luxury travel

Grand
NOVEMBER 2013
NOVEMBER 2013
luxury travel
CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA
Toasting the season’s sparkle
PACIFIC IDYLL
Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta
6 SUNSWEPT SPAS
Lose yourself in luxury
+
8 GREAT ESCAPADES
TO INSPIRE YOUR TASTE FOR TRAVEL
& WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN
THE RIVER CALLS
Cruises you’ll cherish
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grand • contents
7
Vienna at Christmas
With its twinkling lights, scrumptious pastries and enormous Christmas market set up in front
of City Hall, the Austrian capital, always colourful, gets in the holiday swing. By John Fitzgerald
11
11
7
By Bentley to Strasbourg
The flagship Bentley Mulsanne proves an ideal ride for a two-day outing from London through
French Champagne country, with Strasbourg as the grand finale. By John Fitzgerald
14
14
The Pleasures of Puerto Vallarta
Once overshadowed by the Mayan Riviera, the resort that Liz and Dick made famous on
Mexico’s Pacific Coast is ready for its close-up again. By Barbara Ramsay Orr
22
Spa Circuit
Luxury spas are cropping up across the sun-swept islands of the Caribbean.
Here are six of the most appealing. By Danya Cohen
24
Water Ways
Scenic and satisfying: what with its relaxed pace, up-close access and intimate
accommodations, river cruising is growing fast, especially in Europe. By Tony Leighton
22
Departments
30
18
NOVEMBER2013
Features
Escapades
Bedding down in Amsterdam’s sexiest hotel; renting that villa you’ve just got to have;
heading to DC for a photo fix and, of course, London calls. By John Fitzgerald
27
Geared Up
Track that luggage you love with an iPhone GPS; plaudits go to Pucci for a seaside sarong that’s
as splendid as a summer day; a camera bag that’s a stunner. By Irene Poplar
27
28
What I Love About... Austin
Austin-based Jake Silverstein, editor-in-chief of award-winning Texas Monthly magazine goes
back and forth with John Fitzgerald on the merits of the cool, captivating capital.
30
Lasting Impressions
A speck of a town on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, Samara Beach has a tiny, tin-roofed
church with a pair of lovely steeples. Text and photo by John Fitzgerald
Grand
Grand
Grand
luxury travel
LUXURY TRAVEL
ART DIRECTOR
Stephen Underwood
CONTRIBUTORS
Susan Bridges, Barbara Ramsay Orr,
Tony Leighton, Danya Cohen
CEO
J. Scott Robinson
PUBLISHER
Irene Patterson
COMPASS MEDIA GROUP
4391 Harvester Rd., 5A
Burlington, Ontario L7L 4X1
1.905.634.1010
www.compassmediagroup.ca
SALES DIRECTOR
Kate Plowman
EASTERN SALES MANAGER
Mark Drouin
GRAND is a division of
COMPASS MEDIA GROUP
Printed on recycled material.
NOVEMBER 2013
NOVEMBER 2013
EDITOR
John Fitzgerald
luxury travel
On the Cover
Horses with crimson ear
coverings delight visitors
in Vienna’s Stefansplaz.
Photo by John Fitzgerald
CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA
Toasting the season’s sparkle
PACIFIC IDOL
Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta
+
8 GREAT ESCAPADES
TO INSPIRE YOUR TASTE FOR TRAVEL
6 SUNSWEPT SPAS
Lose yourself in luxury
THE RIVER CALLS
Cruises you’ll cherish
& WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN
3
grand • editor’s note
L
ast month, I attended
the International Luxury
Travel Market at the
Fairmont Mayakoba on
Mexico’s Mayan Riviera.
This is a gathering of travel
agents who sell luxury
products, suppliers such
as luxury hotel chains and
bespoke travel companies,
and members of the media.
Conference speakers noted
that luxury is one of the
fastest growing segments of the travel market.
The luxury traveller is demanding more, including
enhanced loyalty programs that offer once-in-a-lifetime
experiences, instant concierge services tailored to the needs of
clients wherever they happen to be, neighbourhood and cultural
collaborations where local artists become part of a hotel’s fabric,
and much more. I’ll be writing about the conference’s
findings and what they mean in more detail as we move forward.
Our cover story this issue features Vienna at the holidays.
To me, few European cities are as lovely, and I say that as
something of a veteran, having first visited in the late 1970s
and returned a few times since. The holiday season is a terrific
time to be in the Austrian capital with its decorated
WIN
thoroughfares, dazzling Christmas markets and endless
assortment of culinary treats, whether you opt to sample
street food or fare presented on damask linen with
shimmering silverware.
It’s also in Europe, including Austria, that river
cruising is growing mightily as a leisurely means of travel
for many Canadians. In this issue, river-cruise fan Tony
Leighton lets readers in on some of the many pluses.
Elsewhere, travel writer Barbara Ramsay Orr, whose
numerous visits to Puerto Vallarta over the years have
made her something of an expert on its stunning colonial
architecture, vibrant art scene and delicious food, celebrates
its never-ending allure.
From the Sandy Lane spa in Barbados to the COMO
Shambhala in Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos, we’ve got the lowdown on luxury spas in the Caribbean, and our Escapades
column in this issue highlights luxury villa rentals, superb
resorts and an extra-special delight for fashionistas at
London’s Embankment Galleries.
We’ve got great things in store in 2014. Beginning with
the February issue, Grand Luxury Travel will appear six times
a year instead of the current four. That means we’ll be able
to bring to discriminating travellers more luxury travel news,
features and destination stories by the finest writers from
around the world.
Of course, we’ll continue to showcase the sit-up-andtake-notice photography that Grand is noted for, images we
hope will evoke emotional reactions. We’ll be revamping our
A LUXURY SEVENDAY TRIP FOR TWO AT
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website, grandluxurytravel.ca, to offer you more and better,
and creating a tablet version for those who prefer screen to
paper. With the February 2014 issue, I’ll also introduce my
travel blog. I look forward to sharing it with you and receiving
your comments.
In upcoming issues of Grand, you’ll find our feature on
great dining options in the Florida Keys, an account of a four-day
stay at the spectacular Alpina Gstaad hotel in the world-famous
Swiss ski resort for the rich, and a look at the splendours
of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands.
Read about Bogotá, Colombia, where fast-paced changes
are transforming what used to be a troubled city into one of
the South America’s hottest travel destinations. And come
along as our writer introduces us to the delights of the
Japanese island of Okinawa with its plethora of luxury resorts,
beautiful views and an ambiance that suggests its inhabitants
have figured out a thing or two about keeping stress at bay.
From a tour of English gardens to a must-read guide
to the top 10 villa rentals in southern Europe – and the
reopening of the Paris Ritz – you won’t want to miss Grand
Luxury Travel.
John Fitzgerald
WWW.SECRETBAY.DM
Listen closely
and you’ll hear
your wake-up call.
Hear that? It’s the sound
of an island welcoming you
with open arms. It’s birdsong,
mingled with laughter. You hear
it because your hotel room has
no fourth wall—it’s an always-open
picture window. In here, you’re
pampered and celebrated by an
island that heard your requests and
is intent on answering all of them.
Hear how Saint Lucia lifts your senses.
Call 800-869-0377 or visit stlucianow.ca
grand • destinations
Yuletide
on the
Danube
Words and photos by John Fitzgerald
In Vienna during December, it’s the little touches that get
me. On the horse’s ears, there are jolly scarlet coverings.
In the cobblestone square that spreads out beneath
Stefansplatz, home of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, the
chestnut mare has huge liquid eyes. She waits until her
coachman nudges before hauling giddy tourists off for a
clop, clop, clop-ity spin through the streets of the Inner
City. Its gracious old buildings still reek of majesty.
7
Not far away—so much is within walking distance in
this storied city that was once the centre of the AustroHungarian Empire—there are red T-shirts for sale in front of
the Baroque St. Charles’s Church, built in the 1730s. Its copper
dome sports a stunning aqua tint on the December afternoon
we visit. In front of the church, youngsters frolic inside a haystrewn enclosure where a barnyard replica features live sheep,
goats and chickens. The setup is part of a neighbourhood
Christmas market, an installation at which the Viennese are
particularly adept.
The city’s largest Christmas market is the one mounted
each year in front of the Rathaus, the 19th century City Hall
that, for the season, is fronted by an enormous Christmas
tree. There are more than 150 wooden stalls, decorated with
lights and spruce bows, and they are stuffed with sparkling
ornaments of every size, description and colour. On offer are
also tiny toys, hand-crafted candles, and hundreds of other
festive doo-dads, the volume of it no match for the nimble
fingers of even Santa’s most industrious elves.
On the days we visit—I am forever being drawn back to
the market’s kitsch and commotion—we stop at stalls selling
riotously rich Viennese butter and vanilla cookies as well
as marzipan angels, apple strudel, gingerbread, and langos, which are basically discs of deep-fried dough coated in
garlic paste. There are plump buns imprinted in sugar with
the six-pointed star and tangy mulled wine. There’s Austrian
beer, grilled ham, roasted potatoes, and grilled sausages that
are the size of a cop’s nightstick.
Few other cities in Europe, and none in North America,
make the festive season so rich and memorable as does the
Austrian capital. The display windows at the Steffl department
store on the handsome Kärntner Strasse are dressed to the
nth degree. On the Graben, the wide pedestrian thoroughfare
that is bordered by exclusive shops and cafes, thousands of
lights shaped like chandeliers hang from above.
At Meinl’s (Graben 19), well known for its coffee and
restaurant, there are gold-painted elf figures set in the big
front windows. Nearby, Zum Schwarzen Kameel or The Black
Camel restaurant that’s been in operation since 1618 has, in
between the amaretto pyramid cake and raspberry tartlets, a
large cake in the display case. Covered in icing, its shape is a
likeness of Krampus, the Christmas devil so much a part of
Austrian Christmas tradition.
Another day, we drag our feet trying to get away from
the Naschmarkt, Vienna’s lively central market. Branches of
bright red berries are to be had, and we admire the Advent
displays for decorating the season’s tables. Each is comprised
of four candles, sometimes in pink, white and purple, and
Images clockwise from bottom left: Crimson T-shirts are for sale
in front of St.Charles’ Church; traditional holiday buns grace
a bakery shop window; a cake sporting Krampus and Father
Christmas in the window of The Black Camel restaurant; Advent
wreaths on display in the Naschmarkt; a food vendor
prepares tasty Viennese street fare.
8
Images clockwise from left: In a shop window, a stylish take on the
traditional Austrian costume; one of the Wise Men gazes out from the
window display at The Black Camel restaurant just off The Graben;
miniature Mozart figurines line up for sale at the gift shop in the
Hofburg Palace Museum which sells all manner of goods pertaining
to the glory days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
IF YOU GO
HOTELS:
Ritz-Carlton: Schubertring 5-7;
011-43-1-311-88-110; www.ritzcarlton.com
Hotel Bristol: Kärntner Ring 1;
011-43-515-160; www.bistolvienna.com
Hotel Imperial: Kärntner Ring 16;
011-43-501 100; www.starwoodhotels.com
Palais Coburg: Coburgbastei 4;
011-43-518-800; www.palais-coburg.com
The Ring: Kärntner Ring 8;
011-43-22-122; www.theringhotel.com
Hotel Sacher: Philharmoniker Strasse 4;
011-43-514-560; www.sacher.com
Do & Co Hotel Vienna: Stephansplatz 12;
1-800-337-4685 toll-free; www.designhotels.com
RESTAURANTS:
Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant Palais Coburg,
Palais Coburg Hotel. For res. 011-43-518-800
Steirereck, Am Heumarkt 2aA,
For res. 011 43 713 3168; www.steirereck.at
Zum Schwarzen Kameel, Bognergasse 5,
For res. 011-43-533-8125; www.kameeel.at
CAFES:
Cafe Sperl: Gumpensorfer Strasse 11,
011-43-586-4158l; www.cafesperl.at
Demel:Kohlmarkt 14;
011-43-535-1717; www.demel.at
sometimes all in red, that sprout from flowers and greenery,
to mark the weeks leading up to Christmas in the Christian
calendar. Beside them, baskets brim with pomegranates,
sticks of cinnamon, and sleek bottles of wine vinegar in dozens
of shades and textures. Garlanded fir trees abound.
There are so many seasonal concerts—this is city of
Mozart and Strauss, Hayden and Mahler—and other events
in Vienna, you’d be forgiven for being overwhelmed. The
Vienna Royal Orchestra performs at the Imperial Hall, there’s
skating on the rink outside the Rathaus, and you can torte
taste to your heart’s content in the deluxe environs of the
Hotel Sacher, Hotel Imperial, and the Bristol with its ultra
chic Art Deco style loos. Bakery apprentice Franz Sacher
invented the two-layer cake in 1832, and the Original Sacher
Torte is served exclusively at the Sacher establishments. But
the torte has its variations and they are ubiquitous.
We had stayed up a little late one evening before to
enjoy dinner at the much lauded dining room at the Palais
Coburg hotel at Coburgbastei 4, a member of Relais &
Châteaux. A majestic architectural confection, of which
Vienna, depending upon one’s view, is cursed or blessed,
the hotel was built in the 19th century as a residence for
nobility and, after subsequently falling on hard times, has
been refurbished to a level of luxury in keeping with its
illustrious roots.
Up early the following morning, we set out to hear a Mass
written by the composer Joseph Hayden and performed by
members of the choir and orchestra of the Augustinian Friars
church in the Hofburg. The expansive complex of buildings
was, until 1918, the seat of the Hapsburgs who ruled the empire
for centuries. Some of their accumulated finery can be seen in
the public salons of the Hofburg museum. But who wanted
to be inside, when Vienna, for the holiday season, at any rate,
was putting on all that dazzle.
SHOPPING:
The Graben: This famous pedestrian thoroughfare
has dozens of elegant shops to choose from. Also
try Mariahilferstrasse and the various museum gift
shops which are very good indeed.
SIGHTSEEING:
The Hofburg: The fabled former Hapsburg palace
houses dozens of grand period rooms and is also
home to the Lippizanner horses. Hofburg museum,
Michaelerkuppel (central Vienna); open daily 9 a.m.5p.m. www.hofburg.wien.at
St. Stephen’s Cathedral: Consecrated in the 12th
century, and known for its 136 meter tall steeple,
this massive and majestic house of worship should
definitely be on the list. Stefansplatz. Open daily.
For tours, 43 1 51552 3054; www.stefanskirche.at
MUMOK: The Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation Vienna is a superlative showcase for modern
and contemporary art. In the Museum Quarter.
43 1 52500 0; open daily; www.mumok.at
9
By Bentley
to Strasbourg
The flagship Bentley Mulsanne proves an ideal ride for a
two-day outing from London through French Champagne
country, with soulful Strasbourg as the grand finale.
Text and photos by John Fitzgerald
a
n invitation came my way last spring from Bentley Motors in England. I was asked
if I would be interested in driving a Mulsanne, Bentley’s flagship car, on a two-day excursion.
The jaunt would be from London to Strasbourg, the gorgeous French city in Alsace that’s also
one of the capitals of the European Union.
I’d seen Bentley’s Continental GT (in convertible version) and its Flying Spur on Toronto
streets. But I’d never been behind the wheel of a Mulsanne, with its V8 engine and posh colour
selections with names such as Portofino and Dark Cashmere.
1111
The drive would be interspersed with lunches and dinners
at several Michelin-star restaurants, including Philippe
Bohrer’s three-star Au Crocodile in Strasbourg. If I were in,
I’d join a small group of other writers in London toward the
middle of June.
Lalique, the French luxury brand associated with crystal
for more than a century, was also being promoted.
Founded by René Lalique in the 1880s, the firm’s
perfume bottles, vases and statues of female forms, animals
and other exquisite bits now include a wide product range.
Think furniture and lighting, accessories and fragrances.
Bentley for Men, a new fragrance, has been created in
collaboration with French perfumer Nathalie Lorson.
There were rather elaborate and windy descriptions
in the press material, something about the “dark throbbing
power of black pepper” meeting “invigorating bergamot
and green bay leaves” and, a bit about brown leather. The
fragrance appeals to me, and the bottle’s design mirrors the
lines and curves of a Bentley.
There’s also the Lalique for Bentley Crystal Edition, a
square-shaped perfume flacon with the iconic “Flying B,”
complete with crystal wings, as a stopper.
We would be visiting the Lalique factory and museum,
opened by Maître Lalique in 1921 in the village of Wingensur-Moder. Three hundred and fifty employees work in
the factory.
Three weeks after receiving the e-mail, I found myself
outside the Westbury Hotel in London’s Mayfair under grey
skies on a Monday morning. Pristine in impeccable hues
with impeccable names (Anthracite, Windsor Blue and other
plummy colours), the five Mulsannes we’d be driving sat
curbside in a perfect row.
You’ve heard of swank cars purring? Bentleys purr.
12
In our supercharged world, you can zip from London to
Strasbourg in a day of ambitious driving. But ours would be a
more leisurely progress. The itinerary called for us to drive our
separate ways out of London, get the Bentleys through the
Channel Tunnel and join up in Rheims in Champagne
country for lunch at two–Michelin star l’Assiette
Champenoise, a distance of about 435 kilometres.
The remainder of the afternoon would be spent travelling
through the flat Alsatian countryside and finishing the day in
Condé-Northen, a village that looks lovely at twilight, at a very
nice inn named La Grange de Condé.
As I had no heart for navigating my way out of London,
despite the preset route in the Bentley’s GPS, another writer
drove our car, which was painted Moroccan Blue. The
impeccable interior was described later by a colleague as like
being in a sumptuous living room, all soft, hide seating and
dark veneer surfaces, with the air of fat bonuses.
The Mulsanne is pretty tremendous, and I say that more as
a travel enthusiast than as a car lover, unlike some of my friends
who were orgasmic when they heard I was doing this trip. Easy
to handle, the drive as smooth as a “waveless sea” to quote
William Wordsworth about something else, the Mulsanne
gave me a memorable experience whether I was steering or
sitting back as a passenger.
The luxuries? How about a voice-activated info/
entertainment system with a 20-centimetre screen that
allows the driver to control the 3D satellite navigation
system, a 14-speaker audio system, telephone and a series of
other applications?
As I admired the interior at one point in our journey, the
radio serenaded us with, among other tunes, the Swedish duo
Icona Pop hit “I Love It” – about car crashing.
Bordering Switzerland and Germany, the Alsace-Lorraine
region was passed back and forth between France and Germany
for many years. As we drove through the flat landscape, the
big Bentley expertly manoeuvring the roundabouts, signs
indicated one or another of the dozens of white wine–
producing villages for which Alsace is famous.
The drive took us on the first evening to Condé-Northen,
a town that looks like it doesn’t get up to much, where we
dined beneath the stars in the gardens of La Grange de
Condé, a lovely inn.
Lalique, who is credited with inventing modern
jewellery, began working with glass in the 1890s and went
on to create an enormous variety of objects in both the Art
Nouveau and Art Deco periods.
As well as pieces of jewellery he created, there are dozens
of examples of perfume bottles in the Lalique museum as well
as vases and other objects, all of it beautiful, with a sense of
drama, and in colours both subtle and bold.
The last leg of the trip took us on to Strasbourg, with its
Munster cheese and sauerkraut. To our left, across the narrow
River Ill that flows through the city on its way to the Rhine,
was the steep-roofed Palais Rohan, the fine arts museum,
and beyond it, the single spire of the Gothic Cathedral of
Notre Dame, set against a vibrant blue sky. The rose-coloured
cathedral’s 142-metre bell tower gave it bragging rights as the
world’s highest building between the years 1647 and 1874,
although the townsfolk never raised sufficient funds to build a
second spire.
We had rooms at the Cour du Corbeau, which sits at the
end of the Rue des Couples off the Quai des Bateliers. With its
oak-timber framing, white plaster filling and upper galleries
dotted with boxes containing red geraniums, it’s been used as
an inn since the late 1500s.
Europe was in a major bake. I could feel it mightily even
as sunset approached and we gathered for pre-dinner drinks in
the Cour de Corbeau’s courtyard, especially with a jacket and
tie covering my sweat-soaked frame.
Luckily, the Au Crocodile was only a short distance away,
and I was soon basking in the comfort of the air-conditioned,
second-floor private dining room. The dinner, hosted by Silvio
Denz, Lalique’s 57-year-old Swiss owner, and his wife, involved
a not-interminable number of courses that I found reassuring.
The meal began with a portion of foie gras that looked as
big as a boxcar. Cod fillet accompanied by an interesting creamy
polenta followed, and there was eventually a delicious cheesecake, the rising timbre of voices from the assembled guests in
direct proportion to the consumption of Alsatian wines.
It’s as well, I thought, that the Bentley excursion was at an
end. Imagine if I had gotten used to it?
To learn more about Bentley automobiles, log on to:
www.bentleymotors.com. For information about the
Champagne and Alsace regions of France, contact
Atout France
in Montreal at 514-288-2026 or see
www.rendezvousfrance.com. The Lalique web site is:
www.lalique.com. Air France flies to France from Montreal,
Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. www.airfrance.com.
Bentley Mulsannes parked outside the Lalique Factory in
Wingen-Sur-Mode in France
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13
The Pleasures of Puerto Vallarta
By Barbara Ramsay Orr
Once overshadowed by the
Mayan Riviera, the resort that
Liz and Dick first made famous
on Mexico’s Pacific Coast is
ready for its close up again.
I like to think of Puerto Vallarta as the connoisseur’s
Mexican destination. While you can find sandy beaches,
parasailing action, zip-line courses and pirate-ship
excursions, there is also a layered culture and a rich
history. That could be the reason – combined with its reputation
as a safe destination – that the city is enjoying a renaissance.
14
“Beached out” travellers are turning to the allure of Puerto
Vallarta’s multifaceted charm.
As Señora Anna at Galeria Rodo Padilla explained to me,
“Up until the mid-sixties, Puerto Vallarta was a sleepy fishing
harbour. When actors and directors, like Elizabeth Taylor
and John Huston, started coming here, it became an ‘it’ place,
attracting development, affluent tourists and then a whole
group of artists.” She smiled, “Now PV is the pearl of Mexico.”
While the artists may have come for the wealthy
patronage, they stayed for the light and the colour. Puerto
Vallarta is a place where the clear light reflected from Banderas
Bay meets the mists of the Sierra Madre Mountains. The
effect turns the city into a painting in the making, irresistible to
anyone with a creative eye. The colonial architecture, the
graceful towers of Our Lady of Guadeloupe Cathedral, and
yellow, red and blue doors overhung with bougainvillea, have
inspired the work of visiting artists and students who come to
study at the local art schools.
The city’s character also means that its streets are always
full of people walking the boardwalk or Malecón, enjoying
the evening paseo, or exploring the cobblestoned streets of
the old town.
The hotel district along the ocean in Nuevo Vallarta is
perfectly located, close to the beach and city centre, and within
easy reach of the airport. The Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit &
Spa Vallarta is right on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, with a
three-tiered infinity pool, golf course, tennis, and a top-end
spa that specializes in treatments incorporating ancient
ceremonial rituals and natural Mexican ingredients. Its
Restaurant Frida offers haute cuisine, while the Aqua Bar at
the pool allows you to swim up for a casual lunch.
From the hotel district, it’s an easy walk to the old town
grand • destinations
and the Zona Romantica, where the Malecón snakes along the
ocean past Los Arcos and vendors sell everything from beach
sandals to grilled mahi-mahi on a skewer. The walk will take
you past sculptures by Sergio Bustamante, Ramiz Barquet and
others, as well as incredible sand sculptures.
Farther along, the activity of Playa de los Muertos, with its
southern end a popular gay and lesbian playground, celebrates
the easy beach ethos. PV is well known as a gay- and lesbianfriendly city, with hotels, clubs and adventure tours that cater
to the gay community. The famous Blue Chairs section of Los
Muertos Beach is the centre of the gay beach area, with its
aqua chairs clustered along the shore and a rainbow flag
flying from the restaurant. The nearby “green chairs” of Club
Lido are part of a gay-owned club that provides on-the-beach
drink service and good food. Hotels like Casa Cupula, – its
tagline reads “the most luxurious gay boutique hotel in the
world” – is home to a good fitness centre and Taste, a highly
recommended restaurant.
On a Wednesday evening, I joined the weekly Art Walk
in the old town, when galleries stay open late and serve wine
and nibbles. I loved the unconventional sculptures at Galeria
Uno and the playful interpretations of traditional subjects by
Roberto Vazquez at Galeria Pacifico. And after the walk, it was
time for dinner.
The food scene in Puerto Vallerta is celebrated, another
reason that the city is an enduring favourite with discerning
travellers. Each November, the city hosts the International
Gourmet Festival, where local and international chefs
celebrate the cuisine of Mexico.
This attention to food means an embarrassment of great
choices for dinner. Bistro Teresa, perched on the hillside, is
typical of the fine dining you can enjoy in this city by the sea,
Among Puerto Vallarta’s many attractions is golf. There are
also numerous fine dining restaurants (above right), spots for
sunbathing and splashing about ((lower left) and strolling along
the city’s beautiful Malecón that fronts on the Pacific Ocean.
where the fish is freshly caught steps from the restaurant, and
where the shrimp have the snap and sweetness that tell you
they have but recently been delivered to the café’s back door
by a Mazatlán shrimper.
Dining in the lower town is livelier, with small cafes
spilling out onto the street and rooftop dining rooms crowded
and sociable. At No Way José!, orange-washed walls, blue
pottery and chicken with mole sauce sing the flavours of
Mexico. Café des Artistes and Trio offer upscale dining.
When the charms of the ocean fade, I turn up into the
old cobblestone streets of the city and visit the mercados for
bargains – sterling and turquoise jewellery, bottles of tequila
15
and vanilla, little packets of epazote and beach cover-ups. For
serious shopping, the little places along the old town’s streets,
like Mundo de Azulejos and Talavera etc, offer handmade
tiles, silver, furniture, pottery and fine jewellery. The pottery
from the village of Mata Ortiz is highly collectable, its pieces
smooth surfaced, balanced in the hand, and skilfully formed. I
bought one small Mata Ortiz pot and a handcrafted, perforated
tin lamp that, when lit, fills the room with little stars of light.
Saturdays see the sidewalks of Basilio Badillo crowded by
IF YOU GO
GETTING THERE:
Air Canada (aircanada.com), Air Transat (airtransat.ca),
WestJet (westjet.com), Delta (delta.com) and other
airlines run regular flights from several Canadian cities
to Puerto Vallarta from November to April. It is about
a five-hour flight from Toronto. Taxis are inexpensive in
PV, and it is easy to find one at the airport.
WHERE TO STAY:
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is a five-star, all-inclusive
resort directly on the beach. Av. Cocoteros, 98 Sur,
Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, C.P. 63735;
[email protected]
Casa Cupula, 129 Callejon de la Igualdad, Colonia
Amapas; 322-223-2484; casacupula.com
WHERE TO DINE:
Bistro Teresa, Carretera a Mismaloya K.M 1.5, Costa
Linda Hotel, Puerto Vallarta 48380; 322-113-0281
No Way José!, Colonia Emelia Zapata; 322-223-2853;
nowayjosemx.com
Café des Artistes, Guadalupe Sánchez 740, Centro,
Puerto Vallarta; 332-222-3228; cafedesartistes.com
Trio, Guerrero 264, Centro, Puerto Vallarta, 48300;
322-222-2196
WHAT TO DO:
Cooking classes at My Mexican Kitchen, Bucerias Art
Walk Plaza, 62 Lazaro Cardenas Street, Bucerias,
Riviera Nayarit; 322-159-0069; mymexicankitchen.com
International Gourmet Festival, Nov 14–23, 2013;
festivalgourmet.com
Art Walk; vallartaartwalk.com
Canopy Tours Puerto Vallarta;
canopytourspuertovallarta.com
Day trips with Vallarta Adventures take you to beaches,
zip lining, sport fishing; vallarta-adventures.com
WHAT TO BUY:
silver and turquoise jewellery
talavera tiles – Talavera etc: Fine Majolica Ceramica &
Antique Jewellery; Ignacio Vallarta; 266-222-4100
Mundo de Azulejos: Genuine Talavera Tile Factory;
Venustiano Carranza; 374-222-2675; talavera-tile.com
Mata Ortiz pottery, Handwoven linens
Mexican original art and sculpture at one of the many
excellent galleries that showcase Mexican artists,
like Galeria Uno, Morelos 561, tel: 322-222-0908.
Most of the galleries will arrange shipping
a farmers’ market, craft vendors and music. There are other
day trips, to the botanical gardens, to Los Arcos National
Marine Park for great snorkelling and scuba diving, to the
fishing village of Sayulita for surfing or the colonial town
of San Sebastián for its history and beauty. But my favourite
thing to do in Puerto Vallarta is to walk down to the beach
to sit with my feet in the sand, a frosty margarita in hand, to
witness the paseo and watch the sun set over the Bahía de
Banderas. It’s a magical place.
There is plenty of nightlife in Puerto Vallarta (below, top) for those
who enjoy time on the town. Visitors can also charter a sailboat
or enjoy boat tours that take in some of the scenic areas (below,
left, middle), relax and enjoy and enjoy some of the casual outdoor
eateries (middle, right) and delight in performances that highlight
Mexican folklore.
Escapades
Bedding down in Amsterdam’s sexiest hotel; renting that villa you’ve just got to have;
heading to DC for a photo fix and, of course, London calls. Grand says: DO IT
Hip Hip: The Andaz Amsterdam is a very cool boutique hotel in a very cool
city. It features 122 rooms with all the conveniences, including 42-inch TV
screens. Guestrooms have been crafted by noted interior designer Marcel
Wanders. They are bright and warm and inviting with great splashes of yellow,
a very Dutch colour, used throughout. Built on the site of the former public
library on the Prince’s Canal, the Andaz is right in the middle of Amsterdam’s
galleries and shops and restaurants. Andaz is the boutique hotel brand of Hyatt
Hotels & Resorts.
The Andaz’s Amsterdam Bluespoon restaurant is a good bet even if you are
surrounded by dozens of other dining options in the vicinity of the hotel. For
hotel reservations, search hyatt.com. Prinsengracht 587 (Prince’s Gate)
Amsterdam; 31-0-20-523-1234.
Serene in Sochi: It may be all hyperactivity at the Winter Olympics spread in this Black
Sea resort, but you’d never know it at the Rodina Grand Hotel & Spa. The hotel building
harks back to the Stalin era but has been spiffily redeveloped by Matteo Thuun, the noted
Italian architect/interior designer. Each of the 37 smartly decorated rooms and suites faces
the Black Sea and feature a generous terrace. There is the Moskva restaurant for Russian
specialties, and Black Magnolia for guests who prefer international fare. The spa centre is
large and comprehensive, with indoor and outdoor pools.
Rodina Grand Hotel & Spa is located at Vinogradnaya Street 33, Sochi,
Russia. It is 38 km from Sochi Airport. For reservations, call 800-745-8883
or search at lhw.com
18
Crossing on the Queen: With special onboard events
planned, the Cunard luxury liner Queen Mary 2 will be
doing two special voyages in May 2014 to mark its 10th
anniversary. Fares are from $1,099 per person based upon
double occupancy in an inside state room. The trip includes
westbound passage on the Queen Mary 2 (May 9, 2014) from
New York to Southampton. A return leg May 16, 2014 from
Southampton to New York costs the same amount.
For more details on the package, call toll-free 800-728-6273 or go to
www.cunard.com. In its 10 years of service, the Queen Mary 2 has hosted
half a million passengers. As they say, this is the only way to go.
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh
Face Off: Iconic photographs of American notables taken by Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002)
are on display for the first time at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Among the Ottawa-based Karsh’s photographs being shown are those of Grace Kelly,
Albert Einstein and Sir Winston Churchill.
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh
Yousuf Karsh: American Portraits is being shown in two phases. The first
exhibition runs until April 27, 2014, followed by the second installment May 2
to November 2, 2014. This is the first time the National Gallery has devoted an
exhibition to a man regarded as one of Canada’s preeminent photographers.
Eighth and F Streets SW, Washington; 202-633-8300; npg.si.edu
Secret’s Out: Located in the lesser Antilles northwest of Martinique,
Secret Bay in Dominica (not the Dominican Republic) is a secluded cliff top oasis to
which you may want to escape once the weather gets nippy. The beautifully designed
sustainable wooden villas and bungalows feature many of the conveniences you’d
expect at a larger resort. There are beaches a short distance away. Take a yoga class,
have a message and dine on organically grown food. Discover your surroundings,
including the colourful town of Portsmouth. Pretty swell way to spend a week or two.
To view a photo gallery of Secret Bay and see which villas or bungalows
might be right for you, log on to: secretbay.dm. Canadian charter carriers
fly to Melville Hall Airport in Roseau, Dominica’s capital.
19
grand • escapades
Riviera Retreat: Relax on the Mayan Riviera at the beautiful Maroma Resort. The 63-room
Orient Express property (ocean and garden views available) features two very good restaurants
that celebrate Yucatán culinary traditions, an elaborate spa with sweat lodge, three swimming
pools, and intriguing excursions such as exploring the nearby caves. There are numerous resorts
on the Riviera, but this one definitely stands out. You need venture nowhere else.
Call 866-454-9351 for reservations or visit maromahotel.com. The resort
is located off Hwy 307, Km 51, Riviera Maya. Home will seem a distant
memory once you see that sunset with a margarita.
Pleasure palaces: From English country houses to Italian villas, you can
rent some of the world’s most stunning digs through British-based Petersham
Properties, a luxury holiday home rental agency. These are all substantial
properties with large grounds, ensuring the maximum privacy for you and
your family and friends. Choose from villas on Mustique in the Grenadines,
Jamaica, Costa Rica and elsewhere in the world. Rent a hotel or castle if you
really want to do it up brown.
To book or learn more about what’s available when you want it, contact
Petersham Properties by visiting petershamproperties.com. If skiing is
your thing and you want to do it in Europe, Petersham has a number of
chalets for rent in Verbier, Switzerland.
Blow up: Head to London’s Embankment Galleries this month (until March 2, 2014) to
see a dazzling exhibition featuring the life and wardrobe of arts and fashion patron, the
late Isabella Blow. Credited with discovering models such as Stella Tennant and Sophie
Dahl, designers Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald and others, as well as having an
extraordinary sense of style, Blow influenced a generation. More than 100 of her truly
singular garments are on show in Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!
Somerset House, the Isabella Blow Foundation and the famous London
art and design school, Central Saint Martins, are presenting Isabella Blow:
Fashion Galore! The Embankment Galleries are located at Strand, Covent
Garden. The galleries are three minutes’ walk from Temple tube station.
somersethouse.org.uk.
20
grand • destinations
spa
circuit
By Danya Cohen
22
With an array of sophisticated
treatments, not to mention
super-swank interiors, six luxury
Caribbean spas take tuning out
to a new level of comfort.
As the sun retires earlier and the freshness of fall turns inhospitable, you may feel the familiar call
of warm trade winds beckoning you to your favourite Caribbean island for sand, sun and surf. But
don’t overlook the fourth “s” that the Caribbean delivers. Spa. Those seeking a warm retreat during
the winter months have long favoured the Caribbean for its stunning beaches and reliable weather.
But it’s also a top-caliber pampering hub. The Caribbean’s health and wellness industry has been
getting regional and international backing to make it the top spa destination on the globe.
With newer boutique hotels becoming “wellness” destinations, and more than 20 world-class
spas in place, the Caribbean offers ancient Ayurveda as well as the latest skin technologies from
Europe and the United States. Rich in hot springs and with a plethora of exotic treatments available,
such as sugar-cane scrubs, the Caribbean offers stressed travellers a renewal experience in some
of the most spectacular settings, and all just a short-haul flight away.
Peter Island Resort & Spa – BVI
Sandy Lane Spa – Barbados
Como Shambhala Retreat – Turks & Caicos
Blue Spa at Carlisle Bay – Antigua
Silver Rain Spa – Grand Cayman
Viceroy Spa – Anguilla
Accessible only by helicopter, ferry and yacht, the Peter
Island Resort & Spa in the British Virgin Islands is situated on
the magnificent White Beach – said to have inspired Robert
Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. East meets west with Ayurvedic
treatments administered by Indian-trained practitioners.
Once you’ve been drizzled in doshic oils to rebalance your
energies, and after inhaling the scents of local tropical lime and
frangipani,even the most plugged in and stressed out of guests
will relax. Choose one of 10 treatment rooms, or better yet,
spend the day in a private, open-air bohio where the latest skin
treatments, like the Diamond Experience Facial favoured by
Hollywood’s Oscar-season crowd, are delivered seaside.
If your love affair with the Caribbean goes from sun-kissed
to sun-scorched, don’t fret. The stunning spa at Carlisle Bay
specializes in treatments for sun-damaged skin and is sure to
rejuvenate even the most leathery of complexions. Care for a
shiatsu massage... for your face? Try this award-winning (much
gentler) version of the invigorating treatment for a fool-yourfriends lift, or spend an hour devoted to beautifying your back.
Set on the unspoiled beaches of the southern coast, the spa
ambience is enhanced by the exotic sounds of tropical birds
and scents of the surrounding Antiguan rainforest.
Upon arriving via complimentary Bentley airport transfer,
you’ll feel just like the celebrities to which this award-winning
spa regularly caters. Sandy Lane is one of the most famous and
luxurious resorts in the Caribbean. And the grand impressions
continue once you set foot inside the spa. Notice the Palladianinspired rotunda and columned entrance finished in white marble
and voile draping, waterfall flowing into the main pool, and the Koi
pond adjoining the 14 treatment rooms. Despite the striking setting,
it’s the service and unique facilities of the spa that draw stars
like Simon Cowell and Tiger Woods. Like the spa Rhassoul –
this cavernous steam room, named for the mineral rich clay used
for centuries in North Africa, is the only one in the Caribbean.
The spa is named for the healing Swiss glacial waters
used throughout. As La Prairie’s flagship spa, the design is
apparent from the moment you enter the cavernous entrance,
where a magnificent water wall and glass, up-lit floors atop an
indoor river create a sense that you are entering something
between a cave and an igloo. With water cascading
from the walls, underfoot and providing inspiration for the
locker keys (formed into tiny silver raindrops), the result is an
homage to the spa’s star ingredient. And if that weren’t enough
of heaven, you’ll soon be convinced once the spa’s angels help
you curate your own playlist for your stay.
The holistic COMO Shambhala Retreat in Parrot Cay does
its best to elevate pampering to divine heights. Taking inspiration
from Buddhist mythology, ”Shambhala” refers to a sacred place
of bliss and is achieved with a spa menu committed to mental,
physical and spiritual wellness. The spa is located on the quiet,
east side of the island, amid lush wetlands. If you are interested
in the Eastern approach, consult an Ayurvedic doctor for
treatments ranging from shiatsu to a customized detox. But if
it is inner peace you seek, book some time with the in-house
intuitive counsellor. Better yet, feel like royalty in a flower-filled
Japanese bath, or spend some time contemplating the glorious
subtleties between a Balinese and Thai massage.
The Atlantic-side oceanfront spa at the Anguilla Viceroy
offers guests a view of the powder-white beaches of Meads Bay
below. With naturally bleached wood, custom-carved furniture
and geometric art, the world-class design is elemental, exotic
yet modern. Renovated in 2013, the spa has added seven
waterfront treatment rooms and three oceanfront cabanas,
ensuring that guests can be pampered poolside or seaside.
Watch the sun melt daily into azure waters from the salt-water
infinity pool or, if you’re looking for more, take advantage of the
spa’s cooking, meditation and healthy lifestyle classes.
23
WATER WAYS
SCENIC AND SATISFYING, WHAT WITH THE RELAXED PACE,
COMFORTABLE CABINS AND CLOSE ACCESS TO DESTINATIONS,
RIVER CRUISING IS GROWING FAST, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE.
BY TONY LEIGHTON
24
S
My wife and I recently returned from a river cruise in
southern France, our third in Europe, and I have become a
river evangelist. For those of us without private yachts, there’s
no better way to travel. I used to favour trains, with their
unmolested, off-road vantage and ability to transport you
smoothly into the core of a city. No more. Ships on rivers have
stolen my heart.
The allure is contagious. More than 1.5 million people
now cruise the world’s rivers annually, mostly in Europe. The
largest cruise operators – Viking, Scenic, Avalon, AmaWaterways,
Tauck, and Uniworld – are building ultra-luxurious, five-star
ships of 120 metres or more, as if preparing for war, which
in fact they are. With about 200 ships now cruising the big
European rivers, competition is white hot. And that competition
is good for travellers, because the battle is being fought on all
the fronts that matter: service, amenities and itineraries.
Our recent 12-day cruise through southern France with
Scenic Cruises was emblematic of the art. We cruised along
the Saône River into the Rhône River and gradually down
through the wine districts of southern France, almost to the
Mediterranean. Beaujolais. Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Côtes
du Rhône. Côte-Rôtie. You can almost taste them as you
say them. We moored at many small towns and one large
city (Lyon). With capable guides, we were bussed into the
countryside to visit winemakers, a restored château, a truffle
farm, a breathtaking Roman aqueduct, markets, churches,
castles, and the Paul Bocuse Institute, where we watched a
chef perform his magic on unwitting crayfish.
The quality of life on the 135-metre Scenic Emerald is
relaxed and refined. We began each day when our butler,
Gabor, brought espresso and tea to our compact but wellappointed room. We ate like aristocrats (coq au vin, red snapper
in mustard crust, veal loin with asparagus stuffing, and the
finest châteaubriand I’ve ever experienced). The wines were
consistently good and, like all other beverages, excursions
and gratuities, they were included in the package. As we
sipped champagne or Kir royal in the sumptuous lounge before
dinner, France rolled languidly past on the other side of floor-toceiling windows.
Part of what recommends river cruising is that it isn’t
ocean cruising. On river ships, you travel with about 150 other
passengers, not 4,000, so the experience is more intimate
and personal. You get to know the staff, and they get to know
your preferences. There’s no surcharging – an irritating plague
on many ocean cruises – and you spend more time on land,
exploring and immersing in history with local guides, often
docking in the hearts of European cities.
Those are some of the best reasons to take a river cruise.
Here are the others that matter most to us:
Compressed Variety • There’s not a wasted day. That
can seldom be said on oceans. When cruising rivers, you visit
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ vessel River Queen makes its way
leisurely along the Moselle River (top photo) that flows through France,
Luxembourg and Germany. A beautifully styled cabin (bottom left) is
featured on one of the Scenic Cruises vessels. Tables are set for a romantic terrace dinner on a Viking Cruises voyage (bottom right).
Uniworld Cruises River Empress (top) passes through Wertheim in Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg; a lavish buffet (bottom right) greets guests
aboard Uniworld’s River Royale; a view of the River Royale’s exterior.
riverside villages and towns that bus groups and road travellers
don’t frequent in overwhelming numbers. And the variety
is bracing. One day, you can be in the Baroque Benedictine
abbey of Melk (Austria), possibly the most jaw-droppingly
ornate church in Christendom, the next day in Nuremberg, a
chilling yet mesmerizing reminder of Nazi self-glorification.
Frictionless Travel • While you see so much, you never
feel rushed. All the top river-cruise companies orchestrate the
experience so there’s no struggle – with a foreign language,
a map, a road sign, even a guidebook. You transition from a
good meal to an edifying attraction and back to a good meal in
a seamless flow of vacation gratification.
River Life • On rivers, you are low in the water and close
to the shore. Towns and cities come and go. Vineyard-carpeted
hillsides slope to the water, some studded with castles.
Hundreds of bridges loom overhead. Vacationers in trailer parks
wave as you churn past, mere metres from their lawn chairs. It’s
a movie that rolls for two weeks.
Sociability • Sharing a ship with fewer fellow passengers
means you have an opportunity to get to know some of them.
On our French trip with Scenic, we clicked with several couples,
sharing meals and bus rides and, most memorably, a hosted
evening at a winegrower’s farm on a Beaujolais hilltop. The
vintners, a couple, served eight of us a home-cooked supper –
and plenty of their wine – at a big table by their hearth.
One of the best reasons to go river cruising is the fierce
competition among the major operators. As they ratchet up the
amenities and inclusions to win market share, we buyers are
being treated to a standard of travel once known only to the
aristocratic class.
The ships are getting more elaborate. Tauck River
Cruising’s fifth river ship will be 23 percent longer but will carry
only 10 percent more passengers, so there’s more room for
everyone (130, versus 190 on some ships). AmaWaterways
will somehow fit a heated swimming pool on its new ships.
Scenic has built glassed-in “sun lounge” balconies on most
25
rooms, and offers complimentary, self-guiding GPS devices,
electrically assisted bicycles, two garment pressings per day,
Apple computers in every room, and a “pillow menu” to meet
the preferences of every head. All included.
Themed cruises are adding new slants to familiar
landscapes. With Viking, you can tour the “Romantic
Danube Christmas Markets.” AmaWaterways offers “Fall Flings
for Oenophiles” with American and European wine experts on
board. Avalon has developed themed cruises based on wine,
beer, Impressionist art, jazz, World War II, and Jewish heritage.
Once you’ve cruised the traditional European routes
several times, as we have, there’s no need to stop. Abercrombie
& Kent offers more than 30 canal cruises in France for small
groups. Uniworld and Viking are now in Portugal and Spain
with shorter, custom-built ships. In fact, no reasonably large,
navigable, politically safe river in the world is immune to cruise
companies. Uniworld (and others) will take you down the
Mekong from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The
Yangtze, Amazon, Nile and Mississippi are all options.
Our next river desire? The Irrawaddy, the 2,100-kilometre
Burmese river Kipling called the “Road To Mandalay.” Myanmar
has only recently opened to tourism after 50 years of isolation,
and the river companies are there. Six of them are launching
small, well-outfitted, colonial-style cruise boats in 2014,
touching Yangon, Bagan, Pyay, and Mandalay. Near Bagan
alone, there are over 2,000 temples, pagodas and monasteries
to explore. Real, raw, untrammelled Asia. From the snug refuge
of your five-star floating hotel.
Guests enjoy al fresco dining (top left) on Uniworld cruises; the River Princess, a Uniworld ship (bottom left) travels past the city of Regensburg in Germany;
a 41 sq. meter stateroom aboard Viking’s Aegir Explorer (top right); one of the talented chefs on Uniworld ships, including the River Ambassador.
All-Inclusive Luxury:
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)
(limited availability unless otherwise sold out)
TOUR CODE: STC
THE NETHERLANDS
5 star
Amsterdam
luxury
Düsseldorf
Cologne
GERMANY
Marksburg
CZECH
Bamberg
REPUBLIC
Nuremberg
Main River
Rüdesheim
Wertheim
Würzburg
Rothenburg
Regensburg
Cesky Krumlov
14
Passau
Linz
Salzburg
Dürnstein
Melk
AUSTRIA
Danube River
Vienna
SLOVAKIA
Bratislava
Budapest
HUNGARY
EARLY BOOKING INCENTIVES
AVAILABLE
Contact your local Cruise Holidays – Scenic Tours Specialist today!
Clarkson
London
Metro East
Mississauga
26
From $6,455* pp twin share
MainDanube
Canal
■
All
inclusive
BUDAPEST TO AMSTERDAM
er
e Riv
■
THE ULTIMATE RIVER CRUISE
EXPERIENCE
Rhin
■
Luxury staterooms and suites
Private Outdoor Balcony Suites with
Scenic ‘Sun Lounges’
Personal butler for every guest
World class cuisine
Unlimited complimentary beverages†
Scenic Tailormade-personal
GPS tour guide
Complimentary in-suite mini bar
Onboard entertainment and lectures
All shore excursions and special events
Electric bicycles
Complimentary Wi-Fi internet
Personalised airport transfers†
All tipping and gratuities
15 Day Jewels of Europe
River Cruise
905-855-1700
519-474-1111
905-426-7884
905-602-6566
Oakville
Calgary
W. Vancouver
White Rock
905-337-2228
403-245-0003
604-921-3393
604-531-3307
TICO # 50018778
*Conditions Apply. Prices based on per person twin share in CAD, are strictly limited & subject to availability on specific dates, until sold out. Offers for new
bookings only and not in conjunction with any other offers and may be withdrawn at any time. Any maps or other route depictions are intended as an indication
only and are subject to change. Offer available until February 28, 2014 unless sold out prior. Deposit must be paid by February 28, 2014 to qualify. Port taxes
from $400 per person are not included. † Very small number of rare, fine & vintage wines, champagnes and spirits not included. Airport transfers are only
available on the first and last day of your tour and at times we designate. For full terms and conditions refer to Scenic Tours Europe Luxury River Cruises & Tours
2014/ 2015 brochure. BC consumer protection #40178. 900 West Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V6C 2W6.
great
gifts
to give
5
by Irene Poplar
5
grand • geared up
1 Giro Snow Helmet with Go Pro Mount
The Giro Edit Snow Helmet comes with a mount for your GOPRO
camera. The helmet is state of the art with thermostat control
buttons on the outside so you can easily open and close the 10
air vents inside. When mounted with the GOPRO wide angle
helmet cam, you can record cinema quality video as you
swish down the hills (and you can remotely control the
camera with an app on your smart phone).
(giro.com, $520 for both helmet and cam)
Emilio Pucci Sarong
Stay cool, breezy and impeccably fashionable
with this stunning Emilo Pucci Sarong.
Perfect for poolside and long walks on the
beach the cotton-voile material will dry
quickly and is easily matched with other
pieces in the collection.
(netaporter.com $595)
2 Longines 24 Hour Watch
Used by Swissair navigators, this iconic
time piece came into prominence in the
1950’s. Because of the technology of the
time, it was impossible to depend on
the position of the sun when crossing
back and forth across time zones. This
24-hour watch was developed so Swissair
navigators could keep track of exactly
where they were in the skies. Still stylish
today, the self-winding 24 hour watch
has been re-released by Longines.
(www.longines.com $3,450)
3 TrackDot Luggage Tracker
Never lose your luggage again. This little
device is connected to your smart phone and
will send a GPS signal
back to you. When
you land you’ll receive
a text message telling
you where your luggage
has arrived. So if you
land in Costa Rica and
your luggage goes to
Helsinki at least you’ll
know where it is.
(trakdot.com $65)
4
Cologne Bag from Pompidoo
Who says camera bags can’t be fashion
forward? This beautiful all natural leather
bag combines functionality and design.
With two compartments you can easily
combine your purse and your camera bag
into one. This little bag just made airport
security a whole lot easier.
(pompidoo.com $323)
27
What I Love About . . .
H
n
i
t
s
u
A
A Q&A
Q&A with Jake Silverstein
Editor-in-chief of the award-winning Texas Monthly
magazine, based in Austin, Jake Silverstein has a sense
of presence and of place. California-born, he has lived
in Texas since the 1990s, when he received his Master
of Fine Arts degree from the Michener Center for
Writers at the University of Texas at Austin. A former
Fulbright scholar and author of Nothing Happened and
Then It Did: a Chronicle in Fact and Fiction published by
W.W. Norton in 2010, 38-year-old Silverstein is also a
contributing editor to Harper’s Magazine.
Where are places you go when you want to
hear live music?
Hands down my current favourite is the Moody Theatre.
That’s where the Austin City Limits TV show is taped.
Best acoustics in town. And a great atmosphere,
too. Make sure to stop by the Willie Nelson statue on
your way in.
What’s the most beautiful spot in Austin?
Barton Creek Greenbelt after a fair amount of rain. Park
at the trailhead near 360 and Mopac and hike to Twin
Falls (less than a mile). It’s gorgeous. Incredible to think
you’re only five minutes from the state Capitol.
Every city has its funny little ways. What are
Austin’s?
Austin’s unofficial motto is “Keep Austin Weird”, and
you see that on bumper stickers, T-shirts, etc. As a
high-tech, 21st-century city with a booming creative
class, the city is honestly no longer as weird as it once
was, but the locals still have an innate appreciation for
eccentricity and singularity in all its many forms. Austin
also doesn’t have the money of Dallas or Houston, so
there’s not as much glitz and glamour.
What’s your favourite dive?
Texas Chili Parlor. A bowl of red. A mug of cheap beer.
Another mug of cheap beer. Possibly a whiskey. This
place has been around forever. It’s friendly, simple, and
the food’s good enough.
You’ve probably been to most of the hotels and
good restaurants in Austin. Which do your prefer?
Why?
The best new hotels in town are the St. Cecilia, the
San José, and the Bunkhouse. These are the places
where the rock stars stay when they come to town. For
something less hip, you can’t beat the Four Seasons
(even if you’re not staying there, go have a drink at the
bar and then go watch the bats come out from under
the Congress Avenue Bridge at sundown – largest
urban bat colony in the United States). As for restaurants,
my favourites are Franklin Barbecue, Qui, Vespaio, and
Fonda San Miguel. Eat and repeat.
With its eclectic music scene as one reason,
isn’t Austin the coolest city in Texas?
All the major cities in Texas have pretty interesting art
scenes – from Southtown in San Antonio to Bishop Arts
in Dallas. Austin is great for music, and it does have a
certain cool factor, too. For generations it was the place
where people who didn’t fit in elsewhere in Texas would
move. But be forewarned, the common complaint
about Austin from Texans who live in other cities is that
it thinks it’s the state’s coolest city.
Folks in Austin probably have a lot of places where
they go for a good time. Where do they head when
they want to put on the dog?
There are too many places to name. Some of the
legendary ones are the Continental Club, the Broken Spoke,
Antoine’s, and, of course, 6th Street (for the fake ID set).
South Congress is a good place to spend the evening.
28
image © Jeff Wilson.com
It hosts Formula One, is home to Apple, eBay
and Whole Foods Market, and stages the famous
South by Southwest music festival each year.
How does Austin feel different from Texas cities
such as Houston and Dallas?
It’s a much smaller town than either of those cities, to
begin with. So you feel the presence of those festivals
more – partly because of that and because of the
university. Austin is a very young town, but we also have
the Capitol here. So it’s not all baristas and guitarists.
If Austin has a signature drink, what is it?
The Mexican Martini. A margarita served in a martini
glass with olives. Sounds weird if you’ve never tried it,
but they’re great and ubiquitous in Austin. Also deadly.
Where would you go in town if you couldn’t sleep?
Lady Bird Lake – followed by a bowl of oatmeal at the
24 Diner. This is not a nocturnal city. There aren’t that
many places open after midnight.
I have a morning free. Where do I go?
The Texas state Capitol. No question. It’s a magnificent
building, and the grounds are good for wandering.
Who is Austin’s most famous/infamous resident?
Willie Nelson. Both famous and infamous.
When was your last great argument about Texas?
What was it about?
In June 2013, we picked a fight with the entire world
over the supremacy of Texas barbecue. Our contention
was – and is – that Texas barbecue (the best of which is
currently being served at Franklin Barbecue in Austin) is
superior to all other forms of barbecue. This raised a lot
of hackles around the American south and elsewhere.
Go to tmbbq.com to see how that worked out!
grand • lasting impression
Heaven Sent
The unpretentious town of Samara Beach
on the western shore of Costa Rica’s Nicoya
Peninsula is a great spot to escape to. Nothing
much reckless or overly energetic happens
in Samara Beach aside from swinging on a
cerveza, reading trash or taking a kayak out
when the water is so welcoming you can’t
resist its lure. There are usually one or two
well-padded officers seated on scruffy plastic
chairs outside the tiny Policia station but
not many bad guys from the look of things.
Samara Beach has a white painted church
with twin steeples. And it was the tops of
the steeples of that modest church that first
drew me. I saw them one afternoon cast
against a magnificent blue sky. The simplicity
and humility of their design, even accounting
for the community having had to probably
work with modest building funds, was what
I found so appealing. They never failed to
focus me when I passed. I’d be lost in thought
about this or that, processing the sights and
sounds and shades. Oh, the amazing colours,
the riot of fierce pastels and swaths of green
that mark Costa Rica. How attractive a
construction I’d think of the steeples, chaste
and cheerful, each topped by a delicate cross.
Photo and text by
John Fitzgerald
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