MAGAZINE OF THE MARCO POLO CLUB Spin

M AG A ZINE O F T HE M AR CO PO LO CLUB
Spin doctors: the custom-bike-makers + Treasure hunt
in London + 24 hours in Beijing + Antique-map experts
show the way + Cathay Pacific’s new environment team
QUARTER ONE 2009
36
contents
MESSAGE FROM THE CLUB
10
EXPLORE HONG KONG
12
Mozart,
Moza
Mo
zart
rt, mo
movi
movies
vies
es and
and m
mem
mementos
emen
ento
toss
36
WHAT’S ON
14
22
ON THE WING
44
FEATURES
EXPERT ADVICE
46
BESPOKE
49
24 HOURS
From hutongs to hip hang-outs,
the once-forbidden city has it all
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Grace Poon Mun Wong Ella Young
The Club is published by Cathay Pacific Loyalty Programmes Ltd. (CPLP) Cathay Pacific – The Marco Polo Club,
PO Box 1024, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Hong Kong. Tel +852 2747 5500 Fax +852 2537 9900. No part of
this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of CPLP Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2009 by CPLP Ltd. Opinions in The Club are the writers’ and not necessarily endorsed by
CPLP Ltd. Manuscripts, photographs, drawings and other materials will not be returned unless they
are accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and appropriate international postal coupons. The Club
cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.
2 THE CLUB
CLUB EVENTS
The Marco Polo Club
ub
Golf Classic and
Christmas drinks
with the Chairman
A properly fitted customised
bike will take you a long way
28
INSIDE CX
eStatements: the
greener, cleaner
way to go
Find your way around the world
of antique maps
22
28
CHOICE
Natural beauties: brown-chip
design classics
16
TRAVEL
London treasure hunt:
unt:
Follow the money in
n the
capital of capital
Rugby Sevens, film festival
and botanical art
CX NEWS
Mobile check-in, new
w
amenity kits, Asia Miles™
iles™ award
ASIAN IN-FLIGHT MEDIA LIMITED
Managing Director Peter Jeffery +852 2850 4013 peterjeff[email protected]
Hong Kong, Advertisement Director (Cathay Pacific) Teresa Ngai +852 3106 8133 [email protected]
ACP MAGAZINES ASIA LIMITED
Unit 604-5, 6/F, 625 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Tel +852 3921 7000 Fax +852 3921 7099 Email [email protected]
Editor in Chief William Fraser • Chief Sub Editor Andy Gilbert • Sub Editors Ellen Wong, Gloria Chow, Kathy Wang, Yam Yim Lan,
Kylie Wong, John Cramer • Designers Shaun Horrocks, Karen Chan, Gigi Lee • Photo Editor Elisa Fu • Production Manager Jimmy Tse
• Assistant Production Manager Chris Wong • Chief Executive Officer Julie Sherborn • Publishing Manager Alky Cheung
Printer: Paramount Printing Company Limited
Courtesy of Altfield; Sculpture:: Michael Reynolds
DEPARTMENTS
06
EXPLORE THE WORLD
Perfumes, performances
and pampered pets
Photos. Crown: Tim Graham – Getty Images; Map:
04
16
M E SSAG E FR O M T H E CLU B
“e” is for enhancements
Katie Rowen, Manager The Marco Polo Club
I
n my previous “Message from the Club” I
mentioned that we continue to be committed to improving our products and
services at every opportunity. A journey
of a thousand miles begins with a single step
– or so the saying goes. In these high-tech times
it is quite likely that first step will be online. I
would like to share with you some recent
enhancements that we have made to our online
services so that your journey can get off to the
best start possible.
From 1 January we made “Priority Awards”
available for instant online flights redemption.
Redeemable for Economy Class seats on
Cathay Pacific and Dragonair flights, the miles
required to redeem a “Priority Award” are
greater than for a normal Economy Class ticket,
but then so is the priority of your confirmation.
By redeeming a round-trip Priority Award or
combining a one-way Priority Award with a
Standard Award, you can enjoy added flexibility
4 THE CLUB
when arranging your next redemption flight
– especially useful in peak travel periods.
Once your journey is booked, check-in is the
next step. Online check-in continues to increase
in popularity but now, when you travel with us,
you no longer need to print out your check-in
confirmation – you can merely download it or
email it to your mobile phone or PDA.
At airports equipped with Self Check-In
Kiosks, simply scan your barcode to retrieve
your boarding pass or, alternatively, show your
confirmation to our check-in staff to be issued
with your boarding pass.
We thought it would be even more convenient if you could print your own boarding pass
before you come to the airport. Now you can. If
you’re flying from Hong Kong, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Bahrain or Kuala
Lumpur airports you can check-in online, choose
your seat then print your boarding pass from any
computer with a printer. If you don’t have checkin luggage you can go directly to your gate. If you
do, just bring your bags to our Self Check-In Bag
Drop Counter. I hope this helps to save you valuable time when travelling with us.
We have also realised that it can sometimes
be difficult to enjoy our online services when
on the go – so we have just introduced a new
mobile site for Dragonair and enhanced the
Cathay Pacific one.
Simply log on to m.dragonair.com or
m.cathaypacific.com to check-in, check your
mileage balance, access travel information,
schedules, flight status and view important
updates and special offers from your mobile
phone or PDA. I hope these developments will
enhance your journey with us.
May I take this opportunity to wish you a
happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Ox.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Kung Hei Fat Choy!
E XPLO R E H O N G KO N G
Mozart, movies and mementos
TON UP FOR HONG KONG FILM
Hong Kong cinema celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The first local movie was made in
1909, a comic short Stealing a Roast Duck. In the
post-war years, Mandarin-speaking films thrived
in Hong Kong before Cantonese-language cinema
came to the fore in the 1970s and Hong Kong cinema
achieved international attention in the 1980s. Check out
the Hong Kong Film Archive to see some of city’s cinematic treasures.
Flamingo at
Kadoorie Farm
Ticket to the Tai
Ping Theatre
Hong Kong Film Archive, 50 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho, +852 2739 2139
Bruce Lee takes on
Chuck Norris in
Way of the Dragon
FRAGRANCE OF THE REGION
Michelia alba
6 THE CLUB
The fragrant flowers of Michelia alba, which belongs to the magnolia
family and is also known as white orchid tree, are blooming now.
Originally from Southeast Asia, this evergreen tree has thrived in Hong
Kong and can reach up to nine metres tall. In the past, women decorated their hair with the flowers and pinned them on their clothes and
taxi drivers sometimes still use them to scent their cars. The flowers
are also used as essential oils for the cosmetics industry. You can pick
up some from street peddlers who often sell them in small packets.
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic
Garden, Lam Kam Road,
Tai Po, New Territories
+852 2483 7200
www.kfbg.org
Opposite page: Orchestra: Courtesy of HKPO. Old HK: Popperfoto/Getty Images
CONSERVATION THE KEY
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic
Garden played an important
role in educating local farmers
about diversity and improving
their livelihood. The farm has
shifted its focus to educate the
public about environmental
issues. Its programmes include
nature appreciation, gardening
and planting workshops and an
organic farmers’ market. The
flora and fauna conservation
activities include protecting
native orchids and rehabilitating
birds of prey.
Photos. This page. Ticket: EyePress News/EyePress. Bruce Lee: AFP/Getty Images. Flamingo: Danny Tong.
www.filmarchive.gov.hk
FABRIK OF SOCIETY
Established by three private collectors in 2007, Fabrik Contemporary
Art has brought the artworks of internationally known artists from
around the world. It began with “guerilla exhibitions”, shows in temporary locations such as other private galleries and hotels, but it has
now acquired its own gallery space.
Made in Japan, 4-15 March: Neo-pop Japanese artists Takashi
Murakami, Chiho Aoshima, Aya Takano and Araki Tamana.
The Great British Show, 6-17 May: Damien Hirst, Chapman Brothers,
Sam Taylor-Wood and
Francis Bacon.
String theory: Hong Kong
Philharmonic Orchestra
Room 412, 4/F Yip Fung
Building, 2-18 D’Aguilar
Street, Central
+852 2525 4911
MOZART IN OUR CITY
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra continues its hugely popular Mozart in the City series
with a concert sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways. The programme centrepiece is Sinfonia
Concertante K.364, Mozart’s concerto for violin and viola. The performance, directed by
concertmaster John Harding, also features Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Bartók’s
Divertimento and the Cantilena pacifica by contemporary Australian composer Richard Meale.
Art work by Damien Hirst
www.fabrik-gallery.com
Hong Kong
old transport
Sinfonia Concertante, 10 and 11 April, Hong Kong City Hall, Central
www.hkpo.com
FACETS OF LOVE
Jewellery has always been an expression of love and the
dazzling exhibition Le Grand Frisson, mounted by renowned
Parisian jeweller Chaumet, includes national treasures, given
as
a declarations of love between royals, as well as sentimental
items
ite from private collections. Many pieces incorporate coded
messages. Le Grand Frisson, 31 March-30 April,
Chaumet Boutique, St George’s Building,
2 Ice House Street, Central
www.chaumet.com
Pendant given by Elizabeth I to her cousin
Lord Hunsdon – cannon guard cupid (top)
Diamond myrtle leaves, symbol of grace,
love and virginity (far left)
Ruby pendant created in the 1850s for
Empress Eugènie (left)
Stanley
Kwan’s The
Dragon and
the Crown
LOCAL COLOUR
The Hong Kong branch of the Royal Asiatic
Society regularly organises visits and
lectures on cultural and historical topics.
A lecture by Stanley Kwan on his recent
book, The Dragon and the Crown: Hong
Kong Memoirs, will be held on 6 March.
Please visit the website for more events.
www.royalasiaticsociety.org.hk
THE CLUB 7
E XPLO R E H O N G KO N G
Music, dance, theatre, opera. Contemporary and traditional. Western and Eastern. The Hong Kong Arts Festival returns in February with a wide array of programmes,
featuring 37 performing groups – 29 from overseas and
eight from Hong Kong. This is a rare chance for
classical music- lovers
Latvian
National
Opera’s
Alcina
to enjoy performances by some of the world’s leading orchestras: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra,
Britain’s Northern Sinfonia (considered Europe’s
best chamber orchestra), the Amsterdam Baroque
Orchestra and the acclaimed Deutsches SymphonieOrchester Berlin, performing large-symphonic works
by Austro-Germa
Austro-German masters.
A startling lineline-up of jazz and world music is also on
offer: Chick Corea and John McLaughlin share the stage
again four decades
decade after playing in Miles Davis’s band.
An outstanding array of contemporary dance is in store
as well. Award-win
Award-winning French actress Juliette Binoche
and British star dan
dancer-choreographer Akram Khan
co-create, perform and direct In-I, exploring the universal
topic of love and lo
loving. Hong Kong Ballet’s All Bach is
four numbers of si
sizzling modern ballet based on the
music of Johann Sebastian
Bach.
S
The Latvian Nat
National Opera stages two performances:
Alcina, a baroque opera
to commemorate its composer
o
Handel’s 250th anniversary,
and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk,
an
a 20th-century Russian
masterpiece by Shostakovich.
Rus
London’s Lyric Hammersmith
and Iceland’s Vesturport
H
Theatre bring their
thei eerie production of Kafka’s
Metamorphosis, which
wh has enjoyed rave sold-out
performances in Britain,
Iceland and South Korea.
B
There are also choices for the family. The English
National Ballet
Balle re-enacts Lewis Carroll’s classical
surreal wo
world with Alice in Wonderland.
the four-man group Karbido makes
And th
music sshowing that a table is not only a piece
but also can be an amazing
of furniture
furni
wooden instrument that can produce a
woode
symphony of sounds drawing from African
symph
rhythms, Mongolian song and, yes, even
rhythm
Jimi H
Hendrix.
Hon Kong Arts Festival
Hong
6 Fe
February-8 March
www.hk.artsfestival.org
ww
8 THE CLUB
Karbido plays The Table
English National Ballet’s
Alice in Wonderland
The Amsterdam
Baroque Orchestra
Photos. Ballet: Bill Cooper. The Table: L. Gawronski. Orchestra: Marco Borggreve
FESTIVAL OF ART
E XPLO R E T H E WO R LD
Perfumes, performances & pets
PERFECT SCENTS
Grasse is the centre of perfume-making
in France, where the finest jasmines and
roses are grown, and home to a museum
dedicated to perfume. Following four
years of renovation, the International
Museum of Perfumery (Musée International de la Parfumerie) has re-opened
in this picturesque Provence town. The
display area has doubled and it has a beautiful new glass gallery and terrace gardens
of botanicals used in fragrances. One
centrepiece of the museum’s 50,000-piece
collection is Marie-Antoinette’s 80-kilogram
travel vanity case equipped with the many
items necessary for the young queen’s
elaborate beauty regime.
Lap dog
of luxury
NEW LEASH OF LIFE
Since 1892, French luggage-maker Goyard has fashioned harnesses,
kennels and booties for “dogs, cats and monkeys” and has recently
reconnected with its past. Just opposite the flagship store, Goyard’s
new Parisian boutique is devoted to “pets and picnics”. Shoppers can
find a 24-piece picnic trunk alongside a diamanté dog collar called
Diane (named after one of the Goyard family’s hounds), a pet-carrying
bag and travelling water or food bowls in a hard case.
www.museesdegrasse.com
www.goyard.fr
CAPITAL IDEAS
Old spice: Antique
perfume flacon
from Grasse
museum
10 THE CLUB
Previously the site of the American embassy
to the Qing Dynasty in the early 20th century,
the 15,000-square-metre Legation Quarter
in Beijing has been refurbished and redeveloped into a top dining, shopping and art
venue. This is also where Michelin two-star
chef Daniel Boulud opened his first restaurant in Asia. The menu of Maison Boulud
Beijing reflects the chef’s French roots, with
meats imported from suppliers worldwide
but seasonal vegetables, herbs and mushrooms sourced locally.
www.legationquarter.com
www.danielnyc.com
The Bar at Maison
Boulud Beijing
ASLEEP ON THE REEF
The magic of the Great Barrier Reef doesn’t stop when
the sun goes down. Yet, due to its World Heritage
listing, there is little opportunity for anyone to spend a
night on the world’s greatest coral reef. Luckily, there is
Reefsleep, part of Reefworld, a purpose-built pontoon
moored at Hardy Reef. By day, it’s a launch pad for
guided reef expeditions. But by night, it becomes a
unique accommodation for six guests: a room for two
with king-sized bed and a shared room with two sets
of bunk beds.
www.fantasea.com.au/Reefworld/ReefSleep.
aspx
Sleep on the reef
Caption
caption
caption
caption
Nice and easy:
Michael Feinstein
BEST SHOWS IN TOWN
Nothing is more quintessentially New York
than watching a top-notch performer in an
intimate setting in a famous cabaret room.
Here are three legendary Manhattan rooms
where you can get close to cool:
Located on the ground floor of the Carlyle
Hotel, Café Carlyle regularly stages jazz
vocalist Steve Tyrell and German chanteuse
Ute Lemper. On Mondays, film-maker
Woody Allen plays the clarinet with the
Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band.
www.thecarlyle.com/entertainment.cfm
Barrier reef photo: Michael Coyne – Axiom RM/Getty Images
BENCHMARK FOR A HOT SEAT
Brahms sat on it to play his piano and Lenin perched on it writing his
political manifestos. Millions of us are likely to spend hours on it drinking and chatting in cafés. Thonet No. 14 – named after its inventor,
German-born cabinetmaker Michael Thonet – is believed to be the
first mass-produced chair and some 50 million had been sold by 1930.
The bentwood chair was a favourite of Le Courbusier and remains a
chair of choice for architects and interior designers.
Celebrating the chair’s 150th anniversary this
year, Thonet GmbH in Germany is collaborating with Japanese retailer Muji and
contemporary designers to develop new
interpretations of the classical model. The
new collection will debut this spring.
www.thonet.de
Thonet No. 14
(unassembled,
below left)
reserves a
seat in history
Feinstein’s on Park Avenue is a sophisticated cabaret club that mixes old-school
cool and hipster appeal. The star is the great
interpreter of the American song, Grammy
nominee Michael Feinstein.
www.feinsteinsattheregency.com
The Oak Room Supper Club, opened in
1939, has been a launching pad for many
stars, including Harry Connick Jr, Diana Krall
and others. It is now home to entertainers
such as jazz vocalist Paula West and cabaret
performer Andrea Marcovicci.
www.algonquinhotel.com
THE CLUB 11
W HAT ’ S O N
Rugby Sevens, film festival and botanical art
Japanese
plum
FEBRUARY/MARCH  JAPAN
UME MATSURI (PLUM BLOSSOM
FESTIVALS)
Plum blossoms are among the first flowers
to bloom in Japan and herald the start of
spring. In February and March plum blossom
(ume) festivals are held in parks, shrines and
temples. The festival in Kairaku-en Garden in
the town of Mito, an hour from Tokyo, is held
between 20 February and 31 March.
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/
japanesefestivals/a/umematsuri.htm
Once Upon A
Time in China, The
Magic Flute and
Moomins
The Royal Academy of Arts in London celebrates the
quincentenary of Italian architect Andrea Palladio with an
exhibition of his original drawings, paintings and
models. Hugely influential in Western architecture, Palladio (1508-1580) crafted a
new architectural design derived
from classical sources yet moulded
it to meet the needs and aesthetics of his age. His designs of
town palaces and country villas
influenced generations of European and American architects.
www.royalacademy.org.uk
Model of Villa Capra,
known as Villa Rotunda
22 MARCH13 APRIL  HONG KONG
THE 33RD HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
2327 MARCH  CALIFORNIA
The Hong Kong International Film Festival not only screens exciting
new films, but hosts special focus programmes. This year the focus
is on Italian and Finnish cinema and the final part of the Ingmar
Bergman retrospective which began last year. The festival also pays
tribute to Film Workshop, a movie company founded by director
Tsui Hark and producer Nansun Shi that has produced classics
such as A Better Tomorrow, A Chinese Ghost Story and
Once Upon a Time in China.
GAME DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE
www.hkiff.org.hk
From its beginning as a meeting of 27 game designers in a
Californian living room, the Game Developers Conference
in San Francisco has become the world’s biggest event for
game industry professionals and insiders. More than
18,000 participants exchange
ideas and network.
www.gdconf.com
Bestseller World of Warcraft
Botanica: Courtesy of Friends of the Botanic Gardens.
ANDREA PALLADIO: HIS LIFE AND LEGACY
Photos. Plum : Getty Images. Palladio: Alberto Carolo. Warcraft: Vaughn Youtz-ZUMA/Corbis. Tiger Woods: Timothy A Clary/AFP-Getty Images. Rugby Gallo Images/Getty Images.
UNTIL 13 APRIL  LONDON
APRIL  UNITED STATES & CHINA
THE US MASTERS/VOLVO CHINA OPEN
Many golf enthusiasts will argue that Georgia, USA, is the centre of their
world. The Masters, held annually in Augusta, Georgia, is one of the four
major championships. This year’s tournament, held from 9-12 April, will
parade big stars such as Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods and Greg Norman. A
few
f days later, 16-19 April, Beijing will host the Volvo China Open, a men’s
golf
g tournament co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.
Asian and European players will compete for USD2.2 million in
prize money, one of the biggest prize pools in Asia.
Tiger Woods lines up
at the US Masters
www.masters.com
www.volvochinaopen.com
21 APRIL15 JUNE
HONG KONG
LE FRENCH MAY
Every year, Le French May brings
French films, operas, music, dance
and culture to Hong Kong. Organised by the Consulate General of
France and the Alliance Française, it
has grown to be the largest French
arts festival in the Asia-Pacific
region. Since its inception in 1993,
Le French May has presented more
than 350 events.
www.frenchmay.com
2729 MARCH
HONG KONG
CATHAY PACIFIC/CREDIT SUISSE
HONG KONG SEVENS
The Hong Kong Sevens means party time. For three days,
spectators from all corners of the globe will pack the 40,000seat Hong Kong Stadium. Outrageous costumes, make-up in
national colours and a determination to party hard during
and after the games, are hallmarks of the Sevens. A total of
24 rugby teams, including
defending champions New
Zealand, will compete for
the title.
www.hksevens.com
1726 APRIL  SYDNEY
2008 champions
New Zealand
tackled by Wales
BOTANICA 2009: FROM THE DESERT TO THE SEA
Sydney’s lush
l
Royal Botanic Gardens is the perfect
p
venue to showcase Botanica,
otanica, an annual exhibito artworks
tion dedicated
dedic
works of plants by Australia’s
artists.
leading botanical
b
sts. This
theme, From thee Desert to
year’s the
celebrates thee diversity
the Sea, ce
of plant life
lif and habiAustralia while
tats in Aus
focusing on
o the pressing
ing
water
issues of drought,
d
ter
conservation and climate
conservat
mate
change. EEntry is free and
nd
proceeds from the artrtsales support the
work sa
Botanic
Botani Gardens Trust.
rust.
www.rbgsyd.nsw.
www
w.
gov.au
Protea sp dried seedhead
by Elaine Musgrave
THE CLUB 13
CH O I CE
NATURAL
BEAUTIES
Designers are using wood
in innovative ways to create
everything from lighting
to tableware.
HANG THE EXPENSE
Inject a dose of dynamism to your dining room with Luzifer’s
new Onion lamp, an organically-inspired sculptural suspension
bulb made out of layers of oak veneer strips.
www.lzf-lamps.com
CAPITAL IDEA
Muji’s London-in-a-bag includes a wooden
London Eye, Big Ben, BT Tower, a couple of
skyscrapers and several cute-looking vehicles.
Irresistible to adults and children.
www.muji.com
MEMORY GRAIN
Add an idiosyncratic touch to
your laptop with this memory
stick handmade from pieces
of wood selected for their
natural beauty.
www.oooms.nl
14 THE CLUB
HEAR THE WORLD
THE X FACTOR
Designed in 1958 using clean geometric
lines, the X-frame table is a fine example of
the work of Artek, the Finnish brand
renowned for its durability and strong
design. Choose from solid elm or oak or
laminated birch and cherry woods.
www.artek.fi
With built-in connection to the world wide web,
Tivoli Audio’s Networks radio lets you tune in to
any station in the world, near or far, mainstream
or niche, in any language and in real time. It also
comes in a choice of beautiful hardwood cabinets
including cherry and walnut.
www.tivoliaudio.com
ONE FOR
THE DOGS
This stylish dog bowl combines a
square wooden frame with a
stainless-steel, dishwasher-safe
bowl inside.
www.mungoandmaud.com
CLASSIC CHARM
Designed in 1946 and a classic in chair design,
Eames’ moulded plywood lounge and dining
chairs use thin sheets of lightweight veneer
expertly sculpted to fit the human body.
www.hermanmiller.com
THE CL
TH
CLUB
UB 15
E XPE R T ADV I CE
16 THE CLUB
Chart
toppers
Hong Kong’s unique geographical
position and colourful history make
it a rich source for antique maps
K A R E N P I T TA R A N D TA R A J E N K I N S
Jonathan Wattis
provides direction
for map collectors
Photos: Alan Hindle
T
he four walls of Philip Dove’s office, high above Hong
Kong’s Victoria Harbour, offer an intriguing insight into the
story of his life. You can explore his university town of
Exeter in Britain, track his gap year travels through Africa
and follow his international career stints in the United
States, Europe and Asia. But there isn’t a photo or souvenir in sight.
Instead, the walls are lined with the most beautiful and detailed
antique maps. Dove’s lasting passion for such items is one he’s
quietly cultivated over the past two decades and was sparked by
a chance graduation gift.
“Since then, I’ve made a point of collecting maps from places
that hold an emotional significance for me,” Dove says. “My latest
purchase has been a stunning map of Asia that dates from the
mid 18th century. Of course, Hong Kong doesn’t feature.”
THE CLUB 17
Asia by Blaeu, circa
1655 (middle)
Chinae by Ortelius,
circa 1612 edition (right)
18 THE CLUB
Dove didn’t have far to go to source his latest acquisition. He
bought the detailed map from one of Hong Kong’s specialist
antique map traders. Jonathan Wattis of Wattis Fine Art and
Amanda Clark of Altfield, both based in the city’s Central district,
are two of the city’s leading experts. They sell maps by some
of the earliest and most accomplished cartographers to clients
around the world. Some of their finest are by map-makers
including Abraham Ortelius, who compiled the first world atlas
in 1570, Alexander Dalrymple and Sebastian Münster.
According to Wattis, the antique-map market is growing all
Right: Kingdom of China courtesy of Jonathan Wattis
Amanda Clark: plotting
a course for collectors
(above)
the time and Clark agrees there is a finite number of early maps
that has survived the ravages of time and a growing number
of people interested in them. “Antique maps are fabulous
historical documents,” Clark says. “You can own a Dutch map of
Asia that was made in the late 1500s that must have been used
and looked at by a Dutch merchant gentleman in Amsterdam.
They survived in portfolios and libraries of the well off, so that
500 years later you have a beautiful, often very decorative and
colourful work of art that started life as a practical tool.”
When you’re dealing with a delicate and precious piece of
history, it’s important to know what you are doing. So what do
the experts recommend? Firstly, all agree it’s a good idea to read
up on the subject and there are some excellent books on the
market (see the box on page 20).
Wattis says it’s also important to buy from collectors or at
auction. “Go to an antique-map dealer who knows his subject
and is prepared to share. If you find a cheaper map on the Internet, there’s probably something wrong with it or it’s damaged.
Photos: Amanda Clark: Alan Hindle. Asia and Chinae maps courtesy of Altfield.
E XPE R T ADV I CE
ANTIQUE MAPS OF HONG KONG AND ASIA
You have to be very careful. With a dealer, if there’s something
wrong, he’ll generally take it back.”
Clark says it’s vital to properly assess the condition of the map.
“Is the paper still strong, not brittle, and is the ink still fresh and
clear, not faded? Also is it an early print so that the image is crisp
and not blurred, as it may be from a late pressing when the
copper plate was worn down. Some collectors only like the
black-and-white ink prints, with no colour added. Some like
them with original thick watercolour added at the time of
ANTIQUE MAPS ARE
FABULOUS HISTORICAL
DOCUMENTS
A
Altfield’s
Amanda Clark says Hong Kong is a natural choice for an antique-map dealership
because of its history as a trading port at a time when maps and sea charts were working
b
ttools. “In many ways the harbour and our history of shipping and trading is still at our
heart,” she says. “Our unique location as a gateway to China, positioning in Asia and
h
ccolonial past makes the history of the area particularly interesting.”
She explains that the dawn of the Western age of exploration, with historic
ccircumnavigations by voyagers such as Magellan, Diaz and Drake, led to the first attempts
at mapping Asia. “This was a region hitherto known only through exotic tales of a few
a
merchants and seafarers, and information from Jesuit missionaries in India and China.”
m
Wattis says German cartographer Sebastian Münster (1448-1552) is a good starting
point for collecting maps of Asia. Münster’s maps were published in a number of editions,
p
Wattis says, and from time to time single-page hand-printed ones become available.
W
“There is a very rare China map by de Jode [below] printed circa 1590,” he adds. ”Only
one known edition was printed and only a couple of hundred maps printed so it
o
ccommands a very high price.”
Wattis explains that in the second half of the 18th century better and more accurate
maps began to be produced, such as those by Alexander Dalrymple. Very few
m
Dalrymple originals have survived. “There is also a rare and important map of the
D
Hong Kong area (circa 1866) which I got a copy of last year, produced by a priest called
H
Monsignor Volonteri. It shows Hong Kong, Kowloon, New Territories, Lantau up to
Guangzhou in both English and Chinese characters.”
Clark says her favourite map of the region
gion is Ortelius’ Chinae,
e
the first map of China to appear in a Western
tern Atlas
(Theatrum Orbis Terrarum). “It is
shown in an unusual orientation of
east/west rather than north/south and
was compiled using information from
the Portuguese Jesuit missionary, Luiz
Jorge de Barbuda. It is embellished with
decorative details such as Chinese
tented pavilions, ships, elephants and
whales, and has elaborate cartouches as
well. It’s simply wonderful.”
The Kingdom of China by
Cornelis de Jode, 1593
THE CLUB 19
E XPE R T ADV I CE
WHERE TO BUY
WATTIS FINE ART
2/F, 20 H
Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
2524 5302
+852 252
www.wattis.com.hk
www.wat
ALTFIELD
248-249 Princ
Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central,
+852 2537 6370
Hong Kong, +
www.altfield.com.hk
www.altfield.c
BRIAN SEED FINE ART
20 THE CLUB
+852 2981 3777
www.brianseed.co
www.brianseed.com
THE HONG KONG UNIV
UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY
LIB
The library has an important
imp
collection of antique
maps of China, +852 2358
23 6772
http://library.ust.hk/info/exhibit/maps-9706/
http://library
map-gallery1.html
map
FURTHER READING
Sintra Tsang from the Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology Library recommends
the following: Collecting Antique Maps: An
Introduction to the History of Cartography
by Jonathan Potter; Mapping the World: An
Illustrated History of Cartography by Ralph E
Ehrenberg; and Mapping the World: Maps and
their History by Nathaniel Harris.
Map: Insulae Indiae Orientalis courtesy of Altfield
A good magnifying
glass is essential to
see the fine detail
printing; this can add a lot of glorious strong colour and really
make the item wonderfully decorative. Many early maps were
coloured later – in the 1800s or 1900s – in much paler watercolour paints that are less strident and certainly acceptable, but
the earlier the painting the better.” Clark recommends that antique
maps be kept out of destructive direct sunlight and humidity kept
at a low level, as damp is a natural enemy of paper.
So now you know how and what to buy, but how much
would you expect to pay for an antique map? Obviously this
depends on the age, the cartographer, and the quality.
quality “Ortelius
“
are more readily
is a good starting point,” says Wattis. “His maps
m
available, as his book went to 48 editions. His first atlas map of
for around HKD56,000, assuming it is a strong
China in 1584 sells fo
impression and in good condition.”
impressio
Clark agrees, but says it’s also possible to buy a decorative
map from French cartographer Nicolas Bellin (c1745) for about
USD500-USD600 or a simple map of China dating from 1850
might be as little as USD50-USD60. “Values do continue to go
up but, as in many of the collectable-art categories, one should
really buy because you are going to enjoy living with a wonderful piece of history, rather than as a pure investment.”
BESPOKE
BY BRANDON KIRK
Spin
doctors
One size doesn’t fit all – welcome to the world of
customised bicycles
22 THE CLUB
Store manager
Philip Sung building
a fully custom Seven
mountain bike
Photo: Alan Hindle
I
n the world of cycling, bike-makers have long favoured a onesize-fits-all approach. Like the Model T Ford that came in any
colour as long as it was black, it is much cheaper to produce bikes
in standardised sizes and finish. For most people, buying a bike
off the shelf is just fine – a few adjustments to parts here and there,
and a small, medium or large frame will fit just about everyone. But
as with a piece of clothing there are some people who want, or
perhaps need, a more tailored fit, whether for an uncommon body
type or simply for the pleasure of having a bike that is perfectly suited
to the rider. Welcome to the world of custom bicycles.
Custom-bike buyers range from endurance riders and weekend
mountain bikers to triathletes, and cycling enthusiasts have come
to appreciate the enhanced fit these bikes offer. Elissa Whittington,
a Hong Kong myotherapist who used to work as a bike-fit specialist
in Australia, says getting the right fit is the most important thing
when buying a bike as it improves safety, prevents injury and
enhances comfort. “If you’re able to keep control of the bike, you’re
safer,” she says.
A custom bicycle is not just an original mix of stock components
but one based on a frame that is built to the exact specifications of
the rider. The length of the tubing that goes into the frame and the
angles at which they are joined are made to order. These specifications are based on a number of variables, including the customer’s
body measurements. American custom builder Seven Cycles, for
example, has a “custom-kit” questionnaire that asks about riding
style, existing bike and other details and, like many other designers, will interview customers over the phone to get a better idea
of what they need.
Although more expensive than a standard-size frame, a custommeasured bike could save you thousands of dollars over many years
of trial-and-error buying.
Hong Kong-based recruitment specialist Mark Keith, a long-time
THE CLUB 23
BESPOKE
Schematic of
a bike frame
showing the
complexity
of measuring
required for
custom bikes
mountain-bike enthusiast with a large stable of bikes, knows this all
too well. He’s owned three bikes that were unsuited to his riding;
he felt they were too unstable because their forks were set at too
steep an angle. Keith is now ordering a custom Litespeed trail bike
and will ensure that it has a slacker head angle than normal. “Those
cross-country bikes are really built for riding over golf courses,” he
laments, adding that his version of a lightweight bike will have to
allow him “to be able to take it down steps and throw it around in
the rough stuff”.
Other riders, particularly those who spend many long hours in
the saddle, find that a perfect fit is crucial to relieve numbness and
chronic pains that would otherwise plague an endurance rider.
Custom paint job
Pain in the hands, back and shoulders may be relieved by getting
fitted and measured for just the right frame. Lee Sheung-lum,
owner of the Flying Ball bicycle shop in Hong Kong, is a custombike buyer who has enjoyed much more pleasant journeys
aboard a custom frame.
His previous bike was “too sensitive, not stable downhill” and after
talking to the designers, they decided his new Carbon VII road bike
HE WAS ONE OF ONLY FIVE RIDERS WHO FINISHED:
"I AM SURE THE BIKE HELPED A LOT," HE SAID
24 THE CLUB
Choose a wheel
specific for the job
Photo: Left: Brandon Kirk. Right above: Alan Hindle X 2.
Boutique company
Hope produces
high-end components
such as this disc brake
needed a shorter top tube and longer chainstays, which resulted in
a more comfortable reach and greater stability. “After a 50-kilometre
ride, I feel fresh,” he says, recalling a recent ride at Qinghai Lake in
Mainland China where he was one of only five riders from a field of
17 who finished. “I’m sure the bike helped a lot,” he says.
Experienced riders say the key to choosing the ideal bike is to ride
as many as possible before settling on a type of frame. They suggest
that riders swap bikes with friends of a similar size and riding style to
experience other tube lengths and angles. Riders should compare
these to their own bike and note aspects such as handling, comfort
and how easy it is to climb hills. They advise riders to swap parts such
as stems, seatposts and handlebars on their current bike and vary seat
angle and fore-and-aft position, bar height and anything else that
can be adjusted to find out what works best.
Bob Smith, President of the Hong Kong Mountain Bike Association, did plenty of research before spending a substantial amount
on his ultimate bike, though his bike-buying trip took an unexpected turn. While visiting his family in Phoenix, Arizona, he went
to a shop to pick up a warranty replacement frame for his Niner
hardtail and planned to also buy a Niner RIP bike, when a fullsuspension model by Ventana with 29-inch wheels caught his eye.
After spending more than an hour speaking to the president of the
company over the phone, Smith decided on the El Ray model, got
fitted at the shop and soon after returned to Hong Kong with what
he says is by far the best bike he’s ever owned.
A tall rider at 186 centimetres, Smith prefers the larger wheels
for their ability to hold momentum and clear obstacles easily. “I
just ride everything,” he says. Not long before buying the Ventana,
Ibis Tranny
carbon-fibre
mountain bike
he had parted with a non-custom 26-inch-wheeled titanium Titus
Racer-X, which he felt did not handle very well for him, especially
when climbing. “I just didn’t ever like the bike,” he says. “It just
wasn’t a good fit.”
Once you’ve decided what kind of bike you’re looking for, you’re
ready to do some shopping. Many builders offer custom versions
of their standard frames as well as start-from-scratch orders with a
price to match. Custom builders in the United
States, such as Seven and Serotta, typically
charge upwards of HKD20,000 for a frame.
But there are less expensive options.
China-based frame-makers such as XACD and
Hi-light take custom orders for titanium frames.
Simon Lau’s Victory Cycling Workshop in North Point,
Hong Kong, works with a factory in Mainland China to
create custom-sized steel and aluminum frames with a
starting price of about HKD6,000. “The main reason [people
order custom frames here] is they can’t find a suitable size,”
he says. Lau sells about 20 custom frames a year, and many of
his happy customers have won regional competitions – their
trophies adorn the walls of his small shop.
Another good rule of thumb when purchasing a high-end bicycle, custom or not,
is to buy it for the type of riding you do the
most now. Philip Heung, a Hong Kongbased bike distributor, recently bought a
custom-sized Bike Friday folding bike for his
trip to Taiwan. “Basically I want a bike to travel
BESPOKE
Seven Carbon
VII road bike
WEBSITES
www.sevencycles.com
www.ventanausa.com
www.titusti.com
www.serotta.com
www.ti-bicycle.com
www.xacd.com.cn
www.victorycycling.net
www.flyingball.com
26 THE CLUB
with,” he says. Heung says that being honest with yourself about
how and where you ride is critical.
“In many cases people would like to think that they would use
the bike for [a certain purpose], but many times end up riding it
just a few times because the bike is not sized or designed for what
they really do with it.”
In a sense, buying a custom bike is like choosing a spouse – you
want to be sure you’ve got the right one before you make a commitment. Like dating, you want to determine as much as you can
about yourself first – your tastes, passions, quirks and personal style,
before looking for a match. When you find the right bike for you,
the marriage can be similarly rewarding.
Without getting too deep
into metallurgical science,
there are a few factors to
keep in mind when choosing
a frame material. Important
considerations for a frame,
other than ride quality, are
durability, corrosion resistance, weldability (important
for touring) and fatigue life.
Steel is susceptible to rust
but can be easily welded
back together if you have
an accident when you’re
trekking across continents
where bike shops are few
and far between. Aluminum
resists corrosion but has a
shorter fatigue life and is
usually painted or anodized
(coated with a protective
layer). Carbon-fibre frames
come in many qualities and
varieties, so it is best to stick
to well-established designers
with a lot of experience (and
a solid warranty policy).
Titanium is by far the
most popular choice for
custom frames as it is the
most scratch-resistant, has
an excellent fatigue life and,
depending on the alloy mixture, is also very corrosion
resistant. Riders say it has
a smooth feel compared
to aluminum frames and
surface scratches are easily
brushed out. It is also the
most expensive.
Philip Sung, who works
at Hong Kong’s Flying Ball
bicycle shop, says that for
many customers, once you
choose titanium you never
go back.
“Most people [who order
custom] buy a titanium bike,
and it will be the last bike they
ever buy,” he says. Flying Ball
does measuring services for
both Seven Cycles and Titus,
using specialised equipment.
The US-based frame builders
will then interview customers
to get exact specifications.
Jonathan Speelman, who
bought a Seven mountain
bike hardtail from Flying Ball,
believes titanium was worth
the investment as it will last
a lifetime. “It has a longevity
that is appealing,” he says.
But he warns that with
such an expensive material, “getting the fit right is
critical as you age because
your back, legs and arms will
complain if the fit is out after
a long ride”.
Photo: Brandon Kirk
KEEP THE RIGHT FRAME IN MIND
24 H O U R S
24 hours in
Beijing
BY DAVID E IME R
28 THE CLUB
The imposing
Tiananmen
Gate of the
Forbidden
City
Photos. Gate: OTHK. Artwork: Natalie Behring
Shopping or snowboarding? High rise or hutongs? Fine dining or the Forbidden City?
Whatever your passion, China’s ever-changing capital city will keep you occupied at
any time of the day or night
Midday Beijing is beguiling because of the
way the ultra-modern rubs up against the
historic – the traditional grandeur of the Forbidden City and the avant-garde splendour of
Rem Koolhaas’ gravity-defying CCTV Tower are
just a few kilometres apart. The staging of the
Olympic Games last year accelerated the transformation of the Chinese capital from grim
shrine to Stalinist architecture to vibrant world
city, but Beijing is still a work in progress. Every
visit yields something different to see or do.
From the airport, head to one of the new
boutique hotels, such as The Opposite House
in swinging Sanlitun. A quick shower and it’s
time for lunch. Tucked away in a hutong – one
of the ancient alleys that criss-cross the heart of
Beijing – close to the Forbidden City is Domus,
the ideal lunch spot. The stunning setting in a
courtyard house, or siheyuan, is matched by
the contemporary European cuisine. Dine on
American oysters or wagyu beef burgers in the
less formal bistro upstairs, or try the downstairs
restaurant with its six-course tasting menu and
Minotti contemporary Italian furniture.
2pm Whatever the season, Beijing offers
plenty of opportunities for outdoor types, or
anyone looking to burn calories. In the summer, the golf courses on the city’s outskirts are
packed, testimony to the rise of the mainland
middle class. If you know a member then take
the chance to play a round at the exclusive Jack
Nicklaus-designed Pine Valley Golf Club. Otherwise, the Beijing International Golf Club has
views of the surrounding forested hills.
Beijing’s winter is bitter but that means plenty of snow at the nearby ski resorts. Just 90
minutes from the centre of Beijing is Nanshan,
where 12 trails await skiers and an Austriandesigned snowboard park draws China’s top
snowboarders. Or do as the locals do and head
to scenic Houhai. The lake freezes by the end
of December and becomes an open-air sports
centre with ice-skating and the occasional icehockey game.
For those who prefer culture, a pilgrimage to
the Dashanzi art precinct in Chaoyang District
is a must. The 798 Space is in a former factory
complex that is the spiritual home of China’s contemporary art scene and is packed with galleries
and hip cafés. Visit the Long March Space, where
the walls are daubed with Cultural Revolution-era
slogans, and Red Gate, a branch of China’s first
modern-art gallery.
The Opposite House
in Sanlitun
Classical Girl by Zheng
Xuewu, Red Gate Gallery
THE CLUB 29
24 H O U R S
PARTNER OFFER
Enjoy an upgrade and
other privileges at
Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing
From 16 February to 15 May 2009, book a Deluxe
Room at the Best Available Rate for two or more
consecutive nights and receive:
• A room upgrade to Horizon Club Deluxe Room
with breakfast
• Full access to the luxurious Valley Wing Lounge
• A bottle of imported wine on arrival.
For reservations, please quote your membership
number and rate code CXMARCO.
Telephone: +852 2331 6688
Fax +852 2331 6699
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Terms and conditions
• Rates are subject to a 15%
service charge.
30 THE CLUB
Shopping is another option. The funky
boutiques lining 800-year-old hutong Nanluoguxiang are good places to find quirky gifts.
Grifted has everything from irreverent postcards to socialist dolls, including Mao Zedong
and Karl Marx, all made by local craftsmen and
women. Near the Temple of the Sun, Shard Box
Store sells charming boxes made out of the
fragments of porcelain vessels smashed during the Cultural Revolution, as well as jewellery
sourced from Mongolia and Tibet.
6pm Prepare for your night out with a
relaxing massage or pamper yourself in a spa.
Massage places are on almost every street in
Beijing, but those in the know swear by Bodhi.
The soothing setting eases tension straight
away and that’s before the skilled masseurs get
to work on those knotted muscles. For facials
and aromatherapy, nothing beats the Peninsula Hotel Spa. Try the jet-lag eliminator or, if
de-stressing is essential, indulge in the half-day
Spa Journey.
THE SOOTHING SETTING EASES TENSION EVEN
BEFORE THE SKILLED MASSEURS GET TO WORK
Photo. Warriors: Adrian Bradshaw/epa/Corbis
Conveniently located close to Beijing’s financial and
technology districts, the Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing, is
one of the city’s signature landmarks. And the
historic Summer Palace, Beijing Zoo and the trendy
Houhai Lake area are just a few of the attractions
you’ll enjoy exploring.
PARTNER OFFER
Grifted is great
for quirky gifts
(above)
Photos. Gifted: Natalie Behring. Skiers: Greg Baker – AP Photo
Warrior-inspired:
Sculptures by
Marian Heyerdahl in
798 Art Space (left)
Alternatively, take a trip to the fantasyland
that is the Grand Hyatt Pool. With palm trees,
lush plants and tribal statues, this vast swimming pool feels like it should be deep in the
South American jungle. Don’t bother doing
laps. Instead, just float on your back and gaze up
at the ceiling, lit to resemble a canopy of stars.
8pm Spectacular views of the adjacent Forbidden City, the surrounding hutong and the
lights of Tiananmen Square make Yin the
rooftop bar of choice in Beijing and the ideal
place for a pre-dinner cocktail. Sip an Emperor
Mojito or try one of the drinks mixed with
huangjiu, a sweet yellow liquor. Note that it is
only open during warmer months. From there,
it’s a short hop to the Legation Quarter, the
latest addition to Beijing’s fine-dining scene.
During the late Qing Dynasty, the area was
home to embassies. Now, the neo-classical
buildings house top-notch eateries, while the
lawn has been the stage for fashion shows by
the likes of Versace. The pick of the restaurants
is Maison Boulud, chef Daniel Boulud’s Beijing
flagship. (See Explore The World, page 10.)
If you’ve ever wanted to eat like an emperor,
then Yu Shan Tang in the Han’s Royal Garden
hotel offers a rare dining experience. One of
the few restaurants to serve genuine Imperial
cuisine, the private dining rooms feature intricately painted ceiling panels, hanging lanterns
and rosewood wall panels. The menus are customised for each diner, the flavours are sublime
and the signature dishes come carved in the
shape of dragons.
Enjoy a suite experience when you
stay at The St. Regis Beijing
Stay at The St. Regis and make your next visit to Beijing
truly memorable. Book and stay between 16 February
and 15 May 2009 and you’ll enjoy a room upgrade to a
Statesman Suite at the time of reservation.
Skiing at
Nanshan,
east of
Beijing
Special rates start at RMB2,380 per room per night,
for a minimum stay of two consecutive nights.
Package includes:
• One-way, gate-to-gate airport limousine service
(choice of arrival or departure)
• Daily buffet breakfast at the Garden Court
• In-room Internet access
• Late check-out at 4pm (subject to availability on
the day of departure).
For reservations, please book and quote the promotion
code MARCOQ1. Please contact the hotel directly for
any airport transportation arrangement prior to arrival.
Telephone: +86 10 6460 6688, ext2321
Email: [email protected]
Terms and conditions
• Cancellation charges apply.
• Rate quoted is subject to 15%
service charge.
• Not applicable for group bookings.
THE CLUB 31
24 H O U R S
Yu Shan Tang
Edible art:
Imperial
eggplant with
seafood at
Yu Shan Tang
11pm New bars and clubs
open on an almost daily basis
in Beijing. The Philippe Starckdesigned LAN Club is the
most opulent place in town.
IIgnore the incongruous location
in a shopping mall and instead
enjoy the eye-popping interior. Paintings
hang from the ceiling, giant mirrors loom everywhere and the VIP dining rooms resemble
Mongolian Yurts. DJs, a long wine list and
potent cocktails complete the recipe for a
memorable night.
More laidback is Casa Habana where you
can sink into deep, comfy armchairs while
enjoying the extensive selection of Cuban
cigars. Whisky connoisseurs can head to
Ichikura, a Japanese-run bar that is one of
Beijing’s best-kept secrets. It has 160 whiskies
available including rare single malts, the service is impeccable and the drinks come with
perfectly shaped spheres of ice.
Jazz lovers should visit the East Shore Live
Jazz Café, where some of the capital’s best
musicians jam until late from Thursday to Sunday in a relaxed atmosphere. Club Yugong
Yishan showcases local bands in a Qing
Dynasty-era building.
For clubbing, the sleek i-Ultra Lounge is
the place of the moment. International DJs
and cunning mood-lighting make this the
perfect spot to crack a bottle of Cristal or sip
a signature lychee martini while watching
Beijing’s beautiful people in action.
PARTNER OFFER
Enjoy a 20% discount with Avis in Beijing
Visit Beijing’s famous landmarks across the city’s
18 districts or discover the surrounding countryside
at your own pace. Between 16 February and 15 May
2009, members of The Marco Polo Club renting a car
for three or more days will enjoy a 20 percent
discount at participating Avis locations.
Please book by email at [email protected],
quoting your membership number and the
appropriate Avis Worldwide Discount number at
right. Please present your membership card at the
rental counter.
32 THE CLUB
•
•
•
•
AWD K305400 (Green)
AWD K305500 (Silver)
AWD K305600 (Gold)
AWD K305700 (Diamond)
Terms and Conditions
• Offer is valid for compact cars and above.
• Offer is not valid on Avis-contracted tour operators or
travel-industry rates.
• Standard Avis terms and conditions apply.
info
i-Ultra Lounge
2am Bars and clubs are supposed to shut at
2am but some stay open until the sun is almost
up. Punk in the basement of The Opposite
House is a good place to keep the party going.
For food in the early hours, Hua Jia Yi Yuan
serves dishes from all over China 24/7 in a converted courtyard house with a glass roof so
you can see the stars while eating.
9am Breakfast or brunch at Panino Teca is a
fine way to start the day. If the coffee and
aroma of freshly baked bread doesn’t pry open
your eyelids, then the light streaming through
the floor-to-ceiling windows will. Try the substantial ciabatta sandwiches. At The Bookworm, browse the selection of China-related
novels and non-fiction over coffee and cakes.
The Opposite House and Punk
The Village, Building 1, 11 Sanlitun Road
+86 10 6417 6688
www.theoppositehouse.com
Domus
115 Nanchizi Dajie, +86 10 8511 8015
Pine Valley Golf Club
Pine Valley Resort, Nankou Town,
Changping District, +86 10 8979 6868
www.pinevalley.com.cn
Beijing International Golf Club
Northwest of Ming Tombs Reservoir,
Changping District, +86 10 6076 2288
Nanshan Ski Village
Shengshuitou Village, Henanzhai Town,
Miyun County, +86 10 8909 1909
www.nanshanski.com
Houhai
Opposite north gate of Beihai Park,
Dianmenwai Dajie
798 Art District
2 and 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu
www.798space.com
Long March Space (closed Mondays)
4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
+86 10 5978 9768
www.longmarchspace.com
Red Gate Gallery (closed Mondays)
2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
+86 10 6525 1005, www.redgategallery.com
Grifted
32 Nanluoguxiang, +86 10 6406 2716
www.grifted.com.cn
Nanluoguxiang
Off Gulou Dongdajie
Bodhi Therapeutic Retreat
17 Gongrentiyuchang Beilu
+86 10 6417 9595
Shard Box Store
1 Ritan Beilu, +86 10 8561 3712
Peninsula Hotel Spa
8 Jinyu Hutong, +86 10 8516 2888
www.peninsula.com
Grand Hyatt Beijing
1 East Changan Avenue, +86 10 8518 1234
www.beijing.grand.hyatt.com
Yin
33 Qihelou Lu, The Emperor hotel
+86 10 6526 5566, www.theemperor.com.cn
Legation Quarter
23 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
+86 10 6522 4848, www.legationquarter.com
Maison Boulud
23 Qianmen Dongdajie, +86 10 6559 9200
www.danielnyc.com
Yu Shan Tang
Han’s Royal Garden, 20 Qinlao Hutong
(off Nanluoguxiang), +86 10 8402 5588
Lan Club
4/F Twin Towers, 12B Jianguomenwai Dajie
+86 10 5109 6012, www.lan-global.com
Casa Habana
Jinglun Hotel, 3 Jianguomenwai Dajie
+86 10 6595 0888
Ichikura
36 Dongsanhuan Beilu (on right side of
Chaoyang Theatre), +86 134 3652 1171
or +86 10 6507 1107
East Shore Jazz Cafe
2/F, 2 Qianhai Nanyan Lu, +86 10 8403 2131
Club Yugong Yishan
3-2 Zhangzizhong Lu, +86 10 6404 2711
www.yugongyishan.com
i-Ultra Lounge
Block 8, Apartment 8 Complex,
Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu
+86 10 6508 8585, www.block8.cn
Hua Jia Yi Yuan
235 Dongzhimennei Dajie, +86 10 6405 1908
Panino Teca
The Village, S2-11 Building 2, 19 Sanlitun Lu
+86 10 6416 1416
The Bookworm
Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Lu
+86 10 6586 9507
www.beijingbookworm.com
THE CLUB 33
24 H O U R S
PARTNER OFFER
TIPS FROM A
LOCAL INSIDER
Explore China’s capital with
Dragonair Holidays
Book between 16 February and 22 April 2009 and
travel before 29 April 2009 for a memorable
indulgence at The Summer Palace in Beijing. And for
the perfect start and finish to your trip, members of
The Marco Polo Club will enjoy private round-trip
limousine transfers in Hong Kong to and from
Hong Kong International Airport. The 3 Day/2 Night
The Aman at Summer Palace Beijing package from
HKD5,699 per person includes:
• Round-trip Economy Class flight between
Hong Kong and Beijing on Dragonair or on
codeshare flights operated by Cathay Pacific Airways
• Two nights’ hotel accommodation
• 500 Asia Miles
• Travel insurance.
For reservations
Telephone: +852 2747 4336
Website: www.cxholidays.com
Terms and conditions
• Price quoted is per person, based on two adults sharing one room, and
checking in and travelling together throughout the entire journey.
• Offer is only valid for packages booked and paid for between 16 February
and 22 April 2009.
• Cathay Holidays Limited and Asia Miles terms and conditions apply.
N.B. Dragonair Holidays is now
managed and marketed by
Cathay Holidays Limited.
34 THE CLUB
Arnold Cheng
Cathay Pacific
Manager Marketing & Sales China
I like to have lunch or coffee in the newly
opened Park Hyatt Hotel (http://beijing.park.
hyatt.com). It’s the tallest hotel in Beijing and
you can enjoy a perfect panoramic view of the
city. When I have visitors in town, they always
want to see two of the most impressive Olympic sites – the Beijing National Stadium
(Bird’s Nest), where most of the action took
place, and the Water Cube, where the swimming events were held.
Sanlitun Village (www.thevillage.com.cn) is
another example of innovative architecture and
it is home to many luxury brand stores. The village
houses a multiplex cinema and excellent restaurants as well as a boutique hotel – The Opposite
House (www.theoppositehouse.com).
Centro (+86 10 6561 8833) in the Kerry Centre Hotel is a popular jazz bar. And another
favourite is Yin (+86 10 6526 5566) at the top
of The Emperor hotel. It’s a great spot on
warm breezy summer nights and you can
look out on to the Forbidden City.
Beijing duck is a must-try dish when you’re in
the city. My favourite restaurants are Duck de
Chine (+86 10 6501 8881) at 1949 The Hidden
City (+86 10 6501 1949, www.elite-concepts.com)
and Made in China (+86 10 8518 1234). For
something less conventional try the vegetarian
Pure Lotus (+86 10 8703 6668) where the mock
meat sausages taste better than the real ones. A
popular cheap local snack is yoghurt Beijing-style
in small porcelain pots for just RMB2 (HKD2.27).
For shopping, my two favourite malls are
Solana and The Place. And I also like to wander around the markets. The Silk Market is
always good fun and Yaxiu Market is worth
checking out too.
To relax, I go for a massage at Long Island
Massage (+86 10 5130 9718). The masseurs are
well-trained and some also provide acupuncture. Traditional Chinese massage can
improve your health and immune system and
can help with back and muscle problems.
At weekends, it’s fun to take a stroll around
the 798 Art District (www.798art.org). There
are scores of galleries that change their exhibitions regularly. And there’s no shortage of
cafés where you can get freshly brewed coffee. I also enjoy taking a stroll through the
hutongs. It’s like taking a step back in time.
T R AV E L
Follow the
money: The
Royal Exchange
and the Bank of
England
36 THE CLUB
Treasure hunt in
London
BY PHOEBE A GREENWOOD
The streets of England’s cash-strapped metropolis might
not appear to be paved with gold just now, but there’s
plenty of money around if you know where to look
Corporate might:
Lloyd’s of London
Coin collector:
the British Museum
Photos. Main: Scott E Barbour – The Image Bank/Getty Images. Lloyd's: Robin MacDougall/Getty Images. British Museum: Allan Baxter – Photographer's Choice/Getty Images
THE CLUB 37
T R AV E L
PARTNER OFFER
Enjoy a room upgrade at
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park,
London
Relax and unwind in one of London’s most
renowned hotels – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.
With its convenient location near the Royal Park and
the chic shops of Knightsbridge, you’ll find it easy to
explore some of London’s most popular attractions.
And from 16 February to 15 May 2009, you’ll enjoy
an upgrade to the next room category – plus
Double Asia Miles!
For reservations, please quote the booking code
Marco Polo and present your membership card
when checking in.
Telephone: +44 0 20 7235 2000
Email: [email protected]
Terms and conditions
• Room upgrade is
subject to availability at
the time of reservation.
38 THE CLUB
T
he crowds on Oxford Street are thinning, belts are tightening on Savile
Row and the City’s champagne flutes
are dry. London led the economic charge and
flourished in the booming ’90s but now Britain
is plunging faster than the United States, Japan,
Germany, France and Italy.
So with the great lions on the Bank of
England’s doors ruefully licking their paws
and Park Lane’s billionaires packing up and
wriggling free of tightening tax laws, what
wealth remains? Serious money is still to be
found in London and we show you where
you can see it, even if you can’t touch it.
The Bank of England on Threadneedle
Street is home to the nation’s gold bullion. The bank, the financial heart of the
city since it moved there in 1734, keeps
about 300 tonnes of the yellow metal on
behalf of the British Treasury. Before former
Chancellor Gordon Brown’s controversial gold sales, conducted in a series of
auctions between 1999 and 2002, it was
about 700 tonnes. The bank usually isn’t open
to the public, but 30-minute guided tours are
available on 28 June as part of the annual
City of London Festival. At other times try
the Bank of England Museum, which tells the
institution’s story from its establishment in
1694 to its role today (www.bankofengland.
co.uk/education/museum).
London’s the place to go for silver service
too – after all, the currency isn’t called sterling
for nothing. Apart from New York, London
Photos. Intersection: Scott E Barbour –
The Image Bank/Getty Images
For Diamond, Gold and Silver members only.
CORPOR ATE ARCHITEC TURE
London’s mercantile wealth is
reflected in the architecture of its
great businesses
Also known as the Swiss Re Tower,
Norman Foster’s 180-metre, 40-floor
skyscraper dominates the City’s skyline. Completed in December 2003,
its construction symbolised the might
of the City that seemed at the time
only to be growing and began its own
boom in high-rise construction. It can
be seen from 30 kilometres away.
LLOYD’S BUILDING
THE DEPARTMENT STORES
1 Lime Street, City of London
Harrods in Knightsbridge
(www.harrods.com) opened in
1834. Its closest competitor is
near neighbour Harvey Nichols
(www.harveynichols.com).
Selfridges store is on Oxford Street
(www.selfridges.co.uk). Also check
out the Tudor-style Liberty & Co.
building on Regent Street, opened
in 1875 to sell crafts from Asia
(www.liberty.co.uk).
Photos. Gold: Alamy/ArgusPhoto. Gherkin: Getty Images
30 St Mary Axe, City of London
The golden mile:
Intersection of
Oxford Street
and Regent
Street (above)
Isle of Dogs, London
The site of Canary Wharf has been a
mercantile hub since the 10th century,
flourishing as the Port of London from
the 1500s. The docklands area was
reclaimed from the shipping industry
in the 1980s with the construction of
Canary Wharf commencing in 1988.
It compromises 37 hectares, with 14.1
million square feet of office and retail
space, providing an alternative economic centre to the City. It holds
three of Britain’s tallest buildings
(www.canarywharf.com).
THE GHERKIN
holds more precious metal than any other
city and has the world’s largest silver hoard.
JP Morgan keeps 155 million ounces of silver for Barclays to support its electronically
traded silver shares. If you’re on the hunt for
London’s hidden wealth, the Silver Vaults on
Chancery Lane, Holborn, are a good place to
begin (www.thesilvervaults.com).
The vaults first opened in 1876, offering
secure rooms for the city’s fat cats and aristocrats to keep their valuables safe. Gradually
the vaults were taken over by silver dealers
CANARY WHARF
Designed by architect Richard Rogers,
the Lloyd’s Building (www.lloyds.com)
is home to insurance institution
Lloyd’s of London. The construction
echoes Paris’ Pompidou Centre with
staircases, water pipes and electric
cables on the outside. The building
uses 12 glass lifts, which were the first
y
of their kind in the country.
The Gherkin
(far right) adds
piquancy to
London’s skyline
Ingots in the
gold vault of
The Bank of
England, the
Old Lady of
Threadneedle
Street (above left)
THE CLUB 39
T R AV E L
You can find
all kinds of
silverware in
the London
Silver Vaults
who used the storerooms to keep their stock
secure. Over the past 50 years, the vaults
have been operating as a one-stop shop for
anything silver. They claim to hold the largest retail collection of fine antique silver in
the world, selling anything from teaspoons
to sculpture.
And while Antwerp may claim the
world’s diamond capital title, London
can rival its sparkle as the traditional
home of De Beers. The world’s leader
in diamond trading, De Beers holds
40 per cent of the market share of
the precious stones. Until last year,
De Beers said it held “a few weeks”
supply at its central sorting office at
19 Charterhouse Street in Clerkenwell
before moving the office to Botswana. The neighbourhood is still home to
Hatton Garden where diamond traders
keep a sizeable hoard of the gems (www.
hatton-garden.net/jewellers.html). You
can still view a dazzling selection at the
De Beers flagship store on Old Bond Street
(www.debeers.com).
Just a rock throw from De Beers is New
Bond Street – a who’s who of quintessentially British luxury retail heavyweights
KENSINGTON PALACE
GARDENS IS BRITAIN’S
MOST EXPENSIVE
RESIDENTIAL STREET
40 THE CLUB
including Burberry, Sotheby’s, Mulberry and
Smythson. This is the most expensive retail
strip in the country where shop floors are
secured for about GBP400 (about HKD4,700) a
square foot. Luxury jewellers such as Wempe,
Boodles, Asprey and Graff, dominate the
more expensive southern end of the street.
Most of London’s department stores
Photo. Graff: Ian Waldie/Getty Images
PARTNER OFFER
Flight of fancy: Boodles’
Dragonfly Green necklace has mint-green
tourmalines and diamond
and tsavorite dragonflies
Visit London in grand style with
Cathay Pacific Holidays
Bond stores: Graff
is one of the many
high-end jewellers in
New Bond Street
evolved from drapers’ stores
and perhaps the most luxurious is
Harrods in Knightsbridge (www.harrods.com).
Who can still afford to shop here? Only a
GBP10-taxi ride from Bond Street, running
alongside Hyde Park is Ken
Kensington
Palace
i
Gardens,
Garde long known as “Billionaires’ Row”
– Britain’s most expensive residential street.
Once home to the infamous “London Cage”,
a torture centre used by MI9 during World
War II, most of the 21 buildings on this street
now operate as embassies. In June last year,
however, Indian-born steel magnate Lakshmi
Mittal bought No. 18-19 for GBP70 million. It is
Mittal’s third house on the street. A drive along
this tree-lined avenue is likely to turn even the
most well-heeled visitor one shade greener.
But while the most valuable addresses
may be west, the hunt for London’s tangible
wealth, its coins, cash and jewels, will take
you east, towards the City. In former tumultuous times, London’s elite didn’t bother
with banks. Since 1303, however precarious
their own safety, the crowned heads of England knew their vast wealth was safe from
There’s no better time to spoil yourself with a
luxurious stay, your very own personal-styling
consultation, fine dining and more. Book and pay
between 16 February and 23 April 2009, to travel
from now to 30 April, and enjoy a package price
starting from HKD28,920 per person. Members of
The Marco Polo Club will also enjoy a special offer of
one round-trip Airport Express ticket per person.
The 4 day/3 night The Ritz London package includes:
• Round-trip Economy Class flight between
Hong Kong and London on Cathay Pacific Airways
• Three consecutive nights’ hotel accommodation
with daily breakfast
• A personal-styling consultation
• Up to six hours of personal shopping service in
central London
• One four-course dinner in The Ritz Restaurant
• 2,000 Asia Miles
• Travel insurance.
For reservations
Telephone: +852 2747 4388
Website: www.cxholidays.com
Terms and conditions
• Price quoted is per person, based on
two adults sharing one room and
checking in and travelling together
throughout the entire journey.
• Cathay Holidays Limited and
Asia Miles terms and conditions apply.
THE CLUB 41
T R AV E L
Crowning glories: The
Crown jewels in the
Tower of London
Safe keeper:
Yeoman Warders
guard the Tower
plebeian fingers in the Tower of London
(www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon).
The Crown Jewels now displayed in the
Jewel House at the Tower are impossible
to value. Collected over the centuries from
Saxon and Medieval ages, they include
national treasures such as the regalia worn
by the monarch in cornonations: the orbs
and sceptre, coronets and rings. Much of the
earlier regalia was melted down by Cromwellera Parliamentarians. Today, the Tower still
safeguards these treasures, even from hedgefund managers and the Chancellor.
Despite the amount of money currently
pouring out of the city’s coffers, and the
plummeting value of the stuff that remains,
there is still a fair amount of wealth flowing
back into London from visitors’ wallets.
In March 2008, a survey by UBS found London to be the most expensive city in the
world. It has officially the most expensive
PARTNER OFFER
Explore Britain’s rich history with SIXT rent a car
From 16 February to 15 May 2009, experience Britain
from behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Golf for the
exclusive rate of GBP39 a day – and earn 1,000
Bonus Asia Miles. Members of The Marco Polo Club
also enjoy:
• An all-inclusive rental price that includes VAT
• Unlimited mileage
• Universal third-party, liability damage and
theft insurance
• Road taxes
• Airport fee.
42 THE CLUB
To take advantage of this offer, please quote the
booking code 9982220 when making a reservation
with SIXT rent a car.
Telephone: +86 10 59001115 (China)
+49 0 1805 23 2222 (Rest of the world)
Website: www.sixtcn.com (China)
www.sixt.com (Rest of the world)
Terms and conditions
• Offer is only valid with
SIXT rent a car in the UK.
transport system – a 43-second subway fare
from Leicester Square to Covent Garden
costs GBP4 – and the Zagat guide names
it as the most expensive city for dining out,
with an average meal costing GBP39.
Those of us not nestled comfortably in
Billionaires’ Row can only marvel at the many
cultural and architectural monuments to the
resilient capital’s industry, mercantile success
and wealth – and hope we don’t lose too
much of our own in the process.
MUSEUMS AND MONE Y
Many of London’s museums reflect the source of the capital’s capital
Dining well in
London may
stretch the
budget, but
there is no
shortage
of choice
BRITISH MUSEUM
www.britishmuseum.org
Coins have formed a major part
of the British Museum’s collection
since the 18th century. The department of coins and medals boasts
one of the world’s finest collections
of money-related paraphernalia and
holds almost one million objects.
Photos. Crown jewels: Tim Graham – Getty Images. Yoeman: Richard Nowitz – National Geographic/Getty Images.
Pub: Alamy/ArgusPhoto. Statue: Alamy/ArgusPhoto
MUSEUM OF LONDON
DOCKLANDS
www.museumindocklands.org.uk
The museum, a transformed 200year-old warehouse, details the
history of London as a port from
Roman times until the birth of
Canary Wharf. “London, Sugar
and Slavery” is the country’s
only permanent exhibition
examining the historical
involvement of the capital in
the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
of years, teas from India, Africa
and Asia have been offloaded,
sorted and sold on the banks of
the River Thames.
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
www.nmm.ac.uk
This is three separate sites, the Royal
Observatory, the Queen’s House and
the Maritime Galleries
in Greenwich that
together look at the
significance of the
maritime industry and
the stars (necessary
for navigation) on
the growth
and wealth of
London and
its residents.
BRAMAH MUSEUM OF
TEA AND COFFEE
www.teaandcoffeemuseum.co.uk
This is the first museum dedicated to the 400-year history
of the coffee and tea trades
through a largely British perspective. It’s located near London Bridge, where for hundreds
Statue of Captain
James Cook at
Museum of
London
Docklands,
Canary Wharf
THE CLUB 43
INSIDE CX
Team Green
Your Marco Polo Club statements are now delivered online – another
Cathay Pacific initiative to improve service and also help the environment
BY M AT H E W S CO T T
C
Fly greener:
Cathay Pacific’s
fleet of newer
aircraft reduces
the airline’s
environmental
impact
44 THE CLUB
lick, and you get your monthly Marco Polo Club statement.
Click, and you save a lot of paper. The electronic delivery of
Marco Polo Club information provides all your points and
transaction records and enables you to manage your miles (see the
box opposite). But this more efficient service is just one element of
Cathay Pacific’s wide-ranging environmental strategy.
Undoubtedly, addressing global climate change is now one
of the most pressing issues facing our world. As an environm
environmentally and socially responsible business, Cathay PPacific
recognizes the urgency and importan
importance of
climate change and the need to pla
play its
part in finding solutions to the prob
problem.
But tackling our environmental impact
im
is nothing new for Cathay Pac
Pacific. It
has been working in this area
since the 1990s when it was one of the first airlines to report on its
environmental performance, as it has done each year since 1998.
What has changed is the priority accorded to environment within
the company.
Recognising the growing importance of the environment and
climate change within the aviation industry, 2008 saw the establishment of a new Environmental Affairs Department with a dedicated
team of specialists, under the leadership of Dominic Purvis, who will
be known to many of you from his previous role as General Manager,
Cathay Pacific Loyalty Programmes Ltd. Dominic says: “Having now
established the nerve centre to co-ordinate our policies and
programmes means that we can influence what the company
does at the strategic level going forward. We’ve already spent
time identifying where and how changes can be made and set
an agenda for action. The task now is to deliver. Clearly, there is so
much we could do, but ultimately we need to find practical ways
to reduce our fuel burn and hence our emissions.”
He goes on: “we’re constantly looking for ways that we can
reduce our environment and climate-change impact, both
on the ground and in the air. As well as looking at what we
do at our offices, international airports and in flight, we’re also
working with the aerospace manufacturers to develop new,
more environmentally efficient aircraft technologies for the
future and with regulators to deliver further improvements to
air transport routes.”
Complementing Dominic’s 20 years’ Cathay Pacific experience,
the team has been strengthened by the appointment of two
environmental specialists from London. Mark Watson, as Manager, Environmental Affairs, joined Cathay Pacific after working on
sustainable aviation issues as Head of Corporate Environmental
Affairs at the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC), while
Environmental Manager Janice Lao had previously worked as an
environmental consultant and carbon project developer. Within
his broad role, Mark focuses on initiatives to drive the emissions
reduction strategy developed by the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) in 2007, whose ‘four pillar’ strategy comprising
technology, operations, infrastructure and economic measures is
at the heart of the industry’s vision for a carbon-free future. “IATA
has challenged the entire aviation sector to build and operate a
commercial airliner that produces no net carbon emissions within
50 years from 2007. Clearly this is a major ask for manufacturers and
airlines alike,” observes Mark.
Having recently joined the 140 global companies signing the
Poznan Communiqué calling for urgent action to tackle climate
change, Cathay Pacific is now actively considering how a global
framework to deal with aviation’s emissions might look and how it
could operate beyond 2012, the second commitment period of the
existing Kyoto Protocol that will be renegotiated later this year.
Recycle that:
Dominic Purvis,
Cathay Pacific
General Manager
Environmental
Affairs
For Janice, the task of implementing Cathay Pacific’s environmental
strategy presents some unique challenges. “We need aviation,’’ says
Janice. “We know that in order to see our friends and family, to visit
different places. People’s perception of the aviation industry is that it is
not sustainable. Our challenge therefore is to show that it is possible,
that it can be sustainable.”
Photo: Philipp Engelhorn
YOUR NEW ONLINE ACCOUNT SUMM ARY
Since January, all members of The Marco Polo Club now
receive monthly Member’s emails called an “Account Summary”, replacing the monthly statement sent by post.
The Account Summary updates you on your account
balance, the latest news and offers, and includes a
private hyperlink to a full monthly statement online.
The new online system allows you to manage your
account faster and easier and:
• See how many miles you have and when they expire
• Check your transaction records for the past 24 months
• Get your monthly statements for past 12 months
• Manage your miles – you can renew, transfer, donate or
claim missing miles right away from your keyboard
• Update your contact information and personal details
• Change the members in your redemption group
To ensure that you receive your “Account Summary”,
please update your email address by logging on to your
Marco Polo Club account at www.cathaypacific.com
THE CLUB 45
CLU B E V E N T S
Golfing in
paradise
The annual Marco Polo Club Golf Classic this year was played
in fabulous Bali conditions
P
erfect Bali weather, two championship courses in a tropical
garden paradise and a splendid
royal banquet – The Marco Polo Club
Golf Classic 2008 certainly lived up to
its usual high standards.
Some 60 members and guests from
around the world came together for the
three-day event that kicked off on 14
November last year with a golf clinic at
the Nirwana Bali Golf Club. The prestigious club on Bali’s southwest coast has
an 18-hole course that weaves through
rice terraces and palm trees and overlooks the Indian Ocean. And because
46 THE CLUB
this was as much a social weekend as a
sporting one, the clinic was followed by
cocktails at Le Meridien Nirwana.
Day two and golfers teed off in round
one of the tournament at the Bali Golf
and Country Club. It was an exciting
morning’s play on the course which
was designed by Nelson & Wright and
voted one Asia’s top five courses by
Fortune magazine.
The second round on 16 November
was played in excellent conditions at
the Nirwana Bali Golf Club, whose 6,775yard course was designed by golfing
great Greg Norman.
Players had the afternoon to relax
before the prize presentation ceremony. The main trophies went to:
Sunil Gidumal, Male Best Gross
Angie Tsai, Female Best Gross
Kurt Louie, Best Individual Stapleford
The closing gala dinner at the Hotel
Tugu Bali was a feast fit for a king. Guests
were issued with specially produced
sarongs to dress for a Balinese royal dining experience. Dramatically costumed
waiters bearing candle-lit litters of food
served the entrée courses, and the lobby was transformed into a stage for the
fiery traditional Kecak dance.
•
•
•
Looking forward to another perfect
day of golf (above)
Angie Tsai, trophy winner (top)
A superb setting for
a round of golf (left)
The royal buffet
(bottom left)
Trophy winners flank
James Barrington,
Director Sales
and Marketing,
Cathay Pacific Airways
(sixth from left, below)
THE CLUB 47
CLU B E V E N T S
Christmas cheer
Chairman of Cathay Pacific Airways Christopher Pratt hosted a pre-Christmas drinks
reception on 16 December 2008, enjoyed by members of The Marco Polo Club from
around the world and executives from Cathay Pacific and Dragonair
From left to right: Oli
ver Stratton, Paul Loo
(General
Manager, Cathay Pac
ific Loyalty Programm
es Ltd.
“CPLP”), Katie Row
en (Manager The Ma
rco Polo Club,
CPLP), Ada Tsang (As
sistant Manager The
Marco Polo Club,
CPLP) and Whye Chu
en Lai
Gooljarry,
s Paul Boissier, Cassam
Richard Ellert, Jacque
r Inflight
age
Man
al
ner
(Ge
Cox
Charlie Stewarter Hickox
Services, CPA) and Fras
fic
er Pratt (Chairman, Cathay Paci
Cheng Hoi Chuen, Christoph
and Anthony Conway
Airways “CPA”)
Bernard Siu Yu Fung,
Marcel Robert Fenez,
Christopher Pratt, Fra
ncesca Pratt and Ant
hony Langridge
ns, CPA),
(Director Flight Operatio
John Harrison, Nick Rhodes
ctor Sales
(Dire
on
ingt
Barr
es
Jam
David Yem and
and Marketing, CPA)
John Slosar (Chief
Operating Officer,
CPA) and
Chen Chia Chiang
48 THEE CLUB
enjoying a buf fet
of delicacies
Yoon Soon Kok
ve Ushiyama
Won Sik Kwon, Ste
and Katie Rowen
, Takeshi Okamura
C X N E WS
CHECKIN ON THE MOVE WITH MOBILE SERVICE
FROM CATHAY PACIFIC AND DRAGONAIR
Checking in for Cathay Pacific
and Dragonair flights is now
even more convenient with our
new Mobile Check-In service.
By accessing the mobile sites
with a web-enabled mobile
phone, passengers with
eTickets issued by Cathay Pacific
or Dragonair can check in
anytime, anywhere for themselves
and their companions and require
no additional application downloads.
In order to enjoy this service,
simply visit m.cathaypacific.com
or m.dragonair.com and click
“Check in”. Select your seat from a seat
map and receive a confirmation barcode
by SMS or email. Then, at the airport, you
PAMPER YOURSELF WITH OUR AMENITY KITS
Cathay Pacific provides a range of
amenity kits specially designed for
its First and Business Class passengers. The First Class amenity kit for
men comes with a new stylish bag
designed by Bally and packed with
skincare products by Acca Kappa.
For ladies, the new exclusive designs
by Ipa-Nima will be introduced
ed
in two phases. These elegantt
pouches are filled with a
collection of skin and bodycare products from Aesop.
The Business Class amenity kit with
exclusive designs by agnès b. features
new skin-care selections from Murad
and Dermalogica and will continue to
be offered in Business Class cabins.
These new kits will be progressively
introduced in 2009.
Club partners :
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™ • Park Hyatt™ Hotels •
Grand Hyatt™ Hotels • Hyatt Regency™ Hotels • Hyatt Place™ •
Hyatt Summerfield Suites™
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Marriott International Hotels • Marriott® Hotels & Resorts •
JW Marriott® Hotels & Resorts • Renaissance® Hotel & Resorts
First Cla
Class kits
oneworld ENJOYS
10TH ANNIVERSARY
Check-in
made easy
can scan the mobile barcode at our
Self Check-In Kiosks (where available)
and print your own boarding pass.
For more details about the service,
please visit www.cathaypacific.com or
www.dragonair.com.
ASIA MILES WINS AN
AWARD FOR SERVICE
AND INNOVATION
Asia Miles, Asia’s leading travel rewards
programme, has been recognised for
its contributions to the Hong Kong
community and economy.
Asia Miles won a Supreme Service
Award, aat a ceremony hosted
by Capital
Capi CEO magazine,
for its excellent
customer
ex
service aand strategy of
product
produc innovation.
The oneworld® airline alliance is 10
years old this year. Cathay Pacific Chief
Executive Tony Tyler outlines its importance to the airline and the industry.
“A lot has happened since
Cathay Pacific became one of the founder
members of oneworld in 1999. Our airline
has grown significantly over the past
decade, as has oneworld, and being part
of the leading quality alliance has played
an important role in enabling us to offer a
better product to our customers. Being a
oneworld member has helped us extend
our markets, introduce innovative new
products and realise various synergies
from being in partnership with some of
the world’s finest airlines.
“Looking ahead, our relationship with
oneworld will continue to be an integral
part of our strategy for future growth
and development in the next 10 years
and beyond, for both Cathay Pacific and
our sister airline Dragonair.”
– Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Tony Tyler
Forr exclusive Club partners’ offers,
offers please visit the member’s
mem
area of www.cathaypacific.com
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts •
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts • Traders Hotels
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide •
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts® • Four Points® by Sheraton •
St. Regis® Hotels & Resorts • The Luxury Collection® •
Le Méridien • W Hotels® • Westin Hotels & Resorts®
Swire Hotels
The Hilton Family • Hilton® • Conrad® Hotels & Resorts •
Doubletree® • Embassy Suites Hotels® • Hilton Garden Inn®
The Peninsula Hotels
Avis
Hertz
SIXT rent a car
For all partner offers, prices quoted are subject to change without prior notice. Peak season surcharges apply. Advance reservation is required and rooms are subject to availability.
Blackout dates apply. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or membership benefit.
THE CLUB 49
M AG A ZINE O F T HE M AR CO PO LO CLUB
Spin doctors: the custom-bike-makers + Treasure hunt
in London + 24 hours in Beijing + Antique-map experts
show the way + Cathay Pacific’s new environment team
QUARTER ONE 2009