The Cultured Traveller, December-February 2017-18 Issue 20

ISSUE 20 DEC-FEB 2017-18

MELBOURNE ANDERMATT • SRI LANKA • VAIL PRINCE • CHRISTMAS GIFT ROUND UP • TIMO SIITONEN

SAVO R E XQ UI S I TE M E D I TE R R A N E A N C UI S I N E

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Accompany your dish with one of the premium wines selected from our expanded wine list, honored by Wine Spectator in 2016.

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HIGHLIGHTS DEC-FEB 2017-18 ISSUE 20

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STRAYA’S CULTURAL CAPITAL

Commonly referred to as Australia’s cultural capital and the most European metropolis of the antipodes, edgy and elegant, arty and bohemian, MELBOURNE constantly surprises and delights. Dawn Gibson explores the cobbled lanes, gastronomic pleasures, hidden bars and vibrant arts scene of Straya’s most sophisticated city.

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CHRISTMAS GIFT ROUND UP

To take some of the hassle out of your Christmas shopping, professional buyer Adrian Gibson puts together a capsule guide of chic gifts to give this holiday season. Whether it's a present for a wife or girlfriend, something for the man in your life, or a novelty prezzie for a co-worker, there should be something here to fit the bill.

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FORAGED FEAST

Our Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Chrisostomou experiences dishes full of local curiosities, based on ingredients foraged by a wild food researcher in the Hinterland of Australia’s New South Wales, delivered to the table in a five-course ‘Wild Harvest’ feast.

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COLOMBO’S NEW HOSPITALITY LANDMARK

Until last month, the Sri Lankan capital was noticeably lacking premium lodgings for discerning travellers. But the recent opening of the new, centrally located SHANGRI-LA HOTEL COLOMBO has changed all this, providing luxurious accommodation, attentive service, premium dining options and a host of other world-class facilities in one stylish urban hospitality hub.

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WIN A 3-NIGHT STAY IN THE HEART OF MIAMI

Award winning EAST, MIAMI hotel is located in the heart of Brickell, the slick rejuvenated downtown financial district, in the centre of Florida’s most happening city. Win a three-night stay for four people in a luxury two-bedroom residence including wi-fi, daily breakfasts, a USD500 dinner at the hotel’s signature rooftop Uruguayan restaurant Quinto La Huella, and tickets to Pérez Art Museum Miami.

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BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS The last stop on the 2017 Men’s Championship Tour and location of the Billabong Pipe Masters, Hawaii’s Banzai Pipeline is one of the most dangerous waves on the planet and has claimed more lives than any other.

8–20 December 2017

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48 8 EDITOR’S LETTER 10

9 CONTRIBUTORS 46

10 NEWSFLASH The Cultured Traveller rounds up the unmissable events and cultural festivals happening around the world through to the end of February 2018, including VIENNA’S CHRISTMAS MARKETS; Turkey’s famous MEVLÂNA FESTIVAL of whirling dervishes; Austria’s high ALTITUDE COMEDY FESTIVAL in Mayrhofen; one of the oldest surviving street festivals in the Caribbean, JUNKANOO; the CARTAGENA MUSIC FESTIVAL in Colombia; America’s premier festival of opera and music theatre, PROTOTYPE; and the world’s oldest and grandest carnival, CARNEVALE DI VENEZIA.

20 REST YOUR HEAD

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Take a look inside the newest and coolest places to rest your head around the world, including Hamburg’s first new luxury hotel in decades, THE FONTENAY; hospitality guru Ian Schrager’s slick downtown Manhattan hotel, PUBLIC; boutique six room Sicilian hotel ASMUNDO DI

GISIRA transformed from an 18th century former mansion; Ritz-Carlton’s swishy new deluxe all-suite resort on the Thai island of Koh Samui, and the first new-build luxury hotel to open in Sydney since before the city hosted the Olympics in 2000, SOFITEL SYDNEY DARLING HARBOUR.

92 SUITE ENVY Kelly Johnstone and her family road test a THREE-BEDROOM ASPEN SKI CHALET at Kempinski’s Mall Of The Emirates property, where the crisp white alpine slopes on one side, teamed seamlessly with the hot yellow desert landscape on the other, sets the hotel apart from its numerous Dubai peers, in one of the most modern, vibrant and rapidly developing cities in the world.

104 BOARDING PASS As 2017 comes to a close, Singapore boasts the strongest passport while the U.S. has unsurprisingly lost ground since Donald Trump took office. In a Boarding Pass special study, The Cultured Traveller establishes the current strength of the world’s passports, and how factors like Brexit and the surprise election of an

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CONTENTS 156 inexperienced US President have drastically affected the rankings.

110 NO SHOES REQUIRED Amid the coconut palms and secluded beaches of southern Sri Lanka, ANANTARA PEACE HAVEN TANGALLE is a luxurious sanctuary tailor-made for recharging the batteries and connecting with nature. Dawn Gibson discovers the delights of one of the resort’s plush ocean view pool villas, and finds out how the 5000-year-old practice of Ayurveda balances mind, body and spirit.

120 SPOTLIGHT From neglected alpine village to reborn state-of-the-art ski resort, the transformation of legendary ANDERMATT is nothing short of remarkable. Joe Mortimer dons his ski boots and heads for the hills to find out why the Ursern Valley is returning to form as one of Switzerland’s finest regions for discerning travellers.

Southwest, is pretty much unbeatable.

Alex Benasuli – who’s been visiting for decades, not only to ski but also to hike and cycle during the warmer months – reveals his insider tips to the popular Colorado resort.

146 TASTE & SIP Finnish by origin yet international to the bone, former head bartender of Dick’s Bar at London's Atlantic, winner of countless awards and now a trainer and judge on the global cocktail circuit, TIMO SIITONEN chats with The Cultured Traveller about his roots, career and what sets apart his much-celebrated Helsinki bar from the capital’s others.

134 TRAVELLER LOWDOWN For a spectacular winter destination that also positively shines in the summer, VAIL, in America’s

174 LITTLE BLACK BOOK

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160 MUSIC & NIGHT LIFE PRINCE Rogers Nelson left an indelible impression on popular music. From hit records to films and live concerts, he was both a musical innovator and an incredible performer, who earned comparisons with everyone from James Brown to David Bowie. Paul Burston looks back at the career of an original rock showman.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

W

hen I was a kid travelling with my parents, through Europe in our Volvo estate, around Devon (where they ‘courted'), and often to East Anglia where a lot of my Dad's family lived, I remember experiencing a huge variety of different foods and tastes which were very unfamiliar to me as a kid growing up in London. I recall little about the people in the different places (apart from my cousins and relatives, of course), but I have strong memories about how good the fish and chips were in Great Yarmouth, the scrumptious cream teas in Torquay, and wondering what I was eating as we traversed the “continent” – as Europe was then commonly known.

After recently returning from “Straya” (as an Aussie friend told me to refer to her country, rather than “Oz”), it struck me that whilst the food in both Melbourne and Sydney were top notch, we now in fact enjoy high quality fare pretty much everywhere we travel to, and what we eat or where we stay rarely stand outs, despite being in another part of our planet. When it does, of course, we remember, because it is so very special.

The upshot is that we are now almost forced (by the routinely good food and quality lodgings) to look beyond a destination and experience more of a place, talk to the locals and immerse oneself in the culture. As a result, travelling has become much more engaging. I returned from Down Under recalling the

friendly Melburnians, and how warmly they welcomed me to their city. When I visited Nepal earlier this year, it was the genuine people who stood out for me, and transformed my visit from a mere trip to an experience I shall never forget.

Travelling has taken on a new dimension, way beyond that which we used to experience, and for this, the popularity of travelling if you will, I’m grateful for the people and cultures we are lucky enough to experience today.

In our 20th issue, Dawn Gibson visits Australia’s most vibrant, creative and cultural city, Melbourne (page 48); Joe Mortimer dons his boots for a trip to the reborn Swiss ski resort of Andermatt (page 110), and Helsinki-born Timo Siitonen chats to TCT about how he went from music theatre student to one of the world’s top mixologists (page 146). Alex Benasuli gives us his personal insider guide to the American resort of Vail, as much a world-class winter destination as it is a delightful place to be in the summer (page 134). Paul Burston looks back at the career of original rock showman Prince, who left an indelible impression on popular music (page 160). And international buyer Adrian Gibson hand picks a selection of goodies, that will make perfect prezzies for those nearest and dearest this holiday season (page 170).

Wherever you’re jetting off to this Christmas, be sure to immerse yourself in both the fun of the festive season and the uniqueness of the place you’re in. And when you travel in 2018, really plunge yourself into the destination you’re visiting, to be sure of returning home with a real sense of where you’ve just been.

Joyeux Noël

Nicholas Chrisostomou Editor-in-Chief

ISSUU.COM/THECULTUREDTRAVELLER/DOCS • INSTAGRAM.COM/CULTUREDTRAVELLER • FACEBOOK.COM/THECULTUREDTRAVELLER • WWW.THECULTUREDTRAVELLER.COM SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE@THECULTUREDTRAVELLER.COM • ADVERTISING ADS @THECULTUREDTRAVELLER.COM • EDITORIAL WORDS @THECULTUREDTRAVELLER.COM 8 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

CONTRIBUTORS DAWN GIBSON CITY FOCUS

Dawn Gibson is a multi-tasking journalist who is passionate about travel, fashion, food, culture and the arts. Never happier than when about to board a plane en route to a far-flung part of the globe, she is also a keen scuba diver always in search of the perfect coral reef. Dawn has worked as a senior news reporter for a leading city daily newspaper in Australia and as editor for a glossy lifestyle magazine in the Middle East. Her work has appeared in numerous international print and online publications, including Qatar Airways’ first class magazine Oryx Premium.

ADRIAN GIBSON

STYLISH GLOBETROTTER Adrian worked as a professional fashion buyer for some of London's leading department stores for more than two decades, including Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Recently he has been working in the Middle East, selecting designer brands for both Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdales in Dubai. An avid shopper himself, he enjoys nothing more than visiting stores, meeting designers and supporting new talent where ever and whenever he’s travelling the globe, as well as keeping a keen eye on the latest trends, both online and on the world’s streets.

PAUL BURSTON

MUSIC & NIGHT LIFE Paul Burston’s books include the critically-acclaimed novels ‘Shameless’, ‘Lovers & Losers’ and ‘The Black Path’. His journalism has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The Sunday Times, The Guardian and Time Out. A frequent contributor to TV and radio, he has also written and presented documentaries for Channel 4. He is the curator and host of award-winning literary salon Polari at London’s Southbank Centre, and founder of The Polari First Book Prize for new writing. Born in Yorkshire and raised in South Wales, Paul divides his time between London and Hastings.

JOE MORTIMER SPOTLIGHT

Joe is a UK-based writer and editor who specialises in luxury travel and high-end hospitality.

He has visited 60 countries, stayed in more than 100 luxury hotels and resorts, and wined and dined in some of the best restaurants in the world. In between journeys, Joe has interviewed high-profile characters in the world of luxury including the chief executives and presidents of brands such as Lamborghini, LVMH, Hublot and Montblanc; and legendary chefs including Pierre Gagnaire, Nobu Matsuhisa and Marco Pierre White.

ALEX BENASULI

TRAVELLER LOWDOWN Alex has been traveling the world his whole life. Growing up in New York City, he would accompany his family every summer on visits to relatives in Spain, France and Germany. A successful two-decade career in finance often took him to Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, India, Indonesia and all over the Far East. Today, as an avid yoga practitioner and part-time teacher, Alex has a keen appreciation for combining luxury highbrow urban travels with off the beaten track alternative destinations and experiences.

SOMERSET HOUSE SKATING UK Don your finest winter-wear to trip the ice fantastic at the grand Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House, which must surely be one of Europe's most stunning locations for seasonal skating. No matter how impressive (or amateur) your skills, a visit to this 900-metre square outdoor rink will look the very picture of glamour in your Christmas snaps! Skating by day is a veritable family affair, with kids and parents of all ages on the ice.

Whilst “Skate Lates” feature a specially curated programme of music throughout the season, including takeovers by the likes of

VIENNA CHRISTMAS MARKETS AUSTRIA Austria’s majestic, refined and beautiful capital is a city of grand palaces, world-class art museums and elegant coffee houses.

Former epicentre of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the Austrian capital exudes stateliness, importance and respectability, yet

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from mid-November onwards, Vienna’s prettiest squares are transformed into magical Christmas markets, and an aroma of bakery items and hot punch creates a festive atmosphere throughout the city.

There are truly few places in Europe where the essence of the festive season is more alive than here. For Vienna Christmas World, the Rathausplatz becomes a twinkling fairytale land, with a 150+ booths selling Christmas gifts, tree decorations, sweets and warm drinks.

Visitors can also skate a 3,000m² ice rink and numerous paths through the park. Close by at the Christmas Village on Maria-Theresien-Platz, visitors can buy traditional handicrafts and cutesy gifts.

Meanwhile the Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung, in the heart of the city, dates back to 1772.

Until 26 December 2017 www.wien.info

radio station Balamii, Field Day founders Eat Your Own Ears, and London's biggest hip hop and R&B night Supa Dupa Fly. Recharge après skate at Fortnum & Mason's Lodge, in the west wing of Somerset House, and munch on British classics like Welsh Rarebit and mince pie with clotted cream, or splash some holiday cash at the rink-side Christmas shopping arcade.

Until 14 January 2018 www.somerset.org.uk

KRAMPUSNACHT

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS

AUSTRIA Described in Austrian folklore as a horned, anthropomorphic half-goat half-demon, who haunts the central European mountainous region that supposedly birthed the creature, Krampus comes alive during an annual festival which spreads some good old-fashioned pre-Christmas terror!

Nowhere does this devil rampage more frighteningly than the town of Klagenfurt, the capital city of the southern Austrian province of Carinthia, on the eastern shore of Lake Wörthersee. Here, the biggest and most rowdy Krampusnacht unfolds every year, brimming with ghastly demons quite literally everywhere. The highlight of Krampusnacht is essentially an alcohol fuelled Krampuslauf race,

FÊTE DES LUMIÈRES FRANCE Every year, upwards of 3 million people flock to the French city of Lyon, to be dazzled by an incredible display of street and architectural illuminations that transform the cityscape into a sparkling wonderland. Fête des Lumières originally sprang from an age-old tradition dating back to 1643.

Essentially, the Festival of Lights extends the traditional 8th December festival, when Lyon’s residents celebrate the Virgin Mary, whose statue stands on Fourvière Hill overlooking the city. Today’s unique urban event is an extravagant affair, comprising a multitude of professionally run light performances.

The four-night programme delivers a different theme each night, complete with video, music and sound effects

HAWAII

which winds through the pedestrian-friendly city centre of Klagenfurt, with a thousand alpine-jogging contestants dressed as scary, child-kidnapping, horned and furry devils. So terrifyingly demonic are Krampus costumes, that a constant debate rages throughout Austria, involving a number of eminent psychologists and reputable schools, which want the creature altogether banned from society because it's so scary to children.

5 December 2017

to compliment the dynamic imagery seen throughout the city, its rivers and parks. Designers hailing from all corners of the planet participate with imaginative installations, whilst city folk get involved by burning candles on their windowsills and balconies, further enhancing the overall glittering spectacle.

7-10 December 2017 www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr

The Billabong Pipe Masters is the last stop on the 2017 Men’s Championship Tour, designed to foster world-class performances around the globe, from Europe to the South Pacific. One of the ten most deadly waves in the world, Hawaii’s Banzai Pipeline, is famous for its heavy swells that can reach up to 30ft, breaking over shallow, rocky coral reefs at high speeds to form barreling curls of water. Not only is it

the perfect wave for those willing to charge, but also for onlookers on the beach watching the incredible spectacle and often death-defying boarding. Part of the allure of the Pipe Masters is that with surfing perfection occasionally come devastating consequences. The Banzai Pipeline is arguably one of the most dangerous waves on the planet, and has claimed more lives than any other wave in the world, on average one fatality a year, not to mention numerous injuries and broken boards.

8–20 December 2017 www.worldsurfleague.com

MEVLÂNA FESTIVAL TURKEY Few people haven’t heard of Turkey’s famous whirling dervishes. This annual ceremony attracts more than 100,000 visitors to the Anatolian city of Konya (an hour by plane from Istanbul), to commemorate the death of 13th century Sufi poet, Mevlâna Celaleddin-i Rumi, one of the world’s great mystic philosophers. His work in

poetry and religious writings are among the most cherished in Islam and beyond. Known as Rumi in the west, he is a best-selling poet in the US with legions of avid fans.

Throughout this festival, whirling dervishes, dressed in white robes with voluminous skirts, dance as if they are in trance, under the observance of a seyh (master). Their performances can best be described as both mesmerising and mystifying - the ecstatic spinning accompanied by orchestral music and chanting making for a truly spellbinding spectacle. The festival’s highlight is the last night, when the entranced dervishes spin to commemorate Mevlâna’s wedding night.

10-18 December 2017 12 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

ALTITUDE COMEDY FESTIVAL AUSTRIA As long as you have a sense of humour and appreciate a joker or two, you’ll love this annual high altitude humourfest in Mayrhofen, which is essentially a load of adults rolling around in the Austrian snow. During Altitude, the hills are alive with the sound of laughter, and the world's biggest comics perform six days of live shows. The first daily show - known as the Après Ski set - starts at 5pm (just after the ski lifts close) and is a raucous affair that takes place in the centrally located Hotel Strass.

Attracting some of the best in the business, The Gala Show is the main nightly event, where four comedians perform in the 750-seater Europahaus theatre. For those with serious comedy (and drinking) stamina, there’s a nightly Late Show kicking-off at 11.30pm, where the jokes (and heckling) get dirtier in the wee hours.

For one night only during the hysterical proceedings, Altitude's dazzling festival of lights #LightUpMayrhofen is not to be missed.

11–17 December 2017 www.altitudefestival.com

HARBIN ICE FESTIVAL CHINA Renowned for one of the most bitterly cold winters of all Chinese cities, Harbin is known as the Ice City for its well-known winter tourism and recreations, and its world-famous ice and snow festival - the largest of its kind on the planet. It takes 15,000 ice sculptors, artisans and workers, working painstakingly for 16 days, cutting 120,000 cubic metres of ice blocks from Songhua River’s frozen surface, to create the breathtaking illuminated iced sculptures and statues, plus

full-size buildings and figures, dotted around the city. However, the main highlights are the two focal exhibition areas, namely Sun Island and Ice & Snow World. Ice slides and festival food and drinks can be found in abundance in several parks and major avenues in the city, as well as winter activities such as Yabuli Alpine Skiing, snowmobile driving, winter-swimming in the Songhua River, and the traditional ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden.

24 December 2017 - 25 February 2018 www.icefestivalharbin.com

BURNING THE CLOCKS UK A Brighton tradition for more than two decades, Burning the Clocks is a unique community event that brings together the whole seaside city to mark the shortest day, the Winter Solstice.

Created in 1994 by the award-winning community arts charity Same Sky, as a way to celebrate the holiday spirit regardless of people's religious beliefs, over 20,000 spectators now turn out to

watch the 2,000-strong parade and take part in this unique tradition, which is essentially a peaceful yet dramatic rebellion against the modern-day excesses of Christmastime commercialism. Local people make their own beautiful paper and willow star lanterns, and after the procession that slowly snakes through the city, they put them into a blazing bonfire on Brighton beach to mark the end of the year. GBP100 will buy you a pair of VIP wrist bands, giving you the very best view of the fireshow and fireworks, right on the beach front.

21 December 2017 www.facebook.com/burningtheclocks 14 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

JUNKANOO

HOGMANY

BAHAMAS

SCOTLAND

The high point of the season for all Bahamians, is when Nassau's main artery, Bay Street, is transformed into a sea of sight and sound that delights, amazes and entertains all who experience Junkanoo. Tracing its roots to the music and dance spectacles of West Africa, Junkanoo is one of the oldest surviving street festivals in the Caribbean, dating back to the 17th century. Legend has it that slaves of old decorated themselves using whatever scrap materials were available, the easiest to lay their hands on being paper and feathers which were sewn onto their clothes, whilst flour paste was used to paint their faces. Nowadays Junkanoo is a wonderful celebration of life and freedom and the major cultural festival of the Bahamas. But you'll need stamina to be part of Junkanoo, because each year it is celebrated in the early hours of the morning on Boxing Day, 26 December, whilst the main event is on New Year’s Day! 26 December 2017 + 1 January 2018 www.bahamas.com/junkanoo

Repeatedly name-checked as one of the top 100 things to do before you die, three days of spectacular events, big bands and electrified crowds from every corner of the globe come together in Edinburgh every year for one of the world’s biggest and best New Year's Eve celebrations. See Shetland Vikings bearing fire lit torches, hear beautiful choral singing in St Giles' Cathedral, enjoy birling to traditional Scottish music in the Old Town, and

watch incredible fireworks from Princes Street Gardens. In years gone by, 150,000 revellers from over 70 countries have even been known to join hands for the world’s biggest rendition of Auld Lang Syne! This year's packed programme includes pioneering British 80s electronic band The Human League headlining the Waverley Stage. Treacherous Orchestra, Barns Courtney, Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 on the East End Stage. And frontman of American rock/hip hop band Fun Lovin' Criminals, Huey Morgan, on the Castle Street Stage.

30 December 2017 - 1 January 2018 www.edinburghshogmanay.com

CARTAGENA MUSIC FESTIVAL COLOMBIA For eight days every January, the historic Colombian walled city of Cartagena opens to the public some of its most charming colonial spaces – indoors and out – for the Festival Internacional de Music. Performances by classical musicians from around the world quite literally completely fill Cartagena with music, including the Teatro Heredia and the beautiful chapels of the Hotels Santa Clara, Santa Teresa, Iglesia de Santo Toribio and the Plaza San Pedro Claver. The festival program is divided into three main matrices, with the audience hearing music composed in Europe, music from different eras made in the New World, and works composed in Europe with influences from unpublished languages of the New World. This year's performers include The Schumann Quartet, a much-celebrated German-Estonian string quartet founded in 2007 in Cologne, consisting of the three brothers Erik, Ken (violin) and Mark Schumann (violoncello), plus accomplished violist Liisa Randalu.

6-14 January 2018 www.cartagenamusicfestival.com

PROTOTYPE USA According to The New Yorker, PROTOTYPE is “essential to the evolution of American Opera", and it took just five years for this premier festival of opera-theatre and music-theatre to achieve this status. Today PROTOTYPE is almost certainly the most important presenter of innovative new operas, experimental theatre and musical works in New York, and is the only festival of its kind in the city, presenting both complete performances as well as works-in-progress through partnerships with local performing arts venues. Since launching, PROTOTYPE has produced and presented over a hundred performances, shared the works of hundreds of local, national and

ATI-ATIHAN PHILIPPINES For lovers of all things mardi gras, Ati-Atihan is the Philippines’ most spectacular festival, and its historical roots can be traced back to early Borneo settlers.

Whilst Filipinos are known worldwide for their gracious hospitality and friendly nature, this particular feast festival, held annually in January, in honour of the Santo Niño (the Infant Jesus), allows visitors a glimpse of their wild, colourful and playful side, a facet of these devout and thoughtful people rarely seen in public. Ati-Atihan is a festival of constant movement, drumming and feasting – basically a non-stop riot of exhibitionism, costume, music and dance.

Soot-black painted faces, feather headdresses and animal bones create

international artists, exposed visionary work to thousands of people, and filled countless stages across the multiple boroughs of New York City.

This year’s program includes new opera Acquanetta, in which the spirit of 1940s horror movies is turned inside out in a bravura, one-act deconstruction of the genre that explores how vision relates to identity.

7-20 January 2018 www.prototypefestival.org

a show-stopping visual treat throughout the proceedings. After days of relentless drumming and festivities, it's nigh on impossible for even the most reluctant and restrained traveller not to get covered in soot and join in the raucous and romping all-night closing masquerade ball.

15–21 January 2018 www.kalibo.org

KEY WEST FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL USA “Flip flops required” is the motto of this annual Floridian foodie gathering, which is recognised by the Travel Chanel as one of best food and wine festivals in the States. Over 5 days Key West attracts thousands of epicureans who delight on creative cuisine and a vast range of wines at 20 unique events, including waterfront tastings, winemaker/chef collaborations, and funky happenings that present an authentic taste of Key West, Florida.

VENICE CARNIVAL ITALY Whilst Venice must be one of the most stereotyped destinations on the planet, the world’s oldest and grandest carnival of all, Carnevale di Venezia, leads revellers through the ancient backstreets and canals of this wonderfully beautiful and vibrant Italian city, revealing hidden parties and exclusive costume balls. At its centre, in the city’s beating heart, Piazza San Marco, people dressed in magnificent 18th century costumes and beautifully ornate masks parade around the square, stopping in front of the colonnaded porticos and the domed basilica for photos. By day it’s fun just to wander the streets and take in the sheer glamorous and decadent atmosphere of it all. By night, keep away from San Marco's

busy streets and head to the areas of Cannaregio and Dorsoduro which offer excellent opportunities to party with the locals. Not to be missed in the carnival’s official ball, held in the splendid Renaissance rooms of the majestic Ca' Vendramin Calergi Palace overlooking the Grand Canal.

27 January – 13 February 2018 www.carnevale.venezia.it/en/

YAMAYAKI JAPAN

The 9th annual incarnation of this festival, includes the Key West Kitchen Tour – which takes you hopping to local homes and restaurants to sample a different dish and wine at each location – and The French Masquerade Party, a sophisticated dance event, where guests are encouraged to dress up Marie Antoinette style, don their best wigs, sip champagne and boogie the night away. The USD265 VIP package includes a Sunset Grand Tasting, a special Henry Flagler's Welcome Party and exclusive access to Old Town Uncorked on 27th January.

23-28 January 2018 www.keywestfoodandwinefestival.com

Formerly a volcano and rising 342 meters above sea level, Mount Wakakusayama, in the Japanese city of Nara, is the location for this annual event held on the fourth Saturday of January, which sees the entire hill fired-up in a controlled burn. Following a parade that includes a giant rice cracker tossing competition, a torch is lit with sacred fire at Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

Buddhist monks then carry this sacred fire down to a small shrine at the foot of the hill. First, interfaith members of Kofuku-ji, Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha ignite the hill. Then hundreds of fireworks are launched, followed by the ritual burning of the hill, for roughly an hour, with the grasses on the slopes blazing as if a

red hell is draped over the mountainside. When all of Mount Wakakusayama is eventually alight, like a gigantic flickering torch, unsurprisingly the fire can be seen across the entire metropolis.

28 January 2018 www.jnto.go.jp Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 17

VINTERJAZZ

SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL

DENMARK Covering the gamut from electronic to experimental, funk to free and mainstream to modern, Denmark’s winter jazz festival has been thawing the Scandinavian chill with smoking tunes for more than fifteen years, gradually growing into one of the biggest European gatherings of the musical genre. Taking place over three weeks, there are more than 500 concerts to experience at 100+ different venues across Denmark. International stars on tour, new award-winning productions and different concert themes drop anchor in both the country’s cities and the suburbs, and Vinterjazz very much kick-starts the season for the country’s clubs, and helps keep the music playing throughout the year.

Highlights of the 2018 festival include

SUPER BOWL 52 U.S.A. The most important day of the professional American football season, when millions of fans who can’t make it to the stadium are glued to the couch for the duration of what is often the most watched US television program of the year, Super Bowl LII will be the 52nd Super Bowl and

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JAPAN

the Fire! trio of Mats Gustafsson (sax), Johan Berthling (bass) and Andreas Werlin (drums), with their fresh approach to improvised music drawing on influences from free jazz, psychedelic rock and noise. And musician Omar Souleyman, who hails from the village of Tell Tamer near the city of Ra's al-'Ayn in the northeastern region of Syria.

2-25 February 2018 www.jazz.dk

the 48th modern-era National Football League championship game. It will decide the league champion for the 2017 NFL season and be played at fixed-roof U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Janet Jackson had her infamous wardrobe malfunction during 2004’s half-time show. Lady Gaga wowed the crowd last year, with her stellar performance which dramatically moved from the roof to the stage, in one of the most acrobatic & incredible halftime shows of all time.

This year it’s the turn of Grammy-award winning pop star Justin Timberlake, who will make his third appearance at Super Bowl half time. Pepsi, the Super Bowl's sponsor, is taking advantage of all the JT hype by starting a behind-the-scenes series leading up to the NBC nationally televised event.

4 February 2018 www.nfl.com

Now one of Japan's most popular winter events, the first Sapporo Snow Festival was held in 1950, featuring just six snow statues built in Odori Park by local high school students. Since then, the event has snowballed into a winter wonderland, which attracts more than two million people from around the world to the capital of the mountainous northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, a popular ski spot also known for its beer. The annual festival, known as Yuki Matsuri

locally, is centred on Odori Park in downtown Sapporo, where giant sculptures of snow and ice are erected alongside a 1.5km trail that is illuminated at night. There are two other sites: Tsudome, a community dome with large snow slides and a tobogganing zone, where the festival starts a few days earlier on 1st February. And Susukino Ice World, which features an ice sculpture contest and show, the opportunity to touch and ride some sculptures and an ice bar serving hot drinks.

5-12 February 2018 www.snowfes.com

RIO CARNIVAL BRAZIL Attracting more than two million people per day onto the streets of the famous Brazilian city, from different parts of the globe, Rio is considered the world’s biggest and most glittering carnival, and the party of a lifetime for many, with those who attend prepared to samba the day and night away for five days straight. Beginning with the crowning of King Momo (the Fat King), who is presented with an over-sized silver and gold key by Rio’s mayor, street bands, dancers and party folk take over the squares and the streets as the festivities get underway, led by traditional samba schools hailing from the city’s favelas. While the main parade at the Sambodromo might be the most iconic in the world, the real festivities happen in and around the streets, with more than 500 parties taking place across the city before and after carnival weekend, bringing the huge metropolis to a colourful and loud standstill. Be sure to catch a Bloco, sometimes called bandas, which are free street parties that take place throughout the city, plus at least one outrageous costume party.

9-14 February 2018 www.rio-carnival.net

BARRANQUILLA CARNIVAL COLOMBIA For the people of Colombia, the start of a new year is not just about fresh goals and aspirations, it also marks the beginning of carnival season. This vibrant, four-day extravaganza - the biggest carnival in the world after Rio – may kick off mid-February, but the party atmosphere in Barranquilla starts weeks earlier, when enthusiastic participants adding finishing touches to

elaborate floats and rehearsing dancers can be seen on the city’s streets.

Pre-carnival events include the crowning of King Momo (the leader of carnivals) and the Carnival Queen, and the reading of the Lectura del Bando - a traditional declaration of carnival - serve as a call for citizens to begin celebrating.

The Queen leads the first day’s festivities with the main event - the Batalla de Flores - an extravaganza of flowers, folk dancing and masked entertainers, with spectators in fancy dress filling the streets cheering the passing floats. The Grand Parade on day two features a thrilling, multi-coloured mass of flamboyant characters bedecked in lavish costumes, all vying for a place in the following year’s main event.

10-13 February 2018 www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org

BERLINALE GERMANY Founded in West Berlin in 1951 and celebrated annually in February since 1978, the 68th outing of Europe’s best-respected film festival, will kick off at the Berlinale Palast on 15th February with the world premiere of Wes Anderson’s film Isle of Dogs, the first animated film to ever open the Berlinale, and “a film that will capture audiences’ hearts with its Wes Anderson charm,” says Festival Director, Dieter Kosslick. Generally ranked number two in the world after Cannes, the Berlin’s film festival features over 400 films per year, including a number of international or European premieres. Films of every genre, length and format find their place in the various sections: great international cinema in the Competition, independent and art house in Panorama, films for young audiences in Generation, new discoveries and promising talents from the German film scene in

Perspektive Deutsches Kino, avant garde, experimental and unfamiliar cinematography in the Forum and Forum Expanded, and an interesting exploration of cinematic possibilities in Berlinale Shorts.

15-25 February 2018 www.berlinale.de/en

COLOMBO, HAMBURG, SWAIMEH, MUNICH, KOH SAMUI, CATANIA LOS ANGELES, SYDNEY, JERUSALEM, NEW YORK, TOKYO, LIMA

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, COLOMBO COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 21

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, COLOMBO Halfway up the Indian Ocean island's west coast, and home to around six million people, in recent years Colombo has emerged as a cosmopolitan metropolis, fusing Asian warmth with international influences to create a humming city that is positively booming with new businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups. Close to reclaiming its 19th century nickname of ‘the garden city of the East’, Colombo is now a must-visit destination within Sri Lanka, and has become a worthy tourist hotspot in its own right. Visitors are drawn to the Sri Lankan capital by its fascinating heritage, colonial monuments, culture at every turn and hospitable locals, together with some of Asia’s best restaurants, all encompassed within a bustling city that exudes a town-like warmth and authenticity.

A city break cannot happen without a good base and quality lodgings to rest one’s head, and whilst Colombo has an abundance of independent, boutique and historic hotels to choose from, until very recently the Sri Lankan capital was noticeably lacking in a world-class premium hospitality offering. The opening of a Shangri-La hotel, at no.1 Centre Road in Galle Face, has changed all this, and now provides a year-round upscale hospitality hub for overseas visitors, providing easy access to all parts of the charismatic capital from its central location.

Inspired by the legendary land featured in James Hilton's 1933 novel, Lost Horizon, Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is one of Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel groups, and has grown to encapsulate a high level of serenity and service for which the brand’s hotels and resorts are now renowned worldwide. Despite only very recently opening, such high standards are already evident throughout the brand’s new Colombo property, which positively oozes sophistication, attentive service and attention to detail from the moment one steps into the soaring, opulent lobby.

Combining modern luxury and genuine hospitality with authentic Sri Lankan charm, Shangri-La’s new Colombo outpost is home to more than 500 guest rooms, 34 suites and 41 serviced apartments, all boasting uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean, Beira Lake or the city skyline. All accommodations are decorated in a luxe and smart yet warm and inviting colour palate of teal and brown to reflect the coastal surroundings. And sumptuous soft furnishings, silk drapes, beautiful artworks and Sri Lankan touches abound, complementing the magnificent vistas. Bathrooms in every category are lined in marble. Rooms range in size from entry level 42m2 to the hotel’s premium 210m2 Shangri-La Suite, which boasts three bedrooms and unparalleled sea views. Every suite has a private covered terrace large enough to dine al fresco.

Occupying the top three floors are the hotel's Horizon Club rooms which offer a host of added benefits, including in-room check-in, complimentary breakfast and evening cocktails, a dedicated concierge service and access to the 32nd floor Horizon Club – the city’s only exclusive high-rise lounge with direct ocean views.

The hotel’s gastronomic offerings truly set Shangri-La Colombo apart from the rest of the city’s five-star properties. The hotel’s premium eatery, Shang Palace, serves traditional Sichuan, Dongbei and Cantonese cuisine in a fine dining setting, with a custom-made duck oven taking centre stage. Meanwhile, celebrity chef Dharshan Munidasa’s Sri Lankan-themed Kaema Sutra restaurant and bar, utilises the island’s aromatic spices, rich ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to create authentic dishes from various regions of the country. And the stylish Capital Bar & Grill serves steaks, grilled seafood and the city’s most extensive whisky selection, complemented by live jazz.

For those needing to unwind after a day of sightseeing, the hotel’s onsite CHI spa offers seven treatment rooms and a selection of traditional Sri Lankan and East Asian therapies, and is situated adjacent to a well-equipped 24-hour gym, sprawling sun terrace and large swimming pool overlooking the Indian Ocean and Galle Face Green.

In short, Shangri-La’s new urban destination hotel, in the heart of the vibrant Sri Lankan capital, offers everything a discerning traveller could possibly need when visiting Colombo. www.shangri-la.com/colombo/shangrila

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SWAIMEH, JORDAN KEMPINSKI HOTEL ISHTAR DEAD SEA No matter how hard you try, you are unlikely to be able to force your feet to the bottom of the Dead Sea in southern Jordan.

Better to stop, take a deep breath, marvel at your new-found buoyancy, feel everything move in slow motion, and relax into the unique experience of floating at the lowest point on earth, 430m below sea level.

Ten times saltier than the ocean, if you hadn't already guessed by the name, no life lies beneath you as you float in the calm, warm, baby oil-like waters. But as it turns out, not even the Dead Sea is immune to eventual death, the cursed combination of rivers being dammed and evaporation threaten to make the landlocked lake disappear for good. Shrinking at a rate of around a metre per year, experts predict that by 2050 the Dead Sea could possibly be little more than a puddle. So now is the time to visit and experience this natural wonder of the world, and tick this aquatic anomaly off your bucket list before it disappears.

In many ways nature’s natural health spa, the Dead Sea’s rich, black mud packs a healthy mineral infusion for the body. High in minerals such as sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium, the mud does wonders for one’s skin, nourishing beyond any moisturiser. Slather the mud all over yourself, leave for 20 minutes, and then rinse off with a float in the mineral-rich waters. Dead Sea mud has been proven to provide relief for numerous skin disorders. Even the air is healthier in this part of the world - highly rich in oxygen due the barometric pressure - and with 330 days of sunshine, it’s little wonder that a number of internationally branded resorts line the salty banks of the Dead Sea on the Jordan side.

Each resort has its own private section of waterfront for guests to bob about in the salty lake. Some offer day access,

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although these are the resorts to steer clear of, especially if you’re in search of a rejuvenating break. A luxurious and exclusive hotel overlooking the northern shores of the Dead Sea, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar undoubtedly occupies prime position on the strip and is arguably the most upscale of all the area’s hospitality options, its Gardens of Babylon-inspired design tumbling down the hillside towards the water. Nicole Kidman, Tony Blair and Bono are just a few of the resort’s past guests, so you’ll be in good company.

Built with the pale stone native to the region, the hotel is first experienced via a cavernous reception hall. Inside, the hotel cascades down through a series of terraced levels, with clusters of accommodation anchored by nine free-forms pools to laze around by day.

Whilst the main building offers 200 sea facing rooms, the gardens feature suites and sumptuous villas with private terraces overlooking the Dead Sea. Rooms here are carved in natural stone and delicately styled with contemporary fittings.

Everything is restrained, relaxing, comfortable and unpretentious. Needless to say, guest bathrooms are laden with luxury Dead Sea-inspired amenities.

The jewel in the Kempinski's crown is the hotel’s Ishtar Spa by Resense, an adults-only relaxation haven and the largest spa in the Middle East. Ayurvedic and Asian therapies, Thai massages, Dead Sea scrubs and local salt and mud treatments are offered in 28 spa suites, complemented by a variety of Hammam pools, outdoor and indoor Jacuzzis, steam rooms and even an ice cave.

If you want to up the luxe level of your Dead Sea experience, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar is without a doubt THE place to do it. www.kempinski.com/en/dead-sea/hotel-ishtar

HAMBURG, GERMANY THE FONTENAY There are more billionaires and millionaires living in Hamburg than in any other German metropolis. As the richest metropolitan centre in one of the world’s wealthiest countries, Hamburg understandably oozes a sense of confidence and success. To say that Hamburg is having "a moment' would not do justice to its impressive past as one of Europe’s most successful cities for more than a millennium. However, Hamburg is very much having a moment, and 2017 has been an exciting year for Germany’s second largest city.

The January opening of the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Elbphilharmonie concert hall drew the world’s attention to the German port city’s latest design renaissance, a maritime-meets-modern juxtaposition of centuries-old warehouses and sleek steel and glass.

Hamburg’s latest visually appealing addition doubles as the city’s first luxury hotel in decades. The Fontenay, set to open in January 2018, is the realised vision of renowned local architect Jan Störmer, who has created the sinuous building’s rippling facade by covering it in white porcelain tiles that echo the surface of adjacent Lake Alster. Unsurprisingly, the hotel has been making waves, with its bold contemporary design and idyllic lakeside location, ever since it started coming out of the ground. Built as a reflection of modern Hamburg, the hotel promises to seamlessly combine urban nature with a cosmopolitan way of life, and sculptural architecture that ensures every space is flooded with natural light.

The wow factor continues inside, where guests enter a spacious 27-meter-high glass atrium before retreating to one of 131 curve-walled guest rooms; the quirky dimensions and near absence of straight lines meaning that literally every piece of furniture had to be custom made.

The ambitious property also features an inner courtyard planted with trees, a garden restaurant, a panoramic sixth-floor Fontenay Bar boasting 320-degree lake views, a gourmet rooftop restaurant and a 10,000ft2 spa incorporating an indoor-outdoor pool – all evidence (if any were needed) that Germany is poised to welcome one of its most sophisticated hotels yet, The Fontenay is sure to capture the attention of luxury travellers around the world, and Hamburg’s status as a tourist destination will be elevated yet further, as the city rounds off one of its most historic years ever. www.thefontenay.de

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MUNICH, GERMANY ROOMERS MUNICH Sitting opposite the impressive 19th century red-brick Augustiner Brewery, about 6-7 minutes away from the city centre Marienplatz, Roomers Munich, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, is a newly opened five-star property located in the Westend Quarter, aiming to redefine the guest experience in a culturally rich and elegant city, where discerning travellers can already choose from an impressive list of upscale hotels.

The reinvigorated neighbourhood in which the hotel is located is in itself a bit of a departure for a luxury Munich hotel. But Roomers’ designers like to think a little outside the box, and once settled into the hotel's home on busy Landsberger Strasse – which boasts a huge diversity of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops old and new – one realises that the property’s location is actually rather cool. The city’s famous Olympiapark sports venue, originally built for the 1972 summer games. and now an urban park used for many of the Bavarian capital’s big social events, is nearby. As are the offices of Apple and Google.

Inside the hotel, 281 spacious guest rooms range in size from 25m2 to 155m2, and each of the 10 suites has a private sauna and a Jacuzzi on its terrace. A natural-centric overall interior design style, utilising plenty of wood, marble, copper and leather, is enhanced by original artworks scattered throughout the hotel, and combined with a rich colour palette to gently lift the dim but clever lighting and dark aesthetic.

Roomers’ stylish approach also extends to its signature dining experience, Izakaya Asian Kitchen & Bar, which hails from Amsterdam. Largely Japanese and South American inspired, chefs cook as guests watch, fascinated as flames periodically shoot into the air. Izakaya is outstanding and alone worthy of a visit to Roomers Munich, even if you are not lured by the deluxe and glossy accommodations to stay overnight.

After dinner, guests move on to Roomers Bar, where hand-crafted cocktails and a selection of shochu fuel a lively vibe. Those lucky enough to be summoned through a tunnel to a second door, find themselves in an invite-only red-bedecked hidden den, where a sultry chanteuse sings or one of Munich’s hottest DJ spins until 4am. Hanging out here, amongst Munich’s fashion-fuelled and style leaders, will almost certainly lead to you spending the night. www.roomers-munich.com

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KOH SAMUI, THAILAND THE RITZ-CARLTON, KOH SAMUI

Located off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus in Thailand, Koh Samui, the country’s third largest island, is a veritable cosmopolitan melting pot, attracting everyone from backpackers and budget travellers staying for a month or two in basic beachside bungalows, to the mega wealthy who drop in to laze at one of the island’s luxury resorts or stay at a decadent beachfront villa.

Like the island’s food and beverage offerings, which range from cheap beer and beach bars to world-class international fare and designer restaurants, the mood also swings from brash and noisy Chaweng to the soft thud of a coconut falling on a fine stretch of deserted sand. Spread across 58 acres of a former coconut plantation, the recently opened Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui is unabashedly aimed at upwardly mobile and discerning travellers, and has been designed to seamlessly combine the brand's legendary service standards with the traditional spirit of Thai hospitality and colourful Samui island life culture to create a unique hospitality offering.

Overlooking the tropical setting’s turquoise waters and oceanfront amenities, the resort is home to 175 suites and pool villas, the property’s contemporary architecture paying homage to the heritage of the site via the extensive incorporation of coconut elements and natural materials, imbuing a sense of place and helping to immerse guests in the destination.

Amongst the expansive resort’s facilities, are a 3,800m2 spa village anchored in the healing culture of the region, complete with eight treatment suites, three massage pavilions, a dedicated yoga pavilion, health bar and a lap pool with private cabanas. Koh Samui’s Ritz-Carlton also offers a one-of-a-kind temperate swim reef within the resort, teeming with over 50 different species of fish. The largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, the reef offers unique snorkelling and fish-feeding experiences, plus two white sand beaches, a beachside pool and a water sports center.

Onsite dining amenities include interactive eatery Shook!; laidback Thai street food concept Baan Talat; poolside bar Sea Salt; cevicheria Tides, and circular bar and lounge One Rai, which produces top-end hand-crafted cocktails and Asian-inspired small bites. The resort’s signature restaurant, Pak Thai, offers modern interpretations of traditional southern Thai cuisine in a fine dining environment overlooking the swim reef. www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/koh-samui

LOS ANGELES, U.S.A. HOTEL INDIGO LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN Part of the Metropolis development, which is also home to numerous luxurious condos which have been going up everywhere of late, as LA’s downtown district becomes an increasingly popular place to live, the 350-room Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown has become the place to stay in the City of Angels for those after a more authentic and immersive experience.

Whilst the hotel is positioned in the midst of a thriving area of 21st century resurgence, back in the day, a century ago, this was the original epicentre of the movie business, where the Golden Age of Hollywood essentially happened, and where artists like Charlie Chaplin took centre stage. A section of Downtown's main street Broadway named the Theatre District, lined with glorious, glamorous Art Deco theatres, was once the highest concentration of cinemas in the world. But Downtown LA was also the centre of many illegal goings-on during Prohibition, where corrupt city officials are rumoured to have smuggled alcohol via its 18 kilometres of underground tunnels. So, it is apt that Hotel Indigo's design aesthetic is a nod to Prohibition-era Hollywood, and actively invites guests to experience what it was like in Los Angeles during the 1920s. The hotel is, in particular, inspired by the first Chinese-American film star and fashion icon of the time, Anna May Wong. Much of the imagery throughout the hotel depicts her life and career.

In the lobby, old newspaper clippings make up the upholstery for sofas in front of the registration desk, with a bicycle spoke light fixture hanging overhead, and a collage of historical images adorning the largest wall, tantalisingly obscured by an array of white flowers to lure in guests for a closer look. Next to the lobby, the bar and restaurant are separated by silver tunnel-like archways, with low-slung lights highlighting seats in rich turquoise and lime green velvet, and huge flower prints on the walls celebrating the Fiesta de los Flores, a popular parade that used to take place in Los Angeles at the time.

Throughout the public areas of the hotel, the art is fun and funky with respectful references. Meanwhile, guest room wall coverings resemble what occupants might have seen out their windows at the time, from historic buildings to parasols on the street, all overlaid on top of each other. Floor lamps resemble stage lighting. Rich colours are evident throughout, from mauve pillows and navy-blue bedcovers to purple walls and black and white tiled bathrooms.

Staying at Hotel Indigo is Downtown LA is not only a contemporary hospitality experience which takes you back in time, but also an artistic and creative insight into the thriving creativity, urban vibe and unique multiculturalism of the dynamic 21st century Los Angeles of today.

http://hotelindigola.com

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CATANIA, SICILY ASMUNDO DI GISIRA Situated on the edge of the Ionian Sea, under the shadow of Mount Etna (or “A Muntagna” as the locals call it), Catania is Sicily’s second largest city, with a population of around 300,000. Mount Etna has, to a large extent, shaped both the history and the actual existence of Catania. On several occasions, volcanic eruptions destroyed the city, the most devastating of which happened in the 17th century, when in 1669 Catania was covered in lava, and then, just a few decades later, a massive earthquake devastated most of south-eastern Sicily and reduced much of Catania to rubble. However, the resilient townsfolk’s reaction to the latter catastrophe was incredible - using lava from Mount Etna to rebuild the entire old part of the town in grand Baroque style, complete with large open squares, wide avenues and numerous fine buildings.

Today Catania is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a city rich in history and legend. So, in transforming an 18th century former mansion into boutique hotel Asmundo di Gisira, Giuseppe Minaldi and Valentina Giampiccolo, co-founders of Italian firm Studio GUM, chose to not only embrace Catania’s past, but also reinforce it with an unconventional design sensibility that pays homage to the stories and symbols that have come to define the ancient Italian city. This “stimulates the curiosity of the visitors” says Giampiccolo, “pushing them to explore their surroundings and reflect upon and celebrate the city’s legacy.”

The myth of Billonia, a beautiful young girl who handed out flowers and happiness, serves as design inspiration, not only for a portrait in the entrance, but also in graphic wallcoverings throughout the hotel. By way of tribute to the pink birds that would linger in the fountain in Giardino Bellini park, a larger-than-life flamingo by Domenico Pellegrino peers into the reception area. This whimsicalness is carried through to the six guestrooms, each of which tells a different story.

In the Proserpina room, the goddess of grain and architecture is reinterpreted as a greenhouse made of iron and tissue, set under a beautifully frescoed ceiling. Whilst the Uzeta room recalls the valiant knight who defeated Saracen giants, represented by a large ceramic alligator and a headboard of overlapping leather pieces studded in armour-inspired brass. The hotel’s other four rooms continue in the same artistic and highly detailed vain, rendering Asmundo di Gisira more of a living art gallery rather than simply somewhere to lay one’s head. Perhaps being part of the masterpiece and surrounded by the history of the destination when we sleep is the way forward for a more immersive hospitality experience. www.asmundodigisira.com

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CA I R O 1HR

3HR

I F

Y O U T O

H A D 1 / 3 E X P l O R E

5HR

/ 5 H O U R S C A I R O

W H AT W O U L D YOU D O 1 3

H R See King Tut’s Treasure: Discover the gold mask room housing the museum’s most famous artifact .

H R S See The Pyramids And Sphinx: See one of the seven wonders of the world and avoid the lines .

5

H R S Ride Arabian Horses In The Desert: Discover rural Egypt on horseback .

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1191 Corniche El Nil , P.O Box 2044 Ataba - cairo , 11221 | Phone 20.2.25808000 | Fax 20.2.25808080 | Conradcairo.com

ASIA

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA SOFITEL SYDNEY DARLING HARBOUR Occupying a prime waterfront location opposite ICC Sydney – Asia Pacific's newest integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment centre – when the new AUD350million Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour opened a month ago, it was the city's most anticipated luxury hospitality opening for a number of years. In one of the world’s most photographed cities, the Sofitel was somewhat surprisingly the first new-build luxury hotel to open in Sydney since before the city hosted the Olympics in 2000.

Owned by hotel magnate Jerry Schwartz, operated

by Accor and boasting 590 contemporary French styled rooms including 35 suites, the new Sofitel is now Darling Harbour's tallest building, and guests sipping bubbly in the hotel’s exclusive Club Millesime Lounge on level 35 look down on the Hyatt Regency on the opposite side of the harbour, presently Australia's largest hotel with 892 keys.

Designed by renowned and multi award-winning UK-born Sydney-based architect Richard Francis-Jones, the hotel’s design draws inspiration from the area’s waterside heritage, reimagining iconic motifs in a vibrant modern style, and the architecture pays tribute to the maritime industries that formerly occupied the site. Luxurious touches, artistic detailing and an obvious sense of style have been skilfully woven throughout the hotel, artfully combining French elegance and sophistication with local culture. Whilst this detailing is evident in the hotel’s public spaces, as well as the hundreds of guest rooms in various categories, it is in the property’s 35 covetable suites, which boast some of Sydney’s best views, where most of Francis-Jones' deluxe frills come into play.

As well as the aforementioned top floor champagne bar, where premium guests soak in spectacular harbour vistas with a glass of vintage cuvee in hand, there are two other bars, an all-day dining “Atelier by Sofitel” signature restaurant, nine meeting spaces, a grand ballroom, an infinity pool and a state-of-the-art gym.

Sydney may have waited a long time for a brand new 5-star property, but Darling Harbour’s swishy new Sofitel delivers slick facilities and designer accommodation in spades. www.sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com.au

LIMA, PERU ATEMPORAL-HOTELITO A city full of rich flavours, wonderful food, unique experiences, excellent museums and the magical union of the past and the present, Peru’s capital is still very much a tourist draw. In the beautiful residential district of Miraflores, you can drink while overlooking beaches lined with small rocks that form eye-catching patterns each time the tide rolls in and out.

Located in a quiet corner of Miraflores, and marrying an eclectic sense of modern urban cool with an old school service ethic that anticipates guests’ every need, Atemporal is the perfect base for discerning travellers interested in exploring the contemporary side of Lima. Situated in a safe and serene neighbourhood (by Lima's standards anyway), Atemporal is within walking distance of the pre-Incan Huaca Pucllana archaeological site, and there are plenty of shops, banks, cafés and restaurants nearby. Miraflores’ lively commercial centre is just five minutes by taxi. Lima's centre is 30 minutes away.

A small and stylish hotelito, housed within a revamped 1940s mansion, Atemporal's nine guest rooms mean that the service is very personalised, and the informal and relaxed atmosphere breaks down the barriers between visitors and the friendly, knowledgeable staff, making this one-off luxury townhouse a perfect cosy refuge, where guests can decompress and recharge their batteries between adventures in Peru’s vibrant capital. There’s always a staff member on hand to advise about places to eat, drink and walk in the area. Delightful indoor and outdoor lounge areas on the ground and first floors add to the feeling of staying in someone’s home. Atemporal makes a Mini car and two bikes available for guests to use at their convenience. And, as well as free in-room wi-fi, guests are given a small hotspot device that can be used throughout Lima to stay connected.

Guest rooms are punctuated with an eclectic but sophisticated mixture of contemporary and classic artworks and artefacts collected from across Peru. While the bedrooms are a little on the small side, staying at Atemporal actually feels quite luxurious, like a bit of a hospitality treat. This kind of feeling is in stark contrast to larger hotels in the area. LAB+ rooms are the most spacious and comfortable, and include a sitting area with two armchairs, a table, and a sofa and/or chaise. Blackout curtains ensure that you get some sleep after a night out, and breakfast, afternoon tea and daily glass of wine are included in the room rate. For a slice of calm amongst the bustle of Lima, Atemporal may be just what you need to experience both the exuberance and warm hospitality of the Peruvian people and their lively capital. www.atemporal.pe

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TAKING LUXURY TO NEW HEIGHTS

As temperatures drop the summer haze clears and immaculate blue sky days followed by crystal clear nights awash with the brightest stars. Take advantage of the perfect winter climate and make luxuriously spacious suites your home from which to explore the beautiful and fascinating areas in Oman.

Conquer the region’s highest and most exhilarating via ferrata, hike through abounded mountain villages or simply unwind in the elegant haven of Spa Alila and indulge in culinary experience which embraces the best of Omani and international cuisine.

#AlilaJabalAkhdar

@alilajabalakhdar

NEW YORK, U.S.A. PUBLIC Widely credited as the founder of the boutique hotel (Morgans, Delano and Royalton are just a few), which he came up with in prison whilst doing time for tax evasion, Ian Schrager knows a thing or two about hospitality. Of course, before turning his hand to hotels, the industry veteran first reinvented nightlife with Studio 54 in the ’70s, where elitist hedonism happened behind a velvet rope. Schrager is essentially the man responsible for colour block feature walls, for hotel lobbies with DJs that double-up as cocktail bars, and for the 21st century designer hotel experience, with all the exclusive swishyness that it entails. But Ian Schrager’s latest big idea is accessibility, or, as some would say, populism. Schrager himself calls it “accessible luxury”, and this is what his latest hospitality venture, Public, is all about.

The ethos of Public is “luxury for all”, whereby forgoing superfluous touches (such as a traditional check-in, bell boys and room service) enables Schrager to still offer all of the facilities and high-end design that his properties are known for, but at an affordable price.

Six years ago, the first Public opened in Chicago, but since it was an existing building, Schrager was limited as to what he could do. He has since sold it. This time, the new-build New York property gave him a clean slate to further refine and develop the brand, resulting in a slick yet pared-back 367-room hotel (topped with 11 luxury residences), tucked away in New York’s emerging Lower East Side in downtown Manhattan.

Designed by long-time Schrager collaborator Herzog & de Meuron, the concrete exterior with expansive windows gives way to a palette of modest materials used in clever and refined ways. A dramatic entrance escalator surrounded by mirrors and made of polished steel creates an intensely theatrical feel. The bedrooms are all window and pale wood, with blinds that go full black-out at the touch of a fingertip. You can check in online and download your room key to your phone. While there are advisors around to help, there’s no one waiting to move your luggage.

When it comes to eating and drinking, Public is essentially a microcosm of the best that New York has to offer. The entrance walkway cuts through a small park. The ground floor is home to a retail store, as well as two new concepts from prolific chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten - Louis, a grab-and-go market, and Kitchen, boasting an open kitchen with three white marble tiled ovens and outdoor garden seating. There is a basement multimedia performance space plus four different onsite bars, the crowning jewel of which is the rooftop where it’s all about the views.

In a city where people use their lodgings as a base from which to explore, Public is one New York hotel that you may never want to leave. www.publichotels.com

Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 39

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL THE ORIENT, JERUSALEM As the country’s most populated and largest city, Jerusalem presents a patchwork of ethnic and religious diversity. A city that is sacred to three of the world’s great religions, different parts of Jerusalem tell completely differing stories that together help to weave the narrative of the place. For spirituality and history, few cities in the world resonate with cultured travellers in the same way as Jerusalem, and even a week spent in the Israeli capital may not be long enough to sufficiently scratch below the surface of its often unfathomable complexity. Yet the most contested city on earth is also one of the world’s most beautiful. The scope of its history is staggering, and its vital place in the traditions of all three monotheistic faiths has led to it being fought over continually through the centuries. Jerusalem is both the heart of the Holy Land and one of the most sacred sites in the world, and a tourist hotspot brimming with sights to be seen. So, it is essential that you chose the right base from which to explore this cultural melting pot.

Israeli hotel chain Isrotel's recently opened Orient is located in Jerusalem’s lively, upscale German Colony, a five-minute taxi ride to the edge of the Old City district, within whose compact lanes most of the top tourist attractions are located. Once inhabited by the German Templar Society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and formerly serving as a school for their community, the historic property was lovingly restored by architect Eyal Ziv, to create a contemporary hotel which pays homage to the city’s past, through a material palette that includes stone, wood, tile and glass.

Accessible via a glass pavilion, the lobby is clad with an opulent, tapestry-lined ceiling. An elegant, earth-toned colour palette infuses the 243 rooms and suites, juxtaposing fabric detailing including burnt sienna and azure. In a nod to the bathhouses of yesteryear, intricate tiling and metallic finishes line the bathrooms.

Soak in stunning views of the Old City from the rooftop infinity pool and decide which historic sites to visit the next day while sipping on a hand-crafted cocktail. The Orient is both a haven from the bustle of Jerusalem, and a path directly into this most historic and religious of the world’s capitals. www.isrotel.com/orient

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CO MB I NI NG VI E NNE S E E L E GA NCE A N D L U X U RY I N T H E H I S T OR I CA L H E A RT OF T H E CI TY

HYATT ™ Namen, PARK HYATT ™ und verwandte Marken, sind Marken der Hyatt Corporation. © 2017 Hyatt Corporation. Alle Rechte vorbehalten

THE PLACES YOU CAN EXPLORE

THE PLACES YOU CAN EXPLORE at Park Hyatt Vienna. Book this very special offer with us now and enjoy 15% on the best available rate for stays between December 15, 2017 and February 28, 2018. Reservations must be made until January 15, 2018. To learn more, visit parkhyattvienna.com.

The Cultured Traveller 2017 - 2018.indd 1

11/22/2017 9:30:32 AM

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TOKYO, JAPAN HOSHINOYA TOKYO International travellers generally visit Tokyo to zip around the city filling themselves with uni, see as much of the hectic Japanese capital as possible, shop ’til they drop and drink Japanese whisky, before leaving to a more rural part of the country to recover and unwind. But Hoshino Resorts may just have turned the typical Tokyo city break on its head, by the opening of its 84-room luxury ryokan property, Hoshinoya Tokyo, located in a slick, 18-storey skyscraper slap bang in the middle of the frenetic Otemachi financial district.

For the uninitiated, a ryokan is typically a traditional Japanese-style inn, that offers an immersive cultural experience. Staying at a ryokan usually means sleeping on a futon bed on a tatami (straw mat) floor, bathing in a communal hot-spring bath, and eating a multi-course kaiseki-style meal while wearing a kimono, all of which is highly recommended but rarely happens in a city centre, and the centre of Tokyo at that.

Hoshinoya has taken the best elements of a ryokan and repurposed them - in an utterly traditional style - for modern travellers visiting one of the world’s busiest cities. The result is one of the most peaceful urban hotels anywhere on the planet and a true urban escape.

Even when the property is running at 100% occupancy, you’ll rarely see or hear another guest. The entrance from the street is devoid of typical concierge desks, ringing phones or any commercial activity. In their place are an art installation and a quiet space where you’re encouraged to remove your shoes, which the kimono-clad staff store inside bamboo lockers. Guests are required to pad around the hotel barefoot, even in the privacy of your own bedroom, which, whilst taking some getting used to (particularly after a day on the streets of Tokyo), soon feels surprisingly liberating, and makes the whole building feel like home.

Hoshinoya Tokyo’s main attraction however, is its open-air onsen, the area’s first natural hot-spring bath, where women and men bathe in waters rich in therapeutic minerals, in separate rooftop spaces each open to the skies, yet enclosed by towering walls. This free and liberating experience is both the ideal tonic to a busy day of sightseeing, and the perfect prelude to a night out in the Japanese capital. www.hoshinoyatokyo.com

KRAMPUSNACHT The Krampus devil comes alive during the annual Austrian Krampusnacht festival, spreading some good old-fashioned pre-Christmas terror in the town of Klagenfurt, on the eastern shore of Lake Wรถrthersee.

5 December 2017

PRIZE DRAW

WIN A THREE-NIGHT STA IN THE EPICENTRE OF

The winner of this prize will stay for three nights in a Two-Bedroom Residence which sleeps four people, including return airport transportation from Miami International Airport and a USD500 dinner credit at Quinto La Huella. Also included are four tickets to Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), daily buffet breakfast for four people, and wi-fi.

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EAST, Miami – Swire Hotels’ first hospitality venture in North America – is located in the heart of Brickell, Miami’s slick rejuvenated financial district. Brickell is the city’s more cosmopolitan side, and a departure from the neon Art Deco of South Beach.

Created for unconventional travellers looking for a fun and relaxing place to stay, EAST, Miami offers distinctive experiences for those seeking innovation, style and personalised services. 352 guest rooms including 8 suites,

AY FOR FOUR PEOPLE AT EAST, MIAMI FLORIDA’S MOST HAPPENING CITY plus 89 one, two and three-bedroom fully-equipped residences (which enjoy full access to the amenities and services of the hotel), provide a wide variety of accommodation options to fulfil the needs of every traveller and short or long-staying guest.

The hotel’s popular, chic yet relaxed signature Uruguayan restaurant, Quinto La Huella, features a beautifully designed dining room, including indoor and outdoor seating, sushi counter and a wood fire parrilla

at the heart of the kitchen. Meanwhile, an intricately carved wooden bar is the focal point of Balinese-inspired rooftop venue Sugar, complete with spectacular city vistas in every direction. There is also a poolside bar and lounge, a lobby café, 20,000ft2 outdoor pool and deck and a 24-hour fitness centre. In short, EAST, Miami provides absolutely everything that a discerning cultured traveller could possibly need for a perfect Miami city break.

To enter this prize draw email your contact details (name, home city, email and mobile no.) to win @ TheCulturedTraveller.com Entrants will be added as subscribers to The Cultured Traveller's mailing list. The draw will take place after 28th February 2018 and the winner will be notified via email. This prize can be used any time before 30th November 2018 and is subject to availability (when booking) and blackout periods during the holiday season, Easter, Miami International Boat Show, Art Basel Miami and Ultra Music Festival.

The Cultured Traveller will not share your contact details with third parties.

MELBOURNE

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DAWN GIBSON EXPLORES THE COBBLED LANES, HIDDEN BARS AND VIBRANT ARTS SCENE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST SOPHISTICATED CITY

“It may be less known and marginally less populous than Sydney, yet the capital of the state of Victoria is a unique and delightfully modern world city, complete with a genuinely kind, welcoming heart ”

EE

legant and steeped in Victorian charm. Brash and edgy, bristling with feisty attitude. A warm glow and cool jazz spilling from a small bar, tucked into an almost forgotten back lane. An insistent bass beat reverberating through a converted warehouse, where heavily tattooed bar staff serve cocktails in tumblers. A tree-lined street of chic designer boutiques. Waterside restaurants with award-winning fusion cuisine. Melbourne is all of these things, and yet far more than the sum of its parts.

Referred to as Australia’s cultural capital and the most European metropolis of the antipodes, it is doing Melbourne a disservice to consider it merely as ‘Australia’s second city’.

It may be less known and marginally less populous than Sydney, yet the capital of the state of Victoria is a unique

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and delightfully modern world city, complete with a genuinely kind, welcoming heart.

Melbourne combines all the elements that appeal to a seasoned traveller: intriguing streetscapes mixing contemporary design with handsome nineteenth-century terrace houses and glorious art deco landmarks; a world-renowned foodie scene that includes some of the best restaurants you could ever wish to raise a fork in; an established boutique bar culture and exciting nightlife; internationally revered art galleries and covetable designer fashion; shopping destinations which tug insistently on the purse strings; lush parks and sprawling gardens, and, last but by no means least, some of the best coffee shops on the planet. Hence, it was not hard to see why in 2017

Melbourne was named the most liveable city in the world for the seventh year running, beating Vienna and Vancouver.

Melburnians know they are onto a good thing, and international travellers are now chomping to experience a piece of it.

The Cultured Traveller flew to Melbourne on SriLankan Airlines, the Indian Ocean nation’s award-winning flag carrier, which recently launched a daily non-stop service from Colombo as part of the airline’s on-going expansion of its international network. SriLankan’s Melbourne route not only provides travellers with a convenient new entry-point into Australia, but also affords those departing from the U.K., Oman, Qatar, U.A.E. and India the opportunity to stop off and explore the beautiful island of Sri Lanka en-route to

‘Straya, effectively providing two completely different country experiences in one trip.

I land in Melbourne on a weekday afternoon and buy a ticket for the SkyBus Melbourne City Express, a user-friendly service which runs 24/7 and departs MEL airport every 10 minutes. The journey takes about 30 minutes and costs AUD35 return, about the third of the price of a taxi (www.skybus.com.au). Alternatively, pre-book a chauffeur driven luxury German sedan via Omnicar, and arrive at your destination in style for AUD90 one-way (www.omnicar.com.au).

On my way into the city, I gaze out the window and spot a herd of wild kangaroos lazing on a hillock not far from the

highway, a magical start to my Australian adventure. Green fields soon give way to suburbia, before the sleek steel and glass skyline of Melbourne’s cityscape appears. The SkyBus stops at the central Southern Cross Station, and from there, complimentary feeder buses take visitors to their lodgings.

Founded in 1835 on the north bank of the Yarra River, taking advantage of the natural bay of Port Phillip, Melbourne is made for exploration on foot, as the well-spaced streets are designed in an easily navigable grid. However, if you’re short of time, getting around by public transport or taxis is relatively stress-free. Melbourne has the largest urban tram network in the world, and tram rides within the centre of the city are completely free. For travel by train, tram and bus, visitors can buy a re-usable ‘myki’ smartcard at main train stations or online (www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki). Also, Uber operates

protected Royal Exhibition building, completed in 1880, and Melbourne’s famous cricket ground, opened in 1853.

For a first-time visitor, the best way to understand Melbourne is as a network of neighbourhoods radiating out from the Yarra River, each with its own style and ambience; and each worth setting aside at least half a day to investigate more fully, to wander and absorb the sights, sounds, tastes and smells, from the vibrancy of Southbank and the Docklands, to the upmarket boutiques, cafes and cocktail lounges of South Yarra and the relaxed, beachside ambience of St Kilda. But a meteorological word of warning: while Melbourne enjoys a temperate climate of warm summers and cool winters, the weather is notoriously fickle, so a bright sunny morning can easily turn into a raging thunderstorm in the space of an hour – the song ‘Four Seasons in One Day’ by Melbourne band Crowded House

“The creativity is almost tangible, bursting to the surface of the everyday in urban art and café culture, expressed in the tens of thousands who throng excitedly to gallery openings and first nights”

very efficiently in Melbourne, and provides a variety of different vehicle categories, including premium cars.

Contemporary Melbourne deftly achieves a harmonious balance between a glorious past and a thriving present. Just decades after it was founded, the fledgling community on Australia’s south-eastern coast became one of the biggest and richest cities in the world as a result of the gold rush of the 1850s. As hundreds of thousands of prospectors flocked to its shores, glorious Victorian architecture sprung up, much of which is still happily evident today. Following the federation of Australia in 1901, Melbourne served as the new nation’s temporary seat of Government until 1927. As a result of its pivotal role in national history, Melbourne is home to some of Australia’s oldest and most significant cultural landmarks, including the UNESCO World Heritage

sums up the climate perfectly. Do check the forecast every time you head out, and don’t ignore the lead of locals who often wear layers!

The natural place to start your orientation is the city centre, where fabulous al fresco cafés and virtually hidden bars jostle for space along cobbled laneways amid antique emporiums, jewellery shops and boutiques showcasing Australian and international designers. Of course, there are the department stores and global chains you find everywhere, but it is the original and quirky which make Melbourne’s CBD such a fascinating place to explore.

I start in Flinders Lane, the hub of Melbourne’s rag trade in the mid-20th century, and today home to designer wares and vintage clothing stores. Heading towards Russell Street, Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 53

I turn right into cobbled Hosier Lane, known for its colourful graffiti and street art. After taking some Instagram-worthy photos, I stroll back to Flinders Lane and find myself lured into a vintage boutique, where fifties and sixties style dresses in a variety of colours and prints line the walls. In the first of many such encounters, the sales woman is genuinely warm, chatty and helpful, without pushing me to buy. Next stop is Centre Place, one of Melbourne’s most famous and photographed laneways, a veritable bustling hive of activity. I sit down outside one of the buzzing cafés to enjoy a superbly creamy latté and a scrumptious ‘toastie’ of bacon, egg and smashed avocado.

Sufficiently refuelled, I walk to Collins Street, Melbourne’s luxury shopping enclave. In a city passionately obsessed with fashion – Melbourne Fashion Week every September is a huge event, and the world-famous Melbourne Cup each November is as much about the frocks as the fillies – Collins Street is where the well-heeled go for their fill of international designer togs. Prada, Gucci, Dior, Armani, Hermès and Burberry are all here. The east of Collins is known as the ‘Paris end’ due to its grand architecture, while the west of the street is referred to as the ‘New York end’, a nod to its modern buildings and financial institutions. Don’t miss The Block Arcade, between Collins and Elizabeth Streets, built in the 1890s and inspired by Milan’s Galleria Vittoria. A glorious tribute to the delights of shopping, the arcade features intricate mosaic floors, a glass canopy and carved stone finishes, as well as the traditional Hopetoun Tea Rooms, where the window groans with sinfully tempting cakes.

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From Elizabeth Street, I turn right and walk past the junction with Little Collins, until I reach Royal Arcade on the right. Opened in 1870, this is the oldest surviving arcade in Australia, featuring a superb light-filled interior topped with arched windows similar to the famous Burlington Arcade in London’s Mayfair. After a fun half hour darting in and out of the little shops, browsing everything from hard-to-find French perfumes to quirky home-wares and delicate silk scarves, I emerge into the sunlight from the Victorian arcade onto the bustle of the Bourke Street Mall, a leading retail strip, bringing me abruptly back into the hum of the modern metropolis.

Whilst I won’t go into detail about all of the fascinating nooks and crannies, Degraves Street and Hardware Lane 56 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18 42

are also well worth a visit for their bars, cafes, restaurants and shops.

Wherever you wander, you are bound to build up an appetite, and Melbourne is happily one of the finest places in the world to satisfy it. The city has for decades been known for its wonderfully diverse multicultural foodie scene, the legacy of waves of immigration since its Gold Rush days: Melburnians will proudly tell you their city has the largest Greek-speaking population outside of Europe and that the Vietnamese surname Nguyen is the second most common after Smith.

Venture to Chinatown at the eastern end of Little Bourke

Street to be spoilt for choice in terms of contemporary and traditional Chinese cuisine, including scrumptious street food – don’t leave without tasting a steamed savoury dumpling with a piping hot centre of pork or bean curd. Go to Little Italy – a section of Lygon Street in the inner-city suburb of Carlton – to sip a cappuccino in the place where Melbourne’s café culture began, but beware the touts offering free glasses of vino to convince you to dine, as you will typically find better fare elsewhere.

The restaurant scene at large is fiercely innovative and staffed by some superbly talented, visionary chefs, all making excellent use of abundant local produce.

Gourmands in the know are sure to have heard of Attica.

“The city has for decades been known for its wonderfully diverse multicultural foodie scene, the legacy of waves of immigration since its Gold Rush days”

Chef Ben Shewry’s clever use of native ingredients, and ability to deliver a dining experience many rave about for weeks, have resulted in the restaurant being listed among the world’s top 50. But you don’t need to spend a fortune to eat good food in Melbourne, and the city’s culinary diversity makes it possible to sample a wonderful variety of cuisines without blowing your holiday budget.

Similarly, Melbourne’s bar and nightlife scene is brilliantly varied, eclectic and ever-changing. The city is particularly known for its music – Nick Cave, The Avalanches, Jet, The Temper Trap, Missy Higgins and pop icon Kylie Minogue all hail from Melbourne – as well as its chic late-night wine and cocktail bars. Rooftop bars are an enduring favourite when the weather is fair, and a multitude can be found scattered throughout the inner-city.

One neighbourhood popular with foodies, night owls and fashionistas alike is the bohemian northern inner-city suburb of Fitzroy, known for its vibrant mix of hip bars, art galleries, cafés and home-grown designers. Start your exploration with a flat white on the Brunswick Street strip, where snippets of conversation on yoga, mindfulness and artists’ residences will swirl around as you drink your coffee.

Pose for a picture on one of the mosaic-tiled couches, an enduring symbol of Fitzroy’s ubiquitous street art, before taking a stroll down the strip, where you will be hard pressed to decide where to dine, sip or shop. Many of the boutiques and cafés were hipster haunts before hipster was a thing, and the upbeat vibes in the air are positively contagious. Gorgeous twenty-somethings, wearing corduroy and flower-patterned shirts, canoodle over falafel wraps while seated on distressed benches painted bright orange, while couples with small children and giant dogs shop for succulents and Nepalese textiles.

Southbank is another locale worth dipping into, either for an afternoon or an evening. An urban renewal precinct on prime riverfront real estate, right next to the city centre, Southbank boasts a glitzy promenade bursting with stylish eateries and trendy bars. Most venues are unsurprisingly heavily tourist-orientated and priced accordingly, but this can easily be forgiven on one of those perfect but not too warm Melbourne days, when it would be a shame not to be sitting next to the river people-watching and sipping a glass of crisp white wine.

Southbank is also the site of the Melbourne Arts Precinct, the home of Australia's largest performing arts centre as well as The Australian Ballet, the Australian Centre for

“For a first-time visitor, the best way to understand Melbourne is as a network of neighbourhoods radiating out from the Yarra River, each with its own style and ambience”

Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 59

Contemporary Art, the Melbourne Theatre Company and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The National Gallery of Victoria, Australia’s oldest and largest art museum, is worth devoting several hours to, and its superb permanent collection spans everything from Renoir and Monet to Warhol and Picasso, works by Australian Aboriginals to colonial Australian drawings, and Australian decorative arts to antiquities from around the globe. The inaugural NGV Triennial will be held from

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mid-December through mid-April, featuring more than 100 artists hailing from over 30 countries (www.ngv.vic.gov.au).

Given the plethora of happening locales and the seemingly constant array of cafĂŠs, bars, clubs, art spaces, exhibitions, retail and restaurants, Melbourne is a city where it is virtually impossible to be bored. There is always a new experience around the corner or down a lane. The

creativity is almost tangible, bursting to the surface of the everyday in urban art and café culture, expressed in the tens of thousands who throng excitedly to gallery openings and first nights, as well as by the buskers playing to appreciative crowds in the open-air malls.

After four days of sampling what the city has to offer, I inherently know there is an awful lot more still to explore – more neighbourhoods, more restaurants and more

galleries. Basically, more of everything. I take one final look at the captivating skyline as I travel towards the airport – it is an extremely bright, sunny day, and the buildings are back-lit by a warm fuzzy glow. I take that golden glow onto the plane with me, where I watch through the window as Australia’s green and gold vastness slips out of view in the almost ethereal late afternoon light, and vow to return soon to discover more of Australia’s cultural capital.

SriLankan Airlines’ Airbus A330-200s fly daily, non-stop and overnight from the airline’s hub at Bandaranaike International Airport direct to Melbourne, departing Colombo just before midnight and landing in Australia mid-afternoon the next day. www.srilankan.com

MELBOURNE STAY

CROWN METROPOL CITADINES ON BOURKE MELBOURNE FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON MELBOURNE DOCKLANDS

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STAY CITADINES ON BOURKE MELBOURNE Melbourne's distinctive grid design was carefully laid out by Robert Hoddle in 1837.

Named for Sir Richard Bourke, the Governor of New South Wales in 1837 during the drafting of the Hoddle Grid, geographically, Bourke Street runs roughly from east to west, bisecting the city centre along its long axis. Running parallel between Little Collins street to the south, and Little Bourke street to the north, to stay anywhere along Bourke Street – one of the CBD's main streets and a core feature of the Hoddle Grid – is to be immersed in the very centre of the throbbing financial and retail hub of Melbourne, and is the perfect location from which to explore the many facets of Australia’s most energetic and vibrant metropolis.

Traditionally the entertainment hub of the inner city, during the ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ era, Bourke Street was the location of many of the city's theatres and cinemas. Today, whilst the area continues to be a fashion and theatrical hub, it is also now a major retail shopping precinct, with the Bourke Street Mall running between Elizabeth and Swanston Streets, numerous offices to the west end and restaurants to the east. Bourke Street's liveliness and activity has often been contrasted with the sobering formality of nearby Collins Street. For this reason, you may very well hear "Busier than Bourke Street” used by locals, as a popular colloquialism, when chatting about a crowded place.

To base yourself at award-winning apart’hotel Citadines on Bourke Melbourne, is to quite literally have the bustling epicentre of Melbourne on your doorstep, be seconds away from the best bars, restaurants, nightlife and after-dark haunts the city has to offer, and have the space and privacy to live like a real Melburnian. Often living in a box within a hotel, where everyone knows your comings and goings, can get a bit claustrophobic. In Melbourne especially, where you really need to be immersed in the city to feel it’s extraordinary energy and creative depth, a serviced apartment, in the heart of the action, is just the ticket to really enjoy everything the city has to offer.

The 380 serviced apartments at Citadines on Bourke Melbourne have separate living and dining areas, fully-equipped kitchenettes and every conceivable modern amenity. The décor is slick, minimal and modern. Think clean lines, lots of natural light and cute touches of colour. The 20th floor one-bedroom executive apartment The Cultured Traveller occupied for a weekend, boasted floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular sweeping vistas of the city’s CBD, with ample space to entertain, a half-kitchen complete with fridge/freezer and dishwasher, blackout curtains throughout, a good sound system in the lounge, and a huge walk-in shower. Not to mention superb wi-fi, incredibly friendly staff for whom nothing is too much trouble, and a dedicated guest relations line staffed by well-informed and friendly locals. Room service breakfasts are generous and less pricey than a five-star.

There’s an excellent onsite Japanese restaurant, Heirloom. And a hidden key-card-operated back door allows guests to slip out the rear of the building, and be in Flinders Lane in less than a minute. Basically, Citadines on Bourke Melbourne is the ideal base for a first-time visitor to live like a local and get a true feel for the uniqueness of Australia’s cultural capital. www.citadines.com

STAY FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON MELBOURNE DOCKLANDS Just west of the city on Victoria Harbour, the area now known as Docklands is part of the Lower Yarra Delta, a low-lying expanse that spreads from Princes Bridge to the sea. Originally a wetland area once known as the West Melbourne Swamp, containing low-lying vegetation, waterfowl and fish, for many thousands of years, this marshy land between the mouths of the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers was used as a hunting ground and meeting place by several Aboriginal communities.

Nowadays this harbourside suburb’s 200 hectares of land and water has morphed into an über-cool waterfront community, offering a slick mix of inner city living, shopping, business, parks, entertainment, dining, sporting events, arts and culture.

In the past ten years, since Docklands was officially included in the City of Melbourne in July 2007, and the size of Melbourne's central city doubled overnight, the suburb has become a magnet for numerous business wanting to be located in the city’s trendy waterfront district. Excellent transport links have helped to fuel increased interest from the business community and new residents alike. Docklands is now home to the national headquarters of the National Australia Bank, AXA, Bendigo Bank, Medibank Private and the Bureau of Meteorology, amongst others, and with the arrival of these big businesses, so hospitality in the area has grown rapidly, signalling the arrival of cool bars, funky restaurants, nightclubs and even a giant Ferris wheel, the Melbourne Star.

In the heart of the district, 273-room Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands hotel opened earlier this year, offering smart yet simple and uncomplicated hotel accommodation, for visiting businessmen and tourists, at reasonable prices.

Designed by Melbourne-based dKO Architecture - one of Australia's leading innovative design practices specialising in master planning and urban design - the four-star hotel’s contemporary aesthetic fuses a dark charcoal and aquamarine palette with blonde timber, bleached grey wood panelling, and an abundance of marble and glass juxtaposed with fresh greenery and notes of deep black and bronze. The overall effect is like that of a pared-down, unpretentious and welcoming W Hotel.

Rooms are modern, comfortable, well-designed and function perfectly. The hotel’s largest accommodation category, its 48m² studios, are akin to bijou suites, with a small separate lounge and bedroom (both with large flat screens) plus a very decent bathroom, complete with a deep soaking tub and a walk-in rainforest shower. The king size beds are supremely comfy. Studios look towards the city and Melbourne Star, or the Yarra River and Bolte Bridge, Docklands' iconic landmark. A complimentary energising breakfast is served to guests every morning in Dock 18, the hotel’s relaxed all-day dining restaurant, which by night serves an excellent dinner menu of flavourful, fresh and seasonal dishes, punctuated by grain and grass-fed beef, and pork and lamb sourced from nearby farms.

The hotel’s sparkling centrepiece is a 7th floor Sky Lounge, complete with 25-metre heated outdoor pool, Jacuzzi and sprawling pool deck boasting impressive vistas. In fact, after a day of sightseeing in Melbourne’s CBD, there may be no better place to reward yourself with a cocktail, than in the warm waters of Four Points’ Docklands pool, gazing towards the Yarra. www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints

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STAY CROWN METROPOL Southbank is one of Melbourne’s smartest locales, fronted by a vibrant riverside promenade of upmarket restaurants, trendy bars and tasteful boutiques. A 15-minute walk from the CBD, the precinct is well known as a chic and convenient place to rest your head during a city stay.

The five-star Crown Metropol – one of three award-winning Crown branded hotels in Southbank – is located on the corner of Whiteman and Clarendon streets, adjacent to the group’s giant entertainment complex featuring designer shops, about 30 restaurants, a casino and a cluster of nightlife venues. Opened in 2010, the Metropol has 658 rooms, making it one of Australia’s largest hotels. However, designers Bates Smart deliberately negated the sense of a vast, anonymous hotel, by using a wave design which creates a more boutique vibe – for instance, there are no endless corridors stretching Twilight Zone-esque into the distance.

The contemporary lobby is expansive, filled with light and welcoming. Large decorative wooden ball sculptures add a playful touch, while a ribbon staircase winds provocatively upwards in front of reception. After a swift check-in, I am whisked upstairs in an elevator featuring an unusually sultry female voice announcing each floor.

Rooms are all generously sized, starting from 38m2 for a luxe king through to 80m2 lofts.

Those with cash to splash can book the 25th level New York-style apartment – a lavish 190m2 abode with its own lobby entrance, en-suite with spa bath, butler’s kitchen and separate lounge/dining room with sweeping city views.

The Cultured Traveller stayed in a spacious corner room with floor-to-ceiling streetscape views on two sides, most impressive at night when the lights of nearby skyscrapers twinkled attractively in the darkness. The furnishings and décor were modern, comfortable and functional: a cream-coloured modular day lounge set against one of the picture windows, a metal and wood desk set against the other, black wood panelling and warm earth-coloured carpets, plus an en-suite bathroom with plenty of counter space, all frosted in chrome and textured glass.

Given that the Crown entertainment complex is so close by – it is accessible from the Metropol by an undercover sky bridge – guests can easily walk to a wide range of venues for meals and drinks, including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Nobu Melbourne and Australian chef Neil Perry’s well-regarded Rockpool Bar & Grill. For a lively night out, the Skybar Lounge on the hotel’s 28th floor serves hand-crafted cocktails and boutique beers in a glamorous setting complete with a full view of the beautiful Melbourne skyline.

Stunning views across the city are also to be had from the hotel’s 25-metre heated indoor infinity pool on the 27th floor, the star turn of the fitness and wellness facilities, which also encompass male and female steam rooms, a vitality spa pool with ergonomic lounges and the usual hotel gym equipment.

All in all, it’s the Metropol’s plum location and easy connections to Southbank’s many attractions which are its prime appeal. Its friendly and helpful staff, good design and generously-sized modern rooms make it a great choice in which to set up base camp for a Melbourne city break. www.crownhotels.com.au/crown-metropol-melbourne

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SEE FEDERATION SQUARE Love it or loathe it, the bold and unapologetic presence of Federation Square in the very heart of the city has been at the centre of Melbourne events and gatherings since it opened in 2002 amid much controversy about its design and cost. Located on the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets, just across the road from the historic Flinders Street Station (which is currently under renovation), the public square with its polarising deconstructivist architecture hosts more than 2,000 events every year, including the food and wine festival in March and the comedy festival in April. The square is home to the Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia – the world’s first major gallery dedicated purely to Australian art – the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), plus multiple restaurants, cafés and bars. The Cultured Traveller recommends the Japanese fare at Chocolate Buddha, and Pilgrim Bar for its waterfront location and superb selection of Australian wines. www.fedsquare.com ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS Melbourne’s beautiful gardens and public parks are considered by many to be the best in Australia. The Royal Botanic Gardens are the bucolic emerald in the city’s green crown, established in 1846 on the south bank of the River Yarra and an ideal place to regain one’s equilibrium after a hectic day. Sprawling over 38 hectares, the gardens encompass lakes, lawns and some 50,000 individual plants grouped into 31 collections, including a cacti garden, rare and threatened species and an Australian forest walk. Keep your eye out for the graceful black swans. www.rbg.vic.gov.au ST KILDA BEACH There is nowhere better to be on a sunny day than St Kilda Esplanade, watching impossibly fit-looking Aussies whizz past on rollerblades, or lounging on the sand. The historic beachside locale, 6km from downtown Melbourne, has a rich and colourful past, which is celebrated in 70 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

FEDERATION SQUARE

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

its beautiful art deco buildings, occasionally dodgy classic pubs and the iconic Luna Park, an amusement park opened in 1912 which houses the oldest continually operating rollercoaster in the world. St Kilda boasts a diverse and always entertaining street and cultural life, and is renowned as one of the traditional homes of Melbourne’s eclectic live music scene, as well as for its diverse culinary offerings. The 1920s-built National Theatre hosts everything from grand musicals to opera and ballet, while Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre is the place to see ground-breaking contemporary plays from Australia’s leading ensemble company. www.stkildamelbourne.com.au SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE Well worth visiting and adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens is the Shrine of Remembrance. An imposing, large classically-styled granite monolith, the memorial was originally erected to honour Victorians who served in World War I, but is now dedicated to all Australians who have served in war. As well as being one of the largest war memorials in the country, it offers spectacular sweeping vistas of the city’s skyline from its continuous wraparound balcony, and entry is free. www.shrine.org.au AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART (ACCA) Housed in a rust red steel façade that is impossible to miss, within the Melbourne Arts Precinct in Southbank, ACCA is a cutting-edge artistic hub which exhibits the work of significant Australian and international artists, as well as hosting events and commissioning thought-provoking new works. The major exhibition Unfinished Business: Perspectives on Art and Feminism will run from 15th December 2017 until 25th March 2018 and showcase paintings, performance art, photographs, film, community engagement and cultural activism by feminist artists – as well as posing the 72 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE

THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART (ACCA)

question of what feminism means today, and asking why it is still relevant, necessary and critical. Admission to ACCA is free. www.acca.melbourne

OLD MELBOURNE GAOL

HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY

OLD MELBOURNE GAOL For an exploration of the grim side of Melbourne’s history, take a guided tour of the historic gaol on Russell Street, which was in use from the 1840s until the 1920s.

Notorious prisoners include Australia’s most infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly, who was hung here at the age of just 25 in 1880 after being convicted of killing a police officer. The museum used to display his skull, alongside other memorabilia linked to the outlaw, before it was ironically stolen in 1978. Kelly was one of 133 people executed at the end of a rope within the gaol’s walls. Others include Elizabeth Scott, the first woman to be hung in Victoria, in 1863. Nightly ghost tours are regularly held for those with steely nerves, or explore the gaol guided by a real former hangman. www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY Get up close and personal with some of Australia’s unique and fascinating animal life at Healesville Sanctuary. Located about an hour’s drive from Melbourne, the sanctuary houses an abundance of native species in a natural bushland setting, from wallabies, wombats and kangaroos, to emus, echidnas, Tasmanian devils, dingoes and, of course, koalas. Make sure you visit the watery home of the sleek and surprisingly tiny platypus – Healesville has a reputation for breeding native animals, and is one of only two places in the world to have successfully bred the egg-laying mammals, considered so bizarre when they were discovered that the first scientists to examine a specimen thought they had been hoaxed. Healesville is also home to some amazing reptiles plus more than 200 native bird species, including the wedge-tailed eagle and the red-tailed black cockatoo. www.zoo.org.au/healesville

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TASTE For an absolutely spectacular 360-degree view of Melbourne and the surrounding area, nothing surpasses Eureka SkyDeck on the 88th floor of the city’s tallest building, Eureka Tower.

On a clear day, this extremely popular attraction offers breathtaking vistas across the CBD’s most famous landmarks, the expanse of Port Phillip Bay and out towards the Dandenong Ranges. Thrill seekers can take the experience to the next level by entering The Edge, a glass cube which moves out from the building, until the only thing separating you and the pavement hundreds of metres below is a pane of glass. Not for the faint hearted, The Edge is currently the only one of its kind in the world.

At 300 metres above sea level, situated at the very top of Eureka Tower, Eureka 89 is arguably Melbourne’s most

EUREKA 89 spectacular dining venue. Here guests enjoy a veritable gastronomic adventure, where the magnificent views vie for diners' attention with five and seven course degustation menus offering the likes of smoked Murray cod with onion emulsion, poached radicchio and nori, and quail with chestnut, roasted grapes and black rice, each course carefully paired with top notch Australian wines. The attentive service, exquisite food, superb wines and inimitable views understandably attract visitors from across Australia and all over the world to Eureka 89, so booking well in advance is an absolute must. The Cultured Traveller started its Melbourne visit in the rarefied confines of Eureka 89 and so can attest, from first-hand experience, that this is undoubtedly the most spectacular place to enjoy your first night in Australia’s cultural capital. NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU www.eurekaskydeck.com.au

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CUMULUS UP Whatever anyone says, we all eat with our eyes, but in Melbourne it doesn’t stop with the food, since Australia’s cultural capital is very much a city of thriving bar restaurant combos, all buzzing with life and atmosphere. Forget the stuffy Michelin-starred eateries of Europe; on the other side of the planet it’s all about drinking fine wine in stylish surroundings accompanied by tasty plates delivered by enthusiastic servers. Nowhere is this more evident than Cumulus Up, occupying the first floor of a historic turn of the century rag-trade building on bustling Flinders Lane. Skilfully balancing edgy luxeness with a warm and familiar European wine bar feel, the space is elegant and welcoming yet vibey and happening, and is the perfect place to graze through a selection of scrumptious small and large plates alongside a great bottle of vino. The menu has been designed to complement the vast and eclectic wine list, which focuses on the best examples of vintage, variety, style and region, hailing from both the new and old worlds, all stored within a large climate controlled cellar, ensuring they’re always ready to drink at the perfect temperature. NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU www.cumulusup.com.au

™

W E LC O M E TO F L I N D E R S L A N E , THE HEART OF MELBOURNE

Set amongst Melbourne’s best food, fashion, art, coffee and laneway culture, Adelphi Hotel is a 34 room boutique hotel, that’s captured the affections of international and local travellers alike. Lovingly designed with a dessert inspired concept, Adelphi’s design is playful yet elegant - and is sure to engage all the senses!

Boasting an iconic open-air rooftop pool, famous Om Nom Kitchen, a 12 seater boardroom and all that Melbourne has to offer at your door, Adelphi Hotel awaits you.

187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA PH: 03 8080 8888 IM: 0488 080 500 E: info@adelphi.com.au www.adelphi.com.au www.omnom.kitchen @adelphi_hotel @om_nom_kitchen facebook.com/adelphi.hotel.melbourne facebook.com/omnomkitchen

BAR LOURINHÃ This small-but-perfectly-formed Iberian-Mediterranean bar-resto, located in the heart of the CBD, may be a little short on street frontage but is big on character, flavours and hospitality inside, where an exciting menu, swift service and a warm welcome stand out. Opened in 2006 by chef Matt McConnell and business partners Jo Gamvros and Simon Benjamin, Bar Lourinhã has remained at the top of Melbourne’s dynamic food scene for the past 11 years and it’s not hard to see why. Built around an ethos of eating and drinking all night long, McConnell gives restaurant-goers many a reason to do so, via a classic menu of beautifully executed Spanish/Portuguese-focused tapas style dishes, complemented by an array of different daily specials. McConnell’s energy and enthusiasm are not only evident in every moreish and flavoursome dish he sends out from the kitchen, but also in his friendly team of chatty staff, who ensure that everyone is happy until the last guest leaves, making Bar Lourinhã a must when visiting Melbourne. NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU www.barlourinha.com.au Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 79

SUPERNORMAL With its cheeky neon cherry sign outside and Japanese snack vending machines inside, Supernormal on Flinders is a foodies’ playground that nevertheless takes flavour and quality ingredients very seriously. Take a seat at the long metal bar opposite the big open kitchen, and you will be treated to a master class in how to prepare and plate pan-Asian cuisine from tart kimchi to heavenly prawn and chicken dumplings, indulgent duck bao to slow-cooked Szechuan lamb with spring onion pancakes. The drinks list consists of 21 well-spaced pages, with, naturally, a tempting selection of sake and fine Australian wines. The restaurant draws on the Hong Kong and Shanghai experiences of multiple award-winning Melbourne chef and restaurateur Andrew McConnell, whose gastronomic empire in his home city encompasses a number of other notable eateries and bars, including Supernormal’s recently opened and more laidback sibling, Supernormal Canteen in St Kilda. DAWN GIBSON www.supernormal.net.au RADII RESTAURANT & BAR The farm-to-table concept typically works wonderfully well in Melbourne, due to the abundant, high quality local produce and gifted chefs capable of making the most of it. That is certainly the case in radii at the Park Hyatt, where contemporary Australian fare is presented with care and panache by Chef de Cuisine Craig Sung and his team, working the open kitchen in front of diners seated across artfully designed, cascading terraces. The sharing style menu gives the chefs plenty of rein. Choose either the ‘Feed Me a Little’ or ‘Feed Me a Lot’ option, AUD88 and AUD108 respectively, and prepare for a gastronomic romp through dishes such as creamy white onion risotto with hazelnuts and san tropea onions, slow roasted suckling lamb neck, and mango parfait with coconut sorbet. If available, request the barramundi, a north Australian sea bass known for its delightful, sweet flavour. There’s a private dining room overlooking the Tuscan style gardens, and one complimentary valet parking with each booking. DAWN GIBSON www.melbourne.park.hyatt.com FANCY HANK’S + GOOD HEAVENS It’s not overly fancy, but if you have a hankering for slow-cooked American-style bbq served in a genial, relaxed atmosphere, this is the place to go. A spacious expanse of leather seating and rustic décor overlooking busy Bourke Street, Fancy Hank’s is a firm favourite with locals for its quality free range smoked meats, including racks of ribs, and pulled pork shoulder in a paprika and brown sugar rub.

Visiting on a bustling Friday night, we tried the beautifully

SUPERNORMAL

tender beef brisket with a side of baked mac ‘n’ cheese, and were left with no room for dessert – this is southern-influenced cooking at its comforting best. After dinner, head upstairs to Good Heavens rooftop bar, where friendly bartenders in Hawaiian shirts shake up eighties-inspired cocktails to heavily remixed hits from the same era. We were knocked slightly sideways by a Melbourne Made, a mix of Melbourne Moonshine with Starward malt whiskey, pineapple, lemon and Angostura Bitters. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. DAWN GIBSON www.fancyhanks.com www.goodheavens.com.au

PASCALE BAR & GRILL

RADII RESTAURANT & BAR

PASCALE BAR & GRILL Designed to pay homage to the ‘Paris-end’ of Collins Street, this stylish eatery-cum-bar successfully fuses bold industrial chic and high-fashion in one large dining room which wouldn’t be out of place in Manhattan. Being the flagship restaurant of painfully hip QT Melbourne hotel, located in the heart of the CBD, Pascale Bar & Grill is very much an all-day affair - a fancy breakfast room in the mornings, a chic dining room at lunchtime and a plush boudoir for fancy meals after dark, where guests are cosseted in velvet and retro chic and lured to indulge in an expansive, French-infused, Euro bistro-inspired menu. Equally perfect for ladies who lunch or a decadent soirée, food is prepared in a large and bustling open kitchen, thoughtfully designed to offer a glimpse into the creation of dishes, whilst delicate pastries are tantalisingly encased in glass. If you’re a carnivore hankering after a good piece of meat, order the aged 800g T-bone for two served with twice-cooked chips and you won’t be disappointed!

NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU www.qthotelsandresorts.com FLOWER DRUM Since Gilbert Lau opened Flower Drum in Chinatown 42 years ago, it has built a golden reputation for Cantonese fine dining of the highest order served with superior attention to detail. And, indeed, from the moment you step into the elegant, red carpeted dining hall, you can sense you are about to enjoy a highly memorable gastronomic experience. The signature dish of Executive Chef Anthony Lui’s a la carte menu is naturally Peking Duck – the traditional crispy-skinned bird wrapped in pancake is presented with a theatrical flourish – but do try the pearl meat sautéed with spring onion, garlic chives and asparagus, as well as the renowned aromatic baked crab. The highlight of the rich soup selection is a Flinders Island wallaby tail broth with goji berries, wild yam, dried longan and ginger. The specials and banquet menus change regularly, in line with seasonal produce, and you may ask to order off the (unpublished) chef’s menu.

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SIP MARION WINE BAR A trip to Melbourne without a night of quaffing and grazing at a little wine bar would be a wasted opportunity of the gravest kind. Even if your visit is busy, try to make the time to venture to this charmingly hip establishment in Fitzroy, where the pared back setting channels Scandi cool. The Marion is one of many ventures by Melbourne gourmet guru Andrew McConnell – his fine dining restaurant Cutler & Co is next door – and its drinks list will take you on a sommelier’s tour of small producers across Australia and the globe. It would be spurious not to try a Yarra Valley or a Gippsland pinot noir while in the neighbourhood, though The Cultured Traveller is more partial to some of the full-bodied West Australian reds on the 21-page wine list, including the Margaret River Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot and the Porongorup Snake and Herring ‘Higher Ground’ Cabernet Sauvignon.

There are seasonal morsels and substantial bites to accompany your tipple, from plump oysters to duck confit and whole rainbow trout. DAWN GIBSON www.marionwine.com.au

HOWLER

HOWLER Housed in a former wool factory in the trendy locale of Brunswick, Howler is a grungy industrial find which crackles with energy as an arts concept space, entertainment venue and bar. An eclectic swathe of home-grown and international bands and DJs rotate through, along with theatre, pop-up events, cinema screenings and performance art, appealing to a clientele which can swing from boho chic to student and retro hipster. The Garden Bar is a re-imagination of the classic Australian pub beer garden, incorporating a split room DJ booth and illuminated box sculptures hanging from the roof. There’s a well-curated selection of craft beers, and some stiff, no nonsense cocktails – we favour the South Side, a gin-based take on a mojito.

DAWN GIBSON www.h-w-l-r.com QT ROOFTOP Nestled amongst Melbourne’s city skyline, QT Rooftop is a destination watering hole for stylistas, media and music industry types, trendsetters and aspirational locals, and is an outwardly fashionable place to quench one's thirst, whilst taking in the heart and soul of Melbourne from above. The location at the top of QT 82 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

QT ROOFTOP

Melbourne hotel, in the heart of the city's CBD near the exclusive Collins Street precinct, makes this glamorous rooftop the perfect place to pause and recharge during a day of shopping, or sip on a sundowner before a big night out. Designer décor, cutting-edge sound and staff who are pleasing on the eye add to the attraction of this highline bar, and an array of hand-crafted cocktails prepared by some of Melbourne’s best bartenders almost certainly ensures that you won’t stop at just the one! NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU www.qthotelsandresorts.com NAKED FOR SATAN Known for its combination of infused vodkas and Basque-style pintxos, the name is not the only thing that’s unusual about this bar. Situated on gorgeously hip Brunswick Street, Naked for Satan has an antique vodka still as a key feature and talking point, while bartenders use Absolut vodka as the base for infusions which include Alpine chocolate and sugarcane, opium & rose, espresso, fig, chilli, violet and cucumber, to be sipped while nibbling northern Spanish finger food.

Naked also boasts one of the city’s finest roof-top venues, with superb views over the city and Brunswick Street. Naked in the Sky offers cocktails, craft beers, a gin menu and Basque-inspired fare such as a charcuterie board, cheese and walnut croquettes, and pan-seared scallops with golden beetroot and saffron puree. As for the bar’s catchy name, it was apparently inspired by a Russian émigré who used to distil vodka, while dressed only in his underpants, during sizzling Melbourne summers – but we’re not so sure.

DAWN GIBSON www.nakedforsatan.com.au AFTERNOON TEA AT THE LANGHAM While several of Melbourne’s luxury hotels host a traditionally indulgent afternoon tea, the offering at The Langham is quite special. Upholding a tradition begun

by English royalty in the eighteenth century, the elegant hotel on the Southbank Promenade serves fine specialty teas and a delectable array of fancies on the best Wedgwood china, the tailor-made ‘Langham Rose’ collection. A ‘tea sommelier’ will guide you through the extensive range of Wedgwood and Langham signature teas, while you are tempted with the likes of blue swimmer crab remoulade with fennel slaw, silver moon macaron filled with Earl Grey-infused Belgian chocolate, matcha green tea sponge, and, naturally, scrumptious

buttermilk scones. Held weekdays from 10.30am until 8pm, afternoon tea with sparkling wine, tea and coffee is AUD59 per person, or AUD 73 with free-flowing sparkling. Our favourite? With a glass of Perrier Jouet champagne (AUD83). DAWN GIBSON www.langhamhotels.com THE MELBOURNE SUPPER CLUB With its comfy old Chesterfields settled in to the décor of tobacco and claret, this is an old school European-styled late-night bar which practically begs you to stay for just one more drink. Staff are knowledgeable and friendly, without being pretentious, which is a fine thing since the wine menu is a red leather-bound tome filled with page after page of renowned Australian vintages, as well as classics from the world’s most feted wine regions. There are rare single malts, cognacs and ports for those seeking a satisfying night cap, while the culinary offering stretches from fresh oysters and caviar to duck salad and burgers. Arrive smartly dressed early in the evening and you may be seated with a view across to Parliament House through the wall-length arched window.

DAWN GIBSON www.melbournesupperclub.com.au BAR AMERICANO This is the hidden bar that you want to find: tucked down Presgrave Place, one of those intriguing Melbourne laneways, Bar Americano is so tiny it only fits 10 patrons at a time and is standing room only. Run by artist Matthew Bax, it is a purists’ delight, serving only classic cocktails, though with regular changes to the menu to add novelty. Named in the 2017 international guide, Where Bartenders Drink, which draws on the recommendations of 300 industry insiders, Bar Americano is best known for its namesake concoction of Italian bitters, house vermouths, citrus and soda, and its signature Negroni. The bar recently introduced a ‘pay it forward’ policy based on the Napoli tradition of caffe sospeso (suspended coffee), where a generous customer would pay for two coffees, drink one, and allow the café to offer the second to the next guest.

Order a Negroni, Amaro Americano or Coffee Supreme Espresso and ask for it ‘suspended’ – they are available at a special price – and the next visitor to request that drink will receive your gift. Look for the blue TABACCHI sign. DAWN GIBSON www.baramericano.com 84 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

MARION WINE BAR

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE LANGHAM

Vibrant Living in the Heart of Melbourne

Award-winning Citadines on Bourke Melbourne offers 380 modern and vibrant serviced apartments in the heart of the worlds most liveable city. Experience everything that Melbourne has to offer with premier shopping, world famous sporting venues, the lively theatre district and the finest restaurants and bars all on your doorstep.

Citadines is perfect for a weekend away or an extended holiday.

Because life is about living.

131-135 Bourke Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia

Enjoy Ascott’s Best Rate Guarantee | www.citadines.com | 1800 766 377

Citadines on Bourke Melbourne is managed by The Ascott Limited, a member of CapitaLand. It is one of the leading international serviced residence owner-operators with more than 500 properties in over 120 cities across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. Its portfolio of brands includes Ascott, Citadines, Somerset, Quest, The Crest Collection and lyf.

BOURKE STREET MALL

SPEND BOURKE STREET MALL Melbourne’s best-known retail strip, Bourke Street Mall is the downtown destination for department store shopping.

Melbourne’s two premier department stores are based here – Myer has nine storeys to browse your way through, while rival David Jones is housed across three buildings. On the corner of the Mall and Elizabeth Street, the grand General Post Office building from 1864 has been refurbished and now houses a giant two-level H&M, the first outpost for the European fast fashion empire in Australia. The Mall is open to pedestrians and trams only, so it is a top spot for taking a break from the shopping, grabbing a coffee and watching the buskers ply their trade.

LITTLE COLLINS STREET Once you have had your fill of Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci and the rest at the Paris end of Collins Street, head around the corner to Little Collins for some more unusual fashion finds. Running parallel to its big sister, Little Collins is known for its Australian designer boutiques and especially its quality men’s outfitters. While many gems have sadly disappeared over the years, seek out DÉCLIC, where Paris-trained founder Gilles Du Puy has been influencing Australian gents’ fashion for almost 30 years with designs that update classics through the use of colour, unusual detail and eye-catching prints. Aussie/Kiwi brand Joe Black is another stylish men’s label with a boutique on the street, while women should stop by for a browse of the beautifully crafted, elegant fashion, handbags and footwear by Melbourne’s Scanlan Theodore – a go-to designer for Australia’s fashion conscious for more than 25 years, the label recently opened a Soho boutique in New York.

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EMPORIUM MELBOURNE

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET The largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere, the ‘Queen Vic’ on the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets is a favourite with locals and tourists for its lively ambience and tempting goodies. While there are a number of small jewellery and fashion designers plying their wares, as well as cheap souvenir shops, the market’s strongest appeal is in its diverse and mouth-watering range of foodstuffs, from artisan cheeses, meats and small goods to luscious hand-made chocolates, organic fruit and vegetables, and hard-to-find specialty products. Try Bill’s Farm for an extensive range of Aussie and European cheeses, including boutique French wash rinds, Holy Goat cheeses and Island Pure from Kangaroo Island; Land of Soy and Honey for Manuka, and Gewürzhaus for its full pantry of spices, herbs, salts, peppers, teas and blends – all three shops can be found in the Deli Hall. www.qvm.com.au EMPORIUM MELBOURNE Featuring more than 200 Australian and international brands, as well as the biggest Australian designer precinct on the continent, this is the place to go to stock up on the latest contemporary wear and accessories. Home-grown favourites here include Alannah Hill, Metalicus, Camilla and Marc, Morrison, Saba and Sass & Bide, which are joined by international labels like Coach, Furla, Karen Millen, Kate Spade New York and Ted Baker. There’s a good range of mostly Asian eateries for when you need sustenance. If you still have energy to spare, the Emporium complex links through to the Myer and David Jones department stores by way of pedestrian bridges and tunnels. www.emporiummelbourne.com.au

CHAPEL STREET

MELBOURNE CENTRAL

CHAPEL STREET Chapel Street is where fashionistas come to play, shop, dine and party – it’s the ultimate luxury high street with a little bit of everything to cater to all tastes. The street runs from the Yarra River to Brighton Road, but it is the section north of Dandenong Road which is really interesting, with around 1000 boutiques, restaurants, bars, clubs, lounges and street cafés. Start your exploration at the expensive end – riverfront South Yarra – and keep walking south until you have had enough, or, alternatively, jump on and off the tram that runs the length of the street. Shops that will tempt you to break out the plastic include Country Road, on the corner of Toorak and Chapel, where you can pick up quality classic separates, Dinosaur Designs for handcrafted funky resin jewellery, the flagship store of Nique for its chic men’s and women’s designs, and Mimco for its fabulous jewellery and accessories. To keep your energy up, try Mr Miyagi for Japanese cuisine or the House of Hoi An for delicious Vietnamese. www.chapelstreet.com.au MELBOURNE CENTRAL Melbourne Central is a landmark development on the corner of La Trobe and Swanston Streets which incorporates the Melbourne Central railway station, an office tower and a shopping mall with more than 300 retailers over five levels, including a solid selection of mid-range boutique fashion, accessories, giftware and beauty. A huge glass cone at the centre of the complex creates a light and airy feel as well as forming a protective shelter over a handsome 1880s tower retained when the development was built in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Shops to make a beeline for include classic Australian boot-maker RM Williams, sophisticated women’s wear boutique Cue, heritage-inspired men’s label Benjamin Barker, leading Australian men’s and women’s fashion house Witchery, and Jurlique, a world-renowned Australian producer of skin care products from organic and biodynamic ingredients. www.melbournecentral.com.au 88 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

VENICE CARNIVAL Party goers dressed in magnificent 18th century costumes, en route to Venice Carnival's official ball, held in the majestic Ca' Vendramin Calergi Palace overlooking the Grand Canal.

27 January – 13 February 2018

Three-bedroom Aspen Ski Chalet

Kempinski Hotel Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai

Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 93

I

t’s not simply the perfect juxtaposition of the crisp white alpine slopes on one side, teamed seamlessly with the hot yellow desert landscape on the other that sets the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates apart from its numerous Dubai peers, but the obvious paradox of Europe’s oldest and most luxurious hotel group opening a 398-room property in one of the most modern, vibrant and rapidly developing cities in the world.

The Kempinski brand dates back to 1897 and boasts a rich heritage of outstanding hospitality complemented by the exclusivity and individuality of its 75 top-end hotels in 31 countries. On the other hand, the world only really became acquainted with Dubai a relatively short time ago. A city that has inspired literally thousands of magazine articles (not all of which agree on the sentiment), Dubai could best be described in a similar vein to Marmite, in that you either love it or loathe it. But whatever your take on the sprawling and towering metropolis,

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it is without doubt a place that fascinates. The past forty years have seen this cosmopolitan destination, where expats make up 85% of the population, spring up from the desert to become the vibrant metropolis it is today.

In modern Dubai, tourists and resident alike gauge the desirability of their location on one thing and one thing only – how far away they are from Mall of the Emirates.

The country’s best-loved mall opened in November 2005, and quickly became the place to be and be seen, but, more importantly, soon also came to define an entire city in so much as locals want to live close to it, and visitors want to stay in a hotel nearby. This is perhaps one of the reasons the five-star Kempinski rules the hotel roost in this fast-paced city, situated, as it is, on the edge of this shopping mecca.

Some may say that the word ‘luxury’ is banded around far too freely and too much. Many are right. But there is little doubt that the word is a fitting term to

describe this unique suite where contrasting worlds collide in spectacular fashion.

It’s no secret that the UAE, and the Middle Eastern city of Dubai in particular, is saturated with uber luxurious hotels and resorts, some on the beach and some in the CBD, each trying to outdo the other in terms of services and facilities. But the truth is that few, if any, can compete with having a ski slope in their backyard, and that’s another reason for the luxury tag for you right there!

The Australian-owned 17-storey Kempinski opened its doors just a year after the biggest mall in the world outside of North America. In 2016, to celebrate its ten-year anniversary, the hotel completed an extensive US$ 100million renovation. The pinnacle of the ambitious four-year refurbishment project? The addition of 15 Aspen Ski Chalets and 5 Aspen Pool Chalets that take stylish accommodation to an entirely new level.

As we step through the heavy wooden door into the wintery haven we are to call home for the next few days, we are politely and formally, yet genuinely warmly greeted by Mohammed, one of just a handful of personal butlers whose job is to make guests’ lives idyllic.

Set across three floors, our three-bedroom the Aspen Ski Chalet somewhat redefines plushness and comfort. Warm and natural tones fuse harmoniously with various well considered elements, to almost instantaneously put us thousands of miles away from the hustle and bustle of hot and dusty downtown Dubai, in a calm and tranquil place where being snug and cozy is key. Wooden beams and timber flooring, antler accessories, furry pillows and snowflake detailing add to the alpine illusion. The bottom two floors enjoy vistas of a snowy kind, whilst the top floor boasts beguiling views of the sparking blue sea and the distinctive silhouette of the Burj Al Arab.

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On the ground, a well-appointed kitchenette (complete with all the usual mod-cons one would expect of such a suite) and spacious living room and dining area fill the space. A bank of floor-to-ceiling windows at one end make my youngest gasp as she presses her nose up to see what’s going on below – the glass is ice cold to the touch. We all stand mesmerised by the numerous subzero delights that Dubai’s famed indoor ski resort offers, some twenty metres below us: zorb balls, penguins, toboggans and snowboarding are just a few of the activities adults and kids can get stuck into once suitably attired in winter wear. My kids were literally chomping at the bit to don their salopettes and hit the slopes.

After dragging ourselves away from the chilly views, we nestle in front of a realistic-looking fire which ‘burns’ soothingly in the living room, complete with crackling firewood sounds for added effect. Here we plan our adventures, surrounded by gorgeous thick, soft faux-fur blankets in a range of muted tones, 98 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

draped invitingly across various sofas and comfy chairs, all ideal for snuggling up in to watch a movie on the massive flat screen.

A huge dining table, fashioned from a single piece of cherry wood, is the beautiful focal point of the dining area, which enjoys the same views over the slopes as the living space. Three glasses are laid out on the table, each with an interior casing of chocolate – one milk, one strawberry and one white. Mohammed informs us, or rather the children, that whenever they’d like some hot chocolate, they just have to put in a call and he will arrive, steaming pot of hot milk in hand ready to fill each glass. I am reliably informed, even a few weeks later, that this is the best hot chocolate they’ve ever tasted, and asked repeatedly why I can’t recreate it at home.

A dual marble staircase, originating either side of the front door, sweeps elegantly up to the second floor where it meets effortlessly on a landing in front

of the two double bedrooms, reached by passing through capacious bathrooms with inviting roll-top tubs and Hermès toiletries. Blackout curtains can be deployed at the touch of the button, night lights softly illuminate at floor level, and a recess next to the headboard is home to a lamp which is just perfect for nighttime reading. It’s these little touches that make the suite so user friendly and easy to enjoy, but it’s in the third bedroom where we discover the pièce de résistance – three mini dressing gowns, perfect sized for our children, each individually embroidered with their names. Simple yet delightfully unforgettable.

Lounging on the supremely comfy leather Chesterfield, hot drink in hand, gazing at speed skiers flying down the slopes, it’s hard to believe that I’m not looking at a mountainside European resort, the accommodation and tableau in front of me the perfect combination. This, of course, made checking-out difficult, not for any other reason than the fact that I just didn’t want to!

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Undoubtedly, staying in an Aspen Ski Chalet at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates is to be immersed in a world of stark hospitality contrasts: the white of the snow and the blue of the sea; the heat of the Middle Eastern sun with the cold of the frosty slopes; and the cosseted skiers with the swimsuit-clad swimmers. Yet whilst an Aspen Ski Chalet suite is attractive for so many things, what stands out above all else is the way in which it skilfully combines all of these opposites to successfully create an unfathomable wintery haven in the middle of the desert, perfect for both escaping the searing heat in the height of summer, and act as a heavenly sanctuary in which to spend winter vacations.

Kelly Johnstone stayed in a three-bedroom Aspen Ski Chalet at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates in October 2017. The nightly rate for December-February 2017-18 ranges from AED11,999++ to AED12,999++ inclusive of breakfast and executive lounge benefits. www.kempinski.com

ATI-ATIHAN

Wild, costumed Filipino dancers take to the streets creating a show-stopping visual treat during Ati-Atihan, the country's most spectacular festival, held annually in honour of the Santo NiĂąo.

15–21 January 2018

HOW STRONG IS YOUR PASSPORT? AS 2017 COMES TO A CLOSE, SINGAPORE BOASTS THE STRONGEST PASSPORT WHILE THE U.S. HAS UNSURPRISINGLY LOST GROUND SINCE DONALD TRUMP TOOK OFFICE. IN A BOARDING PASS SPECIAL STUDY, THE CULTURED TRAVELLER ESTABLISHES THE CURRENT STRENGTH OF THE WORLD’S PASSPORTS, AND HOW FACTORS LIKE BREXIT AND THE SURPRISE ELECTION OF AN INEXPERIENCED US PRESIDENT HAVE DRASTICALLY AFFECTED THE RANKINGS.

A passport gives an individual the ability to travel the world with relative ease, unless, of course, the passport has been issued by a country like Afghanistan or Somalia. As the world becomes a much smaller place due to the diminishing cost of flying, and the increasing ease with which travellers can hop on a plane and visit new destinations, so the desirability of a particular passport is becoming of much greater importance, with many nations now offering their passports to non-nationals, in exchange for a sizeable investment in their country’s economies, often of many millions.

People born in countries with less desirable passports cannot even take a holiday without weeks or often months of planning and paperwork, not to mention costs which can run into hundreds of Dollars for a

single visa application to visit just one country. Even then there’s no guarantee that the applicant will be granted a visa and permitted to travel, with applications quite often refused, and costly multiple re-applications needed to eventually facilitate just one trip. Meanwhile, others can hop on a plane on a whim to pretty much any destination, and either freely enter a country or easily obtain a visa on arrival. Hence the passports we hold now not only influence our holidaying options, but also our working and love lives. Despite the world becoming seemingly more mobile and interdependent, there is still huge disparity in the levels of travel freedom between countries. Generally, visa requirements are a reflection of a country’s relationship with others, and take into account diplomatic relationships between Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 105

countries, reciprocal visa arrangements, security risks, and the dangers of visa and immigration regulation violations.

Last year we studied the price of buying a decent passport via one of many country’s so-called “citizenship-by-investment” programs. This year we have witnessed several major events that have had an impact on global mobility – including Brexit and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Both of these events have been interpreted by the global community as steps toward restricting movement and creating barriers to entry, and this trend, towards curbing travel freedom, is already apparent in a shift in the rankings of this year’s Visa Restrictions Index.

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For the first time ever, according to the most recent rankings, Singapore can now claim to have the world’s strongest passport, which is the first time an Asian nation has topped the list, knocking out perennially strong European countries. The number one ranking means that citizens of Singapore are able to enter the greatest number of countries visa-free or by securing a visa on arrival, making the global financial powerhouse’s passport the world’s most powerful as 2017 comes to a close. For instance, Singaporean passport holders do not need visas for China, Cuba and Brazil. But U.S. passport holders travelling to these three nations are required to have visas.

Specifically, it was Paraguay’s removal of visa requirements for Singapore that pushed it into the top

spot. After Singapore, the next highest ranked nations are Germany and Sweden. Germany often ranks at or near the top. Holders of German passports - ranked number two this year - can travel to 176 out of a possible 218 countries without applying for a visa, while Brits can visit 173.

Passports of 193 United Nations member countries and six territories were considered.

Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain, Norway and South Korea share fourth place with the U.K..

Several countries – in addition to the U.K. – lost ground this year, including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Russia and Ghana.

Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan prop up the table, each with visa-free access to fewer than 30 countries.

Unsurprisingly, according to many commentators, an American passport lost some of its global muscle in the months since Donald Trump took office, and is now ranked in sixth position, alongside the travel documents of Malaysia, Ireland and Canada. Time will tell whether Trump’s erratic foreign policy, together with the introduction of measures which restrict the access of certain groups to the States, not to mention his incessant Tweeting, will further devalue the strength of America’s passport. www.passportindex.org/byRank.php

MEVLÂNA FESTIVAL Turkey’s famous whirling dervishes, dressed in white robes with voluminous skirts, dance as if they are in a trance, at the annual Mevlâna festival held in the Anatolian city of Konya, an hour by plane from Istanbul.

10-18 December 2017

No Shoes Required AT

ANANTARA PEACE HAVEN TANGALLE RESORT Set on Sri Lanka’s magnificent southern coast, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle is a secluded slice of heaven on the edge of the Indian Ocean.

DAWN GIBSON discovers why this new resort is being talked about in all the right places

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n an era of ubiquitous social media, finding a place where a barefoot luxury traveller can truly get away from it all is becoming more and more difficult. Happily, there are some resorts where laidback eco-style and world class facilities are combined with genuine remoteness; where one can fully unplug, kick off the shoes of life and sink one’s toes into the rich golden sands of a sleepy, tropical beach. Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle is one such sanctuary, and its youth (the resort opened two years ago) and location on Sri Lanka’s quiet southern coast, mean that it is one of those places even your best-travelled friends may struggle to pinpoint on a map.

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There are currently only a handful of quality resorts in the area. Anantara has secured a rather unique spot, tucked away on a rocky outcrop, fronting a picture-perfect stretch of beach, set amongst 21 acres of coconut palms. On the lush manicured grounds, peacocks strut their stuff and display their impressive tails for their lady friends, while guests are ferried from the 120 premier and deluxe rooms and 32 private villas in battery-powered, eco-friendly tuk tuks. Unsurprisingly, the resort has accumulated a string of accolades within the international hospitality and travel fields, a sure-fire guarantee that it will not remain ‘undiscovered’ for very long.

My three-night stay begins with a journey from Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, during which I quickly develop an appreciation for the beauty of this ancient island nation.

Once we escape the city traffic, a diverse landscape unfolds: patchwork rice paddies, rubber trees stretching languorously towards the sky, and rows of bushes resplendent with the leaves of the country’s most famous export, tea. There may be a daily 40-minute seaplane flight between Colombo’s airport and Dickwella, 10 minutes from the resort, but I’m honestly glad to be on the road. My luxe tan leather-lined SUV ride, complete with lemongrass-infused cold towels, sets the tone for the

whole experience: gently making me slow down to appreciate the surroundings: a veritable lesson in mindfulness, if you will.

I arrive at reception late in the afternoon, and cross a stone bridge which bisects a shallow pool, lined with azure tiles to amplify the soothing effect of the cool water, while a trio of traditional Sri Lankan singers perform. Instead of being asked to sign this and that immediately upon arrival, I am whisked by tuk tuk to my lodgings where I check in on an iPad. How civilised. Mere moments later, I have changed into a bikini and am immersed in my private plunge pool,

set in a sprawling timber deck. Here I float contentedly, looking out through coconut palms towards the enticing glimmer of the Indian Ocean, where waves break with a dull roar onto a sandy beach. I am not in the pool for long before I have a visitor: a peacock, which parades proudly on my roof, literally a few metres from where I’m bathing.

It’s fascinating to watch him take flight and land in a nearby tree, where he is joined by three peahens. These are the first of many wild and semi-wild visitors. Before long I grow to look forward to visits by Indian palm squirrels, as well as a family of grey monkeys who dart down to drink from the pool.

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My lodgings for the weekend are a generously proportioned ocean view pool villa – 64m2 to be precise – which appears larger courtesy of a floor-to-ceiling glass frontage. The nifty layout makes it possible to lie in the massive bed and look out on the spectacular vista of plantation and beachfront. I love the effect, and deliberately keep the shades open at night so I gradually awake with the rising sun each morning, safe in the knowledge that the surrounding greenery is protecting my privacy.

The villa is decorated in a natural colour palette and traditional Dutch colonial furnishings, made of plantation

teak and created by local craftsmen, complemented by wall art from regional artisans. As well as the kind of facilities that have become luxury standards, there are some uncommon touches, such as a spacious wine fridge and a selection of bath crystals, in a choice of ylang ylang, lavender and lemon grass, set out enticingly next to the deep soaking tub.

As a villa guest, I am provided with the services of a butler, Kanishka, a genial and warm chap, who always manages to be available yet unobtrusive. I don’t tax him too much, but anything I do ask for – foreign currency, extra towels and the

like – is provided efficiently and accompanied by a smile.

On my first evening, I venture to the outdoor terrace of the resort’s fine dining Il Mare restaurant, positioned on a cliff top to maximise the glorious ocean views. The setting is matched with a menu offering traditional Italian fare, from rich truffle risotto to classic pastas and locally caught seafood. Of the eight onsite dining venues, a meal of traditional Sri Lankan curries and Japanese Teppanyaki at Verele is also not to be missed, complete with theatrical performances by the resident chef. Slightly indulgent but utterly enjoyable, Anantara’s signature Dining by Design

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experience sees dedicated chefs prepare a menu of your choosing, in the privacy of your villa or on an out-of-the-way stretch of beach.

In keeping with Anantara’s philosophy of ‘life is a journey’, the resort focuses on showcasing the area’s natural habitat and cultural traditions, so guests can visit the elephants at Udawalawe National Park; go whale watching between December and April; or visit the Mulkirigala Rock Temple, where painted murals and statues adorn ancient caves.

However, I was content to simply relax and enjoy, my biggest decision of each day being whether to stay beside my private watery oasis, or wander over to the two-tiered central swimming pool. Apart from restaurant dinners, my shoes had been well and truly discarded, and were not put on again for the duration.

One endeavour worth getting off the lounger for is a visit to the spa. At Peace Haven Tangalle, the treatments are based on the 5,000 year old principles of Ayurveda, which centre on a belief that wellness depends on a proper balance between mind, body and spirit. I first have a consultation with resident Ayurvedic doctor Sampath Perawattha, who specialises in creating tailored programmes for guests, which include diet, meditation and yoga sessions to remedy a wide variety of issues. The good doctor deems me to be in satisfactory health, although is a tad concerned that I appear a little tired. During the subsequent 90-minute bespoke massage, so soothing were the expert hands of my therapist, that I fall asleep at one point, before being gently roused by rhythmic ministrations. The doctor wasn’t wrong.

It’s refreshing to see the wellness theme so enthusiastically embraced throughout the resort, not just in the spa.

Chickens and ducks roam free. An organic vegetable garden and rice paddy were recently planted in the grounds, soon to provide fresh produce for the restaurants. And daily yoga classes and meditation sessions are complimentary.

Far too soon, it is time for me to leave. I mark the occasion with one final dip in my pool, gazing out to the horizon to fix the fabulous scene in my memory. On the tuk tuk ride to reception, a peacock is standing by the side of the path; his tail presented in all its blue and violet finery in what I like to believe to be a graceful show of farewell. I wave to him, and with reluctance, clamber into the SUV for the ride back to reality. www.tangalle.anantara.com Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 119

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SPOTLIGHT ON

ANDERMATT

THE REBIRTH OF A LEGENDARY SKI RESORT

From neglected alpine village to state-of-the-art ski resort, the transformation of Andermatt is nothing short of remarkable. JOE MORTIMER dons his ski boots and heads for the hills to find out why the Ursern Valley is returning to form as one of Switzerland’s finest regions for discerning travellers

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eep in the Swiss Alps, somewhere between the mountain towns of Andermatt and Sedrun, the sound of chinking glasses and exuberant conversation drifts through the air. It’s miles to the nearest hotel and there’s not a bar in sight, but the sound is unmistakable: après-ski.

After a few hours on the slopes, the prospect of a glass of schnapps fills me with joy, but surely it’s an illusion; a trick on the senses caused by the rarefied air of the mountains?

Slowly, from behind a copse of pine trees, comes the bright red carriage of the Glacier Express – the magnificent electric train that winds its way through the Swiss Alps, ferrying locals, tourists and weary skiers around the 144-kilometre network of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn.

As the carriage pulls up, the source of the sound reveals itself. Through panoramic windows I see red-cheeked skiers sipping Laurent-Perrier and laughing, while a barman mixes a cocktail for eager customers. This is the Après Ski Bar – a four-times daily service running between Andermatt and Sedrun; part of the push to turn this once sleepy region into one of Switzerland’s foremost ski destinations. Or, I should say, return it to its former glory.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The story of Andermatt is a story of geography, engineering and man’s battle to conquer the forces of nature.

First some context: Andermatt is situated in the Ursern Valley just over 20 kilometres from the Italian border, in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The Alps once formed an impenetrable border between Western Europe and Italy; a great wall of mountains arcing from southern France to western Austria, blocking travel by land between Italy and the rest of Europe.

The construction of the Gotthard Pass in 1830 allowed carriages to travel between Italy and Switzerland for the first time, albeit via an arduous route that climbed 2,106 metres into the mountains.

For Italians, Andermatt was the first stop after conquering the pass, and a pleasant spot to rest before continuing north via the Devil’s Bridge over the Schöllenen Gorge to Lucerne and Zurich.

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Enterprising Andermatter Sebastian Christen, who ran the town’s post office, saw the opportunity to capitalise on the town’s strategic location, and in 1872, opened the Grand Hotel Bellevue. The hotel became an important stop-off for affluent travellers, until the opening of the Gotthard railway tunnel in 1882 meant many travellers bypassed the village completely.

Christen went bankrupt, and in 1899, the Bellevue was bought by the Muller-Lombardi company and renovated from head to toe. It’s reopening on June 1, 1900 marked the beginning of a new era that captured the glamour and spirit of 20th century travel, with orchestral

performances, glitzy parties and winter sports attracting Swiss and Italian tourists to Andermatt as a destination in its own right.

But like the mountains themselves, carved and shaped by the forces of time and nature, Andermatt’s fate was determined by events beyond its control. European tourism was decimated by the two world wars during the first half of the 20th century, and the hotel was forced to close.

Andermatt became a military garrison for the next 50 years, and the Bellevue was demolished in 1986. When the Swiss Army pulled out of town in 2003, Andermatt’s future was hanging by a thread.

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THE CHEDI ANDERMATT

ENTER SANDMAN In 2005, a local councillor invited Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris, chairman and CEO of development company Orascom, to visit Andermatt. Known for its vast integrated resorts in Egypt, the UAE and Oman, Orascom has a history of transforming stretches of empty desert into thriving resort towns.

The results of the visit were better than anticipated. After a helicopter flight around the region, Sawiris had seen enough. He returned later that year with plans for a $1.8 billion mega-project that would turn Andermatt into a

tourism hub, complete with hotels, residences, a golf course and new ski infrastructure that would open up 120 kilometres of slopes in an area now known as SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun.

Ten years on, the project is approaching completion. As the après ski train pulls into town, Andermatt’s new crowning glory comes into view. Rather than saving the best until last, Sawiris elected to build Andermatt’s flagship luxury hotel first, knowing that putting a hospitality brand as prestigious as The Chedi on the site of the old Grand Hotel Bellevue would do wonders for the village’s profile.

Towering over the village like a Brobdingnagian chalet, The Chedi Andermatt is a fairy-tale resort of fantastical proportions (www.thechedi-andermatt.com). Architect Jean-Michel Gathy has created a triumphant cross-cultural aesthetic, with Asian accents that speak to the brand’s heritage, and contemporary European features that blend Scandi-chic with Swiss tradition. Elegant suites, Michelin-starred dining and a stunning swimming pool that looks out towards the mountains all conspire to keep guests within the hotel. But the slopes beckon.

Work on the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun is not yet complete, but this season sees the opening of five new

restaurants and some sleek new chairlifts (www.skiarena.ch). When the pistes open on December 23rd, a brand new 10-person gondola will transport skiers from a terminal outside The Chedi to Gütsch, 900 metres above.

Halfway up, the gondola stops at Nätschen, where the new MATTI restaurant keeps families entertained with a snow playground, adventure piste and practice slope. Next door, Nätschen-Grill is a bit more grown up, with a sun terrace that implores diners to stay for a post-lunch digestif. At the top of the mountain, London’s Studio Seilern Architects start work on a high-end restaurant next year, which promises stylish dining and spectacular views.

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From Gütsch onwards, two new six-seater chairlifts with leather seats and tinted windows will open up 30 kilometres of virgin slopes this season. A third chairlift – created by Porsche Design and featuring heated seats – connects the Oberalp Pass to Calmut, making it possible to ski all the way to Sedrun. By next year, when the final chairlifts are complete, determined skiers will be able to travel in the other direction (from Sedrun to Andermatt), but for now, they’ll have to settle for the après ski train.

which means potato in the local Uri dialect, specialises in rösti; Pasta-Keller serves pasta; and Fondue-Beizli serves decadent fondue, raclette and other local cheese dishes. It’s hearty fare for hard-working skiers, and I can attest that after a morning on the mountain, there is nothing better than a dish of cheese-topped rösti and a glass of crisp Swiss white to restore your energy.

On the other side of the valley, on Gemstock Mountain, three more new restaurants celebrating regional specialties open their doors for the first time this season: Gummel,

When rumours of the project spread around the village in 2005, the population of just over 1,000 welcomed the news. In March 2007, 96% of residents voted in favour of

A VILLAGE REBORN

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the plans announced by Samih Sawiris, which included serious considerations for sustainable development and the impetus of more than 30 international architects. As well as facilities such as the 18-hole championship golf course (which opened in 2016) and the extensive ski infrastructure, locals were also won over by the promise of 1,200 new jobs and an influx of tourist cash.

Next year will see the opening of a Radisson Blu resort and adjoining Gotthard Residences, with 180 hotel rooms and 109 private apartments respectively. A 500-seat concert hall, also designed by Studio Seilern Architects, is in the pipeline for next year, opening up the destination for the lucrative meetings and conferences market. From this year, the Nordic House cross-country ski centre takes over the clubhouse at Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course in the summer months, further helping create a year-round tourist economy.

The roll-out of 42 new apartment buildings and plots for 25 exclusive chalets along the banks of the Reuss river will continue for the next few years, as cafes, and restaurants fill up the triangular piazza facing the Radisson Blu. But for all the new construction, Andermatt has retained the atmosphere of a traditional Swiss village. Behind The Chedi, a handful of small hotels and restaurants showcase traditional Swiss architecture, with wooden facades and sloping eaves rising above narrow streets. Built in 1786, the magnificent Museum of the Ursen Valley (Talmuseum) tells the story of the region, with exhibits showing the construction of the narrow-gauge railway line and the legendary Devil’s Bridge.

There’s none of the in-your-face glitz of more ostentatious Swiss ski resorts: if you want to show off your new designer gear, then take the Glacier Express to St. Moritz and join the fur-clad masses.

But for a below-the-radar ski escape in one of the most spectacular valleys in the Alps, where the air rings with the sound of merriment, you can’t do any better than Andermatt.

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TRAVELLER LOWDOWN For a spectacular winter destination that also positively shines in the summer, Vail, in America’s Southwest, is pretty much unbeatable. ALEX BENASULI, who’s been visiting for decades, reveals his insider tips to the popular Colorado resort.

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t’s not hard to see why Vail is consistently ranked as one of the most popular and successful ski resorts in the world. With more than 5,000 acres of the most diverse skiing on the planet, and state-of-the-art ski lift and snow making technology, not to mention a smart and buzzy pedestrianised centre boasting first class restaurants and shopping, Vail achieves excellence in almost every glamourous foot it puts forward. Add to this

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Narrow passes and soaring peaks compete with national parklands and former mining towns to create a growing, verging on theatrical, sense of anticipation well before arriving

ANGKOR WAT

jaw dropping Rocky Mountain alpine vistas, and masses of dry powder matched with brilliant sunshine and ruggedly irresistible Western American charm, and Vail more than lives up to its moniker of “like nothing on earth.”

For a place so deeply embedded in nature, Vail is remarkably easy to reach. Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is only half an hour away, and served by direct flights from numerous US aviation hubs. But despite the convenience of landing minutes from Vail, I prefer to land in Denver – at the foothills of the Rockies – and embark on the two-hour ascent along Interstate 70, Colorado’s main mountain artery. As you traverse this epic highway, the High Plains yield almost immediately to tree-covered hills and mountains. Narrow passes and soaring peaks compete with national parklands and former mining towns (straight out of central casting) to create a growing, verging on theatrical, sense of anticipation well before arriving in Vail. This is a veritable Rocky Mountain experience right from the start, and a must for any traveller’s first trip to Vail. Colorado Mountain Express provides almost hourly van and private connections between EGE and DEN airports and Vail. If you’re travelling solo be sure to bag the front seat next to the driver for the most legroom and best views (www.coloradomountainexpress.com).

Unlike other Colorado ski resorts like Aspen and Breckenridge, whose mining town origins date back to the mid-late 1800s, purpose built Vail was founded in the mid 1960s by a group of friends who fell in love with the Gore Mountain range in which the resort sits. Almost 70 years later, their dream of creating a winter sports mecca is stronger than ever. And What Vail perhaps lack in period charm, it more than makes for it in terms of world-class facilities and all-round convenience.

Vail Village is a compact pedestrian center, built in charming Tyrolean style within a narrow valley pass, enclosed by mountains on all sides. The clock tower at the corner of Bridge Street and Gore Creek Drive is the de facto village square, in the shadow of the ski mountain, surrounded by shops and restaurants. On New Year’s Eve, the clock tower and adjacent streets become one, giant wintery street party.

Gore Creek, a tributary of Eagle River, ambles through the middle of the mountain valley pass that makes up the length of town – gurgling in summer and near frozen in winter – connecting Vail Village to the adjacent neighbourhoods of Lionshead to the west and Golden Peak to the east. From one end of town to the other is a Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 137

thirty-minute walk. Free bus services also connect Vail’s three main areas and further afield, providing warmth, shelter and convenience during winter when skis, boots and snowboards are in tow. During the ski season, Vail village is a magical winter wonderland, with snow-laden tree branches glistening in the sun and moonlight. In summer, everything turns green and mountain flowers bloom – a completely different yet equally visually spectacular natural experience.

The main event at Vail is the ski mountain, and what a main event it is. Surpassed only by Whistler in Canada, Vail has the largest amount of skiable acres on the continent, and the most groomed ski runs of anywhere in the world, appealing as much to beginners and intermediates as it does to experts and off-piste aficionados. Unlike most of Europe, where much of the skiing is above the tree line, the entire front of Vail Mountain is carpeted in evergreens, with the ski runs and connecting walkways carved in amongst them. This not only creates distinct runs and 138 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

divides the mountain, but also provides for stunning scenery, and, given the high altitude, Vail is virtually assured of good snow conditions throughout the season.

Dry air delivers the much-acclaimed champagne-like powder, as well as frequent, crystal clear blue skies when the sun is out.

Vail is famous for its legendary Back Bowls – endless expanses of open, mostly south-facing, more advanced terrain. The Back Bowls and adjacent Blue Sky Basin border wilderness extending for miles and miles, literally on top of the world, offering dramatic views towards some of North America’s highest peaks. Even during the season’s peak periods, you can be carving virgin tracks in fresh powder in the far reaches of the Back Bowls on any given day. During the rest of the season and for early risers, the terrain is so expansive you can have parts of it practically to yourself. One of the striking attributes of skiing or snowboarding at Vail, is that beginners and intermediates have access to almost all parts of the

mountain, including the upper reaches. This makes it possible for groups of various abilities to spend the day together, with the advanced and more intrepid peeling off from time to time, and re-joining the group when they feel like it, either at the bottom of chairlifts or at one the many slope side restaurants.

For some, après ski means shopping, and if you go to just one boutique in Vail let it be Gorsuch. Synonymous with high-end fashion, home accessories and lifestyle items, Gorsuch also offers an excellent range of ski equipment and winter wear. Be prepared to splurge but it will be worth it! (www.gorsuch.com)

Located near the top of chairs 14, 17, 21 and 36, the cavernous Two Elk sits at a lofty 3,425 metres, atop the China Bowl, and is a great option for a relaxed meal.

Amazing views combine with traditional timber lodge architecture to deliver an excellent resort-run mountain top restaurant and meeting point (+1 970 754 8245). For a more refined mountainside dining experience, complete with a menu of updated culinary classics with a quintessentially alpine feel, head to The 10th, located atop Gondola One at Mid Vail. Here slippers are provided once ski boots have been removed, and diners feast on lamb, venison, elk and bison whilst taking in spectacular views of the Gore Range (www.the10thvail.com).

In terms of après ski entertainment, Vail tends to be more relaxed and casual than upscale and fancy, with a friendly western US vibe pleasantly palpable in most venues.

Garfinkel’s in Lionshead (or Garfs as it’s affectionately known locally), is conveniently positioned at the base of the slopes, has a large sundeck, popular happy hour and a DJ (www.garfsvail.com). In Vail Village, the Red Lion often has live music (www.redlion.com), whilst Los Amigos serves basic yet tasty Mexican fare and offers great views towards Vail Mountain (www.losamigos.com).

When it comes to premium dining experiences travellers are spoilt for choice in Vail, with a number of excellent

restaurants showcasing the best contemporary American cuisine. A favourite is Sweet Basil, where a vibey bar for pre-dinner drinks and nibbles gives way to a fabulous main dining room overlooking Gore Creek. The innovative American farm to table cuisine, coupled with a superb wine list, skilfully showcases the region’s freshest ingredients (www.sweetbasilvail.com). For a slightly more casual meal, head to Bully Ranch in the Sonnenalp Hotel, where southwestern and American classics - including ribs, buffalo and beef burgers - are the hearty gastronomic order of the day (www.sonnenalp.com).

Those seeking an authentic Colorado culinary experience will want to take a 20-minute drive to frozen-in-time Minturn, a former mining town just west of Vail, and home to the Minturn Saloon, established in the ‘70s. Here, taxidermy and 80’s ski posters adorn the walls of the bar, where skiers and boarders cluster by the fireplace downing pitchers of the legendary house margarita. Meanwhile, the saloon's restaurant serves Mexican food, ribs and wild game, in a rustic and boisterous setting, especially around 7pm! Don’t let the somewhat rowdy atmosphere put you off though - Minturn Saloon is as firm a favourite with the well-heeled as it is with the locals. (www.minturnsaloon.com).

Vail offers a myriad of accommodation options, from motels to condos, and luxe lodges to deluxe five-stars with all the bells and whistles. Whilst there’s a Four Seasons in the village (www.fourseasons.com/Vail) and a Ritz-Carlton in Lionshead (www.ritzcarlton.com), the grande dame of Vail’s luxury hospitality offerings is the Lodge at Vail, one of the village’s only truly ski-in-ski-out properties. Built in 1962 and operated in the style of a European chalet, the Lodge at Vail was the resort’s first hotel, and continues to set the bar for exclusivity, whilst also being perfectly situated at the base of the mountain and just steps from Gondola One. Whether you stay in a room, studio, suite or private on-site residence of up to three bedrooms, all of the lodge’s accommodation is beautifully finished and oozes rustic elegance. There is truly no better address than the Lodge at Vail (www.thevailcollection.com). For a slightly more intimate affair and arguably the resort’s best spa, you can’t beat the Sonnenalp for its alpine style, charming rooms and incredible breakfast. Run like a family-owned property, but achieving excellence in every way, the Sonnenalp is also home to some of Vail’s best restaurants.

Listening to a live performer’s rendition of John Denver’s ‘Rocky Mountain High’, beside a fireplace in the hotel’s 140 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

Surpassed only by Whistler in Canada, Vail has the largest amount of skiable acres on the continent, and the most groome ski runs of anywhere in the worl

d ld

Vail was founded in the mid 1960s by a group of friends who fell in love with the Gore Mountain range in which the resort sits

King’s Club lounge, is surely the highlight of any trip to Vail (www.sonnealp.com).

There is a saying in Colorado, “People come for winter but stay for summer”. Indeed, the warmer months see fireside cosiness and snow-covered magic replaced by al fresco wonders and an eruption of different shades of green.

Summer temperatures are comfortable rather than hot, with average highs of up to 75°F and evenings that necessitate a sweater and possibly also a jacket. Relative to buzz of the ski season, everything quiets down to a whisper, bar the gentle babbling of Gore Creek through the centre of town.

Vail Mountain becomes a steep field of thick grass, where a forest of birches in full leaf join the evergreens to complete the glorious tableau. The mountain and some of the lift network remain open for walking and hiking, and the experience can only be described as spiritual – it really is that beautiful. In fact, in summer the whole of Vail is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. From cycling to horseback riding, and river rafting to fly-fishing, there’s arguably a 142 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

greater variety of things to do than during the ski season.

There is not just one but seven golf courses located within the valley, many of them award-winning, all featuring gorgeous views. Summer also sees Vail’s cultural scene explode, with various music, arts and food festivals from June through September. Though still popular, summer is technically off-season for Vail, meaning that great accommodation bargains can also be had.

Winter or summer, jet-setter or local, everyone who visits Vail is drawn by the amazing scenery, a love of the outdoors and the allure of the American Southwest. And whilst superb restaurants, great shopping and a burgeoning arts scene are the icing on the cake, the real show-stopper are the majestic Rockies. Vail is one of the best places in the North American continent to enjoy this incredible mountain range and be immersed in the beauty of Mother Nature, whilst also enjoying the creature comforts of warm 21st century hospitality. For me, Vail truly is like nowhere else on earth. (www.vail.com)

YOUR PERFECT GATEWAY

Centrale Restaurant-Bar, opened in August 2001 in an early 20th century traditional house, after two years of renovation. The restaurant is located on the ground floor with an impressive wine cellar containing more than 1500 bottles, Centrale serves French cuisine prepared by French Chef Mickael Gantner.

The menu changes in spring and autumn to take advantage of seasonal produce. The garden welcomes you throughout the year, surrounded by gardenias and honeysuckle, air-conditioned in summer, heated and covered in winter. On the first floor is the bar with its retractable roof, for a drink or dinner with lounge music and a different DJ every night. Centrale Restaurant-Bar is open 7 days/week starting 8 pm.

Address: Mar Maroun Street – Saifi – Beirut – Lebanon Centrale Beirut

For reservation: +961 3 915925 Centralebeirut

Website: www.centrale-beirut.com/centrale-beirut-in-the-news/ Email: reservation@centrale-beirut.com

FĂŠTE DES LUMIĂˆRES The French city of Lyon is lit up by incredible street and architectural illuminations that transform the cityscape into a sparkling wonderland every year, in an age-old tradition dating back to 1643.

7-10 December 2017

TASTE &SIP

INTERVIEW TIMO SIITONEN

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FINNISH BY ORIGIN YET INTERNATIONAL TO THE BONE, FORMER HEAD BARTENDER OF DICK’S BAR AT LONDON'S ATLANTIC, WINNER OF COUNTLESS AWARDS AND NOW A TRAINER AND JUDGE ON THE GLOBAL COCKTAIL CIRCUIT, TIMO SIITONEN CHATS WITH THE CULTURED TRAVELLER ABOUT HIS ROOTS, CAREER AND WHAT SETS APART HIS MUCH-CELEBRATED HELSINKI BAR FROM THE CAPITAL’S OTHERS

HOW DOES BEING BORN AND RAISED IN FINLAND INFLUENCE YOUR WORK BEHIND THE BAR? My Finnish heritage is core to my respect of the pure and unique flavours our natural surroundings have to offer, and how to incorporate inimitable Nordic ingredients in my cocktail creations. Some of my favourite Nordic ingredients are lingonberries, wild blueberries, arctic bramble, cloudberries and sea buckthorn. These all have very particular taste and aroma characteristics and require special attention, for example, lingonberries work beautifully with vanilla, whilst sea buckthorn pairs well with cinnamon.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST-EVER BARTENDING GIG? A shift in 1999 at legendary members’ bar, Mondo, deep in the basement of Greek Street in the heart of London’s Soho. The atmosphere was warm and exclusive without being bling-bling, and customers ranged from trendy young professionals and fashionistas to celebrities and other famous faces. Cocktails were not actually a big thing back then, but we did serve a lot of Woo Woos, Zombies and Sea Breezes.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BARTENDER AND A MIXOLOGIST? A bartender looks after the bar, treats guests professionally and hosts guests personally by making their visit memorable in every conceivable way, whilst all the while serving well-balanced cocktails according to customers’ needs. A mixologist spends less time attending to customers’ needs, excels at creating interesting cocktails and has a commanding knowledge of spirits and flavour pairings.

DID YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF FORMAL TRAINING, OR HAD YOU JUST BEEN A BARTENDER FOR A WHILE? After high school, I moved from Helsinki to London to study dance theatre. While studying, I ended up working in some of central London’s West End bars, and became fascinated with the growing cocktail scene and social culture around it. I happened to be working in the middle of it all when the modern cocktail scene boomed, and managed to land the head bartender role at Dick’s Bar at Atlantic Bar & Grill, which was possibly one of the most legendary and influential London cocktail bars of the time.

YOU REALLY MADE A NAME FOR YOURSELF AS HEAD BARTENDER OF DICK’S BAR AT THE FAMOUS ATLANTIC BAR & GRILL IN LONDON. WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU LEARNED WHILE WORKING THERE? I am very honoured to be part of the Atlantic’s Dick’s Bar heritage and to have been able to extend my craft from my 148 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

I happened to be working in the middle of it all when the modern cocktail scene boomed, and managed to land the head bartender role at Dick’s Bar at Atlantic Bar & Grill

predecessors. We were extremely strict with customer service standards, the uncompromising quality of cocktails and paying attention to the smallest details. Probably the most important thing I learned while working at the Atlantic, was how to utilise a variety of fresh ingredients to create modern cocktails.

YOU’VE WORKED ALL OVER THE WORLD. IS THERE ANY COUNTRY THAT LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION AND STILL INFLUENCES YOUR STYLE BEHIND THE BAR? Without doubt the U.K. has contributed most to the experience I call upon and skills I practice today.

WHAT SPIRIT OR WINE, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST VERSATILE? Most definitely gin, because it works with pretty much anything you throw at it. Its botanicals enhance both fruity, berry and spicy flavours in a drink, and it can be used in classic style martinis, long refreshing citrusy and herbal cocktails and even in exotic concoctions. The extensive gin

selection available today allows me to choose a specific brand depending on the need to suit the desired taste profile.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE A NEW COCKTAIL? Stories, scenes, pictures, and, last but by no means least, accessibility to fresh and unique ingredients which I can incorporate in a cocktail.

YOU OPENED MULTI AWARD-WINNING A21 COCKTAIL LOUNGE IN HELSINKI IN 2007. TELL US ABOUT THE CONCEPT AND WHY THE VENUE HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL. A21 is designed to act as a stylish extension to one’s living room, where customers can enjoy the very best cocktails in a warm yet design-led environment. I think our slogan ‘Sip With Style’ sums-up A21 pretty well!

The venue’s success is due to a number of factors: The personal and warm service style; a modern approach to flavours; the design of the interior; the music and atmosphere; carefully chosen staff, and a blind faith in modern cocktail culture.

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A21 is designed to act as a stylish extension to one’s living room, where customers can enjoy the very best cocktails in a warm yet design-led environment

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WHAT’S THE STANDOUT FEATURE THAT MAKES A21 DIFFERENT FROM THE REST? A21’s obvious love for Nordic ingredients and flavours, and the manner in which we honour and use them in cocktails to create unforgettable taste experiences. Some of A21’s cocktails are akin to taking your taste-buds on a delectable journey.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COCKTAIL MENU AT A21?

A21’s menu is a visually stimulating experience with seven clearly defined sections, including ‘Decades’ that showcases the past six decades through one classic cocktail from each; ‘Nordic Flavours’ which features iconic A21 cocktails inspired by Finnish nature, and ‘Gin & Tonic Lab’ which plays with the search for the perfect G&T. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR A HOME BARTENDER? Learn how to execute basic cocktail making methods well and don’t over-complicate things. Keep it simple - because simple can be beautiful!

WHAT PART DO QUALITY MIXERS PLAY IN COCKTAILS OF TODAY? Mixers play a very important role in cocktails, since they give us possibilities to create longer drinks while adding an extra dimension to the mix. High quality mixers are made by using natural ingredients so they can be used as extra flavour bringers in craft cocktails. Fresh ingredients are the way to go in high-quality cocktails, and so the mixers used should echo the same premium standard.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE OR GO-TO COCKTAIL RIGHT NOW? Personally, I like simple yet complex flavours when it comes to cocktails. One of my all-time favourites is a classic dry Martini, made with Beefeater gin, stirred to perfection and garnished with lemon peel. This cocktail is timeless and suits every occasion. Another of my favourites is Tommy’s Margarita - a tastier version of a classic Margarita made with 100% blue agave tequila, fresh lime and agave nectar served on the rocks and finished with a salt rim.

IF YOU COULD ORDER JUST ONE DRINK, AT ONE BAR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY? This is a tricky question since I travel quite a bit and have drunk in many awesome bars around the world. But if I

have to pick just one, it would be Bar Hemingway at The Ritz Paris and I would order a Gin Martini. When I first visited this bar many years ago it felt like traveling back in time to the late 1900s, and the surroundings are perfect to sip on a Gin Martini without having to rush.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE SPIRIT OF THE MOMENT? I would say two: gin and distilled agave-based spirits.

I like my gin to be strong and acidic with a touch of earthiness. My favourite brand at the moment is Helsinki Dry Gin. This gin uses one of my favourite berries as one of its distinctive botanicals, lingonberry.

There are so many different great agave spirits around at the moment, but my favourites are tequilas from the Los Altos region. Tapatio by Destileria la Alteña. Tapatio is still produced using authentic methods, and has a wonderful flavour of the agave plant.

WHAT CURRENT COCKTAIL TREND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DISAPPEAR? I think that overly bitter drinks have had their time i.e. the

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excessive use of bitters in cocktails for the sake of it.

Nobody really wants to drink an overly bitter cocktail! Fresh ingredients and flavours are the future.

WHEN YOU’RE TRAVELLING WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DRINK ONBOARD A PLANE? My go to drink on a plane is definitely gin and tonic. It is a refreshing cooler and every flight generally has the necessary ingredients on board!

WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE WHEN IT COMES TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES?!

I am a little stingy when it comes to spending money on rare spirits, but I do have a weak spot for aged rum!

WHAT’S NEXT FOR TIMO SIITONEN? To work even more closely with Nordic ingredients, raise awareness of Nordic flavours in the liquid culinary scene on a global scale, and promote the modern, flavour driven cocktail culture. www.a21.fi

TASTE &SIP

EXPERIENCE HARVEST NEWRYBAR AUSTRALIA

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Nicholas Chrisostomou experiences dishes full of local curiosities, based on ingredients foraged by a wild food researcher in the Hinterland of Australia’s New South Wales, delivered to the table in a five-course ‘Wild Harvest’ feast

KANGAROO, OYSTER, NATIVE GREENS, FISH SAUCE

I must admit that I’m a little sceptical, as we leave our rather nice hire car and the inimitable luxeness and warmth of Rae’s on Wategos Beach, and instead opt for a taxi to travel the twenty minutes from Byron Bay to Bangalow. I’m in Australia’s New South Wales, where restaurants are all about local produce and organic meat, and we are en route for a once-weekly Wednesday night “Wild Harvest Session”, at much celebrated and well-established café/restaurant, bakery, deli and farm, Harvest.

Started ten years ago as a café, owners Kassia and Tristan Grier and Brooke Hudson have in the past decade developed their baby into a true food lovers’ destination, with Harvest now forming almost half the small town of Newrybar, which is little more than a hamlet. The Queenslander styled restaurant has grown over the years to include a bakery with 107-year-old restored Scotch oven, and artisan delicatessen (complete with marble cheese room and an ageing room for meats), all surrounded by edible gardens. The restaurant has won a litany of accolades and sustainability awards, which further increase my scepticism as we drive for what seems like ages in the pitch black.

All country charm from the minute we arrive, Harvest is housed in three, authentic weatherboarded bungalows, 158 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

ALASTAIR W

which have evidently been lovingly restored, and the warm welcome we receive is immediate and genuine. Manager Moira Waterfall settles us into comfy leather high-backs, and a friendly bartender arranges some cocktails. We take a look at the menu, which is based on Australia’s underutilised native and wild ingredients, foraged locally by Peter Hardwick, and transformed into gourmet dishes by head chef Alastair Waddell. The open kitchen and bar forms the hub of the restaurant’s activity: waiters dart about in a casual hurry, chefs confer around the cookers and dishes are lined-up on a counter, ready for delivery to hungry diners. A sense of occasion is refreshingly coupled with unconcerned informality, which is somewhat unique for an award-winning eatery.

A forager and wild food researcher for four decades, Hardwick is a veritable pioneer and champion of increasingly popular wild and native foods, such as lemon myrtle, riberries and warrigal greens. When he makes a beeline to meet us, beaming and bearing a tray of locally foraged foods, his passion for horticulture and conservation are palpable.

Such a lovely chap, I am soon ready to embark upon my first foraged meal, and we move to a table on a covered deck, surrounded by old jacaranda trees which overhang the building. And there you have it - the teleportation is

WADDELL

SUCKLING PIG, NATIVE TAMARIND, BEER, MUSTARD

complete. Far removed from the stresses of city life, and restaurants dominated by the need to turn tables, all is calm, every server is friendly, and even the clothes they’re wearing shout country chic charm. The experience thus far was already worth the trip, not least for a little country air.

The first dish of sea lettuce pan bread, served with kingfish, kohlrabi and mullet roe is an interesting opener but doesn’t blow me away. My dining companion neither. But we are impressed by sommelier Russ Berry's Riesling wine selection for the night, that highlights the diversity of the regions in Australia. His pairings are excellent, and his demeanour warm and attentive without being teacher-like.

My second course of charred kangaroo served with a fish sauce and native greens was balanced, beautifully executed and superb. I cleaned the plate. My first experience of kangaroo was a little like eating game - wonderfully rich and flavoursome.

Next-up, a roast cuttlefish and charred kelp broth with sea succulents was a little too tart for my palate. This may just have been my mood that night - I was really hankering for meat!

The fourth course was for me the pièce de résistance of the

entire experience – a skilfully constructed dish of suckling pig, native tamarind, beer and mustard, served with a fantastically complex, light bodied 2016 La Violetta Das Sakrileg Riesling, which sang in complete harmony with the food. This dish I could have eaten all over again - it really was that good - the tender piglet meat succulent, flavoursome and cooked to perfection by Waddell, who was born, educated and trained as a chef in Scotland, and worked under the tutelage of renowned Scottish chef, Paul Tamburrini. This fine culinary pedigree was evident in Waddell's preparation of both the kangaroo and suckling pig dishes.

A dish of black sapote, or chocolate pudding fruit, with a coffee fruit wine sauce rounded off the meal tidily, although I would have preferred another meat and foraged greens course, and a few organic truffles for dessert!

A visit to Harvest is as refreshing and unforgettable for the diversity of the food as it is for the surroundings, affable characters and super pleasant staff. And experiencing “Wild Harvest Session” was an utterly unique and gastronomically pleasurable evening well spent. I love a foodie evening when I actually learn something, and I learnt an awful lot about the value of foraged foods at Harvest. www.harvestnewrybar.com.au

music & NIGHT LIFE

PRINCE

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PRINCE ROGERS NELSON LEFT AN INDELIBLE IMPRESSION ON POPULAR MUSIC. FROM HIT RECORDS TO FILMS AND LIVE CONCERTS, HE WAS BOTH A MUSICAL INNOVATOR AND A PERFORMER WHO EARNED COMPARISONS WITH EVERYONE FROM JAMES BROWN TO DAVID BOWIE. PAUL BURSTON LOOKS BACK AT THE CAREER OF AN ORIGINAL ROCK SHOWMAN

An Original Rock Showman

In April 2016, a few months after David Bowie died, Prince brought his Piano & A Microphone Tour to Toronto. In the first of two shows, he paid tribute to Bowie with a heartfelt cover of ‘Heroes’. A month later, Prince too was dead. As the tributes poured and the obituaries were published, one cartoonist drew the two men reunited on the moon – kindred spirits not quite of this world, gone to a higher place.

The timing of their deaths aside, Prince Rogers Nelson and David Bowie had a lot in common. Both were musical geniuses who produced enough perfect pop moments to justify their occasional bouts of self-indulgence. Both revelled in androgyny and personal myth-making, Bowie as Ziggy Stardust and the various alter-egos who came afterwards, Prince as, well, Prince and the famous squiggle that replaced his name during his famous standoff with his record company. Both were rock showmen who owed a sizeable debt to Little Richard. Bowie started out wanting to be “the white Little Richard”, while Prince blurred racial boundaries as well as gender norms, with the same pencil moustache and pancake makeup sported by the rock ‘n’ roller who also inspired Elvis.

Musically, Prince went though as many changes during his purple reign as Bowie did during his golden years – funk, rock, psychedelia, soul, dance and hip hop. And though Bowie never became a Jehovah’s Witness, he did go down on his knees and pray at the memorial concert for Freddie Mercury, ruffling as many feathers then as he did years earlier when he went down on Mick Ronson’s guitar.

Both Prince and Bowie delighted in stirring up sexual controversy. When Prince first appeared, he was dressed in suspenders, high heels and a flasher’s mac, singing songs like ‘Dirty’ and ‘Controversy’. He scored his first international hit with ‘1999’ in 1982 but it wasn’t until his breakthrough album ‘Purple Rain’ that he morphed into the all-conquering pop-rock pixie we recognise today – pancaked and pompadoured, with the ruffled white shirt and elegantly trimmed facial hair.

Regarded by some as Prince’s magnum opus, ‘Purple Rain’ was a pop cultural phenomenon of enormous proportions.

Whether singing in his bathtub in the video for hit single ‘When Doves Cry’ or playing a version of himself in ‘Purple Rain’ the movie, Prince dominated 1984, selling millions of 162 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

albums and winning multiple awards. At one point that year, he simultaneously had the number one album, single and film in the US charts – the first singer ever to achieve such a feat.

Flushed with commercial success but determined to prove his worth as an artist, he followed up his breakthrough with an album far less radio-friendly and so experimental it must have raised a few eyebrows at his record company. ‘Around The World in a Day’ didn’t fare badly, spawning the hits ‘Raspberry Beret’ and ‘Pop Life’ and topping the album chart for three consecutive weeks. But compared to the 24 weeks notched up by his previous album, Prince’s period of psychedelic experimentation wasn’t a patch on ‘Purple Rain’.

His next album saw a change of image and another change of direction. The Prince of ‘Parade’ was all slick dance moves and slicked back haired, singing songs tinged with jazz, soul and French chanson influences. The album spawned the number one hit ‘Kiss’ and cemented the singer’s popularity in Europe, where sales were higher than in the US. The less said about the accompanying film ‘Under A Cherry Moon’, the better. The film earned Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Actor and Worst Original Song. Like Bowie before him, Prince’s forays into film were sometimes fun but often excruciating, acting as vehicles for the star’s vanity and little else.

One honourable exception is ‘Sign ‘O’ the Times’, the live

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concert film which accompanied the double album of the same name, showing him at the height of his powers.

Originally conceived as a triple album, ‘Sign ‘O’ the Times’ was Prince’s stab at A Major Piece of Work, combining infectious grooves with serious social commentary. Released at the height of the AIDS epidemic, the title track opens with the line “In France a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name” before the singer turns his attention to teenage gangs, natural disasters and the twin problems of poverty and drug addiction. A huge hit in Europe, the album also saw Prince revive the career of British singer Sheena Easton, who duetted with him on the hit single ‘U Got The Look’. Another track, ‘It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night’ was recorded live in Paris before an audience of 6000 adoring Parisians.

It was as a live performer that Prince really came into his own. Madonna may have set the template for today’s pop extravaganzas with her Blonde Ambition Tour, but for sheer musical dexterity nobody beat Prince. The two pop icons worked together briefly in the late 80s. His influence can be heard all over her ‘Like a Prayer’ album – not only on the duet ‘Love Song’ (which he co-wrote) but also on songs like ‘Dear Jessie’, ‘Keep it Together’, ‘Act of Contrition’ and the title track, where he played electric guitar.

While Madonna faced criticism for miming on stage, Prince had little trouble convincing people that he was the real deal. Live, there was nobody quite like him. It wasn’t just that his vocal range was impressive. He also combined the guitar skills of Jimi Hendrix with the dance moves of James Brown, sometimes singing, playing guitar and performing the splits at the same time. His concerts became the stuff of legend, often lasting for hours and followed by more intimate jam sessions where he’d continue well into the early hours. The man was a born performer.

The 1988 Love Sexy World Tour was many people’s introduction to Prince as a live artist. The tour lost money due to the expensive sets (a lesson Bowie learned in 1974 with his similarly lavish Diamond Dogs tour) but audiences were ecstatic. Two years later he was back with the Nude Tour, where he applied some of the lessons learned from Love Sexy, and delivered a stripped-down show that relied less on pyrotechnics and more on a set list that was heavy on the hits. A decade into his recording career, Prince had racked up an impressive back catalogue. Early hits like

‘1999’ and ‘Little Red Corvette’ sat alongside more recent chart successes like ‘Alphabet Street’, ‘Thieves in the Temple’ and ‘Batdance’, from his soundtrack album to Tim Burton’s movie.

And then he became a squiggle. In 1993, angered at his record company’s refusal to keep pace with his productivity and release a new album as and when he decided, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, later referred to as The Love Symbol. He appeared with the word ‘slave’ written on his cheek and sometimes gave interviews with his face covered and an interpreter by his side to speak his words for him. The Artist Formerly Known as Prince became something of a laughing stock and his popularity suffered as a result. A series of albums followed in quick succession, including the legendary ‘Black Album’. None matched the commercial success of earlier releases.

In 2000, finally freed from his contract with Warner Bros., he reverted back to the name Prince. His later years saw a resurgence of popularity. His ‘Musicology’ album of 2004 earned him two Grammy awards. Top chart placings were aided by the fact that a copy of the album was included with every ticket sold for his ‘Musicology’ live tour, which was seen by over 1.4 million people. He repeated the formula with the ‘3121’ album and tour. In 2007, the tour came to London for his famous 21-night residency at the British capital’s 02 Arena. Such was the level of excitement, that one British newspaper came up with the wheeze of sending a different reviewer each night. Sure enough, no two shows were the same.

Prince continued touring right up until his untimely death.

It’s a sign of his lasting impact that audiences at his live concerts crossed several generations, from those old enough to remember him in his 80s hey-day to those who discovered his music much later. He’ll be remembered for many things, not least his prolific output and pushing of musical boundaries. In a career spanning four decades, he released a staggering 39 studio albums and mastered more musical genres than any of his contemporaries. He also found time to write songs for everyone from The Bangles to Kate Bush, Cyndi Lauper to Chaka Khan. But it’s surely as a showman that he’ll go down in history. As he said himself, his name was Prince and he was funky. That may be the only epitaph he needs.

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Eventually when I stepped on a stage it became like stepping into my home

DOLCE & GABBANA SWEATER The famed Italian luxury fashion house continues its regal obsession with this round-neck black sweater with a King intarsia embroidered motif on the front. Woven from a soft cashmere-virgin-wool blend and inspired by Sicilian aristocracy, wearing this statement piece will certainly make your Christmas prince look casually regal on the big day!

GBP725 STORE.DOLCEGABBANA.COM/EN

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN’S TROUBLE IN HEAVEN PARFUM Not content with being a world leader in luxury shoes, Christian Louboutin continues to push in to new territory with his beauty line. His collection of elegant fragrances includes this Oriental floral scent for women, intriguingly named Trouble In Heaven.

The purple and gold glass vessel references the iris flower which forms the basis of the fragrance.

Blended with zesty bergamot, fresh rose bouton and warm amber make it the perfect everyday scent.

GBP215 WWW.HARRODS.COM

LORENZI MILANO BAR SET Using traditions which date back one hundred years, Lorenzi Milano produces exquisite, hand-crafted items in Italy, using natural raw materials such as leather, horn, wood and mother of pearl, all selected for their special character. This stunning, show-stopping bar set, finished in bamboo, tan leather and dark-brown suede, comprises a host of mixology essentials and will invariably add a touch of luxury to any bar.

GBP2,283 WWW.MATCHESFASHION.COM

LISA CROCKARD MALACHITE & SILVER EARRINGS Scottish-born Lisa Crockard was a top luxury goods buyer in London for more than a decade, before returning home to Paisley to establish her own jewellery line. Specialising in hand made techniques as well as CAD and 3D printing, and all of Crockard’s designs are produced in limited editions and small batches making them covetable as well as beautiful.

GBP65 WWW.LISACROCKARD.COM 170 The Cultured Traveller Dec-Feb 2017-18

GLOBETROTTER 2017 CHRISTMAS GIFT ROUND UP To take some of the hassle out of your Christmas shopping, Adrian Gibson has put together a capsule guide of chic gifts to give this holiday season. Whether it's a present for a wife or girlfriend, something for the man in your life, or a novelty prezzie for a co-worker, there should be something here to fit the bill

MONKEY 47 GIFT SET The perfect gift for lovers of the famous handcrafted Schwarzwald Dry Gin which hails from Germany’s Black Forest, this special set comes with half a dozen bottles of Berlin-made Thomas Henry tonic, plus a pair of ‘Becher’ cups, the official drinking vessel of the Monkey 47 brand. Made of earthenware and turquoise in colour, the Becher will keep your drink cooler and fizzier for longer than a traditional glass high ball or goblet.

GBP49.90 WWW.URBAN-DRINKS.CO.UK

TOM DIXON TEA LIGHT HOLDER As a self-taught designer whose work has been acquired by museums across the globe, Tom Dixon uses a myriad of ground-breaking processes to transform everyday objects into sculptural works of art. Radiating an ambient glow when lit from within, these unique etched metal tea light holders are available in a range of finishes, and are also a thing of beauty when not in use.

GBP40 WWW.TOMDIXON.NET

DRIES VAN NOTEN SNAKE-EFFECT WALLET This beautiful, hand crafted leather snake-effect wallet, produced by Belgian fashion house Dries Van Noten, has the feel and luxurious look of an exotic skin, without the heavy price tag or moral issues attached. Fully lined in black leather, with six card slots, two slip pockets and two note sections, the wallet comes in a designer-stamped box for easy gifting.

GBP125 WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM

LEOWE SILVER ELEPHANT BAG Whilst Spanish brand Leowe has been producing bags since it was founded in 1846, the appointment of British designer Jonathan Anderson as creative director in 2013 has completely reinvigorated the brand. Reworked in metallic silver leather for the 2017 festive season, this mini elephant-shaped statement shoulder bag features perforated eyes, a detachable leather shoulder strap and top zip fastening.

GBP895 WWW.BROWNSFASHION.COM

FORNASETTI L’ECLAIREUSE CANDLE Italian painter, sculptor and engraver Piero Fornasetti was famously obsessed with the face of 19th century operatic soprano Lina Cavalieri, featuring it in countless designs for his collections of tableware and home décor.

Today, Piero’s son, Barnaba, reinterprets his father’s charming and whimsical art in his own home line, which includes this stunning candle, decorated with gold, which will be of use long after the fragrant scented Robertet candle has been burnt.

GBP150 WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM

STAR WARS X-WING DRONE A lot of care and attention to detail has clearly gone into this hand-painted and individually numbered collector's edition T-65 X-Wing battling drone by Propel. With the release of Star Wars’ ‘The Last Jedi’ just before Christmas, no doubt many a hero will be waking up to save the galaxy on the morning of 25th December this year! This drone flies at up to 35mph, fires out laser shots and the special display case plays the familiar Star Wars fanfare when you lift it out of the box.

GBP179.95 WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

DAVID BOWIE PRINT A leading figure in music for over five decades, it’s still hard for many to believe that famed English singer, songwriter and actor David Bowie passed away almost two years ago. Sonic Editions has produced this wonderful print of the pop icon, looking resplendent in a mustard suit and relaxed, quiffed hair. Shot by Terry O’Neill (one of the world's most collected photographers) in Los Angeles in 1974, this framed print is limited to a run of just 200.

GBP300 WWW.MRPORTER.COM

SIR BY MARIO TESTINO Mario Testino’s largest book to date, titled SIR, features a rich collection of more than 300 images taken by the renowned photographer in his search to define the “allure of men.” The book features an essay by Pierre Borhan, an interview with Patrick Kinmonth, and many previously unpublished works from Testino’s archive. Photographs raphs include studies of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jude Law, David Beckham, David Bowie and more. Available as a signed limited edition (of 1,000) bound in Japanese cloth and encased in a metal slipcase (pictured), or a more affordable paperback.

Limited Edition GBP650 WWW.TASCHEN.COM Paperback GBP29.24 WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK

GUCCI KINGSNAKE BELT Alessandro Michele, Gucci's creative director ffor almost l t ttwo years, llooks k att modern d ffashion hi with a historical eye and has brought a unique new look to the Italian brand, the Kingsnake being a recurring signature detail of his collections. This smooth black leather men’s belt, features the snake curving round the eyelets, transforms it into a statement piece which will undoubtedly make you stand out in the fashion jungle.

GBP315 WWW.GUCCI.COM

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SKULL SOCKS Alexander McQueen’s iconic skull motif, conceptualised by the late British genius and award-winning designer who wass renowned for pushing fashion boundaries, is still incredibly popular and on-trend years after his untimely death. These midnight blue knitted cotton socks, with all over red skull detailing and the McQueen signature on the base, are sure too make the chap who’s wearing them stand out on Christmas Day. y.

GBP50 WWW.ALEXANDERMCQUEEN.COM

STELLA MCCARTNEY MEREDITH SHIRT Fusing sharp tailoring and minimal lines with resolutely feminine finishes, every piece from British designer Stella McCartney’s eponymous fashion house exudes subtle sensuality. If you’re looking for something sparkly to wear this holiday season, then this loose-fit shirt in gold georgette lurex could be just the ticket.

Finished with frills on the front, neckline and cuffs.

GBP745 WWW.STELLAMCCARTNEY.COM/GB Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 173

A

F

A21 www.a21.fi

FANCY HANK’S www.fancyhanks.com

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE LANGHAM www.langhamhotels.com

FEDERATION SQUARE www.fedsquare.com

ANANTARA PEACE HAVEN TANGALLE RESORT www.tangalle.anantara.com

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON MELBOURNE DOCKLANDS www.starwoodhotels.com

AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART (ACCA) www.acca.melbourne

B BAR AMERICANO www.baramericano.com BAR LOURINHÃ www.barlourinha.com.au

FLOWER DRUM www.flowerdrum.melbourne

FOUR SEASONS VAIL www.fourseasons.com/Vail

G GARFS www.garfsvail.com GOOD HEAVENS www.goodheavens.com.au

C

GORSUCH www.gorsuch.com

CHAPEL STREET www.chapelstreet.com.au

H

CITADINES ON BOURKE MELBOURNE www.citadines.com

HARVEST www.harvestnewrybar.com.au

COLORADO MOUNTAIN EXPRESS www.coloradomountainexpress.com

HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY www.zoo.org.au/healesville

CROWN METROPOL www.crownhotels.com.au

HOWLER www.h-w-l-r.com

CUMULUS UP www.cumulusup.com.au

E EASTE,MIAMI www.east-miami.com

K KEMPINSKI HOTEL MALL OF THE EMIRATES www.kempinski.com/en/dubai/mall-of-the-emirates/

EMPORIUM MELBOURNE www.emporiummelbourne.com.au

L

EUREKA 89 www.eurekaskydeck.com.au

LOS AMIGOS www.losamigos.com

M MARION WINE BAR www.marionwine.com.au MELBOURNE CENTRAL www.melbournecentral.com.au MINTURN SALOON www.minturnsaloon.com

N NAKED FOR SATAN www.nakedforsatan.com.au

RITZ-CARLTON IN LIONSHEAD www.ritzcarlton.com ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS www.rbg.vic.gov.au

S SHRILANKAN AIRLINES www.srilankan.com SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE www.shrine.org.au SKIARENA ANDERMATT-SEDRUN www.skiarena.ch

NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA www.ngv.vic.gov.au

SKYBUS MELBOURNE CITY EXPRESS

O

SONNENALP HOTEL www.sonnenalp.com

OLD MELBOURNE GAOL www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au

www.skybus.com.au SONNENALP www.sonnealp.com

OMNICAR www.omnicar.com.au

ST KILDA BEACH www.stkildamelbourne.com.au

P

SWEET BASIL www.sweetbasilvail.com

PASCALE BAR & GRILL www.qthotelsandresorts.com PASSPORT INDEX www.passportindex.org/byRank.php

SUPERNORMAL www.supernormal.net.au

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PUBLIC TRANSPORT VICTORIA www.ptv.vic.gov.au

THE 10th VAIL www.the10thvail.com

Q

THE MELBOURNE SUPPER CLUB www.melbournesupperclub.com.au

QT ROOFTOP www.qthotelsandresorts.com

THE CHEDI ANDERMATT www.thechedi-andermatt.com

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET www.qvm.com.au

V

R

VAIL www.vail.com

RADII RESTAURANT & BAR www.melbourne.park.hyatt.com RED LION www.redlion.com

Dec-Feb 2017-18 The Cultured Traveller 175