NOVEMBER 2013
Grandluxury travel
GrandLUXURY TRAVEL
Grandluxury travel
NOVE
MBE
R 20
13
+ 8 GREAT ESCAPADES TO INSPIRE YOUR TASTE FOR TRAVEL
& WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN
CHRISTMAS IN VIENNAToasting the season’s sparkle
PACIFIC IDYLL Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta
6 SUNSWEPT SPASLose yourself in luxury
THE RIVER CALLS Cruises you’ll cherish
R7
Ad Number: MBZ_BRA_P15645GLT4Publication(s): Grand Luxury Travel
This ad prepared by: SGL Communications • 2 Bloor St. West, Toronto, Ontario • phone 416.413.7495 • fax 416.944.7883 File Location: SGL_MercedesBenzCanada:Volumes:SGL_MercedesBenzCanada:Magazine Ads:2014:O31493_S-Class Launch Magazine:english:MBZ_BRA_P15645GLT4.indd
JOB SPECIFICS
Client: Mercedes-BenzCreative Name: S-Class LaunchAgency Docket #: MBZ BRA O31493Main Docket #: SMZ COR O31493Art Director: John TisdailCopy Writer: Barnaby SouthgatePrint Production: Tom BurtonRetoucher: Jano KirijianLive: 10.375” x 10.375”Trim: 10.875” x 10.875”Bleed: 11.125” x 11.125”Artwork Scale: 1:1Print Scale: 100%
FILE SPECIFICATIONS:
File Name: MBZ_BRA_P15645GLT4.inddCreation Date: 9-19-2013 3:37 PMLast Modified: 10-25-2013 5:03 PMWorkstation: T11-0078InDesign Version: CS6 App. Version: 8.0Round #: 1 Page Count: 1GRAPHIC PRODUCTION:
Operator: Dennis SousaCorrection: None
SIGNOFFS:
Creative:
Production:
Premedia:
Proofreading:
Account:
Client:
PREMEDIA OPERATOR:
Operator: R.
INKS:
Cyan
MAGENTA
YELLOW
BLACK
FONTS & PLACED IMAGES
Family Style
Corporate A Condensed RegularCorporate S Regular, Bold, Demi
File Name Colour Space Eff. Res (PPI)
MB_SKLASSE_E1_S14-15_Ebenen_GLT4.eps CMYK 250 ppiMB-a_claim1EN_M_n_4C.epsAvailable_on_the_App_Store_Badge_US-UK_135x40_0801.eps
This proof was produced by the following department:
PREPRESS
Future Driven.Since its inception, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been the benchmark for automotive forward-thinking. In the 2014 S-Class, you can now experience an integrated suite of driver assistance and safety systems which we call ‘Intelligent Drive’. When you drive the S-Class, you drive the future.
Visit futuredriven.ca
A D
aim
ler
Bran
d
THE ALL-NEW 2014 S-CLASS.
© 2013 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.
Explore our 2014 lineup through the Mercedes-Benz Vehicle App.
S:10.375”S:10.375”
T:10.875”T:10.875”
B:11.125”B
:11.125”
NOVEMBER 2013
Grandluxury travel
GrandLUXURY TRAVEL
Grandluxury travel
NOVE
MBE
R 20
13
+ 8 GREAT ESCAPADES TO INSPIRE YOUR TASTE FOR TRAVEL
& WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN
CHRISTMAS IN VIENNAToasting the season’s sparkle
PACIFIC IDOL Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta
6 SUNSWEPT SPASLose yourself in luxury
THE RIVER CALLS Cruises you’ll cherish
14
7 11
22
3
On the CoverHorses with crimson ear coverings delight visitors
in Vienna’s Stefansplaz. Photo by John Fitzgerald
NOVEMBER2013
CONTRIBUTORSSusan Bridges, Barbara Ramsay Orr,
Tony Leighton, Danya Cohen
COMPASS MEDIA GROUP4391 Harvester Rd., 5A
Burlington, Ontario L7L 4X1 1.905.634.1010
www.compassmediagroup.ca
GRAND is a division of COMPASS MEDIA GROUP
EDITORJohn Fitzgerald
ART DIRECTORStephen Underwood
CEOJ. Scott Robinson
PUBLISHERIrene Patterson
SALES DIRECTORKate Plowman
EASTERN SALES MANAGERMark Drouin
Features 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 By Bentley to Strasbourg�e �agship Bentley Mulsanne proves an ideal ride for a two-day outing from London through French Champagne country, with Strasbourg as the grand �nale. By John Fitzgerald
14 The Pleasures of Puerto VallartaOnce overshadowed by the Mayan Riviera, the resort that Liz and Dick made famous on Mexico’s Paci�c Coast is ready for its close-up again. By Barbara Ramsay Orr
22 Spa CircuitLuxury spas are cropping up across the sun-swept islands of the Caribbean. Here are six of the most appealing. By Danya Cohen
24 Water WaysScenic and satisfying: what with its relaxed pace, up-close access and intimate accommodations, river cruising is growing fast, especially in Europe. By Tony Leighton
Departments18 Escapades
Bedding down in Amsterdam’s sexiest hotel; renting that villa you’ve just got to have; heading to DC for a photo �x and, of course, London calls. By John Fitzgerald
27 Geared UpTrack 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
28 What I Love About... AustinAustin-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 ImpressionsA 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 • contents
Printed on recycled material.
27
30
Last 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. �e luxury traveller is demanding more, including
enhanced loyalty programs that o�er 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 �ndings 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
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 low-down 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-and-take-notice photography that Grand is noted for, images we hope will evoke emotional reactions. We’ll be revamping our
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
A LUXURY SEVENDAY TRIP FOR TWO AT SECRET BAY, DOMINICA’S AWARDWINNING BOUTIQUE RESORT! INCLUDES: AIRFARE, AND 2 GOURMET MEALS PER DAY. ENTER ONLINE : WWW.COMPASSMEDIAGROUP.CA/CONTESTS
WIN
grand • editor’s note
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
Listen closely and you’ll hear your wake-up call.
SLTB-17462-4 4C Full PageListen Closely Print Ad L: 10.625x10.625, T: 10.875x10.875, B: 11x11
Grand Luxury Travel
APPROVALS(initial and date)
producer
studio
art director
copywriter
creative director
account service
mechanical
ISM18321_SLTB-17462-4_10.875x10.875_M1.indd 1 4/10/13 11:15 AM
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
8
Not far away—so much is within walking distance in this storied city that was once the centre of the Austro-Hungarian 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 a�ernoon we visit. In front of the church, youngsters frolic inside a hay-strewn enclosure where a barnyard replica features live sheep, goats and chickens. �e setup is part of a neighbourhood Christmas market, an installation at which the Viennese are particularly adept.
�e 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. �ere are more than 150 wooden stalls, decorated with lights and spruce bows, and they are stu�ed with sparkling ornaments of every size, description and colour. On o�er are also tiny toys, hand-cra�ed candles, and hundreds of other festive doo-dads, the volume of it no match for the nimble �ngers 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 lan-gos, which are basically discs of deep-fried dough coated in garlic paste. �ere are plump buns imprinted in sugar with the six-pointed star and tangy mulled wine. �ere’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. �e display windows at the Ste� 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 co�ee and restaurant, there are gold-painted elf �gures set in the big front windows. Nearby, Zum Schwarzen Kameel or �e 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.
9
sometimes all in red, that sprout from �owers 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 �r trees abound.
�ere 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. �e 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, a�er 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 Ho�urg. �e expansive complex of buildings was, until 1918, the seat of the Hapsburgs who ruled the empire for centuries. Some of their accumulated �nery can be seen in the public salons of the Ho�urg museum. But who wanted to be inside, when Vienna, for the holiday season, at any rate, was putting on all that dazzle.
IF YOU GOHOTELS:Ritz-Carlton: Schubertring 5-7; 011-43-1-311-88-110; www.ritzcarlton.comHotel Bristol: Kärntner Ring 1; 011-43-515-160; www.bistolvienna.comHotel Imperial: Kärntner Ring 16; 011-43-501 100; www.starwoodhotels.comPalais Coburg: Coburgbastei 4; 011-43-518-800; www.palais-coburg.comThe Ring: Kärntner Ring 8; 011-43-22-122; www.theringhotel.comHotel Sacher: Philharmoniker Strasse 4; 011-43-514-560; www.sacher.comDo & 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. 011-43-518-800Steirereck, Am Heumarkt 2aA, For res. 011 43 713 3168; www.steirereck.atZum 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
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.atSt. 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.atMUMOK: The Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foun-dation Vienna is a superlative showcase for modern and contemporary art. In the Museum Quarter. 43 1 52500 0; open daily; www.mumok.at
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.
1111
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 �agship car, on a two-day excursion. �e 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 Porto�no and Dark Cashmere.
By Bentley to Strasbourg
�e �agship Bentley Mulsanne proves an ideal ride for a two-day outing from London through French Champagne
country, with soulful Strasbourg as the grand �nale.
Text and photos by John Fitzgerald
a
11
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 Wingen- sur-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.
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 cheese-cake, 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.
12
Bentley Mulsannes parked outside the Lalique Factory in Wingen-Sur-Mode in France
13
Sometimes I bring out the
headphones because I feel
like hearing my favourite
music. Other times, it’s
simply because I don’t feel
like hearing my favourite
coworkers. Either way,
To order or learn more: Bose.ca/QC | 1.800.451.9174, ext. BZ390
THE BEST AROUND-EAR HEADPHONES WE’VE EVER MADE.
The world isn’t exactly a quiet place. That’s why we pioneered noise cancelling headphones. Put them on, and you’ll hear more of the full, rich sound of your favourite music – because you’ll hear less of everything else around you. Experience Bose QC®15 headphones risk-free for 30 days. Ask about free courier shipping. And enjoy better sound wherever you go.
I hear what I want. Even if it’s just peace and quiet.
THE BEST AROUND-EAR HEADPHONES WE’VE EVER MADE.
The world isn’t exactly a quiet place. That’s why we pioneered noise cancelling headphones. Put them on, and you’ll hear more of the full,
peace and quiet. peace and quiet. peace and quiet.
THE BEST AROUND-EAR HEADPHONES WE’VE EVER MADE.
The world isn’t exactly a quiet place. That’s why we pioneered noise cancelling headphones. Put them on, and you’ll hear more of the full,
peace and quiet.
©2013 Bose Corporation. The distinctive design of the headphone oval ring is a trademark of Bose Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Free shipping offer not to be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases, and subject to change without notice. Risk-free refers to 30-day trial only, requires product purchase and does not include return shipping. Delivery is subject to product availability.
BOS78825A_BZ390.indd 1 10/14/13 12:50 PM
14
I like to think of Puerto Vallarta as the connoisseur’sMexican destination. While you can �nd sandy beaches,parasailing action, zip-line courses and pirate-shipexcursions, there is also a layered culture and a richhistory. �at could be the reason – combined with its reputationas a safe destination – that the city is enjoying a renaissance.
“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 �shingharbour. When actors and directors, like Elizabeth Taylor and John Huston, started coming here, it became an ‘it’ place, attracting development, a�uent 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 wealthypatronage, they stayed for the light and the colour. PuertoVallarta is a place where the clear light re�ected from Banderas Bay meets the mists of the Sierra Madre Mountains. �e e�ect turns the city into a painting in the making, irresistible toanyone with a creative eye. �e 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.
�e 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.
�e 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. �e Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit & Spa Vallarta is right on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, with a three-tiered in�nity pool, golf course, tennis, and a top-endspa that specializes in treatments incorporating ancientceremonial rituals and natural Mexican ingredients. Its Restaurant Frida o�ers 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
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.
The Pleasures of Puerto VallartaBy Barbara Ramsay Orr
15
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. �e 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 lesbian-friendly city, with hotels, clubs and adventure tours that cater to the gay community. �e 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 �ag�ying from the restaurant. �e 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 �tness 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 Paci�co. And a�er the walk, it was time for dinner.
�e 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 chefscelebrate the cuisine of Mexico.
�is attention to food means an embarrassment of great choices for dinner. Bistro Teresa, perched on the hillside, is typical of the �ne dining you can enjoy in this city by the sea,
where the �sh 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 doorby a Mazatlán shrimper.
Dining in the lower town is livelier, with small cafesspilling out onto the street and roo�op dining rooms crowded and sociable. At No Way José!, orange-washed walls, bluepottery and chicken with mole sauce sing the �avours of Mexico. Café des Artistes and Trio o�er 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
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.
grand • destinations
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, o�er handmade tiles, silver, furniture, pottery and �ne jewellery. �e 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 handcra�ed, perforatedtin lamp that, when lit, �lls the room with little stars of light.
Saturdays see the sidewalks of Basilio Badillo crowded by
a farmers’ market, cra� vendors and music. �ere are other day trips, to the botanical gardens, to Los Arcos NationalMarine Park for great snorkelling and scuba diving, to the �shing village of Sayulita for sur�ng 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.
IF YOU GOGETTING 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] 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; 322-113-0281No Way José!, Colonia Emelia Zapata; 322-223-2853; nowayjosemx.comCafé des Artistes, Guadalupe Sánchez 740, Centro, Puerto Vallarta; 332-222-3228; cafedesartistes.comTrio, 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.comInternational Gourmet Festival, Nov 14–23, 2013; festivalgourmet.comArt Walk; vallartaartwalk.comCanopy Tours Puerto Vallarta; canopytourspuertovallarta.comDay trips with Vallarta Adventures take you to beaches, zip lining, sport fishing; vallarta-adventures.com
WHAT TO BUY:silver and turquoise jewellerytalavera tiles – Talavera etc: Fine Majolica Ceramica & Antique Jewellery; Ignacio Vallarta; 266-222-4100Mundo de Azulejos: Genuine Talavera Tile Factory; Venustiano Carranza; 374-222-2675; talavera-tile.comMata Ortiz pottery, Handwoven linensMexican 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
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.
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. �e hotel building harks back to the Stalin era but has been spi�ly redeveloped by Matteo �uun, the noted Italian architect/interior designer. Each of the 37 smartly decorated rooms and suites faces the Black Sea and feature a generous terrace. �ere is the Moskva restaurant for Russian specialties, and Black Magnolia for guests who prefer international fare. �e spa centre is large and comprehensive, with indoor and outdoor pools.
Hip Hip: �e 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 cra�ed by noted interior designer Marcel Wanders. �ey 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.
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
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.
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
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
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. �e 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.
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
19
Secret’s Out: Located in the lesser Antilles northwest of Martinique, Secret Bay in Dominica (not the Dominican Republic) is a secluded cli� top oasis to which you may want to escape once the weather gets nippy. �e beautifully designed sustainable wooden villas and bungalows feature many of the conveniences you’d expect at a larger resort. �ere 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.
Face O�: Iconic photographs of American notables taken by Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002) are on display for the �rst 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 K
arsh
© Estate of Yousuf K
arsh
© Estate of Yousuf K
arsh
grand • escapades
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. �ese 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.
20
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 in�uenced 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.
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.
Riviera Retreat: Relax on the Mayan Riviera at the beautiful Maroma Resort. �e 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. �ere are numerous resorts on the Riviera, but this one de�nitely stands out. You need venture nowhere else.
spagrand • destinations
22
By Danya Cohen
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.
circuit
23
Peter Island Resort & Spa – BVIAccessible 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.
Blue Spa at Carlisle Bay – AntiguaIf 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-your-friends 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.
Sandy Lane Spa – BarbadosUpon 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 Palladian- inspired 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.
Silver Rain Spa – Grand CaymanThe 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.
Como Shambhala Retreat – Turks & CaicosThe 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.
Viceroy Spa – AnguillaThe 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.
24
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
25
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 well- appointed 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-to-ceiling 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
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
WAYS
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 ro-
mantic 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.
26
Rhine River
Main RiverMain River
Main-
Danube
Canal
Danube RiverDanube RiverDanube RiverDanube River
AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam
CologneCologneDüsseldorfDüsseldorf
RüdesheimRüdesheimRüdesheimRüdesheimRüdesheimRüdesheimBambergBambergBambergBamberg
NurembergNurembergNurembergNuremberg
ViennaViennaViennaViennaViennaViennaVienna
Budapest
Bratislava
Cesky KrumlovCesky KrumlovPassauPassauPassauPassau
MelkLinz
SalzburgSalzburg
DürnsteinDürnsteinDürnsteinDürnsteinRegensburgRegensburg
WertheimWertheimWertheimWertheimWertheimWertheimWürzburg
Marksburg
RothenburgRothenburg
THE NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
CZECHREPUBLIC
SLOVAKIA
AUSTRIA
HUNGARY
14
HUNGARY
All-Inclusive Luxury:■ 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
All-Inclusive Luxury:■ 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
*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.
15 Day Jewels of Europe River Cruise
BUDAPEST TO AMSTERDAM
From $6,455* pp twin shareApril 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)
(limited availability unless otherwise sold out)
EARLY BOOKING INCENTIVES AVAILABLE
THE ULTIMATE RIVER CRUISE EXPERIENCE
Contact your local Cruise Holidays – Scenic Tours Specialist today!
Clarkson 905-855-1700London 519-474-1111Metro East 905-426-7884Mississauga 905-602-6566
Oakville 905-337-2228Calgary 403-245-0003W. Vancouver 604-921-3393White Rock 604-531-3307
TICO # 50018778
TOUR CODE: STCTOUR CODE: STCTOUR CODE: STCTOUR CODE: STCAll
inclusive5 starluxury
Budapest
BratislavaSLOVAKIA
April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony)
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.
27
5 great gifts to give by Irene Poplar
1 Giro Snow Helmet with Go Pro Mount�e Giro Edit Snow Helmet comes with a mount for your GOPRO camera. �e 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)
4Cologne Bag from PompidooWho says camera bags can’t be fashion forward? �is beautiful all natural leather bag combines functionality and design. With two compartments you can easily combine your purse and your camera bag into one. �is little bag just made airport security a whole lot easier. (pompidoo.com $323)
3 TrackDot Luggage TrackerNever lose your luggage again. �is 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)
2 Longines 24 Hour WatchUsed 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. �is 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)
5 Emilio Pucci SarongStay 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)
grand • geared up
What I Love About . . .
A Q&A with Jake SilversteinEditor-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 Masterof 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 ahigh-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. Austinalso doesn’t have the money of Dallas or Houston, so there’s not as much glitz and glamour.
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.
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 contentionwas – 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!
28
H Q&A Q&A Q& with Jake A with Jake A Silverstein
HHAustin
image ©
Jeff Wilson.com
Heaven SentThe 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.
30
grand • lasting impression
Photo and text by John Fitzgerald
Unprecedented Luxury
More than $2,500 in savings and added valueDetails at aircanadavacations.com
8009_Grand Luxury Travel Mag_V4.indd 1 13-08-09 5:02 PM
KEEPS UP WITH ANYTHING. EVEN YOU.Meet the next generation BMW X5, the Sports Activity Vehicle you can push as hard as you push yourself. Engineered for performance, the X5 xDrive50i houses an award-winning V8 engine capable of achieving 0–100 km/h in a heart-pounding 5.1 seconds* – while the split rear tailgate helps you load your gear in record time. The SAV that started the segment continues to lead it.
*Performance figures refer to the BMW X5 xDrive50i SAV with 8-speed automatic transmission. BMW X5 xDrive35i also available. ©2013 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.
INTRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION BMW X5. PLAY HARDER.
The Next Generation BMW X5xDrive35ixDrive50i
The Ultimate Driving Experience. ®bmw.ca
Job Desc.: BMW X5 PrintCampaign Ad Docket: BMWCA0571 Client: BMW Canada Supplier: Type Page: 10.325" x 10.325" Trim: 10.875" x 10.875" Bleed: 11.125" x 11.125" Screen: Pub.: Grand Luxury TravelColour: 4C Date: Sept 30, 2013 Insert Date: 09 November, 2013 Ad Number: BMWCA0571_GLT_4C_E_X5
DKT./PROJ: BMWCA0571
ARTWORK APPROVAL
Artist:
Studio Mgr:
Production:
Proofreader:
Creative Dir.:
Art Director:
Copywriter:
Translator:
Acct. Service:
Client:
Proof: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final
PDFx1a Laser Proof
SPEC IMAGE IN PLACE
BMWCA0571_GLT_4C_E_X5.indd 1 2013-10-24 12:53 PM
