Viva Asia Magazine by Origomedia

CONTENTS

Fashion Asia

Personality

Hotel : Singapore

Fashion Asia

Fashion Shoot

Technology

Cognac France

Design

ANNETTE ANHAR is the dynamic woman who is changing the food a wnd art scene in Indonesia from the beautiful Tugu Kunstkring Paleis in Jakarta, restored to its original splendor with countless artworks and antiques.

We meet one of the most avant-garde and interesting couturiers in the East, the incredibly creative, Nguyễ n Công Trí from Vietnam, but now selling to the world.

My City

Media personality Cheryl Tiu is a lifestyle expert. She writes about food, travel and good living. In this issue, she invites us to enjoy the secrets of her home town, Manila.

In The Saleroom

Christie’s brings you a ‘Taste of the Royal Court: Important French Furniture and Works of Art from a Private Collection.’ Among the amazing pieces of 18th century French decorative arts is a superb chair that once belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette.

Luxury Boating

We see some spectacular designs in modern boating but this is a standout from anyone’s point of view. She is called SALT.

Hotel Clover is the revolution in the hotel business in Singapore. A move away from the standart, one-size-fits-all hotel room to an artistically-themed cocoon.

The House of martell was fouded in 1715 at the height of French Art de Vivre, a period when gastronomy, good taste and craftmanship were all celebrated.

This Elegant Design looks set to be the future of passengers aeroplanes. Advanced Hybrid Engine Aircraft Development (AHEAD) is a long-term aircraft design study led by the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands

The Oldest of the great cognac houses is commemorating its 300th anniversary, Martell & Co. has spent three centuries challenging the boundaries of its own expertise and their latest creation.

Sweet Inspiration It took chutzpah for designer FADY HACHEM to suggest to an owner that his hotel should be themed after desserts.

BOATING

CONTENTS

Technology

Beyond The Law

Art Australia

Wine France

Top End Gateway

Luxury Spirits

Fashion Born in Bali

Dessert Island Discs

106 Whisky Bars

Restaurant Indonesia

112 Mixology

American Whiskey continues to thrive at the forefront of popular culture. Recently Tom Bulleit, founder of Bulleit Distilling Company, was in the region promoting the brand that uses the150-year-old bourboun recipe.

After the past three vintages, most of the world’s most respected wine writers arrived in Bordeaux feeling apprehensive. Would the 2014 finally break the run of harsh weather vintages?

Every so often, the aficionados of fine distilled spirits are surprised by something new and different. They will be delighted with the latest: The Macallan Rare Cask, which its makers describe as ‘decadence redefined.’

A man called Roy Plomley created Desert Island Discs way back in 1942. For nigh on 80 years, it remains one of UK Radio 4’s most popular and enduring programs.

Old Bali hands always have a soft spot for Kafé Warisan – it was pretty much the first fine dining restaurant on the island and a unique place with its open pavilions surrounding a courtyard open to the stars in the evening. Over 30 years, it has undergone several transformations and now the restaurant is called ilLido

Darwin is now an easily reachable weekend getaway from Jakarta, Bali and Singapore and is the perfect place to explore the exciting world of aboriginal art.

Darwin is a biggish town with pretensions to cityhood but that is not a bad thing. You have good roads, medical facilities and lots of places to eat and drink. Just no crowds and no pollution. Backpackers seem to dominate tourism but there are serious attractions for grown-up adventurers.

By The Sea is a fashion label you could say was born in Brazil but grew up in Bali. It is now one of the island’s only original brands. It is not haute couture; it is haute casual.

With Whisky Live making its debut in Indonesia in November, we thought it timely to look at some of the best places in the world to enjoy your favourite malt – single and blend. Compiled by Lucy Bent.

Thierry Hernandez Creates Martell Tricentenaire Cocktails. Le Bar at the Plaza Athénée is a chic, elegant and quintessentially Parisian. Thierry Hernandez, who became manager of the bar in 2001 has collaborated with Martell to create three distinct new cocktails for the Martell Tricentenaire.

BOATING

EDITOR’S NOTE Fashion in Asia is booming. It is fantastic to see Eastern designers now enjoying success in their home markets while gradually sending their fashion message to other parts of the world. And so it should be. No need to go to America or Europe to make a success; now you can do it from home. In the wake of people like Kenzo, Issy Miyake, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Derek Lam and others who have already made their mark in the West, a new generation is emerging. The East is where much of the energy is and the East is the future. So, all you designers, take heart and don’t try to imitate; let your creations become barometers for Western designers to take note of (and even copy) – and carry on being different. In this issue, we meet two very different designers. From Vietnam, Nguyễn Công Trí has been called “one of the most important and remarkable contemporary fashion designers” of today and pan-Asian artists, celebrities, fashionistas, and businesswomen are embracing his creations. From Bali, Renato Vianna has invented a more laid-back style with his label By The Sea. His clothes appear casual but he has taken great care they can be worn anywhere and people instantly recognize good design, not just cool and casual beachwear. His story is fascinating: he comes from Brazil, accidentally arrived in Bali on a surfing expedition and loved it so much he stayed. His business also is about to go international. On a different artistic note, we visit the northern Australian city of Darwin. Apart from its extraordinary natural wonders just hours away, Darwin is now hub of a new and invigorated art movement by Aboriginal painters, some of the best now fetching huge sums on the international market. We meet Annette Anhar, the force behind the majestic Kunstring Paleis in Jakarta with her plans, not only to provide great Indonesian food in a spectacular restaurant, but a venue to promote art and artists from all over the country. On the design front, we meet Fady Hachem, taking clubs, hotels and restaurants to a new level. And there is a wonderful, high-tech story about the future of passenger aircraft, this one from KLM. If you are a sailing fan, the super yacht SEA SALT designed in San Francisco will take your breath away. We travel to Singapore to look at a new breed of hotel: Clover the Arts is not your average cookie-cutter hostelry; it is a converted office building that has transformed itself into a work of art. We also travel to Manila with an insider’s guide to the best-kept secrets of the Filipino capital. In our wine and food section, we visit Bali’s newest and hottest Italian eatery called il Lido. We introduce you to a rare find in Melbourne called Ombra. Roy Moorfield tastes the 2014 vintage in Bordeaux; we enjoy Martell Cognac’s three hundredth anniversary and we go behind the scenes at Macallan to taste their new Rare Cask. And, speaking of fine whisky, we visit the world’s most stylish bars that specialize in the best Scotland has to offer, not to mention Japan and other emerging whisky countries. We know you will enjoy the Autumn edition of VIVA ASIA. And do stay in touch by email. We enjoy your comments and, especially, your first hand experiences of the latest in design, lifestyle, food and wine.

Notowisastro

Editor in Chief

noto@vivaasiamagazine.com

On the cover: one of the wonderfully creative photographs showcasing the couture fashions of Nguyễn Công Trí in Vietnam.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Notowisastro noto@vivaasiamagazine.com

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Meeliani Handoko meeliani@vivaasiamagazine.com

ADVERTISING Elizabeth

promotions@vivaasiamagazine.com

ACCOUNTING Vivy Susanti accounts@vivaasiamagazine.com

CIRCULATION M. Nur Hasan members@vivaasiamagazine.com

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Viva Asia Magazine is dedicated to the celebration of the luxury lifestyle. Viva Asia Magazine is published in Australia by Origomedia Group and distributed direct to high net worth individuals in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. All rights reserved. title and trademark registered, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher the views and opinions expressed or implied in Viva Asia Magazine are those of the contributors and advertisers and not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

PERSONALITY : JAKARTA

ART AND FOOD A dynamic woman is changing the food and art scene in Indonesia. ANNETTE ANHAR now heads the beautifully revamped Tugu Kunstkring Paleis in Jakarta.

his grand building has been restored to its original splendor and redecorated with countless artworks and antiques. The villa originally housed the Fine Arts Circle of the Dutch East Indies (NederlandschIndische Kunstkring) and was opened in 1914, with the purpose of promoting the arts of the Indies. It was neglected for many years and then it briefly became a nightclub before public opinion thought it should be preserved in a role more in keeping with its original purpose. Now it is a restaurant and gallery with several hidden attractions – like the elegant lounge that is called “The World of Suzie Wong” and is inspired by the movie set in the Hong Kong of the 1960s – one of tte’s father’s favourites. Afternoon tea is in the Balkon van Menteng, with sweeping views of the old Menteng neighborhood. Upstairs, too, is the President’s Dining Room, with mementoes of Soekarno. Annette is young, energetic, quick-thinking and hard-working. Her passion here is to make Kunstkring Paleis work as a restaurant, gallery and events venue as well as a new centre for arts of every kind. She is the daughter of Anhar and Wideya Setjadibrat, who are behind the famous Tugu Group of hotels and restaurants and she has worked in all the properties, even having a

hand in restoring some of them. All are in old buildings or quirky new ones, built to recall the history and the myths of old Indonesia. They have the Tugu Hotels in Malang, Blitar, Bali and Lombok as well as Lara Djonggrang, Dapur Babar, Samarra and Shanghai Blue in Jakarta. The group this year was proud winners of the 2013 Hospitality Investment World’s Culture Award. Annette has been in the family hospitality business all her life. So, Tugu Kunstkring Paleis, she says, brings the perfect combination. Good food, fine wine and entertainment in the guise of all the arts. “I have a passion that this wonderful building should be preserved. A lot of old Jakarta is fading away for lack of attention; this place is a marvellous piece of the city’s history. And its location is unique – on what now would be considered very generous grounds in the centre of old (and still exclusive) Menteng,” says Annette. “We took possession of Kunstkring Paleis two years ago. You remember there was a controversial nightclub here. We have kept the bones (it is a listed building) but we have given it the Tugu touch with artwork, decoration and furniture. Some of the pieces are from a Javanese palace. “But remember it is called the Kunstkring Paleis, Dutch for ‘art circle,’ which was the original purpose of the building when it was

PERSONALITY : JAKARTA

constructed in 1914. Back then, Dutch museums lent artworks for many visiting exhibitions and, from 1934 to 1939, it hosted collections of world-class artists such as Chagall, Gauguin, Picasso and van Gogh. So I am very determined to keep that idea: we have exhibitions of paintings, ceramics, textiles, sculpture. And we are keen on the performing arts as well. We have just had a huge success with the pianist Adam Gyorgy, who gave a concert in the big room upstairs – now a gallery where the disco used to be.” “In fact, we are keen to meet more designers, musicians, artists, fashion designers – any creative people,” Annette continues. “We have the gallery and we also have the large boutique at the side where artisans display their work for sale. And that changes every month. At the moment, there is a unique and different batik collection of homewares from Bali in there.” “You know, in 1914, it was mostly to do with art but there was a little restaurant on the side. Now the restaurant takes up the whole building but the artistic side is everywhere; in every room; on every level,” she says. “We have made it easy by providing a place for art, design and culture. And we don’t want to box it in to just Indonesian art. We would like to expose Jakartans to international ideas as well. And we are already working with several galleries overseas to send Indonesian artworks.” “Jakarta is now on the map artistically and now there is a place to go to see it – rather than the museums and public galleries. And

you can come for lunch or dinner or afternoon tea, whatever, and just walk around and enjoy the collections at the same time.” “There is a lot of talent in Jakarta and, indeed, the rest of the country. Many of them, though, have no outlet to show their works so I hope we can help.” “After all, many famous artists have exhibited here over the years. You know Sudjojono (the younger) met his wife here. They are coming back for their anniversary in December.” “The food is high end, too,” says Annette. “Almost artistic in itself. It is mostly Betawi but we have specialties from all over the country, dishes from humble Indonesian village tables to the cuisine of kings and presidents, as well as a fine selection of Western cuisine.” “One highlight is the Rijsttafel Betawi– the dish created by the Dutch as a means of sampling little tastes of the best of Indonesian food, all on one plate. And our waiters have not only been trained to know about the food but about the art of the day as well.” WOMEN IN BUSINESS The glass ceiling has been cracked, even shattered, in many countries but there are still hurdles for women in the (generally) man’s world of business. In Indonesia, it is interesting because

PERSONALITY : JAKARTA

the country has a history of successful businesswomen – even a female president. “It really never occurs to me to differentiate about gender in business. I do what I do and hope it is successful. I try to solve problems in a civilized way,” Annette emphasizes. “We deal a lot with officialdom in this business and I actually think a woman has the advantage over a man. A man will often become angry and frustrated when dealing with officialdom and bureaucracy: I try to keep everything calm. I believe that for every problem, there is a solution and it can be arrived at without conflict. With a woman the process is usually a friendly negotiation, a civilized exchange. With two men, it often becomes a confrontation.” “I know there will probably always be double standards for men and women. But basic business is there to be done whether you are a man or a woman. We have a commitment to succeed and to solve any problems that may arise. “Believe in what you do! You can’t imagine how that helps.” FAMILY Annette is from the interesting, hard-working and successful Anhar family. Has this affected the way she does business? “Everything about my professional life, I learned from my mother and father. Both were intimately involved in our hotel and restaurant businesses. And, of course, you can see Dad

all through Kunstring Paleis. All the furniture and artworks and fittings are his. He has been an avid collector for years and he still has a warehouse of things he has not yet used in the hotels and restaurants. I am keen to follow in his footsteps. Through these places we can preserve many good pieces that would otherwise probably be lost. And, of course, Mum has always been passionate to preserve and promote Indonesian food.” “And all my family offer great support, always. But one special thing always made me happy: with their backing, you learn to dare. To make mistakes. But their further advice was: ‘Don’t complain and don’t do anything. If you do something wrong: fix it!’ FUTURE “You know when we took over here, the Jakarta Government was quite pessimistic. But now they see what we have done and everybody absolutely loves it. The Governor comes often and many city and national officials have also made it a regular place, especially if they are with people from out of town or out of the country. One of them told me: “How could we have missed this? It is an example for every historic building in the city, say Annette.” “And not only in Jakarta. I see it as a prototype for other cities in Indonesia. We are keen to scout locations. I am already full of ideas about Bali – I love the food and I have a particular interest in the ceramics they are producing there. www.tuguhotels.com/jakarta

GALLERY

WORLD’S FIRST UNDERWATER NIGHTCLUB

They invite you to ‘feel the tingle of Dom on the tongue, six metres below the waterline. Or you could exchange vows in nature’s own cathedral submerged in the Indian Ocean. Or simply gaze at the thrill of the evening hunt as reef sharks gather to feast on small prey amidst the coral-clad architecture, while you dine alongside them on contemporary cuisine.’

his from the club Subsix, at PER AQUUM off Niyama in the Maldives, now re-opened after a complete redesign by Poole Associates who drew inspiration from the ocean itself.

Guests reach the club by speedboat, skipping over the reef to its 500-metre offshore location. In the depths of Subsix, thousands of strands of Capiz shells drape from the entire expanse of the ceiling in an ode to an undersea kelp forest. Piercing the shells’ undulating waves, a garden of coral-like chandeliers. In the centre of the room, a huge clam-inspired bar strikes an imposing form, its fibreglass shell glowing with mood lighting that shifts throughout the day from pure white mornings to a lavender dinner setting to late-night blues. Over 90 coral reef species ply the waters, attracted by the specially designed reef structures. Parrot fish swim past shoals of Moorish Idols. Moray eels slide through the lagoon. Groupers make goliath appearances amidst the rainbow of butterfly fish and damsel fish, while the resident Hawksbill turtle makes occasional visit. Oh, and you can have lunch, dinner or supper there as well. www.peraquum.com

GALLERY

FASHION : ASIA

EASTERN PROMISE

FASHION : ASIA

According to ELLE Magazine, “Professional and incredibly creative, Nguyễn Công Trí is no doubt one of the most important and remarkable contemporary fashion designers in Vietnam.”

former graphic design student, Nguyễn has risen to the peak of Vietnam’s haute couture world with his designs now must-have pieces for Vietnam’s leading artists, celebrities, fashionistas, and businesswomen.

With his distinctive blending of traditional Vietnamese and international avant-garde, Nguyễn never ceases to amaze his audience with his unique collections. He first made headlines in 2000 and 2001, winning awards for his collections in Vietnam, Singapore and Japan. Since then, he has been credited with bringing international haute couture standards back home to Vietnam.

FASHION : ASIA

In 2009 Nguyễn Công Trí launched CONG TRI, a ready-to-wear line, giving buyers stunning, unique, yet affordable designs. Kin Concept, his menswear line followed in 2011. In 2013 he became the first Vietnamese designer to launch a dedicated house of Haute Couture, and in 2013 and 2014 the British Fashion Council showcased his designs during London Fashion week.

In 2014 Nguyễn Công Trí became Vietnam’s first Asian Couture Extraordinaire, an honour bestowed upon him by the Asian Couture Federation. Says Nguyễn Công Trí: “Fashion is where I can plant, nurture and express my inspiration from the beauty of every little thing in life.” www.nguyencongtri.com

FASHION : ASIA

Photographer : Tangtang Art Director : Tangtang Hair & Make-up artist : Tung Chau Prop : Ly Son Binh Model : Kha My Van Mode : Nguyễ n Công Trí no. 08

MY CITY - MANILA

Photo by Danielle Ayag for NomadStreet.com

MY MANILA C

heryl Tiu is a journalist, editor and media personality based in Manila, where she is editor at large of Lifestyle Asia, the Philippines’ #1 luxury magazine. She maintains a regular weekly column for the Philippine Star called “In Between Deadlines,” and Forbes Life USA (Forbes. 22

com) called “Miss Adventures.” Here she writes mostly about food and travel for both. She is a writer for CNN Travel, the destination portal of CNN International, and is the author of the first ever WallpaperCity Guide for Manila.

MY CITY - MANILA

Mecha Uma

What is closest to Cheryl’s heart, though, is her personal blog, CherylTiu.com, where she chronicles her personal adventures and often funny escapades. We asked Cheryl for her insights into what to see and do in Manila. What do you say to people making their first visit to Manila? “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” From what you’ve been seeing in the news all these years to that unsolicited advice of “Don’t bother going to Manila… go straight to the beaches,” to landing at the airport that has consistently made the “World’s Worst Airports” list (it’s improving, though!), you might think twice about coming here. Disregard ALL those things and come here with an open mind. Once you get to the heart of the city you will see all the new establishments and concepts that have sprung up over recent years. Most importantly, meet the people—you’re in for a surprise, and I promise you will soon be proclaiming, “Man, I love Manila!” What is one experience a visitor to Manila must see or do? Eat Filipino food. It is unfortunately one of the most underrepresented cuisines in the world - unlike our other Asian counterparts. There is also a huge misconception about it, thanks to the “Fear Factor”-izing of local delicacies like balut, and some other dishes being not so photogenic. But you have to try it, it’s delicious. For good Filipino food, I would recommend Sarsa, Abe, Manam, Kafe Batwan, Fely J’s, and Pamana. Your Favourite Manila Dining Experience? Some of my favorite restaurants are: Mecha Uma (Bruce

Ricketts is one of the youngest, most talented chefs in the city who creates Japanese-inspired dishes almost free-style, depending on what’s available that day). Terry’s (classic Spanish cuisine; they also import their own wines so they have a large selection of Spanish labels that are decently priced). Gallery Vask (Chef Chele Gonzalez may be Spanish but he translates his travels around the Philippines into a narrative degustation using produce from around the country). Tapenade at Discovery Primea (great Mediterranean dishes and unlimited oyster/ salad bar a steal at only P600!). Your Local (in a hip neighbourhood – creative Southeast Asian dishes, such as salmon donburi and chili crab on mantou). Sala (classic, finedining European cuisine). People’s Palace (consistently good modern Thai). And if you have more time, drive to Antonio’s in Tagaytay, around 1.5 hours by car (excellent modern European cuisine in Chef Tony Boy Escalante’s colonial-style mansion and farm. They are the first Philippine restaurant to make it to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards, landing at #48 this 2015). The best cocktails in Manila are served at? My current personal favorites are: Lit (Ebisu Sour: Suntory Kakubin, Whiskey, Disaronno Amaretto, lemon juice and egg white). Mecha Uma (Genji—Yuzu, Yoichi 12 and Angostura); Rambla (Oak-Aged Tequila Old Fashioned—Tequila, Creolo Bitters, Jagermeister and Absinthe). Crystal Lounge at Crown Towers City of Dreams (Crystal Daiquiri: secret blend of rums and lime, shaken tableside). For overall good cocktails with great bartenders/ mixologists, The Curator and Blind Pig: just tell them what you fancy and it’s almost certain the drink will be good. For refreshing gin &

MY CITY - MANILA tonic, Vask does it the Spanish way served in large balloon glasses, and ABV has a nice selection of boutique gins (Victoria from Canada and Citadelle from France are my favorites). One of my classic favorite watering holes is The Bar at the Peninsula Manila, a Cuban-inspired room (it’s a cigar bar, too, for all you cigar aficionados) with a nod to the Art Déco era that’s quiet, private, masculine and cozy. Bank Bar just opened in August and is one of my fave bars in town now. You enter via a 7-11 and are transported into a slightly more gothic space. The best thing to see in Manila that is free? The sunset. Sofitel Philippine Plaza and Manila Bay have the best views. Where would you always take visitors? Salcedo Market on Saturdays. It’s the most popular urban food market in the country, and it has everything—from Filipino to Indian to French to Indonesian to Chinese to Spanish, so there’s really something for everyone, and it appeals to locals, expats and visitors. Where you recommend they stay in Manila? Discovery Primea. It just opened this February 2015 so everything is brand-new. It’s Japanese master architect Kenzo Tange’s first project in the Philippines (he is best known for having rebuilt Hiroshima). Apart from being the tallest hotel and residential building in the country, rooms are large, spacious (ranging from 40sqm business flats to 125sqm two-bedroom lofts) and super cozy. It has the best infinity pool (on the 3rd floor) overlooking the city and it also has a quiet chapel. What Filipino food is a must try for visitors to Manila?

Sisig is my personal favorite. I also recommend lechon, lain and adobo because it’s the national dish, although I am more partial

to when they deep-fry the left-overs and turn them into crispy adobo flakes! I am also a big fan of the local cheese called kesong puti. Where do you go to kick your heels up in Manila? Hmm, I’m kind of retired from clubbing, but the Pool Palace is pretty popular at the moment with the younger set. For a slightly older crowd, Salon de Ning at the Peninsula Manila is not only the most ornate bar in the country with stunning 1930s art deco Shanghai decors, but there’s live band that keeps a crowd on the dance floor. Where is your favourite place to go shopping in Manila? I like going to Greenbelt because, apart from being at the heart of Makati CBD, unlike most quintessential malls, there’s a garden in the middle, so there’s greenery, fresh air, sculptures, a pond and even a chapel within that mini park. It’s a good mix of luxury, high-end brands and, on the 2nd floor of Greenbelt 5, a row of Filipino designers (Tan Gan, Myth, Jun Escario, Arnel Papa, Religioso, etc) that sell beautiful dresses and accessories.

Fashion by Tan Gan

GALLERY

IN THE SALE ROOM

THE QUEEN SAT HERE Christie’s has announced a sale called ‘Taste of the Royal Court: Important French Furniture and Works of Art from a Private Collection.’

t comprises 22 outstanding examples of 18th century French decorative arts, with the highlight this superb chair that belonged to the ill-fated Queen Marie Antoinette, the one who lost her head after the Revolution, as did her husband, who posthumously gave his name to a whole furniture style: Louis Seize.

Other items in the sale were created for some of the most celebrated patrons of the 18th century and include works by André-Charles Boulle, Adam Weisweiler and Charles Cressent. (An extremely rare bureau plat by Cressent, of which the only other known example is in the Louvre, has a pre-sale estimate £1-1.5 million).

The exquisite giltwood fauteuil en bergère (pre-sale estimate: £300,000-500,000) was supplied to the Queen for her salon in the Pavillon Belvédère at the Petit Trianon palace. It was part of the most expensive suite of seat furniture ever made, at a cost of 20,000 livres. Known, naturally, as a Louis XVI piece, it was made by François II Foliot, after a design by Jacques Gondoin in 1780, with sculpture by Pierre-Edme Babel or Toussaint Foliot.

If timepieces are your go, you might want to check out the Prince de Conti’s remarkable Louis XVI Ormolu Planetary Clock (Sphère Mouvante), the movement by Jean-Michel Mabille and the sphere by Martin Baffert, circa 1770. Its pre-sale estimate is £600,0001,000,000.

It is the only known surviving armchair from a suite comprising eight side chairs and eight armchairs. The Queen is said to have requested seating ‘in the very latest taste’ and the court designer Jacques Gondoin provided her with a wax model for the armchair, complete with upholstery samples. Miraculously that model still exists and is now in the Louvre. The rest of the suite became part of a garage sale organized by the Revolutionaries. 26

This prince, incidentally, is famous for the vineyard he bought in 1760 at Romanée and, to this day, known as Romanée-Conti where they make one of the most expensive wines in the world. The sale, on 9 July in London, is expected to realize in excess of £6 million. You can see the entire catalogue at: www.christies.com

IN THE SALE ROOM

INVESTMENT : ART

FORGET THE STOCK EXCHANGE:

BUY A PAINTING! Seven days in May 2015 have become known as the $1 Billion Art Week

he auction house Christie’s led the extraordinary sales and, of course, worldwide headlines were made when Les Femmes d’Algers, painted by Pablo Picasso in 1955, set a record for the highest-selling work at auction – at a phenomenal $179,365,000 including Christie’s commission of just over 12%. It has taken over the previous most expensive work sold at auction: Francis Bacon’s triptych Three Studies of Lucian Freud, which sold for $142.4million (again at Christie’s) in 2013. It is still not near the private sale record, if true. In February, a painting by Paul Gauguin of two Tahitian women, Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (When Will You Marry?), is believed to have been purchased by a Qatari buyer from a Swiss private collection for $300 million. The Qatari royal family is also believed to have 28

5 Paul Gauguin’s Painting OF Two Tahitian Girls, When Will You Marry, Sold For $300m

INVESTMENT : ART

5 Christie’s Global President Jussi Pylkkanen at the Rostrum Hammers Mark Rotho, No. 10 After Achieving $81,9 Million, The Second Highest Price For a Work By The Artist at Auction.

been the buyers of Paul Cézanne’s The Card Players, which was bought in 2011 for a rumoured $250million. The Picasso, though, was only the highlight of several sales: Alberto Giacometti’s figurative Pointing Man from 1947, a perfect example of the Italian artist’s signature patinated bronzes, became the highest-selling sculpture at auction, fetching $142 million. Another sale was rather a surprise: Andy Warhol’s Silver Liz (diptych) from from 1963–65 fetched a $29 million. Christie’s also sold a Mark Rothko canvas from 1958 that had been off the market since 1987, fetching $82 million (the picture is more than two metres long). In total, Christies’ two sales boasted 15 new auction records for icons of such famous styles as Cubism, Surrealism, Pop Art and Minimalism. Of course, it has set people talking everywhere – not just art experts but wouldbe buyers who are frantically checking investment potential (not to mention their bank balances for spare cash, as these things do not come on the never-never). And is a Picasso painting really worth $179 million? Experts say the market will remain buoyant until interest rates drop and the interest in Impressionist and other modern movements remains, largely because they are obviously beautiful and are proven investment winners. In case you are thinking about taking the plunge, Viva Asia has listed the 10 most expensive paintings ever sold (in millions of U.S. dollars). But please don’t ignore our local artists – one of them could be the new century’s Picasso or Gauguin…

Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?)

Paul Gauguin

300

2015

The Card Players

Paul Cézanne

263.1

2011

Women of Algiers (Version O)

Pablo Picasso

179.4

2015

No. 5, 1948

Jackson Pollock

164.4

2006

Woman III

Willem de Kooning

161.5

2006

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Gustav Klimt

158.5

2006

Le Reve

Pablo Picasso

157.5

2013

Portrait of Dr. Gachet

Vincent Van Gogh

149.4

1990

Three studies of Lucian Freud

Francis Bacon

144.70

2013

Bal du moulin de la Galette

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

141.5

1990

LUXURY BOATING

SEA SALT We see some spectacular designs in modern boating but this is a standout from anyone’s point of view. She is called SALT. At 55 metres long, she is a glass sailing yacht designed by Lujac Desautel, who is based in San Francisco. Desautel was last year nominated for Young Designer of the Year by Boat International Media and his love for super-imaginative yachts is obvious.

“I love the water-yacht interfaces,” he says. “For years, too many designers viewed super yachts as floating houses. It took a long time for the ‘beach club’ concept to be accepted (this is where hinged parts of the hull fold outwards to create platforms down by the water’s edge) – now they’re de rigueur for engine-driven super yachts.” The super yacht’s name is taken from a substance common today – but salt was once so valuable, it has served as currency and even influenced trade routes, establishing cities and inspiring revolutions across the world. Her beam is 11 metres with a draught of 4.65 metres and her displacement 335 tons. The main mast height is 55 metres and her sail area is huge: main sail 955 m², mizzen sail 675 m², genoa sail 665 m² and spinnaker 1650 m².

LUXURY BOATING

The living quarters resemble a glass box so you have 360 views and the glass areas can be folded away so you are al fresco in the sea air. She boasts two dining areas, one for 12 people, a salon, cocktail bar and interior garden. On the main deck there is a 300mÂ˛ swimming pool. She has a master cabin, two VIP cabins and two twin-bed cabins. There is a spa and exercise room, as well as a steam room. The crew has its own little world with a captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cabin, crew mess, galley and lounge. It is still in the design stage but just ready for somebody likeminded to commission a build. www.lujacdesautel.com

HOTEL: SINGAPORE

LIVING IN CLOVER There is a revolution in the hotel business in Singapore. A move away from the standard, one-size-fits-all hotel room to an artistically-themed cocoon. What you sacrifice in space, you make up for in fascinating design, convenience, restaurant and location. (And you still have breakfast, a safe, mini bar, TV and free WiFi).

HOTEL: SINGAPORE

otel Clover The Arts is a conversion of four shophouses in Chinatown and each of its 44 rooms is individually-themed. The result is a visual feast of retro kitsch, urban street art, 60s-inspired Pop Art and line art minimalism. Especially engaging is the way original painting has incorporated things like fire hoses, electricity switchboxes and air conditioning ducts. The building is six storeys (and yes, it does have a lift, complete with that extremely irritating woman who tells you the doors are opening) and the front rooms have a view over South Bridge Road and the financial centre. At night it is a feast of light. It is a short

block away from the River Walk shopping and dining complex and if you head across the street, you will be in restaurant and nightclub land – a little further and you are among the bustling restaurants of Chinatown. The lobby features schematic visions of the Singapore landscape but the rooms are all strikingly different, ranging from picturesque mountainscapes to vintage-inspired comic art to Chinese largebrush-work. Others reflect Singapore’s evolving urban and cultural landscapes. They also pay tribute to the hotel’s symbolic four-leafed clovers, which are a representation of faith, hope, love and luck. There was a competition to paint the rooms and the corridors among Singapore’s art students while the Mount Fuji rooms are by established artist Ceno2, whose distinctive brand of aerosol ‘Graffiti Fine Art’ incorporates the technical skills of Western fine art to create paintings based on artistic movements such as realism, surrealism and cubism. Ceno2 also created the larger-than-life waterfall which literally cascades down the external façade at the back of the hotel, something that is already an icon in Singapore’s urban landscape. www.hotelcloverthearts.com 33

LUXURY MOTORING

THE NEED FOR SPEED

A panel of expert judges at the worldrenowned Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este has presented Bentley’s EXP 10 Speed 6 with the ‘Design Award for Concept Cars & Prototypes’.

LUXURY MOTORING

he prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este has taken place every year since 1929 on the shores of beautiful Lake Como in northern Italy and brings together owners and aficionados of historic vehicles from all over the world. Bentley’s EXP 10 Speed 6 concept shows the future direction of luxury and performance in motoring and uses the finest materials and advanced hybrid technology – a powerful, exquisite and individual concept. Design Director, Luc Donkerwolke explains: “the EXP 10 Speed 6 is the most talked-about concept car of recent times and was the star of the show in Geneva earlier this year. Since then, it has visited New York and Shanghai, gauging reaction from dealers, customers and the media. This highly-coveted award is further proof of the success of our quintessentially British design.” The concept is a British interpretation of a high performance two-seater sports car where speed, iconic design and craftsmanship are Bentley’s essential DNA.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors explains: “the EXP 10 Speed 6 is the ultimate expression of our vision for Bentley’s future. This one car showcases modern automotive design, highly skilled British handcrafting, the finest materials and advanced performance technology. This is not just a new sports car concept but the potential Bentley of sports cars – a bold vision for a brand with a bold future”. www.bentleymotors.com

LUXURY MOTORING

DISCOVER A NEW BEGINNING

Twenty-five years after its launch, the Land Rover Discovery continues to shine and its popularity remains unrivalled. The Land Rover Discovery has shaped the 4x4 leisure segment over the course of a generation where its blend of spacious design and versatility has made it a global success.

aving always been a trendsetter, the Discovery is now set to for a new first with the introduction of a range of distinct vehicles that will bear the Discovery name, superseding the single model previously offered. The new range will symbolise the modern, versatile, practical and desirable lifestyle-orientated SUV while still having its Land Rover DNA. With its optimised volume and proportions, dramatic silhouette and overall modernity inside and out, this concept is a radical departure from the Discovery we know. And yet, its unique DNA is evident, with the stepped roof, alpine lights, command driving position and stadium seating. Though a full-size SUV, the Discovery Vision Concept looks remarkably compact. This has been achieved through a combination of well-considered design elements such as wrap-around headlamps and tail lamps and the short front and rear overhangs serving to reduce the visual length. The headlamps utilise

LUXURY MOTORING

In profile, the Discovery Vision Concept’s raised beltline alludes to the greater levels of space available inside. The doors are operated by ‘gesture control’ and, with no need for handles, the result is a clean, beautifully crafted surface with flush, tight gaps between the interfaces. The slim, aerodynamic wing mirrors have embedded cameras, which augment the view of the driver through the windows, providing an extended field of vision while parking and reversing. Just below the doors, sill steps on either side automatically deploy to facilitate occupants’ entry and exit, with LED lighting to illuminate the ground. The body coloured C-pillar, the stepped roof flowing into the alpine lights and the distinctive asymmetrical graphic element on the rear number plate also references its Discovery heritage. The Discovery Concept also acknowledges the need to evolve specific Discovery elements such as the split tailgate which now has a highly flexible new tailgate design, incorporating a social seat system in the vehicle’s loadspace area.

advanced laser technology to generate incredibly bright, far-reaching beams of light, paired with LED daytime running lights. Slim fog lamps on either side of the prominent undershield are capable of emitting both infrared and coloured lasers, which assist in the Laser Terrain Scanning and Laser Referencing functions.

The gesture-controlled, electrically-powered, single-piece tailgate is paired with an event platform which electrically deploys from within the rear bumper. The Vision Concept has sleek horizontal tail lamps, vertical fog lamps and, as at the front, the rear window also features hidden wipers neatly concealed under the rear spoiler. The concept car is painted in a Tribeca Grey finish and is fitted with bespoke 23-inch split-five-spoke Aero Viper alloy wheels with a bright silver-turned finish. www.landrover.com 37

FASHION SHOOT

5 Diane Kruger & Philippe Guettat

ART DE VIVRE The House of Martell was founded in 1715 at the height of French Art de Vivre, a period when gastronomy, good taste and craftsmanship were all celebrated. It means ‘the art of living well.’

s part of the 300th anniversary celebrations, Hollywood actress and self-confessed Francophile, Diane Kruger was chosen as Martell Cognac’s Ambassador for the year.

Known for her roles in movies such as Troy and National Treasure, Diane Kruger developed an enduring connection with

France through her love of acting. In fact, she honed her art at the Cours Florent, one of France’s most prestigious private drama schools. Says Philippe Guettat, CEO and Chairman of Martell: “I’m honored to work with the highly-talented Diane Kruger. As our Ambassador, she personifies so many of the Martell brand’s values in her sophistication and style.” As part of the celebrations British photographer Mary McCartney produced a stunning photoshoot with Diane at the Château de Versailles, where Diane wore a selection of vintage dresses and a current outfit by Taiwanese-Canadian fashion designer Jason Wu. Versailles, of course, is the former royal and imperial palace outside Paris and provided a suitably grandiose backdrop for the shoot. No doubt there was a glass of Martell afterwards…

FASHION SHOOT

Photographer

: Mary McCartney

Venue

: Chateau de Versailles

Dress this page : by Jason Wu Following pages : vintage dresses

FASHION SHOOT

BOATING FINE TIMEPIECES

A Watch Like No Other On Earth

he traditional Lucerne brand Carl F. Bucherer has created a unique timepiece for “Only Watch 2015”. The ManeroChronoPerpetual in white gold is limited to a single model, to be auctioned in November at the “Only Watch” auction for the benefit of the Monaco Association Against Muscular Dystrophy.

Featuring a “grand complication” perpetual calendar, the ManeroChronoPerpetual is able to show the date, day, month, year and moon phase without requiring correction. It features a black dial with striking red, complemented by an elegant black alligator leather band.

FINE TIMEPIECES BOATING

Ralph Lauren Stirrup Petite Timepiece

ith its signature stirrup-inspired silhouette and closure, the Petite Steel White Dial Watch embodies Ralph Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of the equestrian lifestyle. The elegant design pairs a stainless steel case with a supple calfskin strap and is formal enough to wear with a dress or a suit. Powered by a quartz movement, the Swiss-made timepiece also has a 60-month battery life.

FINE TIMEPIECES

RICHARD MILLE RM 27-02 RAFAEL NADAL

ith the RM 27-02, Richard Mille presents a new uncompromising calibre that re-interprets the art and methods of watch design in the 21st century.

Using NTPT carbon, a material with remarkable mechanical properties and excellent resistance to microcracks, the brand is unveiling the very first skeletonised base plate known as “unibody.” Inspired by the chassis of racing cars, the case band and base plate have been fused into a single piece, removing the need to attach the two components together, enhancing rigidity and resistance to impact. As usual, Rafael Nadal will carry out the ultimate approval test by wearing the RM 27-02 in his international tennis matches. Production is limited to 50.

EBERHARD & CO - TAZIO NUVOLURI DESK - CLOCK

his unique desk-clock is animated by a silent quartz movement with striking seconds. The flat mineral glass reveals a black dial featuring a “perlée” area with 12 luminescent Arabic numerals profiled in red. Red is also the color of the central seconds’ hand, the driver’s signature and the initials “TN” on the white carapace positioned in the central opaque black area and the stitching on the side of the watch that is covered by black leather.

FINE TIMEPIECES

MB & F HMX

B&F celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2015 with the HMX – “X” (the Roman numeral for 10) as a thank you to the friends who have supported the brand over the last decade. The automobile-inspired HMX displays bidirectional jumping hours and trailing minutes. Apparently simple, but it is how and where the time is displayed that makes HMX so special. Rotating discs on top of the movement feature mirror image numerals. These are reflected 90° and magnified by two sapphire crystal optical prisms that “project” the time onto the front vertical display. Light streaming through the transparent engine cover both illuminates the top of HMX’s engine and backlights the time display for high legibility.

THE SEA STRONG DIVER 300 CHRONOGRAPH BIG DATE

lpina has unveiled the Seastrong Diver 300 Chronograph Big Date, a professional diving chronograph range that is immediately recognizable by its distinctive coloured unidirectional turning diving bezels and its oversized minute hand for optimal diving time readability. Everything about this model is designed to cope with the most extreme conditions, starting with water resistance to no less than 300 meters and every feature designed to ensure a save dive.

FINE TIMEPIECES

ARNOLD & SON HM FLOWER SPECIAL EDITION

vailable in four distinctive references, the special editions each celebrate a different flower: magenta orchid, yellow and purple irises, and an orange lily. Experts hand paint the nuances of colour to create a sense of three-dimensional depth. The sumptuousness of the flowers is a counterpoint to the simplicity of the white mother-of-pearl dial. It is enhanced by baton-style hands that show only the hours and minutes, along with the clearly defined chapter ring with its modest dot indices.

HERMÈS SLIM D’HermÈs Perspective CavaliÈre

ermès offers its own interpretation of the “Perspective cavalière” through an exceptional new model featuring a dial that sets a perfect stage for the champlevé enamel technique: Slim d’Hermès Perspective Cavalière. Originally designed for a silk scarf, the “Perspective Cavalière” motif is expressed on a gold plate. The artisan reproduces it in metal by forming small cells of various depths with a tool known as a graver. Then enamelling is done by delicately applying molten glass powder in the cavities, before firing them at temperatures of more than 800°C, giving it depth. The case, in 18k white gold has an AR-coated sapphire crystal, a sapphire display back.

GALLERY

Splash it Like Beckham D

avid Beckham recently celebrated 10 years of his iconic Instinct fragrance. The Instinct story is one of true success. After its initial launch in 2005 the range now includes one flanker and 6 limited editions. Ten years, and ten million bottles sold later, Instinct is one of the highest selling celebrity fragrances of all time. In celebration of the anniversary David also launched the Instinct Gold Edition. This limited edition fragrance reinvents the best-selling Instinct scent, capturing the elegance, style and modern masculinity that is synonymous with David himself. David said: “It’s incredible that Instinct is ten years old! I’m proud to celebrate this landmark anniversary with the launch of David Beckham Instinct Gold Edition, a new interpretation of my first fragrance. I hope you love the new scent and gold bottle as much as I do.”

TECHNOLOGY

SOARING AHEAD This elegant design looks set to be the future of passenger aeroplanes.

dvanced Hybrid Engine Aircraft Development (AHEAD) is a long-term aircraft design study led by the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Along with a variety of academic and manufacturing partners throughout the world, the Engineering & Maintenance sections of the Dutch airline KLM also took part in the study. Hence the KLM livery on the futuristic flyer. The result was this sleek aircraft they call AHEAD, one that can carry 300 passengers over 14,000 kilometres, about the distance from Amsterdam to Perth. The plane has a ‘blended wing body’ that features two sets of wings – a small pair by the nose and a larger pair at the back – all making for a sleek single and elegant shape,

TECHNOLOGY

unlike conventional aircraft where the wings are attached as appendages to either side of the fuselage. The streamlined profile has been designed to improve air flow over the aircraft and reduce drag. Current planes have to overcome this problem by using more engine power and, therefore, more fuel. The collaborating team has also proposed developing a hybrid engine to replace the conventional turbofan idea. With turbofans, large volumes of air flow through and around the engine before some of the air is used to burn avgas in a combustion chamber. The heated air then drives the turbines that propel the plane forward. KLMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new engine would use two different combustion systems: the first burning either cryogenic hydrogen or liquefied natural gas (LNG), and the second either kerosene or biofuel. (As well as increasing efficiency, this would also reduce emissions).

To further reduce drag, the engines would be mounted under curved pods at the back of the aircraft, rather than under the wings. Another feature of the new engine is a counter-rotating fan, comprising two rows of blades that rotate in opposite directions, the larger one producing most of the thrust. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go on line and try to book a seat: the AHEAD design is a long-term study with many glitches still to be ironed out. So KLM says it will be introduced around 2050. Even so, it is a very exciting concept. www.klm.com

COGNAC : FRANCE

300 Years in the Making The oldest of the great cognac houses is commemorating its 300th anniversary with a unique blend.

artell & Co. has spent three centuries challenging the boundaries of its own expertise and their latest creation – the limited edition Martell Premier Voyage – has pushed those boundaries to a whole new level.

Martell Premier Voyage, unveiled at the beautiful Château de Chanteloup in Cognac in France, is limited to only 300 individually numbered bottles worldwide and produced to order, a fitting representation of the company’s 300-year history. Encased in a simple and elegant teardrop-shaped Sèvres crystal decanter designed exclusively by French artist, Bernar Venet, the anniversary blend contains a selection of 18 eaux-de-vie from the cellars of Jean Martell, some dating back to as early as 1830. Symbolically for the anniversary, the cuvée was then aged in barrels made from the wood of 300 year-old oak trees. Cellar master, Benoît Fil, describes the new blend as ‘a reflection of the journey and history of Jean Martell.’ Thanks to the company’s unprecedented archives on display at Founder’s House (a museum open to visitors of the Martell distillery), the company was able to piece together a map of the founder’s key suppliers from 1735 to 1742. Fil then retraced Martell’s steps by visiting the descendants of the winegrowers who create the best quality eaux-de-vie. After a meticulous process of selecting ingredients and determining the optimal proportions, the tercentennial anniversary blend was born.

COGNAC: FRANCE

Fil added, “Martell Premier Voyage combines the vision of Jean Martell with the best of the Cognac region to create something uniquely special that we can enjoy today. This new blend truly captures three centuries of Martell turning cognac into art.” The unveiling (in September last year) heralded the start of a year-long anniversary program that culminated at the Palace of Versailles.

MARTELL AND VERSAILLES Martell has enjoyed a longstanding connection with Versailles, home to generations of French royalty. From its very beginnings in 1715 – the same year as the reign of Louis XIV ended – the House of Martell became a supplier to some of the world’s leading figures, among them the Duke of Orleans in France, the Emperor of Austria, the Tsars of Russia, the Kings of England and Emperor Napoleon I. For Martell, the Palace of Versailles represents a passion for beauty, a quest for perfection and a vision of luxury and the finest gastronomy. It is in this spirit that Martell decided to support 54

COGNAC: FRANCE

the restoration to its former splendour of the famous Queen’s Antechamber, where the sumptuous daily ritual of the king’s ceremonial dinner was performed. For Martell, it was a passion for this prestigious heritage: gastronomy, and harmonious pairings between dishes, wines and spirits.

COGNAC FROM COGNAC On the river Charente, some 400kms southwest of Paris, the town of Cognac is renowned globally for the unique type of brandy that bears its name. In order to enjoy the distinction of being labelled cognac, the spirit must be made in specific areas around the town and it must follow strictly defined regulations and traditions of production and quality control. The longer a cognac matures in the barrel, the smoother it will generally become and, once it is bottled, no further development takes place. All of the cognac consumed around the world comes from this small area in France covering around 185,000 acres – and nowhere else. Jean Martell founded the Martell House in 1715, and within six years, the company was exporting over 200,000 litres of cognac to the U.K. It was in 1868 that the brand launched distribution to China, Japan, Hong Kong and other parts of Asia.

Martell cognac differs from other brands primarily due to the development of its own unique double-distillation method. The successive distillation processes are carried out in stills that have been designed to extract the clear wines only to achieve a more elegant eaux-de-vie. Martell grapes come from the Charente region’s four main growing areas: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois. The eaux-de-vie are then aged in oak casks in the cellars. Martell uses only carved fine-grain ‘Tronçais’ oak wood barrels in order to release subtle woody 55

COGNAC: FRANCE

aromas from the soft, delicate tannins. The choice of wood helps to create the signature style of Martell cognacs. They produce 1.5 million 9-litre cases of cognac a year.

CELEBRATING MARTELL’S 300 Highlight of the 300th anniversary of the House of Martell was a lavish dinner at the magnificent palace of Versailles. Appropriately, 300 VIP guests from more than 15 countries attended the spectacular evening, including Martell’s Ambassador and guest of honour, the actress Diane Kruger. The Hong Kong singer-songwriter Karen Mok was guest of Honour from Asia and other guests included Antoine Firino Martell (descendant of the House’s Founder Jean Martell), Solange Knowles, Olivia Palermo and Naomie Harris. After a private tour of the magnificent palace built by King Louis XIV, guests watched a fly-past by the Patrouille de France – a first for an event of this kind. Guests then saw a wonderful preview of an experiential exhibition representing every stage of Martell’s unique cognac expertise. Each aspect of the process was brought to life through individual ateliers, featuring the Borderies vineyards, unique distillation process, ageing of eauxde-vie and expert blending. After cocktails created especially for the House’s ‘Tricentenaire,’ the lucky 300 sat down for a fully immersive gastronomic experience created exclusively for Martell by the innovative French chef, Paul Pairet.

The menu for the evening was designed by Pairet around Jean Martell’s original journey to Cognac from Jersey and, as each course was served, vast screens showed corresponding visuals, and specific sounds and smells relating to each dish.To begin there was a DIY Lobster Roll, followed by Tea-Weed Oyster and Scallop Melba with Lemon Sea Sorbet. For this one there was the sound of waves and seagulls and the salty smell of the ocean. This was followed by Truffle Burnt Soup Bread, Teriyaki Lacquered Beef with Western Congee. Each course was perfectly matched with the House’s cognacs and all 300 guests were able to sample Martell’s rare new blend Martell Premier Voyage (served with a Lemon Tart surrounded by Orange Fragrances). After dinner, there was a dramatic fireworks display in the sky over Versailles before they danced the night away. Here’s to the next 300 years.

GALLERY

GET WELL SOON The Palms Retreat Samui is a new wellness resort that has partnered with Koh Samui’s most renowned health specialists and wellness practitioners to create unique personalised guest programs in line with its mantra: “It’s all about YOU”.

he three, seven or ten-day detox regimes provide effective and practical strategies to alleviate toxins, as well as facilitate and maintain healthy weight loss. They also have two initiatives: Easy Slim and Easy Detox, which include a menu of daily all-natural smoothies, together with a combination of yoga, meditation, physical activity, massage and delicious organic cuisine sourced from local producers.

The Palms Retreat sits within a charming secluded estate in the northeast corner of Samui, close to beautiful Choeng Mon Beach. Each spacious 800sqm compound has three air-conditioned villas, a communal lounge/dining area and swimming pool. The grounds are teeming with exotic flowers, fruits and colourful trees, making it the perfect option for stressed out people looking to enjoy some tranquil “me time.” Says Susan Field, founder of The Palms Retreat: “We wanted to move away from the ‘one size fits all’ detox programs; we believe we have achieved our vision which, we hope, will take guests on a truly unique and life-changing journey.” And while you are getting healthy, you can also enjoy kayaking, scuba diving, snorkelling, beauty therapies, personal meditation and yoga sessions, as well as market, farm and island sightseeing tours. www.thepalms-retreat.com 57

DESIGN 8 Fady Hachem

SWEET INSPIRATION Text: Graham Pearce

DESIGN

It took chutzpah for designer FADY HACHEM to suggest to an owner that his hotel should be themed after desserts. It probably took even more for an owner to agree. But the owner, Dion Chandler heartily embraced the idea; so came the redesign of the iconic Adelphi in Melbourne. (Note the licorice allsort stool).

8 Adelphi lobby

he idea came from a man called Fady Hachem, whose work on the Adelphi and other projects has won him an award from Good Design Australia; he is shortlisted for The Australian Interior Design Awards and it looks like he will take a gong at the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards in London in November. (Bit tricky, that one: his wife is due to give birth in the last days of October so he feels torn about leaving so soon, “but the organizers sort of insist I be there.” The iconic Adelphi was built in 1938 as a warehouse in what was then Melbourne’s garment district. It has been a hotel now for 21 years, a totally minimalist redesign by the famous Denton Corker Marshall group. But now a dessert hotel? “That was actually spawned from a conversation with my wife and we were sitting down just musing about how we could transform the Adelphi. My wife mentioned that we loved going out for dessert – sometimes no meal, just dessert. So it sort of clicked: why not a dessert hotel?”

“Not something that was Willy Wonka whacky or tacky,” adds Hachem quickly. “Something that was really refined and elegant. It is actually quite subtle and not in-your-face with pink lollipops and things. The design had to be well-considered and planned and it had to have longevity, so I think if we had gone for the loud and colourful option, it would have had a very short life span. Hence, the clean lines, elegant furnishing, interior architecture – and yes, with a HINT of the whimsical.” In the lobby, it takes a moment to realize the benches are shaped like biscuit wafers, lollies and marshmallows. You will need another minute to take in the magnificent life-size wirework horse statue that is hitched to the check-in desk, shaped a little like a fairy-tale coach. Their restaurant serves regular meals but desserts are special. It is appropriately called Om Nom (remember the Cookie Monster?), where talented French-trained patissière, Christy Tania (whose parents, incidentally, are Indonesian) has been allowed total creative freedom and her desserts are already famous. A perfectionist, Hachem strove to make a new look while not abandoning the original warehouse elements of the building. “But the hotel, to me, looked cold,” he says. “Hence the new timber finishes, the leather and the textiles. We wanted texture

DESIGN instead of techno.” Oh, and for people who know the hotel, he has redesigned the roof but kept the iconic pool that overhangs the building.

BEGINNING Fady Hachem is very tall, lean; dressed carefully in clothes that are obviously by good designers but chosen to give a casual, almost anti-suit effect. He is the son of French and Lebanese parents, born in Australia. His design career began sort of by accident. He was only 19 when he and a cousin opened a bar. “We could not afford professional help so I designed it myself,” he recalls. “I worked very hard, sometimes sleeping over at the place but it paid off and it became a huge success.” “This led to my working on a real commercial project called the Bond Lounge Bar. It was a big project; the brass mesh curtains alone cost around $180,000. A bit daunting for a tyro but we ended up winning a national design award. That was some years ago and we have just been involved in totally revamping it.” “I should mention that everything we include in our interiors is hand-picked and hand-crafted,” says Hachem. “So, everything is made to order and we try to be really local and we search Melbourne especially for talented people and interesting products.” Since then, Hachem has travelled back and forth between Melbourne and projects overseas, consulting on high-end residential and commercial developments, mostly in the Middle East. In Dubai, he designed the lavish Japanese restaurant, Kitsune, its sleek furnishings a radical take on traditional

8 Adelphi rooftop

Japanese art and craft forms and include various suites of highly unconventional chairs and tables that were made exclusively for the venue. Back in Melbourne, he now heads a team of 30 designers and architects who are working on several property, entertainment and hotel developments. His style is difficult to pin down, some is traditional, some super-modern, some theatrical. I wonder if interesting bloodline ever influences his style?

8 Licorice allsort stool

“I think there is a certain flamboyance,” he chuckles. “Sometimes we are not too subtle with our designs, particularly in the entertainment and hospitality fields. You have to be a little bit bold in your approach and it does too depend on the personality of the client. Sometimes they are more reserved; other times they are really out there. So my Middle Eastern background does come through sometimes. We have just finished of project called Baroq House in Melbourne: lots of Rococo. Some reviews have called our style ‘luxury escapism.’”

DESIGN

5 Baroq

I ask him about his own city apartment in Melbourne. I cannot but think it might resemble a harem. He laughs easily. “Well, it is very contemporary. I don’t like to live in mess and clutter so our apartment is clean and even a little bit stark in terms of furniture but I love that. I would like to have better objects and, if that means less of them, I would rather go for quality over clutter.” What about Asia? The design there is amazing at the moment; I ask if he would you like to expand his business above the Equator. “I would really love to move into Asia. Firstly, I love the climate,” he smiles as he shifts his gaze out the large window onto an overcast, rainy and very cold day in Melbourne. “We actually are doing some work in the Philippines at the moment, some residential homes. But I would love to move up there, particularly if some hotel and restaurant projects came up. The culture is different so therefore it would require a different approach to design but I would embrace and really enjoy those challenges.” 8 Bond Bar

www.hachem.com.au

INVESTMENT : PROPERTY

LONDON CALLING T

As prices continue to rise, the lure of London has not slowed with international property investors. The latest offering from Native Land and Grosvenor is the Studio Reed Penthouse and it is attracting attention from local and international buyers.

he Studio Reed Penthouse sits atop one of the four pavilions of NEO Bankside, on the 10th floor of the cutting edge contemporary glass and steel development by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. With Tate Modern, London’s culture-packed Southbank Centre on its doorstep and St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Borough Market just a stroll away, NEO Bankside sits right at the heart of this vibrant cultural riverside district. One of a limited edition bespoke, one-off interior designed penthouse spaces, Studio Reed Penthouse (or ‘B1601’) offers some 2300sqm of double-height living space, with epic 360⁰ views of the city.

INVESTMENT : PROPERTY

The duplex penthouse has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, double-height reception rooms as well as two winter gardens and two private roof terraces, with all living areas offering triple aspect views across London. The distinctive external bracing on NEO Bankside’s family of pavilions removed the need for internal structural walls, creating highly flexible internal spaces and Studio Reed’s treatment of the interior complements the strong, contemporary three-dimensional geometry of the architecture. You enter the penthouse through a small anteroom, opening onto a huge double-height reception room with triple aspect views towards the river and the Shard. A timber-floored entrance hall leads to a light-filled reception room with a double-height aspect and mezzanine gallery, designed to make the most of the uninterrupted panoramic views. The kitchen is fitted out with polished Pretoria Black granite worktops, double sinks and Miele appliances, including two ovens and a wine fridge. The master bedroom suite enjoys views from the adjoining Winter Garden, as well as an en-suite bathroom, dressing room and walk-in closet. All four bedrooms are appointed with highend amenities such as flat-screen TVs, large sofas, king-sized beds and spectacular lighting arrangements. The private roof terraces at each end of the penthouse are designed to provide for relaxation, al fresco dining or for simply taking in the views. Large folding glass doors give the option to create an enclosed terrace or an extension to the main living space. The apartment also comes with two underground car spaces and storage facilities, 24-hour concierge and security services, residents’ gym, business centre and wine cellar. The Studio Reed Penthouse has an asking price of £19.75million.

LUXURY SPIRITS

BEYOND THE LAW American whiskey continues to thrive at the forefront of popular culture. Recently, Tom Bulleit, founder of the Bulleit Distilling Company, was in the region promoting the brand that uses the 150-year-old bourbon recipe that had been passed down from his great-great grandfather Augustus Bulleit. Viva Asia sat down with Tom to talk, Bourbon, Bottles, Recipes, and Muhammed Ali. VA: What drove you to recreate your great great grandfathers Augustus recipe? TB: I grew up in the distilling community in Kentucky, which is rather small. I worked in the distilleries when I was growing up and the majority of my extended family have been involved in the industry and it was something I had always wanted to do. My father was not in the industry and wanted me to be a lawyer, which I am. I practiced law for many years and then in 1987 went to my father and told him I really wanted to be in distilling to which he responded, “That is between you and your banker”. The bank were very accommodating lending me what at the time was a mountain of money and also telling me not to give up my day job. I carried on working as a lawyer and at the same time started Bulleit in 1987 and we didn’t have our first whisky until 1994. VA: How closely does today’s recipe follow that of your great-great-grandfather’s? TB: The recipe has been passed down word to mouth through the family. Originally distilled between 1830 and 1860 my great great grandfathers recipe was two thirds corn and one third rye. Today the recipe is sixty eight percent corn, four percent barley and twenty eight percent rye. VA: The Bulleit bottle is unique. Where did the design for the bottle come from?

TB: When Seagram Americas purchased Bulleit, they wanted a bottle that made a statement and stood apart from other products in the marketplace, and reflected the heritage of the brand. Working with Sandstrom Partners in Portland Oregon we created a distinctive bottle that resembles medicine bottles from the period. VA: Are there any surviving bottles left from your great great grandfathers time? TB: If there is we don’t know about them. I would think it would be extremely unlikely given the way he distilled and sold the product. My great great grandfather was a French immigrant who first settled in New Orleans and then moved up to Louisville. He had a tavern or maybe two at one time, but most of his product would have been sold back into New Orleans. There is glass that has been found from later in the century but very little has survived from the 1860’s. VA: I have read that Diego decided to leave things as they were and keep production small. As your bourbon becomes more available and well known in emerging markets like Indonesia is there going to be pressure to produce more bourbon or does it create an opportunity to create more varieties? TB: The volume of production will definitely grow and we have made good plans for that and have produced enough products to meet the anticipated growth in new markets.

LUXURY SPIRITS VA: It’s all in the water. How much does the Kentucky limestone filtered water contribute to the taste of your Bourbon? TB: Water is a very important factor for all whiskies produced around the world. The water for our Rye comes from a two million year old glacial aquifer and the distillery is quite literally built on top of it to source the water. VA: How long do you let it the bourbon age before you bottle it? TB: Our bourbon is aged between six and eight years. However, we will bottle it when we feel the distillate has reached the right maturity. VA: What do you think is driving the worldwide interest in small batch bourbons? TB: Our brand has grown through word of mouth and grown with the cocktail culture and our products have become cult brands with mixologists around the world. A lot of this has been driven by the cocktail culture, which really started in London in the nineties at places like the Lab, and has been dramatically enhanced by social media. VA: Is there such a thing as a typical Bourbon drinker? TB: I think probably not. I’m not a marketing person but the demographic would be typically male. However, interestingly thirty percent of people coming into our category are female. Again I think this is driven to some extent by the cocktail culture, but I am meeting more and more ladies who enjoy the bourbon maybe with a little bit of water or over ice, but who are genuinely embracing the spirit. VA: If you are not drinking Bourbon what do you like to drink? TB: Rye! VA: What would be your favourite whisky and food combination? TB: Personally, I am very primitive and I would drink the bourbon with a hamburger and the rye with a hot dog. However, we get great bartenders and great chefs that together do a great job in creating pairing menus in different markets and I am always fascinated with the pairings they come up with. VA: What is a normal day for you Tom? TB: I travel a lot. But when I am at home I spend a lot of time focusing on the quality and consistency of our products. As much as I can I try and devote time to my two wonderful children. VA: What is most satisfying been a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, the highest accolade a Kentucky citizen can receive or been honoured with a “Hometown Heroes” mural joining the likes of Muhammed Ali? TB: It has been a surreal life and all these things are amazing. Having grown up in the distilling community I was also honoured in 2009 to be inducted into the Distillers Hall of Fame.

GALLERY

WALKING WITH GIANTS Here is your chance to get up close and very personal with a gentle giant.

t happens at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Thailand where they keep a herd of rescued elephants. You can join the elephants on their daily stroll, accompanied by their mahout caregivers and either the Camp’s resident vet or biologist. You can help to prepare snacks for them and watch them bathe. Then you meander back to camp while the resident experts give you an insight into elephant biology and behavior.

The Elephant Camp works alongside Anantara’s Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, which has already rescued some 40 elephants from Thailand’s city streets. Twenty of these now live in the jungle environment of Anantara’s Elephant Camp, along with their entire mahout family, who receive English lessons, education for their children, and 100% of the profits from the sale of garments from a traditional silk worm business. The foundation is also working with international partners and the Cambodian Government to fund the protection of an 18,000 hectare elephant corridor of standing forest in the Cardamom Mountains and funding wild elephant preservation projects in Kui Buri, Thap Lan and Khao Yai National Parks in Thailand. www.anantara.com

WINE: FRANCE

BORDEAUX VINTAGE 2014 After the past three vintages, most of the world’s most respected wine writers arrived in Bordeaux feeling apprehensive. Would the 2014 finally break the run of harsh weather vintages?

t is the barrel tastings (primeur), an annual event organised by the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux, held in the first week of April. A lot rides on this week of visiting the major appellations, tasting the new wine from last year’s vintage; what will be the reception from the world’s wine communicators? For many years I have made this pilgrimage as one of the group. It occurred to me that there is a great background story to this vintage. It shows just how far Bordeaux wines have improved in the past 20 years

5 Wine masters Jancis Robinson and Jeanne Cho

By Roy Moorfield

WINE: FRANCE

A comparison can be made of the four vintages that followed the two great consecutive years of 1989-1990, and 2009-2010. In both cases, the three vintages that followed were difficult ones, with 1991, 1992 and 1993 producing very poor quality wines. However, 1994 saw the start of a turn-around that heralded some great vintages and wines over the succeeding years. 2011, 2012 and 2013 could have also been disasters. But the top chateaux chose to make less wine and applied all their expertise in the vineyards and wineries to make ready-to-drink, pleasant wines that will mature early. 2014, though, has proven much better than 1994. This, combined with the quality of production, has made some excellent wines that should age well over twenty years and will be delicious in ten. According to Jean Dominic Videau of Chateau Branaire Ducru: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are some elements of 2010 vintage in the 2014, but not the robustness; the tannins are rounder with freshness. It is unlike any of the vintages I have experienced in St Julien. After a cold wet spring, we thought it would be another difficult year. But the last month was perfect with, warm sunshine allowing the berry to ripen perfectly.â&#x20AC;? As a result, Chateau Branaire Ducru is an excellent wine. It is elegant with fine silky tannins and long flavours. In contrast, its neighbour Chateau Beychevelle has more classic textured tannins and delicate berry fruits. The Margaux appellation basked in the sun with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot combing well for cellaring. The Chateau Giscours is superb; one of the best I have seen: deep in colour with rich dark berry fruits and hints of spice, velvety tannins and lingering mouth feel. 69

WINE: FRANCE

The value of the region will be Chateau Prieure-lichine, showing the results of its new vats which are elongated egg-shapes made from organic cement. It has good flavour with finely balanced, mild soft tannins. It is a real return to a top style. Chateaux Margaux, the appellation’s icon, claims to have Pontallier, “All the great Cabernet Sauvignons are in the right place – that is to say, the best! They provide 90% of the first wine. 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot and 5% of the Merlot complete this blend, all in all classic. 2014 is not ranked among the greatest vintages of this century – which are 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2010. But it can claim to be close to them.” Pauillac and St Estèphe picked their grapes later, due to the exceptional Indian summer, resulting in firmer tannins but very

long flavours. These wines will be the keepers of the vintage. Chateau Mouton Rothschild is described as featuring ‘racy’ Cabernet Sauvignon, meaning fresh acidity. It is a very elegant wine with subtle power and great mouth feel of mix of powder and fine grained tannins. Across the road, Chateau Pontet-Canet has made a wine with more obvious flavour than most, with sustained dark fruit flavours and silky tannins. Joint owner Alfred Tesseron says with a confident smile: “We should meet in twenty years’ time and enjoy this wine. Actually you can almost drink it now due to its fine structure and balance”. There is less consistency in Pessac-Léognan in both the white and red wines, but some managed to get both of them right. Domaine De Chevalier and Chateau De Fieuzal are very good. While Saint Emilion is also variable, Count Stephan von Neipperg of Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere was particularly pleased with his wine. “I have just been certified bio-dynamic after three consecutive vintages under the regime. It was important in this vintage, allowing me to extend the ripening.” It is a very elegant wine with long linear flavours and fine grained tannins. Chateau Cheval Blanc had their spectacular new wineries humming after three small preceding vintages. It produced a stunning wine; the high percentage of Cabernet Franc ensured a wine with great fruit, mulberry aromas and silky tannins. This wine will age for many years. It is early days, but Pomerol wines look very good. The good bud-break in April encouraged by the warm dry month was ideally suited for Merlot. The lasting summer warmth was

WINE: FRANCE

perfect across the Pomerol plains. The effect is seen also in adjacent Fronsac which also had a great vintage.

Sauvignon Blanc, and they are good wines! Watch out for dry wines from Chateau Coutet and Chateau Sigalas Rabaud.

The most variable region is Barsac & Sauternes Some Chateaux were able to wait for the sun and develop some botrytis. However, there is an interesting trend in the appellation towards making dry white wines from their classic grapes Semillon and

Though they have another two years before they are ready, across the appellations there are many excellent wines for cellaring and investment. Let’s hope that 2014, like 1994 signals the arrival of many great wines to come.

wINE WORTH FOLLOWING FROM 2014 VINTAGE : Saint Julien

Chateau Saint Pierre Chateau Beychevelle Chateau Branaire Ducru Chateau Gruaud Larose Chateau Lagrange Chateau Léoville Barton

Pauillac

Chateau Mouton Rothschild Chateau Pontet-Canet Chateau Lynch-Moussas Chateau Clerc Milon Chateau Lynch Bages Chateau Pichon Baron Longueville

Saint Estephe Chateau de Pez

Margaux

Chateau Margaux Chateau du Tertre Chateau Lascombes Chateau Giscours Chateau Prieuré Lichine Chateau Siran

Saint Émilion

Chateau Cheval Blanc Chateau Balestard La Tonnelle

Chateau Canon-La-Gaffelière Chateau La Gaffelière Chateau Soutard

Pomerol

Chateau La Criox de Gay Chateau Gazin Chateau Petite Village Chateau La Pointe

Graves and Pessac

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Chateau La Louvière Chateau de France Chateau de Fieuzal Domaine de Chevalier

LUXURY SPIRITS

HARD CASK MASTER Every so often, the aficionados of fine distilled spirits are surprised by something new and different. They will be delighted with the latest: The Macallan Rare Cask, which its makers describe as ‘decadence redefined.’

nd what sets this drop apart from the others? “It’s ALL about the wood,” says David Cox, Director of Fine and Rare Whiskies at The Macallan, who is doing a tasting tour through Asia.

“It has all been driven by the rapid demand for The Macallan which we cannot satisfy. We simply do not have enough stock,” he says. “We operate on really, really long lead times. What we are making today is based on a forecast of what we think will sell in 12, 15 or 18 years’ time. I remember we did this in 2003 but we had no idea how quickly the Macallan we made then would sell out today.”

LUXURY SPIRITS “Having said that, many people’s first question is about age. Now if you see an age statement on the label, it tells you how old it is. It does not tell you anything else. So what a whisky without an age statement effectively means for us is that the whisky maker can choose the cask when it is ready. Not when it has reached a particular age.” “So, some 10-year-old casks may have achieved beautiful maturation character. Why not use it? Well, if you are making a 12-year-old, you can’t! Rare Cask has been put together with a broad range of casks which have all been selected when they have reached a certain state of maturation. And I should tell you the maker has chosen only 256 casks – out of a stock of 250,000. So about one per cent.” “Because it doesn’t carry an age statement, we can be more flexible and the character of the spirit may change slightly. And that is something we celebrate,” says Cox. “The age of the whiskies range from the mid 1980s (so nearly 30 years old) to the youngest, which is from 2002 (around 13 years old). But above all, it’s about the wood.

LUXURY SPIRITS It’s about Spanish Oak; it’s about American Oak. Some of them have been matured with dry Oloroso from the start; some have been seasoned with mosto (from the fermenting wines straight after a harvest) and then and then filled with dry Oloroso.” “There is an enormous number of variables used to create this whisky. “The sherry, though, prepares the cask for its journey to Scotland and our distillery, which was founded in 1824 in the beautiful country on the banks of the River Spey.” “Here the seasoned wood gives us the colour, the character and all the aromas and flavours for which The Macallan has become so well known. As I said, all the casks are handpicked and most are ‘first-fill’ which means they have never been used for ageing and so impart a richer flavor.” If you are a single malt aficionado, the tasting notes read: “the nose smacks prominently of sherry and citrus, with pleasant little undertones of cocoa and spice. The palate is also smooth, with notes of raisin, apricot, and vanilla. There are also subtle hints of chocolate, ginger, and clove, which help to offset the sweetness. It finishes on a mellow tone with bits of orange zest, and a subtle smoky flavor that’s rare in a highland scotch.” www.themacallan.com

WHEN IN LONDON

‘DECORATIONS AND TIARA’ Those are the words usually quoted on an invitation to dine at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth’s ruko in London.

owever, the men in knee-britches at the entrance probably won’t insist on it this time – now that tourists visiting the palace will be allowed to enter the state rooms through the grand entrance – just like a visiting head of state. They will then be given a first-hand look at the massive behindthe-scenes preparations that go into hosting state banquets, investitures, garden parties and private audiences with Her Majesty. (Buckingham Palace hosts some 62,000 guests every year).

When you enter the enormous ballroom you will be able to see how a state banquet is set up, with a U-shaped table groaning under gilt centerpieces, candelabra and flowers. This arrangement seats 170 people who use 2,000 pieces of cutlery. This, along with the 118 salt cellars, 140 dishes, 288 dinner plates and 58 dessert stands, is known as the ‘grand service’ and has been used by kings and queens dating back to the Prince Regent (later George IV). A time-lapse film will also show how the grand room is transformed for the elaborate banquets which are hosted for foreign heads of state on formal state visits to the UK. Also on display are evening dresses and magnificent jewellery worn by the queen at state banquets. You can also see the hats and ensembles she has worn at the three garden parties which the queen hosts at the palace every year where each has 8,000 guests who consume around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 cakes. The palace is open to the public from 25 July to 27 September. You must get tickets in advance.

LUXURY

Little

Black book Viva Asia speaks to influential business leaders for their luxury living maxims.

JEREMY GORING

In my drinks cabinet, you’ll always find… Things missing (or topped up with water) when my daughter’s been partying.

I usually fly with… Terror and tranquilizers.

The Goring was opened in 1910 by Jeremy Goring’s great-grandfather. The hotel has a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen and was where the Middleton family stayed the night before the wedding of William and Kate. Today the Goring remains family owned and family run with Jeremy at the helm of the business as CEO. I always look forward to staying at… The amazing Villa Iduzkia, Biarritz. On a clifftop, overlooking sea and mountains, with a bunch of the world’s best restaurants and markets minutes away.

For Personal grooming, I always go to... Haha - I have my own razor, thank you! I need to get to know somebody before they can put their fingers all over my neck.

The last item of clothing I bought was… More acquired than bought.... a box of free samples from Quiksilver containing the 3 best sweaters I’ve ever owned. So woolly, thank you guys!!!!!

I buy my suits from… Anywhere if they fit. Currently interested in tweed but don’t have the guts to take the plunge.

An event I never miss is … A day of cricket at Lords pfoaah pfoaah. It’s just a brilliant day spent with fools who are usually drunk.

The watch I wear is… A dodgy old Nixon - tells me the tide times (useless). Looks cool (debatable).

The next thing on my wish list is… A Ducati. But it stays there on the (death wish) list. Bikes are for lunatics.

The best meal I ever had was... Mugaritz, Spain. I took Dad down there with the intention of freaking him out - I succeeded, with the help of some turbot embryos and a soup made of cloth!

My most unforgettable holiday was to… Madagascar when I was 21. I’d seen it in a copy of Surfer Magazine, and had to go. It’s still the weirdest place I’ve ever been - they unbury their dead each year to have a banquet together.

LUXURY I always look forward to staying at The Fullerton, Singapore.

For Personal grooming I always go to Clinique, Tom Ford.

The last item of clothing I bought was A linen suit from Austin Reed, for the summer.

I buy my suits from Hugo Boss, Austin Reed,Tailor Shops- wherever the style is right and the fit is good.

An event I never miss is The Monaco Grand Prix, with Johnnie Walker.

In my drinks cabinet, you’ll always find Johnnie Walker, an array of bitters and vermouth.

I usually fly with I fly all airlines to all parts of the world. I put my faith in their professionalism, after all its safer than road travel!

The watch I wear is I don’t wear a watch- they irritate me.

The next thing on my wish list is To Visit my great friend Malcolm Fettes in Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup.

The best meal I ever had was Din Tai Fung - Chung Hsiao Road, Taipei, a long queue but worth the wait. The Keelung ‘Miaokou’ night market is also a fab experience.

My most unforgettable holiday was to

TOM JONES

Ha-Long Bay, Vietnam. Sailed into the bay on my birthday, with a glass of Johnnie Walker blue label in hand.

Tom Jones has arguably one of the most enviable jobs in the world. The John Walker & Sons global brand ambassador spends his time travelling the world sharing the wonderful heritage of John Walker & Sons. Tom is a hugely knowledgeable and credible Scotch Whisky expert - a highly engaging voice for John Walker whiskies and their unrivalled blending heritage.

LUXURY

I always look forward to staying at... My home after my business travels. For Personal grooming I always go to... My barber since 20 years. It is 50 km far from my house. The last item of clothing I bought was... A Zegna blazer. I buy my suits from... Zegna only. An event I never miss is the... FIFA World Cup. In my drinks cabinet, you’ll always find a bottle of... Dom Perignon champagne. There is always something to celebrate. I usually fly with... SWISS our national company. The watch I wear is... The Big Bang Tourbillon 5-day Power Reserve Indicator Titanium. The next thing on my wish list is... The Ferrari 488. The best meal I ever had was at... The Hôtel de Ville in Crissier (Benoit Violier). My most unforgettable holiday was... With my son in South Africa, Safari Kruger Park.

Ricardo Guadalupe The CEO of Hublot has spent his entire career in the Swiss watch industry. Born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, a region known as the cradle of Swiss luxury watchmaking, his passion for watchmaking developed at a very young age.

LUXURY

In my drinks cabinet, you’ll always find a bottle of... A bottle of Penfolds Grandfather Aged Rare Tawny, a brilliant fortified wine. In addition, I am a bit of a Japanese Whisky fan, so the Hibiki 17 is always in good supply. I usually fly with... Depending on the route I usually fly either Singapore Airlines or Qantas, both great airlines. The watch I wear is... IWC Big Pilot, I love IWC and have informed Santa that the Portugese Yacht Series would be greatly appreciated this year under my tree!

ANDREW O’BRIEN Treasury Wine Estates, General Manager for SEA, Japan, Korea and India, travels the region promoting the nearly 80 wineries owned by the group. Readers will be very familiar with many of their brands which include Penfolds, Wolf Blass, Matua, Rosemount Estate, and Berringer. I always look forward to staying at... The Intercontinental Hotel properties - the club lounges available to Platinum and Royal Members are superb. For Personal grooming I always go to... We Need A Hero, a men’s grooming store in Singapore – a trendy, yet warm and hospitable locale for an old fashioned hot towel, full shave and sharp haircut. The last item of clothing I bought was... I had a bit off a splash at Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren recently in Los Angeles during the 4th of July sales.

The next thing on my wish list is... My wife has wanted to visit Turkey for 20 years so that will certainly be next on our list. The best meal I ever had was at... It is unbelievably hard to whittle this one down - I’ve been entertaining in the wine industry for over 20 years across the globe and hence I am unbelievably spoilt in this regard. However, if I really had to pick I don’t think I can go past The Tippling Club in Singapore. Owner and Chef Ryan Clift, with restaurant manager Marcus Boyle, and their teams are a cut above. In addition, the ambiance, culinary creativity and design of this restaurant have never failed to impress on any personal or corporate occasion. In fact, as testimony to the high regard we have for The Tippling Club, our flagship brand Penfolds has collaborated with The Tippling Club to create Bin 38, an unparalleled food and wine experience, presenting a Penfolds menu crafted by Chef Clift to complement the best Penfolds wines. My most unforgettable holiday was... Reims and Epernay, and touring the Champagne regions - a first love of mine. A highlight was being guests of Veuve Clicquot staying in their mansion, Chateau Du Marc - now known as Hotel du Marc - worth a Google! Truly an unforgettable experience.

I buy my suits from... P. Johnson of Melbourne, they do great lightweight suits for hot climates and the brand runs trunk shows across Asia, so no need to hop a flight to Australia, which is great for me as I’m based in Singapore. An event I never miss is the... The Melbourne Cup in Australia. Pretty fillies, a small punt, free flow Champagne and always excellent company - an event to remember year upon year. A must for your bucket list if you haven’t been.

GOLF

MISSION HILLS HAIKOU AWARD Mission Hills Haikou, one of the world’s largest golf resorts, has achieved the international sustainability award, GEO Certified, recognizing outstanding efforts to protect the environment, provide a range of value to people and effectively manage natural resources.

EO Certified, golf’s international mark of sustainability, is administered and assured by the notfor-profit Golf Environment Organization (GEO) and independently assessed. GEO Certified recognizes golf businesses that demonstrate a commitment to providing more and more value to people and nature at the facilities they manage.

Located on Hainan Island, Mission Hills Haikou has 10 diverse courses suitable for a range of playing abilities; they host many professional and amateur tournaments, including the 2014 World Celebrity Pro-Am last October, China’s first carbon neutral major sporting event. Highlighting this is the use of solar-powered golf carts, wind and solar hybrid road lights and an air-source pump and heat recovery system that provides hot water to clubhouse and hotel. They are also 100% irrigation water self-sufficient from treated waste water and rainwater stored in seven artificial lakes Constructed on 15,000 acres of permeable black lava rock, strict management and monitoring systems have been put in to ensure the conservation of ground water. Founded in 1992 as China’s premier golf club, it has since evolved into a leading recreational integrated resort company, incorporating sporting events, spa and wellness programs, leisure holidays, and business, conference and entertainment facilities in Hainan, Dongguan, Shenzhen and Yunnan.

GALLERY

PERSONALITY

DESERT ISLAND DISCS A man called Roy Plomley created Desert Island Discs way back in 1942. For nigh on 80 years, it remains one of UK Radio 4’s most popular and enduring programs. The interview program formula was based on what music the guest would choose to have with him or her should they be stranded on a desert island.

ollowing the lead of this musical institution we have asked our guests to let us know what they would take with them. Time has obviously changed since the program was launched during World War II, so instead of seven favourite musical pieces, we have asked our guests what seven albums would they want on their iPad, what book they would like, what case of wine or beverage, what movie, what luxury item and what favourite menu item they would like. This edition’s guest is Chef Lee Westcott, whose hot new restaurant “Typing Room” is located in East London’s Town Hall Hotel, built in 1910, and is named after the building’s original typing room. Lee Westcott uses the best of local and seasonal British ingredients to create innovative modern European dishes.

PERSONALITY

Favourite 7 Albums. : 1. Arctic Monkeys ‘Suck it and See’ 2. Richard Hawley ‘Standing at the Sky’s Edge’ 3. The Doors ‘Morrison Hotel’ 4. Jimi Hendrix ‘People, Hell & Angels’ 5. Dr. Dre ‘The Chronic 2001’ 6. The Last Shadow Puppets ‘The Age Of The Understatement’ 7. SBTRKT ‘SBTRKT’ Favourite book : Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain Favourite wine or beverage: Le Petit Chemin, Petillant Naturel, Corault! Lovely natural wine. Favourite Movie: The Shawshank Redemption One luxury Item : iPhone One item from the menu of their favourite restaurant. Mackerel, sesame & oyster – it’s a starter from The Ledbury in London. Banging. When you were finally rescued from the desert island, which luxury hotel anywhere in the world would you like to be delivered to: Well, seeing as I’ve just been rescued from a desert island, I probably don’t want to be near water for a while! So a city break sounds good - Waldorf Astoria New York.

LUXURY

A Very Special Place

Forward Great Grandpa Goring built and opened this hotel in 1910. He was a man of considerable vision an innovator, and from what I can tell a great hotelier and host. I sometimes wonder if his vision included what The Goring has become today, and what he might have made of some of the stories and occurrences of the last 100 years. One thing is certain; that strong but invisible threads connect today’s Goring with that of 1910. The family is one of those threads, as are today’s staff, many of whom were hired and trained by department heads who were themselves taken on by Great Grandpa himself. Even more importantly, we are lucky to have guests whose great, and even great great grandparents stayed here in the hotel’s first decade, and who would have made their reservations by writing a letter to O.R. Goring. This book does not attempt to set out a full history of The Goring but I hope that you will be amused by the small selection of tales in it. While you are reading, we are busy with the task of creating the stories for the next 100 years, and there is always the chance that you will be one of them. Jeremy Goring

LUXURY

n 2010, The Goring celebrated its 100th year. Just behind Buckingham Palace, this hotel was the first in the world to offer its guests central heating and a bathroom for every bedroom, when Otto Goring opened its doors in1910. It is also the only hotel in London still owned and run by the family that built it, with the 4th generation Jeremy Goring keeping up the tradition begun by his great-grandfather in 1910. The Hotel is quintessentially English and provides guests with unparalleled and exceptionally attentive service. In response to popular demand for information and stories about the hotel and its history, a book was commissioned and released in1997. A Very Special Place written by Robin Rhoderick-Jones with delightful illustrations by Tim Jaques. Ahead of the 100th year celebrations the book was updated with the latest version appearing in 2009. The book is full of wonderful tales of the colourful characters that have worked and stayed at the hotel during the first 100 years. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of staying at the hotel, who enjoys the pleasures of luxury travel, or who has worked in the industry will find it an interesting and entertaining read. In the coming editions of MillionaireAsia we will be featuring some of the tales and illustrations from the book.

The Manager’s Tale Some of the most stressful moments of a manager’s life stem

from the enforcement of ouse rules and dealing politely but firmly with guests who attempt to flaunt them. There is a regulation which guests occasionally find irksome. Pet animals are banned. A notice dated March 1910 is displayed in reception. “Visitors are respectfully reminded,” it reads, “that dogs, cats, birds and other pets are not allowed in any part of this hotel.” In 1930 a regular guest arrived on his way home from a week’s shooting in Scotland. He was known to have an uncertain temper, and when he introduced a red setter into the hall, there was clearly going to be a problem. The Head Porter of the day, William Bingham, was given short shrift: “Don’t talk such bloody nonsense, man. Of course the dog’s staying with me. Who the delve do you think you are? Fetch Goring.” Otto Goring (OG) was summoned and got a full measure of the same: “This is my dog, Goring. I’ve been coming here for year. Tell your man to take him to my room.” Not without difficulty, OG was able to calm him down. “I wonder my lord,” he ventured after some time. “I wonder, my lord, where you keep the dog at hem?” “In the kennels, of course. In the bloody ken- Ah. I see what you mean. Oh very well then, you look after him. Feed him, mind.” And OG led the animal off the the mews garage he keep for such emergencies.

RESTAURANT: MELBOURNE

SHADES OF THE ITALIAN COUNTRY In Melbourne city, there is a great new little cafĂŠ (although it is a lot more than that) where people-in-the-know go to have a casual meal, a good glass of wine; where the service is snappy and the produce superb. 86

RESTAURANT: MELBOURNE

t is called Ombra – ‘shadow’ in Italian and maybe because it sits in the shadow of the city’s last fine-dining icon, Grossi Florentino.

Under the word Ombra on the sign is ‘salumi,’ which does not translate very well but it covers the entire spectrum of preserving food and curing or smoking meats. Delicatessen or charcutérie might come close. In the Venetian dialect, it can also mean ‘let’s go for a drink.’

It is long and narrow and occupies two levels with views over this evolving top end of Bourke Street. Its design is ‘cellar chic’ – a far cry from the grandeur of the mothership next door. You will find a member of the family energetically overseeing the operation; either Guy Grossi’s sister Liz or his son Carlo. The menu looks like antipasti rather than formal first and second courses: the food is designed to be shared – even the pasta of the day. It all looks simple but that look belies the work and the time that goes into the preparation. The crispy lamb ribs, for example, take a day to make and a served with a home-made chilli sauce. The house-pickled sardines are served with roasted capsicum and Parmesan. It is probably not the place for you if you are vegetarian but they do have lots of non-meat options, such as the beetroot, chickpea and hazelnut salad. You will certainly want to try the plate of mixed cured meats. They are served with dill pickles and mustard. The olives are marvellous, as are the capsicum cooked in vin cotto. And a must-try is a crispy-based pizza. The waiters are obviously proud of the product so don’t be shy about asking for their suggestions. It is open for lunch and dinner – and in between. In fact, they have a ‘happy hour’ between four and six where your apperitivo comes with complimentary nibbles. The wine list is extensive and there are several ‘house labels’ which are much better than your average vin de table. Desserts are also a sweet treat. www.ombrabar.com.au

RESTAURANT : INDONESIA

BALITALIA

5 Burrata with Spring Vegetables

he ilLido Group was founded in Singapore by Beppe De Vito in 2006 and now includes the original ilLido at Sentosa Island, the Italian wine bar &SONS in Chinatown, the rooftop oyster bar Southbridge on Boat Quay and Osteria Art in the CBD. His next project is Aura, a huge space at the National Gallery that will have four distinct dining experiences. This is his first venture into Indonesia. 5 Sergio Favata and Luca Masini

RESTAURANT : INDONESIA

5 Veal Cutlet

5 Octopus with, White Corn and Nduja

He has simplified the décor somewhat – the paintingshave gone and his vision is of ‘summertime in Italy’ with textures in tones of mahogany, deep grey and bronze, terra cotta floors and new teak furniture sit well beside the lush frangipanis that ring the open-air courtyard. They have added an extra pergola at the back and timbered off the parts where the view is not perfect. “Our food in Bali is a modern version of Italian classics and we think we offer an affordable selection with affable, non-snobbish service and atmosphere,” says De Vito. Sergio Favata and Luca Masini are in charge in the kitchen: one is from Tuscany, the other from Sicily and with their combined experience all over their native Iand, the food is from every province, modernizing classic dishes and inventing a few new ones. The wines are from the Old and New Worlds, with some special labels from Italy.

5 Ricotta Tortelli a l’amatriciana

Their signature dishes (which they encourage you to share) include Grilled Octopus with Nduja, Pork Loin with Tuna Sauce & Caper Salad, Salt Crust Baked Whole Grouper and Angus Beef Tenderloin with a Bone Marrow Crust. (All their pasta and bread is home-made every day). Every cocktail on the menu is an original creation of ilLido Singapore’s mixologist, Jody Adler. One Night in Bali is a refreshing tipple of home-infused cinnamon-and-star-anise vodka, pineapple juice, coconut and lime, while the Balini, a delicious combination of Prosecco and guava, is a twist on the classic Bellini. The place now has the elegant simplicity only the Italians can achieve; the service is great and the food outstanding. Oh, and the must-see furniture, antique and jewellery boutiques still surround the restaurant. www.illidobali.com

ART : AUSTRALIA

ART A REASON TO RUSH TO DARWIN Darwin is now an easily reachable weekend getaway from Jakarta, Bali and Singapore and is the perfect place to explore the exciting world of aboriginal art. There are several galleries in the city itself or you can see it ‘outback’ on some of the adventure tours into the sensational unspoilt wilderness.

t is amazing that the art of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples has taken so long to be recognized. Possibly one of the main (and simple) reasons is that it is only relatively recently that their painting has been ‘portable.’ Before they were introduced to canvas, they painted on rock, on trees and on their own bodies. Since they hit the international art scene, their millennia-old artistic traditions have been recognized as among the richest in human history. And that only happened in the last three decades or so. It is generally accepted that the Aboriginal people arrived on the Australian continent more than 40,000 years ago and, since then, art has been handed down through countless generations and it is inseparable from everyday life. The art of contemporary indigenous Australians takes many forms, usually symbolic, seldom realistic, except for certain animal forms and landscapes.

5 Spinifex by Louise Kumina

In 1934 Australian painter Rex Batterbee introduced Aboriginal artists, including the famous Albert Namatjira, to western-style watercolour landscape painting. Their results became known as the Hermannsburg School, after the mission in the Northern Territory where they lived and worked. When the paintings were exhibited in the city, they were a sellout, especially Namatjira. Paintings and sculpture by Aboriginal artists now grace many galleries and museums around the world.

ART : AUSTRALIA STYLES Modern artists paint with their fingers as well as with brushes. One of the more interesting styles became known simply as ‘dot painting’ where various paint colours represent the universe: yellow (the sun), brown (the soil), red (desert sand) and white (clouds). If you find an expert, they will explain the many symbols still used in modern Aboriginal painting. They represent things from real life and from the famous ‘dreamtime’ legends. (Dreamtime is a combination of religion, myth and fantastical tales). Today, many artists can be recognized by their own personal style – as those of Picasso and Monet and van Gogh can be recognized. Names such as Rover Thomas, Queenie McKenzie, Paddy Bedford, Freddy Timms, Kathleen Petyarre, Minnie Pwerle, Dorothy Napangardi, Jeannie Petyarre, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Johnny Warangkula and dozens of others, whose works have become highly sought-after. Possibly a universal favorite is the late and great Emily Kngwarreye, from the Utopia community north east of Alice Springs, whose style fuses tradition with modern painting. Her pictures now fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars on the international auction circuit. DARWIN Darwin is the perfect place to get to know Northern Territory art in all its forms – sculpture, photography, painting, ceramics – and to get to know its artists, up and coming as well as the already wellknown. A good place to get an overview is the public Museum 5 Louise Kumina at work

ART : AUSTRALIA and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory – they have fine examples of most of the great artists of the last 30 years. If you happen to be there in August, the Darwin Art Fair brings art and artists from more than 40 communities to town. It is a cornucopia of many and vastly diverse styles – and they are for sale. In the city, there are half a dozen galleries, among them Mbantua, which houses very fine examples of painting and sculpture. There is also Outstation and Nomadart in the suburb of Parap (a 10-minute taxi ride from downtown).

nting The Pai

Out of town, there is also The Didgeridoo Hut and Art Gallery at Humpty Doo, run by Aborigines with artworks and traditional items for sale. It is about 30 minutes’ drive from the CBD so you will need a taxi to get there.

ART : AUSTRALIA INVESTING Investment in Aboriginal art has already proved financially rewarding for the astute collector. But, like the stock market and property, you need lots of background information and you should be prepared to buy for the longer term. The experts advise that you buy ‘out of season’ to get best value for money. That is, avoid artists who are currently fashionable (and terribly expensive) and look for good works by names that are not yet well known. This means, of course, that ultimately you will have to rely on your own eye and instincts, although a little homework is very valuable. The more you delve into the world of modern Aboriginal you more you will love it – it is very easy to become hooked. For the serious-minded, there are several excellent books available, beginning with The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture, which is expensive, but is an essential encyclopaedic reference work. Then there is Aboriginal Art by Wally Caruana (Thames and Hudson), Contemporary Aboriginal Art by Susan McCulloch (Allen and Unwin) and Aboriginal Art by Howard Morphy (Phaidon). In Darwin, there is a small paperback that explains the basics of Aboriginal art and it is only $15. Also go on line to look at the major auction houses who regularly sell Aboriginal art: notably Sotheby’s and Christie’s but also local houses such as Menzies and Deutscher.

A wonderful find in Darwin was more or less accidental. It is Read Back Book Exchange in the Smith Street Mall and just a couple of doors from Mbantua. It was indeed started about 15 years ago as a book exchange but has gradually become a selling point for upand-coming artists, whom you will often find working upstairs in the now-expanded gallery. The paintings are for sale, along with certificates of authenticity. It attracted our attention because of a painting whose style is a sort of Rothko-esque collection of coloured shapes. Wonderful coincidence had it by Kudditji Kngwarreye – quite a family, that. Sadly, he died last month (meaning his works have already skyrocketed in price). On the day Viva Asia visited, we met the charming Louise Numina, who was painting some latest commissions. Our conversation revealed that Louise is one of six sisters and three brothers from Utopia, where she was first taught painting by her aunts Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre. We were also amazed to learn that she is also related to the great Emily Kngwarreye. She moved to Darwin in 1995 and graduated at Nungalinya College and has been painting professionally ever since. Her current style specializes in healing grasses and desert melon representations. She is already well-known among collectors and she hangs in several galleries. Hopefully, she will gain a deserved wider fame, just like her great aunt Emily.

TRAVEL: AUSTRALIA

TOP END GETAWAY Darwin is a biggish town with pretensions to cityhood but that is not a bad thing. You have good roads, medical facilities and lots of places to eat and drink. Just no crowds and no pollution. Backpackers seem to dominate tourism but there are serious attractions for grown-up adventurers. Just outside the city is Nature at its most spectacular along with the amazing Aboriginal history that dates 50 millennia.

TRAVEL: AUSTRALIA

t is one of Australia’s top tourism destinations and, therefore, good, starred accommodation is a given. One of the best is the Novotel – or to give it its full name: the Novotel Darwin Atrium.

Novotel’s décor reflects Darwin’s tropical ambience, with its central rainforest Atrium, cascading waterfalls and billabong rock pools. Many guests are on business; others exploring the wonderful wilderness that lies just beyond the city limits. You would never know you are in the city centre: the hotel is built on The Esplanade and, across the street is a narrow park and beyond that, Darwin Harbour. Despite the quiet, the town’s life is only a two-minute walk around the corner to the Mitchell Street café and restaurant row and then to the Smith Street Mall.

The hotel has 140 newly-refurbished rooms and has large conference and meeting facilities. There is a spacious bar amid the ‘billabongs’ as well as Zest restaurant. It is an oasis of calm after you have wandered the year-round street markets that liven up the evening or create a colorful way to start a day. Darwin is a melting pot of South East Asian, Australian and European cultures and the exotic foods and crafts available reflect all of these. If you want a weekend away in the Top End, Novotel has a very attractive getaway package. www.novoteldarwinatrium.com.au

TRAVEL: AUSTRALIA

TO DO IN DARWIN The Novotel’s genial general manager, Craig Dodd is a relative newcomer to Darwin but he was keen to get to know it ASAP. Already, he has his top ten things that visitors to the hotel should see. All are within walking distance or an easy taxi ride. Or, to get an overview of the whole place, the double-decker sightseeing bus leaves from around the corner every half hour. One thing you should know is that Darwin boasts no label shopping. For upscale retail therapy, you rely on things like Paspaley (some of the world’s finest pearls) and di Croco for sensational products made from crocodile skin. There is also a cornucopia of Aboriginal painting to be seen and bought. Darwin is also the starting point to tour the famous Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land. Here are Craig’s ten: 1. The Military Museum (especially interesting for the WWII bombing and near invasion by the Japanese). 2. Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery (especially for its fabulous collection of Aboriginal art). 3. Darwin Sailing club for afternoon dinner and drinks (on the harbour with spectacular views) 4. Mindil beach markets (for produce, clothes and handicrafts) 5. Darwin Waterfront. Waterfront is actually precinct of apartments and restaurants and you can take a dip from the park next door into the wave lagoon – ocean swimming is a no-no because of the nasties that live there 6. Berry Springs Nature Park 7. Parap markets on a Saturday (The laksa from Mary is absolutely beautiful) 8. Stokes Hill Wharf for fish and chips 9. Darwin Botanical Gardens 10. Sunset at Cullen Bay Photos: Courtesy Tourism NT

GALLERY: THAILAND

COLONIAL HOUSE RE-INVENTED

Anantara Chiang Mai has opened The Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar, inspired by heritage and a quirky fictional fantasy.

he original Colonial House was built in 1915 and opened in 1921 as a British consulate. It was designed for a tropical climate with spacious verandahs to catch the river breeze. It housed the consulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, a courtroom, offices, servantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quarters and stables for elephants. Now The Service 1921 rekindles this colonial era, adding the imaginative element that it was also the HQ of the Secret Intelligence Service.

Old world interior design comprises solid wooden flooring and panelled walls, antique rugs and teak log features. These are offset by fictional spy paraphernalia such as old security intelligence files and Braille and Morse code signage. In contrast to the secretive ambience, The Service 1921 is very much a social scene. On the lower level, a bar, lounge and cellar stocked with an impressive selection of New and Old World wines. In the upstairs restaurant, a private whisky tasting room sits beside by two connecting dining rooms and the wrap-around veranda also offers terrace seating. Creative attention to dining details includes placemats in the form of envelopes used to send classified documents by MI6 in the 1920s. Coasters take the form of vintage Thai postcards. As well as Thai food, they offer Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, strikingly presented on ceramic plates, wooden slabs, black slates and traditional baskets. www.anantara.com

BUSINESS : BALI

FASHION BORN IN BALI B

y The Sea is a fashion label you could say was born in Brazil but grew up in Bali. It is now one of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only original brands. It is not haute couture; it is haute casual. Behind it all, a man who loves surfing as much as he does fashion, Renato Vianna.

BUSINESS : BALI

“I was in California and I saw a sign that said ‘Carmel By the Sea.’ I liked By the Sea; it says it all; it defines what we do. So that is our name,” says Vianna, who is designer, manager and marketer of the chic clothing line. “I was born in Belo Horizonte, a big city but not on the coast. So, as soon as I could I moved to Rio de Janeiro to be near the ocean. I became a true ‘carioca’ – I haunted Ipanema Beach and I have never been far from the ocean ever since.” “But I was never a beach-bum; I have always worked,” laughs Vianna. “I started with the best-known menswear fashion house (Richards) in Rio. I suppose this career was inevitable. My grandfather was a tailor and my mother made the family clothes.” He learned about fashion design, cutting, sewing and everything else about the business on the job. “This was because, at that time, there were no fashion schools in Rio, not like now where there are dozens,” says Vianna. He spent 15 years there before moving to Bali in 1993 and he shyly, with the world’s attention on the World Cup in Brazil, admits he must be the only Brazilian on the planet who is not a soccer fan. We are trying to define his clothes. Are they beach wear, surf wear, resort wear? “I think I like the term ‘smart casual.’ We are a little bit more sophisticated than surf wear because we use top quality fabrics, mostly cotton and linen. We prefer natural fabrics. And our style is instantly recognizable so there is the overall visual consideration. Our DNA is a casual lifestyle and that is certainly

Bali. The clothes are designed to be casual, comfortable and cool. We have no winter line,” he laughs. “We are eight degrees from the equator and we have yet to see a flake of snow.” “Our clothes are designed to mix and match. You know, men don’t have much idea of how to shop or to choose a wardrobe where one thing goes with another. Women are OK with this but we have trained our people in the boutiques to help men out. And it is working,” he says. “Our sales are great and it is very interesting that 50% of sales are to Indonesians. (The rest is to expats and tourists).” “Our message is that we are not trendy, extreme or faddy. We try to make people feel comfortable in clothes – even happy. And our range is designed to last for a long time.”

RANGE By the Sea makes men’s, women’s and children’s clothing. Accessories, such as totes, hats, sandals and belts. The men’s range is very popular for printed short-sleeve shirts, swimming trunks, tees and bermudas. But they also make light-weight slacks and long-sleeve shirts that could be worn to less casual occasions. And, for women, they make shorts, slacks, bikinis and also a range of easy-fit comfortable dresses. “We are also starting to import proper Panama hats and the new big thing: espadrilles (the rope-souled canvas shoes originally worn by fishermen on the Mediterranean and became a fashion item in the 1940s), which we will make here.” “We are known for our prints,” says Vianna. “We make all our own designs (much of it from tropical nature: palms, ferns,

BUSINESS : BALI

flowers and leaves) and we screen-print the fabric by hand and then everything is designed, cut, sewn and finished here in Bali.” “People always ask about our customers. YOU are our customer,” he says. “People between 20 and 70; people who want to dress casually and comfortably – but with a bit of style.” “We do follow some trends but they are usually ours,” he says. “For example, this season will see some more slim-fitting styles. Not tight but slim.”

“And I love my own lifestyle,” says Vianna. “I live on the beach in Pererenan. I surf every morning before coming to work. We like to eat in informal restaurants for lunch but we have family meals at home in the evening. We like light, simple and healthy food.”

“And our clothes are great for travelling. They roll up so you don’t have to iron them. And even if you do, you don’t have to,” he says cryptically. He then demonstrates on a scrunched up pair of linen trousers. “Just spray some water over the creases, hang it up to dry and it is ready to wear!”

Strangely, Vianna met his wife in Bali, too. Her name is Harumi Kogake. Even more strangely, she was born in Brazil, grew up there and went to live in Japan for a couple of years. She also decided to take a holiday in Bali and that is when and where they met. They now have two teenage sons – also mad keen surfers.

BALI “I came to Bali in 1993 on a surfing holiday,” recalls Renato Vianna. “I fell in love with it; decided to try and stay and make a living. So, I started my first little manufactory, making swimming trunks, on the very meagre funds I managed to get from selling my Volkswagen.” (He did not ever sell his first surfboard, an old wooden long board he brought from Brazil and keeps in his factory).

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“Very soon I had orders (mostly from overseas) for 5,000 pieces, 10,000 and finally 60,000 pieces. In 21 years, we have grown to this factory in Canggu and we now have 100 employees. We love them all. They are keen, hard-working, eager to learn and very, very loyal. I know it is a cliché but it is like a family here.”

They speak to each other easily in Portuguese. “Although I had to learn English the hard way when I arrived in Bali,” says Renato. “It was a simple life: no phone, no TV and no-one (but no-one) spoke Portuguese.” He now speaks English extremely well, along with Bahasa Indonesia. I am speaking to him with a couple of days’ stubble on his face; he is wearing a tee-shirt and trunks and no shoes. “Where

BUSINESS : BALI

Renato & Harumi

else could I come to the office like this?” He laughs. “I love the freedom. Now we cannot imagine living anywhere else.”

EXPANSION By the Sea has five stores in Bali. They also have representative outlets in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Maldives. “But the next logical step is Jakarta. And then possibly to Australia, maybe Hawaii, California,” says Vianna “So, please tell your friends we are looking for a partner in Jakarta. I see us opening in one of the malls there as that is where people walk and shop and eat.” (No pedestrian life on the streets in Jakarta so no walk-by shopping). “We have just done the shoot for our new range,” says Vianna. “You will notice a lot of new prints – and the next big thing: stripes and polka dots! Particular sellers are the French sailorstyle tees and long-sleeve cotton sweaters.” “The photo-shoot was bloody hard work; it took more than a week. We did it at Alila Soori up the coast. But I am very happy with the results. This range will be in the stores next month. Oh, and we are almost finished our photo studio at the workshop: our next step is an on line boutique.”

It is rare to meet someone who is happy with where they live, happy with what they do; happy with the way they live. And, despite the laid back lifestyle, still be challenged with the hard work and vagaries of the fashion business. But Vianna and Harumi are very conscious of all this. He says wistfully: “I dream one day I will wake up.” www.bythesea.co.id

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EVENTS

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EVENTS

each clubs are the current rage in Bali and the latest to open is Nikki Beach, oceanfront at the Sofitel in Nusa Dua.

They opened it with a bang (and a little rain) with a white party for about 500 dedicated hipsters – music, food, wine and fun. Bali is the 12th Nikki location around the world: they already have clubs (as well as restaurants and resorts) on the French Riviera, Morocco, Spain, the Caribbean, Thailand, Mexico and the U.S. They are all favourite spots to relax, swim, sunbathe, drink and dine for the international set. As a beach club, Nikki Bali has a large pool (with sip ‘n dip bar), lounging chairs, a pool café bar, a serious restaurant (also open for famous Sunday brunch) as well as deckchairs and umbrellas on the white sand of Nusa Dua Beach. w w w.nikkibeach.com/bali

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EVENTS

5 Mr. Paul Willis & Mrs. Penny Wen

Bentley & The Macallan A Heavenly Match

r. Ulf Sebecke, Chief Operating Officer of Bentley Indonesia recently hosted a dinner for clients and friends of Bentley at the Hermitage Hotel, Menteng. Chef Guillermo Varela Mata and his team created a mouth watering menu, with each dish paired perfectly with an individual whisky from The Macallan range.

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Ardian Asmari, Senior Brand Manager with Edrington, brand owner of The Macallan, was on hand to explain why the different whiskies had been paired with the different courses. The sophisticated evening eventually turned into morning with a long relaxing session of more fine whiskies from The Macallan paired with cigars in the Hermitage Wine & Cigar Room.

EVENTS

5 Mr. Leonard Tangguh & Ms. Yuli Hart

5 (Left-Right) Mr. Lenoard Tangguh, Mr. Malvin Pribadi, Ms. Perriz Azwir, Ms. Yuli Hart, Ms. Delvia Handoko The, Ms. Rania Shamlan, Mr. Lal DeSilva, Mr. Jim Weston, Mr. Jerry Judari

5 (Left-Right) Mr. Ulf Sebecke, Mr. Amir Gunawan, Mr. Herry Wijaya

5 Ms. Lana Milova & Mr. Cliff Maiyer

DINNER MENU Seared Foie Gras Pear, Quail egg, Brioche The Macallan 12YO ยง Pan Seared Sea Scallop Potato museline, Green Asparagus, Tomato Confit, Warm Tomato Relish The Macallan 18YO ยง Chargrilled Free Range Mount Grambie Lamb Rack Aubergine Mashed, Confit Shallot, Mint Jus The Macallan Reflexion ยง Poach Pear Macallan Whisky Vanilla Ice Cream, Macallan Whisky 15yo Reduction, Orange Compote The Macallan 15YO

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Whisky Live

ULTIMATE WHISKY BARS

With Whisky Live making its debut in Indonesia in November, we thought it timely to look at some of the best places in the world to enjoy your favourite malt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; single and blend. Compiled by Lucy Bent.

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Whisky Live

Angelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Share, Hong Kong Two floors above bustling Hollywood Road sits a quirky bar that offers 120 types of international whisky, poured by an expert team. Sip on a selection of rare single or blended malts sourced from specialty importers, including a discontinued 15-year-old Bowmore Mariner. www.angelsshare.hk

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Bascule Bar, Cape Town Malt aficionados can expect up to 500 vintage and contemporary blends from across the globe at Bascule Bar, as well as a series of whisky-based Cocktails. Bascule also alters its drinks menu regularly, handcrafting one-off concoctions that incorporate seasonal flavours. www.basculebar.com

Auld Alliance, Singapore Claiming to have Southeast Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest collection of whiskies, this barâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70-page menu boasts a selection of 1,350 bottles, with global labels that include blends from every distillery in Scotland, as well as the largest collection of Japanese imports to exist outside Japan. Whisky connoisseurs may also sample a rare 52-year-old Karuizawa from 1960. www.theauldalliance.sg

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Kinloch Lodge HoteL, Isle of Skye With its quiet seashore setting, Kinloch Lodge on the Isle of Skye is a serene escape from the bustle of modern day life. Enjoy excellent food complemented by whisky flights tailored daily to match the menu. Or relax with a nightcap by the fire before heading to bed www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk

The FlatIron Room, NYC The Flatiron Room lives by the motto ‘drink less and taste more.’ And with an assortment of over 500 regional and international whiskies, you won’t be lacking in choice. Featuring a balcony tasting room and nightly jazz, this glitzy spirit parlour is a relaxed and luxurious retreat. The Flatiron also offers a ‘Bottle Keep Program,’ so that patrons can purchase their favourite whisky and store what they don’t drink for their next visit.

www.theflatironroom. 109

Whisky Live

The Vaults, Edinburgh Located in one of Scotland’s oldest buildings, steeped in historical charm, The Vaults is the original home of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. It also has its own unique whisky room, complete with a restored ‘whisky safe.’ The Society’s single cask, single malt whisky (selected from 129 Scottish malt whisky distilleries) is world class – and well worth the hype.

www.smws.com

L’Arriere-Cour, Taipei As one of the largest single-malt markets in the world, it is no surprise that Taiwan is home to a number of impressive whisky bars. L’Arriere-Cour in Taipei is no exception. This bar is hidden down a secret lane away from the bustle of the city and offers customers an array of over 100 vintage and rare whiskies.

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Whisky Live

The Baxter Inn, Sydney This candlelit basement bar oozes old-world charm and elegance with exposed brick walls and blues background music. With seating to accommodate 140 people, The Baxter Inn is intimate and romantic but, most importantly; it has an unprecedented collection of over 360 whiskies, all of which are displayed behind the bar. Their signature cocktail blend is a smooth mixture of whisky and freshly-squeezed apple juice.

www.thebaxterinn.com

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MIXOLOGY

THIERRY HERNANDEZ CREATES MARTELL TRICENTENAIRE COCKTAILS

e Bar at the Plaza Athénée is a chic, elegant and quintessentially Parisian. Thierry Hernandez, who became manager of the bar in 2001, has collaborated with Martell to create three distinct new cocktails for the Martell Tricentenaire. Each cocktail pays tribute to the key founders of Martell. The Adventurer is a tribute to Jean Martell, and combines Martell Noblige with peach cream, black grape juice and champagne. The Audacious is a tribute to Rachel Lallemand Martell, and includes Martell VS, blackberry liqueur, lime juice, and champagne. The Independent is a tribute to Frederic Martell, and combines Martell Cognac VSOP with Lillet white wine, red fruit juice, cedar extract and champagne. Le Bar at the Plaza Athénée is definitely the place to see and be seen when is Paris. www.dorchestercollection.com

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MIXOLOGY INGREDIENTS 3 cl Cognac Martell VS 2 cl blackberry liqueur 2 cl lime juice 2 splashes of liquorice liqueur Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut or Mumm Cordon Rouge

METHOD Pour all the ingredients into the metal cup of the shaker (except champagne)   Shake for 6 seconds   Pour it directly into a champagne glass using a strainer   Finally, add 4cl of champagne

Decoration: Soja leaf and star anise flower

The

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MIXOLOGY INGREDIENTS 2 cl Cognac Martell Noblige 2 cl peach cream 2 cl GenEan liqueur 2 cl black grape juice An ice ball of white grape juice Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut or Mumm Cordon Rouge

Decoration: Ice ball (Handmade)

The

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MIXOLOGY INGREDIENTS 4 cl Cognac Martell VSOP > 2 cl Lillet white wine 2 cl cane sugar 2 cl red fruits juice Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut or Mumm Cordon Rouge Optional: 2 splashes of wood extract

Decoration: Branch of flexi Grass + Grains of grape

The

INDEPEDENT 115

COMPETITION

Royal Kamuela Villas Nusa Dua

In each edition of Viva Asia we feature a photograph from a well known tourist destination somewhere in the world. Take a look at the photograph above which shows an iconic French destination. The question is, what is the name of this French palace? Please email your answers to info@vivaasiamagazine.com and, if correct, you will be in the running to win one of two 700ml bottles of Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac courtesy of Martell.

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