Open Skies | June 2013

RISE OF A CITY a photographic take on dubai

Glashütte Original – more than 165 years of German watchmaking art.

PanoMaticLunar

Glashütte Original. Founder of the German Watch Museum Glashütte.

The PanoMaticLunar. Asymmetrical harmony. The off-centre dial visuals are presented in an elegant manner, embedded within a clear and pure overall design. A characteristic feature of this noble timepiece is a disc, artfully decorated with a moon and stars, indicating the current phase of the moon.

For more on the PanoMaticLunar, please visit www.glashuette-original.com. You may also wish to download our iPhone application from the App Store.

Get carried away with foldable fashion

butterflytwists.com facebook.com/ButterflyTwists

P.O. Box.17684, S3-1221 Jebel Ali Free Zone Dubai UAE

Tel: + 971 4 880 7995, Fax: +971 4 880 7996,E-mail: info@sourcerite.ae

twitter.com/ButterflyTwists

AVAILABLE AT: BAHRAIN: The Athletes Foot, K Corner || KUWAIT: Multi Trend || QATAR: Galaxy Sports, Sports Corner, Courir, Blue Saloon, K Corner, The Athletes Foot, || JORDAN: Champion Sports || OMAN: Shoe Studio, K Corner || SAUDI: Zahid Trec, Athletes Rod || UAE: K Corner, City Shoes, Shoe Studio, Taf Kid’s The Athletes Co, Tip Top,The Athletes Foot.

Here, you can lose a day and then find yourself.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Where beauty inspires the heart. Where wonder dazzles the soul.

A dream. An awakening. Where serenity springs eternal.

Here there are no secrets. Just unknown truths.

Arrive with nothing. Leave with everything.

Discover the unforgettable.

See what it means to believe.

And you think you’ve seen it all?

Abu Dhabi. Travellers welcome.

Discover more. www.visitabudhabi.ae

Editor’s LEttEr

editor@ openskiesmagazine. com

We still remember the first time we saw Christopher Reeve don the blue and red Superman suit, and this summer the Man of Steel returns, with British actor Henry Cavill set to fill Reeve’s red boots. We look back at the behind-the-scenes shenanigans that ensured life on set was almost as eventful as life in Metropolis.

Matthias Heiderich is gaining attention as one of the best young photographers in Europe, and his stunning shots of Dubai will show you the city as you have never seen it. Elsewhere, we walk down one of Toronto’s longest – and most interesting – streets. We also meet legendary architect Norman Foster, and ask him what he is doing curating an art show. And in Madrid, we discover a wonderful pastry shop that is still going strong 99 years after it was founded. If you ever needed an excuse to visit the Spanish capital, La Duquesita is it. Enjoy the issue.

Emirates takes care to ensure that all facts published herein are correct. In the event of any inaccuracy please contact The Editor. Any opinion expressed is the honest belief of the author based on all available facts. comments and facts should not be relied upon by the reader in taking commercial, legal, financial or other decisions. Articles are by their nature general and specialist advice should always be consulted before any actions are taken.

Media One Tower, Dubai Media city PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Telephone: (+971 4) 427 3000 Fax: (+971 4) 428 2261 Email: emirates@motivate.ae

96,425 copies

Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai, UAE

edItor-In-ChIef Obaid humaid Al Tayer ManagIng partner & group edItor In ChIef Ian Fairservice edItorIal dIreCtor Gina Johnson • gina@motivate.ae group edItor Mark Evans • marke@motivate.ae edItor Conor Purcell • conor@motivate.ae deputy edItor Gareth Rees • gareth@motivate.ae desIgner Roui Francisco • rom@motivate.ae staff wrIter Matthew Priest • matthew@motivate.ae edItorIal assIstant Londresa Flores • londresa@motivate.ae head of produCtIon S Sunil Kumar senIor produCtIon Manager c Sudhakar general Manager, group sales Anthony Milne • anthony@motivate.ae dIgItal developMent Manager Helen Cotton • helenc@motivate.ae group sales Manager Jaya Balakrishnan • jaya@motivate.ae deputy sales Manager Amar Kamath senIor sales exeCutIve Rahul Shivaprakash edItorIal Consultants for eMIrates: edItor Jonathan hill arabIC edItor hatem Omar deputy edItor Andy grant websIte • emirates.com ContrIbutors Kausar Shahab, connie Tsang, caro Emerald, gemma correll, gabriella Maj, Matthew Lightner, John Reid, Tina Reid, Paddy Smith, Vicky hayward, Pablo herranz, Jay Merrick, Adam Smith, Matthias heiderich, Edward Mcgowan, Daniel huffman Cover IMage: Matthias heiderich InternatIonal MedIa representatIves: AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND Okeeffe Media, Kevin O’ Keeffe; Tel + 61 89 447 2734, okeeffekev@bigpond.com.au, BENELUXM.P.S. Benelux; Francesco Sutton; Tel +322 720 9799, Fax +322 725 1522, francesco.sutton@mps-adv.com chINA Publicitas Advertising; Tel +86 10 5879 5885 FRANcE Intermedia Europe Ltd, Fiona Lockie, Katie Allen, Laura Renault; Tel +33 15 534 9550, Fax +33 15 534 9549, administration@intermedia. europe.com gERMANy IMV International Media Service gmbh, Wolfgang Jäger; Tel +49 89 54 590 738, Fax +49 89 54 590 769, wolfgang.jager@iqm.de hONg KONg/MALAySIA/ThAILAND Sonney Media Networks, hemant Sonney; Tel +852 27 230 373, Fax +852 27 391 815, hemant@sonneymedia.com INDIA Media Star, Ravi Lalwani; Tel +91 22 4220 2103, Fax +91 22 2283 9619, ravi@mediastar.co.in ITALy IMM Italia Lucia colucci; Tel +39 023 653 4433, Fax +39 029 998 1376, lucia.colucci@fastwebnet.it JAPAN Tandemz Inc.; Tel + 81 3 3541 4166, Fax +81 3 3541 4748, all@tandeminc.com NEThERLANDS gIO Media, giovanni Angiolini; Tel +31 6 2223 8420, giovanni@gio-media.nl SOUTh AFRIcA Ndure, Dale Isaac; Tel +27 84 701 2479, dale@ndure.co.za SPAIN IMM International, Nicolas Devos; Tel +331 40 1300 30, n.devos@imm-international.com TURKEy Media Ltd.; Tel: +90 212 275 51 52, mediamarketingtr@medialtd.com.tr UK Spafax Inflight Media, Nick hopkins, Arnold green; Tel +44 207 906 2001, Fax +44 207 906 2022, nhopkins@spafax. com USA Totem Brand Stories, Brigitte Baron, Marina chetner; Tel +212 896 3846, Fax +212 896 3848, brigitte.baron@ rtotembrandstories.com

17

Open skies / JUne 2013

Start your business in UAE the ‘Smart’ way.

Starting from USD555 per month.

ffice

Smart O

Ajman Free Zone is one of UAE’s largest and fastest growing Free Zones offering investors with host of unique benefits to suit all types of businesses.

• Company is eligible for 2 visas • 100% free from corporate and personal taxes • Easy access to major sea ports and airports of the UAE • Wide range of licenses (trading, service and industrial) • Over 6,000 operational companies • State-of-the-art facilities

Ajman Free Zone Authority P.O. Box 932 Ajman, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 6 7011555, Fax: +971 6 7429222 www.afza.gov.ae

info@afza.gov.ae

Follow us on

Shopping at Qatar Duty Free is a pleasant and relaxing experience.

With a wide collection of the world’s finest brands, enticing promotions, and exciting raffles, now shopping at Qatar Duty Free is your destination of choice.

As one of the fastest growing Duty Free operations in the region, we are committed to offering you good service and value for money. Our friendly, multi-national staff members are available to assist you at all times.

contents / june 2013

44 32

A new limitededition travel book with a difference

38

A walk through one of Toronto’s most interesting streets

Dutch jazz singer Caro Emerald shares her top tunes

62

50 46

A slice of luxury in the Maldives

21

A tour of Dublin’a burgeoning comedy scene

Open skies / JUne 2013

61

A shot of Venice, the City of Light

One of Madrid’s longestrunning cafes, La Duquesita

contents / june 2013

68

92

The inside story of the making of Superman

Matthias Heiderich showcases Dubai in some stunning photographs

82

An exclusive interview with Norman Foster

Front (31) Bits Question/Grid Calendar The Street Skypod Room

32 34 36 38 44 46

Consume Our Man BLD Mapped Place Store

Main (67) Superman Uncovered WTTC Norman Foster Dubai Photos

49 50 55 56 61 62

news (103) 68 78 82 92

News Green Visa Guide Fleet

22

Open skies / JUne 2013

105 108 110 118

CONFIDENCE IN ANY LANGUAGE. Carat Weight 1.53

Color Grade E

Clarity Grade VS1

Cut Grade

Excellent

Laser Inscription Registry Number GIA 16354621

Natural Diamond Not Synthetic

Wherever you go, a GIA report means assurance of diamond quality.

Before you buy, look for confirmation from the world’s foremost gem authority and creator of the 4Cs. Learn more at www.4cs.gia.edu

THE UNIVERSAL STANDARD BY WHICH GEMS ARE JUDGED.

contributors Vicky Hayward

Vicky is a journalist and writer who lives in Madrid.

Her book on Spanish monastic cooking is due to be published in 2014. She managed to satisfy her sweet tooth in one of Madrid’s oldest bakeries.

connie Tsang

Connie is a Toronto-based event and documentary photographer who has worked with the likes of the CBC, Globe & Mail, and the Museum of the City of New York.

adam smiTH

Adam Smith is senior writer for Empire movie magazine and is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4 and the World Service. His first book, The Rough Guide to 21st Century Cinema, is available now.

26

Open skies / JUne 2013

Jay merrick

Jay Merrick, architecture critic of The Independent in London, has also written for Architects’ Journal and produced monograph texts for a number of major architectural practices.

maTTHias HeidericH

Matthias is a Berlin-based photographer whose vivid urban photography has seen him published around the world. His use of geometric shapes and colours is exceptional.

Keek, tweet and browse while travelling abroad for as low as

AED 25/day Enjoy the best ever mobile data , roaming rates with Etisalat s new Data Roaming packs.

To view & purchase a roaming pack dial *177#.

To view a list of networks where data roaming packs are valid, visit etisalat.ae/preferredroamingpartners

25MB

@ AED 25 Daily

1GB @ AED 200 Weekly

100MB @ AED 35

800 2300 etisalat.ae/roaming

http://facebook.com/Etisalat http://twitter.com/EtisalatUAE

T&C apply

Daily

FRONT 38

50

TORONTO

DUBLIN

A walk through Spadina Avenue, one of the city’s longest streets

Slow Jam La Duquesita has been serving treats to Madrid’s sweet lovers since 1914

(62) OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

A guide to Dublin’s growing comedy club scenwwe

56 MANILA

We check out the Filipino capital, Asia’s rising star

Bits

StarS / Sabio Azadi with his book; an original take on the guide book concept

For You The Traveller

A hAnd-bound trAvel guide with A difference thAt covers the globe, one personAl story At A time illustrated) and their telephone number. if you buy the book and are passing through their city, they promise to be a ‘port-of-call’. it’s a wonderful idea, beautifully executed, and all profits go to the swiss charity nouvelle planete. the cities include tehran, los Angeles, sapporo and Antwerp, and the chapters are written by a wide variety of people: a

Welcome to Iraq

O

ne of the most interesting exhibitions at the Venice Biennale is Welcome To Iraq, a group exhibition of contemporary Iraqi artists covering everything from photography and painting to sculpture and installation work. All of the artists live and work in Iraq, which makes this selection of

32

Open skies / JUne 2013

political analyst, a farmer, an urban designer, a leather worker, an ecologist and a scientist, among others. created by 21-year-old iranian-new Zealander artist nabil sabio Azadi, this is one of the most intriguing and original ideas for a travel book we have seen and, best of all, it’s for a really good cause. www.nabilsabioazadi.com

art different to the myriad exhibitions

by Iraqi diaspora artists. Despite the problems Iraq faces at the moment – and the decades of repression – an art scene is slowly emerging. The exhibition will be held at Ca’ Dandolo, a 16th-century building that has not been used as a pavilion before. Held in a first-floor apartment, creating a salon atmosphere where visitors can sit, read and learn about Iraqi culture and drink tea. It runs from June 1st to November 24th. www.theiraqpavilion.com

COurTeSy: THe ArTIST AND ruyA FOuNDATION

A

s far removed from the ‘clichéd’ travel guide as is possible, For You The Traveller is a hand-bound book (covered in salvaged rabbit fur) that features the names, stories and telephone numbers of people across the world. each contributor tells a personal story about the place they call home (all beautifully

THE QUESTION

WHY DO DINOSAURS LOOK SO SCARY COMPARED TO THE ANIMALS THAT ARE AROUND TODAY? The main reason that dinosaurs look so scary is that the images you see of dinosaurs are not accurate representations of what they really looked like. Dinosaur reconstructions tend to be done conservatively, meaning that muscle mass is minimised and the skin is stretched tightly over that mass. Surface adornments and colours are not known, so they’re not added. We now know that many dinosaurs had feathers of various types, so there’s plenty of opportunity for colours, decorations, tufts and fluff and fur – however most of the drawings of dinosaurs do not take these into account – and this results in very scary depictions. Look at a skeleton model of a cat, for example, and it will look quite scary without its fur. Of course, another reason dinosaurs look so scary, is that they were, in fact, scary. Or at least, some of them were, given their huge size. And the most popular dinosaurs (in terms of their representation in films, for example) are the biggest ones. Jurassic Park would have been a less successful film had it focused on the Parvicursor remotus, an animal smaller than a duck. Lastly, we are just not used to seeing these animals – given that they do not exist any more.

If the only visuals we had of a rhino were imperfect drawings, we would think them pretty scary too – in fact, the rhino proves that some current animals are just as scary as any dinosaur.

THE GRID One of Britain’s best-loved comics, Michael McIntyre, brings his comedy antics to Dubai World Trade Centre’s Sheikh Rashid Hall on June 7th and 8th. Supported by fellow funnyman Paul Tonkinson, McIntyre’s brand of observational humour is sure to have you clutching your sides with laughter. michaelmcintyre.co.uk

The Smurfs are coming to town with a live show at Mirdif City Centre. The legendary Papa Smurf will attempt to organise the Blue Moon Festival and rally his fellow smurfs to the cause.

Three 25-minute performances will be held daily, and it’s free for all. It runs from June 14th to the 24th daily. mirdifcitycentre.com

Jumeirah Beach Road has a lot of shopping boutiques that vary wildly in quality, but one of our favourites is Bambah, across the road from Dubai Zoo. A mixture of designer pieces from the past, as well as cheaper vintage outfits and a host of accessories, make browsing here a joy. bambah.com

34

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

Smiling BKK is something of a cult favourite in Dubai, with its quirky menus and kitsch décor (as well as cheap Thai food) resulting in a packed restaurant most nights of the week. With this in mind, it has opened a new branch in Wasl Square development across from Safa Park. Let’s hope the atmosphere remains the same. waslsquare.wasl.ae

Day dreaming again

Imagine waking up to this view every morning. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’re still dreaming. But this is reality.

The Anantara Residences is a stunning, exclusive residential property, situated within the five-star Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa, offering a range of beautifully appointed, spacious, fully furnished one and two bedroom apartments, all boasting spectacular, unobstructed panoramic views across Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline, in an idyllic retreat for relaxed resort living.

Just another day in paradise.

anantararesidences.com

To arrange a viewing or for more information, call Better Homes on 600 52 2233 (within the UAE) or +971 600 52 2233 (International) or visit the onsite sales office.

A Seven Tides project. Anantara Residences Dubai Palm Jumeirah are not owned, developed or sold by Minor International (Thailand) PCL., Minor Hotel Group, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas or their affiliates.

Seven Tides uses the Anantara trademark and trade name under license from Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas.

June

CALENDAR

June 5 to 16

sydney Film Festival

in typical aussie style, this 12-day festival for film aficionados promotes and celebrates “courageous, audacious and cutting-edge” cinema. The competition is fierce for this year’s 60th anniversary event, with films ranging from an ode to the silent movie era, to korean director Park Chanwook’s first English-language feature, Stoker, a neo-gothic thriller starring Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode and nicole kidman.

PRiMaVERaSound.CoM

June 7 to September 29

Yoko Ono – A Retrospective To many she is simply the wife of John Lennon, to others she’s the woman who broke up The Beatles, but Yoko Ono has been engaging audiences around the world with arresting avant-garde artworks for the past 60 years. This year the experimental artist celebrates her 80th birthday, and as part of the celebrations, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Copenhagen is showing a retrospective of her life and works, entitled Yoko Ono: Half-A-Wind Show. louSiana.dk

June 1 to november 24

La Biennale June 26 to 30

aRT by: JuSTin MCGuiRk

Glastonbury Festival

The 55th International Art Exhibition takes place this month in the spectacular surroundings of the Giardini and the Arsenale in Venice. Entitled Il Palazzo Enciclopedico (The Encyclopedic Palace) works by more than 150 artists from 37 countries, spanning the last century, will be on display at venues around the city.

What was once Pilton Festival, a small summer music event started by Michael Eavis in 1970, is now the world-famous Glastonbury Festival. Situated on Worthy Farm near the town of Pilton in Somerset, England, the four-day festival has a lineup featuring some of the biggest stars in the music industry.

This year is no exception, with headliners including The Rolling Stones, arctic Monkeys, Rita ora, Elvis Costello & The imposters and Rufus Wainwright.

GlaSTonbuRyFESTiValS.Co.uk

labiEnnalE.oRG

Place

Viewing Venice page 61 36

Open skies / JUne 2013

the street

Spadina Avenue A street, like a person, has personality. For a Torontonian, Spadina Avenue, with its quaint streetcars and diverse culture, represents the many facets of the city’s character. Starting near the top, where it is known as Spadina Road, are high towers, dungeons and English gardens. Going south, it changes to Spadina Ave, where an iron dragon watches over shops selling Asian comfort food, cheap electronics and even dried shark fins (until the city finally makes up its mind to ban them). Midway, it opens into Kensington Market, an exhaustive blend of curio and culture. Just before it winds up on the promenades of Toronto’s harbour front, it meets the fashion district, which illustrates that the city has its own, original, fashion scene.

Words by Kausar Shahab / Images by Connie Tsang

38

Open skies / JUne 2013

Simon Sushi

Popular with University of Toronto students, the menu at Simon Sushi features an impressive selection of Japanese cuisine. As chef Simon Au says, his nori, wakame, miso and chirashi is better than campus food, especially with generous serving sizes. The Bento box, made up of teriyaki, dumplings, sushi, shrimp and vegetable tempura is dependable, and the U of T Roll, a maki roll of barbequed eel, avocado and cream cheese, honouring his most loyal patrons, is, understandably, one of the most popular orders.

409 Spadina Ave Tel: +1 (416) 9772828

Toronto Music Garden

Toronto Music Garden represents Bach’s Suite 1 in G Major. There are six sections, each with a conceptspecific landscape. Prelude is a walkway representing a river’s undulations; Allemande is a birch forest representing a German dance form; Courante is a verdant field symbolising movements from the courante dance style; Sarabande is a conifer grove in the style of a Spanish dance, with a stone platform for readings by authors; Minuets is a flower parterre with a performance area, evocative of formality and precision, much like the dance; and Gigue is a series of grass steps around an amphitheatre, reflecting the boisterous English jig. Definitely one for music or garden enthusiasts, but also a nice spot for an afternoon stroll. harbourfrontcentre.com Tel: +1 (416) 9734000 Spadina and Queen’s Quay

39

Open skies / JUne 2013

Kensington Market

The City of Toronto Archives

Toronto Archives has a huge collection of public-access photographs, such as the picture of a man in breeches drinking from a communal water cup at a fountain on Spadina Ave itself (circa 1822), as well as maps, records and other historical materials. Browsing feels a little voyeuristic, but there’s nothing like a spot of snooping on a sleepy afternoon. There are also year-round exhibits.

This busy market is reminiscent of London’s Portobello Road. Rare alabaster? Genuine plaster? A filigreed samovar owned by the Czar? A pen used by Shelley? A new Botticelli?

Women in clicking stilettos scour the ground for vintage lace and reproduction trinkets, while a local production company retells Medea and Faust using the mediums of fire breathing, stilt walking and puppetry.

Visitors should not miss Global Cheese, an educator and seller of coagulated dairy, or Chocolate Addict, which sells interesting flavours such as wasabi and potato chip. kensington-market.ca Spadina and Dundas

toronto.ca/archives 255 Spadina Road Tel: +1 (416) 3975000

King Textiles Works by prominent and emerging Canadian painters and sculptors are exhibited, and for sale, at this attractive gallery.

It’s an excellent place to take in some Canadian art, and in the past it has supported home-grown art movements such as Les Automatistes, pioneered by francophone artists such as Pierre Gauvreau and Janine Carreau. The gallery is currently exhibiting Michael Adamson’s Wolf Pavilion.

A haven of fabrics, patterns, trims, pompoms, home décor, drapery, sewing accessories, trims and leather. Smack in the middle of the fashion district, King Textiles lures fashion students and DIY interior decorators alike. Even with browsers, the manager, Eti, is incredibly patient, friendly and welcoming. If in the area and ready for nuptials, check out the very impressive bridal section.

mooregallery.com 80 Spadina Ave Tel: +1 (416) 5043914

kingtextiles.ca 161 Spadina Ave Tel: +1 (416) 5040600

Moore Gallery

41

Open skies / JUne 2013

Spadina House

Across the street from the turrets of Toronto’s own castle, Casa Loma, sits a less ostentatious property. Originally built by financier James Austin in 1866, Spadina House is beautifully restored and now operates as a museum.

Visitors can take a period tour, which will allow them to discover more about the family that resided in the house for four generations, and even confirm or dispel reports of an animal apparition; the spirit is said to be associated with a taxidermist’s wolf exhibited in the entrance.

Chinatown Centre Food Court

Revel in quintessential Hong Kong, high-density occupancy, and audio-visual-olfactory overload, then make your way to the underground food court to brave an eclectic profusion of mini tasting menus.

Vendors offer four items for $2.99 (CAD), including the popular fried chicken.

222 Spadina Ave Tel: +1 (416) 5998877

285 Spadina Road Tel: +1 (416) 3926910

Dai Kuang Wah Herb Market

Like an apothecary’s lab, this herbal store evokes a sense of untapped prowess and ancient secrets.

Gathered, dried and pounded, the herbs make for interesting browsing and inspired buying. Just the list of ailments the herbs are supposed to cure – “clear heat”, “drain fire or clear heat”, “resolve toxicity” – puts you in a revitalised state. It is also fun to see how common herbs translate graphically.

Ma bo, or the fruiting body of the common puffball, aptly translates as “horse inflation”.

280 Spadina Ave Tel: +1 (416) 5972224

42

Open skies / JUne 2013

Images: Marcel Wanders

Luxury beyond your dreams

Quasar Istanbul is the first meta-luxury real estate project in Turkey, which brings the Swiss excellence and perfectionism together with the Turkish hospitality and dynamism.

Quasar Istanbul, located in the very heart of Istanbul city, also presents the Fairmont Quasar Istanbul Hotel, the very first of the globally renowned Fairmont Hotels in Turkey as well as the Fairmont Residences and the world’s first branded Fairmont Offices. The project is being developed on the site of an ancient Liqueur Factory, which was designed by one of France's most famous architects, Robert Mallet Stevens.

The building will be reconstructed as a centre for culture, art and fashion.

YOUR BEST CHOICE FOR THE RIGHT REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT IN TURKEY!

Quasar Istanbul has already been pre-certified at the highest “gold” category as Turkey’s first green project in compliance with Germany’s DGNB standards.

VIATRANS - MEYDANBEY Luxury Properties

Quasar Istanbul Sales Office

444 7 123

+90 212 www.quasaristanbul.com

SKYPOD

Dutch jazz singer Caro Emerald reveals her favourite tracks

1.

2.

Madonna I Should Watch TV

Dinah Washington Mad About The Boy

It is from Madonna’s very first album, and it had great meaning for me when I was a little girl. I recently bought it again, and I’ve been dancing around my room to it daily.

A wonderful song by the queen of the blues. I sang this for Jools Holland on his radio show, and he invited me back to sing it on his New Year TV show, the Hootenanny.

I love it.

3.

Amy Winehouse Love Is A Losing Game Amy was a great singer, a total original. This song just goes straight to the heart. It’s heartbreaking that she left us.

44

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

4.

Rihanna Stay A very intimate, vulnerable and open song. As a singer, I think Rihanna is fantastic, she has amazing timing. The guest is Mikky Ekko, a relatively unknown name – that’s brave, and demands a lot of respect.

5.

Prince Newpower Soul This is from Prince’s New Power Generation period.

Stylistically, it’s a little bit more hip-hop than the music he’s usually known for, but he’s always got an ear for a perfect groove.

JUNE

CALENDAR

6.

M.I.A. Paper Planes A more experimental choice. Whenever I go on a road trip, this is the song that I play to get me in a holiday mood. The way she plays around with sound is incredible.

June 24 to July 7

Wimbledon Championships Hosted in the London suburb of Wimbledon, the world’s oldest tennis championships are not only the highlight of the year’s tennis season but also the telltale sign that summer has arrived in Europe. Predict unpredictable weather, high drama, punnets of strawberries, a packed out Henman Hill (or Murray Mound as it is known today) and plenty of appearances from Prince William and Kate Middleton. wimbledon.com

7.

Bobby McFerrin Don’t Worry, Be Happy I used to sing this a capella.

It’s the ultimate happy song – who doesn’t grin when they listen to it?

Manila

Asian Tiger page 56

8.

Shirley Bassey Where Do I Begin (Love Story) I love the phrase ‘he fills my heart’; when she sings it, the song really opens up.

45

Open skies / JUne 2013

the Room

TExT: GABrIElA MAJ // WWW.JuMEIrAH.cOM/JuMEIrAH-DHEvANAFuSHI

vIllA 10

JuMEIrAH DHEvANAFuSHI MAlDIvES

After the turquoise wake left behind by a white speedboat jetting along the glistening surface of the vast Indian Ocean, guests arrive at the stunning Jumeriah Dhevanafushi Resort perched on top one of the Maldives smallest and most beautiful islands. Corridors of lush, perfectly manicured green jungle lead to the property’s 19 island villas. Nestled into a completely private slice of beach front surrounded by tall palms, weaving mangroves and blooming hibiscus, the experience guarantees peaceful seclusion and rapid decompression. Complete with an outdoor rain shower, large indoor and outdoor plunge pools, a plush secondary out door day bed, two 42-inch flat screen TVs, separate living, dining and entertainment areas and a private white sand beach, there is little left to desire. With a personal butler on call 24 hours a day guests can sequester completely or fill up their time enjoying the resorts three restaurants, spa, two large infinity pools and mixologist-manned bar. Snorkelling with horn-billed sea turtles in the technicoloured forest of life also known as the house reef is just steps away from your bed and only one of many complimentary water activities on offer.

46

Open skies / JUne 2013

INTERNET SPEED: 2MB PILLOWS: Eight BED SIzE: 2 x 3metres (Oversized Super King) iPOD DOCK: Yes CLUB SANDWICH DELIVERY TIME: 22 mins COMPLIMENTARY SNACKS: Fresh fruit delivered each afternoon, a unique Maldivian sweet delivered every evening and fruit Sushi upon arrival.

TOILETRY BRAND: Hermès ExTRAS: Nespresso and 1837 TWG Tea DAILY NEWSPAPER: A4 printed versions of the IHT and the FT available every day. Specific international titles available upon request.

TV CHANNELS: 24 VIEW: 4/5 RATE: 1,560$

consume book

album

ALL THAT IS James Salter James Salter – possibly the greatest American novelist you have never heard of – has released his latest novel, All That Is, at the age of 87, more than 30 years since his last book. What is astonishing is not his age, but it’s that it’s so good. But then Salter has always existed off the radar; he is no Updike or Roth, despite classics such as Light Years and A Sport And A Pastime. And so to this, his sixth novel.

It traces the life of Philip Bowman, a naval officer who goes into publishing in New York, and who, as we follow his life through the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, gets more and more disillusioned with his lot. Salter has always been brilliant, and this is him at his best. A great novel.

Love In THe fuTure John Legend R&B star and serial collaborator John Legend shakes off a five-year hiatus with the launch of his fourth studio album Love In The Future. The understated singer/songwriter, known for his smooth and promiscuous lyrics, returns to the spotlight with an album featuring production from long-time friends and collaborators Kanye West and Dave Tozer who both worked on Legend’s first two albums.

film

WorLd WAr Z

From George A Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead to the seemingly endless Resident Evil franchise, one thing is clear – zombie movies just won’t die. In World War Z, director Marc Forster tackles the ‘what-if ’ scenario of a spreading zombie pandemic so large that it engulfs the world, eradicating entire countries. The film seems to pay fleeting regard to Max Brooks’ much-lauded original novel, but it does have a leading role for perennial do-gooder Brad Pitt.

49

Open skies / JUne 2013

OUR MAN IN

Funny People

Irish writer and comedian Carl Cullinane takes a tour of Dublin’s comedy scene and explains how laughter is helping Dubliners cope with the city’s economic slump Images by Kyle Tunney

I

reland and comedy have always been intertwined, with the country’s long-standing oral tradition and a literary canon rich in wit, from Oscar Wilde to Samuel Beckett to Jonathan Swift.

It has forged a national character where humour is the instinctive reaction to triumph and failure alike, both of which the country

has experienced in recent times.

“We have a sense of humour that comes naturally to us,” agrees Colm McGlinchey, comedian and co-founder of the Comedy Crunch, one of the most popular comedy nights in Dublin, adding, with more than a hint of mischief, “Nobody in this country takes themselves too seriously.”

As can be seen from street corner to public house, Ireland contains more cheek per unit of the population than anywhere in the OECD, and nowhere is this more obvious than the vibrant and everevolving Dublin comedy scene. A cradle to international stars such as Dara O’Briain, Dylan Moran

HEADLINE ACT / The Stags Head is a revered Irish pub which hosts a comedy night

50

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

and Ed Byrne, and one which continues to produce prodigious new talent for export. “There is such a high standard for such a small country,” enthuses Americanborn Aidan Bishop, resident MC of the International Comedy Club.

McGlinchey agrees: “Some of the talent here really is world class, as good as comedy gets.”

Much of this talent can be seen at McGlinchey’s Comedy Crunch, one of Dublin’s biggest recent success stories. Tucked away in the cellar of the Stag’s Head, a grand old pub with an oaky sense of tradition, every Sunday and Monday nights, the event makes the foundations rumble with

the mirth of locals and visitors alike. But what is it about Irish comedy that sets it apart? Most prominently, in keeping with the oral tradition, stand-up comedy in Ireland has always had a history of raconteurs. “The Irish are definitely into their storytelling, relying on natural charm and character to really convey hilarious stories,” McGlinchey says.

This is in evidence seven nights a week across Dublin’s city centre. All tastes are catered for, Vicar St, one of the best venues in the country for both music and comedy, offers the biggest Irish acts and the best visitors from foreign shores; the ever-popular Laughter Lounge provides uproarious fare for weekend audiences; and the International caters to the more discerning comedy aficionado, with a mixture of established comics, up-andcomers, and critically acclaimed international acts.

The International epitomises the raw experience of Irish comedy: a winding staircase above an old-fashioned pub, and a packed, intimate room, with eager audiences practically spilling onto the stage in front of the comics, who are without even a microphone to hide behind. A focal point of the scene, it has been stewarded through the last 12 years by two brothers from Queens, New York: Des and Aidan Bishop.

Aidan explains “I want to keep live

Home grown/ The International has long been the centre of the Dublin scene

comedy in the consciousness of prefer their comedy to be an Dublin City, keeping the quality of escape from such grim realities. the acts high while also developing Ireland’s economic problems new talent. It’s a balancing act, but have served only to contribute nothing beats live comedy.” to a real sense of ‘survival of the Comedians and promoters wittiest’ on the comedy scene. In alike agree that this balancing a country with ever-more forms act in Dublin continues to be a of entertainment competing for largely successful one. Comedy a share of smaller budgets, the here remains in rude health, scene has had to adapt. Colm despite the ups and downs in McGlinchey again argues, “People Irish society in recent times. But are cautious, but if you show them how have economic troubles affected the comedy scene?

According to comedian Colm O’Regan, one Summer’s nearly here, and what better way of Ireland’s sharpest to cool off than to catch a few waves? Here’s observers, “Comedy has our pick of the social-media-savvy surf got a bit more political shacks, shops and schools from around the and topical, but only up to a point. The market for and the ability to rider Shack rio Surf n Stay write topical comedy Your family-owned Rio Surf N Stay is a unique surf shop. Voted “Best Surf surf camp and hostel in probably stays about Shop in Los Angeles” in 2007, one of the most fabulous the same over time.”

2008 and 2009 by FOX 11. locations in the world: While some audiences Rider Shack starred in an Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. episode of Peter Perfect Enjoy a truly unique have an appetite for on the Style Network cultural experience satire of Ireland’s often @ridershack @Riosurfnstay comically dysfunctional political system, others

TWITTER PITCH

mollusk Surf Shop

A surfing institution based in San Francisco and Venice Beach. Mollusk offers a place where surfing, art, craft, music, film and visual media come together @MolluskSurfShop

wittering Surf Shop The surfer’s surf shop.

This West Sussex based shop specialises in surfing, surf hardware and surf fashion.

When it comes to surfing, it really knows its stuff @WittSurfShop

51

Open skies / JUne 2013

Hurricane Surf Shop

Established in 2001 in Durban, South Africa, Hurricane started out with the design and manufacture of ocean paddleboards, surfboards and surf accessories @hurricanesurf

Let’s go Surfing

Australia’s greatest surf experience on Australia’s greatest beach. Let’s go Surfing is one of Sydney’s top -three tourist activities located on Bondi Beach @LetsgoSurf

laughing matter / Dublin’s comedy scene is an antidote to the city’s economic problems

a good time, they’ll be back and indicate, is held in a different they’ll tell people.” The proximity venue every month, with locations and accessibility of Dublin’s varying from a canal boat to a compact city centre also adds a gentlemen’s club to Dublin’s particularly competitive edge. As Unitarian Church. the Capital Comedy Club’s Simon Irish comedy has also been O’Keefe points out, “Everything gripped by the DIY ethic, is on in a small radius in the city with podcasts and YouTube centre, so you have a lot of venues videos increasingly essential in trying different introducing new and new things.” comedians to a IrIsh comedy Not everything wider audience. works, but it One act, Maria has been is this spirit of Boyle, even grIpped by experimentalism supplements her that is keeping stand-up as the the dIy ethIc the scene fresh. in-house cartoonist wIth youtube in the esteemed The monthly Nighthawks caters lavatories of WJ vIdeos and towards the arty Kavanagh’s pub. podcasts end of the market, Also in the DIY with comedians spirit, another rubbing shoulders recent addition with musicians, to the scene has storytellers and been the 10 Days poets. The Monthly General in Dublin Festival, a no-budget, Meeting, an event invariably more not-for-profit smorgasbord of entertaining than its name would arts events around the city for

52

Open skies / JUne 2013

a week and a half every July, with comedy at its centre. A mini-Edinburgh Fringe, it has an open-access philosophy at its heart. Rob Kearns, one of its founders, explains: “We don’t decide who you should see, so we give the audience the chance.

They don’t have those choices at other festivals.” In only a couple of years, it has grown exponentially, with Kearns promising this year’s edition, running from the 4th to the 13th of July, will be “Bigger, louder, and more accessible to audiences.”

It is this spirit of enterprise that increasingly characterises Irish comedy. From the packed, stout-laden tables of punters to the cramped staircases that offer whispered shelter to the comedians, to the stages, large and small, where night after night they spread the simple but often undervalued gift of genuine honest laughter, Dublin’s comedy scene remains a jewel in Ireland’s slightly tarnished crown.

BLD BREAKFAST

B

Usually I only eat breakfast out on a Sunday, and it’s normally a brunch.

Tertulia does a really good Spanishinfluenced brunch with an amazing range of toast with eggs on it that is just incredible. They have all kinds of different refreshments, but I usually opt for my regular Sunday drink, the Bloody Mary, or La Gilda Maria Sangriente, as it’s called in Tertulia. It has anchovy, olive, pickled piparra, vodka or gin, but they have a whole selection of Spanish wine, good beers and a big list of different cocktails to choose from. It’s a pretty youthful, lively crowd in there on a Sunday morning.

Matthew Lightner, executive chef at Atera, reveals his favourite places to eat out in New York

Tertulia 359, 6th Avenue New York Tel: +1 (646) 559 9909 tertulianyc.com

B

LUNCH

L

Nobu 105 Hudson Street New York Tel: +1 (212) 219 0500 noburestaurants.com/new-york

My favourite place for lunch is Nobu, in Tribeca. The consistency is incredible; it doesn’t matter what time of year, what time of day or what is going on, you can always expect it to be really, really good. One of the best dishes is the hamachi with jalapenos; it’s so refreshing; it has acidity, a little bit of spice to it, and the texture of the dish is really nice – it makes for great eating. The interior is the classic Nobu vibe the Rockwell group designed years ago, but it is really fun, dark, you know – a lot of Japanese influence. But it’s a great place to pop in at midday and have some sake, some hamachi, and calm down a little.

D

D

L

DINNER When it comes to dinner, it has to be Franny’s in Brooklyn.

It’s a very local, very Italian-influenced place, but the level of creativity, the subtleties, the quality of the product, and the quality of the four or five ingredients that they put together – well, it’s really hard to beat for that level of food. The charcuterie is amazing, and their traditional thin pizzas are fun and fantastic. It’s a youthful crowd from the Brooklyn neighbourhood, and they serve great wine by the bottle, and the glass, which is very reasonable. The interior is casual inside; they have just moved to a new spot, but it’s still in Brooklyn. The place is perfect for the start of an evening in New York, although I could make a whole night out of it – but that’s just me.

55

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

Franny’s 348 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, New York Tel: +1 (718) 230 0221 frannysbrooklyn.com

mapped Sampaloc

San Juan Intramuros

Pandacan

Ermita

Paco

Mandaluyong City

Malate

Makati City

06

Pateros

Nawala

Pasay City

a Taguig City

Manila Hotels 1. The Peninsula Manila 14.554852,121.025447

Bars 9. Opus 14.518601,121.019774

Restaurants 5. Abé 14.549589,121.054402

Galleries 13. The Drawing Room 14.564145,121.016336

10.and The Blind Pig 14. Avellana Art Gallery 2. Hotel H20 6. Wildflour Café + Bakery With a dynamic up-and-coming art scene, eclectic nightlife welcoming locals, Manila might 14.54078,120.995264 14.579638,120.972959 14.549482,121.046333 14.555417,121.015634 just be the most underrated city in Southeast Asia. This rapidly developing high-rise metropolis Museum Caféhotels celebrates Manila’s 15. MO Space Shangri-La 7. Sala is3. Edsa steeped in history, and everything from the cuisine to the11.historic 14.58144,121.05682 14.559206,121.017598 14.553571,121.023276 14.55029,121.050973 colourful past. Far from being merely a stepping-stone on the way to one of the country’s many 4. Manila Hotel islands, Manila is a8.destination La Cocina de Tita Moning 12. Skye Lounge incredible in its own right and deserves to be explored. 16. Finale Art File 14.582962,120.97365 www.Hg2.com

14.595738,120.992575

14.549238,121.052461

14.544973,121.01695

HOTELS

rESTAurAnTS

BArS / CLuBS

GALLErIES

01. The Peninsula Manila 02. Hotel H20 03. EDSA Shangri-La 04. Manila Hotel

05. Abé 06. Wildflour Café + Bakery 07. Sala 08. La Cocina de Tita Moning

09. Opus 10. The Blind Pig 11. Museum Café 12. Skye Lounge

13. The Drawing room 14. Avellana Art Gallery 15. MO Space 16. Finale Art File

56

Open skies / JUne 2013

HOTELS 01 The Peninsula Manila The Peninsula Manila is the last word in old-school opulence and luxury, designed with the city’s colonial past in mind.

Its grand lobby, decadent furnishings and central location make it a consistent favourite with business travellers and tourists alike.

02 Hotel H20 Inspired by the waters of the Philippines, Hotel H2O offers an opportunity to ‘sleep with the fishes’ by lining selected bedrooms with majestic aquariums.

As well as being full of character, Hotel H2O is conveniently located on the idyllic Manila Bay. 03 EDSA Shangri-La Encased within a calm oasis of lush tropical gardens in the centre of Manila, the EDSA Shangri-La not only offers a pocket of peace amidst the madness of the metropolis, but it also boasts a stunning pool, spa and impeccable service too.

04 Manila Hotel The oldest luxury hotel in the Philippines, the historic Manila Hotel has had over a century of practice when it comes to providing an unparalleled stay in the capital. Past guests include everyone from international diplomats to The Beatles.

LiquiD GoLD / Manila Bay offers some respite from the chaos of the city

rESTauranTS 05 Abé Known throughout Manila for its delicious traditional Filipino fare, including spectacular bamboo rice, Abé’s location in the fort at Serendra offers outdoor seating and, in the restaurant itself, a tribute to local writers and artists.

06

Wildflour Café + Bakery Wildflour Café + Bakery is the new offering from chef Walter Manzke, a former student of Alain Ducasse. At one of the city’s hottest tables, expect to sample chic, contemporary cuisine and signature ‘tarte flambés.’

06

57

Open skies / JUne 2013

07 Sala A fine-dining oasis, Sala has innovative, continental cuisine and an infinitely elegant setting which ranks it as one of the most refined, romantic restaurants in Manila.

Sala is conveniently located just off a bustling street in the centre of Makati.

08 La Cocina de Tita Moning An exclusive, reservationsonly affair, La Cocina de Tita Moning creates an incomparable dining experience by combining traditional Filipino food with the fascinating history of Manila in the setting of an ancestral home.

04

09

bars / clubs 09

Opus One of the city’s most popular night clubs, Opus presents an opulent, Europeanstyle setting where revellers can either dance the night away or sit back and enjoy an expertly crafted cocktail amongst Manila’s A-listers.

10 The Blind Pig Manila’s first speakeasy, the Blind Pig attracts an eager crowd of cocktail aficionados to its undercover location. There’s no sign on the door and no obvious entrance, so ring the doorbell to gain admittance.

11

Museum Café M Café to the locals, this edgy night-time hangout regularly hosts national and international DJs who play an eclectic mix of music to an even more eclectic, cosmopolitan crowd of night owls.

uRBAn ReSPiTe / Opus (above) and Museum Café (below)

12 Skye Lounge Located atop the W building, Skye Lounge is both the highest club and the first real rooftop bar in the city, offering great views and a laid-back atmosphere in which to party under the stars.

11

GallErIEs

14

13 The Drawing Room Initially specialising in artworks on paper, The Drawing Room has since diversified and is now one of the most high profile spaces in Manila, renowned throughout the country as a hub for dynamic contemporary Philippine fine art.

15 MO Space MO Space, located in the MOS Design Building, is the Gallery to visit for exciting and experimental art in Manila, where exhibitions tend to spurn the decorative and embrace installation, both video and (occasionally) performance.

14 Avellana Art Gallery The work of both established and emerging artists is shown at Avellena Art Gallery, whose space in busy Pasay City offers a haven of provocative, avant-garde and folk art, as well as an annual printmaking exhibit.

16 Finale Art File One of the largest of its kind in terms of floor space and cubic area, Finale Art File is open-minded, diverse and even has its own dedicated video room for new media shows. Established in the early 1980s, it is without doubt one of the best galleries in the country today.

58

Open skies / JUne 2013

Photo: John and tina Reid

place

San Giorgio Maggiore / Venice Gondolas point the way to San Giorgio Maggiore, which is one of most famous islands in Venice. in 982 a monastery was built on the island, and in 1566 the church of San Giorgio Maggiore was constructed, a building designed by Palladio, who is considered the most influential figure in the history of western architecture. the island is now home to the Cini Foundation arts centre and the teatro Verde open-air theatre.

61

Open skies / june 2013

store

La Duquesita Words by Vicky Hayward / Images by Pablo Herranz

A

short stroll east from Calle Fuencarral, Madrid’s hippest fashion street, La Duquesita, a family-owned cake and chocolate shop founded in 1914, sits in the centre of a cluster of buildings embellished by quirky Modernist flourishes.

Outside opening hours, when the blinds are closed, you might miss the shop. Only its name, elegantly scripted in gold on glass, and gilded details on the façade announces its presence. Close by

are showier architectural details.

A few yards to the west sits the Palacio de Longoria, a weddingcake of a building swathed with creamy art nouveau swirls, garlands and rosettes. Animal motifs emerge elsewhere if you look carefully. Grey lizards slither up an apartment block at the crossroads. Penguins stand on a low cornice opposite the shop.

But during opening hours La Duquesita’s double window competes well with everything around it. Each morning the shop

62

Open skies / JUne 2013

team lays out over six dozen kinds of small cake, chocolate, biscuit, tartlet, flaky pastry, truffle and marzipan on the marble slabs in the window. Delectable to the eye, most are Spanish in origin. There is not a cup cake in sight.

“I see no sense in inventing new things,” says Luis Santamaría, pâtissier and chocolate maker, aged 63, who owns and runs the shop with Teresa, his wife.

“There are so many good oldfashioned cakes we cannot fit in the window.”

pastry power / The bakery has survived the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War

Dark and cool, the shop’s interior is a respite from the bright street. Here you can breathe in cake-making aromas, enjoy a coffee and gaze at large cakes laid out in brass-trimmed chiller cabinets. Overlooking it all, on an iron bracket nailed to a central column, sits a small alabaster duchess, la duquesita.

Luis’s family came to own the shop unexpectedly. When Roque Pérez, the pastry cook who founded it, died in the 1920s, his widow asked Luis’s

grandfather, Romualdo, once the shop’s apprentice, to take on the business. He kept the shop going, without a pause, right through the Spanish Civil War and the years of hunger that followed. In 1936, at the start of the war, a passer-by entered the shop and attacked the little duchess, knocking off her head. Romualdo stuck it back on and carried on baking.

For three decades of austerity, the shop’s original furnishings were kept immaculately polished and dusted.

63

Open skies / JUne 2013

Luis began to help out as a teenager, after school, delivering cakes on foot to local clients.

Later he learned his double craft, as pâtissier and chocolate maker, working alongside his grandfather and father in the shop’s basement. Today he leads a team of four who still make the cakes and chocolates in the underground workshop. When Luis married Teresa in 1987, she joined the shop team. Every morning she lays out the cakes in the window.

Sweet tooth / Luis and Teresa and some of the creations they stock

“Coming to the business from another world, I could see the art behind the craft,” she says. “I wanted to help Luis protect that.

In the shop we always explain to customers what goes into each cake or chocolate, exactly how each of them is made, so they can understand what we do.”

But La Duquesita has not become a heritage spot. That is one of its charms. Instead Luis and Teresa run it as a family business, part of everyday life in the barrio, or quarter. Neighbours drop by for a late-breakfast cake and coffee. Well-known figures on a working visit to the Palacio de Longoria, home to Spanish artists’ copyright association, may be seen emerging, cake box in hand. In the

1920s, Concha Piquer, queen of popular song, was a client. Today film-maker Pedro Almodóvar, writer Almudena Grandes and footballer Xabi Alonso are regular visitors. Other clients may make a long journey here for a tray-full of cakes that have disappeared elsewhere. Everyone is treated the same way. There is always time for a chat. Only pets are turned away.

Luis is evidently a virtuoso, but a reluctant one. His modesty shapes a house style based on respect for time-honoured formulas. The shop displays plenty of old-fashioned saint’s day cakes, but few avantgarde creations. Butter biscuits are baked for San Anton’s day in January, when animals are blessed at the local church. Luscious almond meringues called suspiros de modistilla, little dressmaker’s sighs, appear in the window in June in time for San Antonio, the feast day of the dressmakers’ patron saint. As autumn turns to winter, little huesos de santo, or saints’ bones – marzipan rolls – are made for All Saints’ Day. Come Christmas and queues stretch down the pavement for the shop’s nougats and marzipan eels.

64

Open skies / JUne 2013

Luis says that La Duquesita’s cakes and chocolates are made special by their raw materials.

“The arrival of quality conched chocolate in Spain after the war was our greatest new opportunity,” he says. He lays as much importance on that as the arrival of refrigeration in the 1960s. You can taste this quality.

If you are given a paper-wrapped packet of the shop’s chocolates, like its orange-zest naranjines, you notice the dark, rich chocolate from supreme French supplier Valrhona. The orange zest in the naranjines, lightly bitter, is homemade. “Sometimes good natural products can be difficult to buy at any price,” says Luis. “So then we have to make them.” Even in the current economic crisis there is no cost-cutting or time-saving here.

That, of course, implies sacrifice. Luis and Teresa work six days a week, including Sundays.

“But it is not an effort,” says Teresa. “It comes naturally, part of what the family has handed down.

You might call it knowing how to do things well.” Luis’s father earned recognition for that. He won international competitions.

“But Luis is more like his grandfather,” says Teresa. “His motto is, el premio es el publico todos los días.” The prize is the public coming every day.

La Duquesita, Calle Fernando VI, 2, 28004 Madrid, Spain Tel: +34 913 08 02 31

The eyes of the world are on Istanbul; The eyes of Istanbul are on Valle Lacus.

A unique and natural way of life in Istanbul; As intelligent as it is beautiful.

In Istanbul, one of the world’s most vibrant

3rd Airport HUB

Hazerfen Airport

cities, forty-four lakeside villas with private

TEM

pools as part of a 2,000 m2 plot, on a total area of 110,000 m2 - this is Valle Lacus.

Just 25 minutes from the world’s biggest

Fatih University Klassis Golf & Country Club

TEM Had›mköy Exit

Trans European Motorway

Büyükçekmece Lake

Endem TV Tower

TÜYAP Int’l Fair Area Bauhaus Marmara Park Malls

way E-5 Motor

• Büyükçekmece

Valle Lacus: easy to live in, hard to describe.

Olympic Stadium Bahçeflehir

Mercedes Campus

airport project, why don’t you take your place in Valle Lacus?

K9 Horse Club

Marina Beylikdüzü Windsurf Club

• Küçükçekmece Küçükçekmece Lake

• Bakırköy

MİGROS 5M Mall

Atatürk Airport

• Beylikdüzü • Yeşilköy

Marmara Sea

+90 212 283 01 01 www.vallelacus.com www.klk.com.tr | www.kulakco.com.tr All rights regarding changes in the project, are reserved by KLK Construction Co.

Main 68

82

superman

Foster

Can The Man of Steel be rebooted successfully?

City Visions Matthias Heiderich’s portraits of the city of Dubai

(p92)

Open skies / JUne 2013

An intimate interview with the architect and curator

movies

The Secret Life

Of Superman

With the release this month of Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel, Adam Smith looks at the behind-the-scenes problems that made the first Superman movie such a gamble

flyer / Christopher Reeve is, for most, the most convincing actor to play Superman

70

Open skies / JUne 2013

O

ne day towards the end of March 1977, film director Richard Donner sat at a table to the side of a vast soundstage at Pinewood Studios, England. On one side of him was producer Pierre Spengler, an employee of Alexander and Ilya Salkind, the father-and-son production team who had raised the $50 million needed to bring Superman: The Movie to the big screen.

Opposite them was Marlon Brando, the legendary method actor who had recently won an Oscar for his performance in The Godfather, and was now one of the highest-paid movie actors of all time, having taken a full $3.7 million of the Salkinds’ money to spend a mere ten days playing the role of Jor-El, Superman’s father. Brando, fresh off a plane, had been surveying the giant Planet Krypton set, and examining the costumes manufactured from cutting-edge reflective materials produced by 3M at extraordinary cost, one of which he was scheduled to don when he began filming the next day.

“I think that Jor-El should not look like the other people on Krypton,” he finally mused. “I think maybe he should appear as a kind of giant bagel.”

Spengler began to gibber slightly. He and Donner had already heard rumours that Brando had discussed plans to play the role as “a green suitcase” in New York, and this new bagel development did nothing to set his mind at rest. But Donner was a pro and had dealt with difficult stars before. He kicked Spengler under the table, smiled and nodded. What neither knew was that Donner had called Apocalypse Now director Francis Ford Coppola the previous day to ask how best to handle Brando. Coppola’s advice had been simply to let the actor talk, and finally he would come back round to the director’s idea, once he had convinced himself that it was, in fact, his own.

More pressing for Donner was the fact that, even at this early stage, he and Spengler’s relationship was strained, to say the least. The director had come aboard a mere 11 weeks before, after the original director had dropped out and had found a production in utter disarray.

He blamed much of it on Spengler.

“They had wasted an entire year’s pre-production,” he later said, remembering his shock.

The screenplay weighed in at a gargantuan 500 pages – more than twice as long as it needed to be, and packed with bad gags that had to be stripped out (at one point Superman had swooped down on to the Metropolis streets only to encounter a lollipop-sucking Kojak, much to Donner’s disgust). Even Superman’s boots were wrong.

And, vitally, he didn’t have a clue how he was going to live up to what would be the movie’s legendary poster tag line: “You’ll believe a man can fly.”

Marlon Brando, he was already beginning to suspect, would turn out to be the least of his worries.

The first time the world met Superman in January 1933, he was not a man of steel battling for truth, justice and the American way, but a bald, thin-fingered super villain bent on world domination. Reign of The Superman, a story in Science Fiction, was the work of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, a pair of young comic book fans, and was part of their campaign to break into what was then a booming industry.

The pair had met at school, where Siegel’s interest in writing science fiction and adventure stories, and Shuster’s skills in illustrating them, led to a fruitful artistic partnership.

But soon after he had invented the character, Siegel began to imagine him not as a clichéd villain, but as a new kind of benevolent character. Around him the misery and hardship of the Great Depression seemed to call for an individual with incredible powers, but who

71

Open skies / JUne 2013

used them not to terrify and subjugate humanity, but to help it, to show mankind what it could be at its best. He would be a new kind of hero. A superhero.

Thus, in June 1938, Superman made his debut in Action Comics #1 (now worth a cool $2 million, if you happen to find one in the attic). Then unable to fly – instead he “leapt tall buildings in a single bound!” – he was, nevertheless, an immediate hit, and within months it had spawned a syndicated news strip and a radio series that boasted 20 million avid listeners. But while Superman became an indelible part of American popular culture, his fortunes on the big screen were initially more uncertain. The pulpy

Brando said he thought Superman’s father should appear on screen as a giant bagel nature of the source material led Hollywood to all but ignore the character, and what it did produce was aimed squarely at the undiscerning kiddie market. A couple of Saturday serials were produced in the 1940s while Superman And The Mole Men, made in 1951, and starring George Reeves – later murdered; he became the first victim of the so-called curse of Superman – was, at 58 minutes long, hardly a movie at all.

All that changed in 1973 when Ilya Salkind, then in Paris, walked past a poster for the French version of Zorro, starring Gallic superstar Alain Delon. Looking at the heroic figure in his billowing cape, Ilya thought of the Superman

making the cut / Marlon Brando and Richard Donner (centre left and right) before the filming of the first Superman movie comics he had read as a boy. Often called the ultimate immigrant, the character reflected the young man’s early experiences and sense of optimism in coming to a new country from Mexico, where he had been born, as it had millions of other Americans.

The Salkinds commissioned a screenplay from Mario Puzo, who had received an Oscar for his script for The Godfather. Puzo was initially sceptical: who could take a man in tights flying around, bouncing bullets off his chest seriously? But then he spent a few days at DC’s headquarters going through past adventures. A pair of young DC writers, one of whom was the renowned Elliot S. Maggin, then heavily involved with writing the character, guided him through the material and answered his questions – when, that was, they could see the portly Italian through the fug of Havana smoke.

They explained that Kal-El was a refugee from a doomed world, an orphan condemned to be forever in love with a woman to whom he could not reveal his true identity.

“Mario’s eyes began to light up,” Maggin remembered. “He said ‘Wow, this is a great tragedy!’”

Now understanding the heart of

Eastwood, Redford and Muhammad Ali had been considered for the role of Superman the character, Puzo headed to his typewriter and started hammering out pages.

For a director, the producers originally went to Guy Hamilton, veteran of the James Bond movies and thus someone used to handling vast, physically complicated productions. But Hamilton had dropped out when the production shifted from Italy to England at the last minute, which is when Richard Donner got a call in Hollywood. It was his agent: “Boy have I got a great deal for you,” he said. It was not until later that he revealed that there was a mere 11 weeks to go until shooting started at Pinewood, and that the screenplay might need a complete rewrite.

72

Open skies / JUne 2013

Donner immediately realised that casting Superman/Clark Kent was going to be key to the film’s success, and that the Salkinds’ aim of luring a big star for the role was all wrong. Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, and even Muhammad Ali, had all been in the mix at one point or another. But Donner wasn’t interested. When audiences looked at the screen, he explained to the Salkinds, he wanted them to see Superman, not some big name playing Superman. Having already dropped nearly $4 million on Brando and another $2 million on Gene Hackman to play Lex Luthor, any objections from the bottom-line watching producers was muted.

Thus legendary casting director Lynn Stalmaster was charged with finding a newcomer. Christopher Reeve, a twenty-something stage actor based in New York didn’t at first impress Donner, who was looking for someone to play a 35-yearold. “He was on the young side, and skinny,” he remembered later.

Finally, having found no one in the right age bracket, Donner decided to make the character younger, and Reeve persuaded him he could put on the necessary bulk.

“I took a gamble,” he said. “But when I go back and look at those old stills of Chris, I tell you it was blind faith.”

“That’s it?” yelled an incredulous Donner. “You mean that’s all!” He had been called to the 007 soundstage, named after the superspy, and the largest in Europe, to examine the technology that would create many of the flying effects vital to the film’s success. In front of him a pair of beefy grips were yanking on a rope with all the grace of hod carriers on unpaid overtime.

Above them, on a clearly visible wire, dangled a nervous-looking Christopher Reeve. The equipment was exactly the same kind that had been used for decades to whizz actors around the stage in Britain’s

yearly Christmas pantomimes, a fact that explained why, for the moment, Reeve, who had succeeded in piling on 30lbs of muscle, resembled neither a bird, nor a plane.

Instead he looked like a steroidal Peter Pan. It was months since the Brando meeting, and the legendary thespian was long gone.

In fact, he had turned out to be something of a joy to work with, despite the Salkinds and Donner fretting about whether the ten days he had been contracted for would be enough to get his scenes finished. (“It cost me money every time he went to the can,” Donner later recalled.) Since then the true, utterly terrifying scale of the project had become apparent.

The Salkinds had determined that Donner would in fact shoot not one, but two movies, Superman and its sequel, simultaneously.

Thus a morning’s shooting in the Fortress of Solitude set for the first movie would, after the set was redressed, and actors’ hairstyles and costumes subtly altered, be followed with an afternoon’s shooting for its sequel. Keeping track had become a nightmare. The budget was out of control, release dates had already been missed – and then there was the flying.

“Nobody knew how to go about it,” Donner said. What’s more, there was no way of cheating the scenes by loading them with distracting special effects. “No lights shot out of his ass, and there was no noise to dazzle the audience’s senses, it’s just simply a guy flying.

And boy was it difficult.”

These days digital effects would easily have solved the problem. But in the mid-1970s, they were still years away. Donner and his team had investigated all manner of techniques for making Superman airborne. Skydiving had been proposed, and rejected, at one point, no doubt to Christopher Reeve’s relief.

Stuntmen were swung from 300ft

cranes behind vast scale models constructed on the Pinewood back lot; the ‘miniature’ Golden Gate Bridge alone was 60ft long.

Rescue finally came in the shape of optical effects genius Zoran Perisic. After months of trials Perisic developed what he christened the Zoptic system, an insanely complicated way of projecting a background plate behind Reeve, which allowed the camera to move around him in synchrony with the image. But the biggest challenge was what seemed during production meetings to have been a minor detail, something that no one had really thought about, Superman’s iconic red cape. “That cape was a pain!” Donner remembered. “We

It had become a nightmare, the budget was out of control and release dates were missed spent months getting our first flying shot, and then something just didn’t look right about it. It was the cape, it didn’t move right. We tried everything, bottled air, electronics, finally someone came up with the idea of wiring the cape inside like an umbrella, which we could control with little gears. We had about 50 different capes.”

After five months, Donner could finally sign off on the first flying sequence. Finally at least he believed a man could fly.

Meanwhile, relations between Donner and the Salkinds, whom Donner had begun openly referring to as “the idiots”, had all but broken down. What Donner saw as their continual interference and

73

Open skies / JUne 2013

inspired choice / Reeve on set in the first Superman movie, which exceeded all expectations

Face oFF / Brandon Routh and George Reeves both played Superman with varying success

inexperience, together with their reliance on Spengler, was becoming intolerable.

“They tried to fire me many, many times,” he said. “But by then Warner Brothers had gotten involved in the distribution and they had director approval. It was me, William Friedkin [director of The Exorcist] or Spielberg.”

But if the Salkinds couldn’t fire Donner, they could hire whomever they wanted. Thus the harassed director was surprised, to say the least, when Richard Lester, a British director best known for helming the Beatles’ movies Help! and A Hard Day’s Night, turned up at Pinewood. Describing himself as a go-between between Donner, Spengler and the Salkinds, he was at pains to reassure the director that he was not there to replace him.

“I didn’t trust him, and I told him so,” Donner said. He would have good reason for his qualms.

Superman The Movie was finally released in time for Christmas 1978 to almost universal critical acclaim and box-office glory. It finally grossed $132 million in the US alone. Donner had perfectly crystallised on film the delicate amalgam of romance, tragedy and action that had entranced fans ever since the 1930s. But as well as the box-office and critical plaudits, perhaps the best proof of Donner and Reeve’s singular achievement has been the apparent impossibility of recapturing its magic. Richard Lester’s sequel (Donner was indeed fired shortly after the film’s release), in which Terence Stamp chewed scenery as Kryptonian super villain General Zod, is perfectly acceptable, but the bulk of the film had, after all, been conceived and shot by Donner. But by the third film the air of verisimilitude and carefully nurtured character-based romance had all but vanished, be-

75

Open skies / JUne 2013

Superman IV was a disaster, a mixture of Cold War posturing and terrible set pieces ing replaced by a crass, broad-brush zaniness, primarily in the unwelcome shape of Richard Pryor, the fading stand-up comedian whose performance was not improved by his prodigiously indulged drug habit.

Then there is Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. After the critical failure of Superman III the Salkinds offloaded the rights to the character to Cannon Films, an Israeli production company notorious for

THE WORLD IS WATCHING Imagine a world where five-star residences complement cutting-edge business facilities, a world where a new type of shopping experience awaits. This is Mall of Istanbul. [ An amusement part designed by the architect of Hollywood Studios ] [ 50 different restaurants in Sehr-I Gurme ] [ Cinetech offering movies in 16 theatres ] [ Thousands of global brands in 350 stores ] Would you like to explore the future?

Pretender / British actor Henry Cavill will hope he can follow Christian Bale’s portrayal of Batman

The huge success of the Batman reboot paved the way for Zack Synder’s version of The Man of Steel cutting budgets and corners. Lured back by a pay offer of $4 million (the most he had ever received), Reeve also demanded script input, and unwisely transformed the film into a kind of po-faced lecture on the evils of the Cold War. He also introduced the series’ most forgettable villain, Nuclear Man, played by ex-Chippendale stripper and oil rig worker Mark Pillow, whose career, sadly, progressed no further.

After the catastrophic performance of The Quest For Peace subsequent attempts to revive the character all fizzled. In the mid1990s, Kevin Smith, slacker darling

of Clerks fame, was hired to write a screenplay titled Superman Lives, in which Ka-El, played by Nicolas Cage, would wear an all-black suit, be unable to fly and battle a giant spider. That screenplay hit the shredder once Tim Burton came on board to direct, and finally the whole project was abandoned over spiralling costs. Superman, Flyby was Lost creator J.J. Abrams attempt to relaunch the franchise, which itself was rapidly replaced

by Superman vs Batman, an idea that seemed to have more to do with the dollar signs spinning in the merchandising managers’ eyes than anything else. It in turn was ditched when the studio resurrected Flyby after Abrams submitted a new script the studio liked better.

But in 2006 Bryan Singer, who had earned both critical acclaim for The Usual Suspects and fanboy devotion for his X-Men films finally managed to get a Superman movie onto the screen.

Superman Returns with Brandon Routh super-suited and booted was a modest hit, and recreated a little of the romantic atmosphere and unapologetic optimism of Donner’s classic, but it never quite

77

Open skies / JUne 2013

captured the public imagination, or its wallet, in the way Singer had hoped. Plans for a sequel were put on indefinite hold.

But the astonishing success of Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies – the final film in the trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, earned Warner Bros an astonishing $1 billion – together with the studio’s immediate need to launch another superhero franchise, now that the Caped Crusader has hung up his cowl, probably explains the fact that Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel, due for worldwide release this month – with British actor Henry Cavill in the title role – has had a much smoother run than any previous attempt. Plot details are scarce, though the villain of the piece is General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, and early trailers point to an origins story with Clark Kent discovering his powers while being pursued around the world by feisty reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams). Only time will tell whether, as a generation did a quarter of a century ago, we’ll once again believe a man can fly.

Adam Smith is a senior writer for Empire Magazine in London

Skyward Bound David Scowsill is a man on a mission – to explain to world leaders the benefits of tourism. Noah Davis talks to the President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council about travel, economics, and the importance of tourism

D

avid Scowsill spends much of his time doing what he does best: travelling. The University of Southampton educated executive spends his days, like many highpowered businessmen and women in the Internet Age, jetting around the world, bouncing from Britain to Rio de Janeiro to Dubai to New York City and back again. “It’s too much, about three weeks a month,” he says with a laugh as he sits in a flat that looks as if it gets little use.

We are talking via Skype, stealing a few moments in his busy schedule.

Scowsill has just returned from a meeting in Hanover, Germany and needs to leave for London soon but takes the time to chat about travel.

This is what he does.

As president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Scowsill oversees an organisation responsible for reminding countries about the massive economic benefits of allowing easy access to visitors. He is the fourth CEO in the group’s 23-year history and a man with a long history in all areas of the industry. In his current position, he is responsible for turning the thoughts, hopes and dreams of over 100 CEOs and chairman including Wyndham Worldwide’s Stephen P. Homes, The Travel Corporation’s Brett Tolman, and American Express’ William Glenn into a coherent strategy that advocates for tourism and travel. Gary Chapman, President Group Services & dnata at the Emirates Group, serves on the Ex-

78

Open skies / JUne 2013

ecutive Committee. Membership of the WTTC is by invitation only.

Recently, his mission has included directly lobbying some of the most powerful people in the world. In conjunction with the United Nations World Travel Organisation (UNWTO), the WTTC developed the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign. Scowsill and UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai, representing the private and public sectors, respectively, are on a nearly non-stop trip. “We go on the road to talk to presidents and prime minsters directly about the impact of the industry. We have to get through to the heads of state to make significant things happen about visas, taxation, air traffic control, and other issues,” Scowsill says. “We lecture them politely about four or five things

they need to understand, which could be anything from bilateral visa agreements and open skies to investment in hotels or whatever the cruise lines need. We give lots of very, very specific messages.”

They also inform world leaders about some fun facts. “The prime minister of Japan was really shocked to understand that the travel and tourism industry was much bigger than the automotive industry,” Scowsill says.

So far, the pair has met with 48 heads of state. Sometimes the change they lobby for comes nearly instantaneously. “We went to see the King of Jordan,” Scowsill says.

“Before we started talking to him, he said ‘I know what you’ve come to talk to me about. It’s my tax, my visas, isn’t it?’ We said, ‘yes, Your Highness.’ After 30 minutes with him, he sent us directly to see the finance minster who was just about to double the sales tax from 8 percent to 16 per cent. We stopped him from doing it. We asked for some time to prove to him through statistical modelling that it would hurt the economy.”

The group did. The WTTC holds that there are massive, far-reaching economic benefits to travel and tourism, and its research supports those claims.

According to a WTTC study, the industry directly contributed $2 trillion to the world’s GDP in 2011 and 100 million jobs in 2012. When more indirect measures are taken into account, those figures jump to $6.5 trillion and 260 million jobs.

And there are no signs of slowing down. In a decade, WTTC predicts travel and tourism will represent $10.5 trillion – roughly 10 per cent of global GDP – and one in 10 jobs. Additionally, according to another study, more than three billion people will qualify as middle class by 2050, dramatically increasing the potential amount of money that can be spent on travel and tourism.

Tourism contributed more than $2 trillion to the global economy in 2011 At a recent G20 summit, world leaders agreed with WTTC’s thesis, formally recognising the ability of travel and tourism to drive jobs, growth and economic recovery. In the 25th point of a 85-point Leaders’ Declaration,

the group wrote, “We recognise the role of travel and tourism as a vehicle for job creation, economic growth and development, and, while recognising the sovereign right of states to control the entry of foreign nationals, we will work towards developing travel facilitation initiatives in support of job creation, quality work, poverty reduction and global growth.”

The existence of WTTC may seem unnecessary – doesn’t travel and tourism simply carry on? – but Scowsill agues that the efforts of his group are vital. “Travel and tourism is taken for granted, particularly by the US and Europe.

The politicians only wake up and pay attention when there is hot seat / Scowsill travels the world informing leaders of the importance of tourism

79

Open skies / JUne 2013

a disaster, like 9/11, a SARS epidemic or an ash cloud in Europe.

Suddenly, everything stops. The hotels are empty. The planes aren’t flying,” he says. One of the WTTC’s major goals is to facilitate the ease of travel for all citizens of the world. Scowsill addressed the issue in his closing speech at the recently completed 13th Annual Global Summit in Abu Dhabi. “Too many people still find it too complex and too difficult to cross borders as international tourists. Governments need to balance security needs with a change in mindset and implement visa waiver and trusted traveller programmes,” he said. “The travel and tourism industry needs to continue to lobby for change and demonstrate to individual countries the economic opportunities, which will be generated, through improvements to visa processes.”

He continued about the importance of open travel regulations, saying that “WTTC will develop finance models over the next 12 months that will demonstrate, country by country, the negative economic impact on travel and tourism of punitive taxation on travellers.

China looks set to overtake the US as the largest tourism economy by the end of 2013 This data will be used to show government leaders that taxing the tourist does not lead to positive economic growth – in fact, it leads to the opposite.”

The conference also touched on another important theme for the WTTC: sustainability. “Tourism for Tomorrow is how we summarise our concerns for the future of the travel and tourism sector, and how we act to ensure our children, and our childrens’ children have the ability to have their lives enriched by the ability to travel and understand the world,” the group’s website says. To that end, actress Daryl Hannah and environmentalist Sir Jonathon Porritt, spoke about sus-

tainability at the 2013 Summit.

The WTTC isn’t afraid to use its reach and access to show off a little star power, either. Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States and the founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, keynoted the event, speaking about leadership and the industry’s place in the world. He wowed the audience with his trademark genial manner and with a few shocking facts, including that the total weight of humans on earth is less than the total weight of ants.

The issue of sustainability and travel is one for the entire sector to tackle collectively, and the WTTC wants to lead the way. “The industry needs to work together to drive investment in infrastructure, which is conducive to sustainable growth, not just now, but for the next 10, 25, even 50 years in order to ensure that travel and tourism continues to make a vital economic contribution to global GDP and jobs and that the new wave of middle class consumers from emerging markets can cross borders with ease,” Scowsill said in his closing speech.

Much of the growth in the coming years will come from the exploding economies in Asia, with China overtaking the United States as the largest travel and tourism economy by the end of 2013, according to WTTC projections. Two-thirds of the 70 million jobs added in the next decade will come in Asia.

With that in mind, the WTTC will continue to focus on the East.

In September, the organisation will host a Pan-Asian summit in Seoul.

Sanya, a prefectural level city in southern China will host the 2014 summit. The locations mean more long flights for Scowsill and his associates. Of course, he wouldn’t have it any other way Noah Davis is a writer based in Brooklyn, New York

80

Open skies / JUne 2013

B O L D. S M O O T H. C L A S S I C. SPECIAL EDITION TENNESSEE WHISKEY

“THIS IS A GENTLEMAN’S DRINK. THIS IS NICE.”

A CLASSIC WHISKEY CRAFTED TO HONOR FRANK SINATRA’S TIMELESS GOOD TASTE AND 50 YEAR FRIENDSHIP WITH JACK DANIEL’S.

LeARN moRe AbouT SINATRA SeLeCT:

oR VISIT uS AT JACkdANIeLS.Com

A C T B O L D LY. D R I N K R E S P O N S I B LY. SINATRA IS A TRAdemARk of fRANk SINATRA eNTeRpRISeS, LLC, uSed uNdeR LICeNSe To JACk dANIeL’S. ©2013 Jd. ALL RIGHTS ReSeRVed. pHoTo © fRANk SINATRA eNTeRpRISeS. LLC.

PROFILE

The ArT AT The heArT Of NOrmAN fOsTer

Norman Foster is an architectural giant, but ahead of an exhibition of his favourite artworks, Jay Merrick discovers that the great man has more than one passion

N

orman Foster is, arguably, the world’s most famous living architect.

A graduate of the University Of Manchester School Of Architecture, Foster is the creative brain behind Foster + Partners, the architectural firm responsible for designing buildings such as Hearst Tower in New York, the restored Reichstag in Berlin, Wembley Stadium in London and the Carrée de l’Art in Nîmes, France.

It is in the last of those iconic buildings – designed by Foster 20 years ago – that the architect will indulge his other, lesser–known passion this summer, with an exhibition of more than 100 artworks in 25 spaces.

The 78-year-old has always been obsessively detail-conscious, so it’s no surprise to learn that he not only selected the art for the show, but also designed every vitrine and pedestal, and supervised the positioning of each artwork. He was still sketching and planning the final details when I visited him at his

of Dan Dare comics. By the 1980s, the architectural world’s superstar was flying his own aircraft and declaring that the Boeing 747 was one of the ultimate design icons.

But the most interesting word that the architect uses to describe many of the artworks on show in Nîmes is emotion – not a term that could have been easily applied to Norman Foster before 1990.

In those days he was perceived solely as an extraordinarily successful architect whose genius had come through in buildings such as the Willis Faber office in 1974, the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank Headquarters in 1986 and Stansted Airport in 1991. He duly gained an aura of corporatised ambition and became the unrivalled go-to architect for the big beasts of the corporate world.

Foster’s interest in art tells a different story. It began in 1963 when he bought his first artwork, a ConLondon studio three weeks before the opening.

His gallery plans were in a slim charcoal grey box-folder. “I carry this case with me, which has all the stuff for the show,” he says. “I’m drawing everything to scale, fiddling with the artworks on the room plans, working out the visual links.”

There is something unique about this show. Foster’s selection of artworks has, for the first time, exposed what this famously private architect thinks and feels, deep down, about art and the creative processes. Those who fly into the new airport at Amman, or visit the zero-carbon city of Masdar in the UAE, experience Foster in his familiar technocratic architectural mode. In Nîmes, we find a very different mind at work.

The title of the show – which has more than 100 artworks in 25 spaces – is Moving. Not surprising, given Foster’s love affair with aircraft and flying. As a boy, growing up in working-class Manchester, his early inspiration took the form

84

Open skies / JUne 2013

Can the world’s most famous arChiteCt Curate a major art show? structivist piece by Simon Nicholson. Four years later, when he opened his first practice in London’s Covent Garden in 1967, he hung a Marc Vaux canvas in the reception.

Art had already made an imprint on him at Yale, where he studied for his postgraduate degree. At the time, the school of architecture was on the top floor of the Yale Art Gallery, and day after day, the young Foster would enter through the lobby to take the elevator.

“In the background, I can still recall the Sunflowers of Vincent van Gogh. The college backed onto the

MASTER AT WORK / Norman Foster and some his creations in Berlin, London, New York and Hong Kong gallery courtyard, and I can also remember a Henry Moore sculpture there.”

When Foster returned from America in the early 1960s, he was a frequent visitor to London’s Whitechapel Art Gallery, which mounted exhibitions of the more progressive artists of the time, under its director, Bryan Robertson.

“One of the Whitechapel shows was devoted to David Hockney, who impressed me greatly,” recalls Foster. “I have always been interested in the way that artists and photographers can chronicle the spirit of a time and place.”

In the 1960s, Hockney’s paintings, A Bigger Splash and Man In A Shower, made an impact on him, as did Michael Andrews’ All Night Long and The Deer Park. By stark contrast, LS Lowry’s portrayals of working towns in the north of England – and their “stick people” – also meant a great deal to the architect.

Art has became a compulsive part of Norman Foster’s life since his marriage, in 1996, to Elena Ochoa, who holds positions in the art and publishing worlds. The first artwork that they bought together was Andy Warhol’s big canvas, Lenin, in 1995.

And nowadays, they even collaborate on objets d’art together: Elena Foster’s Ivorypress publishing house produced a limited edition book of photographs of the Foster-designed Beijing airport, containing interviews with the architect and the superstar Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei. “My wife and I live with art,” explains Foster. “It reflects our tastes, our intuitions, so we also have work by relatively unknown artists – mostly abstract, in the pure sense, or abstractions of the human figure. Abstraction is associated with the birth of modernism, but it goes back 23,000 years to primitive art.

Abstraction is in the long tradition of communication.”

“The only reason Elena and I would acquire an artwork is if it moves us emotionally or intellectu-

85

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

THERE IS A KIND OF SELFCONFIRMATION IN HIS APPROVAL OF CREATIVE LONERS ally.” And he freely admits: “I don’t feel able to judge or criticise art.”

It was never the Fosters intention to create a personal art collection – indeed, they’re uncomfortable with that word. Before they met, they only displayed the occasional painting or sculpture, mostly by artist friends. The difference now, says Foster, is that their various homes are saturated – his word, by the way – with the work of diverse artists across several generations.

There are significant artworks in virtually every room of their homes in Switzerland, Madrid, New York and Martha’s Vineyard.

If Foster has a favourite artist, it’s probably Richard Long: there’s a huge Long artwork in the architect’s London apartment. “I think Richard’s work touches something that’s very difficult to explain,” Foster once told me. “If one is moved by extraordinary abstractions of nature, the forces of nature, you then go back to the so-called primitive societies.

“I can’t define it or rationalise it, but Richard Long is practicing in the tradition of anonymous artists.”

Long’s 21m high mural in the Foster-designed Hearst headquarters in New York is composed of thousands of his individually applied muddy handprints. Everything Long does requires a great deal of time and solitary, detailed physical effort. There is something utterly obsessional about his processes. Foster is surely cut from the same cloth.

He likes working with artists, and commissioning artworks for his buildings. The Al Faisaliah

MOVING ON UP / Foster’s attention to detail was evident in the hours he put in to create his first art show

87

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

Complex in Riyadh, for example; the Chesa Futura, Zurich; and the Reichstag in Berlin, which features the work of major artists such as Sigmar Polke, Georg Baselitz, Joseph Beuys and Gerhard Richter.

Foster’s involvement is always thorough. “If I go through the list of artists for the Reichstag, I was personally involved with very nearly all of them – in their studies and their works. Gerhard Richter, for example. I understand him, and we helped him with the glass technology. The strategy of his piece, the placement, was the subject of strenuous discussions in his studio.

“With Polke, Elena and I visited him, and he said: ‘I have two ideas – this one, and another one that would use the commercial technology of advertising.’ I said the second idea was far more exciting.

And he literally jumped up and down through 360 degrees, shouting: ‘That’s what I wanted to hear.

Fantastic! Fantastic!’”

And so, Foster has learned not only from art, but from the behaviour of artists. There’s a kind of self-confirmation in his approval of creative loners. Loners with flying gloves and goggles on, in Foster’s case.

He says something revealing about a key piece in the Nîmes show, a 1913 Futurist sculpture by Umberto Boccioni: “A stunningly beautiful composition, the start of the streamlined age.” And in a recent interview with the Carré d’art’s director, Jean-Marc Prévost, he confesses that when he first encountered the sculpture, “it literally stopped me in my tracks, and my pulse quickened.

Years later, it still has the same power to move my spirits.

Foster is intrigued by the link between “moving” in the emotional sense, and physically moving through space. No wonder he considers Constantin Brancusi’s sinuous L’Oiseau dans l’espace – Bird in Space – to be one of the most beautiful objects in the world. Imagine

Hea

lth

ca

re

wi

th

a h um

an touch

The Care is given every day... the

trust is built over years

The Neuro Spinal Hospital takes great pride in its tertiary healthcare facility, offering world-class superior diagnostic, rehabilitative and curative services for a wide range of neurosurgical, spinal, neurological and orthopaedic disorders. Our multinational expert clinicians, including some renowned specialists, are a dedicated, problem-solving team, working together with the patient and the patient’s family to provide the highest levels of care and specialty services: Back & Neck Pain Clinic Spine Surgery Neurosurgery Neurology Neurophysiology Joint Replacement Surgery Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Surgery General & Laparoscopic Surgery

Neurourology & Urology Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology Comprehensive Neurorehabilitation, Physiotherapy & Hydrotherapy Comprehensive Neurorehabilitation & Physiotherapy Services with Hydrotherapy 24/7 Hours all emergency services

For appointment booking , please contact us on: Jumeirah Beach Road Dubai, P.O. Box 71444, Dubai, United Arab Emirates || Switchboard Number: +971 (4) 342 0000 Emergency Number: +971 (4) 315 7777 || email: info@nshdubai.com || web: www.nshdubai.com

Constantin Brancusi, Fernand Léger and Marcel Duchamp strolling around the aircraft at the Paris air show in 1912. Duchamp points to the front of one of them and says: ‘Painting is over and done with. Who could do anything better than this propeller? Look! Could you do that?’”

Not surprisingly, one of Foster’s most prized possessions is the blade of a propeller from a 50-year-old Douglas DC3: “The blade has an identical scale to one of Brancusi’s birds, and there is the same common denominator of reflective surfaces and curved planes.

“Without getting too carried away by the fact that one is an industrial artefact and the other is a hallowed cultural relic, there is still a pleasurable intellectual link between them,” he says.

“Every time I see this propeller I feel the same thrill that Duchamp must have felt when he contemplated an earlier version at the beginning of the last century.”

The idea of flight is deeply rooted in Foster’s character. “At a time when I flew racing sailplanes,” he told Jean-Marc Prévost, “I gave a talk at the University of East Anglia on the occasion of the launch of our design for the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. To make a point about sustainability and beauty, I finished with the image of a Caproni Calif two-seater glider.

“I had recently flown a cross-country flight with another pilot in this craft, which set a new UK glider speed record, so I extolled its virtues as a solar-powered vehicle. I remember my final words: I pronounced it to be more beautiful than a Brancusi. Sailplanes are indeed stunning to behold – but L’Oiseau dans l’espace is even more beautiful.”

But even the way Foster talks about flying illustrates his deep interest in pattern and order – control, if you like. “A flight in a sailplane is

STRUCTURED / Foster’s iconic buildings have been compared to works of art

ONE OF HIS MOST PRIZED OBJECTS IS THE PROPELLOR BLADE FROM A DOUGLAS DC3 a series of high-speed descents, each followed by a spiralling climb in rising currents of air,” he says.

“Typically, the summits of these invisible paths of energy are marked by billowy cumulus clouds, white against the sky. When these overdevelop they are transformed into thunderclouds which, in their extreme form, can exert forces strong enough to tear apart an airliner.

“The glider pilot develops a close association with cloud formations because they are central to any flight. For example, high-al-

89

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

titude flying in a sailplane is often a quest for the saucer-shaped lenticular formations which mark the rising air in the lee of mountain ranges.” In other words, he sees nature as complicated challenge that can be solved.

Not surprisingly, he has found a way to emphasise his aerial notions in the Nîmes exhibition.

One of the younger artists on show is Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, who has created cloud sculptures, generated from weather data. The sculptures are initially created in fibreglass, then surfaced with shiny titanium foil. ”They freeze for eternity these most transient and beautiful of natural forms,” says Foster, “from the awesome and threatening bulk of a cumulonimbus thundercloud to the spectacular slimness of a lenticular cloud, which could pass for a flying saucer from outer space. If one did not know the meteorological sources for these beautifully shaped objects, it would be reason-

FOSTER IS ABLE TO LEAD THE DOUBLE LIFE OF A RATIONAL ARCHITECT AND AN INTRIGUED ART FAN

THE COLLECTOR / Foster and one of his favourite paintings, All Night Long, by Michael Andrews

able to assume that they were masterly works of abstract art – which, in a sense, they are.”

But he also sees these artworks as an alarm call for the environmental threats to the planet.

“His installations confront unexplained plights suffered by birds and bees, the possibilities of collisions with asteroids and the melting of icecaps.”

Foster’s environmental concerns are genuine, and go back forty years, though there has been some criticism of his high tech approach to environmental design, not least in the recently published book, Cities Are Good For You, by the historian, Leo Hollis.

Nevertheless, massive eco-projects like Masdar simply strengthen Foster’s profile, and the range of art on show at Nîmes reflects his huge influence – and the fact that what Norman wants, Norman usually gets: the exhibition features work by a raft of big-name artists, including Turner, Ai Wei Wei, Hockney, Lewitt, Rothko and Serra. And there will be new, specially commissioned pieces by Bill Fontana, Olafur Eliasson and Nuno Ramos.

“But out of the 57 artists,” he emphasises, “less than a third are names you would know. But they

are extraordinary talents.”

And some of them trigger surprising remarks. Foster singles out a work by Miguel Angel Rios.

“It’s a video called Love.

He uses spinning tops. They pirouette around each other. They touch, they kiss. It’s operatic, it’s Shakespearian. In another sense, it’s abstract.”

Foster didn’t speak in this manner, for publication, ten or fifteen years ago. Now, of course, his own legend and trajectory have become rather like a 21st century opera.

And he’s re-tailored his own legend, too: the man originally seen only in black has become safely bohemian – his pink corduroy suit, first donned about seven years ago, was an early marker of a more expressive personal change; the idea of Foster as a brilliant, but vaguely robotic architect began to evaporate.

Yet the great conundrum about Foster the architect and Foster the art lover is that they seem to remain very separate beings: it’s hard to detect a link between his rational and emotional modes; his buildings are invariably essays in streamlined hyper-efficiency, while his tastes in art include works that are brutally abstract, or ambiguous.

Is art a kind of expressive emo-

91

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

tional therapy for the world’s most intensely driven architect? Ultimately, Norman Foster seems to be a man perfectly able to lead the double-life of hyper-rational architect, and happily intrigued artbuyer. It’s obvious, for example, that he got as much of a kick out of organising the functional detail of the Nîmes show, as he did picking the art.

“Curating the show was absolutely a process,” he told me, having put the whole event together, more or less single-handedly, in about four months.

“I usually worked on it very early in the morning, or late at night, or in taxis.”

The man who has designed nearly 20 galleries and museums all over the world – the latest is the extended Lenbachhaus Museum in Munich – allows himself an ironic smile: “I’ve learned a lot about galleries!” Which means that those who find themselves at the Carrée de l’Art in Nîmes this summer are going to learn a lot about Norman Foster – the world’s most promising trainee art curator.

Moving, Norman Foster on Art, Carré de l’Art Museum of Contemporary Art, Nîmes, France, until September 15th.

DESTINATION

DUBAI

STRIKING URBAN PORTRAITS OF

THE BRIDGE

STICK AND TWIST

THE ROAD

TRANSPORTATION

REFLECTIONS

• • • • • • • •

Contract Drafting & Review Business Setup , Offshore & Free Zone Companies Corporate & Commercial Legal Services Litigation & Arbitration Debt Collection Banking, Insurance & Maritime Cases Real Estate, Construction & Labor Cases Trademarks, Patents & Copyrights

‫ﺻﻴﺎﻏﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻮﺩ ﻭﻣﺮﺍﺟﻌﺘﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺗﺄﺳﻴﺲ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ ﻭﺍﻷﻭﻓﺸﻮﺭ ﻭﺍﳌﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﺍﳊﺮﺓ‬ ‫ﺍﳋﺪﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻸﻓﺮﺍﺩ ﻭﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻘﺎﺿﻲ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻜﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﲢﺼﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻮﻙ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺄﻣﲔ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﺔ‬ ‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﳌﻘﺎﻭﻻﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻘﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﻼﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺎﺭﻳﺔ ﻭﺑﺮﺍﺀﺍﺕ ﺍﻻﺧﺘﺮﺍﻉ ﻭﺣﻘﻮﻕ ﺍﳌﺆﻟﻒ‬

• • • • • • • •

DUBAI EMIRATES TOWERS, 14TH FLOOR, SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD P.O. BOX: 9055, DUBAI, UAE TEL: +971 4 330 4343 | FAX: +971 4 330 3993 contact@emiratesadvocates.com | www.emiratesadvocates.com ABU DHABI Tel: +971 2 6394446 auh@emiratesadvocates.com

RAS AL KHAIMAH Tel: +971 7 2046719 rak@emiratesadvocates.com

DUBAI INTERNET CITY Tel: +971 4 3900820 dic@emiratesadvocates.com

SHARJAH Tel: +971 6 5728666 shj@emiratesadvocates.com

JEBEL ALI Tel: +971 4 8871679 jafz@emiratesadvocates.com

DIFC Tel: +971 4 4019562 difc@emiratesadvocates.com

WITH AFFILIATE OFFICES IN SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT AND OMAN

FOR 24 HOUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL +971 (50) 328 99 99

TechnoShape system can be used with any cardio equipment

Do you find that no matter how hard you exercise you just can’t get rid of that unwanted fat from around your middle?

4ECHNO3HAPE IS THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY FOR TARGETED FAT LOSS FROM THE MIDRIFF AREA WITHOUT SURGERY

s !MAZING INCH LOSS FROM THE STOMACH AREA s 1UICKLY LOSE UPTO TWO TROUSER SIZES OR MORE s .O SPECIAL DIET OR TOUGH EXERCISES TO FOLLOW

I am a golf pro and find it difficult to lose from my stomach area.

With TechnoShape I lost 14cms from my belly area in just 4 weeks!

Without the aches and pains of the gym TechnoShape changed my body image for the better!

style your body

Joe Smith

Your home in Dubai

‫ﻳﻘﻊ ﺍﻟﻔﻨﺪﻕ ﻓﻰ ﻗﻠﺐ ﺇﻣﺎﺭﺓ ﺩﺑﻲ‬

Located in the heart of Dubai

‫ﺃﻣﺎﻡ ﻣﺤﻄﺔ ﺍﳌﺘﺮﻭ‬

Opposite Metro Station Walking distance to Burj Khalifa, world’s tallest skyscraper Dubai Airport - 15 min.

Abu Dhabi Airport - 45 min.

Walking distance to shopping malls Close to Business Hubs ( DIFC, DWTC ) Spa & Outdoor Swimming Pool

US$150 Starting Rate.

Terms and conditions apply

‫ﺑﻴﺘﻚ ﻓﻰ ﺩﺑﻲ‬

‫ ﺃﻃﻮﻝ ﺑﺮﺝ ﻓﻰ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ‬، ‫ﻣﺴﺎﻓﺔ ﻗﺼﻴﺮﺓ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺑﺮﺝ ﺧﻠﻴﻔﺔ‬

‫ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺔ‬15 ‫ﻣﻄﺎﺭ ﺩﺑﻲ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻌﺪ‬

‫ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺔ‬45 ‫ﻣﻄﺎﺭ ﺃﺑﻮ ﻇﺒﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻌﺪ‬ ‫ﻣﺴﺎﻓﺔ ﻗﺼﻴﺮﺓ ﳌﺮﺍﻛﺰ ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻮﻕ‬ ( ‫ ﻣﺮﻛﺰ ﺩﺑﻲ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺎﺭﻱ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﳌﻲ‬،‫ﻗﺮﻳﺐ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺮﺍﻛﺰ ﺍﻷﻋﻤﺎﻝ ) ﻣﺮﻛﺰ ﺩﺑﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﳌﻲ‬

‫ﺳﺒﺎ ﻭﺣﻤﺎﻡ ﺳﺒﺎﺣﺔ ﺧﺎﺭﺟﻲ‬

.‫ ﺩﻭﻻﺭ‬150 ‫ﺗﺒﺪﺃ ﺍﻻﺳﻌﺎﺭ ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﺗﻄﺒﻖ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻭﻁ ﻭﺍﻷﺣﻜﺎﻡ‬

Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O Box 116957, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 323 0000 Fax: +971 4 323 0003 reservation@emiratesgrandhotel.com www.emiratesgrandhotel.com

BRIEFING 105

108

114

SWEDE START

GREEN SUITS

ROUTE MAP

A new route is announced to the picturesque city of Stockholm

A new environmentallyfriendly clothes brand launched

Discover the world as connected by Emirates

Served Up Emirates announces new partnership with the French Open

(106)

EXPERTISE YOU CAN TRUST. Mediclinic City Hospital T +971 4 435 9999 cityhospital@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Welcare Hospital T +971 4 282 7788 welcarehospital@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Dubai Mall T +971 4 449 5111 dubaimall@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Mirdif T +971 4 288 1302 mirdif@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Ibn Battuta T +971 4 440 9000 ibnbattuta@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Meadows T +971 4 453 4040 meadows@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Beach Road T +971 4 379 7711 beachroad@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Al Qusais T +971 4 258 6466 qusais@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Arabian Ranches T +971 4 453 4020 arabianranches@mediclinic.ae

Mediclinic Al Sufouh T +971 4 366 1030 sufouh@mediclinic.ae

UAE • SOUTH AFRICA • NAMIBIA • SWITZERLAND www.mediclinic.ae MOH 12372630913 Ad license does not cover the services outside the UAE.

NEWS

Simply Stockholm As Emirates starts operating daily flights to Stockholm from September 4th, we pick out five must-visit places in the Swedish capital 01 Gamla Stan Stockholm was founded on this small island that bisects the city in 1252. The quaint and multicoloured streets of Gamla Stan are home to one of Europe’s largest and bestpreserved medieval city centres.

Picturesque and tourist heavy, it is one place not to miss.

02 Moderna Museet Located on the island of Skeppsholmen, a short ferry trip separates the Museum of Modern Art and Architecture from the rest of Stockholm. The architectural museum is one of the world’s largest and houses works from Dali, Picasso Matisse and Rauschenberg. In 1993 it was the scene of an infamous burglary in which $66 million worth of Picasso and Braque works were taken.

03 SkyView A new kind of observation deck, SkyView is Stockholm’s answer to the London Eye. Sat 130 metres atop the Ericsson Globe it offers fantastic views across the entire city. The two SkyView gondolas depart every 10 minutes and take about half an hour, so book ahead.

04 Vasa Museum Back in 1628 a 69-metre long warship, the Vasa, sank on its maiden voyage right in the middle of Stockholm. Painstakingly salvaged 333 years later in 1961, the ship has now been restored with 95 per cent of its original form on display at the Vasa Museum where it is decorated with hundreds of carved sculptures.

Perfect timing Don’t miss your next Emirates flight.

Make sure you get to your boarding gate on time.

Boarding starts 45 minutes before your flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If you report late we will not be able to accept you for travel.

Thank you for your cooperation.

105

Open skies / june 2013

05 Södermalm Nightlife Over the past couple of decades the Swedish capital has emerged as one of Europe’s coolest cities.

Evidence of this is the bohemian Södermalm area of the city, home to a pumping nightlife and a trendy bar and café culture. Prices are steep however, so make sure to bring a full wallet.

GAME, SET AND MATCH AS THE WORLD’S elite tennis players compete for the

year’s second Grand Slam at the French Open this month, Emirates has a smash of its own, announcing a five-year agreement to be an official partner of the Roland Garros tournament, which runs until June 9.

Emirates is not new to world-class tennis events, being the Official Airline of the ATP World Tour, ATP World Tour Finals and sponsor of the Emirates ATP rankings.

Emirates also sponsors the Emirates Airline US Open Series, including the US Open and several stops on the ATP Tour, including most recently both the Italian and Barcelona Opens.

The deal seems appropriate with the French Open named after famed French aviation pioneer and tennis supporter, Roland Garros.

Emirates currently operates 32 weekly flights to France, with 20 flights per week from Paris including a double daily A380 service, a daily flight to Nice and five flights per week to Lyon.

BE INSPIRED LOOKING TO TAKE the concept of personalised service

even further, Emirates has launched a new online feature that will inspire travellers looking to plan their next break.

The Inspire Me feature on Emirates.com centres around a new globe-spanning interactive route map that allows passengers to choose their next holiday by factoring in price, flying time from origin and even by climate preference.

106

The service now brings Emirates’ international travel expertise directly to travellers, allowing them to search for holiday ideas based on their personal preferences, be it a city break for one, family travel or a beach holiday for a group of friends.

The Inspire Me application can accommodate every traveller’s need – from beach-side resorts, historical journeys, indulgent shopping sprees or escapes into nature.

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

=

green

Smart threadS A British clothing company has launched an environmentally friendly collection of uniforms aimed at the air travel industry.

Corporate clothing company Lyn Oakes claim that their Eco Collection can help boost their environmental credentials of airlines by offering easy-to-clean uniforms that derive

from all natural, sustainable and renewable sources.

The company states that all the garments in the collection are tested and adhere to the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, where guidelines test for harmful substances across the manufacturing process. The interlinings of the uniforms are also either made from viscose – a biodegradable material made with pine wood pulp from re-cultivated forests – or from recycled plastic bottles.

Part of the range has been specially designed to be washed at lower temperatures, with less detergent and without the need for fabric softener.

From peSt to power

seAweed wAshed up on the shore may

be an eyesore but, according to recent research, it could soon be used to produce a clean source of energy.

A research group from the University of Alicante in Spain claim that it has invented a system that will wash, dry and compact beached seaweed, which can then be converted into pellets and used as a source of biomass in power plants.

When seaweed is alive in the ocean it serves as a habitat and food source

for marine life. However, once it gets washed ashore it tends to rot, only to then be cleared from the beaches and shipped off to landfill sights.

Because the process is carried out on the beach, it also cuts out the amount of dead seaweed being shipped to landfills, making it cheaper, more efficient and helps lessen the erosion of the beach as large quantities of sand are also sent to the landfills collaterally by the current cleaning procedures.

Carbonneutral raCing

with environmentAl conditions having an

impact on the sailing industry, it is no surprise that for the second year running the Atlantic Cup sailing race was run adhering to carbonneutral levels.

Last year the 648 nautical mile race down the East coast of the USA became the first race in the country to offset its levels of CO2, with last month’s race achieving the same lofty standards.

To offset a predicted 10.45 metric tonnes of CO2, organisers ensured that the teams used biodiesel hydro generators, solar panels and fuel cells at each of the stops along the multi-city event to limit the use of fuel during the competition. There were also restrictions in place to eliminate the use of singleuse plastic bottles in the hospitality villages and the use of plastic water bottles on-board the boats.

six

90%

energy used by washing machines is to heat the water

times as many jobs are created by the recycling industry than landfilling

(source: thedailygreen.com)

(source: sailsbury university)

108

Open skies / june 2013

COMFORT

Comfort

in the air

to help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you to enjoy your journey and time on board with emirates today.

smart traveller

Before Your JourneY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or

drink plenty of water

if you suffer from a respiratory or

rehYDrAte With WAter or Juices frequentlY.

cardiovascular condition.

Drink teA AnD coffee in moDerAtion.

Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications?

Get a good night’s rest before

travel lightly

the flight.

cArrY onlY the essentiAl items thAt You

Eat lightly and sensibly.

Will neeD During Your flight.

At the Airport Allow yourself plenty of timefor check-in.

wear glasses

Avoid carrying heavy bags through

cABin Air is Drier thAn normAl therefore

the airport and onto the flight

sWAp Your contAct lenses for glAsses.

as this can place the body under considerable stress.

Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.

use skin moisturiser

During the flight

ApplY A gooD quAlitY moisturiser to ensure Your skin Doesn’t DrY out.

Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent.

Babies and young passengers may

keep moving

suffer more acutely with popping

exercise Your loWer legs AnD cAlf

ears, therefore consider providing

muscles. this encourAges BlooD floW.

a dummy.

Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently.

Avoid sleeping for long periods in

make yourself comfortable

the same position.

loosen clothing, remove JAcket AnD AvoiD

When You Arrive

AnYthing pressing AgAinst Your BoDY.

Try some light exercise or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.

110

Open skies / JUne 2013

2IFC Hong Kong

MLC Centre Sydney

Park Avenue New York

Old Broad Street City of London

Chengdu China Hilton Plaza Osaka

Champs-Elysées Paris

Mori Trust Marunouchi Tokyo

Emirates Towers Dubai

6 Battery Road Singapore

Tornado Tower Doha

on So g d in var en e l p u O Bo a 2 z at l P a bai Du

Plus 140

locations across the globe

World’s Finest Serviced Offices and Business Packages 24 hour IT support and a professional receptionist to answer your calls Flexible lease terms starting from one month Access to our online global network of meeting rooms and business services

Your Middle East address could be: UAE Dubai

Manama, Bahrain

Doha, Qatar

Bahrain Financial Harbour

Emirates Towers

SERVCORP.BH

Tornado Tower Commercial Bank Plaza

Al Habtoor Business Tower

Kuwait City, Kuwait

SERVCORP.COM.QA

Sahab Tower

Abu Dhabi Al Mamoura Building B

SERVCORP.AE +971 4 319 9100

SERVCORP.COM.KW

Istanbul, Turkey

Beirut, Lebanon

Tekfen Tower Louis Vuitton Orjin Building

Louis Vuitton Building

SERVCORP.COM.TR

SERVCORP.COM.LB

ALSO IN

JEDDAH

|

RIYADH

|

DAMMAM

VISA & STATS

Guide

cAbIn crEw wIll bE hAppy To hElp If yoU nEEd ASSISTAncE complETIng ThE formS

to Us cUstoms & immigration forms Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs and immigration forms will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle free as possible.

customs declaration form All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a Customs DeClaration Form. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only. The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.

112

Open skies / june 2013

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR TRAVEL AUTHORISATION (ESTA) If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme, You must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure.

ESTA FACTS: Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending.

A successful ESTA application is valid for two years, however this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport.

APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.CBP.GOV/ESTA

NATIONALITIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE VISA WAIVER*: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UnitedKingdom**

*

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

** ONLY BRITISH CITIZENS QUALIFY UNDER THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAMME.

113

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

ROUTE MAP

114

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

115

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

Europe

+1hrs

+2hrs

St. Petersburg

Stockholm

+4hrs

Gothenburg Glasgow

Moscow

Copenhagen

Newcastle Dublin Manchester Birmingham GMT 0 hrs London

Amsterdam

Hamburg

+3hrs

Warsaw Dusseldorf

(Heathrow & Gatwick)

Liege Frankfurt

Prague

Paris Zurich Geneva

Lyon

To New York City

Milan

Vienna

Munich Venice

Nice

Rome

Lisbon

GMT +1hrs

+1hrs

116

OPEN SKIES / JUNE 2013

+2hrs

ai

Istanbul

ub

Barcelona Madrid

D To

Zaragoza 0 hrs

+2hrs

WHERE ARE YOU GOING? TELL US OR UPLOAD A PIC AT FACEBOOK.COM/OPENSKIESMAGAZINE TWITTER.COM/OPENSKIESMAG

117

Open skies / june 2013

FLEET

The Fleet

Our fleet cOntains 201 aircraft Made up Of 191 passenger aircraft and 10 cargO aircraft

Boeing 777-300eR Number of Aircraft: 88 Capacity: 354-442 Range: 14,594km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 64.8m

Boeing 777-300 Number of Aircraft: 12 Capacity: 364 Range: 11,029km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 60.9m

Boeing 777-200LR Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 266 Range: 17,446km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m

Boeing 777-200 Number of Aircraft: 9 Capacity: 274-346 Range: 9,649km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 60.9m

Boeing 777F Number of Aircraft: 8 Range: 9,260km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m

For more inFormation: www.emirates.com/ourFleet

118

Open skies / june 2013

Airbus A380-800 Number of Aircraft: 35 Capacity: 489-5 17 Range: 15,000km Length: 72.7m Wingspan: 79.8m

Airbus A340-500 Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 258 Range: 16,050km Length: 67.9m Wingspan: 63.4m

Airbus A340-300 Number of Aircraft: 4 Capacity: 267 Range: 13,350km Length: 63.6m Wingspan: 60.3m

Airbus A330-200 Number of Aircraft: 23 Capacity: 237-278 Range: 12,200km Length: 58.8m Wingspan: 60.3m

boeing 747-400erF Number of Aircraft: 2 Range:9,204km Length: 70.6m Wingspan: 64.4m

aircraft numbers as of 30/06/2013

119

Open skies / june 2013

W

ill there ever be a time when humans can live forever? We will be speaking to some experts next month to find out if the latest technology can prolong our lives longer than we ever thought possible. We travel to Casablanca, one of Morocco’s most interesting cities, to find out where to sleep, eat and party. We celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Tube, London’s underground transport system, and figure out why it generates so many mixed emotions among Londoners. The Arabian horse is one of the most beautiful animals in the world, and our photo essay celebrates the stunning form of these thoroughbred animals. We also check out Prague, Buenos Aires and one of Dubai’s best kept culinary secrets. See you next month.

www.omegawatches.com