Germany prospered, East Berlin and its neighboring states failed to create any lasting industry or infrastructure. One unintended benefit of this lack of progress, however, is the wilderness surviving right on Berlin’s doorstep. The path of the former wall is now an almost perfectly flat cycling trail, taking in such natural sights as the sandy beach of Wannsee and other local lakes, the numerous canals branching off the river, and the meditative and misty forests surrounding the city.

Today, the city’s two halves have been reunited for almost exactly as long as they were divided.

Dancing couples celebrate at Brandenburg Gate, bathed in sunlight on a warm summer day.

One can also find vast areas of parkland in the central city, such as Tiergarten, a lush pocket of forest, meadows, lakes, and streams rivaling Manhattan’s Central Park. Each summer, Berlin’s parks fill with young people. With New York and London becoming ever more exclusive and gentrified, Berlin has quickly warmed to its role as the new capital of cool.

The trendy and affordable districts of the former East offer a haven for young expat creatives honing their skills. A passionate Irishman even started a weekly ritual at Mauerpark’s amphitheater, inviting anyone from the crowd to step up and sing karaoke for the masses.

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crown of the city that never sleeps. As ambitious young entrepreneurs head to the office at 6:00 a.m., revelers moving to yet another underground club fill subway.

What’s more, these partygoers and future business moguls are all kept going by Berlin’s Spätkaufs—twenty-four-hour convenience stores stocking everything from Apfelsaft to Zigaretten.

And when the sun comes up in “B-City,” it doesn’t mean the party has to stop.

By day, Berlin offers plenty of entertainment and events for all ages. The open-air Fête de la Musique occurs each June, followed by July’s Carnival of Cultures street parade and October’s stunning Festival of Lights. Rather unique music festivals occur just outside the city as well, with Fusion held inside the bunkers of a former Soviet air base, and the Melt Festival taking place beneath disused mining machinery. Christmas markets pop up each December, and if you’re lucky enough to experience a blizzard, the winter months can see organized snowball fights turn into parties, complete with mobile DJs and sound systems.

There’s so much to see and do here that a weekend trip won’t suffice. In fact, my three years of residence only left me yearning for more. My last memory is of seeing the TV Tower dip slowly below the horizon as my departing flight’s landing gear retracted. Beneath me, the vast urban sprawl radiated in all directions, with the giant needle pinpointing my adopted home, its lights flashing like a beacon to which I’ll one day return.

The Bode Museum rotunda greets visitors and ferry riders on the northern end of Museum Island on the Spree River.

Voyager

UNDERWATER WONDERLAND BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF BONAIRE

BY ANNE W. SCHULTZ

O

n the outer wall of a tall building, a colorful mural of tropical fish and other marine life attracts the attention of motorists driving down the coastal highway on Bonaire, a small Dutch island located in the southern Caribbean about fifty miles north of Venezuela. A Scripture verse from Psalm 107 written at the bottom, “Behold the wonders of the deep,” encourages travelers to plunge in and take a look. Right off the highway, long probing fingers of sunlight illuminate these wonders for divers and snorkelers who are doing just that at one of the eighty-six shoreline dive sites along the fringing reef that rings the island. Suspended and weightless, they float transfixed by the scene below.

The underwater paradise they view remained undiscovered until 1962, when, according to a 2016 article in Bonaire Affair, Captain Don Stewart, a diver from California, sailed in and noticed “coral gardens the likes of which I had never seen before.”

He recognized the untapped potential for a diving industry, so he decided to stay and help pioneer it.

He started the first dive operation on the island and encouraged the government to ban spearfishing.

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That resulted in some of the friendliest fish around flourishing in a population of over three hundred and forty species.

Bonaire stood at the crossroads at a time when tourism was escalating in the Caribbean. The island could either follow the lead of some other Caribbean islands that chose the tourist dollar over conservation or take a less-traveled, more conscientious path. The decision of an enlightened government and a conservation-minded diving industry to create the Bonaire Marine Park in 1979 transformed a sleepy island into the best diving destination in the Western Hemisphere.

Bonaire was the first in the Caribbean to protect an entire island. The park extends from the high-water mark to a two-hundred-foot depth and encompasses the entire coast, including the deserted offshore island of Klein Bonaire and Lac Bay, an inland bay.

Conservation has paid off. Stringent rules have resulted in the healthiest coral reef in the Caribbean and the sheltering of around fifty-five species of coral.

These conservation policies assure a rosy future for Bonaire as divers keep coming back year after year.

Out of the many languages spoken on Bonaire, the French word extraordinaire best expresses how divers feel about Bonaire’s diving conditions. Calm waters with warm temperatures provide safe and easy conditions for all ages. Without inland rivers to muddy the clarity with sediment, visibility extends to a hundred feet in the clearest water in the Caribbean.

Twenty-four miles of protected leeward shoreline are due to the boomerang-shaped island’s unique northto-south orientation. It looks like the entire island is designed as a diver’s nirvana, with its fringing reef so close you can walk right in.

He started the first dive operation on the island and encouraged the government to ban spearfishing.

“Go exploring. Drive around the island and pull over at the yellow rocks placed along the highway to find your favorite site,” my cousin Susie Schmidt says. We have the inside scoop, as Susie and husband John have lived here for five years and they know the territory.

Formerly from Washington, D.C., the couple led groups to exotic diving destinations around the globe for thirty years until their daughter Tina married a Dutchman in Bonaire, and they moved down to be with her. The couple works at Buddy’s Dive Resort, helping visitors take underwater photos in a responsible way that doesn’t harm reefs.

Since I hadn’t seen my cousin in ages, I decided it was high time to plan a holiday with my husband, Bill, and daughter Alison and get reacquainted. Now we could see what these veteran divers had been raving about all these years. We started right outside the house we rented in the upscale Sabadeco neighborhood where we could climb down a ladder and slip right in.

Lifted high and held by crystalline water, we flutter kick along the surface while looking down at another universe. We become voyagers beholding the wonders of an uncharted kingdom with enchanted coral gardens in muted colors like soft rose, velvety greens, delicate blues, and lavender spreading life and beauty across the floor of the sea.

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ome corals branch like land cacti, others fan out, and some clump together like bushes.

Soft, feathery corals wave like ferns fluttering in a breeze. Brain corals resemble round boulders. Leafy-looking corals rise in thick columns, while hollow tubular shapes look sculpted as if on a potter’s wheel. It’s hard to believe corals are actually colonies of invertebrate animals enmeshed in a symbiotic relationship with algae. We hear crunching underwater as a parrotfish nibbles coral to extract the algae.

The swirling tropical fish flash a kaleidoscope of blazing incandescent colors against the cool blues.

It looks like the pulsating colors of the tropics have been washed across the luminous scaled bodies of fish to brighten up the deep. The blazing yellow of the equatorial sun pops off many of them as they dart past. The glowing corals and purplish hues of a sunset are drawn in lines and squares, and the iridescent colors of an island rainbow are stippled across a parrotfish tail. I notice another radiant shade of yellow that reminds me of local birds, like the orioles singing in the trees outside our window or the bananaquit that built a nest on an outdoor light fixture.

The way the word behold is used in Scripture implies a deeper way of seeing, a spiritual awakening that comprehends the glory of God reflected all around us in the natural world. The splashy colors, the intricate designs, the perfection of details like a perfectly rounded polka dot, a precisely drawn stripe, or a geometric plaid decorating these tropical fish reveal a loving Creator highly invested in His creations.

These gussied-up, flamboyant fish also display the playful, whimsical side of God. But His glory cannot be clearly discerned if the reef is degraded.

So in 2008, when Hurricane Omar hit—a highly unusual event, as Bonaire lies south of the hurricane zone—and damaged reefs on the northern and western shores where Buddy’s Dive Resort is, a team at Buddy’s sprang into action. In 2012 they partnered with the Coral Restoration Foundation USA (CRF USA for short) and became part of one of the most extensive restoration projects in the Caribbean.

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cause. As Elizabeth, one of those volunteers, puts it, “We come from all over the world, we get along, we work together, and we get things done.”

You don’t need to stay dripping wet and submerged to behold the wonders of Bonaire, as more spread across the landscape of the 112-square-mile island formed from an ancient coral reef. Begin at the flat southern tip where the Dutch once mined salt for preserving the herring they traded during colonial times. Stop by the Mangrove Info Center at Lac Bay, where you can arrange a kayak tour and learn that what happens on land affects coral reefs.

The splashy colors, the intricate designs, the perfection of details like a perfectly rounded polka dot, a precisely drawn stripe, or a geometric plaid decorating these tropical fish reveal a loving Creator highly invested in His creations.

CRF Bonaire is dedicated to restoring Bonaire reefs by growing staghorn and elkhorn corals in large nurseries and later transplanting them to degraded reefs. You can see one of the nurseries in the shallow waters at Buddy’s Reef, where corals are growing on tree-like structures lined up in rows. Locals and visiting divers support the project financially and by volunteering. These dedicated, trained divers clean, rehang, and prune the corals until they’re sturdy and large enough to transplant. At the latest count, nine thousand corals are growing while eight thousand have already been transplanted, showing what can be accomplished when people unite in a common

Mangroves protect against erosion, filter nutrients from the water, and produce organic acids vital to the robust health of coral reefs. They provide sanctuary for wetland birds and also provide nurseries for fish and invertebrates that later populate the reefs. Lac Bay is a Ramsar site, which means it is recognized worldwide for the global significance of its wetlands.

Indigenous people from Venezuela (Bonaire’s earliest inhabitants) arrived around 1,500 years ago and settled around the bay for its supply of fish and shellfish.

The most important breeding ground for the southern Caribbean flamingo is found in this southern region.

Their shocking-pink plumage pops against the water, where they can be observed from the highway with heads submerged while foraging. Bountiful sea grasses and jellyfish attract sea turtles. Conservation protects sea turtles on Bonaire; three of the world’s six endangered species are found there: the green, the hawksbill, and the loggerhead.

Rent a four-wheel drive vehicle for touring the rutted dirt roads of Washington Slagbaai National Park located in the northern section. Arid, dry, and windy, this mountainous region with its rare dry forest resembles Arizona. Cacti and aloe plants grow among twisted trees like mesquite and acacia, their branches fortified with sharp thorns. The forest shelters some of the 203 bird species sighted and some rare ones like the yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot. A long drive takes you around the park where you can hike trails or ride mountain bikes—passing scenic lakes, limestone cliffs, and crashing waters—and encounter still more flamingos.

If the siren song of the sea still calls, catch a water taxi to Klein Bonaire, where you have the island to yourself unless a cruise ship is in town. It’s one of the last untouched islands of its size in the Caribbean, with the soft white sandy beach for strolling and reefs offshore for snorkeling. If rainy days prevent outdoor activities, visit the new Terramar Museum, a historical and archaeological museum located in one of the few remaining historical buildings in the center of Kralendijk, the main town.

Explore the entire island and discover that with its stunning natural beauty and international influences, Bonaire is a small island that lives large. While embracing big ideas about conservation, Bonaire ensures there will always be glorious wonders to behold.

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Pachyderm Picassos in THAILAND B y J a n i c e L u t z We i s m a n

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ast year, accompanied by my daughter, son-in-law, and three young grandchildren—Brian (11), Chris (9), and Allie (5)—I spent the month of August in the magical and mystical countries of Cambodia and Thailand. We visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat and other temples and palaces built by the Khmer people between the ninth and twelfth centuries. We relaxed in a world-class resort on the island of Phuket, shopped until we dropped, sailed the Andaman Sea, and reveled in the region’s unique cultures. Most of all, we appreciated the kind and gracious people who live in these lands.

Since our time was limited, we flew between our five destinations. Air fares were low and flying was preferable to long drives on less than ideal roads.

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O Below: Chedi Chang Lom at Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai, Thailand Opposite right: An Asian elephant paints a self-portrait with help from its mahout (trainer).

ur fourth destination was Chiang Mai in the northern mountainous region of Thailand, close to the border with Myanmar and 426 miles from Bangkok.

On our first day, accompanied by a guide, we drove in an air-conditioned van to the Maesa Elephant Camp, built in 1976 as a conservation center for domesticated elephants from all over Thailand. Most of these elephants had found themselves out of work following a national ban on using elephants for logging. Heavy machinery had replaced them, but it was not possible to return them to the wild, and their futures looked bleak. They and their trainers (mahouts) took to the streets to beg for

food. In response, people in northern Thailand developed elephant sanctuaries like Maesa. Small fees charged to visiting tourists help to support the camps.

The elephant is the national symbol of Thailand. A white elephant represents royalty. In ancient times, elephants were used as war combatants and also in construction. (Over six thousand elephants were used during the building of the Angkor Wat temple.) In 1900, Thailand had a hundred thousand elephants.

Today, they number between three and four thousand, with approximately half of them living in the wild. Their numbers continue to decline due to many factors, including the destruction of their habitats, global warming, and poaching for ivory, leather, and meat.

What a sight to see! There were over seventy magnificent elephants at Maesa, and they looked healthy and well cared for.

Each elephant in the camp has a personal mahout who devotes his life to the animal, which he receives as a young boy. The mahout trains, rides, and tends to the elephant; they bond for life. Usually, the mahout takes the elephant home to his or her local village at night. The Maesa camp was set in tropical lands with waterfalls and a river running through it. As we arrived at the camp, we were greeted by some of the elephants lined up behind a rustic fence.

What a sight to see! There were over seventy magnificent elephants at Maesa, and they looked healthy and well cared for. We fed them with sugar cane and bananas, which we purchased from local villagers.

The elephants wrapped us with their trunks for hugs and gave us powerful suction kisses on our cheeks.

We watched them walk down to the river where they bathed and frolicked in the water. There were even baby elephants to see in the Maesa Nursery.

The camp has a full-time veterinarian who looks after these highly intelligent animals that can live in captivity for seventy to eighty years.

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After the baths, some of the elephants marched to an outdoor arena, where they proceeded to play games like soccer and demonstrate their many skills. Finally, six of the elephants gathered around the arena with large easels set up in front of them. Their mahouts carried brushes and buckets of paint and placed a paint-loaded brush in each elephant’s trunk, and the animals started to paint. The elephants are unable to pick up the brushes for themselves, so the mahouts replenished the brushes with paint as needed.

The elephant-painted pictures began to come into focus as bright bouquets of flowers and scenes of mountains and grasses. Each elephant painted something different. We were amazed to see the elephants’ degree of precision and muscle control that could produce straight lines for depicting things like tree trunks and branches. Did they recognize the subjects of their paintings? The answer is probably not. Are the elephants artistic? What is “art” anyway?

One definition of art is the production of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. The fact that the elephants have been trained to do particular pieces of work does not detract from their intelligence, memory, skills, or painting prowess. The Maesa camp sells the paintings, and a percentage of the profits go toward elephant preservation. Before we left, I purchased a landscape

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Voyager painting with a green, yellow, and brown tree in the foreground. In the right corner is an orange splash of a sun. Whenever I look at my work of art, it reminds me of the unforgettable experience I had with these marvelous creatures. Seeing these gentle giants was a trip highlight for all of us.

Whenever I look at my work of art, it reminds me of the unforgettable experience I had with these marvelous creatures.

In an ideal world, these elephants would live free and without human intervention.

I am sure that the elephants would be happier if there were enough safe habitats to meet their needs; sadly, this is not the case. At least these elephants are being cared for and not in danger of being poached. Every March 13, Thailand celebrates National Elephant Day. At the Maesa Camp, they hold a Buddhist blessing ceremony, followed by a buffet of grasses, fruits, and sugar cane set up on long tables. These events raise public awareness of the need to protect and conserve these national symbols.

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A DV E N T U R E R

By Lizzie Locker

Angkor Wat near Siem Reap, Cambodia, was originally built in the twelfth century by the Khmer Empire as a Hindu temple honoring the god Vishnu. It is the largest religious monument in the world.

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Adventure is a grossly misused term, in my opinion. As an American, if you travel overseas at all, people call it an “adventure”—as if that selfie at Machu Picchu is something heroic or admirable. But that word is cheapened in such a context. For me, adventure implies great risk, great vulnerability, the highest of stakes. It implies achievement. Overseas travel merely implies having an excess of money and free time.

I’ve been quite a snob about that word, adventure.

(What’s “adventurous” about standing under the Eiffel Tower?!) In actuality, I am secretly jealous of others’ travels. But in my jealousy and snobbery, I failed to make a distinction between what is adventurous and what is not: who gets to decide what “great risk, great vulnerability, and highest of stakes” is? Is it me, sniping away about someone’s Tinder profile picture—a perfectly staged selfiestick masterpiece from the Sydney Opera House?

Or is it the man in the picture himself, who, until that journey, had never before been brave enough to board an airplane?

the year traveling throughout Southeast Asia, and as a long-belated graduation gift he offered to take me with him. We’d hop across the Pacific and bounce around from Singapore to Indonesia to Cambodia to Laos, and I would be the captain of our voyage.

Adventure may be grossly misused, but risk is too narrowly defined.

The details of my mental health are neither of import to this story nor of interest to you, so let us simply call them ailments. They are small, mostly—the sorts of things that many people possess: little quirks and anxieties—faulty wirings in the body and the brain, which spark and ignite under pressure. In the last two years, I am always putting out fires within myself, it seems. Winter is always hard. Fighting imaginary fires in the dark and the cold is more difficult, for some reason. And this winter was the darkest I can remember, both for myself and the people I love. By January the fires were incessant, overwhelming—made worse by real shouting in the streets and threats of far worse, friends on suicide watch, the unending debates on how exactly the world would end, and how soon.

But there was an unexpected escape route which presented itself, and the hope of it got me through.

My semiretired father spends several months out of

That trip promised me a lot. It promised to be a welcome reprieve from the doom and gloom that seemed to hover over my home in San Francisco, a welcome rest from red-faced political pundits and violence and hatred. It would be a chance for me to be myself again, to shake me out of my ailments and back into the bright, excited, passionate person I had always been.

A Buddhist monk at Angkor Wat’s Ta Prohm temple ruins in the jungle north of Siem Reap

Except that it wasn’t. Not in the least.

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Voyager The ugliness I had hoped to hide from was waiting for me, even on the other side of the world. Every headline, every news channel, in every country and language—they all showed what I had hoped to avoid looking at for a while, what I had hoped would be uninteresting to the people in another land. Even the official mascot of the Lunar New Year, a giant cartoon rooster, had an outlandish yellow pompadour, as if to celebrate what my hippie bleeding heart was still mourning.

Stone Asura on the causeway near the south gate of Angkor Thom, a popular tourist destination in Siem Reap

And while I was trying to escape the fires around me, trying to simply enjoy my vacation, there were still fires going up inside me. Due to freak weather, my father’s flights were delayed by an excruciating two days, and I found myself unexpectedly alone in a foreign country, with no money to pay the guesthouse where I was staying and with no guarantee of when—or even if—my father would arrive. When he finally did show up in the wee hours of a muggy tropical night, his luggage lost and his patience shot, we suddenly realized it had been more than a decade since we had spent even a weekend together. We had

to relearn how to communicate, how to live with one another’s presence, how to shout across the gap when bridging it proved impossible.

All very small crises, in the grand scheme of things. Little fingers prodding, pushing buttons just to see what happens.

i found myself unexpectedly alone in a foreign country, with no money to pay the guesthouse where i was staying and with no guarantee of when—or even if—my father would arrive.

The ailments flared and flamed, even as we wandered through museums and gardens and temple complexes. I couldn’t fight them all at once, and the only person I had to rely on was unequipped to help me. Calm down. I’m not mad; you’re mad.

What’s wrong? You should just relax. You’re overreacting. You’re on your period. I don’t do well with crying women. What’s wrong?

By the time we left Singapore for the wilder parts of Bintan Island, I was not myself. In a land ringing with the calls of parrots and calls to prayer, I fell entirely, unnaturally silent. In jungles blooming with exotic flavors and soaked in spices, I had no appetites or interests. Among the warm lights and exuberant colors, I was a speck of something frozen. I’d arrived on an island paradise and all I wanted was to go home to my messy room and cluttered life.

I felt utter desolation. I could not change what was wrong at home, and I could not escape it either. The ailments took things from me: I was too ill to eat, too weak to wander out and discover.

I could not make myself better, and I could not teach anyone else how to help me. My father and I were together for the first time in years, and yet I felt more alone than I had before his arrival.

Worst of all, despite being blessed with the great privilege of international travel, I did not have the ability to enjoy or appreciate any of it. I had become that most loathsome creature, the damsel in distress. I was not on an adventure—I was just sitting around, hoping to be rescued.

And for my inability to save myself, I hated myself.

Something happened, though, in Cambodia.

When I had imagined entering the third world, I thought of it much like crossing a border—beware, ye travelers, for the world is very different here. But the experience of arriving there felt more like sinking, or settling deeper into something. I didn’t feel better immediately—I didn’t feel better at all, actually. But for

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some reason, the puttering motorbikes and tuk-tuks (three-wheeled motor vehicles used as taxis) and red, dusty roads felt more solid than the sparkling transit systems and viaducts and highways of Singapore. I felt not better, but stronger. The earth beneath my feet, at least, felt like it would hold me.

the puttering motorbikes and tuk-tuks and red, dusty roads felt more solid than the sparkling transit systems and viaducts and highways of singapore.

Singapore had felt safe; Cambodia did not. We left the city limits of Siem Reap for the emerald rice paddies and the cocoa-colored rivers beneath houses on stilts, places where English was not spoken, where we were not met with placating smiles and bows but with hard, distrustful eyes and impatient scowls. There were no other tourists here, no proof that our presence was appropriate. On one particular morning, we were meant to be going to a “floating forest” near Tonlé Sap, yet it seemed that we were being passed from hand to hand like unwanted baggage: our tuk-tuk driver handed us off to a riverboat, who handed us off to a floating restaurant, who handed us off to woman in a canoe, and with every pass my father had to pull another bill from his wallet. We were at the mercy of strangers whose

language we could not understand, who regarded us with suspicion, entirely vulnerable and exposed and alone, miles from help.

A tuk-tuk driver transports tourists at Angkor Thom.

Photo by Anton Ivanov.

Each time we went out like this was thrilling. To feel so small, so weak, and so completely fragile as I was then and to willingly walk into a dangerous place, confront the perceived danger, and walk away unscathed yet different was empowering somehow.

Top: Service boats and their captains wait for customers at Tonlé Sap. Photo by Tanwa Kankang.

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Voyager Perhaps I was a silly white lady carried away by her nerves and emotions, an empty-headed American who perceived danger in difference. Perhaps we unknowingly avoided some horrible fates. It may have been an insignificant kind of adventure we were on, but I found it somehow necessary to call it an adventure just the same.

I marked the difference in myself one night as we drank cheap local drafts on Pub Street in Siem Reap.

My appetite was creeping back, I made conversation with passing Australian tourists, and for the first time since I had left home, I slept through the night.

I was not “better” by a long shot, but when you are always cold, a little heat goes a long way. You don’t worry about tomorrow; you just say thank you for the good day and hope for another.

Opposite: Monks clean a memorial display of skulls at the Killing Field in Siem Reap.

Photo by Tofumax.

Whereas I would have had to seek out risks in Singapore and Indonesia, danger was not hard to come by in Cambodia—or the specter of it, at least.

when you are always cold, a little heat goes a long way. you don’t worry about tomorrow; you just say thank you for the good day and hope for another.

One cannot walk over the Killing Fields or stand in the shadow of Angkor Wat’s blackening towers without that jabbing twist in the gut, that knowledge of your own insignificance and fragility. It feels like danger, but mostly I think it is shame: shame when the miseries of others are set beside our own perceived ones; shame that we ever thought we had something to fear; shame that in comparison to something so great and terrible, we ourselves are so very small and soft.

I clambered over the ruins of countless temples, scraping my hands and catching my skirt on stones. I don’t know why I was compelled to touch every stone, walk through every portal, kneel before every statue of the Buddha. The actions felt ritualistic, like the sign of the cross and genuflection, all those Catholic motions from my childhood that stick to me—do these things and you will be made better.

I can’t remember its name, but it was the largest temple we saw, and I climbed the steep steps to the top, alone, just because I was afraid to.

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At the top, my head felt light and dizzy. My muscles shivered. I felt soft as a feather and just as difficult to hold onto when the breeze blew. My breath came in little gasps, sweat soaked through my clothes, and the heavy clouds in the steely sky pressed down on me. I looked up so that I would not have to look down.

At the top of this temple, there was just me, a little spot of yellow and white against the sandstone. And just above me was a cluster of black-and-yellow-striped dragonflies, hovering. They were just blips in time and space, utterly insignificant.

That experience doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things, but it matters to me. I climbed up to the top of an ancient temple because I was afraid to, saw a kind of dragonfly I’d never seen before, and then I climbed back down again.

I understand now. Adventure is in the eye of the adventurer—in the winking eye of the camera lens as you snap that selfie-stick photo in front of the Sydney Opera House or stand beneath the Eiffel Tower. Such moments might be insignificant to the universe, but they’re adventures nonetheless.

Lizzie Locker is a writer, instructor, and costume designer in San Francisco. She received her MFA in writing from the University of San Francisco, where she was also awarded a teaching fellowship. Lizzie is currently at work on her first novel.

Voyager

Up Away!

Up&

BY ST EV E LA R ESE

THE ROAR OF FLAMES INFLATING HUNDREDS OF HOT-AIR BALLOONS CREATES AN EXCITING SYMPHONY AS I CLIMB INTO THE GONDOLA. IT’S A COLD OCTOBER DAWN AT THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA, AND I’M PREPARING TO TAKE OFF IN PILOT CHRIS SABIA’S RED, BLUE, AND YELLOW POLKA-DOTTED WONDER BREAD BALLOON. BUT FIRST, A SAFETY BRIEFING.

A mass ascension of hotair balloons takes place at the 2014 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The festival, held annually, is the biggest hot-air balloon event in the world.

Photo by Kobby Dagan.

“There’s only one rule, and that’s to never, ever…”

WHOOOOOOSH! Laughing, Sabia hits the propane burner, and a blast of fire drowns out his warning. The heat lifts us gently skyward, and soon the seventy-eight-acre launch field and balloons below look like a colorful mushroom garden. Scores of other balloons drift aloft around us. Traditionalshaped balloons of all colors remind me of Easter eggs, and special-shape balloons make a surreal scene even more so as a dragon floats by. The sun begins to splinter over the Sandia Mountains to the east, and the green cottonwood forest ribbons along the Rio Grande to our west. It’s another perfect New Mexico day.

Every first full week in October, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta splashes New Mexico’s

turquoise-blue skies with hundreds of colorful hot-air balloons from around the world. This year’s Fiesta is October 7 to 15. With more than 320 sunny days, wide-open spaces, and a favorable air current called the Box, Albuquerque is the Ballooning Capital of the World, and the Fiesta is the largest annual hot-air balloon gathering on the planet.

Since the first Fiesta in 1972, pilots and spectators flock to Albuquerque to experience nine days of ballooning, competitions, balloon glows, fireworks, music, food, and camaraderie built over the decades. Many visitors schedule their vacations around the event, reserving their hotel rooms or RV spaces for next year the day after Fiesta ends. Throughout the week, hundreds of thousands of people (there were 839,309 attendees for 2016’s event) visit the grassy launch field surrounded by scores of white tents selling everything from collectible souvenir pins to New Mexico’s famous green chile breakfast burritos and piñon coffee.

“People can walk on the field, speak with pilots, and even help set up and launch the balloons,” says Fiesta spokeswoman Amanda Molina. “People from all over the world all come together, wide-eyed at the sight. Everyone’s a kid during Balloon Fiesta.”

A BASH, A BOAST, AND A BALLOON FIESTA The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta began, appropriately enough, with a party. Sid and Bill Cutter’s mother, Virginia, was celebrating her birthday in 1971 and the brothers wanted to throw her a bash.

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Voyager “I decided to go with a World War I theme,” founder Sid Cutter told me in 1994.

Cutter passed away at 77 years old in 2011, after careers in the Air Force as a pilot and with his family’s business, Cutter Aviation. “I rented Snoopy and Red Baron costumes, thinking I would be the Red Baron and my brother would be Snoopy, although he got to the Red Baron costume first and I had to be Snoopy. But what I really wanted to do was get an old airplane for the hangar.”

After realizing a vintage airplane would be difficult and expensive to get, Cutter was encouraged to rent “one of those new balloons.”

“In 1971 there were maybe fifty balloons max in the U.S.,” he said. “They were just being ‘rediscovered.’ So I thought, ‘Well, they used balloons in World War I, and I can float it outside my business for advertising after the party.’ That shows you how much I knew about balloons back then.”

So Cutter—who went on to be awarded the Montgolfier Diploma by the World Air Sports Federation (the highest honor in the world for ballooning) and was the national hot-air balloon champion in 1978 and 1986—ordered and received his Below: Skilled pilots dip their balloons to skim the Rio Grande before rising to the heights once more.

Opposite: The hot-air balloons’ baskets and envelopes lie on the ground as pilots and crews prepare for liftoff.

Photos by Steve Larese.

“When we landed, there were five thousand people and five police cars waiting for us, but no ground crew. People loved it.”

first balloon. It was a patriotic red, white, and blue one with gold trim, and it still flies in his honor during Fiesta each year. Stuffing it into the hangar where the party was held, Cutter kept it inflated all night long.

“So here I am in my Snoopy costume with my brother dressed up like the Red Baron,” Cutter said. “Everybody was having a great time, and the booze was flowing. Some of it flowed into my brother, and he began telling people he and I were going to fly that balloon in the morning.”

Cutter figured that if a hangover didn’t thwart his brother’s plan, the lack of propane would. But at six o’clock the next morning, the Red Baron was at Snoopy’s door.

“I told him we’d used all the gas keeping the balloon inflated last night, but he had gone to the truck stop and got some more,” Cutter said. “He had to save face and was determined to fly that thing. So I thought we’d just have some people hold on to the rope, learn the burner, and take Mom up for a little bit afterward, and that would be that. But we forgot to tell the ground crew to hold on to the rope, and the next thing me and my brother knew, we were three hundred feet up and heading toward power lines.”

Cutter attributed the fact that his first balloon ride wasn’t his last to a perfect flying day. The brothers managed to miss the power lines and landed in the rough at University of New Mexico Golf Course.

While this was happening, the trusty ground crew had given up; they were getting breakfast at an International House of Pancakes. But plenty of other people noticed the Cutter brothers’ jaunt.

“When we landed, there were five thousand people and five police cars waiting for us, but no ground crew,” Cutter said. “People loved it. Balloons were a pretty rare sight then.”

The next year in 1972, local KOB Radio was looking for a unique way to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary.

“KOB heard about my balloon and gave me a call, asking if I could fly for their fiftieth anniversary,” Cutter said. “I said, ‘Why don’t we do it big and have a balloon race?’ They said, ‘Great—what’s a balloon race?’ and I said, ‘Hell if I know.’”

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Cutter found out. He contacted twenty-one ballooning teams from across the country to attend the ballooning “happening.” Thirteen made it, and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta was born.

“This was just a radio anniversary, but twenty thousand people showed up at six in the morning to watch thirteen balloons take off,” Cutter explained. “It was something else. Albuquerque was trying to find something to hang its hat on. The city had tried a couple of green chile cook-offs, but nothing compared to this. Looking at the numbers and the demographics, the city felt balloons would put it on the map.”

Albuquerque was right. Cutter organized the next two Balloon Fiestas until it grew too large for him to manage, and the City of Albuquerque took over in 1974, creating the nonprofit Fiesta organization. The Balloon Fiesta injects an estimated $100 million into Albuquerque’s economy annually.

WHAT TO EXPECT Several different ballooning events take place throughout the nine days. Weekends and Wednesday see mass ascensions when all registered balloons inflate and fly. Balloon glows take place most evenings. That’s when balloons inflate but remain tethered, firing their burners in unison to create a glowing, seventy-eightacre forest; fireworks follow the glows. The Special Shape Rodeos take place on Thursday and Friday when an average of a hundred one-of-a-kind balloons are inflated. Returning shapes include Darth Vader and Yoda, spaceships, bees, Smokey Bear, Humpty Dumpty, and even Spider-Pig from The Simpsons Movie. Monday and Tuesday mornings’ balloon competitions include grabbing keys off of tall poles to win vehicles and dropping bean bags on targets. Competitions are fun to watch, are less crowded, and display the talent of some of the best balloon pilots in the world.

As soon as the green flag is raised, indicating favorable flying conditions, hundreds of gaspowered fans roar to life and inflate the balloon envelopes on the ground.

Days begin at 5:30 a.m. when the launch field opens, and the darkness is punctured by columns of flame as pilots test their burners before tipping their gondolas on their sides and attaching the envelopes. Crowds gather around the baskets to warm themselves, sipping hot chocolate and munching breakfast burritos as they chat with the pilots and crews. A few balloons, called Dawn Patrol, launch to test conditions, glowing like Chinese lanterns in the still-dark sky. As soon as the green flag is raised, indicating favorable flying conditions, hundreds of gas-powered fans roar to life and inflate the balloon envelopes on the ground. As the sky begins to lighten over the Sandia Mountains, propane burners roar and heat the trapped air, causing the billowing balloons to tip upright to the cheers of the crowd. Field officials called Zebras (for their referee-like uniforms adorned with zebra motifs to stand out in the crowd) clear the area around the balloons, and with blasts of their whistles give the all-clear for launch.

New Mexico’s October days can start out near freezing and climb to the 80s, so dress in layers. Traffic to the Fiesta Park is always heavy; give yourself enough time or consider taking a Balloon Fiesta Express Park and Ride bus (www.balloonfiesta.com/guest-guide/ park-ride) or even riding a bike—there’s secure, free bike parking. Bring a hat and water, and make sure to charge your camera. Balloon Fiesta is thought to be the most photographed event in the world.

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In 1700s France, where ballooning originated, angry farmers in whose fields balloonists landed were pacified with a bottle of bubbly, and the tradition has thankfully stuck.

Below: Balloon Fiesta patrons can get up close and personal with balloons and pilots during the many events that occur throughout the festival.

Photo by Kobby Dagan.

Opposite: Fiesta’s brightly colored balloons and the camaraderie among balloon enthusiasts create an atmosphere that attracts people from all over the world.

Photo by Angelina Peace.

Balloons typically land before 10 a.m., and there’s plenty to do in Albuquerque afterward. The Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum next to the launch field details the history of ballooning with interactive displays.

The Sandia Peak Tramway takes passengers to the top of 10,378-foot Sandia Mountain for soaring views and hiking. Historic Old Town is a must-visit for local Southwest dining and shopping, and Nob Hill is full of Route 66 charm and local boutiques and restaurants. Albuquerque has many excellent museums, including the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum. The ABQ BioPark (which includes the Zoo, the Botanic Garden, the Aquarium, and Tingley Beach) is a fun place for families to go in between ballooning events, and Albuquerque’s green chile-based cuisine and art and jewelry shopping make it a great destination anytime.

Albuquerque has many places to stay ranging from budget to luxury. Make your reservations as early as possible, as almost every room in the city is booked during Fiesta. The new Hotel Chaco in Old Town pays homage to New Mexico’s ancient Native American culture and offers Balloon Fiesta packages; the balloons can be seen from its rooftop patio. Western-facing rooms at Nativo Lodge have

balconies with views of the balloon launch, and its rooms, painted by Native American artists, bring a boutique feel to this locally owned property.

Sandia Resort and Casino on the Sandia Pueblo east of the balloon field offers prime balloon views; make reservations at its top-floor Bien Shur restaurant on balloon glow nights. Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa on the Santa Ana Pueblo north of the balloon field has a secluded feel but is an easy drive to the launch field, and the balloons can be seen when the winds are to the north. Tamaya offers its own balloon rides year-round ($195 a person).

During Fiesta or any time of year you can take a balloon ride with a number of companies, including World Balloon, Rainbow Ryders, Private Balloon Flights, Above and Beyond, Above it All, and Enchanted Winds.

A PERFECT LANDING Reading a favorable breeze, Sabia skillfully steers our balloon east toward the Rio Grande for a splash-n-dash.

“Ready to get your feet wet?” he asks me. Getting wet in a balloon was not something I had prepared for, but I’m game for anything. Feathering the burner, Sabia kisses the river’s surface with the gondola before taking us skyward again. Kayakers cheer as we rise, dripping water on them as we pass overhead and clear the trees. The ride feels solid and more like looking out from a tall building than being conveyed by fabric, hot air, and the wind.

Other balloons drifting down the Rio Grande create a postcard scene.

High above Albuquerque again, the flight is silent save for the occasional click of my camera and pop of the burner. Other balloons begin to pick landing sites, and soon Sabia’s radio squawks to life. He’s picked an open lot for landing, and our chase crew is on its way to meet us. Pulling ropes and flaring the burner, Sabia expertly glides us to the ground.

Our waiting chase crew holds down the balloon as Sabia pulls a cord and the envelope deflates. My feet firmly on the ground, a champagne flute is handed to me. In 1700s France, where ballooning originated, angry farmers in whose fields balloonists landed were pacified with a bottle of bubbly, and the tradition has thankfully stuck. I raise my morning drink as the Balloonist’s Prayer is recited:

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May the winds welcome you with softness.

May the sun bless you with its warm hands.

May you fly so high and so well that God joins you in laughter and sets you gently back into the loving arms of Mother Earth.

Lightheaded either from the experience or the alcohol at nine in the morning, I help pack the balloon away. The hour-long flight already seems like a much longer dream that I know will stay with me a lifetime.

For more information about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and Albuquerque, visit BalloonFiesta.com and VisitAlbuquerque.org.

Albuquerque-based travel journalist Steve Larese also writes for National Geographic Traveler, the Travel Channel, and other publications.

He experienced his first Balloon Fiesta in 1993 and has only missed one since.

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From Japan to Washington, D.C., cherry blossom season is an annual treat that marks the advent of spring. Lesser-known Chiang Mai, Thailand, experiences a brief blooming season for a variety of the wild Himalayan cherry known as Tiger Queen. For about a week, usually in December or January, the pink and white buds spring forth to bring a blanket of color over the mountains and villages nearby.

Cherry Blossom Pathway in Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Albert Ledner

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Do cumentary Ho nors t he Work of New Orleans Architect

By Jordan Staggs Photography courtesy of the Ledner family

This year, a treasure of modern architecture will be forever memorialized in a new documentary, whose working title is Designing Life: The Modernist Legacy of Albert C. Ledner. The film explores the work of Ledner, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, who became one of the American South’s first modern architects and could certainly be dubbed the Frank Lloyd Wright of New Orleans. The film looks at an important time in the development of American architectural history during the postwar era and tells Ledner’s personal story, which is described as “a life well lived.” Ledner turned ninety-three this past January and has two new projects in the works.

Ledner’s daughter, Catherine, and New York–based photographer and filmmaker Roy Beeson have spearheaded the creation of the documentary with great support from fans around the world. Its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign raised over $40,000 last December to help with final production. Catherine and Beeson share their thoughts and excitement about the project through updates on the campaign’s page and expect the film to be completed this July.

“The film uses narration from Dad, as well as many interviews with architects and homeowners to tell the story,” Catherine says. “I grew up in my father’s most personal creation—his own home.” Although she spent her childhood quite literally immersed in a paradise for those who enjoy the modernist style of architecture, Catherine admits she took it for granted at the time. Now following her father’s artistic footsteps as a photographer and filmmaker, she has set out with Beeson, her cousin, to share her father’s story and the importance of the modernist movement in architectural history.

DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM NATURE AND WRIGHT’S TEACHINGS, LEDNER’S STYLE IS SIMPLE, SOPHISTICATED, AND BEAUTIFUL. Modernism hit its peak in the mid-1900s and is widely considered the most important architectural philosophy of the twentieth century. Its style

is characterized by a use of rational materials, most notably those that are locally sourced and organically incorporated into the design. Flat rooftops, large rectangular windows, and built-in elements including furniture are a few notable modernist traits. The lack of ornamentation and use of reinforced concrete flooring throughout made homes and other buildings especially functional and economical, allowing for natural cooling and efficient radiant heating. Today’s popular minimalist style draws much inspiration from midcentury modernism as people move toward a desire to live simpler, “cleaner” lifestyles amid the hustle and chaos of the world around them.

Though he has designed buildings across the country for over seven decades, Ledner is considered one of the first true modern architects in the South.

Drawing inspiration from nature and Wright’s teachings, Ledner’s style is simple, sophisticated, and beautiful. He designed over forty homes in New Orleans alone, many of which still stand. Three of his works for the National Maritime Union of America on Manhattan’s West Side are considered iconic and historically important landmarks. “The V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 109

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elegance and style of the NMU building is a symbol of the upward mobility of the labor movement since the 1930s,” wrote journalist Mary Perot Nichols in a 1964 Village Voice article on the construction of Ledner’s Joseph Curran Building, which now houses the Lenox Hill HealthPlex. The two other buildings mentioned now house the popular Dream and Maritime Hotels. There is no doubt that Ledner’s contribution to modern architecture in the United States is significant—and that he loves his work.

Below: The Ledner House in New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1957 Opposite: Albert visiting what’s left of the structure he built on Simon Bolivar Avenue in New Orleans

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“I must have thought it normal for one’s father to work almost every day and every night, including weekends,” Catherine recalls. “If my father wasn’t busy drawing (while listening to classical music), he was busy in his workshop inventing things.” One such invention was a special oven for baking a famous New Orleans specialty, the doberge cake, which Ledner’s mother Beulah adapted from a traditional Hungarian torte. Catherine describes her grandmother Beulah

“IF MY FATHER WASN’T BUSY DRAWING (WHILE LISTENING TO CLASSICAL MUSIC), HE WAS BUSY IN HIS WORKSHOP INVENTING THINGS.” as “an ever-present influence on both my father and me.” It’s clear the creative gene runs in the family.

How does this all lead up to the documentary? “As an adult, I have looked back at my father, his life’s work, and his positive and never-wavering attitude towards life, and I stand back with love and admiration,” Catherine says. “Designing Life: The Modernist Legacy of Albert C. Ledner is a thorough exploration of my father’s life and work. We trace his early influences growing up in New Orleans and his experience at Tulane University, in World War II, at Wright’s Taliesin, and during the postwar era in New Orleans, New York, and Taliesin East.”

Although Catherine and Beeson are cousins, Catherine explains that they didn’t meet until she was in her forties and Beeson in his thirties, as Roy grew up in Atlanta. The pair connected instantly upon meeting over a shared love of photography, and although Beeson is a cousin on Catherine’s mother’s side

of the family, he knew of Ledner’s work long before meeting the man himself.

“When I was a child, my mother told me about her father’s first cousin’s husband, who studied with Frank Lloyd Wright and had designed an octagon-shaped house that my mother visited,” Beeson says. “Later, in my early twenties, while walking to the Chelsea galleries in New York City, I looked up and was amazed to see the slanted building on Seventeenth Street with an array of portholes. I took photographs of the building and traced it around the block. A few weeks later, I looked up the building at the library and found that it was designed by Albert Ledner.”

When Beeson visited the city in 2014 to cover Prospect.3: Notes for Now, the third installment of Prospect New Orleans’s contemporary art biennial, Catherine encouraged him to call her father to arrange a meeting and a tour of his home during

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Left: Albert working on his mirror sculptures in his workshop Below: Facade of the Dream Hotel building in New York City.

Photo by Beyond My Ken.

“I’VE ALWAYS COME AWAY FROM MY VISITS WITH ALBERT WITH A BUZZ THAT ONE FEELS WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR MIND OPENED AND EXPANDED AND VIEW THE WORLD FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.” the trip. “They met, and the rest is history,” says Catherine. “I had always wanted to make a film about my father but didn’t want to tackle such a weighty endeavor on my own. Roy was so touched and inspired upon spending time with my father that he readily joined in and said, ‘Let’s do it together.’”

“I’ve always come away from my visits with Albert with a buzz that one feels when you have your mind opened and expanded and view the world from a new perspective,” Beeson shares. “I’ve been especially taken by Albert’s openhearted way of embracing the world and everyone around him. Albert’s life now inspires me as he actively works on inventions and thinks of new ideas, very much aware of the everchanging world around him. He lives his life through 112 | J UNE 2017

the mind of an architect and actively engages in the world of designing environments and contexts for life to be lived fully.”

With help from family and friends, as well as their editing team and the fund-raising efforts on Kickstarter, Catherine and Beeson are proud to have the opportunity to share Ledner’s work with the world. Ledner himself is thrilled to be the subject of their documentary.

“Artists and writers are always on the lookout for a compelling story, and especially one that might have escaped larger notice,” Beeson confides. Sharing a historically significant movement through the eyes

and life of an individual provides a unique context for viewers, and according to Beeson, Ledner is the perfect subject. “He is articulate, funny, humble, and giving, and his work has a beautiful singularity.”

Fans of modernism should keep an eye out for the film’s debut this year and can learn more about the project by searching “Albert C. Ledner” on Kickstarter.com.

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OVERLOOKING THE LAZY MISSISSIPPI RIVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLEEN DUFFLEY

Those who have visited New Orleans, Louisiana, or call it home know the city is famous for its artistic side. From jazz music to galleries galore, there’s no escaping creativity in the Crescent City.

This artsy townhouse fits right in. Cara McBroom of Lovelace Interiors based in Destin, Florida, shares her inspiration and the process behind creating the look for this colorful retreat.

VIE: How did you work with the homeowners and other collaborators on this space?

McBroom: I worked with the homeowners long-distance on this project.

Because I live in a vacation destination, I tend to meet a lot of out-of-town clients who ask me to help them with their permanent homes, or in this case, with their New Orleans retreat.

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he condo had already been completely gutted and renovated.

The previous owner was a local antique store owner, so you can imagine how filled the unit was with “treasures” and antiques. Beautiful, I’m sure, but too dark and cramped for my clients’ taste. There were a lot of partitions that needed to be opened up, and that view of the river needed to be maximized! All this had been completed by the time I entered the picture.

I was asked to come up with a furniture design that complemented the home’s new light and airy design.

My clients loved bright pops of color against a mostly light backdrop, which was right up my alley. I made them a design book and mailed it to them, and they loved everything. I’m grateful that the builder was there to help me hang wallpaper, handle large items, et cetera, as he was finishing up his part of the work.

VIE: What was your inspiration when designing this penthouse?

McBroom: That wide, sprawling view of the river was inspiring! I was also inspired by all the clean, light finishes inside the unit. I walked in and saw a perfect “canvas” as the backdrop to “paint” this design. Even the lightest stroke of color has a dramatic impact on such a clean backdrop. Also, New Orleans is a colorful city in and of itself, so that was certainly inspiring.

VIE: Are there any key elements that you feel make this a “New Orleans” home?

McBroom: Every day I was there, I got to watch the large steamboats pass by, and if I listened, I could sometimes hear jazz music in the streets. I chose color pops that were what I felt to be the embodiment of jazz. They evoke the same feelings that the music evokes. The clients didn’t want a traditional New Orleans design, so I had to give homage to the city in a more abstract way.

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Luxurious details and plenty of style make this second home feel less like a temporary abode and more like a place you never want to leave.

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Although the homeowners did not want “traditional�

New Orleans style, colorful accessories bring to life the otherwise neutral palette and capitalize on the view of the Mississippi River.

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VIE: How did the owners’ use of the home affect your design?

McBroom: Because it’s a vacation home, I had no heirlooms to consider or personal items to work into the design. I needed to finish the space from scratch, even down to the silverware and wine glasses. When my clients visit the city, they fly in for a few days to watch basketball or to have a quick minivacation, so they wanted to be able to walk into a completely usable, finished getaway.

VIE: How does the design of this home differ from other projects you have created in the past?

McBroom: This design differs from some of my other projects in that I was able to use bolder colors than I typically am asked to use. In Northwest Florida, I am often asked to use blues and greens a lot and to keep the contrast gentle and flowing like the ocean.

In this unit, I was able to use bolder, louder colors with a brighter contrast. I would say my signature would be the way I use color to create balance and movement throughout a space. No matter the style, this is something I always try to do.

VIE: What was the most challenging element of designing this space?

McBroom: Luckily, there was a large elevator that accommodated big pieces of furniture, but I was worried about getting the living room sectional into the unit. The living area begged for a sprawling and comfortable curved sofa, and the client wanted this as well. It took some coordination and planning to make

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sure all the furniture would successfully fit before ordering, and everything worked out as planned.

Also, being that this was an out-of-town job, I was not able to leisurely go back and forth from the unit to the Lovelace showroom to find key pieces that finished each space. I had to carefully plan all of my art and accessories so that we would be able to complete the design in as few trips as possible!

LovelaceInteriors.com

Reflecting New Orleans’s reputation as an artistic mecca, art is strategically placed throughout the home.

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La vitalitĂŠ

La vitalitĂŠ A ZEST FOR LIFE

From hiking to meditation, the American West has always been a haven for wellness seekers. The state of Nevada has over three hundred natural hot springs, many of which are open to visitors for soaking and relaxing.

The warm water and natural minerals can improve blood circulation, reduce stress, relieve pain, and clear skin, among other benefits.

Ruby Valley Hot Springs, Nevada

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S PA RK S of CON NE C T I ON Living Well at Somerby Santa Rosa Beach B Y S U S A N VA L L E E || P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y B R E N N A K N E I S S

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Right: Partnering with nearby Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast gives residents the opportunity to meet with their healthcare providers at Somerby Santa Rosa Beach and offers families the support system they need on-site.

T

Opposite: Somerby Santa Rosa Beach focuses on the health and happiness of all its residents by providing a safe community near the beautiful coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

he sunny attitude of Scenic Highway 30-A seeps into all facets of life in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida—including assisted living communities. While it might feel daunting to help choose a place for aging parents or loved ones, Somerby Senior Living takes a truly personal approach, which is as Southern as Robyn Hughes’s South Georgia accent. The busy director of sales and marketing at Somerby Santa Rosa Beach admits her upbringing has had a big influence on how she approaches families at the residence.

“My granny always taught me not to talk about myself but to ask others to tell me about themselves,” Hughes says, “so that’s what I do here. When I meet with families, the first thing I do is say, ‘Tell me about your mama’s life. What all did she do?’ Soon they’re telling me about how their mama was an artist, or their daddy was a general. I take that information and put it into a form that I share with all of our associates.”

She’s not just talking about the nursing staff. Hughes takes these stories and shares them with the kitchen staff and custodians and anyone else who will meet the new resident. By the time she’s done, everyone is prepared and ready to meet the man or woman behind those personal tales. “It’s great because our new residents are nervous about moving here,” she says. “This gives our staff a way to remember them so they can spark a connection.”

Sparks of connection are important at Somerby. It’s a theme that runs central to the care the staff provides. From sparking conversations to connecting

“The Somerby Spark— our approach to retirement living—is purpose filled, joyful, resourceful, inspired, honest, and people centered.” with residents with dementia, creating a strong social fabric is what sets Somerby apart from other assisted living communities. “The Somerby Spark— our approach to retirement living—is purpose filled, joyful, resourceful, inspired, honest, and people centered,” says Hughes.

Somerby offers different programs for assisted living and memory care. Each month, memory care residents are evaluated to make sure their care is on pace with their fluctuating dementia, and, if need be, the director of health services will also evaluate their levels of support.

“We meet the resident where they are on their personal journey,” reads the Somerby website. “Our goal is always to help that person feel a sense of accomplishment, no matter how small.”

Part of achieving accomplishments comes from a sense of independence and personal freedom. Somerby was designed with this in mind. The beautiful community has two wooded (and gated) walking trails, gardens, and other outdoor spaces for relaxation.

It’s a concept finely tuned by Dominion Partners, which operates seven other Somerby Senior Living communities in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Three days a week, residents are taken on supervised excursions. These might be as simple as a trip to the grocery store or as indulgent as a dinner at The Bay restaurant. “We take some residents who have significant memory loss to Arnett’s Stables,” says Hughes.

“It’s such a beautiful thing to witness. Those horses just lean into their arms.” Other days, the residents bake and package dog treats and then deliver them to the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport. “We try to incorporate a variety of activities here,” Hughes continues. “We have bingo, we go out shopping, and, of course, we have a popular happy hour. They love cocktail hour; that’s just the generation that we’re serving here.” On-site speakers and events are also held at Somerby and are based on topics that residents are currently interested in.

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Through an innovative partnership with Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, the community is also able to simplify health care for families. For example, when a new resident relocates to the area to be closer to family on 30-A, he or she probably needs to find a primary care physician and specialists nearby. The staff at Somerby Santa Rosa Beach works with Sacred Heart Hospital to establish that local network of doctors, so families don’t have to worry.

Dorothy and William Thorns celebrated their seventieth anniversary at Somerby Santa Rosa Beach on August 17, 2016, with a heartfelt vow renewal ceremony surrounded by friends and family.

“Sacred Heart has a designated space in our building for therapy services and a medical office that serves our residents,” says Hughes. “This means residents can participate in the aquatic therapy classes, or they can visit with their Sacred Heart primary care manager without leaving the building.

“For us, truly, it is all about that connection,” she continues. “We take the ‘spark’ seriously here. When I’m touring families, I can see that they are immediately impressed by our gorgeous building—and don’t get me wrong, it is impressive—but I don’t think that’s what’s important. It’s not the beauty of the building that matters; it’s the beauty of the people. I want to sell our people, our incredible group of dedicated associates. That’s what matters here.”

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Intensive Program for Students Entering 4th & 5th Grades 9:15 am – 2:00 pm

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Must have at least 1 year of formal ballet training to participate. No placement class required.

La vitalité

SHIFTING GEARS a southern road trip to wellness

BY JANET THOMAS

T

here’s nothing like a road trip to air out the head, press the pause button, and actively practice the pursuit of, well, wellness. My recommendation?

Begin with historic Saint Augustine, catch your breath Amelia Island– style, stop in alluring Savannah, and then cruise on to Charleston. Make a beeline for this idyllic stretch of the Southeast and you’re sure to find your personal highway to health.

Saint Augustine, Florida Go big or go home, as they say, so we may as well start with the Fountain of Youth. I’d heard of it but was naive to the fact that it is indeed tangible, fluid, and flowing right in Saint Augustine. Any respectable road tripper seeking rest and rejuvenation must partake. Drink it, allow it to drizzle onto your skin, and heck, believe in its magic as many generations have done.

With boasting rights as the nation’s oldest city, formed an impressive fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock and forty-two years before Jamestown was even colonized (thanks to Ponce de León’s 1513 exploration), Saint Augustine is a delightful city. Easy to navigate and chock-full of shops, restaurants, and interesting sights, it’s a walker’s dream.

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asa de Sueños is a lovely bed-and-breakfast to call your temporary home, with a generous social hour and an upscale buffet breakfast daily (think elevated eggs in a basket, vegetable strata, hash brown casserole, and freshly baked pastries). Or opt for the refined and swanky Casa Monica Resort and Spa. For dinner, a branch of the iconic Columbia Restaurant is an Old Town gem; its Spanish architecture and menu are perfectly suited for the surroundings.

Continue strolling the cobblestoned streets after dark and splurge on a stop at colorful Le Macaron on Cathedral Place or one of the many other dessert destinations.

Trolley and boat tours, First Friday Art Walks, and myriad museums round out this interesting and historic city.

Amelia Island, Florida To continue this “unwinding road” adventure in a scenic way, hug the Atlantic Coast northward on A1A, where you’ll enjoy waterfront views plus the Saint Johns River Ferry in Mayport for a five-minute journey across the river. Then it’s onward to the dreamy destination of Amelia Island. If time is of the essence (less time in the car, more time chilling), buzz up I-95 from Saint Augustine in about an hour and a half.

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Amelia Island is nature at its best; the thirteen-mile barrier island offers pristine beaches, protected sand make a beeline for this idyllic stretch of dunes, and sublime simplicity. For the best stay for wellness seekers, look no further than the Ritz-Carlton, the southeast, and you’re sure to find Amelia Island. Fitness classes from boot camp to Pilates your personal highway to health. and kayak tours, golf, tennis, bicycle tours, and hikes are just a few ways to stay active here. Marshmallowroasting bonfires and the resort’s resident parrot, Amelia, delight kids of all ages. Little ones love the pirate tuck-ins complete with Savannah, Georgia milk, cookies, and a bedtime story from a pirate captain and Princess Amelia.

Just a couple hours’ drive north awaits one of Georgia’s many treasures and your next road-trip wonder.

Renew yourself at the Ritz-Carlton Spa with its luxurious amenities and private Something is always happening in Savannah, conpool. Try the Heaven in a Hammock massage cocreated by treatment supervisor sidered America’s favorite haunted city (it is, after all, Justin Murphy, who has pampered privileged guests for nearly twenty-five years. where the book and film Midnight in the Garden of Consider completely indulging in the Surrender the Day or Amelia Island Good and Evil were based).

Couples Experience spa packages.

Make your home away from home at quaint and Pry yourself from the resort long enough to explore the island and stroll blocks historic inns like the Savannah Bed and Breakfast of shops, art galleries, and eateries along Centre Street and beyond in historic Inn or the Planters Inn, or select a vintage-meetsFernandina Beach, Amelia’s only city. Take a break at the Palace Saloon, then modern lodging like the exquisite Mansion on allow 29 South restaurant and its on-site garden to spoil you with Southern Forsyth Park or the Bohemian Hotel on vibrant hospitality and specialty dishes.

River Street.

Origin

Opposite top: Casa Monica Hotel offers the most luxurious accommodations in Saint Augustine, Florida.

Opened in 1888, it is one of the oldest hotels in the United States.

Photo by Nick Fox. Opposite bottom: Taking in the sunset from Amelia Island, Florida, is a form of relaxation not to be missed!

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La vitalité

the training reinforced my belief in the power of the body to influence the mind, and the mind to influence the body.

Trolley tours remain one of the best ways to explore the city, making stops at culturally significant hot spots like Ellis Square for the Telfair Museums, City Market for shops, galleries, and restaurants (don’t miss Vinnie Van GoGo’s iconic pizzeria), and gorgeous Forsyth Park.

The oak-lined lane at historic Wormsloe Plantation near Savannah, Georgia, is the picture of tranquility.

1217 Harrison Avenue Panama City, FL 32401 850.769.7043

Savannah’s culinary scene sizzles with standouts like The Florence, Cotton & Rye, The Grey, and Rocks on the River. (Save room for amazing ice cream at Leopold’s!)

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Charleston, South Carolina Take US 17 across the beautiful Talmadge Memorial Bridge to wave good-bye to Savannah, Georgia, and to greet Charleston, South Carolina, just 106 miles north (unless you succumb to a tempting side trip to Hilton Head, Beaufort, Edisto Island, Kiawah Island, or Folly Beach).

My (and my fellow yogi and travel buddy, Louise’s) ultimate goal for this highway-to-health road trip was a Yoga Warriors International training weekend in Charleston, taught by director Dharma Richards.

Founded in 2005, Yoga Warriors is the first and largest program in the nation designed specifically to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress (PTS). The proven methodology helps active-duty military, veterans, and first responders and their families, plus many others who experience PTS or high stress.

I find this all perfectly fascinating as a longtime journalist and yoga aficionado (and, more recently, a certified stand-up paddleboard instructor also in training to become a registered yoga teacher).

Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, the world’s leading trauma expert, describes trauma as “both the event and what is left behind in the body after the event.”

Yoga Warriors assists in the road to recovery, integrating concepts of traditional yoga with the modern scientific knowledge of the mind-body connection. Compelling and meaningful, the training reinforced my belief in the power of the body to influence the mind, and the power of the mind to influence the body.

Teaser alert: It wasn’t all work and no play in amazing Charleston; stay tuned for part 2 of this story in the July issue of VIE for an in-depth look at the healthy offerings and old-school cool of this charming Southern city.

Charming bars, restaurants, and shops make for perfect exploring on Savannah’s River Street.

Janet Thomas is a longtime writer, editor, photographer, and yogi. She’s a former editor-in-chief of American Airlines’ luxury magazine, Celebrated Living, and is now joyfully beach-based along Scenic Highway 30-A in South Walton, Florida—when she’s not traveling the world for a good story.

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REAL ESTATE O F F E R I N G S

ALYS BEACH

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This beautiful Michael Imber design, south of 30A, was created with all coastal living aspects in mind combining and merging interior living with outdoor living.

This 3,564 square-foot home boasts 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and makes the most of Gulf coast living.

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This sophisticated Caliza Courts rowhome showcases a living area with 12-foot tall French doors and windows opening to a private courtyard, splash pool, and private guest suite raised above a much desired one-car garage. A second bedroom, and Master Suite overlooking the courtyard, each occupy their own half floor.

Enjoy starry nights from the rooftop terrace of this 4,492 square-foot home with 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, upstairs and downstairs living areas, a large courtyard pool and three parking spaces. Currently under construction, this spectacular home fronts Sea Garden Walk pedestrian path and is just a short stroll to Caliza Pool and Restaurant.

This completed Somerset Home is move in ready. Designed by Gary Justiss, it features 3 bedrooms plus bunkroom, 3.5 baths, a spacious center courtyard with pool, and a two-car garage. An open loggia with summer kitchen fronts Arboleda Park.

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This is not an offer or solicitation in CA, NY, NJ or any state where prohibited by law. ALYS BEACH is a trademark of EBSCO Industries, Inc. © 2017

LO V E I N

PARIS

BY MARA CLARK

136 | J UNE 2017

L’amour

W

hen my now husband, Jim, proposed on December 19, 2014, I could never have imagined that we’d be saying “I do” in the City of Light. With this being a second marriage for us both, we knew a big wedding with bridesmaids and tons of guests would not be included in our plans. The one thing we knew for sure was that we wanted a celebration of love. Our romantic, crazy-for-each-other, can’t-wait-tospend-the-rest-of-our-lives-together love.

They say “When you know, you know.” That’s what happened to us and what led to our decision to elope. While exploring options for the celebration of our life, I realized how time-consuming planning a wedding can really be. I spent countless hours on Pinterest, obsessing about every little detail and possibility.

But, the more I pinned, the more anxious I became. I was overcome by exhaustion combined with love drunkenness, and a brilliant thought came to me: “Let’s elope to Paris!” After all, seeing Paris was something we had always wanted to do.

So, why not get married there? I imagined us walking through the streets of Paris with complete joy and abandon. And since Jim and I are hopeless romantics who love art and travel, the decision to get married in the most romantic city in the world felt like the right thing to do.

No more pinning anxiety!

did. Their customer service representative assured me that almost every one of their flights to Paris has a wedding dress on it. Silly me, to think I was the first one to have this idea. Our travel experience was delightful, and I can’t wait to fly with them again.

PARIS, MON AMOUR For exploring the city, we took cues from Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. The cinematography is fantastic and full of life, exactly how I wanted our Parisian experience to be. We found (via VRBO) a two-story apartment in the middle of the Le Marais district. The historic building featured the most modern details inside, including an elevator and a concierge! Le Marais, which spreads across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, is one of the trendiest

THE PARIS PLAN Just like in the States, Paris has plenty of options when it comes to weddings and elopement services. After much research, we decided on Wedding Paris, a full-service agency specializing in weddings and ceremonies all over the city, including close to the Eiffel Tower. I thought, “Hmm. I can marry the love of my life close to my favorite metal structure? Yes, please!” Agathe, the owner of Wedding Paris, is a Paris native with a carefree spirit and a love for making people’s dreams come true. After a few e-mails to discuss dates and details— voilà—we had a wedding planner who could take care of everything.

Planning a wedding requires effort, and it put me at ease to have someone who knows the lay of the land in a foreign country. France doesn’t legally recognize marriages by nonresidents, which required us to arrange the official ceremony and paperwork here at home.

In the end, our special ceremony in Paris would simply be a grand gesture to show our loving commitment to one another.

Once the ceremony details were set, the real questions began: Where do we stay? What do we do? Do we venture to another city or country afterward? How do I get my wedding dress there? My planning brain was moving fast and ready to tackle all these things and more. We chose Air France as the airline, and I’m so glad we

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L’amour of cuisines and flavors, a million new experiences and friends, and, of course, a wedding made this the most magical voyage we could imagine.

OUR WEDDING DAY It was a gray and rainy Thursday morning in Paris. The locals had been telling us how unusually cold it was for the time of year (May) and how much it had been raining. Great, right? Well, actually, yes. When you are excited and happy about something, no amount of rain or cold weather can take that away from you.

areas in Paris, and it includes the Latin Quarter, the Jewish community, and popular LGBTQ hangouts.

There was so much to do and see! A melting pot of cultures, customs, and arts, the area has charming cobblestoned streets filled with art galleries, boutiques, and delicious eateries that made it an excellent place to fall in love again and again. Our apartment had a window with a view of la tour Eiffel. After a long day of walking the city, we would enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sparkling tower lights. We quickly got used to being Le Marais residents.

Our Paris days were filled with adventures and priceless memories. We indulged in a decadent dinner at Le Jules Verne inside the Eiffel Tower (excellent dinner and view!). There were trips to beautiful Giverny, where we explored Monet’s house and his fragrant and colorful gardens, and more trips to the extravagant Palace of Versailles. We had a fun night at the Crazy Horse burlesque show and toured the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay. We shared our first dance as a married couple on the Pont Alexandre III and splurged on thirty-dollar drinks at the swanky Le Meurice hotel. (This adventure included two free umbrellas, but that’s a story for another time.)

We celebrated our wedding with dinner at Le Dôme du Marais, where a neoclassical dome provides the most spectacular light and a charming Parisian atmosphere. Endless walks in the rain, a plethora 138 | J UNE 2017

Our morning began promptly at seven o’clock. The ceremony was at eleven, so makeup and hair needed to start at eight. I got a quick shower, made some delicious French coffee, and sat down by the window to enjoy the Parisian scenery while trying to calm my nerves and growing bridal anxiety. The talented hair and makeup artist Anissa Renko arrived right on time. We quickly hit it off, chatting and laughing while sharing life stories and tales of the city. Jim, observant as always, grabbed the camera to capture photos. Suddenly, the anxiety I had been feeling turned to gleeful anticipation and an incredible joy. Our wedding day was finally here, and we couldn’t have been more excited. When Anissa was done, I quickly peeked at my image in the mirror and loved every little detail. I looked exactly how I had envisioned, with a carefree side bun hairstyle and fresh, naturallooking makeup. Then it was time to get dressed!

The City of Light gave us the most majestic scenery and brilliance for our wedding album.

In my opinion, it’s not until you put on your wedding dress that you feel like a bride. My experience getting ready was so magical and peaceful. There were no “bridezilla” moments, no panic about little details—just a sense of calm and enjoyment. As Jim was helping me put on my ten pounds of wedding undergarments and gown, Sonja, our official wedding photographer, arrived. She found the perfect lighting, and we began our photo session in the living room by my favorite window. As I sat and posed for the camera, Jim and I looked at each other with “pinch me” expressions on our faces. “Is this really happening?” I thought. It was crazy for us to believe that in the next couple of minutes, we would be getting married in what felt like a romantic setting from the 1920s. It was truly a dream come true for both of us.

After the prewedding photo session, we headed out to our ceremony location, the romantic Pont de Bir-Hakeim. Through the car window I could see wedding coordinator Agathe and ceremony officiant Ms. Aude Abadie awaiting us with big smiles. The Eiffel Tower was there in the background, seemingly waiting for us as well. The moment had arrived. It was time to get married. Once outside the car, I immediately noticed everyone wearing winter coats. My ten pounds of

dress was keeping me warm or my adrenaline was at an all-time high—whatever the reason, I was hot and sweating. I didn’t really care; all I knew was we were finally there, at the moment we had been planning and awaiting for months. The ceremony was emotional and full of love. In preparation for the ceremony, Ms. Aude had sent us each an e-mail asking how we felt about each other. Happy tears came to both our eyes when she read our responses, and we said our vows.

It made us immensely happy to hear how highly we think of each other and how strong our commitment is. The look of love in both our eyes said it all: Always and forever my love you will be.

After the ceremony, our driver and Sonja took us all over Paris to complete our photo session. We didn’t let a little rain or cold weather stop us, and we enjoyed walking around the city wearing our wedding attire. It became one of the most fun and memorable moments of the trip. Sonja did an outstanding job capturing all the little moments of intimacy between us. The City of Light gave us the most majestic scenery and brilliance for our wedding album, and for that, we will be eternally grateful.

SPECIAL THANKS Elopement Services by Wedding Paris Wedding Photography by Sonja Photography Makeup and Hair by Anissa Renko

THE 89TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS The red carpet was abuzz this year at the Oscars, held at the Dolby Theatre on February 26. With Moonlight taking Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali), it’s clear that important social issues are on everyone’s mind. But, to lighten things up, a song-and-dance movie is always good for chasing the blues away, as evidenced by La La Land’s five wins. Congrats to all the winners and nominees—and to our picks for some of the best redcarpet looks of the season! Photography by Tinseltown.

Scarlett Johansson wearing Alaïa 140 | J UNE 2017

Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski, and Barry Jenkins accept Best Picture awards for Moonlight.

Justin Timberlake wearing Tom Ford and Jessica Biel wearing Kaufman Franco with a Tiffany collar

Nicole Kidman wearing Armani PrivĂŠ

David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco accept the award for Best Production Design (La La Land) from presenters Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.

Best Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Best Actress Emma Stone (La La Land), Best Supporting Actress Viola Davis (Fences), and Best Actor Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)

Salma Hayek wearing Alexander McQueen

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La scène Gwen Stefani wearing a Libertine embellished blouse, printed shorts, and boots by Casadei.

Monroe Cannon and mom Mariah Carey wear matching Adidas minidresses with gold Sophia Webster shoes at the Kids’ Choice Awards.

While the red carpet stunned, the orange carpet showcased individuality and fun at the 2017 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Celebrities donned their best kid-at-heart looks for the show at the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles on March 11.

Photography by Tinseltown.

Heidi Klum wearing Versace

In Northwest Florida each February, Sinfonia Gulf Coast hosts its Wine, Women and Shoes events, including exclusive vintner dinners held at some of the South Walton area’s most elegant homes. The dinner at the home of Janis and Don Bishop featured vino by Saint Helena Winery and dinner by Chef Nikhil Abuvala of Roux 30a. Proceeds from Wine, Women and Shoes events benefit Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s educational music programs.

Demi Lovato wearing a jumpsuit by Halston Heritage and Gucci sandals

Photography by Gerald Burwell.

Robin and Chris Wray

Saint Helena Winery general manager Lesley Keffer Russell, Janis and Don Bishop, and Chef Nikhil Abuvala 142 | J UNE 2017

Steve and Lynn Dugas

Au revoir!

Au revoir!

THE L AST WORD

Compartés Chocolatier in Los Angeles has been attracting chocolate lovers since its founding in 1950. Today, the gourmet chocolate shop is redefining haut chocolat, thanks to creative genius Jonathan Grahm, who uses only the world’s best chocolate and premium ingredients sourced from local farmer’s markets in his artisanal creations. Compartés now has shops in Brentwood and Melrose Place and an extensive online store, where you can get your fill of everything from chocolate bars and truffles to jams and seasonal sweets!

Learn more and get your fix online at Compartes.com.

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