Mercedes-Benz magazine

mercedes-magazine.ca

issn

1925-4148

14·SPRING/SUMMER

A Class Apart The new GLA breaks the SUV mould

discover doha Qatar’s capital is an urban oasis

Viking range Manitoba’s Icelandic edge king of street style How photographer Tommy Ton changed the face of Fashion Week

Five hour layover Relaxing in a premium airport lounge Energy for 36 holes

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The feeling of GENUINE DELIGHT

SAN FRANCISCO Shreve & Co

BERLIN KaDeWe • Hotel Adlon

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t h is

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Fa s c i n at i o n From dining to style, Canadian culture stays ahead of the curve.

DESIGN

H e av y M e ta l

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EVENTS

Spa S av v y Today’s travellers want to take home skills and abilities that outlast the mud wrap – and spas are taking notice.

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AREA

M o de r n R e n a i s s a nc e What to see and do in Montreal’s chicest neighbourhood.

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P ic t u r e T h i s

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Canadian-born street-style photographer Tommy Ton has turned “behind-the-scenes” into the scene itself.

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Already a mainstay of patios and terraces, metal furniture is moving indoors.

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S TA R P R O F I L E

SCENE

M a p l e M a k e ov e r

G E TA W AY

U n f ro z e n i n T i m e

M i l d, M i l d W e s t In Scottsdale, Arizona, a cowboy credo has given way to a population with a hankering for healthy living.

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Rediscover the nation’s favourite condiment in daring dishes and sophisticated sugar shacks.

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JETSET

S TAY S

T ow n & C ou n t ry Five of our favourite getaways around the globe, from British luxury hotels to African lodges.

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A trip through Manitoba reveals an Icelandic population still influenced by the old ways a century later.

SOCIET Y

p e o p l e & p l ac e s Step out with Mercedes-Benz at this season’s hottest events, from fashion weeks to auto shows.

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CROSSOVER APPE AL

M u Lt i fac e t e d M ac h i n e The new GLA is a crossover SUV for every occasion.

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P R E S I DE N T ’ S NOTE

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Ca st l es in t h e S a nd

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There’s an older version of Doha, Qatar, that coexists alongside all the glittering futuristic projects.

You just have to look for it.

E y e in t h e S k y In a few years, the James Webb Space Telescope will be launched into space to investigate the very edge of the observable universe.

sp o t l igh t

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S eeds o f t h e Future In a vault in the frozen Norwegian wilderness lies a collection of seeds for the world’s most important crops.

Ic ons Some of the facts about language and communication gathered here might leave you speechless.

I nnovation From concert halls to fashion retrospectives, here’s where high-tech meets fine design on the international stage.

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Pa s ca l W e h r l ein

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H a nds O f f t h e W h ee l !

As the youngest driver in DTM history, it’s clear that waiting was never Wehrlein’s strong suit.

The S 500 Intelligent Drive research car shows that autonomous driving is already possible.

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M a sterpie c e The GLA has an eye for any adventure – over rough terrain, in the mountains or through the urban jungle.

U p g r a ded C - CLA S S More comfort and more luxury, more performance and more superlatives – the C-Class is redefining mid-range vehicles.

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, PRESIDENT S NOTE

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n the world of fashion, as in the world of automobiles, design plays a central role and is among the key factors for a brand’s success. Automotive designers are focused on zeitgeist and forces at work in society. Innovation and perfection, elegance and style – these are the ties that have established Mercedes-Benz as an experienced partner of major international fashion platforms.

Closer to home, this partnership has translated into Mercedes-Benz Start Up, a national program that nurtures Canada’s next generation of fashion designers. We celebrated yet another milestone of this highly successful initiative this spring by presenting Awarded Designers Malorie Urbanovitch of Edmonton and Cécile Raizonville of Montreal’s Matière Noire on the runway at World MasterCardTM Fashion Week in Toronto.

As we prepare to welcome a new group of emerging designers to help elevate their profile on the international scene, we invite you to take a closer look at the display of high fashion that happens just beyond the runway, through the lens of Canadian fashion photographer Tommy Ton (page 26), famed for taking candid snapshots of street-style mavens during Fashion Weeks around the world.

Just like with fashion, the automobile continues to be an expression of one’s personal lifestyle. With its fascinating design and high everyday practicality, the all-new GLA luxury compact SUV (page 64) will be sure to inspire enthusiasm for the Mercedes-Benz brand among new customers. Based on the same platform as our very successful B-Class and CLA, the Mercedes-Benz GLA combines muscular styling and progressive character in a highly attractive form. This versatile and

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fuel-efficient SUV offers an extremely rigid body, which creates the basis for refined handling and a high level of comfort both on-road and off.

Sharing many of its kin’s characteristics, the GLA will be equipped with sophisticated systems such as Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive (page 52), which continues to revolutionize the automotive industry. In this issue of Mercedes-Benz magazine, you’ll learn how this cutting-edge technology closely coordinates the safety and assistance systems in your vehicle to help you respond in the most efficient way possible to any given driving situation.

Mercedes-Benz has always proved its worth through the advanced technology and timelessly elegant design of its vehicles. In fact, even the first automobile to bear the Mercedes name in 1901 took the market by storm with its extraordinary design. Ever since, the Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star has been the embodiment of automotive excellence, and our unrelenting commitment to innovation will ensure that we continue to lead the pack as we travel along the road to the future.

Sincerely,

Tim A. Reuss President & CEO

pu bl icat ion de ta i l s Published by Daimler AG · Communications · HPC E402 · D-70546 Stuttgart Responsible on behalf of the publishers Mirjam Bendak Publisher’s Council Dr. Joachim Schmidt (Chairman) · Daniel Bartos · Thomas Fröhlich · Lüder Fromm · Christoph Horn · Jörg Howe · Anders Sundt Jensen · Alexandra Süss Canada Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., 98 Vanderhoof Ave., Toronto, ON M4G 4C9 President and CEO Tim A. Reuss Vice-President, Marketing Gavin Allen Director, Communications and PR JoAnne Caza Manager, National Marketing Communications Jay Owen Supervisor, Customer Relationship Management Lisa Hynek Supervisor, PR Nathalie Gravel Coordinator Britany Murphy C o nc e p t a n d e di t i n g Germany Condé Nast Verlag GmbH · Karlstrasse 23 · D-80333 München Contributors Frank Bauer, Leandro Castelao, Greg Conraux, Jan Friese, Christoph Henn, Anatol Kotte, Kerstin Löffler, Michael Moorstedt, Ralph Richter, Alexander Runte, Max Scharnigg, Thomas Schweigert, Brian Taylor, Marc Trautmann Canada Spafax Canada, 4200, boul. Saint-Laurent, suite 707, Montreal, QC H2W 2R2 President, content marketing Raymond Girard Executive vice-president, content marketing Nino Di Cara Vice-president, finance and operations Paula Pergantis Content director Arjun Basu Senior strategist Courtney MacNeil Project leader Celyn Harding-Jones Editor Natasha Mekhail Associate editor Eve Thomas Contributing editors Christopher Korchin, Mélanie Roy Online editor Jasmin Legatos Assistant online editor Renée Morrison Editorial intern Natacha Medeiros Contributors Lorne Bridgman, Karen Burshtein, Joanna Fox, Paige Magarrey, Stephanie McBride, Celeste Moure, Alexandra Redgrave Art director Christine Houde Graphic designer Marie Roques Production director Joelle Irvine Production manager Jennifer Fagan Ad Production manager Mary Shaw Production and circulation coordinator Stephen Geraghty Fact checker Lisa Voormeij Proofreader Katie Moore Advertising sales Spafax Canada, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1020, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8, sales@spafax.com Media director Laura Maurice, Tel. 416-350-2432, lmaurice@spafax.com Rights ©Copyright 2014 by Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Reprints and use, as a whole or in part, only with the express written permission of Daimler AG. No responsibility can be taken for unsolicited texts and photographs. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editors. Some vehicles may be shown with non-Canadian equipment. Some vehicles may be shown without side marker lights. Some optional equipment may not be available on all models. For current information regarding the range of models, standard features, optional equipment and/or colours available in Canada and their pricing, contact your nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer or visit mercedes-benz.ca. All other content in this magazine has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, but no guarantee is given.

Mercedes-Benz magazine appears semi-annually, with editions published under cooperation or licence in 40 languages. Number 325, 60th year of publication, succeeding Mercedes – the magazine for people on the move and Mercedes-Benz in aller Welt.

Return undeliverables to Spafax Canada, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1020, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8 Printed on paper bleached without chlorine Printed in Canada ISSN 1925-4148 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement 41657520

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18 ct rose gold case with ceramic bezel.

Water-resistant to 100 m. Also available on leather strap.

W W W . U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M

DINING

A f t e r b e ing named the youngest Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in the world, winning the Top Chef Canada title and running establishments in Vancouver (including the much beloved Lumière), chef Dale MacKay recently returned to his hometown of Saskatoon. Opening the Ayden Kitchen & Bar signalled his desire to return to his roots and spend more time with the restaurant’s namesake, his son. Located downtown in a restored heritage building, Ayden favours seasonal menus showcasing the freshest produce, beautiful charcuterie boards and sharing platters. For those looking to take home a taste of the Prairies, the restaurant’s market, which opened earlier this year, sells housemade charcuterie, custom butchery, fresh cheese and gourmet condiments.

Root Cause aydenkitchenandbar . com

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D I N I N G

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W h e n R é m y Ma r t in

In Good Spirits remymartin . com

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first bottled Louis XIII cognac back in 1874, they created the ultra-premium spirits category as we know it today. But now that competition at the top is fierce, they’ve had to go back into their cellars for inspiration.

The result: Louis XIII Rare Cask 42,6, which comes from a single cask dating from 1913 that contained only enough spirit to fill 738 handmade black crystal Baccarat decanters. Only three bottles can be found in Canada: One is in a private collection in Quebec; the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch held a lottery for the right to purchase another; and the third was recently delivered to Vancouver’s Hawksworth restaurant, where a mere $1,500 will buy you an ounce of the precious spirit.

Fit for a Queen hillbergandberk . com

S in c e s h e l au n c h e d Hillberg & Berk in 2007, Rachel Mielke has proven that it takes a special sparkle to succeed. The Regina native’s jewellery has been seen on celebs like Céline Dion, Barbara Walters and Carrie Underwood, and late last year, Saskatchewan’s lieutenant-governor presented Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with a $15,000 H&B brooch.

The stunning contemporary piece was handcrafted with five petals of Madagascar tourmaline, surrounded by 300 diamonds and set in 18-karat white gold. Inspired by the unique brooch, Mielke went on to produce the Legacy Collection, 160 one-of-akind items created using the rest of the richly coloured gemstone, now available to the public.

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Dining

I n t h e s p r i n g , when the Lightkeepers

Sole Purpose sullywong . com

C a n a d i a n d e s i g n da r l i n g Karim

polar ice cubes Designed by Atsuhiro Hayashi, a - hayashi.com/Directed by Masayuki Kurakata , monos Inc., monos.co.jp

Rashid has already lent his inspired mind to a range of collaborations, from the OH chair for Umbra to brand identity for Sony Mobile and even manhole covers for the city of New York. He recently added sneakers to his list of design partnerships, a footwear frontier he considers fascinating for bridging high tech with fashion. In collaboration with Sully Wong, the Toronto footwear and bag design company, Rashid will contribute prints for a series of limited-edition leather sneakers. Look for his exclusive designs, available in eight colours.

Block Party lightkeepersvikingfeast . com

Seafood Restaurant in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, reopens for the season, owner Randy Cull jumps in his boat and heads out onto the Atlantic to gather up an unusual resource: icebergs. Cull chips off berg bits, then stores them in the restaurant’s freezer until they are used for martinis and other mixed cocktails. He’s not the first to tap into the icy trend. Brawny bars in Alaska to haute establishments in Manhattan also favour glacial ice. When it’s dropped in a drink, tiny bubbles trapped in the ice formed thousands of years ago are released, giving the tipple an effervescent quality. How cool is that?

goods

Sling Shots bitteredsling . com

Intrepid bartenders are already raiding the kitchen for cocktail ingredients, so it’s only natural for the culinary world to start taking cues from mixology. At Vancouver’s Bittered Sling Extracts, launched by chef Jonathan Chovancek and sommelier and mixologist Lauren Mote, artisan bitters aren’t just recommended to top off drinks, they’re meant for your meals. Tasting notes include suggestions for putting them in everything from meringues to barbecue sauce, with full recipes posted online. Try the Plum & Rootbeer bitters in brownie bites, or use the Lem-Marrakech bitters in both cured salmon and spiced margaritas – now that sounds like a perfect pairing.

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c u lt u r e

Above the Fold lacybarry . com bloompapers . com

L a c y B a r r Y travels light. After living and working in L.A.,

S TYLE

Brooklyn, Montreal and London, England, the Alberta-born artist relocated to Berlin, Germany, to set up shop creating magically tactile installations.

Her preferred medium? Paper. After studying graphic design and working in costume design, she turned her love for the fibre arts into delicate and intricate ad campaigns and window displays for Tiffany & Co., La Canadienne and French shoe brand Arche (to name a few). This spring finds her collaborating with Bloompapers Barcelona on a wallpaper line based on her “Little Wing” series – a collection of three-dimensional bursts of colour previously exhibited at New York’s Bottleneck Gallery.

Fresh Fashion malorie . ca matierenoirestudio . com

The competition at this year’s MercedesBenz Start Up was so fierce, it warranted two Awarded Designers. Edmonton’s Malorie Urbanovitch, a finalist in the 2012 edition, chose washable, self-lined silks in a palette of pastels and charcoal grey for her fall/winter 2014 collection. She aspired to convey effortless luxury with clothes that could be “worn to the ball or the mall.” For her part, Montreal’s Cécile Raizonville, of Matière Noire, was recognized for working with a Quebec-based weaver to create a custom fabric of linen, raw silk and wool. Her stark, strong, simple aesthetic reigned in her past collections, but Raizonville aims for a softer sensitivity with her new pieces.

goods

Do-Good Design holtrenfrew . com

Holt Renfre W continues to push the envelope of fashion with H Project, their in-store boutique filled with a highly curated selection of items. The brainchild of Alexandra Weston, the company’s director of brand strategy, the label (available at the store’s Yorkdale and Bloor Street locations in Toronto, as well as in Calgary and Vancouver) features exclusive designer collaborations, many promoting charities or eco-friendly design. Highlights include fresh-for-spring pieces from Alice & Whittles, a Toronto-based sustainable espadrille company; Bottletop, an ethical luxury accessory maker from the UK; and Lalesso, a completely carbon-neutral fashion line inspired by the East African kanga.

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DINING

t r av e l

Child’s Play

Tapping In artisansakemaker . com

dx . org

I n 2 0 07, Canada’s sake pioneer, Masa Shiroki, opened his microbrewery, Artisan Sake Maker, on Granville Island in Vancouver and began producing the first varieties of Canadian handmade, small-batch sake. Two years later, he launched a mission to grow rice in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, now the most northerly rice production region in the world. His sake rice yield was earmarked specifically for his “100-mile” Junmai sake. Shiroki followed this feat by partnering with PiDGiN restaurant and Fairmont Pacific Rim’s ORU to offer Osake Junmai Nama – unpasteurized draft sake – in a fresh new way: on tap. This spring, taste the latest from Shiroki’s stainless-steel kegs: Junmai sparkling sake.

S u m m e r c a m p just got cooler. The Design Exchange, Canada’s de facto design museum, goes far beyond summer standards like lanyard making, campfire singalongs and canoe tripping. From July to the end of August, budding creatives aged six to 14 can sign up for one-week day camps designed to explore, stretch and refine their design skills. The list of offerings covers everything from architecture to textile fabrication. Highlights include Drama + Design, a session developed in partnership with Canadian Stage that guides participants in staging a performance from curtain call to close, and House of DX, a study of prêt-à-porter fashion, fashion illustration and pattern-making plus the chance to complete a unique garment.

Freewheeling Fun 2

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Now kids can claim a Mercedes-Benz of their own. For children aged three to six, there are Kids’ Bikes (1) emblazoned with signature three-point stars and made of sturdy aluminum. Beginners aged three and up can get used to riding on two wheels with wooden, pedal-free Motorsport Balance Bikes (2). For fun on four wheels, try sporty, safety-tested Mille Miglia Go-Karts (3), recommended for children aged five to eleven. thecollection.ca

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Mercedes-Benz Genuine Accessories

A Daimler Brand

Distinctive style for you and yours.

www.mercedes-benz.ca

f a s c i n a t i o n :

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Heavy Metal Already a mainstay of stylish patios and terraces, metal furniture is moving indoors. Simple, paredback forms in aluminum and steel are not only durable against wear and tear – they get better with age. w o r d s Pa i g e M a g a r r e y

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Mapped Out

Set in Steel

“I wanted to look at mass customization as not just choosing colours or features, but the overall shape and feel of each piece,” says Halifax designer Geof Ramsay of his You Are Here sheet-steel benches and tables. Ramsay laser-cuts the legs into custom maps of any location in the world, from a specific neighbourhood to a memorable landmark.

To create the perforated thin steel sheets of his 60 Pendant lampshade, Toronto designer Jonathan Sabine uses computer-controlled machines as well as traditional handcraftsmanship.

Named after the 60-degree corner angles of an equilateral triangle, which can be seen all over the hexagonal form, the pendant comes powdercoated in white or copper plating.

geoframsay . com

jonathansabine . com

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Heart of Gold

Photo Finish

Classic Silhouette

Catch the Wave

Calgary studio Mtharu hand-builds its natural steel Jouir coffee table through a rigorous process of shearing, bending, forming, welding and filing.

Exacting proportions down to a fraction of a centimetre make for an incredibly durable piece designed to last for generations, with an unexpected detail: Instead of being hidden, the welding seam is accentuated in gold.

Vancouver designer Saleem Khattak began his career as a photographer, and his dimmable Archilume LED pendant is an exercise in light and dark. Available in a number of configurations, the fixture features a cylindrical acrylic diffuser designed to evoke ripples of water and create an ambient glow that is amplified by the gleaming anodized aluminum base.

Beautiful, rugged and affordable: That’s the checklist Toronto designer Marco Pecota was using when he designed the simple yet unique Mark 1 chair.

The mid-century-modern-inspired shape is made of laser-cut, hot-rolled steel and Baltic birch, which is then hand-finished. The seat can also be custom-made in hardwood, aluminum and stainless steel.

It’s no surprise that Philip Brown, furniture designer at Toronto studio Pab, has a background in engineering – his attention to detail and proportions is evident in all of his organic-looking, flowing metal pieces.

His Soundwave coffee table is made of undulating rings of bent steel with a matte finish, making it seem both airy and rock-solid.

sumersingh . com

archilume . com

pekota . com

pabfurniture . com

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f a s c i n a t i o n :

E V E NTS

Spa Savvy A health retreat can mean more than glowing skin and relaxed muscles. Today’s travellers want to bring home skills and abilities that outlast the mud wrap – and spas across the country are taking notice. words Celeste Moure

CLINTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Echo Valley Ranch & Spa evranch . com

When not hiking around a majestic valley surrounded by the Cariboo Mountains, guests at this “eco ranch” learn to eat what’s good for them – but we’re not just talking about cutting out carbs. Inspired by Dr. Peter D’Adamo’s book Eat Right for Your Type, experts use your blood type to determine which foods are beneficial and detrimental to your health. And you can build up a healthy appetite without hitting the gym – activities on offer include fly fishing, hiking and (naturally) trail riding.

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B A N C RO F T , O N T A R I O

Grail Springs grailsprings . com

Adding sprouts to your diet can help banish food cravings, boost your immune system and maximize nutritional intake.

Book a Sprouting Class at Grail Springs and you’ll learn how to plant and grow the superfood in your own kitchen for vitamin-packed soups and smoothies. Other workshops at the lakeside retreat include vision board building and decoding Celtic solar astrology.

G R A N D E P R A I R I E , A L B E R Ta

The L Spa lspa . ca

Regular meditation has been tied to some pretty impressive health benefits, including lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system and increased energy. Sign up for a Primordial Sound Meditation class at L Spa and you’ll learn that there’s more to meditation than simply staying quiet. During four sessions over two days, a guide will help you determine your “personal sound” (or mantra), teach you about the history of the technique and show you how to integrate it into your daily life.

CORTES ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Hollyhock hollyhock . ca

Hollyhock has a simple mission statement: “to inspire, nourish and support people who are making the world better.” Founded in 1983 on Cortes Island, the campus fosters personal and professional development through summertime conferences, classes and “Restorative Getaways.” Book a weekend visit and, on top of more traditional classes on meditation and yoga, you’ll find ukulele lessons, creative writing workshops and glutenfree baking demonstrations. All the while, you can indulge in the centre’s organic vegetarian cuisine and weekly wild-seafood dinners.

G R A F T O N , O N TA R I O

Ste. Anne’s Spa steannes . com

You may be working with a horse, but the skills you gain as you learn grooming and riding techniques will help you long after you’ve left the stable at this spa, set on 162 hectares of rolling countryside. Working in a safe environment with coach Kareylee White, you will learn to feel comfortable with your horse and, looking deeper within yourself, gain insight into your communication skills. Post-equine experience, you can unwind even further with traditional spa treatments, including Swedish massage – essential for the first-time rider.

R AWDON, QUEBEC

La Source photo myhealthyeatinghabits.com (Sprouts)

lasourcespa . com

Set deep in a verdant forest, this eco-friendly day spa features outdoor hot tubs, eucalyptusscented waterfalls, a steam bath and a dry sauna. But the trees aren’t just there for decoration.

Book an Adventure & Relaxation package and, before you hit the spa, you can experience an aerial obstacle course (picture an Ewok village of tree-top suspension bridges, zip lines and “Tarzan” swings) as part of an adrenalincharged day with Arbraska.

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Modern Renaissance What to see and do in Montreal’s chicest neighbourhood. words Stephanie McBride

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T R AV E L

The Scene

The Spa

You would be hard-pressed to find a Canadian city that feels more European than Montreal, and nothing in Montreal captures the feeling of an old-world village quite like Laurier Avenue West.

Dating back to the 1870s, this quiet stretch of fiercely independent shops and restaurants runs from the artist enclave of Mile End to the more conservative, residential Outremont. Though its reputation as a très chic stop for imported groceries and designer labels is already firmly in place, a new generation is taking notice of the street and the surrounding area’s recent refreshment, an effort by merchants to prove their worth with the personal touch.

Sample a wide selection of spa services at Dermalounge health and beauty centre, where offerings range from the traditional (manicures and pedicures) to the unique (Hawaiianinspired lomi-lomi massages) to the state-of-the-art (laser treatments and microdermabrasion). Nearby Alvaro Coiffure has been in the neighbourhood for over 35 years, with a team of 15 experts on hand offering cut, colour and makeup applications to fashionable locals, including Montreal celebrities.

The salon acted as the official hairdresser for the Prix Gémeaux – Quebec’s version of the Emmys.

1 Mont Royal and its adjoining green spaces, including Parc Jeanne-Mance, are a short walk (or scenic bicycle ride) away.

2 Dermalounge offers high-tech skincare treatments. 3 Billie is modelled after a best friend’s walk-in closet. 4 New restaurants share the street with longtime institutions (including local fave La Chronique). 5 Turkish meze at BarBounya. 6 Les Touilleurs isn’t just a shop – it’s also the star of a Quebec cooking show.

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Dining

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The Arts

The Mountain

Montrealer Michel Brisson’s eponymous shop is a lot like the labels it carries – dark, minimalist and structurally stunning. The former bank building was stripped down to the concrete and updated with smoked glass and mirrors. It is a must-visit for men seeking modern European lines, from Germany’s Jil Sander to France’s Christophe Lemaire. A welcome, old-school touch: complimentary in-store tailoring.

Women can venture down the street to Billie, a boutique designed to look like a (very fashionable) friend’s walk-in closet.

Pick out a Filippa K sweater or a Joie silk blouse, then try it on in the Frenchboudoir-inspired dressing room.

Leméac is more than a French bistro, it’s a local institution. Indulge in pain doré with caramelized bananas during weekend brunch, served under the four-season solarium, or join local foodies for the famous prix-fixe menu, available after 10 p.m. Down the street, stop in at BarBounya for Turkish meze with a Quebecois twist. (Try the house specialty, barbounya – mullet fish served with olive relish.) If you fancy doing a little cooking of your own, visit Les Touilleurs, where you can pick up Le Creuset pots or take part in an evening workshop in the demonstration kitchen – it’s the same one used in Quebec’s popular cooking show Les Touilleurs.

If you’re in the neighbourhood at the right time, you might get to take part in a typical Montrealer’s favourite evening activity: attending an art vernissage.

Try Galerie d’Avignon for contemporary work from emerging artists including expressionist tableaux by Aaron Fink and massive metal sculptures by Dale Dunning (whose work can also be found at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts).

Further down the street, find husbandand-wife duo Gilles and Lisette Brown’s Galerie Clarence Gagnon, open since 1976. They’re known for their eclectic taste and impressive Canadian Masters collection, which includes works by Jean-Paul Riopelle and Albert Rousseau.

Finding everything you need to pack a picnic lunch is a breeze here (try Gourmet Laurier for cheese and charcuterie), and where better to take it than Mont Royal? A short walk away, “the Mountain” is only about 230 metres tall so following the trail up to the summit’s panoramic lookout is more of a stroll than a hike. Spanning 200 hectares, the park, created in the 19th century, was designed

by Frederick Law Olmsted, the celebrated landscape architect behind New York’s Central Park. Now it’s a hub for jogging, family walks and the Sunday Tam-Tam Jam, an informal weekly gathering of drummers, musicians and, as of last year, gourmet food trucks.

photo Phillip Maisel (parc jeanne- mance)

The Shops

The Menu

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p r o f i l e

Picture This From outside the tents of the world’s biggest Fashion Weeks, Canadian-born street-style photographer Tommy Ton has turned “behind-the-scenes” into the scene itself. w o r d s A l e x a n d r a R e d g r av e

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H He spent the night surrounded by angels.

At least, that’s what soft-spoken photographer Tommy Ton offers by way of apology for being a few minutes late when he greets me in the lobby of the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City, sporting a navy mohair sweater and brightcoloured sneakers. He had a tight deadline to meet after shooting the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Sitting down to order a breakfast of pastries followed by steak and eggs, Ton is unassuming and unfazed, considering his late night spent with some of the world’s most attractive women. “I just love how it’s so beautifully chaotic,” he says of the event.

He could be describing his own career. Ton made his name as a street-style photographer when he began covering fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan. The owner of the Toronto-based Vintage Couture, the e-commerce site where he worked at the time, flew him abroad on points and encouraged him to eventually start his now popular style blog Jak & Jil. Rather than shoot the front-row regulars, Ton focused on lesser-known editors and stylists coming out of the shows, along with the steady parade of welldressed fashion enthusiasts. He developed his signature cropped framing, which often zooms in on a specific detail of an outfit, by forgoing conventional head-to-toe shots for more documentary-style images – a switch that came largely by chance. “I’m shy and didn’t want to ask people to pose, so I just started shooting as if I were in nature,” Ton explains.

Although at times featuring the most outlandish of ensembles, his pictures also have a quiet intimacy: A woman lost in thought crosses the empty Tuileries Garden in Paris, her gauzy shirt trailing behind her like the tail of an exotic bird; another reveals two men outside a Milanese café, their shirt sleeves and pant cuffs breezily rolled up; a third shows a pair of leather-clad legs, two onyx pillars on stiletto pedestals. Of course, the star players and top tastemakers also make regular appearances, such as Anna Dello Russo and Giovanna Battaglia; according to Ton, all of them now change outfits between shows to keep up with the demand for new images on style blogs.

photo justin chung ( tommy ton)

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I’m Shy and didn’t want to ask people to pose, so I just started shooting as if I were in nature. tommy ton

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Girls on Film Tommy Ton shares five of his favourite photographic moments.

1 Anna Wintour There’s a certain vulnerability to this photo. Anna is generally known as an “ice queen,” but there’s a softer side of her here.

2 Sa r a h C h a v e z This was a moment of savage beauty; it’s such a rarity to have these opportunities to capture.

3 B a r ba r a Ma r t e l o Before the Tuileries became flooded with photographers, editors were able to tiptoe quietly, and it was like watching graceful gazelles or zebras pass by. This photo of Barbara Martelo in Balmain best exemplifies that.

5 4 C a t h e r i n e B aba Every photo I took of Catherine Baba on her bike was a hazard as I ran into street traffic, but the result was always quintessential Paris.

5 E m m a n u e l l e A lt I’ve had this obsession with Parisian women since I started taking photos. Emmanuelle Alt personifies every effortless and chic quality that I seek when photographing the French.

Much like fashion’s swiftly evolving trends, Ton’s career followed a fast track. The Torontoborn photographer, who is still based out of his hometown although only there for two months a year, started by assisting Canadian designer Wayne Clark before moving to the sales floor, and then the buying office, at Holt Renfrew.

Two months after launching his Jak & Jil blog, Ton was approached by the upscale Hong Kong department store Lane Crawford to shoot their spring catalogue. It wasn’t long before Style.com came knocking, then GQ magazine and Kanye West…

Still, Ton prefers to remain on the sidelines, and downplays his influence in fashion circles. “When I started, I had no intention of being part of that world. I felt like an outsider – and I still do. I keep myself at a certain distance from everything. If I were too immersed and going to shows and parties, it would feel less special,” he tells me.

So far, requests for a book or exhibition have been politely declined until there’s enough material for a true retrospective – which, according to Ton, would mean at least a decade of work.

He’s also managed to resist advertising on his site, creating the clean white background that has become an anomaly in the heavily commercedriven fashion industry.

Disarmingly modest, Ton describes himself more as a fashion enthusiast who happens to have a camera rather than a photographer, as he continues to develop his eye. “I’ll take a photo of how someone ties their scarf, and there should be a certain tangibility – you can feel the texture and colour.” Finding those candid shots has become more and more challenging since a new crop of street-style blogs has emerged, adding a pool of photographers to the already packed show crowds. But Ton, in his typical relaxed manner, takes it all in stride.

“I like to let the new photographers shoot the usual people. They’re kind of the bait,” he says, > “and you look on the sides for new fish.”

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B U L L E T I N

Castles in the Sand

words ma x scharnigg

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photos fr ank bauer

New skyscrapers climbing heavenward in lockstep, luxury hotels and a man-made island: Doha, capital of Qatar, is a futuristic oasis perched between the desert and the sea. But there’s an older version of the city that coexists alongside all the glittering futuristic projects.

You just have to look for it.

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reet three customers, take another drag on a clove cigarette. So goes the evening for Khaled Breish. The Lebanese native is maintaining a dignified vigil at the entrance to his restaurant, Layali, one watchful eye on the reservations book, the other focused on the two dozen waiters perpetually winding their way through the spacious rooms behind him, bearing plates piled high with hummus and grilled lamb.

Thursday nights are always busy; outside, the SUVs are starting to fill up. With temperatures hovering around 36°C, all the vehicles want to stop as close as possible to the front door – but the fact is Doha is always too hot to put one’s best foot forward unnecessarily. The trip to Layali on Sarwa Road, though, is worth a bit of extra sweat. Lebanese cuisine is generally considered the Middle East’s best, and here it is represented particularly well. The first course hasn’t even arrived when the hookah pipes appear on the table, to be puffed on by patrons all evening in between the individual courses. Tonight – as on most other nights – the groups of male diners are seated among their own for the most part. Qatar’s take on Islamic law is relatively conservative: In public – when not together with their families – the two sexes walk the streets separately, the men clothed in brilliant white, the women veiled and clad in jet black.

Such strict observance of tradition represents a stark contrast to the material progress that has for years characterized this Persian Gulf city of over a million.

The results are easily seen in the bright light of the following day. Friday is the weekly day of prayer,

and even the chronically gridlocked Corniche Road is suffused with a reverential stillness. Over the last few years, one skyscraper after another has vaulted toward the heavens, and the signs of construction remain everywhere – it’s impossible to take a picture that doesn’t contain a crane or two. View the few isolated dhows (traditional wooden boats) lying at anchor off the Corniche against this ultramodern panorama, and you realize why many residents claim this skyline is a miracle: one made possible by oil and air conditioning. Just 20 years ago, the Lonely Planet travel guide called the city “the dreariest place on the planet.” Doha has come a long way since then.

The man behind the transformation is former emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. He recognized the vast wealth of untapped oil and gas reserves, pushed the development of extraction technology to new heights and modernized the entire society in the process.

Since then, the country’s coffers have been overflowing, and tiny Qatar has quickly morphed into the richest country on Earth.

Top chefs and star architects

desert sands Ancient Fort Zubarah is among Qatar’s most significant historical monuments (above). Need to get around in the sand?

Try a camel or the M-Class.

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“Qatar deserves the best” is emblazoned on construction sites across the city, and Doha has taken this upstart slogan to heart, becoming a magnet for the superlative. There are the star architects like I.M. Pei and Rem Koolhaas, who let their creative imaginations run wild in the desert sands. There’s Qatar Airways, considered the world’s best airline for years running.

There are top chefs like Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay, and there are some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Most importantly, however, and instantly on the tongue of every taxi driver and merchant expressing a sense of pride in their country, is the 2022 soccer World Cup scheduled to take place in Qatar. By then at the latest, Doha will have earned itself a well-deserved exclamation point on the world map.

But the world is no stranger to the huge towers and shopping malls that are air-conditioned to 20°C and function as ersatz city parks during the sweltering

Alcohol is legal, bikinis are allowed on hotel beaches and women can go out on their own in the evening, explains Claire. She’s looking forward to the winter, which promises temperatures around 25°C and even a precious handful of rainy days.

It’s the existence of places where ancient Arabian culture intersects with international modernity that makes this city livable, and the museum is the best proof that this fusion works, with magnificent Damascene swords sharing space with haute cuisine

by Alain Ducasse. Next door, the biggest-ever Damien Hirst exhibition has opened, while a little further on, the Pearl Man has been hawking minuscule South Sea pearls for decades: Luxury is omnipresent in Doha.

Those looking to slake their thirst for the Middle East’s exotic side can take a stroll through a souk: the aroma of cardamom and rose petals, proud Arabs with falcons perched on their forearms, venerable traders grinning toothless smiles. The Souq Waqif is the best-known of these traditional markets, its narrow alleyways practically inviting you to lose your way. Emerging from the confusion, you could find yourself next to a stable full of camels, a stark reminder not only of the desert that begins just beyond the glittering skyscrapers, but also of the desolate hamlet that Doha once was. Toss in the undulating cry of the muezzin and the desert wind kicking sand in your face, and for a brief moment you are transported to a faraway place and time. But then the giant SUVs are back, rumbling impatiently at a traffic light. In the distance, an elaborate light show reflects off the facades of the skyscrapers and suddenly you remember where you are: in Doha, the world’s newest international metropolis. A miracle indeed. >

summers. People from all over the globe are moving to the Persian Gulf to work, and they make up a vital part of contemporary Qatari society. One such transplant is Claire, who a year ago was living with her husband and child in a cozy stone house near Geneva.

She’s standing in the entrance hall of the Museum of Islamic Art and offers a reserved smile when asked to describe her first summer in the desert. “The hot months were quite tough; you can’t really leave the house as often as you might like. And Ramadan can sometimes make things difficult as well – you can’t just grab a sandwich to eat when you’re on your way somewhere.” A PR firm recruited Claire and she now lives with her family on the 17th floor of one of the ultramodern skyscrapers in the West Bay section of the city. The numerous luxury hotels there are popular hangouts for expats and Qataris alike. Their restaurants, bars and clubs are oases in the social fabric:

piping hot Al Layali offers a unique service: The wait staff prime the waterpipes with a few warm-up puffs before presenting them to the guests. Above: The impressive foyer of the Museum of Islamic Art.

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B U L L E T I N

Sweet Secret

qatar ’ s a n s w er to the latte macchiato is called karak, and although the drink may not look like much, it delivers love at first sip. It’s hot, sweet and smells of cardamom and honey. Its exact ingredients remain a mystery, chiefly because none of the karak vendors with stands in the souk or on the beach promenade are willing to reveal them. The best karak is most likely to be had at Chapati & Karak in the cultural enclave of Katara. As its name suggests, the café only has two things on the menu: karak and chapati (a type of flatbread), both highly delicious. In general, experiencing something simple can be quite refreshing in a place like Doha. Chapati & Karak, +974 4408 1408

D o h a’ s D r i n k Karak was originally introduced to Qatar by migrant workers from southeast Asia.

i Homemade Karak Ingredients for one cup 15 mL (1 tbsp) high-quality black tea 7.5 mL (1 ⁄ 2 tbsp) cardamom (ground) 250 mL (1 cup) water 50 mL (1⁄4 cup) milk 5 mL (1 tsp) each sugar and honey spices (cloves, star anise, saffron) In a pot, mix one tablespoon of black tea with half a tablespoon of ground cardamom. Add one cup of boiling water, let simmer briefly.

Add about 50 mL (or according to taste) of milk – professionals use condensed milk – and at least one teaspoon each of sugar and honey.

Bring to a boil again, pour through a tea strainer and enjoy piping hot!

Variations can be prepared using cloves, star anise or saffron.

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P E A R L O F Q ATA R The artificial island dubbed “The Pearl” isn’t finished yet, but hundreds of yachts are already anchored in its harbour.

Museum Nights

C a l l i n g t h e M u s e u m of Islamic Art a mere treasure trove would be a serious understatement. It is a building of monumental proportions that houses a unique collection of art objects from all over the Arabian Peninsula. Things actually get quite modern up on the fifth floor, but only after the last museum visitors have departed.

That’s where star architect I.M. Pei placed his gallery, which for the last year has been more than suitably utilized by French chef Alain Ducasse. For his gem of a restaurant, the Michelin record-holder has adapted his cuisine perfectly to the unique characteristics of the region. Alcohol is forbidden, of course, but patrons don’t really notice. Instead of an elaborate wine list, guests are handed a thick menu featuring an array of modern juice creations, their bouquets and variety offering a complement to every available course. In

the kitchen, Ducasse pupil Romain Meder prepares a nightly menu incorporating the best of both worlds, as illustrated by a now-famous main dish: tender braised camel served with sautéed foie gras. The only things more impressive are the nocturnal panorama of the city skyline – and the reverential, darkened silence of the surrounding museum. IDAM, in the Museum of Islamic Art, +974 4422 4488 alain - ducasse . com / en / restaurant / idam

F r e n c h C u i s i n e i n Q ata r Romain Meder (far left) is head chef at IDAM (left). His signature dish is a chickpea-lentil mousse topped with gold foil (right). Other creations include raspberry-rose pastilla (top) and turbot with chermoula marinade (far left).

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B U L L E T I N

Sports, Art and Falcons 1

Sports mecca Tennis, horses, soccer… the sheiks are crazy about sports, and Aspire Park embodies their fervour. The ultramodern Sports Academy houses Bayern Munich’s winter training grounds, and the Aspire Tower – currently the tallest skyscraper in Doha – presides over it all in impressive fashion.

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the perfect stroll The Corniche is seven kilometres long and connects the West Bay and its skyscrapers with the southern portion of the city. When temperatures are “mild,” half the city can be found here, jogging, chatting under the palms and drinking karak. From here it’s a hop, skip and a jump to the Museum of Islamic Art.

Go Palatial

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falcons r us Right behind the Souq Waqif is a sister market dedicated to a traditional Middle Eastern pastime: falconry. Resting proudly atop tall perches are falcons for sale. The market also offers fine leather falconry accessories – there’s even a hospital for the birds of prey. The lone drawback: the rather overpowering odour.

D o h a b o a s t s many outstanding hotels, most of which shoot straight up into the air and are in fact quite similar to one another. Sharq Village is an altogether different experience. Located in the city’s eastern section, this hotel has expanded horizontally instead of vertically. From their first step on the premises, guests are immersed in an opulent environment that evokes the Orient, its architecture based on ancient Arabian building plans. The result is magnificent: spacious villas, each with their own palm courtyard, a sprawling palace containing the hotel lobby and restaurant, and a beach and pool that are among Doha’s finest. For those desiring a first-hand experience of the mystery of the Orient, a sojourn at Sharq Village is a must. Tip: The Arabian buffet offers approximately 1,001 small-scale culinary miracles. Rooms start at around $475 a night. sharqvillage . com

“I give Way” bumper stickers on some cars send an admonitory message. Observing right-of-way rules is a rare virtue here.

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Need to Know Orient(ation) In Doha, street names and house numbers are assigned somewhat randomly, and locals often remember addresses using either very generalized directions or by noting significant buildings nearby, of which there is thankfully no shortage.

Light Up the Night T h e K a t a r a D i s t r i c t in the western section of the capital is an independent municipality, and together with the huge land reclamation project known as “The Pearl” and the skyscrapers of the West Bay, it embodies new, modern Doha. The beating heart of Katara is a vast amphitheatre offering open-air performances all year round. A pulsating scene has taken root in the surrounding streets, with galleries, restaurants and cafés bursting to life after 8 p.m. Too hot for a stroll? No problem. Just grab a free ride on one of the many passing electric vehicles.

Getting Around Blue “Karwa” taxis are the best and cheapest mode of transportation (base price around $2.75, then 35 cents per kilometre afterward). Unfortunately, there aren’t enough of them – good luck flagging one down on the street! Traffic cops and merchants enjoy tipping tourists off as to the location of the (unofficial) taxi stands. One new method of transportation is the Doha Bus; the colourful vehicles run hourly and stop at the city’s most important sites.

W h e n e v e r w e get the urge to wallow

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Plate It Up “Everybody gains weight in Qatar,” says expert Claire, and she also knows why: People spend a lot of time sitting in their cars, it’s usually too hot to play sports, and above all there’s just too much good food around. Wondering where it all comes from? Just take a quick taxi ride to the main market hall on Sarwa Road. There, friendly merchants hawk large piles of fish, fruit and vegetables. For anyone with access to a kitchen, it’s a veritable paradise: King prawns, for example, are astonishingly cheap.

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Let’s Go !

photo Get t y Images illustration Anna Linder

Good Souvenirs Rosewater and Arabic sweets, nuts and fine handicrafts, as well as jewellery from Gold Souq.

Bad Souvenir Sunburn. Even on those occasions when the swirling desert sands temporarily blot out the sunlight, the sun is extremely strong and remains so all year round, making head coverings, quality sunglasses and sunblock mandatory.

Siesta, Then Fiesta Hot weather and high temperatures make an extended afternoon break mandatory in Qatar.

Many stands and shops don’t open again until 5 p.m., but then stay open until late at night.

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in childhood memories, a quick look at a photo album usually suffices. But that wasn’t enough for former ruler Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

In a moment of nostalgia, he realized that Doha’s explosive new growth in glass and steel meant the loss of part of its charming past. His response was to order the construction of a traditional market designed in keeping with his childhood memories.

Souq Waqif originated on a drawing board: Its market stands look worn and unfinished on purpose. But the canned nostalgia actually works.

Spice merchants hawk their wares, authentic clothing and fabrics are in plentiful supply; even Persian Gulf oysters can be had on a nearby side street. Not just the sheik but also his former subjects are grateful that there is once again a place in Doha where modernity cannot intrude.

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No visit to Doha would be complete without a trip to the desert, which tends to be a rocky steppe here rather than the vast expanse of sand one might expect. But it has its hidden treasures, like imposing Fort Zubarah in the northwest. The sea view from its battlements is unabashedly romantic. Those hoping to roar across the sand dunes in an off-road vehicle are advised to book a guided tour, of which Doha offers plenty (try qataradventure.com).

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Maple Makeover Rediscover the nation’s favourite condiment in daring dishes, gourmet grocery stores and sugar shacks that match kitsch with sophistication. words Joanna Fox

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by the drop Ontario producer Drip showcases their syrup in recipes for Pumpkin Pie-Spiced Maple Bacon Doughnuts and Maple-Soy Braised Pork Belly Lollipops.

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sweet scenes Old-fashioned maple syrup production meets modern design and contemporary recipes at new sugar shacks throughout Quebec.

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n July 30, 2012, one of the largest agricultural crimes in history was exposed in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, Quebec, about two hours northeast of Montreal.

The victim: the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve.

The haul: about 2.7 million kilograms of pure, golden maple syrup worth over $18 million. This great Canadian heist made international news (though it was often reported with a wink and a nod), even becoming the subject of a segment on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

But as much as the theft amused a global audience, it was also baffling: Who knew a breakfast condiment could command such a staggering sum of money?

From classic sugar shacks where syrup is drenched over every meal and eaten hot off the snow with Popsicle sticks, to the standard bottle or can in almost every kitchen arsenal, maple syrup has long been something delicious (if a touch mundane) for Canadians. That is until very recently, when maple syrup purveyors, producers and businesses began to elevate our national staple to something much more luxurious, not to mention less seasonal. From coveted artisanal batches of syrup to high-end sugar shacks that have gained global praise, maple-infused drinks to sweet-smelling perfume, the industry is raising its standards – and its reputation.

Golden years “Single-origin” may be standard parlance in gourmet coffee and chocolate, but Ontario-based purveyor Drip is making it work for maple syrup. Unlike most largescale producers that blend maple syrup from many different sources, Drip’s 100-percent organic maple

syrup is all harvested from one forest north of Manitoulin Island. “We chose that area [because the flavour there] stood out to us as being the most intense and pure,” explains Drip founder and partner Scott Leder. “We decided to limit production to only what can be produced there to maintain the signature quality and taste.” Drip has also given the standard syrup packaging a serious upgrade with sleek, apothecary-style bottles that have made them stand out at home and abroad.

Another company taking their syrup very seriously is Montreal’s Société-Orignal. Owners Alex Cruz and Cyril Gonzales wanted to bridge the gap between farmers and chefs, bringing high-quality Quebec ingredients to restaurant kitchens as well as consumers. Curated offerings include raw honey and wild herbal tea, and their online manifesto asserts their intention to “accept nothing less than a fundamental shift in current agricultural norms.”

Société’s syrup, called Remonte-Pente (“ski lift”), comes from a forest of about 3,000 trees averaging 150 years old in the Frost Village of Quebec’s Estrie region. The sap is harvested manually from 50 lots and the syrup from each lot is evaluated blindly for quality and taste – a rarity considering the standard process of categorizing syrup based on colour (see page 42).

“It’s like wine and terroir – you get particular characteristics from the trees and their surroundings,” says Cruz, who formerly worked with Gonzales at Montreal’s DNA restaurant. “The 50 trees on top of a mountain are different from another 50 next to a lake. You want to embrace that, not erase it.” > It’s no wonder their 700-millilitre bottles go for

photos courtesy of Drip Maple. Photogr apher: Rob Fiocca , Recipes: Christopher St.Onge, Art Direction: Scot t Leder & Lisa Greenberg (Previous pages); Andrew McL achl an/Corbis (maple trees); Jonathan Bl air/Corbis (pouring sap); louise savoie (detail)

THE ARRIVAL of the high-speed gladiator: Nico Rosberg strides from paddock to garage ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

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$49 and are coveted by some of the best chefs in Montreal, Toronto and New York, who use it raw, like a finishing oil or an aged balsamic. (“It’s not just for pancakes,” says Cruz, “though it does taste great on them.”)

Derek Dammann, chef and co-owner of Montreal restaurant Maison Publique, is a big advocate of not only Société’s syrup but also their practice of retracing how syrup was made in the past in order to proceed more thoughtfully in the future. “[The production] reflects how the maple syrup process used to be done. This forward-backward type of thinking makes their product shine. They take 10 steps back to move one forward. And the colour of a syrup doesn’t make a difference [to them], it’s all about taste.”

Chef Rob Gentile of Toronto restaurant Buca agrees.

“Maple syrup is one of my favourite ingredients to cook with, and Société’s is the best one on the market. Spiking a good ragu bianco with some maple syrup adds amazing flavour and balance to game meats. Toss in wild

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mountain cranberries for a nice acidic pop.”

When asked about maple syrup, chef and Food Network star Chuck Hughes states simply, “It is basically liquid gold. It’s such a beautiful thing. In the restaurant, we use it in almost everything instead of sugar.”

The sweet ascent

bottle shock Kitschy decor and dishes get a twist at Old Montreal pop-up restaurant La Cabane; Noble stands out with sleek bottle design.

Although Drip and Société-Orignal might be making syrup that brings the process back to basics, Noble maple products are out to get noticed. “There are a lot of maple purists out there, people who think nothing should ever be added to maple syrup. I’m not one of those people,” says Tyler Gray of Mikuni Wild Harvest, the West Coast-based distributor of Noble. “I think the aging techniques and the ingredients for flavour infusion only elevate the maple syrup experience.”

Noble uses maple orchards from heritage sugar shacks in Quebec for their Tonic 01 syrup. They age their syrup > in Tuthilltown charred American oak bourbon

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barrels for five to eight months to produce a dark, smokysweet syrup that works as well in a cocktail as it would on pork belly; it’s on the menu at restaurants like Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry.

Gray also feels that the standard syrup grading system is becoming less relevant in reflecting quality products.

“I think we are going to see less and less of an emphasis on light, medium and dark syrups in the classic bottles and jugs. Instead, we’ll continue to see creative marriages of flavours and unique branding taking place as the industry expands its view on what maple syrup should look and taste like.”

Larger companies, like the Quebec maple syrup co-op Citadelle, are also working on changing the face of the industry. But they’re doing more than tweaking the syrup or the bottle – they’re creating entirely new maple products. Inspired by molecular cuisine, Citadelle’s award-winning Maple Pearls resemble caviar in shape and size. Used as a garnish, they release small bursts of maple flavour and a jelly-like texture with every bite.

It’s not Just for pancakes, though it does taste great on them. alex cruz, société- orignal

Chic shacks In St-Benoît de Mirabel, about 45 minutes outside of Montreal, is chef Martin Picard’s Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon. Having put Quebec on the culinary map with his Montreal restaurant, Picard conveyed his boisterous, foie-gras-laden food and jovial atmosphere to the countryside and reinvigorated a Quebec cultural staple – not simply the ingredient, but the experience of sugaring off. Picard takes the traditional sugar shack fare up a notch (or 20), spiking almost everything with his own maple syrup made on the premises. His pioneering ethos baffles even his peers.

“He’s feeding his pigs maple syrup, he’s feeding his ducks maple syrup, I don’t even know what to say!”

cabin fever Montreal street artist whatisadam holds a tribute to the classic syrup can.

exclaims Dammann. “He’s changed the way cooking [with maple syrup] is perceived and what people are doing in restaurants and at home.” Although Picard is transforming the traditional sugar shack experience, he’s still kept it in the countryside. La Cabane, on the other hand, is taking a more stylish route within the city limits. The first pop-up “shack” set up shop five years ago in Montreal’s Old Port with guest chefs, a refined, maple-heavy menu – you won’t find simple syrup in the Coureur des Bois cocktail – and decor that’s kitschy-cool, including bundles of brightly coloured knit lampshades and brown paper menus stamped with pictures of animal pelts and snowshoes.

“It’s like we’re just waking up and realizing we have this amazing product,” says owner Michel Leroux, who adds that La Cabane also emphasizes other provincial delicacies like apple cider and locally raised pork. “It’s about elevating Quebec’s chefs and products as a whole and giving them a spin.”

Whether it’s going back to tradition or taking a modernist approach, the Canadian maple syrup industry is broadening its culinary appeal beyond the breakfast table. Call it a golden era for maple syrup or perhaps just a moment in the spotlight for a local standby, but there is no denying this once humble industry is undergoing a serious makeover.

As for the great maple syrup caper, several people were taken into custody and some, but not all, of the syrup was recovered. There’s also a movie in the works, with Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother ) slated to star.

And while much of the world joked about this crime against Canadiana, it did highlight a very good point: Maple syrup is a valuable commodity that not only helps define our culture and reflect tradition, but is also > a new benchmark for culinary innovation.

Depending on country, state and province, grading systems vary slightly. Americans use grades A, B and C and Canadians use numbers 1, 2 and 3. The syrup’s classification is based on the translucence of the syrup, not the taste.

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Maple Syrup Category #1 Extra light

Maple Syrup Category #1 Light

Maple Syrup Category #1 Medium

Maple Syrup Category #2 Amber

Maple Syrup Category #3 Dark

Slightly golden colour, subtle taste and a very mild and delicate maple flavour, good used as a finishing syrup.

Golden colour, subtle taste and a mild and sweet maple flavour, perfect for vinaigrettes and sauces.

Amber colour, typical maple taste and a mild and sweet maple flavour that is best used on pancakes and in cooking.

Dark colour, strong, pronounced maple taste, too bold for table syrup but good for cooking and baking.

Very dark colour, full-flavoured, slightly caramelized taste, only used as a commercial ingredient.

photo station 16 (poster)

Making the Grade

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Maple Math Canada produces 80% of the world’s maple syrup Of that amount, 91% is produced in Quebec

The remaining 30% is exported to over 50 other countries including Japan, Germany and France

A barrel of maple syrup is worth about $1,800 – that’s approximately 18 times the price of a barrel of crude oil

$349,500,000 Value of the 39 million litres of syrup and products shipped by Canadian maple farmers in 2011

8,600

Number of maple syrupbased businesses in Canada

It takes on average 40 litres of sap to produce 1 litre of syrup

Step Aside, Syrup You can also find maple in…

Maple wood cutlery/ Justenbois, justenbois.com Maple bacon chips/ Neal Brothers Foods, nealbrothersfoods . com

“Attire-moi” perfume/ Chantal Roux and Pierre Faucher, attire - moi . com

“Oh Canada” tea / David’s Tea, davidstea . com

To Your Health?

Some cooks turn to maple syrup not just for its distinct flavour but also for health reasons. Unlike processed sugar, syrup boasts nutritionally significant levels of minerals like calcium, zinc and manganese.

Then there are producers trying to tap the health food market with maple water. According to the makers of Maple3, maple sap was originally used by First Nations people as a tonic. With two grams of polyphenols (antioxidants) and just 25 calories per cup, it could just be the next coconut water.

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Bottled sap water/De L’Aubier, delaubier . ca

Maple Night Cream/ B. Kamins Laboratories, bkamins . com

Maple Sizzurp art prints/ whatisadam at Station 16, whatisadam . com

>

photo courtesy of Drip Maple. Photographer: Rob Fiocca , Recipe: Christopher St.Onge, Art Direction: Scott Leder & Lisa Greenberg (french toast )

About 70% of bulk exports go to the United States

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A Daimler Brand

The ML 63 AMG 4MATIC™. Arrange a test drive at your Mercedes-Benz dealer or mercedes-benz.ca/ml

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s p o t l i g h t

Pascal Wehrlein i driver in DTM hi s was never my str o 46

words christoph Henn

photos jan friese

is the youngest story. “Waiting r ong suit,� he says.

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s p o t l i g h t

THE ANNOUNCEMENT in 2013 that Mercedes-Benz had entrusted one of its DTM cockpits to an 18-year-old came like a bolt from the blue. But former Formula 3 wunderkind Pascal Wehrlein is already beginning to demonstrate his prodigious talent in touring cars. While preparing for the race at Oschersleben, Germany, he spoke of ambitions, teamwork – and his passion for playing drums.

OLD AND NEW at Mercedes: Pascal Wehrlein with David Coulthard (far left), who bowed out of DTM in 2012, and with his latest colleagues (left).

POWER PACK The Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Edition 507 Coupe is powered by a 500-hp V8 engine.

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H

e arrives for the photo shoot with the same focus he brings to motor racing. Having removed his helmet, Pascal Wehrlein first checks his hair. For the next shot he swaps his race overalls for a smart suit and tie, studiously ignoring the “prom night” quips from his mechanics. And when the photographer suggests taking some pictures at the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Edition 507 Coupe, he declines firmly at first: “The suit will get dirty.”

Small details that reveal two things about Wehrlein. First, he knows his own mind and is not afraid to say what he thinks. And second, he is down to earth and able to weigh the pros and cons where his high-tech racing car is concerned.

Insiders say that this 19-year-old shows astonishing professionalism for a sportsman his age.

Were you surprised when Mercedes signed you up to race DTM last year?

I had been juggling with a number of scenarios, but not that one. I was away from home when I

ST Y L E - C O N S C I O U S Pascal Wehrlein looks as good in a suit as he does in race overalls.

M I L E S T ON E S 19 9 4 Pascal Wehrlein is born in Sigmaringen, Germany. His mother is from Mauritius.

2003 First experience of karting, age eight. The following year he finishes runner-up in an indoor race series.

In 2006, he takes the first of three national karting titles.

2 01 0 Wehrlein switches to formula racing and quickly makes his presence felt.

In 2011 he wins the ADAC Formula Masters; the following year he finishes runner-up as best rookie in the Formula 3 Euro Series.

photos Jan friese; Daimler AG

2 013 At just 18, Pascal Wehrlein becomes the youngest driver in DTM history at the wheel of the C 63 AMG Edition 507 Coupe.

learned that a cockpit had become available [the one occupied by none other than Ralf Schumacher] and that I had been selected. I was almost in a state of shock. I had just completed Formula 3 testing and was about to compete in the first race of the season.

So did you ask if you could sleep on the idea?

No, you can’t turn down an opportunity like that.

How difficult was it to switch from a formula racing car to the DTM Mercedes?

I’d driven it twice during the winter, so I already had a feel for it – I knew where all the buttons were, at least. But it’s a big change nevertheless.

The DTM car is a lot heavier and much wider.

The driver’s seat isn’t central and you can’t see the tires. These are all things that take time to get used to. I’m still in the learning phase, because race weekends are short and we have just 90 minutes of free practice. Although I knew quite a few of the circuits from Formula 3, I found I had to learn them all over again. In DTM, for example, you drive over some curbs you would normally avoid in the formula car.

Do the other drivers keep reminding you that you’re the youngest driver?

Sure, I get a bit of ribbing, particularly from the team. So I enjoy winding up Gary Paffett [age 33] about the fact that he’s my grandpa, and he teases me that I’m not much older than his children.

But when it comes to the race, age isn’t a factor.

At the end of the day, we’re all racing against each other and all trying to do the best we can for ourselves. It’s the same with anything – you first have to earn respect.

Are there things you can observe and learn from the older drivers?

Of course. I study Gary’s data to see what he does differently, for example. I compare his lap data with mine to see where he brakes earlier or later and where he exits the turn quicker.

Even if you drive the perfect race, there are always seconds lost as a result of pit stop problems you can do nothing about. How much do things like that bother you?

Sure, it’s frustrating sometimes because you’re prevented from achieving your best results. We discuss the problems internally, of course. But next time it might be me that makes a mistake and the team performs perfectly. So we’ve got to stick together and support each other.

How do you relax after a hard day’s racing?

I play the drums – hard rock mainly. But I also enjoy listening to hip hop and rap. And I play a lot of soccer.

Could that have been an alternative to motorsports? > Yeah, all the major clubs wanted to sign

49

s p o t l i g h t

age isn’t A factor when it comes time to race. In the end, we’re all racing against each other. It’s the same with anything – you have to earn respect.

me... [laughs]. Soccer is a great counterbalance; it gives you stamina and teaches you to play as part of a team. And if you play up front, as I do, you have to keep a cool head – the same as with driving.

Are you ambitious by nature? Or are you the patient type who waits for the opportunity to strike?

Waiting has never really been my strong suit, but I learned a lot last season. I’m extremely ambitious. I think that’s what makes the difference more than anything. All my life I’ve competed against people who are older than me, and I was always one of the best.

In DTM, on the other hand, your finishes last season were not quite so spectacular. Do you miss not winning?

Of course, it’s difficult when you’re not getting the results. But there have been races where it could have happened for me. So in that respect, I’m reasonably satisfied with the way things have gone. In addition to setting the fastest lap at the Nürburgring, I was on course for a podium finish on several occasions, and in my first race I held the lead for several laps. I think I’ve had a few highlights.

didn’t always go according to plan for Pascal Wehrlein last season.

Do you feel more pressure in DTM? No, not really. If anything, I had more pressure in Formula 3 because I felt I had to stay at the front to get myself noticed. If you don’t do that, you’re unlikely to get an offer from Mercedes. No one was expecting podium finishes from me last season. So any pressure I felt came from my own expectations – which is just how it used to be.

Who are your role models in motorsports?

I think really only young children look up to role models. But there are people I admire. In the past there was Mika Häkkinen, then Kimi Räikkönen, and now Lewis Hamilton. What I find most impressive about Hamilton was that podium finish in his first Formula 1 race – and the fact that he came so close to winning the championship.

Some people are comparing you to Hamilton...

Oh, maybe. I don’t pay too much attention to all that. I drive DTM and I’m Pascal Wehrlein – end > of story.

50

photos Jan Friese; daimler AG

PIT STOPS

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*Additional fees and taxes apply. © 2014 Sirius XM Canada Inc. “SiriusXM”, the SiriusXM logo, channel names and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and are used under license. MLB is available on the XM network only. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. Visit MLB.com. The NBA and NBA member team identifications are the intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams. © 2014 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. © NHL 2014. All rights reserved. PGA TOUR and the Swinging Golfer design are trademarks of PGA TOUR, Inc. and used with permission. All other trademarks, service marks, images and logos are property of their respective owners and are displayed in this publication with permission. All rights reserved.

S P O T L I G H T

Driving safely… without a driver: The S 500 Intelligent Drive research car uses near-production-ready technology to show that autonomous driving is already possible.

Hands Off the Wheel!

A

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n S-Class sedan rolls out of the shadows. The rear door opens and Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche emerges to an excited reception. But the applause at the Frankfurt Auto Show is as much, if not more, an expression of amazement at the empty space where the driver should be. The S 500 Intelligent Drive research car chauffeuring Dr. Zetsche onto the stage is busy turning the long-held dream of the self-driving car into reality – and not only over a few short metres in Frankfurt. Last summer, the autonomous S-Class proved its mettle on a test drive from Mannheim to Pforzheim. The route covered 50 kilometres on country roads and another 53 kilometres through towns and villages, taking in 18 traffic circles, hundreds of traffic lights, intersections, pedestrian crossings and construction zones along the way. In so doing, it made

PIONEERING TRIP 125 years after the first long-distance car journey between Mannheim and Pforzheim, it was time for the first autonomous drive.

history all over again. One hundred and twenty-five years after Bertha Benz embarked on the first longdistance car journey in her husband Carl’s new invention, Mercedes-Benz has become the world’s first automaker to show that a car can drive itself on both urban and cross-country roads. An array of camera and radar sensors and intelligent 3-D maps allows the car to control the steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedal fully autonomously. “I’m proud that we’ve achieved this with a vehicle not far removed from current production models,” says Professor Ralf Guido Herrtwich, Director of Driver Assistance and Chassis Systems. The project has shown that selfdriving cars are now within reach. The new S-Class, with its ability to drive autonomously in heavy traffic, offers a taste of what lies ahead.

words Christoph henn photos  Anatol Kot te

E A S Y DO E S I T Driving to your destination without touching the steering wheel? Technically, it’s possible.

TH E TEC HNOLOGY is based on the highly developed sensors of the new S-Class and three-dimensional digital maps.

In a few years, Mercedes-Benz drivers will reap the rewards of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research. No longer will drivers be obliged to keep their hands on the wheel over monotonous commuter journeys or long freeway stretches. Herrtwich and his team are aiming to make autonomous driving on freeways a reality by 2020, before extending the technology to the rest of the road network. But there are still a few hurdles to overcome, such as interaction with other drivers in bottlenecks and with pedestrians. Indeed, the test took an inadvertent turn for the amusing when pedestrians paused to let the car continue over crosswalks, only to find it waiting equally patiently for them. Clearly a car with manners as well < as intelligence.

53

G E T A W A Y

Unfrozen in Time A trip through Manitoba reveals an Icelandic population still influenced by the old ways a century later.

w o r d s K a r e n B u r s h t e i n p h o t o s L o r n e B r i d g ma n

old world order Clockwise from top left: Gimliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s viking monument, unveiled in 1967; a decorative map at Krisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fish & Chips; Icelandic immigrant Josavin Berghildur and her children by the shore of Lake Winnipeg; blue heritage signs in the Interlake Region bear old Icelandic names; fisherman Ivan Grimolfson in his gear; the Gimli marina; Icelandic sheep graze in Riverton; an Icelandic flag waves in Hecla.

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G E T A W A Y

taste of home

“S

56

ometimes I feel they are more Icelandic than me,” says Birgir Robertsson, owner of the Reykjavik Bakery in Gimli, Manitoba. He’s referring to the Icelandic-Manitobans who gather here to snack on vínarterta, a traditional prune-filled, cardamomflavoured torte, and to exchange gossip in Icelandic, a language their ancestors brought to this fishing town on the shores of Lake Winnipeg five generations ago. The fortysomething Robertsson is a more recent immigrant. In the wake of his country’s economic collapse, he moved from Reykjavik to a town whose denizens Icelanders refer to quaintly, if stubbornly, as “West Icelanders.”

The first Icelandic exodus happened well before their most recent banking crisis. In the late 19th century, about 20 percent of the country’s population came to Canada after volcanic eruptions crippled their economy and livestock industry.

They left an isolated place of unearthly beauty for an isolated place of ungodly cold – even by

icelanders brought with them to the New World a strong work ethic and a touch of magic.

their standards. After learning how to fish on lakes and rivers covered by metre-thick ice, the survivors went on to found New Iceland, a.k.a.

Gimli (Norse for “home of the gods”). They brought with them to the New World a strong work ethic and a touch of magic – including huldufólk, the “hidden people,” or elves, who are believed in by even the most rational of Icelanders and whose presence can affect everything from the routing of streets to the design of a new building.

Fast-forward to the present day and Manitoba is feeling more New Iceland than ever. I’m spending a week trying to get to the bottom of this proud patriotism, and already I find this recursive nostalgia extends beyond Gimli to other IcelandicManitoban towns in the Interlake Region, and to Winnipeg, where a new generation is celebrating its Icelandic heritage in measures that stand out even in multiculti Manitoba. Among its luminaries are John K. Samson, front man of celebrated

photoS leif norman (heritage sign on previous page and pastries)

Icelandic antiques and treats at H.P. Tergesen & Sons (est. 1899) in Gimli and Winnipeg’s Parlour Coffee.

Canadian folk-punk group the Weakerthans, who stages a hipster cabaret dubbed Icelandic Vaudeville; filmmaker Guy Maddin, whose mythmaking movies My Winnipeg and Tales from the Gimli Hospital are tied to his Icelandic-Manitoban childhood; and intermedia artist Freya Björg Olafson, co-founder of Núna, a Canadian-Icelandic arts festival.

Modern tart Before setting off, I meet Olafson at Coffee, one of several stylish third-wave Scandinavian-style cafés that have recently opened in Winnipeg. She’s taking a break from rehearsals for a new work for Núna: HYPER_, an ethereal piece of choreography that merges movement and lighting technology. “Is it a renaissance or a continuation by a particularly creative bunch?” she wonders aloud before adding, simply: “We’re a stubborn lot.”

So why are there so many Icelandic-Manitobans in Manitoba’s art scene? Olafson chalks it up partly to Iceland’s famous literary bent (the country boasts one of the strongest publishing industries, per capita, in the world). “I found myself through stories of family history,” says Olafson. Her friend, filmmaker Caelum Vatnsdal, agrees: “Guy [Maddin] used to say the immigrants packed books and bookshelves to the exclusion of their children.” But both she and Vatnsdal admit that at least some of their generation’s appreciation for the homeland has to do with Iceland’s current cool factor. “It’s exotic and remote and, at the same time, it’s supercosmopolitan,” says Vatnsdal. “And it has Björk.”

My drive to Gimli is through a prairie landscape so flat, it recalls the pictures a child makes before learning about perspective – a big band of blue for sky, a small strip of green at the bottom. Less than an hour north of Winnipeg, a sign welcomes me to New Iceland. I begin to see exits for streets named Husavik and Siglavik.

At the Reykjavik Bakery, Robertsson serves me a lethally strong cup of coffee and kleinur – think twisted donuts, but better – telling me, “You know, ‘cake’ is an Icelandic word.” I barely have time for a bite before a man introduces himself as the Lutheran minister and, joining the conversation, > asks if I’d like to meet the former mayor,

town pride A vintage poster and traditional pastries at the Reykjavik Bakery in Gimli.

57

Tammy Axelsson. “She speaks fluent Icelandic.”

I tell the minister I will have to take a rain check because, well, I’m already late for church. A movie at the town church, that is, one of the venues of the Gimli Film Festival, a showcase of artsy Manitoban, Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic cinema held every July. I slip onto a hard wooden pew just as the lights dim for A Boy Like Her, a documentary about Hrafnhildur, a transgendered Icelander. Only in Gimli.

During my time in the town, I see more Icelandic flags than must exist in Iceland, and countless blue signs in front of homes and cottages with names of Icelandic villages, sagas or homesteads. A largerthan-life Viking sculpture dominates the town (many a first kiss was had behind the marauder).

Nearby, Lifa Home, a new Scandi-chic home decor shop, is being unveiled by three local sisters. On this cool summer day, I’m struck by the number of blond people in Icelandic sweaters, notable for their muted colours and distinctive yoke pattern around the neck and worn by fishermen and fashionistas alike. And, everywhere I go, the grainy, intoxicating smell of rye permeates the air – the Gimli Distillery produces Crown Royal whisky – only adding to the dreamy atmosphere.

Heritage minutes After a day of Nordic moviegoing, I leave Gimli knowing I’ll be back soon for Islendingadagurinn, or the Icelandic Festival, the big-ticket event for the whole North American Icelandic community.

58

I’ve always felt the Interlake is an extremely evocative and haunted place. john k. samson, lead singer, the weakerthans

Meanwhile, I head north up Lake Winnipeg to Hecla, named after one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes. The change in scenery creeps up in a slow and dramatic fashion from prairie to pine trees. Flat land becomes hilly (well, hilly by Manitoba standards), and wheat and canola fields give way to poplars and pine, and then a causeway – Hecla used to be an island until it was artificially joined to the mainland.

The town was one of Icelandic Manitoba’s most important settlements, but most of the population left when it was transformed into a provincial park featuring 1,000 square kilometres of hiking and biking trails as well as one of Manitoba’s best golf courses. Hecla’s causeway is named after Grimolfur “Grimsi” Grimolfson, who captained the local ferry for decades. Entering the park, I swerve as a deer darts out of the coniferous forest, then regain my composure as I drive past the restored Icelandic village to the shed where commercial fisherman Ivan Grimolfson, Grimsi’s son, is waiting to take me out on his boat. Now in his seventies, Grimolfson has been fishing here since he was a boy. He seems to embody Hecla’s moody atmosphere. With his quiet manner, his full white beard and eyes the colour of Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon, he’s part Norse god, part lone wolf.

From here, Grimolfson ships his hearty fish all over the world. The summer fishing moratorium is on when we head out, but he tells me the next time I visit he’ll show me how to smoke pickerel > over pear wood, the way he likes it.

photoS leif norman (Icel andic Festival)

G E T A W A Y

After Hecla, I drive back south, stopping in Riverton to meet Nelson Gerrard, a historian and gentleman farmer who is trying his hand at raising Icelandic sheep. Gerrard is a fountain of knowledge and a stickler for historical truth. “All that Gimli ‘heart of New Iceland’ is nice, but Riverton is where the story began,” he tells me.

Gerrard’s non-profit Icelandic River Heritage Sites has also created Icelandic River Roast Coffee, a locally roasted brand that raises funds for projects, including a life-size bronze statue of Sigtryggur Jónasson, “Father of New Iceland,” and the restoration of the historic house at Engimyri, where Gerrard and I meet. He has plans to turn the homestead, with its New Iceland maps hanging on old flowered wallpaper, into a coffee house like the beautiful cafés he’s visited in rural Iceland. When I ask why Icelanders are crazy for their baked goods and java, Gerrard explains that “we like sweet pastry like all Scandinavians, and strong coffee goes with that.”

At his nearby farm, Icelandic sheep are peeking out of a ramshackle barn overlooking the Icelandic River and the eerie Nes Cemetery, which dates back to 1876. If it looks familiar, it’s because the Weakerthans’ John K. Samson filmed videos here for his EP Provincial Road 222. He says, explaining his choice of location to me, “I’ve always felt the Interlake, and especially Riverton, is an extremely evocative and haunted place.”

Fighting chance Samson’s words are wildly different in tone from what’s going on in Gimli when I arrive back in

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strong ties This page and previous: Displays and games at the annual Icelandic Festival mix tradition with plain old fun, while a visit to Hecla (below) promises some authentic antiques, including old homesteads open to the public; (previous page, bottom) recent transplant and owner of the Reykjavik Bakery Birgir Robertsson brought recipes for Icelandic sweets with him to Manitoba.

time for the start of Islendingadagurinn, where headlining Icelandic indie music act Snorri Helgason greets the crowd with a hearty “Gott Kvöld, Gimli!” During the festival, the town of 5,000 swells to 50,000. Icelandic clans, clad in shirts ending in “–dóttir” or “–sson,” are out shopping for herring, Brennivín (the Icelandic liquor of choice) and dark, dense rugbraud (rye bread) from the Reykjavik Bakery. The Prime Minister of Iceland is here for the festivities, staying at the same hotel as me and, when I step into the lobby, I find six fully dressed Vikings drinking coffee.

I later wander to the Viking Village. While there are demonstrations on Icelandic spices and fishnet-making, Islendingadagurinn’s biggest draw is clearly the battle re-enactment, and the ruthlessness is played out for the crowd. “There was no art to their fighting!” cries the announcer.

“It was do what you must to stay alive!”

Thousands of attendees whoop with glee, but it’s impossible to tell who’s a descendant of Vikings, who’s visiting from Reykjavik and who’s just here to revel for the day.

As I scan the crowd, I’m reminded of words filmmaker Caelum Vatnsdal shared with me at the start of this trip. Explaining a rather Viking-like dominance of their genetic makeup, Vatnsdal – himself only a quarter Icelandic “despite my ridiculously Icelandic name” – said, “If you have even a drop of Icelandic blood, you gravitate toward it. It dominates the rest of your blood, therefore > you are Icelandic.”

photo leif norman (Icel andic Festival)

G E T A W A Y

>> Urban mobility on two wheels.

The city’s always on the move, which is why the smart electric bike was designed to make getting around urban areas easier than ever before.

The smart electric bike’s powerful electric motor assists your every pedal-stroke and can take you up to 100 kilometres. And further if you wish: simply switch off the drive system and continue onto your destination in bicycle mode. So while the city keeps on moving, so do you.

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Design and technical specifications are subject to change as the product shown is a near-series model.

Addresses

Manitoba

Stay and Play

Mermaid’s Kiss Gallery Guy Maddin’s daughter Jilian has created a line of jewellery inspired by rocks at Gimli Beach, where she spent summers as a child.

204-642-7453 mermaidskissgallery . com

David Rice Jewelry + Objects Winnipeg’s veteran modernist jewellery store sells Ione Thorkelsson’s glass sculptures.

204-453-6105 davidrice . com

New Iceland Heritage Museum Check out this Gimli museum for Icelandic River Roast Coffee and Icelandic sweaters, hand-knit using wool from nearby farms.

204-642-4001 nihm . ca

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Scandi Structures

Best of the Fests

Hip Hotels

When jobs in their field started to decrease in Iceland, Reykjavik’s Batteriid Architects looked to Manitoba. Now they are partnering with Winnipeg firm Cibinel Architects on the Active Living Centre at the University of Manitoba, one of Winnipeg’s more interesting construction projects.

Plans for the all-glass building show a structure with a decidedly Scandinavian look.

Take your pick of summer’s Icelandicthemed festivals. Find Viking displays and games every summer at the Icelandic Festival in Gimli, an hour north of Winnipeg. There you’ll also find the Gimli Film Festival, a showcase of over 100 Manitoban, Canadian and international shorts and features.

Núna features Icelandic-Canadian arts, including literature, music and theatre, curated by local artists with ties to Iceland. icelandicfestival.com,

In Hecla Grindstone Provincial Park, the newly opened Lakeview Hecla Resort is brimming with Nordic chic. Rooms have bare wood floors and overlook poplar forests. The property features Scandinavian thermal pools and the Salka Spa, offering luxury treatments inspired by the water, ice and fire of Iceland. There is also an adjacent, top-rated 18-hole golf course.

arkitekt . is , cibinel . com

gimlifilm . com , nunanow . com

lakeviewhotels . com

i

Lifa Home This Gimli boutique is the only place in Canada to buy the cult Icelandic skin-care line Purity Herbs. They’ve also just opened a top-floor apartment suite for rent by the week. 204-642-5020 lifahome . com

Fishing with Ivan In Hecla, Ivan Grimolfson takes visitors out on his boat to haul nets, then demonstrates how to fillet and cook the catch. 204-619-4119 discoversecondnature . ca

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The Mercedes-Benz ML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC is an ultramodern way to explore the rich culture of rural Manitoba. The COMAND infotainment system with DVD changer and Bluetooth interface keeps passengers entertained between destinations, while the fuel-efficient 3.0-litre V6 engine, featuring 240 hp of clean-burning turbo-diesel power and an astonishing 455 lb-ft of torque, means the driver will be entertained as well. Interior ambient lighting and ergonomic seating for five make for a relaxing environment, and the standard AMG exterior styling package gives this ML considerable curb appeal. The optional panoramic sunroof frames the inspiring prairie skies, and THERMATIC automatic climate control and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive provide the comfort and confidence to enjoy the > journey – whatever the season or road conditions.

photo leif norman (Icelandic Festival)

Reykjavik Bakery A must-visit for vínarterta, a multi-layer torte that’s a sweet piece of Icelandic Manitoba.

204-642-7598

Purism. Sensuality. Intelligence.

To see what else bulthaup kitchens have to offer, please contact your local retail partner.

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s p o t l i g h t

Masterpiece 64

words Alex ander Runte

photos r alph richter

her Shirt: Markus Lupfer; PANTS: COS; Pumps: BOSS him suit: So Popular; sneakers: Y3

SPORTY AND AGILE like a coupe, robust and powerful in the SUV mould, the new model from Mercedes-Benz has an eye for any adventure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; over rough terrain, in the mountains or through the urban jungle.

e u ropean v e h i c le m odel s h o w n

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A class apart 66

HER COAT: BURBERRY; SHOES: MICHAEL SONTAG HIM SHIRT, PANTS: JIL SANDER; SOCKS: FALKE; SNEAKERS: NIKE

IN FOCUS Graceful and elegant, the GLA has a magnetic attraction to the limelight.

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And... Action The car’s squat physique gives the driver the feeling it can handle any route.

O

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f all the compliments – great or small – you could pay an automobile designer, being speechless is quite possibly the most honest. For example, here, on a sweltering Saturday afternoon in a photo studio outside Stuttgart, we have no words for what we’re looking at. The GLA is a car like no other before it, and for once, in our world of throwaway superlatives, that is no exaggeration. This is the first time the GLA has broken cover, several months ahead of its official unveiling at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt. However, this is still a very exclusive photocall, shrouded in secrecy. The security man covers the car again whenever so much as a studio window, let alone a door, is opened – no part of the car must be glimpsed by the outside world. The two designers responsible for the GLA, unsurprisingly, have a different mindset. Robert Lesnik and Hans-Peter Wunderlich are straining at the leash to introduce

HER BLOUSE, PANTS: BOSS; VISOR: AMERICAN APPAREL HIM TANK TOP: ADIDAS SLVR; JOGGING PANTS: PUMA BY MIHAR A YASUHIRO; SOCKS: FALKE

S P O T L I G H T

the premium compact SUV to the public. Wunderlich, who heads up Interior Design at Mercedes-Benz, is delighted to hear the GLA has left us confused and struggling to know what to say. “The X156,” he says, using the internal code name, “is a special car for us because it doesn’t have a predecessor as such. And that meant we enjoyed an unusual degree of freedom in developing it.” Robert Lesnik, Senior Manager for Exterior Design, agrees: “This is not something that happens every day at a company like Mercedes-Benz, which has such a rich heritage. We had a licence to give this car a distinctive character all its own.”

PERFECTION I N T H E D E TA I L s Galvanized trim elements characterize the spacious interior.

Ready for anything, anytime In purely functional terms, this character distinguishes a car in which coupe and SUV-like attributes converge – the GLA definitely shares certain key genes with the sleek CLA. The combination has left quite an impression: In initial testing, it was clear that the GLA stirred some strong emotions among those present.

And now the car is ready for its first major appearance.

Immediately you are struck by its stance, infused with a sportiness we are unaccustomed to in an SUV and generally only expect of coupes. The hood is longer than that of other SUVs and the greenhouse lower, which, together with the high extension of the underbody panelling, gives the GLA a sportier, lighter look.

Indeed, it almost appears to be floating over the ground.

Foremost among the eye-catching elements of the front end are the two bulges – known as “power domes” – that spread out wide across the hood and are picked up again on the roof. The long wheelbase, the “dropping line” that swoops down along the flanks and the counter-crease below it ensure that the GLA cuts a far more radical yet also more elegant figure than any other compact SUV. Robert Lesnik spent months refining these exact details for the finished car, tweaking them by a few millimetres here, a few millimetres there. However, his main priority is the bigger picture: the impression the GLA leaves behind when it passes other cars. “The overall impression has to be right,” he says. “What you often notice about a new car on the road is not something like the dropping line but simply its proportions – you can see how well the GLA sits on its wheels.”

Lesnik pauses briefly before floating an idea that sounds a little quirky, but is actually rather apt: “The GLA is like a stylish trekking shoe.” By that he means that its SUV elements, sporty as they are, don’t strike you at first glance. But they do give drivers the feeling that the car would be ready to take them on any trip beyond the reaches of the urban jungle at any time.

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In initial tests of the vehicle, the GLA stirred strong emotions among those present.

It is a feeling backed up directly by various elements of the car: the two-piece front bumper and the two slats on either side of the three-pointed star (as on the GLK), the roof rails and the rugged underbody, which could be seen as the sole of the trekking shoe.

However, this go-anywhere promise is delivered most prominently at the raised rear end; only when seen from behind does the GLA roll out its full, adrenalin-charged SUV repertoire. The back end flows down elegantly in three curves. A spoiler frames the rear window at its top edge, while the bipartite rear lights reinforce the width-enhancing effect of the underbody panelling. The crossover feeling continues in the interior. Rear passengers sit comfortably in a slightly raised position, and the rear seats can be moved into a cargo position to increase trunk capacity from 421 litres to 1,235 litres (with rear seats folded down). The driver and front passenger can relax into the integral seats – featuring dramatic cut-outs in the head restraints – and settle down at a pleasant, coupe-like level.

Thus ensconced, we find ourselves once again searching for the right words. The freestanding display and classy, minimalist head unit hint at the armada of technological assistance systems ready to come to the driver’s aid – from DISTRONIC PLUS, PARKTRONIC with Active Parking Assist and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST to ATTENTION ASSIST and Blind Spot Assist.

Adding a rather different flavour are the circular, butterfly-wing-design air vents, which recall a time when flying was still glamorous and the roads were graced with icons of the car-building art like the > Mercedes-Benz SL.

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At h l e t i c The GLA rolls out its full, adrenalincharged SUV repertoire most prominently at the rear.

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HER SHIRT: MIU MIU; PANTS: BURBERRY; ANKLE BOOTS: Y3; HEADPHONES: MARSHALL HIM PANTS: Y3; SNEAKERS: ADIDAS SLVR

flair Inside and out, the GLA impresses with its precise interplay of forms and dynamic design, clearly revealing its identity as the SUV sibling of the sleek CLA Coupe.

EXPRESSIve The curvature of the rear offers an early hint of the car’s inherent sporting prowess.

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PRODUCTION DIRK MEYCKE PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT SVEN LINNERT DIGITAL OPERATOR JOCHEN STARZ ST YLING SEBASTIANO R AGUSA HAIR AND RODRIGUEZ/TUNE MAKEUP CAROLINEMODELS JARCHOW/NINA KLEIN MODELS CAROLINE SCHROEDL/MEGAMODEL AGENCY, MARCO

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The GLA is a car for people who want to stand apart from the crowd and who enjoy the freedom of go-anywhere driving.

i GLA Guardian Angel HER JACKET: FADE TO W, SKIRT: MUUBA , VISOR: ST YLIST’S OWN HIM PANTS: SO POPUL AR, SHOES: Y3

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In itself, the GLA is a stimulant.

But the standard ATTENTION ASSIST is on hand to warn the driver of overtiredness, just in case.

Parking with Ease The newly enhanced optional Active Parking Assist manoeuvres the GLA almost fully automatically into parallel and perpendicular parking spaces.

The above data do not relate to an individual vehicle and do not form part of an offer but serve solely to facilitate comparisons between different models.

MERCEDES-BENZ.CA

Hans-Peter Wunderlich is proud to claim both as deliberate styling cues: “We decided to give the technical wizardry a clear showcase,” he says. The display, for example, sits atop the centre console like a flatscreen TV on the cabinet at home, while the hand-control-only air vents – which, like all the plastic surfaces inside the car, have a smooth galvanized finish – bring technology to your fingertips.

The greater design challenge surrounded the sense of space on board the 4.42-metre-long car, as Wunderlich explains: “The high-set instrument panel is true to my philosophy that, in a sporty car, you should sit in front of it, not above it. At the same time, you shouldn’t get the feeling you’re in too small a car.”

The arrangement of the instruments reflects the view of the world the GLA driver will enjoy: a sporty view, there is little doubt. This is an ideal car for people who want to stand apart from the crowd day in and day out, and who crave the freedom to tackle any rough track. These are people who are looking for fun and expect their car to help them find it, whatever it takes.

But they also want their car to display good sense.

They are people like Robert Lesnik – a father as well as a designer, who cites the GLA’s integrated pedestrian protection system as its most successful feature – and Hans-Peter Wunderlich, who says he would not hesitate to buy a GLA himself. Right there is perhaps the greatest, most honest compliment a designer could > pay himself… or receive from others.

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Mild, Mild West In Scottsdale, Arizona, a cowboy credo has given way to a population with a hankering for healthy living. words E ve Thomas

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I “It’s so simple, it’s ridiculous,” says Ken Singh, holding up a handful of beets, dark soil still clinging to their green and crimson leaves. He is leading me through a literal oasis, a maze of rocky paths, twisting trees and shaded garden plots – a layout so irregular it would drive a city planner mad. Yet all of it is thriving just seconds from Arizona’s Highway 101 and in defiance of the desert sun.

Singh moved to the state from British Columbia in the 1970s to escape the cold, he claims. For the most part, whether he’s discussing anaerobic bacteria or cosmic energy, he’s eager to explain the story of his experimental farm and compost heaps, first set up in 2003 on a plot of seemingly barren land on the edge of the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community. But every so often he hints at another life, one that had him living in the city with a mansion, maids and little care for his impact on the planet – or his neighbours.

Now Singh is part of a movement taking hold across Scottsdale, a push to turn the city and bordering communities into a healthy, holistic destination through sustainable agriculture, land preservation and every kind of spa service you can imagine. Though its official nickname is “The West’s Most Western Town,” spend time with one of the 200,000-or-so laid-back locals and you’re more likely to talk about kale and reiki than cowboys and rodeos.

Put down roots “See that? That’s an almond tree, there’s sugar cane,” says Singh. No matter what topic he’s on, he can’t stop himself from pointing out the crops growing all around us (and sometimes popping a sample in his mouth). “Mulberry, mesquite…”

As we pass two mustangs, he reveals that they were orphaned and rescued. “We used to keep them in that pen over there – oh, that’s mint, rosemary – now it’s full of chickens who – pomegranate, celery – lay just the best chocolatebrown eggs. You see, once you have a canopy, > you can do lots of neat things.”

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inspect any menu and you’ll find suppliers growing food in the Sonoran Desert.

branching out Left to right: Singh Farms’ budding market; Chihuly’s art at the Desert Botanical Garden; aerial yoga in session at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

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As we approach a tiny wooden structure that’s the base camp for the farm’s garden market, we pass a couple sitting side by side on an old, repainted church pew and two little boys inspecting a traditional teepee. Though Singh Farms doesn’t advertise, little by little locals are learning about it from friends and stopping by on Saturdays when it’s open to the public.

The rest of the week, professional chefs from the city’s best restaurants and resorts come to stock their kitchens. Not that this is their only option. Inspect any menu in Scottsdale and you’ll discover dozens of local suppliers growing and raising food you’d never suspect could come from the Sonoran Desert. Or head straight to the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers’ Market for another taste of the city’s sustainable bent.

When I pull up to the buzzing market, I have to wait in line to talk with Payton Curry, who later tells me he remembers when it was only six or seven booths. He’s hidden behind a table piled

high with purple artichokes – they’re going by the dozen, and he has to stop every few minutes to show someone how to peel them properly. “This is the best job I’ve ever had,” says Curry, who is also a chef and co-owner of a nearby restaurant, Brat Haus. “I used to be a fat kid, 200 pounds, and now when kids come by I tell them, ‘Whatever you want, it’s on the house.’ We need to get them to eat their veggies. Plus, the market gives them something to do, keeps them out of trouble.”

While we are only steps away from Old Town, a cute and kitschy destination full of saloons and souvenir shops stocked with cowboy boots and bolo ties, the market feels remarkably fresh.

In fact, between the artisan ice pops, gluten-free cupcakes and free-range beef burritos, this might very well be Arizona’s answer to hipster meccas like Williamsburg, Brooklyn or Toronto’s Queen Street West – though it’s hard to find anyone with an attitude in a city that gets 330 days of sunshine a year.

before he started volunteering, he and his wife, both from New Jersey, came here for help caring for houseplants in their adopted climate. The garden hosts a desert landscape school as well as classes on photography, painting and even tequila tasting. When I tell him I’m in town to relax, he recommends I hang around until sundown for the garden’s sunset yoga class – or return early the next morning for tai chi.

“But if you can’t come back, there might be one or two other spots in town that offer it…” he says with a chuckle.

Face the future

photoS Kholood Eid/Phoenix New Times (singh farms); DBG/Scott M. Leen (garden)

As I soon discover, this is a serious spa city, and yoga is just the beginning. Scottsdale is home to some of the most stunning, diverse health resorts in the country (and maybe the world), with a dizzying mix of treatments and classes on offer, from acupressure to Zumba. Any spa trying to push a basic Swedish massage and a mud mask just doesn’t stand a chance.

After checking in and strolling past the Miamiworthy pool to the Well & Being at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess’s Willow Stream Spa, I’m offered a new perspective almost immediately. > Specifically, a view of the ceiling.

Grow up green As much as I love Scottsdale residents’ sunny outlook, I could use a break from the heat itself.

So as the temperature threatens to hit 40°C, I’m relieved to find another spot of shade is just a short drive away, in Phoenix: the Desert Botanical Garden. The 75-year-old institution might seem unnecessary after a drive through the saguarofilled desert, but it proves to be more than a collection of native plants on display for tourists – it’s also a chance for Arizonans to appreciate them anew.

The first reason to stop and stare is, admittedly, not from nature at all, but comes care of artist Dale Chihuly. Interspersed among the agave are the Desert Towers, a series of glittering, blownglass sculptures meant to mimic the sharp lines and bright bursts of yucca plants. A guide notices me looking a little lost and offers to walk me to the garden’s other biggest draw, a seasonal exhibit of live butterflies. On the way he tells me that

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the bod pod is the gold standard of measuring body composition.

healthy hideaway Spanish-style architecture peeks out above the rooftop pool at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess’s Willow Stream Spa.

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“This is the most relaxed chair pose you’ll ever do,” Sierra Ramm Cantrell assures the class, each of us tucked inside a swath of blue nylon hanging from a wooden beam. This is aerial yoga, an offshoot of Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics – only much slower and, performed inches from the ground, way safer. As an occasional yoga practitioner with a hard time touching her toes, I’m amazed at how flexible I feel in this fabric sling.

“The loop does a lot of the work, lets you decompress,” says Cantrell. While I seem to have found a friend in gravity, she admits that even some lifelong yogis are challenged by their first class.

“How many times have you done a downward dog, or a warrior one pose? You kind of know what they’re going to feel like. But when people come here, some of them get uncomfortable, and to me that’s what yoga is all about – not just meditating in a quiet room, but keeping your cool when there’s chaos around you.”

With my head still in the clouds, I go for a space-age treatment downstairs: a Naturopathica Rejuvenating HydraFacial in what looks like a (very chic) doctor’s office. The aesthetician

explains each step as vials are filled, tubes graze my face and LED lights are positioned.

For a final high-tech touch there’s the Bod Pod, an egg-shaped machine that is right out of The Fly or 2001: A Space Odyssey. At about $50,000 per machine, it’s the gold standard of measuring body composition. Resident exercise physiologist Craig Cristello explains that it uses air displacement plethysmography, a process that is more accurate than merely measuring your Body Mass Index (under BMI guidelines, Cristello himself would be considered obese, despite his muscular frame) and miles ahead of primitive-looking fat calipers, whose results are only as consistent as whoever is doing the measuring.

As with aerial yoga, what at first looks daunting – a gleaming white, airtight chamber with a single seat inside – turns out to be painless, and even a little fun. I put on a bathing suit and a swim cap then I step inside and wait. There’s a slight pop in my ears as the pressure changes, but other than that I don’t feel a thing. After two tests, each under a minute, it’s done. I get back into my robe and am welcomed into a second room to discuss the results.

“This is the part that’s really eye-opening for people,” says Cristello, handing me a chart that assures me my occasional trips to the gym (and maybe an inherited gene or two) have done me some good. “They’ll come to us and say, ‘I lost 12 pounds!’ and we’ll ask, ‘Okay, but what did you lose?’ You want to maintain lean mass.”

Though my results are promising, I have some concerns about where I’m headed, so I’m relieved to find this consultation doesn’t have to mean the end of my healthy journey. There are email and phone follow-ups available, and suggested smartphone apps to keep me on track. And if I need another reason to come back, I find it in a coconutwater cocktail by the spa’s private rooftop pool. If this is Arizona’s version of a cleanse, I’m on board.

“We want to meet people in their path,” says Cristello, explaining the relaxed atmosphere. “It doesn’t have to be a strict regimen. Health can be accessible.”

It’s a sentiment I see echoed across Scottsdale.

There are weekend hiking clubs in the Sonoran Preserve, classes at the botanical garden, and every resort I visit is its own ecosystem of golf, gardens, sand and spa. When it comes to healthy > living, this city makes it look easy.

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MARKETING BY

Trump International Hotel & Tower® Vancouver is not owned, developed or sold by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their principals or affiliates. West Georgia Holdings Inc. and West Georgia Development Limited Partnership are the owners and developers of the property, and use the “Trump” name and mark under license from DT Marks Vancouver LP, which license may be terminated or revoked according to its terms. Illustrations and renderings are artists’ or designers’ depictions only, are not necessarily to scale and may differ from completed improvements. Scenes may include locations or activities not on or near the property. Except as set out in the contract of purchase and sale, there are no direct or collateral representations or warranties, express or implied, statutory or otherwise, including without limitation arising out of this advertisement or any other marketing material. *Features, facilities, amenities, services, ownership privileges and programs are proposed only and are subject to change or cancellation. This is not an offering for sale as an offering can only be made by disclosure statement, and only in jurisdictions where qualified in accordance with applicable local laws. E.&O.E.

trumpVANCOUVER.COM 604 568 7888

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Anchoring Vancouver’s Golden Mile, Trump International Hotel & Tower® Vancouver offers an unparalleled level of luxury and a triumph of ‘FIRSTS’ including Vancouver’s first pool bar & nightclub, private jet hours*, and bespoke Rolls Royce car service*.

OVER $150 MILLION SOLD UNVEILING THE GOLDEN MILE COLLECTION

THE NEW TWIST ON LUXURY

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Scottsdale Quiet Time Montelucia Resort’s Joya Spa showcases stunning design and Eastern-inspired techniques, but your favourite part may be what you don’t see: The Whisper Zone features canopy beds, candlelight and cozy blankets, ideal for a post-massage nap.

4949 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley montelucia . com

Water Works The Hyatt’s grand Spa Avania moves with the rhythm of the day, changing treatments and even the flavour of the water depending on the hour. You can bask in the spa experience in the mineral pool – or have some fun on the resort’s waterslide.

7500 E Doubletree Ranch Rd, Scottsdale scottsdale . hyatt . com

Before Midnight At the Four Seasons, a lot of the fun takes place after sundown. Dine with a desert view on Talavera’s terrace, then join a stargazing specialist who’ll guide you through the constellations using a professional telescope.

10600 E Crescent Moon Dr, Scottsdale

Trip Out Desert by Design

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One Tequila, Two Tequila

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Up, Up and Away

Frank Lloyd Wright wasn’t the first person to seek the Sonoran Desert’s dry heat, but he is among the most famous.

(The San Francisco Giants also head here for spring training.)

After bouts with pneumonia in the 1930s, the architect chose Scottsdale as his winter home and the site for Taliesin West, one of the most iconic structures of his career. Take a 90-minute tour and you won’t just appreciate its organic beauty, you’ll probably also spot some architecture students at work – the property still functions as a campus.

Dine at La Hacienda on the weekend and you’ll be treated to over 200 varieties of tequila – and a “Tequila God or Goddess” to guide you through them. Some quick tips to get you started: Much like wine or cheese, tequila is often tasted in a “flight.” You might try three from the same label, or extra añejo (ultra-aged) across three brands. Also, forget what you learned in college. Sip your tequila as you would a fine brandy, rather than shooting it back in between a lick of salt and a lemon wedge.

The 5 a.m. wake-up call will be worth it once you’re watching the sunrise from the handcrafted wicker basket of a hot-air balloon.

Flying at altitudes between 120 and 900 metres (and at no more than 10 km/h), you’ll be treated to both a bird’s-eye view of the expansive desert and a closer look at the diverse flora and fauna below, including saguaro cacti, deer, quail, coyotes and roadrunners. Back on land, first-timers will be greeted with a special ballooning certificate and a gourmet breakfast, complete with bubbly.

franklloydwright . org

fairmont . com / scottsdale / dining

hotairexpeditions . com

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Yoga with a View While the spa at The Boulders is beautiful, the real secret is a few steps (or short golf cart ride) away: a secluded grassy hill enclosed by enormous boulders that’s as perfect for outdoor yoga as it is for a small wedding ceremony. 34631 N Tom Darlington Dr, Carefree theboulders . com

Reverse Massage Stay face up for the signature treatment at the Camelback Inn, one of the first spas in Scottsdale. It includes a mix of different techniques, from Tibetan chimes to basalt stones – they’re put under your back, rather than on top of it. 5402 E Lincoln Dr scottsdalemarriott . com

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photoS Alexi Hobbs ( taliesin); Lisa Romerein/Corbis ( tequila)

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fourseasons . com / scottsdale

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D E B E E R S ® , A D I A M O N D I S F O R E V E R ® , J E W E L L E R O F L I G H T ™ A R E T R A D E M A R K S O F T H E D E B E E R S G R O U P O F C O M PA N I E S .

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1088 ALBERNI STREET

DEBEERS.COM

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604 235 5555

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Upgraded C-Class 82

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photos marc tr autmann

Backdrops wwChristoph Koestlin/Folio-ID

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MORE COMFORT AND MORE LUXURY, more performance and more superlatives â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mercedes-Benz is redefining the mid-range class. And the enhancements are in evidence both inside and out.

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Even when stationary, the car

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her Shirt: Markus Lupfer; PANTS: COS; Pumps: BOSS him suit: So Popul ar; sneakers: Y3

r appears to be in full flight.

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Backdrops GREG CONRAUX/FOLIO-ID

Larger but lighter

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Premiere Available for the first time in the C-Class, AIRMATIC air suspension guarantees both comfort and dynamic driving pleasure.

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B ac k d r o p s G r e g C o n ra u x / F o l i o - I D

AT H L E T I C s ta n c e The long engine hood and shortened tail create an aerodynamic silhouette.

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oday we are used to having the world – quite literally – at our fingertips. We use touchscreens and touchpads to operate smartphones, tablets, computers, snack and cash dispensers, ticket machines and many other everyday conveniences.

What’s more, in recent years the gestures required to control these devices – the swipe, the drag, the tap – have become such a regular feature of our everyday lives that young children now stare indignantly at the printed words in a book when they stubbornly refuse to move off the page.

Touchscreens have introduced a closer relationship between man and machine. But for many years, the automobile remained largely untouched by this revolution. Why? Perhaps because the raw power of the machine, the irresistible force of several hundred horsepower, never seemed to sit quite so well with the simplicity of touchscreen control.

Presented by Mercedes-Benz at the Detroit Auto Show last January, the new C-Class is about to change all that: The centrepiece of its centre console is a silky-smooth touchpad. Just as with a smartphone, all vehicle functions – from ambient lighting to climate control and multimedia – can be operated by the driver with fingertip control.

And, of course, the system is also hooked up to the navigation device. Using natural finger movements, the touchpad enables users to zoom in on a map; its handwriting recognition function identifies the individual letters of destinations “drawn” with the finger on the screen (the software can even interpret the most spidery of scripts); and after just a brief familiarization period, users will be writing commands instinctively and unsighted. For drivers who feel uneasy with touch controls, however, there is always the familiar controller knob, now relocated to a new position just below the magical touchscreen.

Premiere of the head-up display

cut ting - edge luxury The large central display and five iconic air vents lend the cockpit an avant-garde look. The impact is further heightened by the head-up display.

Combining several functions in one device, the touchpad has a further positive spinoff: reducing the number of knobs and switches on the dominant centre console. The cockpit seems somehow tidier – almost minimalist. The effect achieved by the large, freestanding screen and the three air vents positioned below it is one of contemporary sportiness. And the look is underlined by the firstever use in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle of a head-up display. This projects important information about > speed or route onto the front windshield. To

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AN EYE ON THE ROAD Radar technology can identify obstacles up to 200 metres ahead.

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the driver’s eye, the virtual image appears to float in front of the C-Class.

Despite such innovative additions, the interior is neither overly technical nor unwelcoming, thanks in no small part to the tranquil surfaces and elegant, flowing lines, which converge at the centre console, holding passengers in their gentle embrace. Referring to the cockpit’s sculptural design, Hartmut Sinkwitz, Head of Interior Design at Mercedes-Benz, speaks of “sensual clarity.”

Highlights include solid metal and galvanized surfaces, intricate stitching and fine wood finishes – the ultimate in automotive interior design.

At its introduction over 30 years ago, the predecessor of the C-Class – the 190 – was teasingly and affectionately nicknamed the “Baby Benz.” Of course, even then the moniker seemed ill-fitting.

With today’s C-Class, it would be even further off the mark, for the credo faithfully observed by the developers has been to “upgrade inside.” To sit aboard the new C-Class is to experience the > joy of an airline passenger upgraded from

european vehicle model shown

BAND OF BROTHERS It’s hard to miss the family resemblance to the large luxury sedan. Characteristic features include the many driver-assistance systems.

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economy to business class. Indeed, on discovering the spacious and luxurious new model for the first time, it is not immediately apparent that this is a car nominally ranked in the mid-range class. “The development came about at the time we were redefining our brand and establishing our slogan ‘The best or nothing,’” explains design chief Sinkwitz.

C 300 4MATIC

Unprecedented highs

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Upon close inspection, it quickly becomes clear that this design credo has been implemented consistently throughout, right down to the bodywork. The car appears to have grown in size – and yet shed weight at the same time. A quick consultation of the data sheet confirms this initial overall impression. Thanks to intelligent design and the extensive use of lightweight components and aluminum parts, the current model tips the scales at approximately 100 kilograms less than preceding generations. This also has an impact on fuel consumption, where the new C-Class has set unprecedented best marks for its segment.

Despite these reductions, the new model line is around 10 centimetres longer. This not only improves legroom in the rear, it also serves to enhance the aerodynamic silhouette and elongated engine hood, the arching roofline that falls away steeply toward the rear, and the shortened tail end. Moreover, the distinctive side contours appear to generate additional momentum. The look is highly dynamic. Even when standing still, the C-Class appears to be in full flight.

It is impossible to ignore a family resemblance to the S-Class. Indeed, many technical innovations and

7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission

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Engine/Performance Turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, 241 hp; max. torque 273 lb-ft

C 400 4MATIC Engine/Performance Turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine, 329 hp; max. torque 354 lb-ft

Transmission 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission

Help at Hand Besides the familiar assistance systems, the car features an innovative air conditioning system that uses GPS signals to automatically close the air recirculation flap in tunnels to prevent exhaust gases from entering.

The above data do not relate to an individual vehicle and do not form part of an offer but serve solely to facilitate comparisons between different models.

MERCEDES-BENZ.CA

assistance systems have found their way into the new C-Class barely a year after they celebrated their world premiere in the Mercedes-Benz flagship model. These include, for example, the on-board stereo camera, which provides a three-dimensional view of the area up to 50 metres in front of the vehicle and recognizes pedestrians, cyclists and cars approaching from the side. The camera also works in combination with many other sensors to provide all-round visibility. The car’s arsenal of optional equipment features also includes the enhanced Intelligent Drive Package, as well as the now individually available head-up display and LED High Performance Headlamps.

Technology transfer has also given rise to the DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist, already familiar in the S-Class. This responds automatically to the flow in stop-and-go traffic and, as such, heralds hands-free driving in basic form. As well as enhancing comfort, it also increases safety. The new C-Class is more than equipped to face the future.

In terms of suspension, too, it has taken an evolutionary step forward. The new model features an all-new four-link front axle, in which wheel suspension is fully decoupled from the spring strut for improved agility. Alternatively, AIRMATIC air suspension is now also available in this segment.

In combination with the aluminum hybrid body, this guarantees comfort and increased driving pleasure – and ensures that, along with all the interior upgrades, the focus remains firmly on the < car’s handling.

european vehicle model shown

p r e m i u m q ua l i t y Tranquil surfaces and elegant, flowing lines dominate on the inside: the ultimate in automotive interior design.

B U L L E T I N

Eye in the Sky THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE is the finest and most expensive telescope ever built. In a few years, it will be launched into space to investigate the very edge of the observable universe.

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hen we look into space, we are always looking into the past. If we examine the Messier 15 star cluster, which is 30,000 light years away, we are effectively seeing it as it was 30,000 years ago – that is the amount of time its light requires to reach our eyes.

The hot blue and cooler golden stars of Messier 15 can clearly be distinguished on the latest pictures transmitted by the Hubble Space Telescope (left, background). Hubble’s successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, will be able to look farther and more clearly into the past – up to 200 million years after the Big Bang. This joint project between NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies carries an estimated cost of around $8.8 billion, with the launch of the telescope being scheduled for 2018.

Webb will be capable of looking into the dust clouds surrounding young stars and show how the first galaxies were formed. And perhaps it will even deliver pictures of phenomena for which, as of yet, we have no name. jwst.nasa.gov

2

CLEAR-SIGHTED 1

space - sa v ing

photos NASA/ESA; NASA/MSFC/DAVID HIGGINBOTHAM

The telescope will be launched into space on an Ariane 5 rocket. During transport, three segments of the mirror will be folded together and will only unfurl again in space. Fully extended, the mirror would be too big to be carried by any existing launch system.

3

KEEPING COOL A sunshield will maintain the telescope at its operating temperature. It consists of five thin layers of a material called kapton, coated with aluminum on the sunny side and on the other side with silicon, which has a cooling effect to counteract infrared radiation.

The telescope’s mirror (shown above during NASA’s cold test) has a diameter of 6.5 metres and consists of 18 hexagonal segments, each 1.3 metres in diameter. It is made of ultra-lightweight but highly temperature-resistant beryllium, and is coated with gold to improve its reflective qualities.

4

in v isi b le The telescope’s instruments are specially designed to detect infrared light, since the light from the early years of the universe has been distorted by the expansion of space and cannot be detected by the human eye.

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PHOTO INTERTOPICS/EYEVINE/DAVE WALSH

Seeds of the Future

words K ERSTIN LÖFFLER

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p OR T R A I T S T H O M A S S C H W E I G E R T

BETWEEN FASCINATION AND RESPONSIBILITY In a vault in the frozen Norwegian wilderness lies a collection of seeds for the world’s most important crops – a treasury intended to help us overcome the challenges the global food supply faces in tomorrow’s world, according to Marie Haga, Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

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Ms. Haga, why is it necessary for us to store staple agricultural crops such as rice, maize and wheat in a vault in the Arctic?

Agriculture is facing unprecedented challenges.

First, we will have over a billion more mouths to feed in the next 10 years. This means that food production will have to be increased by around 15 percent. And second, we know, for instance, that rice harvest yields drop by 10 percent when the temperature on Earth increases by one degree Celsius. This is a dramatic situation, because we also know that the temperature won’t increase by just one degree Celsius, but by three or four degrees. These figures are from the World Bank, which is not known for being particularly radical. The effects this will have on rice production are unknown, but what is incontrovertibly clear is that we will have to produce more food on less land with less water and less energy.

What role does the seed vault on Spitsbergen play in all of this?

For agriculture to be able to adapt to the new conditions, we need biodiversity. We are aware of which crop varieties are important to us today.

But what if a new disease were suddenly to appear and wipe out all our wheat fields? We can only develop solutions to these sorts of problems if we have genetic diversity. Let me illustrate this with an example. At the start of the 20th century, there were around 7,100 varieties of apple. Today, there are about 1,000 varieties. In other words, we have lost 6,100 apple varieties.

Of course, it could be argued that 1,000 apple

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in the future, we will have to produce more food on less land, with less water and less energy.

PERMAFROST In the icy wilderness of Spitsbergen, Norway, the seed vault has its home. The ideal storage temperature is -18°C. Should the cooling system ever fail, the samples will nevertheless remain safe in the permafrost.

varieties are ample. The problem is that one of these 6,100 varieties just might have had the traits that we need today to fight a new apple disease, or to adapt orchards to higher temperatures. If we lose diversity, we lose options for the future – that’s what it’s all about.

What happened to these 6,100 varieties?

Why did they not survive?

Varieties die off throughout the world for all kinds of different reasons. There could be climatic factors at work, but the most important component is the way we farm. The commercialization of agriculture has made farmers dependent on large harvests to survive financially. They concentrate on a small number of varieties that produce a high yield. In Sri Lanka, for instance, there were about 2,000 varieties of rice in 1959. Today, the rice farmers use just five varieties. The FAO – the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization – estimates that, since the start of the 20th century, we have lost almost 75 percent of crop varieties. While we can’t recreate what has disappeared, we can ensure that we hold onto what we have today – and keep it in readiness for the future.

And for that we need a high-security vault in the eternal ice?

The Spitsbergen vault is the final backup copy for the whole system. There are 1,750 seed banks worldwide, many of which are in excellent condition, such as those in Germany and the USA. However, a large number of these seed banks are

P H O T O N AT I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C C R E AT I V E

F

or six years now, the vault that is intended to secure the survival of the human race has lain safely amid the permafrost of Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago, surrounded by the Arctic Ocean.

This is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, on the island of Spitsbergen. At temperatures of around -18°C, and with a security system to match that of Fort Knox, some 800,000 seeds from the most important crops worldwide – above all rice, wheat and maize – are stored deep in the bowels of a mountain. Eventually, the number of seed samples will be increased to 4.5 million. The secure seed vault is a project run by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which manages the seed storage facility in conjunction with the Norwegian government. Marie Haga has been Executive Director since 2013.

in a vulnerable state, for example because they are in an area plagued by political unrest. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t complicated to manage these gene banks.

However, you do need electricity, and if there is a power outage, it is disastrous. Or take the Philippines. Their seed bank was destroyed by a devastating flood. When they were in the process of rebuilding the facility, a fire broke out, and extremely valuable genetic material was lost. Our goal is to develop a rational and cost-effective worldwide system in order to safeguard the most important crops globally for all time.

How do you plan to go about this?

By duplicating the seeds and storing a copy on another continent in case something goes wrong.

At present, there are â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in addition to the 1,750 gene banks in various countries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11 international collections that contain huge amounts of material. There are collections in Syria, Mexico and Nigeria. The Aleppo gene bank in Syria, for example, has the most valuable collection of wheat seeds in the entire world. With that country at war, however, no one knows what will become of this gene bank. Some of the people there have taken on the huge responsibility of maintaining the ICARDA facility. They buy diesel fuel for the generators on the black market to keep the cooling system running. If anything were to happen to that gene bank, it would be a dramatic loss for the future of wheat production. With this danger in mind, we started duplicating the seeds a few years ago and send> ing them to Spitsbergen. With the latest

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SECURITY Deep inside the mountain, 130 metres above sea level, lies the seed bank vault. It is believed that it would survive even an atomic bomb blast.

is very contained and manageable. The democratic system in the whole of Europe would have to collapse before Norway would be unable to fulfill its obligations in this project. And don’t forget: Spitsbergen only has the backup copy. All of the material that is deposited there also exists in the “real” world. It is not only stored in one place, but on two continents.

For the system we are working on, it is the national and international gene banks all over the world that really matter. Most of the material stored in Norway today, and which we hope we will never need to make use of, is derived from these international collections. If everything goes well on Earth, we won’t need to have recourse to this collection.

How are the seed samples actually transported to Spitsbergen?

The seeds, perhaps a couple hundred of them per accession, are packed and sealed in an airtight, aluminum-coated package, then placed in boxes and shipped. The Spitsbergen facility differs from the national and the international gene banks in that it is a “black box” arrangement, meaning that the material belongs to the country or organization that has deposited it. No one else is entitled to open it – neither the Norwegian government nor us, nor anybody else.

And what if somebody else does that nevertheless?

Well, there is a very tight security system in place.

The vault has been built deep inside the mountain, and it is protected by a whole array of alarm systems.

It isn’t easy to get into the place. Its architecture is designed to withstand even the force of an atomic bomb. To protect it against rising sea levels, the facility was built in the mountain at an altitude of 130 metres above sea level. Should the sea ever reach that height, we’ll have big problems any way you care to look at it.

Isn’t it dangerous to put this vault into the hands of a single country?

Formally, the vault belongs to Norway. It’s on Norwegian soil – in a very stable region where there are no earthquakes, for example. The danger of a terrorist attack there is also on the low end of the scale. Spitsbergen is an island, and everything there

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TRUST It is the depositors alone who are responsible for the quality of the seed samples. The black-box system means that no one examines them.

Who does the rice farmer turn to if he decides that, after a series of bad harvests, he wants to try out a new variety? Can he go shopping at your facility?

Samples are sent to the vault, not the other way around. Nothing leaves Spitsbergen. Farmers and breeders can contact the gene banks in their own country or the international seed collections to > request samples. They don’t even have to pay

PHOTOS GLOBAL DIVERSIT Y TRUST, BIBBY/FINANCIAL TIMES/REA/L AIF

delivery, duplicates of almost the entire collection are now stored in the vault there.

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B U L L E T I N

the future The majority of funding comes from governments.

In the future, there are plans to invite private individuals and institutions to help finance the vault.

for them. All they have to do is sign an agreement.

We want breeders and farmers to work together and, for instance, try to achieve a better yield with less water in dry regions. We recently organized a conference for scientists specializing in wheat. They were thrilled that, after 15 years and 3,170 attempts at crossing with genetic material from 26 countries, we finally succeeded in breeding a new variety of wheat in Canada that is more heat-resistant, and at the same time less likely to snap in the field. This is a perfect example of the fruitful exchange of ideas – the worldwide cooperation that we are striving to achieve. What we need now is more intelligent ways of doing so. And time is of the essence.

What if a farmer, for instance after a natural catastrophe in the next millennium, should make his way to Spitsbergen in search of a particular variety of wheat: How would he know which of the 4.5 million seed samples in aluminum packages is the one he is looking for?

There are actually two different vaults: the “real” one in Spitsbergen, in which the seeds are stored, and a second one which contains all the relevant information. As a farmer or breeder, you have no idea what is stored in Spitsbergen. The vault is of value only when it is combined with an information system. Our intention is not to create a museum, but rather a resource that can be utilized.

The mission of the Trust is to preserve the diversity of the most important crop varieties “forever.”

How is this to be financed?

To date, around 95 percent of donations are from governments. However, we are in the process of bringing wealthy individuals, institutions and

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Wild RELATIVES are what we call plants that in many cases have characteristics that make them extremely robust.

We send out teams to look for such varieties.

organizations on board. Every single dollar counts, for we are losing more biodiversity every day. The good thing is that we know how much it costs to keep the system up and running. We need $34 million a year. In order to guarantee that the seed samples are safeguarded on a long-term basis, we need an endowment fund of $850 million.

That’s a lot of money for frozen seeds...

A couple of years ago we built an opera house in Norway. It cost $550 million and isn’t even particularly attractive to look at. So the fund would be around one and a half opera houses. A single soccer stadium for the World Cup in Brazil – the national stadium in the capital, Brasilia – is set to cost more than a billion dollars. And that’s only one of 12 stadiums for the event. So let’s not talk about this being a lot of money. As an insurance policy to secure the world’s food supply for all time, it’s excellent value for money. And, by the way, there’s one thing we haven’t spoken about at all yet. There is something we call “wild relatives,” and it’s absolutely fascinating. There are still countless wild plant varieties, most of which have never been catalogued. These varieties are often extremely robust. Imagine a plant that has survived on a craggy cliff ledge, or with very little moisture in the desert. These wild relatives could have characteristics that we now need. This is why we are drawing up maps and sending out project teams to search for such varieties. They could have genes that are beneficial to our domestic varieties. If we are going to need 15 percent more food for the world over the next decade, then agricultural crops will have to adapt quickly. Biodiversity is the > prerequisite for this development.

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B U L L E T I N

ICONS

V AN I S H I NG LANGUAGE S are one of the more dramatic consequences of globalization. By the end of this century, the total number of languages in existence is expected to shrink to around 3,000. Experts estimate that only about 100 languages will survive into 2200.

M EN AN D W O M EN , contrary to popular belief, talk approximately the same amount: The latest research shows that both sexes speak about 16,000 words a day.

T H E M O S T st u d y T I M E is needed for English-speaking pupils to learn Arabic, Japanese, Korean and Chinese – 2,200 hours of study on average. Learning German (750 hours), as well as French and Spanish (600 hours each), is faster.

T H E L O NGE S T W O R D describes the amino acid sequence of the protein titin – it contains almost 190,000 letters. If you decided to read it aloud, it would take 3.5 hours.

language can control the telephone, navigation and radio in a Mercedes-Benz – courtesy of LINGUATRONIC. But there are other means of communication.

Some of the facts gathered here might just leave you speechless.

T H E L O U D E S T V O C AL O R GAN belongs to the blue whale – the sound energy it generates is equivalent to a space shuttle blasting off. Researchers believe that the animals use infrasound (extremely lowfrequency sound) to communicate with each other across hundreds or even thousands of kilometres.

T H E H I G H E S T LANGUAGE D EN S I T Y exists in Papua New Guinea, with 832 different languages.

Indonesia is next with 729, then Nigeria with 515. The current worldwide total is between 6,500 and 7,000 languages. Europe’s contribution to the mix? A paltry 150.

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T H E M O S T - S P O K EN language in the world is Mandarin Chinese – by 726 million native speakers. After that comes English (427), then Spanish (266), Hindi (182), Arabic (181), Portuguese (165), Bengali (162), Russian (158), Japanese (124) and German (121 million native speakers).

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B U L L E T I N

In-House Volcano

R e y k j a v i k The Harpa concert hall and conference centre in the Icelandic capital is nothing less than an embodiment of the island itself. The facade, designed by artist Ólafur Elíasson, is constructed with honeycomb-like glass bricks, which – depending on the weather and time of day – shimmer in yellow, green and violet like the aurora borealis. The largest of the four concert halls and conference rooms is named Eldborg (“volcanic crater”) and is decorated in lava red. The other rooms are also named after the island’s impressive natural sights – glaciers, cliffs and the Northern Lights themselves. Even the sharp-edged form of the building’s exterior is inspired by Iceland’s precipitous coastal cliffs. All these features won the building the 2013 Mies van der Rohe Award – one of Europe’s most prestigious architecture prizes. en.harpa.is

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Sonu Shivdasani founded the Soneva hotel chain together with his wife, Eva. The focus is squarely on luxury, sustainability and relaxation.

The motto of the two resorts in Thailand and the Maldives is: “No news, no shoes.”

Shadow Play F o r m s i n n a t u r e is the name of a lamp that will transform any room into an enchanted forest. In designing the lampshade, artist couple Thyra Hilden and Pio Diaz were inspired by the sketches of the eccentric thinker Ernst Haeckel. The stronger the light, the more sinister the shadows become. If the bulb is dimmed, you almost imagine you are seeing a fire burning in the distance. The lamp is currently only made to order, but will soon be available via crowdfunding.

Photos Eldborg/Harpa.IS; Hilden Dia z; deluxe- distribution Illustration Lyndon Hayes/dutchuncle Artwork Willy Verginer

piodiaz . wordpress . com

Can a hotel chain be eco-friendly?

I think it can. Plastic is taboo for us – we only use natural building materials and try to cultivate as many agricultural products as we can ourselves. We have kitchen gardens, our own water-bottling plant and have launched reforestation and other programs in several countries in a bid to achieve a neutral carbon footprint.

d esi g n

Shoe Shine A r c h i t e c t Zaha Hadid has collaborated with designer Rem D. Koolhaas to create a shoe that is so stylized, it could pass for a sculpture.

The fibreglass platform heel is clad in chrome-finish vinyl in black, rosepink or silver. As behooves a work of art, the shoe comes in a limited edition of 100 pairs per colour.

How can you combine that with a luxury holiday?

We call our concept “smart luxury.”

People no longer want things that are expensive – what they want is things that are rare and unusual. So we concentrate on offering unique experiences such as open-air cinema, supper on an ocean sandbank or a talk by Buzz Aldrin in the hotel’s very own planetarium.

Do you have any tricks to help stressed visitors relax?

Our “no shoes” rule tends to bring everyone down to earth – it’s difficult to remain formal when you’re walking barefoot over the sand. And I have to admit we cheat a little with the time.

People get up at sunrise but still don’t have the feeling they have woken up too early. soneva . com

unitednude . com

a r t

Melancholy Woodcarver S o u t h T y r o l Italy’s Willy Verginer creates

wooden sculptures that he highlights through subtle use of colour. The gloomy “Human Nature” series shows people in contact with animals or plants, but failing to establish any real relationship with them.

verginer . com

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R e s t a u r a n t

Squared Off

Topsy-Turvy Room H o n g K o n g The Room is a small bistro. To give an impression of

spaciousness, designer Joey Ho has added an extra dimension by turning it upside down and attaching stairs and windows to the ceiling. joeyhodesign.com

Konstantin Grcic and his Medici side table

“IF WE DIDN’T contradict ourselves, it would be awfully boring. Changing your mind is probably one of the most beautiful things people can do.” , paul auster

Splash!

We all see the world through different eyes – and some people manage to capture their impressions to share with others. National Geographic Traveler selected Dig Me River

by Wagner Araujo from among 15,500 submissions as the winner of this year’s photographic competition. It shows an aquathlon (swimming and running) in Manaus, Brazil.

“My lens got completely soaked, but the sense of sheer energy was totally captivating,” says Araujo. travel . nationalgeographic . com

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writer

m u n i c h Konstantin Grcic’s Medici series is made up of daringly elegant designs that appear to consist entirely of sharp corners and edges. His chairs, stools and side tables are fashioned in wood, but appear so light they could be made of folded paper. Grcic draws his inspiration from planks of wood, as they represent “the very start of the manufacturing process.” konstantin - grcic . com

B U L L E T I N

High and Dry NEWFOUNDLAND

e x p o s ed In winter, only the icebreaker calls at the island. But once you’re there, you don’t lack for much. The hotel has a library, cinema, meeting rooms and art gallery.

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Nowadays, many of us would like to slow down and get away from the unbearable pressure of an incessantly ringing smartphone.

But what can you do if fleeing to a mountain hut or a luxurious hideaway still doesn’t banish the stresses and endless demands of day-to-day life?

Those who seriously fancy a hermit-like existence should consider paying a visit to Fogo Island Inn. The best way to reach it is to fly into Gander, Newfoundland; from there, it’s a short drive to the harbour, where you embark on a ferry to reach your final destination.

The inn itself looms at the top of a cliff amid desolate surroundings, part of it towering above the waves on stilts. Each of the 29 suites has floor-to-ceiling windows with an ocean view as far as the eye can see. A wood-burning stove and hand-knitted patchwork bed covers are guaranteed to keep you warm and cozy.

Part of the hotel’s ethos is to

s t and i n g p r o ud with its postmodern architecture, the hotel resembles a storm-battered cliff. c o z y i n b ed The generously proportioned windows bring the Atlantic right into your room.

make maximum use of the island’s resources. The stylish furniture is built locally using timber sourced from the island.

As well as accommodating regular guests, the hotel offers three-month travel grants to artists. It is an excellent idea, given that there are few other distractions on the island.

Guests at Fogo Island Inn are left entirely to their own devices – and that is the whole point. fogoislandinn . ca

Photos Joey Ho Design Ltd.; Markus Jans for Konstantin Grcic; Mat tia zzi; Wagner Ar aujo/ National Geographic Traveler photo contest; Alex Fr adkin/Fogo Isl and

Fogo Island Inn stands on an island off the coast of Newfoundland. Guests can expect a room with a sea view – and ample time for reflection and relaxation.

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is director of the Städel Museum, the Schirn Kunsthalle and the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung in Frankfurt. Visitors flock to all three. Here he explains how art and commerce can be combined.

Mr. Hollein, in all honesty, are you more of an arts person or a businessman?

In all honesty, I’m both. I grew up with art. Instead of going to the seaside, we would go to an exhibition, and Joseph Beuys used to drop by for supper. But I very soon realized I didn’t want to be an artist myself, so I studied art history and business administration.

How do you choose what goes on display in your museums?

It’s not just a question of pulling in the crowds, otherwise you could just keep putting on blockbusters like Monet to Picasso. It’s more a matter of picking up on issues being debated in society. The big questions like “What is important to us?” or “What are we here for?” are at the same time cultural reflections that should also be addressed by art.

How much time goes into planning an exhibit?

Two to three years maximum.

I think we should constantly review and rethink our goals to keep ourselves in a mild state of uncertainty.

That’s the only way to keep the door open to new possibilities.

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Seclusion

M e x i c o This Gi Booth armchair serves not only as a seat but also doubles up as a room divider. It has a plush upholstered headrest that deadens noise while creating a space for privacy and concentrated work. With a footprint measuring approximately a square metre, this secluded retreat can also be used to set up confidential conversations. It comes in three types of wood and with upholstery in a choice of five different colours. j a k o b g o m e z . c o m

Steam Power c a p e to w n Truth Café has

a steampunk-themed interior.

The huge grinder with its cogwheels and levers is like some 19th-century vision of the future. As for the coffee, it is just as impressive: Owner David Donde roasts the beans on the premises and dubs himself a “coffee evangelist.”

truthcoffee.com

photos Bulls Press Illustr ation Brian Taylor

Max Hollein

NETWORK.

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B U L L E T I N

bookshelf

Close-up View account for a tiny fraction of the totality of animal species. The book Animal Earth presents a fascinating diversity of multi-cellular life forms that one normally never sets eyes on – such as this blue zoa made up of a multitude of polyps.

at h o m e

Paper Planets

th a mesa ndhudson.com

S T O C KH O L M This “Themis Prism” mobile by graphic artist Clara von Zweigbergk is made of folded paper. The ornamental forms are so light, they seem on the point of lifting off into space. a rtecnica.com

“WHAT YOU WEAR is how you present yourself to the world, especially today when human contacts go so fast. Fashion is instant language.” miuccia prada, designer

Fashion Icon New York British fashion designer Charles James is arguably the first person to have raised dressmaking to an art form. Some of the opulent ball dresses he created between 1930 and 1970 can be seen in the retrospective Charles James: Beyond Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, starting May 8. m e t m u s e u m . o r g

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phOTOS The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cecil Beaton/Vogue/Condé Nast Archive © Condé Nast; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Michael A. Vaccaro/LOOK Maga zine Photogr aph Collection

L on d on Mammals, reptiles and birds only

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Each month from August to November, Air Canada showcases a diverse selection of short films by emerging Canadian filmmakers on the Air Canada enRoute In-flight Entertainment System (Canadian Movies channel).

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B U L L E T I N

All at Sea

Cocoa Island hotel in the Maldives has transformed fishing boats into luxury accommodations – and an entire island into a huge spa. on the island itself, you will find the reception, restaurant and spa.

The houseboats are located along the walkways.

M a l d i v e s On an ocean

t h e D h o n i r o o m s were inspired by traditional fishing boats. If you find them a little too much like being at sea, you can choose to sleep in a conventional villa.

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cruise, everything, including your accommodation, is at sea. The snag is, you can’t just walk out of your cabin and jump into the water – unless, that is, you want to trigger a maritime emergency. What’s more, outside your cabin, privacy is hard to come by. But now the Cocoa

Island Hotel has found the solution to these drawbacks in the shape of permanently anchored boat-rooms that are aligned in such a way that, when you sit on the secluded terrace, you feel you are alone on the ocean waves. This hotel-archipelago offers pure, unalloyed luxury, with mahogany furniture, Italian bed linen,

outdoor showers and fine white sand, a spa area covering virtually the whole island and, nearby, the famous Vadoo Channel, one of the best diving locations in the world. But the clincher is the fact that, if you wish, you can dive straight into the sea from your room. All by yourself. comohotels .com

Drive with confidence.

Now you can choose a maintenance plan that’s right for you, whether you buy or lease. Pre-paying for maintenance offers significant savings compared to a pay-as-you-go approach.

Prepaid Maintenance is available at the time of purchase or any time before the first scheduled maintenance service.* For full details, visit mercedes-benz.ca/ppm.

A Daimler Brand

Features of Prepaid Maintenance† include: > As low as $14 per month on lease plans > 3-year plans starting from as low as $749 > Savings of up to 30% compared to pay-as-you-go > Fully-transferable from person to person > Honoured by authorized dealerships across Canada

©2014 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. *Prepaid Maintenance is available for most 2013 and newer models. †Certain terms and conditions apply.

See your dealer or visit the website for complete details.

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Town & Country Five of our favourite getaways around the globe, from classic British luxury hotels to hidden African lodges.

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P r iddis , canada

Ne w York , USA

Azuridge

The New York Palace

azuridge . ca

Built above (and incorporating) the Gilded Age mansion of financier Henry Villard, Manhattan’s grand-dame hotel at 50th and Madison has emerged fresh from a $140-million transformation.

D E S I G N Old-world luxury meets modern art.

Case in point: resto Villard Michel Richard, where lenticular portraits of the French celeb chef alternate with Villard’s likeness on the golden walls of his former music room.

A M E N I T I E S Sumptuous sensory touches like Richard’s Pomme Palais pastries in the concourse, Molton Brown amenities in guest rooms and Diptyque candles in the lobby.

D RE S S C O D E The runway on every stairway.

D R I N K Absinthe, mescal, chartreuse and gentian liqueur conspire to sting in Le Scorpion cocktail.

D I S H Savour the high-meets-low decadence of Michel’s fried chicken with mashed potatoes.

O U T I N G Holly Golightly (whose larger-than-life portrait graces the Gallery dining room) would swoon at the shops of Madison Avenue, mere steps away.

D O N ’ T M I S S The splash-out $25,000-a-night Champagne suite with unlimited access to a private Dom Pérignon cave.

Outside the Rocky Mountain foothills town of Priddis, Alberta, the former ranch house of a construction magnate is today the 13-suite secret stay of the Spruce Meadows horsey set (even celeb equestrian dad Steven Spielberg has put in time here).

D E S I G N Designed to fuse with the surrounding foothills, two fan-shaped buildings offer sweeping views of the rugged landscape through double- and triple-high windows.

A M E N I T I E S Ask your personal butler to arrange an art lesson, horseback riding or a tee time at one of the four courses within a 20-minute drive.

D RE S S C O D E Cashmere and cowboy boots.

D R I N K A glass of bubbly at sunset. Our pick: Francis Ford Coppola’s Sofia Blanc de Blancs.

D I S H Stroll into the Sapphire Hall kitchen and watch Executive Chef Yoshi Chubachi at work, or dine with strangers – who soon become friends – at the chef’s table. Try Chubachi’s roast rack of lamb with honey, herbs and grainy mustard.

O U T I N G The estate’s 13 acres of rambling countryside allows you to venture into complete solitude – or be in downtown Calgary in 30 minutes.

D O N ’ T M I S S The Hydrotherapy Bath Experience, a customized aromatherapy soak, drawn for you in suite.

Shih tzu

Superfoods

newyorkpalace . com

Weimaraner

Tomahawk Steak

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T a n z a n ia

Sanctuary Saadani River Lodge

me x ic o

London, UK

The Connaught the - connaught . co . uk

Take a boat trip up the Wami River and arrive in style at this sprawling property made up of cabins and lodges hidden away in a thicket of East African jungle.

D E S I G N Individual suites sit on stilts and are stunning examples of understated luxury and seclusion, each with its own large, private terrace and outdoor shower.

A M E N I T I E S Head to the new, dedicated spa cabin for a treatment using South Africa’s eco-certified Africology line.

D R E S S C OD E Keep it light, layered and long-sleeved to beat the heat.

D R I N K Sundowners on the riverbank (but with a view like that you’ll barely notice your G&T).

D I S H Grilled fish and seafood straight from the Indian Ocean.

O U T I N G A trip to sister property Saadani Safari Lodge is great for a change of scene (and a day on the beach).

DON ’ T M I S S A river safari is the perfect complement to a more traditional Serengeti game drive – just swap the cheetahs and zebra for hippos and crocs, though you may still spy elephants and giraffes cooling off in the water.

The epitome of five-star service in the rich-but-refined Mayfair Village, this century-old hotel has long welcomed the world’s royal families and heads of state.

D E S I G N Recent renovations added a new wing to the hotel housing more modern-style rooms and an Aman Spa (the only one in the world outside an Aman Resort).

A M E N I T I E S Bamford toiletries made in Britain from organic, cold-pressed essential oils like rosemary and lavender.

D R E S S C OD E Something smart but subtle from nearby Savile Row. D R I N K Order a cocktail from the award-winning Connaught Bar’s martini cart and they’ll shake it up for you tableside.

D I S H Scottish partridge or Welsh venison from the two-Michelin-star Hélène Darroze restaurant.

O U T I N G Head to the department store Liberty for more timeless luxury and personalized service, including an oriental rug section, hand-selected vintage gowns and their signature by-the-meter flower print fabrics.

DON ’ T M I S S Indulge in a signature shoeshine from Royal Warrant holder John Lobb – you can leave a pair for the butler or relax in the dedicated leather shoeshine chair on the second floor.

Khaki shorts

Barbour

sanctuaryretreats . com / tanzania - holidays

linen shirt

Burberry Prorsum

Four Seasons Punta Mita fourseasons . com / puntamita

Set on 1,500 acres of pristine coastal peninsula, the resort’s secluded ambiance provides the perfect antidote to nearby Puerto Vallarta’s frenetic pace.

D E S I G N Adobe-style casitas with ocean views nestled in tangled jungle.

A M E N I T I E S Hit the beach early to take advantage of the plush cabanas or keep the sand off your feet at one of five pools. Either way, you’ll be serviced by an interminable flow of waiters proffering chilled towels and refreshments.

D R E S S C OD E Resort chic.

D R I N K Sit in on a tasting with tequila master Alfredo Sanchez and learn to savour – not shoot – this misunderstood spirit.

D I S H Be on the beach when the catch comes in, choose your fish and preparation (from ceviche to grilled whole). That evening, await your meal at the restaurant of your choice, served just the way you like it.

O U T I N G A quick boat ride away lie the protected Marietas Islands (a Jacques Cousteau favourite). Tour the uninhabited seabird sanctuary by stand-up paddle board.

DON ’ T M I S S The Hakali Massage in which warm nopal mash is applied to the body and cactus paddles are used in place of hot stones.

Flip Flops

Stilettos

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s o c i e t y

People & Places STEP OUT WITH Mercedes-Benz at the season’s hottest events, from fashion weeks to auto shows. world mastercard fashion week For the first time in the history of the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program, two Awarded Designers (pictured right), Edmonton’s Malorie Urbanovitch and Montreal’s Cécile Raizonville of Matière Noire, were chosen to present their fall/winter 2014 collections. Another stylish guest in attendance at Fashion Week: the 2014 GLK 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC. Matière Noire

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photos img (fashion week runway, designers); Joseph ticar (matière noire)

canadian international auto show The new 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class made its Canadian debut at one of the country’s pre-eminent auto shows, attracting automobile enthusiasts and consumers from far and wide. Attendees also got to experience cutting-edge Mercedes-Benz technology by getting behind the wheel of the S-Class Intelligent Drive simulator.

Canadian Opera Company As official sponsor of the Canadian Opera Company, Mercedes-Benz is excited to welcome 2014/2015 season productions including Madama Butterfly, starring Patricia Racette (above), and Falstaff, starring Gerald Finley (right). The partnership includes vehicle displays at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

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W h e n i t a r r i v e s in Mercedes-Benz showrooms this fall, the 2015 GLA will

Crossover Appeal

Multifaceted Machine The new GLA is a crossover SUV for every occasion. w o r d s c h r isto p h e r ko r c h in eu ro pe an v ehi c le m o del sh ow n

transform the very notion of the SUV. This is a multitalented performer that offers sport, utility and crossover style.

The GLA shares a basic platform and several drivetrain components with the sleek new CLA fourdoor coupe, with added robustness for sports utility purposes. What is astounding, though, is that the GLA is able to bring so much of the coupe’s avant-garde style to the SUV concept. Key design elements – such as the twin-louvered grille with large central star, power domes on the hood, low greenhouse, sweeping fore-to-aft lines, rear roof spoiler, roof rails with chrome trim and the curved rear window – suggest both muscularity and grace. Inside, premium touches such as metallic-finish trim surfaces, sliding panoramic sunroof and COMAND Online multimedia system combine luxury with technology. The rear seatbacks fold down completely, making the GLA as practical as it is stylish.

With class-leading aerodynamics and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to the latest generation of the acclaimed Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, the GLA 250 4MATIC combines confidence-inspiring power and stability with reassuring fuel economy. It’s a compact SUV for all seasons and all occasions, whether you’re headed to the office, the opera or the open country.

Visit mercedes-benz.ca to learn more about the powerfully versatile GLA. 122

Push yourself more than the accelerator.

A Daimler Brand

mercedes-benz.ca/drivingacademy

The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy.