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CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA Toasting the season’s sparkle PACIFIC IDYLL Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta 6 SUNSWEPT SPAS Lose yourself in luxury THE RIVER CALLS Cruises you’ll cherish

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the Mercedes-Benz Vehicle App. Vehicle Mercedes-Benz the 2014 our through Explore lineup MBZ_BRA_P15645GLT4 10.875” x10.875” 10.375” x10.375” - CLASS. • 2BloorSt.West, Toronto, Ontario prtr Dennis Sousa Correction: None Operator: GRAPHIC PRODUCTION: 8.0 Round #:1Page Count:1 App. Version: Version:InDesign CS6 5:03PM 10-25-2013 Workstation: T11-0078 3:37 PM 9-19-2013 Last Modified: Creation Date: MBZ_BRA_P15645GLT4.indd File Name: FILE SPECIFICATIONS: • phone416.413.7495 B:11.125” S:10.375” T:10.875” INKS: INKS: Operator: R. OPERATOR:PREMEDIA • 416.944.7883 fax416.944.7883 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA Cyan Available_on_the_App_Store_Badge_US-UK_135x40_0801.eps CMYK MB-a_claim1EN_M_n_4C.eps ppi 250 MB_SKLASSE_E1_S14-15_Ebenen_GLT4.eps File Name Corporate S Corporate ACondensed Family IMAGES &PLACED FONTS Colour Space Eff. Res (PPI) Eff. (PPI) Res Colour Space Regular, Bold,Demi Regular Style

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T:10.875” B:11.125” grand • contents NOVEMBER 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 7 11 French Champagne country, with Strasbourg as the grand nale. By John Fitzgerald 14 The Pleasures of Puerto Vallarta Once overshadowed by the Mayan Riviera, the resort that Liz and Dick made famous on 14 ’s Pacic Coast is ready for its close-up again. By Barbara Ramsay Orr 22 Spa Circuit Luxury spas are cropping up across the sun-swept islands of the Caribbean. Here are six of the most appealing. By Danya Cohen 013 2 24 Water Ways Scenic and satisfying: what with its relaxed pace, up-close access and intimate accommodations, river cruising is growing fast, especially in Europe. By Tony Leighton

22 30 Departments 18 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 Up Track that luggage you love with an iPhone GPS; plaudits go to Pucci for a seaside sarong that’s as splendid as a summer day; a camera bag that’s a stunner. By Irene Poplar 28 What I Love About... Austin 27 Austin-based Jake Silverstein, editor-in-chief of award-winning Texas Monthly magazine goes back and forth with John Fitzgerald on the merits of the cool, captivating capital. 30 Lasting Impressions A speck of a town on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, Samara Beach has a tiny, tin-roofed church with a pair of lovely steeples. Text and photo by John Fitzgerald

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EDITOR SALES DIRECTOR NOVEMBER 2013 John Fitzgerald CEO Kate Plowman J. Scott Robinson NOVEMBER 2013 ART DIRECTOR EASTERN SALES MANAGER Graluxurynd travel Stephen Underwood PUBLISHER Mark Drouin Irene Patterson

On the Cover CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA CONTRIBUTORS COMPASS MEDIA GROUP GRAND is a division of Toasting the season’s sparkle Susan Bridges, Barbara Ramsay Orr, 4391 Harvester Rd., 5A COMPASS MEDIA GROUP Horses with crimson ear PACIFIC IDOL Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta Tony Leighton, Danya Cohen Burlington, Ontario L7L 4X1 6 SUNSWEPT SPAS 1.905.634.1010 coverings delight visitors Lose yourself in luxury Printed on recycled material. THE RIVER CALLS 8 GREAT ESCAPADES Cruises you’ll cherish www.compassmediagroup.ca TO INSPIRE YOUR TASTE FOR TRAVEL in Vienna’s Stefansplaz. +& WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN Photo by John Fitzgerald 3 grand • editor’s note thoroughfares, dazzling Christmas markets and endless website, grandluxurytravel.ca, to offer you more and better, assortment of culinary treats, whether you opt to sample and creating a tablet version for those who prefer screen to ast month, I attended street food or fare presented on damask linen with paper. With the February 2014 issue, I’ll also introduce my theL International Luxury shimmering silverware. travel blog. I look forward to sharing it with you and receiving Travel Market at the It’s also in Europe, including Austria, that river your comments. Fairmont Mayakoba on cruising is growing mightily as a leisurely means of travel In upcoming issues of Grand, you’ll find our feature on Mexico’s Mayan Riviera. for many Canadians. In this issue, river-cruise fan Tony great dining options in the Florida Keys, an account of a four-day This is a gathering of travel Leighton lets readers in on some of the many pluses. stay at the spectacular Alpina Gstaad hotel in the world-famous agents who sell luxury Elsewhere, travel writer Barbara Ramsay Orr, whose Swiss ski resort for the rich, and a look at the splendours products, suppliers such numerous visits to Puerto Vallarta over the years have of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands. as luxury hotel chains and made her something of an expert on its stunning colonial Read about Bogotá, , where fast-paced changes bespoke travel companies, architecture, vibrant art scene and delicious food, celebrates are transforming what used to be a troubled city into one of and members of the media. its never-ending allure. the South America’s hottest travel destinations. And come Conference speakers noted From the Sandy Lane spa in Barbados to the COMO along as our writer introduces us to the delights of the that luxury is one of the Shambhala in Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos, we’ve got the low- Japanese island of Okinawa with its plethora of luxury resorts, fastest growing segments of the travel market. down on luxury spas in the Caribbean, and our Escapades beautiful views and an ambiance that suggests its inhabitants e luxury traveller is demanding more, including column in this issue highlights luxury villa rentals, superb have figured out a thing or two about keeping stress at bay. enhanced loyalty programs that oer once-in-a-lifetime resorts and an extra-special delight for fashionistas at From a tour of English gardens to a must-read guide experiences, instant concierge services tailored to the needs of London’s Embankment Galleries. to the top 10 villa rentals in southern Europe – and the clients wherever they happen to be, neighbourhood and cultural We’ve got great things in store in 2014. Beginning with reopening of the Paris Ritz – you won’t want to collaborations where local artists become part of a hotel’s fabric, the February issue, Grand Luxury Travel will appear six times Luxury Travel. and much more. I’ll be writing about the conference’s a year instead of the current four. That means we’ll be able ndings and what they mean in more detail as we move forward. to bring to discriminating travellers more luxury travel news, Our cover story this issue features Vienna at the holidays. features and destination stories by the finest writers from To me, few European cities are as lovely, and I say that as around the world. something of a veteran, having first visited in the late 1970s Of course, we’ll continue to showcase the sit-up-and- and returned a few times since. The holiday season is a terrific take-notice photography that Grand is noted for, images we time to be in the Austrian capital with its decorated hope will evoke emotional reactions. We’ll be revamping our John Fitzgerald

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Yuletide 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. on the 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. Danube 7 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 aernoon 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 stued with sparkling ornaments of every size, description and colour. On oer are also tiny toys, hand-craed 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 coee 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 8 prepares tasty Viennese street fare. Images clockwise from left: In a shop window, a stylish take on the traditional Austrian costume; one of the Wise Men gazes out from the window display at The Black Camel restaurant just off The Graben; miniature Mozart figurines line up for sale at the gift shop in the Hofburg Palace Museum which sells all manner of goods pertaining to the glory days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

IF YOU GO HOTELS: Ritz-Carlton: Schubertring 5-7; 011-43-1-311-88-110; www.ritzcarlton.com Hotel Bristol: Kärntner Ring 1; 011-43-515-160; www.bistolvienna.com Hotel Imperial: Kärntner Ring 16; 011-43-501 100; www.starwoodhotels.com Palais Coburg: Coburgbastei 4; 011-43-518-800; www.palais-coburg.com The Ring: Kärntner Ring 8; 011-43-22-122; www.theringhotel.com Hotel Sacher: Philharmoniker Strasse 4; 011-43-514-560; www.sacher.com Do & Co Hotel Vienna: Stephansplatz 12; 1-800-337-4685 toll-free; www.designhotels.com RESTAURANTS: Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant Palais Coburg, Palais Coburg Hotel. For res. 011-43-518-800 Steirereck, Am Heumarkt 2aA, For res. 011 43 713 3168; www.steirereck.at Zum Schwarzen Kameel, Bognergasse 5, For res. 011-43-533-8125; www.kameeel.at CAFES: Cafe Sperl: Gumpensorfer Strasse 11, 011-43-586-4158l; www.cafesperl.at Demel:Kohlmarkt 14; 011-43-535-1717; www.demel.at SHOPPING: The Graben: This famous pedestrian thoroughfare has dozens of elegant shops to choose from. Also sometimes all in red, that sprout from owers and greenery, enjoy dinner at the much lauded dining room at the Palais try Mariahilferstrasse and the various museum gift to mark the weeks leading up to Christmas in the Christian Coburg hotel at Coburgbastei 4, a member of Relais & shops which are very good indeed. calendar. Beside them, baskets brim with pomegranates, Châteaux. A majestic architectural confection, of which SIGHTSEEING: sticks of cinnamon, and sleek bottles of wine vinegar in dozens Vienna, depending upon one’s view, is cursed or blessed, The Hofburg: The fabled former Hapsburg palace of shades and textures. Garlanded r trees abound. the hotel was built in the 19th century as a residence for houses dozens of grand period rooms and is also ere are so many seasonal concerts—this is city of nobility and, aer subsequently falling on hard times, has home to the Lippizanner horses. Hofburg museum, Mozart and Strauss, Hayden and Mahler—and other events been refurbished to a level of luxury in keeping with its Michaelerkuppel (central Vienna); open daily 9 a.m.- in Vienna, you’d be forgiven for being overwhelmed. e illustrious roots. 5p.m. www.hofburg.wien.at St. Stephen’s Cathedral: Consecrated in the 12th Vienna Royal Orchestra performs at the Imperial Hall, there’s Up early the following morning, we set out to hear a Mass century, and known for its 136 meter tall steeple, skating on the rink outside the Rathaus, and you can torte written by the composer Joseph Hayden and performed by this massive and majestic house of worship should taste to your heart’s content in the deluxe environs of the members of the choir and orchestra of the Augustinian Friars definitely be on the list. Stefansplatz. Open daily. Hotel Sacher, Hotel Imperial, and the Bristol with its ultra church in the Hourg. e expansive complex of buildings For tours, 43 1 51552 3054; www.stefanskirche.at chic Art Deco style loos. Bakery apprentice Franz Sacher was, until 1918, the seat of the Hapsburgs who ruled the empire MUMOK: The Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foun- invented the two-layer cake in 1832, and the Original Sacher for centuries. Some of their accumulated nery can be seen in dation Vienna is a superlative showcase for modern and contemporary art. In the Museum Quarter. Torte is served exclusively at the Sacher establishments. But the public salons of the Hourg museum. But who wanted 43 1 52500 0; open daily; www.mumok.at the torte has its variations and they are ubiquitous. to be inside, when Vienna, for the holiday season, at any rate, We had stayed up a little late one evening before to was putting on all that dazzle. 9

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 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 Portono and Dark Cashmere. 1111 In our supercharged world, you can zip from London to Munster cheese and sauerkraut. To our left, across the narrow Strasbourg in a day of ambitious driving. But ours would be a River Ill that flows through the city on its way to the Rhine, more leisurely progress. The itinerary called for us to drive our was the steep-roofed Palais Rohan, the fine arts museum, separate ways out of London, get the Bentleys through the and beyond it, the single spire of the Gothic Cathedral of Channel Tunnel and join up in Rheims in Champagne Notre Dame, set against a vibrant blue sky. The rose-coloured country for lunch at two–Michelin star l’Assiette cathedral’s 142-metre bell tower gave it bragging rights as the Champenoise, a distance of about 435 kilometres. world’s highest building between the years 1647 and 1874, The remainder of the afternoon would be spent travelling although the townsfolk never raised sufficient funds to build a through the flat Alsatian countryside and finishing the day in second spire. Condé-Northen, a village that looks lovely at twilight, at a very We had rooms at the Cour du Corbeau, which sits at the nice inn named La Grange de Condé. end of the Rue des Couples off the Quai des Bateliers. With its As I had no heart for navigating my way out of London, oak-timber framing, white plaster filling and upper galleries despite the preset route in the Bentley’s GPS, another writer dotted with boxes containing red geraniums, it’s been used as drove our car, which was painted Moroccan Blue. The an inn since the late 1500s. impeccable interior was described later by a colleague as like Europe was in a major bake. I could feel it mightily even being in a sumptuous living room, all soft, hide seating and as sunset approached and we gathered for pre-dinner drinks in dark veneer surfaces, with the air of fat bonuses. the Cour de Corbeau’s courtyard, especially with a jacket and The Mulsanne is pretty tremendous, and I say that more as tie covering my sweat-soaked frame. The drive would be interspersed with lunches and dinners a travel enthusiast than as a car lover, unlike some of my friends Luckily, the Au Crocodile was only a short distance away, at several Michelin-star restaurants, including Philippe who were orgasmic when they heard I was doing this trip. Easy and I was soon basking in the comfort of the air-conditioned, Bohrer’s three-star Au Crocodile in Strasbourg. If I were in, to handle, the drive as smooth as a “waveless sea” to quote second-floor private dining room. The dinner, hosted by Silvio I’d join a small group of other writers in London toward the William Wordsworth about something else, the Mulsanne Denz, Lalique’s 57-year-old Swiss owner, and his wife, involved middle of June. gave me a memorable experience whether I was steering or a not-interminable number of courses that I found reassuring. Lalique, the French luxury brand associated with crystal sitting back as a passenger. The meal began with a portion of foie gras that looked as for more than a century, was also being promoted. The luxuries? How about a voice-activated info/ big as a boxcar. Cod fillet accompanied by an interesting creamy Founded by René Lalique in the 1880s, the firm’s entertainment system with a 20-centimetre screen that polenta followed, and there was eventually a delicious cheese- perfume bottles, vases and statues of female forms, animals allows the driver to control the 3D satellite navigation cake, the rising timbre of voices from the assembled guests in and other exquisite bits now include a wide product range. system, a 14-speaker audio system, telephone and a series of direct proportion to the consumption of Alsatian wines. Think furniture and lighting, accessories and fragrances. other applications? It’s as well, I thought, that the Bentley excursion was at an Bentley for Men, a new fragrance, has been created in As I admired the interior at one point in our journey, the end. Imagine if I had gotten used to it? collaboration with French perfumer Nathalie Lorson. radio serenaded us with, among other tunes, the Swedish duo To learn more about Bentley automobiles, log on to: There were rather elaborate and windy descriptions Icona Pop hit “I Love It” – about car crashing. www.bentleymotors.com. For information about the in the press material, something about the “dark throbbing Bordering Switzerland and Germany, the Alsace-Lorraine Champagne and Alsace regions of France, contact power of black pepper” meeting “invigorating bergamot region was passed back and forth between France and Germany Atout France in Montreal at 514-288-2026 or see and green bay leaves” and, a bit about brown leather. The for many years. As we drove through the flat landscape, the www.rendezvousfrance.com. The Lalique web site is: fragrance appeals to me, and the bottle’s design mirrors the big Bentley expertly manoeuvring the roundabouts, signs www.lalique.com. Air France flies toFrance from Montreal, lines and curves of a Bentley. indicated one or another of the dozens of white wine– Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. www.airfrance.com. There’s also the Lalique for Bentley Crystal Edition, a producing villages for which Alsace is famous. square-shaped perfume flacon with the iconic “Flying B,” The drive took us on the first evening to Condé-Northen, complete with crystal wings, as a stopper. a town that looks like it doesn’t get up to much, where we We would be visiting the Lalique factory and museum, dined beneath the stars in the gardens of La Grange de opened by Maître Lalique in 1921 in the village of Wingen- Condé, a lovely inn. sur-Moder. Three hundred and fifty employees work in Lalique, who is credited with inventing modern the factory. jewellery, began working with glass in the 1890s and went Three weeks after receiving the e-mail, I found myself on to create an enormous variety of objects in both the Art outside the Westbury Hotel in London’s Mayfair under grey Nouveau and Art Deco periods. skies on a Monday morning. Pristine in impeccable hues As well as pieces of jewellery he created, there are dozens with impeccable names (Anthracite, Windsor Blue and other of examples of perfume bottles in the Lalique museum as well plummy colours), the five Mulsannes we’d be driving sat as vases and other objects, all of it beautiful, with a sense of curbside in a perfect row. drama, and in colours both subtle and bold. Bentley Mulsannes parked outside the Lalique Factory in You’ve heard of swank cars purring? Bentleys purr. 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BOS78825A_BZ390.indd 1 10/14/13 12:50 PM The Pleasures of Puerto Vallarta By Barbara Ramsay Orr

“Beached out” travellers are turning to the allure of Puerto inspired the work of visiting artists and students who come to Once overshadowed by the Vallarta’s multifaceted charm. study at the local art schools. As Señora Anna at Galeria Rodo Padilla explained to me, e city’s character also means that its streets are always Mayan Riviera, the resort that “Up until the mid-sixties, Puerto Vallarta was a sleepy shing full of people walking the boardwalk or Malecón, enjoying harbour. When actors and directors, like Elizabeth Taylor the evening paseo, or exploring the cobblestoned streets of Liz and Dick first made famous and John Huston, started coming here, it became an ‘it’ place, the old town. attracting development, auent tourists and then a whole e hotel district along the ocean in Nuevo Vallarta is on Mexico’s Pacific Coast is group of artists.” She smiled, “Now PV is the pearl of Mexico.” perfectly located, close to the beach and city centre, and within While the artists may have come for the wealthy easy reach of the airport. e Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit & ready for its close up again. patronage, they stayed for the light and the colour. Puerto Spa Vallarta is right on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, with a I like to think of Puerto Vallarta as the connoisseur’s Vallarta is a place where the clear light reected from Banderas three-tiered innity pool, golf course, tennis, and a top-end Mexican destination. While you can nd sandy beaches, Bay meets the mists of the Sierra Madre Mountains. e spa that specializes in treatments incorporating ancient parasailing action, zip-line courses and pirate-ship eect turns the city into a painting in the making, irresistible to ceremonial rituals and natural Mexican ingredients. Its excursions, there is also a layered culture and a rich anyone with a creative eye. e colonial architecture, the Restaurant Frida oers haute cuisine, while the Aqua Bar at history. at could be the reason – combined with its reputation graceful towers of Our Lady of Guadeloupe Cathedral, and the pool allows you to swim up for a casual lunch. as a safe destination – that the city is enjoying a renaissance. yellow, red and blue doors overhung with bougainvillea, have From the hotel district, it’s an easy walk to the old town 14 grand • destinations

and the Zona Romantica, where the Malecón snakes along the world” – is home to a good tness centre and Taste, a highly Among Puerto Vallarta’s many attractions is golf. There are also numerous fine dining restaurants (above right), spots for ocean past Los Arcos and vendors sell everything from beach recommended restaurant. sunbathing and splashing about ((lower left) and strolling along sandals to grilled mahi-mahi on a skewer. e walk will take On a Wednesday evening, I joined the weekly Art Walk the city’s beautiful Malecón that fronts on the Pacific Ocean. you past sculptures by Sergio Bustamante, Ramiz Barquet and in the old town, when galleries stay open late and serve wine others, as well as incredible sand sculptures. and nibbles. I loved the unconventional sculptures at Galeria where the sh is freshly caught steps from the restaurant, and Farther along, the activity of Playa de los Muertos, with its Uno and the playful interpretations of traditional subjects by where the shrimp have the snap and sweetness that tell you southern end a popular gay and lesbian playground, celebrates Roberto Vazquez at Galeria Pacico. And aer the walk, it was they have but recently been delivered to the café’s back door the easy beach ethos. PV is well known as a gay- and lesbian- time for dinner. by a Mazatlán shrimper. friendly city, with hotels, clubs and adventure tours that cater e food scene in Puerto Vallerta is celebrated, another Dining in the lower town is livelier, with small cafes to the gay community. e famous Blue Chairs section of Los reason that the city is an enduring favourite with discerning spilling out onto the street and rooop dining rooms crowded Muertos Beach is the centre of the gay beach area, with its travellers. Each November, the city hosts the International and sociable. At No Way José!, orange-washed walls, blue aqua chairs clustered along the shore and a rainbow ag Gourmet Festival, where local and international chefs pottery and chicken with mole sauce sing the avours of ying from the restaurant. e nearby “green chairs” of Club celebrate the cuisine of Mexico. Mexico. Café des Artistes and Trio oer upscale dining. Lido are part of a gay-owned club that provides on-the-beach is attention to food means an embarrassment of great When the charms of the ocean fade, I turn up into the drink service and good food. Hotels like Casa Cupula, – its choices for dinner. Bistro Teresa, perched on the hillside, is old cobblestone streets of the city and visit the mercados for tagline reads “the most luxurious gay boutique hotel in the typical of the ne dining you can enjoy in this city by the sea, bargains – sterling and turquoise jewellery, bottles of tequila 15 and vanilla, little packets of epazote and beach cover-ups. For a farmers’ market, cra vendors and music. ere are other There is plenty of nightlife in Puerto Vallarta (below, top) for those serious shopping, the little places along the old town’s streets, day trips, to the botanical gardens, to Los Arcos National 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, like Mundo de Azulejos and Talavera etc, oer handmade Marine Park for great snorkelling and scuba diving, to the left, middle), relax and enjoy and enjoy some of the casual outdoor tiles, silver, furniture, pottery and ne jewellery. e pottery shing village of Sayulita for surng or the colonial town eateries (middle, right) and delight in performances that highlight from the village of Mata Ortiz is highly collectable, its pieces of San Sebastián for its history and beauty. But my favourite Mexican folklore. smooth surfaced, balanced in the hand, and skilfully formed. I thing to do in Puerto Vallarta is to walk down to the beach bought one small Mata Ortiz pot and a handcraed, perforated to sit with my feet in the sand, a frosty margarita in hand, to tin lamp that, when lit, lls the room with little stars of light. witness the paseo and watch the sun set over the Bahía de Saturdays see the sidewalks of Basilio Badillo crowded by Banderas. It’s a magical place. IF YOU GO GETTING THERE: Air Canada (aircanada.com), Air Transat (airtransat.ca), WestJet (westjet.com), Delta (delta.com) and other airlines run regular flights from several Canadian cities to Puerto Vallarta from November to April. It is about a five-hour flight from Toronto. Taxis are inexpensive in PV, and it is easy to find one at the airport. WHERE TO STAY: Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is a five-star, all-inclusive resort directly on the beach. Av. Cocoteros, 98 Sur, Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, C.P. 63735; [email protected] Casa Cupula, 129 Callejon de la Igualdad, Colonia Amapas; 322-223-2484; casacupula.com WHERE TO DINE: Bistro Teresa, Carretera a Mismaloya K.M 1.5, Costa Linda Hotel, Puerto Vallarta 48380; 322-113-0281 No Way José!, Colonia Emelia Zapata; 322-223-2853; nowayjosemx.com Café des Artistes, Guadalupe Sánchez 740, Centro, Puerto Vallarta; 332-222-3228; cafedesartistes.com Trio, Guerrero 264, Centro, Puerto Vallarta, 48300; 322-222-2196 WHAT TO DO: Cooking classes at My Mexican Kitchen, Bucerias Art Walk Plaza, 62 Lazaro Cardenas Street, Bucerias, Riviera Nayarit; 322-159-0069; mymexicankitchen.com International Gourmet Festival, Nov 14–23, 2013; festivalgourmet.com Art Walk; vallartaartwalk.com Canopy Tours Puerto Vallarta; canopytourspuertovallarta.com Day trips with Vallarta Adventures take you to beaches, zip lining, sport fishing; vallarta-adventures.com WHAT TO BUY: silver and turquoise jewellery talavera tiles – Talavera etc: Fine Majolica Ceramica & Antique Jewellery; Ignacio Vallarta; 266-222-4100 Mundo de Azulejos: Genuine Talavera Tile Factory; Venustiano Carranza; 374-222-2675; talavera-tile.com Mata Ortiz pottery, Handwoven linens Mexican original art and sculpture at one of the many excellent galleries that showcase Mexican artists, like Galeria Uno, Morelos 561, tel: 322-222-0908. Most of the galleries will arrange shipping

Escapades Bedding down in Amsterdam’s sexiest hotel; renting that villa you’ve just got to have; heading to DC for a photo fix and, of course, London calls. Grand says: DO IT

Hip Hip: 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 craed 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.

The Andaz’s Amsterdam Bluespoon restaurant is a good bet even if you are surrounded by dozens of other dining options in the vicinity of the hotel. For hotel reservations, search hyatt.com. Prinsengracht 587 (Prince’s Gate) Amsterdam; 31-0-20-523-1234.

Serene in Sochi: It may be all hyperactivity at the Winter Olympics spread in this Black Sea resort, but you’d never know it at the Rodina Grand Hotel & Spa. e hotel building harks back to the Stalin era but has been spily 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.

Rodina Grand Hotel & Spa is located at Vinogradnaya Street 33, Sochi, Russia. It is 38 km from Sochi Airport. For reservations, call 800-745-8883 or search at lhw.com

18 Crossing on the Queen: With special onboard events planned, the Cunard luxury liner Queen Mary 2 will be doing two special voyages in May 2014 to mark its 10th Bedding down in Amsterdam’s sexiest hotel; renting that villa you’ve just got to have; anniversary. Fares are from $1,099 per person based upon heading to DC for a photo fix and, of course, London calls. Grand says: DO IT 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. © Estate of Yousuf Karsh

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.

Yousuf Karsh: American Portraits is being shown in two phases. The first © Estate of Yousuf Karsh © Estate of Yousuf Karsh exhibition runs until April 27, 2014, followed by the second installment May 2 to November 2, 2014. This is the first time the National Gallery has devoted an exhibition to a man regarded as one of Canada’s preeminent photographers. Eighth and F Streets SW, Washington; 202-633-8300; npg.si.edu

Secret’s Out: Located in the lesser Antilles northwest of Martinique, Secret Bay in Dominica (not the ) 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. 19 grand • escapades

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 denitely stands out. You need venture nowhere else.

Call 866-454-9351 for reservations or visit maromahotel.com. The resort is located off Hwy 307, Km 51, Riviera Maya. Home will seem a distant memory once you see that sunset with a margarita.

Pleasure palaces: From English country houses to Italian villas, you can rent some of the world’s most stunning digs through British-based Petersham Properties, a luxury holiday home rental agency. 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.

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 inuenced a generation. More than 100 of her truly singular garments are on show in Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!

Somerset House, the Isabella Blow Foundation and the famous London art and design school, Central Saint Martins, are presenting Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! The Embankment Galleries are located at Strand, Covent Garden. The galleries are three minutes’ walk from Temple tube station. somersethouse.org.uk. 20 grand • destinations

circuit

spaBy Danya Cohen

As the sun retires earlier and the freshness of fall turns inhospitable, you may feel the familiar call With an array of sophisticated 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 treatments, not to mention 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 super-swank interiors, six luxury 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 Caribbean spas take tuning out Europe and the . 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 to a new level of comfort. of the most spectacular settings, and all just a short-haul flight away. 22 Peter Island Resort & Spa – BVI Sandy Lane Spa – Barbados Como Shambhala Retreat – Turks & Caicos Accessible only by helicopter, ferry and yacht, the Peter Upon arriving via complimentary Bentley airport transfer, The holistic COMO Shambhala Retreat in Parrot Cay does Island Resort & Spa in the British Virgin Islands is situated on you’ll feel just like the celebrities to which this award-winning its best to elevate pampering to divine heights. Taking inspiration the magnificent White Beach – said to have inspired Robert spa regularly caters. Sandy Lane is one of the most famous and from Buddhist mythology, ”Shambhala” refers to a sacred place Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. East meets west with Ayurvedic luxurious resorts in the Caribbean. And the grand impressions of bliss and is achieved with a spa menu committed to mental, treatments administered by Indian-trained practitioners. continue once you set foot inside the spa. Notice the Palladian- physical and spiritual wellness. The spa is located on the quiet, Once you’ve been drizzled in doshic oils to rebalance your inspired rotunda and columned entrance finished in white marble east side of the island, amid lush wetlands. If you are interested energies, and after inhaling the scents of local tropical lime and and voile draping, waterfall flowing into the main pool, and the Koi in the Eastern approach, consult an Ayurvedic doctor for frangipani,even the most plugged in and stressed out of guests pond adjoining the 14 treatment rooms. Despite the striking setting, treatments ranging from shiatsu to a customized detox. But if will relax. Choose one of 10 treatment rooms, or better yet, it’s the service and unique facilities of the spa that draw stars it is inner peace you seek, book some time with the in-house spend the day in a private, open-air bohio where the latest skin like Simon Cowell and Tiger Woods. Like the spa Rhassoul – intuitive counsellor. Better yet, feel like royalty in a flower-filled treatments, like the Diamond Experience Facial favoured by this cavernous steam room, named for the mineral rich clay used Japanese bath, or spend some time contemplating the glorious Hollywood’s Oscar-season crowd, are delivered seaside. for centuries in North Africa, is the only one in the Caribbean. subtleties between a Balinese and Thai massage.

Blue Spa at Carlisle Bay – Antigua Silver Rain Spa – Grand Cayman Viceroy Spa – Anguilla If your love affair with the Caribbean goes from sun-kissed The spa is named for the healing Swiss glacial waters The Atlantic-side oceanfront spa at the Anguilla Viceroy to sun-scorched, don’t fret. The stunning spa at Carlisle Bay used throughout. As La Prairie’s flagship spa, the design is offers guests a view of the powder-white beaches of Meads Bay specializes in treatments for sun-damaged skin and is sure to apparent from the moment you enter the cavernous entrance, below. With naturally bleached wood, custom-carved furniture rejuvenate even the most leathery of complexions. Care for a where a magnificent water wall and glass, up-lit floors atop an and geometric art, the world-class design is elemental, exotic shiatsu massage... for your face? Try this award-winning (much indoor river create a sense that you are entering something yet modern. Renovated in 2013, the spa has added seven gentler) version of the invigorating treatment for a fool-your- between a cave and an igloo. With water cascading waterfront treatment rooms and three oceanfront cabanas, friends lift, or spend an hour devoted to beautifying your back. from the walls, underfoot and providing inspiration for the ensuring that guests can be pampered poolside or seaside. Set on the unspoiled beaches of the southern coast, the spa locker keys (formed into tiny silver raindrops), the result is an Watch the sun melt daily into azure waters from the salt-water ambience is enhanced by the exotic sounds of tropical birds homage to the spa’s star ingredient. And if that weren’t enough infinity pool or, if you’re looking for more, take advantage of the and scents of the surrounding Antiguan rainforest. of heaven, you’ll soon be convinced once the spa’s angels help spa’s cooking, meditation and healthy lifestyle classes. you curate your own playlist for your stay. 23 WATER WAYS

SCENIC AND SATISFYING, WHAT WITH THE RELAXED PACE, COMFORTABLE CABINS AND CLOSE ACCESS TO DESTINATIONS, RIVER CRUISING IS GROWING FAST, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE. BY TONY LEIGHTON

24 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 WAYS 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 Uniworld Cruises River Empress (top) passes through Wertheim in Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg; a lavish buffet (bottom right) greets guests sipped champagne or Kir royal in the sumptuous lounge before aboard Uniworld’s River Royale; a view of the River Royale’s exterior. dinner, France rolled languidly past on the other side of floor-to- ceiling windows. riverside villages and towns that bus groups and road travellers Sociability • Sharing a ship with fewer fellow passengers Part of what recommends river cruising is that it isn’t don’t frequent in overwhelming numbers. And the variety means you have an opportunity to get to know some of them. ocean cruising. On river ships, you travel with about 150 other is bracing. One day, you can be in the Baroque Benedictine On our French trip with Scenic, we clicked with several couples, passengers, not 4,000, so the experience is more intimate abbey of Melk (Austria), possibly the most jaw-droppingly sharing meals and bus rides and, most memorably, a hosted and personal. You get to know the staff, and they get to know ornate church in Christendom, the next day in Nuremberg, a evening at a winegrower’s farm on a Beaujolais hilltop. The your preferences. There’s no surcharging – an irritating plague chilling yet mesmerizing reminder of Nazi self-glorification. vintners, a couple, served eight of us a home-cooked supper – on many ocean cruises – and you spend more time on land, Frictionless Travel • While you see so much, you never and plenty of their wine – at a big table by their hearth. exploring and immersing in history with local guides, often feel rushed. All the top river-cruise companies orchestrate the One of the best reasons to go river cruising is the fierce docking in the hearts of European cities. experience so there’s no struggle – with a foreign language, competition among the major operators. As they ratchet up the Those are some of the best reasons to take a river cruise. a map, a road sign, even a guidebook. You transition from a amenities and inclusions to win market share, we buyers are Here are the others that matter most to us: good meal to an edifying attraction and back to a good meal in being treated to a standard of travel once known only to the Compressed Variety • There’s not a wasted day. That a seamless flow of vacation gratification. aristocratic class. can seldom be said on oceans. When cruising rivers, you visit River Life • On rivers, you are low in the water and close The ships are getting more elaborate. Tauck River to the shore. Towns and cities come and go. Vineyard-carpeted Cruising’s fifth river ship will be 23 percent longer but will carry Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ vessel River Queen makes its way hillsides slope to the water, some studded with castles. only 10 percent more passengers, so there’s more room for leisurely along the Moselle River (top photo) that flows through France, Hundreds of bridges loom overhead. Vacationers in trailer parks everyone (130, versus 190 on some ships). AmaWaterways Luxembourg and Germany. A beautifully styled cabin (bottom left) is wave as you churn past, mere metres from their lawn chairs. It’s will somehow fit a heated swimming pool on its new ships. featured on one of the Scenic Cruises vessels. Tables are set for a ro- a movie that rolls for two weeks. Scenic has built glassed-in “sun lounge” balconies on most mantic terrace dinner on a Viking Cruises voyage (bottom right). 25 rooms, and offers complimentary, self-guiding GPS devices, electrically assisted bicycles, two garment pressings per day, Apple computers in every room, and a “pillow menu” to meet the preferences of every head. All included. Themed cruises are adding new slants to familiar landscapes. With Viking, you can tour the “Romantic Danube Christmas Markets.” AmaWaterways offers “Fall Flings for Oenophiles” with American and European wine experts on board. Avalon has developed themed cruises based on wine, beer, Impressionist art, jazz, World War II, and Jewish heritage. Once you’ve cruised the traditional European routes several times, as we have, there’s no need to stop. Abercrombie & Kent offers more than 30 canal cruises in France for small groups. Uniworld and Viking are now in Portugal and Spain with shorter, custom-built ships. In fact, no reasonably large, navigable, politically safe river in the world is immune to cruise companies. Uniworld (and others) will take you down the Mekong from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The Yangtze, Amazon, Nile and Mississippi are all options. Our next river desire? The Irrawaddy, the 2,100-kilometre Burmese river Kipling called the “Road To Mandalay.” 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 , 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 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; of your five-star floating hotel. a 41 sq. meter stateroom aboard Viking’s Aegir Explorer (top right); one of the talented chefs on Uniworld ships, including the River Ambassador.

All-Inclusive Luxury: 15 Day Jewels of Europe ■ Luxury staterooms and suites River Cruise ■ Private Outdoor Balcony Suites with BUDAPEST TO AMSTERDAM Scenic ‘Sun Lounges’ THE ULTIMATE RIVER CRUISE From $6,455* pp twin share ■ Personal butler for every guest EXPERIENCE April 21, 2014 departure in D category cabin (no balcony) ■ World class cuisine (limited availability unless otherwise sold out) All ■ † Unlimited complimentary beverages inclusive THE NETHERLANDS TOUR CODE: STC Amsterdam ■ 5 star Scenic Tailormade-personal luxury Düsseldorf GPS tour guide Cologne Rhine River GERMANY ■ Complimentary in-suite mini bar Marksburg Main River Bamberg Rüdesheim Nuremberg

Main- Danube ■ Canal Onboard entertainment and lectures Wertheim Cesky Krumlov Würzburg Passau ■ Rothenburg 14 Dürnstein All shore excursions and special events Regensburg Danube River Linz Bratislava ■ Melk Vienna Electric bicycles Salzburg AUSTRIA ■ Budapest Complimentary Wi-Fi internet HUNGARY ■ Personalised airport transfers† EARLY BOOKING INCENTIVES ■ All tipping and gratuities AVAILABLE Contact your local Cruise Holidays – Scenic Tours Specialist today!

Clarkson 905-855-1700 Oakville 905-337-2228 TICO # 50018778 London 519-474-1111 Calgary 403-245-0003 Metro East 905-426-7884 W. Vancouver 604-921-3393 Mississauga 905-602-6566 White Rock 604-531-3307

*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 26 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. 1 Giro Snow Helmet with Go Pro Mount grand • geared up great e Giro Edit Snow Helmet comes with a mount for your GOPRO camera. e helmet is state of the art with thermostat control gifts buttons on the outside so you can easily open and close the 10 air vents inside. When mounted with the GOPRO wide angle 5 to give helmet cam, you can record cinema quality video as you swish down the hills (and you can remotely control the by Irene Poplar camera with an app on your smart phone). (giro.com, $520 for both helmet and cam) 5 Emilio Pucci Sarong Stay cool, breezy and impeccably fashionable with this stunning Emilo Pucci Sarong. Perfect for poolside and long walks on the 2 Longines 24 Hour Watch beach the cotton-voile material will dry Used by Swissair navigators, this iconic quickly and is easily matched with other time piece came into prominence in the pieces in the collection. 1950’s. Because of the technology of the (netaporter.com $595) 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)

3 TrackDot Luggage Tracker 4 Cologne Bag from Pompidoo Never lose your luggage again. is little device is connected to your smart phone and Who says camera bags can’t be fashion will send a GPS signal forward? is beautiful all natural leather back to you. When bag combines functionality and design. you land you’ll receive With two compartments you can easily a text message telling combine your purse and your camera bag you where your luggage into one. is little bag just made airport has arrived. So if you security a whole lot easier. land in Costa Rica and (pompidoo.com $323) your luggage goes to Helsinki at least you’ll know where it is. (trakdot.com $65)

27 What I Love About . . . Where are places you go when you want to What’s the most beautiful spot in Austin? hear live music? Barton Creek Greenbelt after a fair amount of rain. Park H Hands down my current favourite is the Moody Theatre. at the trailhead near 360 and Mopac and hike to Twin Austin That’s where the Austin City Limits TV show is taped. Falls (less than a mile). It’s gorgeous. Incredible to think Best acoustics in town. And a great atmosphere, you’re only five minutes from the state Capitol. too. Make sure to stop by the Willie Nelson statue on A Q&A with Jake Silverstein your way in. Every city has its funny little ways. What are Editor-in-chief of the award-winning Texas Monthly Austin’s? magazine, based in Austin, Jake Silverstein has a sense What’s your favourite dive? Austin’s unofficial motto is “Keep Austin Weird”, and of presence and of place. California-born, he has lived Texas Chili Parlor. A bowl of red. A mug of cheap beer. you see that on bumper stickers, T-shirts, etc. As a in Texas since the 1990s, when he received his Master Another mug of cheap beer. Possibly a whiskey. This high-tech, 21st-century city with a booming creative of Fine Arts degree from the Michener Center for place has been around forever. It’s friendly, simple, and class, the city is honestly no longer as weird as it once Writers at the University of Texas at Austin. A former the food’s good enough. was, but the locals still have an innate appreciation for Fulbright scholar and author of Nothing Happened and eccentricity and singularity in all its many forms. Austin Then It Did: a Chronicle in Fact and Fiction published by also doesn’t have the money of Dallas or Houston, so W.W. Norton in 2010, 38-year-old Silverstein is also a there’s not as much glitz and glamour. contributing editor to Harper’s Magazine. You’ve probably been to most of the hotels and With its eclectic music scene as one reason, good restaurants in Austin. Which do your prefer? isn’t Austin the coolest city in Texas? Why? All the major cities in Texas have pretty interesting art The best new hotels in town are the St. Cecilia, the scenes – from Southtown in San Antonio to Bishop Arts San José, and the Bunkhouse. These are the places in Dallas. Austin is great for music, and it does have a where the rock stars stay when they come to town. For certain cool factor, too. For generations it was the place something less hip, you can’t beat the Four Seasons where people who didn’t fit in elsewhere in Texas would (even if you’re not staying there, go have a drink at the move. But be forewarned, the common complaint bar and then go watch the bats come out from under about Austin from Texans who live in other cities is that the Congress Avenue Bridge at sundown – largest it thinks it’s the state’s coolest city. urban bat colony in the United States). As for restaurants, my favourites are Franklin Barbecue, Qui, Vespaio, and It hosts Formula One, is home to Apple, eBay Fonda San Miguel. Eat and repeat. and Whole Foods Market, and stages the famous South by Southwest music festival each year. I have a morning free. Where do I go? How does Austin feel different from Texas cities image © Jeff Wilson.com The Texas state Capitol. No question. It’s a magnificent such as Houston and Dallas? building, and the grounds are good for wandering. It’s a much smaller town than either of those cities, to begin with. So you feel the presence of those festivals Who is Austin’s most famous/infamous resident? more – partly because of that and because of the Willie Nelson. Both famous and infamous. university. Austin is a very young town, but we also have the Capitol here. So it’s not all baristas and guitarists. If Austin has a signature drink, what is it? When was your last great argument about Texas? The Mexican Martini. A margarita served in a martini What was it about? Folks in Austin probably have a lot of places where glass with olives. Sounds weird if you’ve never tried it, In June 2013, we picked a fight with the entire world they go for a good time. Where do they head when but they’re great and ubiquitous in Austin. Also deadly. over the supremacy of Texas barbecue. Our contention they want to put on the dog? was – and is – that Texas barbecue (the best of which is There are too many places to name. Some of the Where would you go in town if you couldn’t sleep? currently being served at Franklin Barbecue in Austin) is legendary ones are the Continental Club, the Broken Spoke, Lady Bird Lake – followed by a bowl of oatmeal at the superior to all other forms of barbecue. This raised a lot Antoine’s, and, of course, 6th Street (for the fake ID set). 24 Diner. This is not a nocturnal city. There aren’t that of hackles around the American south and elsewhere. South Congress is a good place to spend the evening. many places open after midnight. Go to tmbbq.com to see how that worked out!

28 grand • lasting impression

Heaven Sent

The unpretentious town of Samara Beach on the western shore of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula is a great spot to escape to. Nothing much reckless or overly energetic happens in Samara Beach aside from swinging on a cerveza, reading trash or taking a kayak out when the water is so welcoming you can’t resist its lure. There are usually one or two well-padded officers seated on scruffy plastic chairs outside the tiny Policia station but not many bad guys from the look of things. Samara Beach has a white painted church with twin steeples. And it was the tops of the steeples of that modest church that first drew me. I saw them one afternoon cast against a magnificent blue sky. The simplicity and humility of their design, even accounting for the community having had to probably work with modest building funds, was what I found so appealing. They never failed to focus me when I passed. I’d be lost in thought about this or that, processing the sights and sounds and shades. Oh, the amazing colours, the riot of fierce pastels and swaths of green that mark Costa Rica. How attractive a construction I’d think of the steeples, chaste and cheerful, each topped by a delicate cross. Photo and text by John Fitzgerald

30 Unprecedented Luxury

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8009_Grand Luxury Travel Mag_V4.indd 1 13-08-09 5:02 PM The Next Job Desc.: BMW X5 Print Generation Campaign Ad BMW X5 Docket: BMWCA0571 xDrive35i Client: BMW Canada xDrive50i Supplier: Type Page: 10.325" x 10.325" The Ultimate Trim: 10.875" x 10.875" bmw.ca Driving Experience. ® Bleed: 11.125" x 11.125" Screen: Pub.: Grand Luxury Travel Colour: 4C Date: Sept 30, 2013 Insert Date: 09 November, 2013 Ad Number: BMWCA0571_GLT_4C_E_X5

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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.

INTRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION BMW X5. PLAY HARDER.

*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.

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